“Again, it’s not as fancy as what you’re probably used to, but it should fill your stomach well enough,” Zav said. He took a few bites of food and then sat back, gazing curiously at Charis. “There’s no use in playing mute any longer. As I said before, I heard you speak back at the palace. So, let’s talk.”
Charis felt his cheeks, along with the tips of his ears, flame with heat. Though he did not want to speak to Zav—or to anyone except Price Vidnar, really—he could not deny that Zav had treated him kindly and fairly so far. Therefore, Charis owed him at least the same courtesy.
“What do you wish to talk about?” he replied slowly, choosing his words carefully. He was determined to reveal nothing about the prince or his former life to Zav. Harem protocol forbade it, for one thing, and besides that it would only give Zav information he might be able to use against Charis if he found another opportunity to escape.
Zav seemed relieved to hear his voice. He sighed and even smiled a little. “Well, perhaps I should begin. No doubt you’re still confused about all that happened to you in the last day or so.”
“That would be a fair assessment,” Charis replied in a clipped tone.
Briefly, Zav explained the purchase made by his brothers in the marketplace. Rumor had it that Charis had become a bit of a troublemaker in the harem and his original owners were eager to be rid of him. The word therefore went out that anyone offering a fair price could take him off the royal family’s hands so long as they promised not to bring him back. Zav’s brothers had willingly met that price, having seen everything Charis had to offer when he had met with Lash the tailor back at the harem. Charis had therefore been lured out of the harem and conveyed to them by palace guards.
Charis nodded, his heart aching. This seemed to confirm his suspicions that the Matriarch and Prince Baboye were behind his expulsion from Vidnar’s life.
“It is not true that I made trouble for the royal family,” Charis choked out, eager to defend himself. But then he remembered that it would be wise to say nothing more, and so he remained silent.
“I wouldn’t be offended if you had,” Zav told him. “In any case, as it happens, I don’t believe in slavery. I don’t even like to use that term. Certainly I wouldn’t purchase myself a companion. I’d rather have one that came to me and stayed with me willingly. But my brothers thought they were doing the right thing.”
Charis struggled not to burst into tears. He wanted to be back in the harem so badly that it seemed he could will himself there if only he concentrated hard enough. Alas, it was not to be.
“I’ll be honest, though,” Zav went on. “I do need some help with the merchandise. My brothers are awful as far as work goes. Without me, my family would have gone bankrupt long ago. And as you can see, the wagon is full of merchandise and we have some stops to make. But if you will stay with me until we finish our sales rounds, I’ll pay you and even take you back to the city.”
Charis brightened. Maybe he could purchase his freedom.
“At worst, you’ll have a chance to travel and to enjoy some new experiences before you go home again. You shall be my assistant—not my servant.” Zav put out his hand. “What do you say?”
“I…I hardly know what to say.”
“Say it’s a deal.”
“Very well.” Charis swallowed. Slowly, he lifted his own hand over the table. After all, he reminded himself yet again, what real choice did he have? And he was sure now that Zav’s kindness was not an act. He would be a man of his word, and would help Charis find his way back to the harem soon enough. “It is a deal.”
They clasped hands, and Zav’s warm fingers tingled against his. Charis hadn’t expected that. He had thought only Prince Vidnar’s fingers could arouse emotion in him just by touch.
“I’m glad,” Zav told him.
Chapter Six
“There it is,” Zav said, pointing past the plodding xoxobeasts that pulled the wagon. “Daphek, City of Entertainments.”
The two had been riding at the front of the wagon for most of the day, having pulled out of the forest that morning, as soon as Zav’s brothers had bothered to rouse themselves and dress. Their wagon followed Zav’s at a small distance, since he and Charis had both started a bit earlier and made better progress.
As they rolled through the massive city gates, which were flung open to allow travelers from all directions to enter, Charis stared around him with great interest. This city was much different than the one he had left. Fashions were different here—more utilitarian and less colorful, for one thing—and the crowds seemed smaller but more diverse. A few uniformed soldiers strolled about to keep order, but their pace was less crisp and there were nowhere near as many troops as Charis was used to seeing about the palace and harem. Perhaps no royals lived here, and therefore the atmosphere remained more relaxed.
In the center of the city, directly ahead of them, stood an amazing domed building that shimmered white and silver in the afternoon sunlight.
“That’s the bazaar,” Zav said. “We’ll be selling there, indoors. My brothers and I never miss a chance to set up our wares for a few days when we pass this way. People come from all over to buy goods here. The crowds are eager for fabrics of all sorts, and best of all, they’re prepared to pay for quality.”
“People sell things inside the dome?” Charis could hardly believe it. His experiences with marketplaces were admittedly limited, but every one he had attended had been located out in the open air. That made sense, given the variety of smells—some decidedly unpleasant—that rose into the warm air as so many people, animals, and items for sale congregated in one area. “But doesn’t it get too hot—and hard to breathe?”
