Dreams of Ruehai: Ruehai, #1

By Z.J. Draper

Welcome to the first in a detailed, epic fantasy trilogy.  A sheltered faithful rancher's daughter becomes the victim of a terrible conspiracy.  She must band together with a diverse group of lost souls to survive and unravel this dark plot.  They must tread carefully, however, as this scheme may trace its roots to the very heart of the theocracy.  On her journeys, she will meet a stir-crazy idealistic nobleman, a former slave turned impossibly skilled warrior, a fast-talking infamous con artist, a melancholy scout of a foreign feline race, and a verbose non-humanoid anthropologist.

 

Our tale plays out against the backdrop of the strange and unique Ruehai setting.  Some of the worst qualities of human nature are juxtaposed against a colorful alien world with endless wonders.  Ruehai sets itself apart by incorporating non-deterministic technological, evolutionary, and cultural development.  A mysterious all-seeing secondary character narrates our story.  She is quite aware the reader is from Earth and helpfully explains some of Ruehai's odder elements.  Even so, the sheer volume of alien creatures and foreign concepts can get overwhelming.  Thusly, each book contains a handy reference of people, locations, species, and terms at the end.

 

Disclaimers: This series contains heavy themes such as corruption, bigotry, slavery, and violence. It is also a slow-paced, lore-heavy series, especially early on.  Readers are advised to avoid if this is not to their liking.  This series is entirely self-published.  It is purely a gift to my younger self who wrote it before I gave up on being an author.  Otherwise, it would vanish on a discarded hard drive as so many books do.  Despite its amateur origins, readers may find value in exploring this setting's complex, imaginative, and sometimes disturbing world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Z.J. Draper
• Release date: May 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223880042

Book preview

Chapter 0: Prelude

Greetings.  I send this message to your world for my own reasons.  I do not intend to teach you moral lessons nor corrupt your mind.  Rather, I feel I must educate you.  The following story contains important historic information on another world: My home.  Unfortunately, I cannot write my name properly in your language, so Narrator will have to suffice.

I cannot claim the primary role in this story.  I merely present this to you as an unlucky observer.  You will not hear of me for a time, and my ending fate I will not tell herein.  I realized when I began writing my autobiography that this story held greater historic importance than my own.

As for this world, it does not function exactly as yours.  You may find physics here very unfamiliar.  They do not follow the same rules as your universe.  Specifically magnetism, gravity, and physics at the quantum level operate with different dynamics.  Much of the plant and animal life will also seem unfamiliar.  Certain political and social problems you will find both familiar and unfamiliar.  Some countries on your world have dealt with the same problems.  Some still do.  Still, unlike Ruehai, your world does not have different speaking species attempting coexistence.

You will find several species here, such as ruajans, quite familiar.  They originally came from your stock.  How?  I do not feel you should yet know.  Perhaps I will include such information in a future tail.  I simply do not think you ready at this time.

For now, I would like to focus your attention on a relatively recent conflict that changed the nation of Uilliok.  To do this, I should first introduce you to a seemingly ordinary person named Sharley Kly who hails from the independent ranch-town, Hunla.  She doesn’t shine with genius or have any notable training.  However, she... no... wait.  Perhaps I could serve you better by skipping past the end, then moving back to introduce Sharley.  That might help put the first bit in perspective.  Yes... your minds work that way.  Feel free to skip this bit if you find such storytelling tactics tedious.  If not, let us begin:

The determined traveler trudged into the small labor camp.  He lifted his head to take in new surroundings.  The distant glow of artificial light danced on the deep experienced eyes of his now disfigured face.  The stranger paused to lean against a weathered stone.  He took a moment to catch his breath, scrutinizing the main entrance to camp several meters away.  He mentally reviewed what he knew of this location:

People only referred to this as a camp out of tradition.  It solidified into a permanent labor station over ten years ago.  Due to recent events, the camp no longer had a high demand for its laborers.  It now charged heftier prices and disposed of some of the remaining merchandise.  Found in the deepest reaches of Juhlanak’s badlands, the camp remained starkly isolated from the outside world.  All of its dealings with outsiders ended with quick trade and little talk.  Camp residents knew little of happenings of other camps, and nothing of events outside the badlands.

The stranger frowned at the sky.  Drizzling rain clouds completely blocked the sky’s nebulae that night.  He pushed himself back up and limped forward, his form shrouded in a mottled brown cloak.  He did not hide his approach from the two gate-guards. The metallically bronze-skinned guards each had five rows of feathers stretching from forehead to neck base instead of hair.  These ruaja’hu otherwise looked like your species, aside from their serrated ears.

The black-feathered guard appeared the older of the two.  The gray-feathered one did not pay attention to the stranger, his mind wandering.  They both held weapons that resembled clubs at best, along with crudely fashioned shields.

State your business, the older guard demanded, blocking the way through the camp’s small stone gate.

New hire-on, if have, said the stranger in a halted, broken voice.  His old injuries made speaking with eloquence difficult.  It suited him well, however... made lying easier.

Don’t need none.  Business is slow.

The younger guard remained silent, his mind more focused on the poor weather than a thirty year old cripple.

