Center Worlds - Spark
Asking the Question

Great Hall, Tara -3 BA

“Kya, he’s brought in the great drums,” Aya whispered as they came into the main banquet hall. Both girls had just finished dressing themselves when they were both firmly sat down by a very radiant Mistress Tya and a whole team of Lari’Sota who primped, polished, and prepared the two girls so they both looked truly glowing. Aya was referring to an entire wall decorated with musical instruments, including twelve immense drums, each one representing the Twelve Realms of the Confederacy. Along with the other smaller drums around them, this comprised a powerful symbol, and also powerful music. Aya loved the drums, such a simple-looking instrument that could make such a wonderful rhythmic noise.

She remembered having bedded a few of the drummers in the past, and they had been as passionate in their lovemaking as they had in their public performance.

They were guided to their seats, comfortable couches to one side of the Emperor himself, this time, with Aya on the outside, Kya was placed closer to the Emperor. Kya saw her friend’s confusion and was quick to reassure her. “Hush, this is all part of the plan. I am now very sure what he is going to do and trust me, my Aya, you will love it.”

They sat and were offered drinks and light food as the hall slowly began to fill. They saw Clan representatives from all realms coming in. “Are they having a full Grand Council meeting?” Aya asked Kya as they continued to watch the flow of dignitaries.

Kya nodded. “Yes, they have to finalize the ending of the Clan War and determine the disposal of all assets from Clan Michelab. That will be tomorrow, tonight the Emperor has called for a grand Banquet in your Father’s honor.”

“So that is why there are two chairs at the head, one for Tyo and one for my Father?” Aya asked.

Kya shook her head. “Not quite, my Aya. It will all make sense shortly. Please, try to be patient.”

Soon enough, the delegation from Clan Camelin came through the door, and with them came the Guild of Drummers. Each one trained from a young age to play the Drums that were a Clan’s pride. These Drummers were also dancers, and when they played, all eyes were on them for the music and the performance. It was a brilliant thing not often seen. To see all the Drummers and the Clan Drums at once, Aya had never heard of before.

That evening, Ryo was again dressed in formal robes. This time, as leader of the Clan. Peace reigned in the Confederacy for the first time in fourteen cycles, and the people needed to celebrate. There was another huge party planned, plus Tyo’s announcement. As Clan Leader, Ryo understood the need for the people to celebrate. He knew often enough that you had to keep the population fed and not want much to quell a rebellion.

Michelab had starved their people as they had fuelled the war, so they had lost world after world to other clans, now they were gone, and the 12 primary clans had temporarily become eleven until another Clan claimed the vacated spot. That may well be a bloody series of duels as well, but it would not affect Clan Camelin, or Clan Masilec. For right now, the Emperor was secure, Ryo’s Clan was safe, and almost everybody he cared about, was doing well. He always worried about poor Lyo, missing these past ten cycles.

As this was a formal celebration, all the clans were in attendance. Michelab would be represented by clan Maselic as they no longer had fealty, but they had left their musical instruments and their team at the palace through the war. The value of a Clans’ drums was immeasurable. Those drums, easily five mets across, were made of a single piece of naturally occurring hardwood that was found on only one world in the Confederacy, Giarda.

Giarda was once the center for higher learning within the Confederacy. Home to an advanced study archive and teaching facility that allowed students and scholars from all over to learn everything there was to know and to seek answers to questions that had not yet been asked.

Giarda was home to the Sky Trees, massive stands of the hardest natural wood within the entire Center Worlds. Each tree had been well over 5 mets across and standing tall stretching up to 500 mets or higher. A very highly valued commodity that was carefully harvested in the days before the rebellion, to ensure there was always financing available to keep the education and archives running.

Giarda was occupied by Clan Jasinlo during the early days of the Desinlo rebellion and where the Night of Blood had occurred. Ten thousand students had been gathered, and all had refused to swear fealty to the Jasinlo forces. They were brutally slaughtered, each one slit open from neck to groin and the blood gathered in a massive vessel that was then loaded onto a cargo ship. That ship, flown by a suicide pilot who killed herself before the ship entered orbit, hovered over the Royal Palace and opened its vents, pouring the gathered blood out in a fine rain that fell for nearly ten minutes before the ship was destroyed by cannon fire.

Giarda, now burned to cinders by retaliatory strikes from most Clans against the wholesale brutality of Clan Jasinlo. The stands of sky trees charred to embers, the buildings of the archives in flame and rubble, the entire planet laid waste by the combined clan retribution. No more would any artisan work with native Sky Tree wood, there was no more.

