The Silent Quest, IziCain [red seas under red skies txt] 📗

and that I am Persian. Cleaver you, Anahita.”
She almost slapped him, “you are afraid of who you are?”
“No,” he looked back to the hut Lara had ran into. “I have to lie to get around, buying maids for Arabia is hard, and I have changed my name on many journeys. I decided to keep my real name this time round. This village knows me by name, so I need not worry about my safety.”
The wooden door to the hut opened and Lara pointed towards them, a bulky lady came out with a sombre pretty face. Her features were like Lara’s, definitely her mother. She wore a lime coloured gown that hung loosely around her round frame; her hair was set in a tight bun that made her forehead look enormous.
She regarded Ren thoughtfully and then, sourly examined Anahita from head to toe, taking the longest time in the world. Anahita stiffened and looked towards Ren who shrugged lazily, the strain in his voice was heard clearly when he coughed and spoke.
“Aunt Okra Iskar, this is Anahita Meerad. She’s with me, a maid I am taking back to Arabia.”
Okra Iskar, her hazy blue devil like eyes sharpened. “Are you a servant of Queen Concetta?”
Anahita nodded.
“Do you not have voice, little one?”
“Yes,” Anahita took an instant dislike to the lady.
Okra bit her lower lip and leaned forward, the smell of fresh wine cursed though Anahita’s body like poison. The sweat on Okra’s brow was visible, thick trickles just under her nose; her throat was almost choked with the amount of necklaces she wore.
“Interesting,” Okra blinked. “You hold something special, but you are dangerous. Very dangerous, I now understand why Ren has chosen you.”
Ren raised a brow but said nothing; Okra turned and waved a hand, “follow me. I think you two might need a stay; you are not welcome in my house Anahita Meerad. Ren is most appreciated.”
Ren stopped, “I wish to stay with Anahita, keep an eye out for her.”
Okra grinned wildly, “As you wish, warrior.”
The fat lady went in, sounds of dishes and voices rippled along the walls and out the door, straight into Anahita’s ears. Now that they were in silence and on their own, Anahita asked the question she was dying to ask.
“Why do Persians hate Arabians?”
He took a moment to digest the question, and then he sighed and said, “It is not about hate. Arabians and Persians are alike you see, but Arabians were given the power to rule and have gold. Persians on the other hand don’t rule, they have separate lands in Persia like the Queen Concetta’s land. Arabia is a full nation, the war broke out a year ago and everyone was corrupt. The Arabians won and went back to their country, the Persians were left homeless for months, and it is why this difficulty is so hard to understand.”
Anahita nodded, “they shouldn’t be like that to everyone. I wasn’t involved with all this mess.”
He narrowed his eyes, “we are all responsible.”
She wasn’t going to take it, “not I.”
And that was the end of their conversation, they waited for Okra to return or Lara to come and snarl at Anahita once again. But no one came, the sun was up high and the heat was immense, Ren adjusted his cloak and loosened his armour, breathing like a stranded wolf. Anahita took her time to look around; beyond some huts she saw nothing but flat lands, miles of sand and sun. A few birds flew high up in the sky, their shadows casting long streaks on the earth, Anahita imagined them diving down and swooping up their own shadows. That would have been hilarious; they would be trying to swoop at it forever.
The door to the hut opened and a glowing figure stepped out, by the looks of the silk red gown with gold embroidery and the heel of the golden shoes Anahita knew they were caught up with another lady. She was slim and much taller than Ren, her skin was a creamy colour, her black hair hung around her shoulders and stopped just shy of her shoulders. In each ear she wore two diamonds which shimmered brightly. Her eyes were the colour of the sky, clear, clean, warm. She had red lips which were pulled up into a large smile, her slim cheeks and long face was the exact replica of Ren’s. She was just a girly version of the boy beside her.
“Welcome!” she sounded relieved. “Back so soon, Ren?”
Ren smiled back at the mirror image of himself. “It was pretty easy, quick and fluent. You look excited somewhat, why is this?”
The girl clapped her hands, “it is my birthday, Ren.”
Ren nodded and turned to Anahita, “Anahita, this is Ulrika, she is my elder sister. She is nineteen summers today.”
Anahita and Ulrika locked eyes, and then Ulrika moved first, taking the small girl into a bear like hug.
“Nice to meet you, Anahita Meerad.”
Anahita stepped back, smiling awkwardly. “How do you know my name?”
Ulrika shrugged, “not a big deal, little one. I read stories and hear stories, I have a professional ear.”
Satisfied but worried that everyone would know who she is and what her past was like, Anahita tried to stick with Ulrika more than with Ren. Ulrika guided them through small gaps between huts, talking of nothing in particular, her voice like an echo as it pounded through the narrow pathways. Ren congratulated her, wishing her a happy birthday, offering her a tulip as a present. Ulrika had giggled away and crushed the tulip, it had been a beautiful red tulip, and if she had plucked that into her hair she would have looked dazzling. After a few minutes of walking, Anahita’s stomach groaned. She covered it up with a cough but could not resist the urge to pound towards food, wherever it was.
