Chapter III

They left at dawn as planned. It wasn’t difficult to locate the Chieftain’s settlement. Heading towards the trees had seemed to do the trick. Unlike the others, this settlement bore a closer resemblance to a small town. Though the houses were formed from the same material, the organisation was more exact. Two identical rows of houses – one lining the sea front and the other facing the desert – separated by a squared area. Erected in the middle, stood a large tent with two guards stationed outside. The group approached the tent slowly with Alan leading the way. Silk would’ve preferred to bypass the Chieftain and head straight to the forest which now loomed so much closer but Alan had promoted following local customs.

“Hello, we’re here to see the Chieftain” Blunt said ambiguously before Alan could open his mouth.

His voice carried across the square. Silk had expected a flurry of questions or even direct opposition but one of the guards retreated through the flap in the tent.

“Do their weapons need to be that big?” Blunt mumbled to Alan.

“The better question is what are they made from” Medri squinted.

The initial guard had wielded a giant axe that had a blade crafted from a white material and a wooden handle. The remaining guard bore a club carved entirely from the same white material. The flap was pulled back and they were ushered into the tent. Silk felt a burning glare on his back but he didn’t dare to turn around. A lightweight object caressed his face on multiple sides. Feathers. Large ones that hung from the ceiling of the hut on old pieces of twine. They made Silk’s nose twitch. He stifled a sneeze. Alan and Blunt stopped abruptly. Alan bowed deeply at a man seated on the floor, Silk and Medri followed suit. Blunt saluted.

The Chieftain also had rings that were fashioned from beads but that wasn’t what had caught Silk’s attention. His entire face was obscured by an elaborate beaded headpiece. Based on his arms, the Chieftain’s skin was a reddish tan. He also seemed to be of average build.

“Few people journey to Anzi. Even fewer people journey to our settlement and virtually none have returned for a second visit” he extended an arm to Alan.

Medri helped Alan lower himself to the ground where he could shake the Chieftain’s hand. Feeling unprepared for this meeting, they all followed suit. Silk could feel his chest tightening and his breathing growing louder. At least that was how it felt. His breathing might’ve seemed quieter before when there was more noise to oppress it. Blunt wiped his hands on his armour which made a squeaking noise and apologised about the level of sweat.

“It’s nothing to worry about, a simple bodily fluid” the Chieftain parted the veil and tucked the beads behind his ear.

Multiple beads refused to stay in place but it allowed Silk to glimpse the narrow eyes and crooked nose behind the covering. Whether he had hair or not, Silk couldn’t tell. None of that seemed relevant. It didn’t stop Silk’s brain from generating the useless thoughts.

“You’ve brought another scholar with you?” the Chieftain asked.

“Medri, yes. He’s very interested in Anzian history too” Alan stammered.

“Anzi’s modern history” Medri corrected.

The Chieftain waved the distinction off as if it was irrelevant. He turned to say something to the man with the axe who had silently slipped into the tent with them. For the first time, Silk heard the Anzian language clearly. Even if he’d known a word or two, the pure velocity at which they spoke would’ve prevented him from translating efficiently.

“I trust you will need accommodation?” the Chieftain turned to Alan directly.
This was a far cry from the welcome they’d expected. Alan clearly had more sway than they’d thought. Noticing the expressions on their faces, the Chieftain offered a smile. It was tight and controlled.

“Quite different from the mainland?” he guessed.

“We have plenty of gold we can offer you. We don’t expect to stay for free” Blunt rummaged for the pouch.

The Chieftain shook his head. More of the beads fell loose until they were mostly all covering his face again. It was for the best. His voice was relatively kind but those eyes were cold and assessing.

“It’s free”.

“Nothing is free” Silk said impulsively.

The Chieftain adjusted his headpiece slightly. Despite the fact that his nails were trimmed short, they still held signs of dirt. He liked to work with plants. It would be improper to ask about the Lionare Unymajus now, especially if the Chieftain knew what it did. Later.

“On that account, you are right. Everything is an exchange. You exchange gold for simple necessities which is a strange notion to me but it’s what you have decided. Gold means nothing here, it might as well be sand to my people”.

“So what can we give you for the hut?” Blunt asked.
“Your word. Why you’re here, how long we can expect to host you and your timely departure. I know Alan. The rest of you are strangers” there was a grunt of assent from behind them.

