Chaart Acrat 1 - The Flying Bride

Chapter 5

The following day there was an announcement that Raakshe had passed away. The healers hadn't told what had caused the death, only that before taking her last breath she had started to mumble some ancient spell. The healers had concluded that she had been taken over by bad spirits, but suddenly she had calmed down, smiled and opened her eyes for a moment only to close them again for ever.

Despite all the puzzlement in the village the chief's son's wedding ceremony was being prepared. No one had seen the chief herself in the last few days, but Siarme tended to walk around the market square looking restless, answering the villagers' questions reluctantly. Owata took up the manner of disguising herself with a large scarf every time she had to go out, and tried to keep as far away from big crowds as possible. She was afraid. She would have done anything to be the unknown Fiaan again. The one who was considered to be air.

Raakshe's tent was halfway unbuilt, and her papers were lying on the ground, piled hastily. Apparently the chief hadn't yet found a new soothsayer who would have been willing to take Raakshe's job. Owata walked by and picked up a piece of paper that had flown away from the piles.

For there will be a storm coming from beyond the seas,

greater to those of Mother Nature,

that will destroy everything on its way,

leave behind the dusty soil and the dead waters,

wipe out every island and rock,

sink every -

The paper had been ripped in half and Owata didn't find its other part. She looked at the nearest pile of papers and spotted more same-looking texts ripped in pieces, all written in the same script. One of the papers caught her attention.

The day the Fiaan rides shall be the beginning of the change.

There was nothing but this one sentence written in a large paper hastily, as if the writer had been in a hurry. It looked exactly like the other papers, except for the fact that it hadn't been torn and used as a scrap paper. Instead, there were ornamental drawings on its edges, looking like a frame.

Owata took a deep breath. Raakshe had planned something. She had had some information that she hadn't shared with anyone. She had been about to use Owata in her plans, but she hadn't revealed it until she had become too senile to remember her own plans.

Owata put the paper back on the pile, turned to leave and almost bumped into Siarme.

"Is it necessary for you to watch for me all the time?" Owata spat.

"New soothsayer hasn't been found. The villagers are getting agitated. We're getting married tomorrow. Are you still going to act like there's nothing going on?"

Owata pulled her scarf to make it conceal her face better. "Your mother promised to fix it up."

"She didn't assume that Raakshe would go and announce the marriage and then kick off."

"That's not my problem."

Siarme scowled. "Are you going to escape these problems?"

"That's what you're doing too. At least you did it last time."

"The situation has changed! I have to take responsibility and you should do that too!"

A couple of villagers turned around curiously to follow their debate.

"We can't talk here. Come." Siarme caught Owata's hand and they ran to the grove beside the office block.

Siarme sat down on a rock and gestured Owata to settle down, but she stood up steadily. He shrugged.

"What do we have to talk about?" Owata demanded.

"The marriage."

"You don't want to marry me."

"It's not my decision."

"Then why do we have to talk about it!"

"Bacause -" Siarme lowered his voice. "- I have a suggestion. I know you don't want this marriage either."

"How could I want after all that's happened?"

"The ceremony is already being prepared. We have no soothsayer and the village is confused. What would happen if we just told them that the marriage is canceled? They would get suspicious. They'd think we're losing control."

"But you are losing control."

"They don't need to know that. We'll get married as planned, but after a few weeks we'll tell them that you're diseased. Do you see? We can take you to another village to get treated, and then announce that unfortunately you passed away before reaching the destination. Wouldn't that be great? You could go wherever you want and start a new life."

Owata had been listening to the scenario numb. "What about my family? My friends?"

"Your family can come with you if that's what they want. You wouldn't be alone."

"Their whole life is here."

"That's their choice to make."

Owata wiped her face with her hands. "You're an idiot," she mumbled and strode away.