I’d never seen such a clan settlement before, never imagined such a place was possible. The village stretched far below us in a lush valley. From our vantage point it was easy to see the astounding layout of the place, the large colorful dwellings, fine construction, elaborate design, the wide, clear river and the prodigious plant growth everywhere.
Everything was laid out in an organized fashion and if buildings could be said to be beautiful, I’d say they were absolutely stunning. The colors overwhelmed me the most. Each home was made of some bright hue, each one different from the others. Clusters of trees and multiple colorful plants grew profusely between buildings. Grass was plentiful here like I’d seen elsewhere on Tarmon so far. Fruit trees grew copiously along the sides of the wide river which divided the clan settlement. Even from here I could see the ridiculous amount of fruit hanging from branches. I was astonished by it.
There was only one other farrin I knew of that had any fruit trees at all and they were thin, sickly looking with sparse fruit. I’d never seen such abundant fruit before.
Numerous intricate bridges crossed the expansive river allowing easy access between the two sides of the settlement. Even the bridges had been constructed with beauty in mind.
I forgot to follow Suma. My mind was trying to process what my eyes were seeing but it was too much to take in. The beauty of the place astounded me, rendering my legs immobile and my mind spinning.
I never break down. Weak people break. But I’m strong. I’ve always prided myself in my strength of character, my boldness and bravery. Despite this, my legs gave way and I crumpled to the pathway, sobs erupted from my lips and my insides came undone. A quaking overtook my belly and I couldn’t make it stop. I held my middle and rocked back and forth for a long time and wondered what was happening to me.
I felt Suma’s hand on my shoulder but I couldn’t acknowledge her. The stark difference between my farrin and this place was just too great. I felt undone by it.
In that moment, I felt weak and vulnerable. Suddenly anger overrode the quaking, I jumped to my feet and grabbed for Suma’s arm. I twisted it hard, holding it behind her back until she groaned.
“Why? Why is it this way?”
From the look in her eyes I knew she understood my question. “It will take time to explain and for you to understand,” she moaned.
“Tell me now! I demand to know!”
From the corner of my eye I could see a band of people, likely warriors from the settlement below, hurrying up the path to intercept us, to confront me. A woman led the formation.
Suma said, “Yes, you deserve to know and we will tell you. My mother will help you.”
“Tell me something! Anything!” My belly was still shaking from what I’d seen but I also felt enraged.
“The one who summoned you here knows you very, very well. He has need of you.”
“But why the difference?”
“I don’t understand it entirely myself.”
I twisted her arm harder and she groaned in pain.
Suma finally said, “They didn’t want this. They chose Casimer.”
Her statement hit me like an arrow to my heart. I released her then, the wind knocked out of me, just as the clan warriors reached us. Through my confusion, I still braced for a beating. I noticed a man, a fine-looking male specimen, walk toward Suma. He looked concerned and checked her arm for injury.
Suma glanced toward me and looked embarrassed to be fussed over. “I’m fine.”
The man placed a possessive arm around her waist.
A seasoned lady, the one who led the entourage up the incline, approached me. I saw compassion in her eyes and I didn’t understand it. I’d expected anger, revenge, a knock-out punch, but not this.
She stepped up beside me and I took a step back. She approached again, with a gentleness I was unaccustomed to, looped her arm through mine and said, “You look exhausted. I’ve drawn you a hot bath and have a meal cooking.”
Her compassion and kindness broke through my defenses. I think I nodded numbly and allowed her to lead me down to the clan settlement. I felt very much like a child with my mother. Part of me enjoyed being cared for, the other part felt insulted to be treated this way.
When we reached the first of the dwellings, I pulled my arm free and walked unassisted. I still felt badly shaken but I was determined to look as strong as possible. My fall earlier had tainted my reputation and I needed to salvage what I could.
The place was even more beautiful at close range. I had no idea what type of building material they used or how they managed to color the buildings the way they did. As we walked past dwelling after dwelling, everything looked foreign, too bright, too clean and had a glow about it that I didn’t understand. There were no dwellings made of driftwood here. Each one had a unique design and not a gap or space could be seen anywhere. The doors fit in the openings perfectly and I wondered how that was possible.
