Rishi stood, not moving a muscle.
Kara tried to focus on breathing and calming herself while waiting for Hitam to hit them with whatever was coming. He must know he wasn’t telling her anything new, but he wouldn’t have cleared everybody out unless he had something specific to say. Something he didn’t want others to hear. He paced in a circle around them, and Kara felt the same helplessness and inability to act as when she’d fallen and the kallin bear had relentlessly kept coming toward her.
Hitam stopped in front of Rishi and stared at him.
Rishi’s gaze didn’t waver.
“These divisions are within tribes and between tribes. You understand that I cannot place my people in danger, therefore I'm requesting you stay in your tent until Ikeya and your tribe arrive.”
Chapter Twenty: Double-Dealing
Eastern Desert Proverb:
Freedom is the most precious gift.
Hitam brooked no argument. “I know Ikeya thinks differently, but whatever Ikeya would do is not relevant here.”
“I understand completely, Shanwatah.”
What? Kara snorted, and then hurriedly coughed as if she was choking to cover her reaction. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Wasn’t he going to protest? Was Hitam’s authority here that unquestionable they could be imprisoned without any objection? HowRishi could stand there and accept this outrageous behavior was beyond her. She desperately wanted to tell this conceited little dictator exactly what she thought of him and was aware of her mouth opening when Rishi spoke.
“I understand your concerns, Shanwatah Hitam. You have cared for us since you came upon us alone and bereft of our tribe. We will do whatever is necessary to prevent misfortune falling on your shoulders.”
Hitam relaxed slightly.
Had he expected more protest from Rishi?
“May I make a request?” Rishi asked with a slight emphasis on the word request. He paused, watching Hitam’s reaction.
The big leader nodded.
“After dark, if Kara covers her head, I’d like to take her out, as it would be such a shame if she is unable to experience our first evening at the Summer Meet.”
Hitam continued to pace, then he suddenly laughed and clapped Rishi on the shoulder. “Of course. Of course. You will make a fine negotiator one of these days. If it were possible, I would invite you to join my tribe.” He smiled magnanimously, a benefactor distributing favors.
Rishi gave a tight smile and bowed.
Kara copied him, but only because she wanted to hide her resentment. She wasn’t very good at concealing her feelings.
“Come, Kara.” They left Hitam’s tent, both eager to be out of his presence as soon as possible.
Back in their tent, though it had become more of a cell as the two guards were back on duty, Kara marched from one side to the other, swiveled on her heel, and stomped back to the other side.
Rishi, sitting on the bed, put out a hand and caught the edge of her tunic. “Sit, Kara, please. Watching you is wearing me out.” He patted the space next to him.
“How can he do this?’ she hissed at Rishi, balling her hands into fists.
He raised his finger to his lips and pointed outside.
“I don’t care!” She plonked herself down on the bed.
“Listen,” he said, and they sat quiet as noises from the camp penetrated the tent. Children’s laughter from a short distance away as if a chase game was in progress, men and women tossing remarks back and forth, the hushed whisper of gossip, and the occasional heated exchange of an argument. They could even hear the distant barking honk of the satyrs as they grazed outside the camp.
“Remember the kallin bear?” he whispered.
“As if I can ever forget,” she snapped, glowering at him.
“A kallin bear’s strongest sense is smell, his sight is weak. Therefore when he is about to strike, you must be absolutely still. For one or two seconds the beast becomes confused, and that gives you time to plunge your spear into its brain.” He reached out, pushing her hair behind her ears and smoothing it with his fingers. “We are in the mouth of the bear, and if we make the wrong move...” He left the rest of the sentence to Kara’s imagination.
Yes, but they weren’t criminals, and the unfairness of Hitam’s actions were an attack on what she understood to be a basic freedom. She sagged, her indignation deflating.
He dropped his voice till she could barely hear him, leaned close and whispered. “Tonight, gradhaig, we will take a walk and see for ourselves what is happening outside of Hitam’s camp, but you must follow my lead without question. As you did this morning.”
