What did that leave? A bedroll. A tent? Did she really need a tent, or could she get away with something lighter? Weight was a consideration; Kana had grown since arriving in Soken and she was fitter and stronger than she had been, but she had a long distance to walk and she was no beast of burden. Cadorian had been given horses. Okay, so Kana had no idea how to ride a horse aside from the most basic elements of the skill, but it was the principle of the thing! Anyway, despite looking like someone who never went outside if she could help it, Aneshti knew something about staying alive in the wilderness. Kana determined that she would ask Aneshti about the tent problem.
And as for everything else… Well, when it came to it, the list of Kana’s possessions was not a long one. She might as well take everything.
~~~
‘What’s up with you?’ Kana asked as she sat down beside Aneshti, bowl of stew and mug of ale in hand.
Aneshti looked around and then quickly went back to her own stew.
‘Nothing. I’m fine.’
‘That’s exactly what people who aren’t fine say. You look like someone ate your pet cat. You’re paler than usual, which is saying something.’
The elf grimaced and seemed disinclined to answer, but answer she did after a couple of seconds. ‘I had a letter from home come today.’
Soken had a postal system of sorts. Speed and security could vary, but you could get letters and parcels from place to place if you wished. Traders would take parcels from one place on their route to another for a price. If you picked the wrong person and the package seemed interesting, the recipient might never receive it. Speed was not especially high for that kind of transport either, running to about thirty miles per day but with long stops as the trader did business in towns and villages along the road.
That was, however, the only way to get mail to the White Castle from anywhere to the south. From the north, letters could travel by courier. Couriers tended to be faster since they did not stop for long periods along the way, but it was generally uneconomical unless letters were batched at either end, so there could be a
delay in receipt due to that. Still, there was a regular mail service between the castle and Shibella, Aneshti’s hometown, and it did tend to come in around the first of the month every other month.
‘Isn’t that a good thing?’ Kana ventured.
‘They’re demanding I go home. They’ve lined up a husband for me, the first son of another family. I’m to go home to get married to a notorious drunk who’s forty years older than I am.’
‘Oh. I didn’t think that kind of thing was done here.’
‘Northern customs,’ Myshta said. ‘Even in the south, arranged marriages happen, but they’re more common in the north. Aneshti comes from a fairly well-to-do family too. They’re more likely to arrange marriages to cement political or business ties than your typical commoner.’
Aneshti nodded. ‘His family have a shipping business. My family came from traders. Linking the two sounds like a good idea.’
‘But you end up married to a drunk,’ Kana concluded. ‘That’s… not great. You should talk to Sharassa.’
‘What’s she going to do about it?’
‘I have no idea, but she might have one. Maybe the Master could–
No, he doesn’t seem like the type to protect a woman from an arranged marriage.’
‘No, he doesn’t. I’ll talk to Sharassa anyway. There might be some way I can get out of this besides running away.’
3 rd Sokarte.
‘Is there anything else we need to discuss?’ the Master asked and Sharassa prepared herself for a little deception.
‘There is one matter I would like to bring up. Aneshti has expressed a desire to continue her studies in the field. I was thinking that we should send her out with Kana. The two would complement each other and make Kana’s job easier.’
The Master raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh?’
‘Kana has the skills necessary, but she does lack a few things which might be useful. Aneshti, like most elves, has some training in wilderness survival. It’s for the cold conditions in the north, but she can apply the basics to travel in the south.
She also knows a few spells Kana does not, such as creating water and providing a shield against the weather. Perhaps most importantly, Aneshti speaks Elven. If Kana needs to interact with the elves, Aneshti could provide a much-needed bridge. The two are friends, so there should be no trouble with them getting
along. The two of them together would be far more effective than Kana alone.’
‘Valid points.’ He paused, considering. ‘If Aneshti and Kana are happy with such an arrangement, I see no reason not to do it.
Make the arrangements.’
