Kitabı oku: «The Seekers: Soul Ties», sayfa 4
It was too cramped inside to move freely, so the scouts quickly scribed their notes short and hurried outside. Sabiri chewed up her quill for a second, then snickered to herself and started writing.
She handed over their notes to Abita and watched how she tied them to a big bird’s leg. When Abita returned to the first floor after releasing the bird, Shai still wasn’t finished writing. She filled a whole piece of paper on both sides and sent it separately from her scouts’ notes. They thanked Abita for the help and went outside.
«What took you so long?» Greta asked.
«Shai wrote a whole poem to someone,» Sabiri said. «You think she has a new lover?»
«I don’t – » Shai tried to object.
Greta interrupted her. «Oh, that must be one of her old ones!»
«I wasn’t!» Shai yelled at her.
«I guess she wasn’t home for too long,» Sabiri theorized. «She had to give orders to absolutely everyone under her command!»
«You…» Shai snapped. «Why can’t you take this seriously?!!»
«Because you need to relax sometimes, Shai!» Greta laughed, looking at her red face.
Sabiri noticed that one of Greta’s scouts looked like she also wanted to say something funny to Shai but stayed quiet. Did she think that would be out of line? Or did Shai’s voice sound that scary?
Soon they reached the inn, a two-story building which looked most inviting. Large windows were shedding warm light. Door and window frames were freshly painted white. A big sign hanging above the front door, said «The full belly.»
Sabiri was sure that in better times it was usually full of people, but now there were a lot of empty tables. The innkeeper shined after seeing such long-awaited guests. She quickly pushed a few tables together, overfilled them with every kind of food and drink, and brought out a few benches. Instead of returning to her post, she asked to dine with them, and was delighted to be allowed to join.
Her name was Lisa. She liked smoked arnu meat and clare juice. Just yesterday she’d read a book on how to make vegetables taste like meat (Sabiri failed to understand why anyone would do that). She heard that they would run out of metal for arrows soon, so hunting would become more difficult. She—
These were clearly lonely days for her, as Lisa managed to talk more than everyone else combined! But Sabiri didn’t mind her, for it was a nice way to find out what was going on in the village. And her scouts eventually eased up around their mistresses as well and joined the conversation.
After eating and drinking a little more than they thought physically possible, after discussing everything that came to mind, they finally said their goodnights and went to sleep. Usually, Sabiri would share a room with at least one of her people, but Greta insisted that since there were no one else in the inn anyway, they should enjoy as much space as possible.
Sabiri immediately liked her room. It was lit by several jars of burning bugs and had a bed almost big enough for three people. The floor was covered by a piece of lite hide that muted her weary hoofsteps. A big window overlooked the tribe, letting in a stream of welcome fresh air.
She was too full and too tired to do anything else today. After covering the jars with pieces of hide, left there just for this purpose, she dove under a blanket and fell asleep almost immediately.
A white bow-knot
Iskrila felt like she was about to faint. She had just finished making yet another flaming arrow, putting it into a big barrel in front of her. She looked around, tired from hours of monotonous work and being constantly dizzy from that foul smell.
For whatever purpose this place was built for, it was quite roomy. There were a dozen more barrels like hers, all half-filled with flaming arrows. Those arrows were sharp tipped so they could penetrate the object they hit, and they were wrapped in rags, soaked with flammable oil and tar. Several workers sat at little tables just like hers, making arrow after arrow.
Flammable tar radiated a nasty, heavy odor from which there was no escape. It smelled as bad as rotting flesh, though wildly different, unique even. It felt like something invisible and oily was literally blocking Iskrila’s nostrils. All the windows were closed and draped with thick hides; the door was locked – there was no way anyone outside could see what was happening here. The room was lit with jars of burning bugs, for nobody wanted to risk having real fire near all this fuel.
The smell was really messing with Iskrila’s sanity, as well as with her breakfast, so she decided to stretch her legs. She covered one of the filled barrels with a piece of blanket, picked it up by the straps, and carried it outside.
The guards at the door recognized her and let her pass. Fuck, yeah! It’s so freaking great to be outside! She stood still for a while, listening to some faraway chatter and breathing clean, fresh air. As nice as it was, Iskrila remembered that lunchtime was approaching.
