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Primitive: Part II.
I awoke nearly instantaneously at first light, unwrapping woollen bed-vestments from my frame, I then clothed myself in a dark-cotton under-dress; proceeding to draw an incensed blue-silk torso-concealer over my right shoulder and a thicker gray wolf-hide over my back, this being also incensed. Finally, I fastened a copper-hued, bejewelled tiger-hide coat to my shoulders, and hung it over the rest of my vestures, covering the remainder of my body, down to the knees; with slight exertion, I shut the metal hinges of my door, arriving soon thereafter before an intricately-carved and awe-inspiring temple of marble, dressed in gold and sparkling gems, for the glory of gods and Empire.
Fellow worshippers had already congregated outside the First Baths by then, in preparation for the Lavations, similarly raimented as was I for the early morn-administered Haybara ceremony. "Cleanse thyself, O' ye who art assembled." Began a priest, all garbed in gold-chased gray-cotton robes, in the archaic priestly tongue; called "Hieratic" for simplicity.
We purified ourselves, as bid, in the frigid bath, sinking and rising up again in sequences of seven at each turn, as is the custom of our land, then rushed, subsequently, into the second bath, and proceeded in like manner; we moved to the third bath, where we remained, whilst the priests swayed rhythmically to an arcane chant and growled, baring their teeth menacingly. "Thou art banished, fiend. For thy cruelty art thou cast from the land. Thy mother should'st thou go to. May the gods banish thee thither, as meet thy erring ways by which thou hast wreaked havock and tumult in this our land bequeathed us by the divinities." They so repeated multiple times, of which I took no count, in accordance with the formulæ, unchanged since ancient times.
They, then, sprinkled a fine white powder over us, whose constitution I knew and know not, thereafter beseeching Ge'eyaki, our mother goddess, to watch over and fortify us.
Leaving this hallowed place, I set foot to granite, descending the steps therefrom, and coming onto the Imperial Road, also of granite make, and started down it.
As I made my way back to town, a certain noblewoman, covered fully in white habiliments, signifying that she was of the family Goordooki, which is that of the Emperor, approached me, faintly smiling.
"Zotushna, son of Alemzgir, grandson of the Protector of The Signs?" She examined me inquisitively, holding a sheet of wool over her outdrawn right arm.
"I am he." I wondered at her intent, waiting for her to state it.
"You are summoned before the Sagacious, the Infallible, Amdaki VII, ruler of the Meldek Empire." She concluded his titles as succinctly as possible.
Two horsemen appeared by her side, each one seated on an unblemished white horse, of the Imperial Pen; a horseman, swarthy and as hairless as is a barbarian, extended his hand, helping me mount his animal, and regarded me with ominous black eyes that promised evil should the need arise; the woman, unpartnered and of Imperial blood, was carried with ease by the other, a strapping youth, with honey skin and pale-brown eyes, tresses of light-brown hue flowing freely down his back. This one, it seemed, by his carriage and physical strength, was a Sagittary.
We overleapt a minor rivule, a short while later, entering in the midst of a wholesome and verdant meadow, well-watered; in it were apple trees, in bloom, all well-nourished and with bountiful fruit, olives, lemons, brunions, and earth-coloured citruses. I had previously supposed that the Emperor's grounds were surrounded by insurmountable and impregnable walls as were the ones of Azghulaki, but now I could see that this was not so. A wonder that no one made unlawful entrance thereto. We waited for a short while, holding petty conversation on inconsequential matters.
A fractious beating of drums was excited, informing us of His Most Wise's arrival, His nose was aquiline, his skin exceedingly swarthy as had been the ancients', his eyes dusky and most perspicacious and discerning, I immediately knelt to the ground, humbled by His August Presence. "Greetings and auspices, Most Wise Emperor."
"Valedictions to thee all." He said, the others responded and genuflected as well.
"Arise, healer." I rose, unsure of His purpose.
"Walk with Us." He spoke, dismissing the guards and His kin with a wave of the hand.
