Chris stepped out of the narrow passage and into a large room floored with green-brown tiles made from clay. The walls were inlaid with elaborate wood carvings depicting animals frozen in motion. All around, a swathe of flickering lamp lights lit the room with dancing shadows.
The room was smothered with a collection of sundry items, leaving it cramped and stifled. On their right stood a small table littered with wood shavings and half-complete wood carvings. Next to it was a modest desk stacked with books, the most prominent being a tome emblazoned with a six-pointed leaf.
To their left stood a shelf decked with dozens of pot plants arranged in an orderly manner. One vile specimen sat on a chair, a decrepit bonsai tree drenched in black sludge Its branches hung limp, propped up with a web of strings that hoisted it upright like a marionette of a tree.
A rug was sprawled out in the middle of the room, woven with depictions of green and blue flowers. The ladies were already seated on the rug, though Lucy wasn't with them. Both Nandi and Asanda had changed into bulky skirts and wore ornamental green and brown necklaces he’d seen around camp.
They were seated around a wooden disc, about knee high in height. And a flurry of neatly embroidered pillows were arranged around it like chairs. Altogether, the space was unlike anything he’d ever seen before and reminded him of family.
“Alright, what is happening here?” Zareti asked, not moving towards the mat.
“Waiting for dinner to arrive, obviously,” said Asanda, eyeing them like they were idiots. “Did they not feed you in the Heartlands?”
“They did,” Chris said carefully. “But we were never invited to anything so formal as this. I’m afraid we don't know the customs.”
“Not to worry, it's not too difficult,” Nandi said with a smile. “Just take a seat and lean on your right hand while making sure the left is free to use for eating.“
“How do you expect me to eat with my left hand when I’m right-handed?” Zareti asked with a frown.
“Just as most people are,” Asanda said. “Did you think that made you special? Just do as you’re told or you can leave the Valley for all I care.”
Chris looked at his friends before shrugging and following instructions. It took a while to seat himself comfortably and when he looked around, it was to see Zareti struggling. His bulky frame shifted this way but he struggled to find a comfortable arrangement. Meanwhile, Dante lounged on the mat like it was second nature to him, and his wrinkled eyes stayed fixed on the sisters, Asanda especially.
“Leaning on your dominant hand during dinner is an important tradition in our culture,” Nandi explained once they were all seated. “Of all seven clans in the old country, the Azzari took the role of pacifiers. The others would come to us to settle their disputes. And to make sure there was no bloodshed, it was important that no one was armed or had their dominant hand on the Sodora,” she said, pointing to the wooden disc which acted like a table. “We have done our best to maintain that tradition.”
“It would’ve been nice if our clothes came with some of the padding you have on your skirts,” Chris muttered with a grunt. “The pillows are fine, but I can feel it will be brutal if I remain here for longer than a few minutes.”
“That’s as it should be,” said Nandi, an imperceptible smile curving her lips. “Only women are allowed to sit around the Sodora for any prolonged period of time. The reed chafing at your backside is a reminder that all men must be out tending the garden. Though I suppose that practice might be over now that the world is what it is.”
“You guys seem to have an answer for everything.”
“Not everything, but we try our best. I’m sorry, but did you guys steal the Calanthia you’re wearing? I don't want to come off as disrespectful but you’re too ignorant of our customs to have earned one.”
Chris looked down at his green and black combat suit and winced. Now wasn't the time to have that conversation so he tried to deflect as smoothly as he could.
“As you said so yourself, things have changed now that the world is what it is. We haven’t been in this land for long and we’ve spent most of that time making sure there's enough food to feed the people in Naruk.”
“That should explain it,” said Nandi, nodding solemnly. “I suggest you find a change of clothes now that you’re in Elysia. Wearing a Calanthia on this side of the Eschew Mountains is the fastest way to get yourself killed.”
“Why do you say that?” Dante asked, suddenly on full alert.
“That’s a long story. One I might tell you another time. For now, let’s just say the people in the Heartlands and Elysia aren’t on the best of terms.”
Chris was about to say something but was interrupted by a pungent aroma of meat and spices drifting through the air. His stomach growled, reminding he hadn’t had anything to eat since that morning, and he crossed an entire mountain range since then. Looking around, he saw Makazi standing at an archway with tears streaming down her face.
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She was holding onto a small trolley packed with a variety of dishes and eating utensils. She just stood there staring at them. Her breaths came in deep heaves and she had one hand pressed to her chest to calm herself. Alarmed, Chris hurried to his feet, almost tripping over twice before clambering to his feet.
“Shit, I’m sorry if any of this was inappropriate,” Chris said in a rush. “We don't know the customs and they said we can sit and wait.”
“No, no, no. That’s not it, that’s not it,” Makazi said, wiping her eyes demurely and pushing her trolley forward. “Don’t mind me, dear. I’m an old woman who lets her emotions get away from her sometimes, that’s all. Please have a seat. I…”
Chris sat down awkwardly, listening as Makazi went on and on about how she didn't have enough time to prepare a proper meal for this gathering. Then she apologized for the room being a mess, for not giving them a chance to freshen up. He even thought he heard her apologize for the weather at some point.
