First Impressions

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 19397

Fred and Astra were seated on the cushions. A servant soon brought two ceramic bowls with water, a plate and two towels. These he placed on the table before Fred and Astra. Then he left.

"What's this?" asked Astra. Fred only huntched his shoulders. Their thoughts shifted as a different servant then brought in two plates holding bread and grapes and pomegranates. These he placed on the same table. Then he left.

Fred and Astra looked at each other not sure of how to proceed. Their days at Court had prepared them for a variety of settings, but none as outlandish as this.

A third servant came into the room. He wore a shimmering robe about his person, and had a metal band across his brow. "Greetings," he said in Common.

"Hello," said Fred and Astra.

The man looked at the pair, at the cushions, at the table and at their feet. His face showed signs of discomfort. "Ahem," he coughed. "May the lords above the air and below the sand bless you with cleansing."

Silence.

"May Al'Fazhak purge you of any uncleanness!" said the servant.

Fred and Astra still just looked at him in dumbfounded silence.

"Please!" whispered the servant. "You must cleanse yourselves."

The light began turning on. "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" said Astra and Fred almost simultaneously. "But we were already washed, due to the worm," said Fred.

The servant sighed in both worry and frustration. "That was a bath," he said with the same kind of tone he would have used with a five-year-old. "This is the cleansing of b'arakh."

More silence.

"Oh for Pe'tes sake!" said the servant. "Take the bowl, each of you, and do not share. Dab the fingers of your right hand in the bowl, good, now place both palms within and let them soak for a count of three. Well done. Now, rub your arm from the wrist to the elbow with the water. Good. Dry yourselves and place the bowls and the towels on the tray."

When they had finished the servant looked relieved. Then he took the tray and was about to leave. "One more thing," he said "may the dust of your sandals not mar the home in which you dwell."

Silence.

"Oh for crying out loud!" said the servant. "Take off your sandals and place them to the left of the blue cushion over there!" When Fred and Astra had done so, he left.

"That was weird," said Fred.

"How many other customs will we have to be told of?" said Astra.

"Yeah," replied Fred. "Like is this food for eating or what?"


Beyond the main chamber, behind the silken partitions of cloth, the servant was shaking his head and whispering to Mina'h. "Ignorants! Even simpletons know to keep the dust out of one's own home and to wash on the command of the gods, these two must be nothing more than barbarians!!!" Mina'h just shook her head in disbelief.


Eventually the King and Queen entered the main chamber, and Fred and Astra stood and bowed politely. The two regal figures wore richly decorated robes; lines and curves, boxes and bends seemed to flow within and without the many folds of the clothing. The King was a handsome, bearded, middle-aged man who was just beginning to run to fat. Whilst most of the people that Fred and Astra had seen so far could best be described as dusky, the King was darker still, almost black. Fred thought that he had a rather cruel face. His wife looked much younger than her husband and Fred found her beautiful.

"Welcome to Quaz'a'hwad," the King said to Fred. He sat down on the largest and most ornate of the red cushions, and his wife sat down next to him before he said: "Please be seated."

Once Fred and Astra had reseated themselves, he said: "I am Nath'eyas al'Arqas ibn muad'dib sik n'dune and this is my Queen, A'yesha." He paused, obviously expecting them to respond.

Silence, awkward silence.

Finally Fred spoke. "I am Lord Frederigo D'Honaire of Suffex of Allaria," he said. "This is Astra."

Astra frowned and within she fumed. First, she would have preferred to have introduced herself. Second, her identity was far more regal than just two syllables! "Matron and Patron of this land," she said cutting off both men. "I am Princess Royal Astra Thesamar, daughter of Heliastra Queen of Aqualaria."

The King wondered at this. First, the woman knew to speak with his wife, woman to woman. Was this stranger from the east familiar with the customs of this land? (of course, Astra was not, she only spoke thus because of her irritation at Fred) Second, this woman claimed to be a Princess. Third, the name "Astra" seemed vaguely familiar to him, but he did not know why.

Queen A'yesha looked Astra in the eye: "Are you betrothed Oh Princess of the East?"

"Your Highness," answered Astra, hoping that her choice of title was proper. "I am betrothed to no one. I am a free woman."

A'yesha took the words in. She did not understand exactly what 'free woman' meant, but she would not betray any ignorance at this juncture, too much was at stake.

"How is it that you are... traveling companions?" Nath'eyas queried Fred in a casual tone. Fred repeated the story they had already told to the guardsman. Nath'eyas and A'yesha wondered at such a strange journey, they smiled inwardly and praised their gods for their kindness.

When Fred had finished, Nath'eyas said politely: "The gods be praised for bringing you to us! Now let us eat. Our daughter will serve us with refreshments." He gestured, and a servant standing inconspicuously in the corner of the room banged a gong.

From behind some velvet curtains a small girl entered the chamber. She stood no higher than Fred's shoulders, and her long black hair cascaded under veils and satin to reach beyond her bottom. Though her body was covered from head to foot in silks and soft robes, they concealed and revealed at one and the same time, and her figure slim with wide hips was markedly expressed. Her skin was dark, and though her lips and cheeks were covered by a veil, her bright green eyes shone with exuberance. She carried a tray with fruit and cheese, a pitcher of wine and four cups.

Astra turned to look at Fred, he was looking fixedly at the girl. ~~Men!~~ she thought. The King and Queen seemed quite pleased. "This is our daughter Al'esha," the King said. "Al'esha, these are Frederigo and Astra, our honoured guests. Serve us."

The Princess of the west served first the Princess of the east, then Fred, then her mother and finally her father. She looked quizickly at the plate of uneaten food brought in earlier. Did the newcomers find it unpleasant, she wondered. But her duty was to serve, and so she took that plate and returned to the kitchen area. She gathered what the servants had prepared, more cut cheeses made from the finest goat and sheep milk, wine of pressed grape, and breads of barley and rye. She returned and placed the new fair before the newcomers and her parents.

She looked at Astra, "Would... would meso'ptai like another glass?"

Astra looked at the Princess not knowing what the girl had just called her, but knowing enough that it was directed at her. Before Astra could answer, the Queen interrupted. "Forgive my daughter," she said. "She is young, but only fourteen years, and she has not had much practice with the Merchant Tongue. Do not think that she is not elegant in the speech of Common."

"But we are speaking Common," said Fred not thinking.

The King frowned that he would speak directly to his wife, but then smiled at the newcomer's simplicity. "In Ithiopa and the other lands of the desert Common is what is common to all the peoples. Your tongue is strange and exotic, only merchant traders need it, and those who own them."

Fred thought about that for a moment and then shook his head. "We have much to learn from each other, good King."

"Yes we do," he replied.

  1. ...and so began the grand meal of many dishes, Fred and Astra soon learning of the abundant hospitality in this desert land...

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4/6/2002 9:12:30 PM

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