The third day passed much the same. On the fourth evening, when they stopped for the night to make camp, it was Maya who announced she couldn’t take it anymore and needed a bath. Lucy agreed, and the two of them went to the edge of the pond they were camping near, stripped down, and waded into the water. The water was warm enough that Lucy did not need to use the warming spell from the book. She did use the spell to change a rock into soap and enjoyed the feeling of being clean. The dirt removal spell helped, but there was something about soap and water that made Lucy feel better. It felt great to wash her hair. Maya looked equally happy.
They finished their bath, dried off, got dressed, and walked back to camp. When they arrived, their mouths dropped in surprise as Gavin stood over five bodies looking shocked. Lucy spun in alarm as she heard someone behind her, but sighed in relief when she saw it was Justin.
“Good, it’s you,” said Justin. “I was worried that something might have happened to you and snuck down to the pond when we had finished here. By the time I got there, you had left so I followed you back to be safe.”
“What happened here?” asked Lucy. “I heard the fighting, but thought you were sparring to keep in practice.”
“Bandits, it seems. I guess they decided that they liked the odds of the five of them against the two of us. They probably wanted our horses.”
Maya walked over to Gavin who was still standing looking down at the bodies.
“Is he alright?” Lucy asked Justin.
“I’m not sure,” he replied. “I thought it was more important to make sure you were safe.”
Gavin looked up at them, a level of anguish in his eyes that Lucy had thought she would never see in someone as strong as Gavin.
“I’ve never killed anyone before,” he said. “I don’t like it. I think I’ll be able to get used to it because I know I have to, but I’ll never like it.”
“Good,” said Maya. “We prefer you that way.”
Gavin looked relieved to hear her say that, and Justin and Lucy nodded in agreement. Lucy was sorry he was hurting inside, but glad to hear him say that. She couldn’t imagine anyone more dangerous than someone with Gavin’s skills who enjoyed killing. Justin stripped the bodies of anything valuable. There wasn’t much, but the dead didn’t need money. Lucy helped dig the graves with magic and offered to help lift the bandits into it with magic, but she refused to touch the bodies. She knew it was silly, but she decided she was going to be silly while she had the luxury to be.
When the bodies were buried, Gavin and Justin went to the pond to bathe while Lucy and Maya got ready for bed. None of them felt like eating. As usual, it took Lucy awhile to fall asleep. She was still not comfortable sleeping in a tent. For a moment, she wondered if she was getting used to Gavin’s snores because they weren’t bothering her. Then, she realized she wasn’t the only one lying awake. It was a long time before the snoring started and he was asleep.
Maya and Gavin were still sleeping when Lucy got up. It wasn’t that she was a morning person. She just couldn’t sleep with so many distractions. She found Justin sitting down by the pond, staring at the water. Lucy sat down next to him.
“Gavin’s still sleeping, and I think we should let him sleep for awhile yet. He didn’t fall asleep right away last night,” said Lucy.
“I don’t think anyone fell asleep quickly last night,” replied Justin.
“I’ve never killed anyone either, and I’m not sure how I’m going to react if and when I have to, but I hope he gets past this quickly. I don’t want him to like killing, but he is our main non-magical fighting force.”
“I know. I’ve been thinking about that too. If he can’t do this and it becomes a problem, we’ll have to find someone who can.”
They sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the ripples on the pond as fish nipped at insects flying too close to the surface.
“I never asked,” started Lucy, “Are you all right after yesterday?”
“I don’t enjoy killing either, but it’s not the first time I’ve killed someone. I accept death as a part of life. One day I will die. I do my best to train well and put off that day. Being good at staying alive sometimes means having to kill others. I also don’t try to do things like steal horses. I guess it comes down to the fact that death is and sometimes I am the bringer of death.”
“It sounds like you are trying to justify not being affected as much as Gavin was.”
“Perhaps, in a way, I am. I don’t want you to think I’m a monster, but I’m more practical about it, I guess.”
