I had grown up watching forest animals, so seeing domestic livestock with their lazy expressions seemed dull. However, Hoshi's excitement was entertaining enough to fix a grin on my face. The young girl skipped and giggled, dashing from pen to pen. She reached out her hand to touch the animals' backs and marvel at their rough texture.
"Tsuki," she shouted, pointing. "Ina fi bogodi!"
He nodded. "I see them."
She ran away, followed by her father. Tsuki and I maintained a more moderate pace.
I squinted in the direction she had been pointing. "Horses?" I asked.
Tsuki's eyes smiled. "Yes. She loves horses. In Navon, they are so common that almost every family has one. She misses seeing them here."
"The fief lord has horses," I offered.
He nodded again. "We've seen them. They are an interesting breed."
"How so?" I knew little about horses, so it was a new topic for me.
"Navoni horses have longer hair on their coats," he explained. "And they are not as large."
I tried to imagine a small, furry horse, and the thought made me laugh. "How can you ride them, then?"
Tsuki chuckled. "They are still big, just not as big as your horses." He patted the top of my head. "They would be a good size for you."
I scowled at him and pushed his hand away. "It's not like you're terribly tall either."
"I'll get taller," he shrugged.
"You hope so, anyway," I said darkly.
I could tell he was grinning, even though the mask covered his mouth. "Afa is tall, so I'll probably be the same. Besides, my people inherit ideal statures."
I tried to recall any other people from Navon that I might have met. "They do?"
Tsuki hesitated before lowering his voice. "Kags are beautiful beings. It's a survival trait."
"Oh."
He meant akagine, not Navoni.
Well, I couldn't argue with him on that. His entire family had beautiful features (even though I couldn't see some of them).
I sighed. "I wish I looked like you."
He shrugged uncomfortably. "It's not as great as one might think."
I gestured to myself. "Better than this."
His eyes turned to my attire and he paused. "I was meaning to ask: why are you dressed like that? You look like an old woman."
I forced a smile. "I'm in disguise."
Tsuki's eyes narrowed. "Is it working?"
"So far," I replied, keeping my voice light.
"I don't like it," he mumbled.
I twirled and fluttered my eyelashes at him. "Aren't I pretty?"
He looked away. "You're always pretty."
"Even when I haven't brushed my hair and I'm covered in mud?" I challenged.
He made an exaggerated face. "I'm sure someone thinks you're pretty then. Maybe a frog?"
We both burst into laughter.
Hoshi came running back, her face glowing with excitement. "Tsuki! Li ina oka to hosa!"
"You're not speaking Talvana," he reminded her.
She immediately scowled. "It doesn't matter, baki, you know what I'm saying."
"But Tiff doesn't," he pointed out. "You're being impolite."
Hoshi rolled her eyes. "I said, those horses are big and shiny."
Master Chikyu caught up with his daughter and touched her shoulder fondly. "Shall we go buy something sweet for Ama?"
"Yes," Hoshi said with a hop. "Nothing for Tsuki, though, because he's mean to me."
"Is he?" Their father asked.
"No," Tsuki retorted.
"He is," she insisted. "Punish him, Afa, he deserves it!"
Master Chikyu's eyes didn't smile, but I could tell that he was happy to be with his family. "We'll leave that for Ama to decide."
We walked away from the animal pens and back toward the merchant stalls. Two Jinglers stood to the side, playing their flutes together. A man stood on a box farther down the way. He wore funny green robes that puffed out at the sleeves and a square hat. As we passed by, I could hear him shouting to the crowd.
"…is among us! We must be ever vigilant, or their evil ways will taint us."
He and I made eye contact, and his face flushed red. He pointed at me with a crooked finger.
"There!" he exulted. "There is proof of my words right before our eyes. Spawn of demons, how dare you come among us to spread your evil!"
He hopped down from his box, advancing on me with a determined step. I backed away from him, feeling my chest constrict. The man grabbed hold of my wrist to prevent me from escaping.
"Humans were made in the likeness of the gods," he screeched. "We are their beloved creations and must be kept pure. These devils that pretend to be human are corrupted imitations that were made by Darkness itself!"
Master Chikyu stepped forward and broke the man's grip on me. He stood like a wall between us, while Tsuki pulled me back protectively. Hoshi clung to my arm, her eyes wide with fear.
"Sir," Chikyu said in a calm voice, "please do not cause a scene."