Sharassa gave a professional nod and turned for the door. ‘I’ll see to it.’ She waited until she was outside the Master’s study before smiling.
5 th Sokarte.
‘We do not have the budget for a pack animal,’ Kana stated as she looked around Aneshti’s room.
‘I know,’ Aneshti whined. She had arrived at the castle with more possessions than Kana now had, and the collection had grown since then.
‘And you’re carrying your own gear too,’ Kana added.
‘I know.’
‘Do you ever throw anything away?’
‘Of course I do! Sometimes. Not that often, I guess…’
‘Right, well we can start by going through your wardrobe and figuring out what you’re going to take. The rest can go to Mistress Natishma to be recycled.’
‘That shouldn’t be too hard,’ Aneshti asserted with a grin.
‘We’re going south, so most of my heavier stuff is going to be no use.’
‘You say that but–’
‘Really. Shitagi don’t really like it warm. It’s not like we melt or anything. That’s just what it feels like.’
‘Huh. Okay. Are you really sure you want to make this trip with me?’
‘Compared to the alternative, a little discomfort is not going to bother me. Besides, I’ve always wanted to travel. One of the reasons I decided to come here was to get out of Shibella. And, it’s my belief that I can improve your chances of survival out there. I know it’s a colder climate around Shibella, but almost every shitagi is trained at least a little to survive outside of towns and cities. It’s tradition.’
‘I’m not arguing about the utility of the thing, and I guess this is going to get you away from an unwanted marriage.’ Kana opened up Aneshti’s wardrobe and goggled at the collection of garments
hanging in it. There was a chest of drawers too. This was going to be interesting. ‘Let’s get started. Otherwise it’ll be another week before we can leave.’
6 th Sokarte.
‘Kana and Aneshti, please come up to the high table.’ The Master’s voice rang out through the dining hall and the two named individuals, who had been told to expect the summons, got to their feet.
The Master continued as they walked toward him. ‘These two mages are to leave us this coming Antora, travelling south to further their studies and to further the work of the White Castle. Their tutors’ assessments of them is sufficient for them to move up in rank. Both have been excellent students and have continued as excellent mages. It brings me great pleasure to bestow their new ranks upon them.’
‘And I’m getting mine the same time as you’re getting yours,’
Aneshti muttered. ‘I’m catching up.’
Kana suppressed a smirk. ‘Keep telling yourself that.’
‘Aneshti of Shibella,’ the Master continued when the two women had arrived, ‘I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Journeyman Mage.’
‘Thank you, Master,’ Aneshti replied, giving a little bow.
The Master nodded and his gaze shifted to Kana. Reaching back, he accepted a staff of reddish wood from Sharassa. ‘Kana, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Journeyman Battle Mage. Accept this staff which we hope will serve you well in furthering the goals of the White Castle.’
/> The second Kana’s fingers curled around the smooth wood, she felt the enchantment in it. The Master was not mentioning what had been done to the staff, but it had at least been prepared for use by a mage. It was the shorter, one-hundred-and-fifty-centimetre length preferred by the castle’s battle mages, but the wood was unfamiliar to her.
‘Thank you, Master,’ Kana said. ‘I’ll make good use of it.’ Then she turned to face the hall and the cheers and exaltations of her gathered peers. She was sharing the limelight with Aneshti this time, but still there seemed to be a lot of enthusiasm. Either everyone was happy to see two students rise to journeyman rank, or everyone was happy to see the back of them. Kana was hoping it was not the latter.
7 th Sokarte.
It was the following day that Sharassa presented Kana with a going-away present. The elf stepped up to walk alongside Kana as
she headed for her room after lunch. A hand was held out and, when Kana accepted what was being offered, she discovered that Sharassa had given her a magic ring.
With the staff, Kana had had to use a spell to find out what the enchantment was; aside from the usual utility spell to let the pole be an extension of a mage’s body when casting spells, the staff had been enchanted to make parrying more certain. Sharassa explained the ring’s purpose immediately.
