The coronation of Prince Charta was so Kahlarani in nature it was ridiculous. Invitations flew everywhere, anyone posing as someone important was invited, and the whole city was adorned with the gold and white on the ocean blue crest of House Vivekanda. The province’s residents put on their most satisfied faces – although they hadn’t much to complain about. The late prince had left a full treasury for his sons.
Among the many envoys and caravans, two lone riders drew no notice. Idranil stood up in the saddle and looked around.
“I can’t wait to see the sea. A shame we’re only here for a day.”
“Less time for them to realize we are Shardizian,” Seth said, twirling the bridle between two fingers. “You know father never quite got along with the Kahlarani princes.”
“Come on, Seth. They should be grateful that we honor them with our presence. Take it as a sign of good faith, a chance to reconcile.”
“I never tire of your optimism, Rani. So, where to?”
“I don’t know. You were the one talking to that room. Something about a gate?”
“She… It said that ‘the gate has been misplaced’, but that could mean anything.”
Idranil leaned back on his horse, scanning the city as if he was about to spot what they were searching for. “This city has the only gate worth mentioning. I’d suggest eating something first. I’m dying to try some of that famous saltwater fish.”
Sethar slowly let out a breath, completely giving up on deterring his brother from sightseeing. Most people had a voice in their head, halting them when they would have gone overboard. Rani didn’t have that voice, or if he had, he could ignore it brilliantly.
The two of them spurred their horses into a slow trot, trying to get past the mass gathered for Prince Charta’s coronation. Kahlaran couldn’t be more different from Shardiz, but it looked ambiguous even by its own standards. The palace district running up the mountainside was wealthier than most provinces as a whole, but as it descended towards the harbor, the glitter and gold slowly disappeared and got replaced by slums and ghettos.
“This city is strange,” Seth whispered. “Can you believe this is the second richest province in the land?”
Idranil nodded. “I can. They tax every ship quite heavily, be it inward or outward bound. They can afford anything they want, although what they want is a question to be asked. But don’t bother yourself with this, little brother. There are many things more important than how Kahlaran spoils its wealth.”
“Of course. You’re right,” Seth said with an apologetic smile. He had slowly gotten used to how Idranil tried to keep him away from politics, but he didn’t mind it. Not while Rani was this eager to help him discern the secrets of the Room.
Idranil got off his horse and led it by the reins towards a stall in the harbor, packed with freshly roasted fish and crabs. Seth let him shop to his heart’s content, leaning against a nearby wall in the meantime, watching the people around them.
He would have dozed off, had he not caught a velvet gaze suddenly shattering his boredom, tearing through his chest and heart in only a moment. At the harbor of Kahlaran, the ever-cynical Seth had just glimpsed something interesting.
A woman nothing short of a goddess was marching through the harbor, dressed in satin veils twirling around her divine figure, with an aura of sweet and heavy perfume. A group of young girls followed her every step in ostentatious make-up – the priestesses, naturally.
Before he knew it, Seth was already two steps closer to her.
“Rani, I’ll have a look around until you’re done playing tourist,” he said, eyes still locked on the woman. “See if I can catch a few things. Local legends or tales, you know.”
Idranil turned to him holding a pair of roasted fish, then followed his gaze. “Tales, sure. Your loss, I’ll just eat both.”
Seth paid him no attention. His legs were charmed into taking him closer to the goddess on their own, only stopped by a sudden wave of nerves.
How would someone even approach a divine?
He turned towards a market stall selling oysters and crabs, but his eyes constantly wandered towards the neighboring booth where the woman was in a heated argument with a fish seller.
“I’ve been buying from you for ten years, haven’t It? And you still try to rip me off!” she said, putting her hands on her hips. And what hips those were.
“I swear it’s not—” the fish seller said, but the woman was relentless.
“You’re ashamed of us, is that it? Do you find it beneath you to do business with us?”
“No, of course not. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
The woman’s accusations showered on the fish-sellet like cuts from a master fencer, and every judgmental arching of her brows, every condemning stare burned her image deeper into Seth’s mind.
“You know… The wife…” the seller said.
The woman stopped, and took a step back towards the girls. “I see. That’s how it is. We’ll shop elsewhere then.”
The girls picked up the empty baskets they were carrying and prepared to march away in a full spectacle, but the fish seller put out his hands.
“No, wait. I can… I have some flying cod, fresh off the boat an hour ago. I swear on the Great Divine.”
Seth caught the pleased smile on the woman’s face before she turned back. “I see coins are much more alluring than how hurtful nasty gossip is, is it not? Fine, we’ll have the cod then. Two baskets, and another of scallops.”
The seller rushed to deliver the order, filling the baskets so full the girls were visibly struggling to lift them. Seth chose this moment to walk closer, picking up a wooden pole from a nearby, less careful merchant.
