by T J Muir
The ride back was an ongoing argument with Chiyu. Finally, Diya decided to be brave and let the mare trot, praying that she would not see this as permission to gallop off at full speed. After an initial burst of speed, the horse settled back into a comfortable pace and the ride home went by without incident. Diya thanked the gods and the forest spirits for that. The last thing she wanted was to get tossed into a ditch and have to walk the whole way back. Nevermind Pasha's gleeful scorn if she fell off.
Arriving back at the house, she stabled her horse and headed to the house, stopping by the kitchen long enough to get vinegar. She had just enough time to pack some belongings and wash up. Using Rualla’s dye, she followed instructions, washing and drying her hair. She looked into her mirror to see the results and was surprised. She almost looked like a westerner.
Grabbing her bags, she headed out. Chak gave her a ride down to the village where the carriage would pick her up. She stopped herself from objecting when he had told her that. Private carriages don’t come to the front door for nursemaids.
There was nothing flashy or special about the carriage. The driver took her bag and helped her climb inside. Once they started moving, she settled down and read a book to pass the time.
It was a long ride, with several stops to water the horses. She spent the time reading and napping. It was getting late by the time they reached Oldfall. The smell of the city caught her attention long before she began to spot rooftops and spires poking up behind the rolling hills. She sniffed deeply, the smell of baking bread hit her first-rich, sweet and yeasty. Underneath that, she picked up a sooty smell and a metallic odor but mostly, there was the smell of people, numerous scents of great numbers of people living close together. A city!
Oldfall hadn't changed much in the four years since she had been there. She looked forward to the markets which would have so much more to choose from than Dunwood’s local ones. She imagined rich fabrics and scarves, jewelry.
She sighed, how she would have loved to visit some of her school friends, or professors. It would have been wonderful to arrange for a few private drawing lessons. Maybe she still could. She doubted anyone would be watching her old teachers. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea.
But first, she wanted to find Trey. There was a good chance Trey could tell her where Jay was. Then she would have the rest of the week to go find him. She should also ask him what he knew about Hak’kar, and what was going on with her own family. He'd be able to tell her what had been going on back home.
The carriage turned off the main road onto the western loop. When she had asked Ash for suggestions regarding places to stay, she had opted for the one that sounded like it was close enough to the the da’harat estates and the city, but not in a high traffic area.
The inn was set back behind heavy bushes and trees- trees that were full of green leaves. She pulled her shawl close as she stepped down, feeling the chill. A woman came out onto the porch and stopped at the top step, her hands on her hips. Diya took her bags and thanked the driver, and then headed up the steps. At the top, she realized the woman was exceedingly pregnant. Her hands were supporting her extra weight. She looked-- fat.
Diya realized she must have been staring, because the woman pushed a stray lock of dark red hair behind her ear, moved her hand and rubbed her belly, laughing. “This un h'aint seemin in any hurry, that'sa sure. Glad you made it okay. I'm Minara. You must be Diya, and you'll be staying for a week?”
Diya wasn't sure how long she would stay. A week had sounded wonderful, but now that she had arrived, she was less sure. “Yes. That's right. Thank you,” she said, but she was glancing around while she spoke. Then she looked back at Minara, and her big belly.
Had she ever seen someone this pregnant before? She tried to remember, but even her aunts seemed to go into seclusion for their final months, disliking anyone to see them in an unpresentable state. She had a brief image of herself looking that pregnant with Hak'ket's child and suppressed a shudder. Then she realized the woman had been speaking.
“Would you prefer something hot to drink, tea maybe? Or Hot cider? It isn't in season, but we might have some in the cellars. Or perhaps a fine wine?” As she spoke, she turned and led Diya inside.
Diya blinked. After so many months in Dunwood, she had forgotten what it was like to have people waiting on her. “Oh, I think I would like some hot cider please. And a hot bath also. And dinner in my room I think.”
As she spoke, Diya looked around the inn. The entry was a combination of wood and stone with a polished marble floor, dark green with white steaks. The front desk was made of heavy, dark cherry wood. A broad staircase with marching dark green carpet led to the second floor. Off to the side, there were two wide glass doors that opened into a dining room. She could see a fire burning in a stone fireplace at the far side. She thought it might be nice to curl up in one of the leather chairs that were set in front of it, sipping hot cider with rum in it. But she felt exposed, as though Hak'kar himself might walk in and recognize her. Foolish, she knew. But she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.
Minara waddled around the desk and entered something into a ledger. “Will you be covering the room fee now, or when you leave?”
Was she supposed to pay the woman now? She had no idea what was expected or proper. “I suppose I will cover the room fee now, in full,” she said. “And if there are any additional expenses, I will cover them when I leave. Is that okay?”
She could tell from Minara's smile that this was probably the common way of handling the expenses. Diya reached into her purse and handed the woman ten silver.
Minara bent over the ledger again, recording the payment. “Ooooo,” she groaned, putting her hand on her belly.
Was she having her baby? Diya tried not to panic. “Are you okay?”
Minara looked up at Diya and laughed. “No little ones of your own?”
