146 - Details, Details, Death Details

“Son, I truly don’t know.  The only thing I can say is to learn everything we can, as fast as possible.  Here’s the thing.  About being siwion. In the army I’ve heard rumours and I’m sure in the Basin you have as well, what it takes to be a scion of the Great Hive.  What have you heard?”

Kyrus shrugged and looked away, capped the water bottle and handed it back to his da.  “Loads a’ nonsense I’m sure as fulla truth as a Perry d’ thurd.”

“So all rumour is.  Full of owner crap.  As in the army, son, but you tell me.”

Ky made an effort not to slide into slang.  “All kinds of things... like... they turn you into a gigantic queen bee sometimes... that you get allergic to anything but honey... that you aren’t human anymore.  That you get eyes like a bee and can see everything all around you.  The veil hides the fact that you don’t have lips and you have bee’s body under the gold robes...”

“Sounds like the usual.  In the army it’s more control or loss of control.  Like the bees crawl inside your skin and run you.  Like his Radiance can control people like the queen controls her bees.”

A cough from the other side of the thorn bushes.  “Might this most humble Amir join this conversation, Nasers?”

Ky couldn’t understand the way his da laughed.  It sounded a little like he was glad and a little as though he’d had a break-beak installed on his anus and was pinched tight. “Of course, Amir.  Don’t tell me the lowly ‘kulu like yourself knows His Radiance, now.”

“Oh no, Naser.  Never that.  The Emir-al now... he’s been in His Radiance’s presence... he used to be the Emir-al Myrmidon for the Cup of Light that was the first zardukar.”

“Wait... wasn’t that woman disgraced?  With...” Da swivelled to look over their stopping place to where the Emir-al was consulting Ilax and his voice got thoughtful.  “I read from the Lin that the Emir-al who was the highest Myrmidon for her was implicated and ‘sent away’ to a ‘disgraceful posting’.  But the woman was kept at His Radiance’s side and he is declaring her new baby as a siwion, though he is giving no indication to anyone what kind of prince of the realm she will be.”

“Could be he’s waiting for you and your boy here tah get in.”

“That would make sense.”

Da looked between the Emir-al and the Amir.  “This is sounding more complicated than even four levels of who knows what.”

“Oh, ay, Naser.  His Radiance likes complicated.  It keeps him and his fambly alive.”

“Naturally.” Da’s voice was dry.  “So if he had zardukar and a possible child upon her it follows that he must still be human enough to do so.  Kyrus, I think we may dismiss all of the grotesque fears and whisperings people go on about.  I’ll talk to Raghnall when we get to Tsquilis tomorrow.  We’re just a few days from the hive itself.”

“All right, da.  Thanks.”

Kyrus the elder turned to Dukir.  “Perhaps the Amir could take a few hours out of our security rotation to explain, in detail, what few things he may have witnessed his betters in the Great Hive doing?”

“Ahy, not a problem, Naser.  Anythin’ yeh need tah know.  Shall we get our birds out of their grass wallows?”

Ky wasn’t sure but it looked as if both the Amir and his da were smiling behind their veils, a little like the smile you get after biting into a sugar curdle.

**

Frobert’s nest had grown.  He’d lined it with bits and scraps of mummified leather to give him his pillows in the desert, enclosing the gap he’d dug in the top of the cliff that gave him such a nice view of the killing field he was setting up below.

“Details, details of how people should die. that’s the course!  It will be such a lovely process!  Oh yes I will make my patron so happy!  This will be an environmental disaster that will wipe them all away. Oh my. Oh my.” He practically wiggled in his excitement, imagining his brilliant, beautiful death traps springing.  “Oh, my nice, big, lovely pets are almost in place.  My flyer... he’s just lovely, despite all the larvae he brought with him.  Heh.  Rainbows smashed on the ground in line with his flight... then wiggling along after him because they’re dead now.  They won’t get here for days though... perhaps weeks but that will all be done done done!  Details.  I need more details!”