To Steal a Maci
Nira looked down at her feet, and saw a branch of the World-Tree, which her people all stand on. She saw the many branches and splits which occurred along the Tree, going up and down, forever into the beyond. The sky was a bright shade of white, as it always had been, however, every day it would turn black for half the day, and then white once again the next day. She saw below her the height and verticality of the thing, extending farther than her eyes could even hope to see, disregarding the fog that clouded her vision at great distances. This was a sight she had grown used to, reinforced ever since she was born. Great patches of moss grew on parts of the tree, which would be harvested by farmers and eaten by animals. Nira herself was getting prepared for a mission assigned to her by the nation of Qanra; her goal was to spy on the Maci of Cadraxia and her company, however Nira had loftier goals. For this, she was getting ready to sneak into the coronation ceremony, for a new Maci of Cadraxia was elected by the Great Council of their land.
She swung through the branches, climbing up slowly to the Palace of Xaln. This is the place where the ceremony would take place, its huge arches and bridges ever apparent, a feat of engineering it was. An entire mound of stone was converted into it, and the floatstone mined therein contributed much to the structure's stability. Still, a complex system of supports and anchors held the thing up from the edge of the Tree, and it had taken three dozen nine gross days of careful work to make such a building. Entering from the side, Nira was quite early; she did not want to miss out on any part of this ceremony, for any information gained on the new Maci's whereabouts would be monumental to her success.
She entered the palace from the edge, where nobody would see her; she could not be seen in the open, lest she be spotted by a guard. She walked along the hall, and tried to figure out her next moves. In preparation for this journey, she had carefully reviewed a map of the palace, trying to find an odd passageway to hide in. Many such passageways and alleys existed within the palace, since it was a massive piece of architecture, larger than one's imagination could grasp. Nira knew how large it was, but seeing it in person still astonished her, the large arches and entryways taking up her sight, and large pillars of floatstone apparent below her. Continuing, she moved on, careful not to enter any room which would most likely be guarded. In a corner, she sat down, and took out her backpack, unrolling a pack of berries, and a scroll. Before she did the procedure, she made sure that any guards weren't in the immediate vicinity. Then, she looked at the markings on the top of the scroll, consisting of eight numbers, all but two of them being zero. She ate a number of differing types of berries according to this specification, and quietly chanted the text written on it. This seemingly strange series of actions was required to extend the range of her hearing by twelve dozen caras, and using this temporary ability, she listened in on a specific room: the one that held the new Maci.
"And if we did that, then what about Jalaza?" said a voice. Nira recognized this voice to be Uldras, the chief foreign policy advisor to the Maci.
"What about Jalaza‽ Why should we care about such a petty state? And if they object to our integration of Lumusia, what do their five great gross or so soldiers say when they're up against our entire army?" Texo, the Maci, responded.
The room fell silent for a bit. It had, for a while, been rumored that Cadraxia had plans to annex Luzumia, but even Nira knew that doing it now would be absurd. The election of Texo to the Maci position already put Lumusia on bad terms with the Council; maybe if Colia hadn't died when she did, integration was maybe possible, but now that Texo, the general who allegedly killed an heir to a powerful house in Lumusia, was going to be in charge, it seemed that the relationship between Lusumia and the Council had been getting worse every day. Despite the absurdity of it, Nira recognized that this coming conflict is going to be vital information to bring home. Nira continued listening.
"I'm sorry, your highness, but I do not see a world where that would go your way. We've already talked about this subject at length, you know what the consequences will be if you attempt to send such an ultimatum." Uldras responded dryly; Nira could feel the resignation in her voice.
"And I still remain confident in my conclusion." the Maci replied sharply. "Our army is large enough to quell any potential resistance, from Lumusia or any of her allies." Uldras simply let out a sigh in response.
A few seconds later, a new voice spoke up, one which Nira did not recognize, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Counc- Maci Texo, this is your coronation! You shouldn't worry about such matters now. Today is a day to be enjoyed by all in the Temaci, especially yourself!"
