Dawn of Man (Thanos Book 1) (16 page)

They followed him in to see about sixty people on one end of the dining hall sitting and standing, many with paper and quill making notes. On the other end were Kenna and Karme standing on pedestals about two feet tall. They both had their arms held out as Ahnon and Michi pinned fabric around them. Vilarius bit his bottom lip and turned to follow Theobald. Sitting down by Eira, they started passing food out.

“Michi, you’re bunching around her waist,” they heard Ahnon say. Vilarius looked up, seeing Michi pinning fabric around Karme’s waist. Then he noticed the royal seamstress to the side, taking notes.

He leaned over to Eira. “Who are all these people?” he whispered.

“Seamstresses from the city. They started coming in a few weeks ago. Ahnon said if they were quiet, he didn’t care if I didn’t. I said bring them in if they can learn from him,” she whispered back.

“You mean they make Karme and Kenna stand like this a lot?” Vilarius asked.

“Four times a week, but Akene and I trade out with Kenna. She is a little girl, and holding that still does take concentration,” she said, never taking her eyes off the lesson.

“You stand in front of a crowd with your bodice on?” the king whispered harshly.

“Shh. Yes. It’s no different than a dress, so drop it. I’ve gotten five dresses, three gowns, and a formal gown out of it. I would be up there today in Kenna’s spot, but I knew you might be coming, and I’d have to keep you reined in. Today, they are doing floor-length formal evening ball gowns with full skirts and boned corsets, and I really wanted one,” she said with more than a little malice in her voice.

Vilarius jumped back so she wouldn’t pull his beard. “I don’t know what you said, but I’ll buy you one,” he offered in a low whisper.

“They start at half a gold crown and go up to a full crown,” she said with narrowed eyes. Vilarius’ eyes got wide as he took a deep breath. Eira put her finger on his lips. “You disturb them, and I’ll have you removed,” she warned. “By force.” She squinted at him. Tilbus was on the other side of Vilarius, vibrating with laughter. “Let your friend know,” she said, taking her finger away from his lips.

Vilarius leaned over, giving the warning.

“Michi, hide your darts!” he heard Ahnon shout.

“I did,” Michi said, looking at Karme’s waist.

“No, you didn’t. If you don’t move it further in, when you sew it, the seam can be easily seen,” Ahnon said, walking over, showing him. “Look at how I did Kenna’s waist and continue from there. I’ll fix this,” Ahnon said, and Michi rushed over to Kenna.

“Oh, I see what you’re saying now. I’m not allowing for the fabric tension,” Michi said, and everyone in the room started scribbling like crazy.

Ahnon was fixing Karme’s waist as she let out a long sigh. “Quit moving,” Ahnon commanded.

“I don’t like this,” she whined.

“You’re supposed to be able to stay motionless for six hours,” Ahnon snapped at her as he readjusted her waist.

“Not being fitted for a dress,” Karme complained. “Ow!” she yelled. “That hurt!”

“Well, quit moving, and you won’t get stuck,” Ahnon said, moving to her back. “Michi, what in the abyss did you do to the bow?” Ahnon asked, looking at the sorry-looking bow on Karme’s back.

“I didn’t want it too small to make her look big,” Michi said, adjusting the base slip on Kenna.

“Michi, it makes her hips look three feet wide. Accentuate, not inflate,” Ahnon said, redoing the bow.

“Great! Now I have hips like a dragon,” Karme said.

Ahnon never stopped working. “Keep on, and I’ll bind you, Karme,” he warned.

“At least then I’d have an excuse when others make fun of me.”

“Let someone make fun of you, and I’ll let Michi eat their heart,” Ahnon said, re-tying the bow.

She looked down at him. “Really?” she asked, surprised but feeling a lot better.

“You really think we’d let someone make fun of you?” Michi asked as he stopped working on Kenna’s dress.

“I was trained to be a warrior, not a mannequin,” she said. “Can’t you use Akene? She’s trained like I am.”

“We have, but there are other reasons I need you here each time,” Ahnon said, pinning fabric to her dress.

“Oh yeah, like what?” Karme asked, annoyed.

“Akene, can you please come here?” Ahnon called then looked in the corner behind him. “I haven’t seen but two light spells,” he said.

“Ahnon, I’m a little tired,” Jedek said.

