Ikan noticed the LITTLEST things: like how his fingers now twitched anxiously as if in expectation of something. The itching of his palm. His mother would have said that meant that he would receive something very soon, money mostly. If it had been his eye itching, it would have been an omen that he would see something.

He probed his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were calm. His face was almost expressionless. He traced his hand over his hard face.

How can I be so calm when the world shakes?

He had told Kasia this in the garden. She was there, waiting for him among her beautiful flowers. He spoke and she listened. He told her everything that was happening: the great things, the simpler of things. He often told her about the children, repeating things that he already told her before as if he was afraid that she would forget. They were grown and mostly married now. Isan had just taken a wife last year. "A very fine woman." He hadn't told her that he was worried that the girl's belly was yet to bulge with child. He didn't tell her that he had quarrelled with Isan over that. He didn't tell because he didn't know what she would think of it. She would probably frown at him and tell him that he was being silly and stubborn, that there was still time.

He told her more and more in recent days. His sacrifices. What he had to do for the good of Alamaria. His fingers had twitched then and so he had to tell how why.

She didn't say a word, not a sound. She had never said a word in years, he never expected her to.

He had kissed her tombstone as always and left her among her beautiful things.

The city had exploded in chaos. Even as he had sat in the Assembly, he imagined he had heard the clashing of swords in the distance. Outside the skies had been darkened by smokes from distant fires, the city was burning.

"The city will fall! We must act! We must!" He had known Filks could be hysterical, he trusted them to be hysterical. But then Vano had seemed to be overdoing it. His eyes had been restless. He had flung his arms in a gyre too incoherent for Ikan's eyes to follow. "Send the guards, send them. Send all of them!"

"I agree. As we sit here hundreds, maybe even thousands die!" Sirah Hond had said cooly. Hardly attempting to raise his voice from his corner, a roll away from Vano.

An exaggeration. The deaths were not that high, he had known. They had all known.

"And where are our Orian and Ozian brothers now?" Vano had made a superfluous show of looking for them. The Chamber had been nearly empty. "There are not here. They have refused to honour the Assembly's invitations for days! And now this they fight and destroy our city! Even now they have failed to attend this meeting!"

How could they have? Looking back even if they had wanted, they couldn't. At the hour when Vano had been talking an army bearing the Ozian lion sigil had been storming the Orian residence, as a red army had been storming the Ozian residence. It had been as sure as the sun setting at dusk, they that couldn't come.

"But, this may be more than family fighting! They have attacked the lower city and the citizens. What makes you think they wouldn't overthrow the Assembly? From attacking us here now? They have refused to honour our invitation. Insubordination! They could even unite against us!"

He remembered watching Vano's seeds blossom into fear on ignorant faces.

"The Assembly is complete. Our law says that in times of emergency it's sufficient that only a high councillor, one noble and one assemblyman from the commons be present. We have more than that number here. My stores burn at the moment."
Ezah of the guild of merchants had been waiting. His words had been planned and timely. Ikan had seen there were none from the guild of scribes, none from builders, none from Farmers. No more could have been here, it had been planned that way.
Ezah had sat above everyone else, closer to the door than the nobles below. It had been hard to make out his features, he was too far. But Ikan had seen him enough to describe him in the dark. His ash eyes were a testimony of his New Alamarian blood. He wore his dark hair long, oiled until it gleamed like a black snake in the sun. Sometimes in a black luanzi, a fresh thobe, there was no mistaking this man who has been called the richest man in Alamaria. He who dwells amongst plenty in the desert; that's what they called him. Ships too far away, caravans in the desert. Somehow, with fingers everywhere, he rolled gold from near and far into his many pockets. Money was power it was said. But it seemed to him that it was Ezah that gave that money power. He knew Ezah had the Filks between his hands. A matter of debts. When you controlled a man's debt, you controlled him. And Ezah had many in his debt.

"I say, we strip the Orians and Ozians of nobility. Seize their assets and banish them." Vano had continued.

Nods of agreement had swept across the room. He had expected nothing more.

He remembered thinking about where the downfall of the Ozians and Orians had started. The Orians had done all a great house should do. They had bribed, bullied, courted and cajoled their way through. They had put their sons in high positions. They had made friends and enemies, switching both attimes. The Ozians as well. Yet, now they fall. What could a man do to protect himself from fate?

