by Aaron Hicks
When he finished he held up both couples hands as if they’d just won a round at the tournament and Uktesh could see that all four were bound together somehow. Repus to Leilani and Esolc to Pamfilo, but also Repus to Pamfilo, Esolc to Leilani, Repus to Esolc, and Pamfilo to Leilani. As if there were strings attached to each person, each one was now connected to the other three. The crowd burst into cheers, music swelled around them, and the party began as the two couples danced down the aisle.
They’d just reached the wedding tent set aside so that the girls could change into their kiekie’s when Pamfilo’s ta’ovala came undone and she was quickly gone from sight. Uktesh turned to Laurilli to ask her if she thought that was normal, but she anticipated his question and said, “Those two! They should know that grass doesn’t hold together well enough to dance like that!”
Holyt stepped up next to them and said, “It’s almost a tradition for the ta’ovalas to break during the ceremony, usually right at the end like Pamfilo, but sometimes during the ceremony; and once while the bride was walking up the aisle. That was a shock! She was quite beautiful though and stood in front of everyone and didn’t blush once!” Uktesh and Laurilli gapped at him in awe of the woman’s fortitude.
His wife hit his arm and said, “Don’t you tell them that! I blushed the whole time!” She turned to Uktesh and Laurilli and said, “I was just so tan that no one could tell!” Uktesh couldn’t comment on that, so he quickly fled and joined those clearing space to dance. While he was clearing away chairs three very unhappy daughters of Basam found him.
Trysha said, “Trysha doesn’t think that Trysha had a chance to win!”
Fayth added, “Fayth thinks that had Fayth, Trysha, and Kayla all worked together they would’ve won within the time limit!”
Kayla didn’t say anything, she just kicked his shin and stormed off. Uktesh said to the two girls who stuck around, “You don’t get it. Had you all worked together you wouldn’t have made it up the mountain and back in the time period I gave you. I did that because, like that task, you have no chance of me changing my mind.”
They stormed off and Laurilli joined him. She asked, “What was that about?”
Uktesh kissed her and said, “They were just learning a harsh reality in a harsh way.”
Laurilli said, “What did you do?”
Uktesh said, “I gave them an impossible task with the understanding that if one of them did it I’d sleep with her. I made the task something that alone they had no chance to complete and even working together they would still have no chance. Then, when they complained just now, I explained that like the impossible task, they had no chance of success in trying to seduce me from you.”
Laurilli kissed him and said, “You know just what to say to make a girl feel wanted.” She leaned into him and hugged him tightly. The music picked up pace as they stood together and Laurilli backed away with a look of glee in her eyes.
Uktesh sighed and said, “Go, dance, have fun, because tonight,” he realized he was going to use the phrase she’d been using for a week, “because tonight is the last time we’ll get to dance here.” She moved into the crowd of dancing people and Uktesh watched her move for a few moments, before he joined her. Together they danced until hunger made him remember he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Uktesh pulled her from the dance and kissed her. They were both dripping with sweat and Uktesh couldn’t take his eyes off of the way it rolled down between her breasts. He suddenly wished they weren’t dancing, but in their house.
As if reading his mind she shouted over the music, “Not yet! You know the newlyweds have to be the first to leave or we’ll be insulting them!”
He nodded and together they ate and drank while watching the dancers. He saw that Fayth and Trysha had each gathered two or three admirers to dance around them. Myranda had four men dancing with her, and if Basam was worried he didn’t show it as he danced with several women himself. Uktesh finished his plate and shouted to Laurilli, “I don’t know if I should get more!”
She shouted back, “Get more. This is the last time we’ll get to eat supper here!”
He smiled at her use of the phrase they’d been using all day. He got a second plate of meat and a refill of his berry juice.
“Trysha thinks Trysha should’ve given up on you weeks ago,” Trysha said from behind him.
Startled, he jumped and said, “Huh?”
