by Nike Azoros
The bishop couldn’t help noticing the slight jut of the jaw of Manoussos. It meant he was clenching his teeth, this little pit bull was ready for a fight. Some fights are not worth fighting especially when the outcome has already been determined by a greater power.
‘Manoussos the name of the church on Spinalonga is Saint Panteleimon.’ Manoussos smiled and clapped his hands together. ‘Kyrie Elaison.’ Saint Panteleimon was the doctor saint, the great healer, who dedicated his life to sufferers, the sick and the unfortunate. The bishop nodded at his joy. ‘Yes it is appropriate isn’t it? Permission is granted and God’s speed.’
Sitting in the boat on the trip back to his town Manoussos felt he could have sailed all the way back to on his own such was his elation. The first thing Manoussos did as soon as he arrived was to finalize all the details of the parish with Father Stavros. He was pleased to see all was under control so he could leave knowing all was well. Next he had to go back and see Theodora and to see if there was anything she wanted to send to Nikos and Maria.
She had become livelier since learning he was going to see her children. ‘I will pack some foodstuffs Father, even better I will crate up some chickens and put one of the goats on a leash that way they can have a supply of eggs and milk and cheese.’
‘No Theodora there is no need, I am glad to tell you that the council clerk told me that each resident gets a pension and a food allowance. His exact words were, they have food to eat and money to buy whatever they want. No food is required but if you have a little treat or some gift to give hurry and give it now because the boat is waiting.’ Theodora had been caught unawares. She did not realize Manoussos would act so fast. She had nothing ready to send and he insisted that no food was necessary. No Greek mother would ever subscribe to that statement so she gave him the only food she had in the house, the meal she was cooking for herself, green beans and potatoes. She could eat olives and bread instead. He bid her farewell and left.
‘Tell them I love them.’
‘They know that.’
‘Tell them I am well and tell them I love them, do you hear me you crazy priest?’
‘I hear you Theodora Lambrakis.’
After Manoussos had gone Theodora stood in the doorway of her son’s bedroom as she often did. She would relive conversations they’d had while he was studying at his desk. What was that? Something was under his bed. Usually his suitcases resided there but they were gone now. She was a meticulous housekeeper, how could she have missed something like that? She checked herself, she had been unable to go into either of her children’s rooms ever since they had gone. Theodora entered the room and bent down to see what it was that was beneath the bed.
Once she had pulled it out from the dark she recognized the unusual bag. It had belonged to Alikhan, the best friend of Nikos during law school. Theodora felt a stab of pain in her soul and needed to sit on the floor. Alikhan too had met with a tragic fate and Theodora was powerless to fight off the wave of frustrated rage that engulfed her so totally it was exhausting. She stayed seated on the floor sobbing for the magnificent young people who should have had the world at their feet but all had met with an unjust end.
She clutched the red embroidered bag close to her as she sobbed and remembered the many hours Nikos and Maria would examine the contents and be in awe of them. Nikos had treasured this reminder of his dear friend which must have been left behind in the sheer panic of the hours after his diagnosis when the authorities had announced he must leave immediately to prevent any spread of the disease. But this would bring happiness to Nikos, he should have a reminder of his friend. It was all the impetus that Theodora needed to get up and stop crying. She grabbed the bag and ran in the hope she would make it to the harbor before Manoussos got on the boat.
Manoussos had to hurry to the harbor, the last boat of the day was leaving soon. The boatman was almost ready to depart for his usual trip along the coast to Elounda but he was startled by the sight of the priest with much more baggage than usual.
‘What are you doing Father, setting up a new city?’
‘Possibly, a new parish at least. That much I know.’ Theodora got to the harbor just in time to see the boat with Father Manoussos onboard pulling away from the pier. She called out and he turned.
‘Give this to my boy.’ She tossed the package to him and for a moment both were horror struck as Manoussos fumbled with the package and it threatened to fall into the sea to be lost forever. Theodora’s hand shot to her mouth but Manoussos managed to flip it, he caught it and held it high to show Theodora it was safe before he tucked it into his rassos.
‘Be well Theodora.’
‘Courage Father Manoussos.’
The boatman had developed a new habit ever since the trip where he had met Nikos Lambrakis. Every time the boat approached the island of tears he would ask, sometimes out of curiosity and sometimes just to shock, ‘Anyone for Spinalonga?’ As yet no one had answered but this time he heard, ‘Yes,’ spoken by the priest sitting in the stern.
Nikos had also developed a new habit of reading the classics every night after standing at the water’s edge of Spinalonga to watch the eagles. He wandered around with Plato tucked under one arm and the other arm up to shield his eyes from the sun as he scanned the skies. He had been so absorbed in his eagle watching he had not noticed the arrival of the boat and the loud bumping sound it made when it hit against the stone pier startled him,
‘Oh my God!’
‘Yes indeed, right here on Spinalonga,’ came a voice from the water and there standing upright with his hand extended out to touch his, like the hand of God to Adam’s, was Father Manoussos.
