1217-10-09
Achoris Niu:
I've been thinking about what to say to my father. How to convince him that we should leave. That we should go to Pallas or UIK—two countries known for their acceptance of outsiders. I want to make him see that life here isn't enough, that we could have something better. The sands might be affecting Neith, causing her to suffer, to be the way she is. Her constant sickness... it's hard to ignore.
I've thought about it again and again, nervous about his response. Would he tell me to forget it, that it's not worth leaving?
Part of me is scared. The part I can't shake. Even though I've done well in my craft and kept my face hidden, I still worry about what might happen if they find out. What would they do if I was taken?
I've been fishing with my father. The results have been plentiful.
"Two hands are better than one," he always says.
I'm not the best at fishing, but I've come to enjoy it. Enjoy the time spent with my father. While he fishes. I often mend nets or clean fish.
That's what I should have been doing. What I needed to do instead of working for the Queen, the corrupt Queen. The light of Horus still fills the sky, but when it doesn't, it's a warning—the Queen is somewhere else, in other countries, mainly Tethambia.
No one really knows much about Tethambia. All we know for certain is that they're allies and that they supply us with ance—A mine.
An enormous ance mine, supposedly the largest in the world.
I sat next to my father in the boat. I couldn't keep the question to myself any longer. The quiet waves crashing against the side of the boat. I finally turned to him, my voice soft.
"Father… have you ever considered moving? To UIK or Pallas, maybe?"
He glanced over at me, surprised. "UIK or Pallas? Why those places?"
"Because... things here are hard," I said, feeling the weight of my words. "Neith's not getting better. Maybe the sand, the heat, the air here… it's making her worse. Maybe it's time for something different."
He paused, thinking. "We've talked about it. Your mother and I. I've always wanted to go. UIK ... that's a fishing country. We'd be welcomed there. The islands are full of peaceful people. It might be a fresh start."
I watched him closely, waiting for more. "When do you think we could leave?"
"A month from now, maybe. November 10th," he said, steady as always.
I nodded, letting the information settle in. It was a little sooner than I expected. It still felt far away.
"I want time to tell the family where we're going. Maybe some could even come," he said.
"Your father?" I asked.
"Yes," he nodded in agreement.
There was a long silence before he spoke again.
Quieter this time. "When was the last time you saw Ramses?"
"Ramses… I saw him in Shar a few months ago."
"He's been missing for a while now. I think he might be dead," my father continued. "I just want to find out for certain."
As silence took over the boat once more, I thought to myself, Yes, they took him.
Maybe. He was always outspoken about things he shouldn't have been. But Ramses wouldn't snitch. He would never betray me. If they took him, it wasn't for what he said. I know my grandfather. He kept his word.
After we sold what fish we could and opened the clams we found, the haul that day was massive. So massive, in fact, that we couldn't sell it all. The pearls inside the clams were particularly impressive—far more than we'd hoped for.
We decided to wait and see if any merchants would come through. We could sell them at a higher price when the right buyers came, but for now, the pearls stayed tucked away safely.
The night fell. I made my way to bed, my mind wouldn't rest. I lay there, staring at the ceiling. We had enough now to make a big move.
A large boat, perhaps, to take us and the others to UIK. If we could make it work, we might just be able to trade the pearls for a decent amount of supplies and set up something permanent there.
The traders from UIK often passed through here, and they usually took people for long periods—sometimes even years. If we could make ourselves known to them. They could help us get out of here for good.
I turned over in bed, pulling the blanket tighter around me. In a month, I wouldn't have to worry.