Starblazer
Page 2
"Maybe. I can ask for him as a prize when we win the war against the Varians."
"Let me tell you something, you silly little Human. I'm very good at reading the future, and I can see all of your life. You will become Edwyn's queen, you'll serve him faithfully in his war against the Varians and the Genn, and you'll have what you want. But hear this: you will also die by the hand of the son of the Sila you fear so much now. Keep doing your exercises, keep using your illusions and magic bolts and evil powers. This won't save you when your time comes."
Lenore saw the wings on the wall behind Shania slowly dissolve.
"Damn!" she concluded. "I've got to go. See you in your next life, witch!"
She stormed out of the cave, furious. She ran back to the clearing to find Winged Kalino lying on the grass, unconscious. She touched his forehead: it was burning again. The Fever of Loss.
She morphed into Winged Raziela and took him high up in the sky, and over some huge white clouds. She contemplated him for a few moments, brushing his hair and cheek. Suddenly she kissed him, unzipping his clothes and exploring his hairless body.
Winged Kalino woke up, saw her, opened his mouth in awe, but she closed it before he could speak. They made love on their bed of clouds, Winged Kalino still burning with fever.
"Winged Raziela," he whispered, exhausted.
"I'm dead," she answered. "And this is just a beautiful dream."
"No…" he drifted into sleep, desperate.
Lenore changed back to her winged Human form and sighed. She dressed him and waited for him to wake up again. His sleep wasn't peaceful: maybe he was re-living the death of his Destinito. They certainly had no way to defend themselves. Poor Sila. So beautiful and harmless…
***
She was weak. She could barely open her eyes.
"Raziela," he pleaded. "Stay with me!"
"I can't… fly anymore…" She grew weaker and weaker.
"Raziela, don't leave!" he insisted out of desperation. He was crying openly, but his tears couldn't keep her alive. She had lost her wings, her purpose, her life.
"Forgive me," she whispered with her last breath. Then she was still. Slowly her body dissolved, leaving him empty handed.
He found it hard to breathe. He felt as if fire was burning him. He tried to scream, but his voice wouldn't come out. He fainted.
He woke up in the arms of Winged Raziela. He felt weak, but she was so beautiful… He made love to her.
"You're dreaming," she whispered.
"Don't leave me!" he pleaded.
"I'm already gone, beloved," she replied. "But you are still alive."
"No!" he moaned. Pain, fear, horror. The fever seemed to consume him. Then a fresh wind took away the heat. He slowly relaxed, exhausted.
Winged Kalino woke up feeling empty. He saw the Fajrulo by his side and sighed.
"What happened? I can't remember much," he asked.
"We found your Destinito, too late," she answered. "I talked to the sorceress, she won't get very far. I think you should go back to your Nest. Which one is it?"
"The Nest over the Valley. Lenore, I thought I saw Raziela…"
"She's dead. Your heart already told you. You felt it torn to pieces, remember?"
"Yes, but… I made love to her and it felt so real…"
"Only a dream, my darling," she assured with a smile. "Come on, show me where your Nest is."
With a last sigh, Winged Kalino spread his wings. His Destinito was gone, but Air wanted him to live. Maybe another Sorto was waiting for him at the Nest.
Lenore followed him in silence, a mysterious smile on her lips.
***
The Varian court was reunited in the walled stone castle the Varian kings had built at the beginning of the war, after the previous timber keep had been burned to ashes by the Blackmore raiders.
Among the bearded Human warriors stood a couple of blond, androgynous beings with pointed ears, and a young Sila, close to the king himself and only mildly interested in the war plans discussed loudly at the table. The two old but still beautiful Genn exchanged glances and sighs and shrugs from time to time, while the young Sila's keen eyes tended to wander to everybody's face, even the furthest servant at the other side of the great hall.
The discussion between the king and his generals was animated, still silence fell when a woman appeared on the great hall's door. She stood there with a baby in her arms until everybody shut up to stare at her in wonder.
"Talk about a theatrical entrance," the eldest Genn smiled at her. "What can we do for you?"
"Who is that woman?" the Varian king demanded.
"I am Lenore and I want to speak to the Sila, Winged Morgan," she replied with a smile.
Winged Morgan looked even more stunned than his Human companions.
"What do you want from me?" he inquired, puzzled.
She moved two steps forward.
"Do you want me to tell in front of everybody?"
"I have no secrets."
"Of course not," she smiled again, moved forward, stopping not too far from the king's table. All men noticed her beauty.
"Woman, are you married?" the king inquired.
"You don't want to marry her, your majesty," the other Genn counselor suggested with a brief smile.
"Why not?" protested the king.
"You have three wives already, I believe it's enough," Lenore sounded amused. She turned to the Sila. "Winged Morgan, do you know Winged Kalino?"
Winged Morgan stared at her, suspicious.
"He is my duonfrato, Fajrulo, what do you want from him?"
"He is not at his Nest, and I was wondering if you knew where he is."
"He has lost his Destinito and is flying the world in search of peace."
She snorted.
"Well, as he is your duonfrato, I believe he will come back here sooner or later."
She covered the few steps remaining, and put the baby on the table, in front of the puzzled king: a tiny bundle with deep black eyes and a quietness and wisdom unusual for such a small child. Everybody stared at him in wonder and suspicion.
"This is Winged Kyler Darklight, Winged Kalino's son," Lenore announced. "I'm sure you will take care of him."
All looked shocked, including the members of the Magical Races.
"Lenore, you didn't!" the elder Genn protested.
"It saved his life," she replied.
New respect shone on Winged Morgan's youthful face.
"You were with him when he lost his Destinito?"
"I was."
"And why did you do it?" Winged Morgan's voice softened as he looked into the baby's black eyes.
"I never had a Sila before," she smiled.
"What are you?" the king found his voice to ask, staring at her in sudden awe.
"Fajrulo," Winged Morgan whispered, taking the quiet, smiling baby in his arms. "I will keep Kyler until Kalino returns," he promised.
Lenore smiled and bowed, leaving in the renewed silence.
The king turned to the two Genn and Winged Morgan.
"How could you tell she wasn't Human?"
"We feel the other Magical Races' blood," replied the younger Genn. "Fajrulo are shape shifters, but we can see through their disguises."
The baby rid himself of the cover, freeing his torso and waving his little arms around, still held under the armpits by a puzzled Winged Morgan. Suddenly a couple of little black wings sprouted from his back, flapping happily as if he wanted to fly away from Winged Morgan's grasp.
The Sila laughed, the Genn smiled, the Humans were out of breath again.
"Welcome to the Varian court, Winged Kyler!"
Winged Morgan let him go for a short flight over their heads, then the baby glided into his arms and nested there. The wings disappeared and he closed his eyes, falling peacefully asleep.
"A potentially very powerful half blood," the elder Genn commented, amused.
"Could he help me to win the war?" the king asked.
&nb
sp; "Who knows. Maybe..."
THE END?
***
About the author
Barbara G.Tarn is a writer, artist and world-creator. This short story from her world Silvery Earth is the prequel to a novel coming out in 2011 - Books of the Immortals: FIRE. In the meantime she writes, draws, ignores her day job and blogs at: https://creativebarbwire.wordpress.com
Other works can be found in print and some download (PDF only) at https://stores.lulu.com/barb65
e-mail: creativebarbwire@gmail.com