by C. R. Daems
"Anytime you want to talk, I'm available."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CALION: Ashtol - Memories of the past
Ashtol produced a variety of clothing from their herds of sheep and fields of cotton. Consequently, the population was a mixture of merchants, farmers, and herders. And the sight of herders brought back distant memories of my early growing up years in Dunn Pass—depressing memories of neglect and abuse. The notable change was the presence of black-robed individuals. There seemed to be as many here as in Zeles, which raised many questions: how were they organized, did they all recognize Virtor as their leader, did he have lieutenants in each city and town, how did they communicate, what was their ultimate goal, what motivated that goal, were they connected to the other robed ones in another province...
As we were setting up for tomorrow's performance, Alida and Kata joined me to help unpack the props wagon.
"Remember the Water Wizard, Ryana?" Alida asked. I remembered him well, since he almost killed me when I tried to save Alida.
"Yes. Now that you're married, I hope you won't flirt with anymore wizards. That was embarrassing running off with one," I said, leaving Alida speechless for a minute.
"He kidnapped me!"
"After you had his water bubbling from your strutting and smiling at him."
"I did not!" She stamped her foot and snorted. "You're only saying that because he wouldn't pay attention to you."
"I think I remember hearing that you were kidnapped by a Water Wizard here in Ashtol," Kata said, forehead wrinkled in concentration. "I guess whoever told me got the story wrong."
"Yes I was kidnapped by a Water Wizard, and Ryana raced after us planning to free me by putting a knife in him. But she found her knives couldn't penetrate his wall of water, and he smashed her with a wave when she tried. Took her two days to recover. Fortunately for both of us, another wizard came along and saved us."
"I think that's a bit more excitement than even I would like," Kata said. "The wizards have been pretty quiet since the overthrow attempt. Let's hope it stays that way."
* * *
At the performance the next day, the Magic Balls group used three fireballs and got a rousing round of applause. Between acts I watched the crowd. No assassins I could identify, a few lone thieves, three black-robed individuals, and no nobles or wizards. Just as I was about to take my place in the fortuneteller tent, the three black-robed ones descended on one of the thieves and whisked him out of the area. I had Anil follow them, as I took my place in the tent. I was busy all night with normal customers—no nobles, wizards, or people trying to kill me.
Anil had followed the black-robes and their prisoner to a camp about two leagues out of town. I couldn't help but be amazed at the similarities between the apparent disparate groups: they wore similar robes although different colors, they each had a God and prophet although different, and they each camped well out of town and sight. They tied the thief between two trees. He was still hanging there after I finished and the audience had left. They didn't seem to be mistreating him. Periodically people stopped to talk and brought him water and food.
When I woke the next morning, he had been untied and was eating with several men and a woman. Unfortunately, Anil couldn't get close enough to hear their conversation. Judging from Anil's flight over the area, it held at least a hundred individuals.
The next night, I visited the Earth Wizards guild house where the same seven wizards were present. A white haired wizard greeted me at the door and led me into the great hall.
"It's good to see you," he said, waving me to an empty seat.
"I understand you have something for us to taste," a middle aged woman said. She was small and plump, with long brown hair surrounding her head except for a small area from her chin to her eyebrows, which showed warm eyes and a pleasant smile.
"Yes." I uncapped the vial and let a couple of drops fall on the moss covered floor where I sat. I heard several sounds of approval from around the room as they sampled the liquid.
"Yes, they were right. The drug is very tasty, enough to encourage one to drink or eat whatever food or liquid it is in. And even that small sample gives a pleasant sensation," the woman said.
"Yet another vulnerability for us wizards," the old wizard said. "Do the other wizards know?"
"No. I've mixed emotions. Telling too many may cause more problems than it avoids. For now, the only location I know about is on Zunji land, and they have agreed to kill anyone trying to collect it. I think the fewer people who know the better."
