“That much money!” said Feyūnha? in great surprise and distress. “Not even I would spend that much for food. You must call them back. We surely cannot repay you for this!”
And both Sanyha?mān and Tūmb?ār chided her for not accepting Erezuri’s hospitality, to which Feyūnha? said, “Have you two no shame! We shouldn’t accept so grand a courtesy as this. How would we be able to repay such a thing? No money or items of interest we have to give them!”
The two then shut their mouths, unable to counter her words. Erezuri simply laughed and waved her hands.
“I do not mind, Feyūnha?!” she said. “My brother would have very likely gambled it away,” to which Hirmān wished to object, but was quickly stifled upon his mouth being slapped by his sister. “In any case, I did wish to treat you all—not just for what happened yesterday, but because you are our guests and friends. A greater shame it is for the host to not do all that they can to please their guests than it is for the guests to repay. Regardless of whether a demon or god comes upon visitation, should we lavishly treat them to due benefit. You certainly know of the many stories concerning them, of how many a one was cursed upon the ill-treated stranger revealing their true nature!”
Naktha?m nodded in delight as Feyūnha? remained silent, unable to retort for what she said was very much true.
“But aside from that, I wished not for you to repay at all! Enjoy yourselves: your journey will still be quite long through the desert and I fear you shall not have any good food for a while. Enjoy it while you can!”
Feyūnha? still seemed unsure, but Naktha?m said, “We should accept her hospitality. It does not look like she will take no for an answer, and I am quite hungry as well.” Erezuri nodded, and in a whisper he continued, “Besides, am I not as a demon of what she spoke?”
“Perhaps you are, but I know you’re speaking for your stomach,” said Feyūnha?, sighing.
“For one of my three stomachs, yes!” he said, laughing, as he smacked Sanyha?mān’s back with some hard slaps.
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Feyūnha? exhaled and then smiled. “I suppose there’s no use arguing with the host. This princess will have to forego her demands and listen to her equal.”
“Well said, Feyūnha?!” said Erezuri.
It was not long before a platter of food was brought their way: rice glazed in curries of all varieties; the meat seasoned with bahārāt native to the continent of Drgsty?ha?, and the vegetables fried in freshly extracted coconut and peanut oils, flecked with dry chilly powder and asafoetida. And in the center were large chunks of mutton and pork that permeated a delightfully strong fragrance (none of which Tūmb?ār would eat but could not deny were appetizing). Tūmb?ār and Sanyha?mān salivated, ready to pounce on their prey, but Naktha?m held them back from gorging, pointing to Erezuri while his stomach rumbled.
The three of them looked to her as she lifted some food into the air and spoke a few of the words Lūshha? had pronounced to Zūrya?ār on that fateful day:
Granyavizhivam antvarit
Ishvārha??ār ag?av k?arya?m
Frsrtārna granyavima
Bhaoro rar tāpīzhyhar apash
In all the abiding (portions of) life
Does That (reside) as the Internal Flame.
And That by the Way of the Highest,
Has suffused in all (there is) the Breath of Life.
So offer this food as austerity,
As sacrifice partaken without sin.
She dropped the food onto her plate and clapped her hands. The group at once gorged down their meals, taking large mouthfuls of drink and food, losing all control over their gluttony; the monkey, the child, and the demon alike and Hirmān and Erezuri found this quite amusing.
“I fear there might not be enough food for them!” cried Hirmān, laughing.
“Aye it might be so!” said Erezuri. She then asked Feyūnha?, “Are they always like this? Not that I mind?”
“Most of the times, yes,” said Feyūnha? with a gentle smile. “But glad I am they’re able to eat as they are. You’re right that we won’t be able to eat like this when we have to leave. The journey is not all bad, however, irrespective of all the mess concerning gods and demons. And I think we have Tūmb?ār alone to thank for that. Even if he wasn’t tasked by the Deha??ār, he would have continued to journey throughout the world, for that is his desire; the curse of his only being an instigator for it. If only I?ēha? and Ai?th were here, I’m sure they would eat their fill as well—well, more so I?ēha?.”
“Well, if and when the priestess gets better, I shall give them a tour as well, but as for the food you need not worry about that—tonight we shall have an even greater and lavish feast than this,” she said with surety. “But what is the curse you speak of?”
“Ah! We hadn’t mentioned it to you yesterday.”
Feyūnha? explained all the circumstances surrounding their journey but did not speak of Naktha?m’s heritage or I?ēha?’s disappearance.
“My! That is quite the tale!” said Erezuri. “But sad it is that Tūmb?ār should have to bear all that. To think even King R?yāshpha? was driven to madness and even dared to strike down a child, let alone a priestess. If things have progressed thus far, then all the more reason to turn down the envoy’s offer and forget relocating ourselves to Trdsy?ūr, though the prospect always seemed ill. I shall just have to hope that Hirmān’s council with the Gazhigam proves fruitful.”
“Enough with the chatter, sister, eat!”
And as they ate, not far from them sat some of the envoy’s soldiers, their faces veiled though they were not of the royal guard. They grew all the more suspicious of the group and had devised a scheme to see if they were indeed the ones who escaped the King’s grasp.