by Jason Tesar
“What are you guys doing?”
“We’re trying to see who can hit the stick first,” Horace replied, as he walked to the pile and chose another rock. “Do you want to try?”
“Sure,” Kael said with a smile.
“Grab a rock and you can go after me,” said Donagh.
Coen’s attempt fell short and Donagh stepped forward. He took a few hops to gain momentum and heaved a rock the size of his fist toward the target. It landed with a dull thud at the base of the stick and moved it slightly.
“That’s the closest one so far,” Arden said. “Now it’s your turn, Kael.”
Kael had been watching the others and had forgotten to choose a rock. He quickly picked the first one his hand closed around and stepped up to the line dug in the dirt.
“Your foot can’t cross the line,” Donagh said, his competitive nature showing through.
“Okay,” Kael replied, inching back more than necessary from the line. The rock he had chosen was shaped strangely and didn’t fit well in his hand. He threw it anyway and it flew over the stick and bounced in the dirt.
The minutes passed and the pile of stones shrank with every attempt. The other boys were starting to grow bored of the game. When it came time for Horace to try again, he ran across the line with his arm cocked. Coen began to laugh as Horace stopped only a few strides short of the stick and threw the rock as hard as he could only to miss it completely. Exhausted with his wasted effort, he collapsed on the ground in a fit of laughter. Soon everyone joined in and all of the boys rolled on the ground clutching their stomachs. When the laughter subsided, they all stayed lying on the ground looking up at the few wispy clouds high overhead.
“Where were you today?” asked Arden.
“Who, me?” Kael replied.
“Yeah, we haven’t seen you since this morning.”
Kael hesitated. “Uh…I went hunting squirrels with Ukiru.”
The other boys rolled over and looked at him. “Where did you go?” asked Coen.
“Up the other side of the valley.” Kael could see the jealousy in their eyes. “One of the monks took us. We should all go next week,” he quickly added.
“Yeah. That would be…” Coen began, but Donagh interrupted.
“We should be getting back. It’s almost time for the evening meal.”
At his words the other boys got to their feet. As they started to walk back toward the top of the hill, Kael decided to try one more time to hit the target. He knelt at the pile and moved the rocks aside, searching for just the right one.
“Come on, we need to get back,” Coen yelled.
“I’ll be there in just a second,” Kael yelled back. “Just one more try.” As he looked down at the pile, his hand closed around a smooth rock. It was elliptical in shape and narrow, growing sharp at the edges. He held it up for a second to inspect the shape and could almost feel how it would fly. He stood up and faced the target, imagining the way it would arc through air and curve slightly in the wind. He stepped forward and threw it, feeling it spin off his pointer finger and cut through the wind just as he imagined.
CRACK!
The stone hit the stick and cut it in half.
Kael stared in disbelief.
“Whoa! How did you do that?” Coen yelled, running back down the hill toward the severed stick.
Kael ran toward the target and arrived just after Coen, who was holding the top part of the stick for inspection. The cut was smooth halfway through the stick where the rock had impacted, while the back of the stick was splintered.
“Good throw,” Coen said, patting Kael on the back.
Kael looked up the hill to see if the others had witnessed it, but they had already crested the hill and started down the other side.
“Wait till they see this,” Coen said, running off in the direction of the others.
* * * *
The midmorning sunlight streamed through the window of the study where Lemus sat at a desk strewn with papers. The quill stood upright in the ink pot, untouched. This room, as well as all of the others in the house, overlooked the bay of Bastul. It was difficult to get any work done with such a majestic view just outside of the window. Lemus sat back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. Closing his eyes, he let the sounds of the ocean occupy his attention. The position of Governor had, so far, proven to be more difficult than he had originally expected. Not only did he have the rotation of soldiers to plan out, always keeping a state of readiness for the defense of the city, but it also seemed as though someone always needed his attention. Whether it was a ruling on some minor matter, or his presence at some occasion, he always had a list of things to do. After only a few short weeks it was all becoming a big headache to him.
As he allowed the slight breeze coming through the window to wash his thoughts away, a knock came at the door. The soldier who stood guard next to the door turned and unlatched the bolt. The motion startled Lemus who had forgotten that anyone else was in the room. The door swung open to reveal two men escorted by another soldier. The guard looked back to Lemus who waved his hand for the men to be let in.
As the two men came into the room, Lemus sized them up in a matter of seconds, deciding that they were not a threat. Even if they did something unexpected, it would be three trained soldiers against these two, who looked like priests. They were dressed in long dark robes that covered everything except for their faces.
“Sir. These men asked to speak with you. They are unarmed.” The soldier stepped to the side, his escort duty complete, and watched the men cautiously.
“What do you gentlemen want?”
One of the robed men stepped forward, bowing his head. “Are you the Governor?”
Lemus was silent for a second, not expecting to have to answer questions. “Of course I’m the Governor! What do you want?” he repeated louder.
“I apologize, Sir. I just want to be sure that I’m dealing with the highest authority in the city.”
