The Unreached Duchy

Chapter24

“How much of that did you hear?” Ravana demanded angrily, “Do you Merfolk think it’s funny to watch other people suffer in pain?”

“No actually I dislike seeing others hurt a great deal. In fact, I was terrified when my best friend, Rusalka, got stuck on the oar of the ship that brought you here while we were returning from Skirophorion to Maimakterion. We had just finished celebrating my birthday. No, I do what I can to help others who are in pain. What I found amusing was the part you convinced yourself that you were going to corner me and force me to tell you what I know yet you called it all nonsense because I cannot be trusted.” Senara retorted bitterly. “Since that’s how you clearly feel towards me and my kingdom that graciously allowed you to live after my other best friend risked his life to save you from drowning, I am not going to tell you anything that I have learned since leaving this chamber previously except we depart from here at dawn’s first light for Thargelion. It is a two day walk from here around the coast. You would be wise to rest tonight and rethink your opinion of a duchy that you surely know nothing about.” she snapped at Ravana before leaving and slamming the gate behind her before Ravana could bat an eyelash in Senara’s direction.

Making her way slowly back to the stables, Senara tried to calm herself down because Patera would sense that she was angry and upset. How could someone be so hateful to another creature that they knew nothing about? How could someone be so nasty to someone simply because they were different from themselves? Senara did not understand how humans could act like that towards Makarans but she knew that they were and they were getting worse with each passing month.

By the time Senara actually reached the stables, Patera was anxiously awaiting her return so she could fly Senara home. Patera had gotten quite good at taking off from water since she was given to Senara as a hatchling by the Royal Family as a reward. Senara had also recently gotten a saddle custom made so she could actually sit and ride on Patera in the air like she did on a Mima. Personally, and as ironic as it sounded, Senara preferred riding on Patera instead of a Mima.

Once Patera was in the air and flying towards home, which in all honesty was not far off, Senara could not help but compare Ravana’s attitude towards her and her own attitude about being given Patera almost three years ago. Senara knew she shouldn’t be comparing herself to the humans she was supposed to be escorting but these two were different; just like Namtao had said he felt they were. Senara knew she could relate to Ravana about not liking different things and not liking change. Rusalka and Namtao had just gotten married recently, that was a big change that made Senara feel like she was intruding on them sometimes even though they said she was not and she was invited. But it was more than that, Senara had almost the same attitude when she found out that she was being given Patera, a Pi-Yao, as a Gratitude gift for her service to Makara. Senara was furious but she hid it from everyone except for Rusalka and Namtao.

Senara was utterly disgusted with herself for ever having such an attitude towards such a gentle and loving creature. She regretted that she ever had felt that way towards her beloved Patera and decided that extra sea cucumbers with dinner for a special treat were in order.

Once they reached Maimakterion, Senara went to Rusalka and Namtao’s house with Patera. Namtao was still on duty but Rusalka was still expecting them and they had a relaxing night of games planned. It was something that they had done every week since they were old enough to remember. They always lived next door to each other too, Namtao lived on the other side of Rusalka, and all three had grown up knowing each other.

Without even knocking, Senara just opened the gate and went inside. Since Senara, Rusalka and Namtao were all Merfolk, almost all of their houses were in the water. It was a general rule in Makara that every building have at least two entrances if it was somewhere that Merfolk could get to, one entrance had to be on dry land and the other had to be in the water.

In places like the mountains and the plains, where there was no Merfolk, that rule was largely ignored except for the buildings on the coasts and near the MerWay.

As soon as Patera and Senara entered, they were greeted by Huli and Titian; Huli is Rusalka’s Ningyo, which is a monkey-fish hybrid. Scratching Patera behind her ears, “Go play” Senara said, “Rusa? Rusa where are you hiding you fink?” she called to her lifelong best friend.

“I’m over here, I’m pulling out everything. Titian brought a message earlier that your two escorts are less than cooperative and you’re leaving with them at dawn to go to Thargelion. So, what game would you like to play first?” Rusalka said as she unceremoniously dropped everything she had in her arms on the ledge of the stone floor next to her.

“Let’s see what you just dumped on the floor” Senara said chuckling as the two best friends picked up the pieces for the multiple games. Rusalka had pulled out every game set she could find that they had played over the years: Senet, Go, Mancala, Ur, Tafl, Catur, and Cassini.

“You know what Rusalka? I usually take a set of Senet and an Ocarina with me when I escort people to Alaiceaus,” Senara started to say, “but this time I think I’m going to only take an Ocarina and Patera with me this time.”

Rusalka looked up surprised and said cautiously “Well how about we decide that over a game of Senet? We do only have until dusk before you have to leave for Boedromion again.”