“Nobody’s judging you now. Everyone likes you.”
Ennek shook his head. “If they knew, though. If they knew who I really am….”
“ I know who you really are.”
Ennek smiled thinly at him, unconvinced. “We should turn in.” He faced their hosts and said something that made them nod in response. Everyone else looked disappointed, but Luli shooed them away and soon the courtyard was nearly empty, just Ennek and Miner and moths whirling in the lamplight.
The two of them went inside and removed their simple clothing. Ennek lay on his side with Miner behind him, and they didn’t make love or even speak, but they nestled together and listened to one another breathe.
***
They woke not long after dawn. Someone had left them wide bowls full of soapy water, with soft cloths beside them, and they quickly washed and then dressed. Ennek found the straight razor and they shaved each other. As if by magic, Luli appeared the minute they were done, carrying a tray with tea and food. It took them only a few minutes to have their breakfast.
And then it was time to go.
Miner had been worrying about making the journey in bare feet, but Hai-Shui handed them each a pair of sandals. They felt strange on Miner's feet but they fit him exactly and he realized after only a few steps that they were very comfortable. Hai-Shui also handed them each a bag that could be worn on their back. He told them what was inside and Ennek translated: an extra set of clothing, blankets, a razor and a small cake of soap and the ivory comb, a metal pot for heating water and two small cups, a paper bag full of tea leaves, some dried meat and fruits and round crackers. The knife from the jolly boat was there too, and the packet of matches.
Ennek said a lot of words to them that expressed his gratitude, and then he bowed elegantly, once again reminding Miner that this was the Chief’s son. All Miner could manage was a garbled thank you and a graceless sort of bob.
They all walked together through the courtyard, where the Bhujanga was perched atop the wall. Ennek bowed again as they exited through the arch, and they started up the dirt road. They were only a few yards away when someone called from behind them and they stopped and turned. Yuening was running toward them with something in her hands. She smiled and handed it to Miner. It was his sweater.
It was somewhat the worse for wear. The tear in the arm had been sewn shut with silk thread and although the stitches were fine and even, they were plainly visible. The wool was slightly pilled overall, no doubt from efforts to clean away the salt and dried blood. But the sweater felt soft and it smelled pleasant, like lemon and flowers, and it was his.
Miner managed a credible bow to Yuening and although it was quite warm, slipped the sweater over his head.
“You look very stylish,” Ennek laughed. “Think of how you’d turn heads back in Praesidium.”
Miner snorted.
People stopped working in the fields to watch them pass. Miner recognized a few of them from dinner the night before; those people waved at them and Ennek called out greetings. But it wasn’t long before they’d walked by the last of the cultivated parts and entered a woods. As they did, the path began to rise, not steeply enough to be uncomfortable but they were definitely gaining altitude. Sometimes Miner would hear a familiar birdcall and he’d look up to see the Bhujanga sitting on a branch nearby.
“We haven’t decided on a destination,” Ennek said after a time. “We can go north to Donghe, if we want. It’s the nearer of the two big cities. There’s a major port there and I’m certain we could find work of some kind. Or maybe you’d rather continue inland. We could go for thousands of miles that way. I’ve seen a few maps but I’m really not sure what we’d encounter. It would certainly be an adventure. And surely we’d find someone who could remove your collar.”
He waited for Miner to respond. When
Ennek shook his head. “If they knew, though. If they knew who I really am….”
“ I know who you really are.”
Ennek smiled thinly at him, unconvinced. “We should turn in.” He faced their hosts and said something that made them nod in response. Everyone else looked disappointed, but Luli shooed them away and soon the courtyard was nearly empty, just Ennek and Miner and moths whirling in the lamplight.
The two of them went inside and removed their simple clothing. Ennek lay on his side with Miner behind him, and they didn’t make love or even speak, but they nestled together and listened to one another breathe.
***
They woke not long after dawn. Someone had left them wide bowls full of soapy water, with soft cloths beside them, and they quickly washed and then dressed. Ennek found the straight razor and they shaved each other. As if by magic, Luli appeared the minute they were done, carrying a tray with tea and food. It took them only a few minutes to have their breakfast.
And then it was time to go.
Miner had been worrying about making the journey in bare feet, but Hai-Shui handed them each a pair of sandals. They felt strange on Miner's feet but they fit him exactly and he realized after only a few steps that they were very comfortable. Hai-Shui also handed them each a bag that could be worn on their back. He told them what was inside and Ennek translated: an extra set of clothing, blankets, a razor and a small cake of soap and the ivory comb, a metal pot for heating water and two small cups, a paper bag full of tea leaves, some dried meat and fruits and round crackers. The knife from the jolly boat was there too, and the packet of matches.
Ennek said a lot of words to them that expressed his gratitude, and then he bowed elegantly, once again reminding Miner that this was the Chief’s son. All Miner could manage was a garbled thank you and a graceless sort of bob.
They all walked together through the courtyard, where the Bhujanga was perched atop the wall. Ennek bowed again as they exited through the arch, and they started up the dirt road. They were only a few yards away when someone called from behind them and they stopped and turned. Yuening was running toward them with something in her hands. She smiled and handed it to Miner. It was his sweater.
It was somewhat the worse for wear. The tear in the arm had been sewn shut with silk thread and although the stitches were fine and even, they were plainly visible. The wool was slightly pilled overall, no doubt from efforts to clean away the salt and dried blood. But the sweater felt soft and it smelled pleasant, like lemon and flowers, and it was his.
Miner managed a credible bow to Yuening and although it was quite warm, slipped the sweater over his head.
“You look very stylish,” Ennek laughed. “Think of how you’d turn heads back in Praesidium.”
Miner snorted.
People stopped working in the fields to watch them pass. Miner recognized a few of them from dinner the night before; those people waved at them and Ennek called out greetings. But it wasn’t long before they’d walked by the last of the cultivated parts and entered a woods. As they did, the path began to rise, not steeply enough to be uncomfortable but they were definitely gaining altitude. Sometimes Miner would hear a familiar birdcall and he’d look up to see the Bhujanga sitting on a branch nearby.
“We haven’t decided on a destination,” Ennek said after a time. “We can go north to Donghe, if we want. It’s the nearer of the two big cities. There’s a major port there and I’m certain we could find work of some kind. Or maybe you’d rather continue inland. We could go for thousands of miles that way. I’ve seen a few maps but I’m really not sure what we’d encounter. It would certainly be an adventure. And surely we’d find someone who could remove your collar.”
He waited for Miner to respond. When
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