Finally they entered a nice round hut with a metal door and glass windows; a hut that looked luxurious compared to the one Anahita had been in back where Queen Concetta ruled. The hut smelt like lavender and vases stood on each corner of every room, flowers bloomed from them like colourful rainbows that reflected their beauty onto the walls and ceiling. The floor was carpeted, a nice cream colour, everywhere was almost a creamy texture. Ulrika guided them into the living room and slumped down into a cushion chair, Anahita stopped. The last time she had sat on a cushion chair was over two years ago, at her home in Arabia. Before her parents were called to Persia for the war, before they had to leave her in the hands of Queen Concetta as a servant.
Ren brushed past Anahita and sighed, “Goodness, Ulrika. It was so huge, one of the largest Black Spectre’s I have ever seen. I cannot believe I outran that thing, the portal was up-close so I think we got away good.” He peered at Anahita. “We got away good, right?”
Anahita nodded, was about to reply but Ulrika grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her onto the cushion chair beside her. The girls shared a smile which was at once recognised as deep friendship. Ren cleared his throat, tried to break up the gossip that Ulrika was about to start when he heard a rumble. Ulrika howled with laughter and shot up, “dear me Anahita that was loud! Ren! We must get her to eat, look at her, she’s skinnier that the twigs in Charger Forest.”
Ren smiled at Anahita, “I gave her some bread but she spat blood all over it, I think it leaked or something, I’m not sure.”
“You didn’t offer her any raisin clusters?” Ulrika left the room.
Ren paled, “raisin clusters?”
Ulrika returned to the door with three glasses in hand, “I packed you raisin clusters when you came here from Arabia. Remember?”
Ren grabbed his bag from his back and tipped out the contents. Bread, water, fruit, raisin clusters in a bag...
He snorted, it was untouched. “Oh, I forgot.”
Ulrika placed the glasses on a table near the right wall; the window beside it gave scenery to the vast sand lands.
“I see that, naughty. Anyway, you both wash your hands and come sit.”
Anahita and Ren followed Ulrika into the kitchen; they washed their hands in a sink, a sink very similar to the one Anahita used to wash the Queen’s dishes in. Anahita, like a new born baby examined her surroundings, taking in the cupboards and stove and fire and floor. It was all entirely silver, pure, almost untouched silver.
Ulrika caught her staring and grinned, “I do not live here. I only come from Arabia to this village with Ren, so that on his journey back and there I can give him foods and supplies. I’ve done allot to make it like home, but it is not quite. Is it, Ren?”
Ren leaned himself against the wall and shrugged, “no. Home is where magical things happen, what happens here is blood and betrayal.”
There was a roughness to his voice that Anahita caught. Ulrika’s dark eyebrows settled. “Ren, hush now.”
Ren realised Anahita’s worried look and turned, “come, hunger cannot wait.”
Ulrika gave Ren a stupid look, making Anahita curl in with giggles.
In the living room Ulrika opened a small opening in the wall that was linked to the kitchen, she took a tray of meats and boiled vegetables, some curry was served with bread. Water and juices came later; Anahita frowned at some of the foods. Ren introduced them to her, she had rejected the meats but Ulrika told her they were fishes and good to eat. The fish actually looked like meat; she almost toppled over with laughter.
As she ate the pile of vegetable Ren had poured for her, Anahita Meerad thought about Ali and Havana and the other servants. What would the Queen do? Who will get the beatings? Who would Havana blame now? Servants like Rose would be taken in, changing their shifts to work harder... bile rose in her throat and Anahita almost puked.
Ren was too busy nibbling on crunchy carrots; Ulrika was staring out into the sand lands with a spoonful of rice in her mouth. None of them paid her any attention, so she went on thinking about the greasy roads and darkened houses. The layout of the Castle walls and the uphill daily climb of the stairs.
At least there was no more of that, for now. THREE

ULRIKA and Anahita shared the work to tidy up; Ren sat in the back garden, staring out at the endless golden earth, the sun setting slowly. His eyes narrowed to blue slits; something dark and twisted was curling in his veins. He didn’t hear the soft breathing and steps as someone came to sit beside him, he inhaled and exhaled, pulling himself out of the small trance.
His head slowly moved to the right, he smiled at the figure beside him.
“Eaten?” he asked.
Anahita nodded, “yes. You do not look so good, maybe you should go rest.”
“Ulrika sent you to tell me to go to bed? Nah.”
Anahita frowned, scanning their surroundings. “You look exhausted, Ren. After all you did out there, you most certainly need to close your lids.”
He laughed, wiped his trousers. “If that is what you two worried ladies want, then that is what I will do. Under one condition.”
“And what