“My name is Blunt. I’m here to look out for Medri. I’m ready to leave now honestly but that’s up to him” Blunt stated.

“Medri. I would like to aid Alan in his account of the island for the king”.

Medri had a way of speaking that meant it was difficult to trust a word he said at the best of times. An air of cynicism that confused Silk. But that statement was most certainly a lie. Silk didn’t believe it contained even a slither of the truth.

“I am Silk. I am interested in the flora of your island” Silk kept his introduction tight.

The people from the previous settlements came to mind. Those on the eastern side of the island didn’t mix with the others and those in Galbo’s settlement seemed frantic. Friendly or not, the Chieftain had access to beasts that Silk was yet to set eyes on. He wouldn’t mention the plant outright.

“As I mentioned to Alan the first time, I have to read the account before you leave”.

“Of course. We won’t be here longer than a week, that’s more than enough time” Alan’s voice had taken on a cloyingly high pitch.

“Ozo here is my eldest son. He takes care of the visitors and I think he does a fine job of it”.

“He was fantastic” Alan beamed.

The beads nodded in assent.

“You are welcome to rest after your long journey from Galbo’s settlement. All I ask is that you treat the people with respect and refrain from scaring them with any strange customs you may have”.

They all nodded. Silk thought back to the image of a beast staring at him through the window at night. It had been a fantasy at the time but the Chieftain had somehow known where they’d come from. Unless they really did have a mailing system that Alan had been unaware of. As the group rose to their feet, a stabbing pain shot through Silk’s boots.

“Who might I ask about receiving medical treatment?” Silk winced.

“You’re unwell?” the Chieftain said, whilst his tone remained flat he seemed slightly perturbed.

“Just a minor problem with my shoes” Silk trailed off.

His feet disagreed with the problem being minor. They smelled fine for now but he knew every moment he failed to treat them was risking the chance of infection.

“I will send our healer to your hut at some point. But we are a small place and we often wear many hats so that might be a while”.

Silk nodded. Ozo held his axe aloft as he led the way to the row of huts facing the beach. To everyone’s surprise, they weren’t all thrown into one hut, they had one each. Each hut only had enough room for bedding and a gentle stretch after waking but Silk valued having his privacy back. Exhausted, he desired nothing more than to sit down on the bedding and give his feet a rest but the forest was so close. Upon exiting the hut, he spotted Blunt pacing outside. Snatches of conversation were audible. Silk averted his gaze, it was none of his business. He spoke to himself at times too.

A quick lap around the settlement showed him that the people here spoke to each other more frequently, but they had no interest in interacting with Silk or imparting any wisdom about the plant. Ready to resign himself to the fate of waiting for the healer, Silk spotted Medri walking towards the huts with a man. The man had long hair, like waves of ink trailing down his back. His beard was thicker than the trees. The man went down to the waterside whilst Medri gathered the group together.

“We’re going to help with fishing for the evening meal. They only have two fishermen and one of them is busy with the Chieftain” he explained.

Silk’s toes were sore. His legs ached.

“The healer is coming at some point, I thought I’d just wait for them and ask them my questions” Silk tried to escape.

“Well, the fisherman is the healer’s husband. No one here takes kindly to outsiders and this is a way to look like we’re not a burden on the community. Right Alan?”.

“I wouldn’t say we’re as efficient as they are. I certainly don’t move like they do but it wouldn’t hurt to help out” Alan watched the people moving just as quickly as the others.

Medri turned his back on them, his words slightly drowned out by the waves, “well it’s up to you. It’s an offer, take it or leave it”.

Something about Medri’s words must’ve struck a chord with all of them, as they all followed him like a group of obedient children. Blunt stopped short of the shore.

“There’s no boat in sight” he voiced.

“No, no boats. The fish like to swim close to the shoreline anyway. The island keeps us fed by providing us with easy fuel” the man said enthusiastically.

“This is Jun”, Medri provided a stilted introduction, “Silk, Alan, Blunt”.

There was no time to engage in conversation. Jun instructed them to remove their shoes as he went to retrieve a sharp weapon from the sand nearby. He left a large red spread out over the sand. Silk fumbled around with his stained socks as Blunt removed the entirety of his metal armour and took a long swig from a flask.

“I only have one weapon, so we take it in turns. The bigger the fish we catch, the fewer we need to feed everyone. They’re starting the fire already so we need to be quick” Jun handed the weapon to Silk first, oblivious to his pained feet.

