image [https://i.imgur.com/ATg6Q8A.png]

THE UNDERWORLD

Monte hadn't noticed them before. Archways that lined the winding footpaths through the Jeweled city. They stood alongside doors, between the vendors' stalls, in plain view but always just out of sight.

No sunlight remained as Monte, Pavani, and Karth wound down an unfamiliar path. Had it not been for the dim light these archways cast, they wouldn’t be able to see their feet below them.

"It's this one! I think." Pavani said, finally. A quarter of an hour couldn't have passed since they left the Abbas' palace. It felt like longer because of how quiet everything was on the streets. They must have walked by dozens of archways, and now Pavani picked this one.

How can you possibly tell?

Pavani walked into it and Karth followed without voicing any concerns. Monte thought it was possible he had none, but it was more likely that Karth was also keeping them to himself. Monte followed in after them.

Ensconced in the wall was a gaslamp. It burned brightly above the inner doorway. Monte guessed every one of the archways led to an inner doorway like the one before them. Pavani rapped on the wooden door twice and a small window slid open.

"What is it?" A gruff voice spoke.

"It's me. I've got my brother and his friend here." Pavani said. Monte thought she was distorting her voice a little, pitching it lower than normal. Or was she pitching it higher around her parents?

The small window closed shut immediately. There was stillness at the end of the walkway for a moment. Karth turned back to look at Monte with an apologetic look. Had they been rejected?

No sooner had the two old friends exchanged glances did the door shudder and open. As it did, a dull roar emerged from inside. The din, along with more light, was coming from deep in the passageway.

"Hurry up now." The gruff voice spoke again. Monte could see now it belonged one of the largest men he'd ever seen. He must have been a foot taller than Monte, with arms that surely quieted the rowdiest of impulses in drunk men and hands that bore signs of use in disposing them.

Monte remembered the handful of night life establishments in the Capitol he and Karth would attend from time to time. The men that sat near the door, ready to keep the peace, when the peacekeepers in training got too carried away. This man was one of them, and Monte knew where Pavani had brought them.

"Let the stag party begin then." Monte said, placing a hand on Karth's shoulder.

They had only just made it through the door. Pavani looked back with a devilish grin. Karth was still taking it all in. Before the group was an underground facsimile of the streets above. There were even more exotic sights and smells, and music grew more present. Monte watched as Pavani waved a subtle hand towards a vendor, or perhaps bartender, who returned a nod.

"Where are we?" Karth finally asked.

"You've never heard of the underworld? Get with it Karth." Pavani let her old voice return and drip with mock derision. The man who had returned her nod produced a tray with three small glasses of clear liquid and three slices of what Monte judged was some kind of fruit.

"Thank you, put it on my tab." Pavani said to the man. She then distributed a glass and fruit slice each to Monte and Karth and kept one set for herself.

"What is this?" Karth asked.

"Are you here to have fun before you get married or not?" Pavani asked, then she drank the fluid in one gulp and sank her teeth into the flesh of the fruit. It was a practiced motion Monte judged she had done plenty of times before.

"Well… Are you?" Monte said. Then he copied Pavani's movements. At first the fluid had no smell or taste, but ran down his throat slowly, like honey. In an instant, and all at once, the spices of the drink hit him. Monte felt his throat begin to burn.

When he was young and still learning about the forge, he had sometimes forgotten to breath carefully through his nose and sucked up a lungful of hot, dry forge air. The sensation produced from the fluid was similar.

Why would anyone drink this?

He bit into the fruit, following Pavani’s lead. Sweet, herbal juice followed the burning liquid and quenched the fire immediately. An instant of pain and torture preceding the bite of fruit made the flavors more discernable, more potent. Two things, each potent and powerful, made to be consumed together to highlight them, and produce an effect neither could alone.

Monte watched Karth look between his two braver companions and give in. He drank back the liquid. Pavani and Monte both knew what was coming now. The look on Karth's face changed to disgust, terror.

"What did you make me drink?" Karth cried through a retching cough.

