Rhuna- New Horizons Page 6

  “Let us become settled and enjoy a hearty meal first!” Damell said clapping his hands together and grinning.

  “A hearty meal first!” Goram called out. “How I have longed for cooked meat and vegetables, and after more than a lunar cycle of eating creatures from the sea, I could easily eat an entire pig!” Lozira giggled happily.

  “Then you shall have it!” Damell said cheerfully. “And pheasant, along with other dishes in an array of sauces, in which Hari Tal excels, I might add.”

  In that moment Hari Tal appeared, carrying two large plates of food. Rhuna watched as the spritely little man placed the dishes of food on a nearby table.

  “The food is freshly cooked,” observed Rhuna as she watched steam rising from some of the bowls of food. “How did he know that we would arrive today? If it’s not possible to summon visions by means of the Gazing of the Waters, then how could he know, exactly?”

  Damell merely smiled at Rhuna with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “Be seated and enjoy the feast!” Damell said as he motioned everyone towards the table. Panapu remained standing near the doorway with the expression of a lost child on his face.

  “Panapu, you are my guest, too. Come and join us!” Damell called to him. Hesitating, the burly bald man who had been a soldier in Safu all his life humbly stepped forward and admired the table of delicious food.

  “Papa-nu!” Shandi squeaked with delight as she stretched her arms out towards him. Rhuna found herself laughing along with everyone else at the mispronunciation of Panapu’s name. The bald giant wiped a tear from his eye and bowed down towards Shandi, whose arms reached around his thick neck.

  After lively conversation during the feasting of several courses, Rhuna looked at the glowing faces of her extended family, feeling deep contentment and gratitude for the idyllic situation.

  “Possessor of Discernment wishes to reside here, with me,” Damell announced as they prepared to leave the table.

  “In the proximity of the pyramids,” added the elderly white-haired man.

  “Permit me to prepare the room for him, Sahb,” said Hari Tal with a distinct, melodious accent which appealed to Rhuna. She stepped forward and looked closely at the white-headed old man.

  “Would you like me to examine you as a Healer?” she asked, noticing his pallor.

  “Merely the long sea voyage!” he said with a forced laugh. “Such a journey is a great strain at my advanced age.”

  “Of course,” Rhuna said softly, becoming aware of the deep concern she felt for the ageing Atlan Master. She turned to look at Hari Tal and almost gasped when she saw his eyes. Rhuna tried not to show her surprise, and simply smiled at the efficient and hard-working man. She watched as Hari Tal lifted all the belongings Possessor of Discernment had brought with him, taking them up a wide staircase with remarkable energy and agility.

  “Oh, I didn’t know…about his eyes,” Rhuna said in a low voice to her father standing nearby.

  “His eyes?” Damell repeated with a frown, and then his face lightened with a broad smile. “Ah, you have not seen any of his people before,” he concluded. “The skin-fold over his eyelids is a feature of his people, along with the small stature, dark hair and light-brownish skin.”

  “Oh,” Rhuna said, feeling embarrassed. “I thought it was some kind of deformity.”

  Damell chuckled as he nodded his understanding.

  “And why does he call you ‘Sahb’?” Rhuna asked, hoping she would not feel embarrassed again by the answer.

  “It is a title commonly used in Varappa, expressing respect or high esteem,” Damell answered, and then paused as he turned to Rhuna and her family. “Do you wish to reside here, or investigate the recommendation of the Chala Valley?”

  Rhuna looked at Aradin, whose face lit up as he heard the name of the Valley, and then told her father that they would like to at least visit Cha’al first before deciding where to live.

  “Can we come with you?” asked Lozira anxiously.

  “Of course!” Rhuna answered, seeing that her daughter still needed emotional support from her.

  “Let us explore the city!” Goram said enthusiastically, and Rhuna eagerly agreed.

  Rhuna and her company began to walk slowly in the direction of the main plaza, attracting attention from the local residents who were going about their daily activities. Some merely watched from a distance while others smiled in passing, and Rhuna turned her attention to the colourful variety of their clothes and faces.

