The group leaves the tower after their meeting with the prince to compile a list of necessary supplies and spend time preparing for their "mission".
"Food," Goddard mumbles to himself. "We definitely need food...at least one watermelon. And actual water and something soft to sleep on."
Bast settles on the steps of her wagon, considering this list. This could be a good chance to pick a few things up... she thinks, setting the paper in her lap. Reaching behind her, she grabs a wordstick and starts listing.
ReplyDelete"Food...new feathers for my mattress...beer for Beta...oh! a chicken!" she writes furiously, tugging at her long black braid. "Maman always said if you don't know where you're going, take a chicken."
"What? A chicken? Why? How's the chicken know where it's going if you don't?" Goddard asks as he plops down next to Sebastiana. He seems confused and thoughtful at the same time. "And beer? For your big headed cow? Is that even good for him?"
ReplyDelete"He is not a cow, he is a giant hoofed ass. And Beta likes it." She looks over the side, trying to habg off the step and see beneath the wagon. "Spare wheels, and perhaps an axle as well..."
ReplyDeleteOrzad thinks carefully on what he thinks is needed for the adventure.
ReplyDeleteWe going to need some Medical supplies food, rope, warm clothing, spare parts for the wagon, and about 50 shillings for and bribe and travel expensive.
At the bottom of the list Orzad also wrights down "Some spare mechanical parts"
Goddard laughs a bit then holds onto the bone charm around his neck. "Ya know...I still don't know about the seeds," he says skeptically. "Growing in someone's stomach and all...but I still think this will protect me from black magic," he smiles.
ReplyDelete"I've seen these...dream catchers," Goddard points up into the wagon. "Do they work? I mean...really work?"
Bast looks over at him and raises an eyebrow. "They do. I have no night terrors in my wagon." She adds twine, tinder, and two horns to her list. "Do you have night terrors, Goddard?"
ReplyDelete"No way," he says confidently with a fanged grin. He then stares up at the dream catcher as he thinks for a moment. "I don't think I've ever had a dream," he mumbles, looking down at his boots. "That's kinda weird."
ReplyDeleteShe reaches over and tweaks his nose. "You are too young to lose dreams," she tells him. "Perhaps too young to have dreams. I do not know, my sight does not pass that veil. Hmm.." Bast closes her eyes a moment, expression changing from thoughtful to cheerful to disgusted rather quickly. "Maman," she scolds softly to herself. "That is distasteful."
ReplyDeleteGoddard blinks quickly. "What? What's distasteful? And who are you talking to?"
ReplyDelete"A jar of...head jelly," she says, making a face and tapping her temple. "Maman suggested it for safe travel. I think is unnecessary."
ReplyDeleteHe tilts his head slightly to the side. "Head...jelly? What is...do I even want to know?" Goddard sighs. "This place confuses me so much."
ReplyDelete"If it makes you feel better, gadje, my people are stranger than most humans," she continues in her strange accent. "Maman uses head jelly for soup sometimes. It is no good," she moans.
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks at Bast and raises a brow. "Humans...you...you say that like I'm not a human," he chuckles almost nervously as he flicks his tail under his cloak and adjusts the hood on his head.
ReplyDeleteShe shrugs. "Some are, some are not. Kitty is not. That Max fellow with the melons is. His ladyfriend is not. We are what we are."
ReplyDeleteGoddard laughs softly and stands up. "I guess you're right." He pulls a fist sized orb from a pouch on his backpack and pokes at it a few times. It makes a whirring sound and floats into the air, shooting behind Goddard's shoulder. An iris in the center seems to blink with a red light.
ReplyDeleteHe slowly paces in front of Bast. "Keep track of this stuff, VOX. We're going on a trip and we need some food, and something extra comfy for me to sleep on, and...hmmm what else...something to drink?"
The orb buzzes a bit. "Um...I NEED food and water," Goddard says to the orb annoyed. "Just because you don't need it doesn't mean I don't need it."
"Of course I'm right, I know everything, remember?" Her voice takes on a level showmanship she portrayed when selling melons. "Past, present, future, what will and could be."
ReplyDeleteWhen he pulls out his contraption and starts talking to it, she frowns. "You're forgetting the chicken."
"If we are going to be going into the Priest's land, we might want to know who we are going to be fighting with and who we are going to be stuck with for who knows how long we be near each other." Orzad with a slight commanding voice. "I will start I'm Orzad, Sargent for the army of Pigaus, south of here.
ReplyDeleteBast rises, sweeping her arms out dramatically and setting hidden bells and shims shivering into music. "I am Madame Sebastiana, granddaughter of the drabarni Abhirati, wife of the tsingan kralis." She gives a low bow, hard eyes never leaving him. "At no one's service without shims."
ReplyDeleteOrzad Respectfully Bows back to Sebastiana "Pleasure to meet you Sebastiana, Do you know who the cat and the man with moss in his chest are?" Orzad said while looking at them.
ReplyDeleteShe gives him a glowing smile. "Kitty? Oh, she's horrible. She is known as Eartha. We have...some history together," she adds. "As to the mossy one, I can only guess that he is Tamas. Kitty has talked of him before, but I have never met him."
