“Let’s go,” I said, nodding to the others to follow me. “We can’t do anything for him.”
We took off in to the pine trees, deeper inside the woods and away from the sea. It took us two days to make our way out of Violet territory and into the Blue, but there too, they were waiting for us. As we made away across the Blue plains, the wind picked up the sound of horns echoing throughout the vast fields of wheat. Up ahead of us, Blue guards marched through the plains in formation.
“We’re trapped,” said Daerec. “If we go back, the Violet will have us killed. If we go forward, the Blue will do the same.”
If there was one thing that I’d learned about chromes and Harlequins, it was that chromes feared them. And fear, as Chtomio had once told me, can be your greatest ally. It was time to put his teaching to the test.
“I’m not sure I’m ready to die,” mumbled Daerec.
“Me neither,” I said with a smile.
“The only thing we can do is run in separate directions and hope that some of us will survive.”
“No,” I replied. “That is a sure way to die. We need to march onwards, across the Blue plains and into what used to be Green territory. Nobody goes there and we will be safe.”
After a moment of silence, Daerec was the first one to speak out his skepticism: “How do you expect to do that?” He asked. “By flying over the Blue?”
“More or less,” I answered. “I’m sure you’ve worked with straw in Samaris,” I said, “We need to cut some wheat and make light but sturdy crosses with it, the height of a Chrome.”
“Straw?”
“There’s no time to explain. Do as I say, or you will die, Daerec. We will all die.”
That was enough to get everyone started. I twined some straw together and created two staffs. Then I placed one over the other giving it the shape and arms of a Chrome.
“All right. Let’s take our robes off.”
I clothed my cross so that it took the semblance of a Chrome. “Make sure that the cloth is not too heavy. Tear some away if you have to and stretch it as much as you can.”
“Ah, now I get it,” said Daerec. Soon we each had our own straw twin.
“How are these puppets going to fight the Blues?” asked Xai.
“You’ll see,” I said.
By the time we finished, the Blue soldiers had come closer. I knew from what Chtomio had told me that the majority of them were not true warriors but merchants in disguise. They marched slowly, more concerned with keeping themselves in a perfect line rather than overtaking us. We marched too; all six of us, in line, against hundreds of them.
“The Harlequins!” came a cry from their line. And for a moment, they halted, uncertain of what to do. We continued to go straight for them, hidden behind our creatures of straw.
When we were close enough to be seen by their ranks but far enough to avoid their arrows, someone from their side shouted a warning.
“Surrender, Harlequins!”
“Ready?” I said. The wind blew strongly and it was hard to keep the puppets straight.
“Now!”
We let our straw creatures go in unison as we fell flat on the ground, hidden by the tall spikes of wheat. The light crosses, helped by the tight cloth, made the puppets sail into the heavens.
The flying creatures stirred up a commotion amongst the Blues.
“They’re flying! The Harlequins are flying!”
“Infernal demons!”
“Kill them!”
When the Blue archers finally began to shoot at them, they were too high up in the sky to be reached. Meanwhile, we crawled away, hidden by the wheat. When the Blues were no longer in sight, we broke into laughter; a giddy mix of desperation and exhilaration.
Later that night, we reached the great Cancerian Road — the main artery to all the territories. Just as I remembered, merchants had set up camp and we could walk through unnoticed, for certainly a group of ragged, unmasked and bare-chested Chromes would not have passed unnoticed in broad daylight.
“How about we finally stop and rest for the night?” asked Daerec once we were well beyond the last camps of the Cancerian. “We haven’t stopped marching since this morning.” The others all agreed.
“I’m exhausted too,” I told them. “But we have to get beyond the Blue plains and night is the best time to travel.
“Do you know where we are going?”
“Into Green territory,” I answered.
“I thought they had no territory,” Daerec said.
“They don’t, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Which is why it will be a perfect hideout for us.”
Although the Blacks conquered the Greens’ lands many generations before, no Black had ever gone there. The truth was, no one wanted anything to do with the tricky Green. Had I remained a simple Black chrome, I would have thought the same way but now that I knew the truth about the territories and the chromes, nothing scared me.
“I’m tired and I say we stay here,” groused Daerec. Others agreed.
“Suit yourself,” I said. “But at sunrise you will be sitting ducks. Ayas, the city of the Blues is not far from here and Blue soldiers roam the plains.” I was exaggerating a little. Ayans were so obsessed with commerce and gold that even their soldiers tried to stay in the city as much as possible.
“I wish you all well,” I said, clasping their arms one by one, before striking out along the road, with the moon as my guide. One by one I began to hear footsteps behind me.
“Tell us more about the Harlequins,” said a feeble, sheepish voice. It was Xai, the youngest of our lot. “It will keep us awake.”
“Very well,” I sighed.
I told my own story from the very beginning, from my life in Axyum to my escape to Ayas and to my meeting with Chtomio. I told them everything Chtomio had told me about the Harlequins and about the chromes; about the myth of the colors and the origins of the Collective Laws and of the masks.
No one interrupted me. They all listened in silence until I finished my last sentence. Afterward, they were all clearly disturbed.
