Cheilin Saga ~ 19

 Cheilin Saga ~ 19 History Teaches 2

By Len Morgan

   Daidan awoke feeling remarkably refreshed.   But for the sword at his side he would have viewed his encounter in the night as no more than a vivid dream.   He reviewed the words, and touched the blade with assurance, it felt warm to his touch and seemed to have a comforting effect on him.   He bathed dressed and ate a light snack, sipping water between mouthfuls.   He chose to don light armour before making his way to the Arena, which was situated within the Palace grounds.   At sunrise, he was accompanied by his first counsellor, led and flanked by a troop of imperial house guards.   They made their way down an alley of torches; he had never expected to be the main attraction on his first visit to the Arena.   Daidan looked into the eyes of his counsellor, who glanced away nervously telling him all he needed to know.   As they entered the Arena he could see his nimbly agile adversary exercising his limbs, shadow fighting, in preparation for the combat to come.   It was dry, and there was a cold nip to the air, which he found bracing.   He took a slow deep breath, expanding his lungs to their full extent, holding the breath for a few moments before exhaling noisily.  

He took a second breath, gazed at his opponent, and smiled.   “It’s a glorious day to die,” he said.

“Indeed,” said Yvdrx

“If I were planning to die I also would choose such a day as this,” said Daidan.   He drew the sword from its scabbard swinging it effortlessly with speed, power, and panache.   Switching hands he continued to perform with ease executing a complicated set of intricate maneuvers tracing patterns in the air the blade close to invisible.   A low murmur went up from the small crowd of invited witnesses.   “Mayhap I should fight with my left, and give you a sporting chance,” he said in an easy friendly manner.  

Suddenly, Yvdrx looked less confident.

“Of course I have nothing to gain from this contest, If I kill you I will inevitably alienate your Clan and offend your widows and denying your children the love and support of their father.   You are I know a good father, yet you are prepared to give up everything in the mistaken belief that the new Clan chiefs will happily retire after just a month?”   If you force it upon them your son will not even survive the first cut, and you will cease to be Oybun of the 5^th Clan, what profit is there in that?”   A few more easy passes with the left hand, then the blade was transferred to his right, weaving pathways so swiftly no eye could follow.   Then it was sheathed so fast it seemed to disappear in mid-air.

Yvdrx made a few more passes with his sword, attempting to speed up his movements to match Daidan display.   His forced cuts and parries lacked their earlier fluidity, now looking clumsy in comparison.

“I will speak plain,” said Daidan, “I have no wish to kill you, it is never a pleasant thing to do, and regardless of promises there will always be resentment, both political and personal following your demise.   I desire only to unite the Empire, in the way I know best, which is to foster good relationships between the Clans.   I would make a poor start, towards that dream, by killing my closest rival.   It would be acceptable if the Emperor actually wielded the power implied by his office but, I know this not to be so. Instead, I find that I am simply used as a figurehead, a dragon without fire, every action directed by strangers.   Do this, don’t do that, I am in reality a prisoner in a house of shadows.   Not only am I denied the company of friends and family because it breaches the ‘no fraternisation’ rule, I am also forbidden to ride abroad or even to take to the fields and hunt like other normal men; as do you.   The worst thing of all is that I am not even here by choice, my name was submitted for selection without my knowledge.   In truth had you been elected I would have been the happier man.”    I only went through with the charade because I was convinced that you would win and honour would prevail.  I have no objection to becoming Oybun of the 7^th Clan; that is true power.   He smiled wryly and looked at Yvdrx in an appealing manner, “I need friends, can we not dispense with this ‘to the death’ business and put on a fine exhibition of swordsmanship that will strike fear into the hearts of enemies of the Empire?”

Yvdrx thought a while, “I never really wanted the job either,” he confided.    “It was foisted on me by others who decided it was in the best interest of the 5^th Clan.”

“Since being chosen, I have researched the antecedence of the post, and it is fascinating.   Did you know that the 5^th Clan has produced the matriarch of more Emperors than any other Clan; on no less than nine occasions?   The next most frequent was the 12^th Clan with only four.   From this research I also discovered that the 7^th Clan has never yet produced the mother of an Emperor who inherited the post,” said Daidan.

“Enough talk man,” yelled Yvdrx, “let the action begin.”

“So we fight the exhibition?”

“If that is your wish, in truth I no longer have stomach for this venture, now I can see how I have been manipulated by those I had thought were my friends.”

“When we are done you will be able to wreak vengeance on them all eh?”

“Indeed!” said Yvdrx with a smile as he came to the engarde stance, mirrored by his opponent.

“Good man!”

They fought a brave and clinical contest.   The witnesses were enthralled, for thirty minutes they witnessed toe to toe nonstop action.   At the end of which, Yvdrx was obviously flagging, but did not give way to panic or desperation; quite the contrary he modified his style to minimise his energy expenditure.   Of course, he knew that it was not ‘to the death’ but the crowd didn’t, and Daidan would never tell.   Not after running his opponent through three times in quick succession to ensure he would not survive to tell of their pact.   He wiped his blade on Yvdrx’s shirt turned and walked to the changing area without a backward glance.   There would be no further leadership disputes during the reign of Emperor Daidan I.  That same evening the sword mysteriously disappeared…

.-…-.

Dan smiled; his grandfather had once asked him if he considered his actions to have been wrong.  

“No” he answered out of loyalty.   But, he'd not really been convinced of that.

Just two years earlier he had repeated the story to Aldor, the only time it was ever retold, and asked Aldor's honest opinion of his forebear’s action.

“Yes & No” was Aldor’s considered reply. “He may have been guilty of overstepping his bounds by cheating.   Even though Yvdrx had been ridiculously gullible, suggesting he was not fit to be leader of the Cheilin Empire anyway.   As Emperor, he acted correctly, in the best interests of his subjects.   He could not afford to act like a man for that would demean the office.   If an Emperor permitted open descent in a subject it would rarely end there; the offender must be put down in a manner that would serve as a lesson to all.   To do otherwise would court anarchy.   If one death would ensure the stability of a nation and assure the continuance of a dynasty, the cost was justified.   Your grandfather gave up his right to act like a man when he accepted the honorific ‘Light of the World’.”

“Ah, quite so!   A man of perception,” Dan smiled.   He knew Aldor to be his staunchest ally; one who would also prove a fearsome adversary in other circumstances.   He held no reservations about Aldor’s loyalty or his commitment to his office.   If Aldor asked him to walk on fire, he would do so in the full knowledge, it was in his own best interest.

(to be continued)

Copyright Len Morgan