She smiled and glanced at her three admirers, “Trysha is quite popular and Trysha will have some fun before Trysha leaves.”
Uktesh smiled and said, “Just don’t break too many hearts!”
He walked back to Laurilli and soon he was finished with his food and back on the dance floor. He saw that Repus and Leilani were the first to leave, but minutes later Esolc and Pamfilo were leaving too. Though the reason for the celebration was gone the party continued in full swing for another hour before Uktesh shouted to Laurilli, “Wife, I think it’s time we get out of here, because tonight,” he paused so that she could say it with him, “is the last time we’ll sleep together here!”
As he Walked them to their house the party continued. They could still hear the celebration from their house, though soon, they were too distracted by each other to care.
XIV. A Departure in the Life of
Moving day
“Where’s the money chest?” Uktesh asked when he realized that he hadn’t packed it as they drove the wagon toward the dining area.
Laurilli replied, “It’s packed in the false bottom of the wagon my dad has. Besides you, he’s most able to protect it. I’m not too worried, though. Larut travelled here, back, and here again and had no trouble with bandits. It seems things have settled down since the tournament. We just travelled during a peak banditing time.” She smiled like she’d just made up a funny joke so he smiled back at her. “Peak, peak banditing time!” He just continued to smile, but shook his head, indicating he didn’t get it. “Like when it’s a peak season for strawberries, or harvesting. Like that only with bandits.”
Uktesh said, “I get it, but I find your explanation is funnier than the original sentence.”
Laurilli pouted, “If you have to explain a joke it isn’t a good joke. Like, if I were-” she cut off and pointed behind Uktesh and shouted, “what’s that?”
Uktesh turned around and didn’t see anything. He turned back to her and said, “I don’t see anything.”
Laurilli was laughing so hard she couldn’t speak. Uktesh started laughing too, but just at her antics. “Made,” she breathed in and tried to control her laughter, “made you look.” She burst out laughing again. Uktesh sat looking forward, smiled, leaned back, and sighed contently.
Laurilli ate nothing, as she’d thrown up again that morning. She just drank the sweet berry juice while he ate some meat, bread, and fruit.
Repus poked his head into the dining area and said, “You two need to hurry up and eat. We’re scheduled to depart for Jubay in ten minutes. We’ve already loaded our wagons and you two just meet us there. We’ll load yours now.”
Uktesh finished his drinks and said, “I need a refill if this is my last day drinking this.” He pushed back his chair and asked Laurilli, “Would you like me to get you a refill?”
She said, “No. I don’t want to have to go on the boat.”
He thought about it and sat back down, “You’re right. I’d better just,” he stood back up, “nope! I want a refill or two!” He took both his cups and filled them up with the berry drink he was going to miss once they were gone. When he got back to the table he answered Laurilli’s raised eyebrow, “I’ll just pee off the side, or back, if I have to.”
Uktesh filled up two more glasses of the tart berry juice while Laurilli shook her head at him. Once he was done drinking Uktesh grabbed their plates and cups and dumped them in the dirty dishes bin, took Laurilli’s hand, and Walked to the pier. They saw that the last of the wagons were being loaded and they made their way toward the boat.
Holyt came up to them pant
ing and said, “I’m glad I caught you! The staff and I wanted to thank you. The five of you were the only guests we’ve ever had that cared about the staff enough to always put your dirty dishes and cups in the dirty dish tray.”
Uktesh smiled and Laurilli said, “I was nothing. We know how had they were and we didn’t want to make it harder for them.”
Holyt said, “Just so! No other guest who had stayed more than a month had helped out of the kindness of their hearts. And you five did it for six months! We wanted you to know that we noticed and this is a small token of our affections for the five of you.
Holyt handed Uktesh five leather bracers with each of their names embroidered in the leather. Holyt said, “I know you five like to fight, hopefully these will keep your sword arm protected.”
