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tamingthemuseTitle: Grovel Before the Gods.
Fandom: Original
Prompt: #81 (2) Grovel
Warnings: This isn't a full story, but part of the Maybe This is What Happened universe.
Rating: G
Summary: Before Safed's story, there was Ix'An's story. Takes place long before Safed found Try's name and soul. Ix'An is pronounced Ish-On.
The king was dead.
After a reign of only nine years, the king was dead.
With all due pomp and circumstance, his body was carried throughout the city, so that all his subjects could pay last respects before his body was to be offered back to the earth via fire. The grand viser ordered everybody out on the streets to view their former king, to show him honor.
Honor he didn’t deserve.
Above all, the viser was well aware of the dishonor put upon the king by the mere fact that his son, now the king, was absent from this funeral march. Everybody was well aware of the fact that the king had had a hard relationship with his father, in fact, it was believed that they hated each other. This sealed it.
Speaking aside to a servant, the viser demanded the location of the as yet uncrowned king. Cowering in fear, the servant responded that he had no idea where the young monarch was, nobody did. Feeling put on, it was the viser that placed the torch on the pyre, not the former king’s son, as was tradition.
Within the palace walls, Ix’An, now king, leaned against a balcony’s rail, and watched the smoke from his father’s funeral pyre drift up into the endless sky. Instead of on his father, as they should have been, his thoughts were on his city. The city that lay before him was in dire need of resources. The people were poor, the land was harsh, giving up less and less produce each season. If thing kept going as they had been, his people were sure to die out.
The war didn’t help.
Just when they thought they were in the clear, some demon magic would stray their way, or some spirit spell would fall within their reach, killing some, maiming more. His father had ordered his people to stay out of the melee, not for honor, for it wasn’t their fight to begin with, but because he was greedy and lazy. For them to enter into a war would mean he would have had to lose wealth, and people to work his land.
With his father now gone, the people would look to him to lead. And so Ix’An had to put his thoughts to the future. If he followed in his father’s footsteps, he had no doubt that there would be a revolution on his hands. Not that he would ever do anything as his father had done.
With a small smile, he turned his back on the smoke and disappeared into the palace. He had his own plans for the future, and his hands were tied, until tomorrow, when the crown was formally placed upon his head.
The ceremony was stiff and boring. Nothing was required of him save that he show up and sit upon the fat cushion with a stiff upper lip. Once the crown was upon his head and all the nobles gave him their vows, he could make this kingdom his.
The first order of business as the new king was to implement new laws.
Ix’An smiled, knowing that the nobles were going to hate him, but he had to do what should have been done long ago.
In his low, sweeten honey voice, he proclaimed, “Our first law will be regarding taxes.” From his vantage point, he could see several nobles smiling to themselves, nodding with greed in their eyes. Few lowered their heads, their faces tight as they processed the idea of even more taxes taken from their lands. This was for them, and for the people that worked the land. “All taxes will be cut to a third of their former price.”
There were protests and shouts of rage, but the viser and guards quickly dispelled the noise makers with threats of violence. With new eyes, the nobles regarded their king.
“Our next order regards the city upkeep. For every noble that lives in the city, a tenth of the taxes you receive will be given to the city. The buildings and roads must be repaired. The ill and poor must be given relief. No longer will we look upon our city with sadness, no longer will curtains hide the view from the palace.” He nodded to a servant and the maid rushed to the windows and opened the heavy drapes, letting in a flood of sunlight and, finally, Ix’An thought, a breeze.
And so his first day as king went, unmaking the harsh laws his forefathers had put in place for their own greed. Plans were set into motion for his city’s salvation. By the end of the day, he’d lost many of his father’s staunchest supporters, but he’d gained much more.
By year’s end, he hoped to have the city stabilized, schools and hospitals built, and less people leaving the city. Also, he had to see about seeking out another well. Water was so precious in this desert city, and he feared they were running low.
Seeking refuge, he hid in the copse of green within the palace.
It was around this oasis that the city had originally sprung. Over the years, it had grown with the founding of other underground springs, but everything has its time, and many had dried up. The palace had been built around this one and in this one, something special hid.
Ducking into the shadows, Ix’An was thrown into another world. Dense forest surrounded him save for one slim path. He followed it to a group of rocks, which he climbed over, hiking his robes to his knees. There, in a break of the rocks, he saw a glimmer of light and he dropped himself into the entrance.
“Demon? Are you here?”
For his efforts, he received a growl that brought a smile to his lips as he entered the demon’s one roomed cave. Said demon was sitting at his table, marking on a scroll, his white hair mussed as he threaded a hand through it. The bright red eyes rose to meet his. Ix’An gulped at their empty expression, as it always gave him a fright. This was the first, and only being he knew that had no soul.
Brazenly, Ix’An seated himself across from the demon, taking a treat from the plate the demon had placed in the center of table. Munching on the sweet, the king watched at the demon ignored him, continuing with etching on the parchment.
“The night before last, I dreamed.”
The demon snorted. “That’s what humans do when they sleep.”
