The Lord of the Plains

by Sarah Chapman

Chapter 74

  The next day after breakfast Riley went to the human campsite. A soldier escorted her to where Mr Briggs, Messenger and Vann were sitting discussing things. Her eyes lingered on the back of Vann’s head for a moment.

  After her initial surprise she had been relieved at his presence. Vann would listen to her, he would give her a chance to explain. She felt she could trust him. And of course, there was that familiar twist deep inside, the tingle of excitement whenever she saw him. But she ignored that. She needed to focus.

  All three turned their attention to her and she forced herself back to the present.

  ‘Good morning.’ she said. ‘I’m afraid only I and Aerlid can speak Astarian. I have some time, if you would like I can show you around my tribe.’

  The three shared a quick glance. Then Messenger and Vann stood. ‘Thank you.’ Messenger said. ‘We’d like that.’

  Riley glanced up at the sky. All she saw was vast, blue sky and a few fluffy white clouds. Then she looked down at Mr Briggs. ‘Mr Briggs, it’s very impolite to keep the Predators camouflaged.’ she said, her smile fading slowly.

  ‘And what makes you think there are Predators with us?’ he answered glibly.

  ‘There are three.’ she said, and her smile vanished. Mr Briggs paled. ‘I’d like it very much if we could be honest with each other.’ she said. She turned, ‘if you’re ready, we can go now.’

  The camp of the gemengs looked organized and busy, Vann noticed. The gemengs were huge, tall and brawny and had a certain savage pride. Mostly, the gemengs ignored them, though Riley frequently stopped, switched to Plains speech easily, and spoke with some of them. Just as easily she switched back and would continue talking to him and Messenger.

  It was not a lovely language, it was guttural and growly.

  Messenger soon began asking Riley to tell him the names of things in this other language. Riley was surprised, and pleased, at his interest. Vann listened too and tried to remember everything she said.

  In a way, Vann thought the whole situation was surreal. Here he was, walking around the Plains with a woman he had pursued relentlessly. And they were behaving as casual acquaintances. But what could he say with Messenger here? And what would he say even if they were alone?

  So far they had talked about the gemengs and what life was like in the plains, but not about why they were here.

  Noon came. They arrived before a large tent. They stopped, Riley suggested they eat.

  As they sat her eyes met his for a moment. She glanced back to Messenger, who was saying something.

  ‘You want to know about the valkar.’ Riley replied. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t say much. They are… they are very private.’

  Messenger nodded. ‘I know, the Vachi were the same way about Vearla. But if these ehlkrid are really coming back, surely they could help us?’

  Riley shook her head. ‘I don’t think so, Messenger.’

  ‘Vearla told me they used to be friends with humans, and then they were attacked.’

  ‘I’ve heard that too.’

  ‘They don’t seem comfortable around humans. Why does a valkar stay with you?’ he asked.

  ‘Aerlid? He raised me.’ Riley replied.

  ‘He what? Why?!’

  ‘Mm. My mother is a valkar, my father human.’ she answered.

  ‘So you’re not a gemeng!’

  ‘No, I am. Gemeng just means mixed.’

  ‘I see.’ he looked at her with new eyes.

  ‘Perhaps Aerlid would be willing to spend some time with you.’ she said. ‘He would be much better at teaching you Plains speech than I, even if he won’t speak of the valkar.’

  ‘Yes, please. I would like that.’ Messenger smiled.

  Riley’s eyes met Vann’s again. Then away.

  Vann had said very little so far.

  ‘Messenger, would you feel comfortable in the company of one of my gemengs?’ she asked after a moment of silence.

  ‘Hmm?’

  ‘Karesh. I believe you’ve met him?’

  ‘Ah, the man with the wings. Yes.’

  ‘He is my second in command. I think if you want to understand what life is like here, you should follow him around. And I would like it if he could learn your language.’

  Messenger was silent a moment. ‘And you wouldn’t be there?’

  ‘No.’

  There was a pause. Vann’s eyes were on Messenger.

  ‘Alright.’ he said after a moment.

