TOPWL 49

“Is the dance performed when it rains something that is set in tradition?”

“Of course. There is a dance that has been passed down through the family for generations. If you get it wrong, you’ll be punished quite harshly.”

“Is, is that so?”

Wadiram said with an expression that was hard to tell whether he was joking or serious.

“It’s a joke.”

Wadiram chuckled, and with a hearty laugh, he ran ahead, still a bit tipsy from the beer.

“I’ll show it to Yudit specially!”

“Wadiram! It’s fine!”

Yudit reached out to stop Wadiram, who was dancing in the street without an umbrella.

“Don’t worry. It’s fine.”

“If you catch a cold, what will you do? It’s so cold.”

“It’s not always warm in the desert. Some nights it gets cold enough for frost to form. So, there’s no need to worry too much.”

Wadiram, who had taken off his outer garment, began to dance. It was a completely different awkward gesture than when he had wielded a sword in the morning. His arms and legs moved together, and his head swung wildly. It was completely different from the dignified and structured dances of the nobility. But it was free-spirited. Yudit couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha!”

“Yudit, come join me and dance!”

“No, thank you!”

Yudit firmly refused. Wadiram, showing his disappointment, let his arms hang limp, with his shoulders and wrists drooping. His grim expression was a bonus. Yudit laughed again. Just then, a carriage coming around the corner suddenly rushed toward the spot where Yudit was standing.

“Watch out!”

Huyan quickly approached and pulled Yudit into his arms to shield him from the carriage. The carriage barely avoided them, but the wheels spun rapidly, splashing water. As the water splashed around, both Yudit and Huyan got soaked. The carriage didn’t apologize and kept going.

“Let’s go after them.”

“It’s fine. They probably didn’t see us in the dark.”

Yudit stopped Wadiram, who was about to chase after the carriage. Huyan, looking worried, spoke up.

“Let’s go inside. You’re soaking wet.”

“Since we’re wet already, Yudit should dance with me too.”

Both of them reached out their hands toward Yudit. After thinking for a moment, Yudit grabbed Wadiram’s hand. Wadiram grinned.

“Of course, the best part of a celebration is drinking and dancing.”

Yudit, a bit tipsy and flushed, clumsily followed Wadiram’s lead and started dancing.

“Wow, you’re dancing well!”

“Is, is that so?”

“Yes, but still, you’re too stiff. Try being more… intense. Yes, like that! Hahaha!”

As Yudit danced, the tension and unease faded far away, replaced by a sense of freedom that filled him. Huyan watched them with a worried expression. Yudit grabbed Huyan’s wrist with his wet hand.

“Come dance, Huyan.”

“I’m good.”

“Come on. Please?”

Yudit looked up at Huyan with his sparkling purple eyes. Eventually, Huyan folded up his umbrella and stepped out into the night street to follow Yudit. Huyan, with a serious expression, began to perform the impromptu dance, and it surprisingly suited him. Yudit laughed until his stomach hurt. The three of them danced and sang in the pouring rain. Fortunately, they were in a quiet alleyway, or others might have thought they were mad. Yudit suddenly felt that this night would be one he’d remember for a long time.

As they walked down the street, dancing and chatting, Yudit suddenly realized they had gone farther than he had intended. The street, once empty, was now crowded with people. Every shop had lights on, and people dressed in thin clothes were standing outside, trying to lure customers in. The scene felt like a completely different world, and Wadiram’s eyes widened in surprise. A woman, with a beauty mark near her eye and her shoulders exposed, spoke to them.

“Oh dear, you’re all drenched. Come in, warm up, dry off, and have something to drink.”

She gestured toward the inside. From within, the sounds of clinking glasses, lively voices, and music could be heard.

“Shall we go in? This place looks fun.”

Yudit wondered if Wadiram knew what kind of place this was. He stared at him quietly. Huyan sighed and grabbed Wadiram’s collar, which was already flushed from the alcohol.

“Wadiram, get a hold of yourself.”

“What? We were having fun earlier, so I’m thinking of having one more drink.”

“This is a brothel.”

