Schisms

by V. A. Jeffrey

  Chapter Thirteen

  They reached the port of Kukuma in Murka in total, ten days, after being out on the stormy sea. The storm had followed them from the Gaspa all the way into the South Ocean and did not abate until they reached the Dakanar Sea, off the northern coast of Jura.

  Murka was every bit as large and busy as Yallas-by-the-Sea but instead of the vibrant colors of the houses and buildings these here were bright, white stone houses or brown, mud brick houses and there were many dwellings that were round.

  They had not eaten for three days, feeling too ill. The crew gave Mother Berenice kisses of respect but also out of gratefulness and affection for her as they de-boarded. They also offered what little food or goods they had of which the scions and Mother Berenice would not accept but the passengers insisted and they finally relented. Mother Berenice kissed the baby and blessed him and the young mother. The woman wept, overcome with emotion and for the first time since they had all set off aboard the baby smiled and gurgled.

  “May the gods grant you good fortune, sister.” The passengers would say.

  “Thank you, my sister. For our very lives!” Or

  “May the gods keep you, sisters.” Of which they were all grateful and Mother Berenice would bow and smile and say:

  “Go forward with God's blessing.” Climbing on to firm ground again, they were unsteady and Anet felt dizzy. The sun was even hotter and brighter in this land than the one they'd left. Great hangings of the House of Juta fluttered boldly in their orange and black colors with yaryebu symbols on nearly every major building and everywhere she could smell delicious foods being cooked. There was the broad and scintillating smell of fresh bread baking in a communal oven nearby. All these scents mingled with the scent of raw fish and the salt sea which weaved together the suggestion of an imaginary feast fit for a king in Anet's mind. The rows upon rows of great ships stood like sentinels along the dock and workers toiled to and fro over the walkways carrying great loads of goods on their heads or herding cattle and other animals from the larger ships and into the port. One ship in particular caught her attention. It was a great ship, far bigger than any ship in the port. It was also the farthest away. It was a massive golden ship with sails that seemed to be made of delicate silver spiderwebs. They flew in the slight breeze like diaphanous, delicate sheets and in the sunlight at times seemed to disappear from the eye's view so that it seemed a great fantastical thing out of dreams, floating in and out of sea mists, though it was a bright and clear day. Anet tried to call to the others to show them this wonderful ship but when she had turned back to look for it again it was gone. After what seemed like forever they finally left the docks. They followed Mother Berenice down the streets, passing by a market, one of many in Murka. The women were dressed in their bright flower-like wraparound dresses. They looked like birds of paradise with their great head wraps of red, orange, yellow or green and some wore white head wraps with gold or silver chains if they were wealthy. The men wore their pants and shammas made of brilliant colors. In Hybron only the wealthiest people could afford to wear such brilliant colors and even only the wealthiest of the wealthy could afford to wear blue, the rarest color. There was not much blue here but red, green, white, yellow, orange, and many tints and shades in-between.

  Anet noticed that some only wore bright white linen or cotton, both men and women. There were camels everywhere in the city and zebras imported from further south. Anet was fascinated with these black and white horse-like creatures. She had only seen drawings of them in books. Murka was a city of contrasts. The clothes were colorful and the dwellings were smooth, simplicity - sunbaked mud brick houses with wooden poles. Most of the residences were long, one story dwellings. Some, especially those of the wealthier inhabitants or the royal buildings were three or four story buildings. The doors, Anet noted, stood out among the simplicity of the houses. The doors were of heavy wood and depending on the status or wealth of the family would be elaborately carved, even with myths and family legends on them and inlaid with precious stone, bone, gold, silver or copper. Or if it was the home of a government official that would be evident with the symbol of the king of Jura, of the royal yaryebu. The rich also had door-knockers of engraved gold, silver or electrum fastened to the door. There was a saying in Murka:“Do not judge a house by its door.” Yet, this also signified to those entering who had wealth and prominence – or aspired to it - and who did not. To Anet it was all a marvelous sight. They passed by many stalls which stoked the fires of hunger. Anet's legs felt like heavy logs and Kaisha was complaining of hunger. She was three years older than Anet's ten years but Anet swore sometimes she behaved like a three year old. After all, everyone was becoming hungry, the bad voyage now a memory. Mother Berenice, even in her fatigue was unwilling to stop and rest until she'd found a suitable inn.

