The Call of the Beachwick

Chapter 7: On Point

After Kesi securely fastened her wire in her bag, she swiftly darted back towards the port, then veered westward in the direction of her ancestral home. As she passed, a pang of guilt washed over her upon catching sight of its weather-worn door. Briefly, she considered checking on her Mimi. She was certain that by now, her mother would have departed for the mine, but given what had happened, she didn't know if her mother would still go to work. Even if Kesi weren't running late, she wouldn't have risked facing her mother's potential wrath – a reckoning she acknowledged she rightfully deserved. With a sigh, she chose to bypass the familial abode, and pressed on toward the west, where the orphanage stood.

When she reached the halfway point, nearing the dilapidated gate, Kesi observed a growing commotion ahead. Two figures engaged in a heated argument, their voices resonating through the air, drawing the attention of a curious crowd, witnessing the spectacle. Kesi attempted to navigate through the narrow space, but the density of the onlookers compelled her to slow down. Just as she approached the center, an unexpected tug at her bag startled her. Instinct kicked in, prompting her to swiftly pull away. In her attempt to evade the unexpected thief, Kesi stumbled into the midst of the crowded circle, landing flat on the ground between the two fervently arguing figures.

"Sister Kesi," uttered an aging female satyr with elongated horns, twisting in defiance. For someone who looked like her Mimi, the silvered-haired satyr was strong and spry.  With a smooth gesture, she stood Kesi up on her hooves and said, "Thank Asha you're here. I need you to tell this male he's not allowed in the Beachwick!"

Kesi hated it when the older generation called her sister. For some reason, it felt unnatural to her. However, in the moment, she chose to overlook the title and the plea. Concerned for her wire, she checked her bag, all the while to her left, a human male persisted in the argument.

"Woman, I told you before, I live over there. I have for a number of months. I came by this way only an hour ago. Must we go through this daily? Your insistence only females inhabit this part of the Beachwick is neither grounded in reality nor respect."

"You make a mockery of our traditions male," retorted the elder satyr, spittle flying from her mouth. "This here is sacred ground, where only females are welcome. If it were up to me, female and satyr."

The male was having none of it. Undeterred by the elder satyr's plea, he forcefully pushed Kesi aside just as she located the wires in her bag. With a soft thud, she tumbled onto her rump, her concern for the wires momentarily eclipsed by her fall.

"How dare you..." he began, but before he could finish, the elder satyr charged forward, crashing her horned head into his. The force of the impact sent him reeling. In that moment, the crowd fell into a silence so profound that one could have heard a coin drop.

"Have you no manners?" the elder satyr bellowed. "You are not worthy to walk in Sister Kesi's shadow, and yet you dare push her to the ground? If she wishes it, I will end your miserable life. Are you alright, Sister Kesi?" she asked, her voice echoing with a mixture of righteous anger and genuine concern.

Kesi dusted herself off and made it to her feet. Just to be sure, she once more checked to see that the wires were still in her bag. "I'm fine Miss..."

"Matron Staukire," she added with a bow and outstretched hands. "My family has been keepers of the gate for generations."

"That broken-down thing?" asked the man, holding his nose. "Even if that were true, you've done a terrible job. You can't even call that a gate. It's nothing more than a pile of stones and petrified wood."

"Begone human, before I finish the job," Staukire said, shuffling her hooves towards him. The male backed away in fear, but Kesi pulled back on the satyr.