"Sometimes, during busy hours, the streets look as if they are paved with rainbows." She look seriously at her daughter, "I want you to shine much brighter then all. Red it is, no argument."
Taira still did not understand. All the silk did was protect her feet from the deamon's "They" left in their wake. What color surely had no real meaning, other then to show off wealth. Her mother also had strong views about the cloak.
"Velvet, silk may be good enough for the road, but black velvet is the safest."
She had just rolled her eyes, but stayed quiet, Mother had strange idea's about what was right, and what was not. Velvet seemed to worked properly though, she couldn't even see specks of light through the folds, and it was soft. Soft, but suffocating. She could breath all right, but she was enclosed, relying on the nurses guidance completely. It was more of a mind thing really, a mental complaint, devised from an unconscious fear of small spaces that held no escape. Still, she should be grateful to be allowed only the confinements of a cloak.
As a little girl, she was forced to stay beneath a nursing mother's skirt. A huge, canopy like thing that protecting unsuspecting female's from harm. It was fine beneath it, a little stuffy but it proved it's purpose, and as long as you held onto your mother, you were completely safe from the evils that floated around the world. But Taira was never like the other children and, at the age of 5, when a goods seller distracted the nursing mother, she had slipped beneath the starched material and ran.
Directly for the Bui, the forbidden ones, the dascracht, the disgraced. Yet Taira had been transfixed by haughty ways though manacled and beaten almost to death. One in particular stood out amongst the rabble. A wild one, rippling with muscles and bearing a magnificent head-dress decorated with all the colours of the rainbow, he stood on the stage while the hawkers and farmers argued about price and strength. She kept running until she was right by the slave traders stall, where he stood in the burning sun his yellow shin shining with sweat. Dressed only in a white loin cloth, he was bleeding in many places and held his side tightly as he stared proudly at the amassed crowd, until he laid his eyes on her and blinked. She stared back just as proud and reached up... Then everything went black. Later it would seem some terrified women had thrown a blanket over her, hiding the site up on the stage. She had spent 3 weeks in hospital before they were sure no damage had been done, even still, she would 10, be a year late, when she received her cloak.
She knew how dangerous it was to have sighted the Bui at such a young age, and knew that out of all the young females in Carama, she should be the most frightened by the gusts of wind in the market place that meant a Bui had passed. Yet she felt only curiosity.
Taira had even dared to question it and asked her mother out right where was it the fear lay. There was an instant silence in the room after the question had left her lips and the book her mother was reading slipped from her lap. She then stood slowly up and walked briskly over to where her daughter was, crouched beside the fire, and slapped her once on the cheek.
"Don't ever question what you do not know, understand? You should be on your bended knees in thanks that you get freedom at 14, when I was young, the age was 20, and then only with your beloved." The blood returned to her face and she sat down. "the laws are changing, but never for the better, I hear of a town where the Bui are treated as complete equals... but that will never happen here so I am not worried, still, we must be on our guard at all times."
Taira had never dared to ask again.
The silk was oddly cold now, but she could feel beads of sweat from the cloak and began to wish for a quicker journey. At either side of her, the minders squeezed her elbows and she stopped. A huge gush of foul smelling breeze swept past them, a convoy of Bui and their traders passing through the centre of the market place. Taira longed to reach out and touch one, to discover whether or not they felt the same as her, or if they were as her classmates often suggested in hushed voices after the break-time honey was drunk.
"Wraths, barely in the world at all, you could stick your finger right through them if you dared... It's because we are the chosen people, the Gods will not allow our skin to touch there's because we are so much higher then them."
Taira almost believed them, until the day she spilt green dye onto the tiles and it dried fast. Dismayed with shock, she had slunk towards Mama Tobairt and apologised. Yet, the women did not seem too perturbed, but warned her to stay out of the room until she was given permission to enter. Next morning she entered the art room with a air of defeat, until she viewed the floor. There was not a mark of green anywhere not even between the cracks and lines. Yet... all the staff and middle cleaners had been at late-dinner and were present at the week's-end night ceremonies which commenced until 3am at which time all had to sleep to keep alive the words that they had just heard. Only one type of person was allowed skip the ceremony, the Bui. So, they must live in the houses, coming out at night to clean or whatever tasks they had assigned, which completely ruled out the wrath idea, for if they could scrub tiles free of dye, they must be as solid as the Ban, the name of her own ruling race.
She could now smell the whiffs of roses and honeysuckle, which meant they were in the grounds of her older sisters estate. whom had not seen for 3 months, not since her pregnancy became visible to the naked eye. A law had recently been passed by the leaders that stated it was not fit for women carrying unborn children to be seen in public, in case the evils and spirits were passed onto the child. Her sister had dutifully obeyed this and had stayed in her rooms until now, when the pains had started. Only Taira was allowed view the child when it took it's first breath of air in this world, for the priests had for told it was only safe for clean eyes to see an innocent. Clean eyes meant no official viewing of a Bui had taken place. Since, at five, it was not an official sighting, it was quite safe for Taira to hold it, and determine the sex. If a boy it would be given to it's mother, for no boy can be infected by the evils of the Bui, and were allowed their first sighting at nine. Yet a female child meant only Taira and other clean one's were allowed view and nurse the child until a week had passed when she would go to her mother, who had been blessed by the priests.
Taira was shaking from the huge responsibility by the time she had reached the foot of the stairs and had given her cloak to a maid. She heard screams and yells coming from the door at the top of the steps. As she climbed, the terrifying screeches of pain got louder until, in front of the door, she could hear Mother's soothing voice almost shouting over her sisters shouts. She opened the door to see the Mama of the house crouched at the foot of the bed, peering between her sisters legs.
"Nearly there now Saluna, just one more push,"
Taira hesitated at the door as she got her first look at her sister. She seemed to be as large as a beach wale, twisting and turning in fright and pain. Beside her head Mother stroked her hair and spoke quietly, until she saw Taira.
"Well? What on this gods earth are you standing there for? Get down beside Mama Chilbird and get ready, she's almost ready,"
Taira nodded and slowly went to the foot of the bed and crouched down. She was still shaking, not from terror, that had passed, but from the site of her sixteen year old sister. In two years it would be her turn and she dreaded it. To look like that? To be in so much pain seemed more then she was able for. Yet she had no more time to think for suddenly the Mama was at her side and she was edging her right in front of the parting in Saluna's raised legs.
"Are ya ready child? Just catch the head when it comes out and you should be fine. Then you smack it once on the back and check between it's legs to see whether it is a girl nor boy. If a boy raise it up, if a girl, place it in the basket down by your feet. Right, if anything should go wrong..." Taira turned to peer at the Mama who was considering her options "Well, nothing should go wrong, not if you've had the proper training." Then she raised herself and went to stand beside Mother.
Taira took a beep breath and reached up as her mother yelled;
"PUSH,"
Her sister heaved and screamed.
"Again, child, again, PUSH!. Good, one more time, Taira are you ready?"
She gasped out a yes in reply and her sister heaved, but this time she could see something.
"The head," Taira shouted excitedly, "I can see the head!"
Bit by bit, the baby revelled itself until Tiara was able to clasp it to her chest. With a silver knife, she cut the cord that tied it to it's mother, then slapped it on the back. It choked, then began to scream. Taira then looked down between the child's legs, and raised it up with relief, she wouldn't be spending the week nursing a child. Her mother took it, and the Mama shooed her off to get showered and re-dressed. That night her bloodstained clothes would be burned as thanks-giving to the gods that the birth had gone well. If the child had died, the clothes and sheets would be buried in respect and marked with a Oak Tree. In Taira's garden stood three oak trees as symbols of sorrow to the lost ones.
As she scrubbed her skin with the linen cloth and ice cold water, which was said to bring character in a young girl, she could hear her new nephew crying.
Taira raced through the corridors of her school, slipping and sliding on the highly polished floors. Everywhere the heavy silence of thousands of pupils studying hard, or trying to concentrate on their teachers droning, hung like the heavy drapes over the window. She was late, but she had a ten minute head start to get to the classroom as long as she was equipped with a plausible excuse. This involved; a family death, a birth of an innocent, an official viewing of a Bui or a marked conversation with an holy one/leader. Taira was lucky, she had been awake all night with the child screaming and the celebrations of the males that she had slept through the sun rise and the crowing of the birds.
She scrambled to a halt outside a huge oak door, built just to terrify students into admission. She checked the time piece that hung from her wrist, only two more seconds to go of free time, and pushed the door open and leapt the rest of the way inside. The teacher only glanced up at the swing pendulum and nodded.
"Well done, and with three seconds to spare, you have your excuse Taira of Alon?"
She stepped slowly in front of her teacher, Lama of Klint, or Mizz, her official title. She swallowed a little and then began to speak.
"My sister, Saluna of Teny delivered an Innocent one at the fall of night, I am afraid that the celebrations went on..." she trailed off as she noticed the expression on Mizz's face.
"Her first?" The Mizz raised herself and stared into her eyes, Taira began to stutter, "Well? Answer the question."
"Ye-ss, it was, and mine too. I'm afraid I was not used to the noise." She bobbed a small curtsy, and kept her eyes firmly on the wood panelling on the desk.
"Wonderful!" She jerked her head up, and stared, "Class, what a coincidence that Taira's innocent was born just when we are beginning traditions. Taira? Are you prepared to begin?" A smug smile lingered over her lips and she settled herself in her chair.
Taira nodded and turned to face the class, inside though, she was fuming. How dare she! It was well known that Mizz had chosen Edric of Teny for her own, but had been rebuffed. Two years later, Saluna had chosen him and won. This was the punishment for their first child and Taira knew it. She also knew if she complained of unfair treatment nothing would be done about it for the Klints were a very powerful family, politically. It was even said that Labrt of Klint, head of the family, was close friends with the Leader Malrey, head of the city of Carama. So, she was forced to speak about her fear and worry over performing the act, the hugeness of her sisters belly and the size of the child. For no-one was allowed lie about deeds in front of a Marked one. After she had finished she bowed to her classmates and to her Mizz, then sat down sneaking terrible looks, when ever she turned her back.
She spent the rest of the school day, daydreaming about being fourteen and the freedom it would entail. No cloak, that was the main thing. She would be able to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin, see the stars at night and go to dances, proper dances, not the childish parties she got invited to now. No, real Balls filled with eligible men, all whispering into her ear with witty gestures to try and amuse her. But she would have none of it, and wave them away with one swoop of her bare arm to allow another in. Dressed in a long, low necked silver gown, with her jet black hair tied in up in the elegant fashions of the day, not just loose around her shoulders in the childish fashion that was forced apon her. Every man would want to dance with her, to take her arm and walk among the moon beams, to be her beloved.
"...And the test might be hard on those who do not pay attention, understand Taira?" She jumped and looked up into the cold cruel eyes of Mizz. "Did you hear what we were saying? I hope you will be able to stand up and tell it to all the class since you were so good at it before." She could hear some of the girls tittering lightly behind her, and she hung her head.
"No Mizz, I am unable to explain, I'm afraid I was day dreaming," She blushed a deep red and prayed that the punishment be light. Never lie to a Marked one, first law of the land... sometimes though, she wondered if she did lie, would anyone really suspect it, since it was so shocking. She'd rather not take the chance, rumour spoke of the strange power's the marked one's could wield when threatened.
"Very well, you will wait after the bell has been rung, and we will see what the gods have in store for you." Taira bowed as deep as the table allowed, then raised her head again to see the teacher begin the lesson once more for those Who Were Not Paying Attention. That was a trick of hers, making words sound like they started with capitol letters, so you stood to strict attention when she was in that kind of mood. Even still, she had a very hard time concentrating, and spent her time praying that the hours would slow, until they just stopped altogether. But the well known law of mental physics kicked in and the harder she prayed, the faster the hours fled until the bell had tolled and she was left alone in the class with just Mizz's deamon eyes to watch. The deamon herself seemed to be paying absolutely no attention to Taira, who was fiddling with the pleat's in her ivory white petticoat. After a second or two had passed, however, Mizz straightened up from the cupboard she was rooting and began to advance towards the desk.
"I wonder..." she appeared to be talking more to herself the Taira who was shrinking as far back as she could go, "I wonder have you ever been in trouble before? If you know what happens to those silly enough to commit an offence twice in the same class?" She shook her head softly. "Well, I guess this will be a learning exercise as well, very well, step up to the front of the class."
She did as she was told, shivering slightly. "Turn around and face the desks you silly child." Taira did as she was asked and felt the presence of Mizz directly behind her. She felt her petty coat loosen at the back, and realised she was undoing the laces that held the dress fast. At once she darted away and turned to face her teacher.
"What? What are you doing?" But the Mizz's face had gone bright red from the indignity of Taira's abrupt questions.
"Turn Around This Instant!" that voice again and Taira was forced to stand quite still until the top of the dress fell completely away exposing the skin of her back. "Now, don't move of you will get two for every one you try to avoid." She was unable to even fathom this before the first blow struck, right beneath the shoulder blades. Not wanting to scream out, she bit her tongue instead and felt the iron taste of blood as she was hit once, twice three times, all blows landing on the exact same spot as the first. When it seemed she could stand no more, the dress was pulled up and laced tightly, adding more agony to the wounds.
"Now, never let such arrogance happen again in this class, or your Official Sighting will be delayed as well," Hissed an angry voice in her ear, "Do I make myself absolutely clear?"
"Yes Mizz," then she fell to the ground sobbing.
"You have ten minutes to gather yourself up and collect your cloak. Your minders are waiting out side." And with that, the she-deamon gathered up her books and flounced out of the room, as if she had done nothing more then a telling off. She watched her go, before allowing the tears to break, the pain behind her back burned and stung. Never before ad anyone struck her in such a way. Not even her father who was known as a cruel man when angered, had ever dared to lay a hand on her. There was only her mother's slap, and that had been more out of fear then hatred. After a few minuets though, she found she could stand up without her knees buckling, though her back still ached. It was then, when she went to fetch her cloak she first heard the rustling. It was coming behind the large map of Carama. It sounded like footsteps, and of something light being dragged, like a brush or a mop. After a while it faded away, but Taira still stared at the wall. She walked silently up to it, and raised her knuckles to see if the wall was hollow, instead the material wielded to them, and like a curtain swung open so Taira glimpsed a passage way, ripe with foul smelling odour of pigs dung and unwashed hair. This was a Bui passage, a way for them to move around the school unseen by the innocent pupils. A small spark of excitement welled up in her and she saw once again, the glowing skin of the male Bui, his proud eyes and huge head dress. Then something else revealed itself, something she had not noticed before when she dreamed of it. When she reached up to him, he was holding his hand out to her...
She was about to step into the passage when a strong hand was clamped on her shoulder. Wincing with agony, she turned to see the frightened eyes of her minders.
"What did oo see?" One of them whispered urgently. Taira scanned the voice for anger, but there was only terror. The Gods knew what happened to useless minders, and to children with two unofficial sightings under their belt.
"Nothing! I swear by Amaira, God of children and females, I did not lay eyes on anything but the passage." They relaxed their grip on her, but their eyes were no less frantic.
"You swear also, you will never tell about the events that happened today?" The older one was speaking now, her eyes were hooded with great waves of grey hair, but the little of her face that Taira could see, spoke of wisdom.
"I swear, for it would be worse on my heads then on yours," This statement was the only power a child could wield, it meant a greater power on the swear, for it was her own life she was protecting not those of the minders. Although she cared about them very much, she cared about sunlight more. Taira breathed a sigh of relief as they went to pick up her cloak from the ground, then had to catch her breath as a fresh wave of pain hit her. It became so strong that she found she had to lean backwards in order for it to be less severe. They were at her side in an instant.
"Ma'am, are you OK?" She could see in their eyes they thought she had lied about the Bui, and was now paying the price.
"Yes... it was the beating, it will soon pass," they almost seemed relieved at this and Taira felt like screaming out to them that the grievous assault on her life, was much more important then any silly Bui sighting. But she held her tongue and bowed her head, a sign of innocence. The minders instantly melted into puddles on the floor.
"'haps you would be safer riding in the litter? Oo seem very pale miss." Taira just nodded, opening the old wound in her tongue as she bit down hard to avoid screaming from a fresh wave of pain. If she was not in so much agony she would be jumping for joy for the litter was a great treat. It belonged to her mother, and was the only one in the city, even the Leader of Carama's beloved did not posses such a luxury item as the one stored in the cellar beneath Taira's house. It was usually, when her mother went out in it, carried by four Bui, masked and robed in black velvet. But for Taira, it would need four male servants to be plucked form the stables and kitchens. She would need to be dying to get such a pleasure.
And, gliding through the market place, listening to the quiet chatter of the minders up front, Taira thought she was. The pain was excruciating now. She began to wish she could take off her petticoat and relieve the stress the fibres were causing on her bruised skin, but etiquette called that only her female relations, a qualified nurse or the Mama of the house was allowed see her naked. So she was forced to lie stomach down on the soft cushions and pray for releif.
When the litter stopped, Taira slipped out and landed in the arms of one of the more manly stable boys.
"Don worry miss, I've had orders that you are to be seen safely to the doors of your quarters. There's a doctor waiting there miss and the Mama." He said the last name slightly shakily, and Taira was not surprised at his fear. Although she had not experienced any unkindness from her, she was known to be ruthless to those under her charge. If a stable boy, far removed from the chores of domestic life, could be afraid of her she could only imagine a maids thoughts.
It was Taira first time being in such close proximity to a boy, and she found she quite enjoyed it. He smelt of horses, fresh air and home cooked dinners. His hair was corn coloured, long and wavy, and, she found out, very soft to the touch. He was extremely gentle with her, and she felt only the smallest twinges of pain as he carried her up the grand stairs towards her rooms.
He was silent only while they passed the bust hall, full of the chatter of polishing middle maids. Then, when they were half way up the stairs, he blurted out something abruptly.
"Miss? You know you have very beautiful eyes miss..." he trailed off, and Taira could fell a blush creeping to her cheeks.
"Thank you," She could have rebuffed him, and she knew it. Girls of her stature did not have to accept compliments from lowly stable hands. But... it had been her very first compliment and she was in a generous mood, it's funny how being carried up a stairs can do that. "They're very like my sisters though."
"Oh no miss! Your sisters are just an ordinary blue miss. Your's... have all these grey bits through them miss, and the blue is much darker then hers." The blush was definitely there now, and she was glad when they got to the door so the could hide it from him. Mama Tobairt opened it and helped her stand after the stable hand had put her down. He tipped his hat then was gone. Inside the room, she realised she didn't even know his name. Not that it mattered, she realised, it was an excuse to go down to the stables and see him tomorrow. She was just day-dreaming about how exactly the sun would be shining in his hair when Mama Tobairt's words woke her up with a jolt.
"We'll have to take it off, so the doctor can have a look." The doctor!? But he was a male... she couldn't let him see her naked. She tried to protest, but the mama was firm. "Don't be stupid child, he has to take a look, or it will never get better. Now turn around and don't squirm it will only make it worse." She could hear tutting behind her as she worked. "Look at that, the blood soaked completely through, there's no way we'll ever get this out. I hope they know a trick or two." Eventually, the fibres were ripped from the sores and Taira stood there completely naked from the waist up.
Her first instinct was to reach up and hide her budding chest, but Mama Tobairt held them firm down by her sides.
"You have nothing Miss, that he hasn't seen before."
The doctor came out of a side room carrying a black leather bag. He was tall, but where Mama Tobairt was like a rake, he was heavy and his large belly drooped over his leather belt. He hid his small watery eyes behind a pair of spectacles, that he was constantly pushing up past his nose. He had a large beefy moustache that gushed out not only on his upper lip, but out is nostrils and ears as well.
As he examined her back, occasionally poking it with a cotton swab so that Taira winced, he coughed heartily into a small polka-dotted handkerchief. After what seemed like a hours, he stopped his poking and turned to Mama Tobairt.
"The child has been badly walloped that's true, but there is no need to look so worried. The skin was far too delicate for the hard cane, that is all. I'll need some hot water to clean her up properly. Would be so kind as to get it for me?" She expected a harsh refusal at the request, Mama's never did and work if they could call a maid instead, but the doctor's request was met by a light giggle and a curtsey before the Mama swooped out of the room, her long grey dress sweeping the ground as she exited. Taira's mouth dropped open in surprise. She had never seen the mama act like this around anyone, not even her father, who was inclined to share winks with the female staff. The doctor, seemed quite oblivious by her flirtatious state, and went back to examining her back.
"The tension with the sticks caused the skin to bleed" he was saying, quite oblivious to her shock. "There's nasty bruising to the spinal area too, which might explain the pain you are under, but don't worry a hot bath and good long rest should clear that up..." he was still droning on about her medical condition, when she felt a sharp pinch on her shoulder. She jumped a little and felt the doctor draw back startled. "I'm sorry, that didn't aggravate your condition, did it? Only, I'm amazed by how smooth you shoulder skin is... and pale, like the freshest of milk..." He felt his hands begin to rub her shoulders as he spoke. "And your hair is quite an unusual shade for these parts, which side of your family did it come from?"
"I'm not sure..." She was beginning to get scared now as he moved his head in to smell her hair. "Um Sir? I really don't think... I mean, Mama will be coming back any second now,"
"Nonsense, she has to heat up the water doesn't she? And please enough of this sir business, my name is Farbare of Mart. If we are going to be friends it is important we know each others names, is it not?" Taira began to squirm a little under his touch, but he held her firm as he traced the outline of her shoulders with the tip of his finger.
"So beautiful, and so young. My my..." He turned her around to face him. "One kiss? Just little one on the lips, so I can see what you taste like." His eyes were pleading with her, but she knew it was wrong and shook her head furiously. "I'm sorry I am forced to do this, but you've given me no option." He grasped her face roughly with one hand and pulled her up close to his face. So close, that she could smell his pungent breath, and see every individual hair that was sprouting from his bulbous nose. She could feel the other hand now, gently stroking the nipples of her breast.
"So incredibly beautiful, I can barely breath I am so captured with you." He began to move his face even closer to hers, so all his words were a rush of fish breath.
Behind her, she heard the creak of the door.
Taira could hear the soft padding of bare feet on wood, and the gentle slop of water. She gazed fearfully up at the doctor who now appeared to be examining her eye closely with his two hands. She blinked and stared again. It was almost like the last few minutes never happened, he now appeared to be telling Mama something about bloodshot pupils.
"... a few days rest will cure that, it must have been the shock. Can you manage the washing on your own?" She felt like all her muscle's were seizing up, he had been about to kiss her... he had been touching her breasts, and now he just stood there calmly chatting with Mama Tobairt about hot water.
"Of course sir. If you are in any way hungry, the cook has some chicken prepared, that is, if you want some..." Taira turned blearily to see her smiling widely at the doctor's acceptance of the invitation. She noticed that the grey dress had somehow disappeared, and that she was now wearing a navy satin gown covered with a soft white shawl. There was also a hint of red on her lips, and two smudges of blue on her eye lids.
"...so, I'll be in the kitchen if she has any need for me." With that, the doctor collected up his bag and went out the door, stopping slightly to swoop down in a low bow to mama, who blushed and curtsied humbly. Taira just gawked.
"What are you staring like that for? Close your mouth this instant, and take off the rest of your dress. I only hope the blood will come out, these things don't grow on trees you know!" Taira stepped out of her dress and went over to Mama clad only in a pair of lacy underwear, and a pair of black sandals. She turned around and felt the cool water soak down her back as mama gently removed the dry blood and bits of fabric still sticking to the wounds.
"I can't believe you'll be fourteen in two weeks, the gods know how the time flies! Well, as long as nothing comes along to wind up your Mother's nerves it should go completely smoothly. Just don't upset her, and... don't tell her about the beating. Tell your father if you must, but you know what she's like..." She was silent as she removed the last of the blood and bandaged up her back with clean linen.
"I'll change them tomorrow when you can have a nice warm bath. For now, get some rests, it's the only thing that will help this heal." Taira nodded silently and curtsied to Mama who offered only a curt nod in reply. Beneath her pale face paint, she could see she was still blushing.
*I'll be in the kitchen if you need me... ring the bell and a maid will come and fetch me." She hesitated, then planted a light kiss on Taira's forehead and left the room in a haze of violet perfume. Taira watched her leave before turning around and heading for her bedroom door that lay behind her lilac couch. She would have waited up for a little while, and perhaps read a book, had she not been so eager to except the Doctor's actions.
She felt safer within the confines of her own room, as she slipped on a pair of silk pyjama's her father had brought home from the eastern province of Man-Yo.
"It'll bring out your eyes," he had added in a deep sombre voice, tired and hoarse from the thousands of speeches he was expected to make. She barely ever saw him if truth was to be told, and never felt much feeling towards him. He was a tall, well built man, with much of his face hid with a jet black beard. His hair was dead straight too, though thick to touch and feel. His eyes were a pale blue, with flecks of grey, (she had told a white lie to the stable boy, but somehow, the mention of her father always upset the servant folk.) but unlike her own, his were also sombre, and, Taira had always privately thought, sad. Like a lost dog's, peeping out from busy eyelashes.
She smiled as she imagined her father as a puppy, for he was anything but. Brash and strongly opinionated, her father was the Carama's head ambassador. He believed in a great many things, such as the treatment of Bui's and women, and was the Bill to hide women during pregnancy's most loyal supporter. He was a very religious man, and instilled in Taira a terrible fear of the Gods and their powers. It was because of his devoted teachings, she would never tell a lie, nor interrupt a priest in prayer. But, aside from his mannerisms and public opinion, Taira found him to be a quite reasonable father. He brought her presents when she needed them, and sometimes when she didn't. He provided money for all her dresses and liked to chat to her when he was not busy.
Taira actually found she wished he was here now. Things had happened that she was afraid of, and confused about, things that needed a fathers calm guidance, not her mothers nervy screeches. But her father would not be back for a week, and she knew that the information would be like ice by then. Her back would also have healed, and her father had very little patience for anything other then the here and now.
She sighed and pulled the sheets over her more tightly as she lay completely still and stared up at the ruffles beneath her four poster bed. When she was small she had demanded Orange and green for everything in the room, now she was not so sure. She felt washed out and pale in her light blue pyjama's and wondered if she would just fade away if she lay there for much longer, the sheets all around her beaming out bright messages of hope, and she just looking like a dried out corpse...
