She slowed as she approached the amphitheater. She could see the tents and the enormous canopies used to cover the stone platforms from the swirling dust as they descended into the recess of the cavern. Her mother and father had been part of setting up the temporary structures, using their magic to aid and heal the workers respectively. Throughout the tournament, they would continue to be involved in mending the structures or participants, as necessary. Ceilsea had to be careful they didn’t spot her now. Her father wouldn’t be happy to see her walking around without an escort.
Lucky for her, guards had been placed around the perimeter to keep overeager visitors from entering the festival grounds early. With them in place, she knew exactly where to avoid. Behind a crowd she stood on her tip-toes to be able to see down into the theater itself.
Multiple arenas had been constructed in the massive space. Each arena had walled perimeters to keep in the magic and music from the duels. Luckily the steep sides of the amphitheater would still allow visitors to voyeuristically view the fights. To one side, a large wooden stand would give the king and his company, including Ceilsea, the best view. However, it also gave the rest of the crowd a clear view of anyone in the box. It was going to be nearly impossible to leave without someone seeing her. If she was going to escape during the tournament, she would need a good excuse.
She followed the flow of the crowd away from the amphitheater, passing the boulevard that ran along the cliff to the flatlands on the eastern border of the city. What was normally empty grazing lands was filled with acres of camping warriors and visitors who could not afford to stay within the city. Performers who would not be allowed near the amphitheater due to their magic interfering, found their stages here amidst those who were relaxing and idling. Dancers, tricksters, and gamesmen tried to entice whoever wandered near them. Ceilsea felt the pressure of magic as she passed the open areas dedicated to training. Swords banged against each other, and notes flew discordant and random into the air. It was like a new village had popped up next to the capital.
Ceilsea stopped and drew her veil back from her face so she could look around better. She had thought maybe this place full of strangers and chaos would help her leave unseen, but she was starting to doubt that. Almost no one was leaving to the east. They either followed the border of the city south or went west back into the capital. She knew why; the two main roads went south, through the lowlands to the coast, and west, up the Great Suman Cliff to the highlands. Illbyi was built into the Great Cliff. Back past the amphitheater, the slums, and the cliff homes, were the Great Steps, the easiest way up the cliffside. The Great Steps were the only way to reach the rest of the continent and Empire’s lands. Otherwise, you’d have to go south and take a ship down the coast, which was a longer and more dangerous journey. She had to get up the Great Steps.
She sighed. Doing that alone and unnoticed was going to be a challenge in of itself.
“Mistress Brijas?!” Someone far too excited called her name.
Ceilsea sighed again feeling more exasperated. She didn’t recognize the voice, so she doubted it was anyone from the city. Who would be here and able to identify her on sight?
Ceilsea smiled politely as the man who called her name emerged from the crowd. His bristly mustache and rich golden embellished clothes didn’t give her any clues about his identity. She supposed he was wealthy, maybe a noble or a merchant, but so were most of the patrons of her sculptures. If she had been introduced to him at some point, she did not remember, so she would have to fake it.
“Hello. Are you enjoying the festivities before the main event?” Ceilsea asked.
“Oh, well enough I suppose. My companion and I were not here to enjoy ourselves but to scope out the competitors though. I’d like to bet on a real wild card and be able to say I spotted them before they became Champion. What a story that would be! Why are you here, Miss Brijas? Are the rumors that his majesty is commissioning a statue to commemorate the tournament true?”
A taller voluptuous woman dressed in a flowing light traditional dancers dress held the man’s arm. The fabric’s quality looked more expensive than any of the dancers performing around the camps. She might be from the Sumanar Players, which had arrived to perform at the king’s request. If so this rich man was a patron of the arts, in one way or another. She gave Ceilsea a sympathetic smile. Ceilsea prayed the woman had not gotten dragged into this man’s company by accident. She could not imagine being that nice, accompanying a chatterbox all over the city, but for the favor of a patron, artists had done much worse.
“I can’t say anything about that,” Ceilsea replied. She didn’t think it was much of a secret, but if she could create false intrigue, why not? It was another artist’s trick for fame and fortune. She continued, “I’m here for much the same reason as you, actually. There’s a contestant who caught my eye—”
“They must be a looker!” the man interrupted.
Ceilsea ignored him. “I’m here to see them in action, before the fighting starts. After that, they might be too preoccupied to let me… observe them.”
Even though she was referring to innocent modeling, she knew that wording could be easily misconstrued, and the rich man seemed to take it that way.