She nodded. “I thought I was going to explode.”
“I did, too. Your face was a picture, but you controlled that temper of yours very well. Come,” he gently pulled her into an embrace. “Let’s rest and save our energy for tonight. My tribe has alliances with other desert clans who are here already, and they might give us protection if needed. Imprisoning us like this is a breach of hospitality. No matter what he says, that is what Hitam is doing.”
“Rest?’ She giggled as his hair tickled her cheek when he bent and nuzzled her neck.
At around noon, they heard Farah calling them. When Rishi opened the tent flap, she handed him a tray with two steaming bowls, and a pile of flatbreads. She neither looked at him nor spoke a word.
“'Don't blame her.” Rishi's voice was sympathetic as he placed the tray on the carpet. “I’m sure Hitam gave her strict instructions not to engage with us, and he’ll check with the guards that she obeyed.”
Kara dipped her flatbread into the stew, and nibbled the edges. She wasn’t hungry.
“Eat,” Rishi said quietly. “Everything must appear normal. We will only get out tonight if he thinks we agree with him.”
She tried but the flatbread stuck in her throat, and Rishi finished most of her meal.
During the afternoon there was a lull in the encampment, as everyone rested after the midday meal, saving their energy for the evening’s activities.
They didn't receive an invitation to eat with Hitam that evening, and a young girl they’d not seen before brought their meal. She seemed terrified of Kara as she put their food down and scurried out.
“Tonight Hitam will visit some of the other leaders, and seek alliances with those who have similar views.” The frown on Rishi's forehead and the thin line of his mouth told her he was anxious.
Kara speculated about which side of the colonists versus Maruts divide Hitam was on. She kept her own counsel, not wanting to add more fuel to Rishi’s unease. How did Hitam plan to use the prizes he had in her and Rishi? And where was Ikeya? She couldn’t wait till nightfall.
As darkness fell, one of the guards lifted the curtain flap and beckoned them out. “Hitam has said you may walk around now,” he informed them.
Kara had found a long plain brown shawl in the trunk and her head and shoulders were covered. The guard stared hard at her as she passed him. She ignored his stare, and twitched the cloth well forward as they exited.
Rishi took her hand and led her through the rows of tents set up by Hitam’s tribe. Their bodyguards followed behind, but not close enough to overhear their conversation.
Families, groups of warriors, and herders were gathered around cooking fires. The pungent aroma of exotic spices filled the air as the smoke from the fires drifted skyward. The camp was muted as people ate and sat back satisfied. Someone sang, a single voice rising and swelling in contrast to the background growl of the sea.
Kara was entranced. Night at the colony meant everyone stayed inside except patrols. If there were concerts or lectures they took place in the early evening after eating. The colonists felt safe and protected inside their houses. “This is astonishing,” she muttered to Rishi. “I’ve seen nothing like this in my whole life.”
“Nor will you again. The desert, mountain and plains people do not meet often like this. Normally tribes from the different regions have separate Summer M
eets. Look,” he pointed to where Lemnas leapt away from the horizon.
Kara's mouth dropped open. The moon was magnificent. She gazed at the huge gloriously luminous orb lifting into the sky. The thought occurred to her that it was more than possible that the two moons’ abnormally close orbits could easily be responsible for the seismic activity and the early storm.
Some information was available from the mother ship, but without a treaty in place the colonists weren’t able to establish any local observation satellites. Nonetheless, she could imagine the excited commotion in the instrument room at the base. The geologists would be as busy as tiny sharp-beaked kracken birds devouring a corpse with the recent seismic activity, and the moons would have the astronomers recording every detail of the current orbit. This was a unique event, and somehow, here she was observing it with her own eyes in this unbelievable setting.
“That is what we celebrate. This particular combination of moon cycles comes once in a hundred turns, and you will see a demonstration tomorrow night of its power.”
“What happens?” The first moon’s brilliant light added to the wonder of the scene and the vibrancy of the Maruts, who seemed to Kara to grab every second by the throat and fill it with life and movement. Then the drums started.
