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The Gods’ Edicts Part XII - A Heathen is Crucified
- Thread starter Illara
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Illara
Tribune
-Prologue-
Nihlufar was from the far off land of Ashar. Her father was a Sultan, and so she had been given an excellent education, as had all of her brothers and sisters. They each had their own strengths and wisdoms, but of them all, Nihlufar was easily the most adventurous.
In her teenage years, she had traveled all across Ashar, learning eagerly as she went. She even went to some of the cities and towns in the neighboring lands, and she developed a deep fascination with other cultures.
When she was nineteen years old, she entreated her father for his leave to travel abroad. “I wish to venture across the lands, speaking with the wisest people in every city and settlement, learning their insights and lessons, so that I may return my wisest self, and use this knowledge for the betterment of Ashar.” She had said.
She was surprised that her father was not immediately supportive of her noble quest. He eventually agreed, but with some conditions. “You will carry a letter with you at all times, bearing my seal, and the seal of the Arch-Sultan as well, declaring you a protected noble citizen of Ashar. And you will take Ulmann with you.” Nihlufar protested this, for she wished to be independent as she explored distant lands. But her father was unrelenting. “You will take Ulmann with you. He is my finest warrior, and he shall obey your commands and go only to protect you. Not all lands are as fair and just as Ashar. Especially for a young woman.”
Nihlufar agreed, and a fortnight later she ventured off, with stoic old Ulmann as her companion and protector, traveling east and imagining all of the lands she had only ever read about. Kavarran. The Hills of Illain. The Evran Empire. Avondaläe. Maybe even the Sacred Realm…
Nihlufar was from the far off land of Ashar. Her father was a Sultan, and so she had been given an excellent education, as had all of her brothers and sisters. They each had their own strengths and wisdoms, but of them all, Nihlufar was easily the most adventurous.
In her teenage years, she had traveled all across Ashar, learning eagerly as she went. She even went to some of the cities and towns in the neighboring lands, and she developed a deep fascination with other cultures.
When she was nineteen years old, she entreated her father for his leave to travel abroad. “I wish to venture across the lands, speaking with the wisest people in every city and settlement, learning their insights and lessons, so that I may return my wisest self, and use this knowledge for the betterment of Ashar.” She had said.
She was surprised that her father was not immediately supportive of her noble quest. He eventually agreed, but with some conditions. “You will carry a letter with you at all times, bearing my seal, and the seal of the Arch-Sultan as well, declaring you a protected noble citizen of Ashar. And you will take Ulmann with you.” Nihlufar protested this, for she wished to be independent as she explored distant lands. But her father was unrelenting. “You will take Ulmann with you. He is my finest warrior, and he shall obey your commands and go only to protect you. Not all lands are as fair and just as Ashar. Especially for a young woman.”
Nihlufar agreed, and a fortnight later she ventured off, with stoic old Ulmann as her companion and protector, traveling east and imagining all of the lands she had only ever read about. Kavarran. The Hills of Illain. The Evran Empire. Avondaläe. Maybe even the Sacred Realm…
Illara
Tribune
Nihlufar traveled far and wide, soaking up knowledge and insight wherever she went. After a year and a half of travel, she decided to venture into the Sacred Realm, even though many in the nearby nations had warned her about the ruthlessly expanding, Gods-fearing Kingdom and their unwavering commitment to their own supremacy.
But Nihlufar had Ulmann, a keen and wise warrior of many decades, and her letter of protection, and she felt well-traveled and unshakeable. She wanted to study for a season at the small university in the capital city of the Realm. Learn about their complex religion, their culture, how they managed such a large, and ever-expanding Kingdom.
She was making a grave mistake…
But Nihlufar had Ulmann, a keen and wise warrior of many decades, and her letter of protection, and she felt well-traveled and unshakeable. She wanted to study for a season at the small university in the capital city of the Realm. Learn about their complex religion, their culture, how they managed such a large, and ever-expanding Kingdom.
