Chapter 24
The Festival of Love
Kartbyrsa, Kingdom of Hannibal
Tobias' horse was the property of the Crown, so he had no right to sell it, but given that he was facing charges of treason and murder, horse theft seemed like a petty offense. Whether they beheaded him, hanged him or flayed him alive for his crimes, the end would be the same. Besides, they needed the money to continue their journey, so that was the more pressing concern at the moment.
They took the river boat to Kartbyrsa and arrived in port around noon on the third day since they left Baal-Gebal. These port towns were always bustling. In a poetic sense, the Capital was called the heart of the kingdom, but in truth it was the Lake that pumped the lifeblood of the nation.
The only way to gain access to the kingdom by sea was the Lake's narrow outlet near Birut, which meant that all sea travel was funneled into the Lake. Even during the reign of the Mad King, trade flourished and the Lake teemed with merchant shops going hither and thither.
When their boat arrived at the west docks, while the sailors were mooring the boat to the pier, the pilot walked down the deck shouting, "Everyone off! Off the boat! Don't forget nothin'! Off the boat!"
Tobias asked the pilot, "You're not going to the east docks?"
While the river boats came and went from the west docks, the ships that crossed the Lake and went out to the sea were harbored at the east docks. It was not uncommon for the river boats to make a stop at the east dock for the sake of passengers and cargo, but apparently that was not the case here.
"No, I ain't goin' to the east docks," the pilot replied. "Wouldn't have no place if I did. Boats not goin' nowhere."
"What do you mean?"
"Ain't ye 'ware of the day? It's the firs' of Aprilis. They've got their love festival today. No boat's leavin' till tomorrow."
That was hardly what Tobias wanted to hear, but it could not be helped. He turned to the others and said, "We could take the bridge and go to Zareh. The cult of Venus isn't so strong there. We could make it there before sunset. There aren't many ships that set out so late, but it would save us a night's lodging."
"What's a love festival?" Tellus asked.
"Well, it's exactly what it sounds like," Tobias said. "It's a festival about love, a celebration of Venus, the goddess of love and fertility according to the Greeks and the Romans. The Romans called the festival Veneralia, but I think it was quite different in ancient times. These days, here in Kartbyrsa, it's mostly just an excuse for young people to revel and frolic."
"You sound like an old man when you put it like that, Tobiyah ben Yishak," Shoshanna said.
"Maybe it's because my grandfather was always saying such things," Tobias said. "It must have rubbed off on me. But, honestly, I really don't care for festivals like this."
"I'd like to see it," Tellus said.
Tobias' first instinct was to say that they needed to keep moving, but he found himself hesitating before he said anything. Tellus had experienced precious little of the good in the kingdom—and there was indeed plenty of good despite all the bad. Just because he did not care for such festivals did not mean she would not enjoy it. She did have this great mission weighing upon her and perhaps it would be good for her to forget her cares for a brief while.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," he said.
"Should we not be moving on?" Tym'r asked. "I goes poorly for us whenever we tarry in one place."
"He has a point," Shoshanna said. "With so many people, I won't easily be able to detect any threats before they are upon us."
"We'll just take a slight detour to the square on our way out of the city," Tobias said. "That way Tellus can see the festival but we won't tarry for long, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about. There's going to be a lot of people, so we shouldn't stand out too much."
"I cannot imagine any other Ral'gha will be walking about freely," Tym'r said.
"Well, maybe we'll stand out a little," Tobias admitted, "but surely no one will take that much notice of us."
"It may be true that we will draw less attention by blending in with the crowd," Shoshanna said. "So long as you understand the risks."
Tellus looked a little dissatisfied—no doubt she was hoping for more than a brief detour—but rather than sulk about it, she seemed to quickly accept what was offered, taking Tobias by the hand and pulling him along.
"Come on," she said.
Tobias allowed himself to be led on while Shoshanna and Tym'r followed more cautiously after. Event though the festival was well underway, there were still plenty of people filtering into the square.
