The Sultan worked as he walked. Reports in hand, aides flanked him on either side. There was a certain novelty in handling matters this way rather than simply at his desk. It couldn't exactly be considered relaxing but the difference was felt. Rasoul wasn't strolling about aimlessly either. Names had been discovered and tasks needed to be done. The Sultan often wondered when he would be done with cleaning the city up. He had a vision for Seluca but that required a stable foundation. Rasoul could not in good conscience say that had been achieved yet. Noticeable improvements were made but the Sultan was not without anxiety. One step at a time, he reminded himself. The Six had blessed his path thus far, hopefully their trust in him would persist.
Rasoul waved off his attendants as they reached the palace's inner training ground. They had received the Sultan's orders and would no doubt pass them along to his viziers. He spotted a familiar figure standing in the center of the square. The Sultan remained quiet as the First Blade of Seluca went through her forms. Far from a swordmaster, Rasoul was still able to appreciate the style's elegance.
A number of foreigners had found their way to the Sultan's side in the recent months. First there was Sinuhe, not a stranger to the desert but to Seluca. Ishi and her unique band of warriors had come next. A boon from Annuk. The foreign fighter had already saved his life on a number of occasions. He trusted that she would continue to do so in the future. The reason he sought out the First Blade today would require her to take a more...proactive approach to her bodyguard duties.
"It is good to see that a genuine blademaster is able to keep the spirit of these grounds alive," Rasoul stated as he finally took a step into the training square.
The First Blade didn't get much time to herself, but when she did, it was mostly spent in practise. Or contemplation. Or rest. Today was one of those rare days where she could accomplish all three, if the True One saw fit to grant her few interruptions. He had been particularly rancorous as of late, that most fickle of Gods, and Ishi felt He was going out of his way to punish her for some slight or another. All she could do was hope and pray for His forgiveness.
In the meantime, however, she would practise.
Rising into the Crane stance, Ishi released her breath in one smooth flow. One of the first things she had learned during her time with Master Ikejiri was how to control her breathing. A warrior had to be as calm as the stillest of waters, the Blademaster had told her. Perfecting the techniques he had shown her had been no small task, but over a decade had passed since the 'then' and 'now'.
Plenty of time to in which to get things right, Ishi believed. And to further the art known to her as the Way of the Two Swords.
Letting her blade fall, Ishi followed through with another swift strike, turning the blade upwards in a crescent motion that would have bisected any warrior unfortunate enough to get in her way. A minute bled into fifteen as she trained, alone except for her thoughts. Fifteen became twenty, then twenty-five. Soon enough a full hour had passed, and Ishi hadn't even begun to slow. But all things came to an end sooner or later.
Sweating heavily beneath the sun's fiery gaze, the First Blade decided to take a moment to rest. Snatching up her water skin, the warrior drank deep the life-sustaining substance held within. In the desert, where the sands were as thirsty as the people who walked them, water was worth its own weight in gold. More, even. Shade was another valuable commodity. Fortunately, in Seluca, neither were in short supply.
"It is good to see that a genuine blademaster is able to keep the spirit of these grounds alive,"
Smiling gently, Ishi bade her Master welcome with a bow. Her practise sword clattered against the stone of a nearby bench as she straightened. "Perhaps you would do me the honour of sparring with me from time to time, Lord, if not to hone your own skills, then to appease the spirits of this hallowed ground upon which we stand."
"I try not to make a habit of wasting my retainer's time," the Sultan replied with a small smile. He did not doubt that Lady Ishi would train him in earnest but that would achieve little. Rasoul had passable skill, enough to see him through a desperate situation. Achieving proper mastery with the blade took time, time that the Sultan simply did not possess. He did not make light of the offer, quite the opposite in fact. Should he find himself in a situation that required more than his current skill, then Rasoul was already doomed. "The spirits will hopefully understand my predicament."
He stepped forward, tossing a glance to the discarded practice sword. A different path may have once presented itself. One filled with more blood, and the glory to match. A Sultan in the image of those who had stained the sands red. Rasoul was frightened at how easily that could become a reality. Better to keep an even keel and avoid such situations when possible.
