Chapter Twenty-Seven
The month of Udipaz was now upon them and it was the week of the Festival of Firsts. The myriads of crowds that had come to gather and worship at the citadel nearly overwhelmed the sisters but Anet and all the young ones were excited to see so many people, which also meant that there were many more children to play with. She was improving steadily in her lessons with swords and bow and arrow and even got a little better had the rings game. Her outdoor overnight trips with sisters were the most fun of all. She was getting better at seeing things in the dark, hearing and listening closely and even hunting for objects in the dark. Once they had made a short overnight excursion to the Hill of Shima near a wide stream. Sleeping on the ground and learning how to catch food was exhilarating. But now that many people had come to Gamina the overnight trips and sword fighting lessons were paused for other duties. The kitchens were constantly at work and there was food everywhere and even sweet treats! She loved the festival days. There were many breads and treats made with honey and rich, fresh milk to drink along with roasted meats. Gamina was filled as far as the eye could see with temporary tents full of families that had traveled to the citadel. Many more were always coming up the hill into the town. It was like a marvelous family gathering. She got a chance to play with little boys and girls who had traveled from all over Hybron.
The first day everyone had gathered at the town square with Mother Berenice, her head covered with a special red silk, to do the reading of the first book, Sha, the beginning of the world told in the Holy Aishanna and God's hand in creating Man and all the tribes who then covered all the face of Chialis. It was called the Great Migration. Those first tribes then populated the whole world. It was at that time that God gave Man the first laws that he should know and follow and sent them lesser gods who showed them how to hunt, farm, to reap bounty from the land, how to build, mine the mountains and care for the animals; all the great things that Man later achieved were first shown to him from God. So, He commanded them to remember this birth, all the first things he showed them through a festival, the Festival of Firsts. Anet could nearly recite the entire first chapter now and many did recite along with Mother Berenice's reading. Great logs of expensive incense from the far east were burned during this week and the sky at times was filled with great swathes of incense mist and the fragrance mingled with the natural scent of the chilly fall air. The sun was setting earlier and the weather was cold in the morning and at night. The crowds were so thick that one had to step over people and animals to get anywhere outside the citadel walls. Anet, when not in attendance to the readings was on duty serving food to those who had none and administering healing ointments and water to tired, aching souls. She was carrying a water jar to a family near the town square when she happened to hear more talk from the pilgrims. Another thing she'd learned from Mother Berenice and Ilim, to listen to everything and learn what might be useful and what might not be. She didn't know what was useful so she just listened intently, as the gossip among the camps was interesting. Later, Kaisha would grill her and she would gladly gush.
“They say that tensions are growing in Jhis. The temple to Hec was burned down and the people of the Golden Temple are being blamed for it.” Said an old man, one who needed ointments after the long journey. He was the apparent patriarch of this family and he was resting with his feet up on a basket and pointed to the water urn she was carrying.
“Here child, bring that water here. We are thirsty.”
“Why would our people have anything to do with it?” Said another man, his brother. The women sat by the fire cooking and making flat bread. Anet poured water into their urns for which they thanked her.
“Come child! The children are sleeping now but you can sit and have something to eat with us.” Said the old man's wife. Anet gladly accepted. She took a piece of bread and dipped it into a small bowl of hot fat. She could smell the mouth- watering scent of roasted mutton and spices over the fires.
“I do not believe we had anything to do with it. But, as the saying is going now, it is “revenge upon the good peoples of the sun god” that we are doing this. Pah!” Said the first old man.
“Revenge! Some evil mischief is behind this. I swear it.”
“We, the poor and the working ones. If ever there is some ill in the city, somehow we will pay for it. We are the beasts with all the burdens.” Said one of the younger men.
“You are right. It is the hand of the Unnamed One behind it. The whole thing is a travesty if you ask me. There are riots and more fires, fights break out nearly every week now. Curse the whole of it!”
“And to think, everyone got along so well for so long. You cannot even go into the Southern Quarter now unless you want your throat slashed and it is the same way with those of Hec in our neighborhoods. Shameful!” One of his younger wives said, shaking her head.
“That is not the way God's people should do.” Said the first old man's wife.
“I know it, yet many have become inflamed with passionate feelings over all this and who can blame them?” Said the old man.