The mighty Clan Drums were among the most prized possessions of any Clan, and by mutual agreement, all Clans kept their drums at the royal palace, under a blended guard who had the most strict orders to never fight each other and to defend the instruments with their lives.

The Clan Drums were both an unusual event and in some ways, a mark of shame for the Confederacy. The drum skins were from a captured pack of T’Ressi warriors. Fighters who had battled the Confederacy and lost. Instead of just being killed, these warriors had been skinned, their pelts stripped from their bodies and carefully preserved in ages past. The pelts had hung in the Palace for many deca’s before some elder in ages past had suggested honoring the valiant fight of the T’Ressi as well as the Clans by placing the pelts onto drum frames.

It reminded the Confederacy that civilization was only a thin veneer over base savagery and also allowed them to honor the T’Ressi, who in some ways were more vigilant than the Confederacy in what they did. Although both sides committed acts of atrocity when they fought, they both had redeeming qualities. Among the Clans, the mighty drums were one such quality. The sound was impressive and served to alert the very Gods that something important was going to happen.

Ryo waited in the hallway staging area for his cue to enter. Behind him was the Drum squad, members from all the clans combined. They had practiced, were keyed up, and were ready to roll. His entrance would begin the performance for the people in the hall and for the billions more who would watch it on screens and projectors across the entire Confederacy.

He got his nod from the advisers and strode into the hall as the Lord of Clan Camelin, behind him, the drum squad flowed in, flanking him and as he walked to the Dais where Tyo sat in his Throne, Ryo bowed briefly, then stepped to one side and sat in his chair as signified the Lord of the Clan.

As the final delegates took their seats, Aya saw her Father sitting opposite her, so the other throne was empty beside Tyo. Aya wondered about that, then forgot all about it as the Guild all sent their head Drummers to stand in the main hall. They bowed twelve times, once to each clan, and then they all went to one knee in front of the Emperor.

“My lord Emperor Masilec. Leader of the Twelve Realms. Ruler of the Thousand Worlds. The League of Drummers wishes to honor your celebration this evening.” Came the request.

Tyo stood and bowed back to them. “Well met, League of Drummers. By all means, entertain us with your poise and skill.” He sat back down as the drummers all walked back over to their sections and took up the thick grassroot sticks that generated such sounds when they struck the tight-skinned instruments.

The first drumroll came in rapid sequence around the entire hall as each drum was struck and the sound echoed, followed by the next and the next. The sound was then duplicated, then replicated, until all twelve regions were rolling in synchronized rhythm. The thumping sequence, high and low, went right through Aya as she listened with her ears and her body. She could feel the pounding through the soles of her feet, and even the very air was filled with the sound.

She recognized a few of the notes as they rolled, but was so immersed in it that she failed to notice the final tune, then with a glorious roll, the sound stopped, and the vast room was filled with silence. She breathed, then suddenly blinked. Tyo was not on his throne, he was kneeling in front of her Father.

Ryo watched for the cues, and as he saw the emperor rise, knew to be ready for the next stage in the audience. He watched as Tyo came over to him, and then the Lord Emperor went onto one knee in front of the war hero.

“My Lord Ryo Camelin. On this day we celebrate your victory in the Clan war. Your survival against the machinations of Clan Michelab, and your continuing loyalty towards the great Confederacy that you protect.”

Tyo stood, but Ryo remained seated. His part was not over yet. He saw the crowd rise with Tyo and enjoyed the roar that came next. “A cheer for Ryo Camelin, Lord of Clan Camelin. Leader of the Combined fleet and the Victor of Michelab.” A cheer went up from the crowd, then they sat down as Tyo went back down onto one knee in front of Lord Camelin.

Tyo looked into Ryo’s eyes as he spoke, his voice rumbling through the hall clear as a bell. “I have a request that can only be done in this place. Ryo Camelin, fourteen cycles ago you entrusted me with the protection of a daughter of Clan Camelin. I wish to continue to perform that role in the only way I can, now that she is of Age. I ask you to give me your daughter’s hand.”

Now Ryo rose and pulled Tyo to his feet. “As Lord of Clan Camelin, and the father of the daughter of the Clan, I give my agreement for this marriage. You have my permission, Lord Tyo Maselic.”

