The Uzan Crystal

by Lisa S. Buchholz

  That evening I spoke with my eldest brother Ferris and my father. I explained my feelings to them and asked that I be released from the agreement with Yedda. I knew that Ferris would be a good husband to Yedda and that he would be able to give her what she deserved. My father was not happy about it but knew that Ferris could marry Yedda and neither my father's nor Yedda's tribe would be shamed. The only problem that was left was that Olena was of Yedda's father's tribe and since I did not wish to wed Yedda, I would not be permitted to wed any other in his tribe. I arranged a meeting with Olena and asked her if she would come away with me and we could wed and live in another place. She wanted to but could not bear to leave her family or shame them. I knew that I could not stay in Cardel knowing that I would never be able to have Olena as my wife. I also didn't want to be there when she took a husband. I was young and foolish." He sighed and turned back to Angelina. "It was then that King Jasper and his entourage passed through Cardel on a visiting tour of the cities of Talenvar. I decided to join them and leave Cardel behind. I have never returned to Cardel or even written my family. I'm not sure how well received I'll be when we enter Cardel. I can image how disappointed and angry my father was at my leaving."

  "I'm sorry to have gotten you involved in this," she began in apology as she laid her hand on his arm. "If I didn't ask you to help you wouldn't be here now."

  He smiled at her and clasped his hand over hers in reassurance, "I had to come back and face it one day and now is about as good as time as any."

  They returned to the camp. Everyone ate their evening meal and turned in for the night.

  Chapter 27

  Cardel

  The city of Cardel was breathtaking. It sat in the middle of the White Sea. Great white walls of sparkling granite surrounded the city to hold the sand at bay. There was a large slab of white granite laid before the gates. It was kept clear of sand to allow the gates to swing open and closed without hindrance. The walls surrounding the city were at least two stories high. The buildings inside the city were not higher than one and a half stories. The houses and streets were made of white granite also. Sir Taz explained as he saw their looks, that the city had once been, a few hundred years ago, surrounded by another city twice as large that spanned in all directions. Over the years the sands slowly claimed it except for the middle city which is what they saw now. The middle city was set much higher then the other parts of the city and therefore the sands did not reach it and cover it. Some sand did blow in but the people of Cardel took great care in getting it cleaned from the streets and tossed back outside. There were wells which stood at various points in the city and were kept covered by large slabs of granite. The protective slab of granite was fixed to a pulley device that could be easily cranked to move it on and off the wells. The elder's home was near the far end of the city.

  Once the group entered the city and the gates were shut behind them, they removed their veils. Some took the headpiece off completely as did Sir Taz, Angelina and Elise. Sir Taz was immediately recognized as a native of Cardel from his topknot and facial features. He knew that it would not be long before his family knew he was there. He had already noticed and identified some of the people in the streets. He may have been away for a long time but his people aged slowly and it was easy to recognize who was who. Lorac was greeted as she entered. She had delivered supplies and other items to Cardel at least three times this year already. Most of the time she had been with her father or one of her brothers but once she felt comfortable to journey alone she did. This was her second year of traveling to Cardel by herself. The people before them began to step back to allow a man through the crowd.

  Angelina noticed that he seemed to be very old by the way he walked. It was hard to tell what he looked like since he was wearing a long white robe and had the hood pulled over his head and face.

  Lorac reigned in her horse to await his arrival. The rest of the party also stopped and waited. Sir Taz moved to Lorac's side. It was the elder that was coming to see them and he was closely followed by Sir Taz's father and the other two tribal leaders. Sir Taz noticed that his father had gotten more gray and seemed to walk a little slower as if age was finally catching up to him. He met his father's glance and saw the surprise in his eyes before he looked away and at the elder. The elder stopped in front of Lorac's tocuss.

  "Welcome Lorac," greeted the elder in a raspy voice of old age. "And also to your companions. Come with me and we will talk," he instructed as he turned and began to make his way back the way he had come. The tribal leaders turned and followed.

  Lorac and Sir Taz got down from their mounts. Lorac turned to the rest of the group. "We walk from here."

  They all dismounted and began to follow the elder. A few younger men came over and took their tocusses and led them away. Angelina was thinking about Sir Taz and was hoping he would not receive a cold welcome. The elder led them to a two story building. They were ushered inside. It was very bright and open. The first chamber was where they were instructed to remove their veils and were given cool water to wash their faces and hands. After they had done that, they were taken to the second chamber. They were instructed not to say anything until after the elder spoke. The second chamber had a domed ceiling which was opened to the second floor. The elder was sitting cross-legged on the floor at the head of a low white granite table. Two of the tribal leaders, including Sir Taz's father, sat to the right of the elder. The last tribal leader sat to the left of the leader. The group was asked to be seated around the table. There were small cushions placed on the floor around the table so they would have something to sit on. Cool drinks of water and trays of flattened bread and dried fruit were placed on the table.