"Who are you to decide what the Maci can and can't talk about, Curi‽ Maybe you lead an army to victory against insurmountable odds and then you can talk. I would revoke your position right here and now if I could!" Texo retorted. Nira almost laughed before she remembered that she could not make her presence known. She had always heard that Texo was a bit arrogant, but hearing it happen right in front of her was a thing to behold. Nira knew the event the Maci was referring to, it was the Battle of Kal, where she faced a perilous enemy: the army of the Qanra Temaci, from where Nira herself hailed. While it was true that her army did beat the one of Qanra, an army twice the size of Cadraxia's, it was only due to the unexpected collapse of a tree branch, on which half of the Temaci's army stood; from Nira's point of view, it was a cheap victory, not one won by strategy or bravery, as Cadraxia's propaganda would have you believe.
"Uldras, has there been any new developments in the Kalka situation?" the Maci asked.
"There have not, I'm afraid. They're still in an interregnum. My hope is that they do not fall to the influence of Qanra, but I can not be sure in that." Uldras answered simply.
"How are the post-ceremony preparations?" Texo asked.
"They're all ready for you, your highness," another advisor answered. "The palace has been preparing all day for this. There is no need to worry."
"Are you sure about that? Last ceremony might as well have been hosted in the Eternal Frost."
The advisor responded, "I assure you, Maci, everything will be alright. Everything is planned and accounted for, and when we go to dine, the meals will be re-" The sound abruptly stopped; Nira's spell wore off, she realized. If she were to cast it again, she would not have enough berries to perform the rest of her ambitious plan, and so she decided to leave the hall. She quickly packed up her things, and snuck down the hall as quietly as possible. The knowledge that the Maci would be in the palace's cafeteria, while helpful, did place a bit of a hindrance to Nira's plan; she hoped that the Maci would be in a more secluded area. Nira left the palace, once again among the sprawling branches and canopies of the outside. She saw a crowd starting to gather outside the Palace of Xaln, and she made her way into it, trying to blend in. Before arriving in the Temaci, she had made an effort to study the country's dress, and that would soon pay off as she was indistinguishable from any old Cadraxian. The only thing that could bring suspicion was her accent; she always tried to sound as if she were a native speaker, but her efforts were largely futile. She resolved to speak as little as she could.
In about a semidora, the ceremony would begin. It was a ceremony that was heavily anticipated throughout the Temaci, and people had high expectations. Nira did not look unlike a normal attendee, but she knew that this ceremony wasn't really the reason she was here. For, her plan was much more ambitious than the simple spying that she had done previously. Although there were guards, Nira thought, Cadraxia was behind in the ways of magic. If she could get the Maci within her grasp, and cast a little spell, she could then present her to the Maci of Qanra, and then who knows what reward she would get for such a feat? It was surely an ambitious plan, but Nira felt as if her entire life up to this point was leading up to this. All of her training in magic, in intrigue, all of her practice, this was it. And after this happens, it will all pay off. Nira was ready.
Texo walked out of the room. Yet again, Uldras was uncompromising, stuck in her ways. The Maci looked at her as she walked out of the room, glaring. Uldras was a little intimidated by the new Maci, her large figure dominating over Uldras. However, Uldras knew that whatever happened, she could not sack her; doing so would anger the Council immensely, and everyone knew that the Council reigned supreme. Still though, Uldras was concerned with Texo's boldness, maybe the Maci would try to get rid of her anyway. Regardless, the ceremony marched on, and in a few udoras, her status would be made official. She walked out onto the balcony, and there stood a few councillors, as well as the Curi of Moasa, who would be officially crowning the Maci, as was tradition.
She looked around, ready to recieve her new title. Those around her had already been calling her Maci, but now it was time for the whole Temaci to recognize it. A few caras from her stood the Curi, holding the crown, ready to give it to her. Before she could be crowned, however, a long speech would have to be read. This speech was prepared during the previous three dozen days, and it was now ready to be unveiled to the masses. Texo looked around, seeing the large crowd of people positioned on a great branch of the World-Tree. She knew that this was her day, the day that she would become the monarch that she had always wanted to be. The Royal Crier began to lay out the long strings of beads on which the speech was written, and she began to read.