“Why do I have to go first?” he asked as the scholars began backing up with amused expressions.

“You’re young, you should pick it up quickly”.

“Then Medri should go first” Silk turned to hand the spear to Medri.

There was no hiding the fact that Medri was definitely smiling, he shook his head refusing the spear. Silk looked back at Jun, incredulously. He was a cheerful man but Silk could sense the underlying agitation about needing to catch fish for everyone else.

“You expect him to catch fish with that?” Blunt asked.

“It’s easy. Go into the water, stand still, wait for a fish, stab” Jun smiled, which was hard to see through his beard.

Silk didn’t bother waiting around. He wasn’t the best with people or strong manual labour but he lived in a swamp. Ignoring the spots that flooded his vision as he stepped into the water, Silk continued walking until the sea hit his calves. He was grateful for the salt’s healing properties but it stung so badly. There were no shouts of protest as he stood still, so it seemed as though he was an appropriate depth.

“I could just wait outside the Chieftain’s tent for the other fisherman” Blunt’s voice protested.

“Dolo likely won’t be able to join us today. He’s helping the Chieftain with something”.

“The Chieftain did say you wear multiple hats” Blunt’s voice seemed far away as Silk focused on the vague outlines of fish in the water.

“Dolo often wears more hats than most. His mother is very ambitious. She expects a lot from her children”, Jun trailed off, “the water is relatively shallow, you’ll be fine”.

The fish were moving quite slowly. Silk waited. These were tiny, he wanted a bigger one. A better catch to showcase his skills.

“Not to alarm you but some of the fish here do bite and I saw you have wounds on your feet” Jun led the others behind him, with Blunt holding onto Alan at the rear.
Silk’s stomach turned, a small fish would be fine for his first catch. If they didn’t catch enough, he’d be happy to eat the accompaniments. Silk fixated on a fish that seemed to be wriggling backwards, crouched down slightly and stabbed it. It flapped around wildly on the edge of the spear. Its skin was the colour of mud with pale pink fins that shimmered.

“See, easy. Just throw it on the sand, far enough onto the shore that it won’t flap back in. Near the sheet” Jun ordered.

Silk arched his arm back and flung the weapon as far as he could onto the sand. Considering his lack of upper body strength, he was quite impressed.

“Did you miss the part where we only have one weapon? Unless you plan to catch fish with your hands” Medri asked.

“Is that not a skill you possess?” Silk taunted, though he groaned inwardly at his clumsiness.

Jun took pity and began retreating to the shore. Medri clapped him on the shoulder, “I’ll get it. It’s my turn next”.

Silk’s initial pride had been slightly bolstered after everyone had their own turns. Medri was infuriatingly good, catching the largest fish as if he willed them towards him but Blunt and Alan had clearly never been responsible for sourcing their own food. After a few rounds, Alan was able to start getting the hang of it, musing that maybe he should get a walking stick with a pointy end. The only person that struggled extensively was Blunt, and that was due to his unease rather than a lack of ability. Silk had seen the man near water enough times to know that he probably couldn’t swim. His jabbing motion was quick but aggressive. The roars and splashing that preceded the motion scared the fish into swimming away. Silk kept his eyes firmly on the fish that decided to swim close to his own feet. He didn’t want to add a bite to the healer’s list of wounds to heal.

When Blunt’s turn was taking extra long, Silk began to catch the fish with his bare hands. They moved slower than the fish he was used to and it brought a relaxed feel to Jun’s demeanour. There was something exhilarating about catching fish for others. People were relying on them to bring the good back to be cooked. When Silk failed to catch fish in the swampland, he’d just eat whatever he could throw together or go to bed hungry. Here he had a purpose.

A cheer from Blunt and a clumsy throw of the fish meant that it was finally Jun’s turn to wield the spear. Jun positioned himself with his back straight. A shrill noise pierced the air followed by the sound of a deep snarl. Silk’s eardrums began to pulse.

“What was that?” Blunt looked out at the sea in panic, though the noise had originated from somewhere along the shoreline.

