Ripples - Children of Y'Dahnndrya: Book 1

Chapter 14

The climb to the temple on Mt. Charan took two and a half tedious dawnings. When they stepped through the impressive stonework gate, Seth Yi'in blocked their path – arms crossed and face grim.

"What took you so long?" He snapped in the Common Tongue. His squeaky voice rang with the heavy accent of the Shinnoahn people. His long, thin mustache shivered with the force of his words. Yetsye would've laughed if she'd known him better. Ya'el followed different rules and her musical chuckles raised thunderclouds on the old man's brow. He breathed slowly and evenly and said nothing further. But his eyes narrowed to slits and the corners of his lips turned down in disapproval.

The travelers dismounted as Yuvahl answered for them. "Deep cuts in the path forced us to slow down. Working our way around them wasn't easy. The quaking of Y'Dahnndrya changed more of her face than we knew, including a giant rift in the land that added two dawnings to our travel time." Yuvahl stood tall, unruffled by the smaller man's ill temper.

Seth Yi'in grunted acknowledgment. When he spoke again, his voice held grudging respect for the tall youngling who didn't waver under his scowl. "Your meal is ready. I'm sure you are in need of refreshment. Once you clean up and eat, we will talk."

Yetsye's hair caught the Guardian's eye when she dismounted. He had turned to go but abruptly changed direction. Stalking toward her before any of the others could react, he grabbed her arm and jerked her around. She tried to wrench her arm free but could not shake off his grip. Who did this stranger think he was? His behavior was not only rude by M'Neshunnayan standards, but she had a hard time controlling the fear which threatened to smother her.

"What?"her tight voice did nothing to disguise the struggle inside.

"Hmmm..." was all he said as he searched her face and eyes, ending his inspection at the silver strands in her hair. He released her as abruptly as he'd trapped her and turned to go. As he walked away he threw over his shoulder, "You and I will need to talk privately before you leave this place."

"I won't speak with you alone. I would have a witness." Her pointed, though shaky, words halted his purposeful stride. He turned slowly. Yetsye's stomach twisted.

He laughed, an unpleasant sound without mirth. "I frighten you, then? Hmmm...that's a good thing, I suppose. Bring your D'Koruyin warrior along. He, at least, will not interrupt."

Now she was angry. This little man seemed to want to irritate her but sherefused to give in. "He's not /my/ warrior. He's my friend and I will ask him. If he's unwilling, then my batir, Yuvahl, will come with me. He's the one you insulted first." With each word she spoke, she gained more confidence. The Creator only knew where it came from but she no longer had any fear of this small man, no matter what he said.

Seth Yi'in laughed and this time it was genuine. When he could speak again, his tone was almost normal. "As long as they don't interrupt, I don't care who it is." And the audacious Guardian sped ahead of them to the dining hall.

Whoever designed Charan Temple focused on simplicity, from the lines of its walls to its furnishings. The stones composing the structure were of native graida - the brown, tan, and gold variations giving it all the decoration a temple could need. Where Levanna's stones were intricately carved, Charan's were devoid of such adornment. Wall torches spaced close together held back the shadows.

Furniture followed the same rules. Neutral colors of sand, bone, beige and gray worked along with natural fiber rugs to create a soothing atmosphere. Yetsye felt very much at home here, in spite of their dubious welcome.

The dining space was smaller than the one at Levanna but still large enough to feed 80 people at once if the need arose. Candle lanterns hung fromthe low ceiling and a large, round fire pit smoldered in the center under a square hole in the roof. It reminded Yetsye of her family's gathering room. The rectangular tables sat low to the ground, four of which were surrounded by large, colorful cushions. A veritable feast, charmingly arranged, spilled across the center of the table closest to the entrance.