by Dan Decker
Chapter 20
The smell of roasting meat from a nearby farmhouse tickled Jorad's hunger, reminding him that he hadn't had a decent meal in over two weeks. It was too much to hope for a night of rest in an actual bed, but getting a good meal in Zecarani should be a possibility. As much as he wanted a soft bed and a hot bath, it was foolish to take the risk with the Hunwei so close.
Adar and Karn had scouted ahead and reported that Zecarani hadn’t been harmed yet, so they had continued on to the city. They needed supplies and Adar was still adamant about recovering the tablet, perhaps more so now that Zecarani had days left, if not hours. Jorad didn't hold on to the hope that Adar did of finding out that the tablet was a weapon, but he understood Adar's perspective. When you were already grasping at straws, why not grasp at a few more?
They were traveling on the road again because they were close enough to Zecarani now that it was their only option. The Zecarani city wall was several stories high but from Jorad's vantage point on the hill, he could make out the town hall and governor’s palace resting in the center. The governor was supposed to be an elected official, but as far Jorad knew, there hadn’t been an election in years. That wasn't an uncommon happening here on this side of the world.
His eyes focused on the town hall where Deren's tablet was supposedly kept. It was a tall building with a large indoor assembly center. It had been built before the Severing.
If he remembered correctly, the stonework of the building had been chiseled with intricate scenes of stories long since forgotten. Rarbon's Palace and Council Chambers had been built for the specific function of protecting people. In contrast, the Zecarani town hall and the governor’s palace were meant to display wealth and grandeur. It was nothing short of amazing that these buildings still stood, unscathed more than a thousand years later.
As they descended the hill, he noticed a considerable group of men on horses approaching from the other direction. As they drew closer, he was able to make out the deep red brown uniform of the Zecarani guard. The leader wore a helmet with three metal spikes at the top. His horse was a large gray stallion that bore a lengthy scar down his neck. Men with lances followed behind.
Jorad and the others were forced to move to the side of the road as the group passed. The leader stared at them as he passed. When he saw Xarda's sword, his eyes narrowed. A Radim sword wasn't common in these parts. That, added to the fact that Rarbon was one of the few cities to recruit women into its armies, told the leader where they were from. He looked like he was thinking of stopping, but he continued on.
Jorad counted five dozen cavalry and couldn't help but wonder where they were going that required so many men. Were there troubles with brigands or had the Hunwei done something to draw their attention? He wished that they had enough blasters to arm them. That, or Ou Qui weapons.
Jorad moved to stretch and stopped halfway through because of the pain in his lower back. Nobody in their group had much skill with healing. It turned out that Xarda once apprenticed with a healer but hadn't picked up very much. She'd done what she could for him, but her skills were limited. Although he was grateful for her efforts, he was having trouble sleeping. If he wasn't able to find a healer today to examine his back, it would have to wait until Rarbon. He didn't relish the idea of facing the Rarbon Council with a lower back that burned with pain every time he moved. Or worse, beginning the trials in such a condition.
As they got closer, Soret was trying hard to keep the look of wonder from her face. Her open mouth as she took in the city made him smile. In truth, Vigorock was far more impressive, but she’d grown up within its shadow. If Zecarani impressed her, Jorad couldn’t wait to see her reaction to Rarbon. Not even the glimmering towers of Parout could compete with the grandeur of Rarbon’s walls and the palace tower.
The guards looked them over as they approached the gate but their captain waved them through. They looked bored and their uniforms were unkempt. Several of their spears were rusting and all of them appeared to be dull. If they knew what was in the bag bouncing off Adar’s pack or what the blasters could do, they would not have been so relaxed.
They hadn’t made it very far that night after the fight with the Hunwei before Adar told everybody to wait. Jorad had accompanied Adar back as he explained that he wanted to collect the head of a Hunwei. Jorad hadn’t been looking forward to cutting off the head with their dull Ou Qui daggers, but they’d found that they were able to touch the skin of the Hunwei now. Whatever had been protecting it before was gone. When Adar had made quick work of the head with his sword, the helmet had fallen off, revealing the small horns covering the corpse’s head.
Now as they entered Zecarani with less than a couple hours of daylight left, Jorad would like to have thought that he was looking forward to a relaxing night. Instead, they needed to be out of the city before dark.
When Jorad saw a large banner hanging between two buildings, his face lit into a smile. He’d forgotten about the Festival of Stars. Zecarani must have spent most of the day, if not the week, preparing for its celebration. Numerous banners hung from the buildings. Soret grabbed his hand smiling in anticipation and for a moment, everything seemed right.
“I’ve heard merchants talk about the Festival of Stars in Zecarani,” Soret said. “They say it’s like nothing else. I never thought I’d be in Zecarani during the festival! The food, the music, the dancing. Will you dance with me?” It was the first real smile he’d seen from her in weeks, she bounced with anticipation.
