94 Beacons (1/2)

The fresh smell of paper rubbing on paper tickled Corco's nose as he organized the books into their rightful places on his shelf. A sound made him turn and find a young priest enter his new study. Rather than a study, the rearranged furniture gave the room an appearance closer to a salon. Though the large tapestry, covered in cryptic symbols exclusive to the country's elite, was still around and spoke of the archaic nature of the Medalan elite, most of the remaining room had been redesigned already. A small desk had been set up at the very end of the room, just large enough for the new king to work at while eating his food. It was placed right before an entire wall of shelves, on which the king had been placing the books of his collected knowledge until now, still surrounded by further stacks of his scribbled works.

The rest of the room had been freed of barriers and opened up as much as possible. All the comfortable seats from around the castle had been collected and put here in small, cozy groups, with plants scattered around to freshen the air. Distracted by the unusual surroundings, the young priest moved towards the new king of the south. Corco smiled as he waited for the priest to make the first greeting. He knew that the place already seemed quite unique to the eyes of a Medala man. However, Corco wasn't even done with it yet.

”Taytakura greets the great king Corcopaca Titu Pluritac,” the Taytakura, highest priest of Saniya said with a bow.

Corco simply pointed towards the chair in his front, before he put the book in his hand onto the shelf behind him and turned to sit as well. He could still finish moving in later. Once both Corco and the priest had taken a seat, Taytakura bowed once again.

”This mortal is deeply grateful for King Corco's swift return. At last, the town has been freed from the grasp of the tyrannical Sawo. To our great fortune, the courageous king-”

”Stop. You weren't invited here to be judged, so there's no need for begging.” The priest stared at Corco with blinking eyes.

”This mortal was never-”

”Look dude. I get it. Sawo had half the city in his pocket, including anyone who counts. I know that you got your share for playing along. The Pacha faith has far too much influence for him to not cut you in. I mean, look at you, you're way too young. How many weeks has it been since the last Taytakura died anyways?”

At first, the priests face became red, from shame more than from anger, but by the end, his head was lowered and his body relaxed.

”Four years,” a deep voice answered.

”...huh?” At once, all the confidence and kingly manner dropped off of Corco's persona. Even though he had been careful to cultivate the image with his new subjects in Saniya, he couldn't help but be surprised by the sudden announcement.

”It has been four years since the last Taytakura was taken by the floods. Since then, this mortal has been chosen to read the stars and curate the dead,” saddened, the young priest continued.

”I didn't know.” Only a simple answer, but his tone was enough to show Corco's remorse.

”In fact, this mortal was born in Saniya and has no connection to a foreign clan, unlike what King Corco might believe. Truthfully, our fates crossed in the past, when King Corco was still a prince and this mortal himself a young apprentice. Though of course prince would not remember one so insignificant.”

For the first time since his arrival, Corco gifted the man with his undivided attention. Normally, recalling events seven years or more in the past would be difficult, but Corco had always had an excellent memory. It had proven invaluable when he wrote down the future knowledge which now surrounded him on all sides. His hand held over the book on basic physics, the prince observed the priest before him to jog his memory.

A youngster, sharp nose for a Yaku. He might have been a teenager back then, around Corco's age or younger. Suddenly, lighting struck his head and his eyes opened in realization.

”You're Oroculpa, aren't you?”

Again, the young priest showed his look of surprise.

”It is a name this mortal used to carry, before he left behind the mundane, yes. This mortal is exceedingly honored that King Corco would remember his former name.”

”How couldn't I? You're the one who prepared me for mom's beacon initiation. You're the one who helped me find the koto after it had disappeared. That last one must have been... eight years ago, I guess. No, nine.” To his own surprise, the new Taytakura was someone Corco was intricately familiar with. As one of the few Saniya boys around his age with a status worthy of the prince of Medala, they had met on more than one occasion. However, the grace and weight of the seer position had changed the young man so much that he had become almost unrecognizable. ”I'm really sorry. I didn't want to accuse you of anything. If I had known it was you, I would have never even considered something like bribery. I'm sure you tried your best to resist the unfair treatment of Sawo.”

As Corco became more and more convinced of his old friend's innocence, flooded in memories of happy days long past, the priest's shoulders turned stiff again. Soon, the stiffness spread like a virus, until it had taken hold of his limbs and clenched his fists like arthritis.

”No, King Corco. This mortal does not deserve this kind of treatment.”

At last, the king returned to the present. Gone was the innocent apprentice and returned had the suspicious priest. A loud exhale of air took with it Corco's last enthusiasm, before he continued their talk.

”So you were involved then, bought off by Sawo,” the king stated with a calm mind.

”Yes, that is correct. This mortal is ashamed of his own weakness.”

For a few seconds, the king considered his next move.