"Bite the fruit!" Monte and Pavani said together, both clearly enjoying the reaction. Karth did it, not because he trusted them, Monte knew, but from the pressure of being watched. His face slowly changed as he experienced what the other two had just been through.

"Ahhh… Okay that was good. Let's do another!" Karth said, smiling.

"Come on you dummy, we have a lot more to see." Pavani said. She turned and walked deeper into the tunnel, making her way through the thin crowd.

The music got louder and louder, and Monte noticed the tunnel widened significantly as they progressed. Down in the underworld there were turns off the tunnel. Was it all connected underground?

They hadn't travelled very far when Pavani led them through an archway into a small vestibule. It reminded Monte of the Underground City. Except, instead of a mysterious door there was a maroon velvet curtain, instead of the squeaking of rats he could hear a troupe of musicians playing, and instead of the rancid stench of wastewater the air was filled with a pungent perfume.

Just inside the archway opening was a desk with a woman standing behind it. Her face was painted to accentuate the shape of her eyes and the color of her lips. Still, she wasn't what Monte noticed first. Standing on the desk was a live monkey. Monte hadn't ever seen one in person. He'd only read about them and seen drawings. This monkey was obviously a pet. It wore a collar with a bell and had a small hat strapped on its head.

Monte wasn't the only one who noticed the monkey. Within an instant the cat had leapt from her perch upon Monte's pack down to the counter.

"Hey what is this?" The woman behind the counter shouted. It caused enough commotion that a few people standing just outside the doorway looked in to see what was going on.

"I'm so sorry, she's just never… This is new to her. Come on you." Monte fumbled to explain as he grabbed the cat. The monkey seemed interested in her, he cocked his head inquisitively. Monte heard the cat's bell tingle, unbroken, for a solid few seconds, and she squirmed and swished her tail. Monte thought he even heard a low guttural growl. He was glad for the noise of the troupe to drown it out.

You're lucky I was here to grab her, little guy.

"Look you can't just bring your pets in here guy, what do you think this is?" The painted woman behind the desk was on the cusp of getting a little animated.

There goes our warm welcome.

"He's with me, and he is sorry. So is the cat." Pavani said. Monte thought it was convenient she waited until now to step in, but he was still grateful. The Painted woman was about to start into Pavani but did a double take when she saw her. Monte noticed a wave of recognition wash across her accentuated features, and just as quickly, disappear.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Oh. Well. No harm no foul. Will you be joining us this evening then?" The painted hostess' demeanor now utterly changed.

Who changes their tune that quickly?

"Well, it depends, do you have any more of that fiery drink?" Karth asked. Monte saw Pavani roll her eyes aggressively towards the hostess, who let a grin slip across her face.

These two know each other.

"Yes, please. My brother here is getting married so before he does, he wants to have some fun.” Pavani said, answering the original question.

“No better place for that than the Underworld." The painted woman said. She looked at Karth as she did, a strong hint of irony in her demure voice. Then she grinned at Pavani, who rolled her eyes.

"Put it on my tab." Pavani said.

"Of course. Follow me then, right this way." The hostess gave a little nod to the three of them. She came around the desk and slipped under the dark curtain. Karth and then Pavani followed.

Monte turned to leave and felt a little pull that kept him from moving. He looked down to find the monkey scratching the cat between the ears. She looked extremely content with the situation.

"Can I trust you to stay here?" Monte said.

The monkey looked up at him. For a moment, he looked like he was about to speak a response. Instead he heard the sound of the cat's bell gently tinkling. Cautiously, he placed the cat on the counter. Neither she nor the monkey seemed inclined to violence. The cat let the monkey keep scratching her between the ears.

Maybe this place just has that effect.

Monte left the cat and slipped under the velvet curtain and immediately bumped into Karth.

"Hey, keep it moving buddy." Monte said. Karth didn't budge. Monte could see his gaze was transfixed, he started straight ahead. What could possibly have grabbed his attention like that?

