by Peter Yard
"No. It isn't an Original City. It was built as a refuge, and it is now our political and cultural capital. It is the heart of our culture and we are very proud of it."
"Yes I noticed that. So is that fort in the distance the city of Tanten?"
"Not strictly speaking. Actually, not at all. Tanten as a city doesn't exist." She said.
"What? Even when we talk among ourselves we treat it as a city."
"It isn't a city in the form you are used to. Tanten is made up of various Strongholds; forts, castles. The main stronghold is an octagonal fort simply called the Castle. Then there are Shwu, Mbele, and Sibl to the northwest, north and northeast of the central Stronghold of Aqua. Castle lies directly to the south. Aqua is not a large stronghold though it contains the largest of the water reservoirs and water is power in Tanten. Underground water pipes and tunnels connect the Strongholds, especially Aqua. Despite this interconnection, the Strongholds are run independently, though decisions affecting the city have to be ratified by the Council, which meets in the Castle."
"So everyone lives in these Strongholds?"
"No, there are suburbs that lie outside the Strongholds, with parkland between them," she said.
"And we are heading to... ?"
"Castle, my home."
They were headed for the front gate of the Castle, located on the southern side, facing the desert. To get there they had first had to go a bit north towards Shwu as they stepped from desert to grassy slopes, then along the western side of the Castle, to enter The Snake, a winding path to the gate, bounded by steep, grassy sides under the eyes of the Castle. One very long kill zone, winding north, then south along the western flank of the Castle. The head of the Snake came to the gates, which faced south into the desert. The gates looked almost like a beast’s mouth with iron teeth and surrounded by hidden attack points. The Snake had many fangs, all poisonous.
The Castle was staggering and beautiful. It stood on a hill in the middle of the green grass that surrounded it in seeming disdain of the nearby desert. Here stood a kind of building he had never seen before. Mikel had been awed by Bethor but this structure beat anything in Bethor, maybe the Palace in Sanfran would rival it but the Palace was really just a ruin with occupants, an observation he was careful to keep to himself. The Castle was a living city; the walls here were almost fifteen meters high with successive layers of dark gray and light pink rock and some cement. Stopping at the gate waiting for approval to enter he could now appreciate the city. There were features on the tops of the walls that he took for decoration until Tei explained that they were nooks for bowmen. He was full of questions but Tei signaled that they should talk about it later.
Inside the Castle there were more surprises because there was so much water in use. Fountains, small gardens with rivulets, common wells, water flowed everywhere. There were multi-storied houses and so much color everywhere: the clothes, banners, cloth in windows. So many wonders it was hard to see it all. Bethor had been a chaotic riot of color, this was a harmonious song of color. It was like another world. The team, they were not a caravan anymore, turned to the right down a short, dusty, pale-yellow, cobbled street and into some stables. Now, incredibly, surprisingly, their journey was at an end. Mikel stood by his camel for a moment trying to work out what had just happened. Tei was looking at him quizzically.
“The camel won't unpack itself. And when you unpack it don’t forget to give it to the stable hands to care for it.” She clearly didn’t trust Mikel’s peculiar state of mind. He presumed she thought he was having a ‘Wizard moment’. More likely it was just a ‘Mikel moment’.
“Let me show you my city.”
Mikel was a bit confused by the hustle and bustle. He had started to forget about Bethor and its crowds. Here, they were close to the market which had more color, noise, music and life than he had ever seen in Bethor. Bethor seemed an age ago. Even Sanfran, that sad city striving for rebirth, seemed to be diminished by this spectacle. Above the din there was the sound of music: guitars, drums, metal instruments of some kind; the beat was invigorating and intoxicating. There were smells of food, and spices, and perfumes that varied from spot to spot as he walked, like an aromatic forest. But Tei walked straight past the Markets and continued in toward the center of the Castle where there was a large circular building in black stone, probably basalt, that looked to be even taller than the walls.