  The inn she had settled on had the sign of a star and a dot within which signaled the inn keeper was one of the Aishanna-La. The door was carved with pictographs of a man and woman and there was a simple script in iron fastened to the door: Yar-Airun.

  The Jurite name for God.

  “Our people are in this place?” Asked Kaisha. Anet frowned.

  “Of course, Kaisha! Do not be stupid. Do you not remember our lessons?”

  “I am not stupid! Do not call me that!”

  “The faithful dispersed to all parts of the world. . .”

  “I know our lessons, Anet!” Now Kaisha was angry but Anet did not care as long as she was quiet. Kaisha talked too much sometimes and it was usually of some handsome, imaginary swordsman or lord who would come and marry her. Mother Berenice gave them a sharp warning look and that was the end of it. The inn was small but clean with only a few patrons at the tables sipping beer. They had to step down into a recessed floor. Inside was slightly cooler, a welcome respite from the merciless heat. The innkeeper, an unassuming, short, black man who was lugging in a large amphora of honey beer looked up at them in surprise and then in recognition, seeing their gray tunics and robes.

  “Yamma!”

  “Yamma! Greetings, my brother!” Said Iddina. The man laughed, happy to see them.

  “Sisters, welcome! How is it you have come so far?”

  “Thank you, my brother! I am Berenice. Our journey here is a long story but we've had to come far out of the way to avoid trouble. Do you have some lodging for us? Until we can procure some way to get to Hybron?” Asked Mother Berenice.

  “I do indeed! Do not worry about money. Any scion of the citadel stays here for free. Come, let me show you where we have available lodging.” He said. As it turned out, there was a small room available for the eldest scions along with Mother Berenice to stay in. The rest of them had to sleep in the stable out back but there was an upstairs loft there, which was comfortable enough for ship- worn guests. He had a manservant put in new straw and had large tin bath tubs brought in and filled with fresh water for which they were very glad and took turns washing. Anet and Kaisha being among the youngest were last to bathe but even so, they were grateful for it. Sitting in her sleeveless shift after they had all washed up, Anet dunked her veils and robes in the water, cleaned them and hung them on a ledge. It was so hot that she was sure they would dry within a few moments. She lay back on her pallet and listened to the sounds outside. The language, Ulu, was not completely foreign to her as she'd heard it before but she could not speak it. There were plenty of Jurite people in Hybron, travelers, merchants or those married into Hybronian families but she had never been to Jura. She glanced out the window outside as Kaisha followed her lead and washed her own clothes. The other sisters were now fast asleep, worn out from the long and troublesome voyage. In the distance, nearly like a dream she could see monuments of gods and goddesses and pyramid-shaped temples just outside the city. Smaller than the ones in Egi. She had seen drawings and paintings of those at the citadel library and they were lovely just the same. These buildings far off were white as fine bleached linen and even farther in the distance out in the de
sert she thought she saw a rounded pyramid, a mountain-like temple with a gleaming top of what looked like electrum. It seemed there were two creatures holding up a great arch over its doorway. It reminded her of the painted walls and sculptures she saw at the palace in Jhis, except in Jhis lions were the king's royal symbol. These looked like the god-elephanta she'd heard of. She wanted to see these stone elephanta up close, or real ones, better yet. She'd seen the elephanta of the deep southern kingdoms only once, a royal tribute to the king in Hybron and they were sights to behold with their palaces on top of their backs and the king and queen sitting in them, black and shining as polished ebony and covered in gold.

  Kaisha brought out a small tin and turned to Anet.

  “Anet, please rub this on.” This was a ritual Kaisha engaged in faithfully so that she would not burn. Anet obliged and rubbed it on her back and arms. Anet thought of the many lands she'd read about, like the lands of the great steppes, far east. Kaisha's people came from there. They were fairer than she was, not bronze or olive like most Hybronians or the wild tribes in Hybron but not as fair as Helga. Kaisha had dark brown hair. Like her, Kaisha was an orphan. Anet still remembered the conversation between older sisters, one not made for her ears.