Monte followed Karth's gaze to a stage. It was situated in the center of the room. Around it were seats filled here and there with men and women all similarly transfixed. Sheer purple and green sheets of fabric covered the lights above the stage, softening the light in the room and tinting it to an intoxicating level. All this combined to give the trio of women and their dance an air of unreality.

Their bodies writhed independently, hands here and there brushed one another. They were wrapped in fine silk, but parts of them that would normally be covered remained exposed. Where their dance ended and the music began was impossible to discern. Monte, too, was immobilized by what he was seeing.

"Hey… hellooooo in there. You two coming?" Pavani was waving her hands in front of them.

"We have a spot at the bar, over here." She said. Karth, still entranced, had to be physically pulled over to the edge of the room.

The bar was an alcove in the corner of the room. Instead of chairs there were stools so you could turn around and see the stage. Karth sat down facing the dancers and didn't turn back until their performance was finished.

"Three ales, please. And three of those burning spice drinks with the fruit if you have them?" Monte said as he sat down facing the bartender.

Pavani took the seat next to him. Once again, it appeared to Monte that Pavani was recognized by the bartender. After Monte ordered, she pulled a bottle from a shelf and gave Pavani a quizzical look. Pavani responded with a nod and swiveled around in her chair. Monte copied her again and turned to face the performance.

"Have you… been to this place before?" Monte asked Pavani after a moment.

"Not here, but there are plenty of places like it." Pavani replied. Their drinks came and Monte reached back for their ales. He gave one to Pavani and tried to give one to Karth, but he still couldn't be bothered.

"Cheers. Thanks for finding this one. Seems like Karth is enjoying it." Monte said, holding his mug out. Pavani tapped hers to his and took a long drink.

"I knew he would. He's never lived here, really. We were both born here of course, but he got to attend the Academy. Plus, that was before dad had his business here. Once I was old enough, dad decided it was better for him if I studied here." Pavani said.

"I see. So that must explain why everyone seems to recognize you." Monte said. He was confident in the assessment, until Pavani offered no acknowledgement aside from a sidelong glance. It wasn't his place to pry, he was a guest, and he decided to abandon the question.

"Between us, I can't stand these places. These women don't have any choice in life except to dance. They have no schooling. They get paid, sure. But only a little better than the unclean. It's not a great place." Pavani seemed like she was having the conversation with herself. Monte wasn't sure where to interject.

"I don't think I understand the Unclean." Monte admitted.

"It would be hard to unless you were born here. Me and Karth are lucky. Our parents weren't born into the wealth like we saw at the Abbas' palace. They were vendors, barely a step above unclean.” Pavani stopped for another long drink from her ale.

“Somehow mom got them to save up enough to sail to the Capitol. Over there, it doesn't matter who your parents are. Like my mom says if you sell the right stuff at the right price, you can be whoever you want to be in the Capitol." Pavani said. Monte thought she sounded a little wistful, and a little bitter.

She finished her drink, placed it back on the bar and gave the bartender a glance. Monte looked down and saw his mug was still almost full. He drained it too, with some difficulty, and placed his mug with Pavani's.

"It does seem like our system is a little more… fair." Monte said, starting to get lost in his thoughts, processing what Pavani had said.

He had been working alongside dock workers and stableboys for the past few weeks. It wasn't easy work, and it wasn't glamorous. But he realized that everyone, including him, chose to be there. Everyone had their own story, their own motivations and goals. None of the stories, he noted, were that they were born into doing it.

"People deserve to choose their lives, not have it decided for them at birth." Pavani said. The bartender placed two fresh mugs of ale down on the bar. The sound the heavy mugs made brought him back into reality. This time Pavani distributed the drinks.

"Cheers to that. To being able to choose your life." Monte said. He touched his mug to Pavani's again. Monte took a short moment to reflect on the events so far that day. When he woke up this morning, there was no way he could have predicted he would end up here.

It is important to choose your own life.

"When did we sit down here?" Karth asked. The song had wrapped up and the dancers cleared the stage for the next performance. Karth was suddenly aware of his surroundings again.