She shook her head violently to dispel the images that had taken up residence. Corpses always reminded her of the three oak trees out side, each hung with navy-black ribbons. Girls got Burgundy, but all the girls survived. Taira sometimes wondered if her mother's tortured nerves, and her fathers indifferent attitude were somehow because she had survived, and not a boy her parents had so desperately wanted. She wondered what it was like to have died as a baby, to lie forever young in bloodied sheets, only hearing the muffled sound of wailing out side, being gradually destroyed by the strength of the branches growing trough your frail little body. To have eyes that never saw the night of days. In Taira's world, babies that were born alive would never die young, so it was only at birth where things got serious. The first two were twins, and, so the family legend goes, were held first by a cousin of the family. She screamed when she caught the first one, because it's head just lolled in her hand, the second one was dead as well. The rest of the legend said that the cousin actually lied about her age to get in good with the family, and had already had her official sighting of the Bui. Taira would dearly have loved to ask her whether or not this is true, but the cousin had mysteriously disappeared from all known whereabouts. The second one was simply a baby born too early for the doctors to save. Taira was born only nine months later and she had a feeling it was compensation.
She felt her eyes grow tired as her adrenaline levels, depleted from constantly battling pain, gradually wore thin. In her minds eye she could see her Bui reaching out to her, this time he wore a small smile across his face.
To days of quiet rest later, she stood on the porch, clasping her arms tightly around her slim body. The wind had picked up during the night, and temperature was beginning to drop. With luck, she would have a winter party with hundreds of ice sculptures twinkling in the lights from the house. There would be ice skating and snowball fights, and then she would go to the chapel to burn her cloak as a sign of growing into women hood. Only after the last fibre was turned to ash, was she able to be presented with her first Bui slave, the real symbol of her throwing off the shackles of childhood. But that was still two weeks off, and Taira was still dressed in pinafores and petticoats, though now she was where fur shawls in a desperate fight to keep out the cold.
In her sitting room, her mother had arrived in a floor length leopard skin coat and announced that she was leaving for the weekend to be with father in Tooana. The first snow had already started to fall there, and the society crowd was picking up and moving, this included Saluna and her new baby Mact who would be staying in the same house as Mother and Father. Far from being upset about being left out of the plans, Taira was delighted, this meant more freedom for her, and less emphasis on "The Rules of a Lady" by far her mother's most cherished book. She had to stick to it like a bible, or risk upsetting her Mothers mood. The book, a most boring read, including such rules as; "Always tiptoe on marble," "Never speak loudly, always softly to draw a man in," and "Red is the colour of a fallen women, always use peach." Without that infernal book, She was free to run wild around the grounds of the house. First stop, the stables.
Pulling the shawl even tighter she ran down the drive and through the trees until she reached the stables. Inside each of the four buildings a horse neighed, stamped or whinnied. Taira instantly felt happy as she hurried into the first building to get out of the cold. This had almost been her second home until she turned Ten and it was deemed unsuitable for a lady to spend all her spare time doing the servants work of mucking, and cleaning out the horses. Her nurse had been fired, and Mama had instead been put in charge of her welfare. It had been in the days when her mothers nerves kept her bed, weeks at a time, so she was only happy to have her mother pay even a little attention to her, and had obeyed the order to the letter. In doing so, she had never set foot on the sandy floor of a stable, until now.
The smell hit her first, strong and pungent it was almost warm to scent, although the weather outside was frightfully bitter. Next came the noises, the rustling of Horses in there individual stables, the scampering of mice in the hay barns over head, and the quite murmuring of a stable hand to calm a frightened colt.
It was beside a large grey female that she found him. He was refilling the water trough when she stepped into the small confines of the stable, and didn't see her, but already she could feel herself blushing.
"Hello?" she asked quietly, taking a little notice of the book. It seemed to work, because his head jerked upward and he spilt some water on the ground.
"Um, hi... what are you doing here?" He placed the water jug on the ground, and walked up beside her.
"I came here... to say thank you, for helping me up the stairs. I would have told mama to do it, only I didn't know your name so..." she trailed off and looked up at him, he seemed to be paying more attention to the horse then her, and her heart sank for a second.
"Ornent, My full name is Ornent of Capaill. I was adopted into your family when they found me on your porch sixteen years ago. After three years of being nursed by one of the maids, the decided I was perfect to be trained as a stable boy. As soon as I saw these gentle beasts, I never wanted to leave." He shrugged gentle and patted the mare on the neck. "I've been here ever since."
Taira searched her brain to see if she remembered any sighting of a young boy around her age, but she was almost certain that this was there first proper meeting. He began to laugh.
"what is so funny!?" She demanded, feeling a hotter blush rise to her cheeks.
"you haven't got a clue who I am, do you? And you are annoyed to find out you don't know everything that goes on here." She opened her mouth to argue, when he shushed her. "You were only 7 when you first met me, so you can't be expected to remember. I held your very first pony when you tried to mount him. When you ad gone for your first lesson, I asked the head at the time about who you were and I was told you were the princess that lived in the big house. Even when I grew older, and found out the truth, I never forgot you." She gazed at him and found herself remembering a short boy with sandy hair sticking out hair holding her pony with all the concentration he could muster. Other images cropped up, of this boy peeping around the stable wall every-time she went for a ride. He had changed an awful lot, but the mischievous twinkle in his eyes remained the same. She looked down at the floor.
"I remember you now, but I'm embarrassed I don't even know your name." He bent down and plucked a bit of hay off the ground and fed it to the horse before he answered.
"That's OK, Princess's aren't supposed to socialise with stable boys." She began to laugh, and he joined in, but in the very centre of his eyes, she could see he was serious. She turned towards the door to try and figure out an answer when a shadow darted across the entrance. She cried out and moved to follow it, when Ornent grabbed her arm to hold her back.
"Never mind that, it's nothing. Do you want to go to see the trophy's now?"
The left the mare's stable together, telling each other all the horse storied they could remember. Once again, she found herself being sucked into this huge world just inside the grounds of her estate. She found herself recognising the stable boys and men, the gardeners and most importantly, the horses.
"Polka!" she cried out suddenly and rushed into a small paddock to embrace the Shetland. "My first pony! Oh Polka, I'm sorry I didn't visit you." Ornent handed her a carrot which the pony munched slowly.
"Your mother was going to put him down, but I remembered he was yours and stopped it. He's kind of mine now because none of the other men even notice him, two busy with the racers." Her father had only opened the stable for her mother, on the condition t would make some money. Now, twenty years after the stable's initial opening, it was making thousands of Crona every year. The family of Ronth's horses were a favourite in every race they attended and usually one big money in most major races. When she was a little girl, she used to dream of being the jockey of a Grand Carama winner, but she was old enough to ignore all such nonsense. The only girls that were allowed ride were for lower class family's, and who had been either rebuffed by their choice, or too poor to choose a beloved. They were people like her Mizz bitter and filled with hatred. People like Taira never became like that.
She grinned at him, and held his hand for a second as sign of gratitude, before running into the last building, where the pure bred racers were kept. Inside, it didn't have the stillness of the other buildings, but the chatter and constant movement of a bee hive. It was the nerve centre of the Ronth stables. In here deals were struck, horses bought or sold and race money collected.
"The God's Choice has just been sold to that dealer over there, the one with the black hat and gold frock coat," Ornent whispered a pointed to a small portly man with a ridiculously lavish gold coat. He appeared to be extremely excited about his choice and kept clapping his hands together in joy.
"What will he do with him, race him?" Taira asked still staring at the strange little man.
"Of course not! He's too old now, you see? He's going to put him out to stud and hope he breeds a winner." She blushed at the word "stud" and Ornent immediately apologised for such an inopportune remark. Inside, Taira was furious with herself for showing how young and inexperienced she was, for a moment there he was almost treating her like an equal. He didn't seem t notice her annoyance though and instead was pointing out a huge shelf of trophies. It had vastly increased in size since Taira had seen it last.
"It's marvellous isn't it? The God's Choice has one almost a third of these, that's why Sir Tippert of Maon is so happy." He seemed to go thoughtful for a minute and she tore her eyes away from the gleaming cups to stare at him. "Of course, their not so great when you have to polish them, but luckily, that was never one of my jobs."
"Who's is it?" Taira asked innocently, this time watching someone plait a horses hair with feathers in preparation for an upcoming event.
"Oh, I dunno... One of the junior staff I suspect, or maybe one of the older one's? Things come and go too quick around here for anyone really to take notice of them..." He squirmed a little, and said something silently under his breath which to Taira seemed suspiciously like a prayer. "Hey, you wanna go riding?" She forgot the question at once and eagerly agreed.
Taira creeped through the shrubbery, that grew beneath the tall French windows of her house. All around her bushes were scraping at her skin making her flinch and slow down. Her back was beginning to hurt now as the medicinal elixir began to ware off. She was also getting worried about the rustling her petticoat was making for she was right beneath Mama's windows now and she had ears like a hawk. Only a few more steps through the shrubbery and she could sneak through the kitchen door and up the servant's stairs to collect her riding things. Ornent had promised to wait for her beside building number three with the horses. If she didn't turn up in twenty minutes, he was to put the horses away and pretend it never happened. If she was in trouble, she wasn't going to land him in it as well.
The kitchen door loomed sturdy and worn. The brass on the handle had long ago turned a dirty brown and the window was congealed with grease and smoke from inside, and grime, dirt and small hand-prints from the servant's children. She knocked quietly and waited until someone opened the door. This was a strict rule; no going into the kitchen without waiting for permission. After what seemed like a lifetime freezing to death on the doorstep, a middle maid opened the door and shooed her in. Inside the kitchen was experiencing the calm between breakfast and lunch. The cook herself a large women with three children and a dead beloved, was seated comfortably at the table, sampling a plate of biscuits her trainee had made.
"Delicious, but a little too sweet, the Mistress can't abide things that are two sweet, although Tobairt, that old bat, would love them,"
Taira giggled and alerted her presence to the cook who looked up hastily.
"Miss! Goodness, I didn't even know you were here... would you like a biscuit? Only, I'm afraid you can't stay because we just got an order that her Majesty is coming home early and was told she could stay here. Though why I can't fathom. Ugh, that sister of yours will be the death of me. Three jars of pate! She entertaining a whole regiment?" Taira giggled again. It was a well-known fact her sister could be very flighty, and Taira wouldn't put it past her to bring home a whole army of men.
"It's OK Miss Bainbart, I'm just passing through. Could I use the back stairs?"
"Oh, very well, but mind you don't go telling Tobairt that I let you, she's up in arms over your ladyship training and I ain't being the one being blamed for halting it." Taira bowed and opened the door that hid the rickety stairs that was the servants vanishing trick. Just as she was closing it again, she heard the cook speaking to the middle maid that had let her in.
"you know, I'll be very glad when that child gets her Official Sighting, I'm sick to death of constantly interrupting conversations to let her in."
"Yes, where I'm from, we saw our first sighting at nine years because that was when we were going to work. We couldn't piddle about waiting for the years to pass. Money was needed and so we saw them, and nothing bad ever happened, that's a fact."
"Really? Where are you from?"
"Man-Yo, the religions don't have as much power as here." She sighed " sometimes I wonder if it's all a plot from the priests to stop educated girls having any say."
"May the gods have mercy on us!" Cook cried out in alarm, "Why don't you go and polish the good silver and stop getting such grand notions as that. You'll have a lightening storm on us if you're not careful."
As Taira was mounting the stairs, keeping a tight hold of the banisters, she realised that there had been five half full cups of tea on the table...
She tiptoed up the stairs, taking three at a time when necessary. When she reached the top, she slipped quietly from the stairs to the hallway, taking off her shoes and padding over the carpet as she neared Mama's room. She held her breath as she passed it, but heard nothing from within, only a muffled groan. Seeing as Taira had no wish to investigate further, she dashed the last bit of the way and closed her door quietly.
After taking a few minutes cool breath, she put her shoes down next to an ornate table and padded over to the couch where the medicinal elixir lay. The stared thoughtfully at the bottle for a few minutes before taking a small sip and pocketing it. The releif was instantaneous. She arched her back and sighed with contentment. The doctor may have scared her, but his potions were legendary for their healing process.
Dropping her cloak on the ground, she opened a large, stuffy cupboard at the end of the room, hidden by a white curtain. In here were her old clothes and shoes, some toy's she didn't want thrown away, and a few photographs. Somewhere in here was her crop and helmet. Everything else would be too small, but she had received the helmet as a gift last year by some doddery old aunt that had made a mistake.
She found it under a mound of torn or ripped petticoats. It was dusty, but brand new and, she found when she tried it on, a perfect fit. The crop was easier to locate, it stood at the back, leaning against one of the wooden walls. She fingered it happily and threw it onto the couch, next to the helmet. Inside her usual wardrobe she found a pair of black boots that would do fine for riding, and a black, fur lined cap, to keep out the cold. Her dress was grey and sensible, and so perfect for riding provided she didn't rip or muddy it. Putting on the boots and the cap, she wrapped the helmet and the crop in a piece of cloth and snuck back downstairs and through the kitchen. There was no-one in the room, other then a trainee dutifully mixing a hot steaming pot of something green.
"Split Pea soup," she said, yawning between words, "I hate soup, it makes me come out in hives." Taira just nodded and dashed out to find the yard in a complete uproar.
Because of her sister's demand for pate, 40 goose livers had been ordered from the butchers. However, when the order had been delivered it had been 40 angry geese that had arrived, hissing and biting anyone that came into close contact. They were running all over the yard, being chased by the delighted servants children, or, in the case of the cooks youngest daughter, chasing. Taira had to stifle a giggle as the terrified child ran through the yard being chased by a particularly fat goose. She had never liked the brat and thought she had got what was coming to her. After three seconds of mayhem, Taira decided she better get going while the going was good, and had just sank into the shrubbery when Mama had arrived. Her face was flushed and her hair was coming out of her bun, but her eyes spoke of supreme authority.
"What is the mean of this, this... uproar!?" Like Mizz she had the gift of making words stand up by themselves. Unfortunately, this wasn't the most dignified of places and as soon as the words left her mouth, and goose sauntered up and bit her on the leg. Taira realised this was the perfect moment to make her escape and ran. She raced through the shrubbery with Mama's screams bellowing out from the courtyard, ignoring the windows because everyone was outside. She reached the stable supremely out of breath and had to take a moment before describing to Ornent what happened. He began to laugh so hard he had to lean against a wall to stay upright.
"She definitely got what was coming to her," as he wiped the tears away from his eyes, "Oh mercy! Best laugh I've had in days." He stood up and dusted him self off. "Right, the horses are just in here, are you ready?"
Taira felt a pang of fear. If she was caught... they might put it off, they may think she was too childish, not mature enough... Then she realised after the party, there would never be a chance like this. She definitely would not be allowed to ride, or talk to a lowly stable lad. Seeing him eye her with such intent and tenderness was enough to realise what she would miss. She nodded and he smiled.
"Great! Follow me," He led her through the doors, and in the gloom of the stable saw two jet black horses with ebony white leather reigns and saddles. Her eyes lit up when she saw them. Ornent shrugged.
"Their twins and only like to go riding together. It's a great chance to give them some proper exercise and.." he walked past her to tighten the saddle, "They go with your hair." Taira grinned.
She stepped over to the first one, and held on tight to the top of the saddle. She placed her left foot in the stirrup and after three false leaps, managed to get her right foot over the body of the horse and into the right stirrup. She sat up on the saddle, panting a little with the effort. Ornent sat up straight on the horse, a mocking grin over his features. Taira pouted.
"It's not my fault... I'm just out of practice that is all. I'll get the hang of it soon,"
"OK, just as long as I don't have to lead you around on a piece of rope! Still if you won't be able to keep up..."
"It'll be a case of you keeping up with me. Yeeha!" Taira rapped the back of her horse with a riding crop and it began to walk out of the stable's yard and towards the surrounding fields and woods of the estate.
"Come on," yelled Ornent already cantering, "You have to do better then that!"
Taira whacked her horse again on the behind and it began to sped up, soon she was galloping through the tree's her face being buffeted by the strength of the leaves. She let out a loud whoop and urged her horse on faster. Son she was level with Ornent who had slowed down a little to let his horse rest.
"This is amazing," she shouted over the roar of the wind in her ears, "It's all coming back to me, I haven't felt this way in years!" as they reached a denser patch of forest they slowed done to a walk. Taira could see Ornent's eyes shining as the were enveloped in the deep cool of the trees. After a while, he spoke.
"This is my favourite place to be, I used to go here when I was smaller. I'd leap on the back of a pony and gallop off when it was nearly night fall, so I could see the fireflies. It used to take them hours to find me, but I didn't care. I used to think that if I wished hard enough... someone that knew me would come and sweep me off on a big stallion. That I would be rich like you, so I could return and..." he faltered, "It's just a dumb wish. I know this is my place." Taira moved her horse a little closer so she was able to reach out towards him.
"Return and what?" He turned his head away.
"And marry you... If I was rich you would be able to choose me." Taira was startled for a minute. She knew that she should ride straight back to the stables and report this act of indecency. But she couldn't... he seemed so genuine. She placed her hand on his shoulder and the horses stopped. He turned to look at her, and he could see a fierce look of determination shining in them.
"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't profess such feelings to someone as above my class as you, but I can't help it! I've always loved you... ever since I saw you shining there like a princess, your hair rolling down your back and your cheeks pink from the wind. You kept me from running away from the stable master, from Mama Tobairt, from everyone. Then you stopped coming to the stables and my heart broke. I stayed awake for hours every night contemplating whether to just run for it. But I knew you were still asleep up in the house, and I knew I could never leave. Then this maid runs down to the stables and asked for four guys to carry the Litter, that you had been hurt. I was so worried that I leapt at the opportunity, I even got a space at the side so I could catch you when you slid down."
Taira moved back in the saddle, too shocked to speak. Finally she managed to ask...
"The order to carry me?"
"It was fake, yes... but I never meant anything by it, and no-one thought it the least bit odd." Taira found herself shaking and picked up her reigns, but Ornent caught her arm.
"don't... please Don't report me. For a minute I thought I saw something in your eyes, a flicker that gave me hope. You have to understand this. Even if you have no feelings for me, and never want to see me again, don't report me. I'll be tossed out with nothing. If you can honestly say though, that you have no feelings what so ever, I will leave right now, and you will never see me again." Taira suddenly noticed a brown pack at the back of his horse.
"Clothes, and some money, just to get me started."
"I...I..." Taira couldn't lie, she wasn't able to, or allowed to. Could she honestly say she felt nothing? No... the was attracted to this strange boy, attracted to his looks, his kindness and his honesty. She couldn't tell him that she felt nothing or the gods would strike her down. Yet, it was treason to love him...
She gazed at him, the worry in his eyes, and at the fire that also burned. He began to lean towards her, and, unlike the doctor's moves, she felt calm.
She would have like to say that her first kiss was like all the stars had fell at exactly the same time, like life itself had stopped for just a tiny second, but in truth it had been rather slobbery and she had to wipe her mouth after it.
"I'm sorry." It was all she needed to say and he understood. It wasn't lying per sae so it wouldn't get her in trouble with the gods and on the other hand, it meant she wouldn't get into trouble from Mama Tobairt either.
He nodded, kissed her hand, then rode off through the trees leaving her alone in the silence of the woods. It was a half an hour before she thought of turning back.
She could feel herself change after that day. Everything seemed a little different that it usually was, even Mama didn't seem so bad. She just moved through the world in a sort of half haze. She touched her lips every-night and woke up every morning with a sense that she had just been born.
Around her the preparations for the party was getting frantic as the hours slipped through to days. But she seemed vaguely un-aware of it all. Although she must have had some insight into it, because all the decorations were in her favourite aqua blue, like the dress which was low cut and slim. Even the flours were blue and white, but she was hardly able to notice them, save for their smell which wafted around the house like it was carried by fans.
In her silent world of thought, she began to notice other things she had missed. Like the rustling behinds the walls, and the urgent conversations the Maids always were seemed to be having. And the way the cook, who could not be replaced, had more power then the Mama, who could. All the cook had to do if she didn't like something, was to hang up her wooden spoon and ignore the dinner preparations. It was usually fixed instantaneous after that. In fact, she found this lazy sense of power reassuring and spent most of spare time in the kitchen, drinking endless cups of cocoa and learning how to bake bread.
It was the day before the party, and Taira had escaped to the kitchen to avoid the last minute preparations that were being carried out under the harassed eyes on Mama. Over the last few days, as flowers and decorations began appearing around the house, Taira had realised that it wasn't so much the party she wanted, but the freedom it would entail. The party was just a tiny detail, but to her friends and classmates, it was all they could talk about.
"Will there by wine do you think?" "Will my pink dress clash with the colour scheme?" "Is it true the leader of Carama will turn up to pay his respects?"
It made her spin just thinking about it.
The cook seemed very calm as she added the last drops of icing to the huge cake, that would be the centrepiece.
"When you blow out these candle's, my dear, you will be a women. I want you to become a women on the greatest cake ever created!" Taira smiled and sipped some more cocoa. After two more blue stars were added, she lay down the ice piper and sat down opposite Taira. "What's troubling you my dear? You're on the eve of the greatest day of your life, bare your joining to your beloved, and you don't seem in the least bit excited. Are you not looking forward to it?" Taira looked down into her cocoa, and said nothing. "Come on, you can tell me, what's wrong?"
She looked up at the kindly face of the Cook, and saw a wealth of knowledge behind her sharp grey eyes. She needed to tell someone about Ornent, to ask whether she had don't the right thing and not be battled down with lectures on class. For someone to look on it with an open mind. Everyone knew the cooks battle with class to reach head of the kitchen in such a grand house as this, and Taira knew that she was probably the right one to tell. So she told her. About Ornent carrying her up the stairs, how they went riding, how he had told her he had always loved her, how he had left when she had denied it, and how everything seemed different now. Through the Entire story she had stayed silent and watching. Taira ended it explaining about the kiss.
"...and just before he left, he kissed me on the lips. I think it was trying to force me to love him or something... but I couldn't do it, and it didn't feel like love, it just felt... wet, and slobbery." The cook laughed and she felt instantly relieved. Of course, she had yet to tell her about the Doctor, but she felt something was wrong about that, and needed to find more information on it first, before she could tell anyone.
"So, do you think I did the right thing? Only, everything feels different now... I don't look at things the same way. Even the party doesn't excite me, all this lavish excess, just seems fake and over done."
The cook took a sip of her tea and was quiet, but She could almost see the cogs working in her shrewd mind. Taira didn't mind the quiet, it was why she went here. It was usually silent except for the meal times, but that was when she escaped up to her room anyway. She couldn't really eat much, and usually felt sick after a few bites. The cook made up for it by sending her light things like noodle soup from Man-Yo and crackers with goats cheese, which she was able to eat sparingly. She had realised at the start of the week what a valuable ally she had made in the cook. She used her power like a web, gentle nudging a maid to comment to Mama that she was praying an awful lot. And the Mama had believed that was why she spent so much time in her room. Of course, Mama seemed to be believing just about everything at the moment. She was also spending a lot of time in her room, and was visited by the Doctor frequently.
"She's not sick," A maid had told her, while scrubbing a pan free of grease, "You'll find out about the subtlety's of life later on, when you're are older. But take this from me, a women needs more then a high position to feel happy."
Taira had drained the cup down to the last few dregs of sugar when the Cook finally spoke up.
"I cannot tell you, if what you did was right. No-one can ever predict what would have happened had you gone with him. But I can tell you this, Ornent wasn't what you were looking for, your obvious disgust about the kiss proves that. If you had enjoyed it, it would have been a very different story, one you are too intelligent to have written about you. He was just a boy dear, a silly stupid boy, who's own feelings and emotions got confused. It's not fair to blame his staying here on you, he was never happy staying in the same place for very long. It's true what he told you about running away when he was younger. I used to be the one to nurse him, so I would know. He was always looking for something different, something exciting, and believe me, you aren't the first he has told that story to. I've had many a maid in tears over his words, they all thought they loved him, but I'll tell you what I told them; You are just in love with the idea of being in love, that is all."
Taira nodded her head and felt a great weight leave her chest. He didn't really love her, he couldn't, if he had gone to all these other girls. But the Cook still had more to say.
"As for everything being different, well, that's called maturity. You'll get used to it in time. The more you mature, the more you understand that you aren't the only person that matters, but that there is thousands of people out there living their separate lives, going about there business. The world isn't just this house, this school, this city. All over there is girls like you with the same story. It's the first step to adulthood, it is, waking up from being a child and just having a look around."
Taira nodded, and left the kitchen so the cook could start tonight's dinner. As was customary, she did not have any dinner, in fasting for the next day. That night as she lay in her bed, she said a silent prayer to her patron deity, Taireasa, goddess of change, to guide her through this world safely. She fell asleep then and did not wake until morning, for the first time in over a week.
Taira turned over in her sleep and groggily opened her eyes as a shaft of light shone directly at her face. She sat up and saw a maid opening another blind. She gave a short curtsy when she saw her.
"Miss, Mama Tobairt said I was to wake you up miss, you have to go to the chapel now, and get dressed after. Um... and Happy Birthday Miss." She smiled and thanked her.
"I'll wait outside miss, I'm to bring you down. Unless you want me to stay? No, OK, is there anything you want?"
"Um, what times is it?"
"Five in the morning miss," she smiled sheepishly, then left the room. Getting out of bed, Taira felt a surge of excitement. Today was the day she was a women. Already the servants were treating her like one, and it felt... good, not weird as she thought it would be. After all, as her mother often said, if you are born to this life, it just comes naturally. She had never understood those words, until now that is.
She walked sleepily over to the wardrobe and pulled out her pristine white prayer robe, and tied it with a white cotton sash. By the end of the day, it would be tied with silk, as sign she was now a lady in the Gods' eyes. She brushed her hair, and washed her face with some water out of the jug on her dressing table, before leaving the room. The maid stood anxiously at the door, and seemed relieved that she had been so quick.
"I have to put this on now miss," Taira nodded, and turned around. The maid tied a black blindfold tight around her eyes. She was now completely dependant on the maid to move around safely. For all her stuttering's and nervousness, she performed the task admirably and they reached the chapel door without complaint.
"Here's Mama Tobairt miss, she's going to lead you to the priest. Good luck miss." Taira could now feel a stronger grip on her arm and walked slowly beside Mama. The blindfold symbolised how blind children were before they got to see the light of day. The job of leading was always done by servants, to show how much children relied on them. But it was a priest who eventually took It off, because only true seeing comes from the gods.
She could smell the pungent breath of the priest as he untied her blindfold. Before it fell away, he said a prayer to Amaira, goddess of women, that she would always be safe and loved in the hands of humans and gods alike. Then the blindfold fell away and she could see the face's of both the priest and two priestesses. Taira then knelt before the women dressed in light green robes, that symbolised fertility.
"Child of Taireasa, I pray that you will be a kind understanding adult. I pray that you always obey the words of the gods, no mater how wise you become, and I pray that you use the strength they give you for good." The Priestesses then bowed as did the priest and all of the chapel. Taira turned around and was quite astonished to see her parents and her sister bowing to her, the baby of the family, the unwanted female. It was quite a good feeling.
