“As for myself, Siytai, and Marhidium, it still looks like a small village, because the cities of Sahaynaivium are very extensive in size,” said Knode. But the one thing that Tenashar did notice was the bright colors everywhere—the houses were many different and brilliant colors. Many of the things that Athtap had said about the Honazal were clearly true.
Slowly and timidly, they walked into the city and gaped in amazement as they passed a bright green dwelling that was tall and resembled a vase that tapered to a narrow neck. On the top, there was a cube topped with a dome. Its windows were oddly shaped they were neither round, square, triangular, nor rectangular.
Every building was different, reflecting the individual tastes of the owners. Some looked like domes with crowned cubes on the top of the structures. Others were tall, oval domes blended together with an upside-down pyramid that tapered to the top like a flower or having curved S-shape points. The most dominant type of construction, though, was the oval dome that were scattered throughout the city.
But as they all continued their walk through the city, it seemed deserted. Perhaps it was a holiday. Or everyone was scared of A-amar and Una-sei. Could it be that the inhabitants were sleeping?
Tenashar and Knode found it strange that nobody came out to welcome them, that this entire part of the village was deserted. Perhaps the Honazal people were so accustomed to travelers from other parts that they didn’t take notice. If travelers from foreign lands traded in the city, then the people may also be used to Sharzeens. Then again, perhaps the people of Honazal disliked foreigners. Who knew what the reasons were for the deserted streets?
“Something’s strange. No one is curious about us?” Tenashar was very confused. “A-amar and Una-sei, at least, should have stirred up some fear or concern among the people. Maybe these people aren’t friendly.”
“I have the feeling that the gate we entered through usually has a traffic of people going in and out,” said Knode. “So perhaps we have been mistaken for one of the inhabitants, or travelers from some distant place. I think they receive many types of people all the time. So we are not so unique.”
“You’re right. They must take us for just typical people who come and go into their city. We should try to ask someone how to find the leader of this city,” replied Tenashar.
They finally located what seemed to be the main area of the city. Now they came across brightly clad people going about the streets, busy with their daily tasks. Again, no one took notice off the newcomers.
In the street, there was a woman who stood out, even in the crowds of people. Tenashar spotted her because of her height and proud bearing. Her eyes were large and dark, and her hands told the story of a leisurely existence. Signified by her smooth, oval face, long neck, and brown skin, she was clearly of the higher class.
She wore a long, brightly colored tunic that came down to her thighs, over flared pants of off-white. The tunic had red, green, and pink overlapping sleeves, each one shorter than the one below, to show off the colors. A greenish yellow cloth draped her left shoulder.
To Tenashar, she was a vision of elegance and beauty.
He boldly asked the woman where they might find the leader of the city, presenting the message from Athtap. It was a symbol that looked like a flat gourd made of shiny metal with a sphere in the middle and a half ring at the top.
The woman’s eyes widened.
“How did you come by that symbol? It represents the Veazith. You must be acquainted with Athtap. I know of him. Come with me, and we shall talk. I am called Seveaha. That symbol you have is given only to special messengers or people of importance. When a messenger holds one in their hands, it means the words they will convey are to be taken most seriously.”
She led them to a vast plaza within the city. Near the square there was a building of immense size—a mile long and ten stories high, with a roof that resembled a crab’s shell. The building wasn’t composed of a single structure, but many smaller constructions. The other buildings had roofs that reminded Tenashar of other shellfish, like lobsters, crabs, snails, and other assorted animals of the sea. The organic shaped windows resembled animal and plant forms that made these buildings look very strange indeed.
It was clear from their architecture that the Honazal were a people who loved the sea and all its living creatures. This collection of buildings was called the Home of the Leaders.
As they walked in the vast open square, Tenashar looked all around him, taking in all the strange sites.
“Those colorful pavements of the square, they really stand out and have caught my eye. This is amazing. It’s made up of a multitude of hues and designs reminiscent of the sea. These images represent whales, sharks, shells, fish, sea mammals, and coral. Every form of sea life is represented. This is fabulous. The entire pavement was covered over by blue transparent glass or some other translucent material that is made to appear as if peering down into the sea,” said Knode.
All around them, people went about their lives. Athtap had been right; the people of Honazal were clothed in a wide array of bright colors. There was such a multitude of variations in cut and form of their clothes; it clearly indicated that the Honazal valued individualism. The basic form of clothing was a black undergarment that covered the lower neck and showed only at the outer garment’s V-shaped neckline. Generally, the main garment was a tunic or shirt that was cut at the waist or stomach in many individual shapes for male and female. The sleeves of these garments were generally short, with overlapping layers of color. The same overlapping layers showed in the men’s pants.
Males and females alike wore their hair in braids—men’s braids hung straight to the shoulders, while women’s were thick and shorter, with elaborate headbands that were twisted and knotted into fantastic shapes that often represented sea creatures.
Tenashar was delighted by the extravagant style of the women. Senetha women wore plain, shoulder-length hairstyles, rarely accompanied with braids, let alone some of the fancies these displayed.