Upon hearing Huyan’s words, Wadiram blinked in confusion, then looked around the place. Finally, he seemed to notice the half-dressed people and froze, startled.

“Tch, you should’ve told me sooner!”

“I thought you’d figure it out if you had eyes.”

Wadiram hurriedly tried to leave. Just before Yudit followed, he glanced around at the people. Despite their thick makeup, most of them looked sickly and gaunt. However, they were still in better shape than those sitting in the street. Some were so thin that their bones were visible, and they were out in the rain, holding out their hands, begging. Yudit always felt a pang of guilt whenever he saw such people. It had been that way for as long as he could remember.

As Yudit was looking at them, one of the beggars reached out and cautiously grabbed his sleeve. He had no nose, his teeth nearly gone, and his speech was barely understandable. His body seemed to be deteriorating due to some disease. Desperately, he spoke to Yudit. His words made his face harden.

“Please, please help me. My home… my home is there…”

Yudit’s expression softened, almost on the verge of tears. Just then, someone grabbed Yudit’s hand and pulled him away. It was Huyan. The beggar, sensing he had lost his hold on Yudit, let go of his sleeve.

“Let’s go. You’re drenched.”

Yudit, sighing, nodded and walked with him.

“…Alright.”

***

Yudit would come to remember this day for another reason: a terrible fever struck him. Though the rain had contributed, it was mainly due to the accumulated fatigue from the banquet’s preparations. Since all the servants had been given leave, Yudit was alone in his room, sick. The ceiling spun, and every time he swallowed, nausea followed.

“Ugh…”

Yudit reached for the basin beside his bed. He had thrown up all night and hadn’t eaten anything. His stomach was completely empty. As he threw up into the basin, he wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes.

“Ha…”

Wadiram and Huyan shouldn’t be sick. He didn’t regret the meeting that day, but he did think he had overdone it.

“If I keep this up, I really won’t be human…”

Yudit muttered in a hoarse voice, then threw the blanket over himself. But it didn’t last long, and he kicked the blanket off again. His body was drenched in sweat from the high fever. He couldn’t take a proper bath, but it might help to at least wipe himself down with a wet towel. Grabbing a towel, Yudit stumbled to the bathroom. Today, even turning on the faucet was difficult. Using all his strength, he managed to turn it on. In front of the sink, he started to unbutton his pajamas.

In his underwear, Yudit began to wipe the sweat off his body, starting with his arms, underarms, neck, and stomach. Though his body was hot, the air around him was icy cold. It was fortunate he was used to wiping himself down alone.

Gripping the bathroom doorframe, Yudit tried to steady himself but struggled to take another step. The world spun, and dizziness overwhelmed him. He couldn’t even take five more steps before collapsing on the carpet. Despite his efforts to clean himself up in the bathroom, Yudit curled up on the carpet. He thought he heard someone knocking in his dream.

“What? Are you dead?”

***

He dreamt he was in the desert. The hot heat and dry sandstorms surrounded him. Someone climbed a tree and began throwing ripe fruits down one by one. People, both children and adults, gathered underneath, reaching out to grab the falling fruits. A person with three fruits in their hands gave one to Yudit. As he bit into the wrinkled peel, sweet juice poured out. The children giggled, their clothes stained with fruit juice.

Then, dark clouds suddenly gathered. Yudit pointed at the sky, and everyone looked up. With a crack, the fluffy clouds began to tear apart, and rain poured down. Everyone, young and old, began dancing happily. Yudit joined them, laughing as he followed their movements. The shallow stream, which had been nearly dry, swelled rapidly with the rain. The pools of water that formed in the hollows of the sand grew into a vast oasis, sometimes merging with the river and sometimes carving new paths.

The rain soaked everyone to the bone before finally stopping. Flowers bloomed all over the sand, and a huge rainbow appeared in the sky, stretching from one end to the other. The people cheered and ran toward the rainbow. Yudit tried to join them, but someone grabbed his sleeve from behind.

The person whispered in his ear:

“Please, please help me. My home… my home is there…”

As if pulled up from the surface of the desert by an invisible hand, Yudit awoke, his fever higher than before. The nightmare kept haunting his mind, and he kept hearing the beggar’s voice.