  Kaisha's mother was a village girl kidnapped by raiders and violated by her captors. They traveled west along the trade route between the East and Egi. The girl escaped and was found by a scion of the citadel and taken to the citadel to stay until she gave birth. Unfortunately, the girl died in childbirth. No one could save her. Before dying she asked the scions to name the baby girl Kaisha, after the girl's mother. She was buried in a plot outside the citadel and Kaisha was raised by the scions. So many scions had such sad and dismal pasts. Anet wondered what would be their fates, all of them. Would she be a desert mother? An emissary or envoy of the citadel? Would she remain a scion and eventually become Mother of the citadel? Or would she eventually become a lord's wife with children of her own? There were different paths a girl raised by the scions could take if she were an orphan. It all depended upon the girl. Anet was told many times how fortunate she was. Most girls did not have any choice outside of the citadel. They were married off as soon as they started to bleed and in rare cases they were offered to a temple to become a priestess or a slave. Only the sun worshiping peoples had more freedom. Their women could even become arena fighters. But Anet did not want to fight ferocious animals unless she had a star sword. And star swords no longer existed. Only in legends did one hear about them. Most men that did fight in the arenas died horribly. She did not want to think of what happened to the women in the arenas of the cruel sun god, who loved blood and war and glory above all things. She thought that he must be especially powerful here because it was even hotter in this land than it was back home.

  “Ow, Anet! Watch what you're doing!” Complained Kaisha. Anet giggled nervously.

  “What's funny?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Tell me!”

  “I was wondering if Hec was even stronger here than back home.”

  “Hec is strong everywhere there is war or fighting. He loves that, Anetji.” Anet frowned.

  “I am not little anymore. Do not call me that.”

  “Do not call you what? Anetji?” Kaisha teased.

  “If you call me that again I am going to throw your precious salve out the window and you can burn under sun on the way back!”

  “Fine. But I am still older, you know.”

  “I wonder if they have arenas here.” Anet said to change the subject.

  “Why? Those places are hellish! I heard that once they held games so bloody that the whole arena floor was awash in blood until there was a sea of blood and then the king floated ships on it and they had a ship battle on the blood sea!”

  “I don't know about the ships but I am sure there was the sea of blood. Once I saw it, the last time we were allowed into the city, before the Ainash threatened to kill us. And the whole city stank for all that blood!”

  “Jhis always stinks.”

  “I know.”

  “And I hate the Ainash!” Grumbled Kaisha.

  “Me too!”

  “What are you going to do when you get your blood, Anet?” Anet opened her mouth than closed it. She was still unsure. Kaisha turned around and looked at her, smelling like shea butter and olive oil. Anet sat back and frowned in thought.

  “I don't know. Maybe a desert prophetess?” Kaisha's face was wide in wonderment at this.

  “Only the most special people can be desert mothers, Anet, because no one has the gift. God does not bestow them upon the people anymore. None of us are good enough for that. Not even you!”

  “Fine! I want to travel and see the world and I want to help people.”

  “It sounds like you will be an emissary. That would be good for you. I am going to get married and have lots of babies.”

  “Will you marry a lord, a scribe or a satrap?”

  “Probably a lord. I am pretty enough. But Instructress Zipporah says she will teach me how to assist midwives so when I get married I can help the other Aishanna-La in the community where I will live. I hope my future husband will be one of the faithful, anyway.”

  “Queen Diti married someone who was not.”

  “Sometimes Mother Berenice says that things are done in a way to serve higher purposes and we do not always understand them until afterward. There was a reason she had to marry him. A good one. I just don't know why.” This startled Anet. Kaisha actually heard and knew things that she had not. But it got her to wondering: what was her path? What would she do when the time came to choose?

  The innkeeper's wife had sent four of her nephews to guard and watch over the younger scions in the stable loft. They stationed themselves outside the stable doors, their machetes at their sides, and a few older scions were lodged with the young ones as well. Supper was served late but it was wondrous all the same. The innkeeper's wife labored long and hard on it but she was happy to have them. It was like: “A blessing from Galam'akmet.” as she told them. Of course, any ailments the patrons had they begged for relief and the sisters gladly obliged. Mother Berenice was tireless in her efforts to heal and soothe pains and diseases where she could and gave healing words of comfort and blessings to those she could not. She and three older sisters had the subtle powers to heal the spirit and the body. Anet wondered of she could ever be that good and helpful. She did not think so and felt blue because of it. She could barely peel or cook potatoes and once, studying under Instructress Matha in making salves and healing potions she nearly burned down the workshop at the citadel. Matha did not get angry with her but she was soon given kitchen duty and scholarly studies which were less dangerous. There was a small stint where she ran messages all over the citadel and even through the town just outside the citadel walls. She'd loved that. Perhaps Kaisha was right. She might be primed for emissary work. Suddenly, she thought of the mysterious man on the ship. Would he come back? What did he want from her?