ReplyDelete"So you think of it as being "stuck" with each other?" Goddard crosses his arms. "As always...Orzad, the ray of sunshine..."
ReplyDeleteWith a sigh, he turns his attention to Bast. "You're married? And you know everyone and everything? And you're magic?" he grins. "Unlike someone else I know COUGH COUGH," Goddard jokingly elbows an unamused Orzad a couple times before he stops and takes a few steps to the side, away from him.
Bast stared at him a moment, confused. "Oh," she laughs. "No, not me. Maman is the wife of the kralis," she explains. "I am too young."
ReplyDeleteHe scratches his head. "That's so...confusing...I guess I don't have anything neat to go after my name. Just...Goddard."
ReplyDelete"Goddard is a good name," she tells him, returning to her seat in a swirl of color and music. "It is like the four," she explains, drawing a card with four swords on it from her sleeve. "Stable. Grounded. Your people chose it well."
ReplyDeleteGoddard shrugs. "I guess." He then grins. "Maybe at the end of all this traveling, I can add something myself. Like, Goddard, Monster Slayer of the North...or something..." The orb makes a chattering sound and Goddard swats at it. "Ya know VOX, I could slay a monster if I had to!" He stuffs his hands into his pockets. "Ya know...if I had to."
ReplyDeleteBast laughs at him arguing with the...thing. "If that is what you wish. When it comes down to it, I am just Bast, doing as she's told. Maman is the impressive one."
ReplyDelete"Goddard, If it will make you happy and stop messing with me the next beast we see I'll make sure that it you that gets the final blow." Orzad said grinning, "Do we have a deal?" Orzad reached His right hand out to Shake with Goddard's then the cloak that was covering his right hand started to slip off and Orzad immanently pulled his hand back before the cloak fell off completely. I hope no one saw my hand or this going to be awkward
ReplyDelete"I guess I could start out being Goddard the Explorer from...really far away," he laughs before turning his attention to Orzad.
ReplyDelete"Suuuure!" Goddard grins slyly. He holds out one hand, while he puts the other hand behind his back. When Orzad pulls back, Goddard does the same. "I'll just pretend that actually went through," he chuckles.
Bast raises a brow at the twos behavior. Odd ones, they are. She rises, taking her slip of paper and wordstick into the wagon. I'll need to make room for the chicken, she thinks, and begins pushing things around, cursing when things are heavy or fall over.
ReplyDeleteOrzad Leans over to Goddard " we are going to have to keep the truth about how we look a secret, We might be understanding of "people" like us but others may not and who knows what they would if they found out."
ReplyDeleteOrzad hears some yelling at the cart. He heads over, "Madam Sebastiana is everything alright?"
"Yes," she shouts out the door. "Just making room for the cat and the chicken."
ReplyDeleteOrzad walks up to the door, "Need me to help you with anything? And we sure the "cat" wont just eat the chicken when its given the chance?"
ReplyDeleteShe looks at him in horror. "Kitty would never eat my chicken!"
ReplyDeleteOrzad steps back, " I did not mean to scare you or anything, but in my experiences animals no matter how tamed will take your food when given the chance, so I'm just making sure your taking that into note when you find a spot for them." Orzad explained himself, "My offer still stands if you need any help moving something."
ReplyDeleteBast twists her hands nervously, reaching put to her grandmother. "Umm..." Maman, I have never been alone with a male before.
ReplyDelete"Bastiana, you will lose no respect from the kumania. I will not allow it. There are times when you will have to be alone. I am sorry, my love."
"No, I am fine," Bast answers. "It's not so heavy."
"Are we going to eventually eat the chicken?" Goddard peeks around Orzad. "I've heard everything tastes like it but I don't think I've ever really had any."
ReplyDeleteHe pushes past Orzad and points at various objects in the area, asking what try are and saying he's seen a few of them in dreams before.
Orzad Steps back and lets Goddard pass him, Orzad's right hand starts to twitch some. "Excuse me Madam, Goddard I have some things to take care of before we go." Orzad walked quickly off to a room where no one at and took out his repair kit and started to work on his hand to get it to stop twitching
ReplyDeleteAqua Cat must of done more to my arm then I thought After some strange buzzing and whirling sounds. "Got it" orzad mumbled to himself. Orzad fixed what was causing his arm to twitched and walked back to the group
Bast shrugs and moves a stack of candles to sit on a barrel. "I don't know," she tells him. "Maman just said to get a chicken."
ReplyDeleteLeaning against the barrel, she sighs and looks around her wagon. In her kumpania, as well as other traveling caravans, it was typical. Draped in fabrics and tapestries to cover the old wood and keep out drafts, she had a single lamp hanging from the ceiling throwing light across glass bottles, strange pieces of wood or bone, and a corner full of crates and barrels. The shiniest of shims were strung across the ceiling, giving a festive feeling to the small space. Her bed took up a corner near the front and was padded with colorful pillows and blankets. Her folded table and spare clothing was tucked away beneath it. It was cramped, but tidy.
"Well, that should be plenty of room for Kitty and the chicken," she says happily, looking back at Goddard. "Maybe we can have fresh eggs, that would be lovely!"