“Come,” Rishi pulled her along and they joined the busy flow of folks streaming excitedly toward the center of the camp. She glanced behind. Their bodyguards still followed, but the distance between them increased as more groups merged with the throng.
“The guards,” she hissed.
Rishi turned his head and, raising his hand, waved at them. “Not tonight,” he said softly, “for now, we behave, we are good little children.” He snorted in derision. “We will leave tomorrow. First we find out which desert clans are here and see who is strong enough to shelter us and has the strength to stand against Hitam. For the moment, we'll let him think we've agreed with his plan to keep us safe.”
As people flowed around them, Kara held his arm and they waited for the two guardsmen to catch up.
“Thank you,” the older one said, “I am glad you did not run.” His finger tapped the long gleam of the knife on his belt.
Kara tightened her grip on Rishi’s arm.
Rishi gave a small smile. “We have no reason to refuse the gracious hospitality of the Shanwatah.”
“Relax, gradhaig,” he said in an undertone. “These dogs bark, not bite.” He moved forward, his eyes flicking from left to right as he scanned for signs of his tribe.
As people gathered in the torchlit central area, they spread out in rows, forming a circle, still leaving a large space in the middle. Arranged in groups of family and friends, they laughed, and talked, gesturing enthusiastically. The crash of waves on the beach below as high tide approached provided a counterpoint to the swell of noise from the gathering.
Differences between the tribes’ tents were easy to spot because each had its own distinct patterned embellishment. The mountain people favored weavings featuring pelts of fine fur; those from the plains were famous for the brilliant colors of their tent awnings; the desert clans cut and stitched the varicolored satyr skins into intricate geometric designs.
The chiefs' tents were distinguishable by their ornate coverings, and Kara hypothesized about a prize for the most elaborate. She shot a quick glance around the circle, deciding Hitam would win the prize for the most ostentatious, and was relieved she saw no sign of the leader.
A long blast of a horn rent the air, and everyone quietened as a line of men, bodies oiled and gleaming, wearing only trews, ran into the central space. Several sections of the crowd erupted into cheers, ululations, and loud cries of encouragement.
“Each clan gives a display of some skill,” Rishi informed her as he worked his way along the back edge of the seated crowd. “These are my desert brothers.”
She could hear the catch in Rishi’s voice. She had seen his skill, and knew he’d looked forward to being out there representing his clan with Ikeya, Yleni, the boys and their tribe watching. She could feel his frustration at being unable to outwit Hitam eating at him.
For about five minutes the grunts of men warming up could be heard, then at a second blast of the horn, the men paired off. As they flung themselves at each other, grappling, throwing each other down, and struggling to keep a winning hold on their opponents, the crowd roared encouragement at their favorites, and more than a few bets were placed on the outcome. As she’d witnessed previously, the men fought until one clear winner from each pair emerged. This continued until two finalists remained, and the audience gave a great howl of delight as one triumphed over the other. Men from the victor’s tribe rushed forward, hoisted him onto their shoulders, and, as he was declared the winner, paraded him around the arena.
After the wrestling finished, Rishi moved on.
“Is this where Ikeya will camp?’ Kara asked as they came to a large empty space, trying not to picture Ikeya, Yleni and the boys filled with elation at the evening’s entertainment.
“No, this place belongs to the Western Desert tribe. It seems we are not the only ones who haven't arrived on time. There,” Rishi pointed to another unoccupied gap further on. “That is our place.” The two spaces yawned ominously vacant, and Rishi threaded his way through the seated crowd to the space allocated to his tribe. He sat at the front of the empty section, pulling Kara down beside him, staking his territory, and, to anyone who watched, proclaiming his status as an Eastern Desert tribesman.
The guards stayed close, and positioned themselves, one on either side of the couple. The guard next to Rishi leaned in and whispered, "Don't try anything. My orders are to keep your wife safe. Hitam didn't mention you,"
Kara shifted closer to Rishi. "Are you all right?"