And the feeling lasted, as she was presented with the silk sash to tie around her robe. And when she went to put on the dress that had taken weeks to make. Looking in the mirror, she had to admit it was worth all the work that had gone into it. The reached down to the floor in waves of blue. The sleeves covered her hands, as fashion dictated, and swished nicely when moved. The neck was lower then anything she had previously owned, and was outlined with lace. Her hair was up off her face and twisted into all sorts of shapes on the top of her head and finished off with blue and white flower buds.
She twirled around in front of the mirror and laughed with delight. She was finally a women.
She walked outside her room and met her father at the top of the stairs. As usual, he looked dashing and strong and supremely in control.
"Ready?" He smiled at her and she felt happy, it was the first proper smile she had ever received off him. He held out his arm, and she took it smiling all the while. They walked down the stairs together in a comfortable silence, born out of years of understanding between the two of them, that had only just become apparent.
The entrance hall grew still, and the tremendous nose of chatter stilled as they reached the last step. Taira was uncomfortably aware that every eye in the room was focused on her. She smiled nervously and when she stepped down on to the floor, made a slight bow. It was like a signal for a stampede. They all came thundering forward, eager to express their delight and congratulations. Each bore at least one gift, sometimes more and soon she was loaded with presents. After fifteen minute's of chaos her father stepped in.
"Now, could all guests leave the remainder of there presents on the tables beside the door, and then go into the Ball Room where drinks and appetisers are being served. In a minute, Taira will join you, and we can begin the dancing, but for now she has an important task ahead of her. There was a loud sigh of awe from those assembled, and Taira felt a shiver run up and down her spine. It was time for the Official Sighting. She waited until the last gets had gone through the huge double doors and then looked up at her father. He just took the presents she was carrying, and nodded towards a back room.
"Good luck," he called as she placed her hand on the door knob. She spun around to see where he was, but he had gone on to the ball room. She had to do this part completely on her own, for inside this room, was a Bui. A domesticated one, but a Bui never the less. If all went well, she was to exit the room holding it's hand. If she was unable to do this, the sighting would be postponed for six months until she was mature enough to do it again. Taira felt she needed to do this properly, she couldn't wait six months. Closing her eyes, she opened the door and stepped inside. It was dark and gloomy in the room after she had closed the door, and she had trouble adjusting her eyes to the person that stood before her. It was a female Bui, with long ragged, golden hair. Her eye's were a dark green and her clothes were ragged grey robes. She looked about ten. Even though it was stuffy in the room, she began to shiver and backed away as Taira approached.
Taira was as afraid as the Bui, but knew she wasn't to show it.
"It's OK, I won't hurt you, I promise." The Bui stopped, and cocked her head in reply. "That's it, I'm not going to hurt you... it's OK," She advanced slowly on the frightened child, soothing it, like you would a frightened animal. As she got closer, she reached out to touched it, and it began to shiver more violently. "It's OK, I'm not going to hit. Please don't be frightened it's OK."
Behind her head, Taira could see whips, sticks and assorted knives. She could just beat the child into submission, and force her to follow her. After all, she was just an evil deamon carrier. But, Taira couldn't even attempt to reach for the weaponry. The stories were wrong, she realised. They weren't evil, just people, like us. Not animals, not slaves, people. The image of the Bui came back to her, his hand treating out, the frightened smile on his face, the cuts and bruises on his face, the blood dripping down his side, even though he held it. Beaten into submission, forced into slavery. Taira looked into the small Bui's eyes and saw real human fear and pain. Across her cheek was a sharp bruise and on the back of her right hand a deep, jagged cut. Then, where the robe was ripped at the shoulder, Taira could see a circle with the image of three leaves arranged in a fan. The family of Ronth's symbol, a brand of owner ship. Taira was so appalled she was almost physically sick. The burn looked fresh and raw.
"No wonder you shied from me... Oh my Gods I am so sorry, this is all my fault..." she looked again at the Bui, then reached out her arms to her. "Don't ever be frightened of me, I want to help you," She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the shaking girls body. "You're mine now, and I'm never gonna let anyone harm you, I promise." Breaking away y from the embrace, she could see confusion in her eyes. Taking it as good there wasn't fear, she slipped her hand in to the girl's un cut one. Gentle she moved away and waited. The Girl hesitated, then took a step forward, then another one. Gradually, they walked towards the door and Taira opened it. The Bui shied away from the light, screwing her eyes closed, and Taira wondered how long she had been in the cupboard.
Outside, Taira had to blink a little before she could see clearly. Hundreds of faces stood watching her and their faces beamed with triumph. There was a moment of quiet, then the hall exploded with the sound of a thousand hands clapping in unison. They were cheering and clapping, for her... Just because she had led a frightened child out of a dark and scary place. Taira felt disgusted. Beside her, the Bui was cowering, placing her hand up to shield her from the light.
When the clapping had finally calmed down, and her mothers outrageous weeping, Mama came forward and took the arm of the Bui.
"I'll just take her upstairs and put her in your room. She'll warm up your bed and tidy it for you. Don't worry though, she'll sleep with the other's downstairs in the basement." She whispered the last part, then almost dragged the child up the stairs. There was a loud echo of angry feelings towards the young Bui from the assembled crowd, before she disappeared behind a banister. Taira had no time to contemplate the dredfulness of the scene, before she was whisked off towards the ball room. All around her were chatting and laughing, and her mother on her arm kept up a litany of praise until they sat down at the head of the table. Inside though, away from her smiling visage, Taira was burning with anger.
"Be a dear and pass the sauce?" On her right side, her mother's cheeks looked unusually rosy. Her mouth was cured into a permanent smile and her eyelashes were long and full. Every few minutes she patted her husband's arm vaguely, as if unsure whether it really existed, or if it was a figment of her tortured mind. Taira tried to love her mother, she really did, but staring at her even in the softness of the candle light, was more then she could bare. It had been a long few years after this women had the gall to strike her own daughter, and they had not been kind. Beneath the lashing's of pale face paint her beauty was mocked by wrinkles and blotches. Her eyes, curved into a glare of perpetual astonishment by black paint, were milky and cruel. But she was not always like this... She had been destined for a life of ease, especially after her first child was supposed to be her last. But her husband, Carnart of Ronth, was much harsher then she had first been led to believe. He insisted on a boy child, and was disappointed each and every time. The first was a girl, Saluna. But although he loved her very much, Carnart wanted a boy to carry on his legacy, and they tried again... and again. You have heard the story of these poor children already. Finally, as a last ditch effort, ignoring the Doctor's recommendation, they went ahead a fifth and final time. The child was born a female and lived. Unfortunately, beautiful and clever Mareena of Ronth suffered a wound that could never heal, but mearly faded for periods of time, only to flare up again. When she was small, Saluna had quietly informed Taira that it was her fault their mother acted so strange and advised her to run away. She had been caught near the outskirts of the estate and dragged back, much to the annoyance of her mother. Taira had been kept under constant watch ever since that day. Living a lonely and secluded life, only venturing out for school and un-missable religious festival's, she was almost shaking as she looked across the table to see the most graceful beautiful women she had ever seen trying to catch her attention.
"The sauce? There, by your right elbow." She tanked Taira and poured some onto a clean dish in front of her. She then picked up some oaten bread and began to dip it into the purple liquid. Taira sniffed the air and smelled a mixture of spice and honey. She marvelled at the delicacy of the women as she ate. Even the simple act of tearing bread was a ballet. She stood out from the other guests by her clothes. Instead of simple, long sleeved dresses in a variety of silken colours, she was dressed and a sleeveless, gold embroidered dress, that instead of being flouncey and puffy, was long and thin. A line of black buttons ran on the right side of the embroidery and the whole affect was one of such breath taking beauty that Taira barely dared to breath a single word. After a few minutes, the women cocked her head to watch her. Taira realised she had been staring and turned away quickly. When she realised the women wasn't going to ignore her, she finally asked a question.
"Is it good?" The women raised her eyes and Taira saw amusement dancing in them.
"Shouldn't you know?" She waved her arm to one side and then the other, "Isn't this held in your honour?" She blushed before answering.
"Yes, but... I'm not supposed to know every morsel of food on this table? That's a servants job." Inside she winced, and prayed to Amoury, God of friendships, that the cook would never find out. The women only grinned.
"Tout che my dear, well played." Taira blinked in confusion, "Don't look so startled! With your eyes, you look like a dear, that means youthfulness and innocence, you are not that any more." The women smiled and laid down her bread. "My name is Katorno of Yocas. I am from Man Yo. My father has a great many business deals with Your's. I think your father is looking for money, that is why I was invited and placed at the top of the table opposite you. He must be very proud of you to try and wangle a deal. I must confess I was not sure of coming, if I was only to be played as a pawn to your fathers will, but I was intrigued about meeting you." She gaped.
"Meeting me!? Why?" Katorno only laughed.
"Do you always act so shocked when offered a compliment? Which I meant in the highest sense. I have often met your older sister and found her to be rude obnoxious and generally disagreeable. That baby of hers is even worse. I held it only once, but it managed to puke up on me twice!" It was Taira's turn to giggle. She privately agreed, but to voice such options right beside the beloved grandparents might mean a convenient lapse of memory regarding her new found freedom. "But you... I don't think you have ever been outside of Camera, have you." It wasn't a question, but she dutifully shook her head. "I thought so... your father never takes you anywhere, but doesn't seem to be able to leave that Bui of a sister alone." Her pretty mouth had curled into a sneer and Taira was shocked by her language. Being a perfect lady though, Katorno quickly shrugged off her foul mood, "I do apologise, but you will soon discover things about your sister that will shock and appal you. But we are not her to talk about you sister are we? We are here to talk about you. You see, I only heard about you about a year ago. My father was talking to my mother and he mentioned a second daughter in the family. A fleeting mention only, but I soon saw it as my business to discover who this mysterious daughter was. I had at first assumed you were sick, or dying. We in Man-Yo do not like to talk about the dying, in case of worsening the person's condition. But I discovered from gossips that she was in perfect health. Gradually I gleaned the truth from a thousand tales of mystery and woe. You had sighted a Bui at a very young age, you stressed your mother to the edge of her sanity, you had tried to run away and you even felt sorry for the Bui, an almost capitol offence from where society stands. Then I got this letter about inviting me to your Official sighting and 14th birthday. I couldn't resist such a chance to finally meet the most talked about girl in Man-Yo."
Taira visibly paled and felt extremely sick. The plate in front of her, with it's delicious aroma seemed suddenly sickening and she pushed it away from her. Most talked about... A thousand tales of mystery and woe... Stressed your mother to the edge of her sanity... Taira could feel the world shift and buckle. It wasn't going to be a new experience, she wouldn't be able to influence people if they already knew her. She glanced quickly down the long rows of chattering heads. Every few seconds one looked towards her, then back to their partner. They all knew about her... The only reason they had come was to feed their curiosity...Even Katorno in front of her lost the glow of friendliness. Her eye's were sharp and cruel. She had only come to see if the rumours were true... Taira quickly stood up from the table. She bowed down to her mother and asked to be excused. Her mother only waved her away, deep in discussion with a church leader across from her. Taking a deep breath she hurried out of the Ball room, the only room big enough to hold all the tables. Even as she left she could feel their eye's on her, staring watching her every move. Even her school mates, clustered to a table at the back, watched her with cold unforgiving eyes. The party was a complete sham.
Tears in her eyes, she ran down some steps and burst trough the door that led to the kitchen. She was so distraught that for a moment did not even look where she was going just ran straight towards The cook. She buried her face in her lap and sobbed, all Katorno's words were spreading through her brain. She could feel the cooks rams around her and could dimly hear soothing words. Finally Taira raised her head and wiped her eyes.
"They wouldn't even give me a chance," her voice was hoarse from the crying and emotion, "I mean... they just stared at me, they never even cared." The cook patted her hair straight and wiped her face with a piece of cloth from her apron.
"Well, really child, is that anyway to act? I hope you didn't start crying in the hall!?" Taira shook her head. The cooks words may have been harsh, but her voice was soft and so she felt instantly safe within the warm walls of the kitchen. "now, do you feel better after that hullabaloo?" She nodded. "Good, then you will be able to meet some friends of mine." She blinked and turned around, the cooks hand still holding her arm comfortingly. Seated around the table sat three people Taira had never seen in her life. They were sipping cups of tea and watching her amicably. Their skin was a bright yellow, the colour of lemons. Their blond hair was either cut short, or in a bun and their faces were wrinkled and hard.
"You are Bui..." The words were let out on a single breath. "You were the rustling behind the walls... You... you cleaned up the green dye!" They nodded and laughed. The oldest one of them all laid down her cup.
"You have a bright one here Amira, I think she was on to us from the very start!" The other's smiled. "Well," She was now directing the question to Taira who suddenly felt, like In the cupboard under the stairs, all the taboo of her life strip away. Here was a Bui chatting away to her like any ordinary servant, instead of a bringer of deamons. She felt shaky but stood her ground. She had this immense feeling that what she did in this room, stay or go, would have a great impact on her life for a long time to come. She could leave, go back to her party and let them ridicule her into submission, into thinking their shallow thoughts, into using the word "Bui" as a curse... or she could stay, become like cook who uses her power so slightly no-one would ever notice the tide move, who invites Bui's into her domain where no-one would ever think of defying her. She took one last glance at the door and then pulled up a chair. There was a wide smile on the faces of the Bui and of the cook herself. As she settled on the chair and accepted a cup of cocoa from a maid she could feel her so called "maturity" jump up a notch.
"We heard from Amira, Miss that you had your official sighting today. Can we ask how it went?" Taira took a sip of her cocoa and realised the frightened, almost wild animal of a girl, branded at the arm, was of the same kind as the three sitting civilised at the table.
"I held her hand and walked her out if that was what you were asking, I achieved what I was told to do. I didn't hurt her though, nor did anyone else hurt her. Can I ask if you know how long she was in that cupboard for?" The Bui looked down.
"Four hours Miss, I had to help keep her in there. She was scared out of her wits. Just purchased from a market I should say. Never seen such a big house before in her life. Did you notice the bruise on her chin miss? The slave traders did that to knock her out." Taira shuddered, then thought of something.
"Can she speak? I mean you can but..." The cook suddenly placed an arm on Taira's arm, there was warning in her eyes. The older Bui just sighed and drank the last of her tea.
"The story of my people is a long and sad story, which I will not attempt to even begin here. You would also be in incredible trouble if it was discovered that you knew anything of our past history, instead I will tell you the bare minimum. You do know that there is tribe's of Bui living out past Man-Yo in lands that the Ban never dare to travel?" She nodded, "Out in those lands we are cultured and have our own language, very similar to yours. We live the way that we like, not forced into slavery like here. You will soon find young Miss, in your journey of discovery, that very few of the Bui are as lucky as I am to have command of the language. Those Bui born into captivity never get a chance to learn the language, as they are taken off their mothers at birth and nursed in a silent world. They never get a chance to learn because no-one ever teaches them, for fear that they might rebel. Dumb and silent, they are bred for domestic tasks or field work. At seven they are sold at the market places. Young Bui's not yet trained into certain ways are worth a small fortune. The Bui you now "own" is only nine. She had been with one master previously, but when he switched from factory work to fields, she was sent back.. Your father then purchased her because she was cheap. She cannot speak, but she is very bright and if you teach her, she will learn. Just do not let anyone know if you try, it is treason to educate a Bui and punishable by death." She was silent after this story and just stared into her cocoa which had long gone cold.
"So... if this is how Bui how is it you can speak?"
"I was a member of one of the last remaining tribes in Camera, where we once roamed completely free. They captured me at ten, and I have been in captivity all my life. But through all their beatings and torture methods they could not squash the words out of me. I can also read, but that is largely thanks to Amira, it is through her kindness I have survived so long." The Cook shrugged and took a bite out of a biscuit.
"a Bui tried to save my husband's life, by stopping the run away cart. I have never forgotten that act. I came to the same conclusion as you did Taira, but at a much older age. The Bui are mearly feared by our people, who spread lie's so they can keep them for slaves. The entire world of the Ban is built on the backs of the Bui." Taira nodded eagerly, but the cook suddenly noticed what was going on and ground the conversation to a halt.
"Miss Taira, they will be waiting for you in the Ball room. You are to go there right now. I would warn you, not to repeat any of what you just heard. People like you and me are in the strictest minority." Taira nodded and slipped upstairs when she turned around at the top of the stairs the Bui had already disappeared. She could hear soft music flowing out of the Ball Room and realised the Dance had already started.
She slipped inside and made her way to where her friends stood, giggling at a group of boys that were whining at them. They instantly turned their attention to Taira though as she stood beside them.
"Taira! Where did you disappear to? They sent the Mama after you!"
"Can I tell you a secret?" The all clustered closer together, "I went into the bathroom to freshen up and ended up falling asleep, I only just woke up now!" She pretended to look embarrassed as all her friends laughed.
"Oh, you are a silly, It's a good thing you are here now, you get to dance with all the boys and tells us what they are like!" She grinned and looked over to where the group of winking boys stood. She gasped as for a minute she thought Ornent was standing among the tuxedo's, but then the shadow passed and light revealed a much redder hair then Ornent's. She didn't have time to figure out whether she was happy of disappointed at this because the group of boys were beginning to move towards them. Around her the girl's began to scream and talk very loudly and excited. Taira knew they were heading for her, but she didn't feel as nervous as she ought to be. Every girl takes dancing lesson's of course, but none get to dance with a real boy until their fourteenth party.
When the Boy's finally reached her, they all bowed in turn and she curtsied back. Then they stared at her, nervously fingering their collar's and pulling at their ties.
They're nervous Taira suddenly realised, They've danced with as many girls as I have boys. Etticate never spoke about whether a Boy should ask a girl, and as it was she who would be picking a beloved she realised she better start looking now. She took a deep breath to stop the shaking that had started up within her and walked over to a brown haired boy with big brown eyes. Keeping eye contact at all times, she curtsied. He looked back towards the boy's in his group, then eyed up Taira respectfully. He bowed lavishly, fluttering his hands as he did so.
Then, ignoring the catcall's of his friends, he gently took her hand and led her through the millings crowds to the dance floor. Still holding her hand, he slipped his other one on her waist. They waited for the third beat of the song and then began to carry out the steps of "The Children's waltz". As she spun around the room, Taira realised how appropriate is was. Her first dance, but he was only a child too. Two children dancing in a sea of adults, but she felt unusually calm. The staring eyes had got bored and wandered off to sample the punch and gossip over the state of the Leader's Wife. Her mother was still in deep conversation, and her father, what little of him she could see through the crowds appeared too be asleep. She giggled lightly and the boy turned his head to stare at her. Suddenly happy, she pointed at her father snoring lightly and laughed again. The boy had a big grin on his face and with the hand resting on her waist, he tickled her lightly. This only made her laugh harder.
"I'm afraid that I'm not able to continue dancing," she managed to say through giggles.
"That's OK, are you thirsty?" She nodded and he led her again though the crowds, this time towards the table with big bowls of bright blue punch. "Would you like some?" Taira immediately drew back.
"That's an adults drink... we're not allowed..." It was his turn to laugh.
"Don't be silly! It's your fourteenth birthday, you're allowed adult things now." He poured her a cup and offered it to her saying, "Come on, liven up!"
The liquid flowed in the glass showing up it's weird mixture's of blue and green. She hesitated slightly then took it. He was watching her closely and so she took a big gulp and pulled a face. It burned all the way past her mouth and hit her stomach hard since she had not yet had anything to eat. She licked her lips and grimaced. He had already finished his cup and was looking at her, amusement playing on his eyes.
"You're not used to it, so don't take such a big gulp! Sip it so you'll get used to the taste." He poured himself another glass. She sipped it lightly and strained to not grimace once again. Even in smaller doses it still tasted revolting. He looked satisfied though, and took her hand again. The moved silently towards where they had last seen their friends standing. Taira was so busy to not spill her drink she didn't notice him leading her away from the spot until they were outside. The cold was what hit her first and she shivered.
"Hey... why are we out here?" He just put his finger to his lips and began to walk forward again, pulling her along by the hand. But she had had enough of people pushing her around and she stood her ground. He whirled around to face her and she placed her hands on her hips in what she thought was a mature pose. "I'm sorry, but I am not going anywhere with you unless you tell me where you are bringing me."
"Listen, if you go back inside now, you won't find anyone in there, they'll have all moved outside by now. We're fixing you a surprise birthday present. So drink your drink up at come with me." Taira sensed something strange, but the drink was making her light headed and she was unable to resist.
"But, it's very cold out here... couldn't I go inside and fetch a shawl or something?" But he didn't seem to like that suggestion at all.
"You'll be seen dummy!" he placed his arms around her shoulder's and held them tight. "There, now are you warm?" she had to nod, he was already steering her towards the summer house. Because it was a party, it was all aglow form the night lights lit around it. Inside she could dimly see shadows moving around and felt afraid, but the boy pushed her forward. He knocked lightly on the door.
"Who is it?2 someone inside yelled.
"It's me, Everze." The door immediately opened and the boy that looked like Ornent peeked out and grinned.
"'lo Ev. See you got Taira to come," he bowed slightly, "I'm Miroque. We we're all jealous when you went off with Ev, he always gets the girls, he does." The door opened all the way and Taira noticed several of her friends and some of the boys kneeling on the rugs, or perched on the dust-cloth covered chairs. They were all drinking cups of the same blue liquid that the punch bowls had held. As Ev entered, his arm still draped over his shoulders, there was big grins over all the boy's faces, and a few of the girls who were snuggled up on the rugs with big glasses of drinks. Ev sat down and patted his lap. She saw no other space in the room and so obliged and sat awkwardly on the boy's lap. He pulled her closer until she was right up against him and could feel every breath he made on the back of her neck.
"Don't want to you to be getting away now do we?" He kissed her neck gently and held her tighter. Then he looked up and nodded to two boy's standing beside a door at the back of the room. The opened the door and disappeared inside. Taira blinked and felt dread begin to build. Something dreadful was going to happen. She struggled against Ev's tight grip, but he held her firm.
"Shhhh, it's OK. You'll enjoy it I promise." Then she heard a high pitched screech inside the room and she was unable to move. Out from the back dashed a female Bui dressed only in a linen slip, her hair in a frazzle around her head and her eyes wild. The boy's began to whoop as Miroque entered from the back door brandishing a steel tipped whip. Taira struggled more violently but Ev held her even more firm and began to kiss her neck again, this time sinking his teeth in after his lips drew away. "It's OK, you need this you know. You need to see what Bui's do. We found this one holed up in a whore house down by scarlet alley. See her big belly? That's a Ban child, being carried by the scum of the earth! Really, we are doing them both a favour. The whore owner was going to kill her anyway, so we decided to take the messy job on ourselves." She turned her head as far as she could and saw a maniacal grin on his face. He locked eyes with Miroque and nodded silently. Taira screamed but Ev dug his nails into her stomach and she was forced to sit and watch the huge gruesome spectacle.
The first thing the Bui did at Ev's nod was to dash towards the door and desperately pulled at the handle. But it was locked and she began to moan again. Two boy's dashed forward and pulled her back from the door, kicking and spitting as she was dragged. Even heavily pregnant she was well able to hold her own. The boy's faces and arms scratched and bleeding flung her to the floor where she let out a yell and clutched her stomach. Taira could feel the blood drain from her face as she watch the women trash about. Her friends began to laugh and threw their drinks into her eyes and slapped her kicking legs. She screamed out as one girl smashed her glass down on the Bui's leg embedding shards into her legs and letting blood gush out. At the girls tortured screams her classmates only laughed harder some even holding their sides at she got up into a sitting position ad hissed at them. She reached out and clawed one of the girl's feet who had got too close. The girl screamed with outrage and pulled herself back.
"See?" Ev hissed, "They're pure evil," He indicated down towards the girls sock which was now drenched with blood.
"Only because she tortured it first, you would do the same." He pulled her closes to his mouth was right by her ear. Taira began to shake.
"You are a very beautiful girl, you know that? You don't want to ruin the chance you have to make a brilliant match now do you, with your silly idea's about the Bui. Now, you are going to see the proof that this piece of scum tempted a God fearing ban and seduced him, all for some money!"
Miroque stepped forward and cracked the whip. The Bui was suddenly motionless with fear. She watched him with a look of defeat and surrendered. But no-one noticed the Bui's sudden prostrating on the floor, they were too busy cheering on Miroque who had a wide grin on his face. He's proud of this... He's proud that Ev asked him. A girl ran up to him and kissed him shyly on the cheek. She whispered something into his ear and he cracked the whip even harder so it seemed to rattle around Taira's head. She too felt like the Bui, trapped and surrendered. She now sat completely still on his lap, but she felt bile rise to her mouth as Miroque laid in the first blow. A spray of blood gushed out from the artery it had just hit and the scream was enough to wake the dead. Taira shook and tried to close her eyes. But to her horror, the morbid curiosity inside her took control and she could not take her eyes off each savage blow of the whip. After the fifth one, the screams stopped, and the silence that prevailed was even worse. But still the whip laid into her prone body. The bile burned now and Taira turned to Ev, who had a faint smile on his lips.
"Please stop it..." Her voice was weak and horse, but Ev just shook his head.
"Wait my pet, just wait, the best part is coming up." It was then Miroque finally laid down the whip and took out a large knife. He knelt on the blood stained rug and gradually cut around her stomach and drew out the tiny foetus. It was the palest yellow she had ever seen,
"Your proof." He let go of her waist, but she could stand up, she just stared at the tiny form being held in Miroque's hands. He dropped it on the carpet and with one final slice cut it's head off. Taira blinked and let out the scream that had been building up inside her. She creamed and screamed until there was no breath left inside her. She felt all innocence and faith she had in her race leave in her in one foul swoop of a knife. She leapt off Ev's lap and dashed out the door, frantic with fear. Someone yelled after her.
"It was your father's idea, he was the one who persuaded us!"
But Taira did not even notice it and kept running. Beneath her light weight silken sandals, the grass felt light and springy. Behind the shadow of the house, she could see dawn beginning to break, the light spreading out over the sky making it seem like a garish water colour. She stopped to catch her breath at the porch and straightened her hair and dress. She opened the door slowly and entered. Her mother hurried from the stairway and ran to meet her.
"Quickly! You must go in and say your goodbye's to the guests...2 then she stopped, and eyed her daughter's pale face and the droplets of blood on her shoes. "Where have you been?"
"At the summer house... with some others" her mother, much to Taira's disgust seemed to understand immediately and pushed her towards the ball room. Say goodbye and thank you then return to your rooms. I'm sorry, it was your father's idea. You had to be taught the truth." As she walked in all eyes again turned to her. She gave a deep curtsy of respect.
