The Cycle of Gods and Dreams - Part 3

The first sun rose of the horizon and was then followed by the smaller sun, the landscape came live with shades of gold and brown, Narash was still standing at the deck. Being free to think without having to filter each thought felt like new addiction, the pipe was long dead but it did not matter. A man joined him at the rail and leaned down to rest his elbows to look down at the moving caravan. “I would have thought that the royal magi would be running behind his king.”

“He is no king of mine brother Horatio, how come you are here also. I would have thought you would be on the first convoy to Cirkhett?”

Horatio smiled at Narash, “I was held back by some… work, that is what I can call it. Honestly speaking the mess that was left behind proved to be much more than the vizier envisioned. I was tasked to bring him the girls he wanted which I refused and then found myself being hunted by his guards, I know we were never in speaking terms but again I was brought up to follow royal edict. The vizier was the rot that killed the kingdom if you want an honest answer.”

“Yes, but you never really gave me reason to avoid you so I kept my distance. The king was far less trusting after the incident with the Kailur incident. I hope you weren’t party to that.”

“No, I wasn’t aware that someone had hired an assassin from Kailur. That vile tribe should have been wiped from the face of this land, I found out after it had happened. I was lucky as I was overseeing the building of the aqueduct in the southern city space, or I would have been having an intimate meeting with the king’s mind reaver. I hear he rapes your mind till there is nothing left of you.”

Narash nodded grimly as he had met them twisted man when tasked to investigate the incident, the number of royal attendants that were reduced to bumbling fools watered the eyes of the castle keeper. No less than 200 people were interrogated by the reaver and in that the one who was part of the plot had fled the kingdom. It took a massacre of 2 villages to finally find out that the one who initiated the plot was a high-ranking nobleman who had also escaped to the southern kingdom of Noctra. Since then the king only trusted a few people when it come to his personal council.

“I was left out of the convoy because if the lower nobles who would have rebelled earlier if they found out that king had fled. Well the secret did not stay in the bag for very long, the city was on the verge of burning anyway, majority of the army had left under pretence of border protection and the city guards were only there because of their families.”

Horatio turned to see Jihun walking to join them, she nodded her greetings and Horatio did the same. “Madame spymaker. An honour, I will be alighting at Filhurn and what of you?”

Jihun smiled and stared out at the moving lands, “where I go is my business Horatio, you were to leave for the northlands from what I was informed.”

Horatio laughed out and slapped Narash’s back, “this woman always knows more than what she shows, well yes I was supposed to go north but the plans changed as the ship taking me there turned out to be run by a mutineer. They had executed their captain and ravaged his wife and daughters, so what’s stopping them from doing the same to me and mine? No Filhurn is better than the north, from there I know a wind seeker who can take me to the eastern kingdom of Nyalru. I have family there so I might survive a little longer.”

“I suppose a wind seeker is a better option than looking for another ship run by pirates now, I don’t suppose you have any information of what exactly happened in the castle?”

Horatio looked down and then back up, he was churning the thoughts in his mind and trying to figure out what to say. He stood up then looked back into the caravan to see if there was anyone there, satisfied he looked at Jihun and spoke, “from what I heard from a guard who was last to leave was the vizier had cut the bodies up of the 4 women who he had imprisoned and arranged the parts in some magical circle, it was complete madness he said and because of his oath to the madman he could not leave until he was released. Then a group of nobles with their guards broke in and pretty much did the same to him. I believe the guard killed himself last night while on this caravan.”

All three remained silent watching meditating on their own thoughts, Sonja then joined them and Horatio’s eye lit up seeing the lady. “Your Highness, what a morning for me. I did not know your are still alive after what we saw what happened to that black ship. Just a question, why do you look as young as when I last saw you? Narash, Jihun what exactly did the king do?”

None spoke at first until Sonja smiled and spoke, “lord Horatio, your father was a good but cunning man. I believe he was one of the noblemen who abstained from doing anything after my father died, I believe it was your name that was used to push my idiot brother to the throne.”

The tall nobleman laughed at this and the simple long robe rippled around his large belly, his smooth face never once betrayed the cunning that lived behind his eyes. “My true queen, indeed my name was used, the vizier saw it fit to hold my young wife at the time and younger brothers as ransom to fall into line with the rest. My father also saw this and decided it was his time to take his vow of peace and left the court duties to me and left for the eastern lands. I am going the same way but I will stick to the path I know will ensure some form of safe passage. I did my duty as quietly as I could without getting into favour of anyone and survived I should say. Know this O haunted queen of mine, though our kingdom has fallen the name your father made as a statesman will live on.” With this he took his leave and went back to his cabin.

