“Physical attributes are superficial,” Uxbana said as she slowly lowered herself onto one of The Reigning One’s chairs, and Rhuna noticed that she still towered over her even in a seated position.
The Reigning One lifted a finger, and two attendants appeared at once to offer a large platter of food and a choice of beverages. Rhuna watched as Uxbana chose a sample of each food group, and then requested a large drinking vessel of the popular brewed and fermented barley beverage.
“My emissaries have reported to me about the grand stone buildings in this land,” Uxbana said with a mouthful of sweet honey cake. “It is always astute, is it not, to cultivate good relations with one’s neighbours, especially when there is much to be learned and gained, such as the Knowledge of Safu that is becoming famous in the entire world,” she said, and then took several large gulps of her beverage.
“However, our attempts to learn more about Safu have been strangely undermined in various ways,” she added as she took another mouthful of food.
Rhuna felt her skin prickle as she realized that Uxbana was referring to the acts of the Dark Ones.
“Several of my emissaries fell violently ill before reaching Safu, and several others, travelling together on a barge down the Great River, were attacked by both crocodiles and hippopotamuses,” Uxbana continued.
“How extraordinary,” The Reigning One interjected in a slightly elevated pitch, telling Rhuna that the rigid, disciplined man was in fact very surprised.
“Perhaps the lack of rain in recent lunar cycles has made the river animals agitated,” Uxbana suggested, but Rhuna saw from the hint of a frown on The Reigning One’s brow that he dismissed this idea.
“My emissaries have reported to me about curses,” Uxbana continued in a loud and firm tone, looking directly at Rhuna. “But let us not argue about the verity of curses,” Uxbana added with a quick dismissive wave of her hand.
“I have come to acquire the knowledge and ability to make our land of Ubanti like Safu, namely to build pyramids, stone roads, stone block houses, irrigation walls and metal tools,” she stated.
“These things were made with the power only Atlans possess,” explained Rhuna, and the black woman’s eyebrows arched questioningly.
“Transforming sand into stone blocks, or water in the case of the First Atlans in Safu, are exclusively the works of very skilled Atlan Masters,” Rhuna explained.
“My emissaries have reported to me of your grand deeds on behalf of the people of Benshu,” Uxbana said. “You made a city for the common people, all by yourself…”
“I transformed sand and dirt into stone building blocks so that the people could make better homes for themselves,” Rhuna confirmed.
“What else can you do?” she asked sharply, her obsidian eyes gleaming.
“I can transform metals for tools, plating on doors or walls, make glass from sand, soften stone so it can be shaped or cut…and I can also break down big rocks, or cause cracks in walls,” Rhuna said, remembering the unintentional damage she caused during her first lunar cycle in Safu.
“Why should only Atlans have this power?” shot Uxbana with an angry frown and flaring nostrils. “You are not even a pure Atlan!” she spat, as her gleaming black eyes bore into Rhuna. “I have heard about your great feats on behalf of the Benshi people, but you are not how I imagined you,” she challenged.
“My father is…was…an Atlan Master with great skills, and my mother was a native of the island of Chinza, where the people are small and have brown skin, and…” Rhuna began to ramble.
“How did you get this power?” Uxbana interrupted. “How do all Atlan Masters come by these powers?” she demanded to know.
“We don’t know,” Rhuna answered, trying not to sound as intimidated as she felt. “It has always been this way.”
“Humph,” the imposing dark woman responded with another frown and pursed lips. After a moment she continued, and Rhuna braced herself for more challenging questions.
“My advisors have reported that some of your Atlan Masters are planning to construct devices that can reproduce the work these Atlan Masters made with mental powers. We want these devices,” she stated bluntly.
“Oh,” said Rhuna, flailing for an answer.
“Or are only Atlans allowed to benefit from this advanced standard of life?” Uxbana asked, her dark eyes flashing.
