its uselessness. I blushed deeply, quickly unclasped the watch, and stuffed it in my backpack. It was disorienting, not knowing anyone’s cultural system, and I was getting tired of always being confused.
The next morning we headed out before the sun had risen fully. The air whispered with a cool breeze, but I knew it would soon change to a hot wind that would squeeze the moisture from my skin.
“So, wristbands show if you’re married. Is there anything else I should know about before I go and stick my foot in my mouth again?”
“What does that mean, ‘stick my foot in my mouth’? It sounds painful.” I glanced toward him to see his brows drawn together. He looked frustrated and confused.
“It just means that I made a mistake, spoke without knowing what was going on. I’ll try to steer clear, I mean, stay away from colloquial phrases, but I’m not sure if I’ll manage it very well.”
“I would not wish to point out things of which you might already be aware, but I did notice that you do not observe the going down of the sun in the evening, nor do you thank the sun in the morning.”
“Is that what you were doing when you touched your forehead and swept your arm up before? Is that a cultural or a religious thing?”
“Both. The sun is God’s banner, reminding us of his daily presence in our lives. That is one reason why it is better to travel during the day, for God’s presence in the night is much dimmer. Day is a time of bright truth where dark things cannot hide.” He spoke simply, with no trace of doubt.
“So if I don’t salute the sun will I get in trouble?”
Breeohan ran his hand over the strap of his bag, back and forth before answering. “In a way, you may have trouble. You could be labeled as a blasphemer. That would not be too bad. But if you are accused of being a worshiper of Baleel, the dark one, that would be serious. Worshipers of Baleel are hanged, and the citizens may not bother to give you a trial before they kill you for fear of a curse.”
I shivered, though the sun was now high and the air was like a fiery blanket. “I guess I’ll salute the sun from now on. Thanks for the tip.”
For the rest of the day, Breeohan taught me new lacings. The patterns were starting to get a little jumbled in my head, so he quizzed me until I wanted to scream and had to ask him to stop before I bit his head off.
That night we slept in the open, and the next morning I saluted the sun with Breeohan as it rose.
The following day saw us walking resolutely in the baking sun as Breeohan taught me new lacings and what to do with them. I started to guess which strand could be tweaked before Breeohan showed me, and he’d tell me if I’d guessed correctly or if I would have blown us up. It seemed I was gaining endurance in walking and manipulating lacings at the same rate. My legs were less sore, and I was able to change about twenty lacings before I had to call it quits.
Breeohan admitted he was shocked at my progress.
“What can I say? I’m an A student,” I said.
Breeohan didn’t ask what I meant. He just shook his head, and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “Why even try . . . crazy ranting.”
I grinned slyly. “It’s killing you, isn’t it?”
“Of course not,” he said stubbornly, gaze fixed on the road.
“You don’t want to know what an A student is?”
He kept striding forward, looking down the road, and I just waited.
“Oh, very well! What is an A student?” His breath whooshed out, and he glared at me before his twitching lips gave him away and he smiled.
I told him all about my school and classes, changing the words if they didn’t translate so that he could understand.
“I’m tired of talking about me. Tell me about you. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“I have no siblings, and my mother lives near the palace. The wind flew over my father many years ago.”
It was my turn to be confused. “What does that mean?”
“He is
The next morning we headed out before the sun had risen fully. The air whispered with a cool breeze, but I knew it would soon change to a hot wind that would squeeze the moisture from my skin.
“So, wristbands show if you’re married. Is there anything else I should know about before I go and stick my foot in my mouth again?”
“What does that mean, ‘stick my foot in my mouth’? It sounds painful.” I glanced toward him to see his brows drawn together. He looked frustrated and confused.
“It just means that I made a mistake, spoke without knowing what was going on. I’ll try to steer clear, I mean, stay away from colloquial phrases, but I’m not sure if I’ll manage it very well.”
“I would not wish to point out things of which you might already be aware, but I did notice that you do not observe the going down of the sun in the evening, nor do you thank the sun in the morning.”
“Is that what you were doing when you touched your forehead and swept your arm up before? Is that a cultural or a religious thing?”
“Both. The sun is God’s banner, reminding us of his daily presence in our lives. That is one reason why it is better to travel during the day, for God’s presence in the night is much dimmer. Day is a time of bright truth where dark things cannot hide.” He spoke simply, with no trace of doubt.
“So if I don’t salute the sun will I get in trouble?”
Breeohan ran his hand over the strap of his bag, back and forth before answering. “In a way, you may have trouble. You could be labeled as a blasphemer. That would not be too bad. But if you are accused of being a worshiper of Baleel, the dark one, that would be serious. Worshipers of Baleel are hanged, and the citizens may not bother to give you a trial before they kill you for fear of a curse.”
I shivered, though the sun was now high and the air was like a fiery blanket. “I guess I’ll salute the sun from now on. Thanks for the tip.”
For the rest of the day, Breeohan taught me new lacings. The patterns were starting to get a little jumbled in my head, so he quizzed me until I wanted to scream and had to ask him to stop before I bit his head off.
That night we slept in the open, and the next morning I saluted the sun with Breeohan as it rose.
The following day saw us walking resolutely in the baking sun as Breeohan taught me new lacings and what to do with them. I started to guess which strand could be tweaked before Breeohan showed me, and he’d tell me if I’d guessed correctly or if I would have blown us up. It seemed I was gaining endurance in walking and manipulating lacings at the same rate. My legs were less sore, and I was able to change about twenty lacings before I had to call it quits.
Breeohan admitted he was shocked at my progress.
“What can I say? I’m an A student,” I said.
Breeohan didn’t ask what I meant. He just shook his head, and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “Why even try . . . crazy ranting.”
I grinned slyly. “It’s killing you, isn’t it?”
“Of course not,” he said stubbornly, gaze fixed on the road.
“You don’t want to know what an A student is?”
He kept striding forward, looking down the road, and I just waited.
“Oh, very well! What is an A student?” His breath whooshed out, and he glared at me before his twitching lips gave him away and he smiled.
I told him all about my school and classes, changing the words if they didn’t translate so that he could understand.
“I’m tired of talking about me. Tell me about you. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“I have no siblings, and my mother lives near the palace. The wind flew over my father many years ago.”
It was my turn to be confused. “What does that mean?”
“He is
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