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'Deadman's joints.' Taeichi shrugged when he spoke, as though it were common knowledge. 'Is this really what brought you to my door, so early in the morning?'

'If the hanjeon is too unwell to receive guests, why simply not state the matter?'

'He cannot move even a finger without excruciating pain, but some days are still better for him.'

'Thank you. I'm familiar with how deadman's joints affect the body.' A disease of the muscles that came and went. In more extreme cases, it prevented a man from even walking.

That is why he looks so frail.

'You really caught me at an inconvenient time, maharaj.' Taeichi glowered over the steps of the welcome pit. He was fresh from the bath—a towel still draped over his neck, catching the last drops from his hair.

'I've spent the last few weeks being avoided, so you'll forgive my early intrusion.'

'The Emperor avoids no one. Only his duties keep him from private functions.' He pulled his morning robe tighter around his chest, hiding the glass pendant that hung from his neck, but not before Kiet noticed it. A drop of red, encased in a crystal dew-drop.

His knowledge of runes was extensive enough to recognise it immediately.

Of course the Emperor's truth-weaver was sworn to a blood-oath. He would be privy to many of the empire's secrets; it was only expected that the Divine Gyok would want to ensure his silence.

'It is unfortunate you had to learn of it this way,' continued Taeichi, 'but we do not generally speak of Haruse-himi's illness. I'm sure you understand.'

'I'm afraid not.' Kiet sieved the anger from his voice.

The longer he was kept unaware of Haruse's health, the longer would he be content with waiting idly by—was that the Emperor's plan? Keep him under control long enough at least for Haruse to die?

'He is well enough to sit for audiences, but not to accommodate a half hour of his time to speak to me. I have been given no explanations, not even excuses. This is not the Tsun courtesy lauded across the Eastern Isles.'

Taeichi's eyes narrowed. 'You expect explanation from the hanjeon, yet do not offer your own for requesting his audience.'

They know perfectly well my reasons. 'Hanjeon Haruse was once the Rajini Dhvani's secret lover. I have reason to believe he has since corresponded with her. You can appreciate that her whereabouts is a matter of great concern to the Surikh kingdom—I hope to speak to Haruse-himi, in case something in their correspondences might shed some light on some of the places to which she would seek refuge.'

Taeichi's gaze was scrutinising. Finally he stepped aside, granting access to the hall behind him. 'It is unfitting to be speaking in the kyōgan like this, surrounded by shoes. I must prepare for the morning audiences. Will you wait in the tea room?'

Kiet looked back. Akai hung still by the open door, along with two of the truth-weaver's guards. 'I'll not be long.'

One of the guards accompanied him to the tea room and sat in the hallway just outside the closed door, though for whose benefit, Kiet was unsure.

When Taeichi joined him, he was dressed for court. It was clear from the look he gave his own man that he'd prefer him gone, and he slid the door shut with such force that it shook in its frame.

He had left his blood-oath pendant over his yi-sang this time, visible between the open collar of his ceremonial robes, like he wanted Kiet to see.

He spoke loudly, as though to a daft child, 'I do not wish to waste your time, maharaj, so I will tell you again: Hanjeon Haruse will not meet you. Nor can the Emperor's left-hand advisor help in your search for your mother's killer.'

Kiet raised an eyebrow. 'You speak for the hanjeon, too, now?'

'I do not need to. Listen to me. Your efforts are best applied elsewhere. The left-hand advisor has suffered from deadman's joints for seven-and-twenty years, now, and his condition has only since deteriorated. He can barely lift a quill, let alone send correspondences.'

'Letters can be written on his behalf.' It sounded dubious, even as he said it.

If only Djuro still had earlier letters from the hanjeon to compare its script to his most recent note ...

'I cannot convince you any more than you can convince Haruse-himi to meet you.' Taeichi fidgeted with the crystal on his neck. 'All I will say is that the left-hand adviser is not the man you seek.'

He keeps calling him that.

'Before you return to Surikhand, at least stay for our mid-autumn festival,' continued Taeichi. 'The Emperor would hate for your visit to be in complete vain.'

He wasted no time waiting for Kiet to respond. Taeichi excused himself with a nod, tucking the blood-oath into his-yi-sang before leaving.

Whatever the truth-weaver was trying to tell him, the blood-oath prevented it. Clearly its pair was in Gyoseong's possession, and it would shatter the moment he broke his oath of secrecy.

A Refined Ginkgo like him; he must despise being under Gyoseong's thumb. Who was he, really? Just a poor boy who had the misfortune of being born a truth-weaver? Or had he family and connections important enough to pose a threat to the Divine Gyok?

The left-hand adviser is not the man you seek.

Could he trust Taeichi's words? It was just as likely he was a loyal servant to the Divine Gyok and wanted to rid his Emperor of the maharaj. If that were the case, he'd want me sooner gone, not tell me to stay long enough for the festival.

And he would have not made a point of revealing his blood-oath.

Kiet saw himself out the tea room, followed the guard back up the hall. Akai waited still in the kyōgan, his face taut with caution.

'Did all go well, maharaj?' asked Akai, speaking in their tongue.

The soldiers guarding Taeichi's residential wing were gone when they exited into the courtyard, as was the truth-weaver. 'Well enough.'

He's not the man I seek.

There was more to the truth-weaver's words, only Kiet failed to grasp it. What did he mean? That Haruse had not had a love affair with Dhvani? That it was not him who assisted her out of Surikhand? Both?

'Is it true, then?'

Kiet nodded. A slight movement, for his thoughts were elsewhere. He stopped under the shade of Taeichi's ginkgo tree, its double-lobed leaves splattered gold with the first touch of autumn. 'It's the Emperor.'

'Pardon?'

'The one who's been helping Dhvani. Perhaps even the boy she met so long ago. Djuro had it mixed up. It was Emperor Gyoseong Yusake all along.'

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↝ END CHAPTER FOURTEEN ↜

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☆ this chapter is dedicated to FlaminPhoenix! ☆

Video: Relaxed by Ambiences
Image: © Clarence Lowe Hue at ArtStation

Hmm ... Kiet seems to be figuring out more and more each time ... maybe soon he'll finally have Dhvani in his grasp ;-)

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to vote and comment if you liked this chapter. Some of you are coming up with really interesting theories, so keep 'em coming!

In other news, I've been granted my very own fancy kingdom in the Writers' Kingdom discord, where I will be posting and discussing my work-in-progress as I write it. I'll also be posting a lot about the interactive storytelling game I'm currently working on, so if you want more details about that or if you'd just like to chat with me about my work (or life and writing in general), you are all welcome to join the group! The link and details are in the inline comment. Hope to see you there!