For days, the quake was anything anyone would talk of. The fishmongers warned of the volcano awaking, red eyes blinking open to peer at the world. Their wives told equally bizarre stories of dead fish washing ashore—things no one had witnessed for themselves, rather heard it happen to a friend's butcher's supplier or some other meaningless connection.

Isla never understood the appeal of gossip. It was, as they say, a pastime for idle hands and idler minds ... but she was hoping for some news to trickle down regarding a certain maharaj's visit to the castle.

Not that she cared much what his business was—or if truly he had come to court the hanjou. She was only concerned his presence might jeopardise her sister's treatment.

So what in all the epps was she doing in Ikidojja? In the middle of the week, no less? She had left Tam Mai in Yui's capable hands, hitched a ride on a grocer's wagon, and now found herself in front of Eshe's gate.

She would not even be home. The empath would be working right now, wherever that may be. Perhaps in the first enclosure, where Yui said the Emperor housed most of his children.

A slit on the gate slid open. Dark brown eyes squinted out at her.

'I'm here to see Eshe.'

'Obou-nue cannot entertain guests at this moment. You must come later.'

'I can wait in the social wing.'

'Impossible! The nuesae requires complete privacy for her work.'

So she sees Fukuhei-himi in her own residence? 'It's already five-bells in the afternoon! How much later do I need to come?'

The gatekeeper slammed the slit shut. Evidently it was not his problem.

Isla left, annoyed.

She could not wait until the week's end to speak to Eshe; she needed reliable information, and quickly. Eshe must know something about Kiet's visit. She often met with Fukuse-himi. The hanjou would surely mention if her father had secured an engagement on her behalf.

No! That isn't the point! Isla crept along the wall, down the deserted streets of the second enclosure. What am I doing here, slinking in the shadows like a thief? Like a lovesick child, hoping to catch a glimpse of her paramour.

Isla made a sound of disgust.

'Am I so repulsing a sight to see, damesae?'

She looked up, and there was the truth-weaver, coming up the road with his usual ring of guards. Jailors, more like.

He was dressed in official robes—the large, flowing type that looked as rich as cut gold and rippled as smooth as water when he walked. It was the first time she saw him since he walked with her and Tam Mai. So many weeks had passed, it had slipped entirely from Isla's mind until that moment.

'Good afternoon, seunghwan. I was simply lost in my own thoughts.'

'Something troubles you?'

She came to a stop just before they passed and considered the man. The Emperor's truth-weaver, who would sit in on even his most important meetings. He was evidently just returning from one such meeting. 'Only that I came all this way to visit my friend, and it turns out she is too busy to receive me.'

'Then perhaps I can persuade you to dine with me instead.'

Isla hesitated. She wanted to speak to Taeichi, but dining together seemed unwise. What did she know of the man? He could keep her locked in his residence to pry the nails off her fingers, and no one would ever know what became of her.

A half hour later, she was sitting at his pit table.

Two servants laid an assortment of dishes before them, all smelling fresh from the kitchens. They served wordlessly and left wordlessly, closing the door to allow Isla and Taeichi their meal in private. It was so quiet between them, they could hear the guard's rattling breathing just outside the door.

Finally Taeichi broke the silence. 'I hope you and Tam Mai-uchi were not harmed during the quake three nights ago.'

Not him, too. 'It caused quite some shock, but nothing more.'

Taeichi leaned in and turned Isla's head to expose her neck. 'It looks like something caught you quite bad.'

His hand was cold under her chin. Isla staggered back when he released her. 'Just a scratch. The quake took Tam Mai by surprise.'

'It must be new to her. You do not suffer many quakes in Surikhand.'

'Some areas more than others, particularly in the east ... but even then they do not come often.' She had only experienced one earthquake when she was younger. At least, one that she remembered. The neighbour's coop lost a frame and all his chickens escaped, but that was the greatest damage their village had seen. 'I hear your volcano might be rising.'

'Honju is always watching, but we cannot blame him for everything.'

What is that supposed to mean? For a truth-weaver, he sure seemed to enjoy speaking in tongues. 'How fortunate, then, that the Divine Gyok is blessed with many powerful terrakin.'

Taeichi sniffed. 'Fortune has little to do with it.'

Isla had had enough. 'What do you even mean?'

'It is not a secret the Divine Gyok is ... shall we say, an exclusive clan.' Taeichi took a pickled radish to go with his rice rolls. 'Most clans have no rule against wedding outside their own. That is not so for the Divine Gyok. They have remained within the same eighty or so families for the entire history of Tsunai.'

Isla lowered her dining reed, her stomach churning.

But really, was it that far from Surikh's own royal family? Perhaps their consanguinity was not as extreme, but half-cousins have been known to wed one another. Sometimes even half-siblings.