"You've been in Seluca for some months now. I would know your opinion on the city guard." The foreign warrior was nothing more than his bodyguard at this point. Though many would argue that was an honor itself. Rasoul may not have been a warrior at his core but understood the value of experience. He knew that Lady Ishi and her troops had seen their share of combat.
Just how candid was the First Blade prepared to be? Curiosity ever nipped at Rasoul's heels.
Smiling to herself, Katakura Ishi shook her head as the Sultan turned down her offer, again. "I do not see how teaching you to defend yourself in my absence can be considered a waste of my time... but have it your way, Lord." Letting her smile wither, the First Blade watched her charge as his eyes fell to the practice blade she had been using. Despite his words, she could see he possessed the will and the strength of mind to learn. What, then, was keeping him from doing so?
A thought for later.
Lifting her chin, Ishi levelled an even look at her Lord as his question sank in. "My opinion of the Guard," she said, something about the way her Lord had asked the question setting alarm bells ringing inside the vault of her mind. "They serve their purpose well enough. Or as well as can be expected of men condemned to garrison duty." Meeting her master's gaze, she weighed the value of her thoughts, disregarding those that held little worth for those she believed did. "The commander at the Stone Gate is diligent for a man of so few years. He drills his warriors regularly, and makes sure his stretch of the city's defences are up to standard. I can respect a man like that. The man in charge of the Sand Gate is another matter, however."
Allowing the ensuing silence to speak for itself, the First Blade remained standing alongside her Lord. "May I ask what inspired this line of questioning, Lord? Do you have... concerns about your safety?"
The sultan nearly made a remark about his plentiful guards but refrained. Ishi had not been his service for long but knew that pride was preeminent among her people. There were certainly those who were after his life but he doubted many remained within the city. Most had been dealt with at this point and the rest were being hunted down. The faithful had no love for the tyrant. Only those who had been enriched by his foul schemes were truly loathe to see Rasoul come to power. This was certainly not true outside of Seluca, but that was another tale.
"Does Captain Shabin lack morals or skill?" The Sultan knew the name of the Sand Gate's commander but little else. Rasoul was still in the process of identifying the key members of Seluca. He had only begun to properly weed through the dredges of the administration. Thus he would rely on others like Ishi to make judgements on the rest.
His gaze was cast towards the sun before finally looking back at Ishi. "No, my immediate safety is not in question. Rather my thoughts are towards the security of our city as a whole." Rasoul glanced towards the numerous weapons that lay ready near him. A reminder of a lifestyle that he shunned. "I once brought you into this city to avoid death. Now I ask that you go out and seek it."
"He lacks will," Ishi replied, unsure of her Sultan's opinion on the man but knowing he should hear her words regardless. "Time or lack of action has worn him down, dulled the blade of his mind. It seemed to me that Captain Shabin has grown... disillusioned during his tenure as guard commander." Ishi frowned, her gaze following her Master's. The blazing Selucan sun was enough to blind even the strongest of eyes, and that was on a cloudy day.
How the people of the desert had managed for so long was beyond the First Blade.
"Of course, there's also the possibility that he just didn't like me." Smiling, Ishi shrugged, as if the truth didn't effect her either way. "Death is not a hard thing to find in this land of yours," she continued, her expression growing solemn as she picked up her practise blade and returned it to its rack.
Palming her own curved blades, she returned to her Lord's side. "Where would you have me begin?"
Rasoul frowned slightly at the First Blade's assessment. It wasn't that the sultan doubted her words but rather found them all too believable. He did not know the Guard-Captain personally but the man had served for many years. The man's reputation was good and so Rasoul had remained hopeful. However command of the Sand Gate was not for those who had lost their edge. It was a crucial position that could very much decide the fate of the city in dire circumstances. Seluca was still rebuilding, ever-vulnerable in its current state. The sultan could not afford to let past deeds dictate decisions of the moment.
