Chapter 43. The Plan

orisedd had to concede that the Crystal Palm knew how to spoil their guests.  His room was richly appointed with a Tyrian feather bed covered in silk sheets and thick down comforters.  They had laid out fresh clothes for him which consisted of linen pantaloons, a loose cream silk blouse with long flowing sleeves, and a floor length Canthan tunic of embroidered black silk.  On a table below a spacious window there was a wash bowl and ewer of lavender water, a shaving mug and sharpened razor.  On the bedside table there was a generous bowl of exotic fruit, a flask of ale and a plate of bread and cheese.

He turned first to cleaning himself up and was relieved to get out of his armor and into something loose and comfortable.  The servants brought him fresh water and he cleansed his long hair, allowing one of them to trim it back to shoulder length with shears when they looked horrified that he was about to hack it off with a razor.  After the ordeal he lay upon the bed and took out his whittling knife to peel the rind off of one of the fruits and nodded off to sleep half way through the process.

It was nearly dark when he awakened.  The glowing lanterns from the garden outside of his window cast a warm light into his shadowy room.  At some point the servants had removed the pile of rind from his bare chest and put his knife on the table beside the fruit bowl.  They had generously draped a comforter over him and left him to his slumber.  Rising, he felt sharp and refreshed for the first time in days.  After donning his shirt, he searched for his boots and then, panicking, looked for his armor.  It had been taken away while he slept, as had his weapons.

Morisedd scanned the room for the tools of his trade, turning about several times to no effect.  He felt naked without them.  He stopped looking only when there was a sharp rap on the door. 

“They will be returned to you when your stay is over,” Zhou said impassively when Morisedd opened the door and found the mesmer standing there.

“I see,” said Morisedd, the hair upon his nape standing on end when he realized the mesmer must be capable of reading his thoughts to some degree.  Zhou shrugged thoughtfully.

“My master is ready to receive you for this evening’s meal.  Would you care to join us?”

“Of course,” Morisedd agreed, noticing that the mesmer was also unshod and he need not have sought for his boots after all.  He stepped into the lantern lit corridor beside Zhou and followed after him in silence.  Zhou seemed content to keep it that way and said nothing as they turned down a wider corridor and crossed a small plaza that smelled of lemons and incense before paper panel doors were drawn aside and they entered a small hall.  The room was dominated by a long black lacquered table upon which a full service of finest porcelain was intricately arrayed.  A small feast steamed in the bowls and filled the room with a mouthwatering aroma. 

An old man rose from his heavy chair at the head of the table, bowing slowly as if it pained him before Zhou could rush to his side to prevent it.

“Now Zhou, I’m not a child,” he rumbled, smiling ruefully upon the mesmer as he was helped back into his seat.  An empty chair rested on either side of the old man’s place setting and he gestured for Morisedd to take the chair on his right beside Teleri and Brigit.  Both women wore beautiful silk gowns. Teleri beamed at him clad in embroidered tigers over a field of emerald green.  Brigit was dressed in a vivid sky blue dress that brought out her eyes and pale complexion.  Nandao wore a pale robe and sat opposite Teleri beside Zhou’s empty seat, his face alight with excitement.

“Welcome, my friends.  I am Dojin Matabe.  I trust your accommodations were adequate?” Dojin asked as Zhou enlisted the aid of a servant to help him sit comfortably in the chair.

“Yes, very much so,” Teleri chattered foolishly, clearly smitten by the handsome mesmer.  If Zhou was aware of her stares and giggling, he made no sign and continued to help Dojin until the old man forced the mesmer to take his seat.  Morisedd took the lead and introduced himself to the old man and his companions were astute enough to follow his example until Dojin had greeted and nodded pleasantly to each of them in turn.

“Please, help yourselves,” Dojin said amiably when they were done, gesturing at the food, “I expect you have some questions for me and I, of course, have many for you.”

“Would you speak of Uriel?” Morisedd said after some hesitation, again feeling a mixture of forlorn hope and grief clench his heart when he thought of her.

