Tanza

by Amanda Greenslade

  ‘Ah, there you are,’ Ciera said.

  I turned in the saddle. A young woman was standing directly behind me. She said something indiscernible and held out her hand. I shook it, looking to Ciera for guidance.

  ‘I sent for her to pick up your horses.’

  ‘You must be Talon,’ she said, looking pleased with herself. ‘My name is Lari. I’m glad Emperor Ciera chose me to collect your horses and not one of the other serfs.’

  Ciera reached out his wing and let her scratch under the feathers.

  ‘Lari will take the horses south to Hree, a small military village on the flats.’

  Sarlice and I dismounted and unstrapped only our personal packs.

  ‘Leave the saddles on if you like,’ Lari said. ‘You won’t need them in Centan.’

  ‘Our thanks,’ Sarlice said.

  Lari accepted the reins of both horses and led them slowly away.

  Thita jumped from Sarlice’s shoulder and glided down into the ravine. He reappeared a minute later flying in an arc from the direction of the city. With a broad shroud spreading out behind him, he bridged the gap between Centan and our position.

  I hefted my pack over my shoulder. My clothing was soaked through.

  ‘Is the mist all through the city?’ I asked Ciera.

  He answered, ‘Nay. There is a barrier around the city, somewhat like the protective barrier around all of Tanza, except this one holds out the mist and shrouds only. If ever we were to leave this place, we would simply deactivate the barrier, allowing the clouds from the waterfalls to cover the city. Our enemies abhor water and they would never live in a place blanketed by it.’

  I nodded, barely understanding. If all these barriers were put in place by our distant ancestors, we had indeed lost a great deal of their art and intelligence since.

  Sarlice, Kestric, Rekala and I set off over Thita’s bridge and I tried not to think about the thrashing foam miles beneath us. Sarlice and I shared a nervous grin, and I sensed that her anticipation was focused on what we would encounter in Centan.

  I set my eyes upon our goal and concentrated on the exquisitely formed arches and pillars between the closest buildings. A wide set of marble stairs led further into the city. On either side of the stairs were rows of pillars with sleeping skyearl statues at their peaks.

  Above the huge city was a cluster of permanent clouds, which broke in small patches every so often to allow warm beams of sunlight through. Dozens of multi-coloured shapes whirled in different directions over the city. Ciera stepped down off the shroud and gave me a nod. Like walking into a gust of wind, we passed through the invisible barrier. Mists I had barely noticed melted away. The city of Centan came more sharply into view.

  We were high up on a special recreational platform off to one side of the main boulevard. Down below was a wide causeway with hundreds of people, skyearls and animals walking to and fro. A broad permanent-looking shroud-bridge led across the falls some distance away, joining up with the wide street.

  Cartloads of supplies were being ferried across from the mainland by teams of horses, elephants or the occasional skyearl. These were unloaded in what had to be the main market district. The people interacted with the usual purposeful business attitudes but never was a smile far away.

  A young couple descended the marble staircase in front of us hand in hand. They were a picture of prosperity. Both had white skin with an olive tan and rosy cheeks. The man was dressed in a long-sleeved, blue shirt and a gold vest covered with tiny tassels. His smart yellow trousers hung loosely at his ankles. The woman wore a pale blue gown that covered her swollen, pregnant belly with a festoon of intricate ruching and dangling gems. Her perfectly-formed features, and the circlet of royalty on her head, reminded me of Lira.

  I said a quick prayer to Krii that my would-be-lover was well, especially if she was carrying my child. Despite what Lira had done to me, I didn’t wish the wrath of the Zeikas to fall upon her. Having drugged me and stolen seed soon after Sarlice and I left Jaria, Lira had later joined up with the Zeikas. I had realised her true identy, Princess Denliyan of Telby; who, for reasons unknown to me, wanted a child with my special bloodlines. Now that I knew I was an Astor I could understand why she and the Zeikas had known I was important. I suppose I am important.

  Now I was to meet another princess.

  The woman tipped her head respectfully to Ciera. Shouting, to be heard over the falls, she said, ‘Congratulations, friend. Your time of waiting is over.’

  Ciera chuckled softly and replied, ‘Thank you, Princess. It’s good to see both of you. Prince Tyba, Princess Clayr, please allow me to introduce Talon of Jaria and Sarlice of Lyth.’

