Chapter 07

Family Descent

Book One �" Divergence

Part I �" Novices

Chapter 07

April 1657

 

 

            The northern district of the city of Orlon was a fairly quiet district. With the northern gate seeing little in the way of traffic the district surrounding it was a favorite location for those who wanted a more peaceful life-style. Along the main road of the district was the temple of Untamo, the god of sleep and dreams, the Seeker of All Truths. The temple was low, built of the same grey granite as the city walls and many of its stone building. The granite was quarried some miles to west from the sides of the great mountain. Within the temple were a bard’s college, a library, and a chapel, of course.

            As Korrie and Iyara rode past the temple they could hear the sounds of a choir within although the words they could not discern. In the main, the buildings of the north district were built of wood and plaster. They passed a fair sized library, an inn, two taverns, several bakeries, a silver smithy, the guild house of the Carpenters’ Guild, and many homes. They wound through the district’s populace who milled in the cobbled streets on their own errands; woman carrying baskets of produce, guardsmen patrolling the well maintained streets, children running hither and yon, heralds and pages delivering missives and a wagon or two making deliveries to the businesses at hand.

            Overhead Tismet flew cautiously from roof top to roof top careful to avoid detection not only by the twins but the rest of the people as well. As he went from roof to roof, his scales shifted color and texture to resemble the materials of the roof and upon settling, he was all but invisible. Even though he could not always see the twain directly, still he could sense them and their mood and knew they were safe.

 

            Weaving their horses through the pedestrians and wagons and other riders, the twins passed from the northern district to the center district. Now the buildings; public buildings, shops and homes alike were all built of the same grey granite though many had been white-washed and some of the more grand structures were painted with frescos or tiled in mosaics. They passed by the temple of Ukko, the All Father. High spires it had and massive carvings and statuary climbed along the walls and stood along ledges. It stood at the intersection of the north-south road and the east west road a great square surrounding it. They paused by a fountain and let the horses take some water.

            Tismet alighted upon one of the ledges of the temple and blended with the statuary beasts thereupon.

            “We’re almost there.” Iyara said while her horse drank its fill.

            “Aye.” Answered Korrie with a distracted nod, pausing only a moment in his examination of the temple rising above to do so. Iyara looked up to note the sun’s position and gauge the time.

            “We’ve time for a quick lunch, I think.” She said.

            “Yes, we do.” Korrie replied turning his attention back to Iyara. “We’ll find a stall in the market square.”

            They left the north road and turned right out of the temple square heading west. The road angled to the left a bit until came to run along the river. Small boats plied the river which, in the city, was lined by large granite blocks forming a wall and walkway. They passed by one of the four stone bridges that arched above the river, allowing boat traffic to travel beneath. Each of the four bridges was wide enough to allow two wagons to pass side by side. After passing the bridge, the river and road parted again with the river bending to the south slightly and the west road angling north. In the distance they could see the temple of Ilmatar rising where it stood overlooking the river.

            The road led them north of the temple and at last into the north market square. A similar market was in the southern district across the river. The square was a hundred yards on a side and was lined with stalls and small shops with apartments above. Awnings above stalls and shop fronts fluttered lazily in the spring breeze coming in from the river and kept the occupants shaded from the sun overhead. The north side of the square was dominated by the massive Merchants’ Guild house. The edifice was painted a brick red color and the windows and doors were surrounded by grey granite stone. It had a slanted roof covered in dark grey slate.

            Tismet landed upon the grey slate roof; his tiny talons clicked and scratched against the tiles as he sought purchase on the roof and his color shifted to a matching grey as he allowed his chameleon trait to take effect.

            In the square below the twins dismounted and lead their steeds around the market place looking into stalls and pausing to admire some of the wares. A potter there was and several weavers. An herbalist had a small stand set up and was selling herbs and spices for culinary and medicinal use. A cobbler, whose shop was located in the elsewhere in the city, had set up a small stall for an apprentice to mend shoes, boots and sandals. A tinsmith had a small portable forge and repaired household implements and sold small sundry items. A tent held the wares of a merchant selling glassware from the Dunesmen of the Desert of Winds in the south. The Dunesmen were famous for the glass creations fashioned with the aid of unique telekinetic abilities to manipulate the glass as it was blown and shaped.

