The Ardor - 17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I was floating in darkness. That wasn’t quite right, because a pillar of light stretched up and down before me. It extended so far that its ends were out of my sight. The countless, oscillating strands forming this spire were not able to illuminate the blackness surrounding it. Calmness filled me, paired with unwavering determination. I didn’t know what I was so sure about. Maraki was here with me, hovering at an arm length away to my right. I extended my hand.

“Hold me, shin’ta’prel.”

“Of course.”

With a benevolent look on his face, he took my hand, pulled himself close and put both of his arms around me. I reached for the scintillating pillar. Though it was made of light only, I met resistance; it felt like pushing my hands through heavy dough. I opened my mind and brightness filled it. A surge was tearing at me…

***

My eyes opened. The peace fled from me like a swarm of startled birds and left behind a feeling of something unfinished. I sat up. It was dawning, but the sun hadn’t crawled over the horizon yet. Our camp fire had burned down and only smoking logs of scorched wood remained. Maraki’s place under our blanket, which had been among the parting gifts, was empty. I looked over to the little lake, which was framed by a rugged formation of rocks. From its center, ripples moved lazily to the shore. Maraki broke the surface, water splashing around him. He was holding something in his hands. This something was squirming and fought against Maraki’s grip, because air wasn’t its preferred element. But he held tight and swam towards me with his prey. I got up and shook my head, trying to get this eerie feeling out of it. Maraki left the water. He wasn’t wearing any clothes, which lay piled up next to the blanket. Little rivulets of water cascaded down his body while his dreadlocks stuck to his head and his back. His sight expelled the uneasiness at last. He reminded me of one of those warriors from the legends I had devoured as a child. And I called this one mine as much as he called me his. This thought, as well as the chilling morning breeze, made me shiver. As he came closer, his grin deepened.

“I hope you like fish for breakfast.”

He extended the hand with his catch, a lake charr if I wasn’t mistaken, and his face almost split in half.

“What my hunter bags, I’ll eat.”

“Good answer.”

He snickered. A detail of my dream barged into my mind.

“Is shin’ta’prel a real Ogrushkai word? I had a most peculiar dream and that’s what I called you in it.”

His grin was gone and he was gaping at me with eyes wide open. The fish hit the ground. Moments later, Maraki went down on his knees and pressed his forehead against my stomach.

“A’ra’mai pren tai diru.”

A’ra’mai shall bless you. He repeated it over and over again.

“Maraki? You’re scaring me.”

He looked up at me, his face pale and in shock.

“That wasn’t a dream but a vision.”

He aspirated those words and his warm breath swept over my skin.

“So, it is a real word?”

He nodded his head.

“And one I’ve never taught you. The goddess revealed it to you, inspired you.”

His explanation frightened me even more.

“What does it mean?”

Fear constricted my throat and had dampened my question to a whisper. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“It does mean soul mate.”

He put his forehead against my stomach again.

“Shin’ta’prel expresses the closest form of relationship two mortals can achieve. We Ogrushkai distinguish twenty levels of intimacy and this is the highest. In all of recorded Ogrushkai history, it has been used for only one couple and many believe them to be characters of legend.”

Where had I picked up this word? I couldn’t remember having learned anything about the Ogrushkai before I had met Maraki. Still, I had used it in proper context. I was flabbergasted though I wasn’t as upset as him. I got down on my knees too. Golden uproar looked at me from above. I fondled his cheeks with both hands.

“It’s a riddle, but nothing to be worried about. If we’re destined to become shin’ta’prel, it’s a reason for joy and not concern.”

However obvious my statement had been, I had revealed to him something new. His brows furrowed and his forehead creased. Muscle for muscle, his face relaxed.

“Condone my ignorance.”

He crossed index and middle fingers of both hands and put them before his eyes.

“I have only seen the how and didn’t listen to the message.”

He closed his arms around my neck while his features softened and acquired a dreamy air.

“If there’s anyone on Tenegra I could call shin’ta’prel one Cycle, then it’s you.”

He pulled me in for a kiss, his lips damp from the clear water of the lake. I huddled my chest against his and basked in the heat of his body. His cock touched my butt cheeks. He laughed. Though our lips didn’t touch anymore, our faces hadn’t broken contact.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help it when you’re near.”