  Clayr touched her right shoulder with her left hand and bowed her head to us.

  Tyba’s smile was broad and his expression open. Instead of using the traditional Tanzan greeting, he grabbed both Sarlice’s and my hands and shook them vigorously at the same time.

  ‘This is what you do, isn’t it?’

  ‘Tyba,’ said Clayr with a laugh. ‘Don’t get over-excited.’

  ‘Oh, but I am,’ he replied, patting me on the back. ‘It is an honour to meet you!’

  Princess Clayr glanced behind us at Rekala and Kestric.

  ‘What magnificent animals,’ she said. ‘You must feel safe with them by your side.’

  ‘Yes, we do,’ Sarlice said in a loud, appreciative tone.

  ‘It’s wonderful to have you with us,’ Clayr replied. I saw a glimmer of her husband’s enthusiasm in her eyes and I decided I liked them both already.

  Tyba and Clayr led us deeper into the city where it became a little easier to talk. I was awed by the sculpted magnificence of the buildings. Many of them reached great heights, brushing the lower formations of the city shroud, Raer, with their rooves. Ciera explained to me that most of these buildings had been engineered and created by skyearls of his type.

  ‘Only Keltoars had the height and strength to structure something so immense,’ Ciera sent.

  Many of the individual stones of the walls and towers were larger than I was.

  Once he was sure we were comfortable in Tyba and Clayr’s presence, Ciera told me he needed to attend to his duties.

  ‘There is a Gathering of Minds later, which I must help prepare for,’ he said aloud. ‘Since this is your first time in Centan, Talon, you are excused from this responsibility. Go ahead and get settled. I will see you at the meeting.’

  The Gathering of Minds sounded like an exciting event to participate in. Ciera had explained to me that Anzaii were instrumental in facilitating the joining of hundreds of minds from across Tanza, using the Ancient Sapphire Tree at Centan to enhance their telepathic abilities. I couldn’t help wondering if my new rank as Astor would be important to Ciera’s role at the Gathering of Minds. His dismissal puzzled me, as I wanted to be involved in whatever he was involved in.

  ‘One step at a time,’ Ciera said. ‘We’ve been running Gatherings for hundreds of years and I think we can manage one more without your assistance.’

  ‘I only want to know what it’s all about,’ I sulked.

  ‘It’ll be nice for you to be an observer at this one,’ Ciera reassured me. ‘All too soon, you will have more than enough responsibilities as an Astor. Enjoy this while you can, Sleffion.’

  ‘Very well.’

  I slapped him on the lower leg in farewell, but he hardly felt it. Ciera’s body bunched like a spring and he leapt upwards into the air with astonishing power. I watched him rise over the buildings and catch a draft of wind in his shiny blue wings, which buffeted him sideways.

  For a moment, I sensed the connection between him and the shroud. It reminded me of a spider on a web, feeling every tremor of wind, knowing the touch of even the tiniest fly.

  ‘Doesn’t the water eat away your island?’ Sarlice asked.

  Tyba answered animatedly. ‘The outer precincts were rebuilt once or twice in decades past. Now we don’t have any problems.’ He jabbed his finger
downwards. ‘Solid rock.’

  We passed through a series of wooden arches. Long bone-coloured ‘vines’ snaked between them, creating a cluster of skyearl shapes. At the end of the arch-avenue was an open square. Clayr described the functions of the largest buildings. There were armament factories, blacksmiths, stone mason yards, jewellers, tanners, fine clothiers, scribe works and food distribution warehouses. These buildings and scores of others made up the Construction District.

  Tyba pointed to the scribe works, boasting, ‘This facility employs over forty scribes to search out, study and make copies of the Holy Scrolls and other ancient texts.’

  I nodded politely, feeling a sudden wash of fatigue. It would be nice to just find a bed and sleep. Tomorrow I would speak with the king and finally be able to discuss the situation with Jaria.

  A loud, squeal echoed around us and at least ten shapes lifted off the tops of the buildings, soaring into the sky. The shapes of the flying skyearls reminded me of the hawk which had nearly killed me as a child. A grin spread slowly across my face as it was reinforced to me that my irrational fear of flying things was gone.