“I could never think of you as a monster.”
“I appreciate that.”
Again, they sat there watching the pond. After awhile Justin rose, offering Lucy a hand up, and they walked back to camp. Maya was stretching when they got there. She was better at riding, but she still got sore from it. Then, they woke up Gavin, packed up, and rode on. Today, Lucy asked Justin to tell her more about Kennemt. She could have asked Maya, but at this point she wanted the basics, not the intricate details Maya would provide. She’d get the details later, but not yet.
“Kennemt,” Justin warned, “is going to be hot and humid.”
“I don’t mind that, I’d rather be too hot than too cold.”
Justin laughed, “Believe me, you’ll mind this. It’s so humid, it takes forever for things to get dry. Nothing can be too closed up. If it wasn’t for the winds blowing off the coast, the whole city and everything in it would rot. All the buildings are made of stone.”
“Doesn’t that make things worse?”
“Wood would rot. Besides, they aren’t buildings like you think of them. Think more like an open air temple with pillars. Everything is open during the day, and fine netting is drawn across them at night to seal off sleeping areas.”
“That sounds practical,” said Lucy.
“It is in theory. Given the thin curtains, the echoing stone, and the Kennemt pension for exhibitionism, it makes things interesting. The city is all about creating desire. Desire starts in the mind so everything from clothing, to food, to music, and dance are meant to arouse.”
“This is sounding intimidating,” said Lucy.
“It certainly can be.”
“Wait, if it’s so hot and humid, that can’t be good for books,” interrupted Lucy. “I thought this place had one of the oldest and best libraries.”
“It does. I should have been more specific. The library is not comprised of books. There are paintings, stone tablets covered in writing, and most importantly, scrolls. Each scroll is rolled up and sealed in an airtight jar. The jar is inscribed with a summary sentence and a date. We are lucky; the Kennemts appreciate knowledge and keep it safe, but few have any interest in actually reading any of the scrolls. Some of the scrolls probably haven’t been read since they were written. They also have an interesting definition of knowledge. If it’s written down, it’s worth saving. There may not be much educational value to some of what is there, but you also never know what you might find.”
“I’m looking forward to this library,” said Lucy with interest. “If the information is so valuable, why doesn’t anyone try to steal it?”
“Excellent question. I’m sure the idea has occurred to some, but it’s not worth it in many ways. The Kennemts believe knowledge should be shared. They are very open minded. Anyone who wants to come and read is welcome to come and stay as long as they want. Provided you can stand the humidity, the scrolls and the sensuality can be a vacation of sorts.”
“Who rules in Kennemt?”
“No one specifically.”
“And that works?”
“Better than you would think. A long time ago, a group of them sat down and wrote up a basic set of rules and punishments for breaking rules. Since most of them aren’t interested in law, no one has bothered to sit down and change any of them. Everyone tends to keep everyone else in check. Besides sensual decadence, their other passion, oddly enough is assassination. Most of the people claiming to be a
ssassins have never actually killed someone, but if the occasion arose, they would know fifty or so different ways to accomplish that task. There are some with many kills under their belts so be careful, but you shouldn’t do anything to cause that in such a short amount of time. People tend to behave when they know that everyone else in the room could kill them multiple ways if they misbehaved. They find both life and death fascinating, but are not in any hurry to die and miss out on other pleasures, so the system oddly works.”
“Just in case I need to know the information, do they assassinate by weapons and stealth?”
“Mainly. Stealth is part of the fun of the game. They do have mock assassination contests which everyone enjoys. I think I’d be paranoid, but I’m not Kennemtian. Although, I suppose it’s time I mentioned the snakes.”
“Snakes?” asked Lucy suspiciously.
“There are many snakes that like the hot and humid. Some are large, some are poisonous. They don’t worship the snake by any means, but they do respect it. There are snake charmers who milk their pets and sell the venom. I’m sure if they had ambition and an interest in chemistry, they could come up with any number of poisons and drugs from the venom and the odd plants growing all around them. They don’t go in for recreational drugs of any kind, but they do enjoy some amount of poisons and it’s mainly venom that they use.”
