happen. If I could have done some damage on the guy with my toes, I would have.
I think I would have argued more with him, if Loor or Saangi hadn’t been there watching. I didn’t want to look like a wuss in front of them. But man, I was in pain. It was like medieval physical therapy, with the only reward for all the hard work being some drink that made Listerine taste like sniggers. At first he just had me roll over in bed. Then he got me to sit up, then stand. That was a tough one. My legs were so weak they wouldn’t even hold my weight at first. But my strength returned pretty quick. I think the only broken bones I had were in my left hand, the one I deflected the weapon with. Maybe a couple of ribs, too. I didn’t know for sure because there was no such thing as an X-ray machine. But if pain was any indicator, bones were broken. They had my arm wrapped pretty tight with cloth to keep my wrist from moving. I probably had a concussion, too. That’s how bad the headaches were. And the dizziness.
As the days went by, the headaches got less intense and the room stopped spinning. I guess I don’t have to say that I had never gone through anything like that before, so it’s hard to say how well I was doing. But it seemed to me that after the massive beating I took, I was healing pretty quickly.
The big day finally came that I could walk out of the room and into the corridor. But that was only half of what made it such a big day. The doctor was on my left and Loor on my right, in case I took a header. With all this support, I took my first tentative steps out of the room. I felt like the Tin Woodsman inThe Wizard of Ozbefore they oiled him up. Everything was creaky and stiff. But I knew I had to work through it, so I shuffled out. The hallway stretched out to either side of my door, with rooms spaced every few yards…just like a hospital at home. Nothing special. But man, I was happy to see something other than the four walls of that room. The next thing I saw were two, huge Ghee guards standing on either side of my door, just as Loor had said.
“Hi, guys,” I said, all friendly.
Neither answered or even looked at me. They may have been assigned to protect a Rokador, but they didn’t have to like it. I decided not to push it. I took one more step, when suddenly the two guards knelt down on their knees and dropped their heads. For a second I thought they were being all respectful toward me. But then the doctor and Loor did the same thing.
“Uhh, what’s the deal?” I asked, confused.
A second later I got my answer. Walking boldly down the corridor toward us was an impressive sight. It was a group of men led by Pelle a Zinj, the crown prince of Xhaxhu. He was wearing the same ornate clothing he had worn on the day he saved me, along with a purple cape that trailed behind. He was followed by a couple of other royal-looking types, along with two Ghee warriors. It was a royal entourage, and I was standing in their way.
“On your knees,” one of the Ghee guards growled in a whisper.
I wanted to kneel down, but my body wouldn’t let me. So I stood there kind of hunched over and bowed my head. It was the best he was going to get.
Pelle spotted me and broke into a big smile. “You are walking!” he said with a friendly bellow. “I am so happy to see that.”
I then realized he was coming to see me! “Forgive me, I can’t kneel,” I said while keeping my eyes on the ground.
“There is no need, my friend,” Pelle said. “Everyone, please rise.” Everybody else got back to their feet, but kept their heads down in deference to their prince.
“What is your name?” the prince asked me.
“Pendragon,” I answered.
“Pendragon,” Pelle repeated, as if trying it on for size. “A unique Rokador name.”
I shrugged. What was I going to say?
Pelle continued, “Pendragon, I have come here today on behalf of all Batu to apologize for the horrible crime that was committed against you.”
I saw the two Ghee guards shoot him a quick look, as if they couldn’t believe he was apologizing to a Rokador.
“I know there is tension between our people. That cannot be denied. But seeing the depths to which we have sunk, sickens me. Rest assured that we will hunt down the rogue Ghee who did this to you. He will be punished.”
I was a hair away from telling him not to bother. He hadn’t seen a Batu beating up on a Rokador, but two Travelers from distant territories going at it. He wasn’t going to have a whole lot of luck tracking down Saint Dane. I decided not to set him straight.
“Once you are well, and return to your people, please tell the Rokador elite that I plan on doing everything in my power to resolve our differences, and bring back the balance and mutual trust that the Rokador and Batu have enjoyed for generations. Nothing else has more importance to me. That is a promise.”
I didn’t want to say anything that would tip him off to the fact that I wasn’t a Rokador and didn’t know anybody down below, elite or not.
“Thank you your, uh, Your Majesty,” I said with bowed head. I glanced to Loor, who gave me a slight nod. “Your Majesty” was the right title.
“I will gladly do as you request,” I said, totally winging it. “I believe your sincerity not only because you saved my life, but because you have been so gracious in making sure I have been cared for during my recovery. I am forever in your debt. Thank you.”
I figured that was about as generic a reply as I could give. Besides, it was the truth. He did save my life.
“These are difficult times,” Pelle said. “Our only hope of survival is by restoring the atmosphere of cooperation, and trust. Our two great tribes will either survive together, or perish separately.”
I nodded. Wise words. I hoped there were enough Batu who thought the same way he did.
“Now, I will leave you to rest,” Pelle said. “And extend an invitation. The Festival of Azhra is upcoming. I would like to invite you, Pendragon, to be my guest for the celebration.”
“I’d be honored, Your Majesty,” I answered.
“Wonderful!” he exclaimed. “Now all you must do is mend. Are they treating you well here?”
“No complaints,” I said.
“Then best of luck with your recovery.” He looked to the doctor and added, “Take care of him.”
The doctor bowed and said, “Like he was my own son, Majesty.”
Pelle gave me a quick smile and a nod, then turned and hurried off. The Ghee guards, along with Loor and the doctor, did a quick kneel again. Once the royal entourage was gone, everybody stood up. I could feel the dark looks being shot at me by the Ghee warriors.
“I guess I’m going to a festival,” I said to Loor.
“You should be honored,” she said. “The Festival of Azhra is the most joyous of all days for the Batu. It celebrates the ancient king, Azhra, who fought his way through the desert and tamed this oasis to create a home for the Batu…the city of Xhaxhu.”
“Sounds like a party,” I said. “Now all I have to do is walk.”
From that point on my recovery went pretty quickly. Once I started moving, each day I felt a little better. Pain is a weird thing: When you’ve got it, you know it-but you don’t really know the moment it stops. It’s kind of like, afterward you realize: “Hey, it doesn’t hurt to breathe anymore. Or walk. Or blink.” Little by little I was getting back to normal.
Every day Loor or Saangi were by my side. They were my guardian angels. They even slept next to my bed. The doctor was kind enough to bring in a grass mattress for them to sleep on. I kept telling them to go home, but neither listened. To be honest, I’m glad they didn’t. Not only did they help with the therapy and exercises, they ran interference for me whenever I ran into another Batu in the hallways. Which was often. The Batu would first act all surprised that a Rokador would dare be in their hospital, like I was bringing in disease or something. Then some would start yelling at me to get out. Loor always stood up to them, saying how I was a guest of Prince Pelle a Zinj. That would instantly make the Batu back off. It also didn’t hurt that Loor looked like she was ready to rip their faces off if they messed with me.
That’s not to say that every Batu hated my guts. Some were actually nice. I got into a lot of conversations about how they wished things could go back to the old ways, when the Rokador and the Batu lived in harmony. I guess what I was experiencing was the divide between the Batu. Half hated the Rokador and wanted to march down to the underground and annihilate them; the other half wanted peace and a diplomatic resolution.
The one thing they all had in common was the need for water. Food was getting scarce in Xhaxhu. What little