“Oh no!” responded Rhuna quickly. “If the devices work, then they can be used by anyone. Atlans want everyone in the world to benefit from their Knowledge and abilities!” said Rhuna firmly.
“So you are speaking on behalf of Atlán when you say this?” Uxbana demanded.
“Yes, most definitely!” said Rhuna with a firm nod.
The Reigning One cleared his throat.
“What is it? You want to say something?” Uxbana said as she turned sharply towards the stiff man with the golden jewellery.
“The Star Child and the High Council of Atlán are not on amicable terms at present,” he stated in his monotone.
“Is that so?” Uxbana asked Rhuna.
“Yes, but only due to lack of clear communication, and then I was misunder…”
“You do not speak for the Atlan High Council, then?” Uxbana snapped.
“No,” Rhuna answered, but quickly added that the Atlan principles concerning the sharing of Atlan Knowledge had not changed in the short time since her dismissal from the Atlan High Council.
“So…this situation between you and them does not change anything said today between us?” Uxbana clarified, and Rhuna quickly shook her head.
“No, of course not! Everything is as I have told you. Atlans want to share what they have and help others any way we can!”
“Very good!” she said, and stood to leave. “There is a feast tonight – you shall come and eat with me!”
“My soldiers will accompany your emissaries into the Land of Safu,” said The Reigning One without making a movement or changing the pitch of his voice.
Uxbana stooped briefly as if to bow in gratitude, then briskly walked out.
“My people have succumbed to fear once again,” The Reigning One said in the same flat tone, and Rhuna mumbled a few words in agreement, careful not to say anything that would reveal her insight into the Dark Ones’ activities which were gained by secret means.
Rhuna returned home, anxious to tell Aradin about Uxbana, the black woman Shandi had foreseen, and how intimidated she had been by the tall and forceful leader of the Ubanti people.
“All rulers exhibit such aloofness and direct manner,” Aradin stated, and then asked Rhuna to relate every detail of the conversation between her, Uxbana and The Reigning One.
“This is a matter we should also observe carefully,” he said slowly when Rhuna had finished her account of the meeting. “The Dark Ones are causing trouble for a neighbouring land, and this will have consequences.”
A chill ran down Rhuna’s spine as Aradin spoke those final words, and she tried to distract herself with domestic chores and playing with Shandi until it was time to prepare for the evening feast to which she had been invited.
The evening feast in the Eating Hall at The Reigning One’s residence was a noisy and bustling affair, and Rhuna remembered her first night in Safu in this very hall, eating unfamiliar food amongst strangers in new surroundings. This time the strangers were Uxbana’s entourage of tall and impressive black-skinned people who moved gracefully and spoke with deep, resonating voices. The only familiar sight for Rhuna was The Reigning One who was wearing his most splendid attire of fine linen wrapped around his hips, and his bare torso covered in gleaming jewellery.
Rhuna looked around the crowded room until she saw Uxbana, once again striking in appearance and wearing a sensual flowing gown. She wore less gold jewellery, but her facial features were accentuated with stunning gold face-paint.
“What cloth is this?” asked Uxbana as she approached Rhuna, her gleaming eyes examining Rhuna�
��s dress.
“It’s silk,” Rhuna answered, as she let Uxbana touch and stroke the fabric. “Keeper of Justice, my husband, does important work for traders, and some of them bring special products from their land as reimbursement,” Rhuna explained.
“I want this, too!” Uxbana stated, still examining Rhuna’s dress from every angle. Rhuna said that she would ask which trader supplied the silk so that Uxbana could trade for some as well.
“Let us sit here,” Uxbana said, pointing to seating cushions at a low table nearby. Rhuna sat and then watched Uxbana’s long legs fold up elegantly underneath her as she made herself comfortable on the seating cushion.
“I am looking forward to eating Benshi and Atlan food!” she said as an attendant brought jugs of beverages and plain water to their table. Rhuna noticed Uxbana’s relaxed and informal manner.