“I’m starting to think that I’m not going to be very comfortable in this society.”
“There is one thing you will like,” said Justin with a smile.
“What’s that?”
“Because of the heat and humidity, they believe in bathing daily in cool water. Also, since standing water would stagnate and breed all sorts of nasty things, they believe in running water.”
“I will like that.”
“It’s all part of the sensual pampering system. Bathing is enjoyable, and it’s hard to appeal to another person if you reek of old sweat. Their chemists may not invent drugs, but they do invent perfumes, oils, bath salts, soaps, incense, and candles.”
“What about the clothing? Do I have to wear it?”
“I mentioned they were open-minded and pleasure-oriented. I don’t think you have to do anything you don’t want to do. I’m sure they will invite you to wear what they do, but that’s more because they couldn’t imagine being comfortable in what you are wearing. It’s polite to make one’s guests comfortable and anyone who arrives is a guest. There are styles that are less revealing, but it’s so hot there that lots of clothing is uncomfortable. It’s not like the desert where clothing protects you from the sun. They will not be able to understand your boots either. Everyone goes barefoot or wears sandals. The other thing I should mention is that people may strike you as acting bored. Don’t believe it. First of all, they are most likely relaxed, not bored. Secondly, most of them have assassin training. You mentioned stealth being important, but the other skill that might be even more important is observation. Don’t underestimate them.”
“I try not to underestimate anyone.”
“Good, Maya can instruct you on further customs if you are interested, but they won’t mind if you don’t follow them so it’s not a huge worry. I’d be more concerned if we were going to Salmatina. I’d not only give you the information, but drill you on it.”
That didn’t sound too reassuring to Lucy. Well, one place at a time. At least she was enjoying the ride there. She stretched her shoulders and continued to follow Maya.
Chapter 42
The further south and east they traveled, the warmer and more humid it got. The mornings were beautiful if a bit warm. However, every afternoon it poured without warning for quite some time. The rain would quit as suddenly as it started, and the sun would come out again making the moisture oppressive. Lucy was glad she had waterproofed her cloak and wore it against the rain even though it was too warm to wear a cloak. Then, the massive amounts of vegetations started. They wound their way through trees layered with vines and flowers. The heat, humidity, and smells the flowers were giving off made them drowsy. Breezes were infrequent if not altogether nonexistent. It became stifling. They had to be careful to watch their step to avoid snakes and other poisonous plants. Lucy could not detect a trail or road at all and wondered how Maya found her way around.
The nights became as unpleasant as the days. Everything felt damp no matter how many times they magically dried things. It was sticky, and the air was heavy inside the tent. It didn’t do any good to try to leave the flap open as there wasn’t any breeze and it only let in bugs. It was difficult to sleep over the noises. There were frogs, lizards, and any number of bugs humming and chirping. Lucy didn’t know much about different animals, but she was sure that some of the primates living in the trees were nocturnal. Lucy was convinced she could hear snakes slithering, but it could have been her overactive imagination.
They woke up every morning feeling sticky. Lucy longed for a bath, but Justin wouldn’t let any of them go near the water. They even watered their horses from their water bottles rather than go too near the water. Apparently, there were poisonous leeches of various sizes as well as snakes, flesh-eating fish, alligators, snapping turtles, and lizards with the nasty ability to electrocute. Justin assured Lucy she would be able to bathe once the reached Kennemt, and after learning the many dangers of bathing in the open she was willing to wait. Lucy might be able to convince some animals to stay away from her, but she wasn’t sure she could maintain the level of alertness she would need and enjoy a bath at the same time. Also, the travel bread was getting moldy. All in all, spirits were getting low, and tempers were getting short.
