Aries and the Prince No More, page 27
“Okay now, show us then,” said Lee to the game master.
The man lifted the third cup, which also revealed nothing. The men around the table, including Lee, began to laugh.
“See, Kristoff, the trick is to make them think they have a fighting chance, when in reality they never did. That is the Romani way. It’s a wonder anyone plays these games. Say, how much did you make at the fair?” said Jaseen.
The game master shook his wooden box as he held it to his ear. “Not nearly enough, Jaseen, my boy.” The game master opened the box and gave Kristoff and Lee back their coins. “Being Romani means no Romani can swindle you. There are other games that are inherently harder to fix that you could gamble on, but these here are reserved for the other clans,” said Lee before giving Aries a wink.
Aries loved to see Lee and Kristoff interact. Since she cared deeply for both of them, she was thankful that they liked one another. Seeing Kristoff and Lee smiling and carrying on made her hesitate. Do I really want to ruin their fun by telling them about the dream? She told herself she could tell them tomorrow after the ceremony, so she pushed the images from her mind and told herself it would be a problem to deal with tomorrow. Deciding to put it aside until tomorrow made her begin thinking more logically, and the whole thing seemed far less scary then when she’d awoken from the dream. She did want to learn why she was having the dreams and find a way to stop them, but now wasn’t the time.
“I imagine it’s time for you two to get over to Mum’s tent so she can prepare you for the ceremony. Not too late to back out if you’re having second thoughts,” said Lee, smiling at Aries.
“What’s the matter? You don’t want to be the second-best Romani at next year’s Faire?” said Aries making light of the situation.
The closer they got to the ceremony, the more she began to worry. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to join the clan, it was just that it was happening so fast. She knew that it was the way things were done in the Southlands and that being in a clan was similar to pledging loyalty to a realm, but instead of one leader or a king, it was loyalty to the entire clan. This was a concept that she preferred over following a single person; however, she still had questions she needed to ask Mum before she decided fully. She thought it best not to bother Lee with her concerns. She wanted to save him from worrying.
“No place I’d rather be than the South, and if I had to pick a clan to join it would be the Guul, but since they wouldn’t have me, I suppose the Romani will do,” joked Kristoff, who was picking up the Romani humor rooted in insulting those you care about.
“I could see you as a Guul. But first I’d need to steal that comb of yours and get you on a diet of pig fat and push-ups,” said Jaseen before messing up Kristoff’s hair, causing him to quickly fix it.
Aries and Kristoff said their goodbyes to Lee, Andrew, and Jaseen before making their way to Mum’s tent. They walked in silence while she contemplated the ceremony and what the future would hold for them as official members of the Romani. Truthfully, she didn’t think much would change, except perhaps for becoming a more active member of the clan and pulling her weight to keep the camp running smoothly, something she knew both she and Kristoff would do without question. She also wouldn’t mind having to defend the clan if needed. The more she thought about it, the less worried she was. The only request she wished to make was that they allow her to seek revenge when the time came. This didn’t seem like it would be an issue given how Lee had been able to avenge his father, but it was something she wanted to clarify before agreeing to join.
“Any reservations?” she asked Kristoff.
“Honestly, no,” he said confidently, after a bit of a pause. She was happy he was ready to join, but she worried what might happen if she changed her mind and didn’t end up joining with him. She didn’t want her decision to change the way he felt about joining the Romani, but she wanted them to either join or not, together.
Finally, they reached the entrance to Mum’s caravan, which was easy to spot thanks to all of the torches she had around it. They found her standing to the side of the caravan going through a large barrel. She looked frazzled, and the prospect of Mum organizing a ceremony made Aries anxious.
“Why, hello lovelies! Please, come inside. We have much to discuss and not much time,” said Mum, whose cheerful expression soothed Aries’ worry.
