Empire 6: Rauri Goes Coast to Coast

[Jade_Tarem]

For the entirety of the False dawn, the people of Clann Solais, the Children of Light, had wondered what lay beyond the mountains. They lived in the mountains, to be sure, but there was always a higher peak to the south and west, always a blocked pass, always a part that was too cold, too high, too airless. They'd told stories of what lay beyond, of fertile fields and gardens, lush plains and shores, and all manner of fantastic creatures. But no matter how many imaginations were sparked, visiting had always been a pipe dream - until now. Rauri had ventured far and wide, and finally, finally reached a point where the mountains receded into a truly expansive pass. Far to the southeast she had seen more mountains still, but for the first time in her people's memory she got to see what lay beyond.

And it was beautiful, though not quite so fantastic as the stories held. There was somewhat less of it than she'd imagined, since it seemed that a coastline had the sea pacing its mountains in a tremendous arc, but there was still a substantial amount of land to travel. It was gorgeous, more temperate than Star's End, with creatures and plants she'd never seen before - similar to home, but not quite the same. Some of the fruits were downright exotic, and she'd made herself sick gorging on one before she could stop herself.

The most shocking discovery of all, though, was that she hadn't gotten there first. Not even close, in fact. In all the generations of campfire stories, not once had it occurred to the Children that someone else might live on the other side of the mountains. In hindsight it seemed obvious, but it was the kind of hindsight only available from the years since the end of the False Dawn. Even now, Rauri suspected that many of her kin didn't understand how big the world was. She had explored for four or five Star's Ends in any direction and there was no end of new land in sight, to say nothing of the many cultures she'd met at the gathering right after the Phoenix made its appearance. She hadn't even found all of them yet.

Still, no one had attacked her at that meeting, which gave her hope that these people were friendly. They looked familiar - and it was entirely possible that they'd been represented at the same meeting that had put her in touch with the Dannu-Gaon and Hiverness. So it was that she approached the largest settlement she could find, openly, and waited to be noticed as was custom among the Clan of the Wind.

[Laura]

Ruari had found Summer Town a small port at the mouth of the Ka River. Rippling fields of wheat and barley grew on the outskirts and herds of horses grazed in the surrounding meadows. Brisk salty winds blew in from the ocean and she could see sea-fairing boats with simple sails in the blue distance. There were some fortifications of watchtowers and simple palisades, but the gates were open and her approached didn't provoke any challenge, nor even much attention.

For it seemed many people were arriving to the village. By boats and by road, shaní were gathering in the Summer Town, with supplies packed on their backs or carried by horses. Dogs ran by in excitement and there was a general fanfair of festiveness. Though almost everyone Ruari saw was shaní, with their copper-brown skin, long black hair and pointed ears, but there were a few other humans. They seemed to mostly be gathered near sea wharfs, tradesmen and Dreamspeakers, eagerly bargaining with the shaní in a mix of the trade tongue and a flowing melodic language that seemed to be the native speech.

The houses around the town were simple affairs, wigwams of hides over limber pole frames, as well as some more permanent huts built of stone and thatch. There were many of them and some had adornments out front, wooden windchimes carved with the Kagahara script, animal furs and woven blankets of white and blue wool, but, aside from these adornments, there seemed to be little differentiation in size or grandeur.

As she wandered through town, her appearance finally garnered some interest, though not a much surprise as she might have thought. A few people greeted her in the strange language, their voices friendly and inquisitive. When she couldn’t reply in the same tongue, they smiled said a few more words and then moved away again.

A short time later, a shaná with a heavily laden mule saw Ruari and approached purposefully, a big smile on her face. Her age was unguessable. She seemed to bare the same ageless youth and beauty of all the shaní. Her black breads fell down well past her waist and her eyes were amber in color. She greeted Ruari in the shaní language and when she could tell by the hero’s face that she couldn’t understand, the shaná switched to the western trade tonged, speaking it slowly and simply, but with gusto.

“Long days! Warm Nights, Cia!” she pressed fist to forehead and bowed, one legs crossed before the other. It was a gesture of respect and greeting Ruari had already witness a few times in this place, though this was the first time it had been accompanied by words she could understand.

“I have not nary seen ye before. Ye a new tradesmen? First time at Summer Festival? Swanny?” the shaná smiled again and tilted her head, observing Ruari’s bow, quiver, spear and the rest of her equipment. “Ye trade weapons?! Very nice,” she motioned at the bow, “Ye be a’wanting fur? Wools? I have!” she turned and took a rolled up woolen blanket from a large pack on her mule and unfurled it to show an elaborate pattern of blues and whites. “Nice yes? Best mammoth wool! Woven with such care an’ perfection.”

Before Ruari could answer there was the sound of some more people approaching and she looked over to see the group of shaní who had first tried to speak to her leading another, who was more heavily armed, with some hatchets on his belt and a long spear in hand. He looked somewhat familiar and Ruari realized that she had seen him at the Summit of Southrock, though she’d never spoken to him, nor learned his name.

Those leading him motioned to her, still speaking in their own language. He locked gazes with her and his forest green eyes showed recognition as well.

The woman with the wool was looking between Ruari and the newcomers and her smile had turned to an annoyed frown.

“Ye should move along, Yaruí. I kin this human h’aint here to barter fer yer wools. At least she is nary no ordinary tradesman off’a the summer boats.”

He then turned to Ruari and bowed deeply, pressing his first to forehead. “Long days an’ warm nights to ye, Ruari’Siah, warrior o’ the Children o’ Light. I am Tessá’Lýn scout an’ dinh guardsman fer the Winter Council. I kin ye from the Summit o’ Southrocks an’ bid yeh welcome t’ Summer Town. We in Shandolýn have heard o’ yer adventures trekking many lands yonder hither an’ far. What brings ye hither here? Ye kin to join the Festival o’ Summer?”