The news of the king's death spread fast throughout the city of Gobhy and the rest of Ethyr. In the afternoon of the second day of the wake, people from cities as far as Cailea in the west and Fostwa in the north were arriving in the capital to credit the monarch many referred to as the most unforgettable of all the leaders of Ethyr.
This massive visitation attracted the baker Bartoc to leave behind his little shop in the village of Carthen and sell buns in the streets of Gobhy. When he heard that a group of people from the nearby city of Solatrix would be leaving the next day to the capital, he immediately commissioned his sister to watch over the shop and asked his assistant, the fifteen-year-old Riordan, to prepare everything they will need for the commercial journey.
Riordan Svein was an orphan who lived with Bartoc since the day he was found stealing bread from the latter's bakery. It had been five years since the incident happened and Bartoc had forgotten about the transgression of the younger. The elder had learned to love the boy as his very own son since he never fathered any family. The relationship between the boy and his master was further strengthened by the fact that the younger too learned to consider the elder as his parent.
It was the third dawn of the wake when Bartoc and Riordan, with a huge group of eager visitors, left the gates of the ancient city to the center of the Ethyrian kingdom.
The journey from Solatrix to Gobhy lasted for almost three whole days. It was twilight of the fifth day of the wake when the group of travelers caught sight of the walls that secured the city that never sleeps.
After the group dispersed, Bartoc and his youthful companion strolled around the enormous city searching for an inn. The search was not an easy task. Visitors overcrowded the metropolis such that most of the inns were already fully occupied. After a tiring walk, at almost midnight, the two found an adequate place available for their use. It was a spare room in the private home of Bartoc's second cousin, Eliezer Bresse. The mistress of the house allowed them to occupy the room of her only son who was, at that time, commissioned together with his fellow palace guards to watch over the corpse of the king throughout the wake.
While they were having dinner with the host, the chubby baker raised a question that he never thought would occupy the rest of the evening. He was seated in the long kitchen table, across the woman, when he spoke: "Why did I not see my second cousin? We have been here for hours and yet I never came across another member of the household except you."
The woman, who almost had wrinkled skin, replied, "Eliezer died a year ago. He was assigned to join the army that was then defending the western borders of Ethyr from the attacks of Uxx and did not come back alive." There was a pause, and then her words weighed heavier. "I would rather think of me as unfortunate for the death of my husband at war was the very incident that motivated our only son to become a part of the armed forces. Heaven forbid but I cannot refrain myself from thinking ill of my son's fate. What if he ends up the same way as his father?" Then she enveloped herself with silence. She bowed her head and stared at the emptied plate that lay before her.
The sorrow that the woman portrayed with her teary eyes mirrored the grievous vigil that the kingdom offered its late king. While she silently precluded the heavy emotion to burst, the bells of the cathedral tolled to announce the conclusion of that day's viewing hours – it was midnight. The mournful echoes woke her from the absorption of her very own pain and almost immediately, she wiped the tears off her eyes and told her guests: "Visiting hours will begin early tomorrow. It is not advisable for you to stay up late since the baking must be accomplished at dawn." After she spoke, she arranged the table and accompanied the two to the room she had for them.
Even before dawn broke on the sixth day of the king's wake, Bartoc, Riordan and the widow of the baker's second cousin, who prefers to be called Mia, were busy baking the breads they intend to sell that day. The sweet smell of the oven-fresh food caressed the newly awakened neighbors who immediately demanded for sale of the goods. Even before they were able to leave for business, Bartoc was surprised that they have sold a third of their products. This motivated the three to pursue the proposed business pattern that at first garnered negative notions from the homeowner.
Mia, who first disapproved of the commercial feat, led the baker and his assistant to the Inner City – that walled complex which contained the cathedral, the largest piazza, the patriarch's palace, the Amaranth Palace, and a few more significant edifices – where she knew many would take notice of their business. She herself was a commercial connoisseur before her son joined the royal guards, which was why she had ideas about which part of the city contained the most consumers. Instead of bringing them into the piazza in front of the gigantic cathedral on which Riordan thought she will lead them, she guided the retailers to a small square alongside the cathedral's western exit – such between the temple and the patriarch's home. There, most of the people who came from inside the cathedral took their leave.
