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Tien Long may have needed more than one gourd of wine, but he didn’t need more than one blow. It came so fast, that my first indication it was coming was that I was suddenly flying away from him.

[You have suffered a YELLOW critical, for x2 damage. 48 points of Bludgeoning damage received; after armor, you have taken 38 points. -24/40 health remain. You will experience a prolonged period of unconsciousness, and may die.]

I was out of it by the time I struck the cart, with enough force to upend it, and send all the delicate containers inside... well, I’m told everywhere, but I remain dubious on that.

Are you awake?

Meh.

Are you awake? Some time had passed...

“Are you awake?” It was a male voice, but higher pitched than... something...

“Ah, there you go! Zero health! Now, you are most definitely awake.”

.....

“Wug-wug.” I said.

My limbs were spread in an x-like pattern, and I was at an angle, raised above the floor. I was suspended above a large basin of what may have once been white stone, but whose color had long since been blackened by prolonged exposure to blood.

I sighed. “I am a Truthspeaker. I literally CANNOT lie to you. This is not needful.”

“Oh, very little of what I do is needed. But, it is work that I was born to. I enjoy my work, and I am so very, very good at it.”

“You are substantially older than your voice led me to believe.” I said.

“Yes, so many people make that mistake. When I was a child, my mother decided I should never have children of my own. She took the measures to make sure I never could. I cannot blame her; it was the correct decision. Well, perhaps not as correct as killing me would have been. But honestly, which of us are not attached to our children?”

“I can list several people...”

“No! You can’t fool me. SUBSTANTIALLY.” He pronounced each syllable, like a death sentence. “Somehow, in spite of the assurances of the priest and his fu dog, you retain your intelligence.”

I sighed. I really do need to learn when to keep my mouth shut.

“It’s quite sad, actually. If you HAD been damaged, you might have died quickly.”

“Why is it that I have to die at all?”

“Truly? Nobody has yet told you?”

“Truly.”

“Ah, you are fated to be the doom of our illustrious leader, Zaodong Hwang, unless you die.”

“ME? I can’t even hold my own against his champions; how am I supposed to kill him?”

“Ah, but you AREN’T fated to KILL him. The prophecy only says that you will bring about his doom.”

“That’s extremely vague. How does he know that killing me isn’t what dooms him?”

“Because of the release clause. As long as you die first, then he does not.”

“Then why am I alive?”

“You are alive because the fu dog is a mighty symbol, so long as not too many in the army talk to him. And because we need him, we will only kill you when we must.”

“When will that be?”

“Ah, that is not for me to know. And if it were, not telling you would be among the cruelest of mental tortures.”

Not really. I knew I wanted to live; I also knew the lifestyle I led made it extremely unlikely that I would live to adolescence, let alone to old age. But I could easily...

“Why can I suddenly think of escape?” I asked.

“Ah-ah! I knew you would recognize that fairly early in our conversation. About your throat is a collar woven of death iron. I don’t need to tell you that it is resistant to all known forms of magic and even to chi.”

“I suspect it has another function as well.”

“Indeed!”

The collar suddenly crushed inward on my throat, blocking the airway.

“I am able to decapitate you with a thought! Do you see now...”

But I wasn’t going to be seeing anything until tomorrow, as the damage caused by his strangulation took the waking world from me.

#

“Are you awake again?”

“I guess. I have a question.”

“I’m not about to give my name to a magical beast.” He said.

“No, not that. I was under the impression that Dauria was a matriarchy. Women having higher social status than men.”

“Indeed.” He said. “Women hold the purse strings, and rule the homestead with eagle-like grasps.”

“Yet the generals of both armies are men.”

“This is true.”

“And the majority of soldiers and sailors that I’ve seen are male.”

“Ah, and your question is how are merchants treated?”

“Well, no, but I guess that’s a good follow-up question. But mine is: where are the female officers?”

“Oh, they’re in charge of the defensive armies. The town militia and such. You might see a few of their units pulled up as the siege stretches on, but not many.”

“Then how are they the equal or superior of men?”

“You understand how an army works? The absolute command a general has over every officer? What female officer would bear having a male superior, especially knowing that they could order her to shameful personal actions?”

There was an itchy spot at the side of my face, but I didn’t dare free my arm to scratch it. I’d only get one attempt at getting free. It could wait until I had more health.

“But it seems like that would be more shameful for the male.”

My captor shrugged. “There is also shame in not acknowledging a woman’s beauty. After a certain point, it becomes a choice of shameful behaviors.”

He smiled coyly. “Not a problem I’ll ever need to worry about, of course.”

“So why are there not female generals?”

“Oh, in the Empire itself, things are much improved for female warriors. As one would expect. But here? There are more male criminals than female, after all.”

“I was under the impression that men and women were born in almost equal ratios, and that a substantial percentage of the population was born and raised here.”

“Ah, yes. But in a highly criminalized environment, not all of those women survive to become adults. Males gain Might easier, after all.”

No, that wasn’t my experience at all. Daurians must just raise their children vastly differently to gain those manner of results. I mean, how would a matriarchy survive if that were the true state of affairs?

“Oh?” he asked, “do you disagree?”

“My experiences with women are vastly different than yours, it seems.”

“Ah, aha. You will learn, over time, not to do that.”

“I am not certain you are the best of teachers.”

He enjoyed a high pitch peal of laughter. “Indeed, I am not. But you will learn, anyway.”

“I am not certain that I will.”

“Mine is the last voice you will ever hear.”

“I don’t think so.” I said.

“Oh, and what makes you say that?”

“HE THINKS THAT BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO RELEASE HIM.” Kumanchu said, striding into the tent.

“Oh, no, great Kumanchu. That is among the things that will NOT be happening today.”

Kumanchu turned his head sideways, jaws open wide enough to bite his head off.

“Stop! I will kill him with a thought!”

“Hrm. Some night when you are sleeping, then.” Kumanchu said, setting himself into his more regal position. “You mortals take great liberty with what is mine, and you WILL suffer for it.”

“I have no doubt that I will suffer for a great many evils I have done, when I face my judges in the next life. But you, great Kumanchu, even you have your limits. You may punish villainy, where you can find it. But me, I obey the will and orders of my lord, Zaodong Hwang. Is it within the laws of the Celestial Court to punish me, but not to punish him?”

Kumanchu took on a stance like my captor had doused himself with the contents of an outhouse. “I don’t know your name, but I have your scent. Some day, when you have violated celestial law, we will have this discussion about your impending death again.”

“Should that day EVER come, all would expect exactly that behavior from you. On THAT day.”

Kumanchu slowly turned to leave. “We WILL meet again.”

“Great Kumanchu, do you have any intention of breeding this magical beast?”

.....

“Breeding? No, I can’t say that he’s that useful.”

“Then surely, once he is fit enough to survive the procedure, I may neuter him?”

“Do what you will to him, just be mindful that anything my slave cannot do after you release him to me, I shall be expecting you to do in his stead.”

“Oh, I am quite skilled at setting broken bones, great Kumachu.”

Kumachu left.

“Ah-ah! I don’t see the dying light of hope. Remarkable! You still think you’re getting away from me.”

“I’m fairly certain I can manage it. I’m just working on the details.”

“I am going to enjoy breaking you of that delusion.” He said.