Torgan Wine Ch. 53

"We'll eat what we have and hope someone rescues us." Ximesra's voice was a little more gentle. "If no one does, we'll both starve."

"We can pray for a gentle death."

"Not yet. I've survived this long, and I've come this close, I want to go home."

Nodding, Isonei huddled close to her. "I do too. I may have to disappoint Daga Lothlaerith and spend some time just traveling between my homes until I feel more settled."

Ximesra laughed and leaned against her. "Pick just one home and stay for a while and you might feel settled more quickly."

"How could I do that? Both of my homes are a part of me."

"Which one feels the most like home? They can't both feel the same. I know I won't leave my mother's house for a month when I go back." There was a pause, "Your brother Yornaith promised he would get word to my family and let them know we were alive and trying to come home."

"My brother will keep his word. Tell me about your home? I'll tell you about mine if you like."

"We've never been wealthy but we were never poor either. Father has two ships and I have two brothers, but Xadroth, my eldest brother, hates to sail. He wants to stay home and make glass like our uncle. Xagorath was the one who was supposed to do that. He learned the trade but he wanted to sail so badly father eventually let him start to learn. Mother arguing on his behalf probably helped.

"I wanted to sail too. Staying home and minding the house seemed so dull. But neither mother nor father would hear of it. So, I stowed away with Xagorath when he went on his second trip to the north. It was wonderful until..."

Isonei squeezed her. "You saw the picture of my father's house in Ara?"

"Yes. You're from a wealthy Aran family, I wanted to ask how you would ever find yourself with Prince Draeseth."

"He seemed so sweet, and the man is beautiful. I'd never seen a man that size, and he smelled like leather and spices. I didn't see the harm. A year isn't so long... I wanted to spend the time with him."

The Munian woman began to laugh again, "Only an Aran... Was he at least good in bed?"

"Magnificent." She began to laugh with Ximesra and when they stopped she smiled into the dark, "I don't regret most of it. He brought me back to my Daga's house. I hadn't realized a part of me was missing until he did. I got to meet you and your brother, and I-I found my Hodrim."

"Rimathe is a good man despite being a priest." It was Ximesra's turn to squeeze her. "And Lislora seemed decent for a Torgan. I think Hodrim will do well."

"Yes." Isonei took a breath to steady herself. Wishing he'd stayed with her would be wishing for him to be in this dark, dirty box and wishing to have stayed with him would be just as bad.

"Xagorath said he had a dream the night he met you. A bright silver star guided us home. The next day you had him set free. He said it was a sign. I didn't... I didn't believe it until you had the slaves of Torga freed.

"King Orgath will be sour about that for years. You cost him and many of the nobles a fortune. But when the entire crowd, the entire city of Nemauros, knelt with you and the priests, as well as two of his own sons... he had no choice."

"If I die tomorrow, I've done one thing of which I know my father and my Daga would be proud." Isonei tried to get comfortable. In the dark, sleeping to pass the miles might be the best idea.

Ximesra sighed. "I need to live longer."

°°°°°°°°°°

It was the loud clatter that jarred Isonei awake. From above her, a cool breeze wafted down but it was still too dark to see what had happened. It took a moment for her to realize the carriage was no longer moving.

"I think they opened a vent," Ximesra whispered before moving around a little and bringing the basket onto her lap. "No light is coming in, it must be dark out."

A few bites of bread and cheese was all Isonei could eat, and the Munian woman didn't seem to eat more than that either. They sipped their tea sparingly and Isonei wondered with trepidation how long they could avoid using the bucket.

Her question was answered when Ximesra crawled over to it. Isonei folded her arms and hid her face trying to give the woman privacy even though it was too dark to see.

"You should try to go too."

"I'll wait."

"For?" Ximesra put an arm around her when she came back. "In Phaethia, I had to learn to live without privacy or any amenities at all. Sometimes there wasn't even a bucket to use. Torga has been better but..."

"Your father can be proud of your strength, Ximesra. Yours and Xagorath's." Isonei rested her chin on her arms. "How did you and Krouth both refrain from slapping me when I was friendly with Kresh?"

The Munian woman laughed softly, "Krouth said you were more clever than you seemed and that you would see her for what she was in time. It was safer for you to be in her good graces."