Orzad Returns to the Cart and asks Bast and Goddard, "Is there anything else ya can think of that we need? We have: enough food to last us a week, bedding, rope, light, warm clothing, one chicken some eggs, and some "travel" expensive." Orzad went thought to list and at the end he mumbled "and spare parts."
ReplyDelete"Eggs huh..." he wonders aloud. "Now...only chickens live in these eggs right? Nothing...crazy is going to come out of them?" Goddard looks at Bast with a bit of concern.
ReplyDeleteShe chews her lip, grinning and looking much younger than her 17 years. "Well...I have this one," she says, reaching into a dark pouch and producing a tiny egg. "There's a baby snake inside."
ReplyDeleteGoddard gets closer and stares at the egg. "So...when's it coming out? Do we have to crack it or something?" He looks upward at Bast with a raised brow. "How do you know there's even a snake in there? How do you know what's inside of any egg for that matter?"
ReplyDelete"No, he'll come out on his own. And I know it's a snake because," she replaces the egg, but her hand is wrapped in a snake when it emerges, "because this little one laid it."
ReplyDeleteGoddard remained close to Bast's hand until she pulls out the snake. He gasps quickly, takes a few steps back, and trips, knocking over a few containers that were on the floor and spilling some of their contents. He fumbles for a few seconds, trying to get them all upright again but soon quits and stands up quickly.
ReplyDeleteHe dusts himself off and clears his throat. "I-I see," he finally says a bit nervously, trying to hide his embarrassment.
She laughs. "I did not mean to frighten you." She puts the snake away and scoops up the scattered items and sets the jar on a shelf that runs along the top of the wagon. "He is fairly harmless, but do not let him bite you. Then he is not so harmless."
ReplyDelete"Well he can't be harmless and harmful at the same time," Goddard says, surprised that anyone would keep such a thing. "And...I mean...I've seen worse snakes...that one wasn't too bad...just...trying to be safe is all...you never know when one will suddenly grow to be a mile long..."
ReplyDelete"I have never met a gadje as strange as you are."
ReplyDelete"You have no idea," Goddard mumbles to himself. "Um...what is that anyway? Gadje?"
ReplyDeleteBast leans against a crate, keeping distance from the chavi. "It is just a word. In simplest words: an outsider. Not one of my people."
ReplyDeleteEartha moves quietly, not daring to give her position away. She has enjoyed watching the others from the top of Bast's wagon. Listening to them when they were out of siight was rather enjoyable as well. " The chicken had better pray to it's gods for my restraint to hold for this journey, I do enjoy a good chicken dinner from time to time. She almost snickers aloud at the hooded one's clumsiness as he tumbles about, knocking things over and such. Eartha finally slinks down the front of the wagon and gives Beta a white carrot as she scratches behind his ear. Moving around to the back of the cart she stands and watches the hooded one look confused at most everything Bast says. She also watches the other human descreetly. There is something strange about that one, smells of metal oil and strangeness. I must keep an eye on that one...
ReplyDeleteBast tilts her head to one side as if listening to something. "Kitty's nearby," she announces. "I wonder what she's been up to."
ReplyDelete"How do you know where she's at?" Goddard asks looking around. "I can't see her." He goes to put his hand on the jamb around the opening of the wagon and his hand goes through it. "What?" He pulls his hand back in confusion and puts it through again. "Uh oh...am I broken?" The next time he tries to put his hand through, he can't. "That was...weird..."
ReplyDeleteBast turns and starts scooping feed into a bucket. "I just know. We have a connection, like Maman and I do."
ReplyDeleteBucket in hand, she goes outside, feeling instantly better. It's hard to be alone with so many people discussing the evening's events. "What was weird?"
Goddard puts his hand up to the jamb again to see if he can show Bast and shrugs. "I guess it's ok now but...see...I can do this," he puts the tips of his fingers through the wagon. "And I can control it but in that moment, it just...happened."
ReplyDeleteEyes wide, she studies him a moment. Maman said there would be others with gifts...could this be who she meant?
ReplyDelete"We, ah...we all have our gifts," she stammers. "Sometimes even I cannot control my own."
"Zat is just one zing you can't control, my dear, but we won't go into zat. Zat would be a better conversazion for zee road dan here." Eartha walks over to Bast and lays her head on Bast's shoulder and releases a low purr. "It hazz beeen too long since we traveled togezza. Tiz a great shame we has done wizzout each ozzer's company." She watches Goddard with a curious glit in her eye, hopeful he will prove entertaining as well as handy on the road.
ReplyDelete"Oh...I'm sorry," he mumbles embarrassed. "But I guess your reaction is better than the other reactions I get from people," he laughs. "I just figured, since you're magic, you might know what was going on. But I guess that makes sense...I'm not supposed to be..." he stops himself and laughs again before walking ahead of her. "We should probably get that chicken and everything else."
ReplyDeleteBast scratches Earth's behind the ear. "It has. Maman sends her love, and a pouch of herbs in case of fleas. Papau sent salted fish."
ReplyDeleteOrzad Returns to the Cart and notices Eartha around talking to Bast and Goddard. Orzad bowed to Eartha "Good Day Madam.." Orzad stood up "I'm Sorry I do not know your name Madam."