Horrible memories of yesterday flashed in her mind. The confusion and dread she felt when Sabiri didn’t return home. The anger at Star and Haileen as they tried to calm her down. The words they said.
«She’s not alone out there.»
«The other war mistresses are with her – like anyone would mess with them!»
Yeah, right, Iskrila thought. They would definitely not fall into Drowners’ trap! An army of swarmers wouldn’t mind eating them alive! A time vortex, or a teleportation veil, or any other sort of stupid magic crap wouldn’t appear right in front of their noses! I really should’ve given her my amulet!
Iskrila made herself stop. Her hand dove into a pocket on her belt and fished out a neatly folded piece of paper. When she finished re-reading Sabiri’s letter for the fifth time today, she was once again smiling, hopeful for a quick reunion. Sabiri would return tired and hungry, so Iskrila decided to cook her something nice beforehand.
Heading back home, Iskrila couldn’t help but notice just how the village had changed recently. People were whispering about the fight ahead. Far fewer were strolling the streets, even at daytime. The guards also looked weary. Everybody was on edge because of the task ahead. It did make sense, but…
Suddenly, a string of yelling and arguing kids sprinted by, almost knocking her down. She watched them go for a while. With their parents busier than ever, there was no one to keep them in check. Yet they were so lively! She was just like them once, so she chose not to be mad.
Walking near the Birds house, Iskrila noticed Berani, one of the lookouts. She called out to her unnecessarily – Iskrila would’ve stopped by even without invitation.
There were a bunch of sacks in front of Berani, some still tied to her tail. Judging by the sweat on her forehead, she had been carrying this weight for some time, and now was taking a break. The barrel was heavy as well, so Iskrila chose to follow her example.
«Hey, Iskrila, any word about when we’re starting?» Berani asked. «I had to cancel a few plans already. It would suck if it was all for nothing.»
«Hi to you too, Berani.» Iskrila scratched her head. «Didn’t Maia tell you?»
Berani shook her head.
«Sabiri said next week. If there aren’t more developments with her or Star, then we’re set.»
Berani’s face shone with joy. «Finally! I’m so tired of waiting for things to get back to normal! Well, thanks for the info. I need to go.»
Iskrila helped Berani load up with sacks, then watched her heading towards the pier. It was a neat idea to tie some of the sacks to her tail. Iskrila looked at her own. Why didn’t they have fingers or something on their tails? It would’ve been so useful! Feeling rested enough, she resumed her walk.
When she finally reached the storage, Iskrila was tired again. To an outside eye this place was nothing special besides the two guards posted at the door. After unlocking it and stepping inside, Iskrila immediately cursed everything in the world. The smell of flammable tar was even worse here! Trying not to breathe too much, she quickly added her barrel to the rest and locked the door.
That odor destroyed what little was left of her resolve of going back and finishing the arrows. Berani’s words made her wonder if there really were some developments. She had enough time to visit Star and to cook some lunch.
Unfortunately, when Iskrila knocked on Star’s door, no one was home. Where could she be? There was a person who would know, but did she really have to find her?
«Huh, I guess Star isn’t home.» Haileen’s voice ended Iskrila’s struggle.
Iskrila gave her a smile. «Yep. I don’t know whether I should go find her, or if I should return home and make lunch for Sabiri.»
«Sabiri should return soon, so I’d suggest you go home. I can give Star whatever update you wanted to tell her.»
«No, thanks.» Iskrila shook her head. «I’ll find her later.»
After saying goodbye to Haileen, Iskrila headed straight to the market. Most traders lived there, so they could watch over their wares while still being home. Butchers got many kinds of meat, mostly from the nearby forest. Iskrila wasn’t a specialist in how to catch prey, she just knew what kinds of meat she found tasty. The butcher helped Iskrila choose the tastiest lump.
Loaded with meat and separated from her money, Iskrila slowly continued on her way home. On the other side of the road stood tables with fish. Iskrila liked to catch a few herself from time to time, but she was hardly an expert.
