by Peter Yard
“Did you notice the paintings? The order?” He asked.
Tei was at his side. He wasn’t sure if that was because she was a friend or for appearances. She wore his bandana about her neck.
“Yes. We have been monitoring the cultural progress of the Cities since the Fall. Some, such as Sanfran, are far more cultured and less aggressive. Perhaps it is no surprise they are so keen to have us as guests.”
The troop of guests now entered into a large room lit by masses of oil lamps and a large central fire. The fireplace appeared to have been crudely hacked out of the floor tiles centuries ago. Colored cloth with many intricate patterns lined the walls, mostly yellow and red. At the far end on a raised platform about a meter high was the queen on her throne at the center of a long table full of food but empty of guests. The banquet hall was already full of mingling guests and trestle tables with less fancy food from what he could see.
A court official met them, Alin Mkar, dressed in ornate red and yellow clothes with an elaborate red hat like a flattened ball. Most of the trim was golden braid. Overall the man's dress struck Mikel as unseemly and decadent but still interesting.
"You will be sitting at the table on the dais." He informed them.
"It is a bit exposed." Mikel said to Tei.
Alin overheard. "Your party will be dining with the Queen. Her Highness has ordered that you, scribe, sit on her immediate Right. A great privilege. On no account must anyone sit on her direct Left, that would be most inauspicious."
Mikel felt flushed and flustered, why couldn’t he just be in some inconspicuous corner where he could observe and take notes?
The Queen was quite attractive and dressed in yellow with a delicate crown made of silver and sapphire, if he wasn’t mistaken. He was escorted by a servant, also dressed in red and yellow, to his seat on her right hand. He looked towards her and saw that his eye level was about ten centimeters below hers. He presumed this was intentional because she wasn’t that tall. Just as the raised dais was a signal of her superiority the seat height was an indication that her guests remember their position.
The night seemed to be progressing well, from what he could tell, there was laughter and light banter. Then the Queen put down her golden wine goblet, faced Tei and her tone of voice changed to something more serious.
"How has your expedition to the West been? Any troubles?"
Tei put down her silver goblet, he noticed that her body posture imitated that of the Queen. "It was not as easy as in the past, but we haven't had any direct troubles."
"I am curious about the types of goods you are bringing. I hear that the other Cities have become too dangerous to visit, who do you sell to then?"
Tei was clearly in her element now, Mikel could see that she was relaxed and smiling.
"We sell to whoever wants our goods, which includes our own people, Lind, and Bethor. The Cities — I mean other Cities — may be a problem at the moment but I am sure the problem will pass and they will welcome us again."
Mikel wondered if anyone at the table believed that. It seemed to be a mantra that the Traders kept repeating: it will all get better. Yet individually everyone knew things would only get worse.
"What goods have you been trading lately?"
"Well, Your Majesty, we have been trading exotic metals and materials to Lind in higher than normal quantities, many Lind devices to everyone it seems, and expensive fashion items to Bethor; cloth, silk, gems, that sort of thing."
The discussion was lively on the Trader's side when it came to interesting goods and ideas but the Queen was showing signs of disinterest.
They did not say anything about Tanten itself. A question about it had been asked by the Queen but neatly sidestepped. That question had stuck in his mind. He wanted to know. He was reaching for another glass of wine, perhaps he had too much to drink. He took a glass of water instead hoping that no-one asked him anything complicated.
The Queen smiled. "Very interesting. But I would like to know more about Tanten? What is it like?"
Terl, a Trader he didn't know well, spoke. “Tanten is a city within the desert but not in desert country. It is an oasis. We travel to many places and not only bring back goods and wealth but knowledge. We have several excellent libraries and we retain the history of the Ancients.”
Mikel sat up. So did the Queen. The Traders knew the truth about the Ancients, there was even a common rumor to that effect, which likely was started by the Traders to discredit the notion. Perhaps the wine was making his thinking overly convoluted and confused.
Mikel leaned forward, he couldn’t lose this opportunity. But across from him Tei glared at him with a look that said: shut up. He relaxed, but Tei would answer some questions later or — she would be exposed to the full force of his curiosity, a grim prospect that most of his teachers dreaded.
The Queen interjected, “What do your histories say then about the Cities and before?”
Terl, stroked his short blond beard. “Well, your Majesty, when the Ancients came to Neti, they came in great ships that travelled between the stars. They called them ‘starships’ in the old language. They founded the Cities of the Plains, gave them the names of their old cities, and they knew Zeus.”
“Zeus was real?”, the Queen looked at Terl like a mother about to scold an older child for believing in fairies.
“Zeus is real.” Terl’s face hardened with the famous and often mocked look of defiance of the Traders. Now, having spent so much time among them, Mikel understood that look. It meant: we know things you don’t know and can’t accept.
“… and controls Neti. The wind and clouds and so forth?” The Queen posed to Terl.
Terl relaxed, “No ma'am. The people who first came to Neti named the entity ‘Zeus’ and became friends. But they never regarded it as a god. Just extremely powerful.”
