The Forbidden Library (14 page)

He laughed. “You could rival Shoma for being upbeat.”

“Shoma … Why do you shorten each other’s names?”

“In our world, to use a short, informal version of someone’s name means you are close to them. It represents a deep bond of friendship or love. You don’t do that here?”

She shook her head. “You’re friends call you Sobei, right? Can I call you that too?”

“Of course. Can I call you … I can’t think what I would shorten your name to.”

“Just stick to Kurine.”

“I’m going to go rest now. This has all tired me out.”

She helped him up. “Thank you …
Sobei
. I know it’s not …”

He nodded. “It’s all fine,” he lied.

*****

Turesobei returned to the room.

“How did it go?” Zaiporo asked.

“Not well.”

Lu Bei popped out. “You saw Kurine, master?”

Turesobei nodded. “Thank you for telling her what you did.”

“Did it help, master?”

“It helped but … I’m stuck with my engagement. I couldn’t break her heart. She’d have to become a priestess if I abandoned her. I can’t do that to her. Only other way out is for me to get back home or die.”

Lu Bei rubbed his hands together as he suppressed a laugh. “Can’t wait till you explain it to Iniru, master.”

“You sounded way too happy when you said that.”

“Oh, master, I am sorry,” Lu Bei drawled in an overly-sweet voice. “I am so very very apologetic.”

Sighing, Turesobei rolled his eyes. “If we can’t get back home and have to stay here, she’s agreed to let our marriage wait until I’m seventeen. A compromise between our cultural norms.”

“Well, that gives you some time to find a way out, master. Clever as you are, I’m certain you will be able to disentangle  yourself from her. Or add a couple more betrothals.”

Turesobei grabbed a washcloth and threw it at Lu Bei, but the fetch dodged it, stuck out his tongue, and turned back into a book.

“You’ve gotten yourself in over your head for sure,” Zaiporo said.

“That’s my motto, don’t you think?”

“We all seem to live by that.”

“Wish you had stayed back in Ekaran?” Turesobei asked.

Zaiporo stared off into space a few moments, then he shook his head. “You know, this is going to sound crazy, but I’m still glad I came. Though I wish Shoma had stayed behind where she’d be safe.”

“You’re glad you came? Seriously?”

“For years I thought I’d spend my life guarding Awasa, then I thought I’d run away and start a new life, a simple life as a merchant or farmer. But I’ve fought monsters, rode the back of a dragon, and traveled to a new world. How many people can say they did that? I helped you fight off a threat to all Okoro. I saved the world! My life, even if it ends frozen here, has been extraordinary and surprisingly meaningful.”

“I could do with a bit ordinary,” Turesobei sighed.

“You do realize that you will never have an ordinary life, right? I might get to settle down one day if I survive. Not you. You have power and responsibility and some sort of huge inescapable destiny.”

“That apparently includes difficult women.”

Chapter 18

Turesobei rested for the next seven days, staying up longer each day and meditating whenever he was awake. He refused visitors, even on his birthday, and had food brought to him. The only way he could avoid Kurine’s affection, Shoma’s questions, and a confrontation with Iniru was to keep everyone out. Zaiporo would wake and head out to give him space. He also delivered messages to the others, which Turesobei thanked him for profusely because Kurine was insistent on making sure he was well and not mad at her. Iniru sent no messages back which meant either she was still mad or had found out the engagement was still on and was even madder.

On the eighth day, he cast the
spell of the moon mirrors
three times without pain and was satisfied he would make a full recovery. Knowing he couldn’t avoid confrontations any longer, he went out to eat with the others and found them all in the common room dressed in full cold weather gear. Kurine was showing them how to tighten all of the garments. She bounced over and kissed him on the cheek. Iniru huffed and scowled. Kemsu scowled as well. Apparently he didn’t approve of Turesobei’s engagement either.

“What’s going on?” Turesobei asked.

“We’re going outside for sparring practice,” Zaiporo said.

“I’m going out to watch and test my clothes,” Enashoma said.

“Iniru has promised to show us some of her moves,” Kemsu said. “She claims to be a deadly assassin.” He tapped her on the arm. “I doubt it, though. She looks too sweet for that.”

She unveiled a smile of sharp teeth. “Oh, you’ll see. I’m way more than you can handle.”

“I’m joining you,” Turesobei said suddenly. “I just need to go get my parka and overboots.”

Iniru sized him up. “You’re not in any shape to fight.”

“I’m not going to practice, but …” He bit his lip. Had to think of something fast. All he really wanted to do was not let her spend time with Kemsu without him there. “I’m feeling cooped up. I haven’t seen the sky in ages.”

“Well … I can understand that,” she said suspiciously.

Glaring at Iniru, Kurine said, “Unfortunately I can’t come along with you. I have work to do.”

“I’ll see you later … at dinner maybe,” Turesobei said.

“I’d like that,” she replied. “You’re on. Meet me at the commons and we’ll go to my home from there.”

He gulped. “Your home?”

“Since you’re well now. You haven’t even met my mom yet and my dad just returned from his expedition. I can’t wait for you to meet him! I mean, you’ll have to anyway. He’s on the Council.”

She bounded off and Turesobei threw his head in his hands. So much for the plan he’d been bouncing around in his head for the last week of getting the Council to negate his marriage to Kurine. Unless her father hated him, but if her father did end up hating him that would probably make other things go poorly since this was the only place they had to live for now.

“Big night for you,” Iniru remarked.

“Very big indeed,” Kemsu said coarsely. “Kurine’s dad is the biggest goronku anywhere. He’s a monster of a man.”

“Zai, my friend,” Turesobei said. “You’re right. No ordinary life for me.”

Zaiporo patted him apologetically on the back.