When the sun was at an average height from the horizon, at about midmorning, the cathedral bells once more knelled to proclaim the commencement of another prayerful day over the corpse of the late king. The bronze doors of the sanctuary then started to open one by one until the people once more crowded their way in to view the king for the last time.
Triggered by the curiosity of his age, Riordan prayed his master to allow him to view the significant vista within the hallowed edifice. Bartoc understood the youth however, he told the younger: "If you will include yourself in the line of people getting in, it will take time before you can even touch the doors of the cathedral. Considering that we need you here in our booth, it may be best if you remain to aid us in our endeavor. I hope you understand what I am trying to tell you."
Riordan responded: "But what if I find a way that can get me in easier than the people who crowd the main entrance? Will you not permit me to leave for a short period of time?"
"A short period of time, you say?" Mia commented while fanning herself. "I doubt such will be possible. You cannot get inside and out the cathedral in such a situation like this within a short period of time unless you are an authority of the state or of the church."
Mia's explanation garnered the boy's respect. Instead of pursuing his aim, Riordan settled to help the two elders in their pursuit of profiting from the business. However, though he became passive about his intentions, he silently kept on hoping that his goal would be achieved.
By chance, Riordan witnessed the exclusive exit of the cathedral swing open. Awakened by his former eagerness to get in, he observed what would happen next.
From inside the sacrosanct building, through the little exit that stood apart from the rest, their loomed a group of five teenage boys clothed in red cassocks with scapulars and hoods stained in black. By the looks of their statures and the uniform that is obviously that of the religious sect, it cannot be mistaken that they were acolytes who served the authorities of the Ethyrian Church.
The baker's assistant realized that it was an opportunity. He did not disregard the instance. In a hurry, he left his post, his master unaware of his skillful departure, and followed the path traced by the five altar boys. He was so swift that in no time he caught up with the last in the group before the latter was able to step on the entrance stairs of the Patriarch's Palace. He got hold of the lad and pulled him away from his destination while the cassocked teen struggled to get free.
When they were in a remote corner behind the patriarch's stables where no one can see them, Riordan told the acolyte, "Lead me into the cathedral. I need to see the nobles." His statement sounded more of a threat than a request. This caused the holy assistant to respond with force.
The acolyte pushed Riordan aside and, when he was able to gain his balance, said fearlessly, pointing aggressively at his captor: "Who are you, and what is your purpose? Why do you pester a servant of the Firmamental Boards?"
Riordan, regaining his vigor, answered with a bold stature, hands crossed before his chest: "Do you not know who I am? I am a noble yet I came in disguise since I do not want the people to know that I have come to pay homage to a foreign king."
In disbelief, the other lad responded calmly, he stood in sacrosanct posture with hands hidden behind the scapular; however, his voice was undeniably that of an irritated person, "If you are a noble, can you tell me exactly from where you have come?"
The baker's assistant knew he was about to be cornered however, his wittiness brought into his simple thinking a tenacious idea. Immediately, he recalled the stories he often heard from storytellers who visited Carthen almost every quarter of the year. From these accounts, he collected data with which he constructed a very tricky pretext. With head held high, he justified, "I am of the Zapyan nobles. Our family was a friend of the royalties, for Zapya and Fypto were both parts of the Ethyrian kingdom before the successful coup. When the news of your king's death reached our state, I have immediately planned to make a state visit. However, the junta that currently controls the actions of our government prohibited my objective. This caused me to defy the conclusions of the martial court and wear a dis-guise."
The acolyte was amazed by the rationality but he did not withdraw from his annoyance thus, he told the other: "You may be a noble, but you did not act the way you should. Your words justified your nobility but your actions portrayed otherwise. Because of this, I resort to make you learn your lesson." The lad wearing the cassock turned and started to walk away saying, "I will not aid you in your endeavor since you maliciously stained the nobility of your kin. If it would not have been for your unethical approach, I could have granted you your request."
Riordan felt sorry for the act and realized the extent of his transgression. Instantly, still bearing the banner of his nobility, he held on the acolyte's cassock and knelt on the ground. With pitiful looks, he pleaded the sacrosanct assistant, "Does it not touch your forthright heart that a noble from a foreign land bring himself at your feet praying for you to consider his request? If you are an acolyte who practices the sanctity of your office at a manner most pleasing to Heaven, then I would expect you to exhibit the capability to forgive. Repentance is a virtue highly regarded by the celestials, and if you consider yourself worthy to be of their service, then their praxis must also be yours."