"Thank you very much for coming, may the God's be with you on your journey home," there was a loud applause and then the chatter and shuffling feet broke out as the crowd moved towards the door. But she was out first and dashed up the steps to her room, fresh tears falling as she ran. Inside, she slammed the door shut and then slid down it's shiny wood. She leaned against the door and sobbed, these were tears of grief, not just screams of fear and outrage. A Bui had been killed just to teach her a lesson, and what was worse... No-one even cared... they took a life for me and didn't even blink at it, what kind of a world do I live in? A light touch on her head made her look up. The child, she had forgotten about her. Her mouth was down turned and the fear that had been in her eyes was returning.
"Hey, it's OK... It's not towards you, I'm sorry..." Then she realised that this Bui didn't even have a name. She stared into her large green eye's of her new servant, she saw in them the Intelligence the old Bui had spoken of. "Saoirse, I will call you Saoirse, for you and I will free your people and mine, of the cage's they have trapped themselves in."
She rubbed her eyes one last time and stood up. She began to walk towards her bedroom when the Bui slipped her hand inside hers.
"It's OK, you don't have to..." then she saw the pleading in her eyes and held the hand tighter. "Come on then." Together they walked towards the door and stepped into the murky warmth of her room. That night, Taira insisted that Saoirse sleep not on the floor in the bundle of rags, but in her four poster bed. She knew it was breaking almost every rule, but the more she looked into the frightened eyes of her charge, the more kindness she could feel. She didn't sleep at all though, and stared up at the canopy. Beside the Wild's Bui's face, now stood a man with a steel-capped whip, about to strike down on his back. Now she could remember the warmth of the cloak and the deafening screams of the Bui. She looked down at the slumbering child and whispered a prayer of forgiveness to any god's the Bui's worshipped to try and receive her soul's forgiveness.
The next day she took her breakfast in the kitchen. The house was completely still as both her mother and sister were in bed with headache's from too much blue liquid. Her father had departed for another foreign city and all the guests had left about three hour's before. It was the cook who noticed that Taira had no appetite and asked simply if she had enjoyed the party. Saoirse had gone with the old Bui to be taught the ropes of the house so Taira felt free to speak. She told the cook all about Ev and Miroque, the summer house, the Bui and the foetus. When she had finished, all the guilt seem to vanish, as the story became clear in her mind. The cook just nodded and went back to kneading the dough for that day's bread. Taira took one more spoonful of porridge and went over to kiss the cook in gratitude. The cook just nodded and answered;
"It wasn't your fault, they don't blame you in the slightest." She tried to smile but felt it came out wrong. "Don't worry about feeling off today though..." the cook was continuing, "After such a traumatic experience, I shouldn't wonder you got up at all."
"I'm OK, really... I'd much rather go for a walk." She looked up sharply,
"Don't go near the summer house, you hear me? They've cleaned it all up and buried her, but I don't like to find out you have been sent away for madness. Don't let them beat you Taira, you are too good for that. "
"No, I just want to go by the stables... I'm allowed to now that all childish restrictions are lifted, and besides, the smell always makes me feel better."
"Fine, just don't get in their way, it's cleaning time down there." The shadow darting across her vision, "Oh, I dunno... One of the junior staff I suspect, or maybe one of the older one's? Things come and go too quick around here for anyone really to take notice of them..."
"They work in the stables? But I've been there all the time and I have never seen them,"
"Then they must be good at their job." She opened her mouth quickly, and then shut it. Of course... The passages behind the walls.
Taira ran for most of the path way towards the smell of horses that wafted in the breeze. She felt she had to run, if she stopped she was able to see the dark shape of the summer house, and her heart began to pound. Better to run and ignore all pain. At least she could try to pay off her sin to the Bui's god's. As she neared the building's she slowed down to catch her breath and began to stroll, kicking a stone as she walked. When she finally reached the sandy, gravely texture that meant she was on stable land, she picked up the stone as a piece of good luck.
The stable's were still so early in the morning, but she entered the first building anyway. Inside the same rustling's were there, but no Ornent. That was something to be happy about. Her neck had strange red marks on the back of it, and she preferred to hide them for the time being. She walked towards the black horse that Ornent had been tending and patted it gentle on the nose. It nuzzled into her hand and she smiled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think to bring you any sugar, I'll bring some tomorrow I promise." She patted it dreamily on it's back and the left it's compartment and made her way to the back of the building. T each horse she stopped and patted it or spoke to it. Soon she had run out of horses and was at the darkest corner of the building. Nothing stirred up here, it was used mainly for storing wheat and hay. It was dark and the dust was almost suffocating, but Taira felt compelled to stay there. She knew something interesting was here, she just had to figure out what. She picked up an old broken saddle and then dropped it again, she did the same with a helmet and some hay. Nothing. She felt furious that her senses had taught her wrong and began to pull up pieces of hay and straw on the look out for something, anything. As she neared the very back wall, her senses did a somersault. She watched it for a second and put here ear to it, leaning against it for balance. The wall swung away and Taira found herself face down in a straw lined passage. That smell was there, like the last passageway, but this Taira had no minders. she peered out and saw that the stable was still deserted. Amongst the rubble she spied an old candle stick and plucked it from the ground. Then taking the stone out of her pocket, she struck it against the wall to produce a spark. She held the candle tight in her right hand, and with her left gradually closed the door in the wall with a dent in the stone that she assumed was a handle.
Just as she had suspected, the corridor was plunged into darkness, save for the flickering light of the candle. Now that she was inside, she had absolutely no idea which way she was going to go. She leaned the candle against the wall and spun around three times on the spot. She picked up the candle and followed the pathway she had chosen.
She soon began to get cold and pulled her shawl as tight as she could to her body. The floor was very stony, and her feet, covered only in silken slippers, began to get sore and she could feel blister began to rise. She realised after a while, that she was hopelessly lost. She considered going back, but she wasn't sure if she could find the way out. All the wall's looked the exact same. She tried pulling one dent in the wall, but it stayed fast. She had no choice but to keep walking, but that was a chore in itself as her feet were aching here by this stage. Her fingers were numb with the cold and she felt like crying. After two more steps she fell onto her knees and just managed to crawl across so she could lean against a wall. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I caused the death of two of your children... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry...
"I'm sorry!" she cried out, as tears began to prick her eyes.
"Sorry for what?" Taira gasped with fright and struggled to her feet. Desperately, she swung the candle around her until it's light shone across a figure dressed in tatty riding breeches and a pair of scruffed boots. When she realised that was all he was wearing she lowered it quickly. The figure laughed.
"It's OK, it's just my chest, haven't you ever seen a bare man's chest before?"
"No," she called out, looking away.
"You haven't? Hey, who are you?" Taira shone the candle over her face and he gasped.
"You're... you're that girl up in the house, Taira? Isn't that your name?" She nodded.
"You're not supposed to be here you know, you'll get us all in big trouble..." he trailed off and she began to shake.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to, I just... You see I only just got my Official sighting and... I found the corridor..." He came towards her, and she shied back. He raised he arms, palm's facing her.
"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just going to take your arm so I can lead you back outside. These tunnels can keep you lost for days," He reached out and grabbed her arm. His touch was soft, and Taira realised that he was the first male Bui she had ever seen... except for, well, he didn't count really.
They walked only a few steps before he pushed open part of the wall and brought her inside. It wasn't the stable's though, it was a room furnished with a few chairs and some straw filled mattresses lying on the ground. A small battered table stood in the middle leaning to one side as the leg was shorter then the other. There was only one other Bui in the room but he appeared to be busy tacking something to the sand coloured wall. The floor was much the same as the passage, sandy and floor lined. It was lit up by huge flaming torches held onto the walls by iron hooks. They also heated it.
"What is this place?" As soon as she spoke the other Bui spun around and his eyes grew very wide. He opened his mouth, closed it and sunk into a deep bow, shaking at the knees.
"Stop it," called out Taira, but the Bui took next to no notice of her an continue to stare at the floor. His legs were shaking violently now, and she remembered her promise to the Bui Gods. She turned to her side and stared up at the bare-chested Bui. His face held no expression.
"Make him stop!" she cried out. He just nodded, still watching the Bui. He called out some grunts and strange sounds, that sounded like they were attacking deep into Taira's prehistoric side, left over from the stone ages. The Bui quickly stood up, but his knees were still shaking. Her Bui called out some more things in the strange language and the shaking stopped. He turned around and began finishing the task he had begun.
"What did you tell him?"
"That I had found you in the tunnels... that you were our friend." His eyes were hopeful and she couldn't help but smile.
"what was it you spoke to him in... Did you teach it to him?"
"what? Oh, that. It's a strange language, it's something you Ban don't have really, so you wouldn't understand. It connects deep into our soul, like we always knew it... just that we forgot it for a bit." He shrugged his muscley shoulder's and walked over to the table and began to brush it's surface.
Taira gasped out loud at the sight of his back. It was riddled with scar tissue and huge grooves. They were all long healed, but revealed a gory picture. He spun around, suddenly realising what she had saw.
"It's nothing, ignore it... It happened a long time ago anyway." From the floor he picked up a shirt and pulled it on so it lay open. "There, happy?" Taira just looked away. "Here, understand this, I earned my place here. So much so, that everyone has forgotten what I did to deserve this punishment and I'd be glad if you just forgot about it to."
"I didn't mean... Look, I'm sorry."
"That' OK, It's just a touchy subject is all." He Turned to her, but was looking over her instead of at her. She looked up and saw the largest Bui she had ever sighted in her life. He was so tall he had to stoop to enter the little room. His hair was long to, and reached way below his waist. Apart from his fearsome visage, his eyes held only pure kindness.
"Hello..." she managed to choke out, then, bereft of something else to do, bowed down.
The ripple affect was amazing. The giant stared at her, his eyes round and shocked. Her Bui ran to over to the doorway and placed his hand on her shoulder and literally dragged her back. The Bui at the wall was crouched so low on the ground his knees were completely invisible. There was then only silence and the heavy breathing of the men. At her shoulder, he was still holding her tight, so tight that it was beginning to ache. Then the Bui at the door bowed down deep and resurfaced an amused smile on his face. He walked over to her and, holding her face in both large hands, kissed her on the top of the head and drew back. He picked up one of her limp hands and placed something cold inside it and then closed her hand.
"Never in my long life has anyone of your colour showed me such respect. I have often dreamed of this day, but feared it was only one for our grandchildren." He spoke as if he was remembering the words, and She suddenly realised, he had probably been taught them. Taira opened her hand and saw a delicate gold chain. A piece of pearl stone hung off it. "This will allow you all the freedom of the Bui world. If you were ever to go to the wild lands, you would be accepted ad an equal among us." He then smiled and picking up a torch from the wall, left.
The grip at her shoulder was removed and Taira had a sudden realisation that things would never be the same, The finding of the passageway, befriending the cook, her party... the talk with the old Bui, the summer house and Saoirse were all leading up to this moment. She fastened the chain then hid it beneath her undergarments.
"Do you know?" Her Bui spoke softly, "Through all the years I have worked here, I have never seen him smile."
The mood in the room suddenly felt too intense for Taira and she hurried towards the door, then turned.
"I'm sorry, but what is our name?"
"I was called Yorant," meaning unclean in church tongue thought Taira silently as she left the entrance Suddenly, he caught her shoulder again and motioned for her to stop. Bending down he peeked through a hole that was letting a minute bit of light through the straightened up and nodded. She opened the door and indeed it was empty.
"If you ever come in here again, always look for the pin pricks of light... they mean doors. Just look through them first." She nodded and pushed it closed, the Yorant's face fading into the shadows until all she could see was the wall..
As she was walking up her head was swimming. She could felt the slight weight of the chain and it's icy coldness against her chest. As she neared the manor, she could see the shape of the summer house in the distance, but it didn't frighten her. She was forgiven, all that the house contained was a bitter memory. She felt her heart begin to slow down, as if it had been beating at that speed ever since the incident. She opened the main door all smiles when she saw her sister coming down that stairs, eye's blazing. She still hadn't lost much weight since the birth and her clothes seemed extremely tight over her middle. In her arm's was her small son wrapped in a pure white cotton blanket, they had named him Pipeth after the greatest leader of all time, but seeing the scrawny thing, Taira could see very little likeness.
"There you are!" Her face was fat and puffy and her piggy eyes were enveloped by her cheeks. She had developed none of the beauty of her mother, but apparently looked like an Uncle of their father, he had once jokingly suggested. "Take him for me will you? Edric and I are going for a ride," she sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose, "You were down with those horses again weren't you. Horrid things. Well, did you see our carriage?" Taira shook her head. "Those impertinent fools! I ordered it fifteen minutes ago." She stormed down the rest of the steps and plonked the baby in Taira's arms. "You'll be having your own in two years, get used to them," and with that she disappeared down a corridor. Taira looked into the baby's face and sighed. She was hoping to curl up in a quite corner and read a book, just to clear her head. But now she had to keep the little brat amused. Only two weeks and already the thing was a menace
"Take's after his mother," the cook had joked... The cook! Of course, she would no how to get the child asleep so she could go and do something more productive. And so she walked slowly down the passage and down the stairs to the kitchen. She was terrified that she would set it off, for she had heard the yowls coming from her sister's rooms and had no wish to experience them first hand. AS she walk she studied it. It had black eyes and a small scrunched up face. It looked like an old man, and she could see nothing to back up her mother's opinion that it was "handsome" in fact, she thought it rather ugly.
Down in the kitchen the cook took the child and laughed at her observations, slowly rocking the child too and fro to keep it calm.
"Of course it look ugly at this age, just wait until it grows a few hairs and puts on some weight and then you won't be able to put it down!" Taira sat down on the table and leaned her head on her hands. After a few seconds it began to cry.
"Oh Drat," she explained, "I was hoping it wouldn't start, now what do I do?"
"Feed it," answered the cook handing him to Taira who held the wailing child awkwardly. The cook reached into the ice box and pulled out a small glass bottle with a rubber teeth. "Here give him this, it should calm him down." She was doubtful but held it towards the child's mouth anyway. It immediately began to suck and stopped wriggling. She watched in amazement at it's sleepy eyes and the rythimatic sound it made while drinking.
"Wow... He look's almost cute now!" Taira watched for a few moments more and looked up at the cook who woe a broad smile on her face, "I think I don't mind being a mother quite so much,"
"Well, you wait for your beloved so,"
When the milk was gone, Taira gentle burped him and then let him sleep in her arms.
"Should I put him to bed now?" The cook nodded and she wrapped the blanket round him so he wouldn't be cold.
Upstairs, in the nursery, she put him down in his cradle and watched him gently breathing. She almost didn't want to leave in case he stopped. She heard soft footsteps and glanced outside. It was Saoirse carrying big wad of linen from Mama to be placed in her room.
"Saoirse? Come here," she whispered. The girl dutifully dropped the bundle and walked into the room. "Look, it's a baby Saoirse, a real little baby." The Bui's eyes widened with surprised and she reached into the cot and stroked his cheek, as if to check he was real Taira thought. Then she realised the girl's wonder was a perfect opportunity.
"Baby, can you say baby?" Saoirse watched her with caution, "Baby, say baby..." she pointed into the crib, and then repeated the word. The child hesitated for a minute then said.
"Bay...beee?" In a questioning tone. Taira once again pointed into the crib and repeated the word.
"Baby, that's right!"
"Ba-by," this time it was much more precise, "Baby!" her delight was obvious as she pointed into the crib and once again said the word, this time correctly. She was surprised to learn that the Bui had a very high voice when the word was finally right.
"Yes, well done!" Then she took the girls hand, helped her pick up the discarded linen and walked towards her room. She couldn't believe she had just thought someone her first words. At the door though, Saoirse looked back and shyly waved. Little Pipeth slept on, unaware of what he had just caused. Considering what just happened, maybe he will grow up to be a good leader after all, she thought.
After dinner, she sat in the study listening to her mother and sister talking about the latest fashions, while Edric was taking a nap upstairs. She realised that all through her life she had been dying to sit with her mother and sister and discuss such things, but now that she was able too she found it very boring. Still, she knew that now she was of age, she must sit through such tedious talk, in order to become a proper lady like her mother and sister. Even if she privately thought that if they were real ladies, she would eat her hat.
"Of course you do know mother..." Saluna was say while munching on some chocolate delicacies, "Long sleeves are completely gone you know, I was personally shown the new fashion designs, and there is not a long sleeve in sight! And the neck's have shrunk as well, it's corset's that are all the rage." Her mother was looking worried.
"Oh dear, and it's just as well we hadn't completely kited you out dear," she said, absentmindedly looking at Taira, "We'll just have to take you shopping. I'll send a runner down to Catana's so they'll be expecting us tomorrow. And I do hope it will be a fine day, so you can meet some more influential people then you did at that party." She shook her head, "That's the last time I let your father make out the guest list."
Taira grinned and then bowed to her mother.
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to go to bed now,"
"Oh, yes of course, black circle's under your eyes is very last year." It took all of her will power not to laugh at such a daft comment. She left the room hurriedly and mounted the stairs. Although her body felt weary, her mind was fully alert. The market! She had only seen it once, and then it was only a blur of constant movement. Though she had heard it's sounds and music and smelt the aroma's of frying meats, fish, and of course the Bui. The only thing she knew for sure was that right in the centre, open at all side's was the slave trader's stall. That was where the Bui were.
She lifted the cover's and snuggled into bed. Beside her Saoirse was already fast asleep. Taira wondered if she ever had dreams. It seemed to be a logical thing to have, but were there words in them? And, come to think of it, was she able to think... For if you cannot speak, what do you think with? Taira found that there was no obvious answer to these questions, and soon found herself falling into a lot easier sleep than she had been sleeping.
The next mourning she was awoken by Saoirse shaking her awake. Her scared face was the first thing she saw.
"Good mourning," she said sleepily, raising her self into a sitting position on the bed. Saoirse nodded and handed her a slip of paper, written in her mother's scarcely legible hand.
Taira,
Please be up, washed and dressed by seven. Do not have breakfast, we will eat in one of the caf? in town. If your useless Bui has not already opened the curtains, I will inform you that it is fine out, so bring your parasol. I have noticed that you have acquired some freckles and I will inform you now that they are the height of bad fashion. Please stay out of the sun and the one's you have acquired will fade. Wear nice clothes today for I will be introducing you to some very influential people who have important son's that may become your beloved. In fact, to make sure you will make a good impression, I have laid out some clothes for you, see that you wear them!
Taira groaned and rolled out of bed and onto her feet. She glanced at the cloak and saw it was no later then four am, and while on her party she had been going on adrenaline rushes caused from excitement, she was completely exhausted now. Her energy levels were not improved by Saoirse's continued fussing. Apparently, the Old Bui had thought her much too well. She now knew what she had to do, and was adamant about getting it done. Even in the shower room, while washing her back, she scrubbed every last inch of skin until Taira was glowing. Then lathered her hair twice, pulling it back so hard when rinsing that she winced with pain. Shivering from cold, Taira walked back to her room wrapped in a towlen bathrobe. Inside, on a chair by the door, she could see the dress that had been laid out for her. Leaning against the side was a pale blue parasol, decorated with navy frills and stars. The dress was in the same colour scheme, with a light blue corset tide with navy strings and a star pattern on the skirt part, the same as the shade. She put it on with the help of her maid and was downstairs at the second the clock struck six. She yawned loudly at the bottom of the hall and stretched, bashing one of the plant pot's with the umbrella as she did so.
"So you're down early, amazing. So that slave of yours is the worth the money we paid for her! Well, since you are up you can join me in the drawing room for some coffee and I can explain today's plan." Her mother's voice came over by the door. Sighing, Taira followed it into the vastly over decorated chamber that served as her mother's drawing room. She always felt uncomfortable in it. It wasn't natural for six stuffed cats and a stuffed alligator to occupy the same mantelpiece. And she could never see what colour the room had been painted, too many tasteless pictures were hung up for her to ever catch a glimpse of the wall behind. They were of things her mother's was particularly fond of, Kittens playing with small balls, puppies chasing there tails and a thousand different pink sunrises and sun sets. The thing was, the room had no window that Taira could see, so it was impossible for a sunset of rise to be viewed from this point in the house. Another thing that unnerved her was the cages of sleeping parrot's that hung from the rafter's. They never did anything but sleep, but apparently, at her mother's call they would wake up and sing enthusiastically in perfect harmony. They had been a gift from her mother's family, and, since he had died almost the day after they had been presented, no-one had the heart to get rid of them. They gave the room a kind of earthy smell, and since they were the only living thing still alive, (numerous pot plants were on the floor, but none of them were in any way green), they were her mother's sole companion's.
"Look my darlings! My daughter Taira has come to visit us, isn't that nice? Perhaps we will get you to sing for her." There wasn't a sound out of the birds, and Taira had a strange feeling that there never would be. "OK, sit down opposite me, and mind you don't break anything, some of these are priceless treasures." She picked her way carefully over the crap that lay on the floor and plonked herself down gratefully on a chair.
"NO!," She jumped t her mother's outburst, "Is that anyway to sit on a chair, get up and do it gracefully,"
"But... but there's four cushion's and a stuffed goldfish around it, I can't sit down gracefully, it's impossible!" Her mother sighed a large theatrical sigh.
"My dear, one day you will find yourself a beloved, and he might very well be a young promising soldier. If he is, you'll be expected to accompany him all around our world, so you better get used to sitting gracefully under any conditions Even if the chair sinks into sand the moment you sit on it, is no reason to act like a brute!" She coughed, "You are a lady now, so you must behave like one, so get up and try it again."
It took five tries before she was finally able to sit down, criticism free.
"There, now you can have some coffee," She rang a small silver bell that lay beside her, and from behind a wall came the Old Bui, carrying a tray of coffee and cups, all set in sterling silver. "Thank you, you can leave now," The Bui bowed and left. Her mother poured the steaming black coffee out into the small cups and passed one over to her daughter. She added liberal amount of milk and sugar to her own and sipped it. But when Taira reached for the sugar pot she reached out hand and caught it.
"No dear, you must learn to drink it black, it's the fashion," She sipped it and pulled a face. She had never had much time for coffee, even when it was just a drop of coffee and half a pint of milk with four teaspoon's of sugar. Black, it tasted earthy and strange.
"I don't like it black," Her other gazed at her over the rim of her cup and sighed again.
"Well get to like it. There is nothing more common then seeing a young girl drinking coffee with enough milk to fill a barrel. Drinking it black mean's you are able to handle the world," Taira took another sip and laid it down, vowing never to touch any coffee that was given to her again. Her mother finished her own and set it down on it's saucer.
"Right, today's we are going to walk into town. That should give you a chance to meet some of those that live around here. It's fine so no-one will even consider riding in there carriages." She wondered how her mother knew it was fine by the lack of window's in the room, "...well, except for Mistress Delacior. She has to ride in a carriage, the poor dear. She was crippled by a horse you know, still is as active as ever though, Her father got her two speaking Bui's who carry her everywhere. She'll never be able to bear her beloved a child though... I think they were considering taking in an orphan, though where they will get one is beyond me, still I do include them in my prayer's. After we walk in, I will show you all the best shops to get your accessories, then I'll bring you into Catana's our appointments at nine. With the quick change in sleeve lengths, it's amazing they let you in at all, but our family name still hold's sway in society, always remember that." Taira nodded. "after that, we will breakfast in... The Jaz Mine I think, you'll see some young people in there, and get to know some of the prominent faces in the theatre world." Her mother then looked serious, "A word of warning about those kind of people, they are wonderful to invite to parties, and to see on stage, but never get involved with one if you get my drift, they will always leave you hanging dear,"
She blinked and wondered what on earth her mother meant by "getting involved" with them... surely meeting and talking was getting involved? But then there was the doctor' foul breath, Ornent's kiss, and the marks on her neck left over from Ev, was that getting involved with people, or was there more to it...
"... Then I will take you on a tour of the Market, we should meet some nice boy's in the Jaz Mine who will only be too happy to show you around, and if that happens I will go and visit The Tornackt Twins, they are always on the prowl at about that time, and they are so good at colour schemes! I'll ask them for advice about your room, it's too babyish for you now."
Taira opened her mouth quickly, then closed it. She was starting to realise that nothing in being a "women" gave her any freedom what so ever. Her room, clothes, who she was friends with, what she spent her day'' doing, were all organised by her mother, down to the finest detail. She seemed to have more freedom as a child. Sure, she wasn't allowed lave the grounds unless wearing a cloak, but she was free to roam the grounds at any time she pleased. There wasn't huge schedule's either, just what she wanted to do at that moment in time. She sat up straight and arched her back, somewhere deep in the layers of clothing a piece of thread was beginning to irritate her skin. When she had looked in the mirror before coming downstairs she was surprised by how much she didn't look like her self. Blue flashes on her eyes, rose water on her lips to make them shine and gold powder to make her cheeks glitter. She was worried, that all the people she me would just consider that was how she looked instead of what she really did, plain old Taira with large eyes and a shy grin.
She was shocked out of her mood of self discovery when the cloak in front of her began to chime loudly. One, two, three... all the way up to seven.
"Seven o'clock already? Goodness, how time does fly. OK honey, collect up your parasol and we shall leave." And with that she swept out of the room. Taira had a hard time keeping up with her flowing step, and not trip over any of the ornaments on the floor. "Hurry up dear!" her mother exclaimed, already at the front door. When she finally caught up, straightened her skirt and opened up her parasol, a footman had already opened the door and there were flecks of annoyance shooting across her mother's pale eye's.
They walked down the main drive at a leisurely pace, with her mother stopping to speak to the gardener about having a new bed of pale blue roses to be planted. Taira found the walking tough going when they had gone out the main gates of the estate. The ground wasn't nearly as flat, and every few steps a sharp stone would dig into her slippers. She had to stop and rest after two yards.
"What are you doing?" her mother enquired, waving her parasol around for added affect, "There's no time to rest now, we have to get moving! Besides, we've barely walked any distance at all."
"I'm sorry Mother, but my feet are aching me, sharp stone's keep sticking into the base of my soles." Her mother rolled her eyes.
"You silly girls, don't you notice the parts on the road that are sandy?" Taira looked down and saw faint white sand scattered at the edge's of the road. "Those parts are completely stone free, you kept walking in the middle didn't you? Well, if you were to walk along this road with a beloved, or gentleman friends, you would walk on the edges, no? So, the Bui get up very early in the morning and take away all the stones on the edges so we can walk in comfort."
"Oh..." She stuck to the side parts and found the walking much easier. After a while of silence, her mother began to wave her parasol towards a nearby carriage, which slowed down.