“You look very good,” Rhuna said impulsively, looking at the balance of colours in her face and upper body. Uxbana startled her with a giant display of dazzling white teeth.
“You look good, too!” she said, still smiling broadly.
“The gold face paint looks very beautiful on your dark skin,” Rhuna said, happy that the conversation was going well.
“We Ubanti use gold every way we can, because we have so much of it in our land,” she explained, and then carefully scrutinized Rhuna’s face. “Hmm, I think you should try turquoise face paint!”
“Turquoise?” Rhuna repeated with surprise.
“Turquoise and orange. Those colours will stand out from your light brown skin and hair,” she said confidently, and Rhuna said she would try it as soon as she acquired those colours.
“Tell me about your life in Atlán,” she said. “And before, in Chinza.” Rhuna was surprised by her question because Uxbana had given her the impression of not being interested in Rhuna’s past. Rhuna told her about the splendid architecture in polished stone blocks, many covered in shiny metals such as gold, and how Atlán contrasted with her childhood island home of Chinza.
“I’d like to know more about the Land of Ubanti,” Rhuna ventured, and was pleasantly surprised when the woman began to talk freely as attendants brought bowls and plates of a wide variety of food.
Rhuna watched and listened as the tall woman with long arms and fingers reached across the table to each food portion, setting a generous amount on her plate. Uxbana ate greedily, lifting the plate to her chin and shovelling the food into her mouth with her fingers.
Rhuna asked if this was the manner of eating food in the Land of Ubanti.
“Yes, but many people eat like pigs!” she said with a mouthful of fishcake, and then continued telling Rhuna about her homeland.
“In my land, people work hard with little result. The land is fertile, but at certain times of the solar cycle the river floods and destroys our food and even houses, and other times there is too little water.”
Rhuna said that Atlans can teach her people about irrigation and storing water, as well as storage for food, such as grains.
Uxbana shoveled the cooked meat and vegetable dish into her generous mouth, nodding and gesturing her pleasure at the delicious taste of fresh food. Then she gestured to an attendant and asked for the popular fermented barley beverage.
“Atlans don’t drink intoxicating beverages,” Rhuna explained as she waved dismissively at the attendant carrying the ewers.
“No?” Uxbana exclaimed wide-eyed. “You do not entertain, enjoy, laugh and play?”
Rhuna shook her head quickly and explained that Atlans do all those things without the assistance of any intoxicating substances. Uxbana nodded silently in comprehension, and then swung her head back to pour the first drinking vessel of intoxicating beverage down her long and sleek throat.
“The Ubanti people used to live right here, at the mouth of the Great River where it meets the Great Sea,” she said. “But when your Atlan people came, we were afraid and left,” she explained. Then the Benshi came, so we made our home further along the Great River.”
Rhuna said that she did not know this, and then asked about the resettlement of the Ubanti people which she imagined must have been a giant undertaking.
“The Generals of the Ubanti people always make such decisions,” she answered. “My brothers and uncle are the Generals of my reigning family, and they make all major decisions after discussing the information they receive from our emissaries. They also lead the military forces and control internal security issues.”
“Your Generals also want Atlan Knowledge?” Rhuna asked.
“Of course!” she exclaimed. “Whatever is good, we want!” she added, almost casually. “This land once belonged to the Ubanti people, so why should we not claim its produce, as well as everything the people in this land have built.” Her piercing black eyes penetrated Rhuna as she waited for a response.
“Atlan Knowledge and everything made by Atlans are for the benefit of everyone,” Rhuna said calmly, trying not to reveal her sudden unease.
“Then there is no problem!” Uxbana said as she flashed her wide set of gleaming white teeth at Rhuna.
The evening continued festively, until the music and dance became too raucous for Rhuna and she told Uxbana it was time for her to go home and put her young daughter to bed.
The following day, another meeting of The Observers was hurriedly arranged, and Rhuna rushed to tidy the house and prepare some drinks for their friends. Echo of the Evening twitched nervously with his fingers, and Rhuna assumed he was eager to share his latest news.
