Chapter 9: The City Below

The morning was a mess of hands and movement. Shani’s bracelet was placed back on earlier than usual for that reason. The maids worked quickly, parting her platinum-blush hair neatly down the middle and pulling it into two high ponytails. Small braids swept back along her scalp before disappearing into the springy curls, while tiny flowers decorated a few strands.

Shani was dressed in a pale sand-colored tunic that fell just past her knees. Beneath it, fitted trousers hugged her legs, tucked into worn leather boots that had seen far more running than walking. Over it all was a thick cloak the color of amber. She looked at herself in the mirror, her mouth forming a thin line as she spun. She was definitely warm, perhaps too warm.

“Mama… do I look weir—” Shani froze as she stared at her mother.

Jamila was dressed down more than usual, but she still looked stunning. Her white hair was piled high on top of her head, only to cascade down her back like a waterfall. She wore a pale tan gown cinched at the waist. A charcoal-colored cloak draped over her shoulders. Its hood rested low against her back, though it was clear she meant to use it if needed.

Shani gaped at her for a moment. She was used to seeing her mother in palace attire, but the simple clothes looked just as nice. In some ways, Jamila seemed more natural dressed like this. Like the courtly appearance was fake and Shani was seeing her mother for the first time.

Jamila laughed lightly before kneeling in front of Shani and taking a good long look at her. A smile tugged at her lips as she nodded.

“You look absolutely stunning.” Shani flushed and fiddled with her hands. Jamila just pulled her into a tight hug for a moment. She stood once more and took Shani’s hand. Together they began to descend the stairs.

Jaziel waited at the foot of the stairs, a smile crossing his face.

“My, look at you both… I can barely tell you are nobles.” His tone was playful as he offered Jamila a hand. She rolled her eyes but took it anyway.

“Why, thank you… that was the goal,” Jamila replied in a similar tone. Jaziel walked them both to the carriage, only to pause a few breaths away.

“Now… do you remember the rules while in town?” he asked, his brows raising as he looked at Shani. Shani took a deep breath. She had been reciting them all morning while the maids dressed her. She needed them to be perfect.

“Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t act out. Don’t be noticed,” she recited. Jaziel smiled as he knelt before her and lifted her hood.

“Good job, Princess.”

Shani’s face lit up. She didn’t mess up. She was perfect.

Jaziel assisted Jamila into the plain, unmarked carriage first. Then, he offered Shani a hand. Shani looked at the carriage door and the large gap between her and the first step. She was tall, but it seemed she still had some growing to do.

Jaziel must have noticed because he carefully lifted her beneath the arms and stood her inside the carriage. Although the outside seemed drab, the inside was anything but, with velvet seats and plenty of padding. Shani offered her uncle a bow before sitting next to her mother. Jaziel closed the carriage door, and a breath later they were off.

The ride to town was uneven, the wheels bumping over the worn path as they descended from the palace. Shani leaned out the window almost immediately, waving toward Jaziel and watching as he waved back and slowly grew smaller and smaller.

Her heart thundered in her chest. She was actually leaving the palace.

The wind tugged at her hair, cool against her face as she watched the gate fall away and the world stretch wider around them. The palace, once towering and impossible to ignore, slowly shrank behind them.

Shani heard it before she saw it.

They rounded a corner, and a massive waterfall came into view along the cliffside. Even from a distance, mist hung in the air around it. She covered her ears, but her eyes widened as she took it in. So this was Gildan Falls. It was much larger and louder than she expected. Jamila scooted in next to her daughter, her eyes distant as she took in the falls.

“Behind that waterfall,” she whispered. “There’s a cave.”

Shani glanced at her, eyes widening with curiosity.

“Your father would meet me there occasionally,” Jamila continued, a small smile pulling at her lips. “Whenever he thought I was being reckless… or lonely.”

Shani looked between her mother and the falls for a moment. It was like her mother was no longer with her. She was somewhere else. She anxiously took Jamila’s hand. Jamila’s gaze returned to her daughter, and the two retreated inside the carriage as a cool mist filled the air.

Shani leaned against her mother, who simply hummed an old tune. She didn’t understand the words. They weren’t Gildan, but she thought they sounded pretty nonetheless.

“Shani…”

Shani groaned as she opened her eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. She peered up at her mother, who wore a big smile across her face.

