–Introduction to the Books of Knowledge by Ussamia the Togofalkian, 123rd Guardian of the Empty Seat of the Librarian.
Almost three months had gone by since they had left the camp at Kirk. Instead of crossing into Teshub as most of them assumed they would, Ahiram had led them north, to a secluded beach of Mitani, between the city of Unsu and the ruins of Rune.
“Sit down, Ahiram, I’m getting dizzy!”
Ahiram smiled and sat down next to his sister’s bed. He picked up a fan and tried to cool her down.
“How are you feeling?”
“Still a bit dizzy, but I’m back on my feet. Is it me or is it burning hot?”
“It’s you,” he replied cheerfully. Karadon was outside, busy supervising the construction of the boats. Ahiram was glad to have a few moments with his sister.
“How’s little Nora?” she asked.
“She’s great. She ate and slept, and she’s due for her daily walk. You can’t leave her one instant before she’s into some mischief,” he added, grinning. “By the way, Hoda, I’m worried about something.”
“What is it?” she asked, suddenly concerned.
“Well, Nora... she crawls …” started Ahiram.
She smiled. “Yeah, some six months old babies do that.”
“I know. The ladies told me this much, but I think Karadon is not treating her right.” He was sitting stiffly now, looking away.
Hoda’s smile broadened. “Is that so? What horrible thing is he doing to her this time around?”
Ahiram shrugged his shoulders. “Laugh all you want, but I’ve watched her closely: Nora is crawling backward, not forward. That’s not natural. I thought maybe there’s something wrong with her, but she seems fine.”
“And?” asked Hoda, who was struggling not to laugh.
“Well,” Ahiram added in a conspiratorial tone, “I’ve seen Karadon. He positions her so that when she crawls, she ends up stuck under a seat. He does this on purpose. Then she screams and screams, and all he does is laugh, then he picks her up and starts all over.”
Hoda cupped Ahiram’s face with her hands. “Don’t you ever change, Ahiram, Son of Jabbar,” she said wistfully. She could have told him that his father did the same thing to him when he was a backward-crawling baby, but she didn’t have the heart to do it. “I’m glad that you’re my brother,” she added. Ahiram looked away. Hoda smiled. “You’ll make a great father one day, you know that?”
Ahiram got up, kissed his sister on the forehead, and left the tent. By now, there were nearly two thousand people in their temporary camp. Those from Kesrwan had joined them, and other Black Robes, coming from various localities, trickled in. Access to most ports along the western and southern coast of Teshub were tightly guarded by the High Riders, and the same was true of the coast of Mycene.
Karadon walked in and sat beside his wife. “How does he plan to get us into Tanniin?” he wondered. “This is madness. Are you sure we can trust your brother?”
She ignored the question. “How far along are you with the boats?”
“Well, they wouldn’t make anyone proud,” Karadon replied gruffly, “but they’ll float, assuming the sea is quiet and there are no storms. Each boat will carry about fifty passengers. There’s going to be ten oars for each boat, one main sail, and a rudder. We will need a steady wind to flush our sails. So, you know, two thousand people, that’s about forty boats. We’ve got about forty-two built. So we’re done. But come on, Hoda, is he thinking straight? I’m concerned about him.”
“The camp is at least two miles from shore,” Hoda observed. “How will you get the boats to the water? They’re heavy.”
“There’s a stream nearby. It’s barely deep enough, but we should be able to pull the boats to the open sea. Ashod and your brother are tight lipped. I can’t get anything out of them. They’re afraid of spies, as I would be, so I have no issues with that. But still, I just don’t see it.”
“I don’t trust Ahiram because he’s my brother, Karadon. I trust him because he is a Solitary, like Corintus. Did you notice how unassuming and distracted Corintus appeared the first time we met him? Ahiram behaves the same way. I asked Ashod about this. He says that’s a trademark of the Silent Corps. He told me he doesn’t know of anyone— anyone that matters—who doesn’t respect Tanios and his Corps.”
Karadon nodded. “I see.”
