Gods and Guardians

Chapter 27: Gayna and Palimus

He saw her again... with Palimus.

Earlier in the day, they had breakfast with the king, queen, and their guests. Damian felt uneasy with Selina at the table, and his food seemed tasteless. He avoided eye contact with her, each failed attempt making him feel faint. Selina seemed uncomfortable too, a detail Nimrod noticed for the third time. However, Nimrod's thoughts were elsewhere.

Nimrod drifted in and out of the moment. He laughed a few times, but King Sairus knew he wasn't laughing from the heart. The king didn't ask why. In two days, he would be ready to ask. They talked about taking the visitors on a tour around Zoan so they could see the beautiful region.

Zola confirmed that they would be staying for twelve more days before leaving. It was to make sure there was no leftover hospitality. But everyone knew it was an old custom before the separation for the messenger to spend at least a tenth and three days before returning in the event of a non-emergency situation.

Nimrod thought about the tour and wondered whether it would take him to her. How about just telling the king that he wanted to see the Transcendentals again and the exceptional dancer? He dismissed the idea. It looked too transparent. It felt as though he was telling him directly that he wanted to see Gayna.

The tour would make it easier to find the missoline. But would it make finding Gayna easier? Why not ask Abel or someone else if they had any idea where to find her? He wanted to, but he was afraid of hearing anything disturbing. So afraid, he was paralyzed. Then he nurtured a thought. Perhaps, if he saw her dance one more time, his restlessness would just disappear. He decided that he had twelve days to make the request. Nina crossed his mind and he buried her thought quickly as if it would sully something sacred.

The entertainment in court continued. There were jugglers and comical speakers. There were other dancers and musicians. None were appealing. None were entertaining. When the cue sounded eight times, he breathed relief and excused himself from the court, leaving with Abel and Damian. They were all going to the courtyard, the actual courtyard like the one in Simsee.

The journey to the courtyard seemed endless for a while. Presently, the path was flanked by trees on both sides, trees that seemed to bow over the mildly tortuous path. The occasional encroachment of tree roots made the road a little bumpy, but not so much as to cause significant discomfort.

This walk was for brief familiarity. They'll be back in no time. Nimrod kept seeing Gayna's face on that of every lady they passed. He always knew it wasn't her, but his mind nonetheless never stopped wishing it was her. Shades were plenteous as they went. There were also countless narrow windows that threw sprinklings of white light all over the cool shadows.

Then he saw a little group of soldiers blocking the way of two ladies. There appeared to be an argument going on, but he wasn't sure. Now that he could see Gayna, he didn't believe it because he wasn't sure such luck existed. Abel's comment set his heart tumbling down and back.

"What is happening? Gayna?"

Nimrod's hairs stood on end. His heart became a drum and his world shattered into pieces and fixed itself. Beyond this point, he wasn't thinking of what he was doing. As they came closer, they could hear Gayna yelling at the soldier. He was a Level-1 Captain.

"Palimus?" Abel said but not loud enough to be heard by Palimus and his group.

Nimrod couldn't help grinding his teeth. Palimus was his worst rival now. Here he was, slightly taller than the average, about the same height as Nimrod. Nimrod reckoned he was about the same age as Massey, 31 teneries thereabout. Palimus wore a light moustache, beards, and sideburns that ran under light shoulder-length hair. He was notoriously relaxed and domineering in attitude. Gayna's verbal arrows bounced against his ultimate aura of exceptionality. He didn't even have time to notice the group of horses that halted behind his men.