Friju and Kiki rode in a wagon for several days through the forest, not daring to speak to one another. They traveled on for several days, out of the forest and into a land of rolling hills. They went through several cities before reaching one with many walls and towers. Once there, the Grumans took them to a tall building and locked them in a small room.
“So many stairs,” Friju panted.
“Where are we?” Kiki asked.
“Capital city of something,” Friju said. “Not sure what though.”
Kiki looked out the small window.
“We’re quite high. It’s almost like being up in a tree…except it’s made of stone.”
“Wow,” Friju said. “I was wondering why there weren’t bars on it. I guess they don’t expect us to jump. Could you climb down?”
“No no,” Kiki said. “I could never climb on stone. We will simply have to wait.”
The girls stayed there a long time. The Grumans left them food and water, but did not take them out again. Friju listened in on some guards talking. Then she started to laugh.
“What do they say?” Kiki asked.
“The governor,” Friju laughed. “He thinks that questioning women is a waste of time. He’s going to tell some other guy to question the men instead.”
“But why is that funny?”
“Because none of the guys were caught! They only got us.”
“But they might capture them.”
“No they won’t,” Friju said confidently. “If they do, it will be so they can rescue us.”
“I wish I were as confident as you.”
Friju smiled and sat back against the wall.
“I wish I knew who my husband was going to be.”
Kiki blinked.
“Are you not pledged to one of the others?”
“Oh no,” said Friju. “We don’t get pledged in my country. We choose our own.”
“Really?”
“Well the guys choose us really. Now some of the guys I believe have chosen already, but I don’t think any have chosen me.”
“But why not?” Kiki asked. “You are as beautiful as the others.”
“Not really. I thought maybe Chaman would…seeing as I found him in Monlan…but he took to Minu instead.”
Kiki cocked her head as Friju sighed and looked out the window.
“I kinda wish I was like you,” she said. “It’d be easier to be pledged to someone. I hate being the only girl without someone.”
“But you are not.”
“Yes I am,” Friju shrugged. “Groblar picked Bri right off the bat… and Moxi won Ciju over with her singing…and Leroi flat out kissed the mountain girl.”
“What about that other one you spoke of? The one with a temper?”
“Well even Wallia is really beautiful. Lulinda is too…and those two will probably be married before they even get to the oasis.”
Kiki cocked her head.
“But didn’t the man in your dream say you would be his queen?”
“A queen. And I’m still not quite sure that he’s real. Been a while since I’ve seen him.”
But some time later, Friju woke up laughing. Kiki rolled over and peered at her. It was the middle of the afternoon and they had fallen asleep in the hot tower.
“Oh he’s there,” Friju laughed. “He’s really there!”
“Who?”
“The dark man!” she sighed. “Some of them made it to the oasis…and told him about me. And he…he actually smiled.”
Kiki also smiled, as Friju looked positively delighted.
“So you do have someone.”
“In no position for a rescue,” Friju said. “But he is there…and he did smile for me. That’s enough for now.”
Kiki nodded and then paused.
“You…you said the others made it?”
“Yes. I think one of them was Jojo. I saw curly hair.”
“But it wasn’t…Ty?”
Friju shook her head.
“I didn’t see him at all. But he can’t rescue you from here if he’s already at the oasis.”
YOU ARE READING
The Account of the Brides
AventureBec is finally getting educated due to the Gruman occupation. But she realizes it's time to escape when she hears about the prisoners in the tower.
