“I think we have to bring them back. I think he is starting to fall in love with her.” Meli said. We’d also sensed it and agreed with her. It was never Sam’s intention to make him suffer that way.
“No, first tell us, what they find in the mist, will it help open him to emotion?”
“Under the mist. I think so.”
“Then they stay.” Robbie looked at Efineh who was cuddled up against Irfan. “Sorry. It’s your decision.”
As they walked down the slope, Sebura was frowning. He grabbed Sam’s arm and stopped her. “When you tried to pull out a plant you could not, you were weak. How did you hold on to me at the cliff? That took a lot of strength.”
She frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe because it was not for me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either. In our world they make up pretend stories about heroes who have special powers. One of the stories is about a man who is stronger than a hundred men when he is saving other people. As soon as he tries to use his strength to make himself rich, he is weaker than a little girl. Maybe it was something like that.”
He remained suspicious, but kept it to himself. He reminded himself that despite all that happened in this world, she is still the Samantha he has known for years on his world. In other words, he thought she was manipulating him.
Further down he asked, “What would you have done if I’d managed to have sex with Efineh?”
“It wouldn’t have changed anything, I’d still have taken her.”
“But according to our ways she would be my mate, you would not have the right.”
She stopped to look at him and he noticed her fists were clenched. “I don’t care, she was a child and I would not recognise any such right.” She relaxed. “You should have asked what I would have done if I had sensed you loved her.”
“Your ways are foolish! Love between a man and woman grows as they live together, not before.” A minute later he added, almost angrily, “You expect too much of people.”
“Would you have me expect too little of you? Which is less insulting?” He angrily thought to himself, I forgot how she has an answer for everything, why do I argue with her?
“Sebura, I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I was wrong.”
“Why do you do that? I did not argue because I saw you were right. Why do you now say you were wrong. Is it to make me feel foolish?”
“I was right, but I was not apologising for that. Sometimes I give answers just to be clever. That was what I apologised for.” The concept of what she said was too sophisticated for him and he was baffled by her. Being baffled usually makes people angry. With Sebura, it usually makes him think, only if he remembers later does it anger him.
They walked into the mist.
The journey with rivers to be crossed, sharp slopes up and down, large boulders to be crossed, they all caused those moments that the two of them strayed just beyond the bubble of air that surrounded Sam. Sebura had taken to keeping a fruit in hand for just such occasions. At the first burning sensation his thumb would pierce the rind and he would inhale with the opening before his nostrils. Because of the mist, it took Sebura longer to realise that he’d strayed out of range a number of times without suffering. Sam slipped and slid on her bum for about ten metres. She quickly got up to run back to him when she saw him standing still, testing the air without using the fruit. She climbed back anyway.
“Yes.”
“Maybe the mist changes the air.” She looked at him with delight. “Now you really are free of me! Are you happy?”
“Where else could I go? I do not know this land.”
“At least we can be together because we want to be.”
He looked at her quizzically. “How is that? In my own lands I might want to stay far from you.”
“Why? Do I need a bath? Do I smell?”
He smiled, but his eyes were calculating. “Sometimes you play at being a female and sometimes you play at being a child. I’m never certain which, but I know one thing.”
She obliged him. “What?”
“I think you are more dangerous, what is that word you called me, devious(?), when you are pretending to be a child.”
“Promise you won’t tell Robert? He hasn’t worked that one out yet.”
“I see no reason for crossing the mountain, why are we here?”
“Ah, my ever practical Sebura. Maybe for the air? No, I feel it is something else.” She stood rigidly for a moment. “I feel it is sad for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m only imagining it.”
As they walked deeper into the mist the grass grew lush, decorated by little yellow and red flowers. Sam realised that for the first time she could smell the air and guessed she’d lost her little bubble. She breathed deeply, enjoying the scents. A murmuring grew and they came to a stream. They both knelt for a drink and Sebura exclaimed. Sam looked in the direction he was staring and saw through the mist the wavering form of a small bridge.
Sebura hid his knife and searched for stones to place in his pockets. The earth was too soft and rich and he found none. Walking closer to each other than they had for a long time, they crossed the bridge and followed a path they saw. Slowly the mist evaporated, only covering the sky above them. With wonder they looked at the beautiful marble temple before them.
