5th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

A knock on the door woke Araki. He climbed out of his hammock and padded barefoot to the door. He opened it and discovered Aquillia wearing a knee-length faded green skirt and knee-high leather boots. She had a large double-bladed sword strapped to her back and a small knapsack slung onto one shoulder.

“Get ready quickly. Ishtaree will be in sight soon.”

Araki stepped back from the door and pulled on his black slacks and white shirt, then stepped into his leather boots. He grabbed his knapsack and his sword belt as he stepped outside.

Aquillia closed the door as Araki buckled his sword belt onto his hips. She led him out of the corridor to the ornate door and they stepped into the sunlight. They walked across the ship to the bowsprit and looked out to the deep blue sea.

“Land ahoy!” called a man from above them in the crow’s nest.

Aquillia and Araki looked out to sea. On the horizon, small white clouds gave way to a tall lighthouse.

“Have you been to Ishtaree before?” Araki asked, as he squinted into the distance. The city appeared behind the lighthouse, tall walls and castle spires rose amongst them.

“No, I haven’t,” Aquillia replied, shaking her head.

“Have you done much travelling, or have you spent most of your time with your daughter?”

“Just after they got married. I stayed in Peace Landing. A few years later I headed off to Alyrisi and attempted to go through the Dragon’s Gate, but I was shipwrecked and lost all my money. So, I returned to work here.”

“I hear that the passage is very perilous. How far did you get?”

Aquillia chuckled. “Perilous would be tame way to describe the Dragon’s Gate. Not only is the route narrow from reefs and rocks, but the tides and currents can change in a moment. If that wasn’t bad enough, there are things in the passage that attack ships.”

“What did you see?” Araki asked.

“Some sailors call them demons; others believe that an actual dragon resides beneath the deep. There are some that even think that the gates of hell are located there.”

A chill ran down Araki’s spine and he shivered.

“What I saw was half-fish half-women bewitch the sailors and then drag their bodies into the deep, and when they were finished dragging the men into the water, they pushed the ship on the rocks, and sank her. The sea ran red with the blood of the dead. I think that they ate the bodies.”

Araki shivered again.

“Still, people try to run the Dragon’s Gate every year and nearly everyone fails.”

The city of Ishtaree was built on a spit of land between the lighthouse and the castle that defended it. Across a river stood another castle. A large white bridge spanned the Blight River between them. The town was made from brick and stone buildings built in closely to each other behind a large wall that ran around the city.

There was a large port, with ships some deep-sea vessels like the Fleur de Lis and other large squat barges, sitting empty, moored in dock. The sailors on deck began to reef in sails and the ship glided closer to the city. The midshipman at the helm shouted orders that were relayed to the crew.

The ship came into the dock and gently kissed the pier. Sailors tossed large ropes at men waiting on the pier who tied them off. Araki looked up at the large walls that protected the city.

“Impressive!” commented Metilia who appeared beside them.

“Yes,” agreed Araki.

“Permission to disembark?” Aquillia asked, throwing her daughter a salute.

Metilia smiled and returned her salute. “Permission granted.”

Aquillia hugged her and then headed to the centre of the ship.

Araki shook her hand.

“You want to head up the River Ashford.” Metilia hugged him. “There are two rivers here: the rivers Blight and Ashford. Make sure you head up the right one.”

Araki nodded as they walked to midship.

“Here is the extra money your grandmother sent,” Metilia said, handing him a pouch of coins.

Araki placed the pouch into his knapsack and threw it onto his back. He followed Aquillia down the gangplank. They walked past the dock workers who wore thick leather boots and gloves, their bodies coated in a fine sweat as they ran about their work. Creaking wood from the ships in port was nearly drowned out by the sounds of the market and people calling out to one another. The smell of fish and cooking wafted over them.

“Do you want to book passage right away or do you want to see more of the city?” Aquillia asked.

“Let’s spend a day in the city,” Araki suggested.

“I agree. We can most certainly find plenty in the city to entertain us,” Aquillia said as she watched a dock worker walk past with a large crate in his hands.

Araki followed where she was looking and smiled. “Come on.”

They walked to the end of the pier and through the store houses along the dock and came to a large gate. It was guarded by a squad of men wearing knee-high boots and large thick gloves. They held spears in one hand and randomly checked crates and cargo going into the city.

Araki and Aquillia were waved in without being stopped.

Entering the city, the temperature dropped, going from sweltering hot to cool. Gooseflesh appeared on them as they crossed into the city. The tall brick buildings were arranged to block out sun in the market district and provide plenty of shade to the shoppers. They walked past stalls selling food, jewellery, boots, and gloves. On the other side of the market the buildings parted, and the sun came through the open plaza. The plaza was filled with people who were all naked except for boots and gloves. They were sitting on benches around tables and standing in small groups talking. A few people in the centre of the plaza sat next to a small fountain and played flutes and harps.

“Have you seen anything like a tavern where we could rent a room for the night?” Aquillia asked.

“No,” admitted Araki as he looked over the teeming mass of people on the plaza.

“There is one across the plaza,” a nearby woman suggested.

Araki swung his head to look at her. She tucked her shoulder-length brown hair back behind her ear. Her skin was a deep brown like Araki’s. She smiled at him with green eyes.

“Thank you,” he smiled back.

Araki and Aquillia started to work their way through the crowd which seemed to open about them as they walked through it.

They arrived at the tavern called ‘The Golden Honey Pot’, the shingle sporting a pot of honey painted under the name.