They accompanied her into the caravan, both sitting down on two small wooden stools. Mum’s caravan was much more organized than the last time Aries had seen it, but the familiar fragrance of flowers and the outdoors remained. Aries wondered how the inside of the caravan smelled more like the outdoors than the actual outdoors.
“So, first things first, what questions do you have? I can only imagine how you must be feeling,” said Mum, who was uncharacteristically focused.
“What is it like being a member of the clan? I guess I am nervous because where we come from, an oath or swearing fealty is essentially the same as giving up your rights. Both of our fathers were officials who had sworn fealty to the Apex. Because of this, they had to do whatever the Apex commanded,” said Kristoff. Aries was all but certain he had asked his question more for her sake than his own. She was notorious for hating being told what to do and Kristoff knew it.
“That sounds dreadful,” Mum said with an expression on the verge of disgust. “It is nothing like that here though, love. There is no dictator or High Priest issuing commands. There are systems within the Romani where that type of leadership may be present, but such is the nature of armies and their soldiers. Of all the clans, the Romani are most like a family, and while a family is never perfect, it is still a family, and we all must look out for one another,” replied Mum compassionately.
“Lee mentioned that his prize winnings would go to the clan. What did he mean by that?” asked Aries, kicking herself internally for not asking such questions before now.
“In the North, they have taxes that each person pays to the Apex in the name of doing their part. It is similar here in a way, but there is no requirement that people pay if it puts them in a dire situation. I know it is different than what you’re used to, and I could see why you would be confused. Romani always give back to the clan somehow, whether it be with coins, supplies, or their time. Lee is a clan enforcer. It is likely he is giving that portion of his winnings to make sure new recruits have the armor and weapons needed to defend the clan.”
“That makes sense, and we have no problem pulling our weight. But, if I am honest, there is one thing I am anxious about. You know the story of how we came here and how—” Aries paused, trying not to get emotional. She looked at Kristoff, who gave her a forced smile. “So, umm, the person, or people, responsible for our parents’ deaths, I want to bring them to justice, and I want to make sure that being a member of the Romani won’t prevent that from happening.”
Mum took Aries’ hand and placed it into her own. “My love, this isn’t a life sentence. If you ever want to leave the clan, you can do so at any time, and while we would hate to see you go, we would never try and stop you from following your heart. I will also say this: the Romani are indeed a family. We often partake in too much wine and too much song, and we are not typically the type to seek conflict, but nobody can harm our family without repercussion. I have no doubt you will honor your family and avenge them by bringing those responsible to justice—and the Romani will be there with you when the time comes. We would never stand between you and your right.”
Mum’s voice was always so innocent and joyful, so it surprised Aries a great deal to hear her speak in such a violent manner. Violent or not, Mum’s words expelled her anxiety about what the oath would mean, especially the part about it not being a life sentence. Aries also appreciated not being made to feel crazy for wanting revenge. The Apexian Church taught that revenge was animalistic and evil. To faithfully follow the One True God, a person couldn’t seek revenge and should have no violent or aggressive thoughts whatsoever. Aries couldn’t help thinking of the Church’s hypocrisy, seeing as how the village of Fairfield had been firebombed, an act that was not peaceful in any way.
“I am in,” said Kristof, looking at Aries for confirmation.
“Me too,” she said smiling.
“Great!” said Mum clapping her hands and smiling wide. “All that is left is to swear your oath in front of the clan, or at least the clan members here at Little Watch. It is nearly impossible to get this many Romani into one place. Besides, we didn’t want to wait for another moon, and who knows when the snow will come. It just wouldn’t have worked.”
Aries laughed at Mum’s immediate return to her normal state of scattered thoughts. They enjoyed her homebrewed tea and biscuits while they continued to chat and share in each other’s company.
Sometime later, Mum stood up and opened her door, motioning for Aries and Kristoff to follow her outside. Aries was shocked at the sea of torches lighting up the night’s sky, positioned all along the ridge of Little Watch.