“If there is no difference between our colors, then there is no difference between Janis and Sayis?” asked Yanetz.
I shook my head. “None.”
He and Daerec grinned at each other ruefully. Their fight for equality and dignity had been a just one all along.
“What really happened to your friend, Chtomio?” asked Xai.
“He was killed,” I told him. I decided not to tell them that he had also been their king in Samaris. “Chromes in power want Harlequins dead, so that they can no longer pose a threat to them by exposing their lies and their corrupt power. Understand that and you understand everything.”
We marched on for several vigils until we entered into a thick boscage which I hoped to all the gods was the beginning of Green territory. The woods quickly thickened into a strange forest where it was unusually warm, even in the night. The terrain was muddy and swampy in spots.
With the Blue plains finally at our backs, and the thick woods covering the moon, we decided to rest for the few remaining vigils of night. For the first time after the terrible destruction of Samaris, we were able to finally make camp, without having to look behind our backs to see if someone was coming after us.
And yet, many could not sleep. Although we were exhausted, we were also haunted by our own thoughts. And that turned out to be a good thing, because otherwise we would not have survived to see the sunrise again.
19. Serpents and Seeds
“Asheva!” whispered someone. The dawn light filtered through the forest and when I got up I saw it was Xai that had made his way over to me.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I couldn’t sleep because of the things you said.”
“I can’t sleep either,” I told him. “Of all the places we could find to rest, this muddy swamp has to be the worst.”
“I’ve been thinking. You said there are no colors…”
“That is what I have bee
n told and seen with my own eyes,” I said, remembering the time Chtomio played tricks on me with the Scopium.
I couldn’t see Xai’s face very well, but I could hear him sigh. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Having no colors doesn’t mean we are lost.”
“But if there are no colors, maybe there are no gods? I’ve always had Adio and Adia guide me. Even if I was a Janis, I knew that they would take care of me.”
I grabbed his arm and squeezed it. “I don’t know whether Adio and Adia exist,” I told him, “but I do know that if the gods exist, they are benevolent and they see us without divisions and unfairness. And they would want us to take care of each other.”
“What about other Harlequins?” He asked. “Where are they? Why don’t they join us?”
“They will, when the time is right,” I said trying to convince myself as well. “Now let’s get some rest because-”
I didn’t get to finish the sentence that Xai rose up before me in the darkness. He was whipped away from me with surprising force.
“Asheva!”
“Xai!”
I grabbed my sword. It was then that I saw it. Behind Xai’s body, lay a huge serpent, as long as three chromes. Its tail had wrapped around my poor friend’s waist and now it was squeezing him to death. Our camp erupted in shouts and oaths. I charged forward with my sword and cut into the monster’s flesh but the wound didn’t scathe it in the least. The monstrous creature turned its attention to me. Its large flat head was the size of a boulder and its piercing, yellow eyes glared at me in fury.
“Run Asheva!” I heard behind me, but all I could do was stand there with my sword in front of me, ready to stab the deadly creature. The green serpent opened its mouth wide to swallow me. I could smell its rotten insides and was thinking I was probably going to have to cut my way out of it from the inside, when a strange powerful chant echoed throughout the forest.
The creature released Xai and squirmed its way back into the swamps. The chant continued, growing louder. We formed a circle. The sun had finally penetrated the forest, making the vegetation shine with different greens — from emerald to jade to mint. The voices were closer. It was as if it was all around us and through us, but we could not see anyone. Then, as if by magic, the green plants around us began to move, as if the Gods had granted to each a soul!
“This forest is alive…” said Daerec, “with demons!”
Then the chant stopped. What we mistook for plants were none other than chromes in disguise. One by one, they began to remove leaves, furs and branches. When they came closer, I saw that even their masks were made from natural elements found in the forest. Some seemed to be taken right out from a tree. Others were of the same color as the lush green leaves we used as bedding during the night. Their robes cleverly mimicked the texture and shade of the plants surrounding the glade that we were in. They had us surrounded.
“Who are these creatures?” asked Xai.
“They are the Green,” I said.
“You said the Green didn’t live here any longer.” murmured Daerec.
“That’s what I thought,” I said.
“Welcome home, Asheva!”
I remained dumbfounded. Who knew my name here? My mind settled on the only Green who knew me. The one I had befriended. The one who had betrayed me.
Astor.
He made his way out from behind a mangrove, as if he had been borne from the tree itself. His robe was half brown and half green. His mask was full of leaves. Other than that he did not seem changed, although he was a bit smaller than I remembered. Or perhaps I had become taller.
“I am so relieved to see that you have been alive and well all this time. The Mother Goddess has taken care of you after all.”
“And I am surprised to see that your limbs are still attached to your thieving body.” I sneered.
“Careful my friend!” He came closer. “We can always call back that Eunectes that was about to devour you in one mouthful.”
“That’s enough Astor!” a voice thundered. It seemed to be the same voice that carried the chant.
Astor immediately turned towards the voice and bowed. “I am sorry Great Failan. My mouth is quicker than my thoughts.”
