The Tales of Tarya, Books 1-3

Chapter 4 - Blood Money-4

Rico’s voice was strident with panic as he called out to his brother. ‘Where is it? It bit me …’

Isabella and Mina didn’t wait to find out what had happened. They ran through the night streets together, Isabella’s movements awkward from her long confinement. Fortunately, Isabella seemed to know which way to turn at each corner, because Mina had no idea. When they reached the edge of the town, not far from the player encampment, they stopped for breath. Under the brighter light cast by a street full of braziers, Mina saw Isabella had a vivid red bruise across her cheek, making her beautiful face grotesque in the dancing flame light.

‘Are you all right?’ she asked, between gulping breaths.

Isabella nodded. ‘Nothing make-up won’t fix,’ she smiled ruefully, panting. ‘Thanks. If that dye had reached me …’ She shuddered, unable to continue.

Mina hugged her, then turned to look back. ‘What about Uberto?’ she said. ‘There are two of them now. And whatever bit Rico … Was there a guard dog?’

Isabella took Mina’s hand and started leading her down the street, back toward the player wagons.

‘No dog,’ she said with a twisted smile. ‘And Uberto will be fine.’

~

Despite Isabella’s reassurance, Mina was relieved when Uberto appeared at breakfast unharmed. He gave the troupe a quick run-down of what had happened during the night, without mentioning how he’d escaped from the warehouse. Isabella was given a lot of sympathy, and Mina was congratulated for her quick actions. Then they began preparing for the day’s performances as though the kidnapping had been a minor incident. Mina walked up to Uberto, anxious to talk about what had happened.

‘You did well, my bird,’ he said, then held up a hand to silence any further discussion. He winked at her and shooed her away. ‘On with your tasks. The show must go on.’

On their second day in Clusone, the crowds were even larger and the takings were rich. Though Mina scanned the crowd, there was no sign of Rico or Katriela’s brother. The troupe spent their second evening in Clusone discussing canovaccio, the one-act scenarios that would be all they had time to perform at the Festival of Lights.

Uberto had the players perform some of their stock speeches, or concetti, and rehearse some lazzi, the physical pratfalls that were central to the servants’ comedy. Mina began to realise that though much of what they did onstage was improvised, the players had a repertoire of actions and words they could draw out, and which the audience expected to see. It was the way these were combined that made each performance fresh. With the morning, they set off again, planning to bypass several villages and stop at Irsha, a larger coastal town further north. Mama Tina argued with Uberto about this route, which seemed to mean they would have to travel through a forest, but Uberto was adamant they needed supplies only a big town like Irsha could provide. They had just purchased a large stock of supplies in Clusone, and Mina could not understand what else they needed.

At mid-morning they rode through Imbezi, a small fishing village much like Andon, without stopping, ignoring the cries of the townsfolk to perform for them. Dark clouds were gathering overhead and they drove the horses along the poorly kept dirt road at speed, giving little attention to the young people who surrounded the wagons, begging to see the troupe play. Though the villagers held out coins and pleaded, the players shook their heads.

Mina noticed an old man leaning on a stick, watching them with dispirited eyes. His sagging shoulders and pale skin spoke more of illness than of age and she wondered if he was really that old. His pallor reminded her of Katriela, the sick girl in Clusone. He had the same deep purple smudges in the curve on either side of his nose, shadowing his eyes. She was distracted from her thoughts by a young man who ran alongside the wagon, demanding to know why they weren’t stopping.

‘We’re going to Aurea,’ she said, ‘to play for royalty.’

The young man stopped walking then, drawn away by his stillness as the wagons continued their relentless rolling. He shouted after them: ‘Too good for us, eh Innaroi?’

Another villager called out then too. ‘We’re lucky they don’t stop, the thieves.’

The crowd dropped back, shouting insults. The players rode on, leaving angry, raised voices behind them. Isabella, sitting at the front with Mina, was subdued as they rode past fields burgeoning with spring crops. She dismissed the topic of the kidnapping when Mina tried to talk about it. Mina wondered why some people hated the players so much, and why the players didn’t seem to want to talk about it. Had Paolo encountered the same prejudices and silences? Had his passionate, headstrong nature led him to discover something that had put him in danger, causing him to flee the troupe? A strange thought came unbidden. Had the danger come from without, like Rico, or from within?

~

By late morning the road began sloping steadily downward and they drew nearer and nearer to the ocean. When they reached a beautiful crescent shaped bay they stopped for lunch. Despite the threat of a storm in the crackling air and darkened sky, the heat of late spring still shimmered all around.

