Will Of Infinity

Descent - Part 2

Daybreak was a symbol of calm and renewed life at Agapura. The russet framed magnifying glass nestled in the turret of Paheri Nok welcomed the sun, patiently awaiting the heat to pass through it. It was a well-known ritual of the land, to light the first flame of a home after the offering placed at the turret would catch fire from the sun's light. Dried wood from the kitchen's fresh stock, leaves fallen during the previous night, and an oil-soaked cloth woven by the lady of the tower - it was symbol of gratitude, surrender, and diligence. There wasn't a child or guest who wouldn't know to follow the custom.

Saakhi struck her sword against the rock pillar and bent low, catching the feeble spark against her rolled up parchment. Eyeing the low burning piece, she pinched her mouth before blowing lightly to make it burn better. Satisfied when the orange end began glowing, she straightened to take a puff and squinted up at the quiet turret.

"Shame," she exhaled a ring of smoke and tipped the blade back into its sheath with one hand, "I was really hoping to taste a poached fish today. Do you think they'll light that thing up before lunch?"

"I was hoping to not get chased by royal guards today but looks like that's not happening either," Imay dug into his cloth pouch, tightening the maroon waistband as he frowned down, "Did you finish all the peanuts? When did you take it?"

"Sometime when I thought I'd get to eat poached fish thanks to my new job," Saakhi replied and Imay chucked the last two nuts he had at his sister's face, "What?"

"First, they don't have poached fish here. Agapura has lamb, I think it's marinated," he moved his face away when the next puff of smoke threatened to mask him, "Second, the chief died. It hasn't even been two nights yet. It's not the guy's fault that your job was linked to him staying alive."

"Doesn't mean I've got to starve," Saakhi caught sight of the changing guard of the place and stared back at him when he glared at her hand. He finally looked away and she took one last puff before throwing the burnt out roll to the ground, turning to her brother as she crushed it under her boot.

"We could wait and see if we got hold of the son?" Imay suggested, smiling at the guard Saakhi had just displeased, glancing at her with a shrug, "Or the General?"

Saakhi raised a brow at him and he nodded with a look at the handle of his satchel. They weren't the most reputable lot, and the only reason they had come to Agapura was because of the personal invite from the Aga Angara. People approached nomadic knights rarely for more than singular missions, the distrust of an unaligned individual too high to place against personal value. It was even tougher for them, the orphaned siblings with nothing worthier than their skills and wits about them, and the price of offered jobs was often too high. Saakhi had been knighted by a zealous passing king after she had saved his life at their hometown, and Imay had honed his navigation skills to stay on his toes. They had been far too much of a burden on their father's relatives and far too much of a sorrowful reminder to their mother's. It hadn't been much of a choice to fend for themselves and they were both experienced on what to look out for at new areas by now.

Paher Mahir had given Saakhi his word but a word meant nothing if the tongue spoke no more. They had nothing concrete to offer as proof and Imay had heard enough disbelieving allegations in the past to know when to not pursue. Agapura was prosperous, the fawn and gold flag fluttering proud at its Chief's tower, and the grace of the people differed from those of an uncouth knight or her brother in a sullied skirt.

"Right," he tapped at Saakhi's arm, turning towards the horses they had tied to a flagpole, "We better get going if you want any lunch. There might be some fried lotus stem at the shop we passed by on the way here. You're buying."