"I shall summon the captain and speak with him." The man had earned the right to explain himself. Rasoul learned to trust Ishi's insight but some matters required a personal touch. It would be yet another audience in his seemingly unending list of meetings. A self-pitying sigh was all he would get as the sultan turned his thoughts back to business once more.
"That is true. The blessings of the Six are not easily attained. It is often said that the 'Desert provides', the nature of said provisions are not always welcome." Those of Amol Kalit knew the way, he suspected Ishi would come to embrace this truth sooner than later. "The South. A man by the name of Kubhet Ksecun has taken to banditry among many other barbarities. We must deal with him before he becomes a proper warlord in truth."
The Sultan paused for a moment, deliberating on exactly how much to say. "It appears Kubhet is of our, that is to say, Seluca's creation. The Tyrant sought to use him for his own gains. His men are better armed than the usual rabble." Speaking the words left a foul taste on his tongue. Rasoul had not been responsible but it was a fact that Seluca had benefited from this bandit. "Will you, as the First Blade, see that this sin is erased?"
Ishi hummed. 'See with your own eyes, hear with your own ears,' she paused, 'and judge with your head, not your heart.' That was the most crucial part. Ishi did not know the Guard-Captain personally. What he was like as a man was of little concern to the First Blade. She had been tasked with assessing Seluca's defences by her Lord and, with the True One as her witness, she had done so to the best of her ability.
Captain Shabin was a weak link. Whether as a warrior or a leader of warriors, it all amounted to the same thing in the end. She would not allow her Lord's safety to be compromised by anyone, friend or foe.
Listening dutifully, her golden brow glistening with sweat, she nodded as her Lord spoke of another, more pressing concern. 'I had heard talk of travellers being waylaid,' Ishi said, committing Kubhet's name to memory. That the Tyrant's misdeeds continued to haunt Seluca and its people came as no surprise to the foreigner. And though the wrongdoing had not been his, she could see the way it weighed upon her Lord's soul.
'I would follow you to the Land Beyond if you asked it of me,' she said, bowing low. 'But it is my utmost hope that we will not have to make such a journey anytime soon.' Straightening up, she met Rasoul's eyes, held them. 'I shall find this... Kubhet Ksecun and see to it that he pays for his crimes.' She paused again. 'You have my word!'
The Sultan made no remark of the First Blade's axiom but it rang true to his own beliefs. Yet he did not always have the luxury of judging with his own senses. Rasoul was only one man and while the Six had granted him much, infinite time was not among their boons. Therefore it was necessary to rely on those around him. The ability to draw those of talent to your side was the hallmark of a great ruler. Rasoul could not say yet how well he was doing in this regard but Ishi had yet to fail him. To have gained the loyalty of one so stalwart, the Sultan could only thank Annuk's blessings.
"I also pray that we avoid the need for such a journey," replied the Sultan with a small smile. "Good, I'd expect nothing less from the First Blade. I'll see to it that you and your men have whatever provisions are needed." This was a matter that needed to be handled swiftly and decisively. Kubhet's actions could invoke the ire of other cities. It would be all too easy to leverage his barbarism as a cause for war.
Rasoul looked to the sky, and knew he had yet another appointment in the near future. "I'm sure you have preparations to make but I have need to visit the Dome, a meeting with the High Priest you see." Rasoul viewed the meeting with an equal measure of anticipation and anxiety. He didn't explain himself any further as he began to walk away. The Sultan knew that the dedicated warrior would not leave him unguarded. "No doubt the land of the Six differs much from your homeland. Have you, and your kin managed to settle properly?"
'We have,' Ishi replied, smiling graciously at her Lord. 'As you say, the land surrounding Seluca differs greatly from that of my home... what was my home.' In a rare moment of vulnerability, the First Blade paused as she thought back on the windswept shores of her home. Its rugged beauty was something she would never forget. Nor would she forget the people that still resided there. Mother. Father. Master.