She was making a grave mistake…
Illara
Tribune
Chapter 1
Nihlufar sat a cell of the dungeons underneath the King of the Realm’s massive palace in the capital city. She had been in the Realm for less than a month, making her way straight from the southwestern Guild Settlements and into the capital city, where she had arrived nine days ago.
She had gone to the Scholar’s Institute in the city, where she was received by a senior academic whom she had written to weeks before. Things had been going quite smoothly until two days ago. She had sat in on a number of lectures, and then, to her excitement, she was given time to speak at one.
Nihlufar sat a cell of the dungeons underneath the King of the Realm’s massive palace in the capital city. She had been in the Realm for less than a month, making her way straight from the southwestern Guild Settlements and into the capital city, where she had arrived nine days ago.
She had gone to the Scholar’s Institute in the city, where she was received by a senior academic whom she had written to weeks before. Things had been going quite smoothly until two days ago. She had sat in on a number of lectures, and then, to her excitement, she was given time to speak at one.
Illara
Tribune
Addressing the other pupils and scholars, she had spoken about the governance structure in her homeland, the new farming techniques she had learned about in The Evran Empire, and the growing religious strife she had been hearing about amongst some tribes in the Southern Wildlands. A female pupil who must have been about the same age as her, and who wore very fine clothing, seemed to take offense at her mention of the tribal issue.
“Their quarrels with each other are not a religious conflict.” The pupil had said arrogantly, interrupting Nihlufar.
“Very well.” Nihlufar had said hesitantly, wondering if she had misspoken. The language of the Realm was widespread and she spoke it well, with barely any accent. “But…” she could not help herself. “They are breaking old allegiances over a disagreement about whether their Sun God or Moon Goddess—“
This time another student stood up and angrily shouted “False gods!”
Nihlufar was stunned. She looked at the pupils who had been kind and friendly with her up until now acting as though she were saying something offensive. She tried to lighten whatever was happening with some humor. “Apologies. You are correct. The Sun and Moon are not gods, they are just aspects of the world. Many in my homeland believe there are no gods or spirits. I certainly do not.” She added with a wry smile.
This got angry stares from the pupils and nearly all of the scholars as well. She laughed again, this time with genuine surprise. “What? Really? All of you are believers? But this is a place of learning. Of scholarly pursuits.” Their stares told her that she was clearly wrong about this place.
“Apologies. I shall conclude my speech. Thank you.” She had sat down immediately, embarrassed and confused by their response. But the tone of the lecture had changed. A few people left and Nihlufar had a sinking feeling in her gut that she had said something forbidden in these lands.
“Their quarrels with each other are not a religious conflict.” The pupil had said arrogantly, interrupting Nihlufar.
“Very well.” Nihlufar had said hesitantly, wondering if she had misspoken. The language of the Realm was widespread and she spoke it well, with barely any accent. “But…” she could not help herself. “They are breaking old allegiances over a disagreement about whether their Sun God or Moon Goddess—“
This time another student stood up and angrily shouted “False gods!”
Nihlufar was stunned. She looked at the pupils who had been kind and friendly with her up until now acting as though she were saying something offensive. She tried to lighten whatever was happening with some humor. “Apologies. You are correct. The Sun and Moon are not gods, they are just aspects of the world. Many in my homeland believe there are no gods or spirits. I certainly do not.” She added with a wry smile.
This got angry stares from the pupils and nearly all of the scholars as well. She laughed again, this time with genuine surprise. “What? Really? All of you are believers? But this is a place of learning. Of scholarly pursuits.” Their stares told her that she was clearly wrong about this place.
“Apologies. I shall conclude my speech. Thank you.” She had sat down immediately, embarrassed and confused by their response. But the tone of the lecture had changed. A few people left and Nihlufar had a sinking feeling in her gut that she had said something forbidden in these lands.
Illara
Tribune
Nihlufar was quiet for the rest of the lectures. When the final presentation ended, she left the auditorium swiftly, eager to return to Ulmann and tell him of her uncomfortable experience.