"I don't think," Isonei sighed, "I don't think I'm a good judge of character. I loved Draeseth, and I liked Kresh."

Patting her back, Ximesra gently offered, "Perhaps not, but I would vouch for yours and I'm a good judge of character."

"Thank you."

"Go use the bucket. We should try to sleep while the cart isn't jostling us."

Grudgingly obeying, Isonei muttered, "I slept."

"You can sleep through anything. You sleep like the dead." Ximesra sounded amused and annoyed. "I want to try to sleep while I'm not being bounced around."

Finishing and being careful not to knock over the bucket, Isonei crawled back and found the other woman curled on the floor. Cuddling close behind her, she readjusted the bag that held the book to a more comfortable position.

Dreams of wandering through a maze made up of both her father's house and her Daga's until she felt exhausted and confused occupied her mind until the clatter of the vent closing woke her and the cart lurched into motion.

Ximesra helped her sit up to sip a little tea, but she couldn't bring herself to eat.

"You need to keep up your strength."

"I can't eat."

"Did you have bad dreams? You twitched constantly last night."

"I did. I can't choose just one home. I was in a maze made up of both of them."

"Perhaps it means you need to choose one. It would make things simpler."

The thought made her feel ill. "How far is Gogmenos?"

"It took three days to get to Court from there, this is our second day," she paused. "We should be there sometime tomorrow, I think."

"Being outside of the box will be better than being inside it... I hope." Isonei sighed, "At least we won't die in the dark."

"If they truly think you're a demon, you might." Ximesra was quiet for a moment. "Would it matter? If you'd pray for death..."

"For a gentle death. I'm not afraid to die; I just don't want it to be unpleasant." Another long silence stretched before she added, "I would rather live. I want to see my family and I don't want them to hurt for me. But Tyhnoth is sweet and dour, I'll dance with him gladly when he asks. I dreamt of him once, when I was brought into Torga and I was so sick." Licking her lips she contemplated asking for another sip of tea.

"I want to hear about it. If your God of death is looking after you, maybe he'll do the same for me and take me to Mun if I die here." Ximesra curled close.

"I'm sure he would if we asked nicely. In my dream, he had eyes like your brother, like the sun beginning to shine on a misty field, and his kiss was as cool and pure as the air when it snows."

Ximesra lifted her head, "You dreamt of the God of death and you kissed him?"

"He was beautiful!" Isonei felt a little annoyed at the Munian woman's tone and it came out in her voice.

To Isonei's surprise, Ximesra dropped her head back down and began to laugh, heaving, breathless sobs of laughter broken occasionally by the word, "Arans!" Isonei couldn't help but smile into the dark and laugh a little, herself. Thinking about it, it did seem a peculiar thing to do.

When Ximesra had settled she groped for Isonei's head and pulled it into position to place a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you. That reminded me of something my father once said to my brothers. He was in Eshho to trade and an Aran woman kissed him in the street without even introducing herself, because he looked handsome and sad. He was a younger man then, and had left my mother for the first time since their joining. That was the last time he forgot to wear the stripe."

"The stripe?"

"The stripe of dirt across his forehead."

"I noticed that! There were a lot of sailors with dirt on their faces in Eshho."

"Aran women like clean men, they wear the stripe to ward off advances."

"I remember my brother, Ialath, complaining that the men my father went to for glass had dirty faces, if they wanted to deal with us they should wash. My father said that they were honest and reliable men and that Ialath should hold his tongue. Ivorith took him aside later and told him that Lord Yuleth would only deal with the Sons of Mun that had dirty faces, that it was a sign of good character."

The Munian woman began to giggle into Isonei's shoulder. "It's a sign they came for business and nothing more. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about it. You're very insistent on cleanliness."

"When I was small I may have. Father said I embarrassed him once, but the man took it very well. Father never told me what I said, though."

Squeezing her, Ximesra sighed, "I hope I get to ask him. I'd like to know."

"He may not be eager to talk about it. Father always hated to be embarrassed."

"Tell me about your second house. Why didn't your sister send a picture of it?"

