章 16: The Pearl of Ottsa
"You're dismissed.". Ustra responded with a deeper coarse voice too.
For a minute,
I wondered how the almighty and fearful Ustra almost everyone in the province feared appeared so simple and natural before me.
That really wasn't much of a concern.
Did Ustra just uttered those words because it's the truth or could it be some myth?
"Was this all grandpa Yuan wanted me to learn?." I thought.
I became bemused by those things she had just said and I became more self conscious of the pearl on my wrist.
Ustra berdged on my thoughts,
"We have to leave now." She walked out of the room.
"But what about the..." I yelled, as she hurriedly and gallantly walk down the passageway leading away from the room I was.
"Later!" Ustra hollered back.
I and Ustra laughed heartily as we rode across the walled flower garden that separated two castles.
She was narrating her ordeal with one of the princes who, never wanted to leave the province of the spirits because he was head over heels in love with Ustra when they came for the full moon festival to celebrate the goddess of the land.
Turned out Ustra felt nothing for the "fool" as she referred to him.
"I wanted a more compatible and stronger match Tanya, Othniel was a real whimp!.
I'd rather marry some farmer who's more capable of controlling himself than get married and eventually get laid by a feeble man.
He's so terrible at controlling his temper..." She rolled her eyes
Othniel has one of the top ranged power as a fine prince in his kingdom. But I do not see that as being powerful, I hate princes who treads with less caution and grace, that garrulous bastards." Ustra flinched.
I laughed harder.
"And prince Fyren?" I asked.
"You know that donkey is a good example right?" She replied, laughing hysterically.
A profusion of coloured blossoms drapped along the retaining walls and clustered beside the door to the adobe dwelling, The purple castle.
The flowers made me think of the days I really wished I could be surrounded by such elegance and pure serenity.
I noticed most of the people around seem quite busy and happy.
Some stood still as a sign of respect to Ustra and maybe myself? I really wished.
I noticed one old woman specifically, she sat balancing a yoke over her shoulders with beautifully arranged baskets of fruits at either end, it must have weighed a ton.
"Ustra? How would this woman survive? Does most old women around here do this?." I laughed as I asked.
Ustra chuckled a bit,
"But you must beware miss Tanya, this is the realm of the spirits.
Province of the spirit is no place for the ordinaries, some things could be pure mirage." She said, almost in whisper.
I frowned a bit and paused as we kept riding on the the couch pulled by four black horses.
I think Ustra's white stallions were for special occasions or assignment.
As the horses bumped over the cobblestone street of the province, I peeped shortly.
I was completely fascinated by the signs and as the market people of the province went about their daily business.
"Ustra?"
"Huh?."
I think I must have interrupted her thoughts.
"You seem really distracted, but I wanted to ask if this was another route.
Or perhaps I was too sad to notice this place the other day.
But is everything really alright?" I asked again.
"Yes Tanya,
I'm fine, I'm just a little bit worried about the Northan gates, the Emperor and all that.
I should be leaving anytime soon." Her expression suddenly changed.
Not the lightning this time.
She had her face covered but I could see through.
Ustra doesn't know I could.
So I decided to play along, like I saw nothing.
I never wanted to complicate the whole thing the more.
I stayed quiet,
"I shouldn't interrupt the awkward moment" I thought.
"But yes, sorry no." She shook her head.
"This wasn't the route." Ustra smiled
"But on the contrary, I'd like to go" sure grimaced lightly.
"You'd like to go?" I asked.
"Yes! See that?" She pointed to a man standing nonchalantly with one arm bent. While the Kids danced round about him, A woman measured him for an handmade shirt.
"I want to experience that Tanya, the last time I did was over fourteen years ago. I still feel a bit trap in just those memories you know?."
I smiled and nodded slowly, I knew exactly how she felt.
I wanted to experience that too.
At least, I'll stay far away from the chaos and then sadly, I remembered my stepmother Brianna, Sonia and Petra.
I observed the wonderful sceneries, behind the stalls with small dark shop.
They had symbols, strange symbols on them.
I saw caves displayed herbalist strange-looking roots while next door a marchant sold flour and eggs from huge open tubs and great mounds of rice in hat-shaped baskets.
A pretty girl was kneeling on the pavement fashioning beautiful table decorations and there were orchards everywhere, standing in jars and lying on a cloth beside her.
She never looked up till we moved past her.
That view brought alot of memories back to me.
I sat up straight and cupped my face in my hands, I didn't want Ustra to notice.
"I think this place still look just the same way! I never got the chance to roam beyond that mad walls, the palace.
I think the Northan gates emperor would spare me some time to speak with him." Ustra said.
"I used to to hear that people that visited him never came back, I'm really scared."
"Not all the time Tanya, ha! Ha!." She laughed.
She shut her eyes.
"The queen and Fyren are trying to eliminate me I know, but I really have to find a way out there.
You don't have to go with me Tan."
"No, no, I'd love to. Please." I said.
"Oh well, thank you! At least I won't be dying alone," she grinned.
"I wouldn't know why the queen and the prince or the officials..."
Ustra cuts in,
"Oh well, I knew, Tanya. I think I will have to tell you everything once we're done here."
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