Ix’An waved a hand. “I don’t think it was a normal dream.”
“It wasn’t.”
Pausing, Ix’An eyed the down turned head. “What do you mean? How do you know?”
The empty red eyes turned up to meet his. “You reek of gods’ magic.”
Eyes widening, the king went on. “It was a dream about the gods. I was kowtowing before them.”
Another snort from the demon. “I don’t see you groveling before anybody, not even gods.”
“Well, in the dream I was. I was given a verse to guard, a prophecy that would come to realization during my reign. Also, ideas about my city’s survival came to me.” He grinned. “One involved you.”
“I will not grovel before gods.”
“I didn’t say you had to. Demon, you are powerful, yes?”
The red eyes narrowed. Ix’An’s grin grew. “You can make the earth obey you, yes?” The demon sat back, folding his arms over his chest, waiting. “Would you make water for my city? A river that threaded through all of the land.”
“A river in the middle of the desert?”
“Yes. It will be wonderful.”
The demon stared at the human a long moment in silence. Ix’An took that time to snag another treat. Really, these were his favorite.
“I will.”
“You will?”
He glared at the interruption and Ix’An smiled sheepishly. “I will, for, not because the gods have blessed you, but because I must live here, and I prefer that the humans hiding my home are many.”
“More to hide you with.”
“Just so.” He stood. “Very well, a river.” Ix’An could feel the magic gathering about the demon and knew it was time to take his leave. If there was one thing about the hermit demon Ix’An had learned over the years, it was that the man didn’t want him around while doing magic.
At the exit, Ix’An turned back to the room. “One more thing. While I was bowing before the gods-”
“Groveling like the powerless being you are, you mean.” Well, nobody had ever said that beings without souls weren’t snarky. Ix’An bowed his head once in agreement. It was easier than arguing.
“I was commanded to be royal.”
“You are royal.”
He shook his head. “I can no longer be my own person. I was commanded to be the people of the human realm. I am no longer merely king of one desert tribe, but the representative of all humans in the gods’ eyes. I am no longer I, but we.”
A smile curved the demon’s lips. “So no more groveling for you, then. Not even for the gods.”
Fandom: Original
Prompt: #81 (2) Grovel
Warnings: This isn't a full story, but part of the Maybe This is What Happened universe.
Rating: G
Summary: Before Safed's story, there was Ix'An's story. Takes place long before Safed found Try's name and soul. Ix'An is pronounced Ish-On.
The king was dead.
After a reign of only nine years, the king was dead.
With all due pomp and circumstance, his body was carried throughout the city, so that all his subjects could pay last respects before his body was to be offered back to the earth via fire. The grand viser ordered everybody out on the streets to view their former king, to show him honor.
Honor he didn’t deserve.
Above all, the viser was well aware of the dishonor put upon the king by the mere fact that his son, now the king, was absent from this funeral march. Everybody was well aware of the fact that the king had had a hard relationship with his father, in fact, it was believed that they hated each other. This sealed it.
Speaking aside to a servant, the viser demanded the location of the as yet uncrowned king. Cowering in fear, the servant responded that he had no idea where the young monarch was, nobody did. Feeling put on, it was the viser that placed the torch on the pyre, not the former king’s son, as was tradition.
Within the palace walls, Ix’An, now king, leaned against a balcony’s rail, and watched the smoke from his father’s funeral pyre drift up into the endless sky. Instead of on his father, as they should have been, his thoughts were on his city. The city that lay before him was in dire need of resources. The people were poor, the land was harsh, giving up less and less produce each season. If thing kept going as they had been, his people were sure to die out.
The war didn’t help.
Just when they thought they were in the clear, some demon magic would stray their way, or some spirit spell would fall within their reach, killing some, maiming more. His father had ordered his people to stay out of the melee, not for honor, for it wasn’t their fight to begin with, but because he was greedy and lazy. For them to enter into a war would mean he would have had to lose wealth, and people to work his land.
With his father now gone, the people would look to him to lead. And so Ix’An had to put his thoughts to the future. If he followed in his father’s footsteps, he had no doubt that there would be a revolution on his hands. Not that he would ever do anything as his father had done.
With a small smile, he turned his back on the smoke and disappeared into the palace. He had his own plans for the future, and his hands were tied, until tomorrow, when the crown was formally placed upon his head.
The ceremony was stiff and boring. Nothing was required of him save that he show up and sit upon the fat cushion with a stiff upper lip. Once the crown was upon his head and all the nobles gave him their vows, he could make this kingdom his.
The first order of business as the new king was to implement new laws.
Ix’An smiled, knowing that the nobles were going to hate him, but he had to do what should have been done long ago.
In his low, sweeten honey voice, he proclaimed, “Our first law will be regarding taxes.” From his vantage point, he could see several nobles smiling to themselves, nodding with greed in their eyes. Few lowered their heads, their faces tight as they processed the idea of even more taxes taken from their lands. This was for them, and for the people that worked the land. “All taxes will be cut to a third of their former price.”