“What?” The question took her by surprise. “No.” She shook her head. “No. I don't have any children.”
“Well, that's okay. There's sure to be some fine fellow come along and catch your heart. Then there'll be babes aplenty.”
Diya immediately thought of Jay. He had already captured her heart. She wondered what any children they had would look like. They would probably have his fair hair and that lovely tawny skin. Maybe they would have her grey eyes.
“Ahhh,” Minara said, watching her. “So there's already a man.”
Diya shook her head. It didn't do any good to be daydreaming about things that would never happen. She remembered her brief scare from a year ago, when she thought she might be pregnant. Now she wondered how very different it would be if she had been. She would probably be a mirror image of Minara's pudgy waddling form right now.
“Tish!” she called out in a tone that carried across the entry. A moment later a young girl about Esha's age popped around the corner. “Show our guest up to the Lavender room. Set her up for a hot bath and then get down to the kitchen.” She turned back to Diya. “I'll have my husband make you a nice dinner and send it up to you.”
“This way,” Tish said, taking Diya's bag and heading up the stairs. It felt a bit less formal than she was used to, but she followed the servant to a delightful room. True to its name it was decorated in shades of lavender, accented with dark green. She could smell jasmine and lavender in the air. There was a small fireplace with a fire burning already, and logs stacked next to it. The bed was made, with satin sheets folded down on one side.
“The baths are just down the hall, the blue door on the left,” Tish said, placing Diya's bag down next to a white dresser with delicate designs painted all around the edges of the drawers. “And there are towels and robes just inside the door, on the shelf.” The girl stood by the door, waiting. “Will there be anything else?” she asked after a moment.
The question caught Diya off guard. At home, her servants just disappeared once they had finished their duties. Then she realized that this was not her servant. �
�No. Thank you. This is delightful. Exquisite.” Diya was surprised that she meant it. There was nothing grand or palatial about the inn, but it felt elegant. And it was the first time in a long while that anyone had been waiting on her wishes.
The bath felt luxurious but after a little while, she felt restless. How had she managed to spend so much time bathing before? She climbed out and wrapped herself in the soft robes, smelling lilac in the cotton. She had missed these little indulgences. Now they seemed like a luxury when she had taken all of them for granted just a year ago. She took out a cherished bottle of scented lotion and rubbed it into her skin. She noticed that she wasn't all soft and smooth anymore. She had muscles. And calluses on her hands. All of her friends would be shocked.
Then she spent a little while brushing her hair out and drying it. She looked into the mirror, still surprised by the changed image that peered back at her. Her face was also a bit leaner and paler after a winter away from the sun, Her hair color was a striking change. It didn't look like her- not the Diya she remembered. Maybe it was fitting after all. Realizing she had been staring in the mirror, she shook herself and headed down the hall back to the lavender room.
Just inside the door, a tray sat on the table with daffodils and lilacs in a vase along with the requested dinner. She opened the window, letting in the evening breeze and settled down where she could look out over the city while she ate.
The next morning she woke up to find a breakfast tray sitting outside her room. Her breakfast consisted of fresh sweet breads, cheeses, sausage and fruit. There was a note on the tray hoping she had slept well and that if she wished for a hot breakfast she could send a request down to the kitchen. Diya decided the tray’s contents were more than enough. Now that she was here, she wanted to get out and enjoy the city. She hoped that she would come up with some idea for how to contact Trey before too much time had passed. Her initial plan was to spend the day getting a feel for the city and trying to find out any additional information about the convocation. Were people coming and going, or were households staying sequestered at the Da'har's estates?
Dressed in a soft, grey silk shirt and a plum colored vest with matching skirt, she pulled on her leather boots and headed into the city. Minara had offered to summon a carriage, but Diya needed to walk off her nervous energy. She wanted the time to think and to plan. Besides, it was a short distance, across the bridge and into the city proper. She soaked in the sounds and smells, from the smell of fresh bread to a faint scent of wet rope and fishiness-water-something. The road wound along the river for a short distance. Turning towards the north at the first fork, she climbed a winding stairway that led up into a market square. Vendors called out and people haggled over prices while children ran underfoot in and out of the crowds. She felt a thrill of excitement rush through her, watching all the bright colors and the throngs of people. Every once in a while she noticed specific House colors, most likely messengers and servants running errands. She recognized a few, but since this was a convocation of Da'hars, most of them weren't familiar. There was the pale orange and plum color from Southcoast, the violet and grey with a silver stripe running diagonally from Northfork, the black and gold of Da’har Kamarr and the green and gold of Treyu. But the vast majority of people were local folk going about their business. After her initial shock and interest, she relaxed and wandered through the vendors stalls, and in and out of shops.
She lingered over a silver and lapis bracelet and browsed through skirts, shirts and dresses. She wasn't sure what she might need for summer clothes, but she picked up a few new shirts and a skirt anyway. Then she doubled back to get the bracelet. While she was making her purchase, a lavender and dark blue silk scarf caught her attention. It had been so long since she had bought anything for herself that she grabbed it up and handed the merchant a silver penny without arguing. While she was waiting for her change, she spotted a large dark green and turquoise scarf, dyed to look like peacock feathers. It would be perfect for Esha. So she added that to her purchase. Then she realized she couldn't get something for Esha without getting something for Tilly and Pasha.
