Armhianthia by Arbhin Cioc (cat reading book .txt) 📖

Armhianthia

Prologue

The late evening sun, sat low in the sky, casting long shadows through an open window against the ever white walls. The white of the walls broken by the brown colour of the furniture only. Closets made of finely crafted wood. Most of it chosen in almost the same colour. The shadows flew through the room, to the other wall, putting the entrance door in spotlights. As if anytime, the main character of the play could appear through that same door. As if hypnotised by the view, Luse was absentmindedly watching the door. His head was occupied by studying and thoughts that had nothing to do with neither sun nor door.
He had spent his whole day inside this same room. And he had only been out for breakfast. He had skipped lunch and his stomach tried to remind him of its lack of attention by its owner, but even a stomach couldn’t break the thoughts inside Luses head.
In front of Luse was a desk, with only one book there. It was open and several pages had been read, but since his mind got wandering, some pages had turned back.
Breaking his view from the door, he looked back at the book. Leafing through the pages again, to find the passage back where he had last been. Reading again, he pointed his finger on some words on the page.
At that moment the sound of a gong sounded from behind the door. Luse stood up, not even thinking at his actions. He took a piece of very small wood and put it at the books page edge, then closed the book.
He put his hands in his back and stretched his back. Cleared his head and walked for the door. He could use a break to make his head clear. And a good dinner would do that trick just fine.
He opened the door and walked into the corridor. Half way he almost ran into Arabon. The boy had his head in some parchments, trying to walk and read at the same time. With one hand on the boys shoulder, Luse could prevent from topping him over, but his hand shook the boy back into reality so much, that he lost control overhis hands and the parchments fell to the ground. The boy stood there speechless of what had happened.
Ashamed over letting the boy shock that hard, Luse bowed to take up the papers. It took Arabon some moments to realise what had happened to him. Then he finally looked down and saw Luse crawling, over the Floor, for the parchments.
“Good afternoon to you too,” Arabon said quietly. “I’ve not seen you for today.”
Luse looked up at the still confused boy. “A lot of reading for today. And I can see, that you have a lot to read too.”
Arabon nodded. He was a young boy, with his mind more caught up in thinking, then in real worlds business. Mostly his clothes were simple, and his eyes are most of the times caught in reading or thinking. He wasn’t old enough either to shave. But his mind and his clever thinking made him the youngest Eagrival in decades. It had caused many words in the circle to make him accepted as a real Eagrival. Of course he wouldn’t be able to lead powerful kings, who’s minds were solid into big problems already. But maybe in time he could learn the tricks of it, in practice.
Standing up, from gathering the parchments, Luse offered the papers to Arabon.
“King Trakand keeps me busy.” Luse raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question any further. If it was real important Arabon would have told already, all Eagrival share knowledge, so they could evaluate schedules between kingdoms.
“They rang the gong, Arabon. We rather get going to the dinning room.”, Arabon looked up to Luse, “O, yes. Good you told me.” Rolling the parchments into each other, he stoke them all in the insides of his clothing. “I never heard those things sound. I wonder why.”
Luse stuffled a chuckles behind his hand, and looked another way. Pressing himself to look serious again, he turned back to watch Arabon, who’d started to walk to the dinner already. Quickening his pace, he caught up with Arabon.
“And what have you been reading Luse?”, Arabon asked to Luse, “Still busy with that nasty book?”
Luse nodded. The book was indeed nasty. It was written several ages back, when words are used different. Making many strofes a struggle to get through. Sometimes even meaning came out different then in recent times.
“This writer really did his best to tell many things about everything. Trying not to forget one little detail. Its a struggle to get through.”
“Then why even bother reading it?” Arabon looked towards Luse, as if het ried to puzzle out Luse.
“There is some information in that book, that the writer does not write about. And I want to find out, what it is, he hadn’t written about. He’s so detailed, that I don’t think he had forgotten about it.”
Arabon raised an eyebrow. “You try to read something that is not written?”
Luse couldn’t help but chuckle at Arabons comment. Turning a corner the hallway gave way to an even larger hallway. A double door stood open. Both doors fully opened against the wall, sounds of dinner and stuffled voices extracted from the room at the other side. Arabon and Luse rounded on the doors and watched over the dinningroom. Students walking with trays to tables. Some advisors had already taken a place and had started to eat already. Arabon and Luse took place at a table where one other advisor already had seated himself. Not yet eating.
They greeted each other. Students had to get their own food at the give away point, but advisors were served. A maid appeared at their table, with 1 tray. She hadn’t seen Luse and Arabon appear, she apologised and went to get two other trays.
“Good evening, Boreo.”Luse greeted. Boreo lay down his spoon and raised a hand to answer the greet, he’d started his eating already and didn’t want to be rude with talking with full mouth.
Arabon added his greeting to Luses in silence. Arabon was not really sure how he had to set his emotions towards Boreo. This man was a puzzle to Arabon.
Boreo was advisor to a troublesome king. He had to work hard to get his ruler go in good ways. Boreo had canceled many wars already and at least 3 riots in Lagos’ capital. But Arabon couldn’t figure, why someone would want to advice for such a terrible person, risking your neck time after time. Of course Eagrival couldn’t be executed without the right trial, which was normally held at the Eagris halls. But Roghar was known for his temper and short sighted visions. He once had stabbed a steward already, because he hadn’t brought the right merchandise.
Boreo cleaned his mouth before he spoke, “Roghar had put his mind on 5 acres of land to the south.”
Luse had to think a moment on his geographic memory before he could realise that there were no other countries in the south of Lagos. “So, whats the problem then?”Luse asked. Boreo looked at Luse as if he was sure Luse had no idea what he was talking about.
“You are aware that the ealf live there, I presume. Roghar wants to push those creatures more south, putting an extra ‘no-mans-land’ between Lagos and the ealf.”
Arabon whistled softly. Luse looked up at the maid arriving with two trays of food.
“I wasn’t aware of the ealf.” Luse answered. “I had no idea that they were captured to one place.”
Boreo looked at Luse, to see if Luse was mocking him. But Luse had his eyes on the food he was eating. Arabon looked at both men for a moment, then bowed to start his dinner. He was quite hungry after all the work he had done. The rest of the dinner was done in silence, only now and then disturbed by a greeting to a passing eagrival or student.
Boreo left half of its food standing, excused himself of being tired and walked off to his quarters. Luse and Arabon finished their trays and walked off together to their rooms.
“If you need my help, Arabon,” Luse said, “Don’t hesitate to ask.”
Arabon nodded. “I will. But for now, its ok. I can handle. Tomorrow I will travel back to Nadirand.” Luse nodded, “I think I will be going too. This book speaks about some country which doesn’t exist anymore. I have to find where it once was.”
Arabon looked happy, “If you prepare yourself to go early, you can come with me to Nadirand. I think Trakand will be happy to talk to you for a moment. And I’ll be happy to have your company on the road to there.” Luse smiles gently. “See you tomorrow morning then.” He said. Arabon waves amicable to Luse, turning around the corner in the hallway, leaving Luse standing, watching the back of this young man disappear. He was a strange person. But the right man for his job. He’d chosen well. But, he had to visit Parcema first.

