Chapter Eleven
The travelers, now reduced to a trio, rode on towards Cassara the rest of that day. That night after supper, the brothers produced musical instruments from a compartment in the wagon.
Marius played a pipe that had two mouths; one that produced a high clear note, and the other a low, warbling sound, while Meegle strummed a three stringed mandolin, and sang songs in a language that Andrew was not familiar with.
The brothers played many different kinds of tunes. Some were upbeat and lively, while others were slow, and mournful. Some uplifting, others, steeped in sorrow.
As they played, the smoke of the campfire magically took on different shapes and figures, in time to the music. It told many stories.
Andrew recognized some of them. One particularly sad tune depicted two short men, bound together, being sent down a mine shaft by a tall, imposing man with a crown on his head. Another, much happier tune, told the tale of the same two men breaking out of the mines. And a very lively, joyful song illustrated in the smoke two short, bearded men taking food from a teenage boy, eating it, and dancing.
Andrew wondered how the tale of Katy's capture would end. Would it have a happy ending, like the brothers? Or would it end in sadness and sorrow?
The next morning they finally left the forest behind them, and arrived at the town of Cassara. It was situated at the edge of the tropical wood, bordered on the south by the rainforest, north by a small mountain, east by a brook, and on the west, by fields and open space.
It was the first human settlement that Andrew had seen in days. It was a small, quaint village, nestled under the arm of the mountain. In all, there probably weren't more than a couple hundred houses in the whole town. Though there were several large inns lining the main road.
"One of the more busy highways of the Realm of Green passes through this town," said Marius.
"Most of the townsfolk work in the fields, the inns, or the crystal mines of the mountain yonder," said Meegle.
"You should be able to find lodging with one of them, maybe in exchange for helping him with his work," Marius said. "While you are here, you will be able to make more inquiries into how and why you came to be in our world. Many travelers from all corners of the Realms and beyond pass through this town. One is bound to know the answer."
"You will find that the townspeople are simple, decent folk. I think you may come to like them," said Meegle. "But first, we must have brunch at the Karsgone Inn and Eatery. Best weselburry soup this side of the Ambinen."
They stopped at the inn called the Karsgone, and ate brunch.
Marius stood up. "I will see if I can find you someone to stay by."
Five minutes later he reappeared with a tall man at his side. He had curly black hair, dark brown eyes, a full black beard, and slightly turned in ears. His skin was tanned, with muscular arms and calloused hands. A farmer.
"Andrew, this is Jonah. Jonah, Andrew. Jonah can use an extra hand in the fields. In exchange, he will provide you with food and board."
Andrew held out his hand to shake. "Sounds fair enough."
Jonah looked at him funny.
Andrew withdrew his hand. "Oh, sorry. I did not know that shaking was an Earth thing."
"You are a mortal then! From the Mortal Realm! This is good news! It is a sign from God. A great change is coming. The last time a mortal wandered these parts was hundreds of years ago, in the times of William Goldeye. And then, he brought about the slaying of the terrible dragon Northkaang!"
"I'm just a young boy from Pine Valley, New York," Andrew said. "I don't know much about slaying dragons."
"We shall see, we shall see. Now, why don't you teach me how to shake hands, the mortal way?"
Andrew demonstrated, and they shook.
It was now time to say good bye to the brothers, who would be continuing on to the market in Tallut.
"You saved my life," said Andrew. "And Katy's too. If not for you, we would have been killed in the rainforest for sure."
"You more than repaid us, Andrew," said Marius.
"We will never forget what you have done for us," said Meegle.
The brothers climbed into their wagon, and started to move.
"Farewell, and best of luck!"
Andrew waved until the wagon passed out of sight. There goes two good friends. Who knows if I will ever see them again? he thought.
"Let us go to my home," said Jonah. "It is in the north side of town, near Mount Hemstone. My son Yoar will be very excited to meet a human!"
They talked about the drought that had hit the area hard on the way. "There is a heavy drought now. We pray to the Creator every day for rain. If it doesn't come in the next two days, the crops will likely be lost."
Jonah's house was a simple wooden structure, divided into four rooms. A kitchen slash eating area, and three bedrooms. There was no indoor bathroom or plumbing, only an outhouse out back.