"Come along dear." Her mother hissed, "That's mistress Delacior's carriage, if you get in good with her, you will have access to the most wonderful gossip ever, but if you get on the wrong side of her, woe betide you." She walked smartly over to stand by the waiting horse and trap. A youthful girl, with flaming red hair put her head out to greet her.
"Mistress Ronth, what a pleasure, I haven't seen you for nearly a week now." She said between kisses on the cheek. "And I did so missed our chat's"
"I'm afraid I had very pressing business to attend to, my youngest daughter had her official sighting."
"Really? Your Taira already fourteen? Goodness, Is that her there? What a fine young women she is, so pretty, why I do believe she takes after you," Taira blushed furiously.
"Yes, she has my face, but she has her father's eyes... and stubborn nature. So I'm bringing her into town to see if she has any hope to become a lady."
"With those looks, and her parentage? It should come naturally I would have thought,"
"If only that were so... I did hope, incidentally, that you wouldn't mind looking out for her? You always know what is going on, and a friend like you would be very useful I should think."
"Oh of course! I would be delighted. Taira? Would you mind coming over here?" She advanced nervously and saw, not the riotous beauty she expected, but a rather pale ordinary face with a small mouth with a nose a bit too large for her face. Still, she felt obliged to manner's, even if she was deeply disappointed. She bowed to the lady, who started clapping excitedly. "What a dear! To bow to me like I was a leader's daughter. Oh she will do splendidly, and her eyes, indeed... I see the resemblance. Such intelligent eye's for such a young girl, so old..." she leaned in and whispered, "So this is what you look like all grown up... such a lady. But in those eyes, what secret's do you hide my dear? I would dearly like to see what makes you tick, not silliness like your mother I expect." Then she drew back.
"You know, I'm having a small dinner dance on this day two weeks. You should bring Taira, I'm inviting some boy's that she should find interesting," she smiled and drew back into her carriage. "I'll expect to see her there darling, god bless for now!" and with that the carriage sped off.
"My goodness," her mother had stars in her eyes, "She actually approved of you! That is very rare indeed, you should feel honoured." She looked curiously at Taira, "though what she saw in you I haven't the faintest..."
They continued on in silence, her mother was unusually thought full and Taira was busy trying to work out what the girl had seen in her as well. They met other people on the road, some her mother agreed was the perfect company and what luck they bumped into them! Some on the other hand weren't.
"Ignore her, in fact don't even look up,"
"Why?"
"She has seven children, now the problem with that is, she only had three when her beloved died," Taira felt her eyes itch with the need to look up, to see such a women outside the books was unimaginable, yet here was one right up close and she couldn't even see her.
They reached town quite early, for the amount of time spent talking, or not, to people. And then, turning a corner, Taira's eyes first feasted on the market place. It was huge, twice the size that her blurry memory made it out to be. Shop's crowded every available space along the side, some even venturing into the plaza it self.
"Fresh fish!"
"Pearl's, shipped all the way from the wild seas"
"Herb's and spices from Man-Yon!"
"Fur's, come and feel my beautiful fur's, taken from sasquaches way up on the highest peaks of Natarch Ridges,"
But best of all right in the centre of the market and surrounded by buyer's, sellers and general interested parties were the Bui. One stall, the wild one's standing tall though chained within an inch of their lives. The domestic one's shy and bleak, turning away as buyer's checked their teeth and strength, female one's with see through clothes being felt by whore owner's and desperate men and finally the children, in a large stand in their own, blinking painfully at the bright light of the sun, some crying other's just staring at the crowds, it was these that almost made her feel like buying every single one, but her mother had other plans and dragged her across the courtyard into a huge marble entranced stall. Inside, she immediately felt her voice hush.
"This is the best and therefore most exclusive perfume shop in town, beside these scents and fragrances, anything else you were is a mere whore's stench." The shop definitely looked like the richest. Everywhere there was small crystal vial's of perfume in all different colours with name's like "Dreams," and "The God's honey". There was also wooden barrels in between the aisles with a tap on the side. Taira breathed in, in wonder and immediately wished she hadn't. Her eyes began to water and her brain began to go dizzy as a hundred different smells did battle with her senses. Roses, wildflower's, peppermint, vanilla, spices by the thousand... each one was distinct and beautiful, together it was like a volcano just went off in her brain. But her mother, as usual, wasn't paying attention.
"That's Giganti, he is the owner of the store. Look!" Taira was knocked out of her scent heaven to witness a small, peculiar man with large circular glasses and a small twisted moustache that he kept brushing with his fingertips as if in distinct concentration. Her Mother began to walk towards him, and when he finally caught sight of her, he grasped her hand and began to kiss it.
"My dear, dear Mareena, oh it has been far too long," he kissed her mother's long fingers like her father had never done, and what was more, her mother was actually giggling, "But! Who is this? An angel sent from the gods?" her mother giggled some more before replying.
"Oh, she's my daughter, she just had her official sighting. I was hoping you would assist us in finding her scent."
"My Gods! You re old enough to have a daughter who had her official sighting? Hat cannot be, you look so young!" My mother was now blushing crimson... beneath the wrinkles on her face. Her mother didn't look a day over forty and that was a well known fact. So this guy was only a charmer, but what shocked her, was the fact that her mother believed. "... but of course I will find her scent, for a girl so beautiful, it will be very easy I think."
He went close to her and took her hand.
"For centuries my family has been making beautiful and exotic scents. It was us that discovered that each individual has there own unique scent that goes with there personality and grace. You must know, that all scents are beautiful, only when worn by the person they are intended for. Now, would you please sit here? And I will return with some beautiful things for you to try," She sat meekly on a velvet stool and waited. He returned with an armful of glass vials and an assistant carried a further dozen.
"Right, now all you have to do is place it on your wrist and I will sniff it for I will know when it is right." She dabbed a little bit of "Mountain Breeze," on her wrist. He bent his head and breathed in deeply... and pulled face. "Oh no, way too strong... in fact I think the whole mountain range is out, something a little sweeter perhaps," he wiped her wrist with a damp cloth and she sprayed a bottle with "Summer Delight," again his reaction was the same, "No, no... too sweet. You are hard my little friend, two whole ranges and none of them will suit you," Her mother hovered anxiously, clutching a bottle of "Sweetness" In her hand's, her own brand. Well that explains a lot, thought Taira as both the fruit range and wildflower range was thrown out. The assistant was kept extremely busy racing up and down to collect new fragrances, and Giganti was reaching the end of his wicket.
"I just have to think... I just have to realise it, never before have I come against such a difficult customer." His eyes almost grew cross-eyed with concentration till at last he jumped up and ran to the back himself and returned carrying an ice blue piece of crystal with a beyond white liquid sloshing about inside "Of course, he was muttering to himself, how could I have been so blind? It was so obvious from the beginning," He himself sprayed it on her wrist and breathed in, it took a minute before he was finally able to gasp out, "Yes!".
Taira picked up the bottle, which in faded letter's red, "Pure Ice".
"You know?" said Giganti, rising to his feet, "There's a story about that scent. My grandfather made it a year before he passed away. It was his very last scent, but everyone thought he was mad to make it. Or that it drove him mad... We've never been able to find a match, in fact, we even gave up trying it out on people, the results were so disgusting you see, they made the eye's water. But on you? Now I see my grandfather's genius, on you I can see glacier's move, I can see the beauty of icicles and the terror of avalanches on you I can see the whole world filled with white." Taira smiled and stood up.
But before she could leave for the door Giganti handed a crystal bottle with the liquid inside it. "For you, for replacing my trust in my grandfather. And don't worry about it running out, we have three whole barrel's of the stuff in the basement. My grandfather may have been mad, but he definitely knew how to stockpile."
Taira left the store with a strange feeling. Her mother was completely silent, but was still able to push her into various hat stores, cloth stores and jewellery stores. In each one, Taira was made try on any number of things that she had no intention of ever wearing in her life.
Finally the left a particularly nasty make-up store, and her mother patted her hair straight and glanced up at the clock right in the centre of the market place, just above the Bui's head's. It was round with pure gold numbers coming out from it's whit marble face. The hands were encrusted with ruby's and diamonds. Around it's face were hundred's of candles, lit at the moment of dusk. Every hour the clock chimed musically and people would stop what they were doing just to listen to the music it played. It was said that the clock never chimed the same tune twice. It was crafted way up in the Natarch Ridges, the highest moutons in the land, by supremely skilled Ban, who spend their lives sculpting or mining the great reserves the mouton's contain. It was presented to the last leader and stands as a symbol of wealth and property, for it was said that if the clock was ever to fall off the podium on which it sat, it would mean the downfall of Camera and perhaps all of the God's Favourite world; Fearr Domhain.
"It's time for brunch now I think, Oh damn," her mother almost pouted, "We have to go past those awful Bui's to get to the Jazz Mine, it's all the way across the square," she straightened her parasol and held out her arm, "Hold me close and don't look up at the dear, some of them are very wild and not made safe yet by the priest's. I do wish they weren't allowed in the square, but apparently they are good for economy so what can I do?"
After Taira had taken her mother's outstretched arm, they began to walk quickly. She was almost being pulled by her mother's forceful grip and amazing speed. The passed right by the Bui, but on her mother's instruction's she dared not look up, instead she could only sniff the air, and above her mother's outrageously sweet perfume, she could catch their scent, no longer disgusting, but familiar and safe. They reached the caf?ithout even one sight of the dreadful Bui. Her mother just shook her head and was adamant about getting them removed from what she called "our square," she wondered if it wasn't their square just as much, considering, according to a small plaque on the wall beside The Jazz Mine, "Fifty Dascracht were involved in the construction of the town's square and podium, over twenty of them lost their lives." She didn't have any time to wonder about this though, her mother was too intent on getting inside for her to even contemplate it.
Inside the famous caf?it was dark and stuffy, though extremely warm. The noise was deafening as the entire place seemed to be trying to talk at once. They found a small table near a huge painting of the square and Taira could see the source of the heat. A huge fire blazed in a fireplace. She wondered if they had received decorating lesson from her mother, because the mantle piece was covered in pictures of famous leaders that had visited the caf?and stuffed animals. She gave her cloak to a waiter and gazed around in wonder as her mother whispered points of interest about the customer's.
"That's Sir Tippet of Maon, he bought one of your father's horses," she sniffed, she had never approved of his pastime, "Your father is very interested in securing a business deal with him you know. The girl and boy next to him is his son and daughter, you know... he hasn't yet received a beloved yet..." her mothers trailed off, but Taira just shook her head.
"Hi s nose is much too bulbous and his hair is already turning grey, he must be about forty Mother,"
"Yes, but he is able to afford to look after you! Not everything is to do with love my darling," but she dropped the subject and continued on.
"That's Nacie de Bgairt, the rumours are that she is a Bui's daughter, personally I just think she spends too much time in the sun... and over there is..." she would have continued on in this vein for at least another hour had the food not arrived; huge scones with mountains of butter and jam, small dainty tea cakes with a sprinkling of chocolate dust, caramelised nuts and, Taira's heart sank, a big pot of coffee.
Her mother poured her a big steaming cup and smiled.
"Drink up dear," Taira shuddered, but drank as much as she was able, before setting the cup down and filling her mouth full of dainty tea cakes so she wouldn't be sick. "Well really dear, black coffee isn't that bad, and look on the bright side, the fashion may change in a year or so," her mother's smile was false but she still tried to smile back. There was an awkward silence and then the band began to strike up. Her mother was invited to dance and she was left alone stirring her coffee gently and adding as much sugar as she dared. She then sipped it quietly listing to the laughter and watching the socialites flit from one table to another, like large overly bright gossiping butterflies, they had a smile and a word or two for everyone. She sighed. If this was what her mother wished her to be, then she was in big trouble. She didn't think she would ever be as confident or as radiant as the girls. She was just wondering where her mother was before one of them walked up to her table and looked her straight in the eye.
"Why, if it isn't Taira of Ronth! Rumour had it, that you were never going to get your official sighting, but here you are sitting as lovely as ever with those big innocent eyes," she girl through back her head and laughed, "Had any boy's interested in you yet? Now come on, don't be shy honey," her voice was drawling and coarse and Taira had a feeling this was the kind of girl her mother would' a prove of. Her hair was down, way past her waist and tied at the end with scarlet ribbons. Her eyes were covered with black paint, with just made her look a bit like a shocked teddy bear. Her lips were as red as her bows and cheeks were flushed from the blue drink in her hand. Her dress was as low cut as she could get it, but the instead of being a fashionable corset, it was just an ordinary bodice. When the girl turned to pick up a caramelised nut from a table full of men, she could see it was tied to breaking point. The skirt too was a bit too small and had the look of being worn too many times. One of the small red straps on her shoulder looked like it had been mended hurriedly with white string.
"No, they haven't, I'm afraid this is my first visit to the market place. My birthday was only a few days ago,"
"A few days ago! Well, you learn something new everyday, don't you. Had any invitations yet?"
"Why yes," she looked up earnestly, "I have actually received an invitation from Mistress Delacior for a small private party, she has even agreed to be a friend to me and help me out, but, I'm sure she does that to everyone," She grinned shyly but inside she was laughing. She knew that Mistress Delacior would never do a thing like that unless for a very special case. Her mother's reaction of joy was proof to that. "The Mistress Delacior? You're lying..."
"I'm not, in fact," the door opened and she was carried in by her two Bui's, "Here she is now, if you will excuse me," Taira got up with a triumphant smile on her face and went to greet the lady.
"Why Tiara!" She exclaimed after being seated comfortable. She reached up and held her hand, "What a wonderful surprise to see you! Oh, you must join me for coffee, here sit down and tell me how you are enjoying the caf?it's so quaint isn't it?" She shot a look back over Taira's head then bent closer.
"I see what you just pulled, very clever, the shock on that's girls face must be giving you pleasure. I'm sure of it now, you will go very far if you hide your real intelligence under your innocent eyes. But tell me, what did you say to her?"
"Oh nothing much, just that you agreed to be my friend and give me some help. Can I ask who she is?"
"Nothing more then an expensive whore. She's never able to afford drinks in here so she provides company for men who in turn fill her full of Thacht, that's the blue spirit. She lets them do anything to her after a few drinks, look, she's already carrying one of their children, though who's is it I couldn't even fathom a guess."
"She's with child? But I thought she was just fat... has she got a beloved?"
"No, but don't worry... she'll go to the priests soon and they'll get rid of it for her, for a small charge. You'll soon learn that men only want too things, money or women. Just be glad you have the first and don't even have to think of the second. Now drink some of this coffee, I'm never able to finish a full pot on my own." She sighed and looked mournful, "What's the matter, don't you like coffee?"
"Not black, I like it with sugar and milk... but apparently that's not the fashion," Mistress Delacior began to laugh out loud.
"Oh my dear that's the funniest thing I have ever heard. I bet that your mother told you that," she began to pour and add sugar to Taira's cup, "There's no fashion in coffee drinking, and tell your mother I said so, that'll be good enough for her. Where is she anyway?"
"Up dancing somewhere..."
"And she left you on your own? That's dreadful, how are you ever supposed to be introduced like that! Don't worry, I'll do it. Would you like to come for a ride with me? Tell your mother if you must," She added noticing the look on Taira's eyes, "She won't mind though."
Sure enough she seemed only delighted. "I hoped you would meet some nice boy's o bring you around, but this is even better! She will get you in with all the right circle's. You can thank me for getting you friends with her when you have a fine beloved." Taira just shook her head and left her mother giggling with some men, her glass of Thacht never left empty.
She stepped out into the plaza and was surprised to find the sun was shining brightly, though it was still chilly. She wrapped her cloak tight around her shoulders, having collected it from their abandoned table, and climbed in and greeted her waiting companion.
"How is you mother?"
"Don't ask..." she sighed and stared out the window.
"You know, your mother wasn't always like that... Before she had you, she was fine,"
"Yes, it's my fault, my sister never gets tired of saying it," But Mistress Delacior shook her head.
"She's wrong, it wasn't your fault," she sighed, "Look, there's things about the story that even I don't know. Your mother's mind is a very scary place at the moment. That's why I offered to be your sister, I can't have children of my own you know, and I was hoping that since your mother was sick..." Taira just looked surprised.
"I heard that you wanted to be my friend, but never that you wanted to be my sister... why would you want to be? I am surely not worthy enough." She laughed again, then became serious.
"If your mother would have agreed, I would have become more. When you were born, and it was discovered she was not well in her head, I offered to become your mother. I would have done it for as a favour for your mother and father, but although your father was all for it, your mother didn't even consider it. She thought of you as he last thread of sanity, without you she feared that she would loose herself completely. Your father loved your mother so much back then, that even though he wanted to do what was best for you, after she made that statement he wouldn't even talk to me on the subject. But your father's love has weaned slowly and he no longer has the feeling's he once had for his doll like wife. He can't even stand to be too close to her for long periods of time, seeing her wild eye's and mad statements makes him love the women she once was and hate the women she is now. In a way he hates you for it, but loves you at the same time. For you see Taira, you must never look at things at their face value. You may think I'm cruel leaving your mother in there, but I know those men and they would never harm her and will get her home safely. You see, I look after your mother as best I can. Everyone does."
Taira head was spinning again, and she had to sink back in the cushion's and shut her eyes before she could think clearly. This grand women had wanted her as her own? I think they were considering taking in an orphan, though where they will get one is beyond me. What was that look on her face as she said that... She was woken up from her thoughts when Mistress Delacior placed a hand on her arm.
"Please don't be angry, or sad. That was a long time ago dear, you are all that is important now. And I think your mother has forgotten about it as well. She's happy you know, she hardly ever is at all sad, not in world of make believe." She nodded, still not able to understand half of what she had been told. "Please, do you know where I live? If anything happens, I want you to come straight there. You look so solemn, I know something must have. No, don't tell me now, you just feel in awe of me, tell me later when you trust me." She nodded and sat back on the velvet seats.
"Now, how about a little fun dear? Driver? A little quicker please." Taira looked out the window and felt the breeze on her face and the wind tasselled her hair. Everywhere there was people waving at them and so she waved back. On and on they drove, and the market place seemed to keep on going. She had no idea it was so big. Every so often a place or a person would be pointed out to her, but she scarcely noticed them, instead she kept waving feeling like the old queens must have, seated in there pure gold carriages with fake smiles plastered on. Why would anyone walk when you could drive! This was so much better then a litter. She climbed up on the seat at her new sister's instruction and peeped out the whole in the top. She could see the tops of buildings, windows of colour and all different shape. Washing lines hung across where grand shops stood at the bottom. Little children looking out, their hair hanging from the windows.
They passed the red light district, where Bui and Ban alike sold their bodies for much richer master's who didn't associate with their places of business if they could help it. Glowing signs and bright paint dominated. Sweet calls from the girls, and everywhere men gawked into shop windows that sold their wares by placing dancing girls as displays. Even the walls were painted bright colours and the gaudy pictures pasted on to the gas lamp posts stuck out in her mind, far removed from Taira's refined life. A door opened and loud music spilled out as well as laughter and cries from inside the building. She just found herself staring. How can people live like this? Without culture or grace. Lives purely devoted to money and fun... and of course that attraction that men seemed to have to women's chests.
She dropped down to her seat hurriedly when some men, brandishing bottles of Thacht began to yell and hint a things far beyond her understanding. With a deep blush on her cheeks, she noticed that her sister was watching her with interest.
"So, what do you think of it?" Taira's mouth dropped open.
"I... why, mistress Delacior, did you drive here?"
"Please call me Chantille, and I brought you here to show you the power women have over men, even the lowest form of women can cast a spell over the male population, using only their wit and beauty as magic. The women out there... they cast a very different type of spell then the one's I will teach you. They use their bodies to ensure customers, customers who know how far these women will go for money. You see though, that these spells are weak and the women are trapped. Like the one in the caf?They are forced to do many things that they do not like just to stay alive. I brought you here, to warn you never to stop to that level. Never sell yourself like that, even for the chance of a secure beloved. Do you understand me?" The serious tone in the young women's voice combined with the flashing in her eyes made her shiver, but she nodded. She understood perfectly.
"My sister, she did that, didn't she? I was told by... someone that there was more to my sister then meets the eye. Her beloved only agreed because she had let him... do things to her? While my Mizz refused, was it because she was pregnant as well?"
"Very good, I knew you were smart. Yes, your sister sold herself like that, but without much choice. It was on your mother's hounding that she agreed. Two months later, she discovered something was wrong and told her mother. But she refused to do anything, not even bring her to the priests for it would bring great scandal apon the family. Instead she wrote a letter to Edric of Teny, who in turn was forced to accept the proposal." She sighed, "I am here to make sure this doesn't happen to you. If your mother even hints about that kind of thing, you come straight to me. You mother gave me permission you know... to become your guardian. But I will not be responsible for breaking up families. Only when the need is dire will I take on the role, not before then, so please don't look so worried," she laughed. "so, what would you like to do?"
They spent much of the day driving around the town. Better shops were pointed out, people introduced and caf?recommended until Taira's head quite spun from the effort. Another pot of coffee was drunk, and then dinner was eaten, but it was not until the pink threads of the dying day began to spread across the sky did Taira notice how late it was. Outside her door, she kissed Chantille goodnight, then hurried inside. The only light was a candle, flickering feebly in the drawing room. She went in and saw her mother, sound asleep in one of the chairs, a rug tied tight around her middle. All above there heads the parrots still slept. On a sudden though, she leaped up and pushed a cage making it swing violently. The bird inside began to bang against the cage, feathers flying everywhere, until it seemed like a mini snowstorm. When the last feather fell, she found herself looking into the hollow skeleton of a long dead bird. She began to shake so hard that she was unable to stand for a minute and had to sit on an upturned mushroom shaped cushion. Across the room her mother slept peacefully, her makeup smudged dreadfully on her lips and over her eyes, but the slight smile on her face spoke of the wonderful dreams that were playing in her shattered mind. That thought gave her some comfort ad after a while she found she was able to stand up. She pulled over the other chair quietly to the spot beneath the cage, and stood up on it. Closing her eyes she reached into the cage and felt the hard, cold bones of the bird. She gently pulled them out and, wincing placed the all in her skirt which she pulled up to form an artificial sack. She carefully climbed down and walked towards the kitchen. An assistant stood making tea for the old Bui and a younger one who worked cleaning all the marble in the house. Wordlessly she dumped the parrot bones onto the table and left.
That night, it was weird to fall asleep with the house so deathly still. She couldn't even hear Saluna's beloved's snoring, which were usually some comfort at least. Saoirse, was asleep on the floor, on the straw filled mattresses, having not the guts to climbed into her mistresses bed alone. Taira would have liked to wake her, at least to receive some comfort from her warm body. But there were black circle's under her eyes and she hadn't the heart to wake her. Thinking of Saoirse, made her realise that she hadn't taught her one word since "baby" and she was annoyed with herself. She had made a promise, and she was unable to lie, so the promise had to be carried out, if not for her God's, then for the Bui god's who she guessed were still angry, even with the comfort of the gold chain, still hanging from her neck. Thinking of the God's made her realise that she would ba attending her first proper ceremony in the temple, perhaps there the god's would properly here her penance and lift the great burden apon her heart.
The next morning, Taira sat eating toast at five am, much too excited to sleep. She was already dressed in a pale yellow dress, that reached way past her feet so that she kept have to hike it up when she walked. She wore a long cloak, with a pattern of flowers embroidered in whit thread to keep her warm from the chilly weather, and though the kitchen was warm, the icy swirls on the window kept giving her the shivers. The toast was hot and buttery, and mixed with cocoa, was her favourite breakfast. But one she could only have without her mother or Mama present, they didn't approve. Luckily, both her sister and mother were still in bed, her mother having been carried up by a footman while still dosing off the effects of Thacht, and were demanding to have coffee and scones sent up to them. Taira couldn't believe that they would just stay in bed and miss out on the best thing in life, a kitchen at morning time, filled with the smell of fresh bread and baking biscuits. Hot coffee also filled the room with a bitter aroma, to keep everyone awake, though none of the staff could drink such a rich favourite.
She had just sipped her drink, and was happily feeling the warmth spreading through her body, when Mama walked in, tired and cross.
"Cook! A large cup of coffee please," She leaned up hurriedly to the cooks reaction, she didn't take orders kindly.
"Oh, yes dear Tobairt, I will certainly! And is there anything else? Some ginger snaps perhaps? Or a good kick up your backside." She winced behind her cocoa, the cook tried hard, but sometimes she resorted back to her childhood way of speaking, when she lived out in the poor slums of Camera, far to the east of Taira's own grand house.
Mama mearly turned her nose up and stalked out.
"Uppercrust snob, who does she think she is, demanding coffee when I have three breakfast in bed's to sort out. Coffee no less as well! She's putting on airs her mother never taught her I'm sure."
"But Cook... surely she would have born into a fairly good home to have risen to such a position as Mama?"
"Certainly not dear, I came from the slums and I am very proud of it. That Tobairt lived right next door to my tenement building and was just as poor and ill brought up as I was. She always thoughts he was above us though... used to peep into the grand houses and watch them. 'course, they weren't as grand as yours dear, but they seemed so to us. Of course, there's a double side to her coin, she may think she I grand, but at night she certainly doesn't act it, that doctor coming and going at all hours, it's a wonder that the Mistress doesn't say anything..." then her face froze and she said no more. But Taira knew the cook, and waited a little while longer, quietly finishing off her toast until;
"You know? I'll be glad when you come of age dear, so you can run this house properly, like your mother used to. She's just so... Preoccupied now, she doesn't seem to care about it,"
"Don't tiptoe around it," said Taira draining the last few dregs of her cocoa and standing up to dust the crumbs off her dress, "I know, about my mother's condition. I was told about it, but more importantly, I discovered about the parrots, she really does believe they sing, doesn't she?"
"Yes dear, and they did sing once! When you were a baby mind. But when they sang, oh, we all used to crowd into the drawing room and listen, and on every face, even your fathers, there was tears shining. And she had such control over them. But nothing lasted forever and they died, but she wouldn't admit they were one and refused to have the cages taken down. I think she can still hear them, sometimes, I can hear her talking to them, and she sounds so happy. I would never like to break her dream you know, as long as she is happy, that's all that counts."
She nodded then stood up and stretched. She then went into the library and immersed herself in a book. But couldn't really concentrate and by the time the gong in the hall chimed seven, she just threw it down and dashed out to meet her mother, sister and brother-in-law coming down the stairs. They were all done up in their finery, grand dress bedecked with real gold and silver threads, the height of fashion without a doubt. When she was small she used to stand and stare at them when they were all done up for the temple's, but now with her more refined eyes, she could see they were gaudy and overly done. The gold and silver were too much, and as they walked towards the carriage, the earl mourning sun beginning to rise, she felt almost ashamed of them. Edric, on the other hand, was wearing the simplest tuxedo he owned, and it made him look dashing and handsome. He helped her up and kissed her hand gently, just as a sign of affection of course but it made her wonder, as they trundle through the streets, whether her sister had to be pushed too hard into going to him.
