Chapter 30
Târêt
January 3020
Lothíriel was so joyful at remembering her name, she almost laughed aloud. For the first time in months, her mind was completely clear. Even though when she tried to think back to before the day she awoke in Harad there was nothing. Thankfully the pounding headache never accompanied the void and her mind seemed like a blank sheet, waiting to be written on. To her side, Hind was trembling so much that it distracted Lothíriel from any other thoughts. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears and her mouth was pulled downwards in a vision of fearful sadness.
"Please my lady," she whispered when Lothíriel turned her attention onto her. The slave's voice shook nearly as much as her body. "Please do not hate me. I did know that your name was not Mheydar, but I couldn't tell you." The tears finally spilled over as she choked back quiet sobs. "I would have been punished if they ever found out you learned that they lied to you."
Lothíriel had been so wrapped up in the knowledge of her true name that she hadn't even thought of Hind or Na'man or Yusraa. Though she felt anger towards the latter two, as she watched Hind shaking and crying in such a state, she could do nothing but reach out and wrap her arms protectively around her friend. As Hind was enveloped in the warmth, her quiet sobs wracked the night air. The two sat together, uncaring of how long they remained, until finally Hind's breathing had evened. They shared no words as they parted.
"So," Sha'ana's voice was watching Lothíriel carefully, "what will you do now?"
Lothíriel considered the question. She could always go back to her high tower but what would she say when she met with Na'man and Yusraa? How could she put Hind in that kind of danger? Where else could she go? She had nothing to prepare her for the long journey across the deserts. Not only had she looked at maps before while in Na'man's study, but she could see how far the sands were spread to the point of meeting with the sky. She could always go back and steal some supplies. But then she might be caught. Who knew what would happen if she was caught trying to escape. They would most likely kill Hind. One thing she had learned from her time in Târêt was that a slave was often considered an object and not a person. Killing something was always easier than killing someone.
She sighed heavily, "I'm afraid I don't know what to do." She turned her attention to Hind. "I can't go back but I have no way to leave." Her shoulders slumped forward at her helplessness.
"If you wish to leave, come with us." The young woman who was sitting at Sha'ana's side spoke. "Don't you think that is a good idea, Kokkefar?" Lothíriel didn't say anything as Sha'ana stood with the help of the woman. She strode purposefully towards Lothíriel and gently pushed Lothíriel's shoulders until she was sitting up straight again.
"You have a good voice and a kind heart. If you wish to journey with us, we would be happy to be your companions."
"It can't be as easy as all that though." Lothíriel looked over at Hind.
"It is true," Hind spoke up, though her voice was a bit raspy from her recent emotional outburst, it was clear enough to be heard. "The guards know her face and would never allow her to leave the city without the presence of either Lord Na'man or Lady Yusraa. On top of that, Lady Yusraa is a bird woman. She will find you."
"I know how we could fix that!" The young woman sprang up and ran to a nearby tented carriage. Within a few seconds she popped back out excitedly and showed her grandmother what she held. She nodded and the woman came around, holding up a long black dress. Attached to the collar of the dress was a long hood with loose fabric that hung limply.
"That is a mourning dress." Hind gasped. She turned towards Lothíriel. "Women wear this dress for a few months after the death of their husband."
"But if Na'man is looking for me before we leave the city, won't I be required to show my face?" Lothíriel questioned, fingering the soft fabric. Sha'ana shook her head.
"Such a thing is forbidden. When a woman mourns her husband, none may ever see her face until the mourning period is over. Or rather, until his spirit has fully moved on from this world, lest she not be able to meet him in the afterlife. If you wear this, you will not be discovered by your face."
"And Hind would come with us?" Lothíriel held onto Hind's hand.
"Of course. Our offer is for you both to come." Sha'ana smiled.
"What of Lady Yusraa's bird?" Hind glanced to the sky.
"If the guards won't be able to recognize me by my face, I doubt that Cel will be able to determine who I am from above." She nodded to Sha'ana. "Please, allow us to journey with you away from this city." Sha'ana's smile broadened.
She looked over at the rest of the group who seemed to be coiled as they waited for the command they knew was coming. "Walm ve gongurt. Cun pondos san pit jusilee, tikka sovom silsik." They sprang up, doing what was required.
The young woman reached for Lothíriel's hand and began to pull her towards the tented carriage. "We'll change you in here. By the way, my name is Fa'essana. I hope we can be friends."
Na'man let out an enraged cry as the table toppled over. "What do you mean you haven't found her yet?" The guard who had reported stood stone faced though a hint of fear could be seen in his eyes. It was never good to be the one to report that something was wrong within Târêt to its' lord.
