Nothing Rhymes with Archiubo

Edit • Image • Reference

Short story • 8 minute read

Nothing Rhymes with Archiubo

By Odin Shafer

"There are two roads leading to the monastery fortress from the villages below it," Xayah begins.

Starring: Rakan

Mentioned: Xayah

Lore

• I
• II
• III
• IV
• V

"There are two roads leading to the monastery fortress from the villages below it," he begins Xayah.

I follow his eyes and see a pair of golden stairways that extend from the temple on the mountain to the farms below. In each of the wooden houses there are probably entire families. There, mortals are born, die and, most importantly, create new songs.

Safe with harps and drums. Maybe with flutes? Later I should make a reed flute. First, I need to fluff my cap. Did I remember to clean my feathers? The town below must have an inn. A bottle of wine would be perfect right now.

— Friend ...—, said Xayah.

Curse. He was telling me the plan. I focus again on his face, his crooked smile. The last rays of sunset are reflected in his eyes. I love her lashes. I'd like...

"Repeat it."

Something in the monastery. She was ... uh ...

"I meet you at ..." I say, but I don't even know where I was going anymore. I pluck one of the feathers out of my head, hoping that an idea of ​​it comes to me.

A faint flash of light shines on her luscious lower lip. Are your lips purple today? Yesterday they were violets.

"They'll kill me if they catch me," she says.

The impact of the idea takes my breath away. I feel my expression turn violent. "Who ?!"

"The guards," he answers. "It's always the guards."

"Then I'll distract you!" When?-.

She points to the sky. "Look for a flash of green before the sun goes down." Then he distracts the guards away from the western walls as I run through the walls, toward the cells.

"I'll give them a show as soon as the sun goes down," I say. -Where we are?-.

-At the door. I will throw a golden leaf into the sky. But you have to be there in ten breaths, ”Xayah says, collecting a feather from my cloak.

"I'll be at the door the moment you drop the blade," I say. Nothing in my life is more certain than that.

-I know-.

He nods and begins to tell me which way is safest to take. She plans things and that is why I know she will be safe. Wow, the sky is beautiful right now. That cloud is shaped like an eggplant. I once saw a dog ...

I don't like these steps. I do not like. The gold foil that covers the stone is almost the same color as my feathers. It is outrageous. I consider changing its tonality, but that would require a bit of magic. Damn, I can't be tired when she needs me. Xayah probably sent me this way knowing that my plumage here would blend in. A red cape would look better against these steps. Maybe indigo? What's in this corner?

More steps. Only humans would cut the stone to mold it into flat shapes and make a boring mountain! I should climb the cliff. Xayah said to take the stairs ... I'm sure of that.

I pick up some pebbles and start juggling them. I feel the magic twisting north of me, within the twisted roots of the Lhradi Forest. The song of the forest makes its way into my head and I begin to sing it.

"What was that?" A voice booms from above.

An entry! A human guard appears. His clothing is as dark as shadow.

"Who are you?" He says.

"I'm Rakan!" How is it possible that someone does not know?

-Who?-

I do not like it. In fact, I hate it more than the steps.

"I am Rakan!" The dancing warrior of the Lhotlan tribe. I am the song of the dawn. I am the midnight moon dance. I am the charm that ...

"It's the artist vastaya," interrupts another guard. He also wears a boring outfit, an outfit that I haven't seen before in this area.

The first guard wears a shiny golden amulet on his chest. I rip it off.

—¡Oye!—.

"What is this?" He doesn't deserve something like that .. Whatever this is.

He tries to grab it, but I twist it around my hand as I keep juggling the stones in my other hand.

"Give it back to me!"

I tap him on the face with each of the stones.

-I do not answer. Then, in the most innocent way, I ask him: "Is it important?"

He draws a pair of hook swords. I snatch one of them from her before she can lift them.

"Open the door and I'll give you back your ... uh ... shiny object," I offer, as I turn the amulet in the palm of my hand and then rotate it up to my arm.

Instead, the fool attacks me! I twist to dodge his attack and land behind him. He turns to take another blow. I dive under his sword and use my rear to throw him off balance. He falls from the stairs with a scream.

The other guard watches his friend stumble, then looks back at me. I shake my head in disapproval.

"Seriously, how could he possibly know who I am?"

This one tries to stab me with his spear. I dodge around him and let my feathered cloak wrap around him for a moment. Blinded, he staggers and stumbles. He lands on his shield and is hurtled down the stairs with a crash. Well, until he crashes into his friend, who landed first.

The impact causes both of them to lie down. I laugh. Now I continue with the steps.

"They're terrible dancers," I say as I check to see if my cape got dirty.

The two people awkwardly stand up and look at me.

"Are they okay?" I ask, grateful for the fun.

They roar as they rush up the steps. Ungrateful fools.

I jump away from them and ask, "Do you want to know what the difference is between a party and a fight?"

They try to attack me with their weapons over and over again.

"The first is a day of entertainment," I tell them as I knock them down the stairs. "The second is ... shorter."

The sound of a deafening gong echoes behind me. I smile. The fun starts now.

"They'll have to do better than that!" I yell, taunting my pursuers as I run. I actually need to get out of here. Now there are twenty guards. Well maybe thirty? More than loads of them.

Running through their bedrooms was a bad idea. Either way, it gave me a chance to refresh myself.

Some of the men have these strange crossbows. They use fire from a tube. They had a name. I'm going to call them archiubes. His shots explode around me, piercing the walls as I sneak out of the room.