“It looks Greek!”
As they approached, men and women came out. As soon as they saw the pair they smiled and walked down the steps with arms outstretched in a welcoming greeting. “You have come as the prophesy said you would. You have crossed the mountains?”
“Yes. What is the prophesy?”
“A daughter of the goddess will come and the mist will fade away so that the sun shines on us again.”
“I am not a daughter of a goddess.”
It was not a big town, maybe about four to five thousand. They were both awed by it for different reasons. Sam because it seemed an ideal ancient Greek town, beautifully laid out with white marble everywhere. Sebura because he had never seen anything like it and wondered how anything so beautiful could be lived in by people.
Everyone was friendly and joyous at their arrival. They were led to baths, given soft clean robes, the same as the people wore, and then a feast was shared with much laughter, little children running around freely, as children do who know they are loved. Sam relaxed and allowed herself to enjoy the meal and company. Her aching muscles had been soothed by the hot bath and with her stomach full, she dozed off.
We all wondered at the turn in their adventure. When Sebura also fell asleep at the dinner, many lay down to get some sleep, pleading with those who stayed to wake them as soon as the two were awake. Robert pulled Meli to him. “What have you planned for them?”
“Me? Are you asking me to spoil a good story by telling you?”
“Her pretend worlds are always more complex than they seem, I feel sorry for Sam.” Everyone laughed at Empathia’s words.
Sam woke up on a soft bed in satin sheets, the air sweetened by the scent of flowers. She stretched languorously, amazed at how comfortable and lazy she felt. She hardly had the strength of will and body to get up. After twenty minutes she decided she had to rise as she could hear voices and as a guest she did not think it proper to stay in bed too late.
She washed and dressed in a beautiful white robe edged with golden embroidery, slipped on sandals and pushed aside the curtain. Nine women were waiting for her. They had her sit for a meal of fruit, tiny golden eggs and freshly baked bread with honey. She wondered at the taste of the honey, but she was too relaxed to worry about it.
The men from the temple entered, dressed in dark blue robes decorated with golden motifs that reminded her again of Greece. They helped her stand, four men brought over a carrying chair for her to lounge on and they carried her out into the street while the priest by her side talked of how the people would rejoice at seeing her.
They came to an open square with a round building in the center. The base looked like a pool with a flat bridge of gold over it, at the center was a smaller round building without walls, only golden rods set into the marble below and above them. Over the top ring of marble was a dome of gold with spikes that looked like stylised rays of the sun. They set her chair in the center, closed the gate so that Sam could not see where it was anymore as it too had golden rods from top to bottom. The priests stood outside and spoke loudly for all to hear, that their glorious mother had finally heard their prayers and sent her daughter to be sacrificed as proof of her love for her children. He spoke of the glorious sun, the golden sun that would shine on them again, ridding the world of the white mist of death.
Beneath the too heavy floral aroma that made Sam dizzy, she could smell something unpleasant. It took her a while to identify it. The pool that surrounded her was filled with paraffin. The priests stood guard all day while the crowds came to throw petals at her and shout of their love for her. She saw Sebura among the people, but he did not approach her.
“Why have you locked her in a cage?”
“Cage? That is not a cage! That is the chariot that will carry her spirit to her mother in the flames of love.”
“I do not understand.”
“You will kill her!”
“No, she cannot die, we are only releasing her from her earthly body. She is a goddess and does not belong in such a body as ours, we have to send her back to her mother where she will live forever. Come, we go to the tavern to celebrate the end of the white mist of death and the blessings of the sun that come tomorrow.”
“I will wait here.”
“Join us later then, for all wish to thank you with a tankard of nectar for bringing her to us.”
Sebura did not stand to watch Samantha. He walked deep in thought for a long time, hardly aware of the passers-by who greeted him with expressions of gratitude. He had decided he would never see his land again, that he is condemned to live his life in this strange world. He was also certain that Samantha was meant to leave to return to her family - Robert would not have allowed the old man to take her if it were otherwise. He reasoned that if he allowed Sam to be sacrificed, her death would prevent her return. He was certain that if she did not return, her family would lose interest in his people and they would be free again. For a while he wondered whether Robert would be angry and harm his people, but he decided they would not be held responsible for what happened to her in this horrible world. He was more likely to be angry with the old man. He hoped so, for he hoped Robert would search for him and kill him painfully.