"My lord, it is simply as I said. She left among the mass of caravans and traders who were all leaving the city this morning. We have no idea who to follow to search for her." In response to the guard's words Na'man swiftly skirted around the table and grabbed the guard by the front of his tunic and brought his face close.
"Then you send men out to follow all of them." He whispered the command maliciously. The guard left the room quickly and had to contain his temptation to run out of the room. "And if you still can't find her, I'll hold you personally responsible!" Na'man shouted after the guard.
After a few moments of silence Yusraa, who had been as silent as a shadow, moved away from the wall and inched towards the doorway. Within a few feet of it, Na'man, who's back was turned to her, spoke up. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I was going to get out of your way, my lord. Perhaps later I can give you my counsel, after you have had a moment to calm yourself." She stood stock still, praying he would let her go.
He turned to face her. "Calm myself? Calm myself? My Oracle has gone missing, off to who knows where, and you want me to calm myself?" He began to laugh, though instead of a joyful sound it was haughty. Finally the laughter died out and was replaced with a look of such menace Yusraa had to suppress the shiver that went down her spine. "You said that the spell worked. You said she wouldn't remember anything. You said she would never even try to run away." With each sentence he had come ever closer to her until finally he towered over her.
"I didn't lie. I'm sure she was tricked by someone to leave." She searched for an explanation. "The slave!" She almost cried out in joy at finding someone else to receive the brunt of his anger. "She must have convinced the Oracle to leave with her. She didn't know of her past, but she did know that we lied to her. Right now she has nowhere to return except here."
"Or wherever the slave takes her." His hand gripped Yusraa around the throat, bringing her face mere inches away from his own. "Use your bird to find them with all haste, lest I lose my patience with your," he paused making sure she was fully paying attention, "incompetence." Instead of simply letting go of her neck he used his powerful arm to throw her to the ground. He stepped over her fallen body and left the room.
The Great Desert, Near-Harad
February 3020
Lothíriel stared out as the sun began to pass below the horizon. "Does this desert ever end?" Even after they had left Târêt behind for a few weeks now, Sha'ana still insisted that Lothíriel wear the disguise and after finding out about Yusraa and Cel, she had given Hind a disguise, though not like Lothíriel's. She now wore the same outfit as Fa'essana and her single braid was loosed letting her long, thick, black hair cascade down her back in full waves.
"I know the journey seems unending, but I promise, soon we will reach a town." Fa'essana looped her arm around Lothíriel's shoulders. The tents had been set up before the hot air would begin to dramatically cool and a fire was being started. It was usually around this time that she was able to remove her heavy disguise and see things without the black veil over her eyes, though she still sat under the cover of anything nearby, lest Cel drift above and spot her.
The evenings had become routine for Lothíriel. Everyone did their part while setting up camp, including Lothíriel. She had never scoured pots or peeled fruit before but once she was taught, it seemed as if she could remember other tasks. The men were returning with their plunder from among the sands. Some carried small cacti while others held blooming fruits and spiked flowers. She had been amazed the first time that a cactus had been cut open to reveal not only juicy pulp put also water stored within the prickly plant. The flowers were always inspected by Sha'ana with Fa'essana watching her carefully at her side. After the two had declared the flower safe, it was thrown into a pot to make either tea or soup, depending on what their bounty had produced.
Lothíriel had learned that Sha'ana was the matriarch of their little group and was given deference in everything. Because she had lost her daughter several years ago – she never spoke of it, only that she was gone, - Fa'essana had taken on the role as heir. She studied under Sha'ana whenever the elder had a moment to teach her young charge. Whenever Fa'essana had free time from her studies, both she and Hind would work to teach her the Khala juom. They were doing just that when Hind looked at her very carefully.
"You haven't been sleeping well, have you?" Both Fa'essana and Lothíriel turned to look at Hind.
"What makes you say that?" Fa'essana studied Lothíriel.
"Her smile is curved downwards. Back in Târêt, whenever she'd had a restless night, she would do that." Hind pointed out.
"Well don't talk about me like I'm not here." She gently shoved her two friends. "And to let you know, I'm sleeping fine. I've just been having lots of dreams."
"What kind of dreams?" Fa'essana perked up. "Kokkefar says that dreams sometimes make excellent kistasee."
"I wish I could tell you, but they never linger long enough to memorize. I think they're my memories, but they are like ships and my waking is like the tide leaving. Unless they have something or someone to anchor on, I don't think I'll ever retain them." She sighed heavily.