Not long after he left Arabon, or rather Arabon leaving him, he walked the stairs up to the chambers of Parcema. A knock on the door gave silence. But some moments later the door swung open to a filled room. Trunks and closets were covering the walls, while books and instruments of all kinds where covering floor and desks. Parcema has been head of the Eagris institute for a long while already. His eyes were getting a bit backwards, but his mind made up. And even tho his sight got worse, tho nothing serious sof ar, he was too stubborn to wear glasses. His opinion was that it was better to train his eyes, then to spoil them with helpfull tools.
He invited Luse in and pointed out a chair somewhere in a corner. Luse eyed the chair and left it at its position. It was covered with clothes and some left over papers. Luse turned to Parcema. “I won’t be long, I had some questions, that I might need some answers on.”
Parcema looked to Luse. “Very well. What did you wanted me to ask then?”
Luse watched the headmaster for a moment. In his head he went over the topics, which way to ask these questions. “I found this book in the library, written by Leana dir Ychasa, he is very sure about what he writes about, but he describes a place I am not custom with.” Luse described the place to Parcema, while the headmaster was listening close.
An hour later Luse left the quarters for his own, after telling Parcema that he was off the Eagris for sometimes. He wanted to see this place himself.
Back in his own quarters het ook his luggage and put some things in it for the road. He ran through the little things he had in his room, what might be necessary. It was near midnight, when he finally found his bed and fell on its surface, not troubling about his clothes nor blankets.