  In any case, the meal was delicious and the hungry sisters, Anet especially, enjoyed every morsel. There were heaping bowls of goat stew with peppers and yam, sponge bread, local honey beer and a good barley beer imported from Egi – the innkeeper was very proud of this and saved it for special occasions. The youngest ones were given watered down beer with ice. Where they'd managed to get the ice from she did not know but Anet was thankful for it and drank several cups of it before she began eating. The stew was spiced differently but goat stew was goat stew no matter where they were. She and Kaisha beamed at each other in full-bellied happiness. The oil lamps were lit and helped fill the modest inn with a convivial glow. It was full of happy voices and even joyful bursts of song. She wondered why the sisters always said inns were bad. This one wasn't. The young sisters were given small bowls and then a large bowl of fragrant banana custard was set in front of them topped with chopped nanasi.

  “We get these from the interior, sisters, these luscious fruits, bananas, pine
apple, jackfruit. Enjoy!” The innkeeper's wife said.

  “Iddina is this where you came from? This city?” Asked Anet. Iddina nodded.

  “My family has since moved to a village south of here. We descended from the Makebites. Further in the interior there are great forests drowned in clouds as if the heavens have come upon the earth to rest. Great tangles of trees and plants, a land of only verdant green and blue and full of water. Beautiful! That is where the ancestors of the Makebites originally came from. There are also savannahs of tall grasses, plains where the lion prides hide and also many animals you have never seen. There is a legend in Jura that at the end of the world, farthest south beyond the hot deserts and the humid forests there is a . . .what is the word? A frigid land of snow and at the tip of the world there is a sea, now mostly ice. Long ago before the Age of Empires all of the South Lands were cold for most of the year. In a mountain lived Gikunda-giki, the great ice dragon made by one of the most powerful, evil sons of God, Lumu. The people there once kept the old ways of Yar-Airun but abandoned Him and went after other gods to worship, so He left them to their new gods. These new gods could not help them against Lumu. He created Gikunda-giki to plague the peoples who did not bring tribute every year. The dragon would rise from the great sea at the bottom of the world to terrorize the lands all around until the people cried out to God for relief. Galam'akmet, a messenger of God was sent to tame and punish the dragon. Galam'akmet brought the requested tithe. The dragon always requested man-flesh so he made straw people, clothed them and planted within them special quick-sprouting seeds – the seeds of many trees and plants. Gikunda-giki ate them and became very sick and each time that he let out foul, hot winds or squatted, instead of the deadly destruction that he usually wreaked, he fertilized the ground and the soil and where ever he went savannahs and green plains sprang up and forests grew. This vegetation and all that hot wind caused the lands to become warm. Enraged, Lumu tried to stop him but God took him and his dragon son and threw them both into the sea and blew His breath upon it, causing it to freeze over. There they are forever trapped.” Anet and Kaisha and the other young sisters laughed out loud. Anet loved fables and legends. Everyone, no matter where they were had a different legend or the same one told differently.

  “Did Galam'akmet have a star sword?”

  “No. Only Ishuye from the Hybronian legends had a star sword. But remember, when God's arm is with you, any weapon is powerful. Even a word in prayer, but only those who are worthy of Him will wield that power.” Now there was a new dragon she could put to memory. Gikunda-giki. She wondered if this was really the same dragon as the one in the Llordis sea. But Iddina was not finished.

  “There is one thing that turns this tale into something more serious, young ones.”

  “What is that?” They all asked.

  “There are some who reside in the far kingdom near the bottom of the world that still worship Lumu and Gikunda-giki. In the very face of the true God they would worship a demon and they do many terrible things in the name of that demon god. There is a certain point, called Calla, a monument, an altar to Yar-Airun at the edge of the great cloud forest that separates the southern lands from that place. Wise men do not go past that point. It has been decreed by God himself that that land is evil. Even those in the land that worship other gods fear to go there, as most never return. It may be legends to some but it is real to others and many legends come from something that was once true.” This sobered everyone just in time for Night Prayers and the sisters gathered together with most of the patrons at the inn, the innkeeper and his wife and three sons and two daughters and they all bowed and prayed. The older women thought to go to the nearest temple but it was late and everyone was very tired. Having the scions in their midst was like having the temple right there among them.