Now I knew what all the color among the grass was that I’d seen from the incline. They are called flowers. We have a minimal amount growing on our farrin and they only bloom during times of rain, which is sporadic and unpredictable. Some years they don’t make an appearance at all. Only in the wettest years do we see any and they are straggly looking with small, dingy blooms. The constant wind and dust tears them to shreds and coats them with dirt.
The flowers on Tarmon were large, with long petals, extensive stalks and bright blooms. I couldn’t help but stare as we passed them. I’d never seen such brilliant color before.
I could hear some of the group around me chuckle at my wonder and it angered me. I didn’t appreciate being made fun of. I turned to see who was responsible but so many of them were smiling that it was hard to tell.
The seasoned woman reached her home and pointed to the abode. “This is where we leave the others.” Turning to the group who’d accompanied her, she said, “Goodbye. I’ll see you tomorrow at the meeting.”
They said their farewells.
Suma came to me and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow. You’re in good hands. My mother will help you.”
I nodded but felt lost and alone.
The area around the seasoned lady’s home was beautiful. Grass grew to a perfect length around the house, with a neat, straight, stone pathway leading to her door. Shrubs and trees surrounded the place and flowers grew beneath her windows. I stopped and stared at the windows. They were open to the elements, allowing the breeze of this place to enter.
We have windows on Akoni Farrin but for the express purpose of opening them a sliver in times of distress, if we’re under attack, to see who is approaching and the best way of defense. We keep them tightly boarded and locked with strong braided rope.
These windows were stunning with some sort of latticed design.
The woman turned to me and said, “We can close them at night. There are swinging doors that shut and latch from the inside. I’ll seal them later. I know you’ll feel safer.”
Turning to her, I asked, “What’s your name?”
“Drue. And your name?”
“You don’t know?”
“No. I was only told that someone was being summoned. I didn’t ask any questions. I know my place and I know my assignment.”
What a strange thing to say. I didn’t know what to think. “My name is Xiomara.”
“Well, welcome Xiomara. Come inside. Don’t be afraid.”
“How do you know that I won’t kill you while you sleep?”
Drue looked at me, a slight smile on her lips.
I didn’t understand why everyone looked so cheerful. There was nothing to smile about.
“You won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“You’re too curious. It’s what brought you to us in the first place.”
She led the way into the house and I followed her. Just inside the door, I stopped again and stared. The sight of her home shocked me anew. There were walls erected inside this structure and they were bright white. My eyes hurt from looking at them. And I’d never seen such finely sculpted furniture. The table stood straight and looked smooth. The chairs matched it. The kitchen had way too many storage units. Who needed that many?
An extended bench covered in some type of thick fabric stood to my left. A matching chair with the same knit fabric hugged the far wall with a fuzzy floor coating spanning the sitting space. The large floor mat didn’t look like the wool that we had on our farrin.
There were other items of furniture scattered about the house, some I had no name for and didn’t know the use for them. The roominess of her home seemed like a waste of space, a squander of fine wood. I’d always thought Ngangi had a spacious home but his was a hovel compared to this.
“I’ll show you to your sleeping chamber.”
“What is that?”
“Come, you’ll see.” Drue led and I followed.
She took me to a stairway. “Up there?” I asked, feeling dread rise at the idea of stairs.
Only a few members of our clan had stairs up to the roof of their dwellings. They were for the express purpose of killing any approaching war band during an attack from a hostile farrin clan.
“I promise that it’s safe,” Drue said. “These steps lead to the second floor where our beds are located.”
Cautiously, I followed her to the top and was surprised to see a narrow walled-off section, doors leading off of it. Again the brightness of the white walls hurt my eyes.
Drue led me to the first room, opened the door and walked in. I looked inside and noticed that the bed was raised off the floor and was sturdily made with strong, straight posts at each corner. The bed was covered in white cloth that looked thick and warm. My layers of knit wool blankets at home were thin but with enough of them covering me I usually stayed warm enough during the nights.
Something in the corner caught my eye. It looked like a large wash basin, larger than I’d ever seen, big enough to fit a person. Steam was rising from it. “What is that?”
“It’s called a bath. I filled it with warm water for you.” Drue pointed to a rack against the wall. Something was draped over it. “I prepared some clothes for your stay here. If you don’t mind, I’ll take your clothing and repair it while you sleep tonight.”
