Page 44 of Storms & Sacrifice
“I’m sorry,” I apologize almost without thinking.Not that it isn’tdeserved.
“It is alright, David. I think we are passed all that now, right?” He looks over for confirmation.
“Maybe we can try reading it again some time?” I would actually like to know more about them.I wonder how much detail it goes into regarding the sexy parts.
“I would like that.” He smiles, nodding hishead once.
“It must have been kinda cool to find out who you were named after as a kid.” I’m pretty sure he’s one of the statues we’ve passed in front of the tribal hall.
“I have a question.” Khazak raises one hand slightly. “Was ‘Khazak’ the only shared name you heard lastweekend?”
“...Yes?”This feels like a trap.
“Do you remember the name of the festival? In Atasi.” It doesn’tsoundlike he’s mocking me.
“Uh, it’s...”Shit, I know this, we just talked about it a week ago. It’s... “Chad Uzugir?”
“Close. ‘Shatu Uzu’gor,’” Khazak corrects me. “Now, do you remember what my last name is, alsoin Atasi?”
“I...” I know this one too. It’s on the tip of my tongue. I think it might be...No, that can’t be right.“Is... Is it the same word?”
“Also close.Veryclose.” He looks pleased. “It is ‘Uzi’gor.’”Wait, what?
“You know it sounds like you’re saying the same thing, right?” I hope I’m not hearing things again.
“That is because I essentially am.”I am soconfused.
“So, your family has the same name as the festival?” It kind of makes sense—his grandfathers are at the center of it. “I can’t believe I missed something like that.”
“Actually...”Uh oh.“That isalsothe name of the battle that tied us together. TheNagul Uzu’gor.”What.
“I’m not dumb!” I blurt out, an old reflex of mine I thought diedyears ago.
“I did not think you were,” he tries to assure me. “They are foreign words you have only heard a handful of times. I understand why you would not make the connection.”
“Does that mean this whole thing, the ritual, the festival, is important to your family?” It is named after them,after all.
“No, not particularly.” Khazak shrugs. “For one, the names arenotactually identical. ‘Uzu’gor’ literally translates to ‘steel and thunder,’ while ‘Uzi’gor’ is a stylized surname meaning ‘Ironstorm.’ We are more than proud of our lineage—my father could boast about being related to Khazak Steelrun all day—but as far as I am aware, I am the only living relative with any actual interest in owning an avakesh. Which is probably a good thing as once I learned about the moreintimateaspects of their relationship, I am not sure I would have wanted to ask a family member any of my questions.”
“That’s a good point.” I wonder if finding out about Khazak and Vakesh’s relationship was weird for anyone else in the family. “So, howdidyou learnabout it?”
“Books.” That seems like him.Nerd. “Though my family figured out my interests easily enough as I got older.”
“Yeah, your sister and Jarek mentioned something like that.” I’ll spare him the reminder about his first collar. “Even they seemed surprised that you hadn’t told me about any of it. Why didn’t you?”
“Because it isembarrassing, David,” he scoffs and rolls his eyes. “I was a moody and hormonal teenager who became childishly fixated on a four-hundred-year-old story. It affectedallof my early relationships and still brings up a lot of memories that make me wince when I think on them. Not to mention how overly romanticized the story is. That play is not even close toaccurate.”
“How do you mean?” I figured some of the play was made up, but the basic story must bethe same.
“They were practically mortal enemies when they first met. That is not something two people just get over.” Good point—near-death experience notwithstanding. “The things Khazak put Vakesh through would make anything I could possibly do to you look like a walk inthe park.”
“Whatdidthe play get right?” I know they ended up together,at least.
“Well, though it isverycondensed, the first half of the play is not wholly inaccurate. It took the two of them many months before they actually began to warm up to one another, and there are actual written accounts of the bear attack,” he starts explaining. “The second half though is where a lot of things are invented or changed for the sake of drama. Vakesh’s brother Tark’han had no idea he had survived the strike on the Proudhunter’s camp. There was no ambush waiting for Riktal’s men, nor any plan to get Khazak to turn on Vakesh. It was wholly a surprise when they showed up in the camp that night.”
“It was simply such a bad plan that Riktal’s group really was almost wiped out,” he continues. “By the time Khazak showed up, there were almost no survivors. He really did fight Vakesh and his brother, and Vakesh did end up stabbing his brother, but he was not killed, only maimed. In the confusion, the two of them and the rest of the Proudhuntersescaped.”
“Wow.” I can see the appeal of adding all the betrayal to the play. “What really happened after that?”