He watched as a women walked past whose hair was twisted and twined up into a basket shape. “The women of Senetha are drab and plain compared to those of Honazal. The women back home could certainly learn something from them.” Tenashar was in a daze while he watched the people, who presented an artistic feast for the eye.
“You’re right,” Knode agreed. “The women here are beautiful, but I think the architecture is more interesting. Observe the lines and curves on the buildings—they are so graceful. A great inspiration from the ocean.”
“You men! You simply don’t know anything!” retorted Marhidium. “How can you compare the grace of these women to mere buildings? Anyone can construct and design structures, but for these women to dress themselves in such individual styles? That requires intelligence and good sense! Even the men of this city dress better than those back home.” Knode looked at her teasingly.
Tenashar looked at the both of them and smiled. Siytai shook his head.
“Do the two of you always have words like this?” Tenashar asked.
Siytai nudged Tenashar and whispered to him, “This goes on constantly; they always argue about what is important. To me, it doesn’t make any sense.”
Knode and Marhidium looked at Siytai.
“I think everything is important,” said Marhidium.
“So do I,” said Knode.
As Knode and Marhidium argued, a young girl standing nearby started laughing. The young girl had been listening to Marhidium’s observations.
As the group of travelers passed into the building, they found themselves in awe of the immense size of the structure. Tenashar believed that the entire Senetha village could fit in the building, with additional space left over.
The entryway was carved with abstract seashell designs in stone, glass, and metal. Some of the nautilus designs were made up of metal swirls of many colors and glass of corresponding color that shimmered as if they were looking into the ocean. The sound of the nearby sea added to th
e tranquil feeling.
Once in the building, the woman pointed up, and they saw a moving artificial sky that changed swiftly from night to day. Then she pointed to a huge, round skylight window that made Tenashar recall similar windows he had seen in the desert world while living with Ilaythesia and Cadica.
Tenashar asked Seveaha why the people of Honazal didn’t take any notice of them—and why didn’t they seem to notice A-amar and Una-sei.
Seveaha replied, “People of all types come to Honazal. They bring their goods to sell and trade. As for your two unusual friends, we’ve seen beings of all types from distant places. We know what they are. Our people call them Sharzeen. We make our own Sharzeen as well.”
“We call them Sharzeen as well.” Tenashar nodded. “The name both our peoples use is the same. And the Veazith are familiar with them too. As are all the Ahenathinay.”
“Your Sharzeens are well made. Who gave them life?” Seveaha queried politely.
“They just came to me. In a desert world, a girl taught me how they were made. I learned from her what they were called.” Tenashar smiled at Seveaha.
“You have good friends,” she replied with a smile. “More importantly, did Athtap send you with any other message besides the symbol?” She looked into Tenashar’s eyes as she spoke.
Tenashar gazed back at her. “Athtap said that the Honazal could help us get to the islands of Sahaynaivium. Have you heard of these islands? My friends Marhidium, Knode, and Siytai come from there. Is it possible to get your village head to help us?”
“I am what you would call a village head. I will try to grant your desire for a ship to bring your friends home. Athtap would want that. Helping you, your friends, and Athtap—this is what one village head should do for another.”
To Tenashar, it seemed that Seveaha was already aware of the situation concerning Knode and his crew. Had another messenger been sent ahead?
The building presented many more things of interest for them to admire. There were a series of small doors that caught their eyes, identical in shape to the oval or egg-shaped windows. Entering one of these doors, they found themselves in a huge room; equal in size to the one they came from. A table ran the entire length of the room. Some of the chairs were cylindrical and made of stone, though cushioned, and others were oval with backs, and still others were cylinders with a round bowl-shaped cushion attached to them.
Seveaha was now their guide. “This is the council chamber where the elders and other leaders of the city get together to talk about matters that concern them. Eventually you may be called before the council. Don’t be afraid if that happens. They do not have the power of life or death over another human being. If they don’t call upon you, please don’t be hurt then, either. Remember the council is not the most important thing in this city.”
The designs of sea motifs still prevailed on the walls and floors of this room. But the flooring was not smooth, as compared with the previous room. Here the flooring was rough, more like stone. There were glass blocks around the room with representations of realistic sea creatures inside of them. On both sides of the council table, there were thin, transparent tubes that ran from ceiling to floor. Each of these tubes was brightly shaded in various colors. Behind the rows of tubes were rough walls that imparted a feeling of being along some rocky seashore. The effect was to give people in the room a sense of being out in the open air.
“In each of the various places of our village, there are people that are highly skilled in their respected areas.” Seveaha spoke with pride. “If there are disputes or problems among them, the council helps mediate. The contenders put their concerns forward, and then it is our responsibility to decide what direction is best to serve the people of the city as a whole.”
“You have a very similar way of doing things to my tribe, the Senetha.” Tenashar felt great kinship and warmth for the great lady before him. “I am called Tenashar. My people live far away, toward where the sun sets. We live in mountains and plains.”
