The Winter Letter (23 page)

Will didn’t have to imagine. He had already heard them.

“Their filth covered the entire plain, and all the way into the foothills you could hear the battle. The earth was shaking with magic exploding in the city, but then, out of nowhere, a light, kinda pink, shot in a straight beam from sky to castle. It was eerie. As soon as the light flashed the screeching stop. Just like that.” Daveed snapped his stubby little fingers. “The light fell, then it rolled out, like big ripples, in every direction. You could see it coming, and everywhere it went the horde fell like they had been run over by horses. When it came to me, I fell back too, flipped twice, but when I stood back up only the weapons I had been carrying were harmed. They had turned instantly to ash and blew away, bag and all!”

“What was it?” Will asked. 

“I have no idea. But many of the Amokians, not all of them, but many, when they stood they had come to their senses. Those that did mostly left Baru in shame; those that didn’t retreated back to the caves. Now, they are more crazy than before.”

“What do you think happened?” Will asked.

“Something broke the spell on them. Some say King Neba sacrificed himself, but that can’t be true because the King was alive afterwards. There was a ceremony where he turned the throne over to King Mel. We haven’t heard from King Neba since. Some people think he died, but there has been no funeral.”

“King Neba gave the throne to King Mel?” Gatnom asked.

“Yes, all of the city witnessed it.”

“Mel must have bewitched him,” Gatnom said. “He must have been behind the horde, then when he had the throne he turned on those he used to gain it in the first place.”

“I don’t know,” said Daveed, “After the horde fell I retreated to attempt to build a life. That’s when I met Sharlin and married her faster than anyone liked, couldn’t wait. Little did I know her family never has single babies, but babies on top of babies. Our first child wound up being three.” Daveed laughed and shook his head. “Well, you boys ready? We better get going.”

The three climbed back into the wagon. As they got closer to the city Will noticed a few battle scars remained on the land: a crack here, a burial mound there. There were even small statues on top of the burial mounds, a sign never to forget. A few hours later they approached the entrance of the city. Just outside the gate a large sign stood, announcing... 

The City of Neba 

Founded by King Neba 

Who ruled all of Pugian for a thousand years.

Long Live the King!

“Get in the back boys, act like you’re asleep. Let me do the talking okay? Don’t worry, we shouldn’t have any problem. The market is open to almost anyone.” 

Will and Gatnom crawled into the back and lowered their hoods over their eyes. Jabber, who had been exploring the grass of the field all day, flew inside and hid underneath an empty bag for carrying grain. As the gate lifted the sound of many massive chains clanged at Will and Gatnom’s ears.

“What is your business friend?” a guard asked Daveed.

“We have come to buy in the open market. We’re from the valley in between the Peaks.”

“What is your name, Sir? Is there anyone in the back?”

“I’m Daveed. My young apprentices are sleeping in the back. They still have a bit to learn about hard work I’d say.”

“I know what you mean,” said the guard as he opened the curtain and looked at Will and Gatnom, who were both badly faking being asleep.

“I’m getting old,” Daveed said, “but I bet I can still outwork those two.”

The guard laughed. “Your name’s right here, Mr. Daveed,” he said, then he motioned for the inner gate of the wall to be lifted. More chains jerked, lights flashed, and the silver inner gate slid straight up and disappeared into the wall. “Have a good time trading. Put these boys to use somehow!” said the guard as he smiled and waved the wagon through the inner gate into a vast market of orange and blue buildings.

Twenty One
The City of Neba

Wohie wasn’t sure when she had fallen asleep, but when she woke she was in a bed big enough for ten kids and had on somebody else’s clothes. Her sleeveless t-shirt, rolled up pants, and lace-up boots were gone. Instead, she was dressed in a silky white gown that tripped her when she walked to the mirror at the end of the bed. Her fingernails were clean, and her skin, usually dressed in blotches of dirt, was shiny. She brushed her hair out of her face. It wasn’t up and braided like it was supposed to be, but rather fell in waves to just below her waist. She hadn’t noticed it had gotten so long. 

What was going on?