Uktesh hugged Holyt and said, “Next time we spend time here let’s do the Tale of Renkanto play again. By then you’ll need to recruit a grand master to fight me. Or maybe I’ll be the dragon.”
Holyt grinned at that thought and said, “Fare thee well Uktesh. I shall always remember thee as the greatest Renkanto ever cast.”
Uktesh said, “I will always remember you as the more daring director. Only you would cast someone as dangerous as myself as Renkanto. Holyt laughed and turned to walk away Uktesh stepped onto the pier and all five grand masters Walked into his path. Uktesh smiled and said, “I thought we’d said our goodbyes yesterday.”
Dayho said, “We did, but now you’re a dragon leaving the island and we have a duty to perform.”
Uktesh thought that sounded ominous. Ruth stepped forward and said, “You’ve been a boon to us; you’ve saved us from an enemy we weren’t aware of, and you’ve proven yourself a very capable young man.”
She stepped back. Wyde took a step forward and said, “You are free to leave this island, with our blessing, but be warned; never reveal our location, or that which we’ve taught you.”
He stepped back and Mycha took a step forward, and said, “Should you break either of these rules and we learn of it, we will hunt you to the ends of the earth to meet out your punishment.”
He smiled and stepped back while Dusyd took a step forward, and said, “You are permitted to continue Laurilli’s training, and to take on one apprentice, as is she, once she masters the Shadow Step.”
He stepped back. Dayho stepped forward and said, “You’re the youngest grand master ever, and to make matters more embarrassing for us five who’ve mastered only one element apiece, you’ve started to master all five. To you we give the title ‘grand master of sound.’”
Uktesh was shocked because he remembered there was a prophecy about the death of the five dragons by the destroyer and the dragon of sound would be caged.
Together all five grand masters said, “Go forth in safety and know you have a safe harbor here forever.”
Uktesh smiled; overwhelmed by questions and yet unable to speak, he simply nodded his thanks. They lifted their hands to the sky and in an awe inspiring display of power, they combined their powers and a multi-colored explosion that lit up the day time sky to the cheer of the crowd. Then they Walked away. Uktesh smiled at Laurilli and said, “Grand master dragon.” He grinned at her. She took his arm and pulled him close to her and they walked the rest of the way to the boat.
When they boarded Uktesh handed out the bracers and Heathyr asked, “What was that about with the grand masters?”
Laurilli said, “Just the grand masters’ way of sending off my Uktesh.” She paused, then nonchalantly added, “by making him a grand master too.”
Uktesh said, “I really didn’t expect it, but I guess it was their way of thanking me, or cursing me, for alerting them to the necrolans.”
With a lurch the boat pushed away from the dock and suddenly they were on their way. Laurilli grunted and said, “You know, I got to the point where I didn’t even notice their accent.”
Uktesh pushed his troubling thoughts to the back of his mind and said, “Me neither. I wonder when that changed?” He glanced at Pamfilo and Leilani and asked, “Okay, this may be a bad thing to ask, but do those two look wrong with shirts on?”
Laurilli shook her head and replied, “Only you would ask your wife that question.”
Uktesh shrugged, “I’ll take that as a yes.”
She grinned and said, “I feel strange not wearing just my swimsuit. This shirt itches and my shorts feel restrictive.”
I feel strange not seeing her wear her swimsuit.
She can tell when we talk so I should let her know. Uktesh said, “The dragon also doesn’t know how he feels about you not wearing your swimsuit, and I agreed.”
She smiled, dimpling prettily, and said, “Men!” in mock anger.
Pippy ran over and said, “Tesh! We’re moving to live with you!”
Uktesh picked her up, hugged her, and said, “You are? I thought you and your mom were going to live with Repus.”
She said, “We are and we’ll live with you! They said so.”
Uktesh smiled and said, “Well, I don’t know how big our house will be, but we’ll make it work. However, would it be a bad thing if you lived with your mother and Repus, and Li and I lived in our own home, if we said you could visit whenever you wanted?”
