Chapter 14: Wants, Fears, and Winners
Thoughts wouldn’t stop running through my mind. I began arrangements almost an hour before sunrise. Asaph was already gone, checking to see the state of everything in streets before the day of the Feast truly dawned. I was doing my own preparations. I pulled off my tunic so the thin, tight shirt and tongs were all that covered me. Taking off my shoes, I was ready.
I went on my knees, performing an elaborate bow. On our journeys after my father and I left Karrazard, we went north and northeast. The people of the latter were strange and we spent very little time there. But I never forgot what I saw. It was a ceremony of the highest religious strictness. They repeated an elaborate bow a dozen times. I respected the level of devotion it took to do that kind of performance.
I rose lifting my hands up, praying with all my heart, praying my crew were safe. Praying what I planned to do was just and true and God himself would be with me. And praying my escalating fear would not paralyze me in the climactic moment.
Over and over again, I stood, kneeled, bowed so my forehead touched the ground and my hands splayed upwards. Only the glitter of sunrise stopped me. Rubbing my hands together and keeping my eyes closed, I gave a slight, smaller prayer. I was missing real incense, but I made due with burning the few hard-shelled seeds I carried for planting on Father’s grave.
I whispered my prayer was quietly. "I know you loved him more than I did, as you took him to heaven to be with you, but for today, just today, please let Father be here, watching over me. Let him see me, God, please, please."
Asaph climbed through the window. He noted my burning incense. "Is everything alright?"
Pulling my black, gold, scarlet tunic over my shoulders, I calmed. "No, but it will be after tonight. How was the marketplace?"
My company nodded, pleased. "Every place is open. The iron kilns are empty for the day, left at boiling temperatures. There are instruments at every doorway and decorations hang on every wall, between every alleyway, and the palace gates have opened. Food lines the streets. This will be a celebration like none before. Fear and excitement mingles in the air."
I grinned to myself. "Fear is the inspiration to overcome frightening things, not a burden to the brave. You can have the heart of a winner or a loser, and fear is the deciding factor. It will decide how far you will go."
He remarked. "That's a sudden spout of wisdom."
Tightening my belt, I turned to the window. "It's what Father left me. Deion will be trying his hardest to find me today. After tonight, his position will be gone and we will change the world forever. He can probably sense it.”
Asaph looked over the brightening city with me. Today, everyone rested. “The Wing and Hoof Families will be after you just as much. The three always go hand in hand. Deion, Hoofs, and Wings. We will probably have to confront Diomedes. He may even go as far to try to kill you.”
I shrugged, looking away from the view to search for that bag I prepared the day before. Finding the sack full of preparations, I pulled it up, pleased. “Key word: try. He’s attacked me before, and if I remember correct, I was saving him.”
My company pulled the bag away from me, heaving it over his own shoulder. “That’s probably why he’s left you alone these past two days. Don’t underestimate him, Flower. He may have not hit you before, but remember he was told to catch you then, not kill you. He’s won every tournament of archery in Karrazard. And if even one of those arrows hit you, you won’t see that limb or organ again. Diomedes is a formidable opponent.”
Smirking, I looked back at him. “It sounds like you admire him.”
He scowled. “As if. I just don’t want you to say I didn’t warn you. Moving or not, you have to anticipate what he’s thinking.” Nodding to the bag, he remarked. “So, we are hiding these over the city?”
I nodded; checking to make sure everything was in place... “After all, we spent all last night making them. If my crew is still out there, they’ll know where I put them. After all, I won’t know if everything’s ready on their side until at least one of these fireworks go off at sunset.”
Glancing in the sack, Asaph queried. “Are there only fireworks in here? I see…is that paper?”
I nodded, standing on the window ledge, starting my way down. “Yes, and you don’t want to be caught with them all, so let’s get moving. We have things to do.”