Richard Tuttle - Sapphire of the Fairies

The old man turned towards Tedi andlooked him up and down before answering.

“The news from up North,child, is that their children are better mannered. The name I useis Boris Khatama. That means that you will address me as MasterKhatama and if it’s news you want, then you will wait for thetownspeople to assemble and hear it with the rest.”

“Forgive my friend’s lack ofmanners, Master Khatama,” offered Arik. “We are eager to hear ofnews that the townspeople never speak of. Lorgo is a small town andmost people refuse to discuss things that Tedi and I read about inbooks. I hope you will forgive our poor manners.”

Master Khatama focused his attentionson Arik as he pulled down small crates of goods from the wagon.“And why should I talk of things that your own parents would rathernot have you hear?”

“Oh, it’s not that they don’twant us to hear,” Arik responded quickly, “but I fear that theystill think of us as children and too young to hear such stories.Why just this morning at the inn . . . a friend was telling meabout the old times, but he had to return to work. Our fathers arefishermen and they are gone most of the day and tired at night.Besides, what they know is very limited as they have not traveledfar and wide as I’m sure you have.”

Master Khatama peered at the boys againas if measuring them. The clatter of approaching footstepsannounced the coming townspeople. “We’ll see,” Boris whispered.“You go help Tanya brush the horses, while your friend here helpsme unload the wagon and you two can join us for dinner. I willconsider then what I will speak of.”

“Yes, Sir,” repliedArik.

“Tanya?” questioned Tedilooking at the young boy watering the horses. “I mean, yes, Sir.Right away, Sir.”

As Tedi moved to help the merchantunload the wagon, Arik walked to the front to help with the horseswith Tedi’s comment ringing in his ears. As he approached themerchant’s helper, he looked more closely. While her face stillsported the glare given to Tedi for his comment, Arik could now seethat she was indeed a girl, a rather beautiful girl if she had notbeen dressed in those rags. “Pardon me, Tanya,” Arik greeted thegirl, “but Master Khatama requested that I offer you assistancewith brushing the horses.”

“As if I required assistance,”snapped Tanya. “You can only brush the horses if you know whatyou’re doing, fisherboy. And if you have any more sly commentsabout my uncle, you’ll lose your teeth.”

Arik stepped back and raised his handto ward off the expected attack. “Tanya, please,” he saidsoothingly. “Tedi did not really mean anything disrespectful. Hejust has a brash way of talking. He thinks if he acts tough, toughpeople will leave him be. I am no horseman, but I do occasionallyhelp out at Master Tern’s stables. I do know how to brush ahorse.”

Tanya tossed a brush to Arik and beganusing one herself. The pair worked on in silence for some minutesbefore Arik spoke again. “Tanya, I really do apologize for Tedi’sremarks. He was anxious about hearing some news of the old timesand he knew the townspeople would be arriving soon.”

After a few more minutes of silence,Tanya finally asked, “What’s your name, fisherboy?”

Arik looked over the horse at the younggirl. “I am Arik Clava,” he finally answered. “And I would preferthat you do not call me fisherboy. You make it sound like aderogatory term and my father is a fisherman. I find nothingdishonest or unsavory in his character because of his profession.He provides the best he can and I’m proud to be hisson.”

Tanya stopped brushing and gazed at thevillage boy. “It would appear that I also owe you an apology, ArikClava,” the merchant’s niece responded. “It was meant as aderogatory term and I apologize for it. Why are you so interestedin the old times? I thought all of you Sordoans feared the Dark Onecoming in the night if you spoke of them.”

Arik dropped his brush and started.“You know about Sordoa?” he exclaimed. “I never heard it mentioneduntil earlier today. I’ve read a little about it, but only of timeslong gone. Do you know about the Collapse and whathappened?”

“Did this Master Tern teachyou how to do that with the brush?” Tanya smirked.

Arik apologized profusely and retrievedthe brush, once again applying long strokes to the horse. “What canyou tell me of the Collapse?” he questioned.

Tanya stopped brushing the horse andstuck out her hand for Arik’s brush. “You did good enough for a f .. . boy who is not used to taking care of horses,” she quipped. “Iwill tell you nothing of the Collapse or the old times. If yourtownspeople found out, my uncle would be driven out of town andtimes are poor enough as it is without losing some tradehere.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Arikpromised. “I won’t tell a soul. We could just be friends talking.No one will suspect what we are talking about.”

“You won’t tell a soul becauseyou will have nothing to tell,” she stated. “And I don’t havefriends. Friends cause you pain and grief and I don’t need anymoreof either, thank you very much.”

Tanya disappeared around the side ofthe wagon and a befuddled Arik headed towards Tedi, who was nowstanding with the crowd of townspeople that had gathered to hearthe latest news. Tedi noticed the woman in the green dress on theother side of the crowd and she seemed to be trying to slidethrough the group nonchalantly. After fifteen minutes of tales ofbleakness and starvation, bandits and rogue armies, the two boysleft the gathering with the mysterious woman only several feetaway. People started crowding around the merchant and picking outsmall items from a rather poor selection of goods. Tedi pulledanxiously at Arik’s sleeve and started to run towards theharbor.

When the boys reached Arik’s home, theyleaned against the back of the house in silence. Finally, Tediturned towards Arik. “Did you see her trying to get closer to me,”he wheezed.

“I’d say it was yourimagination,” offered Arik, “but she sure didn’t seem to beinterested in anything the merchant had to sell. What did the old .. . Master Khatama have to say after I left?”

“Not much,” Tedi replied. “Hegriped a lot about youngsters today and their lack of respect fortheir elders. He also asked our ages about three different times. Iguess my big mouth got us off to a rather poor start.”

“I’ll say,” chuckled Arik.“The merchant’s niece practically bit my head off for that onecomment she overheard you say. She’s a bitter one, she is. You hearpeople talk about bitter old maids, well, this girl is around ourage and she already has the demeanor to put those old maids toshame.”

“Well, I guess we won’t haveto bother going back for dinner, then,” Tedi laughed. “The chanceof either one of them knowing anything useful, or telling us ifthey did, is probably out of the question.”

“I don’t know about that,”remarked Arik. “Even the girl knows about Sordoa and the Collapse.She wouldn’t talk about it, but I could tell that sheknows.”

“If I didn’t know better, Icould almost be suspicious of you liking Tanya,” chuckledTedi.

“Forget it!” exclaimed Arik.“She doesn’t even want friends. I tried to be friendly with her andI had to keep an eye on her hands to see if she would pull a knifeon me. That girl is poison and will never have any friends, nevermind boyfriends. Still, she does possess knowledge that I’d like tohave. I’m willing to go back and talk as long you come and keep aneye on her hands.”

“Heck, if nothing else it’s afree meal,” smirked Tedi. “Why are you interested in the Collapseso much all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know,” replied Arik.“Lately, I’ve been having dreams of what I think the old times musthave been like. I guess it may just be not knowing what all of theolder people know and frustration at their stubborn refusal to talkabout it.”