She wandered from vendor to vendor, enjoying the shopping. She picked up a necklace with a silver horse's head for Tilly, and she found a nice knife that Pasha might like, for use around the barns. By lunchtime she had made her way through most of the market, and followed the rich smells of sausage and Choofa. Choofa! How she missed the southern spiced foods. She insisted the vendor give her an extra large portion, even though he looked worried and cautioned her about the spiciness. She laughed when she tasted it. It was nowhere near as hot as they made it back home, but it was still delicious.
Having finished enough to make her feel ill, she decided she needed to find some choofa spice to bring back home. She asked the vendor where she could buy some and he gave her quick directions to an herb and spice shop. She could smell the familiar scents as soon as she opened the door. It smelled like home with hints of choofa and pepper, lemon and cardamon. She made her way over to a small woman who was pounding away at the counter. Diya watched, fascinated.
“What is that you're doing?” she asked.
“Pounding the choofa roots and grinding them up into powder. That's the best way. The real way. Then you simmer them in with cinnamon and vanilla in the oil. But that's as much as I can tell about the family's secret recipes.”
Diya knew her own family's cook and how closely he protected his secrets.
“I'd like to buy some choofa spice.”
The little woman eyed her. “You're from the south, by that accent, yes? You're used to real choofa cooking?”
“Well, I just had a choofa dish in the market square that was disappointing. It was missing some spices and wasn't at all spicy.”
Her comment was met with a curt nod of approval. “A true southerner. How much would you be wanting?”
The question caught her off guard. She stared at the growing pile of ground choofa on the table, chewing her lip.
“How much would I use to make a dish? And how long will it last if I store it?”
“Depending on how hot you like it, and how much you're making? A handful, about like this, makes a good meal.” She scooped a handful up to show Diya. “And it should last for a bit, so long as you store it in a jar and keep it dry.”
Diya bought a small bag of the spices as well as a jar of sauce already mixed and ready to use. She imagined Pasha daring to try the choofa foods, and laughed.
“Do you know where I might find some spiced chocolates? The kind with fruits inside, with a peppery taste?”
“You mean spiced chocolates?”
“Yes! I couldn't remember what they were called.” Now that she had thought of them, she began to crave them, the rich sweet fruity taste followed by a peppery flavour, mingled with the melting dark chocolate. It wasn't hard to follow the woman's directions and find the shop, since she could smell the rich flavors as she got closer. She bought more than she intended, but was so thrilled that she didn't care.
Diya had just left the shop, popping a rich dark chunk into her mouth.
“Let go of me! I am not old or decrepit and I WILL have chocolate and I can get it myself!”
Diya instinctively moved out of the way of the woman who was distraught and annoyed. The accent was familiar. Must be one of the wives or mistresses from Tatak Rhe. She sounded very... uppity.
“Please, it was my explicit instruction to remain at your side at all times.”
“I don't think that was intended to be literal. I assure you I can walk into a chocolate shop on my own. By the gods!”
Diya caught herself, almost tripping as she turned around.
“Findal?”
The man leapt into high gear, bringing himself between Diya and the woman, grabbing Diya's arm in a firm grip that wasn't going to let go.
“Ouch! Unhand me! You're hurting my arm!” Diya insisted, feeling outraged.
“Kalat! What are you doing?”
“This wo
man here was about to accost you.”
Findal turned now to see what the fuss was about. She blinked in surprise. “Diya...? Is that you?” she peered closely, looking perplexed.
“Ouch!”
“By the gods! It is you! Kalat, let her go. I know this woman. She isn't a threat.”
Findal's escort looked back and forth, unconvinced. Findal reached out, gently pulling his hand from Diya's arm.
The two women stared at each other. Diya barely recognized her friend. “Findal. You look so--”
“Fat?” Final finished for her.
“I was going to say different.”
Findal reached out her arms and hugged Diya closely. Then she put a hand on her massive belly. “It's okay,” she laughed. “And by the gods, no one ever told me how wretched being pregnant would be. I don't even want to be seen, except I have a horrible craving for chocolates.”
Diya extended her own bag. Findal plunged her hand in and popped three of the candies into her mouth in rapid succession. Her eyes closed momentarily as she purred her satisfaction. After a moment she opened them again. “Much better,” she said. “But you! What about you?”
“That's a long story,” Diya said, realizing that people were bustling around them. She felt exposed. “But maybe we could go sit down somewhere quieter for a moment, and chat?”
Kalat bristled, but Findal stared him down. “Come. I know of a small park just down this way.”
“But didn't you want your chocolates?” Diya asked.
“Oh, yes!” she said, shaking her head with a laugh. “Kalat, if I promise to remain right here where you can see me, will you go in and get them for me?”
Kalat's eyes narrowed and he looked suspiciously at Diya. He scanned the crowd before grunting, and then disappeared briefly inside the shop.