I slide out onto the patio, executing a full turn to add some flair to it. The door is open. I could run to this one, but Xayah needs me.

Hidden in a corner, a guard points a large archiub at me. Or is tubiarco better? Pull the trigger. I jump up to him and the shot goes overhead.

"What rhymes with archiubo?" I ask aloud.

I kick the guard into the air. As he falls, I turn around and present my hand to his cheek. The sound is louder than his weapon.

"Slap!" I say and mimic his intensity. The human rolls, stands, and draws a short sword. "Why aren't you getting the message ?!"

I wonder if I could find a kitchen. They should have the chocolate there.

The light in the sky is changing. I jump back to check the location of the sun. It is disappearing behind the hills and an orb of green light flashes above it.

"Party time!" I yell. Now the entire castle is chasing me.

"Surrender!" Shouts a guard in a metal hat.

-No! I'm distracting them! ”I answer. He looks at me confused. I decide I'm going to slap him now.

A shower of arrows shoots out from the opposite wall. I turn away from it, enjoying the noise the arrows make when they pass near me.

Would that metal hat look good on me?

The golden blade stays in the air for a second, before falling. Xayah is ready.

I take the first breath. He said take ten, but four breaths is enough. I need to know that she is safe.

"Want to see some great moves?" I ask the closest human.

He doesn't seem very enthusiastic. I turn around the group and appear behind him. He turns around just in time to meet my cape halfway. My feathers lift it up into the air like a top. Twelve turns is my record, but that was on a hill.

Second breath. The human collapses to the ground after nine rotations. Curse. I don't have time to try again.

Third breath. I need to go back to where she needs me, back to Xayah.

I jump over the wall and fall from the ceiling toward the door. I take the fourth breath while in the air.

Xayah runs to the door with some fancy juloahs, they are furry instead of having colorful feathers. They must belong to the Sodjoko tribe. Overly formal attire, although I like the thick hair on his head that flows to the back of his forearms. I should make my feathers do the same. Even so, the first's sarong seems like a terrible idea to me.

"We won't make it," he yells. "They have rifles!"

"You mean the archiubes?" I ask.

Akunir looks at me in amazement.

"They ran out of ammunition," I explain. The Xini longbows too.

-That?! How?-

"I'm Rakan," I say. I expect this from humans, but my own kind?

"Everyone, run to the tree line," Xayah orders.

A dozen men, covered in flour and chocolate, emerge from the barracks. Mixed with eggs they would make a thing called 'cake'. Although the cakes are better ...

"Run!" Xayah yells. When the old juloah doesn't move, I start to drag him away.

Coll kneels beside the body of his guard. She and Xayah pray that her spirit finds our lands. One of its horns is broken and there are pools of blood on the surrounding leaves. Coll removes the last arrow from his corpse. He moved her here, even when the humans wounded him.

This juloah shouldn't have died. Someone loved him. They will sing their songs. But only silence will respond.

My eyes fill with tears. In a gentle way, I sing for his loss and that of his family.

Xayah's fists are clenched. He will not grieve for now. Instead, the pain will find her at night, when she thinks I'm sleeping. So is she. Then, I will kiss her until I drive away her sadness.

The consul's name is Akunir. Perhaps he was a warrior dancer in his youth. He and Xayah begin to discuss politics.

Coll kisses the guard's forehead. His jaw is tight. He has a greater rage than Xayah's. Look at her husband, Akunir. She has been waiting for him to listen to her for too long.

"I'll go back north, Akunir," Coll says as he gets to his feet. "I'll tell you what they did to us." His arms are firm as branches, rigid at his sides.

"Coll, no," protested Akunir.

"I will break the news of Jurelv's fate to his relatives and mourn with them," she says. That must be the name of the guard. Maybe he was kind. I like the wrinkles in the smile on his face. "Later, I will call to arms and prepare the tribe to fight."

"You can't do that!" Yells the Consul.

"I renounce my commitment to you." I renounce your commitment to me, ”she says bluntly.

Akunir looks like they just stabbed him. Didn't you see this coming on the hill? Or in the forest? Or next to the dead guard? It was decided a long time ago. Many moons ago.

"Coll, please."

"No," she says frankly. He reaches out to grab her. I block it.

"I'll talk to my partner," he says.

I can feel his breath on my chin. He ate guloo fruit recently. My nose almost touches his forehead. He looks at me angrily.

I just shake my head in disapproval and shrug. I don't need words. For this, silence is better.

His remaining guards are tense. They don't want to dance with me. I am Rakan. They know my name. Nervously, they observe Xayah holding her swords. They also know his name.

"Thanks, Xayah," Coll says before leaving.

Akunir and her guards watch her go. Without saying a word, they head south, leaving us alone.

I approach Xayah. I feel your sadness for Jurelv, Coll and Akunir. I'll have wine tonight. Then I'll sing vulgar songs.

"Promise me that nothing will separate us like that, honey," he tells me.

"We are not like them, honey. We will never be like them," I answer. I can feel your concern. She is smarter than me in many things, but naive in love, sometimes.

"Where are we going now, Xayah?"

"Let's stay here a moment."

I wrap her with my cloak and with my arms. I'll tickle him in a bit. We will laugh and drink. She will make plans and I will sing. I feel his cheek on my chest. I'm glad Xayah needs me now.

"Tell me one more time," he asks.

"We're not like them," I say again. "We are not like them."

▲ UP ▲

References

 v · eHistories and Events  v · eHistories and Events