“That’s not my arm poking into your belly. Excuses aren’t necessary.”

We chuckled both. His stomach grumbled.

“Breakfast first for your poor tummy?”

“Just let me hold you for a Part more, okay? Eating can wait.”

So much cuteness warranted a little more making out.

After much more than a Part, we let go of each other. Maraki rekindled the fire, but stifled it again. He wrapped the fish in some large leaves, added herbs he had found and let it cook in the embers.

“You have twenty levels of intimacy?”

His left corner of the mouth rose while he was turning the leaf package.

“We’re quite precise when it comes to relationships.”

I had guessed so, considering his behavior in prison. One more question was nagging at me.

“On which level are we?”

The right corner of his mouth followed the left.

“This morning I’d have said we’re hun’tar, level fifteen, true love. But after your vision, we’re more like hun’tar’zan, level sixteen, truer love.”

“The difference being?”

His eyes flashed with mischief.

“The difference is too subtle to be grasped by a human. But after twenty or thirty Orbits of studying the Ogrushkai, you’ll understand… perhaps.”

I hugged him from behind and breathed my words into his ear.

“Then I’ll study this one and tell him my results in twenty or thirty Orbits… perhaps.”

The muscles in his face moved; as intended, I had wiped the grin off his face.

“Before you ask: yes, I intend to spend this much time with you and even more.”

Faster than I could react, he had pulled me to his front and was crushing me in a tight embrace.

“I don’t want to spend a single Cycle away from you. This, I promise to you.”

He whispered his oath into my hair.

We were hopeless, because even when we tried to twit each other we ended up entangled. Perhaps this was the difference between hun’tar and hun’tar’zan…

After eating the fish, which had been delicious, we had packed our bags and had continued our journey.

“We’re in the domain of the Fief-less Cities, aren’t we?”

I had studied Unai’s geography with my uncle, but travelling with the finger on a map or travelling for real were two separate things.

“Yes. The Ogrushkai Union is close. We have to rest another night, but by the end of the next Cycle we’ll be in Ruk Cirr’al.”

The landscape had changed during our trip. Nighholm had seemed to be one endless forest. In the neighboring realm of Franwen, rolling hills covered with green grass had dominated. The farther we came to the east the less plants grew on the rocky ground. And it had become warmer. For me, it meant more sweating while Maraki enjoyed the increase in temperature.

It was late afternoon when we reached the little village of Nathga. I didn’t count more than a dozen buildings. Though they had been built in a simple style using grey bricks, they had been well cared for. I had seen so many dirty and gone to rack settlements, but this tidiness invited to stay. My feet, which were covered with blisters and callused all over, were aching. Even Maraki looked exhausted, for his shoulders and head were sagging. The journey had taken its toll on both of us. We had refrained from spending the money of the Carris family if it wasn’t really necessary. All in all, sixty Dram had been paid for food and lodging, leaving us forty-nine Guilders and forty Dram. For a trip of almost a full Tenth, this was an accomplishment. But the temptation to sleep in the little pub before us, in a real bed, was overwhelming. Moreover, it was a good omen that it was named ‘The Tame Grundock’ as a wooden sign with a very imaginative rendition of its name giver said. Silya would’ve been delighted.

“Feida and Greiff won’t mind if we spend the night here.”

Maraki looked at me. Dark rings had formed under his eyes.

“I even think they want us to stay here.”

He mustered an exhausted smile.

“Then we simply have to.”

I opened the door and a boiling gust of various smells wafted into my face: sweat, alcohol, cooking aromas and some things I was glad I didn’t recognize. But, like the whole city, it was clean and in good shape. I took a deep breath of outside air and entered. A short corridor led to another door. Laughter and fragments of clamorous conversations came from the other side. I turned the knob and passed into a dimly lit hall. No one took notice of me. But moments later, the room fell silent and I felt Maraki’s warm presence behind me. All eyes were directed at him, and I was about to leave when he shoved me further into the pub. Almost everyone slid away from us on his or her seat to get this extra Jot of distance. Half a dozen tables of various sizes filled the room. A hodgepodge of mismatched mugs and jugs was as colorful as the many guests. Maraki gently pushed me towards one of the few free places, a table with two stools on either side. To our left, the bar stretched from wall to wall and an open door gave view to the kitchen. Behind the counter, a man and a woman, their cheeks glowing with bustle, stared at us like the rest. A few candles and a fire place illuminated the place after a fashion. We sat down, Maraki taking the seat that allowed him to watch the room. The more audacious people began to whisper, the bolder ones answered and not a Part later the talking was in full swing again now that there was something new to discuss. Maraki bent over the table, amusement playing on his face.

