The Threshold Child (11 page)

Adesina answered in a way that she knew would flatter the
self-importance of the man in front of her. She kept her expression one of
youthful innocence, and her tone well mannered. When the question of her
occupation was brought up, Adesina assured them of her skills as an apprentice
carpenter. A gleam of excitement flashed through five sets of eyes.

At the end of the interview they excused themselves and left the
room to discuss their decision. The young Shimat sat motionless for more than a
half hour, her mind going over several contingency plans. When the door opened
to readmit the first man she had met, she had a number of ideas on how to get
into the city if this course of action failed.

The old man gave her a grandfatherly smile. “Well, I think we can
find accommodations for you here in the High City, young woman. We have been
looking for carpenters for quite a while. We have only one in the city now, and
he is quite overworked. You will begin as his apprentice. When he feels you are
ready, there will be other options available to you.”

He handed her a book of laws and social mores to study. “We are
contacting your host family right now, and it will probably be settled by
morning. You may read this while you wait.”

Adesina took the book and followed him out of the room, with Ravi
close behind. The man showed her to one of the small huts just outside the city
in which she could stay the night. He offered his services, if needed, and
bowed out of the room.

The young woman was unable to think of anything else to do, so she
curled up on the simple cot and began reading. Ravi laid down on the ground and
went to sleep.

There were many rules associated with living in the High City, but
Adesina was certain that it would not be a problem. Being raised as a Shimat
definitely had its advantages when it came to following outside rules, for
there was no society more stringent.

When she finished reading the book, Adesina closed her eyes and
tried to sleep. She found it strangely difficult and could not understand the
reason. Perhaps it was her nerves. Perhaps it was the unusual silence. After
all, she had grown accustomed to Ravi singing her to sleep.

In spite of these struggles, Adesina was finally able to get the
much needed rest. Morning arrived far too quickly, but she skillfully pushed
her exhaustion to the very back of her mind. A timid knock announced the
arrival of her aged guide.

“Come,” he beckoned.

The old man led her and Ravi back through the gate and through the
room with the tables and
chairs. He opened the
door to the city and stepped back, motioning Adesina through. She walked past
him and into the busy main square of the High City.

The city was bright and clean, but everything from the buildings
to the streets was in strict, straight lines. Every building was whitewashed
and uniform, and every street was paved with cobblestones that were also
painted a dull white. There were neat rows of well-behaved flowers that lined
the streets, walkways and houses. As she was led through the main square, her
eyes darted around her, taking in as much information as possible.

The merchants were all dressed in the same simple uniform as the
guards and the Entrance Council, only their uniforms were green in color. They
all stood by orderly kiosks, assisting customers in reserved voices. At
predictable intervals a brown-uniformed guard with a red sash would stroll
through the square, nodding amiably to the citizens he passed.

Everyone walked in an unhurried fashion, stiff with dignity. There
was not one surprise to be found in sight, and Adesina practically stared in
disbelief. She could have overthrown the city single-handedly and no one would
think to object. She glanced at Ravi in the hope of finding similar dismay on
his face, but he walked along as sedately as the citizens, as if such sights
were common to him.

She was led through the business section of the city and into the
residential. Each home was white, but the shingled roofs were various pastel
colors. Women in light brown dresses worked industriously in their yards,
occasionally accompanied by a small child. Adesina tried to ignore the curious
stares that she was getting, but it became more and more difficult the farther
into the city they went.

When they arrived at the cottage that was to be her home, her
guide turned her over to the small family waiting at the gate. The house was
white, of course, and the roof was a pale green. The front of the house was
lined with flowers, as was the path that led to the street. The man looked to
be in his early forties and the woman was only slightly younger.

The man wore a dark blue uniform with a white sash, and his graying
brown hair was neatly cropped. He had a full beard, also neatly trimmed, and
jovial black eyes. The woman wore a simple light brown dress with white flowers
embroidered on the bodice. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back in a simple
bun, but a few stray hairs escaped to curl pleasantly around her plump face.
Their daughter, a girl of nine or ten, hid shyly behind her mother. Her honey
hair was plaited into an orderly braid, and her brown eyes sparkled with
excitement.

The man extended a large, calloused hand. “Welcome to our home,
Adrie. I am Hass.”

She looked at his hand with an air of uncertainty. Adesina was
familiar with the custom of shaking hands, but Adrie was not.

Hass smiled kindly. “Do they not shake hands in the Northern
Tribes? Well, no matter. It is just a little custom we have here.”

He presented his wife and daughter. “This is Jelana, and our
child, Fia.”

Adesina smiled hesitantly at them while Hass approached her. He
took her two bags and beckoned to her. “Follow me and I will show you to your
room.”

Jelana, followed closely by Fia, made way for them to pass. Hass
heaved the bags over his shoulder and walked up the path towards the house. The
white door stood open, and upon closer inspection Adesina could see that there
were no locks.

The front room was bright and cheerful. Pale yellow curtains hung
from the windows and potted flowers stood on each sill. A conservative fire
danced in the stone fireplace on the left side of the room, not far from
another wooden door. A table and four chairs sat opposite of the fireplace, and
a loom was set up against the far wall. Opposite the loom were a couple of
chairs, a small stringed instrument, and a shelf with a small stack of
parchment.

In the center of the far wall was a doorway that led to a set of
stairs. Hass led Adesina up these stairs to a narrow hallway. There were three
doors along this hallway. Hass gestured to the first as he passed it.

“This is Fia’s bedroom.”

He did the same for the second door. “This is a storage room, of
sorts.”

