Serensia in Tark

Tark wasn't anything like her parents had described. They'd called it a primitive society, caught up in the past. Unable to advance to the ways of Aradia. However, Serensia found it almost as charming as its inhabitants. The city was built into the canopies of the huge trees, all interconnected to the centre, where the largest tree; a two-hundred-foot behemoth with a trunk bigger than the castle of Aradia and probably older than it. The trunk served as the gateway. The hollowed-out trunk had been rigged with pulleys and platforms that lifted her into Tark with no magic, only intelligent architecture that portrayed a population that found ways to do what magic could. Her parents might've called that primitive, but as Sulphites it was expected. Tarkian's were stereotyped as mindless oafs, servants, the brute force behind their magic, and yet the designs around her spoke to an intelligence far greater than magic. Magic was impressive, difficult to control, dangerous, but it did everything for Sulphites, it made travel, building, living as easy as breathing. Tark had evolved without it, still, finding ways to do what magic could. The bridges that connected the tree-city; revolving slatted planks were built with pulleys, that when pulled moved people across without them having to walk. The trees were lit with a type of sap that changed colour based on the temperature, but the dimness was made brighter by a clear material that they had discovered by some process with the beach sand and placed the sap in. Kaijan had called it glass.

Kaijan...

She had spent two days with the Prince of Kava and found him as pleasant as she'd always imagined he'd be. The entire Sulphite community bemoaned the fact that their prince was not just a sympathiser to the other races. But a disbeliever of theirs. He dressed as non-sulphite as possible, wore his hair in an un-Sulphite fashion and worst of all he followed none of their practices. He didn't pray hourly or worship the proclaimed gods of the world. And neither did she.

He had found her far more interesting after she had bypassed a session of prayer. And she, well, despite having a job to do she was a little taken with him. Not because he was also an abdicate, but he was witty, sharp tongued and hilarious, his presence was infectious. Every Tarkian seemed to love him and he, there was, no other word, but; belonged here.

Then again Khumo, the prince of Tark was his best friend. When she'd started researching the leaders of Aradia and learnt of their friendship, she'd always wondered how it had worked. But being in Tark, and seeing the interactions between Kaijan and its people, it was simple. The goofy jokes and that deep laughter that filled the canopies. It made the friendship easy to picture.

"Seren," Kaijan was peering in through the window of her tree-room, one of the millions of hollowed out quarters in the Centre, "what are you doing?"

She closed the book she was working in and glared at him. 'It's rude not to knock."

"Oh," his eyes widened in surprise, something she liked about him, his eyes were unlike that of a normal Sulphite, similar to hers they were wider, and held shades of lighter brown, making them look like twin tanzanites.

She snorted; it was impossible not to laugh at the expression on his face.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You," she swung off the hammock with far more grace than she had the first time.

"It's rude to laugh at people," he countered.

She chuckled. "What's happening?"

"Nothing," he said biting his lips, "I came to see if you wanted to take a walk, I wanted to show you something?"

"Sure," she said trying to hide the smile threatening to curve her lips.

He practically beamed.

Serensia, like a true lady jumped out of the window ignoring the heavy door completely.

"So, where we going?"

"It's a surprise," was all she got before he strode off.

She tried to catch up to him, but it was difficult. The city was built high off the ground to prevent Forican's from gaining access. Another innovation her parents wouldn't like. While the height protected them, it also gave them as advantage over the beasts, they could spot them first and launch an attack from above. However, the above part still freaked her out a little, especially since the older platforms; beams connecting trees were all that separated her from certain death.

Kaijan walked across them with acrobatic ease, not even bothering with the railings to steady himself. She treaded across carefully, going as fast as she could, often getting stuck as she waited for a Tarkian to pass from the other side. It still horrified her when they passed each other on the platforms, they simply moved aside, often clinging to a branch to let the other person cross.