She spent most of the ride staring out the window watching a city wake up to the sound of the bells chiming and to the music of the cloak. Shutters were flung open, birds rose in flight a whole flock flapping as one, washing lines were being strung across up above, and down below the storekeepers pulled down railings and placed out stalls, chattering good-humourdly to one another and catching up on the latest gossip. Something inside her yearned out for such a simple life, but inside the carriage t was never to be. Her mother was already arguing with her sister for sitting too slouched.
"It makes you look very fat dear,"
and her sister was giving out to Edric;
"I do wish you wouldn't smoke in such enclosed spaces... it can't be good for me to be stinking of smoke when I go and present myself to the leader's wife."
"That doesn't matter dear, it's Taira who will present herself," she turned away from the window hurriedly and stared at her mother, hoping she wasn't going through one of her fits. But she was good-naturedly plaiting her hair. "Of course she will, so don't looked so angry. She has just come out and I want her to have a good start. Meeting the leader's wife will make a good impression. I had a chat with Mistress Delacior and she agrees with me." Saluna's mouth dropped open even father, and she screwed her piggy little eyes closed in an effort to understand.
"Mistress Delacior is her sister? How can that be? She is hardly clever enough, or pretty enough to be offered such an honour..." She continued on her rant, but Taira wasn't listening, she was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was going to present herself to the highest lady in the city.
In the temple, the Men and women separated themselves into different section's. Inside these, each individual family presented their male and females members to the highest people in the land. In the case of the female area, the priestesses and the Leader's Wife. Only one member of the family needed to present themselves. Then when all the families were represented, the mass as begun and a sacrifice made at the end. In the past it used to be Bui, but now it was usually a goat or lamb because of the rising prices of Bui, they were too valuable to just kill.
Ever since Saluna had come of age, she had presented herself to the leader's wife, with her mother content to sit on the sidelines if it meant it would further her daughter's place in society. Edric usually presented both Ronth and Teny, because her father's was frequently absent from the ceremony. This had always given Saluna an edge, and she had always regarded herself as a favourite of the Wife, although secret rumours said she despised the girl, but with this edge one, Saluna really had to compete in the family now to secure her place as favourite and most important. Taira didn't see it like that though, she was just excited about meeting the great lady.
The carriage stopped outside a grand building created completely out of huge marble blocks. All around it's outside big torches blazed to represent the true light. There was swarms of other people and Taira had to grasped her mother's hand firmly to keep from being separated. To her surprise she found her mother held onto her just as tightly, and she saw that she wore a slight smile of pride. The men and women separated in the entrance where two huge marble staircases stood, each leading off to a different directions. The oddest thing was, for the amount of people in the hall, it was very quiet, except for the echoing of footsteps. If one good thing had to be said about the Ban, they were very devout.
At the top of the staircase, Taira found her legs to be tiring, but there was still more to go. On and on they walked through a long twisting corridor, decorated with amazing tapestries that envisioned the God's building the city of Carama. There was a reason for this. Legend told the Carama was the very first city ever built by the Gods, to honour their chosen race. Pilgrims came from all over to pray at it's temples and go barefoot down it's walkways. In fact, the city is was so holy that at one time no-one wore shoes, as a mark of respect. Gradually light silk slippers were worn by the females, with the men having a tougher sole, and were made out of leather. Only the riding boots were made of anything stronger, but since they were always worn, even during the Bare Foot Days, this was seen as OK by the priests.
The corridor finally needed in a large hall, made out of the most brightly coloured marble she had ever seen. For a moment she searched for the windows that were letting in the blinding light, but then she realised huge torches were set up to light the hall, and their light was bouncing off one wall to the next. All around seats and benches were dotted. She took a seat next to her mother, and when the shuffling of footsteps became still an announcer stood at the top of the flight of steps that an alter lay on. Seated behind it was the Leader's wife. She was looking old now, and there was a lot of greying around her temple's, but she still held her head high and looked, in Taira's eyes, majestic.
The leader's wife was much older the Taira's mother, she was nearing seventy, and had been alongside the leader for fifty years. Or although a leader was elected democratically every ten years, a new one was not allowed stand for election unless the old leader decided to stand down and not be re-elected, for it was looked that if the leader had done a good job for ten years, he would be better for another ten years instead of some youth with very little experience. Another way to get a new Leader was to throw out the old one, and immediately elections would be held. All Ban citizens had a vote, except for females without an official sighting, and females at the age of 16 without a beloved. All males were able to vote after the age of nine, as long as they were accompanied by their father. An election would be held in a year, and since it was a well known fact that the leader and his wife would be stepping down rumours were rife about who would run. Leader and his wife, that is very important. Ban God's are known to enjoy family values, and against the decision's of one. So, anyone prepared to run for the office, must have a beloved, otherwise they will be forbidden to run because their "wife" which it what she is called once they are elected, will have to be consulted at every major decisions, and can make some of her own if she so wishes.
The announcers began to call out the family names.
"Aacaldia.."
and one by one, the girls and women ventured from their seats, up the steps and kissed the hand of the Wife. Taira's heart began to speed up at the start but by the time the announcer had reached into "R's" it had slowed, until of course;
"Ronth..."
"Go on," hissed her mother, giving her a sharp nudge so she sprang out of the chair. Again she felt all the yes apon her, watching her every move, but she felt much more confident then her party. The strength of her father and pride of her family flowed through her veins, and she would make them all proud. Holding her head up as high as she could and still see clearly, she walked towards the steps, she took each one carefully holding her dress just above her feet so she would not trip. And there it was in flesh and blood, and very clear was the most powerful women in the land. Taira stopped in front of the altar and took the offered hand, she noticed the wide smile on the women's face and bent down to kiss her hand.
"So, you are Taira of Ronth. I ill be looking forward to talking to you more personally, I have been hearing great things about you," the great lady whispered, then Taira raised her head, gave a slight bow and made her way back down the steps. All over she could see lips moving, and nosy eyes, wondering what had been said, considering what type of story would have to be spread about the incident. But Taira didn't care and walked just as haughtily back to her seat. She knew all eyes were apon her, but for once it didn't matter. A great Lady had praised her, why would anyone else matter in the slightest. Her mother and sister leaned forward eagerly, their eyes just as inquisitive. But she wouldn't tell them anything. For once in her life she was special, and she didn't want to wreck the moment. Five rows in front of her she could make out the scarlet Hair of Chandelle, whom she had sighted on her way back. It may have been the blurry-ness of distance, or just general excitement in the moment, but she was sure she had seen her blink.
When the last girl had been called;
"Zexepher..."
The conjugation began to become restless and bouts of silent whispers echoed around the hall. Taira was the worst and fidgeted constantly with her cloak, until the Leader's wife stood and raised her hands.
"And now my friends, since I have been introduced to the congregation, and a very fine one it is, populated by the finest family's Carama has to offer, if not the finest in the Sacrad World." There was a small murmur of agreement, while she turned her head to view the occupants of the hall entirely and she was almost sure the lady's eyes swept over her. "And now, we will proceed with the mass where, if I am not much mistaken, my husband and the men are already waiting. Mankind is always in a hurry, don't you think?" there was wide spread laughter, and then everyone rose at almost the same time with Taira being yanked up by the scruff of dress's collar. She was just about to complain when she completely forgot the words at the sight being played out in front of her.
Behind the leaders wife, the wall began to ripple. Bit's became clear as crystal, and then she was able to see behind the entire wall, like a huge vertical sea, it moved and flowed completely independent of gravity, until it disappeared entirely and became the entrance to a massive stage, surrounded by seats moving up and up past almost the heavens themselves. There was also seats at either side of the stage. Again she found herself being puled by the crowd, but this time it was her mother that caught her first.
"Stay close and I will show you where we sit," she hissed over the roar of chatter and footsteps. Inside, it was bigger then she had first anticipated. Everywhere was gold, even some of the seats on the first rows. Up higher, she could just about make out wooden ones before they disappeared from her horizon entirely. The stage itself held only a simple stone slab that she assumed was an altar. There was steps up the side of the seats at it was the row directly in front of the altar that her mother began to climb, Taira in tow. On the third row of seats she stopped climbing and walked past until she was seated in the middle of the row. Taira sat beside her, and Saluna and her beloved took the seats at the other side.
The seats were not gold, but the softest cushion she had ever sat on. Fifteen minuets passed and still the crowd held no signs of letting up. All the first five rows were filled now, with grand and important people taking the gold ones in front, and lesser people walking up the steps. After a while thoughts he began to notice no-one was owing to sit beside them, and they had a row of about ten seats completely to themselves. She asked her mother why this was.
"Why, I should think it was obvious dear. These are our seats, we own them, or rather your father does since he bought them," she sniffed, "it's so undignified to be scrabbling for seats, so we bought a row to be always sure of a good view. A few families do it."
"Oh, and the seats in the front?"
"You can only rent those for one ceremony, but people like attending dignitaries, get free seats as do the leader and his wife who get given permanent ones for the length of their reign. Aside from those, I personally think it's a waste of money, and is just showing off. Besides those gold seats become very painful towards the end of the show, and only the leader's are presented with cushions."
Taira giggled, the became silent as the two torches in front of the altar burst into flames, and the priests and priestess's walked onto the stage. All were dressed in long flowing gowns with hoods over their heads. They carried torches in one hand and a gold nugget in the other. The head priest pulled off a circular piece of concrete from the centre of the altar and a whoosh of flames burst out. In turn all those on the stage threw their torches in to the bonfire until it became a raging inferno. Two young priests, wearing nothing but a loin cloth and the ceremonial tattoo all those of the cloth wore, came onto the stage carrying a large concrete basin which they placed on top of the fire. The high priests then lifted his hands up and began to chant prayers to all the gods. The priestess's began a weird dance to the rhythm of the words. Taira could not join in, they were completely foreign to her ear, and she couldn't even hope to pronounce them. The seemed wrong though, and in her heart she had a feeling the language was stemmed from evil, not like the soft easy spoken words of the Bui tongue, which spoke of kindness and respect.
After the chant had ended, and the priestess's fell down on to the stage in exhaustion. The high priest threw a vial of water onto the basin. The water didn't even hit the concrete before evaporating.
"My Lord's and Ladies who dwell in heavens on high, and who watch over everything we dare to do or say, we offer this, the gold of our land, in thanks for all the prosperity you have offered us."
One by one the gold was thrown into the concrete, with the fainted priestess's pieces being wrench from their hands. All over there was a hushed silence, if the gold melted quickly it meant the gods had accepted the sacrifice. A few seconds marathon she noticed it began to bubble. There was roar of celebration and the priestess's were once more roused to begin to dance again, sweat dripping off their forehead and hair.
"And now! We offer you a life, to show how grateful we are everyday for our own," he raised his hands again, and the loin clothed priests disappeared off the stage. "BRING IN THE SACRAFICE!" he bellowed, his voice bouncing off the wall.
And in they came again, this time leading a small lamb, which let out a terrified bleat at the sight of the fire and tried to run, until one of the priests had to pick it up, kicking and bleating madly for all it's worth.
"A meagre life, but I'm sure you will enjoy it my Lord's and Ladies." He then took the animal and dropped it into the gold. It screamed, and Taira suddenly was brought back to the summer house, the scream of the mother as she fell, he back bleeding everywhere. She had to run, she could feel it... the lamb was being cooked alive, and everyone was watching. But her mother held her firm so all she could do was look away until the roars of celebration filled the hall again and she turned her head back around. There was no sign of the lamb, just a gold statue, hardened by water. Apparently the Gods had accepted the sacrifice. Beside her, her mother and sister were clapping just as hard as they picked the statue off the basin and brought it away. Another burst of chanting and then they left the stage. No-one left for a while, they were too busy bowing a praying, for everyone knows the gods will definitely listing after such an event. Taira on the other hand, was realising why her father never came any more, he had grown up on a farm.
They left together, her mother was distracted every five minuets greeting another friends showing Taira off, when all she wanted to do was go home. Her sister also bugged her, while desperately trying to hold onto her beloved.
"Well, what did she say? I'm sure it was bad, otherwise you would have said something by now."
"No," she said dreamily shaking her head, "It was good, she said she had heard wonderful things about me."
"Hugh," was her sister's reply, "A likely story," then she stalked off to find Edric, who had escaped from her again.
When the finally made it out, the darkness was already setting and the air was cold and crisp. She had had no idea how long they had been inside, but she was surprised to hear it was eight hours in total.
The carriage was lost among the hundreds of others, and it took another half an hour to surface. A half an hour spent with Saluna grumbling in her ear, and her mother's gossip in the other. The only one who didn't do anything annoying was Edric, he just leaned against a wall and smoked his pipe, completely deaf to both women. She made a note to talk to him about how he pulled it off, for they were driving her completely mad. She wished she could stand with Chantille, but she had been carried out first, though she had caught a smile and a wink from her.
Finally, the carriage rolled up in front of them and the driver hoped down to open the door. Inside it's gloomy and musty exterior, seemed to hut the two women up, so Taira was able to think. The lamb... the gold, the joy of the crowd, the female Bui... were the ban really as vicious and bloodthirsty as they seemed? Even when they weren't vying for blood, they were plotting the downfall of others. Whispering in corners, pointing out and remarking about faults. But... not all were like that surely, Chantille was gentle and kind and seemed to have no agrivation against the Bui, yet her mother when she had first pointed her out had remarked; "if you get in good with her, you will have access to the most wonderful gossip ever" she had yet to see this wonderful gossip, but like Katona, she properly was hiding it just on the surface. Are we naturally bloodthirsty? Or is it our gods that are at fault? They were who called for blood, they were who built the city and cursed the Bui's. They were who forced her to go through all the rituals, together with the priests, it was them that ruled Carama, the leader was mearly a figure to bow to their will. He had to be, if anyone angered the gods... it would be worse then what happened to the lamb, that was certain. Yet, where were the Bui's gods? Did they not stand up for their people and smite those who dare to hurt their chosen ones. Perhaps, she realised, they just didn't have the strength any more. Out the wilderness they are strong, but here in Carama it is the Ban gods that hold the reigns of power. She suddenly saw, out of her inward eye, the fate or the Bui. Even their gods were enslaved, their language robbed their dignity non-existent, personal freedom virtually unknown. Nothing but work until they dropped dead, or were killed by some vengeful Ban with something to prove. So he kills a weakened female just to show who is boss. Yet no Bui saw it, so it didn't do anything. Just stand as a monument to how awful the ban really were.
Despite her knack of keeping her thoughts to herself, she began to shiver.
"I knew this carriage was cold, I'll have to get your father to get a new one," her mother sniffed then closed the blinds shut so it was plunged into a murky darkness. In the inky black though, Taira felt the shaking soft. It was said that in the darkest places in the world, the Gods were most active. She could feel them now, flowing stretching out their arms to pull her back to them, she could almost hear them calling. But behind their smirks and patronising voices, the Bui's called out even more freely. They called for her to free them, to help unlock their slavery and to make them powerful once more.
The carriage jolted to a stop and a feeble light flowed in through the door, as a footman stood to help them out. Without consulting anyone, she went straight to bed. She climbed into her pyjamas and blew out the light. She felt a bit guilty over this, as she usually left the light on so Saoirse could find her way easily. But she needed the darkness again and once more tried to call to, not the strong and smug Ban, but the Bui skulking in the corners.
Come to me, feed off me, show me how you once were...
She closed her eyes before they hit. Hundreds of them, they all flowed around eagerly, she could sense them getting stronger and dared not open her eyes, fearing what she might see in the gloom. Gradually she grew weaker and exhaustion began to seep into her bones. Yet she fought sleep and kept awake.
Finally when she was on the verge of collapsing she heard their voice, not weak and muddled, but strong all speaking at once.
We will show you!
There was an immense feeling, like she was falling headfirst off a cliff, and she felt like she was about to be sick when there was a bump and she opened her eyes. She was in the middle of the desert. A few weak scrubs grew around an oasis. A collection of tents were clustered beside the source of water two, a primate type of irrigation channel was forcing water to run towards the scrubs, one of which had a single flower blooming. A child ran out of the tent, her speed upsetting the sand that lay on the ground, and it blew through the flap from which she had just ran. There was a shout and both a women and a man walked out, hand in hand. The father appeared to be laughing at the child's antics, while the women was scolding her. In her hand the child held the single flower, and with a mournful face she presented it to the mother with a short bow. Her face instantly melted and she knelt and hugged the child while the father walked over and inspected the crops calling back the exciting news to the women who clapped joyfully. All three were Bui, and spoke the Language she had heard Yorant utter in the stables.
"But," she whispered to the Bui god's who were flowing around her, "It was the camera gods who invented irrigation... it is said!"
A lot of things are written, that are never done. It is we who taught our children to grow food out in the desert, so they could stay in one place. The Ban are mearly wandering nomads, barely able to survive on what they find. The gods are wild and savage. We saw them as no threat, the God seemed almost mournful. Then...
Another rushing sensation and the tents changed, they were now wood structures, more of them. Children played among the doorways, laughing and chasing one another, while the men and women worked in the wet fields, growing wild rice. The flowered plants were now every where, and more then one hut was decorated with it. Around the fields crude fences had also been constructed out of dried wood. A few animals also grazed amiably beside the water, fenced it and tied to the ground with vine like ropes. It was Carama as it had been centuries before. And the Bui's had made it.
A sudden shout made everyone look up. A man began to run towards the settlement carrying what looked like a carcass of an animal, it was dripping as he ran. As he neared, yellow skin and hair were visible and Taira realised it was a small child. He reached the middle of the encampment and fell to his knees. Obvious tears were flowing from his eyes as he looked up to the sky then down to the child again, blood dripping from a gash in her neck, but it was not flowing, he was long dead. A loud cry of mourning rose up from the group and the women began to shred their clothes and beat their chests. Taira was also crying at their heart felt song. She knew now what Yorant had meant when he said it was understood by a wilder part of them.
You cry for the first fallen one, slain by the Ban your tears are giving us strength, because you see the distraction and are asking for forgiveness.
"You were their gods, they are praying for you..." she managed between sobs, "Where are you?"
We are fighting the Ban, they had grown strong battling and destroying other minor tribes. We noticed their attacks, but paid no heed. We were proud and believed no-one but us was powerful. They sneaked up on us when they believed they were strong enough and attacked. We had control, but they were savage and still wild. They wanted their people to settle down and had chosen our spot .The child was just a warning.
The scene was sped up. And she was hoisted up into the sky, balancing on the palms of the Gods. She could see the entire world now. She could see the raids and flames that leapt from house to wooden house. The screams of the women as they were ravaged, the wailing of the children as they were captured and encased in cages made of bones. In a second of speeded time the entire Bui civilisation was destroyed. Then, she could see the Ban, cutting the ones the had captured, with the back of their knives then forcing them to build... and build... And build. She saw the wooden house built, then stone then the grand mansions like she lived in. She saw the fifty Bui die while building the market place. She saw her civilisation built in it's entirety all on the blood of slaves, that had claimed the land first. She saw the town spread, traders sent all over the Flat Lands, up the Natarch Ridges to trade in furs, across the Marsh Plains and into the grand cities of Man-Yon. In all the parties, big or small, it was the Bui that carried the goods, the Bui that carried the ambassadors in the litter and the Bui that were killed if they ran out of water.
"You who are wise," she asked, "What would happen if the Bui were taken away from Carama?" Below her a crash of spears and incredible cries of wounded. It was the civil war between the tribes of the flat plains, or rather, between Man-Yon and Carama to see who would take control of the Flat Plains, and the rich gold deposits hidden there. The tribes just got mixed up in the fights. Man-Yon sent their greatest warriors, Carama, hundreds apon hundreds of Bui. Out numbered, Man-Yon fled, but the Bui were the one's who lost. No-one came for them after the battles, most died on the long walk to the city. None thought to just run away, or to Man-Yon where they were treated like servants and paid. They had lost all original thinking.
Carama would be lost, and the great race of Ban would be no more.
Taira could see now what she had to do. She had to fight of the Bui, all these pictures from a history known only to the Gods and priests, were meant to stir in her heart pity and feeling for the Bui. Yet, could she betray her own race? Cause it's downfall...
"I am just a young girl!" she cried out, "What do you want me to do?"
If you get them to fight, they will fight. You wear the sacred necklace of our tribe, use it's power over them. Tell them who they are.
The picture began to slow down and fade, behind her she could feel the softness of the sheets at her back, in front of her she could still see Bui's living and dying, their entire life being treated less then the rodents.
Tell them who they are...
The scenes faded completely and she opened her eyes in her darkened bed room. The door opened and someone tripped over a chair leg.
"Saoirse," she hissed. She got out of bed and picked the child up and brush her off. "I'm sorry I turned off the light,"
"That's... OK..." she mumbled uncertainly.
"Saoirse, can you talk?"
"Cook..." again there was hesitation but Taira mearly took her hand and led her safely to the bed.
"I'm sorry I haven't had time to teach, but I will. There's something I have to do first. I need you to come to the stables with me tomorrow. We are going to save your race!" If the young Bui understood, she didn't do anything. She was asleep almost between the end of Taira's words.
The next morning Taira slept in and awake when the sun was high in the sky and the house a bustle of noise. She was amazed to find out she was almost in time for lunch when she finally got downstairs, and could smell cooking wafting from the kitchen.
The gentle smell turned into a baking furnace inside, where apprentices feverishly worked, sweat dripping down their faces. Large chickens sizzled in the oven, Peas and Carrots bubbled in large pans, and in a huge pot belching out steam, the gravy bubbled. The air was thick and greasy and it was heard to see through the steam, but eventually she found the cook brush potatoes with globs of butter.
"Here, take this an help," she said as she saw Tara approach. She obliged and spread yellow butter over the golden potatoes. After a few seconds she spoke.
" Last night I had a vision," the cook dropped her brush into the butter and looked up sharply.
"Who gave it too you?"
"All of the Bui's God's, they showed me the true history of Carama, I was there, I could even smell the cooking and the sand was at my feet."
"But they are too week to show you something like that..."
"No! On my way home from the temple, I could feel them in the darkness of the carriage, and in my room I called them to take their strength from me. It wasn't the Ban!"
"I know child, I was told. They shouldn't have shown you, It is illegal to know. You mustn't say anything about it, do you hear?" Her voice was stern but shaky and Taira grew silent, she had never known the cook to be frightened before. After a while she spoke again.
"Why did they show you?"
"They want me to free their people, they said... Tell them who they are, but I don't know what that means."
"I do not know either child. It is up to you to interrupt it how you see fit. A great and heavy burden has been placed on your shoulders, do you know what this will mean?"
"I do... And I am ready to take it,"
"Then so be it, may their God's go with you... for no-one else shall." Her voice was hollow on the end few words, and Taira realised for the first time not only was she destroying a race, she was destroying her friends and family too. Even the Cook would not support her, she knew that know. She would be entirely on her own. Not quite. She remembered what she had said to Saoirse and drew hope from that.
"Cook? Can I have a picnic to eat down by the trees? It's such a lovely day."
"Very well, min you wrap up warm so." It was like the conversation had never happened, but she knew that was how the Cook had to have it, it made her feel better.
She took a basket filled with warm rolls, a plate of potatoes and some chicken wrapped up in a handkerchief. She also took a glass bottle of water. She found Saoirse upstairs and managed to sneak her out through the kitchen door. The Cook turned a blind eye and it hurt Taira, but she would have to deal with it. The cook was no longer her friend, she had none now, save for the Bui's. At least she hoped that the Bui's were.
She fingered the necklace nervously as she entered the first stable and walked to the back. Saoirse trailed nervously behind, carrying the basket at her insistence. It was just like she had remembered it and walked straight to the back wall and pushed against it gently. It opened just like before and she heaved a sigh of releif. She sent Saoirse for a light and they walked through. She was not scared anymore and kept walking, though claustrophobia was closing in. The Bui's quarters, still lit with torches came to view much closer then it had the last time, though now it was inhabited by only...
"Yorant!" she cried out with joy at seeing his drawn, handsome face. Her looked up sharply at her cry, but relaxed when he saw her face.
"Ma'am, what on earth are you doing back here? Don't tell me you are lost again?" he laughed and she coloured, but pressed on.
"I needed to find you, I have something extremely important to tell you, but first you aren't hungry are you?" his eyes flashed and she took the basket from Saoirse and placed it on the rickety table. He got up from the bundle of straw he had been sitting on and helped share out the Food. Saoirse lagged behind, frightened of this boy, bit a few softly grunted words from him and she edged closer and took a chicken leg to nibble on.
When they were all sitting cross legged on the straw, Taira began to recount slowly what she had been shown by the Bui Gods. Then Yorant told it all to Saoirse in their own language. During his telling, Taira sat back and just listened, She could understand some of the words, they were attacking somewhere deep inside of her. At the end of the tale, both Saoirse and Taira had tears in there eyes. Yorant took a big bite of bread, chewed slowly and swallowed. He seemed to be mulling over what he had just heard.
"So..." he began hesitantly, "You say our God's have chosen you to save us from the Ban? But why you? You are a ban girl, and a rich one. You know nothing of our troubles, save for a few stories." His tone was filled with content, and she felt anger rise inside her.
"Because, when you talk in your language, I can understand parts of it, when they showed me their suffering I wept. Even when I was a child, I ran towards a wild Bui and reached up to him. I have always felt closer to you then I have my own kind," it was more then she had ever said about her feelings, and afterwards felt weak. He just nodded then stood up.
"That wild Bui you reached up to? Do you know what happened to him?" his eyes were cold, and the image of the trader brandishing the whip fled to her mind.
"He was beaten..."
"Yes, towards an inch of his life. And do you know why? Because it was to save you. Because you felt close to us, he almost died. They had to bring him back here and make him work in case the sprits ever entered you again. Every time you came to the stable he was beaten, to stop him from using his "powers" against you,"
A sudden thought hit Taira like a lightening bolt and she reared back. The gashes on his back... "Here, understand this, I earned my place here. So much so, that everyone has forgotten what I did to deserve this punishment and I'd be glad if you just forgot about it to."
She stood up slowly and walked t9wards him. Wordlessly she took of his shirt and again the mess of flesh stood out across his back. She touched it gently and then looked at him again. He had changed much, but his eyes stayed the same and right in the centre the part of him still wild glowed.
"How old were you?"
"I was eleven, picked up at the edges of the Wild Land." She nodded, touched his cheek then spoke.