Nothing looked to be amiss. Jun’s answer was cut short by a rumble from above. The sky morphed from crystal clear to a landscape of shifting, dark clouds. The clouds opened up immediately, pelting them with rain. Silk coughed as the unexpected water entered his lungs. A snaking bolt of lightning was enough to send them running towards the shore. Blunt moved with a speed that Silk hadn’t expected with Alan wading slowly behind. Something reached out and grabbed Silk’s ankle. He shouted, trying to kick the fish off before realising that fish don’t have fingers. Jun was thrashing around in the water, his hair plastered to his clawing arms. Silk reached down and tried to hoist Jun out of the water. Something was pulling him back. Jun cried out in pain. The water splashed into Silk’s eyes, obscuring his vision. Wherever the spear was, it was no longer in Jun’s hand. Keeping one arm around Jun, Silk dropped to his knees to search for it. The water only came up to his shoulder. Not deep enough to drown him under normal circumstances but fatal enough if a fish weakened him. He fumbled around on the seabed, weary of the fact that he didn’t know what was attacking Jun or how many of them there were.

His hand gripped nothing but fistfuls of sand. He tugged his hand out of the water and jabbed blindly with his arm, his breathing coming out in ragged bursts. It wasn’t the smartest decision, but there was little more he could do for Jun. Silk couldn’t tell if the water was being tinted with crimson or if it was just his mind creating the most undesirable scenario. Silk’s ears were filled with the sound of Jun’s pleas. Silk could feel his hold slipping. Jun’s fingers grasped at his skin as the spear came down and stabbed the sea creature between the eyes. The wooden point snapped instantly on impact, remaining firmly embedded in the fish’s head. It let go, reeling in pain, but didn’t succumb to the fate of death. Silk pulled, ignoring the sting of his feet as they brushed past rocks on the seabed. Jun had stopped making noise and the silence made Silk feel worse. He collapsed back onto the shore, hearing the shrill sound of the chime once again. Neither Blunt nor Alan were in sight. Laying there panting for breath, he dared himself to finally look at Jun.

“Thank you” Jun was lying on his side, his hand still gripping Silk’s.

Silk looked behind him to see who had found the spear. Medri’s cloak clung to his body as he shivered on the sand.

“That would’ve been a good catch for the meal” Medri tutted.

“What was that chime? A fish attack warning?” Silk had to shout over the roar of the rain.

“No, it’s the food bell. The storm was likely the island’s way of telling us we were taking too long”.

Silk realised they were still gripping hands. It was a small comfort after a harrowing situation.

The evening meal had been understandably late. Rounding up the fish had required additional help. Some of them had flapped their way back into the sea during the storm. Though the lightning had eased up quickly, the rain had lingered preventing the cooks from getting the fire re-lit. By the time they sat in the middle of the village with bowls nestled on their laps, it was almost dark.

“What a day, eh?” Jun tipped back a flask before offering it to Silk.

Silk accepted it without hesitation. It was wine. A very sweet wine that cancelled out the spice of the starchy soup.

“It went from being up there with one of the best to one of the worst within seconds” Silk sipped slowly.

“That’s often how life goes” Jun mused.

His wife, Reya, bandaged the wound on his side in silence. She seemed eager to finish and move onto Silk’s feet.

“Is there a place where I can get socks here? I guess gold isn’t really worth anything but I’m quite good at fixing things” Silk said, uncertain.

Most of the materials here were unfamiliar to him. He was hardly at one with the nature of the island or the types of contraptions they kept on Anzi.

“I can see about getting you some if you have shells” Reya’s eyes sparkled, looking towards Silk’s pocket.

“Shells? Unfortunately, I only have a few gold coins and some tools that are ill-suited for catching fish” Silk’s bony fingers turned out the contents of his pockets with one hand.

Reya’s eyes fixated on one of the coins. She took it with trepidation, turning it over in her hand and feeling its weight.

“Is this what shells look like where you come from?”.

Silk looked to the others for help but only Medri seemed to be watching the conversation with some interest. He looked strange without the added bulk of his cloak. Silk couldn’t help but notice the scars trailing both of his arms. Small scars like miniscule incision wounds. Medri didn’t seem to be offended when he’d caught
Silk staring at them.

“No, it’s just a metal”.

The gentle fire emitted a welcome heat considering Silk was once again soaked to the bone. He’d received an extra outfit for helping Jun but he’d opted to put it on tomorrow whilst he dried his current clothes. The new ensemble had featured a deep v-neck that would leave his chest exposed, linen trousers and some sandals.

“Can I have it in exchange for socks?” Reya went back to working on Jun.

“Sure”.

