Stranger

by Bryant, S. J.

  Nova had argued, sure that just the short trip through the garden would have killed Meeka. Even now, Meeka's face had lost all colour except for two bright patches of red on her cheeks, and she gripped her side with her free hand.

  Nova walked close by her side in case she needed anything. At least for the moment Omi was keeping quiet, his face a mask as he marched alongside his soldiers. Despite that, Nova though he looked pleased; otherwise he'd be yelling or cursing at someone. The fact that he was silent was all the proof she needed.

  "It's the Capital," Meeka whispered when Omi marched forward to speak with Toro. "Omi's had his eye on it since the day he was born. He's hoping to be allowed inside, I think he'd die happy if he got that one wish."

  "He's never been inside?" Nova said. "I thought he and Toro were best friends."

  "He likes to think so," Meeka said. "But really he's just one of Toro's many generals. He's hoping to marry Zen to Toro's daughter. That would make him practically royalty."

  "Do you think that will happen?" Nova said.

  "If Sia gets her way," Meeka said with a shrug.

  "So no one except Toro knows what's inside?"

  Meeka shook her head, biting her lip as the soldiers jostled her litter.

  "It's probably nothing," Nova said. "A classic case of the grass being greener. The only reason everyone wants to go there is because they can't."

  Meeka frowned. "We've heard stories…"

  Nova nodded but pinned her lips closed as Omi marched back towards them.

  They spent the morning walking through the forest. Around noon the trees thinned and opened onto green fields that stretched away in all directions. The mountains looked much closer and the path they followed disappeared between them. Far in the distance a black smudge shadowed the horizon.

  "That's where we'll be staying tonight," Meeka said.

  Nova nodded. Her stomach rumbled; she still hadn't gotten used to only eating two tiny meals a day. Ever since she landed on Chindo she'd felt like she was starving. It was no wonder all the people here were so small; they didn't eat enough! Her biggest hope for the Capital, aside from finding a way home, was finding better food.

  Creatures darted away from the army into the high grass of the fields, making the strands quiver. Butterflies swarmed up from the grass and surrounded the army, bright blue wings sparkling in the sun and flapping around the soldiers. The tiny bodies brushed against Nova's skin and made it tingle.

  "Bloody pests," Omi said, swatting at them. He caught three in his hand and crushed them between his fingers before letting them drop to the ground.

  Nova swallowed the sharp rage that burned the back of her throat, relieved to see one of the fallen butterflies lift off the ground and flap back to the grass. "We don't have many butterflies anymore," she said in a whisper, mostly to herself.

  "There are whole swarms of them here," said Meeka. "I've always liked them."

  "Of course you have," Omi said, spinning to glare at them. "Look at the colour of their cursed wings."

  Meeka fell silent.

  Nova clenched her fist and imagined crushing Omi's face beneath her boot; the time would come soon enough. For the moment she settled herself with enjoying the swarm of butterflies. They followed the army for at least ten minutes before circling up into the air and then flying back down the path to where they'd been hiding in the grass.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Bright orange tinted the sky by the time they came alongside the inn. It sat beside a lively river, which tinkled as it raced its way past. A dock hung over the water and two men in straw hats leant over the side with poles.

  As Nova watched, one of them gave a shout of victory and yanked his pole up to reveal a thrashing squid, tentacles flailing. Nova's stomach rolled as she recognised the squishy white tentacles that appeared on her dinner tray every night.

  A short fence, the height of Nova's waist surrounded the inn, separated from the building by soft waving grass that rustled in the evening breeze. Tall trees dotted the garden and cast long shadows across the grass. A smooth dirt path led to the front of the inn where five young women and two young men stood with their heads bowed. An older woman in a sweeping grey robe stood in front of the others, her head similarly bowed.

  Most of Toro and Omi's men stopped at the front gate where they pulled tents out of their bags and went to work erecting them. Toro and Omi went on into the garden with three guards each. Nova followed alongside Meeka's palanquin to the front door.

