An Island for a Cloud

7.2 An Orvat with a Plan

Rarrah Gigidi

Once the decision was made, Jori did not hesitate. The same night he packed his scarce belongings, dug up all his treasures and left Leivrat for good. By the time the sun rose on the next day he had already left Leivrat behind. He waited out the Dark Night in the forest in a hole he dug up. His heart burned with the desire to get home and his spirits were kept high by the treasures he carried. The Dark Night could not scare him.

When it was safe to continue, he avoided any strangers by staying clear of the well-travelled paths, lest he got robbed. He crossed the forest and the plains and many days passed before he finally saw familiar sight of the river lands. He build a floating raft and continued his journey on the water.

The closer he got to Rarrah Gigidi, the more Orvats he began spotting here and there going about the river business. They shouted their hellos to him and he shouted his hellos in return. Bright smiles and laughter greeted him everywhere. Orvats, what wondrous creatures! Their souls as pure and clear as the river's water. A broad smile never left his face anymore. Jori could not stop himself from singing. The air smelled fresh and the sounds that surrounded him were music to his ears. Such a difference to the screeching painful sounds of dying old city of the Veilys. It felt as if he was dead for eight years, and only now was coming to life again. Things would be so different now. He could not wait to see his wife. Oh, how he loved her!

When Jori finally saw Rarrah Gigidi in the distance he felt like he had wings and was flying to his beloved home. It looked smaller to him than he remembered, but it stood just as proud as the day he left the floating town. Soon he could see the busy wooded bridges connecting the channels and the large wooden storage-houses of the wealthy Orvat merchants. Jori already counted himself as one of them and he straightened up proudly. He was a man of wealth now and he must look like a respectable Orvat. He was still wearing his old cloths, of course, but that he intended to change soon.

"Jori, is that you?" he heard a man shout. Jori turned to look up at the bridge and recognized his old childhood friend, who was waving at him eagerly.

"Stam! Good to see you, my dear friend. I have returned!" shouted Jori to him, barely containing his joy.

"Jori, how much coin did you bring with you? I have a most interesting business proposition..."

Jori, who slowed his raft and was about to get off so he could chat with his friend, abandoned his idea. All the joy of seeing his friend left him.

"Jori?" he heard another voice call him. This time is was his old neighbour. "You brought coin? Your wife, blessed woman, owes me twenty rings..."

Jori averted his gaze and began to paddle away quickly. But the word about his returned spread fast. Everywhere his former friends and acquaintance called to him. Their shouts merged into an endless humming about coin and business propositions and his wife's debts. Not even one Orvat asked him how he has been and how life treated him in Leivrat.

Jori paddled as fast as he could until he reached his house at last. A crowd had already gathered and his saw his wife and children standing by the door waiting for him. Jori no longer felt any joy about seeing them either. His wife's beautiful warm smile he greeted with a frown. As soon as he secured the raft, he hurried into the house without saying even one kind word to her and children. Once the door behind them closed, the youngest of his children, a boy, began to cry. The other children looked at him as if he was some strange creature that had invaded their home.

"Jori...?" said his wife, Marla. Marla was a small woman for Orvatan standards, who radiated warmth and calmness.

"How much?" he asked her fuming.