“She was unharmed when she came to us with the missive from her master,” Dojin replied gently, “but Zhou detected great fear in her, and defeat.  She refused assistance and we believed she was coerced.  We saw her again some days later when we insisted upon visiting her new guild and seeing if she was in any danger.  Again, she was well cared for and the leader of the guild was keen to show they were following the laws of the Emperor.”

“You enforce the laws of the Emperor?” Nandao asked, his eyes widening in shock, “Is that not an odd thing for a guild to do?”

“We do not enforce so much as regulate,” Dojin said with a sad smile, “Yes, my guild is in favor with the imperial court, for my members have all earned numerous imperial commendations for their good works.  But you must understand that there are far more guilds than there are imperial officials to keep an eye on them.  Thus, it is left to the greater guilds to watch the lesser guilds for if things ever got out of hand, the Emperor would surely forbid the formation of any guilds at all. 

“The Red Lotus Clan, we know, gains much of its income through illicit acts, but legitimately collects money from the imperial court for ridding the city’s streets of thugs and criminals.  By presenting the head of an offending guild leader to the court, they gain their own security and reduce competition while also receiving funds and recognition from the Emperor.”

“It troubles you that we know of their illegal acts yet do nothing about it,” Zhou observed when his master fell silent, “but the truth is that the Emperor does not condone guild hostility without clear cause.  There must be balance.  We cannot strike the Red Lotus Clan over something petty for both of our guilds are mighty and have both won a degree of imperial favor.”

“But we long to strike them,” Dojin agreed, “and that is where you come in.”

“How?” Morisedd asked, confused by where this was leading.

“We have suspected for a long time that the Red Lotus Clan engaged in a form of slavery.  Your friends, Uriel and Sister Lemony, are each indentured for a total of two million platinum, yet the books show they are legitimately paying off a debt for lost property and arrived in Cantha of their own free will to begin working off the debt by joining the Red Lotus Clan.”

“Two million?” Nandao gasped, “Each?  What property did they lose?”

“That is the point,” Zhou broke in, “The books say that they are responsible for the loss of a large quantity of jewelry.”

“But Uriel has had nothing to do with jewelry,” Morisedd protested.

“And she definitely did not go to Cantha of her own free will,” Teleri broke in, “She and Lemony and one other were bound and forced onto a boat that would lead them down river to Lion Arch’s harbor under the noses of the city guard.

“This other one that no one has seen,” Dojin asked coldly, “Pendaran Caradec.  Was he a friend of yours?”

Morisedd swallowed, still angry at the mesmer, doubly so now that he had reason to believe he had somehow dragged Uriel and Lemony into this mess.

“Uriel befriended him on our journey here to deliver her master’s final missive to you.  He was something of a scoundrel but did not have the air of a thug about him.  A mesmer.  I know little about him.”

“A guild may enforce the Emperor’s wishes by ridding the realm of known criminals, but only after a price has been placed on their head,” Zhou said evenly, sensing Morisedd’s discomfiture, “There is no record in the imperial court requesting the death of a Pendaran Caradec.  The fact that this man comes to us from Tyria is further cause for alarm since the Emperor is interested in friendly relations between our two lands.”

“So you see, we need to find out what happened to Pendaran Caradec,” Dojin Matabe said evenly, “and then we shall have our reason to punish the Red Lotus Clan in the eyes of the Emperor.  We have waited a very long time for the opportunity.”

“What do you propose to do?” Morisedd asked.

“We suspect he was murdered,” Zhou replied, “but if so, only a very few would have witnessed it.  Kiku is not a fool.  We need to find irrefutable evidence of foul play.”

“And if we go back there now, they will suspect that we know something more,” Dojin added.

“What is your relationship to Uriel?” the mesmer asked, his dark gaze falling upon Morisedd.

“I loved her,” he croaked, “Still do, even if she has never returned it.”

“Then it would be natural for you to seek her out and go to her.”

“That is why I am here, yes.”

Dojin nodded at Zhou and the mesmer rose, clapping once.  Morisedd swallowed as a lone figure moved gracefully from the shadows at the far end of the room, until that moment completely unnoticed.  She strode with feline grace toward the table, bowing once before taking a seat at its opposite end.  She was clad entirely in form fitting attire made from dull black silk, her face concealed behind a mask and her midnight hair drawn back in an elaborate braid.  Fine rows of knives with blackened blades were arrayed over her willowy form within easy reach of her delicate hands.  Her dark gaze met Morisedd’s without fear, taking his measure.