But nobody complained, they simply smiled and thanked her and moved on. Tarks were exceptionally friendly, they were the best hosts, happy to share, to show, to talk, to learn; she'd learnt a lot while she'd been their guest. How they shared everything equally with no forms of payment. They valued selflessness above everything, it was seen as a sort of currency here, the kinder you were, the more value you added to others, the more you were respected. She had already seen Kaijan at work, he'd brought thoughtful gifts, played with children, helped workers forage, she'd participated in all of it, learning and earning, or that's what she called it.

She stopped again to let another Tarkian pass her. They had been given quarters closer to the centre, the metropolis of Tark if you will, the tree was called the "Gather," as it connected the entire city that sprawled out in rings until the forest met the sea or savannah.

She waited on the platform and found herself delighting in her surroundings. All she could see was green foliage, limb-like branches and Tarkian's moving around their home with a surety she would never be able to match. The huge trees had been hollowed out and the wood reused and chiselled into different shapes that hosted various gatherings, one of her favourites was the highest point, stairs revolved around the trunk and at the top a platform had been built with a carefully constructed fire-pit surrounded by the most comfortable chairs ever made. The Tarkian's were master craftsmen, some of the creations were still a marvel to her.

"Thank you Serensia," Gumbo said standing in front of her.

She smiled. Gumbo was one of Kaijan's friends, a good-natured man, one of the few who could speak her language.

"Pleasure Bo."

He nodded. "He tells me to tell you to hurry up, but I tell him to wait and be patient."

"Thanks," she said, Kaijan, if anything was a little impatient. Always wanting things to happen. The fact that there was no Forician activity had actually made him anxious, she on the other hand hadn't come to fight a monster, she came to hopefully uncover one. "You know where his taking me?"

Bo nodded. "You're gonna love it, enjoy the journey and the view. I'll see you at dinner, yes?"

'Yes," she answered moving onto the bridge before someone else arrived, "see you later."

She waved and then hopped onto the platform and made her way as quickly as possible to beat the next Tarkian's crossing from delaying her.

She exhaled when she finally reached Kaijan, he was waiting on one of the platforms. The Gather was busy, most of the city made their way in or out every day, the massive tree was home to schools, trades, weapon-smiths, wood-smiths you name it, the Gather had it.

"Still scared of the bridges?" He joked.

She joined him at the railing, it was one of the few places where the trees opened up and you could see the horizon. What was on it was the polar opposite of the beauty surrounding her. A smudge of grey, with a black tipped peak.

"Kava," the word was harsh on the warm evening air, it polluted it. It didn't sound right coming from him.

"Your city?" She stared into the distance trying to imagine him in that darkness, trying to exert his young control over elder zealots who had no will to change their ways. Sulphites who thought sacrifice bred power, and power was in stones, power they would never share.

"What's it like?"

He looked at her, his eyes narrow, expression distant. A different man to the one she was getting to know.

"It's trying."

"And..." she pushed.

"I didn't get chosen to lead," he responded, "I was young when Erya informed them that I would be their prince. I was twelve, and although they respected him, they didn't give me the same courtesy. It took years to make them see that I wasn't some push over that they could ignore, that I could influence how they acted, how they treated each other and others. That I could..."

He trailed off.

Serensia didn't let him stare out into the abyss for long, it wasn't in her nature to let a story die. "Could what?"

"Nothing," he muttered miserably, "I might've gained some support, changed a few minds, attitudes, but down in those caves there is a different ruler, a leader that cannot be overthrown."

"Who?" She asked but she knew the answer already.

"The one who follows the practices of the gods."

"Does he really control the Stones?" She asked, it was risky to go with this line of questioning, but curiosity outweighed risk in her temperament.

He nodded. "I want to share them, to offer them out to those deemed responsible to use them, but he will call an uprising if one leaves the mines without his consent, and believe me, he has enough power and support to rally a civil war that could cripple Aradia."

"But the king —

"They're at an impasse," he cut in, "the king knows he cannot take those stones without a fight, and a fight will cause many casualties."

It made sense, but again her mind dwelled on the stories she'd heard. "What about the stones that are surfacing in Festiva?"

"You heard about that?"

She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "I'm allowed to go to Festiva," she said in an attempt to distract him from the fact that she was digging for answers, she would rather have him believe she was annoyed that he believed a Sulphite couldn't go to the wild platform.

