Chereads / The Divine Deucalion of Aether / Chapter 14 - The Augur

Chapter 14 - The Augur

Augury was like anything that involved predicting the future. It was a lot of nonsense that was hailed by the world as an "exact science." Be they augurs, soothsayers, oracles or anything else, there was never any truth in their predictions, but fools would believe what was said anyway. Aether had one augur, Marcus by appellation. He was of the native populace, a noble by birth and once he had been a courtier of the previous dynasty.

Five and sixty twelvemonths he had lived and his career as an augur had been nine and forty twelvemonths long. In those nearly five decades, he had never delivered a correct prediction, people in such careers never did, and yet the mindless mob believed them every time.

When he entered the throne room where Falco was meeting with the merchant's guild to discuss trade matters, it was Rowena who noticed him first. Other members of the court such as Frumentius and Scholastica were watching as the merchants proceeded to devolve into arguing with one another, while Minos was attempting to woo the daughter of the most affluent merchant. Falco could only stand there with an exasperated look. This happened every time and now that he had to personally deal with it, rather than observe how his father did, Falco truly understood his father's dislike of the merchant's guild.

With staff in hand, Marcus walked through the merchants, even as one was preparing to strike another. His perpetually frowning face turned to look at one of the merchants, a man with a wart so enormous that it completely covered his right eye, before making his way to Falco.

"Falco, Son of Tigris, Son of Conall, long life to you!" Bowing, Marcus then turned to the arguing merchants, one of them now lying upon the floor. With a blank expression, he uttered: "I see the merchant's guild is in fine form."

Sighing, Falco watched as the merchants proceeded to physically fight one another. What was he to do about them? Why did the entire guild feel the need to be here for these discussions on trade matters? Why couldn't it just be the head of the guild?

Stepping forward, Falco started pushing merchant's away from one another, telling them to settle down. This was a throne room, not a Commodian circus after all. The only thing that stopped the brawl was when one of the merchant's accidentally struck Falco.

The moment the Crown Prince fell to the floor, the fighting stopped. The merchants all stared at the Scion of the Divine Deucalion, looks of shock and fear in their eyes. When Falco stood up, all he said was: "Gentlemen, Marcus has come to give us a prediction. Please give him your undivided attention and please, no more fighting."

Walking up to the throne to stand next to Rowena, Falco rubbed the side of his head. That was quite the strike, one could have sworn that the merchant was wearing a cestus from how he punched.

"Are you alright, Falco?" Rowena asked.

"I'm fine, Rowena." Falco replied before joking: "I just hope if I ever take up bare-knuckle boxing that I don't face that merchant."

Clearing his throat and banging his staff upon the floor, Marcus stared at the merchants. Upon being certain they would cause no more trouble, Marcus uttered: "I saw a falcon land upon the back of the sacred bull and having interpreted the will of the gods, I am quite certain that Taurus Minor, High Priest of the Earth Bull, will ascend to the throne."

With an exclamation of "Impossible!" Minos walked forward and said: "Taurus is dying! Be it tonight or tomorrow I shall be the High Priest of the Earth Bull! That throne will be mine, not Dying Taurus'!"

"Dying? How premature of you, Minos."

Hitching his shoulders up, Minos slowly turned to find Taurus Minor, High Priest of the Earth Bull, standing in the entrance to the throne room. He was a man twice Falco's weight, muscular and stood at a height of six feet, ten inches and three quarters. As High Priest of the Earth Bull, Taurus wore a maroon tunic as opposed to a plain red tunic as well as a golden bull mask, made by an acclaimed artificer who had made the mask look ceremonial and awesome. The eyes of the mask were made of curved crystal and the horns were meant to make the wearer seem taller than he actually was. In his right hand was a double-bladed stone axe that would have required both hands to wield, which along with the mask was a part of the High Priest of the Earth Bull's regalia. On his wrists were the same golden bracelets and upon his feet the same brown sandals as the other clergymen of the Earth Bull wore. He was clutching something in his left hand, but what no one was exactly sure. It was only when he approached Marcus and handed the Augur the object, that everyone realized that the High Priest of the Earth Bull had been holding a knife-shaped coin in his left hand.

Upon turning to face his subordinate, Taurus found Minos quick to prostrate himself before his superior. Taurus' only response was to walk away from Minos and proceed to make his way up the steps to the throne. When he reached the top of the steps, he looked first to Frumentius, then to Scholastica before finally looking upon both Falco and Rowena.

"Good day, Taurus." Greeted Falco, placing himself between Taurus and Rowena.

"Is your paterfamilias deceased?" Taurus inquired, his coarse and arrogant voice sounding muffled and booming. Very few liked to be in close proximity to Taurus, most often for the very prominent reason that he scented his body with a heavy, sickening musk. Already disgusted expressions were forming upon the countenances of Frumentius and Scholastica while Rowena struggled to stay composed and Falco proceeded to exhale through his nostrils, occasionally taking a breath through his mouth. To breathe in Taurus' musk through the nose was most unpleasant.

"He lives and will recover." Falco answered, taking a moment to breathe after speaking. He then inquired: "May I ask what was the matter with you, Taurus?"

"A fever, nothing more." Taurus replied. "Are you regent then, Falco?"

"I am." Falco and Rowena both watched as Taurus tightened his grip on his axe. Thus, did the former ask: "What is the matter, High Priest? Does something anger you?"

"No... Regent." Taurus turned away from Falco and, as he proceeded to walk down the steps, uttered: "Plans change, Falco, Son of Tigris, Son of Conall. The throne will be mine regardless and everything will be different. I shall re-found Aether as Colonia Tauri, the Earth Bull shall be the island's sole deity, all the island's water shall turn red with the blood of men and boys descended from immigrants, all immigrant-descended women of marrying age will be forced into marriage with Taurian men, sacrifices to the Earth Bull will be brought back, women will no longer be able to serve in the army and then I shall conquer the world and make it as Colonia Tauri will be!" Upon exiting the throne room, everything carried on as if Taurus had never appeared on the scene to a minor extent. The merchants returned to fighting one another while Marcus made his own exit, but everyone else on the other hand was concerned with Taurus' plans.

"The man's mad." Said Frumentius, the moment Taurus had exited the throne room. "My father always says that Taurus is self-destructive and I can see what he means. If the rest of the gods don't destroy Aether for the expulsion of their priesthoods, he's probably going to get himself killed due to leading a military that he himself decreased."