The Assiniy's Legacy

Chapter 9

At sunset, Mordan returned to his home, and not to the library where he lodged. Frski’s godbrother, just like Mordan, had a habit of disappearing without announcement when he wanted to find solitude, so they had not met each other before sunset. Frski spotted him when he was coming back to his home quarter, slowly walking and hands in pockets.
“MOR! You’re back!?”, said Frski surprisingly. “I have just been looking for you at the library!”
“Mm, yes Frski, I think I must meet mother, after all.”
Frski put his long light left arm on Mordan’s thick shoulders encouragingly and said, “She has sent me to get you back. Being worried about the recent news, she felt the need to speak with you,” and he gently veered Mordan’s direction with his arms, adding, “Not in the house, but in Cylindra’s. Tamirah’s mother.”
“What?” Mordan exclaimed.
“Yes, Chouffirah has visited her because she felt like talking with a friend. You know, she dislikes what the city had just decided to do, this military engagement stuff.”
Mordan smiled with his thin lips.

The entrance to Cylindra’s house was decorated with flowerpots and long wall-climbing plants. Once the door was opened, the smell of a beautiful lemon perfume reached their nostrils. A smell that reminisced of his childhood days when he was used to be brought with his mother there. While advancing forward into the living room, he heard three women talking. Frski entered first, but Mordan stood momentarily at his spot in light apprehension, for Tamirah was present. Chouffirah rose from her place and hugged her son, blowing his head and cheeks with kisses, “Oh, thanks to God Eunoph! Sorry because I made you mad at me after what I did!”, Mordan, in embarrassment, was lost from words. She pressed his cheeks and added, “You’re always welcome my small son Dan-Dan to your house, (and Mordan thought Tamirah was quietly giggling about it),” She held and contemplated his rounded face, which was covered with a very thin beard, in her plump hands and said while contemplating him, “ I am utterly scared about you, my son, the thought that those greedy and cruel Paladins are going to hold you as their pawn is extremely tiresome, I can’t withstand it, I don’t want my only son to be sent to death in battlefields for nothing!”
“Mother, I have made up my mind, I-“, he said hastily but was interrupted, “Son, STAY AT YOUR HOME, and you can be whatever you wish, just-“, and he restated, “Mom, please listen, I decided something which I’ve got to tell you, let’s sit first.”
He saluted Cylindra and thanked her for her hospitality, and she said in a serious tone, “No, please don’t thank me, it’s a duty between dear friends; Chouffirah’s sons are like mine,” she smirked before saying, “and I still have an unmarried daughter, I don’t know when she wishes to be a bride!”
“Mom! Please stop it.”, Tamirah had said before getting up to bring more cakes and tea for the newcomers. Mordan, who was resting his eyes on one random spot, was too focused to get the ironic that had just irritated Tamirah. He bit a bit of the sweet, crunchy and sour raisin cookie, and drank a bit of the refreshing mint tea. He was met by an intense and apprehensive stare from those in the small living room, which was rectangular in shape, surrounded by sofas and middled by a low round metallic table. It was well lit by two relatively big windows, the curtains were in dark red, and the sofas in dark green and were beautified with golden designs of plants and stars. The walls were half covered with tile-made mosaic, which had a dark blue colour that added a cozy sight to the room. In Salawan, the internal architecture of houses was often made cozy. Especially in the houses of the rich. Mordan had heard of how Tamirah was the daughter of a rich man, a sculpturer in the royal palace. He died long ago, but his wealth went on to his wife and daughter, who were probably using the accumulated riches to help the impoverished ones in the city. Mordan informed resolutely,
“I will have to leave the town, as soon as possible, to go by sea to Kaman Islands, you know it, so that I continue my studies in that library. I have got this chance, and I don’t want to miss it.”
Tamirah stood as quiet as before, with a calm stare towards his face. Lady Chouffirah, Lady Cylindra and Frski stared at him blankly and with wide eyes for a while before Chouffirah said, “It is dangerous son, very far indeed… How would you get there anyway?!”
“I have something I want to study, Mother. Something that I tried to study here, but there isn’t enough books and stuff here. The temple is already starting to condemn book readers with blasphemy, they may kill me. These old pigs are censoring many sciences, you know that, Mom. I don’t want them to keep me from my right to study. As for the means, the gold I inherited is more than enough.”
“No son. The sea is full of pirates and storms.”
Tamirah was the one who answered, “Don’t worry aunty,” said Tamirah to Chouffirah in her usual soft and comforting voice, “The ambassador of Kaman himself has promised Mor’s travel, they will go without a cost and the ship is governmental, with a very competent crew against storms and piracy.”
While Chouffirah was looking down gravely, her eyes unfocused, Mordan added, “Mother, for me this is very important, If I don’t go, I will probably just be sent to fight for trivial wars, would you like me to do that?”
“No, I don’t, dear son!”
“So, leave me. I am no longer a child, mother, I am all ready to go, I must.”
Chouffirah looked at her friend, Cylindra, sadly, who nodded with a comforting smile. As for Frski, he was bent down on his knees; he was distracted.
“Mordan, I have been too harsh with you all these years,” said Mordan’s mother, “Cylindra recently helped me noticing something I have never paid much importance to, that you are different in a good way, you strive for knowledge. The death of your father made me realize that I despise change. However, I am too tired, really… Just go, son, and take care of yourself.”
Mordan was grateful, he smiled.
“But HOW on earth could he go while they will probably take him tomorrow to the military?!” yelled Chouffirah suddenly in wide eyes, and everybody were worriedly whispering to her a quiet ‘Shh’.
“Don’t worry Auntie, everything is under control,” Tamirah said firmly, she was then met by Chouffirah’s shocked look and Cylindra’s proud face, “The ambassador of Kaman knew from me that your son is a book worm and a qualified one, which made him decide to bring him to Kaman to study. Now that I know he decided to go, and since you’re all okay with it, I have got to inform him, as he asked me to do. Then, he will inform me back about the when and where. If our plans turn hard, auntie, I will take care of escorting Mordan.”
Chouffirah was relieved, and she thanked Tamirah for her support, “My daughter is really an invaluable mercy in this quarter!” said Cylindra, and Tamirah’s tan cheeks went red.
“May you carry on in your journey towards knowledge, my dear son,” concluded Chouffirah.
“I appreciate that Mom, just- please take care of Frski, he is a brother of mine.”
Frski, who looked suspiciously silent and irritable, said a bit loudly, “I will need to go to other lands too.” Everyone looked surprised, “Why?? Where?! Frski?!” asked Mordan.
“To Yoqori,” he said under uncredulous looks.