Gretch stood just outside the range of Berlavi's face. Even though he was muzzled and tied down he was still dangerous.
Gretch stared the creature in the eye to assert dominance. "This is how it shall be. If you do what I want, you shall receive food." He held up a brace of rabbits he had trapped at dawn. "If you resist you will get pain." He held up a long stick he had hewn from one of the few trees that grew in the rocky area.
"Let us begin."
He planted the stick by his side and extended both arms towards the flier's head. One hand held the rabbits and one was his empty palm. The flier suddenly thrashed forward. It tried to smash Gretch's arms. Its roar was muted by the ropes that muzzled it. Gretch was expecting the move and easily stepped out of the way. He quickly grabbed the stick and slapped it across the top of its long snout.
"I am the master. You are the servant. We will try again."
***
Alam finished his story. He told it simply and without Tajar's flair and performance but he missed none of the essential details. Iwan and Hannah had listened quietly for the duration of his tale, interrupting only to clarify points they did not understand. When Alam was finished the two priests both leaned back in silent thought.
"Do you still think he is an assassin?" Iwan asked with a small smile.
"No," Hannah replied. She turned back to Alam. "Thank you for telling us your story. We had wondered what had befallen Brother Unher and his escort."
"Who is Brother Unher?"
"He was the man that gave you the box. We had expected them to arrive two months ago. What a sad waste of life. At least he died well."
"You knew him?" Alam asked surprised.
"We served one of the great temples of the West together for five years before Hannah and I took charge of this temple," said Iwan solemnly.
"So you were friends?"
The two priests nodded.
"I am sorry to bear you sad tidings."
"We are sorry to hear them, but the blame lies with others, not you," Hannah said kindly.
"Did you know anything about his task to deliver this box? Why he was doing it, or where he was going?"
The two priests exchanged a glance. A silent understanding seemed to pass between them. They leaned in close to Alam. Alam mirrored them by leaning in as well.
"We will tell you what we know," said Hannah.
Before she got any further, feet entering the temple sounded behind Alam. He turned around and saw a group of six dusty travelers enter the room.
"Welcome!" Iwan exclaimed jovially and rose to greet them. "You look weary from days of journey. Come in and rest."
Hannah rose. As she passed Alam she placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered to him "we will talk tomorrow." She disappeared into the back of the temple while Iwan smiled and laughed with the newcomers. Hannah returned moments later with a tray laden with bowls of soup and two loaves of bread.
A couple of the travelers stared grimly at Alam and muttered among themselves. Their hands hovered near the hilts of the long knives they wore on their belts. Alam lowered his gaze and turned away. The last thing he wanted was trouble. Hannah saw the tension and moved over to Alam.
"Follow me," she said quietly. She led him out the back of the temple, through a large kitchen full of the heavenly fragrance of soup and bread, and into a very small, simply furnished room. A raised bed with a straw mattress and thick blankets took up the majority of the immaculately clean room. It was windowless so Hannah brought a candle and placed in on the only furnishing in the room other than the bed - a small wooden table which held a clay jug of water and a small mug.
"The temple will be busy the rest of the night and first thing in the morning as travelers arrive in, or leave, Lasthome. It would be best if you stay out of sight until mid morning. Many of the travelers will see you as an enemy and will want to pick a fight with you. It is in everyone's best interests to avoid disputes."
"I agree. Thank you again for the shelter."
Hannah smiled and left him to himself. Alam carefully examined everything in the room. He had never slept in a such a room, or on such a bed. A smile of wonder spread across his face.
Town people are strange. Everything is lines and squares and rock. I would wager that people who build with such harsh, inflexible forms, are also harsh and inflexible in their minds.
But Iwan and Hannah don't seem so.
Alam closed the door behind him and climbed into bed fully clothed with the box beside him under the blankets and his axe at easy reach next to his bed.
How can anyone sleep with such still air? A tent with its gentle flow surely must be more healthy than air caged inside a stone box all day. And this mattress is awful. It's a wonder any of them get any sleep at all. I will probably be awake all night with the straw poking at me.
He was asleep within a minute.
***
The next morning Tajar was worse. His face was pale and sweaty and his breathing was laboured. His forehead was burning with fever and he drifted in and out of delirious sleep. After pacing uselessly and worrying all morning Alam was advised by Hannah to get some fresh air. He picked up their wood axe and rode to the small forest outside of Lasthome to start collecting the firewood for the temple. The physical exertion of smashing fallen logs helped release tension a little, but not completely. His mind still went over and over what he would do if Tajar fell to the sickness.
