Tarkian stopped at the end of a bridge, which crossed a winding canyon leading to the village. His sons stopped by his side. He stood for a while, his gaze surveying the flat valley on the other side of the bridge, where they saw the village houses dotting the gentle slope. A heavy silence surrounded them, causing the horses to stamp the ground restlessly. The boys wanted to ride away. They weren’t used to the sinister feeling that engulfed them there, in an area they’d known their entire lives. Tarkian continued waiting.
“What is happening to us, my sons? What is happening to our country, Izmeran? Look how beautiful it is, surrounded by mountains, in its center the green plains and Izamar River, twisting and crossing it, spreading peace and blessings on the way. The country grows trees, grass, and flowers, since time immemorial, but no vegetable or fruit survives. It’s as though there’s a curse here. We can’t continue living on stones alone, as precious and fine as they are.”
“As long as we have precious stones, we can trade them for vegetables,” said Blaind. “Stones don’t rot, drought and hail can’t harm them, and they can’t lose their value.”
“You can carry an entire treasure in your pocket,” Sinbar said.
“And it’s very easy to rob a treasure. You saw what happened to the convoy,” Tarkian said.
“What can you do? That’s just how things are.”
“We have to find a cure for the land,” said Tanti. “It was only three years ago that these plains yielded crops. There must be something that will bring life back to the land. Or…”
“Or we’ll start eating stones. I know an excellent recipe for hematite soup,” Sinbar said and pulled Tanti’s hat.
“Our land looks diseased,” Tanti said, straightening his hat. “There must be a cure for this disease.”
“It’s not a disease like the flu, young brother,” said Blaind. “You can’t bury a pill in the earth and that’ll cure it.”
“Maybe there is. I’m almost sure there’s something that can cure the land. I feel…”
“Currents, sweet brother?”
“No. Maybe worms or a kind of mold or spores.”
“I’m not sure our land would like your menu,” Sinbar said. He leaned over and slapped Tanti’s neck. “Worms.” He chuckled. “Mold.”
Tanti raised the lute to hit his brother. He hated it when his brothers slapped or laughingly mocked him. “Worms in your soup!” he said. Sinbar dodged agilely, and the lute was safe for now. Their father didn’t know how to calm his sons. He wanted to shout at them and scold them, but he restrained himself. Something about the place’s atmosphere was dark and daunting, and he didn’t want them to feel gloomy.
Just then, a pair of riders galloped toward them from the other side of the bridge. They came to a stop right before Tarkian. The guards dismounted from their horses and saluted with their hats. “A letter from the council,” one of them said and gave them a sealed envelope. They immediately mounted their horses and galloped away, before any of them had time to respond. Once again, the uneasy silence returned, weighing heavily on their hearts.
Tarkian opened the envelope and read. “The Council of the Wise Men of Izmeran is gathering for an urgent meeting on matters of security and economy. You must come immediately to Stone Hall, with your sons.”
Tarkian was surprised by the letter’s urgency, as well as his sons’ inclusion in the council meeting. If only they could go home first, eat, rest, and appease his worried wife, who was expecting them.
The boys were excited. The argument was forgotten. Never before had men as young as themselves been invited to participate in the discussions of the leaders of their country. Pride compensated them for missing their grand entrance into the village, the delay of a good warm meal, and after that, rest and entertainment.
The minute their father gave them a sign, they urged their horses forward and galloped after him toward Stone Hall.
Chapter 4
The Council
The sun started setting as Tarkian and his sons walked in. It was dark in the council hall, which was located in a large cave. Torches burned in nooks in the walls of the wide hall. When their eyes got used to the dark, they noticed the council members sitting on stone chairs padded with cushions, scattered along the walls.
Standing beside his tall, handsome brothers, Tanti felt painfully ashamed of his appearance. In the village and its surroundings, everyone was used to his colorful, flamboyant appearance. Here, he felt conspicuous against the gloomy background of the stern councilmen. He sidled behind Sinbar’s back, yet no one paid attention to him or his attire. They all looked deep in prayer. They faced the niche where a statue of a faceless man stood. An abundance of scarves hung around its neck and spread arms and covered its entire body. Most of the men’s eyes were closed, and their mouths emitted a continuous buzz.
“We will be blessed with His goodness, give thanks and praise.
Our wisdom is to know that we don’t have eternity and the work ahead is great.”
A high priest wearing a green-brown robe turned his hands so his fingers were spread open.
From the crowd rose Nevian, the President of Izmeran, who approached them. He embraced Tarkian and shook his sons’ hands. “Thank you for coming on time,” he said quietly. “I know you’re just returning from a journey, and you must be tired and hungry. Please join the prayer, and then we’ll talk.”
They sat quietly, absorbing the heavy atmosphere and waiting. Tarkian rested the back of his right hand on the back of his left, closed his eyes, and joined the prayer. The three boys sat next to him, feeling self-conscious and not knowing what to do. Tanti imitated his father’s actions and immediately felt a vague, soothing current, his head as light as a cloud.