  Vann was startled. Alone in the gemeng encampment? He suddenly felt a rush of respect for Messenger. He was a brave man.

  Riley looked pleased. Vann wondered if he would be going with Karesh also.

  They stayed by the large tent a while. Then the aforementioned gemeng arrived. He was tiny compared to the other gemengs, shorter even than Riley. He had a small, slight body. His features were surprisingly delicate, his hair feathery and dark. Dark wings were tucked in tight against his back.

  He and Riley spoke for some time. Then he looked at Messenger.

  ‘Hello.’ he said in heavily accented Astarian. ‘I am Karesh.’

  Messenger replied in Plains speech. Vann was surprised how much he had picked up in just one morning. ‘Hello, Karesh. I am Messenger.’

  Karesh beamed. ‘Master say I show you?’

  Messenger looked at Riley. ‘Master?’

  Riley sighed. ‘Do you call your commanding officer by their first name?’

  ‘I guess not. Ok.’ he looked back at Karesh and stood. ‘I come.’ he said in Plains speech again.

  As they walked away Vann’s heart fluttered. He was alone with her. It was a struggle to turn and look at her. He felt very warm.

  Riley was watching him calmly. ‘Vann.’ she said.

  ‘Riley.’ it was a struggle to keep his voice calm.

  She seemed very far away, on the other side of the fire pit. Just as he was thinking that she stood and walked over. Then she sat next to him. Then she seemed very, very close.

  ‘It’s good to see you again.’ she said.

  Vann gave her a surprised look. For a moment he was tempted to ask, then why fake your death without telling me? But he rejected that question as soon as it arose. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know her answer. And besides, now was what was important.

  She was smiling at him. ‘How’s Zap Zap?’

  ‘Oh, he’s good.’ Vann replied.

  ‘Do you have any questions?’

  ‘Questions?’ His brain seemed to have stopped working.

  She waved her hand, gesturing to her tribe. ‘About this. Anything. You’re here to talk to me, aren’t you?’

  ‘I am.’ he nodded and swallowed. ‘Alright. Was what you said true, did you really leave to help Astar?’

  Riley sighed, her eyes lowered for a moment. ‘Well, not quite. Not at that time. That came later.’ she looked back up. ‘I left Astar because… I don’t know if you can understand Vann, what it’s like to be a gemeng in Astar. But it’s… limited. I wanted to know what I could do. How strong I was. I didn’t want to pretend to be less than I was anymore. That’s why I left.’

  Vann realised she was sharing something personal with him. Something that maybe she didn’t tell everyone. Didn’t want to tell just anyone. He suddenly felt very close to her. ‘I think I can understand that.’ he said.

  She smiled again, relieved.

  ‘So tell me again what you’re doing here?’

  The explanation she gave him was different to last night. It was more personal. There was a light in her eyes as she talked, almost timidly, about what she hoped to achieve. And then further- because at the moment she was really focussed on making life better for the gemengs. But perhaps more was possible? And then her doubts about how she was doing it. The problems she’d had.

  Vann reached out and touched her hand. Just for a moment. She squeezed his hand briefly before letting go.

  They smiled at each other.

  Later that night, after Messenger and Vann were
escorted back to their camp, Aerlid found Riley.

  Riley turned and smiled at him, and then it faded to surprise as she saw the look on his face. ‘Aerlid, what’s wrong?’

  ‘That human is infatuated with you.’ he stated firmly.

  The sudden colour in her cheeks told him she knew exactly what he was talking about.

  ‘Riley, you need to stop it.’

  ‘I-’

  ‘It’s because you’re part valkar. I’ve seen it before.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Some humans become obsessed with valkar on sight. Most don’t, but enough do that it’s not rare. He’s obsessed with you because of how you look. It’s not real.’

  ‘I- I like how he looks too!’ she said, taken aback and annoyed. ‘If he looked like… like if he was ugly maybe I wouldn’t feel the same way about him as I-’

  ‘Riley!’ he said, shocked, ‘it’s not the same! And you’re not supposed to admit to being so shallow!’ he gave her an exasperated look. ‘It’s not the same. He’ll react to you in a way he won’t to a beautiful human women. I need to make it so he sees you as human.’