Chapter 4: Alikhan
‘Meet your room mate,’ said the landlord. The Parthenon was in better condition than the rooming house Nikos had found in Athens but it was cheap and within a short walk to the University of Athens where he needed to be to finish his law degree. He’d agreed to have a roommate because it made the rent even cheaper. From behind the landlord stepped out a young man who looked like a bear, broad of chest, brown as a gypsy but with Asian eyes.
The landlord left and Nikos offered his hand out for a handshake,
‘Pleased to meet you, I am Nikos Lambrakis of Crete.’
‘Pleased to meet you too, I am Alikhan Azamatov of Kazakhstan.’
‘Your Greek is very good for a foreigner.’
‘I spent a lot of time in Constantinople where I was sent to work to make money for my schooling. My best friend was a Greek whose whole family had been murdered by the Turks in the 1922 genocides in Smyrna. He had hidden from the soldiers and had made his way to Constantinople so I took him in. At night he spoke only Greek to me so he would not lose his language. We worked together at the port loading ships until the military found him.’
The two young men stood nodding at each other as people do when an inexplicable instant understanding is achieved. Within weeks they were more bonded than most brothers. They cooked together and every night they would study together and talked about everything. ‘What shall we cook today Nikos?’
‘I don’t know but Alikhan did you know there is another Kazakh here at the University, also studying law.’
‘Yes I know. He leaves tomorrow, he has finished his studies.’ A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Nikos got up and opened it to find the Kazakh boy standing there holding a platter on which there was a boiled sheep’s head. ‘Err, come in.’
Alikhan stood up as Nikos took the macabre offering from the visitor’s hand and placed it on the table as the other Kazakh took Alikhan’s hand in both of his and shook it heartily. Then he bowed before Alikhan, acknowledged Nikos and left.
‘What on earth did you do that made him bring you a sheep’s head?’
‘It is a big honor to be given a sheep’s head. And now we don’t have to cook. When somebody brings a sheep’s head you must pay attention to what part of it is offered to you. The part of the animal that you are given denotes the pos
ition you hold. It is custom to give the tongue to someone who needs to hold theirs. Mothers-in-law often give it to their new daughter-in-law.’ Alikhan chuckled as he said it.
‘Yes, this is all very interesting but why did that man give the sheep’s head to you, why do you deserve that honor?’
‘Well my friend that is because my father is the reason he was born.’
‘What! Is he your brother?’
‘No.’ Alikhan sliced an ear from the head of the sheep and handed it to Nikos with a smile. ‘Here, we usually give the ears to the little children who must hear well what they are told to do. You have a lot of listening to do.’ Nikos took the ear but put it down, ‘Is your family some sort of chiefs of your tribe?’
‘Sort of. We are Berkutchi.’ Nikos sat back and waited for his friend to explain further, ‘The Berkutchi are the most mysterious people of our country, we are the most respected and are thought of almost as miracle workers. We are the eagle hunters.’
‘So how did your father help that boy to be born?’
‘When a woman has trouble making a baby she comes to the Berkutchi to ask for their blessings. The people believe that if we can master the eagles then we can master all aspects of nature. They believe we have divine powers that will help them. Nine months after the boy’s parents visited my father, the boy was born.’
After the unusual visit Nikos asked every possible question to Alikhan about how to catch an eagle. He asked so many he would frustrate Alikhan. ‘Enough with the questions Nikos, you are never going to need to know how to catch an eagle.’
‘I know it is not logical but I just can’t explain it, come on tell me again about how to choose one.’
‘Okay but you pay for dinner tomorrow.’
‘Done.’
Yet again Alikhan explained how it was always preferable to choose an eagle that can already hunt, not a young eaglet straight from the nest. ‘Choosing an eagle from the nest to become a hunter is like choosing a babe from the cradle to become a priest. You don’t know its soul yet. Eagles, like children, can become restless and aggressive when they are not permitted to develop according to their natural tendencies. As a result of this no talents can be identified and no skills can be honed. This is a crime! An eagle which has already developed its own hunting skills, and loves the hunt, is the best hunter of all, and this, as in humans, is often an inborn trait.’
Nikos leaned forward to pour more coffee into Alikhan’s cup and keep him talking. ‘I remember being with my father when he was helping another Berkutchi choose an eagle. We were up high in the rocks watching a nice kantubit stalk her prey. It was amazing.’
‘What is a kantubit?’
‘Eagles have different names for certain years of their life. A one year old is a balapan, a two year old is a kantubit, and a three year old is a turnekl, and so on. This particular kantubit was very clever. We stayed up in the caves for two weeks, barely sleeping just so we could watch her. I’ll never forget the way she was watching a herd of goats. Instead of swooping in to pick one up she waited until one had separated a little from the herd to go to nibble at some grass growing right on the edge of the cliff. She swooped down and knocked it off the edge, the goat fell, died on impact and the kantubit just picked it up without having to deal any struggle and she took it to her nest and had herself a fuss free feast. It was like watching an assassin commit the perfect hit.’
‘So how did you actually catch her?’