Turesobei dressed in his cold weather gear and went outside. The sky was grey and the landscape an endless white. He’d forgotten how harsh it was … and somehow he’d even forgotten how cold it was. It was unimaginably cold, like his mind just couldn’t retain the knowledge. Following the sounds of them talking, Turesobei found the others on the opposite side of the stable. A circle of small stones marked off a well-trodden area that he assumed was intended for just this sort of thing. He stood beside Enashoma. 

Kemsu was in the midst of a spear form which involved a lot of powerful thrusts with a few swipes and blocks mixed in. He finished and looked very impressed with himself. It was a good form. Better than anything Turesobei could’ve done. But it was certainly not the best he’d seen. As Iniru took one of the goronku spears and stepped into the circle, he knew Kemsu was about to feel far less competent. In fact, Turesobei was willing to bet that Kemsu would never again think highly of his combat skills.

Iniru blocked, stabbed, spun, kicked high, kicked low, somersaulted, swiped, threw the spear up and caught it, and bent backward so far Turesobei’s spine itched. It was a fighting dance of pure beauty and it was done so fast that it was hard to track all the little extra twists and special moves she did along the way, but he knew there were many because she had broken down a few sword forms for him along the way back from Wakaro. She had tried to show him all the details but most had been lost on him since they were far beyond his ability. He did notice that she moved a little slower and a little clumsier than normal. Not that she wasn’t still above and beyond amazing.

She finished. “Wow. All this gear really slows me down. That was terrible.”

“No,” said Kemsu, staring at her. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Then you haven’t seen much,” Iniru replied, unimpressed that he was so impressed. Iniru was a young k’chasan qengai and Turesobei often wondered what her teachers and elders must be capable of after years more study.

“You were beautiful,” Zaiporo said, also enraptured. Enashoma glared at him. He noticed and added, “The
form
was beautiful.”

“Your turn, Zai,” Iniru said.

Zaiporo frowned. “I’ve little experience with the spear. I can’t do anything to compare with that.”

“It’s not a contest. Do the form you know best and we’ll work on the techniques. Trust me, you’re going to feel like a clown in all this gear. You’ll need to get used to it. Don’t want to look like Sobei against the reitsu champion.”

“Hey!” he said. “That guy was super fast.”

“You don’t think you could’ve dodged a few of those attacks of his? Maybe get off one block?”

“He was their champion, you know. Best fighter they had. And I was trying to let him win without getting killed.”

Iniru shrugged. “Well, I’d think some blocks would’ve helped that.”

Enashoma leaned in and whispered, “She’s just giving you a hard time because of Kurine.”

“It’s not fair,” Turesobei whispered back.

“Nothing ever is,” she said, with a sigh as Zaiporo entered the circle nervously, eyeing Iniru with reverence.

Zaiporo performed the same spear form Turesobei knew, though more competently than he could’ve done. Iniru stepped in when he was done and praised him.

“It wasn’t that good,” he argued.

“Don’t compare yourself to me, Zai. I’m a qengai. I did my first spear form when I was five years old. I trained ten hours every day of my life until I was sent out to help Turesobei. Fighting is all I’ve ever done. Now, let me give you some pointers.”

She took the spear and began to demonstrate new techniques to Zaiporo and Kemsu who crowded in on her.

“Well Iniru is certainly popular now,” Enashoma said.

“Jealous?”

“What about you, mister?”

They both looked at each other and laughed. 

“Maybe we should be paying attention, too,” Turesobei said.

“You’re right. We should. I only know the staff and some basics. Sure am glad Dad made them give me more lessons than the other girls. What about you?”

“I’m not much in the mood for learning the finer points of spear combat,” he replied.

“Sulking?”

“I’ve earned the right, I think.”

“If you say so.”

When they took a break, Kemsu said he didn’t want to rest too long because Narbenu would want him back soon. 

“How is it you’re a slave?” Zaiporo asked. “No one else here is. And why aren’t you angry about it? I’d be furious all the time. I ran away because I wanted to be completely free and I had a lot more freedom than you.”

“I’m paying a blood debt,” Kemsu said proudly. “My father killed Narbenu’s brother. My father didn’t face the repercussions. He ran. So I’m enslaved to the murdered man’s closest kin. That’s Narbenu. I’m doing what my father wouldn’t do. I’m doing what our laws demand. I’m doing what’s right.”

“Will you be enslaved forever?” Zaiporo asked.

“Until Narbenu releases me, but before he will do that I must serve him at least five years and prove myself worthy. I must do something noble and brave. I have served four already, but I haven’t had any good opportunities to prove myself. And though he may not seem it, Narbenu is a tough man. He will want to see something amazing out of me. He’s still angry about the murder. And as long as I’m a slave I can’t …” He looked away from Iniru. “I can’t marry or have a family. But the gods will favor me for doing what’s right. I know they will. And once I prove myself, I can do anything I want.”

They returned to the forms and practiced a half hour more, trying to learn from Iniru as she got used to fighting in the heavy garments and worked to get back to full fighting strength. 

Narbenu arrived and said to Turesobei, “The full Council has gathered and they wish to see you as soon as possible.”

Chapter 19

Faded tapestries adorned the walls of the Council Chamber. Turesobei nervously paced along the walls scanning them. The stitching depicted battles, festivals, and religious processions. None bore any writing.

“Narbenu, do your people read and write?”

“The priestesses do, so they can maintain our record book. Why?”

“I hadn’t seen any books since I arrived.”

“Paper is rare and precious. We maintain oral histories and sing stories.”

“So do we, though not as much as we did in the past. We read and write more now.”

Seven cushions lined the far wall. Another cushion sat in the middle of the room. “Is this where I’ll sit when they arrive?”