"After the unfortunate passing of our late sovereign, Colia the second, Maci of Cadraxia, Protector of the Temaci of Lumusia, Councillor in the Temaci of Kalka, and head of the House of Kosa, the council has decided on a new monarch for our realm. I welcome Texo, of the House of Movada, to become our new Royal Sovereign. Around a great gross days ago, she was born as the daughter of Curi Nural of the city of Drax, under the house of Movada. For many years she served under our command as, at first, a humble lieutenant brigadier. However, as time went on..." the Royal Crier began to list every achievement of the new Maci, listing every single battle that she had some involvement in, and listing every other petty achievement she made before and after receiving council status. Texo had heard parts of this speech before, as the Royal Crier recited it more than a dozen times in the days before the coronation. There weren't any surprises; as usual, the coronation speech aggrandized the new monarch, in order to justify her position.
Eventually, after what seemed like doras, the speech came to an end. "And so, that leads us to now. Today, we happily promote Texo to the position of our new Maci. Sapasa of Draga—the Curi of Moasa—will perform the coronation. You may begin, Sapasa."
Sapasa stood up, and recanted the question that so many monarchs have had to answer, "Councillor Texo, do you solemnly swear to protect the Temaci of Cadraxia, all her cities, protectorates, and subjects therein?"
"Yes." Texo replied.
With those final words, Sapasa placed the crown on the head of Texo, and said "Now, you shall be known as Maci Texo, ruler of all the lands of Cadraxia."
The crowd cheered.
There were a few people in the crowd not cheering, and among those, there would be only one who would attempt to hold a Maci in captivity. Nira considered attempting the feat right then and there, but while listening to the speech, she realized that the best time to try to take her would be while she was in the halls of the palace, in transit between the balcony and the cafeteria. She knew mostly exactly where the Maci would be; there's only one reasonable route between the two places. She just needed to get in there, get past the guards, and execute her plan. It was in her grasp, she knew it.
After all the formalities were concluded, Texo breathed a sigh of relief. She could rest a bit easier, knowing that her position as Maci was secured. However, now it was time for the feast, an event which, given how it was at the ceremony for her appointment to councillor, she did not have high hopes for. Regardless, she got with her royal guard, and began the udora-long walk over to the palace's cafeteria.
By this point she was rather used to the palace's scenery; long, prestigious hallways, filled with artworks and small sculptures from the greatest painters and artisans of her realm. As time went on, it only got more extravagant; her conquests were visible in both the newer paintings in the palace, and some of the strange materials used in the crafts surrounding them. She didn't have much to say while she walked down the hall; she was just glad the ceremony was over. Until a strange person wearing peasant's clothing began to approach her, and a guard yelled "Stop there!", and so she did, along with the rest of the guards. Then, she chanted something in a strange language that Texo had never heard of; it sounded so unlike anything else that she had ever heard that, for a cidora, she was intrigued. "What's happening?" one guard asked. The leader of the group exclaimed, "She's casting magic! Get her!", and the guards leapt to action. Suddenly, from Texo's perspective, everything and everyone around her began to enlarge. Confused, she heard a large blast of purple rays knock two of the guards back, and felt two hands, larger than she'd ever seen, quickly wrap around her body.
It was at this moment that Texo realized what had happened: whoever this magic-caster was had shrunk her, and was now attempting to take her away! She struggled to resist, but it was futile, for her now dozen-ledri body could not fight against her captor.
She felt herself be pulled up to her captor's chest, and felt her running. She heard her chant something else, and then suddenly, and abruptly, the scenery around her changed. She recognized where they were now, they were on the outskirts of the palace. Nira picked up the pace once again.
"Who are you‽" the Maci screamed.
"Nira." she responded, simply. "We're going a long way from home."
Groups: Fiction