ReplyDeleteOrzad Looks toward Goddard "I'll help you carry the materials back to the cart"
Bast hands Goddard her list as well. "If you would be so kind, chavi," she says with a bright smile. "I have things to finish here."
ReplyDelete"Good day, sir. I go by Eartha." She curtsies to the strange smelling human. "Before you go, what might your name be?" Eartha's eyes twinkle with curiousity as she smiles a toothy smile at Orzad.
ReplyDelete"I am Orzad" Orzad said as respectfully as he could with out letting Eartha get a good view of what is under his cloak.
ReplyDelete"Or-zad, that is Southarn, is it not?" Her whiskers twitch at the mention of the South. "Forgive me if I am miztaken." She eases back to the back of the wagon and sits on the small stoop as she watches Qrzad with great interest.
ReplyDelete" You are not Mistaken, I am from the south. Is there something wrong with the south?" Orzad asked
ReplyDeleteOrzad takes his 50 pound maul, with the tip is a solid piece of Iron that is wielded to a four foot long metal pipe, and lays it beside the cart. He dose keep his Blueish glass that is extremely strong with him as he adjusts his cloak to keep it from falling off his right side of his body.
Eartha smiles again and looks off into the distance. "Zere iz no-zing wrong with zee South, I am from there. My peoplez haz lived on zee savannah for many generationz." She comes back to herself after a moment and then locks eyes with Ozrad. "Zere iz no need for you to be zo ready to fight and your cazual threat iz not unnotized. You muzt cozider who you push when anozer iz pushing agaizt you." Eartha stands, giving Orzad a wink and a smile, she then walks off to follow Bast.
ReplyDeleteBast hums softly as she brushes Beta. The animal is quite content with his bucket of beer and lets her pick stones out of his massive hooves without complaint.
ReplyDelete"It seems Maman has sent us off for a real adventure," she tells him. "I wonder what she saw in her vision. What do you think Beta?"
Beta shuffles and snorts in response.
Eartha walks up behind bast as she is tending to Beta and begins to play with Bast's hair. "Why iz zee big man zo eager to fight? Have we done zomezing wrong, offended him in zome way?" She begins to braid Bast's hair, a twinge of jealousy at her lack of anything other than her soft fur.
ReplyDeleteBast preens under the cat's affection. "Perhaps he is not a traveler as we are," she offers. "Not all are fit to walk the Longo Drom. As for offense, I don't know, perhaps he is offended by friendliness." She pauses a moment. "Or fleas."
ReplyDeleteEartha drops, almost throwing down, Bast's braids. "I do not have fleaz, or haz I ever had zem." She stamps her paw in the dust and folds her arms across her chest. "I can not believe you would even inzinuate zuch, after all we haz been through togezzer." Eartha begins to walk away slowly, arms still folded across her chest.
ReplyDeleteLaughing, she chases after Earth's. "Oh Kitty, I didn't mean you," she explains, throwing her arms around the cat. "I was implying that he picked them up elsewhere." Nose to nose, she grins. "Never you, Kitty cat."
ReplyDelete"Chavi?" Goddard mumbles softly to himself as he takes Bast's list and walks off.
ReplyDeleteVOX buzzes when Goddard gets to the center of the market place and he grits his teeth. "No...I'm so dumb...I don't know where to even start looking for half of this stuff!" He pulls his hood down over his face in frustration then lets go when he hears a ripping sound.
"Ok...I can at least get a chicken...I know exactly what I'm looking for there," he tells VOX and heads over to where he can hear clucking sounds.
Once Goddard reaches the small cart with caged chickens, the 'salesman' is quickly by his side, wrapping his arm around Goddard's shoulder and grinning. "Hello there kid! I see you are interested in one of my fine feathered friends!"
"Um...yeah," Goddard says as he is practically pushed closer to the chickens.
"We have black ones, white, ones, pink ones! Chickens with two heads even! Want more drumsticks? We have then with more than two legs!"
Goddard looks around at all the clucking creatures and looks over at VOX, who is snickering in it's own way. "I-I....wait what? More than two legs? How does that even..."
"AH YES! Come right this way!" The salesman pulls Goddard over to a stack of cages with strangely shaped, multi-legged birds.
"I just need a plain one?" Goddard offers meekly. He had no idea buying a chicken could be so overwhelming.
"Why would you want a plain one when you could have one of these!" He shoves Goddard over to a stack of cages that have fluffy chickens in brilliant colors.
Eartha lets a weak smile peek out as Bast hugs her. "Yez, I can zee him get fleaz elzewhere. Not from me zo, never from me." She lets her head drop to Bast's shoulder and wraps her arms around her waist. "Why do peoplez want to fight? I hatez it, there are ozzer zings I would mush razer do zen fight." She then nips Bast on the neck and takes off at a quick sprint back around the wagon.
ReplyDelete"Gadje don't know how to travel and stay clean."
ReplyDeleteWhen Eartha bites her, she squeals and chases after her, threatening a bucket of water.
"I just want a regular chicken!" Goddard whines as he slips away from the salesman. "Like this!" he quickly grabs a cage and holds it up, almost as a shield between him and the man.
