On the other hand, the night would help him think about what he would say when he returned to face his father back in Samaris. ‘You are a disgrace to me and to this kingdom,’ he could already hear the king shout. Things had worsened between them since his mother, the Queen, had died. And now his refusal to obey orders and kill innocents would put even more strain on their relationship. Maybe, he’ll ban me from Samaris for good, he thought.
An exiled prince. Would that be his destiny? No! He must still make the throne his, so he could make things right in this troubled land, regardless of his father’s will! What kind of tyrant could hurt one segment of the Kingdom and not expect the others to fear him? Surely his father had gone mad! But he, Chtomio, would abolish the caste system, he would make the nobles work, he would let the Janis inside the walls of the city. With him, the Red Kingdom would become a fair and just land for all chromes of good faith, maybe even for those of colors other than Red.
“Slow down!” Adina begged, bringing him back from his regal thoughts to the desolate marshlands they were struggling through.
“I can’t walk as fast as you!” she added harshly. “I’m not a soldier.” She panted and gasped for air. She reached for her mask to take it off, but she hesitated, gazing at Chtomio, while she wiped the sweat from her neck.
Chtomio tried replying in a gentle tone: “If we slow down, there’s a very good chance that other Ashis like Ur will find us. And if other Ashis find us…”
“I understand,” she interrupted him, “And if I don’t get killed tonight I may get killed another time, isn’t that right?”
“I don’t know,” responded Chtomio sincerely. “All I know is that if you are a Janis, it is best to stay away from Samaris. That is why we can’t stop.”
“No,” replied softly Adina. “That is why I can’t stop. Not you.”
“I don’t understand,” said Chtomio.
“You saved me, for whatever reason, but now I can make it on my own. I’m used to taking care of myself.”
Just then, an animal howled in the distance.
“I cannot leave you here like this,” said Chtomio, resolutely. “We’ll walk at your pace and when you need to rest, we’ll rest. And then when morning comes, that’s when we’ll part ways.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
He stared at her without saying a word, as he tried to put the maelstrom of his feelings into coherent sentences. Then, he finally answered: “I’ve never helped anyone in Samaris. I’ve never done anything for my kingdom, even though I’m the heir to the throne.”
“Suit yourself,” she said coldly. “But I haven’t asked you for anything.”
“Fine,” he replied just as coldly. He felt immediately sorry for having opened up so much with a stranger and a Janis at that! Part of him wanted to leave her then and there, but part of him knew better. After all, wouldn’t he be enraged if someone tried to kill him because of his caste? A shiver ran down his spine at the thought. No, he said to himself, this won’t go on when I’ll take power.
They resumed walking. They traveled together in silence and Adina no longer seemed to suffer from the difficulty of making the journey in her condition.
44. Lost
Keiran stopped, exhausted. He had run for a long while, but now he was worn-out.
To his surprise, he had reached the river Axi which flowed through thick forest, from the Black territory. The rainy season had made the river swell much wider than anticipated. It flooded the banks and the current was so fast, even a strong swimmer would have found it impossible to cross.
“Damn!” he cried.
Now he would have to head upstream and look for a bridge. The night was dark and cold, but he felt hot and sweaty. He looked around to see whether anyone had followed him, but other than the noise produced by the hunting owls and the light wind, no other chrome was in sight.
Keiran forced himself to slow down and collect his thoughts. He was safe and no one had noticed he was gone. His fellow cadets were either still busy with their dark work or drinking hard to forget what they had done. Keiran shook his head in disgust. He could not believe that chromes he had known for his entire life were willing to commit such atrocities without question.
When he was ready, he resumed his hike. He thought about the discussion he’d had with Chtomio, earlier that night. In his heart, he still hoped Chtomio would change his mind and join him in his new life, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen. He felt angry with himself for not having being persuasive enough, but also angry with Chtomio for not being bold enough to leave Samaris. In a way, he understood him and did not envy his friend the burden of ruling such a benighted kingdom.
Keiran ended up walking until the first rays of dawn touched the sky. He never found a bridge and was dismayed to see that the river widened as he trudged along its bank.
“I’m never going to get out of this gods’ forsaken Kingdom!” he mumbled to himself. “I should have gone north!” Exhausted, he sat down on the grass. Just then, he heard a strange, bellowing sound. Survivor’s instinct kicked in and he unsheathed his sword.
A rumbling noise came from across the river. Amplified by the running water, he could not locate its source. He had no idea whether he was still in the Red Kingdom or if he had entered the land of the Blacks. Neither prospect appealed to him.
He heard another bellow — this time closer to the river. Morning fog lifted and Keiran made out a row of small eccentric houses, rolling on wheels, pulled by… oxen! So that’s where the sound came from, he thought. He watched the caravan rumble toward the water. Several wagons had purple flags hung from their prows.
“Violets!” he exulted. “I must be in Violet Territory!”
The Violet wagons rolled to a stop on the opposite bank. Keiran was sure they hadn’t seen him for he was still lying on the ground.