“I want you to do double and half, one light, two shields, and water before I’m done, or you take Karme’s place next time,” Ahnon threatened. Jedek jumped up, gathering his components.

“Double and half?” Kenna asked, trying not to move. She really wanted this dress.

“You are twice as strong and weigh half as much,” Michi told her, moving to her sleeves.

Akene stopped beside Ahnon. “Akene, would you be so kind as to let Karme know why she is placed here every time so I can teach Michi?” he asked. Akene walked in front of Karme and pointed at her chest. Karme’s face and neck turned beet red. “Thank you, Akene,” Ahnon said as she walked by.

“I’m taking Kenna’s place next time,” she whispered, smiling.

“Sounds good, and we’ll do dark green,” Ahnon said, and she smiled. “Jedek, if you try to rush double and half, you don’t even want to know what happens,” Ahnon said, not looking at his sire.

“Yes, Ahnon,” Jedek said in a low voice and started over, saying the words slowly.

Grabbing a chair and climbing on, Ahnon started working on Karme’s sleeves. “You asked,” Ahnon said.

“Kenna, tell Ahnon I’m never talking to him again,” Karme said with a scowl on her face.

“Ahnon—” Kenna started.

“Yes, I heard her, Kenna,” Ahnon said, smiling. Still working on Karme’s dress, he yelled, “You’re not focusing, Jedek. Keep your mind on the spell and not Kenna’s hair!”

“How did you know he was staring at her? You were looking at my sleeve,” Karme asked, amazed.

“Oh, you’re talking to me again,” Ahnon said, smiling. “Just knew. He gets into a rhythm. Practice so long then stare at Kenna.” Karme nodded, impressed, but had her suspicions.

Michi lifted Kenna’s arms so she was holding them out from her side. “Ahnon, I messed something up,” he said, perturbed. Ahnon told Karme to relax, walked over, and spotted the mistake.

“Don’t get frustrated. Relax and look,” Ahnon said. Closing his eyes, Michi took deep breaths then opened his eyes. “What do you see now?” Ahnon asked.

“The princess’ seam is too tight, throwing off the neckline,” Michi said, thankful he hadn’t ruined the panels.

Ahnon nodded and patted Michi’s back. “Jedek, you’re going too fast. It’s going to hurt,” Ahnon said without looking at him. A few seconds later, coughing and gagging erupted behind them. Ahnon slowly turned around and held onto Michi as he tried to run over to help Jedek, who was on his hands and knees, coughing and gagging up tons of water on the floor. Michi was a little worried because Jedek’s face was a shade of purple he had never seen before.

“I told you that was too fast. Don’t rush,” Ahnon said, raising his hand. “Hal lah dinig,” Ahnon said, and a stream of roping light shot from his hand, wrapping around Jedek. Suddenly, Jedek stopped coughing and slowly turned back to his normal color as the rope of light retracted back to Ahnon’s hand. Still on his hands and knees, Jedek panted, gulping in air, never realizing how good it felt to breath. “You fill the bowl with water, not your lungs,” Ahnon told him. “That one doesn’t count.” Jedek nodded, never thinking to back talk Ahnon.

Vilarius leaned over to Theobald with a furious look. “You let me choke till I passed out,” he whispered loudly and angrily.

“Sire, you are very smart, but you were a slow learner and needed to understand the risk,” Theobald said, not even looking at the king.

Eira looked at Vilarius, grinning. “That means you have a thick skull,” she helped.

“I know what he meant, Eira,” Vilarius snapped.

Trying not to laugh, she said, “Just thought I would help you understand.”

Totally pissed, Vilarius sat back in his chair as Tilbus leaned closer. “My sho-ka held me down and poured water down my throat then made me dry it out,” Tilbus said, motioning back with his head toward his sho-ka. “Count yourself lucky, my friend.” Suddenly, Vilarius wasn’t quite so mad watching Jedek stand up.

Walking back to Karme, Ahnon said, “Jedek, we are fixing to start sewing. I suggest you continue and not dwell on feeling bad or foolish. I really don’t want to have to make a dress for you.” He started adjusting and re-pinning panels.

“Yes, Ahnon,” Jedek said, shaking his head to get the water out of his ears, wondering how it got there. “And thank you. I suddenly have respect for your gray fish now.” He grabbed more components, and Ahnon couldn’t help but chuckle.

