Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 11: The Steeds of the Sands

Alright, at least they have a plan. As Marlina stands there, it seems like she is waiting for Elek to lead so she can follow—more construct-like behavior. But then again, she had just arrived yesterday and didn't know where they kept everything. 

Elek steps out of the infirmary and walks to an upper level of the building, walking up a circular incline with Marlina just a few steps behind. In one of the circular structures, they have established a vegetable garden. The neatly planted vegetables rested in planter basins made of tightly stacked stones filled with soil, designed to allow excess water to filter through the rocks and flow into narrow channels in the floor. The planters are arranged in segmented sections according to the positions of the windows, allowing for controlled exposure to sunlight and providing the vegetables with the adequate amount of sun needed for their growth. Surely, this serves as their primary source of food in a barren desert. 

Elek approaches a couple of planters with a sack in hand to collect some sweet potatoes and squash. Then, at what appears to be a composter, he covers his nose with the red-knitted scarf around his neck. He puts on a gardening glove and sifts through it, pulling out a sweet potato infested with maggots and worms. Marlina has no idea why he took it. From what he gathered in the garden, it didn't seem like much to eat. But then again, it's probably only for him. Perhaps he isn't planning to be out there for very long.

Returning to the lower levels, they approach what resembles a stable and find a few lizard steeds that pull their sleds. The room is cubic and has no windows; the only light source is a skylight above a few large rocks for basking. As they enter, the fan-like scales on the sides of the lizards' heads shift toward Elek and Marlina. Being the closest she has been to one, she notices it doesn't have eyes. Elek then positions his hands near his mouth and whistles, prompting the lizards to come closer. As they linger nearby, Marlina hears whistling from them, possibly their form of communication. When one approaches Elek, he whistles again, and the lizard's long, narrow tongue flicks around him as if trying to identify him. It senses something else in the room; its tongue continues to flick, but it struggles to find Marlina. Typically, the way to help them is to whistle at them, but Elek isn't sure whether Marlina can whistle. 

"Can you whistle?" Elek asks.

Marlina shakes her head, her gaze on the lizard as she watches the tongue touch her, and then it becomes still. Its tongue touches her a few more times before it retreats, hissing, which the other lizards respond to as well. Elek had only seen them act this way when they perceive something as a threat. The answer was unclear, but it can also be the dulled scent of hekoska blood on her that is making them behave this way. 

Having an idea, Elek tears the maggot-riddled potato, and rubs the insides all over her arms and shoulders. Now coated in sweet potato and worms, Elek whistles behind her. Hesitant, the same lizard approaches, its tongue flicking once more. Elek guides Marlina to hold out her arms, and the tongue licks some potato off her. Now that she has a treat, more of its tongue came out, which Marlina wasn't expecting to be so long. It seemed to extend a few feet and coil around her arm. She also noticed that its tongue was barbed further down from the tip, collecting the potato and maggots before pulling it back to enjoy the treat. 

Elek whistled while it cleaned her other arm. It seemed calm for the moment, hoping the smell of the potato would help it tolerate Marlina's presence for now. At least the others weren't hissing anymore and resumed basking while keeping their distance. When the lizard went to a basin for a drink, Elek grabbed a harness from the wall and fastened it to the steed while it drank. Marlina approached slowly, the fans on its head aware of her, flicking its tongue toward her a few more times before returning to drink.