  Sarlice also smiled, but her expression was one of wonder. Centan truly was magnificent.

  Tyba and Clayr lead us away through the town, pointing out a brewery, a herbal warehouse and a few other places of interest. They took us past a row of shops on a riverfront and into the heart of the city. We could see the palace on a hill above the city centre.

  It was a salmon and blue coloured structure, rising from the ground like a tree of the great oak variety. Its outer walls were built for decoration, not protection. It loomed there on its hill, dwarfing the multi-storeyed buildings we’d passed earlier. I had no doubts that Ciera could walk about in that palace as easily as I had walked in Telby Palace.

  Tyba and Clayr guided us to a comfortable little tavern called Dawvor.

  ‘Go inside when you are ready,’ Tyba said. ‘There’s no charge for your stay!’

  Clayr added, ‘The tavern master, Minac, may ask you to help out in the mess occasionally.’

  ‘Our thanks,’ Sarlice replied. ‘Through all that’s been going on, we have not had much of a chance to replenish our coin purse.’

  ‘“Our” coin purse?’ Clayr repeated, doubt creeping into her voice. ‘You say that as if you are used to sharing. We weren’t sure, but we presumed you weren’t a couple… from what the Sleffion-kin said.’

  Frowning and with slight colour in her cheeks, Sarlice was about to answer.

  ‘We have been through a lot together,’ I jumped in. ‘And, travelling for so long, it becomes easier to pool resources.’

  ‘Of course,’ Tyba replied, glancing at his wife, who found something very interesting to stare at elsewhere.

  ‘I was appointed Talon’s guide when we left Jaria,’ Sarlice explained hastily. Her tone became wistful as she said, ‘So much has happened since then. Now, I don’t think he truly needs a guide any more.’

  I met her eyes, trying to say so much, but not able. Perhaps she didn’t think of me as childish after all.

  ‘We are ambassadors for our people,’ Sarlice added. ‘Lyth and… what remains of Jaria… need allies if they are to survive.’

  ‘We shall discuss it together with my parents,’ Tyba replied.

  Clayr stepped a little closer to me. ‘You must understand the king’s time is in great demand. He places you here—close to the Palace and to the Dome of Gathering—so he can call on you when he has made sufficient time.’

  I nodded.

  ‘You will meet him soon,’ Tyba added in an upbeat manner.

  ‘You may need to pick the right time to discuss your… concerns,’ Clayr warned.

  ‘I suppose she knows I haven’t been an ambassador for long and I’m not used to the formalities,’ I said, to Rekala, trying to make myself feel better.

  ‘You have been rather direct about it thus far,’ Rekala commented as she brushed past my leg to poke her nose in through the door. ‘Not that I blame you.’

  ‘Thanks for the advice,’ I stuttered.

  Tyba blinked from Clayr to me and I got the impression he wasn’t as astute as her at diplomacy. ‘We’ll send an escort to take you to the Gathering of Minds in three hours.’

  ‘Our thanks, sire,’ I replied.

  Sarlice and I gave him the traditional Tanzan greeting. He beamed widely and clapped both of us on the back.

  ‘You may call me by my first name,’ he said. ‘I have a feeling we are going to be good friends.’

  Chapter Seven—The Gathering of Minds

  Minac led us to a medium-sized room with a curtain between two wood-based beds. Rekala and Kestric stalked in and proceeded to sniff every object and mark each piece of furniture with their chins and cheeks while Thita flew to the balcony and perched there to preen his fur.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind sharing,’ Minac said. ‘There’s a shortage of rooms because of the Gathering of Minds.’

  ‘What exactly is a Gathering of the Minds?’ I asked. Ciera’s explanations had been brief, almost as if he wanted me to witness it for myself, but I was too curious to wait and I wanted to know what to expect.

  Minac cleared his throat before explaining, ‘Local Anzaii and Sleffions meet in the Dome of Gathering and use the Ancient Sapphire Tree to augment the long distance wave communications with beings in all different parts of Tanza. Disseminators speak the message out loud for those who aren’t on the waves.’

  ‘I had no idea the Ancient Sapphire Trees could be used that way,’ I murmured.

  ‘Then you have a great deal to learn,’ Minac said in good humour.