The moment she walked out into the hallway, she was met by a retinue of half a dozen guards in leather armor with swords in their belts. “Her?” One of the soldiers pointed to her and looked at the pupil in fine clothing who had first interrupted her. The girl nodded an affirmative, staring at Nihlufar like she was something foul and dangerous.
Nihlufar was stunned. The guards descended on her immediately, shackling her hands behind her back and ignoring her protests and pleas for mercy and explanation.
They had marched her out of the Scholar’s Institute and through the city streets, and no one cared or paid her more than a glance. She realized the futility of arguing with the soldiers and decided to keep quiet.
She figured eventually an administrator or officer would come to her and she could clear this up. Her letter of protection was in her travel pack, which she had left back with Ulmann.
She calmed herself as she was marched through the streets. Ulmann will hear of this, and he will come and get me freed. She told herself reassuringly. Then we will leave this strange and ignorant land!
The moment she walked out into the hallway, she was met by a retinue of half a dozen guards in leather armor with swords in their belts. “Her?” One of the soldiers pointed to her and looked at the pupil in fine clothing who had first interrupted her. The girl nodded an affirmative, staring at Nihlufar like she was something foul and dangerous.
Nihlufar was stunned. The guards descended on her immediately, shackling her hands behind her back and ignoring her protests and pleas for mercy and explanation.
They had marched her out of the Scholar’s Institute and through the city streets, and no one cared or paid her more than a glance. She realized the futility of arguing with the soldiers and decided to keep quiet.
She figured eventually an administrator or officer would come to her and she could clear this up. Her letter of protection was in her travel pack, which she had left back with Ulmann.
She calmed herself as she was marched through the streets. Ulmann will hear of this, and he will come and get me freed. She told herself reassuringly. Then we will leave this strange and ignorant land!
Boris Spider
Guard
I somehow don't think so!
settantuno
MUTUS PICTOR
settantuno
MUTUS PICTOR
Attachments
mp5stab
Hair and Nails
I, too, have read the title of the thread!
mp5stab
Hair and Nails
You’ve summoned the great @settantuno not you have our fuuuulll attention
Illara
Tribune
Nihlufar realized she was being marched towards the massive, sprawling Citadel that housed the King and the highest ranked officials of The Sacred Realm. She had walked past it thrice since she came to the city.
Nihlufar relaxed even more, assuming she was being taken to speak with a diplomat or adjudicator who would help clear up this mess. Walking up the large stone stairs to the main entrance, and into the illustrious entrance hall, she was then escorted to a smaller door flanked by more guards.
This led below the massive palace. Nihlufar was shocked as the spiraling stone staircase opened up to a dim, smelly, dank stone area lit only by sparse torches on the walls. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw iron bars.
A dungeon!? She was dumbfounded. Shocked. Appalled. She finally began to speak as her captors led her to a cell with a small, rough cot and little else in it.
“Please, noble soldiers, I carry a letter of protection from my homeland, the recognized and honorable Ashar. It is with my travel companion, Ulm—“
One of the guards slapped her across the face with the back of his hand!
Nihlufar was too shocked to scream. She looked at him wide eyed, tasting the coppery warmth of a bit of blood in her mouth.
“Silence! You speak only when spoken to now, heathen!” The guard snarled at her.
Then her hands were unbound and she was shoved into the cell, and the barred door promptly closed and locked shut.
The guards left her without a word. Nihlufar was terrified and shocked…
Nihlufar relaxed even more, assuming she was being taken to speak with a diplomat or adjudicator who would help clear up this mess. Walking up the large stone stairs to the main entrance, and into the illustrious entrance hall, she was then escorted to a smaller door flanked by more guards.
This led below the massive palace. Nihlufar was shocked as the spiraling stone staircase opened up to a dim, smelly, dank stone area lit only by sparse torches on the walls. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw iron bars.
A dungeon!? She was dumbfounded. Shocked. Appalled. She finally began to speak as her captors led her to a cell with a small, rough cot and little else in it.