  ‘What! Why?!’

  ‘Because that’s the only thing that will cure his obsession with you. If he still feels anything for you after that, fine. But right now, what he feels is wrong!’

  Riley stared. ‘No!’ she said. ‘I don’t believe-’

  ‘Riley!’ he glared at her. ‘I will show you!’

  Messenger spent much of the night and morning talking about Karesh. Vann asked how he managed to communicate with him.

  ‘It wasn’t that hard.’ he replied, as they talked over breakfast. ‘Well, it’s difficult. But I had to do that in Cavachi in the beginning. So I guess I’m used to it. And I think someone gave him a crash course in Astarian.’ he smiled, then continued talking.

  Karesh seemed to share his admiration for the valkar, or at least, Aerlid. And that was enough to form a tentative friendship between the two. Or at least, the beginnings of one. And besides that, there was a different feel to Karesh than the other gemengs.

  Vann was pleased to see that Messenger, upon meeting an intelligent, not unreasonably violent gemeng, had accepted it and quickly become Karesh’s champion.

  ‘He thinks highly of Riley too.’ he was saying, now to Mr Briggs. ‘I couldn’t get the exact details, but I think he likes what she’s doing. I think what she told us is true, Mr Briggs. She’s trying to change things here.’

  Mr Briggs grunted and asked Vann what he had found out. Vann struggled to keep the colour from his face. He told Mr Briggs a little of what Riley had said- mainly some of the difficulties she’d had. The details that made her story more believable. He wasn’t going to share the personal things with him.

  Mr Briggs looked from one to the other. Then he grunted and told them to get going, and try to be less in awe, if they could.

  They were escorted to the gemeng campsite where Riley met them.

  Vann’s smile died as he looked at her. He squinted, then shook his head.

  He couldn’t tell what it was, but something was different. Riley saw the look on his face. Disappointment flared in her eyes. Then she turned to Messenger, began talking, pointing things out, teaching him more of the language as they walked.

  Vann didn’t pay much attention.

  What was wrong?

  He continued watching her and shaking his head. She walked ahead of him with Messenger, her dark hair swaying in time with her stride, reaching to the middle of her back. Why had he been so interested in her?

  She was beautiful, and certainly unique with her black hair. But Coastside was full of beautiful women. He had never behaved around them the way he had around her…

  It felt as if someone else had pursued her, someone who wasn’t him.

  He couldn’t remember why. She was just… a woman. Why?

  He wondered briefly if the blow to the head he’d suffered in the Molk attack had been worse than he’d thought.

  The disjoint was troubling. Why? It wasn’t him. He didn’t act like that.

  He looked up at her again at the same time as she looked back. Suddenly he felt uneasy.

  He’d made all sorts of promises to her. He never did that to women- he never said things he didn’t mean. But he didn’t feel that way anymore, he couldn’t understand why he ever had.

  He felt sick. He’d have to explain to her. He’d never had to do something like that before. How were you supposed to go about it? It wasn’t her fault he had inexplicably gone mad. This was going to make his break up with Teila look positively wonderful!

  As before, Riley sent Messenger off with Karesh. And then it was just her and Vann, standing by her tent.

  Vann who was… who was…

  He started to speak. Riley held up a hand. ‘It’s alright.’ she said. Aerlid was right. ‘I understand.’

  She heard a sigh of relief. She thought she might cry.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I never meant to deceive you. I just… I don’t know why I-’

  ‘It’s ok, Vann. Please, let’s just leave it at that.’

  ‘Riley, I still need to talk to you about what’s going on here.’

  ‘Yes. Of course. Ask away.’

  The hardest thing, he thought, was that he still admired her.

  If anything, he could respect her vision even more now. And he wanted to be a part of that. He thought of Zap Zap, of Coastside. He couldn’t promise her more than friendship, though he would very much like to give her that. It was blatantly obvious she was upset, though she was being very dignified about it. He had to respect that as well.

  So he hoped that maybe with a little time, she would be willing to be his friend.