The Forbidden Library

by David Alastair Hayden

  Iniru stood. “I’m taking a nap now.”

  “I’ll join you,” Enashoma said.

  “I’m going to check on Motekeru and the hounds,” Zaiporo chimed in.

  Chapter 17

  While Turesobei’s companions escaped, Kurine wrapped him into a giant … bear … hug and lifted him. “You’re better!” she squealed. “At last!”

  She set him down. Her expression was radiant. He was so screwed. He squirmed free.

  “I still need a lot more rest.”

  “But you’re up walking.”

  “I am.”

  “And we haven’t talked in ages.”

  “I know, and we really need to.”

  “About your birthday? Because I’ve made all the plans. I know it’s in three days …”

  “It is.”

  “But you’re going to need more rest before partying.”

  “Definitely,” he replied. He took her hand and led her to sit down beside him. “But it’s not about my birthday, Kurine. It’s about us. You and me.”

  Her lips puckered into a frown. “That sounds serious.”

  “Well, it is. I just found out we’re … supposedly … engaged.”

  “Not supposedly. We are engaged.”

  “But I didn’t agree to it, Kurine.”

  She pinched him on the cheek. “Oh yes you did, silly. You accepted my kiss.”

  “But I didn’t know that’s what it meant.” He wanted to say he just did it to be nice, but he couldn’t bring himself to. “I kissed you because …”

  “Because you like me. Obviously.”

  “But that’s not what accepting a kiss means in my world.”

  “I know.”

  “You do?!”

  She sighed. “I didn’t know you didn’t know then, but I do know now. The little demon told me. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t trying to take advantage of you. I promise I didn’t know. I was so excited when you returned. You were a hero and I really like you. And it’s not like there are any decent men my age around here. I really didn’t think you’d accept, especially not so soon. I was being rash, but you did accept. You’re were as much into me as I was into you. It was one of the best days of my life.”

  “It was?” Turesobei blurted out.

  “My life’s not so exciting as yours. I make clothes. I do chores. I’ve only traveled more than a day away from the village once.” She stroked his cheek. “I didn’t know you had just lost your betrothed. I didn’t know everything you’d been through. You, poor, poor boy. If I’d known, I promise I would have waited before asking you.”

  “Well, maybe since we had different ideas about what the kiss meant we can back up and —”

  She recoiled as if he’d struck her. “You don’t want me?”

  “No, no. It’s not that. It’s just …” What in Torment was he supposed to say? He didn’t want to marry her, no matter how pretty and perky she was? That he thought she would make a terrific friend? She wouldn’t want to hear that. As he hesitated tears welled up in her eyes. He had to give her some hope. “I want to get to know you. To get married … we’d need to spend time together first.”

  “We have chemistry. That’s all you need.”

  “It — It is?”

  She cheered up. “Un-huh. We’re really going to get to know each other well once we’re married. And we’ll have the rest of our lives to grow close.”

  “Don’t you think it’s best that we get to know each other before we decide to get married? What if after a few days together we don’t like each other?”

  “I can’t imagine that. I know you’re attracted to me. I know you like me enough to marry me.”

  “You do?” It was news to him. “How?”

  “I just know. Just like I know you’ll get over your infatuation with the assassin girl.”

  “You know about me and Iniru?”

  “The little demon told me all about your history together.”

  “Then you must know how much Iniru means to me.”

  “It was a boyhood crush. You’ll outgrow it.”

  “I risked my life, my sister, my clan … everything for Iniru.”

  “For love. You risked everything for love. There’s a difference.”

  “There is?” He shook his head. “Never mind. The point I’m trying to make is, if we’re to get married —”

  “But Turesobei,” she said with frustration, “we are getting married.”

  “I didn’t know what I was agreeing to.”

  “To accept the kiss is to enter a sacred and binding contract. It is a promise between the two of us and the gods. You honor it or risk damnation and shame. Only death can break it.”