“We made it,” Jamila said. Shani’s eyes widened as she stood quickly and hurled herself to the carriage window. The wind bit into her nose, and her eyes teared up for a moment. Then she saw it. They were approaching an open gate, guards stationed on either side, multiple carriages, horses and people coming and going.

“Papers please.” Shani jumped. She looked over and noticed a guard talking to the carriage driver. The driver handed him some parchment and the guard glanced over it before motioning for them to continue. The carriage began moving again, inside the city’s gates.

The wheels of the carriage tapped along cobblestone roads. Pale stone buildings rose on either side, their entrances framed by tall columns and broad steps. Open courtyards peeked between them, crowded with fountains, statues, and flowering vines. People walked along raised stone paths, chatting and smiling beneath covered porticos. Among the dancers, Shani occasionally noticed people who didn’t look quite Gildan, with tanner skin and darker shades of hair.

Channels of clear water ran through the stone beside the streets, branching off in every direction. Servants gathered around the waterways, some filling jugs while others washed clothing in shallow basins fed by the flowing water. A few simply stood nearby and chatted. Long swaths of vibrant fabric stretched between the buildings overhead, billowing gently in the wind as the sound of drums filled the air.

Shani kept her ears covered, but her mouth hung open as she took in all the sights. She had never seen so many colors, people, and water in all her life.

Jamila peeked out the window along with her. “This is the nobles’ district,” she said with a smile.

Shani nodded, not quite hearing what her mother had said. She was too engrossed in the scene before her. The carriage jolted suddenly, causing Shani to squeal. Jamila laughed as the carriage climbed a short ramp before evening out again.

The carriage came to a stop and the door opened. Shani froze, anxiety rising in her chest. They needed to leave the carriage… but it was so bright outside. Jamila smiled sadly and took Shani’s hand.

“Not to worry… Mama is here,” she said with a wink. Shani hesitated for a moment before nodding and walking out of the carriage with her mother.

The carriage threshold was level with the sidewalk. An aide stood nearby, holding the carriage door open, allowing ample room for Jamila to step out. Shani followed her but froze as she carefully examined the small gap between the carriage and the edge of the walk. It was like magic.

The aide tied a piece of ribbon around Jamila’s wrist, and then a matching one to the carriage. A moment later the carriage was gone. They walked through streets bathed in reds, purples, and golds. The drumming slowly grew louder, and then the voices started pounding against her head.

“There’s a festival in town today, so it is more chaotic than usual!” Jamila shouted over the cacophony, her voice adding to the noise pounding against Shani’s ears. Shani barely heard her as every voice, drum, and footstep stabbed into her ears. Even the sound of the rustling fabrics seemed louder now than they had been.

Laughter, yelling, singing, stepping, drumming, tapping.

Too much… It was all too much!

Tears ran down her cheeks. She pulled her hand away from her mom and covered her ears, curling in on herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to push the noise away. But the more she tried not to hear… the more she actually heard. She clawed at her ears as more tears fell.

Shut up, shut up, shut up!

Gentle hands covered hers. Shani slowly looked up to see her mother’s lavender eyes. She looked like she was in pain… but why? Shani was the one who wanted to rip her ears off. Shani panted as Jamila grabbed the hem of her dress and ripped it without a moment’s hesitation. She tore the fabric into two small pieces, balled one up, and carefully pulled away one of Shani’s hands.

Once the cloth was tucked into her ear, the noise dulled. Jamila did the same to her other ear. The world around Shani grew quieter. Still loud, but not nearly as overwhelming.

“Is that better?” Jamila asked as she wiped away Shani’s tears.

Shani nodded. It was better, but she was suddenly very tired. She raised her arms. Jamila smiled and squatted in front of her. Shani climbed on, causing Jamila to groan for a moment. She stood and adjusted Shani with a small chuckle.

“If you get any bigger… even piggybacks may be impossible.”

Shani rested her head against Jamila’s shoulder. A flush crossed her face as she noticed a few people watching them.

“I’m sorry…” Shani said quietly. Jamila smiled sadly.

“I don’t see why you need to apologize… It’s my fault. I should have thought of your ears ahead of time,” Jamila said, glancing at her daughter from the corner of her eye. Shani opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

“Besides… your father also doesn’t do well around loud sounds.”

This piqued Shani’s interest. Jamila must have noticed because a wry smile crossed her lips.