They ascended the stairs and went inside where there was a small room with two doors on either side and a waist-high counter in front of them. On the counter was a large book, opened in the middle, with a large pencil placed in the spine and a small silver bell resting next to it.

“Where is the clerk?” Aquillia asked. Stepping up to the counter and leaning over, she peeked behind the counter. “No one.”

“Maybe he is out?” Araki picked up the bell and shook it. It produced a clear sweet chime.

The door to their right opened and a thin woman with soft blue slippers and black hair held in a bun behind her head stepped through. She smiled at them and then walked behind the counter.

“We would like to rent a room,” Aquillia said.

“We have a double room available,” she replied. “Please sign in the register.” She waved a hand at the heavy book on the counter.

Aquillia looked at the book and saw couples’ names written in the book. She picked up the pencil and wrote her name into the book.

Araki stepped up and took the pencil from her and wrote his name below Aquillia’s.

The woman frowned at the book as she read the two separate entries.

“Two single rooms?” she asked.

“Please.” Araki nodded.

The woman looked him up and down and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She reached under the counter and produced two keys and handed them over.

“Your rooms are on the first floor. Room twelve and thirteen, on the right.”

Aquillia and Araki took a key and pulled open the door and ascended the stairs. Each room had a small window on the far wall; the shutters were open letting in light. A large double bed sat in the middle of each room with a bedside table on both sides of the bed; the room was cramped even with the small window.

Araki dropped his knapsack on the bed and then stepped back out.

Aquillia stepped out of her room, having placed her sword and knapsack on the bed.

“I don’t think the sword is needed here,” she commented.

“You’re right,” Araki agreed and unbuckled the sword belt and placed it on the bed.

He returned to the corridor with Aquillia.

“I noticed that most of the people don’t wear any clothes,” he said. “Should we do the same?”

“It would help us blend in,” Aquillia agreed and pushed her skirt down, tossing it with her feet back into the room.

Araki watched her and then stepped out of his boots and undid the button holding his pants. He pushed them down and tossed them back into the room and then stepped back into his boots.

“How do you feel?”

“Strange, why do you ask?”

Aquillia pointed down at his member.

He looked down and saw that it was stirring. Araki blushed and tried to cover his growing member with his hands. It had the opposite effect.

“Try not to think about it?” Aquillia said.

“There is a way to deal with it,” said the clerk, appearing at their side. “What you are going through is normal for the young men here. Give it some time and it will disappear in time.”

The clerk giggled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know it seems strange to you, right now,” she whispered. “In time it will become normal.”

“What do I do until then?” Araki asked.

The clerk smiled at him and placed a hand on his chest. Araki blushed again.

“You’re so sweet,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Araki asked.

“Have you lain with a woman before?” she asked.

Aquillia smiled and passed the young couple. “I will go outside and look around. See you soon.”

Araki watched her go. Only the clerk remained. She took his hand, led him into his room and closed the door behind them.

***

Araki stepped into his boots, retrieved the key from the bedside table and then exited the room, closing and locking the door behind him. Key in hand, he walked down the dimly lit corridor and descended the stairs. The clerk sat behind the counter in the reception room.

She smiled up at him as he came down the stairs.

He smiled back and came up to the counter.

“I was wondering how you keep your keys on you without pockets?” he asked placing a hand on top of hers.

“That is easy. Underneath our gloves. We have a key bracelet.” She raised her arm and showed him hers. It was a silver charm bracelet with several small keys hanging off it.

“Do you have any?”

“Sure.” She reached under the desk and pulled out two and placed them on the table.

“How much are the rooms, and the bracelets?”

“A copper piece a night each for the rooms. A silver piece each for the bracelets.”

“So much?”

“Most people only get one and then keep it for their whole lives. So, it’s not expensive.”

“I guess I will take them,” he shrugged.

“I know they aren’t pretty, but they are functional.”

“Let me go and get some money.”

She nodded. He ascended the stairs and walked down the corridor to his room and unlocked the door. Opening his knapsack, he found his pouch and opened it. Inside was a stack of gold folias. Looking through the pouch, he found no silver or copper pieces. He frowned and pulled out one gold folia and closed his pouch and knapsack, before exiting his room and knocking on Aquillia’s room.

She opened the door, her eyes bleary.

“Do you have any change for gold?”

“I might.” She returned to her bedside table and opened her knapsack. “Come in.”

Araki stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

“Didn’t your parents give you anything smaller than gold folias?”

“Just the gold.”

“Are you paying for the rooms?” Aquillia asked, placing her pouch on the bed beside him.

Araki nodded.

Aquillia looked at him and then gave him twenty silver pieces.

Araki took it and gave her the gold. He hurried down the stairs and descended the stairs. He placed three silver pieces on the counter.

She smiled at him and counted out his change, placing the eighteen copper pieces in his hand.

Araki gulped. “I was wondering if you could show me around town?”

She nodded and stepped around the counter. She stuck her head through the door.

“Thanos, I am taking a break,” she called into the room.

***

The bass echoed into his mind,

A man’s heart is fickle,

true must a man’s heart be

to wield the spirit.

Honour and glory

reveal the soul.

remain true to your word

and see glory.

The baritone joined the bass and echoes in his head,

A king stays with a lie.

Then the baritone continued alone,

Lies destroy the heart and mind,

Truth frees the soul,

Honesty shall humble you.

Gains shall follow.

Return to truth,

Separate truth from lie.

The sword divides,

Truth sets the captives free.

Araki woke and looked around the room. The clerk was asleep on the bed beside him. He glared at his weapon propped up against the far wall. How long did Grandfather put up with this? What will make them stop? He lay back into soft mattress and went back to sleep.