“I blame the priesthood. They are always behind some devilry in the land. Or at least half of it. It is a wonder too. We are blamed for the fires and attacked for it and naturally some of our young people get impassioned and attack back and it is all a mess. Yet the priests and scribes are safe in their gold-tipped tower away from the rabble, scrawl and scrapping! Somehow they have brought this evil upon us.” Said the man's brother.
“Yet they demand more money and taxes with no shame! Thieves and bandits dressed in silk and gold!” Said the old man. This received a resounding “Ellah Kaifah!” from the whole family.
“It is a good thing we do not live in Jhis. I feel afraid for those poor brothers and sisters in that wretched city.” Said another wife.
“If you ask me they should have moved out of there in droves.” Said her husband, the old man's brother.
“They are, my brother. They are. My first wife's family, they live there but they are planning to move to Hevan, where nothing happens. Praise be to God!” Said the old man.
“Is there even a temple in Hevan?”
“Does there always need to be a temple? There is no temple there and some of us would prefer it that way. But there is a special place, a field where the faithful gather for readings and prayer. A small city and those there do not molest the Aishanna-La. Everyone keeps to themselves, like it should be and none of those detestable games and theater travesties you have in Jhis.”
“It is a good thing to be here. We can speak freely about the games here.” Said his brother.
“What are the games?” Anet finally interjected.
“An ingenious way of torturing and killing animals and men. Destruction of life for the amusement of others and though many claim it is for those who volunteer only the poor and the convicted criminals do so in order to get out of a dire situation. When there are not enough who volunteer it is well known that they send agents who lie in wait in taverns, inns and on the streets at night for unsuspecting souls in the poor districts to kidnap for the games. That is why it is said in the Writings: “My son be wise and avoid the many vices of the cities for there are traps there more dangerous than the traps of the hunter.” Said the old patriarch.
“Ellah Kaifah.” They all said.
“Yes, my daughter. It is a lesson. I have seen too many of our young ones fall into the trap and end up fresh meat in the arenas and there is nothing we can do once that happens.” He said despondently. Anet felt sad at hearing this. Did they really do such things to people in the cities?
“Of course, some cities are better than others. Jhis is simply one of the biggest and worst.” Said the brother.
“The golden days of Assenna were not like that. Now that must have been a place!” Said his wife.
“Indeed!” Said her husband.
“It was a wondrous place until the apostasy. And then the Ainash made it an evil thing to even speak of those times.
” Said the patriarch.
“The Veiled Time.” Said Anet. They all nodded.
“Most books and writings about it have been burned but you dear sisters here have the true holy book, not the one obscuring truth like the one read at the Golden Temple. Get used to seeing this, my daughter. You will see more faithful ones coming here instead of the temple.”
“I like it when people come here.” Said Anet.
“You do, do you? That is well! Many of us enjoy coming here. Here we are among our own and safe.” He said.
“And there is the natural beauty of the land without all that stinking smoke from the fires outside the city!” Said his first wife. They all crowed in agreement over this. Anet had heard of the eternal fires. Like dragons, she wanted to see them some day.
“Yet, there is the holy prophet Ilim who speaks great things against those hikras in the temple! I have heard the wild peoples talk of him and his coming. The hypocrites do not dare to touch him.” The old man said and took a generous drink of water. Anet's ears perked up even more at Ilim's name.
“Not yet.” Said his first wife.
“Do you hear much about the prophet here, child?” Asked one of the younger men.
“He came here in early fall. He left a few weeks ago. He is certainly a prophet. He said that God spoke to him.”
“Indeed He did! One day those priests will have to answer for their error.”
“Do you think all the priests bad?” Asked Anet. The younger man shrugged.
“I would say so. I do not see evidence to the contrary. Why anyone would want to keep going to them is beyond me.” Said the patriarch.
“Some still go because of the prominence it gives them. For many, it is the whole world and all they have.” Said a younger wife.
“Yet, you will not catch a poor one going any longer. Not after the tax and the mess that came after! Only those who have some prominence or wish to have it still attend there.” Said the first wife.
“They will punish us for it. Watch. There is always some evil lurking among those hikras! I wish the Lord of the Deep Heavens would strike them down! Curse them!” Said the patriarch.
