Amaria - the first sclenite-making city,

the Duval Mountains, 234

It was a breathtaking sight. At that moment, I regretted that there was nothing in the world to preserve this memory. My eyes devoured hundreds of candles glowing in gilded stands. The hall was so vast that I could hardly see where it began and where it ended. The walls were decorated with pictures painted by ancient artists. The ceiling arched high above the stone floor. Servants in colorful suits in the colors of the city ran among the guests, offering liquors in decorated glasses. The women were draped in the most beautiful rokhas I had ever seen. The soft fabric wrapped around them in a tangle of intricate folds, accentuating their curves. They had ornaments woven into their shiny long hair, jewels adorning their slender necks. They stood in clusters. Admired, conquered and loved. There were so many! If I were a man, I wouldn't be able to choose.

Even through the thick glass of the window I could hear laughter. Everyone had been preparing for this evening for days, maybe weeks, I thought. I admired their graceful movements and gestures. I tried to remember everything that happened in front of me. I closed my eyes for a moment and longed to be one of them. To have a beautiful hairstyle and shiny hair for once in my life. Not having to wear a mantle all the time.

I was interrupted from my reverie by Tessa brushing her shoulder against me. While my interest was caught by the people in the hall, she gazed at the tables offering all kinds of delicacies. From roast meat to sweets. Many of which I have never seen in my life. I immediately began to salivate.

"If only I could have a piece," she whined quietly. "I would just like to taste it. Do you think they would miss it?'

Certainly not. We both knew it. Even if we ate the whole table, there would still be enough left for everyone. Maybe for the whole city. Once the frozen foods have melted and the hot ones have cooled, they are thrown away. Those behind the window would rather waste it than have mercy.

I stroked Tessa's shoulder and smiled into the darkness. Both of our stomachs rumbled at the same time.

"When are they coming?" she asked as if she could know.

"Definitely soon," I comforted her and myself. We stood under the windows for more than an hour and it was only by sheer luck that the guard hadn't discovered us yet. "It's too late. He's sure to arrive any minute now.''

As soon as I finished that sentence, there was a buzz in the hall, and the eyes of everyone present began to turn in the direction where the large door was slowly opening. People stopped breathing, straightened, and stepped aside. Me and Tessa pressed closer against the window.

"I've never seen them!" she whispered.

"Me neither," I shook my head in frustration.

Even though they have visited the city so many times, I have never had the chance to see even just one of them. Let alone all together. That's why today, fueled by irrepressible curiosity, Tessa and I ran away.

When they entered, we opened our mouths in amazement. Tessa shivered next to me and I noticed several of the women watching reacted the same.

Twenty-five burly men had just entered the hall. Dressed in their uniforms, armed with weapons, they walked in two rows. The captain marched in the front.

I gasped. The heavy, rhythmic footsteps of the warriors rumbled through the silence. All eyes in the hall were on the walking men, but they did not return them. Their gazes went to where the faya of Amaria sat alone, surrounded by his large family.

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As the men marched up to him, they all struck their chests with their right hands at once and knelt on their right knee to pay their respects to their host. An old custom from the past that no one dared to break. They stayed like that for a moment, then straightened up again.

"Which one do you like the most?" Tessa asked excitedly, barely keeping her voice down. It was enough to see the twenty-five men and she forgot her hunger, her poverty and her short life. I couldn't blame her. I felt the same way.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at them one by one. Which one would catch my attention the most if I could stand with the others in the hall? I couldn't choose. I assessed their faces and bodies and my gaze settled on the warrior at the head of the group. It had to be the captain. Who else would lead them? He was exactly as the master had described him. Proud, gorgeous, tall. Short blond hair, shaved face, high cheekbones. The look of a man used to command. But the one on his right didn't look bad either. His longer brown hair was slightly wavy on his shoulders and there was a slight smile on his lips. Or was he frowning? The candlelight was sometimes confusing.

"I guess the captain," I finally breathed out disappointed, because I didn't want to admire this particular man. It's because of him that I haven't slept properly for a week. The master's life was in danger because of him. And eventually, maybe mine too.