"She's never been there. My second home is my Daga's home. When I was there last I had never felt more at home as when I lay on the elder Daga's sarg. It felt like being tucked under his arm. He was like a second father to me. I never embarrassed him, and he never chided me." Isonei adjusted herself leaning her cheek on the other woman's head. "I miss the houses, the gardens, and fields, but what makes them home is my family. I have my father and brothers in Ara and my Daga in Leria. I can't choose just one. It would rip me in two."

"You were calling the Princes your borrowed brothers..."

"There are some in Torga who will-" She had to stop and swallow a lump in her throat, "who will always have a piece of my heart. They will always have my gratitude. But I can't stay for them. Not even for Hodrim. As much as I want to bring him with me to Leria and Ara, he would be miserable. His place is here, and his dream is to be a priest. I want his happiness more than my own. He will always have my love... that has to be enough."

"You'll be a good mother someday." Ximesra paused, "As long as the men you end up with have good sense and are enormously wealthy. You're expensive."

Isonei's mouth dropped open and then she poked the Munian woman, laughing, "I think I'd take good sense over wealth but if a man has good sense, shouldn't he be wealthy?"

Ximesra poked her back, "If he has good sense he'll be wealthy before he tries to make an Arrangement with you."

Their laughter came to an end as the cart stopped.

"Maybe it's time for lunch?" Isonei murmured hopefully.

"I don't know how long it's been but I don't think it's been that long."

Inside the box, no sound could be heard from the drivers. It felt like a long time before the cart started forward again, and this time the ride was bumpier as if the horses were being driven faster. In silence, Isonei and Ximesra clung to each other and waited.

The bucket fell over on a particularly rough bump and Isonei felt sick to her stomach. The cart lurched to a halt sagging slightly.

"I think we broke a wheel." Ximesra murmured nervously.

Pressing the back of her hand to her mouth, Isonei nodded.

"Don't be sick, Isonei. Please. It would only make this worse."

She shuddered and kept her hand pressed to her mouth.

A clattering came from above and the vent opened. Along with air and a few specks of light, the quiet sound of voices wafted down and Ximesra stood as best she could to press her ear to the grated opening. Her breath sucked in in shock and she whispered, "Xagorath." Then she began to shout, "Let us out! Please! We-we..." The woman seemed to be listening to a firm voice speaking Torgan.

"The Kamrus has the key and the door is too strong to break. There is steel all through the box... They're trying to find a way to get us out."

Isonei brought herself to her knees and felt the book heat as it pressed against the wall behind her even through the layers of cloth. Quickly, she began unfastening her over-cloak, stripping it off to pull the bag to the front. An idea washed over her. "Is Hesh-Caeridith outside?"

Ximesra asked the question through the vent. "He is."

"Ask him... ask him what happens when he puts his hand on the door."

After a moment the answer came back, "It burns him. Why?"

"Tell him-tell him I'm going to put the book against the door. I don't know if he can help me or not." The Munian woman breathlessly relayed the words through the vent and then helped Isonei to the door.

Pressing the book to the door, the smell of burning cloth filled the box and Ximesra began to cough. Isonei held onto the hot book and leaned to place her forehead against it whispering, "Please..."

The wood of the door burst into green flame and a horrible metallic screech filled the box until the doors burst open. Isonei fell out of the cart as they did, but Hesh was there immediately to drag her away from the now burning cart. She watched as Xagorath leapt in to fetch his sister.

"We can't linger." Hesh murmured as he pulled her to her feet. "Someone will see the smoke and come to see what happened."

Nodding, Isonei hugged the singed book to herself and let him hurry her to a horse. "How far is the Gate?"

"We aren't going to Lothlaerith's Gate, daughter of Liadith. Daga Velarith's lands butt against the Great Cliff. He allowed us to smuggle things through his lands and up the cliff in certain places. We're closer to him than to Lothlaerith. That's where we're going."

°°°°°°°°°°

They'd pushed the horses and ridden into the night until they reached the place Hesh was looking for. The sliver of moon seemed very bright as if it wanted to give them more light as the Lerians erected a sturdy wooden frame at the edge of the cliff. The thick dark trees of the Torgan forest around them felt almost disapproving, and every little sound made Isonei jump as she expected Torgans to leap out from the darkness at any moment.

