“I can’t believe you’re going onto the island, Gavin,” the tall lieutenant said, leaning into the door while they stowed their things. “It's only been Father who’s ever been there, and he never tells us anything. Do you think they’ll change their minds and chop you into seafood? I want to hear everything when you get back.”
Gavin grinned at his older brother and shrugged. “Come on, Kel. Would you want Oya Dihya angry at you? Seriously, there’s only one of her, and we’re going to be on a whole island full of them. I’m pretty sure I’d rather sew my own lips shut than talk.”
His brother laughed, nodding good-naturedly before looking at the other boys. “I know Markam, and I’ve heard about Ashrak,” he paused, eyeing the white haired boy suspiciously for a moment before shifting his gaze to Aiden, “but who’s this one?”
“This is Aiden,” Gavin said, smiling at his brother and patting Aiden on the back. “Lord Aiden Wilthorn. I’m not sure how long you’ve been out here, so I don’t know if you heard about what happened a few months ago.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of him, alright,” Kel said, giving Aiden an appraising glance before grinning. “Nice work saving Baron Crean, but did you really walk into fire and blow it out with your nether gas? I’d have thought that would start the fire up higher, not turn it down.”
Aiden’s eyes widened, the description was ludicrous enough to make him burst out into laughter which was quickly joined by the other boys, minus Markam, who was holding his stomach and looked decidedly green. After a moment, Aiden regained his composure enough to shake his head. “Uh… no. I can assure you I wouldn’t run into a burning building just to point my bottom at it, but I was fortunate enough to save my brother.”
Kel laughed good-naturedly. “That’s a relief. I was just waiting for the Captain to set some fire buckets up and make us try that tactic just to see if it worked. I’ll be sure to report to him that no, it's not an approved tactic. The men will be happy to hear it. Anyway, I’ll let you four get situated and have a bucket for Markam brought down right away. Hopefully, he’ll make it in time.”
Aiden, Gavin, and Ashrak turned just in time to see Markam almost lose it before he quickly followed a retreating Lieutenant Kel out of the bunkroom. Aiden was secretly thankful. He really didn’t enjoy the rolling and rocking and was fairly sure if Markam had lost it, he wouldn’t have been alone long in his distress.
Gavin just shook his head as Markam rushed past him in the cramped confines of the room. “He’ll most likely be staying by the side of the ship for the remainder of the trip. Poor Markam.”
Chapter 6
The remainder of the short trip was uneventful and they made the island by nightfall. Even the seas were calm, though by looking at Markam, one would never have guessed as the young man continued to heave over the side. As they drew closer to the darkening waters around the island, Aiden could see the shadow palms and huge, sprawling abrackti trees growing up above the undergrowth. Wisely, they decided to stay the night on the ship before disembarking.
The next morning, they witnessed the small, deserted bay turn into a beautiful turquoise paradise with sprawling beaches cascading into the sea and a gentle rise to the land behind it. There looked to be a small, clear path rising up and disappearing over the closest hill, and if Aiden were to guess, it had to have been maintained. He didn’t think it would take long for the lush undergrowth to overwhelm the path if it wasn’t so.
Lowering one of the large landing skiffs to the water, Oya Dihya descended first and gently fit her large bulk into the craft. Afterward, it was the Duke’s turn, followed by the four friends. Aiden could tell Markam was not pleased to be left behind, but Oya Dihya was adamant no one else was allowed on the island. It still looked like something the young man wanted to argue about until Valeran put his foot down, telling Markam it would mean his death if he tried. The Naiadens would tolerate no violation of their rules, no matter how much the boy wanted to do his duty.
Before Aiden descended to the craft, Professor Reivus took him aside, patting his arm as he beamed up at his student. “Now, remember! No practicing on making glimmer steel on the island. That being said, think about it really hard. Practice it in your mind, but not outside of it. Ha, that should confuse them. My boy, since you’ve come along things have been particularly exciting! In a good way this time! At least things aren’t exploding yet.”
Aiden thanked the Professor, nodding even while he tried to extract himself and climb down into the skiff. He really did love the old man despite disagreeing with him on some things. Once he settled into a seat next to Chari, Oya Dihya grasped the oars and began to row them quickly to shore. With a four-meter Naiaiden doing the work, it only took a fraction of the time and Aiden spent it watching Glowby frolic in the waves near their boat.
“Aiden, why do you always stare off into space like you’re looking at something?” Chari interrupted him, taking his arm in hers.
Aiden blinked but quickly recovered. “Oh… ah, just thinking, I guess. Does it bother you?”
“Not really. At least not anymore,” she said quietly. “I suppose it’s just an eccentricity. Are you going to turn into one of those mad wizards in stories and start talking to walls?”
Ashrak leaned in, grinning. “You mean like the Professor? You’re not a glimmer man, are you Aiden?” Ashrak finished, wiggling both his eyebrows and fingers at him.