I have know of what hurt work, said the stranger.  He hated talking in such a crude manner, but his jaw would not permit otherwise, especially when it rained.

The older guard decided to pass the buck. Fine.  What do I care?  Master’s in de acgel house.  Go bother him.

The stranger bowed his head and trudged towards a building that smelled of liquor.  The people of this region favored acgel, a beverage fermented from over-ripe acla berries.  It tasted like bitter mead, but not much else worth fermenting grew in the area.

Noise spilled out of the acgel house into muddy streets as the doors swung open.  The traveler stumbled back a half step, placing one hand over the side of his head.  Certain noises sounded like high-pitched hums ever since he lost one ear.  The stranger regained his composure and stepped inside.  He straightened up after entering the warm, dry hostel.

The stranger slumped onto a cushion at the back of the room as if exhausted.  A peculiar metallic sound, like pieces of a metal puzzle sliding apart, emanated from under his low-set table.  He did not react to this sound, which one could barely hear over a cacophony of chatter.

Thirty minutes passed before an older yet strong, brown-feathered man made his way to the hooded stranger.  This ruaja’hu lacked one foot.  He had replaced it with a plaster block strapped to supports on his leg, almost to spite his injury. Unlike gate guards, he had a well-crafted mace slung off one hip.  The weapon looked like it had seen more than its fair share of battle.  The older hu spoke, making the stranger wince at alcoholic breath, So. I hear tell you know what’s goin’ on outside de badlands.  We haven’t got news yet from dat far, but dey haven’t done no business here for a couple years.

You want know?  How much pay? uttered the stranger in his usual broken voice.

I’ll give you a job if you tell.  If you don’t, I’ll give you a job as yyuthu bait.  How’s dat sound?  He sounded very confident.  The old man learned to intimidate others with mere voice inflection when needed.  He bluffed this time, though.  The stranger looked too weak to use as a guard, and the old slaver kept no yyuthu.

The stranger sighed.  Had it really come to this?  He ignored the faintly growing metallic hum under his table and began to speak. It start with slaughter of ranch town, Hunla.  Foothill between U. and J.  ‘bout eight year past...

He began relating an abridged version of the tale I will now tell you.  Pay close attention, because the following seemingly ordinary beginning leads to one of the most revolutionary events ever to occur on upper Ruehai.

~Narrator

Chapter 1: Starset of Hunla

Sharley wore a faint smile, barely breaking through her otherwise routine facade.  She took her time cleaning the kitchen/dining area.  She had high hopes for this day.  Her father’s ranch house often served as a bed and breakfast to passersby, but they rarely hosted a genuine celebrity.  The special guest scheduled his arrival for late afternoon.

Only now noon, the diamond shaped star still drifted in the middle of the sky.  This gave Sharley several hours to prepare.  Still, she worried their guest would arrive early.  Only fourteen at the time, she knew herself too youthful to register in the mind of a national hero.  Still, she prepared as her mother told her, cleaning everything in time for meal preparation.

Diffuse light from the diamond star crept in through closed shutters of a small skylight that topped Kly’s ranch-house.  The light revealed Sharley’s eyes as florescent lime green.  Her skin tone changed from dull gray to a hint of silver.  Like most Uilliok commoners, or ruaja’ke, she had three large feathers on either side of her head, growing back just above serrated ears.  A faint pattern of more silvery skin decorated the rest of her head in place of hair.  People often complimented her feathers.  Most ruaja’ke sported six feathers of the same color, but Sharley’s grew a different color each.  Many viewed multi-colored feathers as a sign of beauty or potential.

Sharley often handled things around the house.  Her parents had a little more wealth than most ruaja’ke.  Her mother would leave for over a week at a time, trying to sell or trade their meager assets.  Today, Sharley’s father and mother left the daily chores to her once again as they checked the moss fields.  The large outcroppings of folded rocks grew a type of moss very efficiently, perfect for feeding tuthu.  As for the stench from the moss fields, most ranchers get used to it... eventually.  A tuthu stood not too far from the ranch house now, visible through curved triangular windows.  It tried to dig up some food from the chalky white ground.

Sharley’s mind often wandered.  She snapped back from staring at the tuthu when she heard a faint ‘mrrrow?’ from her feet.  The family cat, Shy, heard Sharley in the kitchen.  Shy now demanded an advance on her next meal.  Sharley’s family, like most, revered cats as special creatures because they had jaws and two eyes, just like ruajans.  Not many creatures on Ruehai did.  Tuthu just had an opening covered with small tentacles instead of a jaw.  No one really knew why ruajans and a few other animals just did not fit the rest.  The priests of the Dichotomous Order had their explanations, most of which Sharley accepted without thought.  Her mind currently focused on scratching Shy behind an ear as consolation for refusing Shy’s demand.

Sharley heard someone whistle sharply outside.  She finished preparing the kitchen in haste so she could answer the door.  The door opened to reveal one of her friends from town, Ijia.  Unlike Sharley, who dressed properly in a one-piece gown, Ijia often went with a pair of shorts, work shirt, and, of course, star hat.  The star hats had wide brims to keep the wearer from looking at the diamond star.  Although beautiful, the large diamond-shaped sun caused permanent insanity if stared at directly, especially at noon.