            Many stands and stalls offered produce grown in the warmer southern climes offering a varied selection of fruits and vegetables not yet available this far north. Too, bakers and butchers and fisherfolk peddled their goods all ‘round. Finally the pair located a street front extension of a tavern on the square. They took seats on a wood bench that flanked a plain table in front of the tavern.

            From a serving girl they ordered a bowl of lamb stew and two mugs of a locally brewed ale. The girl returned shortly thereafter and set out the stew, the ale and a half loaf of crusty bread. High above the square Tismet’s ruddy yellow eyes observed the twins beginning their repast. He moved a little further up the roof top and settled back against one of the many chimneys. With tiny, talon-tipped fingers he removed the silk pouch from around his neck and opened the top. He reached in with two fingers and began turning the pouch inside out. Amazingly, once turned inside-out, the pouch was now the size of large bag. Inside he reached again and now pulled out a small leather book. He opened the book to a page marked by a red ribbon and began to read; now and again glancing down into the square to check up on his charges.

 

            Iyara and Korrie enjoyed their meal unaware of their clandestine guardian; although occasionally Korrie would look around the skyline in the general direction of the guild house as though searching for something.

            “What is it, Korre?” Iyara asked when once again Korrie scanned the sky. He turned his attention to his sister.

            “Nothing really.” He answered and shook his head, “I just feel eyes upon me.”

            “Truly?” Iyara said and looked around the square as well with her forehead creased and concern in her golden amber eyes.

            “Mayhap it’s the lack of eyes upon me.” He said at last with a laugh turning up the corner of his mouth. “Ever is someone watching me fretting and worrying.” Iyara looked down at the bowl before her and idly stirred her stew.

            “We do worry about you, Korrie.” She said without looking up. Korrie reached across and laid his hand over her free hand.

            “Do not worry overmuch, sister.” He said and she looked up so her amber eyes met his dark gold. “I think Hanna has the right of it and a time spent among the sylvan peace of the elves will do me well.”

            “I hope so, Korrie. Oh I do hope so.” Iyara replied. She looked up into the sky once again and marked the sun’s position and sighed. “It’s nigh time I made my way to the temple. They will be waiting.” Korrie only nodded.

            They left several coins on the table and took up the leads of their mounts once again and turned south out of the market square aiming for the temple beyond. On the rooftop, Tismet noted their departure and put the book back in the bag. He turned the bag inside out once more and now the impossible bag was a pouch again. He slipped the cord over his long snout and head and then leapt into the air again, bounding from rooftop to rooftop following the twins through the city.

 

            A large court stood in front of the temple of Ilmatar in Orlon. It was a white-washed granite building with buttresses on the sides supporting the full 30 foot height of the central part of the complex. An iron gate stood in a wall at the front of the temple and opened into a smaller enclosed courtyard. As Korrie and Iyara approached, Catala and an elder priestess they did not know came down the path from the temple proper and stopped at the gate.

            “Welcome Iyara.” Said the elder priestess and Catala but waved. The young priestess also waved to Korrie but quickly dropped her eyes a hint of color rushing to her cheeks.

            Iyara turned to Korrie with tears glinting in her eyes. “It is time.” She said and Korrie nodded. Iyara flung herself into her brother’s arms and embraced him tightly for this would be the first time the twins had been truly separated.

            “Be well, Korrie.” She whispered into his ear and he returned the embrace warmly.

            “And you as well, my sister.” He answered. “Take heart, for a year will fairly fly past and we will meet again soon.” Iyara pulled herself away and straightened.

            “You will write me often with news of yourself?” She asked and he smiled.

            “I will, and I will await your missives anxiously.” He answered. Iyara scrubbed the tears from her cheeks and smiled. Then she and Korrie untied her belongings from her horse and he helped her carry them to the temple gate where they were taken up by Catala and the elder priestess. Korrie embraced his sister once more and then turned to take up the leads of both mounts.

            He stood for many long moments and watched as Iyara and the two priestesses walked up the path to the temple’s great doors. Just as they entered Iyara waved back once and Korrie returned the wave. With a sigh he turned when the doors closed and led the two steeds back easterly bound for the eastern gate and his fate two days away. Overhead, Tismet roof-hopped a path shadowing Korrie’s route.