“Of course.” It there was time, he didn't say.
“Don’t forget to be at the gate before dark,” Adar said as he left. “If you’re late, you won't get out till morning.” Adar was going to have a look at the town hall while Jorad found a healer. Adar had recruited Xarda and Karn to come with him. Adar had said that his plan was to look around, but Jorad knew that Adar would go for the tablet tonight if he could. With the Festival of Stars, the town hall would be locked up anyway.
Tere warned them all that they’d better avoid trouble before he and Tarner disappeared. Jorad was hesitant to let them go without following. He was glad that Xarda and Karn had accompanied Adar because he didn’t trust the truce to hold if Tere found Adar alone.
Soret tugged him towards a street vendor, the smell of sweet scones was enticing and his stomach churned with hunger. It had been a long time since they’d had a decent meal.
“That just leaves us,” Leron said with a smile for a passing woman. She was twice Leron’s age, but his smile was as if she were years younger. The woman returned it while Wes looked on in admiration.
Great, Jorad thought, the last thing that kid needs is to pick up habits from Leron.
They purchased some scones and Jorad bit into his. The warm sweet bread tasted better than anything he remembered having in awhile.
“We’ll catch up to you later.” Jorad said.
Leron nodded, but Wes didn’t appear to hear them. He’d just spotted a group of women and his jaw had dropped. Jorad smiled, no doubt, it was his first time experiencing the clothing city women wore. Leron was a little more circumspect in his appreciation.
Soret covered her mouth. “Is that allowed? If a woman dressed like that in Neberan, well, it wouldn’t be allowed. That’s what.”
Jorad shrugged. “Things are different here. Come on, we need to hurry. Most places will close early because of the festival.” With a final look at the women, Soret followed him further into town.
Bright ribbons of red and gold shaped stars hung from almost everything. Women wore bows in their hair and Jorad even saw some of the men wearing them. As he munched on his scone, the smell of cake coming from a bakery distracted him. It had been months since he’d had a piece of real cake and his mouth watered. He made a mental note to introduce Soret to it before they left. He’d had what they called cake in Neberan, and it was no comparison to the real thing.
It took a few attempts but they learned the name of a healer and directions to the hea
ler’s home. Jorad had to pay triple before he convinced the old man to see him. It wasn't until Mirlan Ladama had the coins that he let them enter. Mirlan didn’t have an office, as he normally made house calls, so he led Jorad into the parlor to examine the burn.
Jorad just grunted when Mirlan asked how it had happened. Raising an eyebrow, Mirlan used metal tongs to remove several remaining pieces of his coat from the burned skin. Xarda had been hesitant to remove the last pieces because they were embedded. Jorad clamped his jaw shut and the yell of pain became more of a loud snarl. The wound started to bleed and Mirlan covered it with salve and bandaged it up. The salve had a cooling effect and the burned area was tingling.
Mirlan handed Jorad the jar of salve and instructed him to apply it twice a day. Jorad tried to pay for it, but Mirlan wouldn’t have it, saying the amount already paid more than covered the cost. Jorad imagined Mirlan with a hole burned through his back as he followed Mirlan into the living room where Soret and Mirlan’s daughter waited.
Sighing, Jorad picked up his gear and showed the blaster to Mirlan. He couldn’t leave without a warning, even if it went unheeded.
“This is a blaster. It shoots fire and can rip a melon-sized hole in a man. I got this burn when somebody tried to kill me with it. Zecarani isn’t safe. An army with these weapons is about to attack. You should take everyone you know and run.”
“That’s quite a claim.” Mirlan eyed the blaster. “Who’s going to attack? I’ve heard that Ou Qui have been spotted outside town.”
“Not Ou Qui, but it is an army that can move without detection.” Jorad was determined not to mention the Hunwei. Maybe if he had Adar’s bag, he would have tried. “They’re close.”
“We’re telling the truth.” Soret said. He was glad she hadn't mentioned the Hunwei and assumed she had noticed that he was staying away from it. He held the door for Soret and followed her into the street.
“Thanks for the warning,” Mirlan said, looking more distrustful by the moment. “Enjoy the festival.” He slammed the door and locked it.
Jorad stared at the door and wished there were something more he could do. Most wouldn't believe until they saw the Hunwei for themselves.
They stopped to make some purchases, glad to find a few stores still open. Jorad picked up a new coat to replace the one that had been destroyed when he'd been hit with the blaster. He'd also bought a pack and coat for Soret, gloves and clothes for both of them, a length of rope, and other supplies. Before settling on some clothes that suited her, Soret examined several dresses like those they had seen worn by the women earlier. When she muttered “scandalous” under her breath, he hid a smile. The styles in Zecarani were downright modest compared to other places.
Jorad's nose was being assaulted by all sorts of delicious smells from street vendors as they walked toward the center of town where the festival was located. If he wasn't careful, he would eat too many sweets and regret it for the rest of the night.