“Yes, and your hands are even quicker than your mouth,” the voice replied. It was as if the forest itself was speaking to us. For a moment, I thought that the Mother Goddess had indeed made herself heard.
“Great Failan, I know this chrome,” commented Astor. “He betrayed me in times of need. He is not worthy of your benevolence.”
“You can say many things about Asheva, tree hugger,” said Daerec, “but one thing I know. He would never betray a friend. He has never betrayed me.”
“Or me!” shouted Xai.
“Or me!” added all of my friends; my band of brothers.
“Silence!” the voice cried.
Then, like petals of a flower budding one by one, the plants opened up behind Astor. A large female chrome who resembled a life-sized sunflower stepped out of hiding. She wore a brown mask surrounded by orange-yellow petals. The rays of the sun made her green cloak come alive since it was indeed made of tiny velvety leaves. She raised her arms and opened them wide, revealing two giant leaves which seemed like natural wings. The Greens treated her like a queen bee by kneeling as she made this gesture.
She raised her mask up high and exclaimed: “Welcome back, Brother Sun, your light gives us strength. Your heat gives us warmth. We are thankful for your generosity.”
Fascinated by this ceremony, I had not noticed that Daerec had moved closer to me. “This moment is good as any to try and make a run,” he whispered.
“No!” I whispered back, “We have no other place to go. We need their help.”
“…And we Green look forward to a new day to honor you and the Mother Goddess!” Failan concluded. Then she faced me.
“You!” she pointed at me. “The one called Asheva. You say you need our help. And you come here with no masks, are half naked…”
“How could she hear…” said astounded Daerec.
“I hear everything in the forest! I am the Mother Goddess’ Priestess!” She snapped. Then turning to me again, she said: “Tell me, what Nation are you from?”
“He is a Black chrome!” shouted Astor before I could reply.
“No! I am not a Black chrome, venerable Failan. In fact, I am no chrome at all.”
“And what are you then? An oversized silk moth?” Everyone laughed.
“I – we - are Harlequins.”
The laughter died down immediately.
“Harlequins,” she repeated as if weighing the word itself.
Then, after a moment of silence she said: “We don’t like Harlequins. I will spare your lives, but you must leave our forest.”
“We can’t,” I told her. “We have no place to go.”
“And why should this be my problem?”
“Because eventually they will do to you what they just did to the Red, unless we stop them.”
“They…? Who are ‘they’?” she said.
“The Blacks. They have destroyed the Red city of Samaris.”
“Oh, them,” she said. “The Mother Goddess will protect us from them, like she always has.”
“But Astor once told me, sometimes even the Mother Goddess gets distracted and her descendants have to rely on themselves.”
My words generated murmurs of disapproval and scorn. Failan folded her arms in a huff.
“Are you crazy?” whispered Daerec. “Now she’s going to have us killed for sure!”
But the Priestess burst out laughing. “I like you, Harlequin!” she said. “You have what we call… seeds! Come, you shall all be our guests in Everdia!”
Suddenly, all the Greens hugged us.
“It is one of our customs,” a young Green explained. “By embracing, we become brothers so we can share with you the love the Mother Goddess has for us.” Apparently, we had to hug every single one of them, or the Mother Goddess would not bl
ess them.
When it was time to hug Astor, he came at me like we were the best of friends. Before I knew it he was squeezing my arms and not letting go. “Savor this moment Asheva,” he hissed in my ear, “for you and your fake Harlequins will not get out of Everdia alive.”
Had it been another moment, perhaps I would have killed him there and then. But too much blood had been shed in Samaris and death had been around me far longer than I wished for. So instead, I hugged him ever the tighter.
“Savor this embrace my friend,” I whispered back. “For the embrace of a Harlequin is the embrace of death.” Before he could reply, I swiftly raised my knee hard into his seeds and moved on to hug another Green, leaving Astor wincing in pain.
Eventually, we made our way to Everdia, the city of the Green. Vegetation covered the entire city. We never would have found it by ourselves. The Green did not walk in the forest, they jumped, climbed and swung from tree to tree, making the vegetation work for them rather than against them. This meant that some of the Green had to wait for us because we Harlequins were not as agile.
There was much I still needed to learn about the Green. To my surprise, it took me very little to understand that chromes like Astor were not the rule in Everdia, but very much the exception. Most Greens were anything but thieves. They were humble and generous chromes that lived in harmony with their world and would do anything in their power to help others achieve this as well. They were the only chromes who went around without masks inside their city, for they saw the masks as an imposition - one of many – forced upon them by chromes of other colors. It also explained why they hadn’t been surprised at seeing us Harlequins without masks.
I watched them from underneath the shadow of a weeping willow while a few of their infants were playing near me. It reminded me of Tiara and I have no shame in saying that I shed more tears for her.
When the infants noticed, they stopped and came near me. They began to caress and hug me in their open and silent way as only infants can. I could only hope that the Mother Goddess would send these hugs to Tiara and to all those that had been dear to me, wherever they were.
–-
Don’t miss Rise of the Harlequin , the third book of the Red Harlequin series on sale now at Amazon! Start reading it now!
Kingdom of Deceit Page 9