When Ahnon and Michi pulled the dresses off and sat down, the group left the chairs, moving closer. Though he started slow, Ahnon sped up and kept shouting at Michi to slow down. “Law nine, Michi!” Ahnon finally yelled.

Unconsciously, Michi and all the other bhari recited, “Speed only comes with two things: time and practice. Leave out either, and you have accomplished nothing.” Ahnon chuckled, realizing how many bhari were in the room.

Ahnon paused to show Michi several different ways to tie the same knots and three new ones. The royal seamstress eased closer. “I’m so sorry, Master Ahnon, but could you please do that one again?” he asked in a pleading tone. Nodding, Ahnon did it very slowly then looked up and jumped back in his chair, seeing all the people around him.

“Didn’t know all of you were up here,” Ahnon said. “There are two bolts of silk over there,” he pointed across the hall. “Everyone is to cut two yards, and I want ten of each knot I just showed you,” Ahnon said, and the group seemed to vanish they moved so fast from around him. “Very good, Jedek,” Ahnon said loudly without looking back. The rest of the room turned to see Jedek standing three feet off the ground in a shimmering globe.

Ahnon finally looked up at Jedek, smiling. “The object of an orb shield it to protect you, so don’t advertise it,” he said. “If you are several feet off the ground, your opponent will know what you just did and will take the appropriate steps. Make a fourth of the globe sit on the ground.”

Vilarius jumped out of his chair. “Ah, son, the first time you try it, don’t put yourself in it,” Vilarius offered. “Trust me,” he added, and Theobald started chuckling. “It’s not funny,” Vilarius mumbled.

“Yes it is,” Theobald answered, laughing. “I said it just like Ahnon did, and you left a fourth out of the ground. I never knew you could curl into such a tight ball.”

Michi looked up. “Be thankful. I put the entire globe under the ground with me in it. My teacher had to dig me out,” he said then went back to sewing.

Tilbus moved over, watching Ahnon’s hands fly. “Ahnon, I’ve never seen such work,” he said in awe. “You know, my wife is going to kill me. You never made her a dress, and she will blame it on me.”

“Michi is working on one for her,” Ahnon said, never pausing. “He saw her several months ago, and when he gets to Nepon, he can make adjustments.” He turned the dress and stood up. “Hold this,” he told Tilbus, handing him the dress. Tilbus took it, getting stuck with a dozen pins as Ahnon walked around, checking on the sewing.

An hour later, Jedek completed his list of spells and was physically drained. As Ahnon stood on the pedestal Karme was on, everyone stopped. “Attention, please. This concludes today’s lesson. The next lesson is in two days. Those that show up, I want you to bring supplies to make one long summer dress. Have your pattern drawn out. I don’t care if you use a manikin or model, but you can’t use mine. I also suggest you bring a piece of cloth to wrap around your face to breathe through. Jedek will be learning a new spell.”

The audience was shocked. In the past, Ahnon just let them watch. He rarely acknowledged them. Now, he was going to teach. Moving in unison, the group stood and bolted out of the castle.

Karme chuckled, watching the throng of people try to get out of the door at the same time. When they were gone, she looked at Ahnon. “Why are you letting people know what your sire is learning?” she asked.

“Letting any would-be assassins know he has the ability to slow them down. If they slow down, they fail and die,” he answered as Jedek collapsed to the floor. Kenna ran over to him, carrying a glass of water. Looking at the glass, Jedek didn’t have the heart to tell her he was tired of water for today, but he took a sip.

“But they know his spells,” Karme pointed out.

“No, they know some of them. Jedek can use three different shields and nine other spells,” he said. “Granted, he trips up on them, but that’s to be expected.” Jedek felt crushed; he thought he was doing great.

Vilarius walked over to Ahnon. “I have to admit, I never thought a sewing class could be so entertaining.”

“If you weren’t the king, I would’ve thrown something at you,” Ahnon confessed.

“Eira tried to pull my beard off twice,” Vilarius admitted, and Ahnon shook his head knowingly.

“She’s a wise queen,” Ahnon said.

Tilbus joined them. “Ahnon, first, I again say this is excellent work, but you are a bhari and one of if not the best. Why did you become a seamstress?” he asked. “Warrior, seamstress, I don’t get it.”