by John O.
“Thank you,” Maya replied. “This is my brother, HN Yosi Sint.”
“Oh. It is a pleasure to meet you, lord HN. The Aishe is in the throne room; please enter,” the guard replied with an eager smile.
The pair proceeded to walk into the throne room. Upon entry, they greeted the Aishe who smiled and replied, “Welcome, my children. Please sit wherever you please, for this is your home.”
After they had taken their seats, the Aishe began in his usual conversational manner, “Maya dear, tell me what you’ve been up to lately.”
“Besides helping my brother settle in at the Helesp, nothing much really. There’s my job, which involves a lot of coordination and takes a lot of my time. However I still make out time to read and ride every now and then.”
“I see. I was expecting to hear that you’ve begun seeing someone,” the Aishe raised an eyebrow as he put on a playful mocking expression.
“Goodness no, grandfather. You know I have no intention to wed.”
“It seems you’re yet to get over your distaste for men.”
“Grandfather! I never said I had any such distaste for men. All the men that have approached me have failed to impress me, that’s all,” Maya replied with mock horror.
“Are you in touch with Jessamine? How is she?”
“She is fine I believe. She is away on leave,” Maya deliberately avoided the first question.
“That’s good,” the Aishe laughed as he thought of his vivacious granddaughter.
Switching his gaze to Yosi, he said, “Yosi, you were only five when I last saw you. Other than the fact that you are taller, you don’t seem to have changed much. Allow me to congratulate you on your new position as HN of Lionea.”
“Thank you, lord Aishe,” Yosi replied.
The Aishe concluded that Yosi must be a naturally serious person to have referred to him so formally.
“So how have you been?” he asked.
“Well,” Yosi replied.
Serious and reserved, the Aishe thought as he retrieved a parchment, which he handed over to Yosi.
Yosi, upon receiving the parchment, opened it and read. He was surprised to find that he had just been gifted with a ship capable of sailing across the Endless Sea.
“You are a blessing to my family and to our nation. You deserve even more than what I’ve bequeathed you. Only my brother, Sen, shared my flair for the seas. To put it correctly, he loved the seas even more than I did. When he became HN, he gave me that ship as a token of our bond, especially as he knew his days of expedition were over. I haven’t used it much, having become Aishe myself. And I doubt that you will use it much either. However, its durability should increase your ability to sanction missions across the seas, so I believe it will serve you well.”
Yosi realized that it must have been the ship which conveyed Sen to the lands where his sword had been forged.
With sincere gratitude, he replied, “Thank you, Grandfather.”
That’s more like it, thought the Aishe, pleased that Yosi had addressed him using a more personal word. “So tell me, is there a woman in your life?”
Yosi immediately thought of the Ispris, but instead replied, “No Grandfather.”
“I see. Are you like your sister or do you intend to wed someday?”
“I am open to wedding, though I will make no deliberate attempt to see it happen at this time. In essence, I may or may not wed in the end.”
The Aishe smiled and replied, “That does not surprise me. Your father was the strangest of all my children. Imagine my shock when he informed me of his intention to wed your mother; I had long concluded that he was already wed to the arts of healing. In any case, I am happy you’re all doing well.”
“Thank you,” Yosi and Maya replied simultaneously.
“Where will you go from here? To see your parents I suppose?”
“Yes, grandfather. We sent word to them that we would be visiting. Perhaps we should be on our way now,” Maya replied.
“That’s alright by me. Be sure to give them my regards,” the Aishe said as Yosi and Maya stood to leave.
Maya proceeded to hug the Aishe while Yosi simply smiled and nodded as a way of bidding him farewell.
Rosi Lite was suddenly aware of the tension that existed between Zach Sen and Rahel Ni. Ever since the training session had ended, the pair had sat at a distance in the hall. For one, Rahel was reading a manuscript, and this was something she never did in the hall. Zach, on the other hand had been stealing glances at her, seemingly analyzing her behavior. Rosi guessed that something had occurred between them and Zach was trying to assess Rahel’s reaction. His conviction came when Zach proceeded to ask Rahel to a game of Strag to which Rahel refused!
Unable to contain his speculation any longer, he whispered to Zach, “Zach, what transpires between you and Rahel?”
Zach regarded him for a few counts before replying, “I think I’m in love with her.”
Rosi could barely hide his surprise. All this while he had thought that Zach was like Ron Riten and himself, men who were content to live without any close relationship in the face of the dangers of this world. Zach in particular had shown no interest in any of the girls. To hear him profess love now was absurd.
“Zach, for how long?”
“Since the first day I laid eyes on her.”
“That long? I never noticed. Perhaps my senses are not as sharp as I once thought.”
“No Rosi, it is I who effectively concealed my feelings.”
“Are you sure this is love? I have seen you steal a few glances at Lena Sten before.”
“I’ve always thought to draw Lena while she dances,” explained Zach. “To create an image that would capture her in motion would be a feat, even for me. That is why you may have seen me look at her every now and then. But with Rahel, my insides come alive upon beholding her. There are times when I feel my heart skip a beat. Other times, it feels as though I’ve become entirely molten. She’s truly something, Rosi. Truly something.”
