10: Interruption
It turns out that Nikolai's powers must be substantial. Olia's reaction proves it. And at the end of the day, I now know that...Oh, yes. I haven't told you yet. I shall recount the incident that marked this day and then, I suppose, you can see for yourself...
We did not see anyone, save some peasants in the fields, for quite sometime until three cloaked women arrived, riding up the road towards us. Olia and Ket moved forward to speak with them, but not one of the three would speak a word to my associates. They simply dismounted and approached me. Nikolai, perched behind me on the horse, urged me to dismount to meet them. I swiftly followed his instruction and lifted him down after me. All three had dark faces and shining dark eyes. They regarded us silently before the first spoke, "Nikolai, born under the star most blessed and most cursed, Bishop Sasarai of Harmonia: greetings to you both." All three bowed graciously. "I am Reifah, eldest of we three sisters. WE have come from the heart of yon lands, near Camaro, seeking such stars shooting across the land of Harmonia as thee."
"I am honored, wise ladies," Nikolai grinned.
"I do not understand, but I will listen," I responded calmly. I supposed that when Nikolai had spoken previously of "wise ones" he meant these women. I did not know how he could have sensed their coming, but I did not question at this time. They were smiling as though they saw my internal confusion plain as day.
"Be at peace, Sasarai of Harmonia. Our intentions are harmless. We merely wish to confer a gift upon your young companion and consult with him on the state of the nation."
I nodded thoughtfully, examining their lovely faces. Once again I felt it would be easier to put my questions to Nikolai at a later date.
Olia and Ket strode to my side as the women pulled Nikolai aside. "Will you kindly tell me what is going on here?" the high priestess growled at me with fierce eyes flashing.
I shrugged casually- of all actions, the most likely to frustrate her, "I don't exactly know." I smiled foolishly.
Ket smacked his forehead with his palm, "You could've asked, you nitwit."
The high priestess twitched slightly, the corners of her mouth jerking strangely as she chose between smiling at Ket's reaction and frowning at my feigned idiocy. In the end, she picked the smile and put a hand on my shoulder, "Are you getting that dull, Sasa? Don't wear your mind out quite yet."
They called me "Sasa" when I was younger and was like a child. In those days, Hikusaak put his arm around me and read stories about the saints. However, he was never so proud as to read about himself. The embellishments embarrassed him, I think. In youth he must not have been the giant he is today. I called him "Papa" for a time, and I was spoiled. It comes back to me in pieces as I focus my mind.
A red-haired woman combed my messy hair and kissed me, "You are so precious to us," she would say gently. I loved her. Hikusaak is Hikusaak, but I cannot bring myself to even inquire as to who she meant I was precious to. I refuse to stop trusting this one last person...because I loved her.
High Priestess Olia hated the red-haired woman. I can barely recall it, but Hikami has since noted for me how Olia tormented her. I wonder why: jealousy? She would admit herself to being beautiful, strong, and sharp-witted. All of which are true to an extent, but I would not point this out to someone so egotistic. I wonder what this motherly woman could have had to prompt such cruelty from the high priestess. I wonder if this anger has carried over to how she treats me in any way or if it is I myself who offends her so? She attacks me often enough for either or both to be true. She is certainly hard to understand.
Nikolai marched back over bravely with something clenched tight in his right hand. Olia leaned down and looked sternly at him, silky chestnut-colored hair sliding over her shoulders. "So, did you have a nice time? Do tell."
There was a hint of a challenge in her voice that the boy did not recognize. I grimaced. There was not way to warn him without alerting Olia.
"Yeah," he chirped back happily, "We talked about the road ahead."
"Road ahead," Ket scribbled onto a handkerchief. Olia politely nodded for Nikolai to continue, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Like, err, for instance, who's going to join us along the way and what choice I'll make at the gate," the boy added, pushing some longer strands of hair out of his face.
"The gates," Ket noted studiously in his spidery letters. Olia had taught him to do that: to pick out the terms with 'hidden meanings' for later consideration. I seriously question at times whether these words always mean the things they say the do, but it is his handkerchiefs that are being wasted, not mine.
"That's nice, Nikolai," Olia purred, putting an arm around his shoulders, "Now why don't we get ourselves going again and no more unexpected stops, all right?"
She led Nikolai away with a small sigh of exasperation before I was able to approach him to make my inquiries. He looked at me rather helplessly over his shoulder as they went. I met his gaze calmly, wondering what he was thinking. His clear eyes always seemed to make his heart visible. He was thinking, I could see, clutching whatever the women had given him in his small hand. For a moment I thought I caught a glimpse of a glow coming from it, but he promptly disappeared around some puzzled guards and I could no longer see him. Ket ordered some of Olia's guards to capture the women, but they and their mounts were nowhere to be seen. He is rarely furious silently like Olia. He stomped off muttering to himself with fists clenched and face red. Being slow had likely cost him some brownie points.
By the time Dios and Sir Stephen had appeared, wanting to know what was holding everything up, both of the counsel members were gone and I was left beside Captain Tygel and some of his men who were pondering whether or not it would be a good use of time to search the women out. With my chief-of-staff and his companion came a man wearing red and white astride a black horse who I am not familiar with. Other then the strange coloration of his costume, he appeared to be wearing a relatively average lower ranking bishop's robes. He simply listened as Dios asked, "What's going on here, Sir?"
"Just a bit of a holdup," I replied nonchalantly, "An unexpected interruption of our trip."
"Oh," he commented mildly, looking around in hopes of witnessing the problem firsthand.
"It's been taken care of, hasn't it?" Stephen inquired curiously.
"It has," I responded.
"You heard His Excellency!" Dios shouted at the guards and soldiers milling about, "It's been cleared up! Prepare to march!"
I kept my eyes on the strange man. He looked down at me coldly for a moment before turning and trotting away.
In the evening I overheard High Priestess Olia chattering with Ket as she wrote up her official report to send back to Crystal Valley, "If the "road ahead" is the future course of events as we suspect and "the gates" are an actual location, then it was some sort of premonition he had...If he could peer into the future then it makes sense that they would want to consult with him...However, it could be another matter entirely...It's suspicious, Ket. I want you to keep your eyes open. I think I may be risking too much now to let him stay so close to Sasarai, but I haven't yet thought of a way to maneuver him into my care exclusively..."
Still unable to speak with Nikolai, I have many concerns and speculations swirling in my mind, but they will have to come to the forefront later...