Anilyia

by Carroll, John H.

  Vevin’s eyes swirled. “Wait a minute. Some of the Rojuun are bad?”

  Tathan wondered where Vevin was going with the question. “That’s the conclusion we’re coming to, yes.”

  “That’s excellent!” Vevin exclaimed, going into a happy dance. “All I have to do is look for one of the bad Rojuun and eat them.” He did a back flip into a sliding step, all the time grinning widely.

  Liselle said, “Vevin, you agreed not to eat any unless necessary.”

  “Aww.” Vevin’s shoulders slumped and the dance stopped. “I’ll behave myself, but they better not attack me.” The last was delivered with a carnivore’s intensity, unnerving to his companions. When he realized that, he chuckled nervously.

  “Have you seen enough of the Rainbow Caverns for us to be able to continue, Vevin?” Tathan asked to alleviate the uncomfortable situation.

  “Oh yes.” Vevin went back to his happy dance. “I’m ready to see Alluu now.”

  “Let’s go then,” Tathan said, turning to lead them out of the cavern. Liselle took Vevin’s arm, giving him a reassuring smile.

  Chapter 18

  Eight days later, they arrived in Alluu, which sprawled throughout hundreds of interconnected caverns. The primary cavern of Alluu was vast, with tens of thousands of Rojuun and humans living in an area that covered hundreds of square miles. The Cavern Road opened a few hundred feet above the city and then sloped down.

  The companions stopped at an overlook amongst other visitors to gaze out over the city. The top of the ceiling was so high that it could barely be seen. Vevin told them that there were reinforcements all over it, artistically done as one would expect from the Rojuun. A constant drone filled the air. Weaving in and out of that drone was music from a multitude of instruments and singing voices.

  Vevin pointed to the northeast of the cavern. “The fortress is over there against the wall. It looks very formidable.” The others strained to see, but it was beyond their abilities.

  One of the more extraordinary features of the city was the spires. Four enormous, round buildings rose to the top of the cavern, disappearing into the heights. The companions could see Rojuun, who looked like little specks, moving around on the nearest spire. A man standing nearby explained that each spire housed hundreds of Rojuun. He told them about magical rooms that ran up and down the middle going to each level. It was one of the few parts of the city where humans weren’t allowed.

  After trying to soak in all the sights and failing miserably, the companions made their way down the ramp. Cavern Road ran through the center of the city all the way out to the eastern side. From there it traveled to the Iynath Empire. It was wide enough for twelve wagons to pass each other side by side and was filled with caravans and people.

  When they reached the bottom of the ramp it was about mid-morning, giving them plenty of time to get to the Fortress District and find a place to stay. Most of the buildings off the Cavern Road for about ten blocks in either direction were warehouses made of stone. They were large, with rounded corners and roofs, each garishly painted in its own theme and colors. It hurt the eyes to stare at them too much. Workers, mostly human, loaded and unloaded wagons in warehouse yards.

  Vevin led the way with Liselle on his arm. After a while, they turned north into the city. Once again, Liselle was in awe. She turned to look at each new sight. The Rojuun didn’t stand out to her as much as the varied humans. Many wore exotic clothes from faraway lands and spoke foreign languages. Everything was different from the peaceful, open valley where she grew up. She held on to Vevin a little tighter and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder protectively.

  Eventually, the warehouses disappeared, giving way to storefronts. From that point on, the streets meandered, making navigation difficult. Rounded corners and roofs were dominant in the city, as though square edges had been outlawed. The shops had multiple levels with personal dwellings above for the shopkeepers to live.

  There was no pattern to the shops. A leather worker would be next to a restaurant, which would be next to a furniture store. Goods hung from racks outside the storefronts, which could be pulled inside when the shop closed, though it was said that business in Alluu never stopped.

  A riot of smells assaulted their noses. Food, perfumes, leathers, ale, body odor and numerous other scents filled the air. Three rivers flowing through the city created heavy humidity.