ReplyDelete"Alright kid, fine," the man sighs and holds his hand out. Goddard hands over the shins they were given to acquire supplies and quickly heads back to the wagon with the bird.
"Oh shut up VOX!" Goddard yells at the floating orb trailing behind him. "Let's see you do better! With your...lack of a body!"
Eartha leaps up the ladder into the back of the wagon and turns to face Bast. "If you wet me, you wet all your prezious zings as well." She smiles playfully and hunkers low to try to leap clear if Bast does toss the water at her.
ReplyDeleteBast lowers her bucket. "Bad Kitty," she mutters, spitting twice after. "I bring you fish and gifts from Maman, and you bite me for it."
ReplyDelete" I did not mean any offence with my actions I was just setting my maul down and readjusting my cloak" Orzad apologized to Eartha
ReplyDelete"I'll go help Goddard get the rest of the items on the list" Orzad leaves his maul and only caries his spear with him as he head off to help Goddard.
Goddard gets back to the wagon just as Orzad is about to head out. He walks up to Bast and holds up the cage. "Here's your chicken. It's all I could get. Do you know complicated it was to just get this?" He sighs.
ReplyDeleteHer face lights up. "Oh, she is a beautiful chicken! Thank you!" In a flash of color and bells, she runs off to make the caged bird at home in her wagon.
ReplyDelete"You couldn't get the rest of the items on the List?" Orzad said confused.
ReplyDelete"Here, hand me the list and we can go and find the rest of the items cause I really doubt one chicken will last us long." Orzad said with his hand held out waiting for the list
"I was there for entirely too long trying to get that bird. Did you know there were so many kinds of chickens?" Goddard says with a sigh. "I can't imagine what it would be like for..." He snatches the list back and looks it over. "Incense...lets go with that," he hands the list to Orzad again. "If a chicken comes in fifty different version, imagine incense..."
ReplyDelete" that shouldn't be so hard to find , maybe the moss lady can help us with that," Orzad turns to bast and Eartha, "we will be back hopefully witht eh rest of the supplies we need." Orzad turns to Goddard, "Lets get going." how did i end up with a bunch of kids
ReplyDeleteEartha watches as the pair of males leave the campsite and then addresses Bast. "Perhapz I am too hazty to judge the big one. I know," she says with a sudden giddiness," I will find out some of his abilities and see if we can use them." Eartha flashes Bast a wicked grin upon saying that. "Now, come here to kitty and let me apologize for that bite I gacve you."
ReplyDeleteBast shakes her head, drawing her chicken out of its cage. "Perhaps that will work."
ReplyDeleteEartha looks at Bast with a puzzled look. The chicken gets attention and Eartha iz left out? What is this strangeness? She tilts her head and begins to walk off after the pair of males.
ReplyDelete"I don't want to go," Goddard complains and yet, he follows Orzad back to the market. He hides behind him and points toward the chicken vendor. "Avoid that man at all costs...he will hold us up with all his feathered friends..." Goddard mumbles.
ReplyDeleteBast watches the three leave. Maman...what have you gotten me into? she thinks.
ReplyDeleteAs if she were in the wagon with her, she hears her grandmother's voice. An adventure, my dear. Do not be hard on your kitten, she is as confused as you.
With a sigh, Bast puts away the chicken and sees to her chores for the night.
Eartha slides in beside Orzad and clings to his massive arm like a damsel in distress. "What are we doing now? Kitty can help in some way, I just know it. What are you hiding from Goddard? Come protect me with Orzad, you're both so big and strong." She bats her eyelashes at Goddard and gives him a devilish grin as she reaches out to take his hand.
ReplyDelete"The chicken guy," Goddard responds to Eartha. "You may want to avoid him unless you plan on talking about chickens for a while."
ReplyDelete"And Orzad can do all the protecting," he laughs. "Like a shield..."
"Goddard, what all did you look for on this list" Orzad said with out looking up from the list
ReplyDeleteOrzad notices that Eartha ran to catch up to him and Goddard and grasped his left arm, "We are currently heading to the moss lady and see if she knows where some Incense is at. How about you?"
"Oh, but Goddy... I feel unbalanced without you by my zide." She bats her eyes even faster with this comment. "Pleaze, I'm just a pitiful little female. I need lotz of protecting." She then gives him her best sad kitty eyes possible.
ReplyDelete"I thought I would tag along and help where I could." She smiles at Orzad and clenches his arm and lays her head on it as they walk. "I do have many talentz, perhaps you will allow me to show you zome time?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard shrugs and moves to Eartha's side. "I guess I am pretty qualified to do some protecting."
ReplyDelete"Maybe you can help us find everything on this list, It's been a long time since I've been in any market type of setting." Orzad hands Eartha the list. "The only thing we can cross off that list is the chicken I'm still unsure what Goddard actually looked for. He more then likely sat at the chicken vendor and stared at them with amazement." Orzad said grinning.
ReplyDeleteBast raises her head at a timid knock on her cart. "Yes? What can this traveler do for you?" she asks the two girls at the door.
ReplyDelete"Ah...we...Madam Sebastiana," one stammers, "we came to see if you can read our future."
