Dawn rose over Nithgaard. As Anyu and Christopher rose for the morning, beautiful music filled their ears in a language different from the one these Nithgaardi spoke. The melody rolled stately, courtly, and with great precision, as if it were written for nobles to dance to. Still feeling the time difference between this world and Beinan, Anyu pouted as she put a green bliaut over her saffron kirtle and fastened it close to her body, “What is that music?”
“It’s a dance the natives call a ‘pavane.’ This one was written by a man named Arbeau nearly one hundred yen-ars ago. I do not know the exact yen-ar.”
“It’s beautiful. It sounds like some of the dances back home.”
“Not exactly. Ours are more complex.”
“But the dance steps are like ours.”
“Yes.”
“This place is so strange – both alien and yet not alien.”
“You have not yet encountered the real cultures of this world.”
“I do not understand.”
“This is not their real society, Lady Anyu. This is a fantasy some among them create in hopes of appreciating and celebrating nearly 350 yen-ars of their past. This music comes from the end of that period. But it is still a celebration of the past. When the sun reaches its zenith for this rotational period, all will be done, the pavilions and other gear packed away and they will change into clothing such as they normally wear, clothing very different from what they wear now.”
“Do you own such clothing?”
“More or less.”
“How long have you been here, Christopher?”
“I do not know. Less than a yen-ar, I think, maybe longer. As you adjust to the rotational period of this world, you too will lose all track of our concept of time. A beinor will feel five times longer than it is. Shir-ors will become meaningless to your mind. You will adapt, as I did.”
“Does that mean I can never go home?”
“You shall return to Beinan, Lady Anyu. You must – or die.”
The final breakfast among the Nithgaardi came with a side of pomp and pageantry. King Gavin and Queen Tamera held their final court of the event, offering prizes to those who won during the many competitions and praise to even more. Special praise and a gift of a special basket filled with spices and cooking utensils they gave to Lady Marion for her hard work preparing meals for the assembly. As court ended and the populace headed to their pavilions to pack and depart, Princess Anyu knelt at the feet of Gavin and Tamera, her sword on her lap respectfully, “Thank you for welcoming me to your court, Your Majesty.”
“You are most welcome,” acknowledged Tamera sweetly. “Thank you for traveling from so far away to our gathering. Where will you go now?”
“I do not know; wherever Lord Christophe leads, I think. Your land is still strange to me and full of dangers.”
“You cannot go home, then?” asked King Gavin.
“No, not until it is safe. As it is, I am not certain even your realm can protect me.”
“Great is our realm of eastern lands – yet it is still just a dream of times and people long gone, a vision of another time and place,” remarked Tamera.
“New worlds are born of such dreams, Your Majesty,” countered Anyu.
“And so they are,” beamed Tamera appreciatively as she and Gavin rose from their thrones. Anyu rose, sheathing her sword. It was time to leave this fantasy that felt like home – and discover the real D425E25 Tertius. As Anyu rejoined Christopher, her heart wondered what strange new places and people of the ‘real’ world lay ahead.