He laughed which turned contagious and she joined him. Once they could catch his breath once again he said, “You know I never thought about it that way, but I suspect you’re right. I know that when I was still young, very young really, we’d go see family and there’d always be stories going around. And I have to admit that many of them left me in awe to what they were talking about. In my mind I would create adventures from those stories. But like you just stated, all the boring stuff probably had been left out, and the stuff where they got hurt or failed, and only passed on the good stuff. Do you really think we’ll be like that when we get old?”
She shrugged, “That’s hard to say, but I suspect that it will be the way of it. I’ve seen the same thing in my family gatherings and there are oldsters who are living around this village always willing to pass on some gem of wisdom, or tell a tale from their past. So maybe as we get older and begin to lose much of the vigor of youth, the strength, and mind begins to fade that one only has their past to live for.” She stopped a moment took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I guess when you look at it that way it’s tragic. We work and try and accomplish things in our lives, some work, some fail, but suddenly what you are no longer matters and the young ones have taken over and you are now the one looking in and wondering what happened. It really has to be hard.”
With the swift change he hesitated as he thought about what Jura had just stated. “That’s very true and really has to be hard. It seems that time robs us of our strength, our ability to think and act, and it happens so subtly that one never notices it until one day it hits you in the face and you’re old and, well maybe not useless, but one probably feels that way. I know that with my sires that I’m beginning to see much grey in their hair, and while they still seem strong and virile, it’s obvious that in a few cycles of the seasons that they will be moving over as their parents did before them. And it seems to happen so fast.” He got up and paced for a few moments with his hands behind his back. The direction that their conversation had taken was off the mark to where it had started, but that seemed to happen often. It was as if the mind was unruly and needed to be disciplined to keep it on track. “Look we kind of gotten off the subject where this all started, and like we said, we’re nothing more than simple bakers, and this stuff that’s happening behind our backs, unknown to us, is so far beyond that I would never have guessed such a thing exists. So now we’re in the middle, and if the rumors that we’ve read are correct, then our hard work, or discovery, will become someone else’s, and that sucks. I suspect that this is common, but until it happens to you, you just don’t realize that it’s this way.”
“Yeah, I surely didn’t. But what can we do about it? I know that we wanted to go back and map the area better than the quick sketches that we did before we left …” She paused deep in thought for a moment.
Curious as to what she was thinking he waited before asking, “What?”
She shushed him and continued to think. “Look we need to find out who these people are who contacted us tonight.”
“Why? We don’t even have a hint to as who they are, let alone know a way to contact them.”
“Yeah that’s true, but look we need to find out because if they are part of the search for our history, maybe, just maybe we can beat Sabohl at his game and get credit for the discovery.”
“How? Really?”
“Yes, really. Look we’ve worked hard on finding the clan home, and I would just hate to have Sabohl grab all the glory from it, so if we can contact this other group, if indeed there is another group, then with the rough drawings we did, and the marking of the location on our maps we could get this out ahead of him and claim it as our own, which it is.”
“Okay, I agree with you, but now we have two mysteries to solve. First who is this group and where are they? And secondly, how many does Sabohl have watching us, and if it is a lot can we make contact with this other group and not give them away, and will they be willing to help? I know that they, in their note said that they are here, but that’s a long way from coming out in the open.”
Jura then added, “But there’s a third also, and that is this; do we have enough time to prove it was our discovery before Sabohl and his release the details, undermining our facts, and truths? Hmm, let’s look at that note again, maybe there’s something there that we missed. I’m sure that there wouldn’t be much on it in case it fell into Sabohl’s hands, but it probably wouldn’t matter, because even this much would be enough for Sabohl to probably figure out who this was. So they were taking a very big chance getting this into our hands.” They spread the crumpled, folded note out and studied it closer, but could find nothing, until they turned it over, and there on the back was a small mark. But neither had ever seen such a mark, and really if they were truthful, it could have just as easily been just part of another correspondence, and this scrap of paper could be just that – scrap.
* * *
Sabohl felt satisfaction with the results that had come out of his feelings that that upstart had been hiding something from him. To have kept the surveillance up for as long as had been required had cost him much in both time and finances. Now, because of them, he sat upon one of the largest discoveries in his field in two lifetimes. He laughed quietly and asked himself just what could they do about it? Answering himself he said quite smugly, “Why nothing, nothing at all.” There was no one who could challenge him or his position and it was going to remain that way. He was very good on putting up the front of being the helpful friendly learned, but if any knew him as he really was they would’ve realized that this was only to gain possible information that he could use later, and he had a great memory. Soon, with this discovery, he would be able to cement his position and leadership to the point that absolutely no one would be able to challenge him, and that damned board would just vanish as all did in time.
He lived alone and preferred it that way. And if he had need of a female, and what male didn’t, he’d have some of his female students who looked up to him until he grew tired of them, or maybe a female or two from the society that he frequented, and if all else failed there were always those of the lower caste, or the shelters of females for that purpose. So he had no need of a companion, and friendships were a way of learning something he needed and nothing more. Besides he was enough company, and by being this way there could be no accidental slip up because he let his guard down at home.