  Liselle missed the sun and felt as though she was beginning to wilt. The erratic temperatures underground were disturbing her too. One cave would be cool, but the next would be hot. There were no seasons, snow or falling leaves. She didn’t think she could live underground for any period of time and hoped they would be able to find the princess soon so she could see the sky again.

  “There it is!” Liselle exclaimed, pointing to one of the shops. The companions were startled by the sudden outburst. She had been looking for a shop that sold the drumsticks she liked and dragged Vevin there as soon as she saw it. Sir Danth and Tathan chuckled and followed along.

  Rojuun and humans clamored for food during the busy lunch hour and cooks worked furiously to serve everyone. Liselle huddled against Vevin’s chest while Tathan pushed his way through the crowd to place the order. Sir Danth helped him carry the food to a plaza up the street where they could sit and eat.

  A few minutes later, the companions sat at the edge of a fountain. Sir Danth stood, forgoing a seat so that others could sit around the crowded fountain. Everywhere Liselle looked, there were people eating meals. She listened to a Rojuun minstrel on a nearby stage who was playing a lute with her lower pair of hands while trilling a melody on a recorder with her upper pair. The music was entrancing.

  Ever since leaving the Warehouse District, they had seen stages, a lot of which were filled with Rojuun performing their arts. Many were musicians, but they had seen painters and other types of artists.

  The companions had stopped to watch one who was painting images of people passing by. It was fascinating to see how he perceived humans as opposed to Rojuun. The Rojuun were tall, lithe and even graceful in the painting whereas humans appeared short and bland. A performer who juggled thirty-eight Rojuun long-knives with his four hands was impressive. The shining blades danced through the air, reflecting light from nearby globes.

  Next was a female Rojuun who was silently moving about on stage. Liselle remembered the jeweler telling her about that. The feju’s arms waved gracefully back and forth and she slithered from side to side. It looked more like a river flowing over rocks than a person’s movements. Liselle found herself oddly entranced.

  The biggest surprise was when they saw a human minstrel playing and singing a song. He was dancing about the stage while the audience clapped to the tune. Liselle didn’t understand the words, which were in a foreign language, but clapped along. There were a number of Rojuun watching, which surprised her even more. One of the audience members told her that Rojuun liked watching human artists. It gave them new ideas.

  The Rojuun minstrel in the plaza stopped playing, bringing Liselle back to present time. There was applause for the music from quite a few people. The feju smiled and began playing another song. Liselle decided she liked the human minstrel better. His song had been more fun, whereas the Rojuun minstrel played slow, esoteric music.

  “Let’s try to find somewhere with a few less people, this city is as crowded as Dralin,” Tathan suggested, rising and throwing the leftover bones in one of the trashcans the Rojuun put everywhere.

  “I’ve heard you mention Dralin before, Master Tathan. Did you live there long?” Sir Danth asked.

  The question caught Tathan by surprise and it was a moment before he answered. “I lived there for four years, which is a lifetime in that city.” He headed toward the nearest street that looked like it would go in the direction of the fortress. “It’s the capital of Altordan, one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world.”

  They listened intently as they followed. “There are trade routes in every direction. As
a result, the city has people from all areas of the world, much like this place.” He gestured toward two humans from different cultures who were talking to each other. “It is also a city of wizards who have towers everywhere. It’s dangerous because the wizards use so much magic that residue is left to poison the water and air.”

  “Residue? What do you mean, Cousin?” Liselle asked, frowning. They had entered a new street. It was less crowded, but also narrower.

  “So much magic being used in one place creates a supernatural residue. It’s hard to describe, but Dralin is darkened with it. Some of the magic gathers in corners and can be very dangerous.” Tathan sighed. “I’ve seen people warped by it, especially homeless living on the streets. Others try to bottle it up and sell it as poison.”

  “I find that disturbing and evil. Perhaps after we are done with our noble mission here, I will venture to Dralin and bring peace and justice to the downtrodden,” Sir Danth proclaimed virtuously.