There were protests and shouts of rage, but the viser and guards quickly dispelled the noise makers with threats of violence. With new eyes, the nobles regarded their king.
“Our next order regards the city upkeep. For every noble that lives in the city, a tenth of the taxes you receive will be given to the city. The buildings and roads must be repaired. The ill and poor must be given relief. No longer will we look upon our city with sadness, no longer will curtains hide the view from the palace.” He nodded to a servant and the maid rushed to the windows and opened the heavy drapes, letting in a flood of sunlight and, finally, Ix’An thought, a breeze.
And so his first day as king went, unmaking the harsh laws his forefathers had put in place for their own greed. Plans were set into motion for his city’s salvation. By the end of the day, he’d lost many of his father’s staunchest supporters, but he’d gained much more.
By year’s end, he hoped to have the city stabilized, schools and hospitals built, and less people leaving the city. Also, he had to see about seeking out another well. Water was so precious in this desert city, and he feared they were running low.
Seeking refuge, he hid in the copse of green within the palace.
It was around this oasis that the city had originally sprung. Over the years, it had grown with the founding of other underground springs, but everything has its time, and many had dried up. The palace had been built around this one and in this one, something special hid.
Ducking into the shadows, Ix’An was thrown into another world. Dense forest surrounded him save for one slim path. He followed it to a group of rocks, which he climbed over, hiking his robes to his knees. There, in a break of the rocks, he saw a glimmer of light and he dropped himself into the entrance.
“Demon? Are you here?”
For his efforts, he received a growl that brought a smile to his lips as he entered the demon’s one roomed cave. Said demon was sitting at his table, marking on a scroll, his white hair mussed as he threaded a hand through it. The bright red eyes rose to meet his. Ix’An gulped at their empty expression, as it always gave him a fright. This was the first, and only being he knew that had no soul.
Brazenly, Ix’An seated himself across from the demon, taking a treat from the plate the demon had placed in the center of table. Munching on the sweet, the king watched at the demon ignored him, continuing with etching on the parchment.
“The night before last, I dreamed.”
The demon snorted. “That’s what humans do when they sleep.”
Ix’An waved a hand. “I don’t think it was a normal dream.”
“It wasn’t.”
Pausing, Ix’An eyed the down turned head. “What do you mean? How do you know?”
The empty red eyes turned up to meet his. “You reek of gods’ magic.”
Eyes widening, the king went on. “It was a dream about the gods. I was kowtowing before them.”
Another snort from the demon. “I don’t see you groveling before anybody, not even gods.”
“Well, in the dream I was. I was given a verse to guard, a prophecy that would come to realization during my reign. Also, ideas about my city’s survival came to me.” He grinned. “One involved you.”
“I will not grovel before gods.”
“I didn’t say you had to. Demon, you are powerful, yes?”
The red eyes narrowed. Ix’An’s grin grew. “You can make the earth obey you, yes?” The demon sat back, folding his arms over his chest, waiting. “Would you make water for my city? A river that threaded through all of the land.”
“A river in the middle of the desert?”
“Yes. It will be wonderful.”
The demon stared at the human a long moment in silence. Ix’An took that time to snag another treat. Really, these were his favorite.
“I will.”
“You will?”
He glared at the interruption and Ix’An smiled sheepishly. “I will, for, not because the gods have blessed you, but because I must live here, and I prefer that the humans hiding my home are many.”
“More to hide you with.”
“Just so.” He stood. “Very well, a river.” Ix’An could feel the magic gathering about the demon and knew it was time to take his leave. If there was one thing about the hermit demon Ix’An had learned over the years, it was that the man didn’t want him around while doing magic.
At the exit, Ix’An turned back to the room. “One more thing. While I was bowing before the gods-”
“Groveling like the powerless being you are, you mean.” Well, nobody had ever said that beings without souls weren’t snarky. Ix’An bowed his head once in agreement. It was easier than arguing.
“I was commanded to be royal.”
“You are royal.”
He shook his head. “I can no longer be my own person. I was commanded to be the people of the human realm. I am no longer merely king of one desert tribe, but the representative of all humans in the gods’ eyes. I am no longer I, but we.”
A smile curved the demon’s lips. “So no more groveling for you, then. Not even for the gods.”
no subject
Date: 2008-02-10 10:09 am (UTC)Is this earlier in your world's time line than the last one?
Edited to add - forget that question, I just read the intro *g*
I am also left wondering about the wisdom of the king's decree, since to reduce taxes from the ordinary folk, but increase it on the nobles could cause the early death of a new king *g* since having even a thousand commoners out in the country supporting you, is not usually seen as a balance against the enmity of 1 or 2 of the people who live in the same space as you.
But he is young and idealistic and a river will certainly solve many of their problems. I like the demon.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-11 03:13 am (UTC)I figure it would be fun to give him more of a back story, so I'm starting out with what I know he's done, then I'll flesh out all the problems he's had on the way. Thanks for pointing out something I'd not taken into account. Whee, more plot twists, ahoy!
I like the demon too. He's fun to create, although he keeps changing personalities on me. DX