"For now, we agree," the old wizard said after looking at each of the other wizards. He waved, and a small girl came running up to me, bowed, and handed me a small capsule. "We have a message for you from Ahasha."
I opened the capsule and read.
Regret having to give the duty to you.
Have warned the sisters at Ahasha
Collecting news on robed ones for you
fayza in scio
M.
The little girl had remained there while I read the note, and handed me a piece of paper, ink, and quill as I finished. I wrote a quick note but didn't sign it as only I sent messages from the Earth Wizards.
Zunji will give sisters taste of drug
if i do not.
need to watch robed ones for me.
"Thank you, my brothers and sisters. I could not operate as I must without your help and support."
"We stand in the shadows with you, our sister, and stand ready to help," The old wizard said to a rumbling earth I took as unanimous agreement.
* * *
At our last performance, I noticed the thief working the crowd and two black-robed individual standing in the back. While I worked the fortuneteller tent, Kasi showed the thief and the two black-robed ones leaving together. He appeared to have joined them—interesting. At the evening gathering, everyone was in a festive mood. The audience had been large, and the games profitable.
"Well, Alida, what can we expect in Araby based on your and Ryana's adventures there?" Petre, Luka's friend, asked while grinning at Luka. He enjoyed ribbing him over marrying a non-born-gypsy and found plenty of material from Alida's accounts of me with the Dorian clan. I thought it good natured ribbing.
"Of course, we have Lady wu'Lichak fortunetelling, and Ryana's family lives there. Ah, and there is Udo, where..." Alida went on to describe the encounter with Lord Phellen in all its gory details.
"Why didn't you just lie?" Maria asked the question I thought on everyone's minds. "Lady wu'Lichak would know you didn't tell him the truth."
"But everyone else would think I did," I said, but from the puzzled looked, most didn't understand my logic. "Then others would then think they could get me to tell what I said to others by threatening me."
"But they are all lies, stories... well, aren't they? Are they worth dying for?" Dmitri asked. A good question; however, a good answer was far too complex even with the truth, which I couldn't tell. I smiled mentally. But I could. Who would believe it?
"If I see a person's future and that person told someone else who then acted on what he or she was told, might that action change the person's future?"
"But if it's a lie anyway?"
"But the person believes it to be real and will, therefore, act accordingly."
"You're giving me a headache, Ryana," Kata laughed, while holding her head between her hands.
"Simple. Heslanders know are games are difficult, but if for one moment they thought we were cheating them, what then?" Lujza said, nodding understanding.
"So... Ryana is either a fortuneteller who can be trusted or a fake who sells your secrets," Santo said into the silence. "Whether you do or don't, the consequences would be the same over time. Alida, your adopted sister plays dangerous games, but she's not as dumb as it appears on the surface."
"She does have her moments. I'd just like her to grow old with me," Alida said, hugging me. I didn't know about old age, but I was content at this moment, with Luka
, Alida, clan, and my Sisters’ love. That was enough.
* * *
The transition from Calion to Araby would have been unnoticeable if a river didn't separate the two provinces; however, the change from black-robed individuals to orange-robes was immediate, even well before reaching the city of Ossic. I went out of my way the first day to stop to give two orange-robed individuals three coppers for an opportunity to question them.
"Mistress, if you could spare a copper or two. We collect to share with those in need." A female voice said from the overly, large hood covering her head.
"Yes," I said, dropping three coppers in her wooden bowl. "You're a disciple of?"
"We are disciples of the Goddess Jhea, the ruler of the skies. She wishes for us the help those in need."
"You learned this how?"
"Through the word of the Prophet Pedro, who hears Her words in visions from the Goddess Jhea," a man's voice said. Interesting, another God, another prophet, and another worthy cause, leading down a path to a garden or a cliff, I wondered. That was my problem. Did each cause lead down the same path to the same end, or were they different paths leading to different endings. I wished I didn't care, but I do, because the answer may impact Hesland and the ones I love and have a duty to protect.
