The Book of One: A New Age

by Jordan Baker

  “Are you getting out of the water soon?” she asked, swimming her way backwards toward the shore, grinning only a little mischievously.

  Aaron told her that he preferred to stay in for a while longer. She laughed a little more at that. Poor boy, Ehlena mused, living up in the mountains with only his uncle. She hoped he would adjust to the city without too much trouble and she decided that she would help him. Her aunt had some connections and Ehlena was sure there would be something in Maramyr for this shy country boy. Something told her that merely being a soldier was too simple for him and Ehlena was pretty sure that Aaron would find that out. She ducked back under the water and decided to annoy him a bit more. Their clothes would be dry soon and she was beginning to like Aaron. He did not stare like most of the other boys did.

  Once their clothes had dried, Aaron and Ehlena went through the ritual of getting politely out of the water. Aaron was surprised that Ehlena was once again so particular. She had been perfectly immodest in the water. He shrugged it off as another strange thing about girls but tried not to look at her too directly for the rest of the day. After they were out and dried off, they set about preparing some breakfast. Aaron had brought some meat from the cottage and they fried it up on a pan over a small fire that Aaron made with dry branches and twigs he chose to make sure there would be as little smoke as possible. Ehlena remarked at how much better food tasted when a person was clean and Aaron joked that he hadn’t noticed but that he would think about it next time he got dirty. They fed and watered the horses and after a short while decided to break camp.

  Aaron figured it would take them three days hard ride to reach Maramyr. He was happy to be riding again as well. Ehlena was becoming a little too forward for his comfort. It was not that she was unattractive or that Aaron was not furiously attracted to her. In fact, after the water had washed away the dust and grime that she had probably lived with even before arriving at Ashford, she was positively stunning. She had somehow twisted her long light brown hair up into a tight swirl with a twig and somehow she seemed older. Even her simple travel dress had taken on an element of elegance once clean. He was still completely baffled by her and decided to take the safe course and try to remain as honourable as he knew how with her.

  They rode hard until the sun was touching the treetops and they came upon a fork in the trail. Aaron climbed up a ridge to see if he could tell where the two trails went. One seemed to strike northeast and the other travelled south and slightly west. The first one would take them in the wrong direction, most likely towards Kandara. In the distance, Aaron could see that the second trail met up with a road that cut through the forest for a long distance and he figured that they were far enough away now that they would probably be safe taking the road. Ehlena was glad that they would be out of the forest soon. The trail took them down to the road and they were able to travel a little faster, not having to duck twigs and branches all the time. Night fell again and a few clouds began to roll in with a cool breeze that stirred through the forest. The light they rode by grew dim and they had to slow their pace.

  As their horses took them along the road, Ehlena burst into chatter about life in the city. She told him about how parts of Maramyr was organized into ghettos and that someone could just walk down a street and feel as though she were at the Market in Kandara one minute and then turn a corner and be at a Bazaar in the desert. There would be great carpets, strange foods, burning spices. Aaron asked if it was like the midsummer festival in Ashford and she figured that it was similar just bigger and all the time. Just when he had started to feel a little more comfortable talking to her, Ehlena mentioned that she hoped they could stop at an inn somewhere so she could have a proper bath. Aaron wondered whether all women were so obsessed with baths. After his swim, he was quite happy not getting wet from head to toe for a good long while.

  It was getting very late when the pair came upon a small town. Almost everything was dark and lamplight glimmered from only a few small buildings and what looked to be a temple. They rode through quietly and on the far side came to what looked to be a tiny inn. There was a nicely painted sign with a unicorn, the lettering of which Aaron could not read in the darkness but a bit of light shone from a small window. Aaron dismounted and knocked on the heavy wooden door. Before long, it was answered by a gruff little man holding a mug in one hand and a block of cheese in the other.