However the Veneralia was celebrated in the past, here in Kartbyrsa it more closely resembled the descriptions of a Bacchanal. Wine flowed freely for all while young people danced in the square amid lusty music and song. The young men would buy roses and offer them to any young woman who caught their eye. The young women would accept the offered rose or not depending on their mood. It seemed to be a point of pride to collect a great many roses as a sign of having many admirers, but a few made a great show of refusing all comers in an apparent bid to make themselves appear more desirable. This only seemed to work for the most beautiful of these women as there were plenty of other young women available who were freer with their affections.
Tellus watched all this with great interest and it was not long before she was pulling on Tobias' arm, saying, "Come on, dance with me."
"Dance with you? I don't dance. I mean, I can't dance. I don't know how. I—"
Tobias was stumbling over his words much as he would inevitably be stumbling over his feet if he accepted Tellus' invitation. Tellus, however, would not take no for an answer.
"What's to know?" she said. "Just let the music do the work. Your body will follow along."
Reluctant as he was, Tobias couldn't help being moved by the sight of her in such high spirits, especially so soon after being on Death's doorstep. It went a long way toward weakening his resistance and before he knew it, she had pulled him out of the crowd of bystanders and into the square with the other revelers.
In truth, he did not do much himself, but she held him by both hands and capered about in circles as if he were an Asherah pole in May. He had never seen her so happy before. Was this who she really was, just an ordinary, playful girl who was cursed with the burden of this great power? If not for the voice of her so-called mother calling her from beyond the sea, might she have been like this every day? She would not abandon her mission, but perhaps when it was finished, she could be free to be this girl once more.
His attention was so fixed on Tellus that he was not able to avoid bumping into one of the couples dancing near them.
"Pardon me," Tobias said.
The young man of the couple laughed and said to his partner, "'Ear that, luv? 'Pardon me,' a knight says te a poor coppersmith's 'prentice like me. The Queen o' Luv's soft'nin' 'earts all 'round, she is! No worries, Sir Knight, no worries."
The coppersmith's apprentice looked at the two of them, then said, "Sir, Knight, whatten ye doin'? Ye can't be dancin' wif a gel what's not got a rose. Ain't ye got none? 'Ere, take one o' mine, else she won't get no blessin' from the Goddess o' Luv."
The surprisingly well-equipped youth was actually wearing a quiver at his hip filled with roses. He took one out and handed it to Tobias.
"If'n ye want more, Sir Knight, they're sellin' 'em over yonder."
He pointed over to the east side of the square where the roses were being sold. Tobias did not plan on dancing with anyone else besides Tellus, but all the same he told the coppersmith's apprentice, "Thank you."
The coppersmith's apprentice laughed again.
"Firs' 'Pardon me' an' now 'Thank ye'! What other wonners'll I see t'day?" He drew his partner in close and said, "'Ow 'bout it, luv?"
His partner giggled and playfully pushed him back before they resumed their dance. Tobias just looked on awkwardly for a moment before remembering the rose. He offered it to Tellus.
"Here you are, Tellus," he said.
Tellus accepted the rose gladly and following the example of the other young women, she stuck it in her hair. She took hold of Tobias' hands again was about to start dancing again when the music came to a stop. The revelers in the square all stopped what they were doing. The crowd parted as a quartet of little girls skipped along scattering rose petals about. They preceded a noblewoman dressed in the Roman style, wearing a red palla over a saffron stola with a crown of roses on her her head. Six maids in white walked alongside her, three and three, and two young boys followed after her, each carrying a crown of roses much like the one the noblewoman was wearing.
As the noblewoman and her attendants took their places in the middle of the square, a man also dressed in the Roman style stepped forward and addressed the crowd.
"Citizens, friends, young and old, man and woman, all who hold love dear in your hearts, our Queen of Love has arrived. We are all, of course, grateful to our Lady Jehanna for sponsoring this most festive occasion, but above all we must honor our Lady Venus with this most holy assembly. You do the goddess honor when you love, so love much, love freely, and that love shall be blessed!"