  “Maybe we can appeal to … your clergy, the gods, the Council of Aikora … to make an exception since I’m a foreigner and didn’t know the ways of your people or what I was agreeing to.”

  Kurine stared at him in silent horror then broke down sobbing. He put his arms around her and tried to hide her tears from the other goronku in the commons.

  “Kurine, I’m not trying to … I really do like you but …”

  “No, you don’t have to make up a lie. Just tell the truth. You don’t want me. I offered and now that you know what your acceptance means you’re backing out. Because you don’t want me. It’s okay. I’ll free you from your promise.”

  “You will? But how? You just said we couldn’t break the agreement.”

  “There’s a convent at a Crimson Sun enclave fifty leagues away. I can become a priestess. Devoting myself to the gods will spare me my shame. I’ll live out my years there. It won’t free you from your part of the promise … but that doesn’t matter to you. You can continue on with your … girlfriend and …” She threw her head into her hands and broke down completely.

  A convent? He couldn’t do that to her. “Kurine, maybe …” He was so completely screwed. “Maybe we could get married.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes red. “You’re just saying that because I’m upset.”

  “Honestly, I think you’re beautiful. And you’re lively and smart and … a challenge.” He thought of Awasa and Iniru. “I like challenges … apparently. That’s a lot to work with.”

  “You need more?” she sobbed.

  “I need to know you first. I mean, I hated Iniru for weeks when I met her.”

  “You did?”

  “Oh yeah. She got on my nerves.”

  “I bet she still does.”

  “Well … yeah,” he said, then adding quickly, “but in a good way.”

  “You will marry me after we get to know one another … or you’ll decide you don’t like me, so I’ll go to the convent and …”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Then why should we wait? There are no other options.”

  “Two reasons,” he replied, thinking quickly. “First, I might not still be here. If I find a way to return to my world, I might as well be dead as far as it would concern you. Then you’d be free to choose another.”

  “I … I guess so.” She wiped away her tears. “Does that mean you’ve figured out a way back?”

  “Not hardly, but I’m not giving up hope. The other reason is that in my world, in my culture, it is wrong to marry before the age of eighteen. I’m too young. But two years, that’s plenty of time for us to get to know one another and a lot could happen in two years. This is a dangerous world and I’m going to be searching for a way back. And if there is one, I’m going to take it. I must wait to marry or I will dishonor my ancestors and the traditions of my people.”

  It was ironic that he fell upon this excuse. He spent so much of his time angry at the way his society treated him like he was a child, despite all the responsibilities they heaped on him, despite all the sacrifices he’d made and the dangers he’d faced.

  “But if you stay here,” she said, “you will be one of us. Then you should follow our customs.”

  “Despite what I grew up with?”

  Kurine furrow
ed her brow. “How about a compromise between our two cultures? If you stay here and become one of us, you will marry me on your seventeenth birthday.”

  One year. A lot could happen in a year. He could die of cold exposure, be slain by a reitsu, return home, become the Storm Dragon, actually fall in love with Kurine. The chance of him living a year seemed slim.

  “Okay,” he answered in defeat. “It’s a deal. One year.”

  It was not going to be fun explaining this to Iniru. Even if … an incredibly large if … Iniru understood his reasoning, she wasn’t going to accept it. Would she break up with him? Were they something that could be broken up? Why did girls complicate his life? Were prophecies and dragons and enemy clans and ancient demonic enemies not enough?

  Smiling again now, she kissed him. “You won’t regret it. And once you get to know me, you’ll fall in love with me. You won’t be able to wait until you’re seventeen.”

  He laughed. “You could rival Shoma for being upbeat.”

  “Shoma … Why do you shorten each other’s names?”

  “In our world, to use a short, informal version of someone’s name means you are close to them. It represents a deep bond of friendship or love. You don’t do that here?”

  She shook her head. “You’re friends call you Sobei, right? Can I call you that too?”

  “Of course. Can I call you … I can’t think what I would shorten your name to.”