  After everyone was given a glass of water to drink the elder began by introducing himself. He slipped the hood of the cloak off of his head and let the cloak fall to the floor behind him. Within a few seconds it was gathered up by a young man. The young man disappeared through a door and quickly returned. He took a seat directly behind and off to the right of the elder. "Welcome to Cardel and to my home," he began. "I am called Daveed and this," he directed their attention to the young man behind him, "is Neek, my son and the future elder of Cardel. These men," he opened his arms to encompass the tribal leaders, "are our tribal leaders. This is Polleg," he said of the man to his left. "And these are Rasbar and Tor." Tor was Sir Taz's father.

  Angelina noticed that the elder and his son both wore their hair cropped close to their heads and were clean shaven. It seemed unusual to see them with their hair not in the traditional style of the men of Cardel. She also noted that the elder was not as he first appeared. He was a younger man with dark brown hair and eyes. His son also had dark brown hair and eyes.

  Daveed noticed the looks that he was given when he made his appearance known. "Most strangers are given the appearance of a feeble old man because that is what most people expect to find when seeking an elder," he explained to them. "But I recognized one of your companions," he continued as he glanced at Sir Taz, "as a native of Cardel and was informed by Tor that you are his son. Since this is the case, I did not feel it necessary to continue with the charade." He took a sip of his water before continuing. "Please help yourself to something to eat and drink. You can tell me of what it is you seek while we eat."

  Angelina decided that she would explain. She began by telling the elder of her father's encounter with Airic when he was a boy. She explained the circumstances which led to her finding out about what had happened to Airic and concluded her tale with their journey to Cardel.

  The elder did not eat. He sat with his hands clasped before him and listened to Angelina. "That is quite an interesting tale. I will meditate and summon you back here when I have found the answer to what you seek." With that statement he stood and left the room. His son followed.

  After the elder had departed, the tribal leaders also took their leave. Tor informed them that they would be staying with his tribe. He led them out of the elder's home and began walking
through the crowded streets.

  Lorac had gathered two flattened pieces of bread and a handful of dried fruit for Angelina to eat as they walked. She had not had the chance to eat as she was telling her tale. Angelina was grateful for her thoughtfulness. It was a quiet walk as the group took in the sites of the city.

  When they reached the area where Tor and his tribe lived, they were directed to two buildings which were used for travelers. Each person was shown to their room.

  Angelina saw Tor quietly speaking with Sir Taz and when Tor left, Sir Taz went with him. She was ready for a nap. The heat of the day was making her tired and she didn't sleep well in the desert. Elise also looked tired. "I'm going to try to get some sleep. I'll see you when it's time for our evening meal unless we're needed before then." Elise agreed with a welcome smile when Angelina mentioned getting some sleep. Elise took the room next to Angelina's. Angelina entered her room. It was small but spacious, with a bed and a corner table and two chairs. There was also a small stand with a basin of water and a towel. She splashed a little water on her face and dried it with the towel before kicking off her boots and relaxing on the bed. It was only a matter of minutes before she was sound asleep.

  Chapter 28

  An Elder's Plight

  The elder sat in a small round room bare of all else but the thick white cushion that he sat cross-legged on. He wore only a white tunic and leggings. He had his hands on his knees and his eyes were shut. The only light that penetrated the room was from three small windows which were sealed by colored glass. The room itself was only twelve feet in diameter. His son, Neek, entered carrying a pot burning with incense. The smoke from the incense was thick and heavy. Neek carried the pot as he walked around the perimeter of the room. He continued to do this until the room was thick with the smoke and scent of the incense. When he felt that the room had been prepared, he closed the lid on the burning incense and left. He closed the door behind him and carefully made his way down the narrow winding stairs. He would have to perform this ritual every four hours. The chamber that the elder sat in was above the first chamber of his home. He had seen his father enter these trances many times and knew that it could be anywhere from one to ten days before he came out of the trance and could give the answer to the questions that someone sought. If an answer could be found. Neek placed the pot on the cool granite floor and went to seek his mother to find out if she had any chores for him to take care of before he would again take the incense pot upstairs. He did not see the young boy that hid by the doorway as he left the first chamber and headed to the private rooms of his family.

  The young boy quietly slipped past the doorway to the other chamber as he made for the steps that would take him to where the elder meditated. He glanced down briefly at the small sack tied at his waist. His bare feet made no sound as he ascended the steps, coming ever closer to the door of the chamber where the elder sat deep in thought. When the boy reached the top of the steps he knelt on the landing before the door and carefully removed the pouch from his waist. The pouch was alive as it shifted in his hand. He ever so carefully held the bottom of the pouch with his left hand and began to open it with his right. He had to be extremely careful or he would be the one that ended up dead. It was hot by the door and sweat dripped down his face. His hair was pulled back in a topknot and he wore the traditional vest and leggings of the people of Cardel. He was nervous about what he was doing but knew that the reward would be great for his deed. He finally pulled the pouch open and placed the open end up against the bottom of the door where there was just enough room for the items in his pouch to get underneath. He tilted the pouch and out came six baby banded snakes. The snakes quickly slithered under the door and were lost from sight. The young boy hurriedly retreated down the steps. He checked to see if anyone was near before he darted out of the main door and was lost in the crowd in a few seconds. He chanced a quick look back at the elder's house to see if anyone had noticed his leaving. He sighed as he realized that he had gotten away with it and no one had given him a second glance. The other young boys would be dressed similarly and it would be hard to distinguish who it was that left the temple. He joined up with a few of his friends and they were off to play some game. The thoughts of what he had done were quickly pushed aside.