"I thought you were going to show me your city? You seem a little too business like. Can't I look around first?"
She turned and smiled for a moment, as if he was a child.
“All in good time. But first there are some things we have to do."
He didn't know about this 'we'. When did her duties become his as well?
"This is the Keep, where the Council sits, where the Court plots and schemes.” She said the last stopping and turning towards him with a mock-evil smile on her face.
Now her voice changed, more serious. “Yes, they scheme. Sometimes I wonder if they really appreciate the dangers that surround us. As if we need enemies within as well.”
“Don’t worry too much. The Center isn’t immune to it either. We have intrigues and plots. But I think the Wizard’s life isn’t quite so attractive to those seeking power. But the problem is still there,” he said.
She looked at him and he understood that he didn’t care if she knew. He trusted her.
“Come on I will show you Tanten from above.”
"Tei? You never told me, why do you trust me with knowing where Tanten is?"
She smiled. "You are so sweet and naive. As much as I like you I wouldn't trust you unless I was certain that Lind knows exactly where Tanten is located."
"Ah!"
"Ah, yes. But I still really like you just the same." She giggled.
She walked up the light brown steps to the black stoned Keep. He looked back. Only now did he notice that the ground they had walked over was a mosaic of rock pieces. Paving. Tei was talking to a guard. He missed what she had said.
The guard was dressed in almost black armor, his elaborate helmet sported a red feathered crest, faceplate up. Spectacular, though Mikel suspected this was not just show. Another guard appeared from Mikel’s right. Where did he come from? He also wore black armor but his crest was black and there was no gloss to the armor; he had simply merged into the black stone background and shadows. Now he noticed that the guards normally stood in shadowed alcoves, at night they would be invisible. He thought this was probably some strategy based on misdirection, subtle, but he wondered if it had ever really been tested.
“Tei, of family Valis. I also bring Wizard Mikel of the Center.”
“Welcome back Ambassador Tei. The Council is not in session but many members are available if you wish.”
The guard to Mikel’s right did something to the door and whispered a phrase. A code he presumed. The large black wooden door opened outwards as a double door.
“You are an ambassador again?” He said.
“Not really. That was for you. If you had not been here they would have simply addressed me as Captain.”
"Do you get many outside visitors here?"
"No, it is very rare. They just reacted to you like they would in the Caravanserai. I'm sure they were surprised."
“Captain?”
“What you call a ‘captain’ and what we call a ‘captain’ are not the same. I am a captain because I lead a caravan. But it also means I can lead troops.”
“So it is a bit similar?”
She shrugged. "Whereas Bethor have very strict designations for their ranks. You remember Mr 'Sergeant First Class'?"
He remembered the sergeant but could only think of him as Miley and hoped he never had to fight him.
They walked up a nearby staircase. A spiral of stone going up along one of the walls. He felt like he was exploring a giant seashell from the inside. Now and then it opened onto a floor where he could see tantalizing things. Unknown mechanisms were sometimes visible. And books, lots of books.
She laughed. “I see you haven’t forgotten. No, this is not the Library. All in good time. Be patient.” She might be asking him to be patient but she was clearly excited.
Finally, the stairs came to an end. He was puffing, but only slightly, the caravan trip had improved his fitness. Tei opened a heavy door and there was blinding light.
He was standing on the roof of the Keep. There were about a dozen soldiers on lookout. Armed with crossbows and swords. There were also some ballistas for firing projectiles long distances. The roof was large enough to have a shaded tent erected with water for soldiers who were rotated into the shade through their watch. Tei stepped up to one of the set of steps up the top of battlement rim.
“Look Mikel! To the North there are the snow tipped peaks of the Uuten Mountains, where Tanten gets its water, from the Tanuuten River. In every other direction there is desert. See that peak, just to the left, where I am pointing?”
“Maybe. Yes.”
“Mikel, are you humoring me?”
He didn't answer.
