Back to Dhacar

After resting in her tent for a while, Eva left and went to the campfire to eat some food.

— What were you two talking about? — Eva asked.

— Oh, I was telling Nodo about the places that these roads lead to, like Bati, the Capital and the City of the Hermits. — Eosaph responded.

— That's right, I didn't know there was a port city like Bati nearby, I thought this region had no access to the sea. — Nodo added.

— And it doesn't, Bati is on the shores of Lake Tarelin, and is maintained by trade with the Yamad in the north and the Kahali in the northeast. — Eosaph said.

— How do you know so much about these things? — Eva questioned.

— My parents are from Dubhghall, they told me stories about the places they passed through while migrating here, Even my brother Gill was born in Kahali. — Eosaph replied.

— Where is Dubhughall located? — Asked Eva, curious — And why does it have such a strange name?

— It is an insular country reeeally far away, when my parents were young, it was an prosperous and peaceful country, but recently, they have had several internal wars for the throne of the country, so my parents decided to escape, first they tried living in Yasia for a while, but then, decided to migrate to Kahali, there, my brother was born, after three years, they went to Yamad, but the Yamans didn't enjoyed dubhughallians in their country, and expelled them to Treia, and here i am today. And, it's not a strange name! It means "Dear homeland"! — Eosaph said, prideful of his parents' journey.

— Your parents really had quite a journey, huh? I want to try something like that too when I grow up! — Nodo said cheerfully.

— You cheer up too easily, Nodo. — Eva said.

— But you once said that you wanted to see lots of beautiful things around the world too, didn't you? — Nodo replied.

— Yeah, I did, but I've been rethinking, maybe a quiet life would be better for me. — She responded.

— What made you start thinking that way? — Eosaph questioned.

— Eosaph is right, Eva, what happened? — Nodo questioned too.

— It's nothing, I'm just indecise, don't worry about it, I change my mind aaaall the time, you know? — Eva responded, with a grin on her face.

...

— We're back! — Gill shouted, as he walked with Hese to the camp.

— Hese! What were you doing with that caravan? — Nodo ran towards Hese, asking him.

— I just went to accompany them to the village. They were carrying a letter for Lord Hauss Annzi. — He responded.

— Do you know what the letter was about? — Eosaph questioned.

— Are you two interrogating me? Sorry, I have an idea what it is, but I can't tell you. — Hese dodged the question.

— Ok then... When we get back to Dhacar, let's ask Safi! — Nodo said.

— Yeah! — Eosaph agreed.

— You two are very nosy, aren't you? — Eva told them.

— Oh come on Eva, don't you want to know what was in the box too? — Nodo asked.

— He's right, I'm sure you want to know. — Eosaph added.

Blushing and looking sideways, Eva smiled and said:

— Of course I want to know too. — She smiled. — But we can't ask her directly, we have to wait for her to tell us of her own free will, as we're assuming she knows what's in the box.

— You guys are really bad at keeping secrets, huh? Telling their plans so openly right in front of us. — Gill spoke, as Hese chuckled.

Two nights passed, and after gathering many pears, running around a lot, and enjoying the view of the woods, the group then prepared their things and set off back to Dhacar. When they arrived at the village near the town, Hese and Nodo stopped to talk to their uncle, Ravar, while Eva, Gill, and Eosaph lounged at the well. After a while, they continued following the road.

— So, here we are, back in Dhacar. — Hese said, while walking towards the gate and asking for his colleague to open it. — So, Nodo, before anything else, you and I are going to talk to Mom. Gill, Eosaph and Eva, I don't know what you have to do, but you can go, I'll see you another time.

— Okay then, bye! — Nodo shouted, while following Hese.

— Bye! — Eosaph said, walking with Gill.

— Uh, hey, Eosaph. — Gill said.

— Hm?

— Wasn't Eva supposed to come with us?

— Yeah, that's true, I can't see her anywhere, but I'm sure she entered the city with us. — With a slightly worried expression Eosaph questioned.