Bast smiles and holds out her hand. "For a price, I can tell you anything you want to know. Come in, and close the door."
Goddard puffs out his cheeks. "The chicken seemed like the most important thing, so I got that first...And..." he pauses a moment. "There's too many...things," he mumbles. VOX floats toward Goddard's head and bumps into him a few times.
ReplyDelete"You're annoying," he says softly with a smile and catches VOX out of the air. It appears to have shut off whatever makes it float, and Goddard tosses it into the air and catches it as if it were any regular ball.
Orzad looks over to Goddard, being harassed by Vox, " You know what I'm coming to like that thing, even if i don't know what it's for."
ReplyDelete"VOX is my...my pet I guess," Goddard says. "It was the only company I had for a wh...HEY!" VOX floats up into the air and bonks Goddard on the head. "Well...I don't know what to call you!" he confesses. "Pet seemed like a good word! Sheesh! Sorry!"
ReplyDeleteVOX buzzes. "You are far from a brilliant piece of super advanced technology," Goddard snickers.
Eartha takes the list and reads over it. "Oh yezzzz, these itemz well be easy to find." She turns toward Goddard and smiles. "Goddy, perhapz you could find a five gallon cask of oil? We would hate to be caught in the cold with mothing to keep us warm exzept our body heat, now, wouldn't we?" She giggles as she turns back to Orzad. "Do you think you could locate ten pounds of salt and ten pounds of dryed beans? Any kind of bean will do." She looks back down at the list. "I will ztart of zome of zeze itemz az well. Oh Orzad, could you find some dried fish for me as well?" Eartha smiles and twists away, leaving Orzad to watch her leave.
ReplyDeleteThe girl's eyes go wide. "You...you mean it?" she whispers. "Really?"
ReplyDeleteBast nods, and outside all that can be heard is giggles and muffled voices.
Goddard looks up at the sky as he thinks and VOX bumps into his forehead and buzzes. "I know that's gonna be heavy!" he finally says and raises a clenched fist to VOX. "What!? You don;t think I can do it?!"
ReplyDeleteVox makes a whirring sound.
"Why you little...where's this oil!"
Eartha begins working her own brand of magic on the venders, most of which have never seen one such as her. She trades goods for tales of her land and , in some cases, she dances for a few merchants to satisfy thier desire for something unusual. She never compromises her own sense of values or sself-worth though, always business and always the good side of it.By the time she fills almost three quarters of the list, she has saved over fifty shins above street value. A tidy little nest egg for our troupe if I say so myself. She makes her way back to the wagon with a small wheelbarrow full of goods that a merchant let her 'borrow' and sits on the stoop. She patiently waits for the others to return.
ReplyDeleteThe two girls leave, all blushes, giggles, and faces glowing. "Thank you so much," they say as Bast hangs out the door after them.
ReplyDelete"You are more than welcome," Bast says, waving them off. "Hello, Kitty. Good hunting?"
"Oh yezzz, my dear. It would zeem these people are dying to give thier goodz away for a zmile and a wink." She gestures toward the wheelbarrow and smiles proudly. "You would not believe what I got for a little wiggle either."
ReplyDeleteBast tilts her head to the side. "Come inside, there is much to talk about."
ReplyDeleteEartha nods and fetches a burlap wrapping from the wheelbarrow before pushing it under the wagon to hide it a bit. She then climbs the stairs and closes the door behind her.
ReplyDeleteAlone, Bast gives Eartha a tight hug. "Where have you been all this time! When Maman said I would meet you here I thought the worst had happened!"
ReplyDelete"What do you mean?" Eartha gives Bast a look of confusion."I went to the marketplace with the males, they are so unguided, always getting off track with no idea what to do. What do you mean'the worst'?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard leans against a building with his arms crossed. He had sent VOX out to find this oil, so he wouldn't have to look like a fool trying to find it himself. Once VOX returns and reports back the location of the oil, it leads Goddard there.
ReplyDeleteGoddard leans against a large barrel and looks at the vendor. "Ok...let's make this easy. I need five gallons of oil so we don't get caught in the cold with nothing to keep us warm. That's it. That's all I need. Nothing fancy. I don't care if you even have a kind that glows purple!"
The vendor stares at Goddard confused before he wanders off behind a curtain.
"Shut up!" Goddard hisses at a buzzing VOX. "You aren't making me feel less like of an idiot. I don't know how to deal with humans! I'm doing the best I can! There's so many things!" he complains in a harsh whisper to the floating orb.
"Not just now, the last few months. None of us could find you, and that silly looking ball of mine doesn't ever show me anything useful. We heard a cat clan had been raided and killed, none of us knew if it was yours or not..."
ReplyDeleteAfter Orzad gets the list of items that Eartha asked him to find, orzad starting to walk around looking for where could get the items. When he was wondering around a fight started inside a store and Orzad went in there to see what was going on. Inside there were two really large men fighting about something and they were trashing the store and the store owner was screaming for the guards.
ReplyDeleteOrzad looked around and there wasn't one insight Orzad stepped in and with a really deep voice he screamed "ENOUGH!" the two men stopped and looked at him and said "stay out of this this isn't about you." "Take this outside" Orzad barked. "You take it outside." one of the men said and before the other could respond Orzad took his spear and with the blunt end of it jabbed it into one guys face breaking his nose and bashed the other in the head. Both men ran out of the store.