  “Good luck with that. I’m sure some of those wizards would love to dissect that armor of yours and find out what makes it work,” Tathan replied.

  Sir Danth stopped in his tracks, staring at Tathan who shrugged. “It’s not a nice place and I’ve heard of wizards who like to take apart magical equipment. I don’t know if someone, even as strong as you, can survive it.”

  The knight thought about it for a moment. Someone bumped into him and was about to complain, but chose not to after a closer look at the sword on his back. After a moment, Sir Danth nodded and motioned for Tathan to lead the way.

  Tathan told them a little more of the wizards and merchants of Dralin. The companions bumped shoulders with a few people along the way, but no one bristled about it. It seemed as though people in the city were used to it.

  Liselle noticed there were few flowers growing anywhere except in parks. One of the shops they passed had flowers from the caverns that had been cut and bundled together in order to give to one’s lover. The sight of it had appalled Liselle, leaving her with tears running down her cheeks. Vevin wrapped her up and led her away before she could set fire to the store.

  A little while later, the shops disappeared, giving way to apartments. Tathan explained that in cities, families didn’t get their own houses unless they were well off. Most people lived in apartments or slums, often stacked on top of each other.

  The apartment buildings were rounded, but different from the stores. It was as if someone had taken hundreds of bubbles sitting on top of each other and painted them garish colors. Walkways spanned higher levels, while courtyards fit between the dwellings for the residents to sit and socialize.

  Throughout these apartments, the streets meandered with no real direction. Plazas with statues, fountains and gardens were interspersed at various intersections. Quite a few times, the companions had to make their way down a different street to keep going in the correct direction. Finally, the towers of the fortress came into view. Like everything else in the city, they were painted brightly. From the plaza where they stood, the companions could see the top of tall walls.

  “I have seen no inns for a while,” Sir Danth said. “It looks as though the apartments are giving way to Rojuun houses. It may be that there are no inns near the fortress.”

  Tathan looked around to see if anyone was listening. “I suppose you’re right. I was hoping to get a room where I could study the fortress to see if there were any weaknesses.”

  Two women were sitting on a bench, watching their children play. Many of the plazas had areas where children could climb on objects and play in the dirt.

  The companions walked over to the women, who glanced worriedly at their children when they saw how well armed Sir Danth and Tathan were. “Hello adventurers,” the elder of the two said tentatively. She looked to be in her late twenties with auburn hair and brown eyes.

  Sir Danth addressed them. “Hello, beautiful Ladies. Fear not for your children. We will not disturb them. In fact, I would lay my life on the line to protect them were they in danger.” He slammed a fist against his breastplate, creating a clang that startled everybody, including the children. “I would ask for information, if you would deign to bless such a humble traveler with the sweet sounds of your dulcet voice.”

  The two women looked at each other with raised eyebrows. The younger was a pretty blonde who also had brown eyes. With an amused twist of the mouth, she said to the first, “You have a dulcet voice? Who knew?” The auburn-haired woman lowered her eyebrows in a mock glare as the blonde giggled.

  Sir Danth conveyed a smile, which caused the women to do a double take. “The lady’s voice is, in fact, dulcet. I know this as I am a professional evaluator of dulcet voices and beautiful ladies. It is a requirement for knighthood.”

  Both women giggled and blushed, obviously not used to being complimented in such a manner. The elder one spoke again. “I am flattered, Sir Knight. I’ll have to inform my husband of that the next time he tells me that I’m screeching at him.” They all laughed at that. “My name is Isobel and this brat next to me is Elssa,” she said. “What information were you looking for?”

  “Isobel, what a lovely name for such a lovely lady,” Sir Danth replied with a bow. For some reason, this caused Elssa to laugh even harder. Sir Danth straightened. “We were hoping to find an inn in this part of the city as it seems peaceful compared to the bustle elsewhere. Would you be able to direct us to one nearby?”