“Feng Ming Xei will accompany you to the Red Lotus Clan compound this evening,” Dojin said quietly, “As you can see, her artful use of shadows will enable her to move unseen while she gathers evidence.  You will give her the opportunity to gain access to the interior of that heavily fortified place.”

“I see,” murmured Morisedd.

“It is important that you do not inquire after Pendaran for this will raise suspicion if Kiku later associates you with us.  Any effort she might already have made to hide evidence of murder will be redoubled. Let Ming investigate while you keep Kiku’s guards or guild members engaged.”

“How do you know they simply did not toss him overboard on the way here?” Morisedd asked.

“If she had wanted him dead, she would have been far better off having him assassinated in Tyria.  Kiku is too cunning not to have considered that.  Hence, it is personal.  There is something else at play here,” Zhou replied and Dojin nodded in agreement.

“If there is evidence of foul play, I will find it,” Ming said coldly, “but I need an ally on the inside before I can begin my search.”

“Are you willing to enter the compound alone on our behalf?” Dojin asked, “Do not answer lightly, for spying is one of the few reasons a guild can legitimately execute a guest.”

“I will go,” Morisedd replied.

“Then let us finish our meal and make preparations.”

After the meal, Zhou pulled Morisedd aside as Teleri, Brigit, and Nandao were led away by the servants for the evening’s entertainment.

“Friend, I do not think you understand the gravity of the situation,” the mesmer said calmly, “The Crystal Palm has waited a very long time to bring justice to the Red Lotus Clan.  If need be, we can wait longer.”

“Uriel is there,” Morisedd replied grimly.

“And possibly so is your death,” Zhou insisted, “The leader of that guild is a cold blooded killer.  If she suspects for an instant that you have had a meeting with us, she will regard you as a spy.  And understand, for the sake of keeping the peace, the Crystal Palm will neither confirm nor deny it.  Once you walk beyond their gates, you are beyond our help.  Ming will abandon you should things go badly.”

“And were the place guarded by the hordes of Grenth’s coldest hell, still I would go,” Morisedd said icily.

Zhou lowered his head in a short bow, acknowledging the strength of Morisedd’s resolve.

“Your mind is transparent to me,” the mesmer said quietly, “and while I am renowned for my abilities, still, it is not a gift only I possess.  I will teach you how to obscure your feelings and thoughts.  Go say farewell to your sister and friends, then await me in the garden outside of your bedroom window in an hour.”

Morisedd nodded, hurrying after Teleri and grasping her hand as she giggled at one of Nandao’s less tasteful jokes.  She gazed up at him, her golden hair bright around her sweet face.

“What’s up, Murdi?” she breathed, squeezing his fingers.

They halted in the corridor, basking in the light of paper lanterns and the gleam of the guild’s riches.  Words did not come easily to him and he merely drew her against his breast in a long embrace, kissing her brow.

“Are you alright?” she asked when he released her, her sea blue eyes searching his face and dismay causing her voice to quaver.

“I may not make it back,” he croaked, “If I don’t, please do not come after me.”

Teleri’s brows turned downward in anger.

“Don’t be a fool, Murdi.  I’d fight Balthazar’s own holy warriors with nothing more than my teeth if I had to…”

“…No,” he cut her off, “I am serious.  Please don’t.  Swear to me you will stay here with the others.”

“Uriel is not worth it!” Teleri snarled, tears gleaming in her eyes as she pulled free of his arms, “I will not let you go die for that thankless witch!  I would sooner kill her myself than let that happen.”

“Teleri,” he breathed, “Don’t do this.  This is not how I want to remember my last moments with you.”

“This isn’t our last moment, you idiot!  Damn you to the hells, Murdi!  So blind!”

He grasped her wrist as she tried to slap him, her willowy form convulsing with rage and grief.

“I’m sorry I was not there for you when Rhys died,” he breathed, “I know it has been hard for you, but you must let me make my own choices, Tel.  Would you have done any less for him?”