When they turned the corner and entered the festival, he wondered if it was a celebration or a riot. Everywhere he looked, there was chaos. Along with several impromptu boxing matches, there were entertainers juggling, musicians playing, and many people dancing. Children ran through the crowds with paper stars on strings dangling behind them. There were so many musical instruments being played at once that he couldn’t discern any particular tune. Men, women, and children were dancing in every available place.
Jorad had just set his pack and blaster next to a brick wall when a pretty woman ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him out into the dancing. Soret was laughing as the woman grabbed his other hand and started spinning in circles around him, which was quite a feat considering the sword poking up over his shoulder. He tried to keep up with her the best he could, but he felt his face turning red. Dancing with his sword was awkward. He glanced at Soret who waved.
The next time he saw her was beside him, a young man had dragged her out into the crowd as well.
Jorad stumbled because he was trying to see if his gear was still where he had left it. A big smile danced across the woman's face and she cackled with glee. She wore a blouse colored with red, yellow, green, and blue. Her white dress ended just above her knees. The paint on her face was wild and crazy, obscuring her identity. He would have a difficult time picking her out from a crowd if she removed the makeup.
Apparently, the song they’d been dancing to ended because the woman threw her body into him and he found himself catching her as she went for a dip. Jorad couldn’t tell a difference in the noise, but everybody else had stopped as well. He brought the woman back to her feet and she planted a kiss full on his mouth before running away giggling. The man that Soret had been dancing with went in for a kiss too, but she turned her head and he got her cheek. Looking disappointed but mischievous, he disappeared as well.
Jorad took Soret by the hand—the others around them were pairing up and he wanted to avoid being dragged in again—and led her to their gear. She was disappointed; clearly, she’d been expecting a dance. He was willing; he just wanted somebody to watch their stuff.
“I saw her kiss you.” Soret’s accusation came with a wicked smile.
“That man kissed you.”
“I didn’t let him kiss me on the mouth!”
“She came fast. I didn’t know what was happening till it was over.”
“Saying another woman was too fast is never an excuse.” Soret punched him in the gut. On impulse, Jorad pulled her close and kissed her. When he was done, Soret took a deep breath.
“Don’t think that means I forgive you.”
He went in again and this time she was out of breath when they finished. He was sure that she was well on her way to forgiving him.
A little while later, when Leron and Wes found them, they left their gear with Wes before he could say no. Leron had already found a dance partner.
Soret giggled as Jorad spun her around. It would have been perfect if he hadn’t felt the need to continue to check the sky or if his back didn’t hurt with every move. Still, it wasn’t as painful as it had been a few days ago. It was getting darker, but the sky was clear, and there wasn’t a ship to be seen.
Karn went dancing by with a woman, looking uncomfortable. Jorad was glad to see that he wasn’t the only one who’d been dragged out into the melee. Their eyes made contact and Karn noticed the question on Jorad's face, he shook his head slightly. They hadn't been able to get the tablet. Jorad wanted to ask for details, but when he turned around, Karn had disappeared into the crowd.
Jorad almost tripped when he saw Xarda pulling Adar out into the chaos. Jorad laughed at the bewildered look on Adar’s face who was doing his best to keep up with Xarda. From what little Jorad saw, Adar was not happy.
There was less than half an hour of daylight left when Jorad and Soret decided to stop. Sweat covered both of them and he wished they could find a nice inn. He could use a bath. Maybe one night in town wouldn’t be so reckless. He walked Soret to a couple of empty barrels. They rolled the barrels over to Wes, who was frowning. More gear had been added to the pile he was watching.
“About time!” Wes said. “Just like you to leave me guarding everybody’s things when there are pretty girls to dance with.”
Jorad didn't respond as Adar and the others approached. He felt guilty for leaving Wes with their stuff. He'd been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't given it a second thought. When would Wes see another celebration like this? Jorad pushed the guilt aside making a silent promise that he'd make it up to Wes someday if he could.
Adar didn't respond to Jorad's questions about how the attempt to get into the town hall had gone. It wasn't until he asked Karn that he learned the festival hadn't been only in the town square but that it was on the street with the town hall as well. The large town hall doors had been guarded by several dozen guards. The crowd and guards hadn't deterred Adar because he'd insisted that they try the rear entrance. When they approached the town ha
ll from the rear, they found half a dozen men guarding that door as well. Apparently, Adar wasn't the first person that had tried to get into the town hall during a festival.
As they left Zecarani and found a place to camp for the night, Jorad noticed that Tere and Tarner were acting weird. Normally, the two men kept to themselves anyway so he was about to ignore it when he saw that the back of Tere's neck had a cut on it. Tere had pulled the collar of his shirt up to cover it. The cut was fresh and bright red. Jorad watched Tarner and noticed that he limping. It was barely noticeable. Jorad would mention his observations to Adar later tonight so that they could decide how much they wanted to pry into what had happened.