So is it true, what I heard from Kile?  Ijia blurted out, wasting no time.

Sharley smiled, acting coy.  What do you mean?  I haven’t the faintest idea what he told you... She could see Ijia getting impatient already.

Stop wasting time.  I heard that fella’s coming.  You know, the famous one.  Ijia said, sounding sure of herself.

Sharley still played dumb, seeing how long it would take Ijia to lose her cool.  There are a lot of famous people.  Nobles, high priests, bards...

Are you having fun?  Come on, this ain’t a laugher.

Sharley gave up the act, sighing.  Please, don’t be mad.  My dad doesn’t want people coming from town and staring.  The visitor doesn’t even want people to know he’s here.

That answers one-a my questions.  Ijia muttered, sounding friendlier.  But I still don’t know who he is.  Some people say he’s some high-ranking military type.  Others say he’s some kind’a bard, or high priest, or nobleman...

Sharley waved her hands defensively. I’m not supposed to tell!  Seriously, he’s just coming to look at the land.

I knew it! a third voice said.  Ijia’s little brother, dressed like a miniature version of her, popped his head out from behind the doorframe. You’re movin’!

Sharley shook her head. Only if he wants to buy.  Look, my parents just want to move somewhere that isn’t a border town.

That’s the whole point of livin’ here, though. Ijia said confidently. We don’t have any nation pushin’ us around.  No taxes, no military, no...

Sharley looked slightly confused.  She never had much of a head for politics.  Well, I don’t know.  I think living near one of the big cities again would be exciting.

Nah.  We’ve got to get you out of here for a few hours.  What if he buys and your parents make you pack up and go? Ijia smirked, as she knew heading out now would mean...

Disobey my parents?  Oh, come on, what type do you take me for?

You’re silly’s what type you are.  A ranch girl who acts like a big-city shut-in?  That don’t make no kinda sense.  Ijia did have a point.  Ijia came from town, after all, and acted a lot less proper regardless.

Still, I don’t think-

Ijia grabbed Sharley by the wrist. Come on.  Your parents will be in the fields straightenin’ everythin’ till late anyway.  You can head out for a few hours.

Sharley instinctively grabbed her star hat and tied it on as she let herself get pulled out the door. ...all right, already.  Easy.

Ijia and Sharley made their way down the road quickly, so the latter one’s parents wouldn’t see them.  They passed a few more tuthu on their way.  The animals had a large girth, ranched for meat.  They viewed the world with four eyes, three on the head and one on the tail.  A nearby tuthu stood still on its four large legs.  Its two upper middle limbs, shaped like whips, beat back and forth to fend off hovering oval-shaped wingless bugs.

But what ‘bout the guy? asked Ujua as he fast-walked after his longer-legged sibling.

Guy? Sharley still committed to playing dumb.  She already disobeyed her parents by leaving without letting them know.  She didn’t need double trouble.

Yeah, the guy what’s goin’ to visit your folks.  Who is he?

I can’t tell!

Quiet! Ijia interrupted in harsh whisper.  They still had to travel some distance before getting out of earshot of Sharley’s parents.

Sorry. uttered Sharley in a softer tone.

Ujua didn’t relent. So who is he?

Ijia laughed lightly. Let’s figure it out, hmm?  He’s someone who has a lot of money, so he has to be a nobleman, priest, or a high rank in the military, merchant, or minstrel.

Please... Sharley interjected.  She used a very soft, non-confrontational tone as always.  It almost made Ijia sick.

And. Ijia continued. He’s very busy.  Minstrel types are usually lazy and casual, so we can scratch that one.

I know! It’s the sraa! blurted Ujua.

His sister laughed loud.  She rolled her eyes at him. There is no way the head priest is comin’ all this way.  He’d send someone else to do it for him.

Sharley tried not to laugh.  The thought of the leader of the Dichotomous Order coming to visit a commoner family would strike anyone as ridiculous.

Ijia continued with the same sentiment. Higher-up priests wouldn’t visit us commoners.  We’re more ‘changed’ than tra are, so we have to come to them.  That leaves only three.

Ijia's tone portrayed a dislike of the priesthood.  A lot of people in Hunla felt that way.  This probably explained why the town remained independent, despite a recent generous offer from Uilliok.  Regardless, Ijia must have started getting warmer, as Sharley began to look nervous.

Sharley picked up her pace in hopes that Ijia would lose her train of thought.  Race you to the next bend!

The two began running towards town without warning. You’re such a child! Ijia always kept herself in more athletic form and easily jolted ahead.

Ujua eventually noticed and sprinted after. Hey! No fair!

They didn’t stop to sightsee on their way to town.  These foothills that lay between the mountainous region of Juhlanak and the rolling plains of Uilliok did not inspire any great awe.  Few trees dotted the landscape.  Some had blue leaves to absorb light from the nebulae at night, while the day plants grew reddish green.  The three children mostly passed shrubs, forbs, and weeds.  Even grass seemed rare on this chalky, salty ground.  They could see the sky clearly, a rare rainless day.  It looked much like your sky, but shifted slightly towards violet.  An hour after setting out, the three arrived in Hunla.