“Took him weeks to get used to my voice! I unfortunately get louder the more excited I get.” Jamila giggled, her eyes sparkling like shimmering waves.

Jamila continued talking, and the sounds of the streets and music slowly became rhythmic, almost calming. Shani took deep breaths as she watched the scenery change.

They eventually turned down a street crowded with people, but those here weren’t dressed nearly as finely. In fact, their clothing looked more like Jamila and Shani’s simple attire than the vibrant clothes of the previous streets. Stalls lined the walls. The smell of roasting meats, sweet baked goods, and fresh bread filled the air.

Shani’s stomach growled. The sun was high in the sky now, and they hadn’t had breakfast that morning. Jamila smiled and squatted down, allowing Shani to hop off her back. Shani looked around at the stalls and families walking by. Everyone seemed to be holding some kind of food, and smiles were everywhere.

Shani’s eyes darted from one stall to the next. There were so many different foods and smells that she wasn’t sure where to start. She wandered between the stalls, Jamila staying close behind her.

“Would you care for a cookie, cute little miss?” a round faced woman exclaimed as she offered Shani a tray of freshly baked almond cookies. Shani’s eyes widened as she took a step back.

“No thank you…” She mumbled.

“Come now! They’re freshly baked! Why don’t you try one? On me!” The woman picked up a cookie and offered it to Shani. Shani backed up further until she ran into her mother. She looked up at Jamila with pleading eyes. The older woman looked completely confused by Shani’s reaction.

“Apologies, madam… My daughter gets quite sick when she eats almonds.” Jamila smiled at the woman, making sure her hood sat low enough to cover her lavender eyes. The older woman began apologizing profusely, but Jamila quickly calmed her down.

The smell of roasting meats caught Shani’s attention. The smell of roasting meat caught Shani’s attention. She followed it away from her mother and found herself at a stall selling grilled meat and vegetables on sticks. He coated the skewers with coarse salt . Shani’s stomach rumbled as she stared at the glistening food.

“Salt straight from Veledros!” the man said as he waved a meat skewer in front of Shani’s face. Shani reached out, but he pulled it back with a teasing grin.

“Only two Dias, little lady,” he said with a wink. Shani froze. She didn’t have any money on her. As if she had read her mind, Jamila stepped beside her and offered the man four small, cloudy squares of crystal. The man beamed and gave Jamila three meat skewers.

“For being my prettiest customer… one extra on the house,” he said with a smile. Jamila returned it.

“Why, thank you.” Jamila laughed, but Shani noticed it didn’t sound real. She handed Shani two of the meat skewers before taking her hand and leading her away from the stalls.

“Shani… do not wander by yourself. You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Jamila’s eyes were stern as she glanced down at her daughter. Shani bit her lip.

“I’m sorry, Mama… they just smelled really good,” Shani mumbled. Jamila sighed.

“Shani… this isn’t the palace. There may be bad people,” she said. Shani nodded. Jamila frowned. After a moment, she knelt in front of Shani so they were eye to eye.

“We have knights in the crowd for that reason… but I can’t protect you if I don’t know where you are… Do you understand?” Her mother’s eyes were serious. Shani could even hear a hint of fear in her voice. She suddenly felt very guilty. She should have known better.

“I won’t wander off again… I promise,” Shani said, slightly louder. Jamila smiled and kissed her daughter’s forehead.

Jamila stood and gently took her daughter’s hand once more, leading her away from the stalls and into an open square. Shani froze as the street opened into a wide, circular space. It was still paved but much more worn. Benches lined the square, and in the center stood a large fountain made of piled rocks. Water trickled down the stones and into a large basin.

Shani stepped closer, pulling her mother along. Jamila smiled. “The rocks are all from when our ancestors first established Gildan.”

Shani looked toward her, completely forgetting about the food as curiosity danced in her eyes.

“These rocks were picked from the fields one by one, allowing us to grow food,” Jamila explained. Shani turned her gaze back to the fountain. There were a lot of rocks… Some looked quite heavy. It must have taken the farmers a really long time to pull them all out.

“The Sullivian border is actually made up of the same rocks,” Jamila said, causing Shani to whip her head toward her mother. The border wall was that old? Gildan had enough stones to make that long wall? Shani pursed her lips. So some stones were made into art… and others into a barrier. She wondered how the same stones could feel so different.

However, she understood something now… Gildans were truly strange sometimes.