  “A touch late to be on the road,” he said. “I suppose you’ll be wanting me to wake up old Derrel. You got coin?” He cocked his head suspiciously at the two travellers. Ehlena smiled at the man and he squinted back at her. Aaron nodded and smiled. The man shrugged. “Just tie up your horses in front and wait inside. I’ll go get the old fart.” The man disappeared back into the inn, leaving the door open for them.

  They entered the door a few moments later and a portly man with the longest beard Aaron had ever seen descended the stairs. He stopped next to the bar and straightened his hair that had the obvious look of sleep to it. The gruff little man was nowhere to be seen.

  “Welcome young sir, and fair lady. You're needing a room for the night, I'm told.”

  The man introduced himself as Derrel and looked Aaron up and down. Aaron greeted him and Ehlena sat on one of the stools at the bar. The innkeeper thought the couple looked a bit dusty then he spotted the pommel of Aaron’s sword. “Long road eh?” Aaron nodded. “I’ve got one room, our best one in fact, but it’s a bit dusty so I can give it to you at a discount.” the man smiled cheerily as Aaron nodded and reached into his coin pouch and began feeling around for a few coins. Ehlena called from her seat.

  “Does the room have a bath?” she asked. Aaron rolled his eyes and the innkeeper laughed.

  “It does indeed, my dear young woman. Shall I get Barlin to heat up some water?” Ehlena nodded. “Enough for two or just one?” he asked. Ehlena looked over at Aaron who shot her a tired glance.

  “Two please,” she answered innocently. “Oh, and how far are we from the crown city of Maramyr?”

  “Ah, the outskirts of the city are only a half day's ride from here. Is that where you’re going? It is kind of late to be out on the road and they usually lock the main gates for the night. It’s good you stopped here.”

  Aaron reassured the man that they would be staying the night. He could not imagine trying to push onward anyway. He was so tired that even his bones hurt. He gave him five of the gold coins from Tarnath’s pouch and asked if it would be enough. The innkeeper chuckled as he showed them up to their room and told Aaron that even their horses would get special treatment. Ehlena dashed into the room and set about exploring it as Aaron and the innkeeper stopped in the doorway.

  “Not from these parts?” he asked Aaron.

  “No,” Aaron replied. “From Aghlar.” Derrel nodded.

  “Well, a word to the wise, get acquainted with the money around here, young sir. Here.” He handed back three of the coins Aaron had given him. “You just gave me enough for two month’s stay. And, mark my words, you’d be lucky to find an innkeeper as honest as myself.”

  “I appreciate the advice, sir,” Aaron told him.

  “And I appreciate the appreciating. And don’t be calling me sir. The name’s Derrel, plain and simple.”

  “Mine’s Aaron, well met.”

  “Well met, indeed.” Derrel winked and the other two coins disappeared into his pocket. “Now let’s see about your room.

  For such a small inn, the room was quite large. Derrel, the innkeeper lit some candles and they saw that the bed was unmade. He quickly stripped the bed, rushed out and returned with a pile of fresh sheets and two heavy cloth towels. He apologised for not having any hot food but offered to bring them some cheese and wine. Aaron told him that would be fine and he dumped his saddle packs over a chair and laid his sword against it.

  He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Ehlena as she explored the room. She seemed particularly interested in the great wooden tub that lay on the far side of the bed. A heavy cord hu
ng from the ceiling above the tub. Ehlena pulled it and water poured from a pipe and splashed into the tub. She tugged the cord again and the water stopped. She walked over to where a tiny door opened into a small room where one might answer the needs of nature, which also had a small basin of water set upon a stand, in front of a mirror, along with various other items. As she was opening and sniffing the various bottles on the counter in the room, there was a knock at the door.

  Aaron called out for whomever it was to enter and the door opened. The innkeeper appeared with a tray, carrying the promised food and drink and, under one arm, he carried clean and folded sheets.

  “Ah, I see you’ve tried my water spout.” He smiled at Ehlena and placed the tray on a small table by the wall and set about making the bed. He looked over at Aaron who raised an eyebrow. “Once the fire gets going on the heater, warm water will come out of it. It should be good and ready once you’re done eating.”

