Grains of Sand

by Varian Morn

  “Commander.”

  Looking up from my desk, I found Sarley standing there with an annoyed expression.

  “What is it now?”

  “One of them elders is here. House of Hombil. Wants to see you,” she said.

  “They can't just keep intruding like this...” I grumbled, downing the rest of the glass.

  “It's your fault for being so kind. Most Lines wouldn't even allow them to step foot onboard, let alone to call upon you whenever they wished,” she said with a huff.

  “Course it's my fault...”

  Although Sarley guided me to the old man, she didn't stick around. She must have been busy.

  “My Lord Noth!” the old man greeted me as if I was indeed his Lord, bowing deeply.

  As I approached, I realized that Sarley had said he was of the House of Hombil... which couldn't be right. The Elder of that house had been an old woman...

  “Please, I am not a Lord. Noth is fine, or Commander,” I said as I got near enough.

  “Ah yes... Forgive me. I am Bormor, of the House of Hombil,” he said as he bowed again.

  “Nervi's house, yes?”

  “Yes! It'll please her to know that you remembered. I apologize for intruding upon you when you're undoubtedly busy, but I have a concern that I just couldn't smother...”

  The eloquent man was indeed gentle spoken and seemed kind... but I could tell it was all just a mask. He was being pleasant, but deep inside was most likely furious.

  “May I be of assistance, Commander?”

  My cousin appeared, nearly startling the elderly man.

  “Possibly. It seems this man has a concern, what is it then? If it is within our power to relieve you of it we shall do so,” I said to the old man as gently as I could, trying to replicate his fake persona of kindness.

  The old man noticed, but said nothing as he smiled. “Yes... well... As I said, I am of the House of Hombil, and as I'm sure you know already... We are one of the wealthiest houses in the City...”

  “So I've been told,” I said.

  “Yes... well, Commander, may I ask why is it you're trading with the House of Derri first? And not us? You would benefit so much greater if you did!” he said, his voice raising and his smile breaking.

  “I hear your concern, and I want it to be known that you are not the only House to have it. But, as I've told the other Houses... The trading we are doing now with the House of Derri is in fact, not a trade at all,” I said.

  “Not a trade...?” the old man didn't understand, so I gestured to my Line around us.

  “I am the owner of this Line. And I have a personal debt with the House of Derri. I am simply repaying that debt, nothing more. It is a payment for something a member of their House did for me long ago... surely you, as fellow people of the City of Sand, can respect such a thing? I am trying to honor an old agreement between myself and your people,” I calmly explained, the same way I had done to the many others who had voice similar concerns.

  “Yet... they are transferring goods to you? Is that not a sign of trade?” he asked.

  Oh this was a new one. Not even the heads of the other Households had brought such a thing up.

  “Indeed they are. But it is not from an exchange of goods or services. What they are providing to me is just simple gifts, as thanks for my fulfillment on my end... A gift to me, who helped their ancestor,” I said.

  “I... I can understand that. And it is indeed something that any House would do, but still we...”

  Raising my hand, trying to stop him from growing anymore irate, I gestured to my train again. “Sir, please don't be concerned. We will do trade with all houses, especially yours if you are as wealthy as you say. I promise you the Front-Line has more than enough, possibly even more than your entire city can exchange for. Your house will get to trade with us, and I promise you it will be wonderful and you'll be very happy with the results.”

  “But!”

  I kept speaking, ignoring his interruption. “And you need not worry about time. You see, there are repairs and maintenance we must commit resources and time to. So we will most likely be docked here at your city for some time, more than enough time in fact. You need not worry, Mister Bormor,” I said.

  Saying his name aloud made him come to his senses, as if he had not expected me to remember it. “I see... you'll be here that long then?” he asked.

  “Possibly many moons. The Front-Line is mighty in size, as you can see... it requires much,” I explained.

  “Ah... yes... that is true,” he said, as if he truly comprehended.

  “Sir, your city is not the first one without a permanent Line we have encountered. We know full well the struggles you've endured. Many of those on this very Line come from homes just like your own. We will trade, and if possible maybe even help create a new Line-Route, but it has to be done properly and over time. It cannot happen overnight.”

  I gave the old man a pat on the back as I guided him to the exit. “Can you at least promise that once you are to trade... you will trade with us first?” he asked.

  Although I did not like giving such promises, and normally firmly refused them, I went ahead and nodded. “Yes. I can promise that the first we will trade with will be the House of Hombil,” I said.

  The man instantly became happy. True happiness. His smile no longer looked faked, and his new brisk pace was undoubtedly excitement. “Good! Very good news! I shall return with it to my House. Good day, Commander Noth, may the Sands fall lightly upon you!”

  Waving the old man off as he left the Line, I stood in silence as I tried to understand his parting words.

  “Does he mean he wishes a gentle death upon us?” my cousin asked.

  “Possibly... why else would you be buried by sand?” I asked.

  “Might also just mean the wind. Heavy wind and sand hurts, after all,” Jamthi said.