“He’s my brother but we’re talking about two thousand souls. I needed to know I could trust him fully. I think we can.”
Karadon smiled. “Are you sure you’re not a Silent yourself?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
He leaned over and kissed her. “You too can appear unassuming when you want, but you never cease to amaze me.”
The following day, right after breakfast, Ashod gave the sudden order to pack and leave.
“What? Now?” Karadon exclaimed.
“Yes, now. You have to go, now.”
“Where are we headed?”
“He’ll tell you when you’re at sea. Patience, you’ll soon find out.”
It took the better part of the day to move the crowd of two thousand, all their belongings, and their boats to shore, longer than Karadon had anticipated. Ahiram did not seem to mind. Once they reached the beach, the Silent told them to keep the boats hidden beneath the trees and to stay there until he signals. They waited anxiously, wondering what their destination might be. Ashod visited with everyone, saying his goodbyes. He assured Hoda and Karadon that he would join them in Tanniin as soon as possible.
“I’ll take care of any stragglers that might have missed the boats, and look after the other camps. Then, when the time is right, I’ll come and join you in Taniir-the-Strong.”
Just as the sun was setting, Ahiram finally told them to bring the boats forward and to climb aboard.
“We’re crossing by night?” Hoda asked.
Ahiram smiled. “Your tone tells me that you’re doing much better.”
“Ahiram, how are we supposed to navigate by night?”
“I’ll show you, it’s actually easier than you think.”
Within a couple hours, forty-two boats were bobbing on the sea. Ahiram told Sheheluth to wait for him on land with Ashod while he climbed into a boat with Hoda and Karadon. “Here’s the plan: First, you’re going to navigate along Teshub’s northern coast. It’s a clear night and there’s sufficient moonlight to let you move unhindered. The wind is relatively strong, but you’ll most likely need to row to get to the northernmost tip of Teshub.”
“Alright, we can do that,” Hoda said. She had fished with her father growing up, and was an experienced seafarer. “What next?”
Ahiram smiled. “It’ll sound crazy when I say it, but I’ve worked out all the details: You’ll be less than a few miles away from the southern tip of the Empyrean Kingdom, and that’s where you’re headed.”
Karadon stared at him as if he had gone mad. “The Empyreans? You hate the High Riders so much that you’d rather have the Empyreans chop off our heads? Are you insane?”
“Ahiram, I must admit,” Hoda said, shaken, “Karadon is right, this is insanity. Maybe the women and the girls would be spared. But we would all be slaves, and they will kill all the men.”
Ahiram took off a pendant from under his shirt and handed it over to his sister. “Princess Gaëla Meïr Pen, heiress to the throne of the Empyreans, gave me this pendant.” He paused to let Hoda and Karadon take in what he had just said. “You mustn’t forget who I am,” he added, a glint in his eye. “I am the Urkuun Slayer, Prince of Tanniin, and the one who saved the Empyrean Kingdom. You are my sister, Hoda, and you must act like it.”
Hoda looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. She cocked her head and smiled sheepishly. “That’s true, Your Highness, please forgive me.”
“Oh, stop that,” Ahiram replied gruffly. “I meant what I said though. I am not sending you to the Empyreans without preparation. When you reach their shores, instruct all the men
to kneel and to not look up, but you, Hoda, will stand tall and proud, and you will kneel to no one. When the Empyrean riders come to you, you will look them in the eye and you will give them a curt bow. You will show them this pendant, and you will introduce yourself as my sister. Speak with authority and confidence, and they will grant you and everyone else safe passage into Tanniin. They will also alert Lord Orgond of your coming, so that you will be properly received. I’m not saying that crossing the Empyrean Kingdom will be pleasant, but it shouldn’t take more than five days. Keep the children about you. Your greatest challenge will be to keep the younger boys by your side at all times. Luckily, the Empyreans will get you to travel in enclosed wagons, and that should keep everyone fairly safe.”
“You’ve already arranged all that? How?” Hoda asked.
“I have my ways,” her brother replied laconically.