Most built their houses close to the ground here, with roofs shaped like domes to avoid wind erosion, a common problem in the foothills.  True to form, this independent town had no militia aside from a few independently hired soldiers lounging about near town hall.  Most denizens worked at this time of day, yet with no barons, they didn’t seem too rushed.  Ijia led the way through wide roads of Hunla to the local pub.

We’re not going in there, are we? Sharley asked, taken aback.  Her parents would kill her if she drank.

Sure are. said Ijia assuredly.  Then, as if telepathic, she added. Not for booze, though.  There’s a show.  It's amateur day.

Oh, okay. I thought it was just acgel and mesad.

Ijia shook her head. You need ta get out more. As she spoke, her little brother quietly snuck off.  Ujua feared places with too many strangers, but didn’t want to admit it to his big sister.

Ijia led Sharley by the hand into the acgel house.  A low domed roof made maneuvering inside difficult.  The ceiling rubbed against patrons’ heads everywhere but in the building’s center. As a result, ruajans living in the foothills rarely used chairs or tall tables.  Instead, the barkeeps encircled legless tables with cushions.  The two sat near the back, as the barkeeps reserved front seats for paying customers.

Sharley’s eyes went wide as she looked at all the unusual strangers.  Most resembled ruaja’ke like Sharley, the commoner class of Uilliok.  A few ruaja’hu, people from Juhlanak, also sat about.  She could see none of the noble or slave races; no surprise there.  She and Ijia untied their dome-shaped starhats and waited patiently.  Ijia probably thought ahead and timed their ‘spontaneous’ visit for a show, as the roster listed one starting soon.  Several ke set up an assortment of percussion instruments, including something that resembled a vertical xylophone and another that looked like an assortment of adjustable bells.  The musicians apparently had not yet struck it big, as they used sub-par equipment.

Sharley watched with only mild interest. Do they do this every da-

Shh! Ijia said, suddenly becoming the ‘polite’ one.

Both musicians kneeled before their equipment and began a slow, drawn-out melody.  The xylophone player manipulated two iron rods.  An orb floated at the end of each.  He directed the orbs to impact the correct keys by pointing the rods and turning them properly.

The devices used intricate magnetic systems, as did most ruajan technology.  A strong and complex electromagnetic field ran through this world.  Unfortunately, while ruajans mastered magnetism and metal, they never did develope the wonders of fire.  A climate where water almost never freezes made advanced uses of fire an avoidable development, yet ruajans pressed on with what they had.  They even discovered a heatless way to work metal.

The bell-playing musician simply hit the same four bells with a small rod in his right hand, yet each time he hit a particular bell, it emitted a different tone.  His left hand busied itself adjusting a magnetic tuner at the bottom of each bell rapidly between hits.

Sharley looked bored already.  She risked her parents getting angry over bells and xylophones?  She looked at Ijia, who paid close attention to the musicians.  Sharley glanced at her starhat, then at the door.  To be honest, she found this ringing of metal tedious and annoying.  It’s no wonder I’ve never heard of this group before.  Even I can play better than them. She thought, while remaining politely quiet.

Ijia nudged her arm and motioned to the stage as a third performer stepped up.  The third performer, a ruaja’hu, wore an outfit so colorful as to suggest a jester or fool.  This hu tried to dance on stage, but the low ceiling made it difficult and clumsy looking.  His bronze face turned rust-colored as some in the audience laughed and whispered heckles.  Nevertheless, he began singing in a poetry style with the metallic instruments as a backdrop.  The bells faded into a beat with the xylophone adding diversity where needed.  A fourth musician came on stage.  This one played a wind instrument, held like a flute though twice in size.  The music turned minor chord, symbolizing satire and cynicism in the coming lyrics.

Most of what he sang focused on politics, which Sharley had little knowledge of or thirst for.  Sharley sat through the song, hoping it would make some sense eventually, or end quickly.  Much to her dismay, this Juhlan bard’s poetic style stunk as badly as his singing, at least to her ears. He did little more than poke fun at one well-known figure after another by satirically pretending he wished to live just like them. 

Ijia, on the other hand, paid close attention, not to the bard, but to Sharley.  Ijia knew this bard liked to rapid-fire poke fun at various influential figures, and slyly gauged Sharley's reaction to each.  She paid close attention as the bard continued down his list.

"Or maybe I could be a conman like Rennel,

For a low-coin my own mother would I sell,

Famous I'd be, though I'd make many a enemy,

Oops, another bounty? Time to change identity!,

No, I'd rather be like the wyrrmja king Djian,

Ignoring the outside world as best as I.... ca'an,

Sure enough I'd look all wise and mighty,

But if my neighbers be in need, I'd sure get flighty,

Maybe I'll become like the great ke Tlui,

Hero and Warrior, you'd have to call me,

I'd sellout to the tra, becoming their latest tool,

And make all other ke, look just like fools.

Yeah, or maybe I'll-"

Sharley quickly put on her starhat and exited.  Ijia stopped pretending to heckle the show and followed Sharley.  Ijia had expected a reaction, but not a dead giveaway.