I felt insulted. “There’s nothing wrong with my garments. This animal hide has saved me numerous times.”
“I didn’t say there was anything wrong but I noticed that it’s endured some wear and tear. I will only repair what is damaged and return it to you.”
I looked at the items of clothing Drue had prepared for me. I noticed a tan pair of leather pants. They were too new, too smooth looking and lacked signs of war. The white shirt wasn’t my style. I don’t like the color white. My eyes were hurting from all the white everywhere. I picked up the shirt. “I don’t like this. I won’t wear it.”
“Okay. I’ll get you another color if you’d like.”
“Yes. A darker one.”
“Sure.” With another one of her smiles, which still grated my senses, she said, “Go ahead and take a bath. Remove your cloths and leave them on that chair in the corner. Also remove every weapon and leave it on the table.” She pointed to a small desk on one side. “I promise that I won’t touch your weapons but you won’t need them here. You’ll take them with you when you’re ready to leave us.” She smiled again. “I’ll place your new shirt just outside the door. I’ll give you an hour. The meal will be ready when you’re done.”
I nodded and she left. I felt naked as I placed my weapons on the desk. My knives went everywhere with me. I wasn’t sure I could do as Drue had asked. As I undressed I realized that I was still wearing my dirt-pocked goggles over my eyes. Taking them off, the whiteness of everything hurt my eyes even more. Closing my eyes, I leaned over the wash basin and scrubbed the goggles in the water, washed my face and returned the goggles to protect my eyes. I undressed and slipped into the warm water. It felt better than I’d anticipated and I nearly fell asleep as I relaxed and let the warmth remove the ache of my bones. Rowing all the way here at the pace we’d kept had taken a toll.
Noise from downstairs woke me. I removed my goggles again, slipped beneath the water and scrubbed my hair. I stepped from the bath, dried off with the white towel Drue had left me and dressed. The new clothes felt soft and strange against my skin. I determined to do without the goggles. I felt foolish using them in a place where no one else seemed to need them and it made me feel weak again. Taking another look at my weapons laid out on the desk, I decided to take at least one knife, tucking it in at my waist.
Although my eyes stung and were still adjusting to the brightness, I squinted and descended the steps. A wonderful aroma hit me as I arrived on the first level. My mouth watered immediately. I’d forgotten to eat when I arrived on Tarmon and my food sack still sat at the front door with the rest of my supplies.
I walked to the kitchen where Drue was standing over some sort of contraption that was producing heat.
“What is that?” I asked.
“It’s called a stove and we use it to cook our meals.” Drue set a big bowl of something on the table.
I was thinking that if it tasted as good as it smelled that I wouldn’t want to stop eating for some time.
Fragile looking, white, circular plates sat on red and yellow oval cloths. I sat down and picked at the oval gimcrack. A slender container of bright blooms sat in the center of the table. I could smell their aroma and I breathed deeply a few times but the colors were too bright and my eyes stung. Although the overall look of the table was mesmerizing, it seemed frivolous and unnecessary. I was reminded again of my mother although she never went to such extremes. Survival is our farrin’s only motive in everything we do.
Drue looked at me and said, “I’ll be right back.” She left the room and I watched the doorway where she’d exited. Soon she returned and handed me what looked like eye-wear. “Put those on. It’ll help while you adjust.”
Staring at them, I wondered what they were. They’d be no help in a windstorm, too much space around the edges. And the lenses were far too dark.
Drue said, “We call them eye-shields. They will calm down the colors and the brightness and will help you adjust to this place.”
I put them on and the room darkened, relieving my eyes and allowing them to open a degree more. The difference was remarkable. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Drue sat across from me and said, “Help yourself.”
I took the large serving spoon and dished a big pile onto my plate. Picking up what looked like an eating utensil, I started shoving food into my mouth immediately. I’d never tasted anything so soft, chewy and delicious. I ate far too much and my stomach hurt when I finally finished.
After I was done eating, Drue served a hot, dark liquid on the front, outdoor sitting area. She told me the drink was called tea and the outdoor sitting area was a porch. The tea tasted bitter but I drank it anyway. It made me feel a little strange.