"Oh nice! The spicy minty drink. Thanks Pav! " Karth had turned around in his chair and found his drinks waiting for him.

Monte and Pavani turned around too. The three of them went through the ritual a second time. Knowing what to expect this time, Monte let the spicey liquid sit in his throat for longer, trying to pick apart the individual spices, before biting into the cooling fruit.

"Care for another?" The bartender asked. She, like the hostess and the dancers, had her face painted. Monte had a hard time seeing through the fact that perhaps the woman pouring them drinks had no other paths available to her.

"Yes please!" Karth said. Once again, Karth was transfixed. This time on the woman on the other side of the counter. He was already chatting with her. About what, Monte couldn't hear, but he was pleased to see his friend enjoy himself.

I’m here for Karth, not to liberate the unclean.

The troupe had started up their music again. Another group of dancers had taken the stage. It could have been that he’d been awake for almost an entire day, or the drinks effects hitting him, he wasn’t sure, but he felt dizzy. The perfume was stifling, the room was suddenly very warm. He needed to be there for his friend, but he could feel his head starting to spin.

"I think I need some air." Monte said. He stood up from the stool.

Karth didn't seem to notice as Monte made his way out through the curtain. He made it back into the passageway, which was now considerably more crowded, and realized he was already lost.

Monte looked around for a friendly face, and found nothing. People were shoving past him in the crowded passageway. He thought if he could find the large man who had opened the door, he could get out. The closest thing he saw was a pair of men who scowled at him as he pushed by, heading towards what, he didn’t know.

Then he felt a hand on the small of his back.

"Follow me, just through here." Monte recognized the voice. Pavani had followed him out.

She pointed him through the nearest arched walkway. They passed a door guarded by either the same large man or a completely different one, Monte couldn't tell. After a few more steps they emerged along a walkway. The air was cool and breezy and smelled salty and fresh. Monte filled his lungs with it and already felt better.

"We should go back." Monte said, feebly. Pavani gave him an exasperated look.

"We're not going in until you can tell me you're going to make it the rest of the night." Pavani responded.

"What about Karth?" Monte asked.

"Did you see him with that bartender. I think it's safe to say we won't be missed." Pavani grinned as she said it.

"I guess he has a type." Monte replied. That made both of them let out a laugh.

"Thanks. I guess I just couldn't keep up with you. You saved me." Monte said, as sincerely as he could. In the distance he could make out the Ocean. Moonlight painted the crests of the waves a lighter blue as they rose up and fell.

"Don't mention it. You almost got us kicked out with the cat, if you'd been sick in there I'm sure I'd never hear the end of it." Pavani said.

The two of them stood in silence for a long stretch. Finally, Pavani looked at Monte and spoke.

"I remember meeting you."

Monte's eyes stayed locked on Pavani's. Both were silent for a moment.

"I remember you talking to Karth. You were so animated. I thought it was anger. Karth told us about your dad, anger made sense at the time." Pavani's eyes didn't budge as she spoke. Monte looked down at his hands.

"It wasn't anger. I thought about it for weeks after. It was righteousness." Pavani's voice softened a little bit. She reached out her hand, placing it on top of Monte's. The hand stayed there, Monte staring at it. Finally, he raised his head.

"I still don't know what happened to him. I've spent all this time, and I don't know anything more than I did then." Monte said. His gaze dropped to their hands again.

"Karth asked you to come here because he wanted to see you. I'm glad you're here. I'll never forgive my parents for telling the Abbas about your history." Pavani said. Monte looked up again. He drew his hands back to his sides, letting Pavani's fall. She pulled it back slowly.

So that's how he knew about me.

"Like I said, I'll never forgive them. I don't know what's gotten into them but…" Pavani's eyes finally looked away, out towards the sea.

Monte could hear the waves gently lapping at the rocky shore from the walkway where they stood. When they’d arrived earlier that day, the city teemed with life. It was loud and hot and writhing with life. Now it was quiet, cool, and still.