What’s the big idea?  It was just gettin’ pathetic enough to start the food tossin’! said Ijia after they left the pub.

They shouldn’t insult people like that.  It isn’t nice. Sharley vented.

Most live here just so they have the freedom to do that.  If we lived in Uilliok we’d be jailed just for sayin’ stuff like that. Ijia said in an angry tone.  Ijia always thought Sharley would come around to their way of thinking, despite Sharley’s Uilliok background, but Sharley acted as stubborn as any plains-dweller.

Then... then maybe I want to go there.  If people have to be nice to each other...

Ke have to be nice to tra. corrected Ijia. Those nobles get all the freedom there but we’d only be half-free. Ya can’t-

But they’re smarter, and they have royal blood, and they aren’t as changed as we are.  They should be in charge. It became clear Sharley had learned this mantra at a young age.  She recited the reasoning the priests gave for the caste system almost word for word sometimes.  Most children who went to free Order schools did likewise.

Ijia’s friendly attitude fled. I get it.  You’re a sell-out like that Tlui guy.  Maybe your family should go back where ya came from. With that, she turned to storm off.

Sharley ran back in and out of the pub, chasing after Ijia. Wait!

What? Ijia looked down at what Sharley carried in her right hand.  How could she have forgotten her starhat? Oh. Ijia snatched her hat and tied it back on.  The two friends stood quietly for two minutes.  Clearly, neither of them had potential to budge on the issue.  They both stuck to what they learned earlier in life, for the most part.

So, what now? Sharley asked in her usual non-confrontational tone.

Ijia softened. Well, we’re about due for a wind-storm.  Why don’t we go hang out in the fouthu stables?  Kile’s there, and I think Hak.

Sharley bowed slightly in affirmation.  She hadn’t visited the fouthu stables in weeks.  Beasts of burden didn’t interest her much, but sitting with friends sounded better than trying to brave a wind-storm to get home early.

The two headed out by way of Hunla’s main central street, which divided the town evenly.  Like most towns in the independent foothills, Hunla began as a ranch supply village shortly after ruajans learned to manage moss fields.  The town started as two rows of houses on one street and grew out.

The main road crossed a large, deep stream, but a well-made solid stone bridge covered its expanse.  Their little town couldn’t afford a shaped-metal bridge.  Wind erosion already damaged the stone even though people from Hunla constructed it not ten years past.

Sharley stopped half way across the bridge and glanced up, her back turned to the maddening great star.  She heard the hatchel's metallic buzzing sound.  Its six oval wings did not beat, but rather contained many gray circular growths throughout.  These bio-accumulated magnetic metal fibers allowed the animal to swim in the air using the planet’s complex electromagnetic field, its flight stabilized by its fin-like tail.  Like most animals native to Ruehai, the hatchel’s eyes looked strange.  Black outer pupils bordered a thin white band iris in the center.  A note tied to the animal's neck made it clear that it came from one of the many stations in this land's complex hatchel-note network.

Ijia tugged Sharley’s arm. Quit starin’ at the darn drifter.  Probably just someone writin' home to momma.  I swear, ya daze out half the day sometimes.

Sorry.  Sharley continued across the ten meter bridge, getting pulled along at fast pace by Ijia.

They reached the fouthu stables ten minutes after the bridge.  Sharley could see only two buildings.  A small domed house served as Kile’s family’s quarters, while a larger oval-shaped structure housed fouthu.

Kile’s father paused on his way back to his house, shouting at the two. Hey. Sharley, Ijia!  You two’d best get indoors a’for it winds.

Plannin’ on it! shouted Ijia in response.  They jogged the rest of the way to one of two large entrances of the fouthu stables.  The wind whipped up, white salty sand stinging through the air.  They made it inside just in time, latching the large barn sized doors behind them.  The wind began howling outside, visibility dropping to near zero from a salty dust storm.

Kile started talking as soon as they arrived. Ijia!  So did you find out who... oh, hey Sharley. He looked only fourteen, with light blue feathers and dull white irises.  The same faint patterns decorated his bald head as all ke.  He dressed as a stable-boy does, though he only worked half as much as expected.  The stables smelled dusty with a cling of mildew.  He usually put off work until it piled up, literally, then would work several days straight through.

Sharley acted innocent as ever, pretending not to understand what Kile referred to.  Hey, Kile.  Um... is Hak here?

No, he had to go to town on some errands. said Kile disinterestedly.  He then looked at Ijia. So..?

Ijia shook her head, deciding to keep Sharley's secret. Haven’t figured it out yet.

Sharley lost herself in thought again.  Now her mind focused on Hak, a boy from town.  Her parents didn’t let her date yet, but she still felt bad about moving away because of him.

Kile perked up again quickly.  He always seemed hyper. So, want to help me bathe this one? He motioned to one of the fouthu.

The attention-hungry beast stood comfortably on two legs, albeit very hunched over, bracing itself with its leg-like tail.  Like most fouthu, Kurr acted far more intelligent than the tuthu at Sharley's ranch.  Its front limbs currently held a random stick it had found.  Kurr always seemed to cause mischief.  It had even somehow dulled one of its two natural saddle-harness spikes completely to a nub.