He took the bait. "That's not what I'm saying," she noted that he was very expressive with his hands, always using them to elicit what he was saying, now his hands were palm up as if pleading with her to understand.

"What have you heard?"

"Not much," she lied, "just that a few stones had turned up, and that they weren't being used correctly or something."

He looked stricken. "There's more than one?"

She nodded.

The leader emerged. The serious calculating expression as he gazed across the chasm to his lands. "There is no way so many stones make it out without the knowledge of the Stone-keeper," he said so softly she struggled to hear.

"You think his sending them out on purpose?"

He looked at her intently. The sun was dipping lower in the sky and the shadows crept across the trees.

He took a deep breath. "I do, like I said there is an underground who deal above me, the fact that stones are ending up in the hands of Aradian's confirms it. It'll kill them and they won't even know it. They won't even see it coming. The powers are cruel at the best of times, but the way they will use..."

He trailed off and she let him.

"So, what do you do? How do you stop it?"

He leant on the railing, trusting it with his full weight, she cringed. "I have no proof and no way to prove it, if I confront the Stone-keeper, he'll either deny it, or tell me to my face that it's for the best. Anyway... I'll think of something. I didn't bring you here for morbid conversation and this view."

It was as if the sun had risen on his face. Gone was the hardness, replaced by a smile and that playful lightness in his eyes. The lifting of responsibility for only a second, and if she could give him that she would do it gladly.

"I'm glad, I thought you might've thought a girl would think this is fun."

He shook his head. "Nope, let's go."

She readied herself for another walk across the thin beams, but Kaijan stopped her. "Not that way," he said reaching up into the canopy, "we're going across."

He pulled out a harness that was attached to a long silver rope that she hadn't noticed until he pointed it out.

"So, this is what you think a girl would think is fun?"

"Not many, but I had a feeling you would. Maybe not the journey, but I guess that your nature wouldn't allow you to miss what was waiting at the end."

A curl of his lips. So, he had noticed that she was curious, it wasn't the end of the world, and although her mind warned her to be more careful, her heart pounded to the fact that he had seen and found a way to use it to his advantage.

"This better be worth it!"

His eyes were the lightest copper, almost glimmering. There was something familiar though, something in them that she couldn't place.

"Believe me, it is!"

Seconds later they were speeding through the trees, Kaijan's hand wrapped around her body, and his other hand used as an anchor to control their speed. It was exhilarating, terrifying and amazing and over in seconds, their feet hit the platform. She didn't like unwrapping her body from his, there was a sense of energy when she was close, like a charge in the air, but she couldn't hold on now, it would be weird, so, she detangled her legs from his torso.

She sucked in a breath of air when he moved away, don't be silly, her mind scolded her, his a prince, and his part of your story.

"This way," he said to her relief, pointing to a wide bridge. They walked side by side in silence, each wrapped up in the adrenaline of the journey followed by sights and sounds of their surroundings. Dusk was approaching, and the Tarks were starting the roasts for which they were famous for, the Oboars were a difficult hunt, but the meat was — heaven. The smell infiltrated every pore of her, and she was just debating asking Kaijan to stop when he spoke first.

"So, what were you reading earlier?"

She said the first thing that came to her mind. "My diary."

"Can I read it?"

"No!" She said outraged. "Its private."

"So, you write in it for only yourself to read?" He asked like it was the oddest thing ever.

It did sound odd now that he mentioned it. She snorted and then looked away embarrassed.

"I guess it reminds me of what happened in my life."

"Well, can you tell me about some of the stuff that's in there?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Your parents, what are they like?"

She shrugged. "Sulphites, what about yours?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, how long do we have to walk?"

"Stop doing that," he said it lightly, but the fact that he stopped, meant there was meaning behind it.

"What?"

"You're always asking questions, and you push for answers, yet you never share anything about yourself."

She froze. He was more perceptive than she'd thought. She would have to be more careful.

"I don't care what your parents are like, or the fact that I'm a prince. I want to know."