“And there are the mobs and riots in the city over this matter now. I am afraid to go back home, to tell you the truth.” Said his brother.
“So am I.”
“May you be rebuked, Zabi my love! It is not for you to curse the appointed of God. He will deal with them in His due time and it will go ill with those who follow them.” Said the first wife.
“You are right, Haida.” He said.
“Tell me child, do you see many of the tribal people here?” He asked.
“Sometimes they trade with us but it is rare to see them.”
“I ask because I miss lapirim. I am an old man of the wild tribes who was enchanted by a city girl,” he winked at his first wife and she smiled and shook her head. “but I do miss it.”
“As if he does not get enough meat in his meals!” She said.
“I know but there is nothing like lapirim. Really, is not lapirim better on the third day?”
“That would all depend on your own tastes, my brother.” Said his brother. They all laughed.
“We do not have any lapirim. I am sorry.” Anet said apologetically.
“That is well. Your meat and bread and drink here are fit for gods. Who knows? They may show up and look for lodging and then you will have to entertain them. Some holy ones did just that!” Anet could hear her name being called.
“Excuse me fathers but I must go.” She was very sorry to have to go. She was fascinated by the gossip.
“Ahaifa, child.” Said the old man. Anet bowed and picked up her empty water vessel and ran back to the fortress.
“Where have you been child?”
“Sorry but one of the families out there invited me to dinner.”
“My goodness Anet, you will be as big as a tent after the festival! No matter. It is well to find fellowship with the faithful but there are others who need drinking water. Ease their burdens this night, please. Here, get more water and see about who needs it.”
“Yes, Mother Berenice.” Mother Berenice seemed distracted and unusually grouchy this week and she wondered at it but she soon forgot this as she went about her chores. When the call for Night Prayers came she was very tired but also stuffed with food. She did not have the stomach for the late supper prepared at the citadel. Irtal replenished the incense and helped with organizing the offerings of incense and food. The last day of the festival was coming in two days and a fattened ram would be sacrificed and shared among the scions and the qualified men in the town who read from the Law and the Writings and the blood would be sprinkled among all. There was so much to do. Anet's head was spinning. She'd heard all manner of rumors. This man named Rhajit the Ram, a great hero in Jhis who rescued the poor people but also rescued the Ainash from certain death, disturbed her. Then there was the burning of the city and now so many people coming here. What did it all mean? And she wondered why it was that so many women here could not read. She found that strangest of all. Every girl and woman at the citadel could read and according to the holy book all the people of God should know how to read and write. It was in the Law. But the Ainash saw it as a crime for a woman to read anything unless it was being read to her. Even though she disliked the prophet Ilim for beating her he did not seem to share their hatred of girls and women and she feared that he would not be safe in Jhis. Would he be able to come back and continue teaching her? There was much she wanted to know. Even Kaisha was happy to know how to read and write and thought it strange that so many women outside of the citadel did not know how. Was it that way for all women everywhere or just in Hybron? She would ask Mother Berenice when it was all over. Late that night, they lay in their bedroom, she and Kaisha and a few other girls after the Prayers of the Night ritual when a huge cry was raised outside.
“Hool! Hool! Hool!” Came the calls from the thousands of people gathered outside.
“What is it?” The girls all jumped out of bed. Anet and Kaisha raced downstairs first, followed by the others and soon they were met by other women and girls coming down from their rooms to see what the commotion was about. The heavy doors were locked fast. Anet grabbed a torch and unlocked them. An elderly scion was hobbling down the hall.
“Stop! Wait, girls!”
“But we want to see what is happening outside!” Cried Anet breathlessly. They rushed outside and found people pointing up at the sky and chattering in excitement. The sky was lit with myriads of stars like a black blanket covered in glittering jewels. But right seemingly in the middle of the grand night sky there was a great spray of red stars streaking across the horizon like leaping red desert rams of fire. It seemed almost that the sky began to light up like the bright dawn. This went on for hours. Eventually all the scions had come out of the citadel to see the sight.
“A great omen! Like the one I heard tell of when I was but a babe in the desert!” Cried a woman.