Ossic was a small town and we only put on two performances before moving on to Scio.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ARABY: Scio: Lady wu'Lichak
"Ryana, Alida said your family lives here in Scio. They must be looking forward to seeing you and Luka," Kata said as we unpacked in the area reserved for the clans.
"No. My father and mother are very traditional Heslanders. They would prefer their friends to believe I'm a Shadow Sister rather than a gypsy. My father was not unhappy to see me go. He wanted sons, not daughters." That was the truth, although I wasn't talking about parents in Scio but in Dunn Pass.
"Now I understand why we didn't meet your parents last time we were in Scio," Alida said, probably trying to remember the stories I had made up then.
"You're happy now, that's all that matters," Kata said.
"Look, Ryana. That's Lord Boyan." Alida grinned, pointing to four soldiers and a noble standing talking to Santo. "Guess what he wants."
"To invite us to dine with Lady wu'Lichak," Roza laughed as she approached us. "Maybe if I see someone cute, Ryana can kidnap him for me."
"Say the word and he's yours," I said. Yes, Boyan was here to ensure the clan brought me to see her. I just hoped the clan wasn’t jealous, or it would affect their attitude towards me. Life could be so complicated. Just then Santo came walking over.
"That was Lord Boyan. Lady wu'Lichak wants us to perform for her tomorrow night." He paused looking at me, lips puckered in concentration. "Luka has certainly brought us interesting times with his choice of a life partner. Your fortunetelling reputation brings in more money than we make with our performances and games in a cycle and more... excitement. Be careful, Ryana, the clan loves you, and we do not want to see you hurt."
"Ryana, Alida, Maria, time for practice." Kata shouted, breaking the sober mood. We already had a performance scheduled for tonight, so there would be no rest day, since the performance for wu'Lichak was tomorrow and neither could be canceled. The practice was short. By now we were comfortable with the three fireball routine.
The evening performance went smoothly and the audience in a festive mood. I thought I saw at least one thief but no assassins, or at least none who appeared to be looking for someone. Two orange-robes stood near the back of the crowd apparently enjoying the acts, except for an occasional glance in the direction of a man dressed in typical commoner clothing: work shoes, pants and shirt of a coarse spun material, and a worn leather belt with a knife in a sheath attached.
The fifth customer who entered turned out to be the man the orange-robed ones had been sneaking looks at.
"Good evening, sir," I said, and my senses went on full alert. Although he wasn't seeking the Sister of Death, he had targeted me, and he was connected to the orange-robes in some manner. He stood looking down at me.
"I hear you tell fortunes for nobles and wizards," he said. His eyes never left me.
"Even nobles and wizards need to be amused."
"Then you can't tell the future." His voice had the hint of a sneer.
"Only the person's future I see can tell you that, sir." I almost grinned, visualizing Sister Rong. It felt like one of her games, which I loved. To me, they were like the deadly Passion flower. He placed two coppers on the table and sat. His smile widened.
"Well let’s see if you are amusing or can see the future."
"Place your hands on the table, palms down." He looked as if he'd refuse, then shrugged and placed his hands on the table. I placed my hands over his and closed my eyes. He tensed when I touched him and was slow to relax. Lady Roshan was right. I needed the contact with the other person. For some reason, the hands seemed to convey a person's emotions.
"You are used to giving orders," I felt tension in his right hand, "and having them obeyed. And you are a man of vision, you see opportunity and are preparing to seize—"
As his hands jerked out from under mine, I slid backward drawing a knife but keeping it hidden by my skirt. His hand was on his knife pommel, but it remained in the sheath. He glared at me, then unexpectedly turned and left. A strange reaction... He wanted something from me, or maybe to test me and didn't like the result—neither did I. His reaction screamed I was a danger to him. I didn't have time to ponder the problem because another customer entered seconds later. I nudged Anil and Kasi to fly around the area, but it was hard concentrating on telling fortunes and watching through my darlings’ eyes. I know he left with the two orange-robes following him and that he entered the castle—things I had already guessed.