Sharley considered Kile’s request. Um, no thank you. She didn’t like the thought of cleaning the rough leathery hide of that one-ton beast.  She looked at Ijia hopefully.

Ijia nodded. Sure.

But... It looked like Sharley didn’t have a say after all.

Alright.  Its name is Kurr. As Kile spoke the beast’s name, it turned to face him in recognition.  Its tentacled mouth remained shut as it breathed out a muffled deep tone.

Sharley found a clean spot next to some railing and sat, looking disappointed.  I could have to move after this, and I’m spending the day watching people clean a dirty beast? Kile and Ijia gossiped about various people in town while they scrubbed Kurr.  Kurr’s light blue skin, speckled with black spots, vanished weeks ago under a thin layer of chalky white dirt and mud.  The wind screamed outside, but none of the animals or people took heed.  It occurred too commonly to cause interest.

Sharley watched a beetle wander across the floor.  The beetles didn’t seem to fit in on this world either.  They just didn’t match up to the general theme.  They also didn’t match the jawed animals, like ruajans and cats, so caused particular confusion among theologians.

Rise and shine. Kile’s voice broke through Sharley’s slumber.  She had fallen asleep after letting her mind wander yet again.

Ijia smirked. How long have ya been sleepin’?

Sharley looked up.  The once white Kurr now shined clean, which wouldn’t last long. Don't know.  How long did it take?

About an hour you freak. Ijia giggled.

Sorry.  So what now? asked Sharley.

Kile motioned to a pile of metal on a nearby shelf. I was gunna say we play rings! he said, referring to the game of skill that required one to throw a ring just right to pass through a field of magnetic rods.

Sharley perked up. Sounds fun.

Alright, there's a new field layout I want to try this time. said Kile.

Sharley’s eyes widened. Time!  Uh... it’s alright.  I should be going! Sharley blurted out.

Ijia realized. Your parents!  I forgot!  Get going!

Kile laughed as Sharley put her starhat on and shoved the door open.  Kile blurted, I bet they make you do double chores no- ow!

Ijia smacked Kile. Be nice.

Sharley didn’t look back. She started jogging, but quickly realized she couldn’t jog the whole distance.  By the time she reached the bridge, she slowed to a fast walk.  She went through town, ignoring those who tried to stop and talk.  Another forty minutes passed before she made it home.

As Sharley traveled past the last bend to the Kly family ranch, her heart sank.  Half a dozen soldiers stood outside.  Her father looked like a dot in the fields from here.  He led an armored person about.  He waved as he spoke, motioning to several of the tuthu.  Her father could always sell things.  It didn’t surprise anyone that he wanted to get out of the ranch business and take up the life of a merchant.

She stopped there, not wanting to approach the strange men.  They wore expensive red metallic armor, consisting of breastplates, bracers, and shin guards, with cloth in between.  Their helms fit close to their heads, molded down.  They each held a large sh’ker.  This pole arm sported a circular metallic disk at either end, bladed all around.  The disk at one end lay perpendicular to the other.  Several metal bars further strengthened the inside of each ring to weight it properly and ensure support.

The soldiers’ tied their mounts against a wind-shielded lean-to on the opposite side of the road from Kly’s ranch-house.  These war mounts, called krethu, looked like more agile equivalents of fouthu.  Their forelimbs sported sharp claws, their tails likewise tipped with a curved claw just below a fourth eye.  Their hind legs had large digitigrade feet, allowing both support and speed.  They each wore a Uilliokian style saddle, supported by each spike-like upper limb.

What have you been up to?

Sharley startled as she felt a hand on her shoulder.  Her mother had found her.  Sharley focused her attention too completely on the guards and krethu to notice her mother walking up.  Then again, her mother often snuck up without meaning to.

I...I’m sorry, mom.  Ijia came and wanted to show me something and... Sharley sounded panicky.  Her parents never punished her very harshly, but she always acted like the world would end if she got in trouble.

Just hurry up and get inside, dear.  Your father’s been too busy with our guest to notice, and you already finished up inside.  Just hurry and set the table before they get in. Julia smiled.  She lacked the multi-colored feathers that Sharley had.  Otherwise the two looked very similar, albeit set apart by twenty-five years.

The two of them went inside, stopping to bow their heads to the soldiers as they passed.  Julia put the finishing touches on dinner while her daughter arranged the table.  The soldiers stood outside, as if guarding the ranch house from threats.  Tlui developed a good reputation in most of Uilliok, but independents had their own opinions.  He took extra precautions.

Sharley’s mother, Julia, took a moment to lecture her while they prepared. You know you’re supposed to let us know when you’re going to town.

Yes. I’m sorry. came the routine response.

Sharley placed several full bowls of thick syrupy soup on the table.  The soup served as dipping batter for various dishes or people could eat it directly as an appetizer.  Various scents filled the room from the main course, which Julia currently mixed.  Sharley finished everything just as the door swung open.  In walked her father, a white-feathered man with pastel eyes.  He wore a rich looking fluffy-sleeved tunic and breeches, with short city shoes.  He usually didn’t dress like that, thankfully.