  The innkeepers girls, seven and nine cleared the tables and helped with the kitchen cleaning. They gave friendly glances at the young scions. She wished she could stay here longer. Perhaps she would have made more friends but it was not to be. Anet's eyes were heavy. She dragged herself back to the stables behind Kaisha, Sorrell, Nirka and the others and she lay down on her pallet next to Kaisha and Sorrell, listening to the night sounds of chirping insects. When she'd finally gone to sleep, she dreamed her strange dreams again.

  Early the next morning she awoke late. The loft was aflutter with activity. They were getting ready to set off in a hurry.

  “Why didn't anyone wake me?” She complained.

  “Mother Berenice said not to wake you. To let you wake on your own.”

  “Oh.” Anet had dreamed one of her odd dreams again and she could remember it clearly this time. She was running across the deep desert, over deep sand dunes, fleet as a gazelle. The sun, high above, was beating down mercilessly and all around she could see nothing but sweltering, red desert. She did not know why she was running or where she was running to. She finally reached the top of a hill and on that hill, dug into the sand was a small tent. She stopped and crept toward it. Just as she always did. Beyond the tent she saw the ruins of Assenna rise in the distance, in cloud and smoke, a fearsome sight. She went inside the tent. Deafening silence and darkness inside, a darkness even blacker than night and then she woke up. She had no idea what it meant but she'd had this dream many times now. Mother Berenice had told her before that recurring dreams were sometimes useful and sometimes in some people were messages from beyond the world. This did not make Anet feel comforted. She got up slowly, groggy from sleep running and packed her few things together in a small sack and put on her clothes and followed everyone downstairs. The heat was already rising and a few horses whinnied softly at the disturbance.

  “Why are we leaving so soon? The sun isn't even up!” She complained.

  “Shh!” Said Kaisha.

  “Don't you shush me!” Anet spat back. Nitara frowned at her severely.

  “Behave yourself, young one or you'll get a thrashing. We do not do things simply to annoy you. We have a good reason for it.”

  “What reason?” Demanded Anet. Nitara was only sixteen but often acted as if she were one of the instructors.

  “When you've gathered yourself together and change your attitude you can ask Mother Berenice!” Nitara said peremptorily. Anet scowled fell into a moody silence. When they had gathered into the inn the morning meal had been prepared and laid out for them. They sat around Mother Berenice for Morning Prayers and then ate quickly the soured millet cereal with butter and a little honey. Carisse was looking very worn and ill. Anet worried for her. She was frail and of all the sisters did not recover so quickly from the sea voyage. In fact, none of them had really recovered. They were still fatigued so they were given quass to drink.

  “Drink, Carisse. You will need it.” Said Mother Berenice. She glanced at Anet and smiled. After the meal they were ready to go. They all thanked the innkeeper and his wife profusely.

  “Mother Berenice, why are we leaving so soon?” Asked Anet later.

  “I just heard word late last night that the king and half his army are in the city and more are coming. King Kufun is launching many ships toward Hybron. There may be difficulties, as we are Hybronian, you see. And many ships here will not be able to carry us home. The innkeeper feels it would be safer for us to leave as soon as possible. We will be traveling the Golden Road.”

  “Will we see many caravans full of gold and other jewels, then?”

  “Perhaps.” Anet was quiet for a moment. Then,

  “Mother, I had another dream last night.”

  “Was it one you've had before?”

  “Yes.” She did not tell her of the vision of the ruins.

  “So did I. I saw a vision of the Red King. It is interesting that we seem to have dreams on the same nights. Great things are in store for you, child. When you arrive back home you will start your training again. I myself have had visions about you.”

  “Training for what?”

  “Something special. I do not know what it is yet, b
ut we both will find out soon enough. Stay close to me and if you want, tell me of your dreams as you have them.” A man came to retrieve the scions and they traveled with him to the city gate. Just outside was a great caravan waiting for them.

  “There is no guarantee we will be allowed passage into the land because of the king's raiding!” Muttered one of the men. But when he saw the scions would be coming along with them his mood brightened. It brightened even more when Mother Berenice paid for their passage with the bottle of myrrh.

  “Ah! What a good omen this is for a long journey!” Said their guide. His name was Yemi. Though Yemi was black like most Jurites he was not of Jura but from a land of the cloud forests, as Iddina mentioned. He, like the innkeeper and his wife, was shorter and broader than most Jurites. Anet was again fascinated by meeting new people and she was happy that her camel was next to his. After helping the women mount the camels and their baggage onto the asses, they were off across the plains - plains dotted with grasses and brush, ponds and water plants here and there, even white kata flowers that looked like large butterflies which turned colors in the evening and under the moons' light.