Aiden laughed but shook his head. “No, not hardly. I’ve skinned my knee plenty of times to know I bleed like a normal person. The Professor told me once he couldn’t bleed. He said his body ran on energy like the Skywitch. Can you imagine? I’m still not sure I even understand the concept of energy.”
He watched Ashrak nod but Chari didn’t. Instead, she had a scrunched up look on her face. “I talked to the Professor about it too, once. He said to think of power like something that moved things. Like a stream of water and a water wheel. The water is the power, pushing against the wheel and making it move and do things. The stream is the power source. The biggest difference is power doesn’t just fall down, it can go anywhere.”
Aiden frowned, thinking about what Chari had said. He’d talked to the Professor several times, but the Professor hadn’t phrased it like that. Still, as Chari spoke, it reminded him of what had happened when Ashrak stabbed the helmet, making the strange experience slightly clearer. He reached over, letting his hand slide into the water and feeling the weight of it pass by his fingers.
“Aiden, I would be cautious of putting your hand in the water.” Oya Dihya spoke quietly as she rowed effortlessly toward the shore. “This bay is known for spine fish. They would like nothing better than to see what you taste like.”
Aiden quickly pulled his hand back from the water. Spinefish were a particularly aggressive fish, traveling in small packs and making life interesting for fishermen not quick enough to pull their catch from the water in a timely manner. There were not many in Westrun Bay as they liked things warmer, and it was certainly warmer in this clime.
As they pulled up onto the beach, Oya Dihya stepped out of the craft and easily pulled it and their combined weight up onto the sand. The casual display of power still awed Aiden, but he’d come to accept it wasn’t Oya Dihya trying to impress anyone so much as just doing things that needed doing. She pulled the skiff up and into the edge of the overgrowth, tying the landing line onto a large tree before the rest of them hopped out.
“So, why didn’t we bring anything with us?” Ashrak said, stretching his arms up to the sky as he looked around. “Didn’t you say we’d be on the island for a week or so? What are we going to eat?”
Oya Dihya finished tying off the boat and answered Ashrak’s question even as she strode toward the well-maintained path leading off of the beach. “Do not concern yourself, Ashrak Brun. We do not require anything because it is already here.”
“I guess we’re going to eat leaves and sand, then,” Ashrak mumbled under his breath, but not quietly enough.
As
they all began to make their way after the Naiaden, Valeran laughed softly. “Don’t worry Ashrak. Trust me, I had the same concern my first time here, but we really don’t need to bring anything. The people here don’t barter or sell, they just share everything that’s needed.”
“What keeps people from just making off with everything? Or how do they even know what is needed?” Chari asked carefully. Aiden had to remind himself she came from a merchant household.
Gavin’s father shrugged, “I probably don’t understand it as well as it deserves, but a large part of it has to do with their social responsibility and system of communication. Their communities are fairly spread out, so there is a large group of wagoneers that travel constantly, transporting goods, people, and more importantly information about what is available or needed. It's literally their job to help organize the entire land, I think.”
“That seems so time-consuming,” Gavin offered. “What if someone doesn’t want to talk about how many pieces of firewood they’ve chopped? Or shoes made?”
“They don’t. They put this kind of pegboard thing up outside of their home or community and put up tiles that say what they need, or have extra of. Literally, anyone is welcome to take what they need or provide the service. I don’t understand them all by a long shot, but it's quite ingenious. The easiest place to travel I’ve ever been.”
“Do they have inns?” Aiden asked though he suspected he knew the answer. The Duke didn’t surprise him either.
“No need. As I said, it's part of their society. You’ll see when we get to wherever we’re going to stop for rest. Their homes are designed to accommodate travelers and guests. There is always a public place to eat, cook and sleep for anyone walking the roads.” The Duke paused in thought for a moment before continuing. “I also think it doesn’t hurt they are so isolated. There are no visitors from outside of their society so they do not have to deal with someone unknown causing problems. Everyone I’ve ever met here seems to know each other.”
It was an odd thing, because, for someone so big, it was so easy to forget Oya Dihya was there because she was so quiet. If you were inclined to let a giantess fade into the background, that is. Aiden felt himself jump when she spoke.
“You are correct, Your Grace. You know how old I am, and you would not be wrong to know all of my people are of equal age. We know and are comfortable with each other. This makes traveling easy. However, what it does not do is inspire new ideas and thoughts. Something is…sorely lacking in our society, despite our love of philosophy. It is why some few of us have ventured forth from our island, to discover if this is a thing we needed to change.”
They all looked at the Naiaden with a curious expression. Even Valeran looked surprised and gave a small hrumph. “Is that why you let my great great grandfather onto your lands so long ago?”
“Yes,” Oya Dihya said, nodding once. “It is one of the primary reasons. I was patrolling the coast that day, and I took the opportunity when it appeared.”