The store keeper asked how he could repay Orzad "well you can show me where to get salt and dried bean." The store keeper just happen to own a general store and had both items and then some and offered to give them to Orzad free of charge.
Orzad returns to the Cart with both sacks of salt and dried beans. on one arm and in the other hes holding a rope with 10 dried fish and an additional 20 feet of rope around his shoulder
"No, it wazn't my clan. Thoze damned Perzianz, they can't keep out of politicz. Well, I imagine they will now." Her voice trails off as her gaze seems to be directed at a far-distant spot. "Anyway, my clan knowz it'z place in thiz world. We hunt, we live, we love. Oh yezzzz, and we deal." With that comment the twiinkle returns to her eyes and the playful twitch returns to her tail.
ReplyDeleteShe sniffs at the air and jumps up. "I smell fishez, my tummy knowz what it needz." She leans forward and kisses Bast on the cheek and heads for the rear door.
ReplyDeleteThe vendor soon returns with two containers of oil and quietly places them before Goddard. "Figured it might be easier for you to carry two smaller ones than one big container," he mumbles, eyeing Goddard up.
ReplyDeleteVOX begins to make sounds and Goddard quickly slaps it out of the air, gritting his teeth. VOX bounces a few times on the ground before it floats up and makes almost angry noises. He pays the shins and grabs the containers of oil by their handles. He slides them off the counter and now realizes how heavy they are.
"What the hell," he whimpers. "This form is so lame..." Goddard places one container on the floor and opts to drag it by the handle using his tail. The other container he holds with both hands and makes his way to the wagon.
He stops multiple times to make sure the lid on the dragged container is still on. Despite how secure it is, he's still afraid he'll break it and spill the oil.
Bast follows her outside. "Someone start a fire, I have some stew to heat and we can grill the fish."
ReplyDeleteEartha gathers up some dry leaves and twigs and strikes her flint the the edge of her dagger, sparks fly into the leaves quickly setting them ablaze. She then fetches several dried limbs and drags them to the fire. "Zere'z a ztart, love. We will zoon haz a meal to be proud of." She breaks the dried limbs up and begins growing the fire to a suitable size.
ReplyDeleteWhen the fire is going well, she stands and looks at the fish draped across Orzad. She bounces over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. Kissing him on the cheek she whispers in his ear. "Aren't you zee zweetezt, you truly know how to touch a kitty'z heart." She then releases him and scampers back to her fire.
ReplyDeleteBast produces a large, heavy iron pot and tripod from the depths of her wagon and removes the oilcloth tied tight around the top. With Eartha's help they get it set over the fire and add stones to the kindling.
ReplyDeleteKitty, what do you think of our new friends? she asks silently as they work.
"If we eat all the Fish now, we wont have any for later" Orzad cuts half off the fish from the rack and hands them Eartha this should do we should safe the rest for later
ReplyDeleteThey are different, but who isn't? We will mold them into a good team, no matter how hard they fight it. Eartha giggles to herself as she finishes her thought.
ReplyDeleteBast snickers. I was so happy when I saw you here. Maman just woke me up in the dead of night and sent me off in one of Ezra's empty wagons. He married a moon ago, did you hear?
ReplyDelete"They should be salted," she tells Orzad. "I've a barrel of salted fish strapped to the roof. Should be fine there."
Poor woman, did she know him first or was it arranged?
ReplyDelete"I agree, we must save some of them." Eartha looks at Orzad and tilts her head slightly. "You have zpent much time in the hard land. You know how to live zere, don't you? Maybe one day you learn how to live in the zoft times, maybe I could zhow you how?" A sadness seems to flow over her as she sighs softly and goes back to her fire.
Bast laughs. It was Anya. She's been waiting for that proposal for years. Maman says they'll expect a baby before the year is out.
ReplyDelete"Careful, Orzad," Bast warns, "Kitty charges more for men."
"Oh, lizzen at her, all jealous and zuch." Eartha places the fish on a smooth stone next to the fire to let them slowly heat to keep them from drying out any more.
ReplyDeleteBast points her spoon at her in a fair imitation of her grandmother. "Jealous? Of you, Kitty? You are no threat to me. We are night and day and cannot be compared, much less jealous of one another."
ReplyDelete"Here's your oil," Goddard pants. He places both containers by the wagon then flops down onto a fairly non-cluttered patch of floor inside. "Eartha...you couldn't have asked for anything...lighter? Like...feathers?"
ReplyDelete"May the Longo Drom be ever smooth for you!" Bast cries out. She picks them up as if they weigh nothing and hauls one into the wagon, and another she holds in one hand while she climbs the ladder to the top and lashes it on.
ReplyDeleteGoddard lifts his head up enough to watch Bast then rests it down on the floor again. "Show off," he grumbles under his hood.
ReplyDeleteOrzad turns to Eartha " you know what I'll like that I've been on the road fighting for far to long."
ReplyDelete"bast, where do you want the sacks of dried beans and salt at?" Orzad said while he lifted them above his head with one hand.