Hass stopped at the third door and opened it wide to reveal a
sunny, meticulous room. It was easily twice the size of her room back in the
Shimat fortress, but that still wasn’t saying much. The window, shielded by the
same type of curtains as the main room, faced the street. A small desk sat near
the window, directly across from the door. A bed occupied the far left corner
of the room, which had a patchwork quilt laid over it and a trunk at its foot.
The near left corner of the room had a mirror and a washstand, and a screen
with birds and flowers painted on it.

Adrie sucked in her breath and drew her hands up to her face. “It
is so beautiful!” she exclaimed.

Behind the act, however, Adesina was taking careful mental notes
as they had walked through the house. She spotted good places to hide things in
her room, quick escape routes, possible places for ambushes, which floorboards
and stairs made noise when stepped on, and so forth. Adesina was genuinely
pleased with her arrangements.

Ravi, who had been following them silently, settled himself at the
far end of her new bedroom and looked at her expectantly. She returned the look
and then turned her back on him.

Hass set down her bags on the floor near the bed, a bit flustered
by her compliment. “It is not much, but we hoped you would like it. I suppose
you want to get settled in. Come downstairs when you are finished, and Jelana
will see to you. I need to get to work.”

He gave her a brusque nod and shut the door behind him. Adesina
took a deep breath and let it out audibly. She turned to the window and opened
it to let in some fresh air. There was a small group of girls huddled across
the street whispering to each other and pointing to the house. Adesina ignored
the instinctive suspicion that rose in her mind and turned her back on the
window, letting the curtains fall back into place.

She began unpacking her things. She first pulled everything out
and laid it on the bed. The things she needed to put away first were the items
hidden in the bottom of her bags. Her weapons, the medical kit, a store of
ingredients for various concoctions, private documents, and so forth. All of
these she put underneath her mattress for now. She would find a better hiding
place later that night.

All the while, her mind turned over all she had seen and heard,
trying to figure out how she would be of the most use to the Shimat order
during her stay in the High City.

Adesina had just finished unpacking when she heard a knock on the
door below. She moved closer to the window, out of sight but within hearing
range. Jelana’s voice was recognizable.

“Hello, girls. How are you today?”

Now a younger voice. “Oh, we are fine-”

She was cut off by another young voice. “We saw the girl come
here. Are you hosting her?”

A slightly more mature voice reprimanded the second. “Gainor!”

Jelana brought order back to the conversation. “Yes, we are
hosting a girl. She is from the Northern Tribes. I will introduce you, if you
wish, but you cannot stay long. She needs to settle in.”

Adesina did a quick check of her things, making sure nothing
incriminating was in sight. Ravi casually moved so he was sitting in a corner
out of the way. Her sharp hearing followed their step as they crossed the main
room, climbed the stairs and walked down the hall.

There was a soft knock at her door and Jelana entered with three
girls about Adesina’s age. In a split second, Adesina’s eyes took in various
details about each of her visitors and could see the dynamics between them.

The foremost girl was clearly the leader. She had light blonde
hair and laughing blue eyes, a heart-shaped face and a slightly stubborn set to
her jaw. She stood stiffly upright, eager to be noticed and admired. The second
girl was tall, with dark curls framing her round face. She had intelligent
hazel eyes and a hint of humor around her mouth. Her dusky complexion was clear
and smooth, touched only by a healthy glow on her cheeks. Adesina could see
that she was a calming influence over the high-strung leader. The third girl seemed
to be hiding in the background. This was the follower. She had honey-colored
hair and an uncertain expression in her brown eyes, and her button nose was
lightly sprinkled with freckles. All three girls were dressed in the same light
brown dress with a darker brown apron covering the front.

“Adrie, these girls would like to meet you.” Jelana gestured to
them in the exact order that Adesina had noticed them. “This is Gainor, Deasa
and Rina.”

Each of them nodded politely when their name was said. Gainor looked
as if she was dying of curiosity, but Jelana continued with the introductions
at her own leisurely pace.

“Girls, this is Adrie of the Northern Tribes.”

Adesina reminded herself to smile shyly. “I am pleased to meet
you.”

Jelana looked quite satisfied as she walked out of the room. “I
will leave the four of you to get better acquainted.”

Gainor let out a dramatic sigh of relief as soon as the door was
closed. She threw herself on the bed, paying no mind to Adesina’s possessions
that were spread there. “I am always glad when the adults leave! Now we can
talk without having to mind our manners!”

Deasa frowned slightly as she gracefully knelt on the floor next
to Adesina. “Gainor,” she said with a rebuke in her voice.

Adesina absently noted that Deasa smelled faintly of the most
pleasant mixture of spices. It was an exotic and invigorating sort of scent.
Adesina wondered what it was that gave off the fragrance.

Rina looked as if she couldn’t make up her mind where to be
seated. She hovered for several uncomfortable moments before collapsing next to
Deasa. “Yes, Gainor,” she chided in a timid voice. “What an impression you will
give Adrie about the High City!”

Gainor surveyed them with a superior expression on her face. “Who
cares? She shall see for herself soon enough. Besides, being shockingly honest
is quite fashionable right now.”

Deasa rolled her eyes and gave Adesina a sympathetic smile.
“Please forgive Gainor. She is often caught up in the winds of ‘fashion.’ She
would walk around in
boys’
clothing if someone told her it was
fashionable.”

Rina giggled nervously at the idea. Adesina assumed an expression
of polite incredulity, all the while wondering what kind of a world she had
entered.