After it had become obvious that the two, Kal and Jura, headed back at what seemed to be an unsuccessful search in the northeastern foothills, he had become frustrated. He knew in his heart that they weren’t there just to be away from the business. And by the way they were up and down those hills it was further proof that they were looking for something. So as the sparse reports came back he encouraged his contacts to keep following them. And in the end these two were never the wiser that they had been followed, being watched. And when that last report had come back saying that the two were done for this cycle of the seasons he thought it a little strange. Yes it would only be a short time before the Season of Cold would be upon them, but there was still a few 9-days left before it would strike – much too early in his mind to be quitting. So he sent word back to have the ones that were close to that final area to contact the two that had been following and with the four of them to retrace that last place that Jura and Kal had been before they quit. Soon word got back to him that indeed the two had located an unknown ancient site, and what did he want them to do?
With the flush of both excitement and confirmation that he had been right, he moved quickly to secure the location and to claim another discovery. But before he could officially make that claim he personally would have to make the journey to give credence to the fact that he actually found this site. And he had to make sure that the higher learned center was aware that he was out searching, and the reason was some old document that he had discovered, which of course, led him straight to this unknown location and unknown ancient site. He would be gone t
hree 9-days to give the illusion that he was out attempting to nail down the exact location, but really had just spent it in the closest village under an assumed name remaining comfortable. Yes he had taken a single trip out to the location so that he could officially say that he had actually been there. And once the time had passed he returned and announced his discovery with maps and rough drawings. Now let any try and take it away from him. Yes, I need to continue to watch these two. I really suspect that this isn’t the only place that they will discover in the end, and it all will be my discoveries when it’s all said and done. Again he laughed as he drank his liquor. All was going well and all was going to be a part of his long ranged plans.
* * *
Jaie, standing as he faced the historical society said, “I really didn’t expect him to move that fast. But I guess it makes sense. He didn’t get where he is by sitting on his rear end. What we need to do now is find out if we want to make ourselves known, more than that note that was left at their door. Are we ready to come out in the open, and with what Sabohl has done to them, would they be willing to accept our help? I think that with the results of their hard work and the subsequent loss to Sabohl of that same hard work, they just might. Although we will be walking a very fine line if we do. There’s a good chance that Sabohl will figure out that we are more openly opposing him, and with the speed that seems to surprise us, do something unexpected that could be a major problem for us.” He sat down and for a while it was silent.
Tesam stood and voiced their dilemma, “True, absolutely everything that you just stated is fact. Yet, if we do nothing he’ll continue to build his power, and nobody, and I mean nobody will be able to challenge him until like that old male in the herds who is the one servicing the females, some young one comes along who is stronger and takes his place. He could easily destroy us, and with his claim that he located this site, unless we can inject some doubt on that claim, it may be enough that he will be that old male, that old bull who is wily, and even though the young males are stronger and probably faster, it is his experience that allows him to continue to rule over the females. We cannot allow this to continue, but honestly I have no answers on how to prevent it. So maybe it will be in our best interest to actually contact these two, the ones who actually made the discovery and see what they may have that can counter Sabohl’s claim of being the first.” He sat down.
Shahe then stood and was quiet for a moment as he thought through what had been presented, “Okay, I think we’re all coming to the conclusion that we will need to make contact with Kal and Jura and find out what they have to counter Sabohl’s claim to this site, and we must do it quickly or he can claim that they only copied what he put out there, and that what they are saying is false, trying to take his discovery from him, and after all, everyone knows that he, Sabohl is the greatest in his field, and there are always upstarts trying to take it away from him, so why not now? So I guess the question is this; how do we contact them, and still keep it a secret from Sabohl’s minions?” At this time he sat down and the hall where they were meeting was silent.
* * *
It was an unbelievably busy day at the secondary bakery. With the innovations that his parents added, and the varieties of breads and such, it seemed that soon, even considering the small size of High Trail that they would have to expand again. They were getting well known in the area and were drawing people in from well outside of the small village. And there had been a rather large order from a private learning center slash religious shelter. Yes they still existed, but no longer did any worship the old gods. Instead they now considered that there was only one God who ruled not only the creation of this world but of all that they could see. And because this order had not been given to them in advance it had put them far behind and their normal on-hand amounts dwindled rapidly. Turning to Jura Kal said, “Look I’m going to make a quick trip across the village to our main bakery and see if I can get some stuff from them. We’ve run out of the sweetbreads that are in such high demand. When we got that order from the learning center it included almost all of our fresh supply. I just hope that they’re good for it.” At this point he took off his apron and turned the selling counter over to her; he smiled and said, “Be back as quick as I can.”