  “So many different people!” remarked Rhuna, looking back and forth at the faces and noting the variations in skin and hair colour, as well as height, size and type of clothes they wore. Rhuna looked from side to side as she followed her father, looking at each person they passed and greeting them with a nod or a smile.

  “Welcome, Strangers!” said a man as he approached them with welcoming open arms. “You are not Varappans,” he stated as he looked at each of them carefully.

  “We have journeyed from Safu to reside in Varappa,” Aradin answered, and then proceeded to explain from which land each of them came. When he introduced Lozira, the man raised his eyebrows.

  “From the city of Atlán?” he repeated with emphasis. “These days it is rare to meet someone who has come directly from Atlán! We must arrange a gathering so that you may tell us about the great city of Atlán!” he said grinning.

  Rhuna observed the man’s fine clothing, especially his outer robe of burgundy colour embroidered with gold thread. She noticed that he appeared to be only part-Atlan, like most people she had seen in Judharo so far.

  “Oh, is it? Yes, it is you, Old Traveller!” said the man with genuine surprise and delight as he recognized Damell. “You have been absent many solar cycles!”

  Damell introduced Rhuna and the rest of the family, and explained that he had been in residing in other lands with his family.

  “Ah! All the more reason to celebrate!” The finely-dressed man clapped Damell on the back and shoulder, then insisted that they all attend the evening feast at his home.

  “He is always feasting, for any and every occasion,” said Damell as they continued on their way. “An excellent opportunity to meet a variety of people,” he added, and Rhuna said that she looked forward to it.

  Shandi had expressed her desire to sit on Panapu’s shoulders where she playfully patted his bald head and took in the wondrous sights from her elevated position.

  They continued walking along the main wide avenue, and Rhuna noticed that the colours of the stone and bricks were harmonious in shades of cream, beige, tan and brown. They provided a pleasant background for vibrant flowers in pots, green foliage and vines as well as the bright, strong and contrasting colours of people’s clothes.

  “Everyone does what they want here,” observed Goram with a chuckle. “The Master encourages this, too,” he added. Rhuna threw him an angry glare.

  “It can’t be good or right,” Rhuna insisted.

  “This is the reason the Master instructed us, The Guardians of Knowledge, to come to Varappa,” Goram continued, ignoring Rhuna’s warning look.

  Suddenly, Rhuna realized they had approached a large, open area with allotments in which people gathered.

  “It is the Forum Plaza,” Damell explained. “Varappans are particularly partial to deliberations and debates.” Rhuna walked ahead and noticed how each allotted space had a raised platform for a speaker or performer, and an area for an audience to sit. Each individual forum was separated by a hedge, a row of potted plants or a low and open fence with embellished designs like the carved balustrades on the tall ship.

  “Welcome, welcome! You are visitors to this most splendid city of ours!” said a woman exuberantly as she approached them. Her white flowing garments contrasted with her dark brown skin and hair.

  “My name is Eraldun, of Chinbat, a settlement not distant, and I lead the Forum of Higher Thought,” she said confidently. Rhuna responded by introducing herself and then the others with her.
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br />   “Do join us! We enjoy new, fresh ideas, different thoughts to stimulate and broaden our viewpoints!”

  Rhuna explained that they had just disembarked from a long journey, but that she would like to return later and watch their discussions.

  “Do, indeed! Everyone is welcome to watch or participate!” Eraldun replied happily . Rhuna noticed the woman’s relaxed hand gestures, a hint of face paint and the exquisite jewellery around her neck.

  “Permit me to be your guide of our splendid city,” Eraldun said with a broad smile. The woman fell into step with Rhuna and her group as they proceeded down the broad central way towards the pyramids and other tall structures in the background.

  “What do people discuss in the forums?” Lozira asked.