  “Just stick to Kurine.”

  “I’m going to go rest now. This has all tired me out.”

  She helped him up. “Thank you … Sobei. I know it’s not …”

  He nodded. “It’s all fine,” he lied.

  *****

  Turesobei returned to the room.

  “How did it go?” Zaiporo asked.

  “Not well.”

  Lu Bei popped out. “You saw Kurine, master?”

  Turesobei nodded. “Thank you for telling her what you did.”

  “Did it help, master?”

  “It helped but … I’m stuck with my engagement. I couldn’t break her heart. She’d have to become a priestess if I abandoned her. I can’t do that to her. Only other way out is for me to get back home or die.”

  Lu Bei rubbed his hands together as he suppressed a laugh. “Can’t wait till you explain it to Iniru, master.”

  “You sounded way too happy when you said that.”

  “Oh, master, I am sorry,” Lu Bei drawled in an overly-sweet voice. “I am so very very apologetic.”

  Sighing, Turesobei rolled his eyes. “If we can’t get back home and have to stay here, she’s agreed to let our marriage wait until I’m seventeen. A compromise between our cultural norms.”

  “Well, that gives you some time to find a way out, master. Clever as you are, I’m certain you will be able to disentangle yourself from her. Or add a couple more betrothals.”

  Turesobei grabbed a washcloth and threw it at Lu Bei, but the fetch dodged it, stuck out his tongue, and turned back into a book.

  “You’ve gotten yourself in over your head for sure,” Zaiporo said.

  “That’s my motto, don’t you think?”

  “We all seem to live by that.”

  “Wish you had stayed back in Ekaran?” Turesobei asked.

  Zaiporo stared off into space a few moments, then he shook his head. “You know, this is going to sound crazy, but I’m still glad I came. Though I wish Shoma had stayed behind where she’d be safe.”

  “You’re glad you came? Seriously?”

  “For years I thought I’d spend my life guarding Awasa, then I thought I’d run away and start a new life, a simple life as a merchant or farmer. But I’ve fought monsters, rode the back of a dragon, and traveled to a new world. How many people can say they did that? I helped you fight off a threat to all Okoro. I saved the world! My life, even if it ends frozen here, has been extraordinary and surprisingly meaningful.”

  “I could do with a bit ordinary,” Turesobei sighed.

  “You do realize that you will never have an ordinary life, right? I might get to settle down one day if I survive. Not you. You have power and responsibility and some sort of huge inescapable destiny.”

  “That apparently includes difficult women.”

  Chapter 18

  Turesobei rested for the next seven days, staying up longer each day and meditating whenever he was awake. He refused visitors, even on his birthday, and had food brought to him. The only way he could avoid Kurine’s affection, Shoma’s questions, and a confrontation with Iniru was to keep everyone out. Zaiporo would wake and head out to give him space. He also delivered messages to the others, which Turesobei thanked him for profusely because Kurine was insistent on making sure he was well and not mad at her. Iniru sent no messages back which meant either she was still mad or had found out the engagement was still on and was even madder.

  On the eighth day, he cast the spell of the moon mirrors three times without pain and was satisfied he would make a full recovery. Knowing he couldn’t avoid confrontations any longer, he went out to eat with the others and found them all in the common room dressed in full cold weather gear. Kurine was showing them how to tighten all of the garments. She bounced over and kissed him on the cheek. Iniru huffed and scowled. Kemsu scowled as well. Apparently he didn’t approve of Turesobei’s engagement either.

  “What’s going on?” Turesobei asked.

  “We’re going outside for sparring practice,” Zaiporo said.

  “I’m going out to watch and test my clothes,” Enashoma said.

  “Iniru has promised to show us some of her moves,” Kemsu said. “She claims to be a deadly assassin.” He tapped her on the arm. “I doubt it, though. She looks too sweet for that.”

  She unveiled a smile of sharp teeth. “Oh, you’ll see. I’m way more than you can handle.”

