Rojuun

by John H. Carroll

  Chapter 18

  The Companions walked into a plaza where people went about their business along cobbled streets surrounding a beautiful multilevel fountain. Mothers watched their children at play in grassy areas. It was early evening and the air was cooling after a warm day.

  The sight of so many buildings awed Liselle. The myriad of people with different colored skin and wearing exotic clothing was a shock to her. She listened to their voices mingled with numerous other sounds of the city.

  The most amazing sight was surreal multicolored wings of gossamer and lace sprouting from the buildings and glistening like rainbows in the light. Each building had a set different from the rest.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Tathan said. There was awe in his voice as he stared just like she did.

  It made her feel better about gawking.

  Tathan outlined the shapes of them with his finger in the air. “They’re attached to the buildings, but they serve no actual purpose that I can see.”

  “Bugs!” Vevin somersaulted in the air before doing a buggy version of the happy dance.

  Sir Danth glanced at Vevin. “They are beautiful. I traveled in my time and saw many ordinary cities. I liked the cities of Morhain, which were one with the forest. They were beautifully built using nature as inspiration. The wings of this city make it interesting and . . .”

  Tathan cut Sir Danth off. “But they aren’t part of the buildings! The buildings are plain stone and the wings are attached to them as an afterthought.”

  “Hmm, I suppose you are right.”

  Vevin continued his dance, waving his arms about. “I like them! They’re pretty and shiny. I think I’ll put wings on the building above my lair.”

  Liselle looked around. The buildings were made of solid stone with slanted slate roofs. No wood or thatch was used. “I like them too. The wings are beautiful and they fit. It’s the buildings that don’t fit, regardless of which was built first.”

  Metal rods had been placed against the stone and something like wax had been melted to hold them. There were two, sometimes four wings on the opposite sides of each building. They were constructed of gossamer materials that fluttered in the breeze, making it appear as though the entire city were alive. Colors and metallic filaments ran throughout the wings, glistening in the sunlight. It was a beautiful spectacle that made the buildings they were attached to appear mundane.

  “I would love to see it from the sky!” Vevin exclaimed. “I’ll fly over the city the first time I get the chance. It will be so wonderful!”

  All of a sudden, Tathan’s sword was at the neck of a lad. The boy’s arm was outstretched and his fingers an inch away from Tathan’s money pouch. “You’ll not be picking my pockets, Boy.”

  The lad appeared to be about twelve years of age. He wore ragged clothing and had dirty brown hair. Small silver earrings hung from each ear. He looked out of place among well-dressed citizens. In fact, the boy was the only person in the plaza who looked poor. There was fear in his brown eyes.

  “In Morhain, we cut the hands off of thieves. I can take care of that for you, Master Tathan, should you wish,” Sir Danth suggested.

  The boy’s eyes grew wider and tears welled up.

  Liselle intervened. “Nobody is going to cut his hands off! Cousin, put away your sword.” She stepped between Tathan and the thief.

  He moved the sword away, sheathing it smoothly.

  Then she turned to the urchin. “I would not recommend upsetting my cousin. He tends to be jumpy. Perhaps you can help. We’re looking for the White Tree Inn.”

  The lad kept Liselle between him and Tathan. “Y . . . Yes. I can take you there.” He put out his hand as though waiting for something to be put in it.

  “Are you putting your hand out to be cut off, Boy?” Sir Danth asked. “I would be willing to oblige.”

  The lad hastily pulled his hand back.

  Liselle glared at the dark knight before turning back to the boy. “What is your name?”

  “M . . . My name is Athron. I live here,” he said nervously. “I didn’t mean any harm, I promise.” The lad brushed an escaped tear from his dirty face.

  “Well then, Athron, as long as you didn’t mean any harm you’ll be just fine. Don’t mind my cousin and Sir Danth. They’re just trying to scare you.”

  He relaxed a bit.

  “BOO!” Tathan yelled with his arms raised like a monster.

  Athron stopped relaxing.

  Liselle spun and jammed a finger into his chest. “Tathan! Enough! He’s not going to try to steal anymore, and he’s agreed to show us to the inn.” Liselle turned to the terrified thief. “Come now. Show us to the inn and tell us about the wings on these buildings.” She moved him toward the nearest street, glaring behind her at Tathan and Sir Danth.

  “It’s this way.” Athron pointed toward a street at the far end of the plaza. The party followed while Liselle walked next to him. “I wasn’t going to steal anything. The Rojuun kill people for stealing,” he explained timidly.

  “They kill thieves? Is there no trial or prison?” Tathan asked sharply.

  Liselle looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Her cousin had admitted to being a thief.

  “They don’t have prisons. They just kill anyone who breaks the law,” Athron said in low tones.

  Tathan went silent, a stormy expression on his face.

  “So tell me about the wings, Athron.” Liselle took his hand. “They look like they were attached to the buildings.”

  “Yeah. The Rojuun did it,” he said. “They do all kinds of things like that. Sometimes they paint stuff or just start playing music somewhere.” He pointed to a pair of rainbow colored wings on one of the buildings. “Those are my favorites.”

  “They’re very nice. I don’t understand why the Rojuun put them there though. Do they do something?”