She frowned and answered, “I guess, but let’s do it my way instead.”
Laurilli said, “Well, your mother would have to agree, but I don’t think she’d want to live with us, because we’re still kids to your mom and Repus. We still like to do silly things.”
Pippy asked, “Like what?”
Uktesh said, “Sometimes we kiss each other.”
Laurilli added, “And sometimes we like to sleep together.”
Uktesh nodded and added, “And sometimes we eat in bed!”
Pippy said, “Like what?”
Uktesh said, “Like pineapple rings.”
Laurilli blushed at the reminder, but she said, “I don’t think your mom and Repus would like to live with people who eat in bed.”
Pippy frowned and said, “No, you’re right. She won’t even let me drink away from the table. But you guys could just stop eating in bed!”
Uktesh gravely shook his head and said quietly, as if it was a secret, “When you get to our age,” he then thought about their ages and added, “maybe even a little older, you’ll find someone you’d like to eat in bed with. When that happens, then you marry him, and you can eat in bed all you want, because you’ll be living with him in a different house than your mom.”
Her look of wonder made it hard for Uktesh to keep a straight face. She asked, “Really? I wanna marry a boy right now so we can eat in bed now!”
Laurilli stepped away as her shoulders shook with silent laughter. Uktesh asked, “Do you know anyone to get married to?”
Pippy pointed to him, and said, “You.”
Uktesh shook his head and said, “I’m already married to Laurilli. You only get to marry one person at a time.”
Pippy said, “I don’t know any more boys.”
Uktesh said, “You know Robyn and Mychael. Once you find a boy, you have to make sure that you like him enough to marry him. So you should probably do what Laurilli and I did and wait a whole year after you think he’s the one you want to eat in bed with.”
She nodded solemnly, “That’s smart. What if he likes to eat carrots in bed.”
Leilani came over and said, “Are you bothering Uktesh?”
Pippy said, “Nope, Tesh was just telling me when I get married I can eat in bed if I want.”
Leilani looked questioningly at him.
“We told her that we like to eat in bed, which is why it wouldn’t work for us to live with you, because you don’t like it when people eat in bed.”
Leilani said, “Birds and bees at her age, Uktesh?”
Pippy said, “No, just carrots and pineapple rings.”
Uktesh snorted a laugh and tried to smother the rest that wanted to burst forth. Leilani also struggled not to laugh when she said, “Come on, Pip
py. You can play with Uktesh during the trip.”
Laurilli came back and he turned to look out at the ocean. She leaned against him and said, “Carrots and pineapple rings, what are the odds?”
Uktesh said, “Just our luck. Hey, look! There are a bunch of ships out there.”
She saw them and said, “Yeah, I wonder where they’re coming from.” She thought about it and added, “What’s west of the five kingdoms?”
Uktesh shrugged and said, “I would’ve said nothing, but clearly they are west of us. That sure is a lot of ships.”
The lookout spotted them and shouted, “Ships to port!” Uktesh looked up at the lookout and realized that the left side of the ship was called port. There was panic in the lookout’s voice and suddenly the ship lurched as more sails were dropped and then caught the wind.
As much speed at they had, the other ships, twenty four in all, were quickly gaining on them. They docked and quickly disembarked all the carts and people, then the boat dropped oars and started backing out away from the pier. As Thulmann, Esolc, and Tylor led the horses and wagons down the pier Uktesh watched as people stopped what they were doing to watch the ships approach.
“Basam doesn’t like the look of those ships.” Uktesh turned and saw that twelve ships were already close enough for him to see people on their decks. The other twelve were already beginning to dock at the Isle de Tramonto.
Uktesh said, “Okay kids time to get in a wagon! Myranda you take two and go in Tylor’s wagon. In case you haven’t learned our names and faces yet, he’s the goofy looking red head!”
Uktesh ignored Tylor’s, “Hey!”