Farther away stood shelves with armor and weapons. It was always pleasant to see her and her people’s work displayed for sale, but the stocks had been scarce lately. Iskrila wondered just how many people would sell their arms and armor once the battle was over. These days they were making their products much more simply and quickly, to arm everyone before the battle started. Soon those shelves would fill with rather crude pieces. She, of all people, knew that the quality wasn’t the issue, but the appearance… Those could be tricky to sell to strangers. She needed to talk to Star about making a deal directly with some poorer, smaller tribes that wouldn’t mind the way they looked.
Farther ahead there was a mishmash of stuff. Files for horns, claws, and hooves; pots, mugs, plates, brushes, soap, brooms – all sorts of stuff. The traders selling those immediately jumped at their chance to earn a bit.
«Hey, Iskrila! Look at a file I have! Rounded on one side, straight on the other – just for your claws!»
«Don’t listen to her! I got you a great file last time! Better take this broom! Long handle! I couldn’t believe just how much easier it was to clean the house with a handle this long!»
«She doesn’t need your stupid broom! Better take this robe! With a pocket for your tail! So warm when the weather’s bad!»
The first two sellers tried to stop Iskrila from leaving, but she ignored their calls. The third was standing at the last set of shelves and was selling clothes. There was all kinds of stuff there: underclothes that were smooth and light, robes that were thick and fluffy, shorts and pants that looked and felt strong.
But Iskrila’s eye caught something special. There was a shelf with various fal-lals: hide and leather bracelets, chokers, bands… Their various shapes and colors combined still couldn’t match just how bizarre one particular item looked. It was a white bow-knot. Made from the finest lace: so thin, so light – it was almost transparent. Just how long had it taken to combine the thousands of individual, incredibly thin threads, leaving gaps of air between them, painting this fine complex pattern?
Iskrila asked permission to try it on, then found herself unwilling to touch it. What if she ruined the beauty? She wasn’t careful enough to handle this delicate piece. Luckily, the trader came to her rescue. She lifted the thing from the table, then carefully placed it in Iskrila’s open palms. It felt completely weightless! Trying not to breathe, Iskrila carefully wrapped the straps around her neck and tied them gently. The bow-knot thing was huge – it stuck out farther than her chin! She couldn’t even look down without danger of messing up the thing.
«Do you like it? I’ve spent ages making it!» the trader said.
«You’re also a crafter? It’s definitely unusual and kinda cool, yeah, but I can’t look down in this thing, and I would immediately ruin it in my smithy.»
She looked at herself in a mirror – a crazy-looking freak stared back at her, smiling and giggling.
«You definitely shouldn’t take it to the smithy. You can wear it in your free time.»
At first, Iskrila wanted to refuse. Why would she need such a thing? Even if she was careful, just for how long would its beauty survive? But there was something cool in that freak that looked back at her from the mirror. Something unusual and wild.
«How much?» the words escaped her mouth.
«Fifteen gold.»
«Fifteen gold!» Iskrila wanted to yell. She could feed herself for several months for that much money! She could buy a full set of clothes! She… What, what «she»? This bow-knot was a work of art, and the trader clearly spent a lot of time and skill making it. She wanted to buy it! It was so beautiful and strange. What else would she do with her money? Why shouldn’t she spend it?
«This is a piece of art, so, here!» Iskrila was relieved to find enough gold and silver in her bag. «You did a great job!»
The trader snickered. «Thank you for your kind words, mistress. Please don’t worry – it may look fragile, but if you were to wear it gently, then it would prove strong enough to wear for years to come. You’ll see!»
Iskrila thanked her again and went home. Walking in this thing proved to be bizarre. The bow-knot was constantly putting pressure on her chin. With her every move, the fabric was rustling, scaring her shitless that she was crumpling it. But at the same time, it was so cool! No one else had anything like that. She couldn’t wait to show it to Sabiri!
Having finally reached home, Iskrila carefully took her gorgeous bow-knot off, put it away from harm on one of the shelves, then got to work. Quietly humming one of Edweena’s songs, she started to work. After starting the fire in her stove, she sharpened a knife and divided that wonderful pink meat into two huge portions. It was riddled with threads of white fat that would’ve cut easily even by the dullest of blades, but Iskrila liked her knives sharp. She made a few deep cuts and stuffed them with herbs that were teasing her nostrils already. Anticipating how delicious it would smell, Iskrila put their future lunch deep inside the stove. Every few minutes she collected the juice produced by sizzling meat and poured it over the cooking dish.
