The Lord of the Plains

by Sarah Chapman

Chapter 71

  Not long after, the city of the valkar left the Plains. Aerlid told Riley it would return once more, just before the ehlkrid arrived, in case there was a problem or they decided to take Adila up on her offer of seeking safety in the city. After that it would leave- go somewhere far away from other people.

  After the city left Riley began pressuring Aerlid again for a meeting with Andalla. She couldn’t see the harm in talking to him, and surely the potential benefit was worth the annoyance it was causing Aerlid.

  Aerlid disagreed with every part of her argument. But she kept pushing and so finally he relented.

  For five days Aerlid was gone. Where he went, Riley didn’t know. He had, in a huff, finally agreed, stalked out of her tent and began singing to the moon. And then he was just gone.

  When he finally returned he was in a worse mood than when he left. He announced that he’d spoken to Andalla. Whether he would come, or when, well… that was anyone’s guess.

  Riley listened with rising excitement as her returned scouts gave her their report.

  ‘We didn’t see how far the caves go, but there were a lot. Enough to store a lot of supplies, if not hold most of the tribe.’ a young gemeng was saying.

  ‘Thank you.’ Riley said. ‘You’ve done a great job, go get something to eat.’

  The gemeng nodded and moved off.

  Riley, pleased, turned to look at Aerlid and Karesh. ‘Aerlid, I’d like you to come with me to look at those caves. We need to see what we can do with them. Karesh, do you think you can handle things here?’

  ‘I… don’t know.’ he said in that way he had. Things had been going much better lately, but that didn’t mean the gemengs wouldn’t suddenly rebel if she disappeared for a few days.

  Riley had, truthfully, expected that. ‘Alright. I’d like you and Aerlid to go then. Take whoever you need. I want to know if we can move the tribe there and if we can defend the caves from the ehlkrid.’

  ‘We can do that.’ Aerlid replied calmly.

  They began discussing how many people they’d need to take, what they’d need and how soon they could leave.

  Aerlid’s voice slowly trailed off. His eyes were getting very big, fixed on something behind Riley.

  Suddenly he swore.

  Startled, Riley turned. She looked around. Then up.

  ‘He’s coming right now!’ Aerlid nearly shouted. Suddenly he ran off. He yelled to Riley as he sprinted away, ‘this is a special occasion!’

  Riley spun around to see Aerlid disappearing into the campsite. She turned to look at Karesh, whose eyes were also fixed on the vision in the sky. ‘They can fly…’ he whispered.

  Riley looked back up at the procession, gliding towards them from the clouds. ‘Yes. Karesh, I need to go change, can you handle things?’

  He nodded.

  And Riley sprinted off after Aerlid.

  Riley quickly but calmly changed into the clothes Aerlid had finished for her less than a week ago. They were in the same style as her normal clothes- just not ripped or patched or blood stained. She did not have a mirror to look at herself, so she could not see that the deep, rich black looked very nice on her. It felt nice too. They were ‘special occasion’ clothes. Her ordinary clothes had not, in fact, been burnt by Aerlid. She needed everyday clothes too.

  Finished, she quickly began re-arranging things in her tent. It was the biggest tent in the tribe, so it had been decided that if Andalla showed up they would greet him here. Why that mattered, Riley didn’t know.

  Aerlid had made arrangements in case Andalla arrived without warning, and he had told her how she must behave. So at least they weren’t completely unprepared.

  She had barely finished dressing when Aerlid arrived. He hurried around, giving her instructions all the while. ‘Get outside. Look humble, no that’s not humble, Riley. Look… look, I don’t know- not like that! And make sure you get all the way on the ground when he arrives. Don’t look him in the eye unless he gives you permission, and compliment him lots.’

  Riley, who remembered all this, did not comment. Instead she calmly left her tent which was being transformed from where she slept into a place fit to greet Andalla.

  The procession was now nearly to the ground. Riley noted that her tribe was behaving as they should and turned her attention to the procession. It was hard to make out shapes yet, just that Andalla’s people were coming through the sky in two columns and had a golden glow to them.

  It took nearly an hour for the procession to reach the ground. By then the campsite had been rearranged so there was room for them to land. Aerlid had come out of Riley’s tent some time ago and was standing by her side. He did not look happy.

  Finally, the creatures landed on the ground. They formed two lines, a space in between. Immediately they began blowing on large, golden and silver horns. It was very loud.

  Riley observed them carefully. They wore very little clothes. Mostly, they wore a short white skirt with gold or silver embroidery along the hem. A few wore robes that looked like sheets casually draped around themselves. The scanty clothing showed off their well-muscled and perfectly proportioned bodies. Riley noted they all appeared to be men. Their skin was golden brown and their faces as perfect as their bodies. On their backs were their… wings. It looked like a giant maple leaf had been attached to each man’s back, maple leaves that were a reddish gold colour- like during fall. The flesh in between the veins of the leaf were a gold translucent colour and the veins a darker line against that background. If it wasn’t for the wings they could easily have been mistaken for very good looking humans. They looked practically normal compared to the valkar.