Lemus nodded his head for the man to continue.
“We are looking for a man that we are told lives here. He goes by the name Saba.”
Lemus laughed. “He did live here, but he was escorted off the premises a few weeks ago. What do you want with him?”
“Our employer wishes to speak with him.”
Lemus smiled. “Sounds like trouble. Well, I’d be happy to pass on trouble to that meddling old man. He has many friends in the area, but the Captain of the Guard could probably steer you in the right direction.” Lemus turned to the men’s escort. “Take these men to the Captain; make sure they have everything they require.”
“Yes, Sir,” the soldier replied.
The two robed men bowed their heads to Lemus. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
Lemus nodded his head and watched as the escort led the men out of the room. When they entered the hallway, Lemus noticed Maeryn standing to the side holding a tray. “Bring her in here,” he said to his guard.
“Yes, Sir,” came the reply.
As Maeryn came into the room, she moved through a shaft of light next to the doorway. For a split second, Lemus could see the outline of her bare skin through the fabric of her tunic. Just as quickly as it appeared, the vision vanished, leaving Lemus in a state of shock. Had it not been for her, he might not have asked to take Adair’s position.
“I thought you might like something to eat. You’ve been working all morning without a break.” Maeryn set a tray of sweet bread on his desk, on top of the papers he should have been working on.
Lemus stared at the bread and then eyed Maeryn suspiciously. “Thank you. I was starting to get hungry.” He continued to stare at her, but was more than a little distracted by her bright blue eyes and fair skin. She was so different from any other woman he had seen. “What’s wrong now,” he said, when he came to his senses.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Why the sudden change of heart—bringing me something to eat? I suppose it’s poisoned and
you’re trying to kill me.”
“No,” she protested.
He interrupted what she was about to say. “I have spies everywhere and if I even hear a whisper of a rumor about you trying to harm me, I won’t even wait for the jailers to carry out your execution. I’ll kill you myself.”
“No…of course I wouldn’t try anything. It’s just…” she trailed off. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately.”
“About what,” he asked, interrupting her again.
“I’ve really…it has been difficult for me to adjust to being without Adair. But all that has changed and I want to start over with you. By law, you are my husband now and I will respect that. My former husband abandoned me for some reason and left his responsibilities behind. Those are not the actions of a respectable man of Orud. I know that now. Anyway, I thought you might be hungry.”
Lemus continued to stare at her for a moment, looking for signs of deceit. He considered himself to be a good judge of things like that. But instead of lies, he saw only beauty. “It’s good that you have finally accepted the truth. Adair was a coward and did not serve the Empire well. I have much work to do, so if you will excuse me,” he said, motioning for the guard to open the door. “Thank you for the bread.”
The soldier closed the door after Maeryn left and returned to his guard position. It was silent in the room for a moment as Lemus inspected the slices of sweet bread arranged on the tray. “Come here,” he commanded the soldier.
“Yes, Sir,” replied the man who quickly came to Lemus’ side.
“Eat this,” Lemus said, handing him a slice of bread.
The soldier hesitated, unsure of whether or not this would violate any rules of conduct.
“Go on,” Lemus insisted.
The guard took the piece of bread from Lemus’ hand and stuffed the whole slice in his mouth and chewed quickly.
After the guard swallowed the bread, pretending not to enjoy it, Lemus rose from his chair and stepped back. “How do you feel?”
“Good, Sir.”
“How is the bread?” Lemus questioned further. “It’s alright, you can tell me.”
The guard was visibly uncomfortable with the whole situation. He finally answered. “It’s good, Sir. …very sweet.”
Lemus stared at him for a moment, expecting the soldier to drop dead at any time. When nothing happened, he sat down at his desk and greedily ate the whole plate of bread.
* * * *
Maeryn had been nervous all day, hoping that her words had done the job. She was certain they had the moment she left Lemus sitting at his desk, but as the day wore on, she began to lose her certainty. As night fell, she prepared herself for bed in one of the spare rooms at the end of the hall. Lemus had long ago confiscated her bedroom and claimed it for his own. She combed her hair and braided it loosely. A small part of her really wondered if Adair had left on purpose. But just as quick as the thought came, it vanished in the face of logic. That’s impossible. He loved us very much. It was the Empire that took him away. Maybe they didn’t know where he was, but they were definitely responsible for his disappearance.
Suddenly, Maeryn was aware that the door to her room was open. She turned to see Lemus standing in the doorway. He looked startled, as if he had been watching for a while and had just been spotted. If that was the case, he tried not to show it.
“You shouldn’t sleep in here anymore,” he said, walking forward a few steps.
“But I thought you said…”
“Never mind that. Wouldn’t it be nice to sleep in your own bed again?”
She doubted that he cared about her quality of sleep. She had prepared herself for this moment and knew exactly what to do. “Yes. I miss sleeping in my own bed.” She rose to her feet and followed Lemus to the master bedroom. When she entered the room he closed and locked the door.
I’m not going anywhere. If anyone is setting a trap here, it’s me.