When the aroma started to become impossible to resist, the door swung open. With her heart racing with joy, Iskrila dropped her spoon and rushed to greet the visitor.
«Glad to see you too,» exhaled Sabiri as Iskrila flung at her with an embrace.
For a few more seconds, Iskrila refused to let go of her strong and warm body, listening to Sabiri’s heartbeat.
«It’s wonderful that you’re okay!» Iskrila let Sabiri go and looked at her face.
Sabiri was beaming with happiness back at her. «Sorry I’m a day late. I’ll tell you everything.»
«Before you do this, look!»
Excited to show off the beauty, Iskrila rushed towards the shelf, quickly put the bow-knot on, then turned around towards Sabiri.
«I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it! Isn’t it beautiful?»
That wide smile on Sabiri’s face! That half-opened mouth as she was looking for the words… Iskrila was so thrilled she’d bought it. She would give all the money in the world to bring Sabiri such delight! To make her smile! To make her laugh!
Sabiri finally exhaled. «That’s… That’s gorgeous! Can I touch it?»
After hearing «Of course,» she ran to wash her hands, then carefully approached Iskrila. A gentle touch. A feeling of Sabiri’s finger moving across the fabric, feeling its fine texture. A pair of eyes, staring at the beauty. A face, beaming with joy. It is the best day ever, Iskrila thought.
«Wow.» The word escaped Sabiri’s mouth. «I’ve never seen anything like this! I’ve never felt fabric so thin, so light and smooth. It’s amazing! Where did you find it?»
«Just bought it from one of the traders.» Iskrila also reached to feel the fabric. «Actually, I never cared to learn her name. I’ll fix that.»
«Can’t believe we have a crafter like this! Do keep it safe.»
The next half hour flew by unnoticed. The meat was probably as delicious as it looked and smelled, but none of them had noticed that, being all too busy looking in each other’s eyes and savoring Sabiri’s tale. Impressed with Sabiri’s agility and strength, intrigued and puzzled by the trespasser’s true intent, Iskrila drew herself deep in thoughts and fantasies about yesterday’s events. But Sabiri cut her daydream short.
«By the way,» she said, her claw seeking a piece of meat that was stuck between her teeth, «I didn’t come alone. Two Vapor strategists tagged along. One of them, Amber, had a good idea. We’ve made a lot of weapons and armor, but not for the healers. She thinks we should arm them as well, just in case, and I agree. Some of them might already have some gear, but the rest – »
Iskrila interrupted her. «Lemme guess – you want me to rush more gear for them. Alright, I’ll do it.»
«We won’t send them up front, but some simple armor and swords should be both mobile enough – »
« – and not too hard to gain some proficiency, to train together and become a unit, effective and united,» Iskrila finished Sabiri’s thought.
The enchanting effect of Sabiri’s safe return disappeared at once, replaced by the uncontrollable urge to do whatever she possibly could for her. In an instant, Iskrila recalled what supplies they had left, how many spare hands could do the job, how many pieces of gear she needed to make.
«We’ve got just a week left.» Iskrila suddenly stood up. «I need to start right away. Will you clean up?»
Sabiri smiled. «Of course I will. What a strange question?»
Iskrila was about to open the door, but something stopped her. The bow-knot! She went back and put it on. This time, it wasn’t so bizarre a feeling, but it was still so cool!
«Don’t ruin it in the smithy!» Sabiri said.
«I won’t!»
The door closed, leaving Sabiri alone. From out the window she watched Iskrila hurrying away, ready to carry on her request. Was she worthy of Iskrila’s efforts? Was she willing to do as much for her? Sabiri felt she knew the answer, but could she do the same for the whole village?
Hiding
Left alone, Sabiri wondered what to do next. She had already reported to Star, so now she was free to do whatever she wanted. Whatever she wanted… What a joke! The battle was just a week ahead, so there was no time to relax!
Yet, Sabiri remained motionless. The strategists she brought, Amber and Risha, had reminded her of everything she hated about the plan. They were so certain, so calculating, so hopeful to minimize the casualties. Yet every word they’d said had made her flinch inside. It was so impossible! So many things could go wrong! Why would Drowners play along? Why would wildlife (or some stupid magic) not screw up their plans? How could a generation of igni that had never seen a battle do what was required?