The light outside was growing dim and I noticed that even the sky was filled with color as the sun descended on the horizon. I’d very rarely seen the sun. On Akoni Farrin clouds, dust and debris blot out the sky. The blazing orb seemed to hover for a moment and then it gradually, slowly descended until it vanished behind the hill before us. As I sat and studied the stunning colors, I was again overcome by the stark differences. How could there be so much beauty on this farrin when the rest of the farrins were covered in dust and darkness?
A sound off in the distance got my attention and I turned to where I thought it came from. My recent altercation with The Noble Ones still rattled me. I wondered if they came into the village or if they ever attacked humans.
As if knowing my thoughts, Drue said, “The Noble Ones don’t land in the settlements unless they are summoned. We have places for them here but they usually stay in the hills and mountains.” She pointed to the skies. “They love to fly at dusk and call to each other.”
I looked at her, not knowing sure if I’d heard her correctly. “Did you say settlements?”
“Yes.”
“You have more than one settlement here?”
“Yes we do. Ours is one of the smallest. There are many settlements and also some very large mammoth centers of population on Tarmon.”
“How many?”
“Too many to count. I’ve never taken the time to do the math.”
“How many people?”
“Again, I’m not sure. Perhaps someone more concerned with our numbers would be able to answer that question.”
I grew silent and studied the waning light in the distance, the haunting calls of The Noble Ones still filling my ears. Dread filled me. The population of this farrin astounded me and I didn’t know what to say. There’s no way we could match Tarmon’s power or size of army, assuming they had an army.
Time ebbed as I struggled with my thoughts. The Noble Ones eventually grew quiet and strange noises filled the darkness. I heard chirping in the grass around us and odd tiny lights sparked on and off. I didn’t want to inquire about them. All the questions I had inside made me feel ignorant.
“What do you want to ask me?” Drue finally asked.
My mind went blank. With my body clean and relaxed, my belly full and warm from the drink, I felt more satisfied than I could ever remember feeling. The air outside was still warm and there was hardly a breeze blowing. The stillness of the evening seemed surreal, a figment of my imagination. But how could I imagine something that I could never visualize? This was too far beyond my reality, too strange to believe. On Akoni Farrin we rarely sat outside, and never without our goggles for protection.
“I have so many questions but I can’t remember even one of them.”
“Take your time. There’s no rush.”
“But I have a war to return to.”
“That will come soon enough. Enjoy this while you’re here.”
Then questions slowly formed. “Why is this place here? How come no one knows about it? And why do you keep everyone out?”
“It’s not that we want to keep people out. We want to keep the darkness out.”
“What’s the difference?”
“What would happen if we allowed someone like your clan leader to see this place?”
“He would attack and take over.”
“And what would happen then?”
I knew where she was going with her line of questioning. “He would kill everyone here and would turn Tarmon into an extension of our Akoni Farrin, a new settlement.”
“Where war and strife are a constant.”
She was right and I suddenly felt exhausted. The day had been long, the journey grueling and the encounter with The Noble Ones stressful. Although I still had a thousand questions, my mind refused to function. I didn’t know what to ask.
Drue nodded. “We will take this up again tomorrow. Right now you need to rest, young woman.” She stood signaling we were done.
Upstairs, after handing me a long frock that she called a nightgown and removing my soiled, well used clothes that were lying in a heap on the floor, she left. I’d never worn anything like this before. The fabric was soft, fell to my feet and floated about me in gentle folds. There was a mirror on the far wall. My mother once had a small mirror that I used to study my face when I was younger. I’d never seen my image so clearly before. I looked somewhat like Suma in her bright, white, flowing frock, except I was much taller and more muscular.
On our farrin it is too cold during the nights to wear something this thin and I always sleep with my leather pants and wool undershirt. I rarely remove my leather clothing.
I crawled beneath the thick blankets. Before falling to sleep, I lifted one arm to my nose, smelling the unfamiliar clean skin. This place was too much for me but I was determined to enjoy it. If only the whole of Dwarkaa’s Domain was this peaceful, this beautiful. It was like a lovely dream.
I had no idea that this was only the tip of the mountain. I had no idea that my world was about to get shattered all over again. I gratefully fell into a deep sleep, with no thought of how traumatic the next day would be.