“You know he was lying through his teeth there?” Sonja echoed, the other 2 nodded in agreement but none had anything to say. Sonja had the displeasure if seeing 2 nobles being executed for speaking against the state on the word of an informant the vizier magically called upon. Though their fault was to question the vizier’s decision the punishment was swift and the king bound by the law of the court could not decide against lest he loose favour. The old vizier had played games that ensured he ruled the kingdom behind the curtain, though not absolute but with all the favours he spread around it was easier to talk than act.

Sonja leaned on the railings and asked what the next step was to be and Jihun replied that plans were already in place but with Sonja’s sudden re-emergence things would need to be adjusted. “The plan does not lead to a new kingdom but what I can say is that we are at a crossroad right now. There was no actual plan to do anything but find a place to survive this. Now it seems with you we may have to finally complete the expedition.”

Narash turned to Jihun, he was angry from the way his eyes flared, “I thought we abandoned that when I showed you the scrolls. I thought you did not care to follow the words of some raving madman!”

Jihun looked down at the moving ground and signed, “it was, that was until one of my spies took some interest when he saw the chart on my desk. According to him that chart was only part of the full navigation map. I dismissed him at first but months later he came back and showed me 2 other parts of the map, they were made to sit on top of each other and when aligned in a certain way it showed a path. We were missing 1 more part and that is where we are going now.”

“The nomads have a chart also?”

“No, but a tomb scavenger does, he let Arth (my spy) know this. I lost contact with Arth a few weeks before the cycle shift. Had this not happened I would have been at the nomad market looking for him. According to him what lies in the end may be a way to survive this cycle.”

Sonja looked on and they were joined by Anne who let them know that food was ready and they should eat something and just rest because there was still a weeks’ worth of sitting and talking left. They all went back to the cabin, Narash lingered for a few minutes before joining the group. He removed a small glass ball and began looking at it carefully before putting it back into the satchel.

The meal was made up dried fruits and plain water, Sonja still asked about meat and was informed that most animals had either been hunter or migrated to the southern lands. There was a rumour that the animals knew of a place that had water but nothing came of it, there was another story that many threw themselves of any cliff they could find to save themselves from dying of thirst.

Water had become the new gold for many kingdoms, the cycle shift had created deserts where there were lush forests and seas turned to desert lands. When people tried to dig wells all they found were whispers of where water once flowed underground.

Lairu was lying on a bed when a knock was heard from the door, Anne opened the door slightly to see who it was. The figure on the other side was a dark gentleman he was covered in nomad garb and behind him was another figure but much shorter, they had long flowing garbs and their head were completely covered except for the eyes. The eyes glowed faintly green indicating the man was a shaman, the figure behind was a girl from the way her eyes shone through the slits. “We request an audience with the council member.”

“Let them in Anne, I know who that might be.”

Anne opened the door wider to let the couple in, they walked in and stood in the centre of the room, Narash was sitting on the floor next to bed Lairu was lying on. She did not open her eyes, Narash was carving something from a piece of wood he found under the bed. Jihun was sitting next to him and she seemed less interested also, “Shaman Khora, under different circumstances I would be at your throat with a knife. How did you find us?”

The taller man shifted on his feet slightly as though expecting something to happen and when nothing did he slowly raised his hands as though waiting for a hug, the figure behind removed her turban revealing a girl no older than 17 years. She looked at Sonja who was deep asleep then at Narash. “Fortune seems to understood that you are the only ones who can help me. I come with peace and ask if you can hear out my plea.”

Narash go up and stood in front of Khora and looked at him with a stern expression, “why should I trust you, last time I did I remember I ended up imprisoned in Filhurn. It took my sister and 300 gold to free me.”

Khora slowly moved his right hand and inserted into a fold of the garb he was wearing, he then removed a small bag that clicked indicating the contents of the bag. “You know it has pretty much lost value now Khora,” came the reply from Narash.

Khora opened the bag and fished out a stone, it was white and milky in colour. Narash’ eyes lit up, “are those Tear stones?”

“Yes my lord, I apologize for what I did in Filhurn but my daughter’s life was in the balance then. The merchant Josep wanted you out of his way so he could buy these stones for his patron. I was in Paranth looking for them as I knew that this is the only way I could repay my deception.”