"I see you are still wild in your heart, I am sorry for all pain I have caused you, and as much as you resent me, it is I who have been chosen. Will you aid me?" there was a pregnant pause then he reached for her hand and kissed it.
"You are the chosen one, you were fated before the gods ever got involved. Your necklace is proof of that. Your seeing of me, it was fate and so it could not have been helped. But it means I am fated to serve you, just as anyone is. Together, perhaps we will bring freedom to our people, for the children's sake." Saoirse blinked then smiled.
"Free-dom..." she spoke hesitantly and it was somewhat mumbled, but it made Taira laugh and hug her tight.
"Yes, you will help as well! We must get as many as we can, Bui's and Ban alike, but leave the Ban to me... they will be very hesitant. Only those that have no loyalty to the god's or our race will help us. Your job is to engaged the services of any Bui you know of. Wild one's preferably, they will remember who they are. Remember, tell them who they are."
Ten months later...
The day was soft and warm. The lush green of summer was beginning to spread. Taira was wearing the soft whites of her childhood colours, but in a more fashionable cut. Her mother sat in the garden with her, fanning herself and taking large gulps of lemonade. Taira had her head buried in "Revolutionall Wars, and how they strengthened the Church," borrowed out of her Father's library. She had become increasingly aware, that the revolution wouldn't be as easy to plan, and now that their number's were beginning to grow drastically, she needed plan properly. The book of course was simply propaganda for the church, but it contained valuable tactics hidden amongst the inexhaustible praise.
Her work had eased considerably after Mama Tobairt had been dismissed, finally, by her mother in one of her saner moods. She had discovered both her and the doctor one night on the hall steps when she had come down for a late night drink and thus dismissed both instantly from the house services. This had prompted Taira to explain about his advances, and in an apologetic mood, her mother had lengthened her curfew to "when ever you feel comfortable dear," not that she ever went out. Most of her time was spent in the backs of stables, plotting and planning. Adding up names and collecting information about priests and religious gatherings. She had gleaned from most of her father's tactical books, and long chats with Edric, who had become a valuable asset on warfare. It was apparently a great hobby of his, and liked nothing better then to sit and talk about battles for as long as the subject was paying attention. Since her mother had thrown all rules out of the window, most nights the Edric was about were spent sipping cocoa and arguing about the greatest way to invade Carama. His wife was pregnant again and was extremely snappy, so he thought Taira enthusiasm a great break from his home troubles. They were getting so close, that she was even contemplating inviting him to join, but she would first have to find out his opinions on Bui's.
She was just jotting down something General Caopata had said about the weakness of crowds when there was a shout from inside, and a very red looking maid raced inside, her cheeks aflame and her chest heaving.
"Miss Taira, ma'am. It's Mistress Delacior, she is calling for you to come at once!" Her mother stood up.
"Why?" she demanded, angry at having being interrupted.
"Her husband has just died ma'am."
Taira placed her hands up to her mouth in shock, and then raced out the door with the maid racing after. Her feet pounded on the path, and she didn't care whether she walked on the side or not, all that mattered was getting to Chantille in time. Her house loomed, large and familiar at the top of the hill of wild yellow flowers.
"Chantillian's," her sister had laughed on one of their walks, Taira pushing her in her ornate wheelchair, "He thinks they are as pretty as me," she then sighed and picked one, "How I love him Taira. I have no idea what I would ever do without him. He is as special as the Sky and sea. Without him Carama is just a small village at the edge of the world."
Taira had been too busy contemplating whether or not holding one of the Towers at the edge of the city would be a tactical advantage, and hadn't paid much attention. Now she did. Her words hammered home to her that love did exist and that people died for it. With so much of her time devoted to becoming a general, she hadn't much time for love, the usual things her friends were dedicated to.
She reached the door just before she could hear the howling. One thing about her sister was how calm she was at the face of tragedy and how long it took to let things sink in. Her father had died only three months before and it had taken a week before she had begun to cry. The maid had been right to run, Taira had caught her just as it had hit.
She raced up the stairs and caught her sister just as she was about to fall from her chair outside her husband's room. The door was closed, and Taira had no wish to enter it.
"Shhhh, you're OK. I'm here, everything will be all right,"
"He's... he's dead Taira..."
"I know, I know," she said helping her onto her chair. "But I'm here, and I'll help you through this. You'll be OK, you're strong... you're..." but she couldn't do it. Not now. She had treated Chantille's husband like a big brother. Full of smiles and welcoming, he had been helping secretly with the preparations. Letting all of the house's Bui's go to the meetings. He hadn't let his wife know, however, they had both agreed they would wait until the time was right. However, recently, his health wasn't very good and he had to spend long periods in bed. She had been up to visit him only yesterday night, and she almost wept at the difference. His usual rosy cheeks were pale and hollow. His eyes, though they still contained their circle , were rimmed with shadows. He could barely lift his head to greet her. But never the less urged her to continue.
"Keep going Taira," he had said when she confessed that she was frightened, "What you are doing is right, you know it is. Never give up,. They are all counting on you," he reached up to touch her cheek and smiled. Now he was dead...
Holding her big sister in her arms, she began to cry too, big tears dripping down her cheeks. The sat like that all night. Tears trickling down their cheeks, they recounted stories of his kindness and noble spirit. Chantille told of how they had met, mearly children playing on the grasses of her estate. Heir friendship grew to love and so she had picked him at her ceremony.
"I could never have picked another," she said, renewing her crying and staring up at the door, as though expecting him just to walk through it again.
Taira told of how he had aided her in saviour of the Bui. She explained how he had gained her valuable allies on the fight. She told how she had explained her dream and how he had interpreted it. She prayed that the Bui God's had him in the heaven's of riches, to repay him for all the work he had done. She told how his presence at the meetings, inspired hope to even the most downtrodden Bui. She told of how he kept coming, or sending letters, even when he was sick.
"He never told me how he was suffering, I never thought he would..." fresh tears slid down her cheeks, taking the pathways of the one's before.
They stayed like that until light shone through the large hall windows. Taira stood and wiped her eyes, her limbs stiff from crouching. Her sister lay dozing fitfully in her chair. Alone, she decided she would see him before Chantille would.
She walked to the door and hesitated before pushing it open and entering quietly. Large black blinds hung over the windows, giving an eerie dark glow over the room. Candles, having been burning through the night, smoked softly.
He lay on the bed, like the last time she had seen him. His eyes were closed, his mouth was pale and pursed, and his were white. but apart from that he looked almost like he was sleeping. She still sensed him in the room, his sprit had stayed through the night, waiting... Waiting for her...
She rushed out of the room and shook the sleeping Chantille, who opened her eyes blearily.
"Wha... what's wrong?"
"It's Ibacht, he's still here. He won't leave until he can say goodbye. You have to come so he can continue his journey."
"I can't.. I can't see him like this. Taira you must understand." But she didn't, she knew he was still there. She went behind him and began to push her towards the door. She didn't resist and stayed still as she entered the gloom.
"Ibacht?" she called out softly, her voice shaky, "Are you still here?" a breeze brushed through her hair and past her cheek so she raised her hand up. "My Love, go now... I will be OK. Go and be happy, Taira will look after me," with her second hand she grasped Taira's and waited until the breeze brushed past her ear, flickered at the blinds then faded. Taira raised her head, but she could no longer sense him. She went to the blind and began to tug at it frantically.
"Don't. He's gone dear," she turned around and saw a slight smile on her sister's face. The worry lines were gone and she seemed to be at peace. As did Ibacht, who's lips were also in a slight smile.
The following weeks that past were spent in a haze. She could barely concentrate on her work, and spent hours just wandering the grounds. Yorant was getting very worried, but when he tried to mention anything to her, she just shrugged it off. It was only when Chantille took her to a caf?ne day, did any one attempt t wake her up properly.
She just stared at the coffee in the cup, and at the food on her plate but didn't touch any of it. She felt restless and pent up inside the building and wanted to get out, but she couldn't escape, instead she just sat quite still and barely registered her sister.
"Come, come now," Chantille finally spoke in anger, "This silly mood of yours has to end," but that tone was useless, especially since it was tinged with sadness and so meant nothing to Taira. "Look," she said it softer now. "I received the results from the Doctor's offices, apparently he had been given poison over a large period of time," She stared up in shock, but Chantille's face was calm, "Yes, it was someone from the church, he had said something against them, quietly, but none the less it was on enough grounds for them to commit the act. This means I cannot bury him in sacred grounds, so I'm going to burn his body and spread his ashes over the hill. He always liked it there," she mused. But Taira, far from getting releif grew pale and shaky.
"My darling! Whatever is the matter? He's still dead, just because it was the church that did it, doesn't change it. We have to get over it." She knew that her sister's way of getting over it was to stay up half the night and cry, according to one of the Bui, but at least she tried to stay strong during the day.
"But... you don't understand. It was my fault he said that! It was because I got him involved in my revolution," her eye's were blank and she began to get impatient and angry, this was the strongest feeling she had had in four weeks, so she used it. "Oh come on, I told you, on that night. I told you everything... it's my fault he is dead. The God's had warned me."
"No..." she said, staring across the table, her eyes oddly bright, "It's not your fault at all it is the church's. and if he felt strong enough to support your cause, that he would risk death, then so be it. I will help you as well. I will use all the resources I have to aid you in your struggle. If not for the Bui, then let me do it for Ibacht." Her words seemed very final, but they almost made Taira weep with happiness. She had been worried that her greatest friend might have been caught up in the destroyal of the ban, and perhaps killed. This game involved no personal feelings, but she was still glad to see her there.
"Thank you," she whispered, then added, "If you go to the stables with me now, I will show you what we have done, and hopefully you can put your skills to good use." She meant her great memory for gossip but she did not say.
They finished tea quickly and left in her carriage, bombing down the road and going in the back entrance of Taira's estate and over the ground until they reached the stable's. it was quiet and peaceful, just as Taira had hoped as she helped Chantille down into her chair and pushed her through the same way as she had brought Saoirse that fateful mourning. Inside, the passages were not dark but lit with flaming torches, they were also decorated with cravings and pictures of the true history of Carama. The passage floor too had been smoothed out and big arrows had been painted on the walls to direct new comers where to go. Since the stable workers never went near the place, nor know how many Bui's were living there, it was the perfect place to sign up new members and hold meetings.
AS they continued through the passage, the sound of voices grew louder, until they reached the room. It had been much improved with cushions and working tables spread everywhere. In one corner, the Old Bui, Mayah, who Taira had met at what seemed so long ago, taught children how to read properly. They were keen learners and generally learned faster then she could teach. Another corner, the huge Bui, Patya, that had given Taira the necklace, taught older one's how to speak, and also the history of their people.
Tell them who they are. It seemed to be working so far.
Yorant stood right in the centre, his long hair brushed back off his face and his eyes fixed firmly on the map of the city that he was sketching from the scraps other Bui's had drawn of their area's. She whistled and he looked up and smiled.
"You feeling better so?" she nodded then indicated to her sister.
"This is Chantille of Delacior. She is prepared to take the place of her beloved after his death. She owes nothing to the church and has given her full co-operation. I hope you can use her, as she has very useful contacts."
"Well, well..." he smiled and pushed her over to the table, "Let's see what we can do so."
Yorant's quiet voice mixed with the laughter of children, and the murmuring of Patya students made her realise how important all this was. She leaned against a wall and watched Yorant.
He was so handsome in the light, and she loved the way he kept brushing his hair back off his eyes every couple of minutes. His eyes still had that wild spark that she remembered. That night, she dreamed of when she was five again, running through the market place, the wind fresh in her hair, the laughter of every-one around her, the shouts of the traders as fresh as they were so many years ago. And there he stood, the head-dress on his head, the pride in his eyes, his defiant stance drawing her near. She reached up to him, but this time she wasn't a child anymore, and when he reached for her, he was the man she saw everyday. He held her close and then kissed her...
One years later...
He smiled at her and hugged her tight.
"I can't believe it's actually going to happen! We're are going to do it Taira, we will actually succeed in this. Your plan, it's... unbelievable!"
"But... maybe we don't need to do it any more, I mean... we have got almost every Bui in the town, is, if not literate, then able to talk. We are making their lives better with every day that passes. This bill that was just passed," she picked up the paper and smoothed out the front page. NO MORE DOMESTIC FARMS, BUI CHILDREN TO BE KEPT WITH MOTHERS, read the front page. It had been a huge step to get this achieved, with Chantille's help a valuable asset. "Maybe peaceful means is the answer?"
He hesitated then placed his hand over hers and squeezed it tight. She blushed slightly at the contact, but was not worried about anyone else's opinion. They were alone in her sister's house, the new head quarters for the rebel group at Chantille's insistence of course. It was empty at the moment, the closes over for the day and the owner was away at a valuable meeting with some close supporters. She would always go to these alone, whispering as she kissed Taira goodbye,
"Their scared dear, to be seen to have anything to do with helping they Dascracht? Ultimate disgrace, so the less people that know the better."
They wandered through the small drawing room that served as their private offices and into the main room's. Filled with desks and writing paper, they served once to hold grand parties, now they were the classroom's. More and more wild Bui's were chipping in to help teach. The room beside these was where all the money they received was kept. Only Mayah had the key, as she was appointed chef accountant because of her skill with maths. With the money the rescued Bui's that were forced to be whores, children made to work in dusty mines for the entirety of their short lives, men chained up in the back room's of house beaten for entertainment and gambling purposes. All found a safe and loving home behind the closed wall's of Chantille's mansion. Everyday more and more Bui turned up on the doorstep. Each was allowed the choice to stay, and work teaching or on any skill they might choose, or to be sent away to Man-Yon, on their choosing, so they could continue with the work they had been born for, but with equal pay and proper working conditions. It quite an achievement for a young girl who hadn't even reached her sixteenth birthday yet and had only been armed with a dream.
"But Taira.." they had reached the courtyard now. A few toys lay scattered amongst the cobbles, but the children were down for their nap's so it too was deserted. "We are still not free, for every one we save another five will die never knowing what freedom means! Look at Saoirse and see in her every child that lives in this city," At the time of his words, Saoirse was up in her room, painting. She had discovered an exceptional talent and loved painting the evening light that shone on to her canvas. She still lived with Taira, but as most of her time was spent in the Mansion, she had been given a room. There, every so often, she would just leave and escape into a world entirely of her creation. By this stage, all were used to her sudden disappearances, and took them as normal routine.
With most of the Bui in the Ronth's estate absent for long periods of time, extra staff had been brought in to cover for them. Since they were barely around anyway, they were not missed, especially since her mother had developed a sudden allergy to them, and refused even to be on the same floor as them, it worked out perfect. Still, deep in her heart, she felt a stab of pain as she watched her mother's condition deteriorate. She never went anywhere any more, and had her drawing room converted into a chapel, where she spent long days praying. She claimed that she could hear the god's speaking to her, and there was many in the city that wished for her to be immortalised as a prophetess of the people. People even travelled miles to see her, but they were refused point blank by the new Mama, a mistress Garapt, who ruled the house with out much enthusiasm. She regarded Bui's and Taira as a kind of vermin, that would leave if you only ignored them.
Her birth sister was also a no show. After her second child had died at birth, she left Carama with Pipeth, and had gone to live in Man-Yon which had a more agreeable climate to bring a young child up in. Edric had stayed in Carama, which was where his social circle was, and also his business. He still helped Taira as much as he could with her work on war tactics, and had been invited into the rare circle. He was one of the people Taira actually knew about that Chantille was going to meet.
"She might not have been so lucky!" he continued, "Peaceful means will only get us so far. They only make things more comfortable while they await the final rebellion!"
"But Yorant, what if we loose? They will never let any of your people live! There will be incredible massacre's all over the city. Come on, you must understand what we are risking. It's not just your freedom, it's there lives," He caught her arm and stared angrily at her.
"if you wish to leave now, after we all we have achieved, so be it. But let me tell you this, the girl that leave's is not the Taira I know." She pulled her arm back impatiently and glared back at him.
"Don't be stupid! I want their freedom more then anyone..." he voice became soft, "You know that. I have not risked so much, if it was not for ultimate freedom, I just wish we could look at things level headily. The amount of lives we are risking makes sure there can be no escape. If we are to do it as the plan, we must stop teaching reading and speech and start on warfare. Some of the men will be able to help with that. Women and children as well. The Leader has been so desperate for workforce that he has been letting the Bui number's spiral out of control, we outnumber them almost twenty to one. We will easily beat them if we catch them while they are surprised... but we must act quick. We just need," she clicked her fingers irritably, "Something like a festival, or a street party, or something! Can you look up a way that we can generate one? IN the meantime," she stretched and yawned widely, " a am going to go to bed. I can barely keep my eyes open. Have the meeting organised for tomorrow lunch time? Oh and Yorant? Go to your own bed this time, there won't be assassins dropping out of the skies, that letter was just a hoax."
She reached up and kissed him on the cheek before going inside to the warmth of the house. From the spare room, she watched him see the sun set behind the hills, then waited for him to go inside before putting her ear to the door. There was the scraping of a chair on the landing the silence. She rolled her eyes then got into her Pj's and slipped under the sheets. There was no point in trying to give out to him, he'd stay there all night with or without her permission. She was sure he saw himself as her unofficial bodyguard. In her sleep she smiled as once more he reached for her and kissed her gently on the lips, his mouth just brushing her own. Then he drew back in fright, his eyes wide his lips pale and shaking. Behind him, a silver knife sliced into his back and he began to crumble, red blood dribbling out of his mouth, his eyes rolled heavenwards. She screamed.
She awoke and sat up suddenly. A light suddenly flashed in through the door, and flickered as it's holder raced towards the bed.
"Taira, are you OK?" It was Yorant, his hair messy, and his eyes looked like he hadn't got much sleep that night. She realised she had cried out in real life as well. She was still shaking after he had put the candle on her bedside and sat himself down on her bed. "You're shivering... what happened?" his tone was as scared as she felt, and she realised, not for the first time, that he wasn't a man yet and dealt with dreadful things like a scared child.
"I... I had a bad dream... it was awful," despite her vow always to stay strong, she began to cry. "oh Yorant..." she sobbed, but he hushed her and pulled her to her.
"There, there, you're OK now. Shush,"
A figure appeared at the door, carrying what looked like a small child, but through the tears in her eyes, she couldn't make out who it was. The figure said something softly, and Yorant just shook his head and went back to soothing her. After a minute the figure left , shutting the door behind it. Yorant began to rub her back in a circular motion and the tears stopped running. But she still felt terrified inside.
The dream was so real, so possible... If they kept this up, he might get killed. She closed her eyes and imagined not having him here. Not having his strength to lean on, when word of another torture attack had taken place. Not having his intelligence to rely on, when things seemed to be going no-where. No having his natural leadership, his bravery or his courage to treat those no-one else would touch. The sick and the dying which she could not go near, her up bringing giving her no training on how to deal with them, he invited them in and stayed up all night with them, tending to them and making them feel, on their last few nights on earth, safe and secure. She was only able to watch from doorways and marvel at him. Even now, when something as trivial as a dream had upset her, he still stayed awake until she was OK, even though he badly needed sleep himself.
She snuggled her head down, until she was buried in his arms completely. Enveloped by his smell, his soft touch, and his warmth. She could hear his heart beating beneath his bear chest and she loved how alive he was. How each muscle moved in sequence as he shifted to accommodate her comfortably in his arms. His chest moved rhythmically as he breathed in slowly and it calmed her. The calmer she grew, the more sleepy she was, but she began to fight it with the idea it might draw the dream back in her conscious. She broke away from him and stood up hurriedly, the iciness of the ground helping her keep awake.
"Taira? What on earth are you doing?"
"I have to... I have to keep awake, if I fall asleep... the dream..." she realised she was talking utter nonsense from the exhaustion, but her common sense was out ruled by fear. She began to pace up and down, but the more she moved, the more tired she seemed to get until she almost fell asleep on her feet and Yorant had to run and catch her.
"Look... what if I sleep in here tonight? If you dreamed it again I'll be straight with you, how is that?" she had tried to fight her body and was loosing rapidly. Her brain was cashing checks that her legs couldn't afford and her arms were beginning to fall into bankruptcy. Safe in his arm's, she could do anything but nod and fall gratefully back to bed.
Curled in the warmth of her blankets, she opened one eye and saw him settle down at the couch at the end of the bed. On the floor beside him a soft glow emitted from the candle he had taken from her bedside. A sudden wrench made her realise how bad it was to let him loose an entire nights sleep. She wondered about inviting him in, like she used to do with Saoirse, but she felt her feelings run up against a huge barrier. He was a Bui, she was Ban, even if the revolution took place... and they won, there would still never be a place for them. She sighed and he poked his head up to check if she was all right. She faked sleep and turned over gently on her side. She fell into a deep, exhausted dreamless sleep, and wasn't awoken until morning by Saoirse terrific yells.
Her eyes flew open and when she registered the look of horror on Saoirse's face something clicked in her brain. She looked in vain down the end of her bed but he was gone. Her worst fears had come true... She leapt out of bed as fast as she could manage, owing to the fact her limbs weren't up and moving yet. Saoirse face was pale with woe. Her eyes were red from crying and her hands kept twisting her skirt un-knowledgeably.
"Saoirse..." Taira bit her lip. Did she really want to know? Did she really want the news that her dream was a proclamation, that it had actually come true? Couldn't she just run now, and leave it all behind? But her young ward's face told a different story. She was depending on her, Taira was sure she had run for her the moment she had heard the news. She was wasting away as she stood and was dying for some strength. She took a deep breath. "What happened?"
"It's... she's... she's dead..." tears began to stream down her face, but she didn't make any sound. Her body was rigid like a post stuck into the ground. Drops of blood fell from her lip and Taira realised she was biting it to stop from screaming. The girl was in so much agony, so much pain, yet she couldn't even touch her, even to offer one piece of comfort was beyond her abilities. She could only stand and watch. If she touched her, she was worried the child might break, shatter into a million pieces at the shock of the touch in her personal space. Behind her eyes she was battling a huge war, and the tiniest movement might upset the outcome.
So, they stood in silence. Until Saoirse found enough strength to speak.
"Chantille... she never returned from her meeting. Her carriage was attacked, and she was killed... they haven't found the driver," and that was all it took for everything to come piling out. Taira caught her and let her sob in her arms, squeezing the young girl as tight as her strength would allow, yet she wasn't able to cry herself. Not one tear fell down her bone dry cheeks. She wasn't even trying to be strong, she just... wasn't able to bring herself to cry. There was nothing inside to cry with, just a huge empty gap. A vortex, pulling all good things down inside it's endless expanse. In her numbness, she couldn't even call up a picture of Chantille, there was nothing but endless black. She patted Saoirse on the head, until the child was able to pull herself back together, enough anyway to walk down the stair's without collapsing into sobs.
They reached the end of the stairs and stepped out in to the hall, where the occupants of the house had gathered. Children everywhere where sniffing and crying. Adults stood firm, but tears leaked out of the corners of their eyes. Some had completely thrown dignity aside in the face of such tragedy and had simply thrown themselves down into a sobbing little heap. At the very top of the group stood Mayah, Patya and Yorant. Mayah was weeping into a small handkerchief and Patya was patting her back awkwardly, trying to hold back the tears himself. Yorant was just staring into space, a slight frown on his face. Saoirse pushed through the crowd which broke apart to let her pass. Taira followed dreamily, unable to register the grief on the people's aces. When she reached the top of the group, Mayah ran forward to hug her, but she could only hug back and was unable to join in with her weeping. When she had broken away to hug Saoirse who was matching Mayah with wails, she went to stand beside Yorant. He reached down and squeezed her hand, but she couldn't make out why he had done this.
She stared back towards the crowd... But how could she say anything. She wasn't even sure if she was "she" anymore. If there is nothing inside you, how can you actually be you? She looked over at Yorant and there was pleading in his eyes. She looked down at his hand, which was still clutched to her open one, but she didn't feel like moving her fingers to offer him support.
"Please Taira..." it was barely a whisper, and reached her ear's like it had to be carried on a breeze to survive any chance of hearing. He was begging her now, and she couldn't respond. She could only stare at him, as gradually all the love she had for him, faded and vanished. So too did the love for her sister, now gone. Saoirse, mearly a name in a thousandth.
She could feel the fingers of his hand rubbing here's, yet she could only stand stony face and feel it. Gradually, a bubble floated to the surface and, hesitating a little, stopped. She pulled her hand away from his and turned right around, to find herself block by the glass doors. In the reflections, hundreds of faces stared directly at her, but she couldn't deal with it. She went for the handle but found it stuck. Another bubble burst, then another. She felt like she was going to explode if she didn't escape.
She looked passed the faces, to see her reflection floating in the mid morning sky. Then she leapt.
For a minute it seemed the entire world was made up of pieces of shattered glass, reflecting back and forth the sunlight and the sad eyes.
She hit the ground with a bump and found she was in no pain in the slightest. She could hear shouts behind her, but they meant nothing. She tested her legs and found she could stand quite easily. All that ached after the initial shock, was her cheek which seemed to be covered in a warm liquid. She grasped one of the shards of glass lightly, then ran.
Her feet at first crunching on glass, then softer, on the light morning grass, she raced across the green until she was faced with the hill of flowers.
"Chantillian's," her sister had laughed on one of their walks, Taira pushing her in her ornate wheelchair, "He thinks they are as pretty as me," she then sighed and picked one, "How I love him Taira. I have no idea what I would ever do without him. He is as special as the Sky and sea. Without him Carama is just a small village at the edge of the world."
She grasped the glass more tightly, until her hand dripped red. But there was no pain. Inside she felt like she was fizzing, so many bubble's rising up were rising up now she felt like she might pop..
"So this is what you look like all grown up... such a lady. But in those eyes, what secret's do you hide my dear? I would dearly like to see what makes you tick,"
The flowers kept blowing, unaware their namesake had gone, unaware that this was not a day for flowers to grow so prettily bright in the ground. She held the glass low and began to slice their heads off one by one.
Slash, This one was for her mother, thinking nothing of her but a gossiped.
Slash, This was for that whore in the coffee shop trying to use her.
Slash, That was for the cart man, for taking away the sue of her legs.
Slash, Slash, Slash, Slash, These are for me. With my stupid pursuit of freedom.
The tears were flowing now, but she couldn't stop, they all had to die. The stood as a memory, Taira would never want to remember again. Hack, Slash, Cut. One by one, the flowers fell. Falling onto the ground, no longer majestic but pathetic. Limp and weak, they served no memories now. The last head fell with a small flutter of it's petals, and Taira found herself down at the end of the hill, the street running along side her. She remembered how she had run when Ibacht had died, her eyes so blurred with tears, she hadn't been able to make out the yellow on the ground and her feet had been sore for a week afterwards. That had been in his memory, now it was time for her memory to be honoured.