Part of him wanted to leave, but another part wanted to stay so he could observe chromes so different from him. When he had been younger, his tutor had told him that Violet chromes were the best healers in the territories; their knowledge of herbs and plants was unsurpassed and this made them seem almost magical to him. Curiosity won out. He had to get closer to them! But in order to do this, he had to cross that damn river.
Or… wait! The Violet wagons were moving again! They were heading straight for the water.
“It’s too deep! Don’t they see that?” he said to himself. “They’re going to drown and destroy their wheeled houses to boot.”
He began to wave and shout at them, “Stop! Don’t do it!”
But the Violets couldn’t hear him. Besides, they were already edging their first wagon into the water. They had chopped down a number of trees to bridge the river. Then they waded in and cajoled their oxen to pull the wagons out on top of this precarious, makeshift transport. The animals bellowed in protest as the tree trunks into deeper water. One Violet, perched on a coach-seat, finally noticed Keiran and waved at him.
When the wagon reached his side of the bank, Keiran didn’t hesitate to help the Violets set it on the ground. Up close, the rolling houses were bigger than he thought, so this maneuver took great effort.
“Thank you, Red chrome, much appreciated. The first house on wheels is always the most difficult.” The newcomer said. He was about Keiran’s age and height, though of broader shoulders. He held out his hand. “My name is Thalassino.”
“My name is Keiran.”
“Well, Keiran, only three other wagons and then we will be done! If you want to help us out, we’d surely appreciate it and we can repay you with breakfast,” said the Violet cheerfully, “Though do not hesitate to say ‘no’, if you must. I do not want to interrupt your journey.” Thalassino’s voice was as warm as the rising sun. Keiran instantly liked him.
“Er… I… was… My journey can wait. I’ll be glad to help.” They stared for a moment, each trying to catch a glimpse of the other behind their respective masks. Thalassino lowered his gaze.
In
the meantime, another wagon arrived. “Thalassino! Stop talking and come help us!” the Violet chromes shouted.
Three Violets, together with Keiran, brought the next house on wheels, safely onto the shore. It was the biggest of the lot and Thalassino, as if embarrassed, excused himself: “I am needed inside this wagon, but I’ll soon come back!”
The other Violets came to thank Keiran, as well. “I am Yit and this is Egure.” Said the elder of the two. “This big wagon belongs to our monarch and Thalassino is his page.” Yit added, which explained Thalassino’s abrupt departure.
Keiran helped his new acquaintances pull a third wagon across, which contained two female Violet chromes. This one was full of collected herbs and flowers from all corners of the territories, which the pair had skillfully dried. He inhaled the rich spicy aroma that seeped out of its open door, intrigued.
“Keiran!” Thalassino hailed him from the royal wagon “Come here! Our monarch would like to thank you…”
“Um… sure!” Keiran adjusted his mask and his cloak before climbing up the fold out steps that led into the wagon. It was the first time that he would meet the leader of another territory and he suddenly felt shy and clumsy.
When he entered the house on wheels, Keiran was positive he’d stepped into a different world. The monarch reclined on a wooden chaise lounge covered in pillows of royal purple and deep magenta. He was surrounded by multiple layers of silk, metallic and wool threaded curtains that divided up the interior, but could be drawn back to change the space. A large cocoon, used by this royal personage to sleep in, hung suspended from the ceiling, behind him. Keiran thought two things about this contraption: that it would swing during a ride over a bumpy road to remain level was ingenious, and that he wouldn’t want to run into the spider that had weaved it. Looking closer, to his relief, he saw that it was made of spun sheep’s wool, mimicking the engineering of an arachnid. Expensive, yet simple wooden furniture, lacquered in pastel colors of sky blue, rose pink, sea green, lavender and dandelion yellow… then filigreed with flowers of gold and silver, completed the picture. Everything was designed to be easily portable, reliable and durable, yet it still radiated and appealing grandeur. Years later, Keiran would remember this as the moment when he first fell in love with Violet culture.
There was a sweet scent that surrounded the Monarch, who sat cross-legged, observing him. He was a well-rounded chrome, dressed in a long, white silk tunic and baggy purple pants. He wore a simple, lacquered wooden mask of purple and silver that had been fashioned in the shape of a butterfly. His small, delicate hands were a sharp contrast to his rotund body and Keiran felt he was standing in front of a gigantic living doll.
Keiran was about to remove his mask but Thalassino motioned for him to keep it, since both the monarch and his aides retained their masks.
“Thalassino, here, has told me that you helped us, young Red chrome. Thank you!” said the monarch. He signaled to Thalassino who swept one wall curtain aside. Keiran’s jaw dropped. A floor to ceiling rack was filled with many bottles and ampoules of different colors. Given the perfumed scent in the air, Keiran thought they probably contained extracts from flowers and herbs, something he would learn the Violets were famous for.
“You are welcome, Your Highness.” replied Keiran. He bowed and pulled his mantle closer to his chest.
“You are an Ashi, aren’t you?” asked the Monarch, while Thalassino served both of them with an odd liquid that glowed like a sunset.
“Yes, I belong to that caste, but… how did you know…” he regretted the question, since he was in front of a Ruler.
“It’s hard not to notice the mark of your caste on your shoulder although the fine fabrics of your mantle also speak for you. I doubt the other castes can wear such rich clothes. Am I right?”