Strength will come in time, chavi, Goddard hears in his mind as Bast works on the top of the wagon. She ties the oilcloth covering tight over the barrels, jars, and crates before jumping down.
ReplyDelete"There's a sack of flour on the left right inside the door, they can do there," she tells Orzad. "Beneath the table with the chicken."
ReplyDelete"What is that?" Goddard lays on his side. "Chavi...?" He thinks she said something but he's not entirely sure. It sounded strange. Like some of the dreams. Before Bast could answer, Goddard suddenly falls through the floor of the wagon and lands in the dirt outside, underneath it. She can hear a thud as the disoriented Goddard tries to stand up and his horns hit the bottom of the wagon.
ReplyDeleteBast looks under the wagon. "How did you do that? Are you hurt? Don't break my axle with those things!"
ReplyDelete"I think I'll break my skull before I break your wagon," he groans. Once finally out from under the wagon, he carefully looks around the outside of it then peeks through the door and finally glances cautiously at Beta. "I have no idea what is going on. That shouldn't just happen."
ReplyDelete"that reminds me, Bast do you have any spare parts for your cart. If not i recommend we get some while we here" Orzad suggested to the others
ReplyDelete"There's an axle up top, and a spare wheel hanging on the side." She walks him around to the side and shows him a wheel secured to the bottom of the stage. "When this part comes down, it makes for a stage, and an awning rolls out over it as well. Rather useful in muddy area. I have a fire pit so we can still have a fire on here as well."
ReplyDeleteIt seems like ever since I've gotten here, to this town, this has started to happen. Am I broken? Am I dying? Goddard quietly gasps and sadly leans on a wagon wheel, sliding down until he's sitting on the ground. "Why is this happening to me? Is it a curse?" VOX bounces around and rattles Goddard's horns. "I'm not in the mood...I could be dying! Do you know what that feels like!?"
ReplyDeleteI doubt you're dying, he hears again. Even the weakest gadje don't die from falling over.
ReplyDelete"I have room for another wheel, I'll see to it tomorrow morning before we leave. With the festival, the wheelsmith won't be open at this hour," she tells Orzad.
"There has not been any reports on what is on the other side of the bridge, so we better make sure we have everything to get us to the target and back." Orzad mentions to the group
ReplyDeleteOrzad walks over to the fire and take a sniff of air "How's the fish coming along?"
But we don't know where the target is... she thinks to herself. Shrugging the thought away, she climbs into the wagon and pulls out her straw mattress. It doesn't need to be replaced, but some nice feathers inside will make it much more comfortable. Dragging it outside, she hangs the mattress on a hook outside to air before walking toward the marketplace, bells chiming.
ReplyDeleteTamas has been sitting on the ground next to the wagon reading from an old book. As everyone gathers around the fire is when he seems to realize that there are other people are around him. He stands, and looks around with a confused look on his face, as if not knowing where he is. Quickly noticing every one, he bows slightly saying,"Hello, you must forgive me. I get lost in my studies at times. I am Tamas Strange."
ReplyDeleteEartha hurries back to the fish, praying that they are fine. She smiles and inhales the delicious aroma. "Zee fizh are fine, and zee beanz are coming along az well." She stands and offers a fish to Orzad with a smile. She turns to Tamas ,continuing the smile. "Hello, I am known as Eartha, welcome to our fire. Would you wizh zome beans or fizh, or perhapz both?"
ReplyDeleteOrzad take a fish and some bean and sits down besides Tamas "Nice to meet you Tamas, I am Orzad"
ReplyDeleteOrzad starts to eat his meal as if he hasn't eaten in a long time and this would be his last meal "Hey Eartha, this fish is really good."
Eartha smiles. "Thank you but all I did was warm it, the real trick iz in the drying and zeasoning." She walks over and sits beside Orzad, laying her head on his shoulder. "Orzad, please tell me of your home. I am most curious."
ReplyDeleteBast makes her way back to her wagon, humming to herself and occasionally shaking an arm or a leg to make her bells chime with the tune. She'd made a particularly good trade with an old woman for a bag of goose feathers. She would sleep quite comfortably from now on.
ReplyDelete"Kitty! I hope you saved me some fish," she sings, tossing the back into the open door of the wagon.
"Yes that would be lovely. I seem to have forgotten to eat since this morning." He says with a small smile. As he gets his food he looks at Orzad, "Orzad, you mean from the southern army?"
ReplyDeleteEartha raises up momentarily to respond to Bast,"Zere iz plenty, no need to worry." She then snuggles back against Orzad's arm.
ReplyDeleteShooting a jealous look at Eartha, Bast sits next to Goddard, dusting off the layers of her skirt primly and as quietly as she can manage.
ReplyDelete"Yes, that be correct I am from the southern army from the town Pigaus" Orzad said looking at Tamas.
ReplyDelete"I thought I had heard the name before. I am also form the south, a large town, Frothingham." Tamas says as he sis back where he was.
ReplyDeleteEartha chimes in,"Iz that near the mountainz? I have never heard of it before. My peoplez live on the zavannah, many miles from the mountaions." She looks puzzled at the look given to her by Bast.
ReplyDelete