It was terrible to feel the emoting of the Orati. They felt shamed by his thoughts and desperately wanted to cry out in protest to her family, but they saw them staring at the screens without showing anger so they waited, many of them secretly planning to leave before Sam burns. The shame would be too fierce for them to bear.
Sebura walked beyond the town, hardly noticing that a priest followed him from a distance. He sat by a stream and tried to think. His logic told him that it made sense for him to stay away, but something else called out to him that it was not fair. She had never harmed anyone and had only intended to help his people. The logical thoughts were strong, for he is mostly a man who is practical. Hours passed, but he was still torn. He stood up, planning to see Sam from afar and make his final decision.
As he walked back, men came out of a tavern and surrounding him persuaded him to join them for a drink. Within minutes his table was laden with mugs of golden liquid and after tasting the first one he drank freely. He told himself this was the best way, drink until he could not think or see her burn. Once the priest saw him down his third mug he left.
By early evening the tavern grew crowded, Sebura was drunk and felt too hot, stifled by the bodies surrounding him. He walked out for some fresh air. He saw that the area surrounding Samantha was well lit and still guarded by priests. Drawn despite himself he walked to her. Sebura had wondered why the people of this world, of both towns, spoke in English. He saw the opportunity to speak to her in Orati without the priests understanding.
“Samantha, they will burn you in the morning, save yourself.”
She had recovered from the drugs by refusing to eat or drink anything more and was standing looking out towards him.
A rage aimed at himself filled him at her words and he stumbled away. He walked for hours and his brain cleared. At the edge of town he stared into the darkness and then a picture of her face filled with fear but also determination as she held on to his arm by the cliff, coming closer and closer to falling over the edge as his weight dragged her, came to him.
He straightened his shoulders. “This is not a thing of honour! I am an Orati rider!”
He returned to the room he’d slept in to find his knife. It had been removed. He walked around searching for something to use as a weapon. He worried how he would break open the gate while fighting off the priests. He found the altar to their god(s) and saw a fancy sword by it. He drew out the blade, felt its sharpness and strength. He took a cloak made for the mist and laced it over his shoulders to hide the sword and walked out.
“Samantha, be ready to run when I open the gate, I have a sword, those soft men will not stop me.”
“No! They have more men hidden, waiting for you. I saw them Sebura, leave now.”
“If they kill me then we both die. I would not stay in this world alone.”
“Sebura, please, don’t die for me - live for me.”
At her words Efineh burst into tears, Irfan unable to console her as she sobbed.
“I am a rider! Be ready.”
As he approached the priest and began to draw the sword, men rushed out and knocked him to the ground. They disarmed him and tied his arms.
Their high priest stood over Sebura. “I had my suspicions. See the difference in the colour of his skin, he is an emissary of the Dark One, the enemy of our Mother. Make haste, he must die before the light of her spirit is released - let him report his failure and bring dismay to her enemies.”
“How? Do we use fire?”
“Fire!!” He was outraged. “For this one use his own weapon of betrayal, poison him.”
Sam clung to the bars and as she saw Sebura move she called to him, “The mist Sebura, what did it change? Thousands will follow the two of us. May your spirit return to the land of your fathers so that someday, wiser and stronger, you lead your people as an elder.”
“Return to guide me.”
She laughed, a sound of happiness that startled him. “You wish us to spar? I would not miss that for anything, but, honour my daughter, for within her walks the spirit of Samantha.”
Fingers made to force his jaw open but Sebura opened them with a look of contempt as they poured the liquid into his mouth. He swallowed it and a glow flashed out from the center of his chest and his body collapsed.
The two bodies had been removed from stasis and as Sebura returned to his, Meli jumped it to the ground before Robert’s feet. He moaned and opened his eyes.
Robert took his hand. “Stand up Sebura, stand like a rider should and watch the death of our Samantha.”
“Watch.”
The sky was lightening when the priests came out with torches in hand. They ringed the cage and called out messages of their gratitude for Sam to carry to their Mother as it sank until she stood in the golden liquid.