“Because he gave us the right to live, to save him in love and honor, and when the time comes, to repay him.” He heard the priest’s voice and the echo filling the cave.
“We will thank and bless and be blessed with his kindness,” the crowd answered.
The prayer ended. People started opening their eyes and smiling at those sitting next to them. They spoke quietly. One by one, they approached Tarkian to greet him.
Then the meal was served, which included a steaming-hot casserole of lentils, crunchy bread, and red wine. The simple meal was fulfilling and tasty, and the ravenous Marin family ate until they were full.
When the meal ended, a discussion began about the strange drought.
“The drought is spreading,” said Nevian. “It’s already reached the southern counties. Oliyah, our land specialist, will tell you about the situation of the land. But first, we’ll hear about the situation in the mines.”
He gestured to the Minister of Land, who rose to his feet immediately.
“The situation in the mines is good. Our difficulty lies with the mining, with skilled human resources, and the increasing number of miners, stone processors, and jewelers. We’ve raised salaries in order to draw the young people to the mining industry, and we’ve succeeded in attracting quite a few mountain people to do the job. They’re strong and are very good at building tunnels. They’re also grateful for the source of income available to them. Yet their integrity can’t be trusted when it comes to crystals, and many of them have been caught stealing. We’ve made a tremendous effort to find new sources, and I’m happy to announce that this week, a deposit of rich and promising topaz has been discovered by Tarkian and his sons, who are here with us now.”
The men clapped.
“News spreads quickly,” Tarkian said, slightly embarrassed. He signaled Sinbar, who took a rough stone out of his bag. “Peel it,” Tarkian said. Sinbar took out his little mining hammer and used it with a skilled hand. A beautiful topaz stone emerged from the rough exterior, a bit smaller than the first stone Tanti had found. The topaz stone glowed in the cave’s gloomy interior. Sinbar smiled and handed it to the closest council member. T
he stone passed from hand to hand, carefully and lovingly. In the end, it returned to Sinbar.
“As aforementioned, our country is in a state of emergency such as we’ve never known before,” said the president. “On the one hand, there’s the drought, and the thefts taking place at the borders. And Izmeran, which lies at the heart of the big kingdoms, has established itself as an independent region with a sovereignty chosen first and foremost for the citizens, without lavish castles. As we don’t have a large army, Izmeran hasn’t posed a threat to its neighbors, and peaceful relationships were maintained. It was our weakness that protected us. Our economy thrived due to the lack of wars here. Izmeran became a rich, flourishing center of trade, a center of rich and evolving culture and arts. Even the ostracized mountain people and the persecuted people of all countries found a safe place here, where their ancient cultures are respected and they’re allowed to live a life of freedom. We’ve strived to bring them closer and form friendly ties, which will free them from the hostility they’ve faced during years of repression.
“The situation has deteriorated in Izmeran since that year, during which many fields yielded barren vegetation. This spread from the south to the north, until there were almost no fruit or vegetable crops in the country. At first, we tried to solve the problems locally. What we did slightly helped, but with time, as the drought worsened, it seemed as though there was no solution to the growing problems. Little by little, the situation in the fields started affecting our safety. The fine balance was disrupted, and the neighboring countries started realizing how easy it would be to conquer Izmeran. The Rubans, who had never cooperated and hadn’t integrated, were just waiting for this opportunity. Their highway attacks became even more daring.
“Without fruit of the land and the trees, we must reinforce crystal mining and jewelry making and the arts, in order to trade them for food. We need troops to stop the bandits, and last but not least, we must find a cure for the curse of the barren land.
“We’ve invited the Marin family, who do much in order to develop the most important resource of Izmeran’s economy.”
He rose and took one step forward.
“Tarkian,” he said.
Tarkian rose.
“I know you and your sons have worked hard, especially during this past year. This week, you even managed to find a new source. You must continue your efforts. This time without your sons, who have been given different roles. We have come to an agreement with the council leaders and decided to appoint a person who will be responsible for the entire issue of mine deposits and be in charge of the regional mine managers. I’d like to appoint you to that role. You will have the authority to organize the searches and mines in the best possible way. You will receive a team of people and tools according to your needs. Mining the existing quarries and searching for new ones is now our top priority.
“The mountain people, with whom you’ve cultivated strong friendships over the years, will accompany you. And they, as aforementioned, are experts in locating lands and deposits and are closely familiar with the eastern side, which we haven’t explored yet. We must assemble and summarize a plan of action. Efronit, a council member who specializes in the study of land and rock, will discuss with you your courses of action.” Nevian fell silent for a minute, and then looked at Tarkian.
“How long do you need to consider this offer?” he asked.
Tarkian frowned silently for a moment. He knew he would have to invest many more hours in issues pertaining to his new position. Not long ago, he’d promised his wife, Andama, that he would reduce his forays into the mountains and cut short his long absences, which made it difficult for her to manage their large farm. The horse farm that they’d both established had grown and thrived. When he and his sons were absent, the burden of running the farm fell on Andama, who was energetic, quick, and efficient, a daring horsewoman, and a skilled trainer. Apart from that, she lovingly took care of the house and garden. Yet she couldn’t do all the work without him.