Keiran nodded. Thalassino handed him the drink and he held up the glass, watching the radiant colors swirl around. “I’ve never seen anything like this, Your Magnificence. It’s… almost too beautiful to imbibe.”
The Monarch chuckled. “The glow comes from a rare phosphorescent plant called a Sundrop. We Violets have a secret method for drawing out and cultivating its sweet taste,” said the monarch while taking a healthy gulp underneath his mask. He then cocked his head, studying Keiran’s disheveled appearance.
“Tell me, what is an Ashi doing all alone on the outskirts of the Red Kingdom so early in the morning?” he asked while savoring his nectar.
“I am here because I am… because I was…” For the first time in his life, Keiran was at loss of words. He felt embarrassed in front of such an important foreign dignitary and his plan of escaping from Samaris did not seem so sound after all. And yet, there was something soothing about the Monarch’s tone of voice; a warmth and comprehension he desperately needed and had never obtained among the Reds. Or perhaps it was an effect of that strange nectar he had been given to drink…
He studied the Monarch’s face through the eyeholes of his mask. There was something about the Violet leader, a certain serenity that made Keiran feel free to speak his mind. He drained his glass and felt the warm liquid heat up his insides like bellows put to a flame: he was certain they were glowing like a Sundrop. Keiran let go of his words and as he did, the hurt he felt drained out of him.
“The truth is, Your Majesty, I am lost. Although my eyes can still see Samaris in the distance, my home, my real home, is nowhere in sight.”
The Monarch raised his mask to imbibe more of his drink. Then he said: “I think this is something common among those your age… In order to find yourself, you must first lose yourself. Until that happens, you may join us if you wish. We are going to see the new Seer of the Orange chromes. Perhaps she will tell you something about your future. It’s up to you, though…”
“I’ll come!” exclaimed Keiran, taking another gulp of his nectar. Yes, this was exactly what he needed. Why didn’t he see it before? The colors of the room grew more intense. Surely that was a sign…
The monarch laughed softly and said, “Very well!” Then, turning to Thalassino, he added: “Do you have room in your wagon?”
“I will make sure there is,” said Thalassino, gazing at the Red chrome with undisguised admiration.
Thalassino’s wagon was less grandiose in terms of décor, but it too had many shelves with various shaped bottles and flasks of different colors. To Keiran, it seemed as if a rainbow had been captured and milked off its colors, which were then put on the shelf. Each scent was different and Keiran found he very much enjoyed the Violets’ expertise with plant extracts.
He held up a violet flask. “What’s this?” He asked, timidly.
“Do you like it?” asked Thalassino in return. “I like it very much, too. It’s the extract of lavender. You can open it if you want…”
Keiran opened the bottle and inhaled deeply. It was like an explosion of the senses and it made him feel even better than the Sundrop potion he had drunk with the Violet monarch.
“Nice…” he finally managed to say.
Thalassino nodded in approval and to Keiran it seemed that the Violet’s eyes glowed inside his mask. “I have to check on the wagons now… see if anything is damaged… but please make yourself comfortable. Here is some water if you’re thirsty,” he then said, handing Keiran a canteen. Their hands touched and Thalassino withdrew his － too fast － and the canteen fell to the floor.
“Guess you’d better go check on those wagons,” Keiran said to cover their awkwardness.
Once Thalassino departed, Keiran stood still inside the wagon, still dazed by his encounter with such different chromes and their strange houses on wheels. He was touched that the Violet King had treated him with such a gracious, welcoming manner, even though he was of a different color. In Samaris, despite the fact he and Chtomio were good friends, he had met the Red king only once. He felt that the Violet Monarch’s civility made him seem much more confident, and therefore a stronger leader, than the boastful, bullying ruler of the Reds.
Moreover, all the Violets behaved in a gentle, open manner… like Thalassino. Keiran smiled at the thought of the young chrome. He carefully took another one of the perfume ampoules Thalassino concocted off the shelf for a closer look. He inhaled deeply, feeling his mind clear. The thick, bright green liquid inside it smelled of mint and spring air. Another flask was dark red and its contents appeared less dense. It smelled like roses and pepper – a combination that was strange but intoxicating.
Just then, voices outside caught his attention and he looked out one of the tiny windows.
The Violets were running toward the last wagon that had been carried across the river.
“Maybe, it’s stuck and they need help,” he said to himself and he went to lend a hand.
“Get a stick, quick, before they all come out!” he heard one Violet yell to the others.
When Keiran moved closer to the wagon, he noticed several butterflies fluttering around the Violets. They were unusually large and colorful. He was certain he had never seen such beautiful butterflies in his entire life.
The butterflies seemed to have noticed him, too, for they came close. There were green butterflies and orange and blue with yellow circles. For a moment Keiran forgot all about the commotion. He stood still, in awe of such a spectacle of nature. How fearless they were! Many landed on his armor as more swarmed around him.
The insects danced and swirled around his mask and his shoulders until every last one settled on him. Keiran laughed and spread his arms to make room for them. He looked at their beautiful slender bodies… were those stingers at the tail end? Like wasps? How strange…
The Seer Page 5
