CHAPTER 6
THE CITY OF QUIDDITY
* * * * *
"Across the Sea of Quiddity lies a land strange and mysterious in its ways."
* * * * *
As I walked through the fields, the sun rose into the sky like a great balloon of light, and the paved path continued to wind in front of me.
I passed through a field of rice, another vineyard, an orchard and then a plain of wheat. When I came to the wheat, I could see the gates of the city. They were tall, the same height as the walls, but made of iron, not sandstone.
I approached the gate.
"Hi! Gate-keep!" I called. "I demand entrance to the city!"
The gate-keep, a man in his thirties looked out of short squat tower on the left hand side of the gate.
"By what right do you demand entrance?"
"By the right of the Sierra Angel!" I cried.
"That is a powerful right indeed. Have you the evidence to back it?"
At that I held out the locket given to me by the Sierra Angel. It shined with a brilliant light.
He ducked into the tower for a moment, and the gates rumbled slowly open, grinding and grating old hinges. I walked forward into the shade of the wall. The gate-keep took the stairs from the tower two at a time, and ran toward me.
"How did you come by that, wanderer? When you have the mark of the Ever- Entity on your hand?"
I looked at my hand, and was shocked to see the four-pointed star had become a moth. I looked up, into the gate-keep's eyes. They were deep blue, and I caught a sense of . . . hate? detachment? fear ?
"I think you'd better come with me."
I followed him into the city, through the open and wonderful streets, gazing at the tall spires and towers of marble.
At last we came before a magnificent one-story building. It was wide and long, with a half-cylinder glass roof. The gates were open, showing a long hall filled with knights, women and children and at the far end a huge dais with a throne of platinum next to one of silver. Upon the platinum throne sat a royal personage I guessed, but before I could see the gate-keep pulled me aside into the shadows.
"My name is Cealt. I have to present you to the king. All wanderers must be. And with the moth symbol . . . who knows?"
"Is it wrong?" I queried.
"Not really . . . some might be . . . er . . . offended. Never mind now." He added hastily, and shoved me inside.
THE CITY OF QUIDDITY
* * * * *
"Across the Sea of Quiddity lies a land strange and mysterious in its ways."
* * * * *
As I walked through the fields, the sun rose into the sky like a great balloon of light, and the paved path continued to wind in front of me.
I passed through a field of rice, another vineyard, an orchard and then a plain of wheat. When I came to the wheat, I could see the gates of the city. They were tall, the same height as the walls, but made of iron, not sandstone.
I approached the gate.
"Hi! Gate-keep!" I called. "I demand entrance to the city!"
The gate-keep, a man in his thirties looked out of short squat tower on the left hand side of the gate.
"By what right do you demand entrance?"
"By the right of the Sierra Angel!" I cried.
"That is a powerful right indeed. Have you the evidence to back it?"
At that I held out the locket given to me by the Sierra Angel. It shined with a brilliant light.
He ducked into the tower for a moment, and the gates rumbled slowly open, grinding and grating old hinges. I walked forward into the shade of the wall. The gate-keep took the stairs from the tower two at a time, and ran toward me.
"How did you come by that, wanderer? When you have the mark of the Ever- Entity on your hand?"
I looked at my hand, and was shocked to see the four-pointed star had become a moth. I looked up, into the gate-keep's eyes. They were deep blue, and I caught a sense of . . . hate? detachment? fear ?
"I think you'd better come with me."
I followed him into the city, through the open and wonderful streets, gazing at the tall spires and towers of marble.
At last we came before a magnificent one-story building. It was wide and long, with a half-cylinder glass roof. The gates were open, showing a long hall filled with knights, women and children and at the far end a huge dais with a throne of platinum next to one of silver. Upon the platinum throne sat a royal personage I guessed, but before I could see the gate-keep pulled me aside into the shadows.
"My name is Cealt. I have to present you to the king. All wanderers must be. And with the moth symbol . . . who knows?"
"Is it wrong?" I queried.
"Not really . . . some might be . . . er . . . offended. Never mind now." He added hastily, and shoved me inside.