They slowly walked behind Mum, who was in an almost trance-like state. They passed lines of Romani dressed as if they were preparing for war. They stood at attention, each holding a wooden shield fixed on their arm, and their weapons raised. As the duo passed, the line of soldiers began to bang their varied arms—axes, swords, and spears—slowly against their shields. As they continued to walk, the sound of the Romani banging on their shields grew to a thunderous height.
The pair ended up in the middle of a circle, facing a line of Romani standing inside, looking at them. Mum signaled for silence, and all at once, the noise stopped. Mum stood facing Aries and Kristoff while the rest of the Romani circled up around them. Aries was nervous, but in a good way. She couldn’t believe others thought the Southlanders were a bunch of unorganized savages. The Apex couldn’t have pulled off such an organized event on this short of notice, especially after traveling for so long, she thought, smiling to herself.
Mum moved close to them and asked how they were doing. Aries and Kristoff smiled and nodded in response.
“Should we kneel?” asked Kristoff.
“Goodness! What for? The Romani do not kneel,” Mum replied sweetly.
The fact that they didn’t have to kneel was welcomed by Aries. She hated having to kneel at religious functions within the Apex.
Mum instructed them to listen carefully and, when she asked them to, to repeat after her. She also assured them both that they looked great. Her presence provided an aura of comfort that made Aries feel calm despite knowing a couple hundred people were staring at her and Kristoff.
“Welcome, everyone! Thank you oh so much for joining us for this exciting moment. Nothing warms my heart more than oath ceremonies because it means our family is growing larger and stronger. After all, we are strong because we are family. We are family through bond!” she shouted, and to Aries’ surprise, the crowd of people roared back. “We are strong because we are family! We are family through bond!”
“As the Romani Head, I have been given permission to speak for the clan, and we are in agreement that these two should be granted official acceptance into the Romani if they so choose. We also have an enforcer paramount with us tonight. What say you?” said Mum before looking towards Lee.
“On behalf of the enforcers, I agree that these two should be offered the opportunity,” he replied in a formal manner that Aries found entirely uncharacteristic of him.
After Lee’s statement, two men placed a cauldron with a large flame directly in front of Aries and Kristoff. Aries could see a metal rod resting in the flame, its thick leather handle protruding outside of the cauldron, safe from the heat.
Mum walked in front of them and did her best to speak loud enough for everyone to hear though she still maintained her calm, peaceful demeanor. “What say you, Aries? Do you wish to take our sacred oath, thus becoming a part of our family?”
“I do,” Aries said quickly, the words rushing from her lips, attempting to escape.
“Repeat after me. I, Aries Fleetwood, will treat my fellow Romani and our lands as family. I will do them no harm, bear them no ill will, and help out in times of need. I will defend them, I will fight for them, I will kill for them, and I will die for them. For I am Romani, and I am strong because we are family; we are family through bond,” said Mum, Aries repeating each word. The words echoed in Aries’ mind, and she found herself uneasy over the significance of what she was saying, but she reminded herself that her mother had sworn the same oath and her anxiety dissipated.
Kristoff repeated the oath as well. Aries did her best to keep her eyes fixed on Mum, but she couldn’t help glancing at Kristoff. It made her happy to see him smiling so widely as he recited the oath. She knew he was proud to be a part of the Romani. And while she was glad he was happy, her heart ached knowing he had never really fit in anywhere before now, he had never really been accepted.
After they both swore their oaths, Lee stepped forward and whispered in her ear. “Apologies, love, but this part we couldn’t mention. Each Romani is marked with our brand. It is a way for us to identify ourselves to other Romani. Where would you like yours?”
Anger and fear swelled in Aries’ stomach. She didn’t want to be branded. She knew it would hurt, but that wasn’t what bothered her. She didn’t want to be scarred for life.
“Mine is on my forearm, easy to hide, but one of the most painful places. The upper part of your arm may be the least sensitive spot. Best not to show pain, or else the gang won’t ever let you live it down,” he said before kissing her cheek and walking to the cauldron to remove the rod. Despite being angry at him for not telling her, she figured she had come this far and wasn’t about to back out now.