— She did enter with us, but I didn't see her after we separated from Hese and Nodo. — Gill said.

— So, I'm going to look for her! — Eosaph tried to run, but Gill held him back.

— Not at all, first let's say hello to mom and dad. — Gill said.

— Tsc, okay.

...

— Father! There is a caravan waiting for you in front of the mansion, they have our family crest in their clothes! — Safi shouted to her father, while looking at the caravan from the window of her room, which was on the second floor of the mansion.

— A caravan? Is it carrying a silver box? I can't believe it! Grandfather finally pronounced himself about you, Safi! — Hauss shouted excitedly, as he went down the stairs of the mansion, opened the big door of the entrance and went to the gate.

— Huh? — Confused, Safi went downstairs to the gate, together with her father. — About me? What do you mean?

— Shh, they're going to announce it. — Hauss whispered, cheerful as a child.

The leader of the caravan then approached the gate, and ordered Hauss to open it. Then, opening the silver box, and taking the parchment that was in it, the leader, in a firm and direct voice, said.

— Mezei Hauss Annzi, fourth son of Mezei Balaz Annzi, this caravan was sent by Lord Balaz himself, in order to define the future of your daughter, Neme Safi Annzi. — the man then took the parchment, and began to read it aloud:

— After studying the options, and after several months of discussions with the House of Yaloj, his Lord Balaz, patriarch of the House of Annzi, reached an agreement with Lord Apich, patriarch of the House of Yaloj, promising the hand of Lord Hauss Annzi's daughter Safi to Lord Apich's only grandson Sazar, who at the time I am speaking to you is 12 years old. It has been defined that when Sazar reaches the age of 20, he will take Safi as his wife, and the alliance of the Yaloj Family with the Annzi Family will be sealed.

...

Mixed emotions then took over the scene, Hauss was ecstatic at the news, his daughter would have a prestige that not even the daughters of Hauss' older brothers had, he was completely proud of this. In contrast, Safi was desperate, so desperate at the news that she ran back to her room, panting.

— Gasp, gasp, It can just be a lie, right? My father wouldn't accept something like that, I can't believe it! Gasp, gasp.

...

— Lord Hauss, won't you go after her? — The man who read the parchment questioned.

— I can't say that I don't want to go there, but I can imagine that this is the same way her mother felt when she was informed that she would have an arranged marriage with me, so I will slowly convince her that this is the best for her. It's not as if I'm going to let her refuse an offer like that? Isn't it? — Hauss laughed.

...

— Argh, what did I just hear? It is terrible! Safi will be forced to marry someone she doesn't even know! — Eva, who ran to the Annzi mansion when she entered the city, was listening to the announcement, hiding behind one of the mansion's walls. — She always said that because she was from a lower part of the family, she wouldn't have to be forced into something like that... What can I do? What can I do? — Eva then got up, and ran to the street where Nodo and Eosaph's houses were.

...

— F...Father! This is a lie, right? A joke, right?! — Safi desperately questioned.

— No jokes, no lies, be proud, Safi! You'll marry the future heir of the Yaloj family! — Hauss responded.

— Your father is right, Safi, it's such a prestige for you. — Her mother said.

— Even you, mother?

With her eyes wide open from the shock, and pressing her lips, Safi's heart felt like it was burning.

— I am going to write a letter to my brothers and sisters right now! I will throw a big party and make them all envious of my daughter's success! — Hauss laughed in hysterics.

— Take it easy, dear, don't irritate them too much. — Safi's mother advised.

...

— What? They're not here? Where did they go? — Eva shouted to Hese, who was hanging out with Gill in front of his house.

— Hey, they went to the river to see you, like every day. What happened to you? Why are you nervous like this? — Hese responded.

— It's nothing, don't worry. — Eva said, and then went to the river.

— I bet you 60 foroms that she found out what was in the silver box. — Gill challenged Hese.

— Bet accepted.