Rosi could only stare with vacant eyes as he listened to Zach. For a person who preferred to keep his emotions private, the very emotional description Zach just gave was foolproof evidence that the man was in love, or so he thought anyway.
“Why does it seem like you two came to contention?” Rosi asked upon regaining himself.
Zach shrugged, “We had a small disagreement on our way back from the Ispris’ residence yesterday. I prefer not to go into the details.”
“Suit yourself. Whatever happened, you need to rectify it soon, lest it become evident to all that you’ve fallen in love.”
“Is that such a bad thing? I don’t think I mind if others know.”
“Until you’ve wed her, assuming you have any such intentions, your feelings may be used against you, Zach. Do not forget how Hito Hent fell from grace. Without a just trial, the man was sentenced to death.”
“A good thing he escaped,” Zach thought aloud.
“Still, he is no longer a Leade. Take heed, is all I’m saying. One can never be too careful in these times.”
“Understood. Thank you for the warning. I truly appreciate it.”
“My pleasure,” Rosi replied.
Rensy Set had observed the two whispering men with disinterest. With languor, he vacated his seat, which was at some distance from the pair, and departed the hall. He had grown so bored that his demeanor began to tell of his discomfort. On getting outside, he proceeded to join Sly, who was sitting on the lawn.
“Hello Sly, what are you up to?” he asked.
“Nothing of interest. I am just enjoying the breeze out here.”
“That is all everyone seems to be doing; idling away. If this is what life at the Helesp is like then only an anticlimax awaits the other Studes who aspire to dwell here.”
“Easy, Rensy, what else should we be doing, other than improving ourselves?”
“We don’t go out except on missions, we don’t play much, no stories, no ballads, hardly
any friendly interaction between the Spyinmes and Leades… Nothing separates us from prisoners who are condemned to severe hardship!”
Sly laughed in good measure before he replied, “Forgive me, but weren’t you present when the Spyinmes danced in the hall to Karl’s music? That was the day you arrived.”
“That was nothing more than an outlier event, if Tido Riva can be believed. According to him, the dour routine of studying and training is all one can hope for in this prison.”
“I am a boy of the temple. Perhaps that’s why I have no any issue with the way we do things here. Let’s see if Zach will allow us go horse-riding. That should provide enough entertainment for you, I suppose.”
“It should!” an excited Rensy replied as he helped Sly to his feet.
Sido Minabi delicately disentangled himself from Surita who was fast asleep. Their lovemaking had worn her out, just as Sido had planned. What he was about to do was a risk he had never been willing to take. Despite his bold exterior, he had always nursed a deep fear of rejection, especially as a result of his childhood as an outsider. Now that he had found his soul mate, he feared losing her upon returning to the Helesp; a fear that far surpassed the hold rejection had on him. As a result, he knew that the time had come for him to take the valiant step.
He slipped down the stairway and approached the old woman who served as the caretaker of the townhouse.
“Good morning, mother,” he began.
“You call me mother? Good morning to you too!” she beamed as she continued, “My boy should be just as old as you now. A man of the seas, he rarely comes home to see his mother now. He looks just like you: tall, handsome and dark of hair.”
“Why, thank you for thinking me handsome. Where is your son now?”
“He is aboard the Blue Whale which should be on its way from Gale. I expect him to return on the morrow.”
“You must be excited, I’m sure.”
“Oh indeed I am,” she smiled. “Now what may I do you for?”
Scratching his hair, he replied saying, “I hope to ask the lovely lady in my room for her hand, later today. We are only passersby and will be heading for the Central District in a few hours. I hope to purchase a beautiful nuptial necklace before we depart, though I am not sure where I can find the metal cutters.”
“Oh!” the woman shrieked in excitement, “I know just the place. If only my son would make an honest man of himself like you intend to do, he would make my life fulfilled. Well, if you don’t mind, how much are you willing to part with for it?”
Sido was surprised. “You mean you need a tip to inform me of where to purchase a worthy nuptial necklace?”
“No silly. I mean for the necklace. How much do you intend to purchase it for?”
“Oh,” sighed Sido with relief. “Forgive my presumption. We only have a few coins with us and we intend to buy a horse. Five gold coins is a bit of a stretch but I believe I may be able to manage.”
“That should do.” The woman hesitated for a few counts before proceeding to ask, “If you don’t mind, may I come with you? Since my son won’t afford me the pleasure of nuptial shopping, perhaps you will? A mother’s advice will come in handy in times like this.”
“You are welcome to join. The Almighty Spirit knows I know nothing of these things.”
“Thank you!” the woman was almost ecstatic. “Come with me then.”
The woman hurriedly put away her apron and walked through the door of the townhouse. It was going to be a chitty-chatty walk, Sido knew. To be honest, he didn’t mind it much, for he saw a lot of his mother in this woman.
“I am Sido, by the way,” he ventured.
“I’m Artela,” she replied. “I know. My name has an other-worldly touch to it. My parents migrated from Moulin and for some odd reason; they were bent on ensuring that their culture continues to thrive within the family. Why depart your home country for good and still decide to maintain ways across generational lines?” She asked rhetorically as she rolled her eyes.