"And so shall it be." Somehow he remembered hearing his voice in that farce. "I shall add the Vona guard to force of the City guard. Someone should send a message to the First Fort. It's a pity a commander hasn't been chosen for them. In such a dire state, we cannot afford such. Vano, brother who was brought down in the rank, is restored. Tell Dasa to take control of the fort and rush to the city." He was sure that if Vano could convert his smile at present into gold, Ezah would have to be renamed. "It's done. The Orians and Ozians revolt will be repressed. Their ranks quashed and their assets seized for the good of Alamaria."

And so it was. All of it had been done. The Orians was broken. The entire family had been exiled to the Northern frontier and the Ozians to the Eastern frontier. Their sons in power in the provinces have been recalled. It had to been done. It's only after the bushes burn that the farmer may plant.

So much needs to be done. There was a large chasm where the Ozians and Orians once were, the Filks and Honds may be gyring like vultures to take their place, but he saw an opportunity to make Alamaria stronger. Much would be changed. This was only the beginning.

"You look wonderful this morning." He sighed. When did she walk into his room?

"Very strong," Eliea impressed.
That's was a lie and they both knew it.

But then old habits die hard. When he had first married her, she had taken pains to learn Old Alamarian. It didn't please him one bit. He remembered that unique itch of irritation at her babbling of Old Alamarian.

He couldn't just but it into words what he felt for this wife of his. Yes, she was dutiful perhaps more dutiful than Kasia ever was. She strived to please until she was subservient and fawning. She was everything that a good wife by the laws of old Alamaria should be and yet he couldn't stand her for that. She wasn't like Kasia.

Kasia was strong and stubborn. She had thought old Alamarian was boring and he even found that charming.
She had a mind of her own and wasn't scared to say it. She thrilled him for that reason. She had made a mockery of his firmness. She was different. Kasia died and all attempts Eliea made to fill in the void irritated and angered him the more. Nobody could be like Kasia, nobody!

He sighed. Today's end would beyond hand's length. He fumbled with the last button of his thobe. "What do you want, Eliea?"

Eliea, that's how he mouthed her name without relish or embellishment. With Kasia it would have been, Kasi, my Kasi or Ugom but none for Eliea. None at all. Somehow, he felt she didn't merit his tenderness.

Eliea's sigh was long. Was she hurt? She should have gotten used to his coarseness by now. "Is it a crime for a wife to ask after her man, her di
in the morning? Since you sleep here alone, I have to cross the house to ask if you have risen."

He grunted, "Well, I have risen." After Kasia died, he never let Eliea back into their room. This room was Kasia's. Here her laughter had once rung. On that bed he had made her moan. On that bed, he told her his secrets. He couldn't let anyone in. Another woman to destroy all the lingering of Kasia soul in his chamber. No! If he wanted Eliea, he went to her chamber and that was it. And that was something Eliea was yet to forget even after all these years.

Eliea scratched her thin cornrows, her eyes fixed on him. He knew she was pretending to be thinking of what to say. Nothing she did was an after thought, everything was carefully planned. From her black clingy night gown worn to show him that her form was still desirable even though she was near forty seasons of the sun, to her confused face which masked ambition. He was bored of her games, bored of her.

She seemed to have sensed his irritation. Her cunning eyes reached a decision. "I have come to ask you a favour."

He sucked his lips in. The toad doesn't run in the afternoon in vain. "What favour?"

"Induh. It's rich, loaded. I want you to give that city to Tekan."

He thought as much. She wanted it for her son. "Induh is rich and prosperous for a reason. It needs a skilled hand, strong mind and a good head for a governor. Irani Ozian's family might have erred but he is an able administrator. What makes you think that son of yours is worthy to take his place?"

He sat on the bed and awaited her reply.

She came closer, for a moment he thought she was heading for the bed, but she knew better than that. She sat on the stool next to the mirror.

"He's your son too! Tekan is a man now. Over twenty and five now. He has fathered five strong sons, five grandsons for you-"

"I'm sure being over twenty and having five sons makes one liable for governorship."

"He has certainly done more than that Isan boy you let become an Assembly man. What has he done anyway? He doesn't even have a child yet! I know that you would rather give Induh to him instead of Tekan. It's all because he's Kasia's son-"

His hiss was long, bitter and angry. She bit back on her words. She knew he was angry now.

"Our talk is over, Eliea. I will meet you at the table."

She shouldn't have mentioned her name!

When he arrived downstairs for breakfast, he noiselessly took his place at the head of the table.