"We understand that you are a scholar of the arts of the soul, and that in chirurgy you know no peer in all Aluuzan; are you likewise endowed in signs, in calculation?" He said at some distance away, exercising His prerogative of pluralis majestatis, by which device informing me that this was a matter politick.
"Regrettably not."
"Then you must seek out one who is, We have decided to have constructed a canal, projecting from the Northern Mountains, channeling water into all Our lands. Our goal is to halt all incidence...
Fellow worshippers had already congregated outside the First Baths by then, in preparation for the Lavations, similarly raimented as was I for the early morn-administered Haybara ceremony. "Cleanse thyself, O' ye who art assembled." Began a priest, all garbed in gold-chased gray-cotton robes, in the archaic priestly tongue; called "Hieratic" for simplicity.
We purified ourselves, as bid, in the frigid bath, sinking and rising up again in sequences of seven at each turn, as is the custom of our land, then rushed, subsequently, into the second bath, and proceeded in like manner; we moved to the third bath, where we remained, whilst the priests swayed rhythmically to an arcane chant and growled, baring their teeth menacingly. "Thou art banished, fiend. For thy cruelty art thou cast from the land. Thy mother should'st thou go to. May the gods banish thee thither, as meet thy erring ways by which thou hast wreaked havock and tumult in this our land bequeathed us by the divinities." They so repeated multiple times, of which I took no count, in accordance with the formulæ, unchanged since ancient times.
They, then, sprinkled a fine white powder over us, whose constitution I knew and know not, thereafter beseeching Ge'eyaki, our mother goddess, to watch over and fortify us.
Leaving this hallowed place, I set foot to granite, descending the steps therefrom, and coming onto the Imperial Road, also of granite make, and started down it.
As I made my way back to town, a certain noblewoman, covered fully in white habiliments, signifying that she was of the family Goordooki, which is that of the Emperor, approached me, faintly smiling.
"Zotushna, son of Alemzgir, grandson of the Protector of The Signs?" She examined me inquisitively, holding a sheet of wool over her outdrawn right arm.
"I am he." I wondered at her intent, waiting for her to state it.
"You are summoned before the Sagacious, the Infallible, Amdaki VII, ruler of the Meldek Empire." She concluded his titles as succinctly as possible.
Two horsemen appeared by her side, each one seated on an unblemished white horse, of the Imperial Pen; a horseman, swarthy and as hairless as is a barbarian, extended his hand, helping me mount his animal, and regarded me with ominous black eyes that promised evil should the need arise; the woman, unpartnered and of Imperial blood, was carried with ease by the other, a strapping youth, with honey skin and pale-brown eyes, tresses of light-brown hue flowing freely down his back. This one, it seemed, by his carriage and physical strength, was a Sagittary.
We overleapt a minor rivule, a short while later, entering in the midst of a wholesome and verdant meadow, well-watered; in it were apple trees, in bloom, all well-nourished and with bountiful fruit, olives, lemons, brunions, and earth-coloured citruses. I had previously supposed that the Emperor's grounds were surrounded by insurmountable and impregnable walls as were the ones of Azghulaki, but now I could see that this was not so. A wonder that no one made unlawful entrance thereto. We waited for a short while, holding petty conversation on inconsequential matters.
A fractious beating of drums was excited, informing us of His Most Wise's arrival, His nose was aquiline, his skin exceedingly swarthy as had been the ancients', his eyes dusky and most perspicacious and discerning, I immediately knelt to the ground, humbled by His August Presence. "Greetings and auspices, Most Wise Emperor."
"Valedictions to thee all." He said, the others responded and genuflected as well.
"Arise, healer." I rose, unsure of His purpose.
"Walk with Us." He spoke, dismissing the guards and His kin with a wave of the hand.
"We understand that you are a scholar of the arts of the soul, and that in chirurgy you know no peer in all Aluuzan; are you likewise endowed in signs, in calculation?" He said at some distance away, exercising His prerogative of pluralis majestatis, by which device informing me that this was a matter politick.
"Regrettably not."
"Then you must seek out one who is, We have decided to have constructed a canal, projecting from the Northern Mountains, channeling water into all Our lands. Our goal is to halt all incidence...