Quietly, Wohie tip-toed to the door and creaked it open to a hallway of windows. At both ends of the hallway, to the left and right, were closed doors. From the windows she could see she was on the fourth or fifth story over looking a courtyard of green grass and sporadic stone benches. The courtyard was surrounded by two other walls lined with the same windows she was looking out of. The walls connected three very tall towers. One was clearly visible at a point at the far end of the courtyard, while the other two could only be seen when she put her face on the glass and looked sharp to the left and right. The room she was in was part of the wall surrounding the inner courtyard of a massive castle.

“Oh no,” she whispered.

Wohie ran to the door at the far left end of the hallway, jerked it open, and ran through. She found herself in a room with a big bed and a mirror. “What in Pugian?!” She had come through the same door she had just walked out of and was back in the bedroom. Spinning, she ran back into the hallway, then turned and bolted through the only door she had not tried. Once again she wound up in the bedroom. She ran out again, and started jerking at the windows. They were all locked from the outside.

Wohie growled, wrinkled her brow, tapped her foot, and folded her arms. After thirty seconds of formulating she decided to try one last thing. She turned and slowly walked through the bedroom door, the same she had come out of three times already. This time she entered a different room, where a young woman turned and smiled.

“Good morning, or rather day. I trust you have slept well,” the lady said sweetly. To us from earth the woman would have appeared to be Asian, but she was from a distant city on the wings of Pugian. 

Wohie was in no mood for sweet talk. “Where am I, and who are you?”

“You are in the palace of the King of Baru. My name is Mei. I am your attendant.”

“Attendant? What’s an attendant? And where are my clothes?”

“I sent them to be cleaned and repaired. I dressed you for rest, but if you would like to change there are many choices in the wardrobe.” Mei pointed towards a skinny door. 

Wohie rushed into the closet. It was three times the size of her room back at camp. Clothes lined the walls, grouped by color, and beneath each section were shoes and accessories to match. Wohie shook her head. There were more clothes here than the whole world could possibly need. She skimmed her options, letting her fingers fall on every material. After a moment she walked out. 

“When will my clothes be ready?” she asked.

“Soon, I suppose,” answered Mei. “Could you find nothing to wear?”

“All of those things are so fancy. I don’t dress like that.”

“But you must look your best, we do not know when you will be called.”

“Called? Called what?”

Mei smiled. “Called to stand before the King of course.”

***

The City of Neba’s newest nickname was
The Silver City
, and it was easy to know why. The gates were silver, shiny and dark, like old polished gun metal, and each gate wore the emblem of King Mel on its bowed chest. The gates did not open to the right or left or lean in and out, but rather were lifted straight up by huge chains and disappeared completely into the wall. From close by, the wall gave the feeling of never-ending. After Daveed, Will, Gatnom, and Jabber put-putted into the market the gate slammed into the ground like a guillotine, making everyone but Daveed jump. A moment later the wagon stopped in a crowd of other wagons, very much glad to take a rest. Gatnom, Will and Daveed climbed out and stretched their legs. 

The market street was festive, lined with orange and blue roofs, with hundreds of vendors setup along the sidewalks. Jugglers tossed fruit up and down and up and down; guys on stilts with old fashioned coned megaphones screamed, “Get your shoes here!” or “Fresh minum manis, freshly brewed, in freshly formed clay cups!” There was even one man who kept trying to guess the age and weight of all the passerbys, but kept having to move his booth because of angry women who lied about both when he guessed right. Underneath makeshift lean-tos built off the side of old balconied homes were tables stacked with vegetables, fruits, and fish (not the talking type of course). Behind those tables sat old women smiling with old pretty teeth, young women with see-through veils, and old and young men without shirts. Sometimes the buyers just left the money sitting on the table because the seller was too busy playing a muargi and singing happy sounding songs to attend to their customer.

Will and Gatnom followed Daveed down the street to a fruit booth run by a huge man who jiggled every time he laughed. The giant called out to Daveed before they got there. 

“Daveed, yew old man yew, what ya old self doin back ear so soon, eh? Wanna gimme all ya money or sumpen?”

“Oh shut up you fat mountain. If I wanted to talk to a whale I’d be in a boat.”