The man's face turned purple as he looked up at Master Chikyu. He jabbed at him with his finger, yelling even louder. "I know your kind, too! Don't think that mask can hide you! All you demons coming among us as if you have the right to be here. You are a plague to the world!"
I knew all too well where this was going. I'd seen it dozens of times with my mother. The man in the robes was reaching the peak of his anger, and when that happened, he would lash out. He wasn't holding anything in his hands, but that didn't matter. Anything could become a weapon when rage was present.
I instinctively pulled Hoshi into my arms, shielding her from what was coming. To my surprise, Tsuki did the same for me.
Master Chikyu didn't back down. He squared his shoulders, making his strong stature appear even more imposing. "Sir," he said firmly, "if you have a grievance against us, you may report it to the local authorities. Do not disturb everyone here with your actions."
Several heads in the crowd around us nodded their agreement. Even though there was no love for me in the village, no one wanted their fun to be disrupted by outsiders.
The man seemed to sense that he didn't have the support of the onlookers. He spat on Master Chikyu's boot, then stomped away—presumably in search of someone to back him up. The festival-goers began to disperse, leaving us standing alone.
"Are you alright?" Chikyu asked, checking each of us in turn.
We nodded, but Tsuki and Hoshi were pale. "Who was that?" I asked no one in particular.
"He was a Follower of Purity," Tsuki's father answered. "They are an organization of people who believe that magic is a sign of evil. They are active in large cities, but I've never seen one this far out."
"Followers of Purity?" I repeated, bewildered.
"They call themselves Smitta, which is an ancient word for 'pure,'" he went on.
My brow furrowed as memories came flooding back to my mind. "I've seen one of them before," I blurted.
Tsuki touched my arm. "Where?"
"Last autumn," I explained. "When my mother and I went to the mountains, we saw one of those…Smitta with a soldier. They were riding toward the castle."
Master Chikyu frowned. "If Lord Yubran is hosting them…"
Hoshi tugged on her father's sleeve. "Afa, will we have to leave again?"
I felt a spike of panic. "Leave?" I interrupted. "As in, leave the village?"
He patted his daughter's head. "Don't worry, suko. It hasn't come to that."
Yet, I added silently.
Tsuki took my hand, trying to keep his voice upbeat. "Let's not worry about that. We came to have fun."
He led me through the crowds, which suddenly seemed oppressive. I held onto his arm with my other hand, keeping my head low.
"Look," he said cheerfully, "sugar animals! I'll buy one for you."
He let go of my hand, causing me a wave of anxiety. Fortunately, Hoshi came to stand next to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
Tsuki was joined by his father to buy sugar animals for all of us. The treats were drawn on waxed paper with melted sugar, then they were topped with crushed nuts or dried berries. They were drawn in all shapes and could be purchased for a couple of pennies.
Tsuki walked back to me, offering a sugar butterfly with raspberry dust on it. I couldn't help staring at it. I'd never been given anything like it before.
"I don't have any money to pay you back," I stammered.
He shook his head. "You don't have to, it's a gift."
I still felt uneasy. I knew that Tsuki received little payment for his work as an apprentice (although, he got room and board). It seemed frivolous to have him spend it on me.
He seemed to know what I was thinking and pinched my ear. "Don't worry about it," he admonished.
I retrieved the only thing I had in my pocket—the yellow flower that I had picked earlier that morning. "Here," I said, giving it to him. "You can have this."
Tsuki accepted it slowly. "Thank you."
Hoshi poked her brother in the stomach. "No sugar animal for you," she announced.
He playfully retaliated. "Not true, byo. I saw Afa get one for me."
Master Chikyu obligingly handed his son a sugar bear topped with pieces of walnut.
Hoshi tried to knock the treat out of Tsuki's hand, but he skillfully evaded her. "Byo bomani!" she retorted.
"That's enough, now," their father reprimanded gently. "Let's take this to Ama."
We turned around to go back the way we came, but a large gathering at the edge of the field blocked our way. I craned my neck to see what was going on, and I saw a small group of people standing on the main platform.
They were all dressed in unreasonable finery, with jewelry and decorative weapons at their sides. One of the men had a gold circlet on his head, and he seemed to be the one addressing the crowd.
"That must be Lord Yubran," Tsuki guessed.
