Maja

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Chapter 29

 

As soon as the Fishbowl docked Maja scurried down the street like she was being chased. Chased by the idea of losing hope. She dragged Dore by the arm close behind her. She needed him to see what she saw, to believe it was possible like she did. She pushed through the busy streets of the center city. The buildings were tall glistening giants lined up on nicely paved roads that teased her of the life she wished she had. 

 

“Can you slow down?” Dore asked. She hadn’t fully explained to him on the boat. She feared without proof he’d think she was mad. Even with it, he may still. “What in the world do you mean by my brother being with yours? Where are they?” His desperation had become impatient on their return. 

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Maja picked up speed. “My brother’s ship disappeared in the same spot over seven years ago. I’ve…” She hesitated. She hadn’t told anyone other than Alela about her theory, because she knew she sounded crazy. “...found a pattern of ships disappearing in the same place over the years. Hundreds in the past 15 years to be exact.”

 

Dore ripped his arm free and stopped to stare at her. He had that look on his face like he was watching a dog eat its own tail, somewhere between amazed and disgusted. She knew what would come out of his mouth next. “Crazy kirze!” He shouted at her.

 

Maja simply stared at him with emotionless seriousness. No matter how many times she heard it, those words still stung and filled her with rage. “Do you want to find your brother?” She asked, knowing it was the one question that would cut as deeply into his wounds and his words did to her.

 

“Of course,” he said, reflecting her resolute look.

 

“Then follow me.” She began walking again continuing with her fast pace. 

 

Dore didn’t waver for longer than a second before following her out of his own will. “Wait up,” he yelled.

 

They scurried down a darker alley. The streets almost instantly became dirtier and darker. The buildings were covered in a deep layer of soot from the surrounding factories that powered the nicer parts of Hadzat. They arrived in front of a tall brick building that had once been a bright shade of brick red, but now was a grimy brown. Maja walked up to the door and looked around cautiously. Even if she was in a rush she could stop for a moment to ensure no kirshe devotees found where she lived. She’d heard enough stories from others about their tendency to drag her kind out to the country to play games with the sinners. She shuddered at the thought, but luckily there wasn’t a soul in sight this early. 

 

She slipped her key out of her boot and quickly rushed Dore through the door. “Come on,” said, as she led him up a few floors of stairs. On the fourth floor Maja went down a poorly lit hallway with a shattered light. She led him to the violet door that read 402. 

Maja immediately felt at ease once she’d locked the door behind them. Her and Alela had moved into apartment 402 of 912 Bringer St. a few years ago when Maja had gotten expelled from the academy. It wasn’t much but for her and Alela it was a perfect home. Thin yellow curtains hung from the tall windows, shading the apartment in a golden hue of light as the sun rose behind them. The entrance led straight into a small kitchenette and living room with a coffee table, surrounded by floor cushions and a short soft green couch. A yellow rug laid underneath with pieces of a torn fabric sticking up from it. Plants lined the walls by the windows with long vines drifting across the floor. Small knick-knacks riddled every nook and cranny, creating a chaos of Maja’s history with Alela. She could have never made this place feel like home without Alela’s delicate touch in every corner. 

 

Her love sat on a stool in the kitchen with a mug of tea in hand and book in the other. She wore a dainty pink tea gown with flower patterns sewn into the laced sleeves and hem. Her face lit upon seeing Maja, but quickly changed to confusion when Dore followed behind her. “Who…” she asked.

 

Maja gave her a quick peck on the lips. “I’m home honey. This is Dore, he’ll be helping me with my project,” Maja explained, leading Dore to one of the two doors on the other side of the room. 

 

Reluctant Dore shook his head, but continued following her. “She’s a kirze and a zealot. Great. Just great,” he muttered to himself. Maja chose to ignore his little insults, she didn’t expect that much from him.

 

“Excuse me,” Alela said, sounding insulted enough for the both of them. “Maja how could you invite this- this- individual to our home?”

The study was nearly as large as the living room. Maja’s desk sat in the corner with a million papers and maps on it. A few bookshelves lined the walls with nautical, cartography, and religious books in them. One wall though was covered with a gigantic world map and colorful pins in different locations. In the middle of the Lishmere and lines leading from their departure cities. In the center of the sea Maja had drawn a big red circle outlining the marei zune from what she could tell. Stacks of newspapers spread out across the floor with little space to move around in but Maja masterfully navigated them. More cutouts from the papers were pinned to the wall along with religious texts Maja had deemed relevant. She went straight to the map. This is what she needed Dore to see. He wandered through the mess still looking very confused but his attention was caught by one paper on the wall. The one she knew he’d be interested in. The title read: POSSIBLE SON OF GAHOREN MISSING IN STORM, with a painting of a baby with dark skin, curly black hair, and big gold eyes. It had been from a few years ago. It had been a shocking story that had driven her people into further agony.

 

The next Son of Gahoren, the boy who was meant to someday lead the Gatti Kirshe, had vanished at sea. After the last holy child had been killed in Agostog, her entire country had been cursed with famine. The blood of Gahoren’s representatives spilled on their land, so they were destined to suffer and face discrimination. The world waited and waited for a new holy child to be born like he had at the turn of the century for generations, but he never arrived. Which was just a further punishment given to them for their failure to protect the previous Pope. 

 

Maja gently touched the picture of the boy. If he hadn’t vanished as well she might have had hope of moving forward. 

“I think these sinking ships have something to do with the disappearance of the Holy Child,” she explained. “It started 15 years ago on the turn of the new century when he was supposed to be born. He came late, but the disappearing ships started on time.” The boy hadn’t been born until over a decade later, but the world was desperate by then so they didn’t question it. So many years without blessings from the pope on their lands had led to a shortage of supplies all over. The only abundant were those close to the holy land of Gattis, which had sparked wars. Almost every country bordering Agostog was at least in a proxy war with them, which is why her family and many others had fled. It was considered a show of loyalty to the kirshe to treat them harshly.

 

Maja stepped back and stared at the circle. If the holy child had been rescued somehow with the help of the gods, maybe her brother had been as well. It was the last piece of hope she had.