"Maybe when we get to a town your memories will begin to return." Hind put a hand gently on Lothíriel. "And if not that town, we'll go to another. We'll go around the whole world if you wish it." She smiled kindly. "You freed me from my slavery, and for that, I would follow you to the end of the world and back if you wished it."
Lothíriel returned Hind's smile and hugged her gently. She was about to respond when one of the men who watched the deserts for anything that would approach their camp came into the firelight. "We jajam ekom lilipa nums." The response wasn't verbal but immediate. Lothíriel didn't understand enough of the words to put together it's meaning but the men loosening their curved swords and knives in their scabbards as well as the women moving closer to the fire. Some even picked up burning sticks, holding them defensively.
The muted sound of horses' hooves against the sand became the only thing Lothíriel could hear beside the crackling fire. Eventually, four riders arrived at the camp. The first three dismounted and stood shoulder to shoulder. The fourth remained within the shadows. Lothíriel thought she recognized the three men, but she knew they weren't from Târêt. The fourth man spoke up.
"Kamisal kistas vemjakee reft. Cun lalom ut re zais. Ekomo reksa te dun kahleeu om mhey vol skas. Nep ut ril rem urrit zamistareeu, cun rov urrit ut ve cusras vevat." The man never left the shadows, but his voice was piercing and calm. At his words, several of the men and women relaxed, though no one moved until Sha'ana stepped forward. She never left the light, so her face could still be seen as she spoke up.
"Bopar urn ut or val cun weskas emast jajakipeei bast?" She was equally calm, though her face bore a stern expression, like something you would use while reprimanding a child who wouldn't show his hands behind his back. "Rebor rolm cun kakal we jefor san ve lisee? Pe mesos cun emast, for weskas so we pestat." The three men tensed and the way that Sha'ana had spoken, Lothíriel knew it had been an insult. A dark hand rested on the shoulder of one of the three men. They stepped aside and someone Lothíriel immediately recognized stepped forward.
"Kete ur Zwendi Chinnekom. Ekomo beh ve ialtras canan. Cun urn re pestatee." He stood straight and tall. She reached for Hind's hand, pulling her attention.
"That is Zwendi. I saw him in one of the visions Na'man ordered." She whispered to Hind. Zwendi turned his eyes towards Lothíriel and studied her. His eyes had a hard, angry look to them as he spoke. The men behind had tensed once again.
"Urn ut we jajamok te Na'man?" He spit on the ground as if just saying the name disgusted him. "Ber jajakip wo fo beh kajamuko." His hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword. Before anyone could say anything, Hind jumped directly in front of Lothíriel, spreading her arms out as if they were a shield.
"Re! Far beh rem jajamok sor jajakip. Cun lalom te iral forl." Several of the men and women nodded to Hind's rushed words. His eyes narrowed on Hind as he studied her.
"Rebor ril kete emast ut kistam eram?" His hand remained at his sword hilt, though the muscles were relaxed.
"Kete erast ke rishkeo om zeshkeso." Hind didn't hesitate. There were a few gasps from the people around them, but Zwendi remained steadfast in his gaze. Finally his face relaxed and his voice was solemn.
"Vik beh rem we bakat alon te erast zeshkeseu. Kete rov kakal peshkasheeu." He removed his hand from the sword hilt. His voice became heated again, though this time the anger in it was not directed at them. "Ut lilip besasapo for rov rem orsep ut kochisos kete lilip zesikkora forl." He turned back to Sha'ana, but Lothíriel didn't pay attention to anything else he said. She pulled Hind and Fa'essana to her side and whispered as quietly as she could.
"Would you care to explain what happened and what is going on?" She watched Zwendi for a few seconds before returning her attention back to her friends.
"He's asking permission to sleep in our vicinity as friends." Fa'essana responded. "When he heard you speak Na'man's name, he thought your were friends with him, he most likely would have killed you. If not for Hind's quick thinking, I doubt you would have left this night unharmed."
"But what did you say to convince him?" Lothíriel questioned.
"I, umm, pledged my soul to my words." Her tongue darted out to lick her lips nervously. "It is not something lightly done, for it is believed that the soul knows the ultimate truth and if you should lie, even unwittingly, when you die, it will shrivel up and die with you, keeping you from the afterlife." She cleared her throat. "But ultimately he believed me and assured me that Na'man will not hunt us for long since he will kill him."
Lothíriel's eyes opened in panic. "He can't go to Târêt! I have to stop him!" Before Fa'essana could grip around her arm and stop her, Lothíriel had moved to the front of the line and was quickly approaching Zwendi and Sha'ana. She was only a few feet away when the ring of steel resounded in the air. Mere inches away from her throat was the point of a curved sword. At the end of that sword was one of the three men who had accompanied Zwendi.
