Six: Taautus's Sympathy Is Overruled

October 10, 1983 Ethelden Palace; Amhurst, Veronaville



“Where have you been? You’re reciting the invocation for Magus Shapshu tomorrow evening.” Taautus drummed his fingertips against the underside of the table, watching Kvornan has he took his seat. Kvornan tossed his satchel on the floor.

“I overslept,” he whispered. Taautus rooted through the stack of books in front of him and slid one across the table to his tardy friend. Kvornan scrunched his brow at the object as though it had, by its very existence, offended him. “How did I end up reciting? I’ve never done a Ka service in my life.”



“You drew the short straw,” Agni said without looking up from his lesson.

“I wasn’t even here to draw straws!” Taautus leaned his chair back, snickering at his friend’s predicament.



“Serves you right for showing up late.” Kvornan flicked through the text absently, his cheeks blanching in alarm. Taautus’s laughter became uncontrollable now, knowing that Kvornan had stumbled across just what he would be reciting.

“This is… Absolutely pornographic.” Painted templates flashed by, depicting the Ka and the Ren of Deus Otiosus performing various sexual acts.

“Happy Hieros-Gamos,” Agni giggled. Kvornan shook his head in disbelief.

“The Sheut doesn’t celebrate Heiros-Gamos! There has to be a rule or something.” His tone was beginning to sound somewhat desperate. Taautus wanted to feel sympathetic for Kvornan but his sense of hilarity overruled his sympathy.



“It gets better,” Taautus said, easing his chair back down on all four of its legs. He nudged in closer to Kvornan, gently folding Kvornan's hands in his own as they clutched the edges of the book. “You’re reciting for a room full of ladies. This is the 7:30 Mornington Court service.” Kvornan dropped the book as though it were on fire. The sound of his chair scraping the floor as he backed away echoed throughout the library, causing a few people to stop and stare.

“What’s wrong?” Agni whispered.

“I-I can’t do it,” Kvornan stammered. Taautus snorted, examining his fingernails beneath the glass tabletop.



“It’s only a little temple service. Since when are you such a prude anyway?”

“Agni knows why,” Kvornan said. Taautus narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the pair as Agni lowered his book. Agni’s jaw drooped as though something had just occurred to him.

“Oh. Right. Sorry.” Kvornan threw up his arms as if to say ‘Now you remember!’ and Taautus, not being in on the exchange, began to fume.

“What is this about? Are you two keeping secrets?” Kvornan and Agni simultaneously shifted in their chairs. The guilt was plain. Kvornan leaned over to side and retrieved the book from the floor.

“It’s nothing, Taau. I like a girl at Mornington Court. That’s all.”



“Oh.” Well that was as mysterious as it was illuminating. Kvornan did not spend much time in the company of girls outside of the temple libraries and those girls were so shrouded that a fellow would need a pickax and a compass just to find their backsides. How Kvornan would have been introduced to one of those Morning Court slappers was beyond Taautus’s reasoning. And the secrecy still stung. “Why would you tell Agni and not tell me?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Now that really did hurt. Taautus frowned but resolved to say no more on the matter. Then, just as quickly, he unmade his resolution.

“It's not my sister, is it?” Kvornan sighed in exasperation at the question.

“No, it isn’t your sister.”

“Who then?” Kvornan only grunted in response. Agni returned to his book after a few cautious glances at Kvornan. Taautus saw that he would not be granted any further insight. He picked up Kvornan’s book and leafed through it dejectedly. The Ka lay sprawled across the pages, her ripe, watercolor breasts distracting Taautus from the previous conversation. Without prompt, he began to read aloud. “’…and she, being ecstasy infinite, spread her legs to welcome his holy lust, that their issue might be as diverse in their indulgences as they are one in their abstinence. Such is the mortal life of man.’” Taautus closed the book. “You know, I’ve been thinking about this. If the Ka and the Ren ‘sated their thirsts’ for one another in order to begin time and the Ba and the Sheut will do the same to end time, does the Ib make her rounds through the other four during time?”



“That’s blasphemous, Taau and doesn’t make any sense,” Agni scolded. Kvornan only laughed. Taautus shrugged. Life and Soul were lovers. Death and the Corporeal Body were not yet lovers but experienced a holy longing or Tarshna for one another whose consecration would be the apocalypse. Meanwhile, the Heart just stands by while the other four stare lustily over her shoulders at each other. It didn’t seem fair.

"So you'll switch with me, right?" Kvornan's voice pulled Taautus out of his reverie. He snorted, imagining himself reciting sexually charged verse to a room full of little girls.

"Hm. Let me think about this. No." Kvornan sighed heavily through his nose and leaned in towards Taautus.



"Look, I'll level with you. The day I met this girl, I was in a mood. I did and said some things that I deeply regret doing and saying. She already thinks that I'm some sort of a freak. If I were to lead a service about sacred dickery in front of her and her stupid, giggling friends it would make things five times worse. I'm asking you as a chum, Taau-- Please, please take this off my hands." Kvornan's blue eyes glittered with urgency. Taautus raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly did you do to her?" he asked.

"Nevermind that," Kvornan snapped. Taautus laughed dryly.



"She must be something else, this girl. I bet she has the brain of a magus and a body like Agni's mata." With that, Agni snapped his book shut, startling the other two. He reached under the table and began to pack his satchel.

"Where are you going, Ag," Kvornan asked.

"Somewhere that I don't have to deal with this goat-fucking dunderhead." A low-level panic swooped through Taautus's stomach at this blatant display of offense from his stoic friend.

"Don't leave, Ag. I'm sorry. I'll shut-up," he pleaded. Agni ignored him. It felt strange for Taautus to be apologizing for something that he did everyday, namely teasing Agni about his young, gorgeous mother.



When Agni was out of earshot, Kvornan looked at Taautus wearily and whispered, "She offered me a hand job in the altar room after temple yesterday." Taautus gaped at Kvornan somewhere between shock, amusement and jealousy.

"Who did? Your Mornington Court broad?"

"No. Agni's mata." Taautus blinked once. Then twice.

"Honest?" Kvornan nodded solemnly.



"Damn. Good to be you. Did you do it in the temple or did you go someplace else?"

"Well I told her no, obviously!"

"Are you mad? Why not?"

"Because she's emotionally unstable, you fool," Kvornan laughed, tapping Taautus on the head with his book. "Don't tell Agni. He doesn't know. I'm only telling you so that maybe you'll take a hint and lay off him for a while." Taautus filled his cheeks with air and exhaled.

"I'll behave myself," he said.

"Good. Now take this book and start studying. Mahadeva commands you." Kvornan passed Taautus the Heiros-Gamos lecture along the surface of the table with two fingers planted on the edge of the cover.



"Okay. I give in. I'll do it if you tell me what girl you're courting." Kvornan paused, seemingly torn.

"Is that really the only way you'll do this? Couldn't I write your assignments for a week instead?"

"It's this or nothing, 'Deva." Kvornan furrowed his brow.

"I wouldn't risk her embarrassment, Taau."

"How chivalrous of you. Have fun at temple. Tell Magus Shapshu I said hello."

"I'll get you for this, Taautus Chi'en."

"I'm shaking. See you at lunch."