“Don’t look that upset. It happens every time I put a foot into a human inn.”

“The operative word is ‘human’. Would Ogrushkai react the same way?”

A sly smirk found his lips.

“You’ll soon find out.”

I furrowed my brows and his grin waned. He put his hand on mine.

“Don’t judge your fellow humans too hard. There are hypocrites on both sides. They talk about understanding and cooperation; then, they turn around and show their mistrust like this. The truth is somewhere in the middle: not every Ogrushkai will welcome you with open arms and not every human family will house two fugitives.”

I looked around in panic. Maraki’s grin returned.

“About one thing you can be sure: no one listens to you in a pub.”

Commotion behind the counter stirred my interest. The two bartenders were gesturing and their features showed agitation. The man tossed a coin and cheered when it had landed on the back of his hand. On the woman’s face, shock changed into anger, and she vented it at her counterpart. The man shrugged and waved her away. Shooting daggers at him, she opened the hatch in the bar and slammed it close. She approached us. When she noticed that I was watching her, she remembered to put on her customer face. Her dark blonde hair was gathered in a sloppy bun. Though she was tanned, the reddish color of her cheeks shined through. Her lips were smiling, but her brown eyes gave away that she was furious and afraid in equal parts.

“Doesn’t seem to be your lucky Cycle.”

I had put on my most amiable expression. A flash of shock scurried over her face, but she recovered immediately.

“I’ll decide that after seeing your tip.”

I had to give her her due: she was quick-witted. Maraki’s gaze alternated between her and me, since he hadn’t witnessed the scene behind the counter. Wrinkles formed on his forehead.

“Greetings, gentlem…persons. My name’s Kalinj. The kitchen offers Nekka roast and Halmat stew this Cycle. One advice for free: refrain from taking the latter unless you’re tired of life.”

Maraki and I looked at each other in confusion. He spoke up first.

“It’s a double portion of Nekka roast for me, honored barmaid.”

“A single portion for me, my Lady. What drinks do you offer?”

“It’s beer, beer, beer or a sorry excuse for wine.”

For a salesperson, she was a tad too honest.

“I think we’ll have beer.”

Maraki nodded his agreement.

“Moreover, we’d like to have a room for the night.”

“There’s only one bed in each of our rooms. Two rooms then?”

“No, one is enough.”

She looked at me and Maraki. After a Fraction, a subtle hint of a smirk appeared on her lips.

“The first round of beer will be on me if I may tell my colleague that you…”

She pointed at Maraki.

“… are interested in him.”

Her finger switched to the man behind the bar. Maraki was at a loss and I answered for him.

“Agreed. Have fun!”

Kalinj bared her teeth, and I wished she hadn’t.

“Seems to be a good Cycle after all.”

She left our table. I informed poor, confused Maraki about the incident behind the counter. He looked over to it and a frightened bartender looked back. Smiling, Maraki gave him a short wave. The man fled into the kitchen while Kalinj fought not to laugh out and raised her thumb.

“You’re playing along?”

He faced me, still in good humor.

“I was a prankster myself when I was young, and it saves us some Dram. So, why not?”

Not much later, Kalinj arrived with our meals and beers.

“The extra meat is for the convincing performance.”

She winked at Maraki.

The food was good, but not as good as the fish this morning or something that Feida had cooked. After a second beer, Maraki and I called it a night, not least because the Ardor was soon to come. The guests ignored us when we left for our room. Humans were weird creatures for sure. Only four men sitting at the far end of the pub eyed us. They were dressed in matching leather armors, what emphasized my impression that they weren’t locals. Perhaps it was the first time they saw an Ogrushkai. I looked after my very own specimen, smiled to myself in anticipation of what we were about to do and ascended the stairs.