  “Nah, they just look pretty I guess.” He shrugged. “They say that after the buildings were put up in the city, Rojuun came out of the caves and said the buildings needed wings.” Athron shrugged again. “Rojuun are really weird if you ask me.”

  “How are they weird?” Tathan asked from directly behind the lad. He had moved closer to listen.

  Athron jumped forward in surprise. “Mother of . . . I . . . They just are.” He moved to the other side of Liselle, watching Tathan warily. “They do weird things.”

  “Like what?” Tathan persisted. “I mean besides the wings. What else do they do that’s weird?”

  “Well . . . The way they walk is weird. It’s more like gliding. And then . . . well, they don’t really do any real work. They always want to sing, dance, paint or . . . stuff. I don’t understand them.”

  “Hmmm.” Tathan drummed his fingers on the hilt of his sword. “Are there any in this city or are they all in the caves?”

  “They don’t come out by the gates very often, but there are some in the city.” Athron pointed. “There’s a Rojuun district along the mountains. They have large estates with big, colorful gardens.” Suspicion crossed the boy’s expression. “Say, why you don’t know anything about them?”

  Tathan narrowed his eyes.

  Athron moved away as though to run.

  Liselle gripped his hand tighter. “We just arrived here. That’s why we need an inn. How close is it?”

  “Oh, it’s not far away, we’ll be there in a minute.” Athron pointed up the street. “It’s a nice place, not too crowded.”

  “Why isn’t it crowded? Is there something wrong with it?” Sir Danth asked.

  “Nah.” Athron looked nervously at the knight. “It’s just that most people here are from the Empire of Iynath or the Kingdom of Klizania and they have their own inns and styles of food and stuff.” He indicated a couple of people as he spoke. One of them looked like desert folk and the other was dressed colorfully in the ways of Liselle’s parents. “The owner of the White Tree
Inn is Hulda. She’s from some kingdom in the west and there aren’t many people from there in Puujan.”

  “Any idea what country in the west?” Tathan asked.

  “Nah, I didn’t pay attention. Hulda keeps her place real nice though and she gives me a little food sometimes.”

  “That sounds nice, Athron.” Liselle smiled at the lad who returned the smile, obviously smitten with her. “Where would we go if we wanted more dangerous work? I hear there’s good money to be made.”

  “Well, there’s not much work for that sort of thing here. You would have to go through the Cavern Road underneath the mountains to Alluu. There’s a lot of work down there from what I understand.”

  “Thank you.” Liselle noticed holes in the gutters along the streets. “What are those, Athron?” She pointed at one.

  “Those? They’re called drains. The water runs down them and into sewers below. It helps keep the streets clean and makes it so they don’t flood.”

  “They’re common in most large cities,” Tathan interjected, “especially where it rains a lot or floods.”

  “Oh.” Liselle realized that her naiveté was showing. After living her life in a secluded valley cut off from the world, this city with its walls, buildings and variety of people was overwhelming to her.

  There were new aromas everywhere. The fragrance of dinnertime food wafting through open windows surrounded her. The scent of the forest drifted over the walls, mingling with scents from people. Many wore perfumes, a thing Liselle had never experienced before.

  A cacophony of sound assaulted her ears. The valley had birds, animals and elements of nature such as wind and rain. Here though, were people talking and making the noise of city life. Liselle couldn’t help but look at all the sights of the city. This was what she had been dreaming of experiencing for years.

  “I had forgotten that you haven’t been to a city,” Tathan said softly next to her.

  She turned to see him looking at her with a mild smile.

  “I remember my first time in a town. It was smaller than this, but the sight awed me.” He chuckled at the memory. “The first real city was an experience for me.”

  “It must have been exciting. All of the sights and sounds. It’s so much to take in all at once!” Her eyes sparkled and her smile was bright.

  “It truly is,” he admitted, though he didn’t share in the enthusiasm. “It’s also dangerous. The first time I explored a city I was mugged and left for dead. I won’t allow the same thing to happen to you.” He looked pointedly at Athron.

  The boy’s eyes widened and he shook his head, thoroughly cowed.

  Liselle put a gentle hand upon Tathan’s arm. “All is well and I know you’ll keep me safe. I’m also not quite so foolish as you.”

  “Wha . . .” Tathan saw the mischievous grin on her face and glared playfully as she laughed out loud. Vevin and Sir Danth laughed as well. Even Athron joined in a little bit, though he did so warily.

  “All right, Cousin. I’ll remember you said that.” Tathan grinned and gave her a playful shove in the shoulder. He continued in a more serious tone, “I truly will keep you safe and do everything in my power to protect you. I swear to that.”

  She smiled at him, realizing how strongly he meant it. “I know. You’ve already shown that.” She played with her flower pin.

  “I will protect you with my life . . . existence? . . . I will protect you as well, Milady,” Sir Danth stated nobly. He stood straight and tall in his black armor and banged his gauntlet to his chest for emphasis.

  “Oh yes! I will too,” Vevin joined in. “I’ll eat anyone who harms you!” He did a dance that probably had something to do with eating people.

  “Thank you both.” Liselle blushed. “Thank you all. Thank you for keeping me safe and for . . . just for being my friends.”

  “Here we are, the White Tree Inn,” Athron interrupted, gesturing at a large building with glittering white wings and a signboard with the picture of a white tree upon it.