"As much as I can be." He put his arm around her. "I miss them."
"It'll be okay," she said squeezing his fingers lightly, and resting her head on his shoulder. As long as he was by her side, everything was fine. Despite past dangers and present challenges, she felt humbled and exhilarated to be here. She would cherish this memory.
The horn reverberated a second time and two dozen young men and women cart-wheeled into the center to more cheers and yells, and performed breath-taking death-defying gymnastic routines that had Kara’s eyes popping in amazement. For the next two hours she watched, mesmerized by display after display of dancing, musical performances on drums and wooden stringed instruments, archery and spear-throwing exhibitions and knife-fighting demonstrations.
“Tomorrow's celebration is different,” Rishi said as the final horn blew at the close of the night’s entertainment, “but after that, these contests and entertainments continue in earnest for the next week.”
By the time the evening's performances were over, Kara’s mind was swirling with colors and movement. This had been a night of revelation for her. This race hadn't merely adapted to the planet where their ancestors dumped them, taking away any technology that made life easier, but they had developed every skill needed to survive, and moreover, turned those skills into art forms. Would her people have been able to do the same or would they have returned to subsistence living?
She knew the divide between her past and her present was increasing. Memories of life in the settlement were fading, becoming pale and insipid in comparison to the life she was living here. Simultaneously her analytical side was busy noting everything she saw, because one day she would make a record of her experiences, and who else would that be for if not for her own people?
Ever since she arrived at the Academy she’d suppressed her feelings, instinctively boxing them away. Her father had been the one stable presence in her life after her mother’s death, but she’d walled her emotions off to make her new life tolerable. The shock of her run-in with the kallin bear and living with the Maruts had broken down her barriers, and allowed her to reconnect with her emotions and feelings. She felt more alive, more aware, and everything was heightened, especially when she was around Rishi. She was
becoming aware of two different aspects of her personality. One was a scientist and an observer, and the other was living in marvelous astonishment at the surprising turn her life had taken.
Later as they lay entwined in the after-flush of love making, she told him, “I still want to return to the colony,” and felt the stab of hurt her words gave Rishi, “but,” the words spilled out, “I want you to come with me. Afterward I want to return to the desert and stay with you.” She had to tell him now or she wouldn’t say it at all. “I'd like you to meet my father. Is that all right?” She waited.
Rishi lay absolutely still.
No reaction from him was worse than an explosion. She put a hand up and stroked his face, and drew in a quick breath as her fingers touched the dampness on his cheek.
He pulled her into a tight embrace. “Gradhaig, beloved,” he whispered over and over, as he nuzzled into her neck.
Nothing mattered to either of them—except they stay together.
Chapter Twenty-One: Standing Witness
Marut Proverb:
Respect the power of the planet lest you be crushed when it flexes its muscles.
The next morning, knowing Ikeya might already be here, it became harder for Rishi to accept doing nothing except spend all day waiting in their tent. He repeatedly demanded to speak to Hitam, but nothing happened. They could hear lighthearted exchanges between other guards coming and going. Trying to overpower the two outside would be ill-advised.
At last he gave up trying. ‘"We may stand a chance tonight,” he told Kara, a mutinous look in his eye, “and if Ikeya isn’t here by then, something is seriously wrong."
"I don’t understand why Hitam’s doing this. What does he hope to gain?"’
"It’s not me he wants, Kara, it’s you. I’m just another desert hunter. Somehow you are important to his plans."
She sensed Rishi wasn’t telling her everything, but there was no point in pressing him. He could be as stubborn as a satyr who’d dug his heels in, refusing to budge. She understood individual Marut tribes were forbidden to deal with the colony—it contravened the treaty—and if Hitam planned on somehow informing the colony she was here, that would be a huge gamble. Did he expect the colonists to reward him? Not to mention the other tribes’ reactions. Moreover, how would he accomplish that, even if he'd sent a rider to the base the second he'd found them?
Veiled Planet (Hidden World Trilogy Book 1) Page 18