  "My Lord," the older woman said, falling to her knees and laying her head on the ground. The people behind her dropped to the ground in the same fashion.

  Toro nodded. "Thank you for your gracious welcome Madam Illia."

  The woman got to her feet but kept her eyes lowered. "You honour me with your presence."

  "I always enjoy my time at the Jade inn. Please see that my companions are taken care of," he said, gesturing to Omi, Nova, and Meeka.

  "Of course," Illia said. "Will you be having your usual room?"

  "Yes, thank you."

  Madam Illia clapped her hands twice. The women behind her stood and fled back into the inn while the two men stepped forward and held out their arms to Meeka. The soldiers holding the palanquin lowered it to the ground and backed away while the two men bowed low and lifted Meeka into their arms so smoothly that barely a grimace crossed over her face.

  "Please," Madam Illia said, holding out her hand towards the door.

  Nova pulled off her boots in the entranceway and followed Toro and Omi into the inn. The first room contained twenty empty tables that barely came to Nova's knees with thin cushions dotting the floor around them.

  The five girls who had run inside stood beside the far wall, heads bowed.

  "Jasmine, please show Lord Toro to his room," Illia said.

  The prettiest of the girls rushed forward and bowed low to Toro before walking quietly from the room. He followed along behind her.

  Illia called each of the girls forward in turn to lead each of Toro's party to their rooms.

  "Angel," Illia called, nodding at Nova.

  A woman in a soft white dress stepped forward. She smiled at Nova but there was a seriousness behind her eyes that Nova couldn't fathom.

  Angel lead the way to the front of the inn where a small room overlooked the garden, decorated with just a single sheet of material and a small vase.

  "If you need anything, please ring this bell," Angel said in a soft voice, pointing to a small bell hanging beside the door.

  "Thank you," Nova replied.

  Angel bowed and tiptoed away, leaving Nova alone in the sparse room. Unlike Omi's house, she couldn't hear any noise from the other rooms. She had expected to hear each of her travelling companions as they settled in, but instead she was encased in a silent bubble. She gazed out of the window at the trees as they bowed in the wind. She breathed a deep sigh and let her muscles relax. As much as she resented being on the road and being taken from her friends she had to appreciate the beauty of this place. It was a long way from the inns that she was used to.

  An hour later there was a soft tap on her door.

  "Yes?" Nova said, stirring from her thoughts.

  "Dinner is served, if you would like," Angel said in a whisper.

  "Coming," Nova replied, sliding the door open.

  Angel bowed and gestured for Nova to follow. They walked through the house and back to the main room. Where before there had been twenty small tables now there was one long one with crimson cushions set around its edge. Piles of steaming food filled the length of the table, sending out aromas and filling the air with a warm mist.

  Toro sat at the centre of the table. "Sit," he said, pointing to the cushion opposite his own. He was already scooping tentacles onto his plate.

  Madam Illia stood in the corner as still as a statue. She blended so completely into the background that Nova wouldn't have noticed her if it weren't for her eyes roving about the room. Angel and Jasmine stoo
d at either end of the table with their heads bowed.

  Not long after, the rest of their companions came in. They all stood next to the table until Toro invited them to sit. Meeka looked to be in agony as she waited for Toro's approval. He was quick to point her to the closest cushion and Meeka sat with an audible sigh.

  "Forgive me, My Lord," she whispered.

  "Speak when you're spoken too!" Omi hissed. He sat opposite Meeka and his eyes burned with rage.

  Nova sat beside Meeka, opposite Toro, and she was sorely tempted to kick Omi under the table. Unfortunately she couldn't be sure which were his legs, and which were Toro's, so she kept her rage under control.

  "What can I get you?" Nova asked as Meeka strained to bend over the platters.

  Meeka's face flushed red at Nova's offer. "Please, I don't want to trouble you."

  "No trouble at all, I have to get mine anyway."

  Meeka's face continued to burn bright red as she mumbled that she'd like some tentacles and a small spoonful of vegetables. Nova ladled the food onto Meeka's plate without saying a word. She intentionally ignored Omi's flared nostrils and glaring expression.