The high priest called out and their torches dipped at the same moment. A fireball exploded, hiding Samantha. Black smoke roiled and then the cage rose to reveal it was now empty. Silently the crowds stood, all facing to the east.
As the mist roiled and thinned, a ray of the sun found the ecstatic faces of the people. Then they coughed and gasped. Within the minute they were falling to the ground, twisting as the air burnt their lungs. The screen froze and faded away.
Almost unnoticed by all, Samantha stood before them. Robert turned, his hands reaching for her and she ran to him with a silvery laugh.
Meli created the dramatic backdrop for a drama that suited her audience but, it was the two protagonists that turned it into an epic for them to weave into a myth for their great grandchildren.
Elders clapped Sebura on his shoulders, their words of congratulations and admiration confirming his status as rider and hero of his people. The voices of the crowd were a roar and the ground shuddered as thousands of men stomped their feet. Bemused, Sebura stood as if he’d been paralysed.
He turned from his people towards Samantha who stood beside her father. As the people saw he was about to speak there was instant silence. “You are a demon.”
“A good one I hope?” She smiled at him and stepped over. “You saw, they all died. Learn from that Sebura. Just as your Mother loved the sun too much, forcing your people to leave the mountains to come here, so it is with all gods men worship under priests.
Do you truly believe that any god could be understood by us? Never accept the words of another man who explains his god to you. I do not say there are no gods, but I question the right of others to tell me of them, for they see them as it suits them, not as they are. Find your own understanding of life in your heart and keep it for yourself. As it is with gods, so let it be with the qualities you admire in yourself. Remember this, we each create gods of our own vanity. You worship logic and reason for it serves you well, or so you think. The mind without the heart, it is a place shrouded and crippled, lacking the golden warmth of the sun, for it can never reach out to touch other lives for warmth to be shared. If you would live your life so that it has meaning, your heart must be partner to your decisions - just like a horse is partner to a rider.”
“May I speak to your daughter?” Efineh joined them.
Proudly he stared at her. “I shall trouble you, child of the Lake Orati, many times. I promise you this, never shall I turn my hand against you.”
“It is your mind and heart I ask that you open to me. Will you allow me to share with you how I felt before I left here?” She shared with him the love of an innocent child and he forgot the adulation of the crowds. Able to sense at last what he had earned and thrown away, he stumbled over to a seat and sat in silence.
“That is how you share with your family?” he asked Samantha.
“With all those I love.”
“Could it be as beautiful as what I have just felt?”
“I need to be alone.” He picked up a jug of beer and walked off into the dark. He stopped in the dark to listen as Samantha called out, listened as she spoke and then he walked on to face his own demons alone.
“Men of Sebura, come forward.” She waited as the crowd opened a space for them and they gathered before her. “Sebura has paid for all of you. I ask that you listen to my words as you would to his. We spoke of sending you to another world in exile. This was my reason. There you would have no women and no children. You would have no mother, father, sister or brother. There would be just you. Think of what that means. You dreamt of owning an entire world? You would have it. You dreamt of having a world where nobody loved you, where no tear would fill an eye if you were in pain? You would have it. You would learn to see what value a world has when it offers no future.
I would have left you there until you learnt to treasure all you threw away in this world. You grew up as part of a community. You rejoiced when a loved one was happy, you wept when a loved one was hurt. Think of a life with no future, for what is a life without children for you to love? What is a life of wealth without a good mate to share your dreams with? What dream of power can compare to the dream of being a part of a people, of being part of a family? Can the fear others feel feed your heart when you are lonely? Why did you become riders? To protect yourself or to protect your people? Today Sebura has taken the first steps towards becoming my brother. Will you do less than him?
I ask the elders, allow these men to return to their homes. Let their punishment for their foolishness be that they spend a year working to better the lives of those who need help. If you are satisfied that they have given the best of themselves, call them your sons again and send them back to me and Efineh so that they become riders of love, devoted to protecting the weak.”
The elders, other elderly people and children were jumped back to their towns and the family came together on the roof to nibble and drink and be together.
“You stole Arthur’s vision.”
“Which one?”