The room was so silent that all Aya could hear was the rush of her blood and the ragged breathing that she was doing. She watched as Ryo stood, then helped Tyo to rise, and permitted him. She swallowed very hard but felt Kya’s hand on her shoulder, and then another hand, looking to her other side, Mistress Tya was standing, smiling down at her with shining eyes as she had her hand on Aya's other shoulder.

Both men walked across the silent hall to stand before the stunned lady Aya who seemed almost terrified at what she had just heard. She was flanked by both Kya and Mistress Tya, who each had a calming hand on one of her shoulders, whether to keep her from bolting, or for reassurance, or both, Ryo was not sure, but, the girl remained in her seat.

Tyo and Ryo both walked over to her and with Ryo standing with a slight smile on his face, Tyo knelt in the most traditional pose any Taran could do and held out his hands towards the diminutive Lady Camelin, palms up.

“My Lady Aya Camelin. You came to this palace as a child. You have grown into a wonderful woman who I am very proud to have with us. You make this Palace brighter when you are here. I have a request of you that you are free to refuse.” He paused and Aya faintly heard a chuckle, she thought from Mistress Tya, but was not sure. Her eyes were focused on Tyo as he knelt in front of her.

Tyo took another deep breath. “I have been alone all of my life, Lady Aya. It is time for me to choose a proper companion. A Consort who will be by my side, help me to make decisions, comfort me, and be comforted by me in times of need. I would be the happiest man in all our Thousand Worlds if you would accept my proposal.”

Aya gulped. She heard a tiny whisper behind her. “Say yes.”

She then nodded and placed both her hands on top of Tyo’s outstretched ones. “Yes, I will accept your proposal to become your Consort, Lord Emperor Masilec.” She finished with a squeal as he got to his feet, grabbed her by the waist, and hoisted her into the air and into the biggest and most passion-filled hug she had ever experienced in her young life.

The hall erupted into celebration as the people realized what had happened. Not only was the war over, but the Emperor was going to have a bride. A royal wedding was in order, and that was a reason for real celebration.

The room exploded into cheer and music. Aya realized that almost everybody there had known what was going to happen, but had kept her in the dark. It was such a surprise. She felt her face would crack from the ear-to-ear smile she had while Tyo refused to put her down, just kept hugging her and both her cheeks were getting sore from being kissed by everybody. She finally fluttered her hands and patted him firmly enough that he deposited her back on her feet, then held her as she nearly fell over. Tyo guided her back to the chair, right beside his own. That was to be her place. This was real.

Aya was finally set back on her feet after having been spun around by Lord Masilec for what seemed like hours, and with Kya’s assistance, sat down before she fell over. He bounded away to join the dancing as she sat there, stunned, happy, shocked, not sure what to think.

She sat there, still in shock, as the drummers leaped to life, pounding out a dynamic rhythm of celebration and joy. She watched them leap and whirl but was barely paying attention. Her mind was a whirling mass of joy, confusion, fear, excitement, and so many other emotions that she had no idea what to think.

She gripped Kya’s hand hard enough to leave half-moon-shaped fingernail marks and whispered. “This isn’t a joke, is it, Kya?”

Kya leaned down and kissed her cheek firmly. “No, my Lady. You are engaged to the Emperor. With your Father’s consent, you are to be his bride. You did it, Aya. You did it!”

Aya was again swept up to dance, but this time it was only three partners, Tyo, her Father, and Captain Kalen, nobody else dared to cut in on the bride during her time with her family. Aya was not too sure why the Captain was considered a part of the family, but she certainly enjoyed the dancing.

She noticed that Mistress Tya spent a lot of time dancing with her Father and that he seemed to be nothing like as stuffy and rigid as he had been the night before. Kya also had her fair share of dances but was prepared to intercede when she noticed that her Aya began to falter from exhaustion.

This time, Tyo as well noticed Aya had begun to falter, and relayed to Mistress Tya, who got Kya to gather her charge and take her off to sleep.

“Too much wine again, Kya?” Aya said as Kya gently escorted her back to the chairs.

Kya laughed. “I think it’s just too much in general, my Aya. Let’s both get some rest, this is just too much in general.”

Much later that evening as Kya again helped her to bed in Tyo’s huge bedchamber, Aya was almost asleep as soon as she was sat on the massive bed but remained just awake enough to watch her Lari’Sota as Kya hurried around, closing doors, turning down lights, then coming back to the bed to help Aya out of the elegant dress she was wearing so she could get under the luxuriously warm covers and sleep on the cloud that was Tyo’s bed.