One of the Lerians fastened a harness to himself and went over the side with the ropes. Hesh stood looking over the edge as he waited, but Ximesra came to wrap her arms around Isonei making soft soothing sounds.

After a time the men began to heave on the ropes, drawing something large up, and a basket came into view. The rope basket didn't look particularly safe but Hesh gestured for her to come forward.

"Lie down and hold to the ropes."

Seeing her hesitate, Ximesra came to stand next to her looking at the large basket. "I'll go with you."

"He said to lie down in it and hold onto the ropes."

The Munian woman climbed into the basket and pulled her along. Isonei lay down and clung to Ximesra with the book between them, gripping the ropes on the other side of her and Ximesra did the same. She kept her eyes squeezed closed while they were lifted over the side and lowered. The rocking made her stomach roil.

As the basket touched the ground she felt a weight come off of her and both women clambered out of the basket as quickly as they could before it went back up. Standing back against the cliff face, they waited. Xagorath came next but the basket didn't go back up. Some of the Lerians came down the ropes with the peculiar harnesses.

"Daughter of Liadith, Hesh said to take you to the Daga. They have to destroy the frames on the cliff."

"Please." Isonei looked up toward the top where they'd come from gratefully. "May all the Gods keep them safe."

Hurrying across the broad, cleared space between the cliff face and what looked like a high stone wall, the Lerians brought them to a heavy door and beat on it for a moment. The sound of heavy locks and bars slowly being moved seemed loud in the quiet night. After a time the door pushed outward and armed Lerians in brown with belts of Daga Velarith's pale, almost silvery, green beckoned them into the torchlight.

Once on the other side of the thick wall, they walked in torchlight among the dark trees. The soldiers had stayed, but the Lerians who had brought them down the cliff seemed to have a good idea of where they were going and outside of the flickering light, the moonlight fluttered down between the branches prettily in places. It felt more like a late night stroll than an escape now. Even the breeze seemed to be soothing as it brushed her face.

"How far do you think it is, Isonei?" Ximesra whispered and Isonei could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"I've never been here but we don't have to be afraid of anything anymore, Ximesra. I trust the Dagas. In Leria, we are safe. Can't you feel the difference in the air?"

"That was what Hesh said," Xagorath spoke quietly. "Once we got beyond the wall to Leria we'd be safe. The Torgans won't pursue us if they have any intelligence or self-preservation. I think he's destroying the frames to be certain." He pulled his sister close. "I don't think we'll feel safe until we get home."

"I give you my word, you're safe here." Isonei turned her head to smile at them. "You'll be treated as well as I am if I have anything to say about it. I can't repay either of you for your kindness."

"We have a mutual debt of gratitude." Xagorath smiled and gave a small laugh, "I had to leave our things with the Lerian carts. We have no money and nothing to barter for lodging but I feel more hopeful than I ever have."

"When we reach my father, Lord Eliorith, you'll have money. Yornaith said there was an impressively large purse promised to whoever could get me out of Torga. I imagine it will be split three ways between you two and Hesh-Caeridith."

"He should have half." Xagorath snorted. "He-"

"Your sister deserves a full third." Isonei gave him a sharp glance. "You can divide the rest between you however you wish and give him most of it, but Ximesra has more than earned that reward."

The Munian woman dimpled as she grinned, "Thank you, but Hesh did get us over the cliff."

"You got me to the edge of the cliff alive." Isonei stopped to give her a solemn look. "Your father should be very proud of both of you. You're strong, kind, and better friends than I could possibly deserve."

"I could say the same of you." Ximesra wrapped an arm around her and prompted her to keep walking. "You're stronger than you think."

They walked further into the forest, at the point Isonei started to consider asking to stop and sleep in the woods, she saw a glimmer of lamplight ahead. The path they were on opened onto a road where a carriage stood waiting. The door opened immediately and an older man, in a mantle of the light, silvery-green of Velarith, sprang out.

"Daughter of Liadith..." He frowned and advanced on her as she placed her hand over her heart and tried to give him a smile through her exhaustion.

"Daga Velarith."

"I will help you into the carriage, child. You will wash and rest in my home until you feel able to travel further."

"Thank you, Daga Velarith, I'm so grateful I can barely summon words. Please, let me introduce you to Ximesra and Xagorath-"