‘You’re going out into the world,’ Sharassa said, ‘and you’re a human woman, no longer the child who came to us.’
‘Uh, I guess. Yes.’
‘You’ve shown no inclinations while here, but eventually you’ll wish to have sex.’ Kana’s cheeks went scarlet more or less immediately. Sharassa went on as though oblivious. ‘This ring makes the wearer infertile so long as it’s worn. Elves have little need for such preventatives. We’re only fertile through the summer months and only every three years. Humans seem to be ready to rut whenever the feeling grabs them.’
‘I refuse to believe that elves restrain themselves out of season,’ Kana replied, partially because she felt like defending her species from allegations of licentiousness.
‘No,’ Sharassa admitted. ‘We, however, don’t tend to end up with unwanted children as a result.’
‘Hm. Well, thank you for thinking of my health and future happiness. Now I can… rut without consequence.’
‘Not entirely without. Consider disease when selecting a partner.
However, I would recommend it. Especially with a skilled partner, there’s no feeling quite like it.’
Kana was wishing she had learned some ice magic so that she could cool her cheeks down. ‘I’ve never seen you with anyone and I don’t believe the rumours about you and the Master. It can’t be all that good.’
‘Quite right.’ Pause. ‘Neither you nor anyone else ever sees me indulge myself. Aside from the person I’m with, obviously. I assure you that it is that good, if you’re selective.’
‘Okay, so how do I select someone worth the trouble?’
‘Well, we did teach you to read minds…’
8 th Sokarte.
It was a fine day and the sun was about as hot as it got this far north. It was not absolutely ideal weather for walking long distances, but at least it was not raining. Kana adjusted her
pack again – finding a really comfortable way of shouldering the weight would take some time, she figured – and turned to smile at the small committee which had formed to see them off.
‘You have everything?’ Sharassa asked.
‘Between us, we have all the basic gear we’re likely to need,’
Kana replied. ‘Plus Aneshti’s wardrobe.’
‘I only have four changes of clothes!’ Aneshti protested.
‘I have two. Anyway, we have everything.’
‘I still don’t think it’s shared out evenly.’
‘We’re both carrying the same weight.’
‘You’re stronger than I am,’ Aneshti grumped.
‘Sucks to be you.’
‘Remember to keep in touch,’ Sharassa said. ‘I’m always open to receiving calls.’
‘It should take us ten or eleven days to get past Skygge Forest.
I’ll contact you on the other side.’
‘Good. From there, you head for Dvartim and then south to Alabeth.’
‘Two cities. Can’t wait.’
‘Dvartim isn’t that much to write home about,’ Myshta said, ‘but it is a lot bigger than this place.’
‘And Alabeth is a beautiful city,’ Orin said. ‘Biggest in the world with an outer wall of white stone.’
Kana glanced at the thick walls of the castle, all in grey stone which matched the mountains behind it. Alabeth was still going to be nothing like Tokyo. The ‘biggest city in the world’ still held only two hundred thousand people compared to the millions of Japan’s capital. ‘Well, we should get going. Hopefully, I’ll see you all again sometime in the future.’
‘Yeah,’ Aneshti said, ‘I’m sure we’ll meet again.’
‘You’d better come back,’ Myshta said. ‘I want to hear all the stories of your adventures.’
‘Hopefully,’ Sharassa said, ‘your adventures won’t be too adventurous. That said, I’m sure you can get into trouble somewhere.’
‘Thanks, I think,’ Kana said, grinning. ‘Goodbye for now.’
In an uncharacteristic show of affection, Kana rushed forward to hug Myshta and then Orin. ‘You two stay safe too.’
‘We will,’ Orin assured her. ‘Safe travels.’
‘Safe travels,’ Myshta said. Her voice was breaking a little and her eyes had tears in them.
‘Safe travels,’ Sharassa said. ‘May Soansha watch over you as you go.’