  Isobel answered, “There aren’t any inns in the Fortress District. In fact, humans aren’t allowed much closer than this toward the fortress itself. The only humans allowed in are servants who do menial jobs that Rojuun hate. The nearest inn is probably in the River District,” she said, pointing just to the north. “They’re a bit more expensive though. If you want less expensive, the Northeastern Market District has some nice inns, though they’re usually full.”

  Sir Danth followed her gestures, looking in each direction. “You mentioned that humans aren’t allowed near the fortress. I am curious as to why?” he asked when she was done.

  Isobel looked around as though nervous that someone might observe them talking. “Alluu Fortress is where the Rojuun army is housed as well as the prisons and other things nobody really knows about. At one time they didn’t even allow humans in there, but Rojuun hate doing menial tasks, so they began allowing servants in.” She looked around nervously again and Elssa had stopped laughing. They both looked uncomfortable.

  “Please do not distress yourself, Milady. I shall set my curiosity aside as the clouds set aside the sunshine on a rainy day,” the knight waxed poetically. His words caused both of them to smile once more.

  “Can I have one of him,” Elssa asked Isobel while pointing at Sir Danth.

  “No, I’m afraid he’s mine. Hopefully my husband won’t mind when I come home with my very own knight,” she replied with a wink, sending them all into laughter once more.

  “Were I not betrothed and you not married, I would gladly take your hand, Milady,” Sir Danth proclaimed with a deep bow. “However, my honor does not allow me to break oaths whether they be mine or someone else’s. Therefore, I must decline thy delightful offer. I am certain your husband will be most pleased when he is not replaced,” he finished with a wink, causing the women to do another double take before turning to each other and tittering like little girls.

  “You mentioned large inns in the River District, would you give us directions to them?” the knight asked pleasantly.

  “And exactly how much more expensive are they?” Tathan asked.

  “A room will often cost four or five gold per night, though many of the finer suites can run up to one hundred gold pieces,” Isobel answered as though she didn’t believe the words coming out of her own mouth.

  Tathan’s face became pale. “One hundred gold?”

  Both women nodded. “It’s more than we could ever afford,” Isobel admitted easily. “There are only a few suites like that and the richest merchants stay in them. As far as smaller rooms go,
the Rojuun pay well for many jobs, so more people take those than one would imagine.

  “Let’s get the most expensive suite they have, Cousin!” Liselle exclaimed eagerly while jumping up and down and clapping her hands close to her chest.

  “No!” he exclaimed in alarm. “We can’t waste money like that. I don’t even think we have that much,” he sputtered. Liselle laughed aloud at his reaction.

  Isobel gave the directions Sir Danth had requested. “Just take this street,” she said, pointing at one on the north side of the plaza. “It will lead to Southern Llaav Avenue.” Seeing their frowns as they listened to the name of the road, she explained further. “The big river through the northern part of Alluu is called Llaav River. The road on this side is Southern Llaav Avenue and the one on the other side is Northern Llaav Avenue. All of the luxury inns are along those roads. There are bridges crossing it in a number of places and you can take a boat down the river to Llaav Lake in Llaav Cavern,” she finished.

  “That is a great number of things with the name ‘Llaav’,” Sir Danth stated in amusement. “You said that we can take a boat down the river. While I make it a point to avoid boats, being garbed in plate armor, I am curious by what you mean?”

  Isobel answered, “They do let anyone take a boat. You can also hire a private boat with an oarsman to take you up and down the river.”

  “Oh yes, it’s very romantic,” Elssa chimed in. “My husband took me to the lake one time. There were candles on the edges of the boat and we spent hours swimming and cuddling at the beach before coming back. There was even a picnic lunch included.” The young woman had a dreamy smile on her face as she reminisced.

  Isobel sighed and looked at her jealously. “You have a good husband, unlike my wastrel who thinks that romance consists of me giving him a foot rub.” Elssa put a sympathetic hand on her friend’s arm. Isobel turned back to the knight. “There are also larger ferries that charge a few silver to go to the lake if you don’t mind riding with other passengers.”