She was a loving woman, full of life and joy. She believed it was her job to feed every person and animal in her sight, and even beyond it. In the large, bright kitchen he had built her according to her instructions, there were two ovens, a spacious workspace, and a pantry the size of a living room. The table was big enough for five families, and guests almost always joined their meals. Lately, she’d started to complain that she was finding herself more and more alone. The boys had grown up, and their youngest was almost twenty years old. The boys were busy with their lives, and most of the time, joined him on his journeys. Soon, they’d find wives and leave home. The evenings and nights were especially hard on her. Andama wouldn’t be happy to hear that instead of developing the horse farm with her, from now on he’d have to dedicate more of his time to more frequent searches, instead of leaving most of the locating jobs to his sons and other people he’d trained for that specific purpose, as he’d promised her.
He noticed the expectant silence around him.
“Andama will need help on the farm,” he said.
“We’ll send her experienced grooms and farmhands, who’ll receive their salaries directly from the council,” said President Nevian. “And apart from that, you’ll get whatever you need for yourself and your household in order to make time for your new position. All you have to do is ask.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Tarkian said.
The president went to him and embraced him warmly. “Then it’s settled,” he said. “Efronit will be at your disposal and will assist you. She’ll update you regarding your new position.”
Nevian took his seat and signaled for Tarkian to sit as well.
“Let’s get back to the subject of the drought,” said Nevian. “First, let’s hear what’s happening at the borders and roads. Sheblon, can you tell us what we’re looking at?”
“I’m sorry to say our situation is becoming more difficult from day to day,” said the captain of the guard in his deep voice. “The north is quiet, but in the east and along the southeast border, there are many infiltrations of thieves, especially from Ruban. The thieves are multiplying and familiarizing themselves with the trade routes and the dates of the markets and fairs. They’re ruthlessly robbing the jewelry merchants, having no qualms about taking lives or the honor of young girls. We already know about Tarkian and his sons’ clash with a gang of Rubans, who attacked Klomel’s convoy. There were wounded and dead, and things could’ve been much worse had the Marins not been there and scared the bandits away. Therefore, we’re in need of a new configuration, which is one of the main reasons we’ve assembled today.
“We want to ask Blaind and Sinbar to establish fortifications that will guard the main roads, with the veteran Izmeran guard in charge of the borders and the inner country. Your unit will be independent,” Sheblon said. “You’ll be in charge of training and instructing strapping young men from the villages and small towns, guarding the roads, and protecting the convoys.”
He fell silent, waiting for their reaction.
The brothers were extremely surprised. They turned to their father to seek his advice, but he had his back to them, asking Efronit a question and waiting for her answer, leaving the decision to them, without his interference or influence.
They whispered among themselves for a while.
“I can do it…” Tanti said. “Me too…”
Tarkian squeezed his shoulder, signaling that he be quiet. Tanti swallowed a shout. His father’s grasp hurt him terribly, but more than that, his heart ached when he realized that he had failed again, leaping in where he didn’t belong. Why couldn’t they let him just ride on home? Why did they have to drag him over here, to a situation he had no part of? He was afraid to raise his eyes and bump into mocking eyes. Luckily, all eyes were on Blaind and Sinbar, who voiced their agreement to the positions offered to them. Sinbar was to be in charge of recruiting the guards, organizing, and managing, as
well as stationing the troops in locations that were in need of protection. Blaind was in charge of training the fighters and building the command echelon.
Izmeran’s captain of the guard, they were told, would take care of their equipment and provide weapons and assistants.
Tanti was deeply impressed by his father’s and brothers’ new positions. Relieved that no one was paying attention to him, he started sidling away in an attempt to hide among the cave support beams. There, he heard the muffled, distant voices of the councilmen.
Uliyah got up, his head slightly bent. He spoke quietly, as though speaking to himself. “In the Land Research Farm, samples of earth were examined from different parts of the country. There was no discovery of animal parasites. They managed to discern a yellowish dust after separating the ingredients, which doesn’t appear in the earth beyond the diseased area. This dust attacks the roots and the bulbs in a way that is still hard for us to define. It causes sterile fruit trees. The trees can grow magnificently, without yielding any fruit. Along the Izamar River, the situation is better, probably because of the river’s current, which brings cleaner silt. Yet their impact is too small. We’re searching for a solution for the curse of the soil.”
“Maybe we’ll divert the water from the Izamar,” someone said. “We’ll dig trenches and build aqueducts. That way, we can also flood territories that are far from the river.”
“It may hurt the river’s flow, the traffic, the fishing, and who knows what else.”
“We’ll use all the water sources. We’ll use the streams and waterfalls flowing down the mountains.”
Various opinions were voiced. An argument ensued. Voices mixed and rose.
Tanti emerged from his hiding place at the edge of the cave.
“Water won’t solve the problem of the land,” he said. “We need something more powerful to cure its disease. Something more powerful than the flora and smarter than the fauna.”
Journey to Water's Heart Page 3