Sunset of the Wandering Souls

The Northern Territories were freezing, even through the two layers of fur we wore. Pili looked the most affected to be this far north in the cold. He clung to Innin’s back, shaking and trying to bury himself deeper in his own clothes. Every so often I dropped the reins of my horse to slap blood back in my cheeks before pulling the hood of the cloak back over my face. Innin insisted I wore it, leaving the Interior with my face plastered all of the place would only invite assassins from Diatessia to come after me. We were safer traveling north first before making our way anywhere else; they weren’t welcome in the Northern Territories, Innin had explained, the Flodkaros fortified their eastern border when the first refugees arrived.

I wasn’t sure how much longer Pili would be able to survive in the frost, or how much farther our horses could take us in the snow dusted trails. If we were to make camp now, there’d be no way of starting a fire as the snow stretched into the horizon. Pili would be the first to freeze in the night. We continued on with little warmth coming from the shining sun. It felt like a blessing when the first buildings we had seen for miles came into our view. Stone towers blending into the mountains behind them, a closed gate between them. We dismounted as we neared the gate, Innin fumbling with numb fingers to grab a piece of paper from his pouch to show the large man guarding the entrance, Pili huddled close to me with his hands shoved under his armpits.

Our first order of business when we were admitted to Bulos was to find an inn. Innin led the horses while I tried to keep Pili warm as we walked, having wrapped part of my cloak around his shoulders. The buildings lining the streets felt off, doors looked taller than they needed to be, windows were higher off the ground then felt normal. The residents walking the streets were often much taller than our little group, dressed in clothes I was sure couldn’t keep them warm. Mingling with them were those closer in size with us, with ever present, feathery wings of different colors and patterns.

It was a member of this smaller tribe that greeted us at the first inn we found with a stable attached to it. Pili was starting to turn blue when we entered the building, warm air hitting us in the face. He pointed to a doorway to our right and had me take Pili in, saying we could help ourselves to some tea while Innin took care of renting a room. I sat Pili down by the fire in a sunken pit, a kettle hanging by a long hook over the fire. I draped my cloak over his huddled form in hopes of giving him just a little more warmth. I looked for cups to pour him tea, help him warm up from the inside. I found what looked like small clay bowls and figured they would have to do; I poured green colored tea into the little bowl, having to help him take sips of it as he hadn’t been able to feel his hands for a while now.

Innin clicked his tongue at me when he entered, no doubt from me having shed my cloak, followed by the innkeeper hobbling behind him with a wooden crutch and what looked like a thick quilt in his hand. He handed it to Innin, who wrapped it around Pili. “Take his gloves and boots off,” the innkeeper walked a little unsteadily to retrieve an iron pot. “I’ll heat some water for him, in the meantime, he needs to move his fingers and toes to get the blood flowing.” Innin and I did what the innkeeper asked of us while he switched out the kettle with the pot and stoked the flames. He sat with his legs folded under him and a ladle draped across his lap waiting for the water to heat, and I kept helping Pili sip the hot tea; he found the strength to shake his hands and feet.

He ladled water into two bowls and had Pili put his feet in one and placed the other in his lap for his hands. While Pili’s frozen hands and feet thawed, the innkeeper started cooking in the pot, answering a man named Tani when his name, Luyun, was called. Tani came in carrying a net filled with fish and a large piece of cloth tied into a bag, standing tall in his clothes seemingly too thin for the temperature outside. “Frostbite?” He asked, setting his stuff down to grab items wrapped in brown packages. He handed them to Luyun and sat with his legs crisscrossed next to him. “What’s an Aeces and two Reissu doing so far north?”

“Travelling,” Innin said. Luyun let out a scoff while unwrapping the things in his hands. “Is that a problem to you?”

Luyun readjusted the jacket covering most of his wings, pulling it further over his left shoulder. “Maybe once I’d believe Reissu would leave the Interior, but not anymore.” He dropped something green in the pot. “Aeces don’t travel farther than Port Riverwhistle, either. I won’t apologize for not wanting trouble.”

“Qotut was very beautiful,” Innin said, as if to try to ease the tension.

“Tani, can you get me my…” Luyun trailed off as Tani got up, and he wiped at his yellow eyes with his sleeve. “It might’ve stayed beautiful if we weren’t too proud to ask for help.” He tore off pieces of a white substance, practically throwing it in the pot. “Are you feeling less cold, Aeces?” Pili only shook his head, still shivering next to me; Luyun called to Tani to heat up a bath for Pili, pointing to the open door Tani had walked through. I wanted to follow Pili, at least to help him, but Luyun assured me Tani was capable, he’d had more experience with possible frostbite than himself. “Why are two Reissu traveling with an Aeces?” He asked after Pili had stepped out. “I guess the better question is to ask why the Crown Prince is away from the palace.” He stood himself up to get a better view while stirring the pot.

Innin gave me a look out of the corner of his eye, an order to keep quiet. “I didn’t think his image would have spread so quickly.”

Luyun leaned on his crutch. “The cloak,” he said. “I recognized the cloak.” He readjusted his clothing, lowering his voice a touch. “When I was in one of those camps Queen Mirgen set up…He gave me bread in that same cloak.” I had a feeling Innin was going to chew me out for something I had no recollection of, but I watched him swallow his frustration. “His Highness was younger then, but I had seen him at the palace once, as well. I don’t forget a face.”

“You’re a Qotut noble,” Innin said, realization gracing his face.

“Was.” Luyun wiped at his face once more. “There’s no Qotut to speak of anymore. ‘Unified Diatessia’ or whatever it is they’re calling it now.” He stopped his stirring to retrieve a few bowls. “Is the Interior still holding strong?” Innin quietly answered that it was. “Keep it that way. I hope Queen Mirgen will give her support in retaking our country. Or you, Prince Ezollen, if it comes to that.”

He handed me a bowl and I swallowed at the prospect of going to war. I wasn’t a fighter, not that I could remember anyway. I was certain I’d never held a sword, never had a sparring match with any of the knights. I looked down at the soup filled with green squares and uneven bits of white, thinking that while I didn’t want to go to war, I wanted to help Luyun in reclaiming his country. Luyun excused himself, carefully carrying a tray with more bowls of soup in his free hand. I brought my gaze to Innin, finding the courage to ask him something I was certain he’d be opposed to.

Innin rubbed at spot on his neck he always kept covered, a look I couldn’t place in his eyes. “I want to,” he let out a breath, squeezed at his neck, “but I’m not sure how much we help we’ll be. Your mother might even be opposed to it as it’ll put an even larger target on your back.”

“I don’t care,” I said. “If risking my life means I can help Luyun…I will start a counter-revolution, I will…” I trailed off as a voice I knew I hadn’t heard in a long time filled my head. Another little memory with a man I couldn’t place, but I spoke his words to Innin. “Kindness begets kindness.”

“It’s his burden to bear.” Tani startled Innin and me as he came back with Pili, looking a more like himself. “But, if you’re serious, Luyun will welcome those with political influence to his cause with open arms.”