I also spotted Chief Westerly and his younger son standing to the side of the fief lord, as well as an overdressed young man and someone wearing the robes of the Followers of Purity. It wasn't the old man from before, although he did seem old to me at the time. I probably wouldn't have paid any attention to him, had I not had the encounter with the other Smitta earlier.
He had thinning brown hair and round spectacles. He had a hooked nose and pinched lips that gave him a look of permanent disapproval. He held his square hat in his hands, but he didn't fidget with it as one might expect. Instead, he held perfectly still. His dark eyes were fixed straight ahead as if he were a statue rather than a person.
I noticed a familiar figure to the side of the crowd, and I pointed it out to Tsuki. "I see my mother," I told him. "I'll go see her, then I'll meet you later."
He nodded and raised a hand in farewell.
I wove through the spectators, murmuring apologies to anyone I bumped into. I reached my mother's side and joined arms with her. She glanced down in surprise but smiled when she saw me.
"Look what Tsuki bought me," I said, showing her the sugar butterfly.
"Very nice," she said without looking at it. Her eyes were fixed on the people on the platform.
I made a face at her, but it went unnoticed. I could hear Lord Yubran's words now that I was closer, even though it didn't interest me.
"…deeply felt gratitude for each of you. This fief relies on your hard work and loyalty, just as you rely on my leadership and protection."
I scrunched my nose. It didn't seem to me that we needed anything from him. Each village had its own leaders, and we were far from any real danger. The most we'd ever encountered were thieves, and that was handled by the villagers, too.
"I look forward to another year of peace and plenty," he concluded with a flourish.
The crowd applauded, as was expected of them.
I assumed that the speaking would be over once Lord Yubran stepped back, but the overdressed young man took his place.
"Thank you, Lord Yubran," he said with a bow. "Indeed, we are so blessed to have you here." He turned to the audience. "My father's tireless work is what enables this fief to continue in prosperity, and we owe our lives to him."
I snorted quietly. It seemed silly to have his own son compliment him in front of his subjects. Did Lord Yubran think he wasn't admired enough?
The young man gestured to the Follower of Purity. "And now, we shall hear a few words from Smitta Farlin."
The man in green robes suddenly came to life from his statue pose. His eyes swept over the crowd as if passing judgment. Mother took a single step forward, listening eagerly.
"I greet you, fellow subjects of King Abbenon," he began, speaking in a voice that was higher than I anticipated. "I have been among you for three weeks now, and I am warmed by the kindness I have received."
I rolled my eyes. It was always meaningless when people said things like that. I could tell from the man's expression that he wasn't 'warmed' by anything.
He went on. "Lord Yubran has graciously given me charge of the education of the youth in this village, and I intend to take this trust very seriously. It is through our young ones that we cultivate strength for the future."
Many heads nodded in agreement.
Smitta Farlin looked especially grave as he continued. "There have been troubling reports from the rural fiefs of increasing unrest and degeneration, that even King Abbenon himself has expressed concern."
He paused impressively at the mention of the king's name. If he was looking for a reaction, he wasn't disappointed. Several awed whispers sounded through the audience.
Mother's grip on my hand tightened. I frowned up at her, wondering what she was thinking.
"I have been sent here by the head of my order to stamp out these dangerous practices and beliefs," the Smitta announced. "I will not rest until I have succeeded."
There was a burst of spontaneous applause. I looked around in confusion. What were they excited about? It wasn't as if he'd said anything profound. There were always people who promised safety from phantom threats—that was how they sold whatever it was that they were selling.
Smitta Farlin wasn't finished with his speech, but I was distracted by a hand on my arm. I looked up to see Tsuki bending close to my ear.
"Tiff, we're leaving early," he said softly. "Afa says it's not safe to stay now."
I stared at him, dumbfounded. What did he mean, not safe?
"I'll come visit you tomorrow," he promised, walking away before I could respond.
I watched him leave, holding back the urge to run after him. If he was in danger here, wouldn't he be in danger at home? It wasn't as if the location of their house was secret. There was nowhere to hide in the village from the prying eyes.
"Mother," I whispered, shaking her arm, "do we need to leave?"
She looked down at me with eyebrows raised. "Why would we need to leave?"
"Are we safe?" I pressed.
My mother smiled as if I was being silly. "Of course, T'phani. Smitta Farlin would never let anyone in the village come to harm. Didn't you hear him? He's here to protect us."
"I don't think-" I started, but Mother shushed me as she turned back to listen to the rest of his speech.
"-he means me," I finished to no one.