refuge on the river

[forte]

It was dusk when Raika reached the first river outside of the city. Upon arriving at the train station at the Outer Wall she had quickly and instinctively traveled downhill, where she knew there would be a source of her most immediate need: water. The 100-meters tall Outer Wall still loomed imposingly behind her as the girl sunk to her knees, out of breath, in the smooth pebbles on the shore of a wide, easy river. She dipper her hands into the cool water and drank deeply, then wetted her face and the back of her neck. Her trek from the station had been unimpeded enough: the way was downhill and, while not paved, was wide and free of brush, branch and stone. All the same she had begun to sweat under the exertion and now she fought to restrain herself from stripping down and cooling off in the water. She had no way to dry herself now that the sun had set. She settled on removing her jacket and tying up her short, brown hair to expose more of her skin to the evening air. To sweat, Raika knew, could mean death in the wilderness. Any moisture on clothes would make them less able to warm the wearer, and the nights around Ba Sing Se, even in the warm season, could get chilly.

When Raika's thirst was sated she retreated from the river to rest and consider her next move. She dug through her pack for a slice of dried mango and sat cross-legged against a tree, watching various flotsam and jetsam travel slowly with the current. In truth, Raika had not thought out her departure from the orphanage very thoroughly, but then, she hadn't needed to. As soon as the idea had crossed her mind to run away, she had known that it was her best option; far better than staying and waiting to be forced into marriage. The matron hadn't been unkind, and life in the Lower Ring hadn't been too dull, what with all the criminals running around, but in order to have any kind of life in the Lower Ring, one had to either be a criminal or get a job, and neither of those lives fit Raika. One was too wicked while the other too honest. Raika was not wicked, but neither was she honest, except with herself, and she was too respectful of herself to try to wedge herself into a lifestyle that did not suit her perfectly. So she had fled, and she had not yet begun to regret it. But she knew she would if she did not find a place to live very soon. So that was her first move: find shelter. Anyone might take her in, but few people would expect nothing in return. Most would expect honest work, and that was one of the things she had turned her back on when she had left Ba Sing Se. Maybe she could get in with a band of traveling gypsies. From what she had seen of such people in the city, they liked music, and Raika was decent with the yueqin. She didn't have an instrument, but there were ways to obtain them....She would not rule that option out. But for now Raika just needed a place to sleep for the night. She had plenty of blankets, she thought, to keep herself warm even if she were to sleep outside, which wouldn't be disagreeable since the day had been cloudless and it would probably not rain for a few days at least. Plus, for the first time, Raika would have to knock on a stranger's door and ask for lodging, and she found the thought of doing so detestable. The most preferable option would have been to sleep outside, if not for the threat of wild animals. Boarcupines, armadillo lions, elephant mandrills, platypus bears....(Raika had seen all these animals at the zoo and really had no idea if any of them lived near Ba Sing Se, but if you're not sure, assume the worst....)

With a sigh, Raika decided that she would have to ask to stay at someone's house tonight. Tomorrow she would think of something better. Something that would not require money or work. The girl stood, swallowed the rest of her sweet mango, regained the path and started toward a group of lights in the distance that could only be a village.

It didn't take long to reach what was actually quite a large, single, elegant building on the shore of the river. Raika believed she had heard of this place. A lodge, a peaceful vacation spot for the wealthy. No one here would take her in. Again Raika sighed and turned, ready to escape into the forest and take her chanced with the wild animals, when she noticed a dock. That could only mean boats. Not daring to be excited, she assumed a crouch so that she would not be seen by anyone out taking an evening walk, and approached the dock as silently as the crunchy pebbles would allow. There were canoes here, no doubt an amusing daytime activity for the residents of the lodge. Raika had used a canoe several times. The farms in the Agrarian zone of the city irrigated their lands with small, rainfall-fed lakes, and pipes often needed repair. Raika had worked on such farms. She had enjoyed canoeing immensely. Feeling so in-control, while the rest of her life seemed completely out of her hands. But she had also felt confined on those small lakes. The parts of this river she could now see were already larger than the largest lake she had seen, and the river would certainly offer more opportunity for wandering...and a canoe would provide a place for her to sleep tonight. This thought struck the girl like a bolt of lightning. A thrill went through her, goosebumps appeared on her arms, and her future suddenly seemed much brighter. She struggled momentarily with the thought of stealing a canoe, but there were just so many here, surely there would be plenty left even if she took one. Heart pounding, she felt through the darkness around the bottom of one of the boats for a paddle, and her heart sunk when she withdrew her hands empty. She searched the other identical canoes too and her disappointment began to sting her eyes. But as she looked around she saw a small lean-to built into the side of the lodge. She didn't know how she knew, but she did: the paddles were in that shed. Silently she made her way there. At least two dozen paddles leaned against the walls and each other. This time there was no hesitation: she reached out and took one of the oars. It was heavier than she had thought, but not nearly too heavy to carry. She made her way back to the river, placed the oar on the edge of the dock and her pack, shoes and the rope that had tied the canoe to the dock, into the canoe. She stepped barefoot into the boat, which wobbled precariously, but steadied as she sat down. Immediately Raika felt comfortable, at home. Almost silently she dipped the paddle into the water and slipped away from the shore, into the darkness.