Carrying the Knife

It was now morning, and light from outside the fortress now leaked into the room deep within. A sunbeam from a hole in the ceiling had just now moved to Astra's face. She stirred from a dream, one where she was in Aqualaria, simply enjoying a night of sleep in the security of her own bedroom, within a beautiful villa at the heart of her family's ancestral lands. She pushed at her mattress and rose. She now was jolted back to reality. She was still far away from home, out in the middle of a barren wilderness. It was strange to her, but she was happy. She was now free of Gilder of Corona, free even of the law in Polabi. In two days, she would cross Tange, and be in the safety of Petrona, outside the reach of the King, Gouvernor, or Satrap. Or the alchemists, she told herself. She was determined not to ask about them or their affairs. They seemed to be a most dangerous group.

She noticed that her poor little guide was sleeping peacefully on the stone of the fortress floor. "He must be hardened to it, or was simply on his last legs. He should at least have a little straw. I would think that he is going to be stiff and slow today."

Astra had an idea. Hesht was not that heavy, and she was finished sleeping. How light a sleeper was he? She stooped to the ground, with Hesht in front of her. She slid her arms just under his shoulder blades, and at mid-thigh, and then quickly lifted him to the bed. Hesht stirred. Within a minute, Hesht had awakened, and found himself on the bed. He looked up at Astra and asked, groggily, "What happened? I thought ..."

Astra cut in, deciding to play with Hesht a bit. "I had to get some sleep, Hesht. You do not snore when you are on a soft mattress. But now that we are both awake, I do have a request. May I have your knife? If we are caught by surprise, I want to have a chance at defending myself. It would be so nice of you if you could."

Hesht never stood a chance against Astra's request. He looked at Astra sheepishly, and then handed her the pommel of the knife. Astra took it, and looked for a place to put it.

Astra asked, "Do you perhaps have a belt, and a sheath that I could borrow?"

Hesht then gave Astra two unexpected items.

1. Hesht gave her a red silk scarf, and a clod of purple clay about the size of a grapefruit.
2. Hesht gave her a vial of clear liquid, and an ivory ring about two inches in diameter.

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