All was quiet, sweet silence. The gentle rushing of the fountain in the garden soothed him. The wide window opened up to the garden. It was wonderful, how the pleasant smell of flowers merged with cooked food. It seemed right, so right. Everything was in place in his world. Family and order.

The servants had already laid the breakfast. They never forgot to serve him his cup of milk. He nodded satisfactorily at it. The vegetable soup pleased him even more. To his left Eliea managed to scrunch up her face like a faithful dog kicked in the side.
He sighed. He had been unkind to her. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't his too. The gods had designed his heart to love only one in life and death. He couldn't give her what he didn't have.
He noted that Akan, his first son was absent, usually he sat by Ikan's left just after Kiro his brother. Tekan at the other end of the table was becoming bald. He really was his son. His eyes were shifty like his mother's. Isan looked on calmly, undisturbed. His wife wasn't downstairs. He didn't bother asking. Isan would have another excuse. "She's not feeling too strong" Nonsense, that girl was avoiding him.

"My child, pray before we eat." He turned to his grandson, Dike, the only child he allowed at his table.

Dike's raised his tiny voice:
"Riches to the Earth for her gift,
Thanks to Idem for his water that grew,
Aoha, for his sun that nourished,
And to Ivaka for his fire to cook it."

That boy was more excited than usual today. Which childish game had he planned for after breakfast?

The silence remained unbroken beyond the striking of spoons and munching of food. The soup was good. Too much pepper, but that's how he liked it.

No small talk? His brother Kiro wasn't one for much talk, so his silence was nothing new. Isan was scowling at nothing in particular. Kachina, his favourite grand daughter looked as if she would burst into laughter any second. What was always amusing that girl?

"You're quiet today?" He returned to Dike.

"Papa, my mother said talking during meals makes the food go the wrong way."

He nodded, meeting his mother's eyes. "Your mother is right. How are your Old Alamarian lessons going, are you learning?"

"Papa, I'm learning."

"Good, you will read for me this evening."

The table was too quiet. "The gods bless our family each day. You all should be grateful and smile more." Only Kiro managed a chuckle.

He sipped milk. "Induh is in the hands of the disnobled Irani Ozian. I have sent him message to step down from his post as governor. I remember him. He's a stubborn man. Too stubborn for his own good. It's not beyond him to rally the city to his cause. He may need strong convincing to step down, very strong. Blood." He sat back and waited for someone to bite.

Tekan reacted first, eager as ever. "Let me go, father. Give me men and Induh will be ours in no time."

"No," he repeated it slowly, not even looking at him. "No, you don't have enough military experience. You have no skill as an administrator. It would have to be someone else."

Tekan's jaw tightened. The rejection must have stung deeply. "Who else would you choose, father?! Let it not be Isan!"

Isan hissed, unleashing his stored agitation. "Don't bring me into this. I didn't ask for it"

Tekan flared. "Of course, you don't ask for anything but it's given to you anyway! You didn't even ask to be made a member of the Assembly!"

Isan grunted. "I didn't have to ask. I'm a son of this family that makes me worthy enough."

Tekan spat through gritted teeth. "There were worthier sons of this family who should have had that their place instead of you!"

Ikan caught Eliea humming and nodding in approval. These were her thoughts that Tekan was saying.

"Like Memeh? Is this about your brother? You know nobody forced him to be a soldier. He chose it himself!"

"Isan, don't bring my brother into this! You-"

"That's enough." He didn't need to raise his voice. His sigh was enough.
"This is the reason why I give the children a separate table. They squabble and fight. You too are still children. Dike, a child has more sense than you both to be quiet. I should send you both out." The soup was nearly finished. "I will not give Induh to any of you. You're like children, unready. I would send Tikan instead."

Eliea's surprised eyes asked why. For my late brother. I owe him that much.

Tikan got up, a bit confused at the other end of the table beside Isan. He was five years older than Isan.
Beneath his black bags, his eyes had a glint of a intelligence to them. "Thank you, uncle."

"You will not disappoint me, I know this."

"Yes, uncle. Yes," he said eagerly.

Tekan was so much like his mother. He mirrored her expression of a dog kicked in the side.

"Is not right," Isan protested.

"What did you say, Isan? I thought you didn't want it?"

"No that is not it. Whoever is proposed for governorship must be approved by the Assembly. Tikan hasn't been approved yet."

"Haven't you been following the changes going on in our great city, my son? We are the Assembly now." What's I say is law.