  The young boy was seen however, by the person that had given him the snakes and told him of a great reward that he would receive. Reward indeed thought the figure with a sinister smile, a prize that he would be taking to his death. People were so easily manipulated, especially children. Sometimes things were too easy. Now it would only be a matter of time. She was abruptly startled out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder. It was a vendor asking is she saw anything she liked. She bought some of his salty dried fish and headed back to her home. If that is what you could call it. She thought that it was pathetic. She should have been the one to marry the tribal leader's son and have access to his wealth. But he was a fool and would pay the price. She was laughing to herself. Soon she would be the rich one and leave this awful place behind. She had always looked for a way to get revenge and when the scarred man approached her and promised her a way to achieve her goal, she was suspicious. Could someone have discovered her hate for Alleed and sent a spy to find out if it were true? If anyone knew for sure it would be the end of her. Death was the punishment for anyone who killed or tried to kill another Cardellian. But the man that stood before her so many weeks ago was different. He wasn't of Cardel and he showed her his mark of allegiance to Madina the evil sorceress. She wanted her revenge and if she had to ally with another, what did it matter. As soon as the elder was found dead she would get her riches and flee from this place. She could never continue to stay on here. She could hardly live the wealthy life here when she was another member of the tribe and besides, she was sick of seeing Alleed and his precious wife. She laughed out loud at that. Poor Alleed and Rencha, it was a shame that they would be mourning the death of their only son in just a matter of hours. She had still been unsure of whether or not it was a trap until Frelish appeared and asked for the pouch full of snakes.

  She reached her house and entered, closing the door tightly behind her. She felt in the mood to celebrate, so she grabbed the bottle of wine that she had been saving and poured a glass as she relaxed in a nearby chair. Her things were already packed and as soon as she had her money she would be gone. Now all she had to do was wait.

  The elder knew immediately of the danger that was placed into the room. He knew that the snakes were young ones and would startle at the slightest movement. Even the opening of his eyes would cause them to strike out at him. The incense would heighten their reaction time. He wouldn't have a chance of trying to leap up and get through the door. He could sense them slithering around the floor near him. It would only take one bite to kill him. The snake's venom decreases in potency as they mature. If it were mature snakes he was dealing with he would at least have a chance of survival.

  He could wait them out and they would eventually curl up together to sleep. But that wouldn't be until much later and his son was expected to return within three hours. Once his son opened the door, the noise and vibration would cause the snakes to strike out at his son. He couldn't allow that. He wouldn't even be able to call out to warn his son because the snakes would strike him as soon as he spoke his first word.

  There was only one way to get out of this situation alive and he wasn't sure it would even work. Many years ago the elders and their successors were able to communicate with the unspoken word, just by sending thoughts to each other. It had not been done for many years, but he had to try.

  The elder looked deep within himself to summon the strength of his spirit. He called out with his mind, he called his son's name and focused on an image of him. He had no idea of whether or not it was working, he could only continue to try and hope.

  Neek was in the kitchen with his mother, Rissa, when he began to get sharp pains in his head. He told her that he wasn't feeling well and asked if he co
uld lie down. His mother excused him and continued to get dinner ready. Neek laid on his bed. His head was pounding. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.

  It was then that he felt more than heard his name being called. It was if the person calling his name was far away. The pounding sensation decreased and the person calling his name became clearer. It seemed to be his father and whatever he wanted was urgent. Neek concentrated on the voice in his head and as he did it became clearer to him. Now it seemed as if the person was standing next to him. Neek answered in thought and was surprised at how easy it seemed. His father told him of the snakes. Neek was ready to jump up and run to his father's aid but was stopped by a sharp thought thrown at him. His father instructed him to get a pan of warmed goats milk. Banded snakes were known to kill female livestock to get at their milk. He also instructed Neek to pour olium into the milk and to tell no one what he was doing. Not even his mother. His father did not wish to cause alarm.

  Contact broke off as abruptly as it came and when Neek opened his eyes, his head felt heavy but it did not hurt as it did earlier. He quickly slipped into the kitchen and was glad to see that the water skins were gone. This meant that his mother had gone to the well to get fresh water and would not be back for awhile. He grabbed a bowl and raced outside to where the livestock was kept. He hastily milked a nearby goat. He was in such a hurry that half of the milk squirted on the ground. When he had gotten enough in the bowl, he quickly but carefully returned to the house. He placed the bowl of milk on the rack over the fire that his mother was cooking on and hurried to his father's room to get the bottle of olium.