Before Sido could reply, she continued, “To oblige my parents, I named my son Martelo, which happens to be the male form of my name. If he ever decides to wed and beget children, I wouldn’t place him under any such obligation.”
“What about his father? Does he also descend from the Moulians?”
“Oh no, his lineage is entirely from Gale. Or was. He is no more, having passed on almost fifteen years ago.”
“I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”
“It’s not a problem dear. I have long learned to live without him. I assume you wanted to know how I convinced him to name his son as the Moulians would?” She laughed and continued, “We women have our ways. It’s like the people here say: the man may be the head but the woman is the neck. A head only moves as the neck wills.”
“That is not an encouraging thing to say to a head that’s about to bind himself to a neck for all eternity,” Sido replied drily.
Artela laughed in good measure as she rounded a corner. “You will be fine dear. That, I can assure you.”
Sido made a face as he walked behind her. The woman was brisk for her age, causing Sido to almost pant as he tried to keep up. If only she realized that he had spent himself all morning as he explored the world of his wife-to-be; that is if she said yes to his proposal, of course.
“Here we are!” Artela announced. They came to a respectable looking building that bore the sign, “For the Valiant.”
Sido almost laughed as he read the inscription. Indeed only a person of valor would do what he was about to: spend a fortune without the assurance of a positive answer. Surita had better not wake up, lest she panic and depart without him, he thought to himself. With a sudden sense of urgency, he walked in behind Artela and began to scout around for a necklace. He selected one which he thought was appropriate, only for his fingers to be smacked by Artela.
“Not that one! Can you not see how gaudy it looks? The lady I saw you with last night seems to have some class,” she scolded him with a frown and handed him another instead. “Here, try this one instead.”
Sido was going to protest her smack but, as her custom, the woman gave him no room to utter a reply. Reluctantly, he took the necklace from her and inspected it. This woman might actually have some taste, he thought to himself. The gold necklace she had selected had a shiny pendant at its center. The pendant was iridescent in a way that would accentuate Surita’s hazel eyes.
“Those would complement her eyes well, won’t they?”
“You observed her eyes?” Sido asked incredulously.
“Nothing in that townhouse escapes me, boy. Not even the passionate sounds you two were making all night,” she added with a wink.
Sido nearly colored in embarrassment. “We were that noisy?” he asked with an abashed tone.
“Not so much as to cause a nuisance,” she smiled.
Sido approached to ask the dealer how much the necklace would cost. To his surprise, it was up for six gold coins. He reluctantly paid and hurried back to the townhouse, with Artela struggling to keep up this time around.
As expected, Jorraine Sint was in his study conversing with his wife, Sue, on some of their ongoing research. It was their Thursday routine, for it was the only day they were absent from the health center. Yosi and Maya had exchanged pleasantries with the housekeeper, who was on her way to visit her own mother, before entering the study.
“Good day father and mother,” Yosi announced to the pair who hadn’t noticed the two would be coming.
“Yosi!” exclaimed his mother with palpable joy. She immediately proceeded to hug him while his father watched with a smile.
“It is a good thing my mother doesn’t miss me as much,” replied Maya with mock jealously as she proceeded to hug her father.
“Don’t be ridiculous Maya. I haven’t seen your brother in a long while now.”
“Mother, it was a joke,” Maya laughed at her mother who always took things a bit too seriously.
Yosi softly ex
tricated himself from his mother’s grip and shook hands with his father. The four then sat around the table so that discussions could begin.
“Congratulations, Yosi. I am aware that you are now the HN,” Sue Sint beamed.
“Thank you,” he replied
“I never expected it,” Jorraine added, “for you were always a temple boy. How does one go from that to being the HN?”
“We men at the temple are also trained in the art of self defense, as you know. So it isn’t out of the ordinary that one of us should be made the HN.”
“I know, I know. Irrespective of your training, though it strikes me as odd that HN Ruki Sen knew enough of a temple boy to appoint him his successor.”
Yosi realized that his parents had never known of his former role as Ruki Sen’s aide-in-field, nor his part in the last war. With a smile, he made an attempt to answer the question with tact.
“The HN consulted with the Ispri on many issues. On one such occasion, he and I had an encounter. He happened to be so impressed that he thought me worthy of the mantle. Though his son would have been his preferred candidate, that man prefers his art to anything else. So I guess there is an element of time and chance in how I ended up as the HN.”
“I see. I guess the witty Ruki Sen had his reasons.”
“Indeed.”
Altering directions, Maya spoke: “So tell me, how are you both?”
“Nothing much has changed in our routine,” Sue replied with a half laugh. “We spend our days with ailing patients, and our nights on research that will enable us save the more troublesome diseases that plague the populace.”
“How noble,” Maya remarked. “What about Jessamine? Has she kept in touch with you two?”
“She visited us about two months ago. She decided to join the Blue Whale as a way to spend her three-month holiday. Apparently she is becoming increasingly bored with the Island,” Jorraine replied.
Yosi suspected that Jessamine had not been exactly forthcoming. For at her level, she was not due for a three-month holiday. Perhaps he would discover the real truth later, he thought to himself as he listened on.