Sajani Tails

This is a section a little further in the story than what takes place in the previous post here:  http://sajanitails.com/index.php?/archives/7-Teaser-for-the-next-Sajani-Tails-book.html Chaaya Chandra is the name of the character that writes the stories you read in the Sajani Tails books. It's a pen name intended to be shared by anyone that writes in the series. She first shows up in this book.

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      Chaaya lifted her brown fedora slightly, shifted her ears out the holes made for them and moved them up into the hat so she could just rest it partway down her neck. She was mostly focused on the paper in the typewriter so wasn’t paying much attention to the busy newsroom around her. Things seemed a little quieter than usual, but since it was near lunch time, she didn’t think much of it. The article was almost complete. There had to be something that could make it a little more interesting though. After that Sajani interview last month, even exciting news seemed slightly bland in comparison and today’s article on sugar beet production and possible rationing was duller than what could be called lackluster.

      “Chandra!” The editor’s deep voice and accusatory tone broke her thoughts. The gray male didn’t sound happy. “Get in here now!” It was almost the sort of tone a human would use to talk to a dog and a good bit harsher than any vykati would use talking to one. The door slammed loudly as he returned to his office.

      Chaaya pulled out her pocket mirror and used it to straighten her long dark brown hair and make sure her tan fur was properly bushed. Placing her hat back with her ears properly in place, she took a moment to straighten it before returning the mirror to her pocket. As she walked through the newsroom on the way to the office, she noticed it was quiet. The room was never quiet. Everyone was looking at her with wide eyes. What’d she miss? Picking up her pace slightly and glad that her fur hid the burning she felt just under her eyes and around her nose, she jogged to the editor’s office and stepped in quickly. She didn’t turn around as she closed the door behind her, not wanting to face her coworkers.

      The office was almost the same as it always was. Jemine, the editor, sat behind a black wood desk that was covered with notes, papers and holding the only phone in the building. The walls were all cork board with proofs of the articles meant for the evening edition plastered all over, from floor to ceiling. Jemine had the same unlit cigar in his mouth he always had, the running joke being it was the same one he’d had since his promotion to editor. The white shirt he wore had the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and gave contrast to the shiny black of his suspenders. His arms were folded across his chest and he had the usual scowl across his face.

      All of that was exactly the same as it always was, but there were two people there that didn’t belong. One was Lady Sajani, the pirate. Her arms were also crossed in front of her chest and her scowl, though before that moment Chaaya hadn’t thought it was possible, looked deadlier than Jemine’s. Polished black leather armor, a bow on her back, and sword at her side made the famed copper wolf look particularly deadly on her own.

      Her companion took that fearful visage and made it so she wanted to run from the room. She’d read about the second mate of the Wisp. She knew his reputation. From what she’d read there were many reasons the elves called him “the monster” and his height and girth weren’t the only ones. He was wearing the gray and red uniform pants of the wolf pack and a white collared shirt that would have looked slightly formal on anyone else. At his side was a sheathed dagger that looked small on him, but Chaaya was pretty sure would be almost as long as her arm. His glasses were in his shirt pocket and while he, thankfully, wasn’t scowling, he wasn’t smiling either.

      No sooner had the door closed when Sajani walked up to her, let out a howl of challenge and punched her across the face. The force of the hit was so strong her vision completely blacked out for a moment, but she did manage to stay on her feet, although a little off balance. At some point the hat left her head.

      Her sight returned, still a little blurry, and she fought to stay conscious. “I yield,” she sputtered, leaning over and placing her hands on her knees. “I yield.” That wasn’t the proper procedure for a challenge. She was supposed to declare the terms, but her brain was muddled and working hard to prevent her from passing out. The pirate had seemed so congenial and welcome during their interview. This was all such a shock.

      “Chass?” Sajani said with pointed staccato. He was obviously her second. She saw the huge wolf’s hand grab her by the shirt and she could feel her body stretch back out as he lifted her off the ground and held her there. Vision still all blurry, she wasn’t sure what was happening around her. She didn’t dare look the much larger wolf in the eye.

      “State. Your. Terms,” she heard the large wolf almost hiss at her.

      It was hard to formulate thoughts. “I… I…” she started. Chass shock her briefly. “I accept your terms.” There was no proper challenge she could propose that she’d any chance of winning. Between the copper wolf and her second, there didn’t seem to be much choice. It still wasn’t what tradition demanded as an answer, but it seemed like her only hope. She had to believe that the pirate would pick something fair.

      Chass slowly lowered her to the ground and shifted her slightly to make it easier to regain her footing.

      Her vision was almost back to normal, though her mind was still clouded. “What,” she gasped. “What’s this about?” She returned to her earlier position, hunched over with her hands on her knees. Not only was it easier to balance this way, it prevented her from having to look at the two pirates.

      A large gray hand shoved a news clipping up to her face. There were some words circled at the top. It took a second to focus and once she did, she realized it was a copy of her interview from last month. The circle was around the words “on her way from Tachio to Porthwa, with a stopover in…” Why would her travel itinerary matter?

      “You told the elves where to find us,” Sajani growled, “and now I’m out a ship.” There was a brief pause and then she continued, her words obviously aimed at Jemine. “You allowed it to go to press and if it that happens again, you’ll be in her position, but she’s the one that wrote it. She’s the one that sent it in. She’ll answer for what she did to my crew and I. She’ll learn why she should have never done that.”

      Chaaya felt a wave of horror. The enemy had read the paper? Vykati society was so insular, the thought honestly never occurred to her. It seemed like such an innocent statement, made mostly because she thought her readers might like to see how much the pirate traveled. In hindsight it was a particularly stupid thing to have included. Jemine and she should have known better.

      “Chass is going to take you to your home,” Sajani said, her voice still spiteful. “You’ll have a half hour to pack. Bring enough clothes for at least a week. You’ll be able to wash them as needed.”

      They were taking her away? To jail probably. Now that she could see what damage she’d done, several legal charges seemed possible. Her mind jolted with panic when she realized what she’d done and what it resulted in might already be coming to public knowledge. Their competitor would be particularly interested in that scoop. Her fellow vykati would not be happy with what she did. Jail might be safer. “Where are you taking me?” she asked sullenly.

      The edge was gone from Sajani’s voice as she answered, but there was still a little stiffness to the response. “You’ll be traveling with us for awhile. I want you to see exactly what damage you caused, and I want to keep an eye on you to prevent further damage.”

      As Chass was leading her out the office, among the stares and fearful glances of her colleagues, he said so amiably it seemed surreal. “I read your series about the history of Vidava and its cultural impact on Vharkylia society. I really enjoyed it.”