Chapter Three

Bahrin's back and hands were aching,as he skillfully uprooted the red cabbages. His fingernails were filled with dirt and the basket on his back became heavier with each cabbage he put in. Bahrin felt the air shift and he smiled gratefully. Together with his father, mother and younger brother, he stood up and relished the feeling of the cool breeze on his tired body.

The breeze somewhat lessened his tiredness and rejuvenated them,but it ended all too soon. His back protested vehemently,as Bahrin bent and continued with the harvest. He cursed the damned cabbage disease which had killed all thier cabbage seedlings,just two weeks after planting.

They'd had to borrow some cabbage seeds from the neighboring farmers to enable them plant again. Now they had to work fast and finish harvesting all the cabbages before dusk, otherwise the produce wouldn't be ready for the merchants to buy and they would've to sell them to the traders around for lower prices.

Bahrin sometimes wished he lived in the palace like his friend, Zahara. Life as a peasant was hard and unforgiving. He knew that if his Mark awakened and he was taken into the Academy,life might be easier for his family. If he was powerful enough,he might advance to stage III power level and then he would be highly respected, although that wasn't likely to happen.

Most Sungtai never moved past stage II power level. Only a few ever got to stage III and even more rarely stage IV or V , the most powerful stage. Bahrin sighed and continued working.

When it was almost noon, his mother left the farm and went home to prepare the afternoon meal. She returned half a shadow mark later with food in a raffia basket and a big gourd. They stopped working and went to sit under the kapok tree in the middle of the farm.

Bahrin's younger brother, Krit , took the gourd and filled it from a nearby stream. They washed their hands and faces,then begun to eat. It was a simple meal. Boiled yam dipped in shea oil and spiced with pepper and onion. They ate quickly, washing the food down with the remaining water. Normally,they would've rested for a little while,but today wasn't a normal day.

After eating they decided to continue. Bahrin could clearly see that Krit was exhausted.

"Baaba, can Krit rest for a little while?" He asked his father.

Baaba furrowed his thick brows. They needed all hands on deck,but one look at Krit was enough to tell him that the young boy was too exhausted.

"Okay. He can take a little nap."

Krit gave Bahrin a grateful look. Bahrin smiled and walked into the blazing sun.

As he bent down and began picking the red vegetables, Bahrin cussed. That damned cabbage disease!

. . . .

A cloaked figure moved swiftly through the shadows of the palace grounds. The figure tripped and fell. Zahara cussed and picked herself up,her ears alert for the sounds of the palace guards. Satisfied that no one had heard her, Zahara continued walking, making sure to stay in the shadows and grateful that her unawakened power would not set off any magical wardings and alarms. She knew every nook and cranny of the palace and had even studied the building plans of the palace,in the secret archives of the Imperial Library.

Before long, Zahara managed to leave the palace undetected and made her way through the City. The City was lit with oil lamps and the fires of barbecue. People were still busily buying, selling and entertaining themselves. The pubs and drinking bars were lively,and Zahara could hear the mingled shouts of drunk men and women.

She'd removed the hood of her cloak, so as to be conspicious. Zahara was confident no one would recognize her. After a full lamp mark of twisting and turning through people and dark alleys, Zahara found herself at the outskirts of the City. She'd already put back her hood and was moving stealthily towards a groove of ura trees. Zahara stood among the ura trees and waited.

She heard the hoot of an owl but apart from that, the night was silent. There was a rustle of leaves and Zahara heard the sound of soft breathing.

"Have you found anything?" She asked.

"No My Lady." The man in the shadows answered.

Zahara sighed." Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Zahara sighed again and twirled suddenly,her hand outstretched. The man fell down,a dagger in his neck,and he bled to death. She'd expected the spy to betray her eventually,but she'd not anticipated it to be this soon. Zahara knew that it wouldn't be long before he decided that it was better to serve her uncle rather than her.

That was one of the reasons she hated using spies. They were as treacherous as snakes. Zahara looked round and listened to make sure that no one had seen them.

She contemplated leaving his body there,but decided against it. She couldn't risk anyone finding out. Reaching into the folds of her cloak, Zahara removed a small pouch and opened it. She reached inside, removing a gem covered in a piece of clothing. Making sure her skin didn't touch the pale red gem,she rubbed it against the spy's body. It disintegrated instantly.

Zahara put the cursed gem back into her cloak. How she'd gotten hold of it surprised even her. But that was a story for another day. She glanced round and pulled the cloak around her tightly, heading towards a hilly area she knew all too well.

Getting to the hills took longer than Zahara had anticipated, simply because there were still some passerbys on the roads. They were probably returning from a feast or something. By the time she stood at the foot of the hills, the moon had already begun it's graceful descent. Zahara moved purposefully and disappeared into the mouth of a cave which was well concealed. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, before making her way through the long mouth of the cave.

Deeper into the tunnel, Zahara saw a faint light. She followed it and entered into a room sized cavern. The light was coming from a small oil lamp and a boy sat on the floor of the cave.

"Bahrin?" Zahara whispered, startling him.

"Oh it's you." Bahrin heaved a sigh of relief which made her giggle." I thought you were never coming."

"Sorry. I was delayed." Zahara sat beside him and removed a book,a writing brush,an ink cup and a piece of paper.

She'd met Bahrin during one of her routine undercover trips to the City. Zahara could remember how famished she'd been,and how he'd shared the little he had . During thier conversation, she found out that he actually lived in a sparsely populated farming village outside the City and had only come to sell some of his guinnea fowls in the market. It was then that she realized just how badly Bahrin wanted to be a scholar,and they sturck a deal.

Once every week, Zahara would meet him in the cave and teach him how to read and write, whilst he gave her the latest news in the kingdom and teach her how to speak the coarse Atamesian language variation used by the commoners.

"Are you done with last week's book.?" Zahara arranged the writing implements on a flat rock.

Bahrin shook his head and traced a figure in the dirt. She knew the reason why he wasn't done with the book,and had even contemplated sending guards to help his family with the harvest. But that would've exposed thier friendship.

Zahara dipped a brush in the ink and wrote some complex words on the paper. She then guided him to trace them perfectly in the dirt before writing them on the paper, his hand flying over it gracefully. Zahara marvelled at how fast he learned and just how impeccable his memory was. Master Turune often praised Zahara for her brilliance,but she knew he'd gawk over Bahrin's.

Whilst he wrote, Bahrin told her the latest gossip in town. Zahara listened keenly, noting them at the back of her mind and knowing that they could be important someday. Done with the writing exercise, Bahrin proceeded to teach the princess. It wasn't a different language,it was just that Zahara wanted to learn how to speak like a commoner , without the inflection and refinement of a royal.

The oil lamp was burning low, indicating that some candle marks had passed.

"I think I should get going." Zahara packed the the implements. Bahrin nodded in agreement." Thank you , Bahrin."

"You shouldn't thank me, your highness." Bahrin said. Zahara stiffened,a frown appearing on her face.

"Bahrin, I told you never to call me that." Zahara said,exasperated." Are we not friends....?"

Bahrin smiled." Of course we are. Sorry. Now get going before the Emperor asks for my head."

Zahara chuckled. The last part was a joke,but they both knew it was more than possible. She left through one of the tunnels and came out of another exit. The sky was still dark,but it wouldn't be long before it started to brighten up. Zahara pulled the cloak closer to herself to ward off the morning cold. Her breath came in small puffs of air as she hurried back to the palace.