Seveaha nodded her head in acknowledgment, accompanied by a broad smile, which made her face even more beautiful. After a moment, she turned to her visitors. “Athtap sent a messenger to tell us that you were coming to our city. That’s the reason I was waiting for you today. Every day, I would go out to same spot looking for you. The people of our city would have directed you to me.
“Your concern,” she directly addressed the three from the flying ship, “is to return to Sahaynaivium. We are aware of those islands. They say our ancestors sailed to such shores long ago, but no more. However, we will find a way to get you home. As you know, to go there directly by boat is dangerous. You’re already aware of the treacherous shores. Athtap said you must sail to the far north, disembark there, and travel the rest of the way on foot. In the northern islands, there are other fishing communities that will help get you back to your home. Taking the northern route is not much of a danger.”
Before arrangements could be made for Tenashar and the rest of the group to depart, Seveaha had them stay and rest in a small apartment at the top of a tower near the Home of the Leaders. The tower was shaped something like a giant mushroom, except that at the top there was a small, rounded bulb that resembled a flower bud sitting atop a large disk.
When she showed it to them, Seveaha said they would live up on the top, and Tenashar wondered aloud how they could possibly get to the top of the tower.
Seveaha smiled and led them to an entrance covered with designs like those in the council room. On entering, Tenashar saw light streaming down from above.
Seveaha stood on a platform in the middle of the bottom half of the tower, extended her arms outward, palms facing up, and two shafts of cylindrical light came down and touched her palms. She beckoned them to come toward her, and the light radiated in all directions. They joined her on the platform, and the main concentration of the light centered on them.
With no jolt or noise, they were smoothly lifted high into the air, all the way up to the top of the tower—right up to the living quarters. A door slid open, and they stepped forward into a beautiful room filled with spheres of light and sea designs. It was much larger than they expected.
Slightly raised beds or cushions surrounded the room and looked comfortable for sleeping on. Egg-shaped windows ran all around the room, showing a 360-degree view of the entire village and beyond to the sea.
The seas were rough. None of the fisher people or their boats was out. Seveaha stood beside Tenashar as he peered down at the sea.
“I see the disappointment and fear in your heart. I sympathize for you,” said Seveaha
Tenashar looked out at the distant landscape from the window.
None of them spoke a word for a while, keeping their thoughts to themselves.
She finally broke the silence. “Do not be gloomy about the sea. Yes, it is rough. It has emotions, much like any person. It has taken many lives when angry, yet we continue to live by the sea that provides for us.”
“Then why do you not try to find ways to make the sea be calm? Your people have so much knowledge. There must be ways,” said Tenashar to Seveaha.
“Don’t be rude to our host,” Marhidium chided. “She is trying to help us.”
“Marhidium, you know that is not what I am saying. I am more concerned about the ruins in that forest and the dead little girl.” It was all clear to Tenashar—further tragedy could be prevented.
Seveaha had sympathy in her eyes for Marhidium and Tenashar. “I have seen those ruins. We have tended those mounds. Our people are not insensitive. I know about the girl you spoke of. Her name is Neihanva. There are many other spirits that live in the forest besides her. You only saw one.” She sat down.
“But who is she?” Marhidium asked anxiously.
“Once, in a distant time, my people and the fisher people who live near Veazith were one nation. Our ancestors lived in those forests. At that time, it wasn’t overgrown with trees. Many structures were there, and the people lived off the se
a. They were only bothered by rough waves in the winter. For generations, their lives went on, undaunted by anything the sea could put before them.
“Then one day the land began to shift. The weather started to change. Waves were larger and different. Many fishermen were thrown from their boats. They soon learned to adjust the boats and keep themselves afloat. But nothing helped. The waves would sweep in. Then that night came, and the great waves hit the village. Most perished when the first waves hit. Some people that lived higher in the hills survived, though only barely.
“Morning came, and there were bodies strewn all over the place. The survivors began the long task of burying them. Neihanva was once the favorite of the village and the daughter of the village head. Once her sunny heart made everyone happy. She always thought of the village people. Neihanva picked flowers and would give them to the other children and elders.” Seveaha smiled gently at Marhidium.
“Isn’t there more to Neihanva’s story?” said Marhidium.
“Yes, there is, but be content with what I have said,” Seveaha replied with finality.
Soon it was time for Seveaha to return to the council room to discuss how to get Knode and his people home, leaving them on their own.
Tenashar and Knode wanted to look around the village. Marhidium wanted to do the same. Siytai, A-amar, and Una-sei stayed behind.
In case they didn’t want to use the light to levitate downward, Seveaha had showed them the stairs. Knode and Tenashar used the stairs. Marhidium wanted to have fun and levitated down. When they came out of the tower, there was a bright shaft of sunlight peeking through the clouds as if to welcome them into the street.
They saw hundreds of people unconcerned by their presence. Being ignored by people suited them. Tenashar, Knode, and Marhidium wanted to be alone to look around the city.
chapter 13
The Council Chamber
They reached the square again. They were talking and soon felt that someone was looking at them. It was Tenashar who first noticed the young girl staring at them with such an intense gaze.
Journey to the Grassland and Sea Page 9