  "Like an invalid," Omi hissed.

  "Have you never been wounded in battle?" Toro asked in a pleasant tone, turning to Omi.

  "My Lord," Omi said, choking on the food in his mouth. "I— of course."

  "And did you need taking care of?"

  "Well— yes," Omi said. "You were there. It was after the battle of Grindel."

  Toro nodded. "I know. I just wanted to make sure that you remembered it."

  "Of course," Omi said, patting the stray food from his chin with a white napkin. "Why would I forget such an honour?"

  "Please forgive me," Toro said. "From your tone I thought you were disappointed with your sister. I thought it best to remind you that wounds sustained in battle are marks of honour."

  "I—" Omi's face went from red to a sickly green. "Battle?"

  Toro chewed slowly on a tentacle and gazed at Omi. He took the time to swallow it before continuing. "Your house was attacked by Buta was it not?"

  "Yes," Omi said slowly.

  "And Meeka was injured as a result of that?"

  "Well… yes."

  "Then doesn't that mean she was wounded in battle?"

  Nova had to shove a whole tentacle into her mouth to stop herself bursting out in laughter. The look on Omi's face was one of complete and utter bewilderment whilst Toro's expression remained serene and slightly curious. Meeka hid her face behind her hand, as if pretending to wipe her face clean.

  "I—" Omi frowned as if in deep thought. "I suppose it does, yes."

  "Then congratulations are in order!" Toro said, raising his glass towards Meeka. "To the hero of the battle."

  Nova lifted her glass so quickly that some liquid splashed down the side. Omi raised his glass much more slowly with the expression of bewilderment still firmly fixed over his face. As they drank from their glasses Nova saw bewilderment change to realisation and then to deep, burning anger. He glared at Meeka and his knuckles turned white where they gripped the edge of the table. She didn't seem to notice as she basked in Toro's attention.

  They spent the rest of the meal in relative silence. Meeka was too injured to talk and Omi was too mad. Nova preferred to keep her silence and study Toro as she ate. Unfortunately he gave nothing away.

  As soon as they finished eating, Jasmine and Angel rushed forward and cleared away the plates.

  "Would you care for entertainment?" Madam Illia said, stepping out of the shadows.

  "Not for me," said Toro, "I'm going to sleep."

  "Of course, My Lord," Illia said.

  Toro nodded to each of them and walked out of the room with his head held high.

  "I want the usual," Omi said gruffly.

  "Which one?" Madam Illia said, her smile becoming fixed.

  "Does it look like I bloody care? They all look the same with the lights off."

  "Very good," Illia said, her mouth barely moving. "Angel, you will see to Master Omi."

  "Yes My Lady," Angel said in a shaky voice. She followed Omi from the room.

  Nova's whole body tensed, ready to spring at Omi and tell him exactly what she thought of enforced prostitution, when Meeka laid a hand on Nova's arm. "It's the way," she said softly.

  "And would you ladies like entertainment? We have music, drink, dancing, and many other things…" Illia let her words hang in the air like a promise.

  "I think I'll sleep too," Nova said.

  "And me," Meeka said.

  Nova held out her arm to Meeka and helped her through the inn to her room.

  Nova fumed as she lowered Meeka to her bed. It must have shown in her face because as she stood, Meeka spoke. "They're better off here than wherever they were."

  "How do you know that?" Nova whispered. "You don't know where they've come from."

  Meeka nodded, wincing as she shifted positions. "They each have a small cut on their hands. It's the sign of the unwanted. If Mother Illia hadn't taken them in they would have died on the streets."

  "The unwanted?" Nova said. "Is that some kind of Chindo thing? Is it because they all have quiet voices or something equally ridiculous?"

  Meeka sighed as a smile tugged the corners of her lips. "If that were the case two thirds of the women in Chindo would be working here."

  "Well then what is it, the unwanted?"

