There have never been secrets between Iano and his twin brother, Miano. But that changes when his brother marries an heir of the most powerful fief of the village. With such power comes the right to see the face of the Goddess. Only, Iano's twin mus...
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Three days after his encounter with the barelanders, what Iano feared the most ended up happening: the settlers had advanced deeper inside the forest.
They left the northwestern fourth, which Iano was responsible for tracking, entering the southeastern one. Thus, it wasn't his job anymore to monitor them as they headed toward the southeast of the Anuka Forest. In the direction of the village.
He had grown so accustomed to the task- staring at their gadgets and watching their most mundane activities- that he was having trouble letting it go.
Then there was the sense of purpose that the task granted him. Iano would never have been called to the council of the Central Jango if it wasn't for his task of surveilling the intruders. He would have never dared to enter Gelinakeru's quarters to ask for immediate action from him if not for the important role he had played in the village during the past several days.
And now all of it was gone, the responsibility of surveilling the settlers was to be relegated to Galin, who was responsible for the southeastern fourth of the Anuka forest. Iano had to find some comfort somewhere. It didn't matter, he told himself. Because that very night Iano would put his plan into action to see The Goddess.
Iano had taken his horse early in the morning and galloped toward the forest path. Because this was the first time this time of passage of surveillance happened, the council judged it would be useful for Iano to have a word with Galin before he took on his new task.
Galin was already waiting for Iano there, mounted in his horse, visibly nervous. The southeastern fourth of the forest was vast. One of the bigger ones. Galin, who had several years of experience ahead of Iano, had been trusted with the task of surveilling it. Yet, here he was, nervous. The barelanders were dangerous, true. They all had learned that since they were children. But if only Galin knew the barelanders were not the monsters they had been led to believe, Iano thought.
"Ianokeru," Galin saluted.
Galin was from a fief that was roughly the same size as Iano's. But Galin was married and older than Iano. Iano was the subordinate one. So, he lowered his head as he saluted, "Galinkeru." He faced him when Galin waved to him. "I am supposed to brief you on the barelanders." If Galin only knew how bitter Iano's tongue was as he uttered these words.