“I well remember it! I was a younger man then. A warrior who guarded the camp of the elders on that night!” Exclaimed an old man. “It is just like that night, when the gathered shaikhs and the tribal mothers went to the plain of the White Bones and saw the host of heaven! The very sons of God themselves!” They could not hold back; all were filled with joy. Everyone was so caught up in rapturous elation at the event that they noticed nothing else but Anet noticed a tiny, bright golden thing, like a spark of light on the ground near the steps. Had some celestial dust or object from these stars fallen to the ground? She dashed over to the steps and picked it up. It was a tiny bird made of gold. There were hundreds of golden wires inside of its metal body and jewels for eyes. She looked around but no one paid any attention to her. She put it in a pocket of her shift and gazed at the red-tinged sky. She recalled once the tale from an old man in the town a few years ago who said he had been to the far lands up north and the far east where there was snow and great cities and that they had what he ca
lled “fire stars” that exploded which they used in celebrations that lit up the night sky. But these were not stars from men. This was a sign from above. The joyful cry: “Hool! Hool! Hool!” soon rang out through all of Gamina.
“Hool, hool, hool aja! Look, look, look and see!” Everyone cried until it was a sea of roaring voices.
It was nearly morning. Anet could not sleep so she sat in bed looking into the dark. She did not want the Festival of Firsts to end. She turned the golden bird around in her hands. It felt warm. She had found a wonderful treasure, on top of all the signs and portents of the week.
“That belongs to Mother Berenice.” Whispered Kaisha. She was staring at Anet in the dark.
“What? This?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“I have seen her with it before. I think she dropped it.” Kaisha got up and walked across the room to sit on her bed. She examined it intently.
“It will not do you any good to keep it Anet because it is a machine. It has to be fastened to one of her contraptions she keeps in her study in order to get the message from it.” Anet's eyes widened at this information.
“This is one of those things Iddina told us about? The things that are banned?” She asked. Kaisha nodded and then she lit a candle.
“Instructress Helga will beat our hides if she catches us using candles without permission.” Whispered Anet.
“Then we must hurry, Anet. To Mother Berenice's study room.” They donned their robes and crept around the other sleeping girls, Kaisha holding the candle and leading the way. They sneaked out of their room and crept along the hall to the upper staircase. They glanced down to the bottom floor all the way down. She could hear noises from other sisters who were still awake, likely talking of the omen. The stone floor was cold beneath their feet and it was dark except for the candle light. They passed by a room with the door cracked slightly. Anet saw in the dim candle light of the room three sisters making wooden arrows. After climbing two more flights of long stairs they came to a narrow hall and at the end was the wooden and iron door to Mother Berenice's study. Anet pulled on the iron door pull. It opened, with some creaking. The study was empty but the windows to the small balcony were open. They crept in and went for the globe contraption with the thin golden poles sticking out at the northern and southern poles. Except this one was wondrously different! It looked like one of the globes in the lessons they used at first sight but looking closer even in the dimness this one seemed magical. It was a massive floor globe made of copper, gold, wood and even delicate vellum with longitude and latitude wires criss-crossing its width and length. The seas, rivers and lakes drawn upon it swayed gently across the surface and there were what looked like thin steam clouds moving across, just above the surface. There were what looked like dyed or oiled colors of green where huge swathes of forests held sway on the surface. It was even more magnificent than the detailed new maps that one scion-sister had brought to the citadel a few years ago from far away lands. Such a wide world out there. Anet and Kaisha was silent in awe at it. It sat on a silver stand. Its copper metal surface seemed to shimmer slightly.
“How do we make it work?” Asked Kaisha, finally.
“I do not know. We will just have to figure it out.” Said Anet. She pulled the machine out of her robe and examined the rods on the globe. The globe stood nearly as high as Anet's shoulders and the golden rods came from inside the center and through the bottom and inside the metal surface there was also crystal and behind this crystal she saw through the dim light of the candle the suggestion of an elaborate system of metal circles, pulleys and boxes.
“Well, we. . .” Behind them at the door they heard someone clear her throat. They both turned. It was Mother Berenice.
“Oh, Mother Berenice!” Kaisha started. Mother Berenice held her hand up to silence them. She swept over to the corner where they stood and touched the globe and then looked up at the sky.
“What did it mean, Mother?” Asked Anet. “The falling stars?”