“The dome is ventilated, and it lets the sun in but keeps rain out too. You’ll be surprised how comfortable it is.” He winced. “Keep your guard up, though. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that the dome attracts the same number of thieves as any outdoor market.”
“Thieves are everywhere,” Charis acknowledged. After all, who knew that better than he? He had been stolen at the outdoor market place himself.
Presently Zav’s brothers drew up alongside them in the other wagon. Zav and Rohin leaned across the open space and consulted with one another for a few moments. Charis wasn’t listening, as he was too busy gazing at the city. Then the two wagons moved on, with Zav’s leading the way. To Charis’ amazement, Zav steered them right into a side entrance of the domed building. There they detached the wagons in a sort of camping area where many similar vehicles also stood. A few men whose attire suggested that they were also merchants greeted Zav and his brothers by name. They examined Charis with blatant curiosity. Zav simply introduced him as his new assistant and offered no further information.
Next they checked the xoxobeasts into a large stable area where attendants were busy looking after dozens of other pack animals. Zav paid a fee to have all four xoxobeasts cared for while they worked.
“Now we can concentrate on selling,” Zav said. “Come on, Charis. You can help me get some of the cloth into the selling room.” He pointed to some wheeled contraptions lined up against the wall. Apparently the merchants used them to transport merchandise to and from the areas open to customers.
“Yes, of course,” Charis said. Assisting with the sales was part of their bargain, as he well knew, but in a way he was eager to get started. He’d never seen a marketplace quite like this one, and he looked forward to experiencing what it had to offer. He could see why people traveled great distances to trade and shop here.
The next few hours were busy with moving merchandise into the biggest selling area Charis had ever seen, unrolling large sheets of cloth, and displaying them on tables for the buyers that quickly flocked to their selling stall. Since Charis knew little about the various fabrics or their prices, he referred buyers to Zav or his brothers. They had started somewhat late in the day, but they did a good brisk trade all the same. Gradually Charis learned things and by the end of the day, he was able to an
swer a few questions himself. And he realized that Zav had been correct about the temperature inside the dome. He did not feel himself uncomfortably warm at all, and no bad odors offended his nostrils, though he did catch a few whiffs of spicy foodstuffs that made his stomach tremble. Since Zav had not mentioned breaking for a meal, though, he didn’t bring it up either.
“You did well, especially for your first time on the floor,” Zav said as the twin suns finally went down, sending dazzling reflections and optical illusions across the transparent top of the dome. Charis felt pleased by the compliment. “We’ve earned a little reward for ourselves now, I would say.”
Charis raised his brows, hoping Zav meant a meal of some kind, but didn’t dare make any demands. He noticed that Zav was looking at his brothers, who stood at the other end of their selling stall flirting with some women who looked ready to entertain them for the rest of the evening.
“They’ll be busy tonight, I would say. But that will work out well for us.”
They closed up the stall and transported the rolls of cloth back to the wagons for the night. Long before they were finished, Zav’s brothers disappeared along with the women.
“I hope you’re as hungry as I am,” Zav said at last, while Charis nearly wept with relief. He felt as though he hadn’t eaten for days, though of course that wasn’t true. Working the stalls had been much harder work than he’d grown used to in the harem.
Of course, thoughts of the harem brought up other types of yearning, even more painful than hunger and thirst. He pushed those back stubbornly. Once he got through this ordeal, he would tell Prince Vidnar all about it—the prince might even be interested in visiting the dome sometime, assuming he hadn’t already done so. Meanwhile, he would stay focused on the tasks in front of them.
“You’re in for a treat,” Zav said as he finished securing the two wagons. He motioned for Charis to follow him toward an arched doorway to the left of the one they used to enter the selling area. “People don’t just come from all over to buy cloth here, after all. They also come to experience the Dome of Delights.”
“What sort of delights?” Charis asked skeptically.
Zav winked. “You’ll see.”
*~*~*
Charis wasn’t quite sure what to expect as Zav led him through another long corridor and into a part of the domed structure he hadn’t seen before. There, a variety of entertainments were on display, including exotic victuals and performances by ballad singers, dancers, and tumblers of various sorts. One brave and astonishingly talented juggled tossed flaming sticks into the air and caught them all without so much as singeing his fingers. Zav generously purchased great quantities of various foods for both of them to sample, and in no time Charis’ stomach felt full and satisfied. He wondered if Zav would suggest they go back to the wagon and sleep in preparation for the next day’s labors, but Zav had a different suggestion.
“I thought you might enjoy a trip to the theater,” he said, catching Charis off guard. He had never actually been to a theater, but the ones he had heard of operated only during the day and in disreputable parts of the city as well. The only ones considered fit entertainments for members of the royal family and harem personnel were those held on festival days and supervised by governmental officials. Charis had never been invited to one of those, however.
“What do you say?” Zav prompted.
“I accept your offer—and thank you,” Charis said, bowing a bit. Zav was, after all, his master now, even if he tended to forget to show him proper deference at times.