“Don’t you bother yourselves with that,” he said, lining the baskets on the pole. “Proper ladies shouldn’t carry something so heavy themselves.”
There was a brief flash of light around the armband coiling around Seth’s forearm, but luckily no one noticed the trick. The trinket filled his muscles with unearthly strength, making the heavy load weigh barely more than a feather.
“Proper ladies isn’t something we hear often,” the goddess said, smiling at his enthusiasm. “Where do you intend to take our fish, your lordship?”
“Wherever your ladyship leads me, of course.”
“What a gallant man. Let me see, Ruchi, how are we on vegetables?”
One girl, dark-haired with a wavy nose ran up to her. “There are no vegetables on Mother’s list, so I think we’re good. If that gluttonous half-Arisian hiccup didn’t eat everything in the meantime…”
“That hiccup will earn more in a few years than you will in a lifetime,” the goddess said with surprising fervor. Seth really should have asked for her name, not to call her goddess in his thoughts, but he was yet lacking the courage for that.
“Well, it seems we’re done for shopping today,” she said, turning back to Seth. “You can see us home if you would. I haven’t seen you here before, and I would certainly remember such pretty eyes. Have you come for the coronation?”
“You could say that.” Seth nodded, walking beside the woman towards the outermost streets. “I’ve come because of the coronation, although my name was left off the list of guests.”
“So you’re just a faithful adorer of House Vivekanda.”
“Not the house, no. The city,” Seth replied, eyes wandering around the many unfamiliar things. “When I was but a child, my nun told tales about the famous Kahlaran, the city where faraway secrets gather and Seir myths take flight on the salty wind.”
The woman chuckled, her voice tinkling like a treasure amidst the rather worn-down buildings of the harbor. What such a lady was doing here was a mystery Seth dared not to ask, fearing that it’d end the mirage.
“Sounds romantic. I guess you weren’t raised nearby.”
“Locals aren’t romantic?”
“They’ve learned to see it for what it is: just a city like any other. Or they just grew bored of it, who knows?” she said, shrugging one shoulder gracefully like a desert yann. “However, you can argue that it’s possible to lead a life without witnessing the wonders of Kahlaran, but it’s a dull life.”
“That must be true. Are you familiar with wonders other than yourself?” he asked, staring right into the woman’s dark eyes. To his surprise, she quickly looked away with rosy cheeks.
“Would you look at that, you managed to sway me for a moment. If you’d like, we can arrange a tour for you.”
“That sounds delightful. What would be the price for that?”
The woman stopped in front of a stone gate, leading to a courtyard of a larger building, taking a glance inside. “Well, charm and all, I have to ask for sungold if I don’t want to risk a beating.”
The tiny pieces of an intricate mosaic came together in Seth’s mind at that moment. The self-irony, the surprised reactions at his gentle behavior, the group of girls, everything led to one picture. They were standing at the door to a brothel.
Before Seth could shake off the moment of shock caused by that realization and say something, a shrieking female voice beat him to it.
“Lea! Took you a while, girl, I thought we would starve to death till your return. Did you get the fish?”
The old hag shuffling towards them from the brothel was tiny, with wrinkled skin, gray hair, and a perpetual look of disgust on her face. And she was constantly chewing on something, irritating Seth to no end.
“Here it is, Mother. All in the baskets,” Lea answered. The hag walked up to Seth and looked at him from head to toe.
“I didn’t allow you to hire someone. You know I’ll have to take this from your pay, dearie.”
“There’s no need for that,” Seth said, setting the baskets down. “I volunteered.”
“Oh, I see,” the hag replied. “So you’ve learned something after all, Lea.”
Lea folded her arms, trembling with the rage she held back. “There are still more errands to run, Mother. Getting the dresses for tonight.”
“I thought the tailor was supposed to bring them here.”
“He fell ill. Don’t worry, I’ll bring them. And I heard there’s a special discount at the perfumery, because of the celebration, so I thought we should stock up.”
The old hag kept chewing whatever was between her missing teeth, then nodded. “You’re a real busybody today, aren’t you?”
“It’s not a day like the rest. Full of opportunities.”
“True, true. But if you aren’t here when the celebration starts, I’ll dust you like you wouldn’t believe!”
“Yes, Mother.”
Seth could feel the rage emanating from the woman and he couldn’t help but share it. This crone didn’t look like the mother to a toad, much less to such a beauty as her, so she must have been the brothel’s matron. He was about to make a scene when he felt a tug at his shirt, then soft fingers clutching on his wrist, dragging him away a good fifty paces.
When they were finally at a safe distance, Lea exploded. “She gets nothing, not from me, not from you, nothing!”
“How much would it cost for you to be free of her?”
“I fear a whole treasury wouldn’t suffice. But don’t you worry yourself, Lord Pretty-eyes, she won’t be barking orders for long.” She smoothed down her dress, fixed a rebellious lock of hair, and put on a shining smile. “So, we were talking about a tour. Are you particularly interested in something, or will you put your fate in my hands?”