Taking the bag Narash dropped a few more stones on to his palm, he way like child with a new toy. So engrossed with the task to checking the stones he forgot where he was for a while. Realising the number of eyes looking at him Narash looked up and straightened himself, it was comical for Jihun to see her brother act like he would when playing with his toys. She turned to the standing figure of Khora and asked, “how do you managed to re-acquire these stones Khora, I hope blood was not the mode of exchange.”

“No blood was spilled; a simple exchange was made but the person in possession of the stones was a fool as he used one of the stones to transport his family to a safe haven. They are meant to see farther than the eye buy they are not portals so when his wife tried to walk into the illusion half her body was set aflame and died in front of her family. I was looking for him and he found me giving the bag and took the 100 gold I had to find a passage to some place called Cirkhett. I used the little gold I had left to find passage back to Filhurn so I could find a way to seek you out.”

“I need help, I am dying. When the cycle ended I lost my wife in storm during the shift and I was struck by lighting that is slowly killing me. Please I ask you find a place for my daughter as there are few people I know who can help weavers like her.”

Jihun shot up and looked at the girl then at Khora, “she is a weaver? You know that anyone with that mark right now is worth their weight in gold.”

“I know, that is why I sought you out. Her mother did bear the gift but her grandmother did, she taught her everything. After Niara’s mother passed I knew she would not be safe with me.”

Narash looked at the girl then at Khora, he did not know what to say but knew that the weight they all bore just increased and since he was the only male of the group his opinion did not matter now. “Fine, I will take her as far as the Nomads, I know they will keep her safe but know this Khora nothing will wipe away the debt. This will only increase the debt you bear.”

Khora bowed and as he did he fell on one knee and Niara rushed forward to help her father. He shot out a had to keep her from placing a hand on him. Steadying himself and then finally standing up he turned to the girl and spoke to her in their tongue and let her know that she needed to stay with these people as his time was near. He tried to take another step to reach the door and stumbled falling hard on the floor, Niara now rushed and tried to help him but now he did not wake. Khora died even before he fell on the floor, Anne tried to comfort the girl and Jihun, with Lairu, picked up the dead father. Revealing the face of the man it was evident he was walking corpse to begin with, the skin on his face looked like it was burnt and from his weight it was evident that he had that only the herbs that fell out of his mouth cover were keeping him alive. Narash helped the 2 to take the body out, Sonja was still sleeping as she was given a concoction to keep her asleep. Once outside Lairu left to find a guard and Jihun looked up at Narash, “you did not tell me you were at Filhurn looking for Tears?”

“No one did, I need them for some work the council had tasked me. You know this was before I was appointed to the court so the only person I could trust was you when I was deceived by him. I knew who he had crossed me for but could not touch the bastard. Now I feel nothing for him, his daughter however just complicates this whole matter.”

“Complicates? No this tips this whole journey over the side, I will have to ask Anne to stay close to her. Weavers are being sacrificed by fools who think their blood will bring the rains back.”

“I thought Anne was remain in Filhurn?”

“No, she was to remain with the nomads, she is the daughter of a lady I knew there. A fierce warrior but died in a raid. I found my self with Anne so decided to raise her. She knows everyone there as I made her my representative for the nomads.”

A guard came running followed by the captain, Lairu followed shortly. The captain looked down at the body and gave instructions to the guard who left them, “I picked them up just before I got to Paranth, said he was headed to Filhurn anyway. Paid me in full so I did not question him, I hope he did not harm anyone.”

“No, he was actually looking trying to find a remedy for his malady, seems that being struck by lighting is not so good for health,” Narash mused. The captain nodded then asked “what of the other one, I don’t see him.”

“She, captain, is with us. Don’t worry we have taken charge and will cater to her expenses.”

The guard came back with a labourer and cloth, they wrapped the body as instructed and picked it up. The captain asked if there were any rituals to be performed and Jihun refused. The body was then taken to the back and dropped of the side.

After speaking a little on the time it would take to reach Filhurn the siblings left the captain who was giving more instructions to his guard. The captain walked to the front of the deck took a look at the landscape and went back to the top deck. Narash was first to enter the room and he found Anne cradling the crying girl, she shook her head indicating the girl was not any condition to talk. Jihun came in after took a look at the girl then knelt closer to the 2 and whispered something which calmed the girl a little but she cradled closer to Anne, Jihun looked at Sonja and then sat new to Anne with her back to the wall. “I should have asked the pig to at least give us a few chairs, this room is small but 2 or 3 chairs would have been a boon,” Jihun cursed.

All remained in their positions and soon most were asleep again, waiting for Filhurn.