“Never mind all that,” Zav grumbled. “You’re my assistant, remember? Not my servant. Anyway, come on. We don’t want to miss the beginning of the show.”
They joined a growing throng of people who were streaming through a wide doorway into a kind of courtyard. There, a large stadium-like structure awaited them. A round, flat surface lay in the center, while rows of seats rose on three sides in a bowl shape. Charis had wondered how a theater would be able to illuminate a nighttime performance, but he saw that rows of tall torches flanked the area, giving off nearly enough light to emulate daytime. The heat that rose from them warded off the slight chill of the night air as well as any nuisance insects.
Zav paid a few coins to an attendant as an entrance fee and led Charis into the rows of bench-like seats. They were able to see the stage area perfectly, and the shape of the theater enabled the sound to rise from the platform.
The spectacle began with a few tumblers cavorting about in a humorous pantomime while a piper and a drummer provided background music. Charis found himself only mildly diverted by their antics, though the audience members around him seemed to enjoy them immensely. At last, the tumbling ended and the main show began.
Right away, Charis was caught up in the story, about an arrogant prince on a journey far from home. Over the course of his travels, he was swindled out of his money thanks to his own shortsightedness and had to win it back through acts of kindness toward others. The majority of the play entailed his efforts to earn the favors of both the people he met and the gods until at last, he was able to return home in triumph and with an important lesson learned.
As the show ended, Charis felt tears prick at his eyes. He missed his own prince terribly. Would he be able to find his way back like the character in the play and be welcomed by those he had left behind?
Gradually he became aware that Zav was watching him as much as he was the show. He seemed to mistake the reason for Charis’ show of emotion, thinking he was simply caught up in the drama of the storyline. “I knew you’d like it,” he said, beaming. Charis felt a surge of guilt for repaying Zav’s kindness by wishing he were here with Vidnar instead. He couldn’t control what his heart wanted, though. “In fact, I have another surprise for you.”
Charis could not imagine what he meant until the applause ended and Zav led him down through the seats and around to the back of the stage. He greeted one of the stagehands by name, and they exchanged a few pleasant words. Charis wondered how well, and in what capacity, they knew one another.
“All the members of this troupe know me,” Zav explained as they moved farther behind the scenes. “I provide most of the cloth for their costumes. They, too, know quality when they see it.”
Eventually they came to an open dressing area, where various costumes, masks, and props were strewn around on tables. Zav motioned to a young man who smiled and walked over to them. Charis recognized the actor who had played the prince in the show. Again he experienced a pang of longing for the real prince, irrational as that might be.
“This is Umji,” Zav said, clearly proud of his association with the young man. Again Charis wondered just how well they knew one another. “I’m sure I don’t have to commend his talents as an actor to you. Umji, my friend Charis, here, was most taken with your performance this evening.”
Umji bowed, obviously mistaking Charis for a person of great social standing. “I am honored that you liked it.”
“Perhaps you could tell him more about how you put on such entertainments. He is unfamiliar with the theater where he comes from.”
“Indeed? How unfortunate, though I am glad we could remedy that situation.” Umji was thrilled to carry on for quite a while about his profession. Charis found it amazing. Somewhat like Zav, he learned, Umji and his fellow actors traveled during warmer months to perform their shows in villages, for various festivals, and by special invitation. They always returned and spent the cooler months in the dome, though, away from the harshness of the winter rains. Umji considered it home.
Charis was most interested in hearing about the patronage system Umji described. Wealthy playgoers supported the actors but expected nothing in return—not even sex, Umji stressed, though he suspected they sometimes got that anyway. Charis also suspected that Zav might be one of those patrons, though his contributions were most likely limited to costuming materials.
“We are delighted to say that we have never disappointed an audience in any venue.
” Umji grinned. “Have you considered acting, Charis? You are a beautiful young man. Audiences would love you.”
“Charis is still learning his way as a cloth merchant,” Zav said with a laugh. “However, who knows where he might end up?”
“Indeed. Who can say?” Umji bowed again and seemed to wink at Zav. Charis blushed. “Meanwhile, I hope you will stay for a while and celebrate the success of our performance this evening.”
“We would be delighted,” Zav told him.
Charis noticed that the musicians from the stage were getting ready to play again, this time for the benefit of their fellow cast members. Soon people began dancing all around them—young and old, actors and stagehands, even men and women together. Charis had never seen anything like it.
“Let us dance,” Umji wailed, taking each of them by the hand. The three of them spun around in a circle. Afterward, they drank strong wine brought by servers with trays. An aromatic smoke wafting through the room affected Charis in an unexpected way. It was like the wine, but even more disorienting. They danced again, and he laughed and whirled around until he was dizzy. He enjoyed feeling Zav’s hand tight around his.
Eventually Umji drifted away with other friends and left them alone.
Tales of the Thasali Harem Box Set Page 15