“I see,” said Hoda.
Sadness began to swell in her heart. She knew this was goodbye. She knew this was the right thing to do. She was now truly worried about her parents, and he needed to find them. Still, leaving him now was just as heart-wrenching as when she had lost him the first time.
Ahiram pulled her to himself and hugged her. “Don’t you worry, Hoda. Mother and Father will join you in Tanniin, and I will come back.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Still, it is hard to let you go.”
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he replied. He pulled away and looked at her. “But, like you said, I can’t stay here.”
He shook hands with Karadon. “I’m truly happy that you are by my sister’s side, Karadon, and I am doubly happy that you are Nora’s dad.”
“Thanks, Ahiram,” said Karadon, still shaken by the plan. “I hope that this plan of yours will work.”
“It will. The Empyreans are always true to their word.”
Soon thereafter, Ahiram stood on shore with Sheheluth and Ashod and watched the boats until they were swallowed by the darkness.
“Well done, my boy,” Ashod said. “This was well done indeed.”
“Great,” Ahiram said lightly. “Perhaps now the three of us can have a little chat, and you can begin by telling me how the two of you know each other, and what you’re up to, yes? I’m sure it will be an enlightening conversation.”
They talked over dinner and the exchange yielded very little new information. Ashod explained that they were acquaintances, and that he was aware of Sheheluth’s familiarity with deep magic. The former priest of Baal steered the conversation towards the kôhrosh. He told Ahiram about the creature’s power and tactics. Ashod used a strange looking mirror to test the Silent for signs of branding and was relieved to see that Ahiram was free from the magic of the kôhrosh. The branding Sheheluth had witnessed was completely gone.
“If you thought I was branded,” Ahiram asked, “why did you let me come to your camp?”
“I already had the intuition that the branding was defective, if you will. I have my reasons to believe you were protected. The kôhrosh only wants you, not us. I also thought I could help if he came back for you.”
“Why didn’t he? If he’s so strong and devious, why not come back and deliver the final blow?”
“I don’t know. Never forget that this creature is far more intelligent than you or me. I can assure you that you will see it again.” To Ahiram’s amazement, Ashod quoted from the Book of Siril, “A selfish man will face what he cannot defeat; a courageous man will run away.”
Later that evening, Ahiram was pleasantly surprised that his horse, which had survived the fire at camp, managed to find him. The stallion came over and dropped his golden bucket. It was empty. He neighed loudly, and Ahiram neighed back at him. The horse snorted and tapped the ground imperiously. Ahiram picked up the bucket and went in search of apples, muttering words about dogs, horses, sheep, and how the lowly chicken was, by a long shot, Ahiram’s favorite animal.
The following day, after saying their goodbyes to Ashod, Ahiram and Sheheluth left the shores of Mitani. Ahiram told Your Highness that he could get an extra ration of apples if he ran like the wind. The horse did not comply. Instead, he neighed loudly while looking at Sheheluth’s mount. Ahiram was impressed. “Hey, Sheheluth,” he said, “Your Highness figured out that your horse can’t match his speed so he decide to keep it nice and slow. Amazing, huh?”
Sheheluth flashed him a smile. “They’ll be occasions for the Entalor to show his true worth. The journey is long to Tirkalanzibar.”
Ahiram shook his head. “Kapor, not Tirka. I’d rather avoid the High Riders. Besides, Cahloon lives in the city of caravans, and to tell the truth, I’ve had my fill with magic and crazed magicians.”
Sheheluth smiled. If you only knew, Ahiram, she thought. If you only knew who Cahloon, and what will soon take place. I pray to El that you will understand our actions and not curse us when all is revealed. Mostly, I pray that you will not loose your mind or let melancholy overtake you. I wish we could tell you the truth now, but we fear the kôhrosh. I hope, in the end, that you will understand we were your friends and that you will forgive us.