  “Ah. That is more likely,” I agreed.

  “Still, wonderfully handled cousin. We were worried his fake laughs would become furious roars when you told him off,” he said.

  “Is that why you weren't helping? Do your blasted job, Jamthi,” I said.

  “I am! By allowing my superior to actually work for once, and not just bark orders,” he retorted.

  Shaking my head at him, I waved to a nearby guard and had the Front-Line's door closed. Usually I left it open, for emergencies, but it was growing late and I wanted no more interruptions. They could be dealt with tomorrow.

  “No more mysterious packages, cousin?” Jamthi asked.

  “Not tonight. More will come tomorrow,” I said as we headed back to my office.

  “Kana is rather furious with you, as is Sarley,” he said.

  “Why so?”

  “For not allowing them to see what's inside the packages, of course. Though both for different reasons,” he said.

  “I'll let them see once we depart, not until then. They're to remain sealed,” I ordered.

  “Ah... seems I'll be adding my name to that hat of fury then,” my cousin said as we entered my office.

  “What do you have to be angry over?” I asked.

  “Well if I don't know what they are, I can't win the bet now can I?” he said.

  “One of these days I'm going to outlaw gambling, just so I can piss you off,” I grumbled.

  “I'd mutiny on the spot.”

  “Don't do me any favors,” I said as I returned to my seat, and procured myself another glass of the celebratory wine.

  “None for me?” he asked, sitting across the desk.

  “Aren't you going to mutiny?” I asked, but handed him the bottle anyway.

  My cousin took a long drink of it, from the bottle, and flinched. “Whew... that's better than I was expecting...” his voice trailed off as he went into thought.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Are you really not going to tell me yet? You usually tell me by now,” he said.

  “Tell you what?”

  “Why you're putting up wi
th them the way you are. Why we're even here. Why there's strange packages being loaded onto our Line, and why you broke out one of the most expensive bottles of wine. That's definitely the oddest by the way... just how much is this bottle worth? I can't believe I just chugged it,” he asked, staring at the bottle.

  “A lot. And no. I won't. Wouldn't want to take away your chance to bet on things for awhile, after all,” I said.

  He grumbled as he got up and went to find another glass.

  “Top shelf. Really, you don't know where I keep the glasses? No wonder you suck at your job,” I said.

  Jamthi ignored me as he prepared a glass, putting the bottle down. “Alright, if you won't tell me what's going on at least tell me why you're acting so weird concerning those... what are they? Elders? House Lords?”

  “Lords is a good way of looking at it. They're like families, just... not really blood related,” I said.

  “So?”

  “So... I'm dealing with them appropriately. We'll get what we want; they'll get what they want. Just like always,” I said.

  “Appropriately,” he scoffed.

  “You'd have me use force?” I asked.

  “No. Nor do I expect you to. You're not gentle, but you are quite a pacifist when it comes to such things. You're not like father after all,” he said.

  I laughed at that. “Neither are you. I can't believe you keep making me deal with them. That last one wasn't even an actual Lord? Just a member? Why didn't you deal with him?” I asked.

  “He wouldn't even listen to any of us. He only wanted to speak with you,” my cousin said as he took a long drink.

  “Well maybe I can't blame him... after all, look at you,” I teased.

  “It's typical of such places, they only accept it when it comes from you,” Jamthi said.

  “Our people are no different, cousin. Do you think your father would wish to speak to a messenger or the queen?” I asked.

  “Depends if it was good news or bad news that he was carrying,” he laughs.

  “True.”

  Chapter Eleven – Her House

  If I kept busy, I'd not be able to think about my horrible luck.

  At least, that's what I told myself as I cleaned up the banquet's leftovers.

  Passing a large barrel, the smell of it made me glad that I wasn't strong enough to lift it. Otherwise I might have been the one chosen to carry it out and clean it.

  I hated that smell.

  “Wonder what they're eating right now...” Marli's envious voice drew my attention to her, and the rest of the children gathering up the plates and scraps alongside her.

  “Probably wonderful things,” one of the boys said.

  So wonderful that he couldn't even think of a name for them, huh?

  “It could be dangerous,” another said.

  “Ha! Dangerous. I heard some Markith soldiers talking, and supposedly if that Line wanted to conquer us, they could do it in the time it takes for sand to get hot. People that live near the thing say they can see the magic radiating from it even during the day,” one of the older women said.

  The news made me pause in my gathering of cups, and I hoped to hear more... but Marli and the rest of the children instead chose to start talking about what kind of animals the elders were most likely eating.

  Carrying the dirty cups into the kitchen, I silently went to cleaning them.

  Although I hated the smell of the wine stained cups, I did enjoy cleaning them. Since after all, for once in my life I didn't need to do so with sand.

  Just like the banquet, and the barrel of wine that had come from the Line, our kitchens were also full of things not normally found within.

  Lots of clean water, was the most notable of new additions.

  The great tub I and two other women were using was full of water. Not just any water either, but soapy water.

  Just like Bormor's baths.