‘Some secrets we Berkutchi can never tell. Our ways are steeped in mystery and they will stay there. But what I will tell you is that your eagle and you must suit each other. So before you ask what kind of eagle shall I look for, ask yourself, what kind of man am I?’
Nikos leaned in further to listen carefully.
‘My father, may he rest in peace, always called me his eagle. He said I act like one, I study, I shadow then I strike.’Alikhan smiled his approval and reached into the suitcase under his bed and brought out a strange red bag, it was completely covered with embroidery.
‘But you are a lawyer now Alikhan, you have no need of catching eagles.’
‘Are you a Greek?’
‘Of course.’
‘Can you stop being a Greek?’
‘Never.’
‘Well I am a Berkutchi, even if I become King of Astana I will always be a Berkutchi.’
Alikhan sipped his coffee then continued, ‘You don’t just wake up one day and decide to catch an eagle. It takes weeks even months of watching the birds to see if she has what it takes.’
‘Why do you always say she?’
‘The best hunters are the females, just as in life hey my friend. I know they say man is the hunter but it is the woman who is more ruthless, more cunning, and anyway if a man is without a woman to tell him what is needed he would just sit around all day and scratch his balls. Men hunt to please women. So we Berkutchi men use women eagles to hunt, besides they are almost twice as big as the males so they are much stronger and can pick up bigger prey, we once had an eagle so big she could pick up a wolf.’
He began to unfurl the unusual red bag, ‘You must be very prepared, you need a hood readymade so you can slip it over their head and keep them in darkness. You need a thick leather glove or their talons will shred your arm to pieces. You need a bardak, the wrist support, and stand for the eagle to sit on. An eagle can weigh up to eight kilos, you try carrying that on your wrist. And you need the cuff for the leg on which to attach the chain.’ As he spoke he had pulled out of the bag every piece of equipment he had described and had laid them out on the bed.
‘My grandfather presented me with his eagle equipment before I left for Athens. He said he wanted me to have them before he died. If Allah blesses me with a son these will become his.’
‘I hope God does bless you with a son, he would be proud to be born a Berkutchi and proud to own this fine equipment.’
Alikhan became solemn as he stood before Nikos. ‘My dear friend, we have become each other’s brother and I tell you now my brother that if anything happens to me and I die without a son, these items of the Bekutchi will become yours. I know you would honor them and protect them.’ Nikos was startled by the request. ‘Why wouldn’t you pass them on to your family?’
‘Each male in my family has their own and they have heirs to whom they can pass them on. This is my equipment to do with whatever I like and I choose to pass them on to you should anything happen to me.’
Nikos smiled, ‘Yes we are better than brothers, and nothing will happen to you. But just to make you feel at ease, I promise should anything ever happen to you and you are still without heirs, I will honor them.’
Alikhan added, ‘You will also need a very fast horse to run with it once you see it swooping down to get its prey. Without a fast horse it is more difficult but you can teach your eagle to bring the prey to you.’
Nikos laughed, ‘Forget the horse you still haven’t told me how you actually catch an eagle?’
Alikhan was engrossed in his own heritage and was enjoying the fact that for the first time in his life he was speaking of eagle catching with someone other than another Berkutchi.
‘Once you have decided upon the bird you want you must leave bait for it. Use something irresistible like a freshly slaughtered lamb or goat or rabbit. You must take on the traits of the eagle, cunning, stealth and speed. Do not waste one movement. Have you ever noticed that eagles do not flap around? They use Nature and work with her. They ride on the thermal breezes like a man skis down a mountain, using minimal energy but going far.
You must become like an eagle yourself. Do not take your eyes off her as she comes in for the bait. As your eagle is approaching the bait you must be fast, faster than you have ever been before in your life. Choose the exact moment, the one where she is right at the bait and all her attention is on grabbing the bait, not on flying away. She will be off guard only for that one second. That is when you must strike. Throw a net over her or she will fly away. Then cov
er her with a thick blanket. She must be kept covered, the dark will confuse her.
There will be a struggle to get the shackle and chain on so it doesn’t fly away, and to put the hood on without getting your heart ripped out, but that is part of the skill of the Berkutchi. If you can build her trust in you she will allow you to get close. But keep her in the dark and always remember to feed her only from your own hand. She will reward your efforts by learning very fast, so fast you will think she is part human. I do not think it is a mistake that the eagle is the symbol of the gods. You will come to trust her and she will come to trust you.’
After that Alikhan said no more about eagles and as soon as they licked clean the bones of the sheep’s head the topic of eagles got put away like the red bag.
‘Do you see yourself ever getting married Nikos?’ Alikhan asked one afternoon.
‘Well I certainly hope so, one day. The only reason I am not chasing women is because of my studies. I will go back to Crete soon and then I will be only too happy to start taking a good look at the girls of my town. What about you?’
‘Yes I want that very, very much.’ Nikos had noticed Alikhan had been very preoccupied lately and they hadn’t been sharing every meal together as they usually did but Nikos had not questioned his friend’s whereabouts. A man has a right to go off on his own when he so feels the need but Nikos knew the time was right to ask,
‘Alikhan, have you met someone here in Athens?’