All the while, she set out dishes on the table with a familiar ease. Then proceeded to dust off smudges only she could see using her apron. It was done with the absent-minded frenzy of a woman trying to salvage something.
She was nervous, that was plain to see. About what? He didn't rightfully know. He kept his mouth shut and glared at Zareti when he tried to interject. Asanda and Nandipha bore it all with the patience of people who had long grown accustomed to such behavior and knew better than to interrupt.
“… can’t remember the last time I prepared a meal for a full Sodora,” she went on, “forgive me if there’s anything out of place. I was only a girl the last time I did something like this. I forgot what it feels like.”
“It looks beautiful,” Chris said when she was finally out of breath. “You opened your door and made us feel welcome in our time of need. For the kindness you showed us, you have our eternal gratitude.”
He bowed his head and nudged Zareti to follow suit. There followed a squeal, quickly stifled, followed by footsteps dashing out the room. Chris looked up to find Makazi gone and the sisters seated leisurely as though nothing had happened.
“Our eternal gratitude,” said Zareti, elbowing him with a wide grin. “I didn't know you had that in you, Chris,”
“I learned it back when I had a girlfriend in high school with ridiculously rich parents,” Chris said absently, looking around in confusion. “I was trying to impress them. It didn't work out in the end but a few things stayed with me. Uhh, is someone going to tell me what just happened?”
“You made quite the impression on her,” Nandi said, already digging into the food. “I haven’t seen Makazi that smitten since Asanda took to wood carving. She’s probably out in the meadow having a little cry. Just give her a few minutes and she’ll be back.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Nothing like that,” said Nandi with a dismissive hand. “Makazi has always been expressive with her emotions. Just give her some time and she’ll be back feeling better.”
“It was a very nice thing to say,” said Asanda begrudgingly. “But don't think that means I won't be keeping my eyes on you.”
“The thought never even crossed my mind,” said Chris with a smile. “Can the rest of us start on our meal, or must we wait for her to come back?”
“No need,” said Nandi. “Help yourselves before it gets cold.”
“Thanks,” Chris said, and began dishing for himself. “Why isn’t Lucy here, by the way?”
The dishes were an assortment of vegetables with rice and spaghetti in the mix. What was odd was a tray with what looked like a roasted fox-like creature laid atop it. It had nibs on its back, as though the creature had wings at some point. They must have spanned at least eight meters to keep a creature of that size aloft for a reliable amount of time.
Then again, that might not be the case anymore he reminded himself for the umpteenth time. With the Taint and all the strange happenings in this world, it was better to not speculate on anything from here on out.
“She was too lazy to dress for the Bounty ceremony and decided to have dinner in her room instead.”
Chris nodded, still not sure what the Bounty ceremony was about, but shrugged it away and dug into dinner. The homemade meal tasted like heaven after all the weeks he spent eating nothing but flame-cooked meat. After a while, he quickly realized only the meat came from the Blight Gate. The rest of the meal was as filling as eating cardboard as far as nutrients go, but the added flavor made it worth it. At some point, Makazi returned, looking very embarrassed.
“I apologize about that,” she said, taking off her apron and seating herself gracefully next to her daughters. “Did you enjoy my Grazna?”
Zareti immediately launched into a long tirade about how much he enjoyed the drink, no doubt trying to make an impression of his own. For her part, Makazi preened under the praise and asked varying questions about what they wanted for their next meal. Chris frowned but nodded along at all the right places.
With good food in his belly and pleasant conversation all around, Chris allowed himself to sit back and indulge in the moment. Ever since Makazi returned, the atmosphere seemed to have come alive. She entertained them with a line of silly tales about Asanda’s and Nandi’s upbringing. And the sisters spoke over one another with flushed faces, adamantly denying Makazi’s claims. Zareti joined in, revealing intimate details about his homeland he hadn't shared in all the months he’d known him.
Before he knew it, the scene changed before his eyes into something mesmerizing, elemental, profound. How long had it been since he sat around a table and enjoyed being in the presence of others? Even before coming to this world, his relationship with his family had been strained.
When dinner was done and the dishes were stacked into a neat pile at the center of the table. Makazi took out a box the size of a dinner plate and placed it on the table in front of her. There was a collective intake of breath before both sisters abruptly went silent. Makazi ignored them and looked at them with an excited glint in her brown eyes.
“Now that you’ve all had something to eat, it's time we get started with the Bounty,” said Makazi.
Chris frowned and asked, “I’m sorry, but what is this Bounty ceremony?”
“Something that can wait for later,” Asanda interjected. “I’m sorry, Makazi. But there’s something you need to hear before we get started on the ceremony. These three aren’t just pilgrims, they also bring news from the Heartlands. I didn't want to tell you earlier because I know how much you’ve been looking forward to others joining us. But I think it's time you heard how our homeland has fared since the Channels arrived.”