“Can you tell me—or point out to me the fighter who caught the lady sculptor’s eye?” he leaned in and whispered, clearly searching for a juicier rumor.
Ceilsea looked around wondering if it would be too cruel to throw Shaelis to this dog if she saw them. They were the only warrior she knew, and their squirming would amuse her. Looking around, she realized it would be easier to pick someone at random.
“Looking for me, sister?”
Vonae had come up behind her without her noticing. This happened so often she didn’t even flinch. The rich man on the other hand jumped back away from her.
“No I’m—” she intended to drag her brother into the lie with her.
However, the man wouldn’t let her speak, he muttered, “Oh, yes. Of course, it’s you. So good to see both of you. We shall be on our way now,” and quickly guided the woman away.
The woman looked back, smiled, and said, “Hopefully we meet again.”
“Goodbye Master Omnish,” Vonae called after them with a wave.
As he left, they could hear the rich man telling his companion, “The challenge is to find someone talented yet obscure…”
“You know him?” Ceilsea asked Vonae as they started to walk together in the opposite direction. She looked him over, waiting for his response. Rivonae was in plain clothes that she had not seen him in recently. His clothes were oranges and browns, colors he wore when he meant to get dirty, suggesting he was taking time to explore as well.
“Don’t you remember? He was the merchant vying for ennoblement last year who got so drunk at one of your unveilings he fondled the statue and started taking off his clothes,” Vonae lowered his voice, though Celisea thought the people here would not care what a weird merchant did to disgrace himself.
“Oh, right. That’s why I didn’t recognize him. I only saw his bare ass before his majesty covered my eyes.” She also remembered that Vonae had been the one to drag the man off the statue, probably why the merchant got self-conscious after seeing him. They followed the flow of the crowd back into the city but then turned down smaller more familiar side streets.
“He wasn’t going to be ennobled after that,” Vonae said.
“As if his majesty would have before. You know he hates handing out birthrights.”
“He must have pulled a lot of strings to get Odiame to accompany him today.”
“That was Odiame! I should have saved her!”
“Don’t bother. They probably had a pricey arrangement.”
“Just for a walk, I hope.”
“Do you think he could afford more than a walk with her? He’s not that rich.”
Odiame was a renowned dancer. She was spoken highly of in the same circles that spoke of Ceilsea. Many thought Odiame should be a Nun of the Cosmic Honor, the order for the most talented artisans in the world. Ceilsea had been a member since she was sixteen. Unfortunately, dancing was not considered high art.
“Why are you out here on your own anyway? It’s not exactly safe,” Vonae finally circled back to the topic she had been trying to avoid. “And what are you wearing?”
The siblings had subconsciously returned to the part of town where they had lived before moving into the palace. Here people would recognize both of them but wouldn’t bother them unless they had a good reason to.
“I needed some fresh air,” she said, ignoring his comment on her clothes and failing to come up with a better excuse. She was distracted because this was the part of town she knew she had to avoid when she escaped. Someone here would be able to identify her and the direction she was headed.
“Your courtyard is open to the air,” he said, calling her bluff.
“I needed a distraction.”
“From…sculpting?” he asked, rightfully doubtful.
“From…distractions. Thinking about the ball tonight, and the time I’m going to have to waste watching the tournament and schmoozing, and figuring out how I’m going to finish my current sculpture and get the two new ones started. Because if his majesty already asked, the material is on its way,” she bumbled her way through current events hoping if she seemed overwhelmed enough, Vonae would stop pushing her.
“That’s called a break, sister. You have seemed distant and distracted recently. If it wasn’t for the tournament, I would have taken you out of the city for a few days. Still, you should have found me or a guard to go with you. For now, let’s find something to do here, together. We can think of things to look forward to when the tournament is over, alright?” he told her, taking on the tone of voice he used when he was teaching and training their younger siblings. Ceilsea was more concerned that he seemed to realize something was going on with her than his talking down to her. He was too observant.
“Fine. It’s fine. I can manage that,” Ceilsea muttered.
“So, what are you looking forward to?” Vonae pried.
“What? I mean…I’m looking forward to…taking a few horses out into the highlands and camping under the stars…”
“We can definitely do that,” he said with a smile. She felt guilty that she had imagined it without him.
Rivonae put an arm around her shoulder. “In the meantime, let’s try some of these weird regional refreshments so we will know what to get when the tournament lulls.”
She appreciated that he was trying to cheer her up. She leaned her head against his shoulder trying to silently communicate that she loved him no matter what happened.
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