“Remember he told us about a world where the fruit have a gas…”
Meli laughed. “His exact words were, ‘It looks like a lemon, more elongated so that it looks more like a Chinese lantern. Yellow, skin exaggerated grain of lemon skin but inside mostly empty; if pricked or cut open releases gas. Trees almost sapient and telepathic so that fruit can take form of whichever fruit you wish to eat. Bottom part of fruit has a little bit of flesh which includes the seeds. If gas sniffed in too small quantity to knock you out or you are rescued, you become an addict, needing to sniff the gas again.’ The basic vision was his, but my fruit were nicer.”
Samantha laughed. “Now that I look back, it was a funny sight seeing Sebura stick his nose into a lemon.” She frowned at Meli. “I did not like your damn moss! I was really afraid of falling off that cliff.”
She nodded. “Yes, it did its job. Your fear is what opened Sebura to you.”
“Is Sebura free to return to the towns?”
Sam shook her head. “The elders have not said. I want to talk with him once you have all left. You’ve really screwed things up for me.”
“We did!” Robert was affronted.
“Yes. I wanted Cherine’s arrival to be a big moment, for them and for her.”
Sam sent a message in the morning that the family are leaving. They waited for the elders, paid each other compliments, wished each other well and they left. Those who remained knew that Freddie is still within the reality and they can visit whenever they wish.
“What are you going to do about Sebura?”
“Me? Nothing. I think many of the elders have changed their minds and want him as an elder. I’ll talk to him when he returns.”
Samuel and his family decided to return to their reality for a few months. They promised to be back the next morning. Haven, Aganthi, Sam, Efineh and Irfan sat for an informal supper, joining the women who were working late and having a meal.
“So Irfan, what do you think of this world?”
“I can see why Efineh is so special.”
Four days later Sam sensed Sebura waiting outside her door. She dressed and let him in.
“I asked you about Robert.”
“I told you what I could at this time.”
“You left something unsaid. You explained about the women on your world. Why? It was not what I asked you.”
Without answering him she prepared a breakfast of fruit, toast and coffee. “Sit with me.” Patiently he waited as she ate. “There are other things I must explain before I tell you about Robert. When I feel it is time, you will learn of all you wish to know. That is a promise Sebura.”
He smacked the palm of his hand against his chest. “You do not see it, I asked because I have sensed he is a spirit brother.” He nodded to himself. “Sometimes, two different parents can make their sons brothers. You will not tell me about Robert, so let me tell you about Sebura. My father was not cold. He was hard, a man who cared not who he used his fists on. He carried a demon of anger in him all the time. He told me I was not his son, that my mother slept with an animal man and that was why I was so ugly. He had dreamt, in his youth, of being an elder. He told everyone we needed elders who were hard and riders who would not fear to kill the animal people who surround us. I tried to be what he wanted and practised until I was the best young rider of our town. He laughed at me, told me I was not a rider, that I was worthless, only fit to remove night-waste from the town. My mother never spoke to strengthen me, only fearfully telling me not to anger him and to do as he orders. I became a rider and soon had my own riders to order. I demanded they become the best and they were - that is why you found us first, for only the best and most fearless patrol the borders of our lands.
My father never lost his anger, it only turned darker. He taunted me, hit me in front of others, claiming I was not an Orati, just an animal man. I used my tongue to fight him, feeding his anger until he lost control and tried to use his knife on me. I killed him.” He stared at Sam and his anger spilled through the room. “I swore to myself no man would stand above me ever again.”
“That is why your heart could not open to what I offered.”
“It still cannot.” She saw the tendons in his hands stand out as he gripped the table. “It cannot open to you Samantha, but it can see the truth. What you offer is not for those as I. Speak only to those who have the ability to love.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll ask one thing of you. They will vote to make you an elder again. Do not accept. Do not refuse either. Tell them that you will accept when you know that you are ready to serve your people instead of just yourself. They will see the honour in you and men will respect you more than they would if you become elder.”
“They may never ask me again, I cannot do that.”
“When it is time, if they do not, I will ask and you will be elder of my town. Promise me.” Sam knew she asked the impossible of a man like him, but she felt this was a moment that would define the man he becomes. She expected him to use his logic and decide according to what he considers will give him an advantage. Still, it would reflect the changes she thought she saw in him if he agreed.
“How long would you have me wait?”
“A year or maybe ten. It depends on you, not me. Sebura, you are hanging at the edge of a cliff and I am offering you my hand. Will you take it?”
