The passage: The King Randesh

The atmosphere was boisterous with merry and laughter. Different goblets raised in the air for a toast.

"To our newly found friends from the Huie clan...our brothers...our mothers and fathers...to our children and women! To our goddess Meresh!!"

The roar increased as everyone stood on their feet when the King did.

He acknowledged everyone of them with his glittering eyes -- he was grinning wide."To a river as pure and chaste as the full moon that smiles at us,, and good to the eyes to behold; to our fathers that have fought the great war of Hansabti. To Muie!!"

"Oue!!" everyone chorused

"To Maweh!!"

"Oue!!"

"To shandash!!"

"Oue!!"

"To Maui!"

"Oue!!"

He paused and looked at Shanti who was standing beside his wife by his right. He swallowed before proposing in a cool tone, "and to your father, my friend and brother --" He turned to everyone, "To Sankashi!!"

" Oouuee!!!" Everyone replied and the King gulped down his goblet of wine, everyone followed suit.

He sat down and beckoned all to do same. When everyone was settled in their seats, he raised his two hands up as if asking for blessing and said, "Let the celebration continue!!"

Everyone nodded and cheerful music started playing, young men going to look for a woman they fancied, women discussing among themselves and the knights joking constantly.

The pattern was different from the way they had assumed it when they first arrived -- a boring peasant village. But they were wrong!

After King Randesh ( Yes! He was a king. A mighty King. Not a king of a small village. The village was not even as small as they assumed it to be. It was a kingdom hidden under the ground!!). So, King Randesh gave his consent to give them a befitting chamber for their night rests, he assigned two female maids to Shanti and two man-servants to Niesh to help them get ready for the history telling.

The servants led them towards a huge tree which they stood in front of. They turned to Shanti and Niesh to walk towards it -- they looked confused.

"You mean we should walk to the tree?" Niesh ask to confirm the request.

The servants nodded. Then one of them said, "Only a true Huieni can go through it. we are all Hueini. If your proclamation is true, you will go through it without hindrance".

With that, the servants gave them space to proceed.

Niesh explained everything to Shanti. They both looked behind them, Randesh and the others were watching closely. He beckoned them to forge ahead.

Shanti was the first to stand before it. She cursed under her breath as she walked towards it, closing her eyes and then, voom! She felt she went through.

Niesh saw what happened and looked at Randesh that was now on his feet, he walked towards the tree and, voom! he was also through.

They had never seen a hall sooo wide before. There were people of different colours in it -- their dressing very different from the ones they saw outside. They wore thick cotton fabric and colourful sewn together by a powerful seamstress. The men were in shirt (a belt at their waist), and trousers and boots to their feet.

They saw knights. They were holding swords, all in grey cloak and looking strong, just like Randesh. But Randesh was the tallest!

This was beyond their comprehension and they couldn't hide their amusement. They walked forward.

Two men walked towards them, the same height with Niesh -- both were brunettes.

The older one spoke "To what do we owe this visit?"

By then, the servants that were assigned to them were at their backs. The outspoken one spoke again, "Sir Niesh and Lady Shanti of Huie clan. Our king ask us to give them quarters to lay their heads until they are willing to continue on their journey."

The oldest man looked at them, "Follow me." He said and they followed.

The maids bathed Shanti with warm water, they were free in her presence.

"Miss Shanti has the most beautiful shiny hair I have ever seen". The blonde one spoke up while brushing her hair in the water.

"Yes!" The other agreed, smiling widely. "I wish I had miss Shanti's type of hair. They look like that from a goddess"

"What are you saying?! Of course they are from mother Meresh!!"

"Ah! No wonder miss Shanti is sooo tall and beautiful. She is like clear crystal waters!"

And they talked and talked like the person they were talking about was not even there.

Shanti only closed her eyes and felt at peace, smiling to herself. She had never heard such compliments, not even from males. Now women were praising her?? She exhaled and opened her eyes. "Thank you".

"Huh?" The maids looked at themselves in surprise. They stopped. She was able to hear what they were saying? They thought she couldn't understand! They blushed.

Shanti was unaware of their stares because she closed back her eyes and enjoyed the serenity of the water flow.

On the other hand, Niesh didn't allow the men to bathe him. "I can do this myself!" He protested and looked at the man-servants who were already holding up soap in theirs hands. "Give me those."

They handed the soap to him. "You can leave. I will sort myself out"

The outspoken one said, "But it's a tradition to bathe our guests on their first day. You can do the rest after by yourself sir."

Niesh clenched his fists. Christ! His hands at his temple rubbing, he tried bribing his way, "Isn't this embarrassing to a man of my age? Uh? You are men, you should understand"

"But sir, it's a tradition we have grown up with and it's a part of us. As long as it's not women bathing you, you will be fine"

What is he talking about?! Wouldn't it be better for a woman to bathe me than for a man that will look at my nakedness???

But with time, he found himself in the bath tub, naked, and the two man-servants cleaning his body. He sighed.