The Journal of Dreams (The Tales of Tahana - Book One)

Chapter 11: Family Matters

23-2-2-4012 DM, Kanay, Telama, Hilaraya

Dari didn't think that summer could be any hotter, but it definitely felt much hotter as he walked through the streets of Kanay. Back in Arang, there were many trees that offered shade against the sweltering heat of the sun. In Kanay, there were barely any trees, especially in the Pamaya. As far as he could remember, the only place in the city with trees was the park between the Garalahi complex and the Palace of the Dewa Majarani, which was at the centre of the Kanay. The only shade available in the Pamaya were the shadows cast by the buildings on streets and alleyways. He wanted to feel as excited as he was earlier that morning at the thought of seeing his Lamayi again, but the heat was weighed him down, even under the shadows of the buildings. It was not even midday yet, probably just after the seventh hour of light, but it felt as if they were walking through a furnace. His marapi was already damp with sweat, but he was glad that he wore his light cotton tunic and trousers because if he had worn anything thicker, he would have been swimming in sweat by now.

Under the terrible heat, Dari wished he was back at The Hungry Sailor. There weren't many patrons in the common room of the inn that morning when they arrived. Only a few lakani were seated on separate tables, having kopi and some bread and minding their own business. The serving maids busied themselves tidying up the place before the expected morning rush. The scruffy and beefy innkeeper, Master Jarami, who looked like the painting of the sailor on the inn's signage, was glad to offer them two rooms. He and Amyi stayed in one room on the third floor of the inn, while Jesi was happy to share the adjacent room with the Periji. Their room was about as big as Dari's room in their house in Arang, but this one had two beds on either side of a small wooden bedside table where four deep red apples were neatly placed on a wooden platter. The room smelled a little mouldy, but there was a hint of lemon in the air, probably from the cleaning cloth they used to wipe the dust off the room's furnishings. There was a closet about an arm and a half away from the foot of the beds. There was a wash basin and a jar filled with water on a small table by the window, which gave a view of the a view of the harbour district. The beds were soft and the pillows were fluffy, inviting Dari to bury himself in bed, but he knew that they had to leave soon.

Dari suddenly tripped on a loose cobble stone, bringing him back to the present, but he kept his balance and wasn't hurt because the stone just grazed the tip of his sandals. He saw Amyi walking just a couple of arms ahead of him and Jesi along a narrow alley two blocks to the south of The Hungry Sailor. They were going to the northern edge of the harbour district where Lamayi lived. He asked the Periji to join them, but the Periji said that he had some business to do at the Kanayi Garalahi. There were only a few people walking along the alley, including them. He reckoned that most would be at the harbour market at that time of the day, or probably staying indoors because of the intense heat.

Dari noticed that he wasn't hearing any chimes in his ears. There wasn't any breeze at all. He whistled a long high note and waited. Suddenly, a cool gust of wind started blowing from the opposite end of the alley carrying the stink of the rotting refuse from the corners the alley. It didn't smell very pleasant but it helped cool them a bit.

"Thanks, Dari," Jesi said with a smile as he wiped the sweat off his face with his own marapi.

"Don't mention it," Dari replied, silently thanking the Sepalahi for his gift.

The buildings along the alley, mostly residential buildings or makeshift shops, were made of greystone blocks and some wood like The Hungry Sailor, but , even in daylight, all of them had an aged and ominous feel about them. Kanay was a very old city and Jesi had told Dari stories about restless spirits that haunted some of the buildings in the harbour district while they were breaking fast aboard the Seabird that morning.