“The High Council of Atlán has answered my message!” he twittered as soon as Aradin moved the lever to engage the protective magnetic force field around the room. The Observers immediately huddled around the basin of water to view the message that Echo of the Evening wanted to re-summon.
“Allow me to assist you,” said Divider of Fortunes as he pulled a pouch from the opening of his white robe and produced several small vials containing coloured powders. “A yellow-green powder is required for the repeated summoning of a message,” he said as he handed Echo of the Evening the appropriate vial.
After some nervous movements and words of incantation, the Gazing of the Waters revealed yellow-green swirls for a long moment before turning opaque. When the water finally cleared, Rhuna immediately recognized the red-bearded member of the High Council of Atlán.
“Greetings, Echo of the Evening! Your message was received with the utmost respect and attention, and the High Council of Atlán is grateful for your keen observations and loyalty to the Atlan Empire,” said Tamer of Fire.
“Several members of the High Council have carefully examined the individuals and their activity by means of the Gazing of the Waters, and have concluded that your report is indeed quite accurate.”
Rhuna held her breath at this point, and then squeezed Aradin’s hand tightly in anticipation.
“However, not all of your suspicions could be verified, despite lengthy attempts to summon visions by our most skilled Masters. While the individuals in question have strayed slightly from the Atlan Way, we, the members of the High Council of Atlán, have concluded that their intentions are benign; not with selfish or malicious intent, as you have implied.”
“It has been the High Council’s intention for some time already to establish a new Atlan Council in Safu, and this plan has now been put into immediate effect. A fleet of nine ships departs in three days, during which time the High Council shall instruct and inform the carefully-chosen members for this particular assignment.”
Rhuna waited impatiently for Tamer of Fire to speak a few more words of farewell before expressing her deep frustration. “The same problem all over again! They can’t summon the things that would condemn the Dark Ones, and we can’t risk exposing our ability to summon those hidden things by telling the High Council everything we know!”
“Be calm,” said Aradin soothingly as he reached across to hold Rhuna’s hand. “At least they are sending a new Atlan
Council.”
“Indeed, it is good news for us,” nodded Revealer of Truths. “Keep in mind, Star Child, that our intention was to alert the High Council’s attention without revealing our secretly-acquired knowledge. The High Council’s response to send qualified Council members to Safu is a very positive development.”
“We agree,” said several other Observers, and Rhuna told them that she hoped they were right.
“In view of your past disappointments, it is quite understandable that you should be particularly skeptical at this time,” Designer of Works said to Rhuna. She smiled warmly at the bearded man with insight and compassion.
After several days of unrelenting rain, Rhuna felt restless and eager to be outdoors as soon as the clouds parted. Leaving Shandi at home to play with some new toys under Faleesh’s caring supervision, Rhuna went with Aradin to visit the New Arrivals at the Pyramids.
Along the way, Rhuna took in the rich scents of rain-soaked grass and fresh blossoms, admiring the explosion of colours along the formerly arid road between the city of Safu and the site of The Pyramids. Even the ground beneath her feet felt comfortably soft, and small rivulets of water trickled along the sides of the road. Looking up at the noisy chatter of birds, Rhuna thought they must also be enjoying the wonderful stimulation to their senses.
Rhuna was surprised to see a great number of people at the pyramids, most of them young people. She observed that the well-dressed Benshi mingled with Atlans in regular garb and with Atlan Masters, and that they could converse fluently with everyone.
“I wonder if those Benshi are from a school,” she said to Aradin.
“Safu has several good schools of advanced learning, all of them established by the First Atlans, of course,” Aradin answered, and Rhuna nodded.
“The Star Child! Welcome, welcome!” called Ruler of Numbers with exaggerated hand gestures, his pink cheeks glowing. Rhuna approached the amicable man and introduced Aradin.
Rhuna, The Star Child Page 9