By then, the trickery of a baker's assistant overpowered the intelligence of an acolyte learned in monastic institutions. The latter agreed with the logicality of a made-up rationale. The acolyte looked upon Riordan as a true noble and so he said, "Pax Young Master, I am sorry for what had transpired between us in the very moment we came across each other's path." He helped Riordan stand up and added, "My name is Jiro Brasen, an acolyte of the sacrosanct patriarch. Allow me to hand you what you beseech in atonement for my misdeeds." Then he held out his hand.
Understanding what the motion meant, Riordan shook hands with his new acquaintance. He was well aware that such was the appropriate gesture of welcome between strangers. Then the baker's assistant secretly grinned as Jiro led him to the small exit where he had loomed earlier.
As it had been for the last six days, the magnificent interior of Gobhy's enormous cathedral was crowded with visitors paying homage to the body of the late king. The central nave and the smaller aisles that flank it at both sides held the huge number of the eager public while the transepts were occupied by nobles who sit to pray over the corpse that lay surrounded by flowers in the center of the bema.
The exit upon which Jiro and Riordan entered opens into a gallery that ends up in the apse aside the high altar. From there, the baker's assistant had his first view of the simple yet grand marble-dominated interior of the church.
Primarily constructed out of white marble, the cathedral of Gobhy was a wonder to many onlookers. It was built in such huge proportions that the interior was hardly measurable. Columns of black marble compliment the milky walls occasionally pierced by elongated windows in shapes similar to the blade of a sword. The ceiling was incalculably high but its glimmering marbled texture mirrors that of the smoothened floor. On the far end, right above the front entry, there was a terrace bordered by patterns of symmetrical balustrades presumably hammered out of iron. Opposite to it, right across the entire length of the sanctuary, there stood the high altarpiece bounded by intricately carved golden friezes of angels and winged lions and on the center of which hang a tapestry depicting a magnificent golden stairway. The view totally amazed Riordan who had never been into any sanctuary other than the simple wooden church built by Ethyrian missionaries in Carthen.
From the apse, the acolyte offered to escort his visitor to the right transept where were seated most of the royal courtiers. Fearing that he will not be able to trick the elders, Riordan refused the offer and suggested their immediate exit.
Understanding the false verity that his companion was in disguise, Jiro approved of the suggestion and turned back into the door instead of moving farther towards the bema.
When they were outside of the hallowed hall, moving across the square towards the prelate's abode, Bartoc spotted Riordan. Without hesitation, the baker called him over. Still putting in mind the pretext he arrayed before the acolyte, the baker's assistant ignored his master. This prompted the elder to walk intentionally towards the two and at-tract their attention. Only then was the truth revealed.
Angered by the trickery that Riordan presented, Jiro ignored the gratitude of his newly gained companion. He stamped his way through the crowd leaving behind the boy who was explaining to his master. When the reasoning was done, Riordan asked Bartoc's permission for another brief disappearance. He hurried to follow the path of the acolyte after the baker granted his request.
The moment Riordan caught up with Jiro, the latter was making his way up the entry steps of the Patriarch's Palace. He grabbed the other's left arm and precluded him from moving further. He sought the consideration of the cassocked young man repeatedly as he waited for the response.
"If 'sorry' is enough to settle transgressions, then why do we have punishments for those who break the law?" Jiro told the other. He turned his head towards the lad who was holding tight on his arm and addressed, "To ask for forgiveness may be enough to remedy a scar you have inflicted upon another person, but this I do not mind. However, to learn from your mistake will be sufficient to keep you from causing further damages in the days to come, and in this I put my concern." Without ado, he pulled himself away from Riordan's clutch and continued his progress towards the archway that welcomes the people to the home of Ethyr's highest prelate.
Riordan can do nothing. He stared at the entry on which the acolyte disappeared. In a little while, he turned his attention back to the baker's booth where he witnessed his master busy selling with Mia. Having made up his decision, he started his way back to where he knew he belonged.