A Fine Black Sky
CHAPTER FORTY FOUR
Daupus. Sael Daupus. And one so young - yet convention in all its forms had escaped Daupus near the end of his life. For he was a tormentor, like Osseus Rivalis had been, with a far greater venom to his bite. Why he had turned as he did so late into the Program was a point of mystery and would ever remain thus - but turn he did, and on Kid.
What Daupus perpetrated upon his endeavour was well documented, for which and ever there would remain a cloud of ether hanging over the Program, as similar acts tarnished the same more often than was justifiably acceptable.
Cheating was rife close to the end. The pressure was uncontainable. Each Apprentice chose their destination upon merit of wisdom accrued by practice, and sometimes there was never enough hours in the perpetual night to retain the reams of information pressed upon these youngsters, these children - these teenagers. So they struck out in many and varied ways. Sometimes without a thought for the consequences - hence Daupus taking the choice to leave this world.
Kid stood in solitary stance by the mantlepiece constructed out of the vegetation that grew in abundance throughout the City of Unity. He found himself fidgeting distractedly, unsure of what he should do now that he was at the Memoriam for Sael Daupus. He was by no means the only one in the Noble Drawing Room, but the only person Kid knew in any capacity was Ryla, and she was conversing wildly with a couple of frustrated graduates, listening to her intently in the hope of her attention. She had grown quite attractive, at least as far as Kid could tell. The opposite sex had not been much on his mind over the last five years, nor the particular differences between them. He had been too preoccupied with study and survival. All he knew was she too would be moving on to the next Tower. He would talk to her then, if she still recognised him.
It was hard not to. He was the Broken Boy - Broken Man - after all.
#
Upon occasion, which became more frequent, particularly toward the conclusion of the Program, Daupus would saunter past Kid’s room. At first he would mutter, comment a barely audible derision of the man within. Kid was, certainly, very used to the timbre of discord toward him and it floated over him like an ineffective gust of wind. Perhaps more truthful it was to say, that some particular tough barbs did find their target, causing Kid an involuntary thought to the differences between him and most of the other Apprentices. Kid wasn't to know at that point, but Daupus was becoming increasingly disparate, envious perhaps, but certainly indignant at his lack of superior scoring, as he felt he was owed by the Tutors and the Program. In fact, his parents instilled such impossible expectation upon Daupus that they would simply be unachievable, beyond even the most reasonable duty bound honouree, that he felt a pressure uncontainable within one so young. His only recourse to vent such pressure was to find a victim, and that became Kid.
Kid was an easy target, of course, as much was known of his life, his history and his Family. In fact, there was very little that wasn't known of the Family of a Lord, be it unfounded rumourmongering, or exaggerated truth - or even definite honesty. Therefore it was upon many occasion, when Daupus felt the need to relieve the tied up anxiety he had accumulated by his devious methods to ensure victory for his parents at least, upon conclusion of the Program. And Kid could soon see why Daupus had ridden himself so hard, to bring himself so low as to require succour, or at least release.
It was obvious how Daupus had felt rejection and a hurt pride, how the perceived authority of the Tutors and that his parents seemed, real or imagined, so dismissive of his efforts, that he was seen as laughable by his peers, and it was futile - he felt the misfortune of noise where there should have been clarity, harmony and approval. He felt scorn and contempt toward Kid, and he would scoff, ridicule and mock, despite the commonality that Kid and he shared.
He became greedy. He circulated unverified rumour about Kid and his Family, corresponding principally to the antics of Eighteen, how he was caught in some unforgivable mess with people he should not associate with, who he had obviously networked with while attending. The nature of said networking was often truly to be said that one must associate with all society, which could be interpreted as the disparate, dangerous and demanding types as well as the cream of Unity. But this was mere opinion, and a favourable lie for Daupus to make. He made another accusatory leap, unfortunately with some truth contained, that the only reason Kid was sitting where he did was because his other Brother, Muet had died. There was no denying this, but it remained hurtful to be reminded of that fact often.
When it had become too much for Daupus, he took the only option he felt open to him. Kid only wished that Daupus had come to him in conversation, rather than insult, then perhaps, just perhaps, Kid could have revealed to him that there was more than despair for the rest of one’s life, and that some things changed.
There was always that. There would always be that.
But then some people were beyond helping, Kid presumed, having set their eyes on the target and unerring in their approach. Some people simply could not see beyond their immediate future, to the uncertain and exciting adventure of life to come. Then again, there wasn't always that bright future for all. Perhaps Daupus knew more about his future than anyone, and took the matter into his own hands. Only Daupus and the Old Gods, the MonoGod and perhaps the Veiled, knew that truth.
#
Kid peeled himself from the mantlepiece, observing that Daupus’s parents were alone. He took his opportunity to express his condolences at this point, as not to cause too much distress by overabundant candour. He was finding it difficult to remain in the home of the Daupus’s - not because he didn’t care for the boy, but because large contingents of other people in such a small space only brought upon Kid a rapidly expanding feeling of discomfort and anxiety. Despite the numbers, he was isolated where he stood, idly turning the glass of Prasinian Wine, made by fermentation of the shoots of the vegetative plants that grew in abundance throughout, principally, the Towers of Unity, by its stem. In fact there was a green, ethereal glow to the world at that moment, filling the light that was available with a verdant gleam, dancing from the reflective surfaces in abundance within the Daupus home. Kid occasionally caught the flicker of his old friend, the shadow, in the curvature of the bowl or silver of the mirror.
“Lady Daupus - Sir Daupus. It’s a sad occasion that we meet. Let me, with all humility, honour your Son. Sael was an exceptional boy, it has to be said. Many was the time I would spy him feverishly working hard on a project here, or a paper there. Very studious. Very - informed.”
A strange look, a mix between surprise and shock, and a soupçon of kindness struck the Daupus’s. Sael’s Mother, however, was the voice that spoke, “Young Praefuscus. We are humbled by the attention you show our home and the memory of our Son.”
“It was my honour to remember such a bright spark, and mourn Unity’s loss.” Kid performed a courtly bow such as he had witnessed ad infinitum from his vantage upon the rug in his Father’s Office. It hadn't escaped Kid’s attention either that he was, in essence, the representative of the Lord of the North Tower. It hadn't really been until this point that this revealed itself to him. And it was that he would ever be thus, wherever he would go.
Kid looked upon Sael Daupus’s corpse, in state about the Drawing Room, and whispered a silent prayer for all those Daupus would come to represent - the unheard and fearful minority. The Misplaced Ones, who saw through pressures of duty, that they had only one way out.
It was clear, Nobility may have bred the ambitious, driven to fight mercilessly for what they felt they deserved, or simply for what they desired, but Daupus had been misrepresented by the upper echelon. They had called him a fool, with no pity or sorrow, and no understanding or support when he needed it most.
If it be that he could only now affect Sael Daupus post mortem, then Kid would be his Champion.
No comments:
Post a Comment