* * *
The next day was spent checking the equipment and loading the wagons for the night's performance.
"Are you nervous about tonight?" Luka asked as we prepared to leave for the castle. His concern was sweet and comforting for me but stressful for him.
"No, love. Are you nervous before a performance? Or during one?"
"No. I've practiced the routines many times and as prepared as possible, and during an act, the act becomes my entire world... Oh, I see. Sister Rong trained you well and once the game begins... "
"Yes. It's much the same." I sat with my arm around him as our wagon made its way to the castle. There we unloaded our equipment and got everything setup long before the guests began arriving. Now the boring part, waiting for the guests to arrive, chat, and eat.
The performance went off perfectly. The Magic Ball act was getting a good deal of attention, since nobody had ever seen an act like it before and fire was always a hit with audiences. Lady wu'Lichak was very gracious, and called each act's members to her for a few minutes talk. We were the last.
"Can I see one of those balls?" she asked. Not really a question. One didn't refuse a noble, especially when the noble was a province leader. Kata handed her one, which she examined thoroughly before handing it back. I thought the look of pleasure strange when she tried to roll the ball up her arm and it dropped onto her chest and into her lap. She gave a small giggle. "And the fireballs?" Again she examined the ball carefully. "Dangerous and clever." She handed Kata a small bag of coins, and we returned to our waiting room which was now filled with food, which by the look of it was leftovers from the main meal. Everyone was almost finished eating when Lord Boyan entered and nodded in my direction. Santo joined us.
"Gypsy Santo, please wait here until Lady wu'Lichak and Ryana are finished their discussion." He nodded to Santo then waved for me to follow him. He led me to the same room, and surprisingly, Lady wu'Lichak was already sitting at the small table we used and smiling. Something was very wrong, and judging by the look on Boyan’s face, he was worried.
"Lady wu'Lichak," I said, bowing and pulling out my small vial. "Would you taste this for me, please?" I put a drop on my finger and
held it towards her. Something unheard of—asking a noble to lick your finger. Boyan scowled but said nothing. Wu'Lichak grabbed my hand and touched her tongue to my finger.
"That’s just like the juice I have before going to bed. Delicious." She leaned closer to me. "And the dreams are wonderful. Men sending glorious sensations through me for hours." She giggled. My arm arched in a circle driving my palm downward striking her forehead just above her eyes. She folded into her chair like a wet rag. Before Boyan could come to terms with what I had just done, I was at his side, with my hand on his half-drawn sword hand, and a knife at his throat.
"Lord Boyan, in the next few minutes you are going to make a decision that will have ramifications across Hesland, so I need you to try and relax. You need to have your wits about you." I stood waiting for him to relax. Slowly, most of the tension went out of him. "Lord Boyan, you know me, and have a good idea about what your liege lady thinks of me. Think about our previous meetings and your discussions with her." Again I waited, hoping he'd realize wu'Lichak trusted me. I think it worked because he appeared to relax some more. I let go of his sword hand and retrieved my vial.
"Give me your hand." When he did I shook a drop into his palm. "Taste."
"Very nice. Like some kind of fruit," he licked his palm again.
"That is a drug the Zunji call the deadly Passion. It is not only addictive, but puts a person under your complete control. It is the deadliest drug on Hesland. Those dreams she mentioned. Those weren't dreams. Some men were in her room, and she willing let them do whatever they wanted—"
"No!" Boyan jerked so violently, my knife cut into the skin. Fortunately, he felt the cold blade and stopped.
"If we do nothing, your liege lady will soon willingly become the castle whore and available to any soldier or servant or commoner." I stepped back and put my knife away. Tears streamed down his cheeks as raw hate crept into his face. His sword left its sheath.
"Who?"