Rogue Legacy by Jeffrey L. Kohanek (classic reads .txt) đź“–
- Author: Jeffrey L. Kohanek
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She found the fire pit alive again, the flames licking pans set upon a metal grate. Eggs, slices of beef, and potatoes cooked on the pans, the scent delighting her nose and forcing her stomach to rumble.
“Good morning, Tali,” an old woman said with a nod.
“Do I know you?” Lyra asked.
“No, my dear,” the woman laughed. “But Gar told us to expect you.”
Lyra nodded and scanned the area, only finding other women, most far younger than the one who greeted her.
“Where is Gar?” she asked.
The woman pointed toward the open meadow, beyond the wagons. “He and the other men are out gathering the herd. We must prepare to leave.”
Lyra nodded, choosing not to ask further questions.
“Please sit, my dear,” the woman patted a spot on the log beside her. “It hurts my neck to look up at you like this.”
Despite herself, Lyra found herself smiling as she sat beside the old woman.
“My name is Numi,” the woman said. “I’m pleased to meet you, Tali.”
Experiencing a twinge of guilt for using another name, Lyra nodded to the woman. “I’m pleased to meet you, too, Numi.”
A girl just a few years older than Lyra handed her a plate. Another girl trailed behind her, holding a pan filled with cooked eggs, some of which she slid onto Lyra’s plate. Two others swept past and Lyra found herself with a plate full of eggs, cooked beef strips, and a chunk of warm bread. Finally, a far younger girl brought her a cup filled with water.
As Lyra ate her breakfast, she asked the old woman a question.
“If you are leaving, where do you go?”
The old woman squinted toward the distant sky. “We go where Mother Sun sends us – south to evade the cold breath of Father Winter.”
Lyra nodded, thinking the old woman’s perception a bit odd.
Numi stood, grunting as she put her hand to her lower back. The woman turned and headed toward a blue wagon waiting nearby, pausing as she turned and waved for Lyra to follow.
“Come along, now,” Numi said. “We need to get you in a proper dress. We can’t have you looking like a boy.”
A deep voice interrupted, “This must be Gar’s stray.”
Lyra turned and found a man approaching. He stood a head taller than Lyra and was at least twice her age, judging by the lines that marked his tanned face and the white that peppered his black hair.
Numi gave the man a long nod. “Yes, Eddrick. This is Tali.” Numi turned to Lyra. “This is Eddrick, the leader of the Tantarri.”
The man’s dark eyes focused on Lyra, looking her over. “Welcome to the Tantarri, Tali. I hope you’ll not be trouble.”
Lyra shook her head. “No, sir. I’m just happy to have a bed and food.”
“We were just about to get her a dress.”
Eddrick nodded. “Good. Proper clothing will help her fit in. Beyond that, I guess we shall see how things go.”
Numi bowed to the man and took Lyra by the arm, pulling her along.
Gar’s wagon, and those trailing it, rolled down the dirt road, moving only as fast as the herd of cattle before them. Two dogs ran about the cattle, barking and cajoling them, keeping them hemmed in whenever the trees opened to a neighboring meadow.
Lyra glanced to her side, eyeing Gar and Dari. The latter, Lyra discovered, was the far younger sister of the tanned man who sat at her side. Gar turned toward her and smiled. She found herself unable to resist replying in kind, affected by the young man’s friendly manner.
“So, Tali,” Gar said, redirecting his gaze toward the pair of lumbering oxen pulling the heavy wagon. “I’m curious. Do you know how to play the game you’re named after?”
“I do,” Lyra replied, unsure of where the conversation was headed.
“Are you any good at it?”
Lyra stared at the man, unsure of how she should respond. His expression of a raised brow over a half-smile caused her pride to flare.
“Let’s play tonight and you’ll find out.”
A grin spread across his handsome face. “Very well.”
Lyra eyed the knucklebones, imagining every possible approach to collecting them. Although the bones had fallen poorly, she believed in her skill and had faith that Yanetta watched over her. She hadn’t had much luck of late, but things fell differently when she played Tali. Knucklebones was the one area where the goddess and Lyra were forever in sync. She hiked the skirt of her dress up, frowning at the discomfort and wishing she wore her breeches rather than the dark blue dress and small slippers Numi had given her.
Focusing on the scattered bones, she tossed her taw high into the air, the orange light of the nearby fire reflecting off the bleached bone as it spun. Lyra stretched for the first bone, scooping it and the second in rapid succession before pivoting around her off hand to scoop the last two and then complete the circle in time to snatch her taw just before it hit the ground. The surrounding Tantarri stirred in surprise, with “oos” and “ahs” echoing in the clearing. Lyra stood and dusted her hand against her skirt, holding the other hand toward Gar. The man’s slack-jawed face reflected his awe as he stared at the five bones in her palm.
Lyra smiled. “I believe you owe me a lock of hair.”
Gar’s expression evolved to one of mirth and he began to clap, others joining in.
“Good show, Tali,” Gar grinned as he lifted a knife blade to his long hair and began to saw at it. “It will take time for my hair to grow back, but it was worth it to witness your skill. I have yet to meet anyone as well named as you.”
A tug on her skirt drew Lyra’s attention to find a young girl looking up at her with wide eyes. “Will you show me how to play, Tali? I want to be like you when I’m older.”
“Sure, Dari. We can start tomorrow.”
Dari’s face lit up “Oh, boy!”
The girl turned and ran toward a cluster of Tantarri children.
“Here’s your winnings.” Gar held the lock of hair toward her, placing it in her hand. “What are you going to do with it, anyway?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Lyra stared at the lock of hair in her palm, finding herself oddly at ease with the strange people who had taken her in as one of their own.
Clapping again arose as music began to play – wonderful music that lifted her spirits and begged her to dance.
Men began to approach women, extending their hands and giving bows as they made their requests. Without fail, the women would nod and join the men to dance around the fire, their colorful dresses flowing with the beat of the music as they danced and twirled.
Gar stood and bowed before Lyra, his arm extended as his head bent low. His eyes met hers and he flashed a white-toothed grin that perfectly balanced his swarthy complexion.
“Will you dance with me, Tali?”
She stared at his hand for a moment before taking it in hers and allowing him to draw her forward.
He spun her, dipped her, and passed her to another man. That man spun her about and returned her to Gar. She gazed into his eyes and saw pure joy reflected within. He spun her again, and she laughed, her spirits buoyed by the music. Back and forth, round and round she danced, feeling free and alive as she forgot the dark specter of her recent past.
The night wore on, and Lyra danced until her sore ankle forced her to stop. Even then, she sat on a log beside a wagon and watched the others dance while she clapped to the beat. Hours after sunset, the Tantarri began to fade into the darkness as they retreated to their wagons. When less than a dozen Tantarri remained, the musicians stopped playing and began to bid their companions a good night.
Lyra finally gave in to her curiosity and desire, emboldening her to stop one of them.
“Excuse me, Hentar.” She tapped a musician on the shoulder, hoping she remembered his name correctly. “May I try playing…what do you call it?”
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