The crowd cheered with many of them pledging oaths to Venus by her many names. This was where Tobias thought it best to withdraw. He had probably already transgressed by participating in these festivities as little as he had. He did not need to venture any further into idolatry and blasphemy.
The man continued, "And now for the moment you have all been waiting for. The Queen of Love will crown one young man and one young woman as her new Prince and Princess. Who will she select as the lucky couple to receive the goddess' special blessing?"
The noblewoman, Lady Jehanna, looked out upon the crowd. She then leaned over to say something to the maids on her right, then to the ones on her left. The maids went out into the crowd, presumably seeking the man and woman Lady Jehanna selected. Tobias wondered how she could pick out any one among so many, but perhaps it was not nearly so precise as that. Likely she just told the maids to go in one direction or the other and pick whomever they liked.
Tobias was just about to pull Tellus away so that they could continue on their journey when, most unexpectedly, three of Lady Jehanna's maids encircled him.
"My lady has chosen you, Sir Knight," one of them said.
"Come with us," another said.
Before Tobias could politely decline and make his exit, all the young women nearby mobbed him and began pulling and pushing him toward the center of the square. Had it been one or two, he could have easily gotten away, but the sheer numbers of the women ensured that he would not escape. He could not very well resort to violence against them, after all. More importantly, though, he was being separated from Tellus.
"Tellus! Tellus!" he cried out to her, but his voice was drowned out by all the cheers of the crowd.
He could only hope that Shoshanna and Tym'r were able to get to her before anyone else did and that she did not get lost in the crowd. Just as he was being carried along by the women, the young men had swarmed on some unfortunate girl and were dragging her to center of the square as well. He was so busy worrying about Tellus that he did not notice the girl who was picked until she was set right in front of him. It was Delilah.
"Tobiyah?" she said, no less surprised than he was.
"Delilah? What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing. What happened to the girl?"
Tobias noticed something was unusual about her. She was not the same person he was reunited with nearly a month ago. She did not have the same poise and confidence. Though she tried not to let it show, you could see it in her eyes, a look he had seen in his comrades who had witnessed the terrors of battle.
He wanted to ask her what had happened, but Lady Jehanna stepped forward and spoke to them.
"There are many people here who are in love or who think they are in love, and many more who are merely lusting after the flesh, but I like to find something a little more interesting when I choose my children."
"My lady, what are you—"
Lady Jehanna touched Tobias' lips to silence him as she continued, "The flower is still in the bud, but the roots run deep. I have always had a weakness for the love that sprouts in childhood and even more so for a forbidden love. Race, creed and rank, you tell yourself it can never be, but the flesh yearns all the same. And not just the flesh, the heart too, spirit and soul. It is rare to find a love so beautiful and tragic. Yes, the parts are easy to come upon, but for all of them to come together as one is a special treat. You have my thanks."
"Thanks for what?" Delilah asked. "...ah, my lady."
Lady Jehanna smiled and said, "For being, and for being here now. You are just what I need at a time like this."
"My lady," Tobias said, "you are making a mistake. You—"
"I never make mistakes, Sir Knight," Lady Jehanna replied, "not about this."
Tobias would have liked to take Delilah and leave, but the crowd was pressed around them too tightly. Lady Jehanna beckoned for the two boys carrying the crowns of roses. The maids took off Tobias' helmet so that Lady Jehanna could put the crown on his head. They also pulled back Delilah's hood so she could be crowned as well.
Once they were crowned, the man from before shouted, "Behold! This year's Prince and Princess of Love! May our Lady Venus smile on their love all their days!"
Tobias felt something strange come over him the moment the crown of roses was placed on his head. It reminded him of how he felt when he was first reunited with Delilah in Nakum. However, he did not feel the same restraint that drove him to rebuff her advances back then. Indeed, Delilah as well, in spite of whatever had brought such a change over her, seemed drawn to him.
"Seal the deal," Lady Jehanna whispered.
It was more like his body was acting of its own accord, but Tobias took Delilah into his arms and kissed her to a fresh wave of cheers from the crowd. It felt like they could go on forever and truly Tobias wished for it to never end, but no matter how passionate a kiss is, it does have to end at some point.