Jake stood proudly by the door. He puffed his chest out while announcing. Julia, Sharley, I’d like to introduce Captain Tlui Yarkses, leader of Red Division of Uilliok.

Tlui’s presence dominated the scene so completely that Jake almost vanished by compare.  The captain had eyes of a deep red hue.  Strongly built, he easily supported an expensive suit of armor, containing a crest of a great bird smiting a hatchel.  The crest stood for one of the many doctrines of the Dichotomous Order.  The priesthood believed that a good deity created the jawed creatures such as birds and ruajans, while the other animals originated from some foul god.

Tlui’s helm did not slope back like those of his soldiers.  Instead, it crested in the back and sides, fanning out into spikes like the head of a mythical wirym.  This, combined with his strong jaw and broad shoulders, made him an imposing figure to say the least.  Tlui became the highest ranked member of the commoner race years ago, achieving much fame and prestige in the act.  No other ruaja’ke came close to captaining one of Uilliok’s five military divisions.  He carried no weapon at moment, his long riding pike outside by his well-trained krethu.

Julia nodded. It’s an honor to meet you. She would have kneeled or bowed, but the nobles forbid that behavior to anyone but themselves in Uilliok.  Despite his high status, Tlui did not count as a noble.  Hunla still stood independent, but Tlui no doubt preferred Uilliok custom.

Sharley smiled, saying nothing.  She still had her starhat on and the bottom of her gown had white earth stains from the day’s adventure.  She realized this and became too self-conscious to speak.  She waited for him to look the other way then quickly took her hat off and stood behind the low table.  A rising in the ground directly under the center of the house's domed top served as a table, cushions circling it.

Tlui took his helm off, revealing silvered feathers.  He acknowledged Julia with a short nod, but otherwise didn’t sully himself by speaking to Jake’s misses.  Julia started to motion Tlui to sit, but Jake took over.

Come, come, sit, sit.  Hope you’re hungry.  I had Julia prepare a full dinner. Jake spouted.  He remained excited still, despite having spoken to Tlui for an hour straight already.  The captain presumed to sit before Jake finished talking.  He held his helm up awkwardly in his left hand.  A few moments passed before he looked at Sharley as if asking what’s taking so long.

Oh, sorry sir. Sharley quickly took his helm.  She knew not where to put it, so just held it and tried to stay in the background.

Jake took his seat opposite Tlui as Julia set out the meal.  In addition to stew, she set a plate of seasoned tuthu meat, cut into very small pieces and mixed with various vegetables.  She did not cook any of it.  Ruajans never did come to trust fire, after all.  Julia plated four servings, giving Tlui his first, then Jake, then her and Sharley, with the first having the greatest portion and so on.  Jake started to recite a prayer before they ate, but Tlui stopped him.

Do not bother.  The priesthood does not pray over cheap meals given by ke.  One should keep prayers for meaningful things. At that, Tlui began to eat, after which so did the others.  Sharley tried to stare at her plate, so as not to gawk at the famous individual.

Julia whispered Eat up, dear. after which Sharley complied.  Twenty minutes passed while the four of them savored the dry yet oddly light and complex flavors of the cold meal.

Tlui finished before the others despite having the largest serving.  He didn’t comment on the meal, focusing on business instead. I like what I see with the land so far.

Jake looked up, pleasantly startled.  He stopped eating as quickly as possible to respond. Really?  So have you made up your mind?

Not so fast. corrected Tlui. I do like the flatness of it, compared to most of these foothills.  The small almost dry valleyed stream on the south end prevents flooding, and you have more than enough rocks for moss and land for tubers.  Your tuthu seem well fed, and the dense moss-rock maze surrounding that large tree is pleasant to look at.

Jake’s pencil-thin feathered eyebrows lifted as if waiting for the inevitable ‘however.’

However... I still have several other ranches to check out in the area.  Speaking of which, I should get back on the road before starset.  The first bit of the road heads east. Tlui alluded to a superstition.  While the setting diamond star didn’t cause insanity as it would when high in the sky, many believed bad luck would come to those who watched it set for too long.

Of course, sir Yarkses. Jake uttered, almost apologetically.

Tlui glared at Sharley for a moment.  Sharley almost panicked, unsure what he expected.  She then realized the helm still sat in her lap.  She quickly stood and fast-walked to Tlui, holding out the helm while bowing her head.  The captain wore his helm again and stood.  Light rippled across his armor oddly as he strode towards the door.

Jake quickly out-paced Tlui so he could open the door for the captain.  Jake sputtered. Safe journey, sir. Sharley had never seen her father this submissive before, but she couldn’t blame him.  Tlui had an overwhelmingly dominating air about him.

Tlui paused to speak before he left. Farewell, Jake Kly.  I will see you again. His voice contained something un-definable... A hopeful promise? A neutral observation? ...a threat?

On that enigmatic note, Tlui left the building.  The small group of soldiers outside accompanied him away.  Sharley ran to a window to watch as they mounted their krethu.  Tlui hefted his large shaped-metal pike, so well-polished it looked like one solid piece of gleaming mercury.  After a short Hya! the small detachment of Red Division riders left Kly’s little ranch house.