Teleri sank to her knees in a despondent heap and sobbed, her choking cries tearing through the corridor until her pain was palpable.  Morisedd glanced over his shoulder to see Zhou watching with a rigid expression, his dark eyes hardened against Teleri’s raw pain.  Then, to his surprise, the mesmer strode forward and placed his hand upon his sister’s tear stained cheek and muttered an incantation, his form wreathed in magenta.  She gazed up at him and smiled faintly through her grief.

“Rhys used to do that for me,” she croaked, “I miss him so much, Murdi, and I can’t bear the thought of losing you as well.  Don’t go.  Do it for me.”

Zhou stood back, flicking a glance at Morisedd before nodding and moving past them.  Teleri clasped Morisedd’s hand and he knelt down beside her, drawing her head against his breast.

“If I do not go, I will regret it until the end of my days,” he murmured, “If you thought that some desperate action might have returned Rhys to you, what would you have done?”

“I would have done it,” she sobbed, half laughing, half crying, “and he would have been furious with me.”

“Then you understand why I am doing this?”

“Go on,” she muttered, “Go save your beloved Uriel.  And if she doesn’t appreciate it, I’ll beat her within an inch of her miserable life.”

“Thank you,” he said, kissing her brow one last time, “I love you, Tel.”

“I love you, Murdi.  Come back, please, and bring that foolish wench with you.”

He helped her to her feet and she leaned into his side, embracing him as they walked.  When they reached the end of the corridor, they parted in silence, she to the festivities of the great hall, and he to his room.

He did not have long to wait.  When he glanced out of the window he saw Zhou and a woman he did not know standing beside the little fountain.  He left the room and hurried outside to meet them.

“This is Shikai,” Zhou said as Morisedd approached.  He gazed upon the woman and was surprised when she turned toward him and offered a low bow despite her eyes being concealed by an elaborate head dress.  Jade rustled and dangled from her head wrap and scant raiment.  Large medallions of gleaming silver, claws and jade were draped over her long turquoise skirt. Where her golden flesh was exposed, dark patterns of tattoos entwined her arms and legs.

“I am pleased to meet you,” he replied, bowing back to her and observing a faint smile tickling the corners of her mouth.

“You are bold,” she mused, as if listening to a voice beside her left ear, “You do not understand the danger.”

“Come,” said Zhou, his expression inscrutable as ever as he stalked off across the garden with Shikai and Morisedd in tow.  He was surprised that the woman did not hesitate despite being unable to see, but merely strode confidently ahead.

“This one trusts his eyes, even though they deceive him,” the woman murmured ruefully.

They came at last to a lone building separated from the rest of the compound and made of gray stone.  Candlelight flared from within it and a strong odor of incense flowed out into the night.  Zhou and Shikai vanished within it and Morisedd hesitated at the narrow opening before ducking in after them.  His guts clenched as the shadows around him shifted and otherworldly eyes gazed back at him.  He was surrounded by ghostly figures, their nacreous green substance flowing like smoke around him.  Ethereal chains bound them to the material plane.  Snarling and hissing, they tugged toward his warmth as Shikai knelt gracefully upon the ground gathering eldritch energies as she chanted.

“You are frightened,” Zhou said, “and you are angry.”

Rage burned upon Morisedd’s face as the mesmer regarded him calmly behind a gold trimmed mask.

“The primal emotions are strongest,” Zhou continued, “they are the ones we share with animals.  Duplicity is uniquely human.”

“He is confused,” Shikai murmured, “Give me your arm, ranger called Morisedd.”

Morisedd glanced at the mesmer but Zhou was even more unreadable with his face half-concealed.  He merely met his gaze and held it, all warmth gone from his eyes.  Shikai held out a tattooed hand impatiently until Morisedd approached and allowed her to clasp him by the wrist.  She plucked a claw from one of her medallions and tore it loose from its silver sheath, holding it up so that her spirits could gaze upon it.

“A claw, a monstrous claw,” she chanted, “drawn from a monstrous paw.  Cling to him, my talon.”