To the north he could see, apart from the castle-like Strongholds, green fields fanning out until they reached a range of white tipped mountains about thirty or forty kilometers away. They didn't look high and unlike the Cantas near Bethor there seemed to be very little snow; the snow line was high, or rather the mountains were low. Through the green, and slightly blued distance he could see a winding silvery ribbon, the Tanuuten, but it was too far to see where the river exited the mountains. To the left there was forest. That surprised him; well they had to get their timber from somewhere. To the east there was the regular yellow, green and brown quilting of farmland mixed with some forest. Looking further east, or west, was the hard pale yellow and red of the desert. It seemed as if the surrounding heat-bleached land was trying to assail this oasis like a pale orange sea battering against an island's seawall vying to dominate and subdue.
“That peak is called Perrin’s Vision. Jason Perrin, found an easy path to the summit; when he got there he had a good view of The Citadel in its glory. When he came back and told people, he wanted someone to go and check because he thought he had hallucinated. He could not believe it was real. When a Trader comes of age they are taken up to Perrin’s Vision, usually in summer, to see the Truth.”
“What is the Truth?”
“That there are greater things in the universe than humanity. But you must see it for yourself in order to understand.”
He had a moment of déjà vu, then remembered when the Queen of Sanfran had asked that very same question.
The Uuten Mountains looked impressive, but he remembered that Tei had once told him that the Uutens were small compared to the mountains at Olympus: the Citadel of Zeus. He also now had a very good view of the other Strongholds. They were spread over the southern part of the 'oasis'. Castle was huge, he estimated its octagonal form would fit in a square with 300 meter sides. Looking again he followed the curve of the Tanuuten River and perhaps also the aqueduct from the Tanuuten to Tanten. Tei pointed out several more landmarks describing them from her experience and some of the history.
They left the Keep and walked around the Castle and the Cardinals, the name given to the specialized parts of the Castle located at the cardinal points of the compass.
Back at ground level, near the North Wall there were some foundries and places where various goods were manufactured, heavy things. It turned out the Artisan Quarter was located elsewhere. He looked at some of the techniques, curious, noticing how much their technology lagged behind The Center. To the west were homes. These were the large communal homes of the families. Tei told him that although many chose to live outside the Castle walls among the green these homes were ancestral and many still wanted the close exposure to the city.
To the east was the Artisan Quarters, and the Visitor Quarters. Closer to the south gate was the Garrison.
Later they returned to the homes on the western side and visited a set of small buildings. This was her family home. He met her parents, some old trail riders who were also visiting, her aunts and uncles. There were at least a dozen people, talking discussing. Some leaving, some arriving. A full extended family in an extended building. Very different to a yurt. Like a castle within a castle. Out came wine and food, someone started playing a guitar. He relaxed, he didn’t feel quite so hot and dirty. His head was beginning to swim a bit. Tei’s father, a sun-hardened, wiry man by the name of Bron, came to him.
“Young man, I must apologize for my family. We are so glad to have Tei back we have forgotten you. It is so good to see her with someone she cares about. But you must be exhausted. You can wash here, we have a large bath. Later, Tei will show you to your quarters in the Visitors Quarter of the city. Sorry, you can't stay here, it is a legal requirement for all new arrivals, even Traders. But first wash, then food and drink.”
A bath had been prepared for him with scents. It was blissful, he was tempted to stay in it until it went cold. But he was a stranger here, he better make a good impression for his fellow Wizards.
Her father told Mikel tales of the road. Stories of caravans, revealing little intimate details of the beliefs, hopes and fears of his family and people.
"Tell me Bron. Are there any people to the east? Any cities?"
"Well, the old tales say that there were people on all six continents of Neti but humans really only occupied the continents of Arva and Werrin in large numbers."
"Our ships have reached Werrin. We found nothing. Just desert reaching to the sea. No cities or towns. Nothing."
"Well, that is sad to hear. It was said to be a very beautiful place. The east? There were cities there. There may still be but we have never been able to find a way across the desert."