“I want it on my forearm,” she said coldly, showing no fear in her eyes despite being very much afraid.
“You sure?” he asked, concerned.
“Did I stutter?” she said, prompting the crowd to laugh.
“Okay, okay, have it your way, love,” he replied, removing the red-hot iron brand from the cauldron.
She looked at him the entire time, choosing to focus on his light green eyes instead of looking at the hot iron rod. He grabbed her wrist tight and proceeded to press the brand against her skin. She did her best not to wince, but she instinctively tried to move her arm away from the pain. Thankfully, Lee held a firm grip, giving the illusion that she was staying still. After a few seconds, it was over. She breathed a sigh of relief, proud that she hadn’t cried out in pain. But her arm was sore, and so was the inside of her cheek from where she was biting it.
“Umm, I will definitely be doing my upper arm,” replied Kristoff nervously.
“No shame in it at all, mate, Andrew and Jaseen both have theirs there as well. And if you just count down from five, we can get this taken care of in a jiff,” said Lee, who was preparing to brand him.
Kristoff began to count, “Five—” but before he could even get to four, Lee quickly pressed the brand against his arm holding him close with his free arm to prevent Kristoff from moving about.
When the hot metal was removed from his skin, Kristoff let out a grown. “Make whatever jokes you want. That hurts!” he yelled, causing the crowd to laugh and cheer.
After it was done, the group broke their formal ranks and came up to them, welcoming them to the Romani, now as official members. For the first time in a very long time, Aries and Kristoff felt like they were home.
Chapter 25
Six months had passed since they swore their oaths to become official clan members. Fall turned to winter and winter to spring, and Aries found that she was even more in love with being a Romani than she could have imagined. Her days were filled with great company keen on keeping one another laughing and fed. But her favorite part of the winter was when she and Kristoff joined Lee, Andrew, and Jaseen as enforcers.
Being an enforcer was relatively quiet in terms of action, but they practiced every day as if a threat was imminent. In addition to their training, the enforcer class of the clan was also tasked with ensuring that no outsiders, whether it be another clan or nomads, threatened the safety of the Romani, their territory, or their interests. The amount of organization and unity amongst the clan was awe-inspiring, and she still wondered how it was possible they had such a poor reputation in the North.
The Romani rarely traveled during the winter months, replacing their caravans with large round tents, called lavvu, which sat atop a circular four-foot-deep trench. The structure was larger at the bottom, and the higher it went, the narrower it became. At the top of the structure was a small circular opening, about the size of a dinner plate, which allowed the smoke from fires to exit safely. Despite being fond of her and Lee’s winter home, she found herself longing to see more of the Southlands, growing more and more restless as each day passed.
When spring arrived, and the weather broke, the enforcers were to travel to the edge of the Romani territory to ensure that traders could safely do business with the other clans. Lee informed her that attacks on merchants had been common in previous years. He suspected the Swindletor clan was behind the attacks, despite their adamant denial and accusations that it must be outlaws they had expelled from their lands. The prospect of stopping bandits made Aries long for combat, hoping to put her newly acquired skills and training to the test.
Each day, they trained in some form of weapons combat, whether it be sword, dagger, axe, spear, or bow. She excelled with most of these, save for the bow, which she was still absolutely dreadful at. Kristoff, who did not fair well in hand-to-hand combat, was a natural with the bow, and after a few weeks of training, he was one of the best sharpshooters in all of the Romani, second only to Jaseen.
Requiring little practice with the bow, Jaseen took his other weapons training particularly seriously during the winter, stating that he was preparing to redeem himself after his humiliation in the tourney. His drive and work ethic impressed Aries. She had never seen anyone who practiced as much as he did, and in time his hard work paid off, finding himself able to best Lee during nearly half of their practice sessions.