  “Where do you come from?” Anet asked the guide. He looked at her, surprised by her boldness.

  “I come from the city of Esofo from the land of Funda. It is ruled by a queen.”

  “A queen ruling? I've never heard of that! Doesn't a queen always have a king?” The man laughed.

  “No little one, not always. There are a few lands that are ruled by queens. Mine is such a place. It is a wondrous place of green, verdant mountains and hills and many trees! So many trees and flowers that you cannot see the ground and there is no desert!”

  “I want to see it!”

  “You remind me of an ancient queen of Funda. She looked very much like you. She came from Hybron. She could even see visions of the future!”

  “Really?” The man nodded, his eyes twinkling. Anet did not really believe him. She could not tell if he was teasing or not.

  “How did she get there, to be queen?”

  “She was a young princess and was married to the king of Funda but he died in battle and left her with one son. She ruled in her son's stead until he became of age to rule himself. She had to fight off many suitors and greedy people to protect the throne for her son. She was a fearsome woman.”

  “I will read about her when I get back.”

  “I do not remember her name, it was very long ago. But perhaps you will find her in your books, yes. It is said when she came to marry the king that she rode on the back of a yaryebu!” He teased.

  “That's not true! Yaryebu's do not exist anymore. Not since the Age of Creation. I wish they did though.” But she was not quite sure.

  “You really saw one?” She asked. He nodded.

  “We go in the right direction if you want to see one. They live in very cold places. South at the very bottom of the world and north at the top of the world. They are covered in wooly fur and have tusks as long as towers. They are the forefathers of the elephanta. Once, they roamed in many places of the world. Until, as your people say, the Age of Empires.”

  “They must have been killed off.” She said sadly.

  “Mostly.”

  “Yemi, why did you come here?”

  “I was sent by my family to study at Juranni, the center of all education in the South Lands. Great schools are there, where I learned the history of many of the south land peoples, art, literature and mathematics. Then I was sent to Hybron, to a school in Rhuctium to learn about architecture, medicine, alchemy and about how to map the stars and how to build wonderful machines, things only the ancient of ancients used to know.”

  “Machines? Like the moving machines that had their own life? I heard those were all destroyed in the Great Destruction. I wish I could see them now.” She said.

  “I do too. I have heard of this Great Destruction that took place in your land long ago. Badness was everywhere but some good things were swept away with the bad, it seemed. But perhaps we can uncover the good things that were swept away and bring them back. It is dangerous though. Not everyone wants that knowledge to come about.”

  “It is the fault of the Ainash. The Ainash hate anything that gives others more knowledge or power than them. They were part of the reasons why Assenna was destroyed.”

  “Ah! Little one, I do not know of what you speak but I have heard of these Ainash. It was they who stopped our schooling in Rhuctium, took away the ancient texts our teachers found in the ruins of Assenna and burned them. We were expelled and I fear what might have happened to our teachers.” Said Yemi. Anet shivered. She could guess what might have happened.

  “We're not allowed to speak of that or of the Red Kings in Hybron. People will think you are trying to curse them when you mention them.” Anet lowered her voice.

  “A curious thing. The Red Kings were known far and wide for their great wisdom, righteousness and justice. Under them everyone prospered and lived well and they ruled during some of the greatest achievements known to Man. They truly were the kings of the whole red world. Kings from far away lands would make pilgrimages to Assenna to learn from them. I hear there are many great things they built, still under the ruins of the city there. Secrets that many seek but they fear to go to the ruins. Those that go there lose their way and do not return.”

  “I have heard that too.” Said Anet. She was determined to go there, to the ruins but she would tell no one. One day she would uncover the secrets that everyone whispered about but would not openly speak of. This superstition even affected some of the faithful. The very mention of the Red Kings was a curse and sometimes could have a man thrown in prison. Anet wondered what they had done to gain such fear and hatred in people. The Ainash were foremost in fostering this hatred and no one dared speak of them in an Ainash priest's or scribe's presence, less they be ostracized. Anet was determined to go there to defy them. Perhaps she would embark on her course in a great ship. Like the one she saw at Kukuma.

  “Yemi?”