Feeling incredibly shitty, Sabiri threw away the idea of joining the discussions of tactics that was taking place at Haileen’s. She hadn’t taken a bath the previous day, wanting to return to Iskrila as fast as possible, so she decided to have one. And when she would be clean herself, she could clean the house. And after that… After that she would find some excuse for herself. Something that would allow her to dodge her responsibilities.
Burning through time this way, Sabiri hardly noticed how the evening came. With everything done in the house, she visited the market and bought a few fish for dinner. Cursing herself for not being as good at cooking as Iskrila, Sabiri did her best. But it was another who entered, which was obvious because she knocked.
«Smells nice!» Haileen’s nose took in the scent of baked fish. «Don’t worry, I’m not hungry.»
Sabiri let her in, getting ready to be punished for her absence. «How did the talks go?»
Haileen went straight to the cabinet filled with games and Sabiri’s figurines. «Nothing new, but we really polished our existing plans. Risha’s good, but who I’m really impressed with is Amber.»
«Yep, I wish I was nearly as intelligent at her age.» Sabiri was surprised and glad about Haileen’s choice of subject.
Haileen returned to the table with a deck of cards.
«Let’s play while you’re waiting for Iskrila. After all, something should keep your mind off all the burdens and insecurities you’ve got.»
A veil of dread choked Sabiri, just like when she heard of Iskrila’s capture. Unable to move a muscle, she just stood there, watching Haileen shuffling the cards and listening to the sizzling fish.
«Take the food out and sit down.» Haileen stared at her, still shuffling cards. «Star gave you this job for a reason. But whatever her way of dealing with your shit is, mine’s different.»
With numb hands, Sabiri retrieved the steaming bodies, covered them with a warm blanket, then joined Haileen, who had already dealt the cards.
«How did you know I’m waiting for Iskrila?»
«Who else could you wait for? Star’s having dinner at her place, and you didn’t invite me. Do you have friends I don’t know about?»
A few more minutes passed in awkward silence. Well, Sabiri knew the silence was awkward just for her, not for Haileen. She cursed herself a thousandth time already, when the door swung open once again.
«Oh, smells like dinner! Thanks, Sabiri. And, Haileen, hi!»
Sabiri jumped to her feet and rushed to the stove. «What’s the news?» she asked as she served the dish.
Iskrila was vigorously scraping her hands in soapy water. «I did find a few extra blades, but not nearly enough. So, don’t wait up for me and go to sleep. The sooner I finish, the better our healers can train before the battle.»
Those words killed Sabiri’s last hopes of getting rid of Haileen. Iskrila quickly pushed the food into her mouth and rushed back to work, leaving her in the company of Haileen and her own guilt and misery.
«Talk to me,» said Haileen after Sabiri had lost yet another game. «How are you going to be a war mistress with an attitude like this?»
«Attitude like what? I’m trying my best to both achieve the objective, and to not risk lives unnecessarily.»
«I do get it. But you’re so uncomfortable with the decisions that you constantly get someone else to make them. You need to learn how to decide on your own. How to stick to your decision and how to stop regretting it.»
Sabiri wanted to object that asking for advice was a good thing. But she knew it was a lie. She wasn’t really asking for advice – she was seeking ways to avoid responsibility.
«I don’t know how to do it!» Sabiri tried to recall whether she had made at least one hard choice she was comfortable with. «This shit never changes! With cards I just assume what you have, what I might get next turn, and I’m comfortable with it! But in real life…»
Haileen got quiet for a while, while Sabiri got up and went to check out her figurines, all to keep her hands busy.
«Well, let’s cooperate with Star and the others to fix your problem,» Haileen finally said. «Sorry to add to your pile, but I got preoccupied lately. What are we going to do with them? Star hopes Drowners will calm down. Tough thing, considering we’re going to burn their village and take them captive.»
Sabiri started thinking out loud. «Well, at first they’ll be scared shitless, running away from their burning homes and buildings. When we take the survivors, most of them will just be glad they’re alive. It is later when they realize that some of their friends and loved ones are dead. By our hand. It’s our job to make sure they never forget why it happened, so they remember why they should at least try to make peace.»