This was a different sea from the wild coast near Andon. Instead of treacherous rocks there was fine sand, and the water did not rage, but was still and peaceful. It even glistened with light, though dark grey clouds were gathering to block the sun’s light. Dario came to help Mina down from the wagon and noticed her awe at the sight of the beach.

‘Come on,’ he said, and led her across the white sand to gentle waves. Mina forgot the unpleasantness of the last few days in the pure pleasure of icy, clear water across her feet. She began running, with Dario chasing behind, and the pleasure within her burst out in a cry of exhilaration.

‘This is so different,’ she gasped, as Dario caught up with her. ‘The sea near home is surrounded by cliffs. It’s dangerous to reach the waves, except at the dock.’

Mina’s eyes, which shone the same deep grey as the clouds above, glowed with happiness and wonder. She found herself caught in Dario’s gaze, and leaned in toward him, feeling a magnetic pull.

His expression softened and he spoke. ‘Mina, I wanted to talk to you without the others.’

She smiled up at him, her stomach crazy with butterflies. Dario knelt, using a stick to trace patterns in the sand.

‘For a while now …’ he began, then stopped and started again. ‘I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re so …’

Mina knelt down beside him. He had drawn a mask, without thinking, and he focused intently on it now.

‘What is it Dario?’ Mina tried to encourage him. ‘Whatever it is, you can say it. It’ll be fine.’

Kneeling, the height difference between them was not so pronounced. He took a deep breath. Mina silently willed him to get the words out.

‘I think you should leave the players,’ he blurted. Mina fell backward onto the sand, as shocked as though he’d hit her. The light vanish from her face in an instant. Dario stumbled on.

‘I’m not saying I want you to go. It’s just … I don’t want you to be trapped. The longer you stay … You shouldn’t do what we do.’

Anger surging, at her own foolish expectations, Mina stood, crossing her arms. ‘What? Why are you doing this? I thought you, of all of them … it doesn’t matter. I’m trying so hard to fit in and now you’re telling me to leave. What in all of Tarya is going on, and why won’t anyone tell me?’

Abruptly, she turned, and ran along the beach. Surprised, Dario stood and followed her. He was taller and stronger than Mina, and the slippery, fine sand slowed her down. He caught her by the shoulders, and they tumbled down onto the sand together. His face was close to hers and Mina felt she could fall into his warm eyes.

‘Listen, Mina. I don’t want you to go. I said that. I don’t. But don’t you think it’s strange you’d be told off for helping Aldo?’

‘How did you know?’ Mina asked, startled.

‘I didn’t, but I could guess. There are strict rules. You probably saved Aldo’s life, but Uberto wouldn’t have liked it. Especially because some of the Reizi saw something … even if they didn’t know what they were seeing.’

Dario stopped. Mina looked up at him with a frown.

‘I wish I could tell you more,’ he said. He seemed to be finding it hard to keep meeting Mina’s eyes.

‘Then tell me,’ Mina snapped.

Dario shook his head. ‘I can’t. But believe me, I don’t want you to go. That’s the last thing I want.’

He leaned in and kissed her. Mina’s eyes widened in surprise, then she gave in to the sensation of his lips on hers. She closed her eyes and felt her body grow warm. Dario drew back and caressed her cheek. Then Mina remembered the rules, and pushed Dario away so he fell back onto the sand.

‘Wait,’ she said. ‘If they found out, they’d make us leave. Both of us. This isn’t a way of getting me to leave, is it?’

Dario grinned. ‘What do you think?’

His smile seemed so genuine Mina couldn’t help but smile back.

‘Well, I’ve already broken one rule,’ she laughed, and pulled him back to kiss her again. As their lips met, they heard a cough. They looked up, shocked. Jal was standing right next to them.

‘I saw nothing,’ he said, holding one hand up. ‘Mina, Mama sent me to get you to look in on Aldo. Given you saved his life and all, she thought …’

‘Aldo!’ Mina sat up. ‘I haven’t even thought of him since … so much has happened.’

Dario tilted his head, indicating she should go. Jal led Mina back to the wagons.

~

Standing alone on the beach, Dario watched her run and wished he could protect her from what would soon be revealed. Once one stepped over the borders of Tarya’s darker places, he knew, everything changed. As he walked back to the wagons, a low rumble began in the distance. The storm would break soon.

Chapter 5