“Please, noble soldiers, I carry a letter of protection from my homeland, the recognized and honorable Ashar. It is with my travel companion, Ulm—“
One of the guards slapped her across the face with the back of his hand!
Nihlufar was too shocked to scream. She looked at him wide eyed, tasting the coppery warmth of a bit of blood in her mouth.
“Silence! You speak only when spoken to now, heathen!” The guard snarled at her.
Then her hands were unbound and she was shoved into the cell, and the barred door promptly closed and locked shut.
The guards left her without a word. Nihlufar was terrified and shocked…
Illara
Tribune
After the guards left, she sat in panicked silence for a while. But then she calmed herself. She reminded herself that this was a backwards and brutish place, but due to its massive size, they did have administrators and complex governmental structure. She assured herself that this appalling treatment at her arrest would be the worst of it. Ulmann would hear she was arrested, and bring the letter of protection to the officer of the guard or an adjudicator or someone such as that, and then she would be released. And her and Ulmann would make west immediately and get as far from this place as possible.
So while it was impossible to determine the time of day down in the dungeon, Nihlufar calmed herself and eventually fell asleep on the cot, convinced that the next day, she would see freedom.
But when she awoke, the dungeon was as silent and foreboding as it had been when she fell asleep. She waited. For someone to bring her food or water. She waited for many many hours that felt an eternity.
Bored and worried, she began considering how risky it would be to begin shouting for someone. Demanding to speak to an authority. Right on the cusp of screaming out, she suddenly heard a door scrape open, and footsteps…
So while it was impossible to determine the time of day down in the dungeon, Nihlufar calmed herself and eventually fell asleep on the cot, convinced that the next day, she would see freedom.
But when she awoke, the dungeon was as silent and foreboding as it had been when she fell asleep. She waited. For someone to bring her food or water. She waited for many many hours that felt an eternity.
Bored and worried, she began considering how risky it would be to begin shouting for someone. Demanding to speak to an authority. Right on the cusp of screaming out, she suddenly heard a door scrape open, and footsteps…
Illara
Tribune
She listened intently, hoping it was someone coming to speak with her and facilitate her release. As the sound grew closer, she realized that it was the sound of three people walking.
When they got close enough that she could see, she was surprised to see two soldiers flanking a slave girl. The slave girl was maybe a few years older than Nihlufar, of average height but quite skinny, with long blonde hair. Her pale skin was very much on display, as she was clad in the degrading, skimpy garb that all female slaves in this land were required to wear at all times; a simple, meager cloth draped from her hips to cover her ass and womanhood, and a leather belt strapped across her chest, covering her nipples.
The slave girl carried a tray with some cups on it. As the trio approached Nihlufar’s cell, one of the guards grabbed a cup off the slave’s tray and handed it through the bars to Nihlufar. “Water.” He said gruffly and then turned to walk away.
“Wait!” Nihlufar shouted out, clutching the cup of water. But the guards and slave turned and kept walking.
Nihlufar drank the water. It had a slight moldy aftertaste but it was just water. Enough to hydrate her for a day since she was not moving at all. Something about the guard’s gruffness when he dispensed the water made her afraid of shouting out and demanding an audience with someone.
So she laid down on her cot and tried to sleep. Or at the very least, simply not panic…
When they got close enough that she could see, she was surprised to see two soldiers flanking a slave girl. The slave girl was maybe a few years older than Nihlufar, of average height but quite skinny, with long blonde hair. Her pale skin was very much on display, as she was clad in the degrading, skimpy garb that all female slaves in this land were required to wear at all times; a simple, meager cloth draped from her hips to cover her ass and womanhood, and a leather belt strapped across her chest, covering her nipples.
The slave girl carried a tray with some cups on it. As the trio approached Nihlufar’s cell, one of the guards grabbed a cup off the slave’s tray and handed it through the bars to Nihlufar. “Water.” He said gruffly and then turned to walk away.