Haileen sighed heavily. «Some of them will never forgive us. Some of them love what they’ve been doing lately, I’m sure.»
«The only alternative is to kill them all.» Sabiri shook her head. «No one’s a fan of this option, but it’s a safer one.»
Holding a figurine of an igni, Sabiri tried her best to imagine what Drowners would think. Would they see there was no other way? Would they accept their help in rebuilding the village? Would they be allies again? Ever again? In a thousand years from now? Or would they plot revenge?
She sighed. «Let’s just hope they won’t hold the grudge against us for too long.»
«If only I had your optimism, Sabiri.» Haileen started shuffling the cards again. «I’m really expecting all sorts of trouble after the battle is over. That is, if the battle will happen at all. For the past few days now, I’ve been haunted by this thought. Drowners aren’t stupid. What if they had the same idea? What if they’re preparing their own attack?»
«Because Jaesa promised us? Drowners keep and keep on expanding their raids, but they never hit any of our tribes. You think they could learn about our plans?»
Haileen nodded. «How can they not learn about it, when so many people are involved? That many mouths just can’t stay shut for long!»
Sabiri sighed. «That’s true, people do talk. But as long as the ears are not Drowners’, we should be fine.» She started strolling around the house. «If they are preparing something, then they would be acting alone. They can’t take any of our villages on their own. Cause serious damage – sure – but they should know that the rest of the tribes would retaliate instantly.»
«But what if – » Haileen wanted to object.
« – outside help? It would require money, the kind Drowners don’t possess yet. Can they sell our lands? The Lake is great, sure, but people can fish in a river with no problem. How can the Lake be worth such risk and, most likely, losses, if you can still get fish and water in abundance elsewhere? So, they can’t sell our lands expensive enough.»
«I’ve been thinking. I mean, it’s gross, but… what if they have an agreement with one of the allied tribes?»
Sabiri shook her head. «They are on our side. Star knows her stuff, we’re safe on this front.»
«If she thinks so… Well, she was wrong about Jaesa. Still, something just feels foul.»
«It means you’re mindful. That’s a good thing, but you still need info to prove yourself right or wrong with something solid. If Imbrergoso sought outside help – we would know. We’ve got people pressing ears to the right keyholes.»
Haileen smiled, «I still think it is a miracle. If there was at least one person against it, if she’d warn Drowners…»
«How would it be different?» Sabiri picked up another of her figurines from the shelf. «Any thoughts?»
Haileen shook her head. «Depends on their tactics. If they were desperate enough to attack…» She thought for a few seconds. «Even without much preparation from our part, it would be over for them. You’re right: even if they were to learn, it would change little. I’ll try to think about something else.»
Sabiri went to the window to hopefully spot Iskrila returning. It was very late, but there was still no sign of her. The last lights died off in a house across the street, and now there was nothing but darkness outside.
«And yet,» Haileen resumed, «I still think we should put on more guards, more lookouts as well. Star has confidence in Jaesa’s word, but is the opposite true? If they are sneaking out to spot whether we’re doing something suspicious…»
Sabiri objected. «The more guards there are, the weirder and more noticeable it is. I wish all of us had artifacts like Iskrila’s. Who knows how truly reliable they are, but they do work. It would be a really useful warning system.»
«Yeah, it really saved her life last time.»
«Not just last time.»
«Alas, I didn’t hear anyone figuring out magic just yet. Speaking of Iskrila, where is she? Working nights is a necessity sometimes, but what if something happened?»
Sabiri snickered. «The amulet would warn her. Or are you not talking about an attack?»
«When you’re working so late, you can make mistakes. Her smithy has enough dangers already.»
Sabiri yawned. «Not the first time she’s working late. Besides, she’s a genius with a hammer and anvil. She’ll be fine.»
«Alright, alright, time to sleep!» Haileen got infected with Sabiri’s yawning. «See you tomorrow.»
Sabiri wished Haileen good night and went to bed herself.
There was a slim chance of Iskrila returning, but she would just sleep right at the smithy if she got really tired. A smile appeared on Sabiri’s face as she remembered how she used to find Iskrila sleeping at her desk, or even at the workbench. She would cover her with a blanket and leave, trying her best not wake her up. Thinking such sweet thoughts, Sabiri didn’t notice herself falling asleep.
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