  ‘What do they talk about?’ Sarlice asked.

  ‘It’s a chance for every realm to report in,’ Minac replied. ‘And discuss anything that’s relevant to the running of Tanza. Things like spiritual occurrences—prophecies, healings, new Anzaii, Sleffions, Tolites or Rada—resources, training and security issues like skirmishes with the Zeikas around the borders.’

  ‘It sounds important,’ I muttered, again feeling frustrated Ciera hadn’t wanted to involve me in his preparations.

  ‘It’s important to most Tanzans,’ Minac chuckled. ‘Though I admit we pretty much go about our business here at Dawvor—no time to waste! Well I’ll leave you to it. Someone will call on you in a few hours to escort you to the meeting.’

  ‘Thanks Minac,’ Sarlice said, seeing him out the door.

  She closed it gently behind him.

  I unbuckled the Jarian belt and the white scabbard Fyschs was in. I laid them down on one of the beds, staring at them for a while. There was so much yet to be learned, not only about sapphire trees and being Anzaii but, also, about my new sword and being Tolite. Even being bonded with the Emperor skyearl and being a Sleffion was still overwhelming. Rada was the only one of my gifts I felt sure of. Rekala chuffed at me from the other side of the room.

  Sarlice unhooked her packs from each other and dropped them beside the other bed. The curtain between our beds was, as yet, pulled back. I lay on my side on the straw-stuffed mattress and watched Sarlice organise her things into a set of wooden drawers. She folded a purple garment in, tossed a small pouch of coins in on top of it and unpacked our emergency food supplies into the second drawer. We would replace it with fresh food before leaving Centan.

  She bent down to retrieve a fallen trinket. Observing the fluidity in the way she moved and the way her leather clothing sat so easily on her muscular body, it occurred to me how far out of my league she was. I must have seemed like a youth to her.

  ‘You are a youth,’ Tiaro responded.

  ‘I’m nearly twenty.’

  ‘In some cultures you would still be considered a youth.’

  ‘What do you know of other cultures,’ I asked. ‘You are an inanimate object.’

  ‘I am a spirit,’ she countered. ‘I recall some of before, but mostly I just know things about the world—ancient things, modern things, things other people think. I hear
them, so I know many things. One day you will hear them too.’

  I touched the warm metal clasp holding her to my ear. Her cryptic words did not help me to feel at ease with my new titles.

  ‘Is it true that the most advanced Anzaii can use the waves to speak to other humans?’ I asked her.

  She seemed delighted I was asking questions. ‘Yes it is true. But having artefacts made from an Ancient Sapphire Tree makes it easier.’

  ‘Like you,’ I replied. ‘You’re partly fashioned from the leaves of one.’

  ‘Nay,’ she said. ‘Not an Ancient Sapphire Tree, but a Great one. The magical properties are greatly diminished in comparison.’

  My stomach turned, in a mixture of uncertainty and anticipation. I shifted to lie on my back and tried not to think about it. But I fell asleep with visions of people coming to me with all their messages for distant relatives, probing me for information, draining me of all thought… and there was Sarlice with her sword out, dancing in and out of my reach. Her arms and neck were bare, revealing, not far from her collar-bone, the stark white scar against the deeply-tanned skin of her shoulder. Lost in my dream, my eyes roved down over the swell of her chest, the lean, tautly-muscled waist and the—

  ‘Please forgive the intrusion.’ A plump lady pushed through the door, struggling with armfuls of linen. ‘By the nine trees, I sure am sorry to barge in on ye’ like this! Should have brought these up before ye’ arrived.’

  ‘It’s no trouble,’ Sarlice said even as I pretended to be still asleep.

  ‘My name’s Hessie,’ the lady told her. ‘I’m Minac’s sister. Now listen, Prince Tyba has sent a messenger here to escort you to the Dome of Gathering. She’s waiting downstairs.’

  ‘Thank you. Will you tell her we’ll be down shortly?’ Sarlice requested politely.

  Hessie nodded and left the room. I groaned and rubbed my eyes. Had three hours passed already? My muscles felt heavy and my eyelids were sticky. Sarlice offered me her hand, which I hesitantly accepted.

  Once we’d re-equipped ourselves with our weapons, we made our way downstairs. Thita and the Rada-kin followed.