Periodically, they walked; leading the horses as even they seemed lethargic. They did not talk much. Anything Lucy could think of say or ask could be taken as a complaint, and she certainly didn’t want to make things worse by being that whiny person on a journey that everyone wants to beat into silent submission. Lucy hoped they were close to Kennemt because a few more days of this was enough to make her want to build a door and try Eric’s door trick uncaring about the multiple possible calamitous outcomes. Lucy did not remember noticing that they had gone uphill, but suddenly they were descending. Then, for the first time in days, she caught the hint of a breeze. The next hint was stronger, if slightly salty, and enough to lift her spirits.
“Feel that?” Justin asked her.
Lucy nodded.
“We’re getting closer. We should get there tonight or early tomorrow.”
“Why does it smell like salt?” she asked.
“Kennemt is built halfway up a large hill,” answered Maya. “At the bottom of the hill is a coast and the sea. The wind blows up the hill, cooling the city enough to make it tolerable, and there is still enough jungle between the city and the coast to offer a reasonable defense. The breeze will be stronger soon.”
Everyone’s mood lightened as the breezes became stronger, even if they were salty. When it got dark, Gavin wanted to continue to travel through the night rather than camp. Maya was all for the idea in theory but agreed with Justin that the hazards of the jungle were better traversed in light so they set up their tent. At least the breeze and the hope it brought made sleeping easier.
The next morning they awoke and packed with renewed vigor. Shortly after setting out, they reached the outskirts of the city of Kennemt. As Justin had described, the buildings were of stone. Most of them were not very tall, consisting of one or two stories. Here and there vines interspersed with the stonework. Other than the multitude of arches, the architecture was simple and plain. There were few if any carvings. Covering walls, windows, and walkways were drapes of fabric of various sheerness.
No one paid them much attention until they got closer to the center of the city. They were greeted by a short, thin woman of indeterminable age and waist long black hair. She was dressed in a sleeveless silken green tunic that was low cut in the front and even lower in the back. It was short enough that it did not drag on the ground, and Lucy could see that she was barefoot.
“Good morning,” she said. “My name is Kaliea.”
“I am Maya, and this is Justin, Lucy, and Gavin,” Maya introduced them and Kaliea inclined her head slightly to each of them, enough to show recognition without implying submission.
“Many families don’t take an interest in visitors or the outside world. Those of us that do, take turns in welcoming them and offering them a place to stay. You are welcome to stay in my house or I can lead you to an appropriate inn.”
“Thank you,” said Maya. “Our main reason for staying in your fair city is to study the scrolls in your library. We would appreciate it if you could show us there. We would welcome your hospitality as well, although if it is too far from the library, perhaps it would be better if you could show us to a convenient inn.”
“Luckily for you, my house is down the street from the library,” said Kaliea motioning them to follow her and giving Gavin an appraising look.
They did not walk long before Kaliea motioned them to a side street. At the end there were clean stalls strewn with palm branches.
“You can stable your horses here. I do not keep horses so you will have to tend them. I will have feed sent over. Through that archway, you will find Tenna. She will further direct you to your rooms and the bath houses. After that she can direct you to the library. You are free to seek pleasure as you like provided it does not infringe on anyone else’s pleasure. Watch yourselves. You are my guests, but that does not mean I have to protect you if I feel you are in the wrong. You will be warned once of an infraction. After that you will probably be killed. Have a pleasant afternoon. I will see you at dinner.” With that said, Kaliea turned and walked through the archway she had previously indicated.
Lucy looked at the others with raised eyebrows, but didn’t say anything. Partially, she wasn’t sure what to say. Kaliea had asked no questions of them or their reasons for being there. She had invited them to stay as guests but made it clear that that invitation offered no inherent protection. Lucy was also baffled by the fact that she managed to look slightly bored and slightly interested at the same time. Instead of spending time wondering too much about their hostess, who Lucy was sure she would find out more about at dinner, she unsaddled her horse and brushed her down.
The Eye of Elicion: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol 1 Page 33