Chapter 30: Back in the City
The cart slowly entered the thick walls of the City, though no sentry stood guard to stop the travelers. The City was bustling with the early morning crowd of buyers and sellers flaunting their wares from across Mizo. There were girls with racks of colorful scarves, boys selling pumpkins larger than their heads. There were geese, pigs and horse running amok on the cobbled streets.
“You say that you might have met the Dragon?” the old man repeated the Boy’s claim quietly.
“I am not sure,” the Boy admitted, looking around, checking if Reel or Summer or old Saffron were hanging around the streets.
“What do you mean?” the old man pressed.
The Boy looked down at his feet, he said, “When I was in the castle there was a little girl, no more than five or six years old, with wavy black hair all the way down her back and glassy black eyes, she came to me in the tower, and brought me a blanket to ward off the cold.
She was odd, at first she did not say a word, and when I asked her who she was, it was as if she was split into two. Two voices answered me, one said that she was the Princess Elisha of Illudere and the other claimed to be Shien Lu, the Great Eastern Dragon, is that what you meant by the essence? Is his essence in the little princess?”
“I do not know,” the old man said, shaking his head laughing. “I still think that you had something odd to drink. Perhaps, you should stay off the unidentified drinks that people offer you in the fair,” he said. “You have been to the fair, right?” he asked pointing towards the busy plaza.
“Yes, I was there the other night, but I was fine just yesterday, was it yesterday? I am no longer certain,” the Boy said, confused.
“Let me take you back to my house in the heart of the City and let my wife will fix you something nice and warm, I am sure that you would come to your senses by then,” the old man smiled kindly.
“But I am not crazy,” the Boy argued.
“I did not say that you were, but some good breakfast is an excellent way to start a day, don’t you agree?” the old man offered.
“Thank you,’” the Boy said. Then thinking to himself,
I am not crazy, am I?
~~~
“What did you pick up from your travels this time, Sol?” a kind looking old woman said to the old man as she opened the small wooden door.
The old man's house was a small thatched stone building with a smaller wooden workshop annexed to the side of the house, surrounded by a low rose hedge wall and a neat vegetable garden.
The Boy jumped down from the cart. "Good Morning, my Lady," he said, giving a small bow.
“And who may you be?” the old lady asked smiling and bowing in return. “Polite boy, I like him,” she winked to her husband.
“Oh, I have not asked for your name, Lad, I apologize,” the old man said, suddenly remembering.
“My name is Tamar Kobin, your husband was kind enough to offer me a ride back into the City,” the Boy said.
“And where were you from Tamar?” the old lady asked.
“I am from Suzke,” Tamar answered.
“Suzke, eh Lad, I had been there before,” the old Sol said, “a lot of forest and fields but not much cities, are there?”
“There is one or two, I think, but I have never actually been to them, I had lived in my village for the most part of my life,” the Boy confessed.
“And where are you staying in, this part of your life, my little boy?” the old lady inquired, worriedly, exchanging looks with her husband.
“I am staying at the Black Kettle Inn a little distance from here,” Tamar said.
“And who might you be staying with?” the old lady asked concerned.
“I am traveling with my friend Diego,” the Boy replied.
“And where is this friend?” the old lady inquired.
“He is currently indisposed,” the Boy lied, “He is back at the inn, I should go check up on him now, actually.”
“Well I am sure that the innkeeper will take care of him. Do have some breakfast with us first,” the old lady drew the boy into the house, “I make the best peach rose and grounded peanut porridge that you would ever have gotten to eat,” she said.
“That sounds nice,” the Boy said, staring off in a distance. “Stay fine, Diego, I will come for you in a bit,” he promised quietly.
“It tastes even better,” the old man added. “Come, come let us get inside,” he said, closing the door.
~~~
“So tell me, my boy, where may your parents be?” the old lady asked as she spooned the peach colored porridge into the Boy’s large wooden bowl.
The Boy looked down at the porridge. There were rose petals floating on top. He wondered what it tasted like.
“Right, you did mention that they were missing,” the old man remembered, “Are you trying to look for them?” he asked.
“Yes, I was told that I can find answers here in the city, do you think so?” the Boy asked.
“What sort of answers are you looking for? This is a place full of questions, if you should know,” the old lady said regretfully.
“I am not sure really. I want to know if they are alive, and where they are,” the Boy said.
“Do you think that they may have passed on?” the old man asked tactlessly.
“I don't know, I do not really know anything,” the Boy said sinking down into his seat, disappointed.
“Never loose hope, my dear,” the old lady said, sitting down beside the Boy, “when you are weary, rest; when you are hungry, eat; when you have no will left to move on, let your friends comfort you. Let us get you fed and rested, you will find all the answers that you seek I believe, one day if not today.” She stroked his hair, and kissed his brow.
Have you found your answers, Tamar? Have you learned the questions?
YOU ARE READING
The Storyteller's Tale
FantasyA Boy who fell down a gorge, a Monk in search of his lover, a Fish-girl with multicolored hair, find themselves in the City Without a Name. Across the harbor, in the Third Tower, a Man-Boy who hangs his head in defeat, is consoled by a Nameless Voic...