  “Yes?”

  “I saw a wonderful ship at the port yesterday. It was golden with silvery sails that appeared and disappeared in the air. It looked like it could sail in the air! Have you ever seen it?” Yemi drew a sudden, sharp breath in amazement.

  “My, my! You have seen the fabled golden ship of Milukem. Hardly anyone ever sees it these days. Only those with great imagination see it now.”

  “What is it and who is Milukem?”

  “Milukem was a sailor ages ago when Jura had another name, when it was the old kingdom of Nebur. Pirates often raided and killed in the cities up and down the sea and terrified the people. Milukem, a humble sailor, prayed one day that he would be able to help the kingdom and was chosen by God and king to wreak vengeance against those sea scoundrels. The king gave him a golden ship and he also asked his mother for help. She weaved sails out of spiderwebs for the ship, which meant that it would be a trap to those with wrong motives or those who were unsuspecting. Then he set sail, luring pirates out toward lost and unknown seas. So obsessed the pirates became with catching the ship, for they just knew it was full of mountains of untold treasures, that they always chased him down but he always escaped and the pirate ships that tried to give chase always sank. His ship became a powerful siren call and any pirate captain that saw it could not resist the chase. Pirates feared to come to the Dakanar Sea anymore for fear that they might catch sight of the golden ship. When he grew very old he asked God to let the mission continue indefinitely and so God set a sign in the heavens and made the ship sail the stars forever. Pirates to this day fear it but if anyone else sees it, it is considered a good thing. It usually means you have a goodly and righteous mission ahead.”

  “Oh. So it isn't real?”

  “It was real, long ago. The memory of it is still real. The most important thing is this Anet, the golden ship represents the riches and blessings heaven bestows upon those who are humble and want to do the right thing for others. It is
a scourge to those with wicked inclinations. Always guard your heart's intentions, Anet and you may see it again. It is a blessed sign.”

  They traveled across land that seemed to changed gradually before their eyes from plains of grass and the white kata flowers to more sparse land with low, shifting dunes. They passed by a lake, taking a little time to fill their waterskins. Yemi picked a flower for Anet and she giggled. The scent was light but fragrant like fresh linen and honey. The flowers were edible and often eaten as treats at home. Kaisha looked hungrily at it and she shared some with her. They crossed a low set of hills and in the far distance Anet spied the great monument, the mountain-sized pyramid temple with the arched doorway held up by massive white stone elephanta and its gleaming tip. It reminded her of the palace in Jhis, except the king's archway at the gate was held up by great red stone lions and there were many figures of lions painted in the stone. An imposing priest, like an ebony statue dressed in bright white robes and a golden turban stood like a sentinel in the doorway. The men in the caravan raised their hands in respect and he raised his and nodded curtly.

  “Those are like the pyramids in Egi. Different from the ones in Zapulia, the ones with flat tops.” Said Yemi.

  “I did not see ziggurats in Zapulia.” Said Anet.

  “Mother Berenice tells me you all came from Yallas-by-the-Sea.” He said. She nodded.

  “We did.”

  “ The ziggurats were built in Yallas, proper. In the valley city.”

  “I want to go there.”

  “You want to go everywhere!” He laughed. “Do you want to be a merchant or an explorer?”

  “I do! Besides, I have seen those temples in drawings in the library.”

  “Have you, little one? You must have an extensive library in your citadel home.”

  “We do.”

  “Yet, I do not think you would want to go to Yallas by yourself. Make sure you are an old married woman.”

  “Why?”

  “Their patron goddess is a serpent who requires the blood of many young people each year.”

  “Dana?”

  “No. This is a far darker creature. Real gods require sacrifice. Always remember that. In time, in money, in life or blood and flesh. I understand the desire to see the world, yet take care. I perceive you are a bright child but from a sheltered home. To explore is a wonderful thing but there is no guarantee of comfort, of safety or mercy from anyone or anything.” He opened his shirt and showed her a very long, terrible and ugly scar. It looked as if he had once been opened from neck to belly and then sewn together. She was so shocked she could only stare at it. Kaisha shrank back in horror and refused to look at him thereafter.

  “I have traveled to many places in this world, some wonderful and some terrifying. I am fortunate I have lived to tell my tales.” She grew quiet after that. Sometimes she thought God mean or indifferent when she had to do things she did not like or when He did not perform great signs when she thought He should have. Perhaps He was not so bad as that.