  “Thank you,” Ehlena said graciously. “I was beginning to feel badly. It is kind of late for that other fellow to be out lugging buckets of hot water. What an ingenious invention this is.” she pulled the cord and put her hand under the spout. It was already beginning to warm. The innkeeper laughed.

  “To be honest, my lady, it was Barlin's idea. He thought it up himself. I guess he got tired of carrying buckets and its great for business. He has even sold the contraption to a few of the inns in the city. He’s become quite the businessman.”

  “Well,” exclaimed Ehlena, “I shall have to tell all the ladies at court about this. It is simply marvellous.” Derrel chuckled as Ehlena gave a few more tugs on the cord, turning the water on and off again. Aaron smiled tiredly at him and the innkeeper nodded and rubbed his hands together.

  “Anyhow, I’ll leave you two for the night. Would you like an early wake up or would you prefer to sleep late?” he asked with a wink. Aaron’s face reddened with the suggestion. He asked Derrel to wake them in time for breakfast. The innkeeper nodded approvingly. As Aaron tore off a hunk of bread and sliced a few pieces of cheese, Ehlena ran her hand across the covers of the bed.

  “At least the bed is big enough for us both,” she said and Aaron got a piece of cheese caught in his throat. He gulped down a glass of the wine and coughed. Ehlena just winked at him and Aaron coughed again. When she was done with the bed she checked the water and judged it warm enough, hooking it on a peg so the water poured steadily. She walked over to where he sat and stole a piece of cheese from the plate. “You first. We have to make sure you’re presentable for city living. Besides, I’m hungry,” she told him. Aaron decided that he had better not argue with the increasingly wilful young lady and agreed. “I know, I know, I won’t look,” she teased and turned back to the plate of food.

  Aaron quickly slipped into the tub, which had almost filled and unhooked the cord to stop the water. He had never had a hot bath and was amazed at how his tired and aching muscles immediately relaxed. He had just settled in to soak when Ehlena appeared at the side of the tub. She had his clothes in her hand and thrust them into the water in front of Aaron.

  “What did you do that for?” he asked her.

  “We’ll be in Maramyr tomorrow. That means we’ll be meeting my aunt Elaine. That means we’ve both got to look presentable, and that means clean, and smelling nice, country boy,” she explained, talking to him as if he were a child.

  Aaron grumbled then set to scrubbing his clothes in the bath water. Ehlena opened a bottle and poured a thick blue liquid into the water, which soon set to bubble. “Soap. Don’t worry, I think it's supposed to be for men.” Aaron grumbled some more now that he smelled like cedar and woodchips. When he was done, Ehlena took his clothes for him and hung them over one of the chairs and handed him one of the soft, cloth towels so he could get out of the tub. He eyed her suspiciously as he wrapped it around his waist while the mischievous and stubborn girl from Aglar pretended to look away.

  The tub had drained and Ehlena poured herself a fresh bath and this time the water steamed, heating the room. She closed the tiny window, shut the drapes and hopped into the tub with a splash. Within minutes the room was filled with the smell of berries and flowers. Aaron sat and ate some more of the cheese and drank a bit of wine while Ehlena splashed around noisily in the water scrubbing and scrubbing. Aaron tightened his towel around his waist, reached into his pack and pulled out one of his books then sat back down at the small table and began to look through the pages. It was a kind of picture book, but its pages were always different, made of images, sometimes beautiful, and sometimes terrible. It was one of the few things he had not lost, and only because he had taken it with him to Ashford. He took it everywhere. Lost in thought and the images of the book, he had almost managed to completely ignore the racket when the drain stopper opened and the water gurgled noisily away. Aaron kept his eyes locked on the book but somehow felt distracted. He looked up from the pages, a little disoriented, when he heard a noise as Ehlena dove under the heavy covers of the bed.