  “Everything!” Eraldun said with a happy laugh. “Mostly it is deliberated how things are to be done. For example, over here is the Forum of Consumable Food,” she said, raising her arm in the direction of a large group of people. Rhuna noticed that some were standing, others sat or even partly reclined, and they were men and women of all ages. As one person spoke, they stood on a small raised platform, and as soon as a few words were spoken, many members of the discussion forum reacted in various ways, from nods to grunts and even a few spoken words.

  “On the other side is the Forum of Healing by Forceful Intervention,” Eraldun said, lifting her arm in the other direction. Rhuna noticed that each forum differed slightly in size, arrangement of seating cushions, colour of the paving stones and the decorations. Some had canvas shelters to protect from sun and rain, and others had only temporary tent-like coverings.

  “What is Healing by Forceful Intervention?” Rhuna wanted to know. “I am a Healer, and studied in Atlán proper,” she said, expecting to impress the Varappan woman. Instead, Eraldun ignored her comment and proceeded to explain the theme of the forum.

  “New knowledge has emerged allowing some healers to cut open and manually change, remove or interfere with the inner body,” Eraldun explained. “Yet this has come under a lot of scrutiny and opposition from Healers who believe in treating indirectly with tinctures, balms and other methods.” Rhuna expressed interest in this new method even though it sounded shocking.

  “By all means do attend!” said Eraldun enthusiastically. “We welcome all kinds of interchange of ideas, opinions and theories about how to achieve the greatest satisfaction in life.”

  “Doesn’t the High Council provide such guidance and direction?” asked Rhuna.

  “No, indeed not!” came the immediate response from Eraldun. “We have no Council! We abolished such fanciful Atlan establishments many solar cycles past!”

  “Really?” Rhuna looked around at her family in amazement.

  Damell nodded. “Yes, Varappa has denounced the High Council of Atlan in many ways,” he stated bluntly.

  “I knew that,” Rhuna said. “But I thought they would have something similar in its place.”

  “No, we have done away with any kind of ruling body, authority or law-making entity,” Eraldun explained proudly.

  “How can society function without such guidance?” asked Rhuna, feeling perplexed.

  “You can see, we are all happy and free!” grinned the woman extending her arms to indicate the people around them. Rhuna looked around and examined the scene more closely. She noticed that people were indeed relaxed, sitting and talking, or walking casually, stopping regularly to greet others. Everyone wore well-made garments and footwear, and many displayed a variety of jewellery and other fine accessories.

  “Who prepares your food and other essentials, if there’s no governing body of any sort to allocate and control daily essentials?” Rhuna challenged the woman named Eraldun.

  “No one does such menial work without reward,” she answered. “Most people grow fruit and vegetables and keep animals for their own consumption, and whenever something else is required, it is obtained by exchange of items of similar value.”

  Rhuna nodded and said she understood this system of exchange, as it was common in Safu where traders from faraway lands came with their exotic products. She recalled trading for various small items with an item of jewellery or even a small nugget of gold from Atlán.

  “The people reaping crops for grain foods are richly rewarded for their hard work,” Eraldun continued, “…as it should be.”

  “I see,” said Rhuna, nodding again. “In Atlán, everyone is equally rewarded with all the things a person needs to be happy and healthy, and everything is shared equally, too.”

  “We are familiar with the Atlan way, but it is not our way,” Eraldun replied flatly.

  She looked at Shandi, who was now waddling between Aradin and Panapu, her little arms reaching up high to hold each man’s hand.

  “Varappa is particularly beneficial for children,” Eraldun said, smiling at Shandi. “As soon as they are able to communicate, they are given great freedom to express every thought, emotion and desire.”

  “We do that, too,” answered Rhuna.

  “If you are Atlan, then you give guidance, rules and education,” Eraldun said with a frown.

  “Of course,” answered Rhuna.

  “That is not our way,” Eraldun replied abruptly. “We believe that any so-called guidance stunts their natural development, like putting a plant in a pot and making it grow a certain size or direction. This form of deliberate manipulation of another intelligent being is not acceptable in our society,” Eraldun said huffily.