She exhaled; relief washed over her immediately replaced by guilt. He thought she was ashamed of her heritage, or hiding something, but he didn't care, he just wanted to get to know her. And she, she was hunting for a story, a truth that it seemed only she cared about, or knew about. She reasoned it was because of that that she exposed some of herself to him.

Not because of the way his eyes lightened when he looked at her, or the way he asked her for her advice, the way he treated everyone as his equals, how he made her laugh. That wasn't what made her share the real Serensia with the prince of Kava.

"I've always been curious," she started.

He smiled at her and moved off towards wherever he was leading her.

She followed, getting lost in her own story, she doubted she'd ever shared it.

"From when I was little, I would ask every question and persist until I had an answer. I don't know if it came from the time when I was born, the fact that there were all these different types of people, with different beliefs and religions and cultures, but every one of them enthralled me. My parents hated it, they didn't want me associating with other Aradian's, never mind bringing home their teachings. But try as they might, with force or blackmail, I couldn't be stopped. I have always had a thirst to know and to share what I do."

"And what happened with your family?"

"They eventually kicked me out, banished me, but" she said seeing the shock and anger on his face, "it's fine. I'm fine, I couldn't live with their rules, their rituals, the idea of sacrifice. And I found another calling."

"The truth," she said to his questioning expression.

"Well, I hope you find it."

"Me to," she whispered under her breath, she only hoped it didn't affect him as much as she imagined it would.

He stopped before a curtain of foliage that blocked their path. "We're here."

"It's dead-end."

He pulled the curtain aside. "No, it's a secret entrance. To a place very few people know about. I thought it would interest you."

She beamed at the idea of him using a nugget of her personality to entertain her. It was thoughtful.

Although, what wasn't as thought-out was the end of the built platform and beginning of a thin branch above a descent to death. "Trust me," he said. He grabbed her hand and led her into a cloud. "This is the edge of the city."

"It's beautiful," she mustered. She stood on thick branch and the very edge of the forest overlooking the ocean. It was crystal clear, stretching on until it reached a deep red sun, slowly sinking into the abyss.

"You really are," Kaijan wasn't looking at the view, but directly into her eyes. This close she could see the light brown was almost gold, flecked with a drizzle of blue —

Her world stopped, and it wasn't because he'd leant in to kiss her. It was because she'd just made a break-through. But she needed to check. She had to be sure.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I have to go." She spun on the branch, hardly caring about what had seemed like the thinnest branch a moment before and balanced her way back to and through the curtain of brambles before setting off towards her quarters in a rush that meant she no longer had time to wait on platforms, instead she passed Tarkian's in the middle of beams, often crawling over them, ignoring the aroma of fresh roasted meat, hardly noticing the tree-lights coming to life as dusk descended. She had to get to her book. She had to confirm her theory...

*

Kaij

Kaijan stood dumbfound and alone on a branch. If any Tarkian had seen that they would never let him live it down. Not that he cared, he liked her, he couldn't help but like her. She was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Taller than most Sulphites, with cat-like eyes and a tan that would have the Stone-keeper proclaiming sacrilege. However, it was her essence that had led him to this spot. She was curious. And it was a treat. Sulphites were taught to believe in one thing, to live a certain way and nothing else. They didn't question it, or demand answers, they listened. Serensia corrupted that notion in the best possible way by asking everything, by showing interest in the most mundane things, and it endeavoured people to her, the way she asked made others take pride in their own city. It had been a long time since a Sulphite had come here and been welcomed, hell, it had been a long time since any but him had deigned to make the journey.

Still, he'd been a fool for moving so fast, but patience wasn't his strong suit, he knew that and... what had he been thinking? He'd apologise, he'd have to. Then he'd make it right. It would take long, maybe, he'd even have to consider being her friend as much as that idea made his insides coil, but being close to her made him feel like he was standing in another life, one of colour and vibrancy instead of the dead, dread darkness of Kava. Maybe she could help him there... he was getting ahead of himself again. He had to start by saying sorry. He turned to leave and out of the corner of his eye he saw them. At least ten, maybe more, Forican's, and they were flying...