Figurehead

five

Here on the outskirts of Deritri's outskirts, the sky is ever-shifting. But always, always, always it is beautiful. Clouds are rare here, rain so much more so in any season but Kras. That is their rain season.

Regardless, there are rain vessels on every dwelling rooftop, I am told, like in every province of Escatin. And a distance behind the healers' hut is a dried lakebed. There is a small pond of water in its centre. From this lakebed curves a dried trail that leads to the oasis in the desert. Deritri's outskirts are uphill to the Eska region far, far away.

Vaguely in my mind, I wonder how the former king is faring right now.

It is just before falling light, when the sky is only just beginning to darken, and when the sunlight is slowly fading in red streaks, fiery colours inked across the vast expanse of darkening blue. It is beautiful. An ode, directed to its Ink-marker.

Sometimes I forget Den is approaching, and with the new month, the end of Dre. It has been two months since Tui and I passed the healers' hut to meet Tri here, and to be introduced to her bound.

Her bound, who is still in the slow process of healing. The two of them are in the dwelling too. I've still spoken only little to either of them. Tri seems.. Cautious around me. Yef, I suspect, simply has nothing to say to me. And if there is nothing to be said, why talk to me? I don't particularly mind.

I've been doing what I can to help the traders in the marketplace. I've inscribed many, many flat clay tablets, helped dry herbs, helped in the mixing of clay at times. I've done a lot of physical work simply gathering water from the well, or collecting- only very occasionally- certain types of dirt or sand required for different types of clay. I've helped sharpen arrowheads and blades, learned a few local names for certain desert animals and have joined Krit on a few hunting trips at night. I'm no good at hunting. And I still can't kindle a fire out here.

But I have learned a lot. I have grown stronger. I think.

And I think that, maybe, perhaps, I've gotten to know the Lord a little bit more, out here.

As I stand on the dwelling rooftop, forearms leaning on the thick wall bordering it, I have a peace in my heart that had been absent for a while before arriving here.

"I suppose you're used to the cold a bit more now," someone says.

I laugh a little with a nod of assent, glancing at the woman who just ascended the steps from her dwelling to her rooftop. "Probably."

She crosses the dusty space to stand beside me, a small grin playing on her lips. "You got used to this place too, didn't you?" I nod. Eris is the trusted messenger who permitted us to stay here while she travelled elsewhere.

"I think I'm leaving when Den arrives," I say after a moment. And I am assured by the peace in my heart.

She raises her eyebrows, her pale green eyes surprised. "Alone?" I shrug. Something like that, I say simply. After all, the Lord is with me. So, not quite alone. But she isn't a believer, so I don't say these things. She frowns. "That's not safe." I shrug again, and she shakes her head. "You're out of your mind."

I laugh at that. "Maybe," I say.

She shakes her head again, her cropped golden hair- so like Kued's, her sister's- flicking around. "Whatever you say," she says finally, returning to the others.

Eris only returned last week. She's far more talkative than the others in the dwelling, very sociable. She and Kued are the same in that way. I've talked a little to the healer as well, when she comes to the marketplace.

There is a little less hostility between Escatin-born or those of Escatin parentage and those of the Avu empire. The traders I have come to know over these two months- the only Escatin traders here- have seen more Avu locals approach to trade coins for what they have to offer.

I don't think it is difficult to believe that some of this comes from Tri and Yef, as well as from Tui. Tri continued to visit the locals and speak with them, care for them individually with her words and perhaps her presence, even while all of this small 'town' was very much aware her bound was under intensive care. Yef, as soon as permitted to leave the healers' hut, joined her in continuing to speak with kindness and with peacekeeping motives. Tui is practically a healer now. She treats all with the same patience and kindness, tending to them as if they were her own loved ones.

All three of them will stay. For how long, I do not know, but that's alright.

As the sky turns darker than shadow and silver light begins to glimmer in the darkness. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

My Lord, thank You. Thank You for the sky, the night, the starlight. Thank You for Your protection and grace. Thank You that Yef is still alive and has returned to the dwelling. Thank You that Eris permitted us to stay here in her home. Thank You for Yef and Tri, thank You for Tui, thank You for the Escatin traders who have taught me so much.

My Lord, thank You for never leaving me.

I blow out a breath. The nights are less dangerous now, although most people still don't emerge from their dwellings unless it is to hunt. Regardless, there are less violent and drunken fights in the streets. No longer are the fresh bloodstains so prominent. The sands have shifted, covering most of the old ones. Now there is little to cover.

Of course, there are still fights, there are still clashes, physical and verbal. For as long as the war continues, there will be.

Eris told us of how the war is progressing. Well, sort of. Considering our empires are at war, Avu's trusted messengers are undoubtedly wary of those of Escatin. But still, she told us a little of what has been going on. Vrendust has been taken back by the Escatin militia. Mostly.

When she said it, she spoke in a guarded way. Her face was twisted in impassivity. But something told me she wasn't pleased. War is war, after all. One empire wins, the other suffers loss. Even the side who wins suffers loss. It's a matter of who loses more and who loses less, sometimes.

But there are few trusted messengers in Deritri's outer outskirts. Some locals probably know about Vrendust by now, since they may travel as merchants, or messengers, and visit other areas of Deritri or the Avu empire. Surprisingly, outbursts have not increased since Vrendust was taken. Apparently, it happened a while ago. Two weeks ago.

It is only a week until Den. And then I will leave.

After Eris told us, I thought of Kalsemir. Would Pev be alive? Frei? How many would have been lost, on either side? Do I want to know?

My thoughts turned to the others. Lus would be working with Med and Riu and Nirs and all the other trusted messengers and messengers to spread the news throughout the provinces. What would Dein be doing?

What impact would this have on those who once called Vrendust home? What impact would this have had in the entire empire?

Of course, I don't know. I have been far, far away from the war here in Deritri.

I tighten my cloak around me. The nights are still cold. The days are still warm, although only slightly cooler this month, since Qui is mid-winter. I can't imagine just how hot it will be in all the other seasons.

I straighten and let my eyes drift across the sky before turning away and descending the steps, sliding the panel closed above me.