“So where is the home of Zeus?” The Queen was relaxing into this now, was she genuinely curious or merely humoring them? Mikel saw another possibility, perhaps she was studying the Traders society analytically. The answers and beliefs would then give insight into Trader thinking and society. That would be quite ironic. Mikel decided that this 'intrigue mode' of thinking was far too close to paranoia to be healthy.
“To the north your Majesty. At the Snows of Olympus. There is the great Citadel of Zeus. Greater than any work of Man, those who see it are humbled and know that there are greater things in this world than the cares and troubles of humanity.” Terl was standing, right fist clenched making his point. He suddenly looked about, understanding that he had gone a little too far. “Sorry, your grace. I am not well educated in matters of protocol.”
The Queen slowly smiled and gave a slow clap. “Very entertaining. We do not worry about your beliefs, only your actions. The Traders have always been stable and reliable.”
The table’s focus rapidly blurred into various conversations that became an irrelevant buzz to Mikel.
“Now about you young Wizard,” the Queen was looking at him. He wished he hadn’t drunk quite so much. He best keep as much to himself as possible.
"What do you have to say about your travels across the Plains?"
"Tei and I visited Lindin. It looked like they are preparing for war. Soldiers everywhere." He blurted it out without thinking, alcohol and nervousness conspiring together against him.
"Really? Hmm. War against … ?"
She looked at him with a deeply focused intensity, as if her eyes could bore through his skull and find some answer inside.
“Ah. Y-Yes your Majesty. I don't know." He was in deep now, he didn't know the fine art of lying so he would just go with the truth and hope it didn't cost him dearly.
"When I was in Bethor." A flash of bad memories, huddled in a cage, dockside being insulted, casual insults from a stranger, banners, banners, banners everywhere.
"When I was in Bethor, it seemed the whole city was going crazy. They want a new war of conquest."
"Retake the Cities? Destroy Tanten? D
estroy the Center?" she said.
"Maybe."
"Not maybe. It is almost common knowledge that a war is coming. You just confirmed it with your own account." She looked away distracted. Forehead creased, right hand in a fist, knuckles going pale.
"And you are a Wizard?”
“Only an Apprentice, Your Majesty. I was sent here to learn more about the trade routes around Bethor.” His hands were sweating profusely; he kept them under the table rubbing them against his pants.
The Queen’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm. A bit unusual sending a new Wizard so far from home don’t you think? Do you know what I think? I think you are an emissary to the Traders for a future Wizard/Trader Alliance.” At first Mikel thought that she must not have heard him properly, but then it occurred to him that on the contrary she must have decided that the ‘Apprentice’ description was a ruse.
The whole table was silent. The situation had become potentially serious and dangerous.
Mikel cleared his throat, “Ahem, well, you know alliances don’t have to be just two way. It can be three-way, creating a very flexible combination of skills and resources.”
The Queen smiled. Her blue eyes and golden hair radiant in the yellow light from the candles and fire. “Exactly my thoughts. But come on my young Wizard drink up, let’s have some entertainment.” She called for some dancers to entertain and shouted some orders. Mikel’s heart was pounding, he heard the emphasis on ‘my’.
“Mikel,” the Queen leaned over and whispered to him.
“Are you and the Trader woman bound together? If not then you would be very welcome in my bed after the feast. We could see what we can teach each other.”
“I’m sorry my Queen but we are bound,” he lied.
“Yes, I thought as much. Her eyes have not left you all night. But if you leave her your presence will be welcome in my court.”
Was that more intrigue or honesty, or in this world did they merge so you couldn't tell? The more he tasted this life the more he preferred his own.
“Were you looking at me all night?”
Tei looked away from him. They were standing on a balcony looking over the city. The stars were out, feebly challenged by the few yellow, flickering street lamps and home fires of Sanfran. Most of the lights were low, at street level, few people lived in the higher buildings outside the Palace. As he had suspected in Lindin, tall buildings look impressive but are terrible to live in, at least now. Now those tall buildings were invisible except for their ominous silhouettes against the low stars. Ghosts in stone.
“The city was once very beautiful according to the Records. Once it was a center of knowledge and culture. At night it would glow, shapes and patterns of light and color moving over the buildings and through the air.” She said.
Translation: he was not going to get an answer.
“I first started reading the Records when I was ten. After some time I fancied I was even able to understand their ways and a little of their thoughts. You are like them you know. Very much like them. But you have forgotten. We Traders remember, but you Wizards keep the spirit alive, so they say. I was fascinated by you when we met."
She was fidgeting, nervous. "Did you know that? I had met Wizards before, but you are very different. Very. And then on the road — I …”
They had both drunk too much, or not enough, caught in between. They were both feeling open, they both needed to be open. The trouble was he didn’t know if this was a good or a bad decision.
She turned back to Mikel and leaned towards him. Big blue eyes looking, unflinching into his. He could smell the spices on her warm breath and see the pores in her perfect skin. She ducked to his right and gave him a peck on the cheek and retreated. He still held her eyes with his and moved in before he knew what he was doing and delicately kissed her on the lips. It was as if he had been jabbed by a drugged dart. His blood was on fire and he could barely concentrate. The pupils in Tei’s eyes were wide, focused, wide as his probably were. She grabbed his right arm and dragged him down the corridor and into her room.