  "It means their parents didn't want them. They're probably children of adolescent girls who didn't plan on becoming pregnant."

  "Orphans?" Nova said.

  "In a way," Meeka replied. "Although not like normal orphans whose parents have died. There are other places for those."

  "What's the difference?" Nova said.

  Meeka shrugged. "It's just the way."

  "Well the way sucks."

  "Sometimes," Meeka said, nodding slowly. "But usually the unwanted die before they reach two days old. These are the lucky ones."

  Nova snorted. "Tell Angel that while Omi has his way with her."

  "It could be worse," Meeka said. "He's not as violent as some."

  "Oh I'll show him violent," Nova said, clenching her fist.

  "Just believe me when I say that they're happy here," Meeka said.

  Nova swallowed and looked away. In a twisted kind of way she was an unwanted too. If she'd been born on Chindo she could have ended up in a place just like this. In a way, her chances here were better than on Tabryn, at least here there was no Zine to get high and die from.

  She pushed thoughts of her home-world down. Even after all these years it was painful to think about.

  "Okay," Nova said with a sigh. "They're happy."

  "Yes. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll reach the Capital!" Meeka's voice bubbled with excitement.

  Nova smiled as she left the room. Meeka's enthusiasm was infectious and she was starting to look forward to seeing the Capital too. She'd be sorely disappointed if it did turn out to be just Toro's house.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  The next morning Nova awoke to Angel laying a tray of tea beside her bed.

  Nova's hand snapped to her belt, for her gun, only to find nothing. Angel gasped and stepped back at Nova's sudden movement.

  "Please forgive me," Angel whispered.

  Nova blinked, coming fully awake with adrenalin pumping through her veins. "No, it's my fault. Sorry. Bad habit."

  Only the barest sliver of light lit the horizon. Angel followed her gaze and nodded. "Toro requested that all guests be woken, he wishes to continue travelling once the sun is fully risen."

  Nova nodded and Angel bowed herself out of the room. Nova filled a cup with the fragrant tea and brought it to her lips. The zingy flavour took away the taste of sleep from her mouth and filled her with new energy for the day.

  A short time later they were back on the road with Toro's army spread out around them. Nova breathed deep of the fresh air and couldn't help smiling. She had a good feeling about the Capital, an
d after last night she couldn't dislike Toro too much, he'd put Omi in his place and stood up for Meeka; that was worth a lot in Nova's books.

  After leaving the inn they passed no more villages, the landscape becoming bare of any human involvement except for the dirt road that wound on through the mountains. The occasional rodent scurried across their path and took refuge in the long grass on either side.

  "Where is everyone?" Nova asked Meeka when by midday they still hadn't passed anyone.

  "Travel to and from the Capital is forbidden without Toro's permission," Meeka said. "Almost no one is given the honour."

  "But shouldn't there be villages or something?"

  Meeka shook her head. "It is forbidden to build so close to the Capital. It's for security."

  Nova shook her head. Just when she thought she'd got a hold of Chindo's crazy ways something new came up. There wasn't a single building within a day's walk of the Capital and it made the walk dull and daunting at the same time. Nova shivered at the thought of losing sight of the road and wandering lost in the wilderness. That wasn't a fate she wanted to live out.

  At mid-afternoon they rounded a bend and came into view of a glistening wall at least three stories tall. It connected two mountain ranges and ran straight across the path, blocking it. A collection of small wooden shacks huddled up against the wall beside a solid wooden door.

  Members of Toro's army stood guard in front of the door with swords in hand. Nova felt eyes on the back of her neck and suspected there were others hidden on the mountainsides, watching. The wooden houses spread out from the gate like a small city but there were no people in sight.

  Toro called a halt in front of the gates.

  "Dismissed," he said to his soldiers.

  They dispersed in orderly lines and followed their officers into the town of wooden huts, leaving Nova, Meeka, Omi, and Omi's guards alone with Toro.

  "The Stranger will come with me. The rest of you will be accommodated here," Toro said, waving at the houses.