"I like the one at the end. See?” Tessa pointed with a tiny index finger that was missing the last link as proof of our people's curse.

I tore my eyes away from her undeveloped finger and looked at the warrior. He was… terrifying. A robust figure with broad shoulders and a big chest. His thick black hair, braided into several braids, fell almost to his waist. Eyes black and large, partly hidden under broad eyebrows. Nose long, slightly curved in profile. He was beautiful and menacing at the same time.

I turned to Tessa in astonishment and was about to ask why she chose him when a painful blow to my back knocked me to the ground.

“What are you doing here?” the guard hissed, furiously dragging the foot he had kicked me with across the ground, trying to clean it. "You ran away from the ghetto! You will be hanged for this!'

As Tessa helped me back to my feet, the man in amarian palatul uniform drew his sword and in a moment a sharp black point appeared right in front of my eyes. I knew it wasn’t for defense. We couldn't hurt him in any way. We were just kids. But he wanted to keep his distance and warn us not to approach him. That’s how much afraid of us he was.

"Who do you think you are?" he continued with increasing anger. “How dare you spy here, you filthy bastards! Now that window will have to be washed properly!'

Hate oozed from his voice. I knew that if one of us moved the slightest bit, the guard would stab us on the spot. Then they would burn our corpses and nobody would protest.

I watched wide-eyed as he reached for the small curpula hanging around his neck to summon the others. There was no time to deal with the consequences. Without thinking, my hand flew up to my face and I tore off my voal. Beside me, Tessa gave a startled hiccup.

“Sorry, sir,” I started, trying to keep my voice firm and not shaky. I tried to act like the people in the hall. I straightened up and puffed out my chest even though I was barely able to stay on my feet. I looked the guard in the eyes and did not look away.

The man's hand stopped in mid-motion.

“We're not from the ghetto,” I continued before my courage left me. "We're just playing pretend. We shouldn't have done that, we're so sorry!”

Another one of Tessa's sobs hit my ears. I hoped she wouldn't collapse on the floor and reveal everything. They would execute us. I risked not only my life, but also my mother's and my brother's. I was barely breathing.

The man leaned towards me and his eyes widened. But when after a minute he couldn't find anything to disprove my claim, the hatred on his face turned to shock.

“For God's sake, kids!” he finally shouted in a voice full of panic. "What are you doing? I could have killed you! What kind of game is that! Which family are you from?'

We weren't dirty bastards anymore. He didn't want to stab us anymore. The curpula was already swinging obediently on his neck again. A clean face was all it took.

“Please, sir, don't tell anyone! We won't do it again! We promise! We just wanted to see them coming. We were so looking forward to them!” I waved my hand towards the window behind which the party was being celebrated and where everyone was admiring twenty-five of the most famous men in the Duval Mountains.

"You still have plenty of time for this," the guard scolded us mildly. When he made sure we weren't who he thought we were, his breathing calmed and his body relaxed. "Run home before I change my mind!"

He raised his finger and pointed away from the palate.

I didn't wait for anything and grabbed Tessa's hand. I was surprised how cold she is. As if just meeting the guard was enough to start draining the life out of her. Her four fingers wrapped around my wrist and moments later we were speeding through the empty, dark streets of Amaria. Happy to have survived the encounter with the guard, we both laughed hysterically.

"Ilan!" Tessa gasped beside me in relief. "That was crazy! Do you know what would happen if they found out you had a clean face?'

I knew it very well. My mother reminded me of this every morning when I woke up and every night when I went to bed. They would surely execute her for the lie she told years ago and send me to one of the burrows.

"I thought it was over! Luckily he didn't want to see me."

Yes. I was lucky my face was clean. I was lucky that it wasn't deformed or marked by who I was. But my luck ended there. I was born a glazier. I was nobody. I belonged neither to myself nor to my mother who gave birth to me. I belonged to the faya. And it was only up to him when and how I died.

But today was the first time I saw the twenty-five without permission. The feeling of free will was worth it. It was just as well worth seeing the one I might die for tomorrow.