He slapped his knee as if he remembered something.
"Why are we talking about such sad things? This is a time for celebrating, though maybe it is a bit too much for some." He said pointing to a pile of cushions that held a sleeping Tei, arm outstretched with a goblet of unfinished wine.
Mikel checked the wine cup sitting precariously in her hand, she must have only had a few sips.
He left early, with Tei’s father showing him the way.
He wasn't sleepy so he decided to explore around the Artisan Quarters near where his visitors room was located.
Some of them were finishing up, tidying up equipment, sweeping away the detritus of a working day's effort. Placing the finished items in a safe place, a cover over the incomplete. He poked his nose into one shop where a middle aged couple were finishing their work. Their names were Sandra and Aleis, just like his sister.
"Excuse me. I just wanted to have a look."
"We've put the finished stuff away, it will take some time to get it all out again but I can do that," said Sandra.
"I only want to see your workbench, the kind of work you do?"
They were delighted.
"Do you craft instruments as well young man?"
"I wouldn't say, craft, that might be a bit optimistic. I have invented a couple of interesting things, so I appreciate the skill and technique needed to construct them. For example…" He went to reach into his bag to find his fire-starter but remembered he had loaned it to Tarvis. Then he knew what he could show them.
"Have you heard of telescopes?"
"Only in the old books."
"Well ladies, I present to you, my own little telescope. It is even collapsible. See?" He brought it out and showed it to them with a self mocking flourish. Then, and only then, did he remember all of his later misgivings, all of his mistakes, the deeper understanding he now had of how it should have been made. He blushed.
"It isn't very good. I apologize for the workmanship. But it does work."
They didn't even hear him. They were fondling it, turning it over, peering through it, chattering endlessly to each other.
"Goodness! It is a wonder." Aleis said.
"It is only for daytime viewing
, if I had used convex lenses only it would be brighter and better at night, but it would invert the image. Let me show you how it is made." Then he gave them a quick guide on how it was made, the type of lenses and their characteristics, a little physics about why it worked, which they seemed to skip over. They reminded him of some experimentalist Wizards he knew, 'who cares about the theory, does it work?' A not unreasonable stand to take he thought.
One of the women whistled over to another shopkeeper who was just about to duck inside his home for the night. It turned out his name was Kief, a glass blower. The three of them chattered some more. Finally, Sandra handed the scope back to Mikel holding it as if it was a holy relic. In the background Aleis pulled up a stool, cleared a space and started writing down some notes on a piece of papyrus that she suddenly had, that they all had. They must carry notepaper on them. They were all very distracted and busy taking notes.
"Thank you, young man. This is very interesting. What is your name, we can name it in your honor?" Sandra said.
"Uh. Mikel, Mikel Peres."
"Oh, you are that Wizard that came in on the caravan. Are all Wizards so young?"
"Not usually." Or ever.
He bade them farewell. The last he saw them they were chattering excitedly. Now the wine, the journey, everything started to conspire against him. He found his place from the instructions and collapsed on the simple yet so luxurious bed. He made a movement to start taking his clothes off to sleep but never finished it.
A dreamless sleep came over him, so like death as to be unpleasant, yet very restful. If there was any noise from other places in the Artisan Quarter he never heard it.
The first thing he did hear was an armored fist hammering on his door. It was perhaps two hours after sunrise. He had slept in.
“Master Mikel, you are requested to attend a meeting of the Council. Ambassador Tei will meet you at the Keep. I am to escort you there immediately.”
“What? Why do people keep doing this to me? Certainly. Wait a minute!” He said to the door while trying to work out who he was and where he was. His brain was fogged. He got up, discovering he was still dressed, grumbled over the lost opportunity to sleep comfortably in a real bed and grabbed his notebook. He had been very lax recently, perhaps a bit distracted trying to stay alive, that must change there was so much here that needed recording or at least some description.