Later he lay half numb from the good food and the exhaustion of loving sex. The candle on his side of the bed was still lit. He looked over at Tei, her skin so pale compared to his brown, except for her face, tanned by the desert. Delicately, he ran his fingers down her back, over the occasional scar, the tips of his fingers just brushing the fine hairs of her skin. She stretched as if her body understood the message of pure tenderness even if her mind did not. He blew out the candle, the dull blue glow from outside told him that morning was almost here.
Tomorrow, or today, was a big day and he’d need the sleep. He yawned and turned over.
fifteen
Borderlands
They spent an extra two days in Sanfran while Tei and the Queen started the negotiations towards a treaty between the City and the Traders. Tei was very pleased as they left the city.
It was their third day when they were back on the Plains that Tei finally started talking about what the negotiations meant.
“Do you understand Mikel what it will mean if the negotiations are successful? For the first time the centers of knowledge and one of the Cities, a food producer, will be united. Travel will be safer. We could rebuild the roads and use wagons instead of less efficient camels and horses. Irrigate the eastern Plains again. We could consider great journeys of exploration.” She was obviously excited.
“Tei, I’m only an Apprentice of the Center, I don’t really have the authority to …”
“Mikel! Think what you are saying. You are far from the Center. I know you Wizards have great autonomy and sometimes do great things. You aren’t a child anymore.” She gave him a wry smile. “For which I am grateful.”
None of that argument made sense to him, but if the world was going a bit crazy then this strategy made some sense because it was about surviving. He also didn’t understand this odd notion that somehow an act of sex made you a mature human being. In Lind sex was moderated by traditions but it wasn’t shunned. It was just a part of growing up, and learning not just about precautions but also how to treat people respectfully.
Mikel wondered if his current predicament was quite the situation the Center had in mind when they sent him. Well, he would just have to make a decision. Whatever he did now was a ‘decision’, even indecision, so he might as well take the most promising course.
They were at last heading south east into drier lands. The intention was to leave the Plains without delay. There had been some trading with the farming communities north of Sanfran, however the bulk of the remaining load would be going to the East.
Mikel was fourth in line so he had a good view of the lead file. He noticed that it had stopped. He couldn’t see any farms nearby and Tei was coming back along the line towards him.
She rode up. “A Lindin patrol by the looks. Keep calm but be ready, these guys can be arrogant and a little foolish.” She reached down into a saddle bag and brought out a half sized crossbow with a clever lever to cock it. She quickly cocked it and loaded it with a bolt that seemed to click into place. This looked like the same one she had on her hip when he first met her. It would clearly not have much range but that wasn’t important. She hid the crossbow under a leather flap then wheeled and returned to the growing knot of people. Low voices, maybe a half a dozen.
He was close now and could hear the conversation.
A soldier said, “I don’t care. Why didn’t you stop at the Lindin Customs Office?”
Tei’s voice, “There is no requirement for passing caravans to stop in Lindin if they are not trading with the City. You are also far beyond Lindin’s borders, this is the territory of Sanfran.”
“Ah, a Trader lawyer. I didn’t know you scum could even read. Look …”
Here it comes thought Mikel. He could hear the growing aggression in the soldier’s voice. He was drunk on his sense of power over the powerless and some easy pickings. It was so familiar, he knew what was going to happen next. His heart was pounding
.
Mikel was quite close now, about eight meters. He had slowly slipped out a leather strap in one hand and some small heavy stones in the other in case his, clearly biased, opinion of Bethor forces was borne out.
“You do as we say. You hand over half your caravan now or we leave you as fertilizer for the grass and take it all.” He started to draw his sword.
The drawn sword was the patrol’s undoing. Mikel heard a ‘thwak’ and the soldier toppled slowly backward off his horse with the end of a crossbow bolt protruding from his left eye. The rest of the patrol was momentarily fazed, there were seven of them, he loaded a pebble into his sling, swung it, and let go. Another soldier fell. There were more ‘thwaks’ at point blank range. Three soldiers remained, they turned their horses to flee.
Tei yelled, “Get them! Don’t let them escape!”
Mikel let loose another pebble, it glanced off the side of one soldier’s head stunning him. Tei caught up to him and there was a quick glint of metal as she slashed and he fell from the horse. She continued after the others with three other Traders in pursuit with crossbows re-cocked. There was a cloud of dust but in the distance he saw two riders fall in quick succession. And it was over. He felt like it had gone on for ages but he knew it was all over in about 20 seconds. His heart was still pounding. His hands were jittery. His mind worked furiously looking for something to latch onto to distract him. He had to ask Tei about the crossbows, he couldn’t believe how quickly they had been reset or how the bolt could be held in place yet free to fire.
He got down to see if there were any injured. There was more blood on the ground than he expected and his heart was thumping harder with a delayed recognition of how close to death he had been. Some of the soldiers were not much older than him and now they would be hidden in the long brown grass and forgotten. They would never return to family and friends. Lost on patrol.