When Lemus turned around Maeryn was standing close. She reached up and placed her hands gently on his face. He instinctively bent down and kissed her. Maeryn felt like she would throw-up and took a deep breath to clear her mind. I planned for this to happen.
Lemus walked her over to the bed and sat her down. When he began to take off his tunic she started to panic. Can I really do this? The question hung in her mind, waiting for an answer. She took another deep breath. Of course I can; I have to. I have no other choice! It wasn’t any comfort, but it worked. She watched Lemus pull off his tunic and untie his loincloth. He was skinny and looked even more repulsive without his clothes. Somehow the whole scene was funny and she was able to think more clearly when she concentrated on the humor and nothing else.
This is just the first step. Win him over tonight and you’ll have him. You’ve got a baby to think about now, a baby that needs a safe place to live. Eventually he’ll grow comfortable with you and that’s when you’ll make your move.
Chapter 14
Saba turned from the western road and headed northeast into the hills, making his way on foot as the sun began to set. The outskirts of Bastul were populated by farmers who were attending to various tasks outside, trying to make the most of the daylight. Most of these hardworking people waved to Saba as he passed along the road and he couldn’t help but think of the contrast in lifestyles between the city and country folk. These farmers worked from sunrise to sunset, sometimes even longer. But within the city, the workday had already ended hours ago so that the citizens of Bastul could enjoy baths and leisure time before their evening meals.
The small dirt path wound through the foothills for a short distance before cutting into a deep canyon dividing the mountain range. The setting sun cast strong shadows that separated the canyon into areas of intense orange light and patches of complete darkness. By the time the path climbed out of the canyon and leveled out into an area of rolling meadows, the sun had dropped behind the ocean. Saba turned off the road and followed a walking path between fields of mature lettuce and cabbage, ready to be harvested.
Just as expected, Trenus was still outside, washing the soil from his hands at the well. It was difficult to see in the fading light, but he was a short, sturdy man, with light brown hair. His clothing, like all country folk, was similar to what a slave might wear. His tunic, now stained with dirt from a hard day’s work, was not made of white linen, but a coarser, thicker material that would stand up against the harsh lifestyle. His sandals were not really sandals at all, but boots that covered his feet completely and laced on the top of the foot. Trenus waved as soon as he caught sight of Saba. It took a few minutes before they were within earshot of each other and by that time, he had finished washing his hands.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Starving. I’ve been walking most of the day.”
Trenus smiled. “I’ve got a stew going. Come inside.”
The main house was a humble wood building with tiled roof and walls plastered on the inside. The layout was a departure from most houses in this region. There were only a few doors off the main living area and it contained a limited amount of practical furniture. Obviously, Trenus had built this place for function only.
“Have a seat.” Trenus pointed to a table on the opposite side of the room. It was situated only a few feet from the stove, upon which a pot of stew simmered.
“Thank you,” Saba replied, slumping into the chair, grateful to be off of his feet. Once he caught his breath, he looked around the room. He had only been here for an hour a few days ago to drop off his belongings before he went back to the city to check on Maeryn. He felt bad now at barging in on Trenus, though it didn’t look as if it hindered his life one bit.
“What does that look mean?” Trenus asked, looking back at Saba while stirring the stew.
Saba decided to give him an honest answer. “This place needs a woman’s touch.”
“Yeah, I know. Maybe someday it will have that. But for now, I kind of like it.”
Saba nodded his head. “I must say, i
t is…efficient.”
Trenus laughed. “That’s one way to say it.” He brought two bowls of steaming food over to the table and set them down. Pulling back his chair, Trenus was about to sit down when he realized that he had forgotten the spoons. “Oops,” he said, turning around to grab those as well. “I’m not used to entertaining company.” He handed one to Saba.
“That’s quite all right. Thank you, by the way, for letting me stay here.”
Trenus waived his hand in dismissal. “Never mind that. Tell me how it went, though it seems obvious by your quick return.”
“I only made it as far as the Market District before I was spotted.”
“Soldiers?” Trenus asked. “And they let you go?”
“Yes. I think I’ve worn out my welcome.”
The room was silent for a few minutes as the men began to eat their food.
Eventually, Saba looked up, wiping stew from his beard. “It looks like I will have to find something else to do.”
“Well…you know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need?”
“Thank you. I guess I’ll unpack my things tonight.”
Trenus pointed at a door to the right of the stove. “That’s my only empty room and it’s used mostly for storage, so you’ll have to forgive the mess.”
“I’m sure it will be just fine. Thank you.”
Several minutes passed before Trenus got up to refill his bowl. He offered to do the same for Saba, but the old man politely refused. “I’ve got so much on my mind that it has ruined my appetite.”
“Are you sure it’s not the stew?” Trenus asked, his face wrinkling into a smile.
Saba couldn’t help but laugh. “No, it’s not the food. Actually, you could probably make quite a living in the city selling your meals.” Saba suddenly felt relieved. Trenus had a way of lightening the mood that made for easy conversation.