‘That’d be nice,’ Kana replied. ‘I’m still not entirely convinced of Aneshti’s navigation skills.’ Turning, she started off down the track which led down to the plains and Skygge Forest.
‘I’m perfectly good at navigating,’ Aneshti replied, taking a couple of quick strides to catch up.
‘When we’re just following a road.’
‘That does make it easier, sure.’
‘When we get lost, I’m going to tease you mercilessly.’
‘I’m just going to stick to the roads then.’
11 th Sokarte.
Skygge Forest was a coniferous forest, once marking the upper edge of the Great Forest. Supposedly, back in those days it had been a light and airy place, tended to by the ice elves who lived there. Now, it was not either of those things.
‘It looks like the kind of place they warn you not to go into in fantasy stories,’ Kana observed as they got close enough to get a good look at the wall of trees in front of them.
‘Well, it’s not exactly the kind of place you take picnics in,’
Aneshti agreed. ‘If we stick to the road, we should be fine. Just keep your eyes open for arachine and stray goblins.’
‘Okay. So arachine are big spiders, right?’
‘Eight-legged, carnivorous creatures that look like spiders.
They’re not actually spiders. They’re about the size of a dog around here.’
‘Are we talking Teacup Poodle or Great Dane?’
‘I don’t know what those are, but they range from about three feet long to maybe five. They’d come up almost to your knee. In the Great Forest, they can get bigger, like elf size, and more poisonous.’
‘They’re poisonous?’
‘You don’t want to get a bite from one. They like to ambush prey.
They jump out of cover or drop from branches.’
‘Great.’
As soon as the track they were walking along entered the trees, the light level began to drop. The bright sun was gone after maybe two hundred metres and all you could see was tall, slim trees and whatever undergrowth managed to survive under them. The track itself was moderately wide and should have let more light down to ground level, but it was dingy among the trees. At least there seemed to be no branches for the arachine to drop from and the undergrowth at the sides of the trees did not appear t
o be good for launching jumping attacks from.
‘We’ve got eight days of this,’ Kana observed. ‘I’m going to want to kill myself by the time we get out.’
‘It is kind of depressing,’ Aneshti agreed. ‘I think we’ll get used to it, and at least we don’t have to forage for food and water while we’re here.’
This was true. Despite each of them only having a one-quart canteen with them and no travel rations, they were not going hungry or thirsty. Aneshti refilled their canteens each morning and then again in the afternoon using a basic water spell. Kana could make food from the air, but it was easier if she transformed organic material into edible food. That organic material could be grass and twigs, and she could even turn rocks into an equal weight of food. It was not especially tasty food, especially when made from nothing, but it filled a hole. Basic supplies were not an issue when you knew the right magic.
‘People climbing Everest would probably kill for the ability to make food out of snow,’ Kana said.
‘Probably. What’s “Everest?”’
‘A mountain. A big mountain. I don’t remember how tall and I couldn’t convert it into Soken measurements anyway.’ The most ubiquitous length measurements on Soken were thumbs, feet, and miles. Kana had worked out that a thumb was about a centimetre fairly early on. It was supposedly the width of a typical elf’s thumb. Feet were about the length of a typical elven foot, and about thirty thumbs which was about the same size as a foot on Earth, if she was remembering right. Miles were… a long distance.
She was not entirely sure whether they were the same as the miles Americans used or not, or how far an American mile was anyway.
‘Big mountain is good enough. That it has snow on it gives me a good idea. I’m not sure how anyone gets by without magic. I mean, a lot of people don’t work magic. It’s really hard if you don’t have the talent. But more or less everyone can get access to magic if they really need it.’
‘Technology,’ Kana replied. ‘We invented things to do stuff we couldn’t do on our own. I mean, Soken isn’t lacking in the basics. You have levers, wheels, waterwheels, basic machines.
The Girl Who Dreamed of a Different World Page 11