From Kasra to the Wosk River
That little ship glided slowly down that river, which rises in the Voltan Mountains and is named Fayeen, until it becomes the Cartius Subtropical, which, flowing toward the Shendi Forest, feeds the great Shatwa Lake, then enters the forest inhabited by the Panthers, and finally ends up in the Thassa Sea as the Cartius River.
I couldn't wait to reach that city called Kasra, with its large port called Light Bay. When the city of Victoria fell, and after fleeing into the forest, we reached the river and from there took a ship to the port that gave its name to the city itself, bordering the territories of Kasra. I remember when I first arrived in Light, I couldn't play a prominent role and lived from day to day, selling maps and presiding over the odd dispute between merchants in my role as Deputy Magistrate.
One day I entered a path that led to the high walls of Kasra, I had heard about this small city and decided to go through the small gate that led to the road that led to the central square, in those days the houses were singular, they were shaped like mushrooms and were all white, I arrived in the square in front of the small paòlazzo of the administrator, I saw some people sitting in a circle, I approached further, and a beautiful woman dressed as a dancer was standing and talking, I learned later her name was Nacha and she was the administrator as well as choreographer of the dancers, around her a Magistrate dressed in white with the classic stick, (I as a high Magistrate have never wanted) then some freemen and merchants, and the one who was supposed to be her companion, they told me his name was Balrough, I approached further, but I was not welcomed well, in fact the woman rudely chased me away, because I was not invited.
I returned to Light confused. It was the first time low-ranking people had chased me from their land. I would become friends with them years later when I returned to that renovated and modernized Kasra. Light was now just a port. I had returned for a dance festival, and I wrote about the dancers of Tyros. They remembered the episode from years before, apologized, and we became great friends, and we still are.
When we arrived in Kasra, the city was still the same. I asked about Sir Balroug and Macha, and to my great surprise, I learned that they had left for a long tour in the North, and they said that their first stop would be the city of Olni. I was very disappointed after so many days of sacrifices of hunger and thirst. I expected to be able to stay with them for a while. The ship would continue its voyage to the city of Kurtzal, the last on that Fayeen River, then its mouth at the foot of the Voltai Mountains, and then the unexplored lands. We arrived at the city of Kurtzal. It was a very beautiful, classic desert city, with buildings finely decorated with oriental ornaments and designs. It was right around the time of the great fair. I stayed for a few days, making many sketches of the best spots, and then it was time to decide where to go and what to do. There were no ships going down the river, but asking at the port, they told me that some merchants were organizing a caravan to the great city of Klima. I have wonderful memories of that great city with the walkways connecting the large, modern Gorean-style buildings. I lived there as the Chief of the Scribes, but I wasn't happy. I was alone, I had no companion, only slaves to look after me, and we were far from everything and everyone. The closest oasis was that of the Four Palms, but it was many days' walk through the desert, even though caravans came and went. Finally, I decided I had to set out again, cross that desert and reach Shendi to return to my oasis, taking a ship from the great port of Kargash.
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| DARIAN EL NAIRAD-PASHA |
But I didn't want to return to that far-away city. Perhaps it would be better to return to Kasra, and then decide whether to head north to the Imperial city of AR. I hadn't visited it in a long time. I'd been there years ago, only as a visitor during the En-Kara fair. Then the war with Tor and Holnesk broke out, and I had to flee to the city of Venna. I've told you about that city with its Blue Palaces, its lakeside resort, and its planetarium. But for now, I'm taking a break here in Kurtzal. I've spotted a beautiful red-haired slave, and I'll do everything I can to have her with me for a few days. Then I'll decide what the future holds.
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