The hut stood on several acres of what was usually lush grass, now brown and brittle.
Inside, Andrew met Yelenta, Jonah's wife. She was a petite woman with dark brown hair and light blue eyes. Andrew was also introduced to Yoar, Jonah's son. Yoar was an energetic boy, with curly black hair and brown eyes just like his father.
Jonah made the introductions. "Andrew, this is Yelenta, and Yoar. Yelenta, Yoar, this is Andrew. Andrew is a mortal, from Earth."
Yoar dropped the mug he was holding, and it shattered on the floor. "From Earth? You mean that Earth is a real place?! Wow! Old Zin-Tin always said that Earth, its mortals, and their crazy machines are nothing more than fairy tales."
Andrew was slightly amused. "Yep, we're real."
"This is so exciting! A real human!" Yoar showered Andrew with questions. "Is it true that you can shoot fire from your hands? Melt stone with your eyes?"
Andrew laughingly explained that much of what Yoar had heard about humans, was indeed nothing more than myth. But he still astounded him with tales of mortal ingenuity; horseless carriages, flying machines, vessels that could travel to other planets, and other amazing mortal technology.
"Oh boy," said Yoar. "All the kids are going to be so jealous that I have a real mortal staying at my house!"
They ate a late lunch. Andrew was introduced to Jenna, Jonah's infant daughter.
"God has been kind. He has bestowed upon us another gift," said Jonah.
"She is our forty-third child," Yelenta said.
"Forty third! Where I come from, it is quite uncommon to have even more than five children. Where are the others?"
Andrew was worried that he was going to have to share the tiny hut with forty-five other people.
Yelenta laughed. "They are all grown up, and have homes of their own now. You are forgetting that we are immortal. Jonah and I are more than five hundred years old."
"We were born before America was discovered," said Jonah, proud that he knew this fact.
"Where do the others live?" Andrew asked.
"Several remain here, in Cassara. A few reside in our old town, Tillembar, one hundred miles north east of here. The rest are scattered throughout the region and beyond. Yantry, our twenty-third child, resides in the capital, Nicklevar, where he serves as personal attendant to King Yionaffe. We are very proud of all our children. And we are extra proud of Yantry."
Jonah's face glowed when he spoke of his children.
"So tell us," said Yelenta. "How did you come to be in the Realms?"
Andrew told them the story of the Kingdom of the Light, and how he and Katy went to see a waterfall, when they were mysteriously teleported to the Realms.
"That's strange," said Yelenta. "I don't know why that happened. I've never heard of a magical teleporting waterfall before, much less a magic teleporting waterfall in the Mortal Realm."
Andrew showed them the silver card, but they didn't recognize its sign.
"I hope
you find your way home, or to wherever it is that you must go, safely," said Jonah.
They finished eating.
"Yoar, why don't you show Andrew around town?" said Jonah.
"All right, father."
Yoar gave him a tour of the small town. Almost all of the shops and businesses were on the main road that passed through the center of the village.
Yoar pointed out the bakery, tailor, and the house of worship. There was also a large gazebo-like structure, which was used for a meeting place. The townspeople would convene there every so often to discuss matters pertaining to the town.
There was a small shop which sold green crystals to be used for the Lighting. Yoar said that it was mainly supplied by the crystal mines of the nearby Mount Hemstone.
There were several medium to large sized inns which did brisk business from the major artery that passed through town. On the south side of the village there was an open area that was used for the market, on Fridays.
One of the more interesting shops to the human Andrew was a store that sold a collection of magical items, spell books, and anything else magic related.
They completed the tour and returned to the hut for dinner.
They all rose early the next morning, and went to work in the fields. At lunch, Jonah said that if rain would not come within a day, they might need to sell some of their horses to have food for the coming season.
But there was no need to sell horses. That very afternoon, the heavens finally answered their prayers. The skies opened, and rain fell in torrents. The crops were saved.
Jonah, along with many of the other townspeople, attributed the rain to the arrival of the mortal, Andrew, believing him to be a harbinger of good luck and prosperity. Though others said that mortals brought the devil, and time would prove that he only brought misfortune and evil with him.