and moving away from her. ‘You must search the great library.’
‘What should I look for?’ she said, standing up.
‘You’ll know soon enough. He who sent me has asked me to tell you that the time is now.’
‘Oh, so the “who” is still important? It’s the god of the Gudliefyer you were referring to, isn’t it? And you’re ready to risk your life for him?’
‘Yes, but I’m here because of the “what”.’
‘Many call you a fool.’
‘Then why seek knowledge from a fool?’
She fell silent and turned away from him. She sighed and said, ‘I don’t know. I--’
‘Oh, you do know. You came because you see wisdom in my foolishness.’ he said, chuckling.
She turned back to him. He looked relaxed on his bed.
‘You seem so happy when you’re going to be hanged in a few days. I can save you.’
She heard footsteps approaching.
Behozi said, ‘You can’t save me. You can’t even save yourself from what is to come.’ He moved swiftly to her and put something in her hand. He whispered, ‘This will help you in your search for the truth. Don’t worry about me. My destiny is now fulfilled. I will go content.’
Before Natalia could react, Balkazor had the lantern in her face.
‘My lady, you must be your way.’ he said, unlocking the door.
‘Yes.’ she said, moving to the open door.
‘My lady,’ Behozi said, causing her to turn, ‘I did this for you.’
‘What?’
‘I came because of you.’
She stared at him.
‘My lady?’ Balkazor said.
‘Ah yes.’ she said, snapping back to where she was. She threw one last glance at Behozi. He had returned to his bed. She left with Balkazor.
‘I thought he must have broken your neck.’ he said.
Natalia didn’t answer. She remained silent till she was riding from the prison with Alinus and Amira.
‘You’re unusually pensive.’ said Amira to her. ‘It seems the meeting wasn’t as you expected.’
‘Yes, it was different--he was different.’ Natalia said, slowing down to a trot.
‘You mean Balkazor, my lady?’ said Alinus, also slackening his speed. Amira hit him on the head but Natalia smiled and said, ‘Amusing, Alinus. I was referring to Behozi--I mean--Felman. He is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. He’s--’
‘Wonderful?’ said Amira.
‘Insane?’ Alinus said.
‘No, but he’s everything. He sees beyond what we see.’ she said, dropping her voice to a whisper.
They were quiet. Natalia thought about what he had said. She felt she had left with more questions than answers but she knew what she sought could be found in its answers.
‘It’s sad he would die soon.’ Amira said, interrupting her thoughts.
‘He’s not going to die.’ said Natalia.
‘How do you know?’
‘Because we’re going to help him escape.’ she said, galloping ahead of them.
‘We?! Why and how are we going to do that?’ Amira asked as Alinus raced to keep up.
‘My lady, it’s impossible.’ said Alinus.
She grinned and said, ‘That’s for me to decide.’
***
‘Is Behozi who he says he is?’ Kalani asked Amse.
‘Who did he claim to be?’ he said, warming his hands over the fire.
‘He didn’t claim to be anything except maybe a messenger.’
‘Keep that in mind for in this tale it’s those who claim to be insignificant that have the most to say.’
‘Please continue.’
CHAPTER 1 4
‘Why do you give her hope where there is none?’ said a voice, coming from a dark corner in Behozi’s cell moments after the princess’ departure.
Behozi turned to where the voice had come. ‘Anundi, I welcome you. It’s been over twenty years since we last saw, maybe the same length since you walked the earth as yourself.’
‘It would have been longer if you hadn’t summoned me. I could kill you for the insult.’ A dark-cloaked figure came out from the shadows.
Behozi rose.
‘What should I look for?’ she said, standing up.
‘You’ll know soon enough. He who sent me has asked me to tell you that the time is now.’
‘Oh, so the “who” is still important? It’s the god of the Gudliefyer you were referring to, isn’t it? And you’re ready to risk your life for him?’
‘Yes, but I’m here because of the “what”.’
‘Many call you a fool.’
‘Then why seek knowledge from a fool?’
She fell silent and turned away from him. She sighed and said, ‘I don’t know. I--’
‘Oh, you do know. You came because you see wisdom in my foolishness.’ he said, chuckling.
She turned back to him. He looked relaxed on his bed.
‘You seem so happy when you’re going to be hanged in a few days. I can save you.’
She heard footsteps approaching.
Behozi said, ‘You can’t save me. You can’t even save yourself from what is to come.’ He moved swiftly to her and put something in her hand. He whispered, ‘This will help you in your search for the truth. Don’t worry about me. My destiny is now fulfilled. I will go content.’
Before Natalia could react, Balkazor had the lantern in her face.
‘My lady, you must be your way.’ he said, unlocking the door.
‘Yes.’ she said, moving to the open door.
‘My lady,’ Behozi said, causing her to turn, ‘I did this for you.’
‘What?’
‘I came because of you.’
She stared at him.
‘My lady?’ Balkazor said.
‘Ah yes.’ she said, snapping back to where she was. She threw one last glance at Behozi. He had returned to his bed. She left with Balkazor.
‘I thought he must have broken your neck.’ he said.
Natalia didn’t answer. She remained silent till she was riding from the prison with Alinus and Amira.
‘You’re unusually pensive.’ said Amira to her. ‘It seems the meeting wasn’t as you expected.’
‘Yes, it was different--he was different.’ Natalia said, slowing down to a trot.
‘You mean Balkazor, my lady?’ said Alinus, also slackening his speed. Amira hit him on the head but Natalia smiled and said, ‘Amusing, Alinus. I was referring to Behozi--I mean--Felman. He is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. He’s--’
‘Wonderful?’ said Amira.
‘Insane?’ Alinus said.
‘No, but he’s everything. He sees beyond what we see.’ she said, dropping her voice to a whisper.
They were quiet. Natalia thought about what he had said. She felt she had left with more questions than answers but she knew what she sought could be found in its answers.
‘It’s sad he would die soon.’ Amira said, interrupting her thoughts.
‘He’s not going to die.’ said Natalia.
‘How do you know?’
‘Because we’re going to help him escape.’ she said, galloping ahead of them.
‘We?! Why and how are we going to do that?’ Amira asked as Alinus raced to keep up.
‘My lady, it’s impossible.’ said Alinus.
She grinned and said, ‘That’s for me to decide.’
***
‘Is Behozi who he says he is?’ Kalani asked Amse.
‘Who did he claim to be?’ he said, warming his hands over the fire.
‘He didn’t claim to be anything except maybe a messenger.’
‘Keep that in mind for in this tale it’s those who claim to be insignificant that have the most to say.’
‘Please continue.’
CHAPTER 1 4
‘Why do you give her hope where there is none?’ said a voice, coming from a dark corner in Behozi’s cell moments after the princess’ departure.
Behozi turned to where the voice had come. ‘Anundi, I welcome you. It’s been over twenty years since we last saw, maybe the same length since you walked the earth as yourself.’
‘It would have been longer if you hadn’t summoned me. I could kill you for the insult.’ A dark-cloaked figure came out from the shadows.
Behozi rose.
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