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

Chapter 23: Unsolved Mysteries

31-2-2-4012 DM, Kanay, Telama, Hilaraya

The western sky was a glorious pallet of gold, scarlet, and purple as the twentieth hour of light came, heralded by the toll of the bells of the Kanayi Garalahi somewhere to the south. In two hours, the sun would finally set, giving way to the first hour of darkness. The days had always been longer than the evenings during summer, as far as Kayari Peraya remembered. Somehow, the certainty of that, and that the hours of light and darkness would only be equal on the day of the equinoxes, gave him comfort.

"At least there were still things that were certain in Tahana," Kayari thought. He sighed as he looked towards the westering sun from the large windows of his study on the sixth floor of the Palace of the Dewa Majarani, the place where the leaders of the Pacific Republic of Telama held office. Being the Maraji, the head of the country, he stayed in the room with the best view in all of Kanay, but the view that afternoon didn't help much to ease his troubled mind. A cool westerly breeze blew and Kayari closed his eyes, imagining his troubles being carried away with it. When the breeze ceased, however, he found out that his thoughts were too heavy to be carried off by the wind. He sighed once more and saw the tall whitestone beacon at the Pamaya against the afternoon sky. For some reason, he felt an uncanny sense of affinity with the lonely beacon.

"Amana..." a lakadu's voice came from behind him, momentarily disturbing his thoughts. He recognised whose voice it was, so he straightened his back.

"What is it Jana Banari?" Kayari asked, not looking at the lakadu behind him. He was not expecting good news but he hoped nonetheless. He just hoped that the news would not be another haradu abduction. The harani in the capital had all but packed up and left for fear of being abducted themselves.

"The Watchers have reported that the Purple Jays have all gone," Jana Banari said in a soft voice filled with caution. He must have sensed Kayari's brooding mood and didn't want to be on his bad side.

"Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?" Kayari asked, turning around to see the look of uncertainty in Banari's face.

"They seem to have left the city," Jana Banari replied, giving Kayari a respectful bow as he always did. "None of the Watchers have seen any of them since dawn and nobody saw them leave."

"But I thought the Watchers were keeping an eye on them? They are called Watchers and it's their burning job to watch, isn't it? Now, the purple lakani are gone and nobody could tell me where they went. How could they have disappeared without anyone noticing? This is preposterous! Nobody can just disappear like that! There were a hundred of them out there in the city! By Suraya! Are you certain that nobody saw them leave?" Kayari asked incredulously, his temper flaring up suddenly. This news was certainly worse than another haradu abduction.

The Purple Jays had been a curious topic since spring came that cycle. Nobody knew from where they came or what they were doing in Kanay. The Watchers spotted about a hundred of these purple-clad lakani, always in pairs, in different places all over the capital. They appeared to be merely observing locals and outlanders alike, but none of them communicated with anyone other than themselves in a strange language. And now, they're gone.

"Nobody had seen them leave, Amana. They seemed to have disappeared into the night according to the reports. I wish I could tell you more," Jana Banari said nervously.

Akunda Banari was one of the Dewa Janani, a representative from the town of Samay to the Dewa Majarani of Telama. He supported Kayari's candidacy when he ran for the post of Maraji in last cycle's election. He was Kayari's closest friend and ally.