  Along the corridor made by the winged creatures a man strode towards them.

  Riley remembered what she was to do and quickly knelt down on her knees, her forehead to the ground. Beside her, Aerlid was doing the same thing.

  The horns fell silent. Riley could see a pair of fancy, gold-worked boots in front of her.

  A voice spoke- an exceedingly lovely voice. ‘You may rise and look upon my visage, children. Though I must caution you, my beauty may send you mad.’

  Riley quickly got to her feet, Aerlid doing the same beside her. Riley doubted she’d be sent mad, but she kept her head bowed anyway. Aerlid had suggested this was the best thing to do.

  Aerlid however was standing straight.

  There was a pause.

  Then, ‘I said you could look at me.’ Andalla prompted.

  Riley did not quite know how to take that after his warning. She noticed Aerlid glancing at her out of the corner of an eye. ‘Uh…’ she began a bit uncertainly, ‘Aerlid has told me so much about you, oh magnificent one, I fear looking at you would be too much. Why, even your feet are almost too much for my feeble mind to bear.’

  ‘Well,’ Andalla replied, sounding very happy, ‘they are, aren’t they? Very well, you have my permission to look at my feet. Would you like to kiss them?’

  ‘Um-’ Riley saw Aerlid making a face at her. ‘I’m not worthy of that honour.’ she said.

  ‘That’s true.’ Andalla agreed. ‘But I’ll allow it.’

  Without looking up, Riley glanced at Aerlid again. He was making little nodding motions.

  Riley looked down at Andalla’s boots. They were very nice boots, but she did not feel particularly like kissing them. And besides, it was impossible to have a conversation like this.

  And so she straightened up. She got her first look at Andalla, whose eyes were now wide open, his eyebrows up somewhere in his hair. He looked very much like the trumpeting winged creatures, except his features were even more perfect. Not maddeningly so- Riley still felt quite sane.

  ‘Hello.’ Riley said. ‘My name is Riley, it’s very nice to meet you.’

  ‘She’s gone mad!’ Aerlid suddenly cried. ‘Oh curse you, how could you! You know the effect you have on people!’

  ‘I’m very sorry.’ Andalla said gravely, though he seemed pleased at the same time. ‘I doubt there’
s anything you can do to fix her.’

  ‘Yes.’ Riley said, trying to keep her tone even. ‘I’m quite mad. Can we talk about the ehlkrid…ah!’ Riley stopped, her head buzzing painfully. Her mouth tasted coppery.

  Aerlid merely grimaced.

  ‘Wh-what was that?’ she demanded.

  ‘Oh,’ Andalla merely raised his eyebrows. ‘The ehlkrid-’ the buzzing, vibrating pain came back, Riley clutched her head, ‘have such an awful name,’ Andalla continued, ‘to even say it causes great pain.’

  Riley stared. That had never happened before!

  ‘You can say my name if you like. I give you permission.’

  Riley wasn’t sure she wanted to, but Aerlid was glaring at her, so, ‘Andalla.’ she said. She went stock still, heat flooding her face.

  ‘Yes.’ Andalla smiled. ‘My name is so very beautiful, it has that effect on people.’

  Riley almost preferred her reaction to ehlkrid. ‘It’s… it’s… there are many things we should discuss.’ she said, deciding she didn’t want to think about his name any more.

  ‘Andallites too.’ he said.

  Riley closed her eyes slowly as pleasure flooded her body.

  ‘That’s very beautiful. You were not aware, Aerlid, but that is what my people are now called.’

  ‘You finally saw fit to name them, did you?’ Aerlid shot back. Riley noted his cheeks were also a bit pink.

  ‘Yes. They finally earned the right to a name.’

  Aerlid said nothing.

  Riley quickly sought to get the conversation back on track. ‘I understand you… your people have fought the…’ she paused, gathering her strength, ‘the ehlkrid before?’ the pain came back. At least it washed away the memory of what Andalla and Andallites had done to her.

  Andalla’s smile slowly faded.

  ‘She’s quite mad.’ Aerlid reminded him. ‘Would you do us the honour of coming and sitting?’ Aerlid gestured to Riley’s tent. ‘It is the best we could do, I’m sorry it’s not nearly good enough.’

  ‘Oh, not at all.’ Andalla’s smile slowly returned. He followed Aerlid into the tent. Riley came after.

  The furs that made up her bed, along with a dozen other furs borrowed from the rest of the tribe, had been scattered around the room. Furniture was somewhat lacking among the gemengs of the Plains, so Aerlid had done his best trying to make fur cushions on which they could lounge.