Julia and Jake wasted no time, already fast-talking about Tlui, recounting each second of the visit.  They both couldn’t wait to brag about their visitor to others, or so Sharley thought.  She felt uneasy, however.  Something about the mentioning of the starset clung to her spirit like a lost memory.  Her parents also acted strange, picking up on things about Tlui that most people would never have noticed.

Sharley grabbed her starhat as she headed for the door.  She looked back at her parents, who remained lost in their debate.  Seeing that they wouldn’t care right now, she left.

The wind blew only slightly now.  The multi-color-feathered girl climbed the ranch-house on her hands and feet.  She slowly made her way up the sloped, rough surface.  The ruajans constructed these buildings from a mixture of white mud, crushed stone, and resin creating a surprisingly resilient material.  Sharley easily got the traction she needed.  She sat at the top, not far from the closed skylight.

Sharley watched the silver moon traveled northwards as the diamond star fled to west, like a race.  The ruby moon would rise from the south before long.  Nebulae would no doubt shine clearly once free from the overpowering light of the great diamond star.

Sharley watched for over half an hour.  The bottom tip of the large diamond-shaped body touched the horizon, its waning colors causing the sky in the east to change to golds and browns, with a hint of dark blue.  Sharley watched the diamond star directly now, taking off her starhat.  The greater amount of atmosphere between her and the horizon diffused the lights enough that it would not harm her.  As it set more than half way, it seemed to dim, becoming nothing but a large piece of clear crystal in the sky, slowly sinking into oblivion.

Silent tears rolled down Sharley's cheaks.  She didn’t know why.  Was moving and leaving Hak, Ijia, and Kile the cause of it?  She couldn’t answer.  Sometimes she just felt this way.  Perhaps the excitement of the day and its sudden end explained her emotional state.  For reasons she could not understand, Sharley felt an end coming, an end more pronounced than mere migration.

The silver moon set.

Chapter 2: Relativity

Crohet watched the silver moon sink to the north with concern.  His father did not invite him to the current political meeting.  He stood in an open-air outer hall of the Khenemt Palace, staring out between marble columns.  A mere twenty years old, Crohet had two older brothers and an older sister... hardly a first-born.

He wore tough gray cloth from the waist down connected to buckled brown boots.  He covered the rest of his averagely built form in a tunic of silk-like black cloth made from native animals called spinners.  On his back he wore a deep blue knee-length noble’s cloak.  The belt of his tunic held a coin-purse on one side and a zulhi scepter on the other.

Crohet Mih-Khenemt had magenta eyes, dark storm-cloud gray skin, and dark green hair sleeking back from his forehead to the base of his neck.  Ruaja’tra, the noble caste, all grew full heads of hair like this.  Close inspection would reveal the hair to consist of fine feather-like material.  Their ears also grew more rounded, less serrated than those of ruaja’ke or hu.

Crohet began pacing, looking helpless while the meeting took place behind closed doors.  The patron of his family already gave every political duty away to Crohet’s elder siblings.  As usual, the patron left Crohet impotent in political affairs.  The middle Khenemt brother currently attended the meeting along with their father.  His sister got married off by their father years ago to another family.  As for Cro’s mother, she died before Crohet’s tenth birthday.

Crohet muttered something incomprehensible before walking back to his chambers.  He approached a well-crafted metallic door that led to the inner reaches of the palace.  He stopped upon catching his miss-shaped reflection in a small curved cross-panel.  He stood for some time staring at that door.  His thoughts came too jumbled for me to easily portray.  As the moon finished setting, the wind picked up.  Crohet turned on his heel and briskly strode the other way.

He made his way through lush halls of the palace, several ke servants greeting him in passing.  He also passed the waiting wall at which slaves sat.  The slavers trained them well to stay in one place, never moving unless called upon and never, ever speaking.  They grew neither hair nor feathers, but a thin layer of florescent scales atop their heads.  Their ears bent back sharply, splitting into two deep branches and tapering to dual points.  They had no ruajan designation.  This truly separate species could not even produce children with ruajans, their genetics incompatible.  None glanced up when Crohet passed.

Crohet saw the double doors that led to the deliberations room not far from the waiting wall.  He abruptly took a left down another hallway, turned right, then stopped at the next right, a door less ornate than most.  He paused, waiting for a servant to pass.  When she left his sight, he quickly opened the door, slipped in, and closed it behind him.  He now stood in a small, unlit storage closet. Crohet slowly and carefully slid the back shelf to the right, giving him room to lean close against the wall.

Leaving a nobleman with no responsibilities carried certain inherent risks.  For instance, they end up stuck in the palace all day and learn every intricacy of it.  Crohet knew of an inconsistency in this portion of wall, allowing sound to leak through if one stood close enough.  The sounds came muffled at first, but the longer Crohet listened, the more aptly he could pick up on what his family and their guest said.

.. Armital Province ... not ...increased again ... public support. one voice said.

Another responded. ... last time, ... don’t qualify ... need ... financing.

Crohet tuned out the voices.  Talk of taxes, food supplies, and so forth dominated these meetings.  The Mih family contained many sub-families, such as Khenemt.  Three other greater families, Muh, Moh, and Meh