Saarebas - "The Dangerous Thing"

Chapter 4:

This was my third day with the Ashkaari, Scribe. My fear must have been easy to spot because once were alone she did all she could to put me at ease, telling me all about herself. As I'd suspected, she'd gotten her nickname for her ability to fully read and write Qunlat. I asked her to demonstrate and she did to perfection. I knew the kind of dedication that took, and I admired her for it. When she asked about me, I feel all over myself trying to. My stammers kept getting in the way. At one point, she rested her hand on my shoulder and told me to breath. Scribe sent to the healers for something to calm my nerves and I drank it down greedily, eager for my composure to be restored. Whatever it was, it burned going down and had a warming effect on me. Whatever it had been, it had a secondary effect on me. Before I knew it My eyelids grew heavy and Scribe had to assist me to my bed. I was nodding off even before the covers were over me. I was much more comfortable around her on the second day after she introduced me to her co-workers; however, we couldn't put of the reason for my visit any longer. We stood in a room with tables, plants, and many leather-bound books.

"Whistler, can you please look over this crop and tell me if it's the same one that you planted."

I did so.

"Scribe, there's no way that I can be sure. It certainly is the same type, but it's been too long, and when I placed the seedling in the ground there was nothing to distinguish it from the others."

Her smile reached her eyes, and, despite my nerves, I returned it.

"Smart boy. But I assure you, it is the plant that was given to us from your field. We've run tests on the soil, seeds, and produce itself, but they all match that of other plants. Nothing about this one is remarkable or worthy of comment. The only difference is this one came into maturity in days as opposed to weeks."

There were other plants of the same variety beside it. Then I took a closer look. Scribe was wrong, there was another difference between them.

"My plant seems greener than the others."

"Mayflower was right about you, you're far sharper than other boys of your age. Yes, I wanted to see if you could spot that as well."

"I won't be a boy forever. Soon I'll be a man under Qunari Law."

"Yes, soon, but not just yet. I'd like to go over every step you took when interacting with this plant. There must be something that we can learn."

We tried, but how can you go over something that was so unimportant at the time? I told her as much but she insisted that we at least try. She kept at it. The day ended but we were no closer to solving the mystery than we'd been at the start of it. I went to sleep that night feeling like I'd let her down.

Now on day three she and I were back in the fields. I was showing her, under the supervision of Mayflower, how I plant seedlings.

"So then I dig a shallow hole and make sure to carefully cover it back up, remembering not to press too hard. A little water but not directly on the plant, then it's time to move on to the next one."

Scribe turned to Mayflower. "And this is all standard practice?"

She nodded. "Yes, and he's doing everything perfectly."

"Show me again."

And so I did, again, and again, and again… Soon, I forgot that both she and my teacher were watching. I began to relax and with my composure returned the music. I whistled a tune I'd heard two birds singing back and forth to each other.

"Now I see where you got your name from, Whistler. You're quite adept with your mimicry."

For her benefit., I let her hear a few others. The day stretched on into the evening. As we walked back for dinner I asked Scribe if I could sit with friends. I wanted to see Nimble.

"We were in the same class together. Can I please, or do we need to talk more?"

The smile on her face was indulgent. "No. By all means, sit with your friends."

I raced through the line and back towards the tables. Nimble made room for me when he saw me coming.

"Causing trouble again, Whistler? What's this I hear about you already getting re-educated by an Ashkaari?"

"How's that story already spread?"

He chuckled. "How hasn't it? Word is you're some sort of horticultural genius. What I don't understand is if you're so good at your job, then why are the Ashkaari taking you away from it?"

"Whoever your sources are, they've got it wrong. I'm only the one that planted this miracle plant. The Ashkaari, Scribe, is having me go over everything that I did, but so far we've had no luck. So much for my horticultural genius."

"Cheer up, everyone has an off day. If you can't wow them with your botany skills, let them hear that magical gift of yours: your whistle."

"They did and the Ashkaari was impressed. Maybe I'll get re-educated just for my musical skills alone. And you? How are your successes?"

"Nowhere near yours, I can assure you of that. The Ben-Hassrath training can be exhausting. I'm still learning. I envy you your work."

"I'm sure in a year's time I'll say the same thing to you."

"I doubt it!"

We finished our meal together and I rejoined both Mayflower and Scribe.

"Was that your friend?"

"Nimble? Yes, he's learning the ways of the Ben-Hassrath."

"That is a very important role in the Qun, but no more so than that of Athlok. We all have a part to play."

"I know Scribe. I'm happy with the role I'm in."

"Yes, I can see that when you work. Do you always whistle like that?"

"It helps to pass the time."

"I suppose it does, where did you learn to do that? I've never heard someone be able to do so for that long without taking a breath."

I smiled, showing the first sign of pride. "I do it by inhaling at the same time that I'm exhaling. It's called circular breathing. I was taught to do so by my fa-" I cut myself off. "… By a man before I became a member of the Qunari."

My slip hadn't gone unnoticed, but she chose to let it pass and changed the subject. "Well, I have other matters to attend to. Meet me tomorrow before the morning bell and we will continue our research."

I spent the rest of the night catching up with old friends I hadn't seen since before we'd been given our roles in the Qun. When it got late, they headed back to their beds. I turned back towards where I was staying with the Ashkaari. It took me by the fields we'd been working in that day.

Out of impulse, I took a detour. I wanted to see how the plants were doing. It'd felt good to get back in the fields.

As I got closer and the rows came into better view my steps began to falter. One line in particular was larger and more mature than any of the other around it. The ground had recently been turned and was soft. As if in a dream, I found one of the foot-prints near a plant and placed mine inside of it. It matched; not a surprise as I'd been the one that had planted them. The first few were still just sprouts, but the rest were well on their way towards harvest. I'd somehow been the one to plant more of the mysterious seedlings that grew faster than any others.

I just stood there, unable to move as my unconscious mind picked at this mental knot. It wasn't the seeds, couldn't be. None of the others reacted like that. Also, the chances of them all being in my row were impossible. No, they weren't miracle seeds. It had to be something I was doing that caused them to mature faster than they should, but what?

I don't know how long it took me, but a line from Nimble came back unbidden: If you can't wow them with your botany skills, let them hear that magical gift of yours: your whistle.

Magic.

Whistle.

Mature crops.

And just like that, I had my answer: The cause of their growth was me. I'd been using magic. That meant I was a Saarebas, a potential danger to the entire Qunari. I was a dangerous thing.