It became, naturally, a council matter.
Tsi came to question Agani himself, which was a waste of everyone’s time. Agani could offer no more than he had already given, and Tsi was neither trained nor gifted in the art of interrogation. Alliance guards were offered to the castle and promptly (if politely) turned down. They were employed instead to assist the efforts of the palace guards in combing the countryside, searching for the Auran miscreants who, according to Agani, were most likely here on Shaman. Representatives would have to have been sent to pick up the package once Agani had acquired it.
Mallos was the only person who seemed to find the situation humorous. He had remarked at first upon an archivist with a strong visual memory and a poor literary memory, and had then been diplomatically sent to help the searchers by Zed before he could comment on the mix-up itself. Thoth had had the situation explained to him by Arthur, who had also recommended he did not leave the castle. He was unusually cooperative, and seemed more distressed that by his friend’s mistaken involvement than by his own potential for abduction.
Agani had provided clear and precise directions to the wadi, with which it had easily been discovered by the king’s men. No pirates had been found hence, and the layout of the wadi was an ambush waiting to happen, so the royal forces had largely been withdrawn. They were stationed at the border instead, waiting for the searchers to be done with their mission and join them as reinforcements. Until someone was found, or more information was turned up on Earth, there was nothing anyone else could do. From here on out, it was just a waiting game.
A long, frustrating waiting game. The first change in the game’s rules occurred purely by accident, and offered no improvement.
A document on criminal activities in southern Italy, which later proved to contain no valuable information relating to this case, had been retrieved from Earth. This time Tsi brought it himself, since Zed was out assisting with the search. It had been assumed that no Auran would dare attack a deity, even one devoid of magic. The day the document had arrived happened to coincide with the day when a jousting tournament for younger courtiers was being held on the castle grounds. It was also the day Tristan had persuaded a largely unconvinced Thoth to come and watch, instead of remaining shut up in his room with a pile of books.
It was unfortunate that the tournament took place at the front of the castle, close to the nearest entrance from the path between the palace and the pantheon. It was even more unfortunate that, upon traversing this path, Tsi noticed Thoth in the crowd and paused for a chat.
“I hope you’re keeping safe,” the Chairman said, after they exchanged greetings.
“There are guards watching the tournament,” Thoth pointed out, indicating the nearest one.
“Hmm.”
The suspicion on Tsi’s face looked like it caused him some effort. The Chairman looked little different now to when he’d first shaken off his coma all those months ago. He had dark circles under his eyes, which were dull, and his whole figure sagged with tiredness. Presumably performing the necessary duties associated with his job while in a state of ill health was exhausting. Even Thoth noticed, and managed to express some sympathy.
“I’m fine,” Tsi replied, dismissing his own well-being with a wave of his hand. “It’s you I’m worried about. We still don’t know what sect these Aurans are or why they want you.”
Before Thoth could comment, a loud, obnoxious voice rose above the general chatter, attracting the attention of everyone in the immediate vicinity.
“What would anyone want with him?” Tarquin drawled, a malicious gleam in his eye. He was leaning against the rails of the arena with a few of his more detestable henchmen, and the group of them had evidently been eavesdropping on the exchange. A couple of other teens sniggered when he spoke. Tsi frowned.
“Because of who his mother is, of course.”
Thoth froze, dismay and apprehension dawning on his face. Tsi, too busy regarding Tarquin with distaste, didn’t notice. A few of Tarquin’s friends sniggered again as the deity and the bully sized one another up, and a smug smile puckered the latter’s lips. Even if he weren’t naturally mild-mannered, in his present state Tsi looked like exactly the kind of pushover Tarquin was used to kicking around.
“I thought his mother was a prostitute,” the teenager’s lip curled as he emphasised the last word, expressing clearly what he thought of that particular career. Tsi’s eyes flashed, and his weariness seemed momentarily overcome.
“Don’t you dare,” he spoke in a dangerously quiet voice. “Don’t you dare talk of Aura in that way.”
The interval which followed was almost comedic. Everyone – even a passing jouster on his horse – froze as though someone had pressed the ‘pause’ button. All nearby eyes which had not already been on the scene swivelled towards it. After a moment, the first movements started to occur – people within the bubble nudging and grabbing the arms of their friends to direct the attention towards the unlikely trio. Tsi and Tarquin stood defiantly against each other while Thoth, his cheeks flushed and his eyes downcast, looked like he wanted to disappear into the ground. Whispers started. Tarquin laughed.
“Aura? As if!” His mirth swelled, and began to infect those closest to him. “That’s the biggest load of tripe I’ve ever heard. Who even are you?”
Thoth seized Tsi’s arm as if to pull him away, but Tsi didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m Tsi,” he growled. “Who are you?”
It would have been funny if it wasn’t so serious. The laughter was stilled instantly. Tarquin’s mouth remained open, and his eyes started to widen in horrified shock. The people around him looked equally thunderstruck. A boy on Tarquin’s right – one of the ones who had frequently held Thoth while Tarquin had struck him – looked like he was going to be violently sick. The whispers had spread beyond the immediate vicinity, and upon hearing Tsi’s name some people were standing on tiptoe to try and catch a glimpse. Tsi glared disparagingly at Tarquin before turning to Thoth with a thoughtful frown.
“Didn’t you tell anyone who your mother was? Thoth?” Now that he was actually looking at his companion, Tsi noticed his distress for the first time. He hesitated, realisation dawning on him. “Let’s go inside.”
Thoth needed no further encouragement. He fled, with Tsi barely keeping up, back towards the castle entrance. The whispers had started again behind them. Arthur was just exiting the main entrance as they approached it; Thoth didn’t pause, and pushed straight past him with tears starting to form in his eyes. The king’s enquiring expression turned to Tsi, who had paused – short of breath – in front of the grand double doors.
“I think,” he muttered in anguish, “I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
Fini.
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