  Except here, in the House of Derri.

  “Stop it!” one of the women shrieked, as another splashed her with water.

  The happy laughter that erupted as the many women began splashing each other was thunderous. And I couldn't avoid any of it.

  Getting drenched wasn't that big of a problem, in fact it was welcoming in the day's heat, but the laughter was one thing I couldn't stand.

  It made me sick to my stomach.

  So sick, that I actually had to leave.

  I barely made it far enough out of the building before releasing the contents of my stomach. Unluckily, I had just eaten.

  Luckily, I was still covered in enough water to easily clean my mouth off.

  “Derri,” I cursed, and hated the sound of it.

  At least no one had followed, and no one seemed to have noticed.

  From within the building, I could still hear the sound of happy laughter and voices. And even past them, somewhere else in the building, I could hear the sound of men as they happily talked of their newfound hope... of their newfound wealth.

  For a long moment I considered going back in, to return to my duties... but I realized I didn't need to.

  No one would notice.

  The elders were gone, as were most of the guards...

  And the rest who were left, were either drunk on wine or stupor from our new found wealth.

  No one would notice me.

  With heavy eyes, I looked to the nearby wall... the one that rounded the entirety of the Derri complex. Like most walls that protected Houses, it was large... too large to scale. At least not on my own, without assistance.

  But... if there was no one guarding the exit... then...

  Then what?

  Where would I go?

  There was nowhere in this city I could hide.

  And the wall surrounding the city itself wasn't something I wanted to pass either. Nothing was beyond that but sand.

  At least, nothing I could reach with my own two legs.

  With a heavy sigh, I felt the squirm of my stomach again.

  I wasn't actually sick, as a healer I knew full well that there was nothing physically wrong with me.

  I hadn't eaten rotten food. Nor had I drunk tainted water.

  No...

  I had simply done the one thing that I vowed never to do.

  I had helped the House of Derri.

  Even though it hadn't been willingly... my body didn't seem to care. My heart didn't see the difference.

  With heavy feet, I walked over to a hidden wall. One not near any doors, or windows. One that I could sit back against and not be seen... at least for awhile.

  The hot sun, like always, didn't care that I wasn't feeling good. If anything it seemed to relish in my pain, and became even hotter.

  It didn't take long for my body to dry, and it didn't take much longer for sweat to wet it again.

  “A bride...” I whispered, staring at the sands around me.

  To who? One of the men, surely... but why?

  A sign of power? To show off to the other Houses that our house, the House of Derri, was whole again?

  Just like that great banquet we just had last night... one where every member, even the lowest and youngest, had been allowed to eat and drink their full.

  It wasn't out of magnanimity or kindness... nor was it because they finally could.

  It was to show that the House of Derri was once again a proper House.

  A house capable of feeding its children. A house capable of caring for its young, and nourishing them into sons and daughters worthy of the House's name.

  That was probably all they wanted from me.

  To show off a wedding of importance. To put on a giant play, for the entire city to see.

  So every grain of sand could see that the House of Derri was back on top.

  Covering my face, I refused to allow a cry to escape as I sobbed.

  I kept quiet, and I was good at it. Every child of the House of Derri knew how to cry silently.

  We all did.

  But that was why this time it was so ha
rd...

  Because I was now a pawn. Now I was one of the reasons that such a thing would continue.

  The House of Derri would return to its prosperous state... it would rise back up into the ranks, rejoining the top Houses.

  And it would be my name that they would associate with it.

  The House of Derri was now truly my house.

  My house.

  My sin.

  Chapter Twelve – The City of Sand

  The City of Sand was aptly named.

  Even in the middle of the city, where there were stone roads and numerous buildings side-by-side... there was still sand stacked high.

  It looked as if they had only recently swept most of the sand to the sides, and most likely had indeed done so simply for my visit.

  I could tell that was the case thanks to the stacks of sand in-between buildings, where pathways and walkways were.

  However their naming sense most likely wasn't just literal. This place was named not just after the thing that buried it... but also after themselves.

  These people weren't only used to the sand, they lived with it. They walked on it as I would a road.

  Sand to these people was like ice to me.

  A part of home.

  The oddest thing wasn't the stacks of sand though, but the stacks of sand in odd places... like on a canopy, or sand trickling out of a window as if there were stacks within the room hidden within.

  Maybe there was...

  “Around this well, to the north we will find the farmlands,” my guide said.

  She was a bright woman, and not just in personality. Her clothing was decorative and numerous in colors. To be honest it was quite pleasing, since the rest were still wearing their gaudy gold and jeweled patterns.

  Normal cloth looked so much better than such inane displays of wealth.

  “How do you protect them against the sands?” I asked as we neared the well.

  “Ah well... walls, tents, and during my father's time they had used magic as well,” she explained.

  The way she spoke wasn't just hesitant shame, it was acceptance. She had long accepted the fact that there was only so much you could do.

  She had accepted her fate.

  Sure enough, the farmlands were covered pretty much entirely by sand.