Two weeks later, Ahiram emerged from the Restful Place, a cheap inn in the city of Kapor, south of Tirkalanzibar. This shantytown was frequented by merchants who refused to pay the City of Caravans’ hefty tax, or by folks who wanted to cross the desert without being noticed by the High Riders. Sheheluth and Ahiram had been waiting for a caravan to form, but thus far, they had no luck. Still, the number of merchants congregating was steadily increasing, and he knew the cavalcade would form in the next few days.
He crossed the dusty plaza where an anemic water stream from an old fountain sputtered and splashed on a moss-covered rock. The Silent entered into the Black Olive, a rowdy and somewhat dangerous tavern that served as a waiting place. Men and women would get drunk fast and talk too much. As he waded his way past the tables, he nearly collided with Manassa, another man waiting for the caravan. Manassa apologized profusely and went his way quickly. A commotion drew Ahiram in, and he noticed two men searching frantically for something.
“My stones, my stones,” one of them said with a haggard expression.
“You idiot, you lost them,” another one said.
“What is the matter?” Ahiram asked. “Can I help you?”
The two men stared at him as though he was a ghost. They muttered something unintelligible and quickly left the inn. Ahiram shook his head and inquired once more if a caravan was forming.
“No,” the innkeeper replied, “but it won’t be long. I’d be willing to bet that you’ll be on your way in less than four weeks.” Ahiram sighed and thanked him. He went back out and once more, entertained the idea of crossing the great desert separating him from the Land of the Marada on his own, but everyone he spoke to thought it was suicidal.
“You need a strong caravan, Ahiram,” Sheheluth said. “One with experienced guides. The head guide must be skilled at bribery and diplomacy. Be patient. Eventually, rich merchants will come together, form a caravan, and we will finally leave.”
“Here we are, my dear Foosh. This is Kapor.”
“Are you sure you want to go back to the Land of Marada?” Foosh asked with a worried voice. “The way is not safe, you know.”
“Ah, my dear Foosh,” Balid replied, “a carpet merchant must go where the carpets want to go. We will arrive in Cordoban a little before the Kyrilian Race. The city will be filled with tourists and rich merchants who will want to adorn their shops. Cordoban has always been beneficial for us, and I’m glad that you will be making this journey with me. Long have I desired to show you the magnificent capital of the giants!”
“But what if you can’t form a caravan?” Foosh asked.
Her husband smiled broadly. “Don’t worry, my dear Foosh, I will have a caravan ready to go in the next two weeks, or my name is not Balid.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Balid slapped his oversized belly, “Rumors of an imminent war are circulating i
n Teshub and surroundings. Many merchants must have heard it by now, and they’ll want to go to a safer location.”
“But why come and join us? They would go to Tirkalanzibar and join one of the many caravans there.”
Balid spat dejectedly. “Taxes, my dear Foosh, taxes. Any merchant worth his salt would do all in his power to avoid taxes. There’ll be enough of them to come down here.”
The next two weeks saw a flurry of activities around Balid’s expansive tent. Merchants flocked from everywhere and transformed the quiet town into a thriving city. Balid met with the most influential of them, whom he knew from previous treks, and began the grueling process of organizing a caravan. Very few of the merchants had come prepared to cross the desert. They needed camels, guides, drivers, and guards; they needed food and water. Balid and his close associates had to assign each merchant a position in the caravan. The most dangerous positions were located at the head and tail of the caravan. Each position was rented out, with the first and the last being the cheapest, and the middle positions the most expensive. The rent money was then deposited into common coffers and served to defray the cost of the camels, guards, and extra porters for crossing the desert. The wealthiest merchants would rent out bodyguards, and Balid was no exception.
In a matter of days, the forceful merchant had solved all the practical problems that arose, and the overall structure of the caravan had taken shape. Herders of camels appeared as though from nowhere, and the caravan’s committee, headed by Balid, interviewed and hired skilled guides and guards. Balid set out to look for his own bodyguards.
Returning to his tent, he saw his wife talking to a young girl. As he approached, he heard his wife ask, “How much?” His ears perked up. This was an all-encompassing question for the carpet merchant.
The Wretched Race (Epic of Ahiram Book 3) Page 49