Stepping outside he shivered involuntarily as the cooler air struck him. But it was only momentary. As always it was warm in the bakery, and even though the smells of fresh breads were pleasant, he found the fresh air sweet smelling and invigorating. Taking a deep breath and throwing the large empty sack over his shoulder he headed out at a rapid pace. About half way to his destination someone tripped in front of him and stumbled into him. The stranger apologized profusely for being so clumsy. All he could do was shake his head and smile. If he wanted to be honest he had to admit that he could be that way himself. The interruption only delayed him a moment and finally he reached his destination, and found that the main bakery was doing a lively business also. Taking out the large key that opened the back door and with the rattle of the small chain that the keys were attached, he entered the maelstrom of organized chaos. He heard orders for the different breads being yelled out and the staff was in a frenzy trying to keep up with the demand. One would have thought that they were close to one of the holidays. Catching Sara as she flashed by him he yelled to be heard over the noise and asked if she could see him for a few moments after she finished helping the customer that she was filling an order for. She nodded and pointed to the small office for which he returned the nod and watched her as she headed out to the front and was gone from his sight.
He headed inside and closed the thin door and was rewarded with a reduction of the din that had assailed his ears. Taking a deep breath he let out a sigh of relief. Who’d have thought that a bakery could be so noisy? He reached in his pocket to pull out the list and found something else in his pocket along with the list. How’d that get there? He thought. I distinctly remember putting the list there, but the pocket was empty. At that moment Sara entered the office completely out of breath, and taking a deep cleaning breath herself said, “It’s crazy out there! I know on the first of the 9-days we are busy but nothing like this. I mean I’ll take it over being bored with nothing to do, but this was a real surprise. Okay boss, what can I do for you?”
Looking at her he smiled as there was flour in her hair and a smug or two on her face, “Well if it’s anything to you we’re running crazy over there also. So much so that we’ve run out of some of the breads. I’m hoping that you can give us some of what we need, and to keep the books straight I have the money to cover the stuff.” He handed her the list and waited as she looked it over with a look of concentration on her face. “Hmm, I think we can fill most of this. Look I’ll be right back. Better give me that sack also then I won’t have to make two trips.” And with that she was back out the door.
Shaking his head the thought, who’d have thought that it would be this way? After all most make their own, and while a bakery would provide some stuff, it was never a lot. Now we can’t keep up with the demand, and when a special order, like what we got over there, comes in, it can push us beyond what we have on hand. Hmmm, I wonder if we should make it a requirement that special orders be given to us in advance, that way we can be prepared – something to think about. He leaned against the small desk that was piled high with unfinished paperwork and unfiled reports. If things continued like this for both locations they would need that third location very soon.
In what seemed to be a very fast time she came back into the office like a whirlwind with not only the filled list but the detailed billing. She was breathing hard from the effort that she’d put forth. “Look, I grabbed a couple of the workers and we were able to get this together much quicker, and we did have enough to cover what you need over there, plus while they were getting the product I ran a cost on it.” At this point she handed the totals over to him and set the heavy sack on the floor.
He glanced at the figures and agreed, pulled out the money, paid her,
thanked her for the speed, and she smiled back and was back out the door to continue the supervision and work. All he could do, once she had left, was to shake his head. Such efficiency, they all could learn from her. He took the receipt and lifted the now heavy sack and left, heading out the side door, the unknown note completely forgotten. He needed to get back since what he had in the sack was needed now, not later.
It wasn’t until that night and the chaos of the day had vanished, with the quiet of home both sighed and let out a slow breath, finally this day was over. Both of them smelled of the bakery, the breads, the yeast, and their clothes covered in flour dust. It was time to change out of these work clothes and get into something more comfortable, something that they could relax in. As he went through his pockets to clean them out that he found that folded note once again. Unfolding it he found that it was too dark in the room that he was presently to be able to read what it said. So he headed out to the table where they had a lamp sitting that cast a brighter light. Jura was already sitting there snacking on some crackers from the bakery while she studied the books, looking over the lists of supplies and what they were short and what would be in need of replacing. Looking up as he sat down she commented, “We’re going through this stuff faster than we projected. I’m going to need to get an order out to your father’s caravan so that we can get the shortages in, and Sara stopped by briefly at the second bakery to pass on her needs list. She’s in just about as bad as shape. Who’d have thought that we’d become so popular here and in the surrounding areas. Not me.” Spying the folded paper in his hand she asked jokingly, “What’s that, something from a secret admirer?”
He smiled, “Ha ha, very funny. Actually I don’t know whose it’s from. Somewhere along the way from the second bakery to the primary this ended up in my pocket. I know for a fact that I didn’t have it when I headed over there, and when I reached in for the list that we had put together it was there. The roads were pretty crowded, especially for a small village like this. You’d have thought that we were heading into a holiday or something important, but it was just another day. So it could have been anybody, anybody at all.” He paused as he thought about his trip and remembered that someone had stumbled into him and had fallen. He had assisted the individual back up before continuing. “Hmm, that must have been it. Someone fell and I helped them back up. It would have been the perfect opportunity to slip something into one of my pockets.” He looked down at the small folded piece of paper and noticed that it was similar to that other note that had been left on their doorstep.
A Taste of History Past Page 15