  “I’m joining you,” Turesobei said suddenly. “I just need to go get my parka and overboots.”

  Iniru sized him up. “You’re not in any shape to fight.”

  “I’m not going to practice, but …” He bit his lip. Had to think of something fast. All he really wanted to do was not let her spend time with Kemsu without him there. “I’m feeling cooped up. I haven’t seen the sky in ages.”

  “Well … I can understand that,” she said suspiciously.

  Glaring at Iniru, Kurine said, “Unfortunately I can’t come along with you. I have work to do.”

  “I’ll see you later … at dinner maybe,” Turesobei said.

  “I’d like that,” she replied. “You’re on. Meet me at the commons and we’ll go to my home from there.”

  He gulped. “Your home?”

  “Since you’re well now. You haven’t even met my mom yet and my dad just returned from his expedition. I can’t wait for you to meet him! I mean, you’ll have to anyway. He’s on the Council.”

  She bounded off and Turesobei threw his head in his hands. So much for the plan he’d been bouncing around in his head for the last week of getting the Council to negate his marriage to Kurine. Unless her father hated him, but if her father did end up hating him that would probably make other things go poorly since this was the only place they had to live for now.

  “Big night for you,” Iniru remarked.

  “Very big indeed,” Kemsu said coarsely. “Kurine’s dad is the biggest goronku anywhere. He’s a monster of a man.”

  “Zai, my friend,” Turesobei said. “You’re right. No ordinary life for me.”

  Zaiporo patted him apologetically on the back.

  Turesobei dressed in his cold weather gear and went outside. The sky was grey and the landscape an endless white. He’d forgotten how harsh it was … and somehow he’d even forgotten how cold it was. It was unimaginably cold, like his mind just couldn’t retain the knowledge. Following the sounds of them talking, Turesobei found the others on the opposite side of the stable. A circle of small stones marked off a well-trodden area that he assumed was intended for just this sort of thing. He stood beside Enash
oma.

  Kemsu was in the midst of a spear form which involved a lot of powerful thrusts with a few swipes and blocks mixed in. He finished and looked very impressed with himself. It was a good form. Better than anything Turesobei could’ve done. But it was certainly not the best he’d seen. As Iniru took one of the goronku spears and stepped into the circle, he knew Kemsu was about to feel far less competent. In fact, Turesobei was willing to bet that Kemsu would never again think highly of his combat skills.

  Iniru blocked, stabbed, spun, kicked high, kicked low, somersaulted, swiped, threw the spear up and caught it, and bent backward so far Turesobei’s spine itched. It was a fighting dance of pure beauty and it was done so fast that it was hard to track all the little extra twists and special moves she did along the way, but he knew there were many because she had broken down a few sword forms for him along the way back from Wakaro. She had tried to show him all the details but most had been lost on him since they were far beyond his ability. He did notice that she moved a little slower and a little clumsier than normal. Not that she wasn’t still above and beyond amazing.

  She finished. “Wow. All this gear really slows me down. That was terrible.”

  “No,” said Kemsu, staring at her. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Then you haven’t seen much,” Iniru replied, unimpressed that he was so impressed. Iniru was a young k’chasan qengai and Turesobei often wondered what her teachers and elders must be capable of after years more study.

  “You were beautiful,” Zaiporo said, also enraptured. Enashoma glared at him. He noticed and added, “The form was beautiful.”

  “Your turn, Zai,” Iniru said.

  Zaiporo frowned. “I’ve little experience with the spear. I can’t do anything to compare with that.”

  “It’s not a contest. Do the form you know best and we’ll work on the techniques. Trust me, you’re going to feel like a clown in all this gear. You’ll need to get used to it. Don’t want to look like Sobei against the reitsu champion.”

  “Hey!” he said. “That guy was super fast.”

  “You don’t think you could’ve dodged a few of those attacks of his? Maybe get off one block?”