  “You mean…we shouldn’t even teach her anything?” asked Rhuna, stunned.

  “Correct. She should discover the world by herself, exploring her own individuality and emotions without reaction, interference or correction by anyone. This is imperative for the child to develop to his or her full potential!”

  Rhuna observed the woman’s strong feelings about this issue, and decided not to debate it with her. Instead, she asked what children Shandi’s age normally do, and Eraldun quickly answered by pointing to a building ahead of them.

  “Children gather in various places, such as here,” she said.

  “May I observe them at some time?” asked Lozira.

  “Of course! Children are often accompanied by their parents or guardians, so you may all come with the child to observe the process,” Eraldun answered, and then raised her arm in the opposite direction, explaining the nature of forums and activities there.

  “Over there are the forums for Domestication of Animals, Consumable Foods, Colour Harmonization, Sexuality and Intimate Relations, Acquisition of Wealth and Personal Protection.

  “Personally, I am interested in the Forum of Consumable Food,” said Goram.

  “Always thinking about food,” Lozira teased as she wrapped her arm around Goram.

  “Some people firmly believe that certain foods must not be eaten,” added Eraldun, and then encouraged Goram to attend the forum to learn and contribute his own ideas and opinions.

  “We should find a group whose ambitions and sentiments align with our own,” Goram said to Lozira.”

  “What is the Forum of Personal Protection about?” Rhuna asked, recalling the word ‘savages’ and the real reason for the massive city wall around Judharo.

  “At times, there have been…altercations…with certain people,” Eraldun began hesitantly.

  “You mean the savages?” Rhuna asked, surprising Eraldun and making her pause.

  “Some would use that term to describe them,” she finally answered carefully. “They are usually the people from the Great Kingdom in the direction of the rising sun. These people live in isolated groups around about, and have been known to cause trouble at times.”

  “Why? What did they do?” Rhuna persisted, despite seeing Eraldun’s discomfort with the subject.

  “They want to take our possessions for their own, and use cunning methods as well as violence on occasion to acquire them,” Eraldun explained. “Furthermore, there have been other deaths by assailants unknown.”

  “What?” asked
Rhuna shocked. “Deaths by assailants unknown? What does this mean?”

  Eraldun looked at each face in turn, and then scoffed. “You Atlans are so pure and innocent! You are shocked at the killing of one person by another, as if it never enters your mind!”

  Before Rhuna could respond she heard Lozira’s high-pitched wail and quickly turned to her daughter.

  “I want to leave this horrible place!” she squealed, her face turning red and eyes filling with tears. Rhuna grabbed her daughter’s hands while Goram put both his arms firmly around her as he urgently whispered words of comfort in Lozira’s ear.

  “My daughter has a strong reaction to such words because her husband was almost killed by some…strangers,” Rhuna told Eraldun in a firm tone.

  “Oh, I see,” said the woman, losing her arrogant and scoffing attitude. “You are not typical Atlans, else you would not even be in this fine land of Varappa,” Eraldun stammered apologetically as she bowed her head.

  Rhuna turned back to Lozira and was relieved to see her calmer, although she still saw terror in her daughter’s eyes.

  “What is being done to prevent further deaths? Why are the assailants unknown?” Goram demanded to know.

  “Nothing. Nothing can be done,” Eraldun said shaking her head.

  “Without the ability to summon visions by means of the Gazing of the Waters, perpetrators of all kinds can remain hidden and thereby evade punishment,” Damell stated.

  “But that’s unacceptable!” said Rhuna louder than she intended.

  “I will protect!” interrupted Panapu as he stepped between Rhuna and Lozira, putting his massive arm around Lozira.

  “As will I!” Goram added quickly, giving Lozira a squeeze with his arm.

  “Some people are also fearful, like your daughter,” Eraldun ventured carefully. “They find some comfort in attending the Forum for Personal Protection.”

  “I see,” said Rhuna nodding. “Then perhaps we should all attend the Forum of Personal Protection, just in case something like that happens again.”