Did they think of her, she wondered. Did their hearts ache as much as hers did during the quiet evenings where recollection came unbidden, like an assassin's blade in the night? Perhaps.
'Again, I cannot stress how grateful I am for what you did for us. Few would have given us the time of day, let alone saved us from what I knew then as I know now would have been certain death.'Amol Kalit was not the most hospitable of places to wash ashore. Hot as the Beyond, with very few fresh water sources, the desert nations and tribes did not take kindly to trespassers. Or foreigners. But the Sultan... the Sultan had taken a chance on her.
And so here I find myself, far from home, surrounded by strange faces and even stranger places. Yet, we persist. I persist. Breathing deep the dry air, Ishi pressed on. 'Your household played a key part in helping us settle, I might add. Many of my warriors brought their families with them, as you well know. To have them housed and safe... it calms the soul, does it not?'
Turning to her Lord, the First Blade smiled slyly. 'Now, if we could just do away with this infernal heat, all would be well!'
"The desert is oft a harsh and unforgiving place but it is said that an oasis appears to those who are worthy. You and your stalwart warriors have certainly proven as much." Rasoul had been personally saved by Ishi a number of times since she had come into his service. The Royal Guard was still not at full strength and so the foreign warriors were supplementing them for the time being. Unfortunately there will still those who wanted his head. The attempts had become less frequent but Rasoul wasn't planning to let his guard down. No doubt his decisions in the future would garner the consternation of entirely new foes.
He stopped in stride at the First Blade's remark and turned to regard her with seriousness. "When I accepted your loyalty, you became one of Seluca's people. That means that all those you consider family also became Seluca's people. I know not of others you may have served, but I would not see my people suffer undue hardship." He relaxed his expression. "Simply put, I will never take for granted the value of a stable home."
Rasoul chuckled at Ishi's final remark. "You will have to take that up with the goddess Iasimu. My talents are far more worldly. For instance I can see that you and yours are provided attire more appropriate for our climate..."
'That's most kind of you,' Ishi replied, smiling at Rasoul's words. Failing to outfit her people for the harsh climate of Amol-Kalit had been an oversight on her part. It was one she was loathe to repeat. 'About the Ksecun problem... I take it I have your leave to utilize some of your local agents in order to find him, yes?' Ishi did not enjoy asking for help. Indeed, had she been able to find the warlord alone, she would have.
But these lands were not her own, and as such her knowledge was limited. Better to use local talent than to rely on her own in this matter.
'I will need a guide,' she said, turning to her Lord, 'and a word with the former Lord's go-between, if they yet live.' Chances were any known loyalists had been put to the sword by now. Ishi did not hold it against him. To allow traitors to wander free was to invite trouble, and there was plenty enough of that going about. 'I'm no spymaster, but I assume the Tyrant didn't deal directly with Ksecun?'
Pausing in the shade of a nearby archway, Ishi waited for a response.
"I will see that word is sent to our people. This matter must be handled swiftly." The Sultan placed significant emphasis on the last word. Rasoul had remained passive during the earlier meeting with his advisors; concerned but not panicked. He managed to hide his anxiety well until this moment. The Sultan believed there could be severe ramifications if Kscecun was not dealt with immediately. A rogue warband could threaten Rasoul's attempts to stabilize Seluca. He did not take this matter lightly. Thus he turned to Ishi and her intrepid warriors.
He paused for a moment as he considered the First Blade's final two requests. "I cannot speak to their current disposition, but I imagine you shall hear word of it soon enough." His meaning was simple, that avenue of questioning was no longer available. Rasoul had already given orders and knew that his will would be done. "Still, if you wish to know more than seek out Zafir." Rasoul wore a sympathetic expression. "Whether he will assist you or not is entirely another matter."
Rasoul pondered on the foreign warrior's final ask. There were many who knew the land but this also required a measure of discretion, and bravery. A combination not easily found. "Speak to Khadja. There are few who know this land better than her. She will find a guide for you."
The Sultan pondered on his own words, deciding to add one final note. "It would be good if you two got along."
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