His eyes bore into hers. “And if I do, you are lying on slippery moss?”
She smiled. “Yes.”
He got to his feet and paced the room. He stopped before her. “I will do it your way. Someday you will call me sir, as you do the other elders.”
“I would call you that today if you need it, after your brave decision. Sit down, I wish to tell you a story.”
“This is not the time for stories Samantha. I need to be alone to curse myself for a fool.”
“And I need to tell you a story.”
She changed her mind. She told the girls she is taking Sebura to Freddie. They had been watching from inside her and agreed she is doing the right thing. “Take my hand, I’m taking you to Freddie.” His eyes widened and the pupils expanded, but he gave her his hand. She was pleased to feel his grip was firm.
Robert stood up with a smile. “Sebura, this is a surprise!” He quickly went to his side to prevent him from falling to his knees in superstitious terror. “Is our Samantha playing games with you?” He led him to a seat.
“Last time I came it was full of people and there was so much noise that I did not see your ship as it is.”
“That was a very special day, I still haven’t recovered from feeling the love of our four girls. When are you going to find yourself a good woman to love?”
“Robert!” She laughed. “Sebura, don’t let him pressure you. When he meets a man without a woman he likes to tease them and tells them he does not see why he should be the only one stuck with so many girls.” She grinned at him. “Could you manage over fifty women?”
Robert laughed. “I couldn’t either, that’s why they all stay little girls.”
Six of the original Akiards arrived. Sam asked, “Akiar, take Sebura with you while the girls prepare for a short telling. Talk to him about yourselves.” Sam looked up. “Freddie, go take a jump.” He chuckled in her mind as he jumped.
“Wasn’t I right to insist and not give up on him?”
He laughed, teasing her as he pulled her to him. “Aren’t you always?”
It was not enough for the telling to only show our meeting with the original Akiards, they had to explain a lot first so that Sebura would understand what he was seeing. With his background we doubted that even their explanations made sense to him. Still, all Orati love a good story and he’d never had one told to him this way and he was enthralled. We thought he might find it less interesting watching how we brought up our first group of Akiards, but we were wrong. He was fascinated because of how he saw they are now. Unfortunately he was repulsed by the original methods of propagation and emoted his feelings, but the kids all pretended not to notice. When he saw, later in the telling, how they reacted to finding out and their despair, he let go the revulsion and pitied them. This was harder for the kids to endure, but we had warned them and they understood that a person of his background needs time to understand.
When it was over and he’d had a drink, Sam asked him, “What do you think of Cherine’s Warriors of Love?”
He looked at Cherine, feeling he was daring a lot by speaking to her directly, “She is jealous of you and wants her own Warriors of Love? That is why she stole my men?”
Anybody who manages to tease Samantha and make us laugh, endears himself to all of us. The atmosphere relaxed, we had supper and when he was ready to sleep, Sam took him to an apartment close to the top of the treehouse. They walked out onto the balcony and he stared as she explained what he saw.
“This is not a world for an Orati. Even the most gentle of us need to feel that we are part of the land.”
“You are talking about the hunting?”
“That, but also about riding where we hunt. There is always danger and it makes us feel like men. At night, when we sit around a fire, we sense the eyes that watch us and see the stars in our sky. We feel we are part of it. Here you made this world, how can you feel you are part of it?”
“We do love Freddie and feel part of it, but you are right, there is no wildness, even though there are areas we think of as wilderness that we leave alone for our animals. I would have said we do not need it, but I have travelled on your world, slept by a fire and been eaten alive by insects. I agree with you, we do miss what you speak of, but most of the time we do not realise it. It is the same with Athens, the city I was born in and grew up in. It has its dangers and I love it, but men have tamed the land and the only danger there comes from man himself. Some of us love the feeling of being out in wild country and some prefer the gentle lands where men have turned the land into a big garden, like the grass and trees surrounding my Orati home.”
Politely he answered, “It is beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as the land where I visit the gorillas.”
“You must take me with sometime. I am interested in how you can live with animals.”
“It is far more interesting to ask how it is they can bear to have me live with them.”
He nodded. “That is a good question.” The whole family roared with laughter at his answer.
“Just for that I’ll take you to see the fairies tomorrow.”
