The Unreached Duchy

Chapter 9

Namtao lead Derketo into a hallway that had different looking doors; they had handles where a door should have a handle, but then in different places, there was another handle.

Seeing Derketo looking at the different doors as they went past them, Namtao answered his question. “These rooms are where people stay the night before the Transformation Ceremony. There will be things left for you after the Ceremony in the room you stayed in. The doors have handles in the appropriate places for humans and in the appropriate places for the other races. The appropriate sized doors also open when the handle is pulled on. The humans that are transformed into Merfolk are at the opposite end of where we are going because that’s where the water is.” Namtao explained to a visibly impressed Derketo.

“Makara seems to have thought of everything for a Transformation Ceremony. Will I be able to play my Ocarina or my Senet for a short time before the Ceremony? I’m not sure why but they relax me when I get nervous.” Derketo inquired of his Trireme escort.

“I’m not sure if there will be anyone to play Senet with because I’m not sure if there is anyone else transforming into a Kabouter. However, if you don’t mind playing against yourself then I don’t see why not. I also don’t know why playing an Ocarina would be an issue. That’s the most popular instrument in all of Makara. I even know a lava mason who can make different types of Ocarinas out of lava.” Namtao said with a shrug.

“I personally play a lyre. With those thoughts, I have to take my leave now because this is the room that you’re going to be staying in until after the Transformation Ceremony.” Namtao informed Derketo while pointing at a door that was now directly behind Derketo.

“Oh, well alright then. Gratitude for being so kind to me. I know that there’s some unkind tales going around in Dacia, Thrace, and Rome about Makara at the present moment. So the Huns are making cautious decisions to keep everyone safe. Me being sent here as a prisoner I’m sure does nothing to help my cause either.” Derketo said as he looked solemnly at the door that was before him and appeared to be quite heavy. He was not sure how he’d be able to open it once he was transformed into a Kabouter, he was only going to be six inches tall at the most.

“Yes, there are quite a lot of untruths being told about Makarans on the mainland. The Trireme does go out to meet ships, however, we only meet ships that are carrying prisoners much like the one you were on. The Trireme also gets told quite a lot of information about people who come here as prisoners. We were told that you, for example, refused to testify during a trial in Dacia. Is that true?” Namtao inquired of Derketo with almost the same tone he used in interrogations of humans that somehow just appear out of nowhere on Makara shores.

“Not entirely. I did testify. I was a scribe in Thrace, more specifically, a scribe in the Royal Court of Thrace and King Burebista. I refused to lie during the trial and say someone was in debt when he truly was not. As punishment, I was banished from Thrace to Makara. Honestly, I think I am better off in Makara than I would have been in Thrace had I lied. Avesta and Arausio as my witnesses, I refused to lie and I was honest in what I told the Royal Courts.” Derketo stated as defiantly and as humbly as possible.

“Most of that I was already told and when you gave your statement to the Trireme Guard coming off the boat, you were also giving your statement to an animal called a Luduan, it’s a truth detecting animal. My Serdar has one that was given to him as a present from the Huns. If you were being dishonest, we would have known about it almost instantly. That’s also why you were trusted enough to be given a position in the Royal Court of Makara.” Namtao informed him.

“Well that’s a relief to know.” Derketo said sounding and looking as relieved as he claimed to be.

All major purchases are tracked by scribes in the Royal Court, each scribe is assigned to a different thing to keep records of. For example, Derketo is a Kabouter scribe in the Royal Court that was sent to Makara from the Dacian Kingdom for refusing to lie during a trial; Derketo is in charge of keeping records for all musical instruments requested, all musical instruments sold, and what materials the instruments were made out of.

Derketo also plays a seven holed ocarina, he learned to play as a human and took it with him when he was sent to Bucatius from Thrace, from Bucatius Derketo traveled to Thargelion for the Alaiceaus Ceremony to become a Kabouter. Derketo was allowed to remain a scribe as he had been in Thrace, he was found guilty of conspiracy since he refused to lie when called as a witness of a theft.

“I guess I should go get settled in for my last night as a human and for the Transformation Ceremony tomorrow. Do you think it would be possible for me to remain after the ceremony is finished and enjoy the rest of Alaiceaus?”