Morisedd swore in pain as she suddenly drove it into his forearm, tugging away as it melded into his flesh and vanished from sight leaving only a small welt.

“Anger now,” Zhou said, “use it.  It silences the other emotions, even your initial horror.”

“Why are you doing this?” Morisedd growled, relieved when Shikai released him and he could lay his hand over the hardened knot in his left arm.

“Shikai can find you again,” Zhou replied mysteriously.

“Snagged you,” she said with a bitter laugh, “Almost as hard as she did.  Such a great claw in your heart, poor Morisedd.”

Morisedd swallowed, feeling overwhelmed and naked before the two strange figures.  Zhou pressed his hand against Morisedd’s breast and a flash of purple consumed his vision so that he was blind and helpless, aware only of the chill of the spirits pressing in around him.

“Where is your anger, Morisedd? Find it quickly before I enter your thoughts.”

“Damn you!” he hissed, lashing out in his darkness, blinking until candles and spirits once more materialized from the shadows.  There was a faint pressure between his eyes and he was aware of two dagger sharp pinpricks of malice boring into him from the mesmer’s masked visage, “Away from me!”

Zhou stepped back, a grin of satisfaction curling his lips.

“Think of Uriel now.”

Morisedd resisted but his mind’s eye saw her, sweet and delicate, his longing and fear for her piercing him to the core.  He wanted to take her away with him, take her away from this filthy dump.

“Making escape plans in the den of your foes is not a good idea,” Zhou said, “You do not know she is a prisoner of the guild.  Her name appears on their register, that is how you know to seek her there.  Focus again this time on her beauty.”

He glared reflexively at the prying mesmer and tried once more to think of Uriel in happier times.  Her laughter poured sweetly from her in his memory, carefree and untrammeled by the curse from Orr.

“Better.  Close your eyes now and remember her that way.  Hold the thought.”

Morisedd shuddered as the mesmer placed his gloved hand over his throat.  Thumb and fingers pressed over his larynx and jugular, squeezing harder until his blood thundered in his throat.

“Hold it,” Zhou instructed.

Morisedd struggled to swallow as fear oozed into his consciousness and his bright memory of Uriel faded.  He could think now only of breathing.  Anger erupted in his breast.  Zhou released him.

“Good.  Use anger.  It is your strongest weapon now.”

“He is ready,” Shikai whispered.

“Why do you seek Uriel in the Red Lotus compound?” Zhou asked, his voice harsh, “Answer me as you would answer a member of Red Lotus Clan.”

“I knew she traveled to Cantha.  I found her name on the guild registry in Kaineng Center.”

“What made you seek her there? Did you know nothing of her intentions in Cantha?”

Morisedd hesitated.  Shikai tutted harshly.

“You’re dead,” Zhou said softly, “Hesitate and your guard goes down.  Now I see you are trying to hide something from me.  Focus.”

Morisedd nodded and swallowed.

“Who told you to come to Red Lotus Clan?” Zhou demanded harshly.

“No one,” Morisedd replied calmly, visualizing Uriel in her youthful careless days, “I have been asking around and it finally occurred to me that I could search for her name in the guild registry.  Perhaps she had found a guild to her liking.”

“Who have you been asking?”

“Adventurers mainly.  She is Tyrian and she is beautiful.  I assumed she would stand out in a crowd.”

“You cannot see her.  Go from here.”

Morisedd swallowed, knowing the mesmer was testing him yet he could not contain the stab of grief at the thought that he might not see Uriel again.  Then his rage returned.  How dare they hold her against her will and forbid him from seeing her.

“Stay with the grief,” Zhou said, “The grief is old and powerful.  It won’t betray you should they forbid a meeting between you.  Congruence, Morisedd.  Your words must match your emotions otherwise I detect deception.  Any mesmer worth their keep can do the same.  Remember that.”

Morisedd nodded, swallowing his resentment of the mesmer’s prowess.

“It is time for you to prepare for your departure,” Zhou said, removing his mask.  Morisedd was gratified to see a faint sheen of sweat upon the man’s brow and weariness lurked in the tension of his jaw, “Are you certain you wish to go forward with this?”

“Yes.”

“Let us go, then.”