“Oh yah?”

“Yeah.”

The two exploded in laughter and embraced each another in a tight guy hug that included three or four pats on the back. “Moa, my friend, how are you?” Daveed said, pulling away from the hug. Will noticed the short man was not even able to reach all the way around the fat man’s belly.

“I’m good, just look at me,” Moa slapped his jiggling stomach. “Moa, happy happy.”

“Hah! It’s good to see you,
all
of you.”

“You too. You’re still ugly, but that’s what keeps me praying, eh?”  

The two laughed again. 

“Friend, I need your help,” said Daveed once they stopped laughing.

“Yah, what ya need?”

“Remember you told me if we ever needed to get into the inner district of the city you could get us in? Well, these two young men here need in.”

Moa looked at Will and Gatnom. “What deh need into dat district fo? What da two boys need at da palace?”

“They are helping us in the valley. That’s all you need to know for now.”

“What you sayin?”

“I’m saying you should help us after all the business we do. I mean, look at all the other stands on this street. How many customers buy as much from you as me?”

Moa leaned back and contemplated the situation. He looked Daveed right in the eyes while he thought. “This got anything ta do wit those kids dey just found?”

“What kids?” Gatnom asked quickly.

“What kids? Da news is everywhere! Some kids were brought to da palace, they’re being kept there. It’s big news. No kids been found out der fo years.”

“What do you mean, what did they look like?” Will asked.

“I don’t know, kids, little`ens, ya know.” Moa looked at Will with an
are you kidding me
look. “They were found somewhere beyond the peaks and brought to da palace to meet da king.”

“Was there a girl?” Gatnom asked.

Moa looked at Gatnom funny. “I think so. There was news of a girl, but news can’t always be trusted, ya know? What’s wrong fella, you look kinda—”

“Will you help us?” Daveed asked, interrupting to take the attention from Gatnom’s worried face.

Moa thought some more, then he spoke with a smile. “What business is it o`mine, eh? We good friends. I trust ya. Come on in da back, I can get yew in. No problem.”

“Thank you,” Gatnom said.

“No problem, I said. Come on. Come on.”

Moa led them behind his stand to a stack of large wooden boxes. He grabbed the big box on top with one hand and lifted it as if it were made of air. The top acres of his arms looked as hard as stone, but from underneath dangled more waves than on flag day. Inside the bottom box was piles of rotting fruit that made everyone but Moa take two steps back. When the smell came blasting out Jabber almost fell off of Will’s shoulder.

“Oh my God, close that,” Will said trying not to throw up.

“Get used to it friend. If yew wanna get in da inner city you gonna have to hide in ear for a while.”

“In there! Why? We’re in the city already.”

“This is only the market,” Daveed said. “It is an open part of the city. The inner part is where the palace is, and the roads going in are guarded.” 

“Is there any other way?” asked Gatnom.

“I fraid not,” said Moa. “Any other way would get yew caught. Dees trucks ain’t checked until they stop. They suppose to be, but nobody wants to dig through all this. Anyway, once inside, if yew get out without bein seen, yew be okay.”

“No way man. I ain’t getting in that thing. I think I’m gonna uuhbbrrruuugh—” 

Will did
uubrrrugh,
all over the big man’s feet.

“Ahh! What you go and do dat for, eh?! Oh man, dees shoes ain’t got no toes, nah!” Moa shook his giant foot in the air. “Listen, dis dee only way I know. They come and get it and dump it into da moto car. The route goes into da inna city. When you there, just act normal, people think you spose to be there. See, only city residents can get in da inner gates, but other folks gotta get special permission. It’s to keep out all da crazies. I gotta get back to muh stand, ya. Go ahead, have fun! Smells good, eh?” 

Moa slapped Will and Gatnom on the back and nearly knocked them both into the smelly box. 

“Go my friends,” said Daveed. He peered into both of their eyes. “Find our sons.” And, with that he turned and wobbled his way back to the front to argue with his friend. Will looked at the box of stink. He felt his mouth start to water, but not the type of water that comes from being hungry, the other type.

“Is that it?” asked Will. “Get in the trash and wait?”