12-25-2021, 11:22 PM
Jai wiped the sweat from his brows with his arm, but little good it did in this heat. It wasn’t even the height of summer, but Arad Doman was always brutally wet. He’d never known a man could be so sweaty until spending time on the coastal capital. It explained the thinness of the women’s clothes, that was for sure. They probably couldn’t stand to wear anything thicker.
Speaking of which, he was getting close enough to town to require himself shrugging on his coat. His skin was pinked on the shoulders, which was surprising given the thickness of his tan. Maybe he’d never stop pinking. By the next day it would turn though. So he shrugged on the coat and was finishing securing his sword belt when the rumble of a cart could be heard on the road ahead. A gateway would easily take him back to the palace, but he’d woken in a restless mood that day. Navigating the city in his uniform would be a good enough diversion, plus it would keep people at bay. He wasn’t in the mood to talk either.
His coat was pasted to his back and his legs burning from the elevation change by the time he reached the city gates. It should make for a decent night’s sleep that night. Much better for him than drinking to oblivion. Hana would be proud.
He’d ran out of water half-way back to the city, and first place he saw, he stopped for a drink. Drinks. Plural. He gulped down the last glass with a satisfying sigh. Now that he wasn’t tunnel-visioned on thirst, he checked out the tavern’s common room. There was a gleeman tending to his instruments in one corner in a way that made him think of Nythadri’s hands. Did she have time to play her music now that she was an Aes Sedai? Did she still have the sheet music? Then there were a few commoners sitting together and talking. One glanced up when he realized Jai was studying their group. They must have been loyal to Daryen, and most were in the city, as he nodded in a way that signified something of respect for the Asha’man. That was unusual at best, but of all the major cities Jai had visited, this one was his best chances at finding welcome at card games.
Finally, he noticed a foreigner hiding in the corner finishing up a meal. Though the person was a man, his wide trousers lay like skirts to the floor. His coat was wrapped at the chest and heavily embroidered with beasts and birds unimaginable. Most obvious, though, was the design shaved around his head. He was a Seanchan! How had he not seen him before? He couldn’t have been that thirsty!
The man looked up and met Jai’s gaze eye to eye. It made his blood run cold. He knocked over a chair getting out of there, but only a few blocks away realized that the street was no better. There were random Seanchan roaming everywhere. They all either met his gaze or they completely looked through him as if he was lower than the lowest servant. What was going on? Why were there so many Seanchan in the streets? He hurried, all but running through the crowd.
At Arandi Square, and within sight of the Royal Palace, he was halted in his tracks. Seanchan of high and low were watching and working. The square had turned in to some kind of arena, with a central platform taking the highest position, rows of seats, and the open air market disbanded for standing room.
What is going on? he frantically searched the faces for explanation. Finally, through the crowd he recognized people who worked for the Council. He’d passed them (and ignored them) a hundred times in the past. Now he couldn’t think of a single one’s name, but it did him no good. He was stopped at the square’s edge by a soldier. Not the Black Tower kind. But an actual Domani soldier.
“No admittance,” he said, blocking the way.
“I’m Asha’man Kojima –” Jai started. He hated pulling out his name and rank like he was someone important. A bloody farce it all was.
“I know who you are. No admittance until the square is set up. Palace orders,” he said, and to his credit, stood his ground against a son of the Black Tower.
Jai pulled his gaze from the work, and blinked. It's not like this soldier could really stop him, but he wasn't sure he wanted in now. “Set up for what?”
The answer made his blood turn to ice.
He left in a hurry, pushing his way through the crowds toward to the palace. It couldn’t be true.
Speaking of which, he was getting close enough to town to require himself shrugging on his coat. His skin was pinked on the shoulders, which was surprising given the thickness of his tan. Maybe he’d never stop pinking. By the next day it would turn though. So he shrugged on the coat and was finishing securing his sword belt when the rumble of a cart could be heard on the road ahead. A gateway would easily take him back to the palace, but he’d woken in a restless mood that day. Navigating the city in his uniform would be a good enough diversion, plus it would keep people at bay. He wasn’t in the mood to talk either.
His coat was pasted to his back and his legs burning from the elevation change by the time he reached the city gates. It should make for a decent night’s sleep that night. Much better for him than drinking to oblivion. Hana would be proud.
He’d ran out of water half-way back to the city, and first place he saw, he stopped for a drink. Drinks. Plural. He gulped down the last glass with a satisfying sigh. Now that he wasn’t tunnel-visioned on thirst, he checked out the tavern’s common room. There was a gleeman tending to his instruments in one corner in a way that made him think of Nythadri’s hands. Did she have time to play her music now that she was an Aes Sedai? Did she still have the sheet music? Then there were a few commoners sitting together and talking. One glanced up when he realized Jai was studying their group. They must have been loyal to Daryen, and most were in the city, as he nodded in a way that signified something of respect for the Asha’man. That was unusual at best, but of all the major cities Jai had visited, this one was his best chances at finding welcome at card games.
Finally, he noticed a foreigner hiding in the corner finishing up a meal. Though the person was a man, his wide trousers lay like skirts to the floor. His coat was wrapped at the chest and heavily embroidered with beasts and birds unimaginable. Most obvious, though, was the design shaved around his head. He was a Seanchan! How had he not seen him before? He couldn’t have been that thirsty!
The man looked up and met Jai’s gaze eye to eye. It made his blood run cold. He knocked over a chair getting out of there, but only a few blocks away realized that the street was no better. There were random Seanchan roaming everywhere. They all either met his gaze or they completely looked through him as if he was lower than the lowest servant. What was going on? Why were there so many Seanchan in the streets? He hurried, all but running through the crowd.
At Arandi Square, and within sight of the Royal Palace, he was halted in his tracks. Seanchan of high and low were watching and working. The square had turned in to some kind of arena, with a central platform taking the highest position, rows of seats, and the open air market disbanded for standing room.
What is going on? he frantically searched the faces for explanation. Finally, through the crowd he recognized people who worked for the Council. He’d passed them (and ignored them) a hundred times in the past. Now he couldn’t think of a single one’s name, but it did him no good. He was stopped at the square’s edge by a soldier. Not the Black Tower kind. But an actual Domani soldier.
“No admittance,” he said, blocking the way.
“I’m Asha’man Kojima –” Jai started. He hated pulling out his name and rank like he was someone important. A bloody farce it all was.
“I know who you are. No admittance until the square is set up. Palace orders,” he said, and to his credit, stood his ground against a son of the Black Tower.
Jai pulled his gaze from the work, and blinked. It's not like this soldier could really stop him, but he wasn't sure he wanted in now. “Set up for what?”
The answer made his blood turn to ice.
He left in a hurry, pushing his way through the crowds toward to the palace. It couldn’t be true.
Only darkness shows you the light.