When they broke off the kiss, Tobias was left in a daze. Delilah had a dreamy sort of look in her eyes as well. All the tension Tobias had felt before was gone. He was not worrying about Tellus. He was not thinking about much of anything other than Delilah. There was no one else but her. There was nothing else but her.
He had only the vaguest sense of being paraded around the square. Delilah was at his side. That was all that mattered. It felt like they were walking among the clouds. The crowd became as so much mist.
Later it seemed that they were dancing. Were they truly dancing? It was not like before, where he stood like a post in the ground. No, it seemed that he was dancing along in pace with Delilah. Was he even the one who was moving? Was it really his body that was doing these things?
It all came to a end quite suddenly when a hand seized him by the arm and yanked him away. The crown of roses fell from his head and in that moment, the dream was over.
"Tobiyah! What are you doing here!? Are you mad!?"
Just as it was when you wake from a deep sleep, it took Tobias a moment to realize who was speaking to him.
"Yoel?"
It was indeed his kinsman Yoel fully kitted out in his gear as a Dragoon.
"You're lucky I found you first," Yoel said. "My squadron is out searching the city now. You have to get out of here and quickly."
"I have to find my companions," Tobias said.
"What companions?"
"These companions," Shoshanna replied, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. She offered Tobias his helmet. "Here. You'll be needing this, Tobiyah ben Yishak."
Yoel looked at Shoshanna and Tellus, then asked, "Is one of these the Witch?"
"We're both witches, Yoel ben Yehoiakim," Shoshanna said, "but I will not tell you which is which."
"How do you know my name?" Yoel asked.
Shoshanna gave Yoel a little smile. Tobias did not think now was the time for sporting around.
"You should have thought of that before you went and made a spectacle of yourself, Tobiyah ben Yishak," Shoshanna replied to his unspoken criticism. "Though I suppose it was not entirely your fault. Speaking of which..."
She took the crown of roses off Delilah's head. Once the crown was removed, Delilah blinked, then looked around confused.
"Tobiyah? What's going on? Who are all these people?"
It would seem that Yoel was just realizing who Delilah was.
"Tamar, is that you? Ah, wow..."
Delilah looked at Yoel looking at her, then quite out of character for her, she self-consciously covered herself with her cloak. Yoel cleared his throat and tried to pretend he was not staring at her.
"We must leave, Tobias," Tym'r said. "More are coming."
Delilah and Yoel both jumped at the sight of the Catman.
Yoel looked to Tobias and said, "You must have some stories to tell, Tobiyah."
"They will have to wait for another day," Tobias replied. "Tym'r is right. We need to leave."
Delilah too hold of Tobias' arm and said, "Tobiyah, take me with you!"
"I can't, Delilah," Tobias said. "I'm being hunted, even now. It's too dangerous."
"I don't care! I'd rather face any danger with you than without. You... you don't know what happened..."
Tobias though of the change that had come over her and asked, "What did happen?"
"There is no time," Tym'r interrupted. "They are coming."
"I'll get her out of here, Tobiyah," Yoel said. "Just go."
"Tobiyah!"
Tobias held Delilah by the shoulders and told her, "Go to Birut. Wait for me there. When all this is over, I'll find you."
"Tobiyah, no."
"I need to know that you're safe. I don't know what happened to you, but whatever it was, you shouldn't have to worry about it there."
Tym'r interrupted again, saying, "Unless you intend for us to fight our way out of this city, we must go now."
Maybe because time pressed him, Tobias was able to kiss her once more without hesitation before pushing her into Yoel's arms.
"Goodbye, Delilah. Take care of yourself."
"Tobiyah, wait!"
Tobias had already turned to go. If he allowed himself to stop even a moment longer, he might never find the will to part from her. He could not afford to put her in harm's way any more than he already had. He could trust her in Yoel's hands and because she had made it this far, surely she could reach Birut safely. There it would be easy for her to hide from whatever it was she was running from until he could return to her. That day could not come a moment too soon, but part of him knew the road before him was going to be a long one.