He had completely loaded the litter that was tied to Mist and was about to jump on her back when he became aware that he was not alone. Faint footfalls sounded behind him in the forest. He had seen no-one all morning since leaving Lasthome. His heart doubled its tempo, and his skin prickled as sweat glands opened up.
It sounds like just one person. Maybe it's one of those travelers in the temple with the knives sneaking up on me.
He spun around and held out the wood axe in defensive position.
"Who is there?" His jaw dropped when he saw who it was.
Standing before him in the same simply cut, figure hugging, shimmering blue dress, was the woman who had walked into his and Tajar's camp two moons earlier. She had been beautiful when they first met in moonlight, but in daylight she was staggering. Her physical perfection rocked him like a tangible blow. Far from slowing down, his pulse increased. "Sapphire?"
She smiled broadly. "Sapphire? Is that what you called me?" She slowly walked towards him. It took all his will to focus on her face as she approached.
"Yes. We don't know your name, so Tajar started calling you that."
"I like it. You can put that toy away. I am not here to harm you."
Alam looked down to see that he was still holding the axe aggressively. He quickly dropped it and stood up straight.
"I am glad to see you," she purred. "I have been worried about you and your friend."
"Have you?" he kept his head enough to be skeptical.
There is no chance that she would be attracted to a clansman with nothing to his name other than the axe she gave him.
"Yes. You have gone through many ordeals since we last met."
"That is true," he said cautiously.
"What was the ruler of the Khashbal like?"
"He was selfish and interested only in his own growing influence. He treated us poorly, but is dead now."
"I was not referring to the man. He was never the leader. I was talking about the woman, his wife."
Alam adjusted his thinking. "She never said anything in my presence that I can remember, so there isn't much I can tell you."
"Did she ever exhibit any special qualities?"
"Why do you care?" asked Alam. The longer the conversation lasted the more he found he could focus his thoughts.
"Oh," she waved her hand dismissively, "I like to keep an eye on her." The way she said it had a ring of half truth to Alam's ears. "But that is not why I wanted to see you," she flashed her eyes at him. "Your friend is the real reason I am here."
"What about him?"
"He is dying."
"What?"
"At this very moment."
"How do you know?"
"As I told you before, I can see threads of fate. His has been fading. Yours and his are intertwined. Even though you are both insignificant, for some reason your fates and mine touch. I have seen that when he dies my fate becomes dimmer and your fate becomes dark."
"What do you mean 'when he dies'? Is he going to die today?"
"Maybe. That is up to you and me."
"Stop talking in riddles!" Alam's fear for his friend shattered the effect her beauty had over him. "If we don't have much time then get to the point!"
She frowned at him. "I do not like people shouting at me. I am here to help your friend. Take these and make him swallow them all." She held out her hand.
"Mulberries?" he took the five plump white berries from her. He could not help noticing her skin was remarkably soft and smooth as their hands touched momentarily.
"They will cure him. Be careful not to bruise or lose them."
"Thank you Sapphire." Alam had nothing to carry them in so he cut his water skin open and gently placed them inside. Before mounting Mist he disconnected the litter laden with firewood so she would run faster.
"One more thing,"Sapphire said.
"Yes?"
"There is more to the weapons I gave you than you have found."
"I am anxious to return to my friend. Speak plainly if you want to tell me something."
Another frown clouded she brow. "You are more rude today than when we last met."
"My friend wasn't dying then. Is there anything you wish to say before I leave?"
"Just this," she walked over to him. Her eyes locked onto his. Alam swallowed. She laid her hand on Mist's shoulder. Alam was once again aware of her closeness. "Names," she said softly, "and the way we use them give us power over that which we name. For example..." She beckoned him closer with her forefinger. He leant over until their heads were less than a finger's length away. Her stunningly blue eyes and full lips filled his vision and his mind.
"Alam," she whispered low and breathily. A shiver of desire coursed through him. All thoughts of anything other than getting closer to her blew away like smoke in the wind. He started to raise his leg to dismount but she slapped Mist on the rump and she jolted forward into a gallop. Once he stopped himself from falling he glanced back. Sapphire met his gaze and then slowly turned and walked into the forest and out of sight. Alam shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"Yah!" he shouted and dug his heels into Mist's ribs. She burst forward.
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-Y. V. Qualls