“I suppose that is one of the things I enjoy most about my own city, that we are so open to others,” Valeran said, looking down at his feet as he walked. “Also what I like least about some of the most rigid Dukedoms. I hadn’t thought of it before, but your people have been trapped on this island for thousands of years, yet when I come here I can only admire them. It's so peaceful and well ordered.”
Oya Dihya didn’t look like she was going to answer, but something about the way her jaw was set made Aiden think of something which stopped him in his tracks. Ashrak, talking to Chari and not watching where he was going almost plowed into Aiden, but he had resumed walking just in time.
“Wait, is that why you live in Terek? Because you took responsibility for the Duke? Not everyone agrees with you, do they?”
The towering Naiden didn’t answer, but Aiden knew he’d said something that bothered the giant woman. The Duke also looked concerned as he stared at the back of her head.
“That’s why you never go home with the others when they come,” the Duke guessed, his brows beetling as he asked his question. “Because you can’t come to Reid except when I do. They never made a decision, did they? They’re still waiting to make it.”
Oya Dihya blew out a breath at last and nodded. “You have the right of it, Your Grace. The decision to join the rest of the world or remain hidden away has not been made. Too many are comfortable, and afraid. They do not understand that order requires change for balance. A fact made evident by us taking five hundred years to even approach a conclusion, I think.”
She turned her head slightly, letting the corner of her eye catch Aiden’s. “Aiden, you are far too clever for your own good. No one has guessed this for five hundred years. What made you think of it?”
Aiden decided she didn’t look upset, though it was sometimes difficult to tell. “I think it's Professor Revius. I don’t know exactly how old he is, but he’s got to be at least as old as you are, right? He’s been having me make silverware for months. I think I understand why, but I don’t have to agree with it. Maybe it's had me looking at ancient things as not always perfect?”
“Dammit,” Valeran said, scowling at Aiden. “Why must you do things like that? I swear you make me feel like an idiot. He’s right, though. I bet all of us have been so awed by the Naiaden’s grace and beauty we never thought anything was the matter.”
Oya Dihya nodded. “Yes. We do have much peace here, and it is pleasant, but my side of the debate was people require more than just peace. They require challenge and we have been unchallenged for four thousand years.”
Aiden wasn’t sure what to think about this. On the one hand, excitement seemed like a desirable thing, but on the other hand, when he was running through a burning building with his lungs filled with smoke, he would have liked nothing better than to be sitting in a quiet room reading a book. He decided to enjoy the beautiful, rolling hills of the countryside and think about what had been said.
By the time evening came around, they had passed several sprawling farmsteads with people, all females, working in the fields or around their yards. The road they were traveling was extremely well maintained and lined with fencing that, without exception, were all decorated with elaborate carvings. Beyond the fences, there were usually several large buildings and outbuildings, rather than a central home. At the front gate to each place stood a tall, broad board with strange multicolored tiles hung in different places upon them. There were not a lot of the tiles, but the Duke assured them that in larger communities or farms, the large teca boards could be almost filled with tiles of one type or another.
“That one,” he pointed, drawing all of their eyes to a bright green tile, “means there are open beds for travelers. Next to it is the kind of food that is available and next to that is a request for songs and stories from the east.”
Ashrak gawked at it, shaking his head. “How can you tell? Do they have a tile for each direction?”
Valeran shook his head. “No, it just depends on which way the tile is turned. All those symbols are almost their own language, and in the fifteen times I’ve been here, I’ve not picked up more than a hundred. I’m only given a few weeks a year, usually, so it's not easy.”
Chari was looking wistfully back at the board. “It's nice really. Having a system like this with everyone sharing? Have you ever thought of trying something like this, Your Grace?”
The Duke nodded slowly though he looked sad when he did it. “Yes, I have thought about it. It would take a huge upheaval though and I would most assuredly have to post troops on every street corner. I’m afraid there would be a civil war within a month. The problem is, our society is not built like the Naiadens. They are well-practiced at sharing and our people aren’t. Imagine someone you know, who does no work and refuses to contribute, walking up and taking a coat you’ve spent a month making. Could you do it? Knowing there is not a fair trade?”
Aiden watched as Chari thought about the question before her resolve firmed. “I could learn to
.”
Valeran nodded, but pressed on. “Now pick ten of your family competitors, could all of them learn to do it, or would some try to game the system?”
Chari paused, but finally nodded. “I think most of them would try to game the system. Anyone of us who tried to do the sharing, the others would drive out of business.”
“Yes, the only way I could make it happen would be to put soldiers in their shops and force all of them to comply with the new rules. Which would probably result in eight of them plotting to kill me.” The Duke paused, heaving a huge sigh. “Trust me, I’ve thought of this for weeks every time I return from Reid. How could I do it? I can do painfully slow transitions. Introduce a small practice here or there, but that’s going to take generations longer than I’m alive. Most likely one of my children’s children is going to enjoy being Duke a bit too much and reverse everything I’ve done. Aristocrats tend to be that way, unfortunately.”
The Glimmer Steel Saga, Boxed Set, Books 1 - 4 Page 39