“Wait!” Nihlufar shouted out, clutching the cup of water. But the guards and slave turned and kept walking.
Nihlufar drank the water. It had a slight moldy aftertaste but it was just water. Enough to hydrate her for a day since she was not moving at all. Something about the guard’s gruffness when he dispensed the water made her afraid of shouting out and demanding an audience with someone.
So she laid down on her cot and tried to sleep. Or at the very least, simply not panic…
settantuno
MUTUS PICTOR
Illara
Tribune
You are magnificent! Thank you! Amazing!!!
It won't hurt any less, whether you panic or not
Brilliant as always, @settantuno!
Great pictures and a great story, what's not to love?
Illara
Tribune
The hours dragged on. Nihlufar was growing concerned. How could they make her wait for so long, without so much as an update or someone to come and ask her questions.
Was Ulmann’s negotiations for her release really working so slowly? They traveled with a small but valuable secret cache of jewels and diamonds, in case they had an emergency and needed lots of currency quickly. Between that and the letter of protection, she was shocked that things were moving so slowly.
She tried to be patient and force herself to sleep but she could not. She was too anxious, her analytical mind spinning in vain to try to anticipate issues that could be holding Ulmann and how she might try to solve them.
Finally, after many anxious hours, she drifted off into a tense sleep filled with worried nightmares…
Was Ulmann’s negotiations for her release really working so slowly? They traveled with a small but valuable secret cache of jewels and diamonds, in case they had an emergency and needed lots of currency quickly. Between that and the letter of protection, she was shocked that things were moving so slowly.
She tried to be patient and force herself to sleep but she could not. She was too anxious, her analytical mind spinning in vain to try to anticipate issues that could be holding Ulmann and how she might try to solve them.
Finally, after many anxious hours, she drifted off into a tense sleep filled with worried nightmares…
Illara
Tribune
Chapter 2
Footsteps echoed down the hallway and Nihlufar awoke immediately at the sound, her troubled dreams and anxiety keeping deep sleep ever at bay.
She sat up on her cot and guessed that must be the second day since she had been arrested. But she was not entirely sure.
Four guards clad the same as the ones who had arrested her stepped in front of the bars of her cell. She did not recognize any of their faces from the previous soldiers she had encountered.
One of the guards slid a key into the door lock with a metallic scrape and said “stand and face your cot.”
Nihlufar complied, oddly reassured by how calm the guard sounded. His tone was almost bored. That was good; this was routine. Standard. Nothing to be concerned with. She was probably just being marched to some magistrate who would sign a release declaration and then she would be freed.
The guards stepped into her cell and pulled her wrists behind her back and shackled them together. She felt the cool iron against her skin, but the shackles were not brutally tight and the guards were being firm but not rough.
Two of them gripped her biceps and turned her around, and marched her out of her cell.
Finally I am free. I look forward to seeing Ulmann and learning what caused such incredulous delay she thought…
Footsteps echoed down the hallway and Nihlufar awoke immediately at the sound, her troubled dreams and anxiety keeping deep sleep ever at bay.
She sat up on her cot and guessed that must be the second day since she had been arrested. But she was not entirely sure.
Four guards clad the same as the ones who had arrested her stepped in front of the bars of her cell. She did not recognize any of their faces from the previous soldiers she had encountered.
One of the guards slid a key into the door lock with a metallic scrape and said “stand and face your cot.”
Nihlufar complied, oddly reassured by how calm the guard sounded. His tone was almost bored. That was good; this was routine. Standard. Nothing to be concerned with. She was probably just being marched to some magistrate who would sign a release declaration and then she would be freed.
The guards stepped into her cell and pulled her wrists behind her back and shackled them together. She felt the cool iron against her skin, but the shackles were not brutally tight and the guards were being firm but not rough.
Two of them gripped her biceps and turned her around, and marched her out of her cell.
Finally I am free. I look forward to seeing Ulmann and learning what caused such incredulous delay she thought…