  ‘I expect you’ll want to throw yourself on your sword after this. Out of shame.’ Andalla said, sounding very happy with the notion.

  ‘Most likely.’ Aerlid muttered. ‘It was a struggle not to do it before you arrived, oh transcendent one.’

  Andalla, satisfied, settled himself on a pile of furs.

  Riley remained standing before him while Aerlid quickly ducked out of the tent. He returned with some bowls of food and drink.

  ‘Ah, refreshments. You may both serve me.’

  Riley managed to go about that task without saying anything. When Andalla had finished commenting on how awful everything was- and suggesting Riley should join Aerlid when he threw himself off a cliff, Riley again tried to turn the conversation to the ehlkrid.

  ‘Yes, of course my people have fought and vanquished the monstrous ones many times.’ Andalla said. ‘And certainly, we will do so again.’

  This was not necessarily a good thing. ‘I understand…’ Riley began carefully, ‘in the past many.. non-ehlkrid,’ pain flashed through her, ‘died when your people fought them?’

  ‘Yes. The unworthy died.’

  ‘The unworthy?’

  ‘Yes, of course my people would not have killed anyone worthy. Though the ehlkrid probably did. Why, I imagine those are the only ones they killed!’

  ‘And what makes people unworthy?’ she asked.

  ‘Many things.’ he shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Mainly getting killed by my people, the Andallites.’

  Riley could not respond for a moment. ‘I-is,’ she began shakily, ‘is there a way to become worthy?’

  ‘Many ways. The only way you’ll know for certain is by who kills you, ehlkrid or Andallite.’

  The combination of the two- pain and pleasure, was almost more than she could bear. It took what felt like an age to get control of her body again. ‘Is there any way your people could kill less people?’

  ‘Certainly, if they become worthy the ehlkrid will kill them instead.’

  When the pain faded she noticed Aerlid looking at her, as if to say ‘I told you so’.

  Riley wasn’t quite sure what to say. Clearly, the Andallites were as deadly as the ehlkrid. Aerlid was right, she did not want Andalla’s help. ‘I’m sorry, these questions must sound very stupid to you. I’m often told how slow I am.’

  Andalla beamed, even happier about this than when she complimented him. ‘Indeed, you are! Horribly so!’

  ‘But I would like to prove myself worthy of kissing your feet.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think you could do that.’ he shook his head.

  ‘I know, you’re right. Of course, you’re always right. But might you stay away for a while, so I may try and deal with the ehlkrid and prove myself to you?’ It felt like her skull was going to shake itself apart. With great effort, she kept her expression blank.

  ‘Oh,’ Andalla seemed pleased. ‘Well, that might work. I suspect you’ll have to give me many gifts as well.’

  ‘Nothing I have is worthy of you.’

  ‘No. But you should give me things anyway.’

  ‘A-alright… and you’ll stay away?’

  ‘And judge her?’ Aerlid interjected. ‘You could watch and judge like a… like the most wise and just of all Judgement Masters.’

  A small smile curved up Andalla’s lips. He leant back in the furs and looked them over as if already judging them. ‘Yes. Yes I believe I shall.’

  ‘By staying away,’ Aerlid went on, ‘judge by staying away and not interfering.’

  ‘Yes…’ Andalla’s smile faded as he looked around, as if the novelty of the situation was wearing off. ‘It’s not very nice here. I expect you’ll have a palace for me, next time I come and visit.’

  ‘We’ll work on that, though it wouldn’t be good enough for you.’

  ‘No, of course not.’ Andalla said, still with that little frown on his face. Suddenly he stood. He strode from the tent, out in front of his people.

  Alarmed, Aerlid and Riley followed.

  ‘Very well, my children.’ he intoned once they had arrived. Now that he was out of the tent he was smiling a bit. ‘I shall watch you closely from above. Be warned, I shall be your judge, the ehlkrid, your trial!’

  And as the pain was still buzzing in Riley’s ears Andalla rose from the ground. The Andallites began blowing on the horns again, and after he was above them, followed behind.

  And just like that, they were gone.

  When he was gone Riley stormed into her tent, Aerlid watching.

  ‘That man is dangerous?!’ she demanded, gesturing wildly. ‘He’s a fool!’ She had a throbbing headache from all the times ehlkrid had been said.

  ‘Yes.’ Aerlid agreed. ‘That’s a very nice way of putting it. Unfortunately, he’s also a very strong and powerful fool.’

  ‘And what on earth was he doing?! Was he making the words hurt?’

  Aerlid nodded. ‘Yes. That was him. I’m glad you finally see why I didn’t want to talk to him, Riley. I suppose it did not go too bad- if he does stay away. But don’t underestimate him, he is very powerful.’

  Riley nodded curtly. The fact that he could hurt her without any apparent effort demonstrated that quite clearly. She did not feel like staying still right now.

  ‘I’m going for a walk.’ and with that she strode from the tent.