Water in the Desert

Chapter 6

Jo͌za͌n couldn't stop thinking about Zhe'om. The kindest, smartest, most perfect tig in the world. Jo͌za͌n felt lighter than she ever had before. Zhe'om had been the first tig in years to show her kindness beyond anything superficial. She had always dreamed of being in love with someone. Too fast Jo͌za͌n, she told herself. Having a crush on someone was a new experience for Jo͌za͌n but she knew that they had only known each other for a day. I need to get to know her more, Jo͌za͌n told herself, But by Tso, is this a great feeling, to want to be in love and have that wish granted. And Zhe'om thinks she's sappy. All of a sudden Kowat walked in front of Jo͌za͌n. Oh no, Jo͌za͌n's mind sighed.

"I overheard from the cooks that you know desert barbarian," Kowat began with her teeth baring, "How do you know it?"

"I do not know what you mean," Jo͌za͌n responded, her fake smile straining.

"You have no business knowing it!" Kowat snapped.

"Why do you care?" Jo͌za͌n asked losing her fake smile.

"Oh look at Ms. I-Get-To-Do-Whatever-I-Want over here," Kowat taunted Jo͌za͌n, "Thinks she's better than the rest of us. That she can break all the rules. Don't you see how pathetic that is of you?" Jo͌za͌n was extremely annoyed and began to doubt herself. Then she noticed Zhe'om in the corner of her eye and turned to look in her direction.

"Really?!" Kowat nearly-shouted with disgust, "Are you really making moon-eyes at that slave?! Her kind is even more pathetic than you!"

"Shut up!" Jo͌za͌n snapped at a volume loud enough to get the attention of nearby guests.

"Good Tso!" Kowat gasped with anger in her eyes, "Has that barbarian eroded what little Dzo͌nts manners you had? You truly are a pathetic little piece of dza͌nd'dig! You really think you deserve the love of even the lowliest of creatures?!" Jo͌za͌n couldn't listen to anymore of it. She ran out of the dining hall. She ran to the servants quarters crying. She knew Kowat was wrong about Zhe'om but she was right about Jo͌za͌n.

What's so special about me? Jo͌za͌n thought to herself, I knew Zhe'om couldn't mean it. She probably just asked me to come with her out of pity. I was a fool to hope she liked me the same way I like her. She deserves much better than me. She threw open the doors to the female servants quarters and threw herself onto the nearest bed and began crying.

"Jo͌za͌n Shik'zhish," said a serious sounding voice behind her, "You are under arrest for indecency." Jo͌za͌n was then grabbed by some guards. She didn't bother struggling against them. Kowat probably told them everything she had put together. Having a crush on a foreigner was very taboo in the Dzo͌nts Empire. They would kill her if she resisted. They brought her down to the castle's dungeon.

They locked her in a cell. It looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. Tiny lizards too small to be pets scurried across the floor. Eventually the guards brought down the local priest to talk to her. The sapphire on his scepter sparkled in the torch-light. "Tsi͌ha͌nk, my child," he greeted her as he sat down on a stool outside her cell, "I hear that you have strayed from the good path. I am here to help you. Tell me, is it true that you have developed feelings for the barbarian. You can tell me, I am a servant of Tso."

"It is a lie," Jo͌za͌n lied. This earned a sigh from the priest.

"I was afraid you would say that," he replied, "You were seen talking in the slave's barbaric language to them and seen looking at her in a taboo way. Two voices have condemned you and now you lie to a servant of Tso. You will be sent to St. Tsuqu͌a͌n's Asylum and your lying has extended your sentence. Now one final question to determine your fate. Do you renounce your ways and serve as a nun at the asylum? Or do you stand by your thoughts and become an inmate yourself?" Jo͌za͌n shuddered. She had heard about the asylum. Anyone who was born with traits considered "undesirable" would be locked up there. Heretics, depending on whether they repented or not, would either work at the asylum or be locked up in it. That is, if they were able to avoid getting killed by religious fanatics.

Jo͌za͌n's aunt had been sent to the asylum for being born with an extra thumb on each hand and was unjustly sent to the asylum for being "evil-touched." Jo͌za͌n had also heard stories where autistic children were thrown into the asylum's cells, all alone. They said children with autism were demons that had been swapped for the parents' real children. Jo͌za͌n's mother never forgave the asylum for taking away her sister when her sister was just a baby and had taught Jo͌za͌n to despise the institution.

"I repent," Jo͌za͌n lied again, she regretted nothing she felt, but she did not want to be an inmate.

"Good," responded the priest, "You shall be taken there tomorrow. May Tso rain his grace upon your head." He then got up and walked out of the dungeon. Jo͌za͌n thought about Zhe'om. She would probably escape on her own and Jo͌za͌n would never see her again. It was a shame, Jo͌za͌n really liked to have gotten to know her more.