Socks with sandals were not the typical fashion on the mainland but fashion meant little if he was uncomfortable. The gentle screech of a bird retreating back towards the sea acted as background noise. From a quick glance, its face was stained with red. Silk chose to focus on the crackling sounds of the fire instead. His mind was clearly imagining things. There were no rodents scurrying around for the birds to kill.

Jun’s wound had been almost entirely superficial. As plates were being hurriedly washed, Silk noticed the reappearance of the infamous chalk. Silk gathered up the bowls from the others and walked towards the washing bowl. He cleaned them carefully but quickly, lay the wooden bowls to dry on the makeshift rack and returned to the group.

“What is it with the chalk?” Blunt was asking a person Silk hadn’t seen before.

He was either a very muscular adolescent boy or a young man with braids threaded throughout his hair. Jun’s fisher friend, Dolo, perhaps.

“We draw symbols on our door each night”, Reya gestured for Silk to sit down so she could clean his feet properly, “they ensure we’re okay”.

“Through protection?” Blunt assumed.

Reya nodded but Jun added, “they allow the Chieftain to check on us”.

“Check on you how?” Silk asked, watching Alan once again take an age to finish the meal.

He wouldn’t be caught outside during the night just to wait for the old man to finish. If Silk had been on the other side of the circle, he would’ve missed the way Reya pinched Jun on the leg. Jun stifled the surprised yelp well.

“It’s just a commitment to the island. Each day we reignite that commitment through drawing the symbol”.

“And what happens if you forget?” Blunt pressed.

“Nothing” Jun said tightly.

The barely audible echo of a shout floated through the night air towards them. Silk tensed. The sound had come from across the sands somewhere further out in the distance. Towards the desert.

“What was that?” Medri turned around with interest.

“The wind” Dolo said calmly, “it speaks to us on the island”.

The audible agreement from both Jun and Reya encouraged them to accept that answer. Silk had heard of the howling winds to the east of the mainland and the echoing caverns of his homeland, the Anzians could have whispering winds. Though he was curious as to what the wind was saying.

“Where are your parents?” Medri asked Dolo suddenly.

“My father died when I was small, he was Jun’s fishing partner hence why I took up the mantle” he nodded at Jun, “my sister followed soon after”.

“Where is your mother?” Alan inquired.

“She left recently to go on a trip”.

“How recently?” Silk asked.

“A couple of weeks ago, I think. She’ll be back soon”.

Silk had disagreed with Blunt about certain things on the island being strange. They were just different. But there had been one thing that bothered him since their arrival. He’d attributed the slight oddness of the Anzians’ speech to their multilingualism but that wasn’t it. None of the Anzians really spoke with any emotion. It wasn’t quite like Medri’s monotone drawl where he was intentionally cynical, it was as though they were rehearsing lines that weren’t really theirs. Apart from Jun and Reya, to an extent, very few people used intonations where others would use them. It hadn’t even felt necessary to express sorrow over Dolo’s losses as they just seemed like facts he was recounting from a historical tome.

“The mainland is a good place to take a trip to” Blunt said absently.

“It’s alright. Less connectivity and tradition but I suppose that’s a given with the amount of mingling that takes place”.

“Have you been to the mainland?” Blunt’s voice grew louder.

“No” Dolo cracked his knuckles.

“Then how can you speak about it?”.

“You jump at the sound of wind, walk with coins clinking in your pocket and armour to protect you from other people. I might’ve said the Chieftain’s stories were unfounded but your movements prove otherwise” Dolo shrugged.

“And you have people drawing symbols on doors, beasts gobbling people and no windows”.

Silk subconsciously found himself suggesting that the night would be upon them soon and they all needed to get to their various huts.

“I’m sorry about your feet” Reya said softly.

“It’s not your fault. Besides, you’re very talented at what you do”.

Reya provided him with a poultice to leave on overnight, “I was fortunate enough to learn from the best”.

“The best healer? Do they live in this settlement?” Silk perked up.

Reya looked over at Dolo who lingered by the campfire, “not anymore, no”.
Silk wanted to tell Dolo to head to his hut but he was Anzian and one of the settlement’s two fishermen. If he was caught after hours, the Chieftain would likely excuse the slight. Instead, Silk bid everyone good night and returned to his hut. He slunk onto the bedding for the night before wondering whether he was supposed to put the chalk symbol on his door.