The all must Die, now so must I. The last bubble burst bringing the clearest thought she had had since she woke up. It was her fault, and while her heart was turning to stone, the last realisation stood out clear and raw red. My Fault... She had died because of her. Her own little sister had set in line the actions that had led to her death. It wasn't Yorant, who she had so stupidly protected, but Chantille. She could see the dream more clearly now, away from the smothering heat of her room. It was Yorant's face, but those fiercely intelligent eyes could belong to only one other... She had watched her sister's death. Her breath caught in her throat and she swayed a little. Up at the top of the hill, she heard a sudden shout and looked up. A figure stood, his back to the house peering down at her. She looked down at her bloodied hand, still clutching the knife and again, she ran.
Her feet didn't feel the stones, just like the last time. See! She yelled at Chantille in her mind, All for you! Her house loomed, large and dark and empty, Over her head a slight drizzle had begun to fall, wetting her head, but she paid it now heed. Nor did she pay any more to the house. She by[passed it completely and headed over to the forest. She hadn't been in it since Yorant, but it offered the quickest path to the stables. It was a Holy day, and it would be devoid of souls.
The leaves crackled under her feet, but they were damp and some just squelched. Her light silk slippers were beginning to soak up water, and were holding her back for she couldn't run as fast in them. She hopped and took one off, then the other. The forest floor was wet, cold and slimy, but she had better grip with bare soles.
Her chest was heaving by the time she had reached the deserted stable courtyard. She took a deep breath and then another. The cold of the air settling her lungs so the breathed normally. No more bubbles were rising anymore and the light rain did nothing to aggravate her. Looking at the shard in her hand, a great calm spread over her. This was a clarity of sorts so she grasped it gratefully. She walked across the cobbles, feeling the wetness beneath her soles, the roughness of the badly worn soles. Everything seemed so real, like they someone was holding up a giant magnifying glass and focusing it's lens just on her. Every movement she made, she realised. The rippling as muscle twisted to bare the movement, the swish of hair as she moved her head, the click in her fingers if she moved them in this direction, then that.
Her dress, sticking to her legs from moisture, felt cold and wickedly smooth. It was barely a night-dress, but she felt none of the temperature outside. She walked silently, it swaying on her ankles, inside the fourth barn. Inside horses whined, and stamped there feet. Great clouds of steam billowed out from their nostrils and some kicked the door in a bid for attention. She saw them as foreign animals, and touched them like a child would, full of innocent wonder. Up on the wall, she saw the trophies as they were, tarnished and brassy, fake and tatty, only held in wonder because of their symbol. Everything held a symbol. The row of horse shoes, some falling to bits with rust were symbols of generations of winning horses, yet they also held the past. A past where her mother had once attended every horse race, and rode proudly every day, a past where her father knew all the hidden forest paths off by heart and would take his princess-like wife on long walks through the grounds. In the glade where Ornent had professed his love, perhaps she had been conceived there, in the beauty of the surroundings he had held his wife and called to her, stroking her back like Yorant did. Maybe she had massaged him in turn, laughing at his little jokes, and pouring him out glasses of red wine. All in the past. Up in the dark house, a lonely women was lost in it, living on blue spirits and calling out to the children she had lost.
Taira would never be like that. She vowed it on the horse-shoes then walked to the end of the stable and pushed open the wall. She could hear footsteps on the cobbles, and shut the door hurriedly. She walked past a stretch of dark passage and stepped into the room. The beds were eaten with rot now, and the torches were just blackened sticks. No-one used the room anymore, not since they had moved to Chantille's.
Chantille... She felt a lump in her throat but ignored it. Emotion was no good t her now. She raised her bloodied hand, the shard still intact and braced herself. A creak as someone opened the door and the realisation it would be now or never.
"Goodbye," she whispered then plunged it towards her heart. The glass flickered from the whiteness of her dress and seemed to glow as it made it's way seamlessly towards her body. She felt no fear, everything had fallen into place a long time ago, this was what must happen.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" He cried and someone as quick as a shadow darted in front of the knife and caught it in his arm. She screamed and let go of the instrument, but it held fast in Yorant's arm. He winced and pulled it out slowly, before letting it drop harmlessly to the ground. On impact it shattered, and lay like pieces of fallen ice. She could only stare, and watched him rip his shirt to tie a bandage around his arm, which was bleeding profusely. It quickly soaked through and she realised how red it was. She then looked at her own hand, which was still dripping. The pain began to spread across her wrist and fast, like heat in spread down the ends of her fingers. She began to scream as the blood dripped towards the sharp ice on the ground. It pooled around the shards and died them the colour of despair.
He reached over to her and held her tight with his one remaining arm. But she couldn't stop screaming. The pain was white hot now and didn't seem to want to let up. More footsteps and Mayah burst into the room, but she was hardly able to register the women's presence. The more she screamed the less she had to think about, the less of it actually seemed real. The more she screamed, the better it made everything feel. She wasn't sure how long she stood, tight against Yorant's body, her lungs burning.
The rest of the night was a blur. She was led white faced into the kitchen where someone bandaged her hand, and another fed her a hot drink, she couldn't even tell what it tasted like if asked. The steps seemed like a mountain, which Yorant climbed with her. She couldn't let anyone else touch her, and so he stayed with her, though as white as a sheet. He led her into her sitting room, though he hesitated outside where she slept. If she noticed this, she didn't falter and kept moving holding his hand tight.
Inside she was about to climb into bed, but her night dress was wet and cold and was splattered with blood and edged with mud and the juice from the flowers. It had to come off, and she began to pull it over her head. He turned, but she pulled him back. She couldn't let him leave, he was her life line. She stood there, completely naked and waited for him to lead her towards the bed. He seemed to shake all over, before he took her hand and allowed her to climb beneath the warm sheets. Her mind was mercifully blank so she slept peacefully.
The next day was much the same as the evening, as was the rest of the month. She stayed in bed for much of it and slept, venturing out on Yorant's arm only when it was dark. Her mother hadn't been informed of any of it, but instead spent much of the day asleep, under the influence of the new doctor's tonic. She put on a fresh night-gown when he came to visit her. He clicked his tongue irritably when he saw Yorant sitting on the bed beside her, but said nothing towards it, having been warned in advance by the cook, how easy it was to replace doctors. So he just looked at her hand, and re-bandaged it. He also took a look at Yorant's arm, which was very green and swollen by the end of the day. He pronounced it infected, from some substance on the knife. Taira unhappily realised it was the sap from the Chantillian's that had caused the infected, but he just squeezed her good hand and shook his head, indicating that it was all right.
At night fall, they went for a short walk around the house. It was silent, but she liked it like that. All the shutters were closed, and the flower bed's were in need of a good wedding, but when the last gardener had left, no-one had got around to hiring a new one. Her father's last visit, which had been fleeting, entailed him arriving late at night, falling asleep in a chair in the library and leaving early next morning. There was rumours that he had a mistress, but Taira couldn't blame him. Who would want to spend any time here. Scarcely one year had passed, and already It's grandeur had been lost. She shuddered beside the whither rose patch, through once she had snuck through, and turned her head away. Yorant, fearing the worst, held her tight around the waist and guided her back inside and up the stairs to bed. She hadn't the heart to tell him it was nothing, and mearly allowed herself to be led. However in the mirror at the other end of the hall to her bedroom door, she stopped and stared. She could see the badly healed gash on her left cheek, and the paleness of her skin. Dark circle's ran underneath her eyes, which were devoid of life and happiness. She looked like a godless one out of her books, forced to wander alone without joy or comfort. She felt a bit like one too, the well still deep within her, though she could call up a picture of Chantille's face easily now. How she looked, being carried pout the door, the smile on her mouth and the twinkle in her eye's.
"Their scared dear, to be seen to have anything to do with helping they Dascracht? Ultimate disgrace, so the less people that know the better." As she had kissed her goodbye, smelling of powder and her own unique scent, Chantillian's of course.
She gripped his arm tight.
"What did you do with the flowers?" she whispered. He hesitated, then simply said.
"The gardener's cleaned them up, there will be a new crop next year without fail." He seemed almost frightened about how she would react, but instead her face burst into a true smile.
"That's perfect. She wouldn't have minded... would she?" He was silent, then shook his head and guided her towards her bed, freshly made by the maids.
"You better try to get some sleep now, or I'll be up to my neck in it, when Mayah and Amira come up." She giggled then settled into the covers, leaning her back against the cushions. He smiled and then went to the door with a promise that he would be in, in just a minute.
They arrived shortly afterwards, Amira bearing a tray of toast and hot chocolate. She placed them carefully on the bedside table and stood up, pulling her skirt straight. Mayah had instantly hugged Taira as she rushed in and was sitting at the edge of the bed, tears wetting the corner of her eyes. Amira just stood very still beside the tray, her mouth very thin and white. Inside the bed, feeling very uncomfortable, she looked for Yorant, but he had left. The cook noticed her eyes and her lips became even whiter, and almost disappeared into her face.
"What are you doing? There's no point in looking for him, I've decided it isn't proper for you to have him in your room. You may be all for the rights of the Bui, and I understand that, really I do. But I'm old, my time has passed long ago. Look what this rebelling is doing to you. Chantille, Ibacht, and countless other's that you don't know of, all dead because you insist on pursuing this disgraceful dream. It isn't the way to go, you must be careful and edge the rules slowly, it may not be in your time, and perhaps not even in your children's, but they will one day walk among you as equals, without the bloodshed of a war." She moved closer and bent down over her head, so their faces were mear inches apart. "This almost killed you Taira. I almost lost you, please leave it. The domestic rule was a big step... We can d it through those means." her face pleaded with Taira, begging her to see sense. But she wouldn't, at least not the sense she wanted. She remembered the conversation with Yorant, and knew what had to be done.
"Um, Amira? I don't think she is really strong enough for this," Mayah looked worried, "Perhaps we should leave it till later?" she looked towards Taira now, her eyes full of concern, Amira's looked almost identical, and Taira realised something major was up. "This letter arrived for you..." she placed the brown coloured enveloped between the sheets, then stood. "Read it, then get some rest." She bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead, "We'll talk in the mourning," she left with Amira walking behind her. At the door, the old cook hesitated and looked back. There was only love in her eyes and Taira immediately forgave her for her beliefs.
She lay back against the cushions and reached for the letter. It was smooth to touch and easy to open. Inside the note paper was yellow, with a small flower up in the corner, a lone Chantillian. Her heart stopped as she stared down at the signature. ~ Chantille. Tentatively she began to read.
My Dearest Sister,
If you receive this letter, it means I have already made my pathway to the stars, to be with Ibacht. If I know you, you ill have lost most of the beliefs to carry close to your heart, you will not grieve me, but rather, will invert yourself so much, you will loose most of what is you. Please, don't let this happen to you, not over me. I loved you so dear, I can barely breath to speak of it, and I would never want you to be hurting over me. Please, continue you with what you believe in, you know I believe in the fight and the cause.
All my love,
~ Chantille.
Two tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the paper, smudging the curling lilac handwriting. She angrily wiped the rest away with the back of her hand. She had no time for crying, It was time to plan a war, no... not a war, a revolution. War's were caused by fights between great men in seats of great power, revolutions were caused by the people against great injustices. And Chantille wanted it...
She pulled back the covers and stepped uncertainly out of her bed and towards the cold, murky darkness of her sitting room. She passed through silently, noting the rumpled blanket over the couch. She picked it up and inhaled, breathing in the deep smell of Yorant. She smiled and ventured outside the door to find him sitting on the ground, back to the wall. He looked shocked to see her, but she just shook her head and, holding one hand, raised him to his feet.
"We have a revolution to plan,"
The next month passed in whirlwind of preparations. Bui from all over Man-Yon were called back for training. But it was not soppy, army type training, it was guerrilla warfare of the highest standard. The learned how to leap off high roofs and not be harmed, how to creep in shadows and never once be detected. They were taught in the use of, not gun's, but sticks and stones. How to find a weapon among the rubbish in the streets, when none was readily available. They used no uniforms, had no rank. They knew only of the people in their own group, and knew nothing of who was leading whom. Side by side, children and women, as well as men, they were loyal only to each other, and the cause, the true fight, the fight their ancestor's had first started by the banks of the great oasis. The trained constantly through the days, and they became good. They knew how to recognise a cart filled with valuable supplies, and those that were filled with shoulder's, which were few and far between. Carama, had lain quiet for more then a hundred years. It had grown soft and comfortable in the peace. It's army had been halved, and didn't look at criminal activity too closely. Al ban were linked by their hatred to the Bui, who were about to take advantage of their master's laxity.
Throughout the months, Taira worked tirelessly. Her hand healed slowly, as with Yorant's arm, and both were left with deep red scar's. These instantly identified them at any secret gathering, though few knew their real names. They were known simply as Tamoire, (the love of the God's) or the Chosen One's. They passed discretely between meeting place to meeting place, hiding their faces in case any were caught and "questioned" and many were. The government may have grown fat, but it still kept it's ear to the ground in any sudden change in Bui pattern. Taira had spent more then one occasion, hidden in an alley outside the door's of a Soldiers house, awaiting the captured Bui's departure. They were never killed, a slave was worth big money, and they couldn't go around slaughtering living gold mine's. So, they picked them up from where they had fallen and brought back quickly to a house, where they could b nursed back to health. Many of whom they caught, told them nothing. They had nothing to say. " I jump off roof's" is hardly a reason to suspect treason, but even so, they were much more careful in planning meeting places.
Time passed, and Taira spent less and less time at home, a place she found cold and depressing. Her father was never there anymore, and Edric preferred to meet in caf? As did she. She never spoke to her mother any more, and came home only to grab a few hours of safe sleep, with Yorant at watch by the door. However, one day she returned home and her mother was sitting in the hall, waiting for her.
"My dear! How lovely to see you looking so well," she went over and kissed her on both cheeks. Yorant slipped out of sight. "Oh my darling, I am dreadfully sorry I wasn't well over the last few month's, but it will change, you will see! When you bring your beloved here, it will brighten this old place up no end. And don't worry about the flower's outside dear, I hired two new gardener's to work on them, and they should be beautiful in no time,"
"Mother..." she attempted.
"Oh, I know, I know, you dress! Well, while you were out socialising, I bought a lovely one for you. The height of fashion too, here you must come and see it." She took Taira's arm and began to lead her into the drawing room. In the corner of her eye, she saw Yorant slip out of the shadows and over to the drapes beside the door. It was done so quickly, her addled mother didn't notice.
They entered the drawing room, which was bereft of parrot cages, and stuffed ornaments, but instead was housed with more then a dozen cat's, stretched around on various cushion's and eyeing her suspiciously.
"There it is dear, what do you think?" it was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It's red lacy sleeves flowed eloquently down the dress maker's dummy's sides. The bodice was the same scarlet red, stitched with yellow flowers. The skirt was long and silky, trimmed with lace. Her mother may have lost her sense of reasoning, but never her sense of fashion and taste. She turned towards her, a mixture of confusion and wonder across her face.
"but... mother? What is it for?"
"My dear, don't be silly it's for your Choosing of course!"
Taira finally got to speak to Yorant up in her bedroom. He appeared behind the door as she walked in. She pretended not to be frightened, but her skin had prickled a little to see him just appear like that. He really was the master of that technique, though he had explained it was a Bui speciality, like the language.
"Good... I need to talk to you," He nodded and sat on a chair beside the door. His pool like eyes watching her every move. She eventually sat on the bed, and faced him. "Did you hear what my mother said? It means she is a little better at the moment. It also means, I will not be able to continue for the next week or so." He looked puzzled and she sighed. "Look, my Choosing is a big deal! Most girls count off the day's, but I didn't even notice the time passing, I was so caught up with planning. I need to do this. I must pick a beloved, or I will be forced to leave my mother's house." She brushed her hair back behind her ears and groaned at his expression. "I will pick a suitable one, I promise... Everyone will be there, it's just a minor set back. You can survive without me for one week?" she leaned over and touched his arm gently. He just nodded and walked out the door. Left alone, she curled up on the bed and tried to think. All her thoughts were so jumbled. How many of the men she had met on business would make a good beloved? They were all loyal to the cause, and would not mind her strange hours and habit's... but none, none even came close to Yorant. He who watched her every second of the day, was her only real friend, for Amira had once again turned her back on her, and Mayah spent the days nursing children. How could she not pick him? Yet, how could she... a Bui and a Ban? It wasn't just traitorous, yet, there had to be one small way for it to happen. One tiny thing, that would make it all right, yet nothing came to mind.
Then she realised something. The tiniest of loopholes, yet it must work, it had too... for her soul.
The days, although bereft from actual contact with Yorant, passed quickly in a haze of half sighting's. Dress rehearsal's dinner plan's, guest list. This would be the biggest Choosing in history, and if she had her way, the most remarkable. For the most time, she actually enjoyed the glimpses of normal life. Her mother had cheered up immensely, once Saluna had returned home, the walking Pipeth dragged behind her. The years in Man-yon had not improved him the slightest, and he was still the nasty little brat he had been as a baby. "To help my mother prepare the choosing," she had announced once she entered the hall, "I know my lazy baby sister won't be doing much work" she had said, kissing the fuming Taira on both cheeks. Still, her return wasn't as bad as she had expected. She seemed to enjoy being in charge of things, and settled happily into the work. Taira only spoke to her once, on a matter of the servants.
"Bui," she had announced firmly, "It has to be, to show off how wealthy we are. We can borrow some spare ones from the stables if we don't have enough in the house," with such a clever argument, her sister was stumped.
The night before, she lay, once again, staring up at the ruffles of her canopy. But this time, she wasn't alone.
"Hello," she called out into the darkness, and he appeared beside her bed. "Did you get the job?"
"Yes, I'll be able to keep an eye on you more easily there," She nodded, "Good luck," he added, before slipping away.
Taira once again felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to flutter rapidly. This has to work, it just has to...
The morning arrived, fresh and clear. Taira dressed quickly and arrived down stairs to see her sister ordering things about with a confidence she had never seen before, expressed on her face. She was about to sneak down to the kitchen when she shrieked out from her position in the hall.
"Taira! I know the party isn't starting until mid-day, but would it trouble you to greet guests until such time as it does start?" she nodded sulkily, and took up her position at the door. After one hour, the names and faces began to blur together, and she was unable to even recognise one familiar face, though she was sure there were dozen's. Her cheeks had also begun to ache from so much smiling, and she was glad when her mother called her into the main dining room.
"I am proud to present, My daughter!" there was a thunderous applause, but she just curtsied mutely, a blush rising fast towards her cheeks. She was led towards the centre of the room, where an altar, with steps all around had been set up. She was brought up to the top and gazed around, shocked by the sheer amount of people crammed in. All were young boy's, though a few were old bachelor's trying their luck. She could see Ev, standing by the drinks table, his nose red, and bottle of Thacht in his unsteady hand. Miroque stood beside, the passing time had done nothing to improve his rat like features. Her eyes passed over a dozen familiar faces, each as unworthy as the next. The room was filled with a suffocating hush, and she found every eye staring at her, very unnerving. Finally she found him. A white shirt and black pants covering his fine muscles. He carried a tray in one hand and was bowing to a lady.
She began to run towards him, as tradition enforced. The people began to break apart, some whooping as the drinks did their work. She passed hundreds of eager faces and soon felt her face grow hot with the thought that he might have moved, until a gaggle of smartly dressed boys moved away and there he was. She threw herself at him hugged him. They broke a little apart, but not loosening their grip. His eyes were filled with releif as he bent and kissed her, his hair tickling the scar on her cheek. It was just like the dream, except better. She could recall some novel or other that she had read which stated a first kiss was like lightening, with this it was like the entire sky had exploded. They broke away, but did not take their eyes off one another. It was only then they noticed the crowd
What was once a shocked silence, became a sudden roar of anger. It rained down on them, the people nearest to them pulling and tearing at their clothes. She tried to hang tight to him, but someone was pulling her away. She screamed his name as he was swallowed up by the crowd and everything grew black.
She awoke suddenly to see her mother beside her, holding her hand and looking worried at the doctor across from the bed, packing away what looked like a needle.
"Have you given her too much?" she asked her attention totally towards the short little thin man, who had nasty habit of cracking his finger's.
"No I haven't, see she has awoken already, and you do agree it was for the best."
"Oh Taira," she cried, ignoring the doctor, " I was so worried. The doctor here says you were sick, but you'll get better very soon and that you can have another choosing,"
"NO!" she yelled and sat up, "I don't want another one, I like who I chose!"
"But he's a Bui.."
"I don't care! I love him mother," she hissed, "He is better then any of the Ban I have met,"
"It's against the churches teachings,"
"damn the church and the God's, they are nothing but liar's and cheat's." Her mother went completely white, and she began to shake.
"Don't say that... it was an accident, please... You don't mean it," she added, looking over at the doctor, who seemed almost grotesquely pleased.
"I do, I mean every word of it, It killed Ibacht and Chantille. Mother, can't you see? It is all a scam! It wasn't the god's that created Carama, it was the Bui's. We just stole it off them," Her mother looked like she was about to faint and the doctor had disappeared, leaving his case behind. Taira felt out of breath. She knew what she said was treason, punishable by death, but what was the use of life without Yorant? The doctor soon returned with two of the churches henchmen, dressed completely in white, she couldn't see their faces as they dragged her out of bed and pulled her towards the door. Her mother fainted and the doctor just stood, keeping the door open.
"Taira of Ronth, you deserved this. You needed to be taught a lesson. All that behaviour with the Bui, what did you expect to happen? A happy ending?" he laughed. She could hear his laughter echoed around the house as she was marched out of the door and into a chariot of the Priests. It ran on wheels, luxury only priests were allowed. A message from their false god's, who lorded over the skies and demanded blood sacrifices of the traitor's and non-believers.
She spent the night in a cold, stone cell. She had nothing but a pile of straw to sleep in, and the screams of the tortured as a twisted lullaby. She was awoken the next morning by the growls of the priest's wardens. They stopped at her cell and opened it with the clank of keys. They pulled her out of the cell and pushed her along the corridor. Through the barred cell's she could see other's, a fire in their eyes, but blood dripping from their bodies. They would stand up for their beliefs, but they would die. A few she recognised, but none even looked at her. To show any sort of emotion towards her, might sign her death warrant, if it had not already been signed.
She was brought into the main floor of the temple, and subjected to a farce of a trial that lasted less then thirty minutes and was punctuated by her mother's sobbing. Her father had actually made it, but his stony face offered little hope. Another's did. In the shadows, to the right of the door, Yorant stood, a long dark cloak covering most of his face apart from his eyes, which glittered, as the sentence was passed by a fat old judge who seemed more interested in the bottle in his desk, then passing real justice.
"Death, to be sacrificed to the God's. next case, and for god's sake fetch me a new bottle of the good stuff, this is more like pig swill then Thacht."
She was walked back to her cell, with Yorant flashing in and out of the shadows, not fully appearing until they were quite alone.
"It's to be Public," he said, pulling down the hood of his cowl and staring at her. She nodded and approached the bars. Though his face was blank, his eyes hid a year of unspoken passion. "Why?" it was simple, but asked a thousand different question's.
"Why not? I can't forget my heart, I may be a God's pawn, but I'm still me..." He reached past the bar's and stroked her face, his hands were coarse and warm.
"For your heart, you will die, did you think of that?" She placed her own hand on top of his.
"What is life worth, without the one who you were destined to, even if it is cruel fate that tradition doesn't allow for destiny," a single tear slid down her cheek, but she ignored it.
"Can it help, that I don't want you to die?" he was usually in such control of his emotions, but he looked like he was losing the battle in the face of such adversity. She just watched him, then looked up suddenly as a faint clank of keys echoed in the distance. He quickly moved forward and kissed her hard on the lips. "I know to love you, is a treason against all beliefs, but not to love you, is a treason against my heart," he then pulled up his cloak and disappeared back to the shadow's.
"Then we will both die treacherous," she whispered after the dark shape, unsure if he heard it.
She spent the rest of the day leaning against the wall, unable to think. No-one visited her, not even to bring her food, but she was glad of the privacy. It made her feel calm and content, and she was able to visualised every touch Yorant had made.
They came for her early in the mourning, judging by the light outside when she left the temple for the last time. a huge crowd had gathered for the first public sacrifice since the civil wars.
She was led up the steps outside the temple, where the ancient altar stood. It was said to be carved out of the very rock that Gods had been born on. She was dressed in a simple white dress, like the ones she had so loathed as a child. She began to shiver, not from fright, but from the winds that blew around the Top of the great temple. When she turned around she was amazed by the crowd. Most were shouting for her blood, but a few here and there were silent... here and there? Everywhere, pockets of Bui stood, faces serious and grim. She realised what was about to happen and felt a sudden burst of happiness, she wasn't going to die in vain.
The priest pulled her back and pushed her over the altar until she lay prostate in the great slab. He smiled crookedly, his great mass of greasy hair whipped back off his face. In the early morning light he looked like a skull. How appropriate... She thought. He yelled to the Gods in the same evil language she had first heard in the temple, and raised the slender ornate knife. The trick was to cut her neck, so the blood would run into the dish and please the cruel masters.
He sliced her arm first, to test if it was sharp enough. A botched sacrifice was worse then death for a priest. It had to be very precise. It sliced cleaned through and he raised it again, it's ivory handle stained from the millions of people it had slaughtered in Carama's history.
A great roar rose out of the crowd, but it wasn't one of anger, but that of fear. The priest looked angrily down and grew frightened. Screams began to rise up to Taira and she strained her head to look down, her neck being held by the priest's hand. She could se the flurries of yellow in the crowd. They're doing it... A figure suddenly rose out of the terrified masses and began to run up the stairs.
"Yorant," she cried, unable to help herself. The priest spat and dragged her up to his chest. Yorant reached the altar but stalled as he raised the knife to her neck.
"Dascracht," he screeched before sticking the knife deep within her chest. He ran leaving her fall, but Yorant was quicker and caught her before she fell, the blood already staining the dress. She coughed and tried to smile, but couldn't remember quite how it went. Her chest was burning, and her lungs were on fire as they tried to get oxygen in. Alarm bells were ringing inside her and things were beginning to shut down. Yorant desperately pulled her hair away from the wound and began to stroke her face.
"Taira, don't leave me... please, don't do this. I love you, I can't survive without you... please..." he pleaded with her, as the tears ran down his face and mixed with the pooling blood.
"Tell them who they are," she whispered, her hand on the little golden chain around her neck. "As you have told me..."
Down below, the fierce fighting was just beginning throughout the streets. Ambushes raced through the cobbles and the market place was a mass of blood. Up on the temple top, buffeted by the wind, Taira died.
Review