"Please." Her words were met by silence. "I mean no harm to your chief. In fact, I mean to save his life." They each looked at her blankly, not understanding her words. Zwendi watched her, but she could tell that he also didn't understand a word of what she said. In frustration she looked to Sha'ana. The elderly woman approached her and with a single finger, she pushed the sword aside.
"What is it you wish to tell him?" She touched Lothíriel's cheek. In her head she heard a voice. She knew she had heard it before but couldn't place it. 'Time is much like this stream. It continues on its way no matter what comes along. However, while it is certain that time will go on, and the future is always approaching, the future is dictated by both the past and the present actions of us and everyone around us. If you were to place that stone anywhere in the stream, would it stop the stream from running? The stream has no way of knowing that the stone is coming, but that is something that will forever shape its future. The world is like this. It will continue going forward no matter what is put in front of it. You have the ability to see what stones are coming and are able to help those who must prepare for its arrival.'
"Tell him he must not go to Târêt to kill Na'man." Sha'ana began translating Lothíriel's words right away. "There is only his peoples' deaths and his defeat if he should go there."
Zwendi lifted his chin stubbornly. "Rebor ril ut emast vol?" After Sha'ana explained his words Lothíriel stood taller as she recalled the words.
'Tell him if he goes to Târêt he will have to bow to the man who not only murdered his wife, but his child who had not yet seen even three summers as well. He will have to show deference to the man whose name he should curse until his bones have dried in the ground." Lothíriel never broke eye contact as Sha'ana translated. Zwendi's brow furrowed.
"Rebor ril kete zesikkor vol jefor?" His words were quiet and his chin lowered slightly. Sha'ana whispered the translation.
"He hunts for me. I am quite sure that if you join with us on our journey, you will find the opportunity." Lothíriel flicked her eyes to Sha'ana who nodded her agreement. Zwendi turned to the three men and began to bark orders. They immediately went into action. One of them came to Lothíriel's side and guided her to a horse. He pointed to the saddle and held out his hands, ready to take her foot. She pointed to Hind and the others. The man nodded and Hind came forward. After a quiet conversation, Hind spoke in Westron.
"Do not worry about the others. They will join the tribe's camp as soon as they have packed up their things. We are not leaving them. Also, you will no longer wear a disguise. Chief Zwendi will want you to be found so that Na'man will try to come for you." Hind was led to another horse by a second man. As they both mounted behind the men, Lothíriel turned to see Fa'essana nodding and smiling as she helped pack up the camp.
Translations:
Walm ve gongurt. Cun pondos san pit jusilee, tikka sovom silsik - Gather the camp. We leave in five hours, just before sunrise.
kistasee - stories
We jajam ekom lilipa nums. - A stranger tribe has come.
Kamisal kistas vemjakee reft. Cun lalom ut re zais. Ekomo reksa te dun kahleeu om mhey vol skas. Nep ut ril rem urrit zamistareeu, cun rov urrit ut ve cusras vevat. - Greetings story tellers. We wish you no harm. My tribe would like to share your sands and moon this night. If you do not show your swords, we will show you the same courtesy.
Bopar urn ut or val cun weskas emast jajakipeei bast? - Who are you so that we might know our new companions?
Rebor rolm cun kakal we jefor san ve lisee? Pe mesos cun emast, for weskas so we pestat. - How can we trust a man in the shadows? For all we know, he may be a snake.
Kete ur Zwendi Chinnekom. Ekomo beh ve ialtras canan. Cun urn re pestatee. - I am Zwendi Chief. My tribe is the Coyote Hide. We are no snakes.
Urn ut we jajamok te Na'man? - Are you a friend to Na'man?
Ber jajakip wo fo beh kajamuko. - Any companion of his is my enemy.
Re! Far beh rem jajamok sor jajakip. Cun lalom te iral forl. - No! She is not his friend or companion. We wish to escape him?
Rebor ril kete emast ut kistam eram? - How do I know you speak truth?
Kete erast ke rishkeo om zeshkeso. - I swear on my life and my soul.
Vik beh rem we bakat alon te erast zeshkeseu. Kete rov kakal peshkasheeu. - It is not a small thing to swear your soul. I will trust your words.
Ut lilip besasapo for rov rem orsep ut kochisos kete lilip zesikkora forl. - You have my promise he will not find you after I have killed him.
Rebor ril ut emast vol? - How do you know this?
Rebor ril kete zesikkor vol jefor? - How do I kill this man?