'You look troubled, but this is how they ensure our realm's safety. We know them as the Great Forefathers: forty of the land's greatest terrakin wedded to forty other of our greatest element-raisers, creating what was to become our Founding Emperor's original clan.'

'They bred terrakindry into their bloodline.'

'Indeed. Even centuries before Corthair published his great treatise on theurgy, already our Forefathers speculated parentage would play an immense factor on one's own theurgy. Generations down the line, element-raising became the Divine Gyok's dominant trait, and indeed no other clan has ever birthed a terrakin as great as theirs.'

They were interrupted by the kettle, whistling shrill over the firepit. Taeichi removed it from its hook and prepared their tea.

'Then the rumour can't be true.' Isla mused over her stuffed chicken soup. 'If they wed only within their clan, Hanjou Fukuse cannot be promised to Kiet.'

Taeichi raised an eyebrow. Isla blasted herself in her own head. She feigned nonchalance, picking a dumpling and stirring it in her soup.

'It is easier for a woman to leave the clan. External marriages still occur on occasion, especially between equivalent royalborns. Sometimes even with people of lower blood, if one is prepared to be disowned,' he added darkly. 'House Ametjas has a history of element-raising. Your Maha Rama is a therokin, his father before him an apsakin. I imagine Emperor Gyoseong would not be opposed to a union with Maharaj Kiet. Especially if it meant consolidating his alliance with Surikhand.'

That neither confirmed nor denied the rumours.

Isla reached for the teapot and poured for two.

'Are you an admirer of the maharaj?'

'Absolutely not.' Isla frowned at the very idea. 'I simply heard of his arrival and wondered what a Surikh maharaj was doing in—' She faltered, stole a look at Taeichi's ear.

His bloodrune was unlit, but the pause was enough. The truth-weaver smiled. 'I see. Then why do you suddenly wear a love charm?'

'A what?' Heat rushed quickly into Isla's face.

Taeichi tapped his chest. 'The charm in the left pocket of your robe.'

Isla pulled into her inner pocket and extricated a paper talisman poking from its placket. It was longer than the luck charms they had given Yui, and made of a pure white surface. The runes scrawled upon it were heavy with flourishes, but that meant nothing when Isla could not read it. 'This? It's just a souvenir Tam Mai bought me from the temple.'

'Well, Lilja-dame, she bought you a love charm.'

Isla flushed. If Tam Mai knew about this, she was in for a good chewing.

Taeichi rescued the talisman from her hands and smoothed out its wrinkles. 'Careful. That would be bad luck.'

'You believe in such superstition?'

'Do you doubt the power of runes?' He questioned in return. 'I see you did not place a mark upon it.'

'A mark?'

'When seeking for love, one must remain cautious of the type of person they attract, do you not think?'

'I don't think at all about love.' Like she had time for it, anyway.

Taeichi ignored her remark. 'To leave a love charm unmarked is to invite potential trouble.'

'It seems I attract that regardless.'

'Romantic trouble.'

Isla resisted the urge to roll her eyes. 'So mark it, if it's such a big deal.'

Taeichi seemed taken aback. 'I do not make a habit of carrying prayer wax with me, but ... I suppose this would also work.' He reached into the sleeve of his yi-sang and pulled out a folding fan. Isla watched, fascinated, as with a single flick tiny blades suddenly protruded between its ribs.

Taeichi brought his little finger against a needle and pressed his bloodied finger into the talisman. When he returned the charm to her, his fingerprint was marked below the pitch black script, bringing a spot of colour into the otherwise bland talisman.

'Thank you ... I guess?' Isla did not know what to do with it; certainly she did not know he would cut himself to provide a mark. She slipped the charm back into her pocket.

'I should be the one thanking you for joining me.'

'Your residence is indeed quiet. Don't you have family to fill your halls?'

'My parents died when I was very young,' said Taeichi, his voice even. 'They had no other children.'

Isla bit her lip. She knew how empty sympathies were—she had heard too many condolences herself. 'That must have been difficult. I take it you were raised, then, by your clan?'

'For a time. Three years, if I recall—until shortly after I turned eight.'

Didn't he say his theurgy blossomed at eight? 'When the Emperor took you under his wing,' concluded Isla.

'For which he has my eternal gratitude.' Taeichi's eyes darted to the door. He pulled a grill onto the firepit and slathered it with oil before laying it with thin-sliced ribs. The sound of sizzling drowned his words when he continued, 'I have not stepped foot outside Momuji since.'

'Surely he allows at least a visit to the people who raised you.'

Taeichi's smile did not reach his eyes. 'Of course. I visit them every night. The Emperor was kind enough to give me their urns.'

☆ this chapter is dedicated to thusli ☆

Video: irori sound
Image: © Igor Golyuk at ArtStation

Isla learns a bit more about the Emperor's family, but the real question is who is this Taeichi guy, really? What are your thoughts?
Don't forget to vote if you liked this part, and see you next week for the conclusion of chapter 13!