“I’d gladly put anything in your hands. But please, call me Seth. I don’t mind Lord Pretty-eyes, but it can’t be a convenient thing to say every time.”
“Seth then. I’ll lead you to my favorite place in the whole city. If you aren’t bothered by a little climbing.”
“Not one bit,” Seth said, putting his arms behind his back to touch his magical armband again. Had Rani mentioned wooing women took this much endurance, Seth would have been more eager to join in his daily exercises.
Lea led him uphill, towards the palace towering over the city in the background, but just before they reached the mass of people cheering for their new Prince, she turned into a narrow alley with stone stairs leading up the hill, just parallel to the palace.
“The priests use these steps,” she said. “They lead to a terrace. Come, it’s not far.”
She wasn’t joking about the climb. When they reached their destination, magic or not, Seth’s heart was beating hard and it took all his strength not to lean on his knees, and gasp for air. However, it took only a glance to the side for him to forget about every hardship.
The blue horizon almost merged with the waves reaching forth from the harbor towards the far corners of the sea, assaulting the shores with foam and salt. The city of Kahlaran with all its patchwork cultures reached wide just beyond their feet: seir praying towers darted towards the sky, cornered by simplistic Arisian column temples, and the widest variety of white and sand-colored houses, shops, and other buildings Seth didn’t even recognize. It looked like chaos compared to the organized glamour of Shardiz, as if this place wasn’t built, rather had grown out of the water and earth, but it stunned him with such wild beauty.
“The izmaani teachers claim this is the place our first Prince Kanda battled a marid to save his people from their mountain-prison,” Lea said. “You either believe it or not. I just love how everything this city has to offer is laid out before you here.”
“It is unbelievable,” Seth said when he found his voice.
“I come here whenever I have time. To watch the ships sail in and out, scouring the sea with white sails.”
“Are you longing for it?” Seth asked. “To be out on the sea?”
“I long to leave this place. Have you not wondered what else this world has, other than the sand and stones?”
“I have. Although I have seen little of the sand yet,” he said, walking closer to the edge. “Maybe in time, when there’s nothing left to see, I’ll look for something else. I can bring you with me if you want.”
“Please do, mighty lord,” Lea said, laughing at his bold speech. Of course, to her it was just boasting, careless promises never becoming a reality. She didn’t know who Seth was, but in a moment of carelessness, he decided to prove himself.
“Let me show you something as well,” he said, reaching for the hilt of the short-sword strapped to his belt.
As the blade’s shining surface emerged from the sheath by only an inch, the magic sang to the mejai and the howling wind stopped. Since Lea still looked more curious than impressed, Seth pulled the weapon in its entirety, raising it above his head in an overly artistic arch, followed by a streak of sparkling fire.
The wind circled them like a playful pup, tossing Lea’s hair and dress, while the fire gathered into a miniature sailing ship swimming in the air. It was a bit much—and a disgrace—to use the sacred Sword of Shardeen to such petty spectacles, but Seth was determined.
“Am I more credible now?”
“You’re a mejai,” Lea said, watching the magic ship sail around with wide eyes. “And not the dime a dozen kind, like those fairground dabblers, are you?”
“Perhaps I just present myself better.”
“It sure is working,” she said, chuckling as the wind breezed through her hair. “I could believe that you’re the world’s greatest magician in a heartbeat.”
The moment slowly passed, and although Seth still couldn’t help the smile on his face, an anxious thought slowly crept upon his mind. The question that turned everyone he met into either a servant or a rascal, trying to make a quick profit of powers nobody understood. “And if I am?”
“That would mean you can change the world to your liking. That’s a terrifying power for any other man, but you seem nice enough, so I’m optimistic,” Lea said with a graceful shrug. The serpentine movement of her shoulder prompted Seth to step closer as if she wrapped his limbs and heart in invisible threads more powerful than any magic.
“Few people share your view at home. They usually try to change me.”
“Thankfully, you’re here, not at home. Are you rushing to be rid of me?”
“Not at all. I’m still owed a tour of Kahlaran, and I’ve yet to see some wonders.”
“That is true,” Lea said with a charming glint in her eyes. “I wonder, what do you wish to see next?”
“Isn’t it evident by now?” he asked, taking another step towards her. They were so close he could feel the caress of her breath on his skin.
Seth was lost in her gaze like a wanderer in a sandstorm, bedeviled by the mirage of a malicious yann, headed towards his doom–in this case, the painful reality of what Lea was. Rani would have shaken his head, sighing at his foolishness. But when she reached behind his head and touched her lips to his, he wasn’t a Shardizian prince’s brother; and she wasn’t a courtesan.
Lea was the goddess he had seen from that first glimpse of the velvet eyes.