“Portents. It was a portent of good coming, a portent of evil coming. Much blood will be spilled. And how is it that you two are out of bed?” Anet showed her the little metal bird.
“So there it is. I'd thought I had lost it.” She took it into her hand and turned it around.
“How do you use it? What message does it have?” Asked Anet. She looked at Anet for a moment then she sighed.
“Out of all the young ones here you two seem to be the most perceptive, and especially you Anet, so I will tell you. After all, it may eventually involve you. Yes, it is one of those evil machines that the Ainash and many others throughout the realm have banned. But I have one and so does another person that I know. She is in Jhis and I fear that her life is in great danger.”
“Who is it?”
“That I will not say but I will tell you this, she keeps me apprised of what is happening in the city. Things are dire. As you may have heard we have a new queen. She is from Egi and she is having a new temple built in Jhis. There has been a terrible fire in the city.”
“The temple of Hec was burned down.” Said Anet. Mother nodded.
“You have heard, then?” She asked. Anet nodded. Kaisha looked surprised.
“At first it was thought that the Ainash were behind it. Now, the Aishanna-La, we at the citadel in particular, are being blamed for it. The sad thing is, it is our own priesthood that is behind the rumor.”
“Why would they blame us?” Asked Anet.
“Because of the sign of the citadel. They have never succeeded in getting rid of us. Our continued existence is a hard blow to their pride and to their philosophies. I fear that soon, once again, we will have to prepare for war. What you two must understand is that this citadel has stood against the priesthood for generations. We have the holy power of God and each time they have tried to mount an attack on us they failed. God allows the attacks and seeks our endurance of it to show His might and to make a point. The people now see that the priesthood is completely bereft of holiness and have lost God's favor. They come here in droves now to worship on the great days of the year and this fact has stewed in the priesthood for years. They seek a way to get rid of us and this most recent ploy, though it seems far away, involves a plot to strike at the citadel. It will be said that we, the scions of the desert citadel have encouraged this. That we are fanatical witches that drove the Aishanna-La in Jhis to burn down the temple of Hec. There are fights and mobs and violence in the city of Jhis. Do not be deceived. The Ainash are defaming us in the land and that is what this message in the machine brings. There is someone in Jhis who can see much of what transpires there and brings this information to me. Be on alert children, because though there are good things ahead it will not be gotten without suffering and pain. “ 'To get to paradise and be the beloved and approved of the Lord of the Deep one must swim the sea of hardship and pain.' ” You remember that passage?” She asked.
“Yes, Mother. That was recorded and written by the brother of the desert prophetess Medella when she lost all of her family in the Revolt of the Tribes.” Said Anet. Mother Berenice nodded.
“She was also violated by warriors of the ruling king at that time and tortured and left to die for refusing to worship him as a god. I say this not to frighten you but to remind you that to be who you are and to worship there will come a time when you must make a stand. For some it means death for others it means trials and for one who does not take this seriously trials will break them. Her trials did not break her but made her stronger and she gained triumph in the end and her words were written down in the holy book for all to learn from. We will all go through trials before long but these are the fires that strengthen or destroy. Whether it strengthens or destroys you is up to you. So take this and all you have seen and heard and think on it. Pray on it and read the holy words with renewed vigor and understanding. Peer into them. Rejoice and do your tasks, always mindful that the dark one will demand that you will be put through trials a
nd God will allow it, to test your resolve. He is there for you always but will not shield you. We must all travel the road of tribulation before we gain paradise.”
“But why? Why must these bad things happen to us?”
“If you have raw gold do you simply sell it as fine jewelry?”
“No.”
“What must you do?”
“Refine it.” Said Kaisha.
“Likewise, the people who say they worship Him must be refined to see if they are true servants, if they are worthy of Him. Remember the words of Yemi: “Real gods require sacrifice.” Ours is no exception to that rule and in fact, He instituted it.” She put the tiny machine away.
“It is late children and there will be many duties tomorrow.” She suddenly looked far older than her fifty years. And very tired. Kaisha held on to Anet as she escorted them downstairs quietly back to their room. She put them both to bed and reminded them to pray before going to sleep. Anet finally fell to sleep, thinking upon those last words. Yemi's voice echoed in her head and she dreamed once again, but this time of the calm, blue sea.
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