  “Are you coming?” she asked as she squirmed to get comfortable among the blankets.

  “It’s okay, I’ll put out my bedroll,” he said.

  “Don’t be silly. You’ll be dirty again by morning if you sleep in those smelly old blankets. What are you reading anyway?” she asked. Aaron shrugged.

  “Just a book.”

  “A book huh? Am I that boring?” she asked impishly. Aaron cast her a suspicious look. “Oh, come on, I won’t bite. I promise,” she insisted. “Bring the lamp and you can read it to me.”

  Aaron decided it couldn’t hurt so he blew out the candles and choked the wicks of the oil lamps in the room, then placed one on the night table next to the bed. Ehlena pulled open a corner for him to get in.

  “Lose the towel, kind sir. It’s wet.” She turned her head away and scrunched her eyes closed tight. Aaron sighed and dropped the towel over the side table, where it could dry, and slipped into the covers. Ehlena opened her eyes and looked at the book, closed in his hand. “So, what is it?”

  “Just a book,” he told her as he opened the pages. She scrambled over and leaned close to him as he flipped through the pages.

  “There are no words. Do you read words too, or just pictures?” she asked. As she looked at the book, she felt drawn to it, as though it were alive somehow, but something about the book bothered her. Still, she found it hard to look away.

  “I can read words. What about you?” Aaron said, breaking her thoughts from the book. Elena choked at his question as though it were preposterous that she would not be able to read.

  “Of course! I can read in three languages and I can speak two more besides that!” she told him proudly. “It’s very proper for a noblewoman to understand languages. Especially when visiting with foreign dignitaries.”

  Aaron smiled and nodded as he turned a page. Ehlena gasped, craning over to look at the illumination on the border. “It’s beautiful.”

  The picture showed a hand made of stars that held a white rose with petals falling away from it. Aaron had not seen this one before and stopped to look at it for a moment. He felt that the longer he looked, he could see deeper into the many layers of petals of the white flower. Ehlena rested her head on Aaron’s shoulder and gazed at the page, feeling a sense of longing as she looked at it.

  “If a man gave me a flower as beautiful as that, I’d have no choice but to love him forever,” she said.

  Aaron thought about asking her why a flower would make her love someone but he noticed that Ehlena had already fallen asleep.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It was mid afternoon when Aaron and Ehlena neared the crown city of Maramyr and Aaron marvelled at how beautiful the towers and many buildings looked against the great lake behind it. The sun shone behind the towers as it dropped closer to the deep blue horizon of the lake. He remembered that Lake Mara was the largest inland lake in the West. It collected rivers running from the edge of Elvanar and from the southern mountains of Kandar then joined up with t
he great river that mptied out into the ocean near the lands of Aglhar. Ships from the sea were said to sometimes travel all the way up to Lake Mara and Aaron was amazed to see the tall masts drifting across the water just away from the city. The view of the city itself was truly grand. As they rode past a guard post on top of a hill, still a distance from the city, Aaron could see the many small villages and estates that littered the surrounding countryside and he realized that each of them was at least as big as Ashford, and it made him feel as though his life was very small and insignificant, compared with how many people must live on those lands.

  At the main gate to the city, Aaron watched as merchants and travellers shuffled in long lines, waiting to register with the guards, explaining their various purposes for visiting the city. He saw a procession of men and women wearing black robes pass through without so much more than a glance from the guards. Ehlena showed one of the guards her family ring and gave him her name. She told him that Aaron was her bodyguard. The guard consulted his book and saw that Ehlena was listed as a resident of the city and brusquely permitted them to pass.

  Once into the city, they made their way through the throng of people going about their business in the great city. Aaron could not help but stare at the variety of people of all shapes, sizes and manners of dress. He had thought that festival time in Ashford was busy, but the crown city looked as though every day were some kind of major gathering and, from what Ehlena told him, this was just the way it was on any given day. He had never before seen such a large collection of people in one place.