An Island for a Cloud

2.2 How to be a Good Friend

Thank you very much for reading this chapter. If you spot any spelling mistakes or awkward sentence structures, please be nice and let me know :)

"That was easy!" cried Patys, as soon as the boys stepped inside. They stood gawking at several female Sanduls in alluring dresses dancing on the circular stage that occupied the central part of the pillared cellar.

"Patys, looks like your brother did not exaggerate," shouted Visakis above the music and the humming noise. Crowded tables dotted the floor like mushrooms, leaving barely any space to pass through.

A female Sandul appeared before them.

She was the most beautiful woman the boys had ever seen. Her hair, flaming red shot with bright yellow, made her look like a flame. Her copper skin was covered with fine red lines that formed a delicate pattern the Sanduls had been created with. It ran from the woman's forehead, down her cheeks, neck and arms, interweaving playfully. The pattern continued on her chest, like a beautiful painting, disappearing between her breasts. The boys gaped at her gown, which was made of light fabric, almost see-through.

"I'm Shacha," she said with a very soft voice. It sounded like music to their ears. "A table for four?"

The boys nodded, too overwhelmed by her beauty to say more.

The air in the cellar was pregnant with the salty smell of sweat and ancient mold. Yet, the sweet intoxicating smell of the Sandul woman seemed like a fresh morning breeze to the boys. Visakis did not make any attempt to hide his infatuation.

Shacha only raised a brow and smiled knowingly. "Follow me."

She led the boys across the room through the narrow alleys between the tables. The guests were mostly Veilys from Leivrat. The boys could tell it from the way they were dressed.

They recognized a few Aleutan guards, and were relieved to see that they were not paying the new-comers any attention. Yet, among them were also tables where wealthy Voltris were clustered together. They were big and dressed warmly, most had coarse red-brown beards that hid their double chins. The hair on their heads was heavy with oil and rolled into long thick tresses. None of the boys had ever seen a Voltris before either. Their peculiar looks amused the boys more than they conveyed fear. Some Voltris gave the boys lazy looks before returning back to shouting, drinking and gambling.

"A round of Pearly Fire," blurted out Jule, as soon as the boys were seated.

"Pearly Fire? Well, well, well," said Shacha amused. "Let me see your coin first."

Jule shrugged and leaned back in his chair. In one of his hands a coin appeared and he threw it to her with an arrogant, condescending smile

She caught it easily and smirked at him unimpressed.

"Spending father's money, pup?" she teased him as if he was a small child. "As you wish." Amused, she walked away.

"What a woman!" said Visakis, his eyes never leaving her back. The Sandul looked almost divine to him.

"Nobody will ever believe we made it!" Luykan shouted across the table.

"Nobody must ever know about it," Patys told his friends, eyeing each one of them. They nodded and averted their gazes. Of course they planned to tell it to all their other friends. No harm in that and the envy will kill them!

"Don't worry, Patys. Leave it all up to me," said Jule studying the crowd. Every folk sat clustered together, all in the same drinking den, yet divided by nature. Orvats here, Votris there. Sanduls in between. Leivratans and Aleutans, each their own corner.