Freamhaigh

by Donald D. Allan

  “Soon you’ll be the head of the Church,” I reminded him.

  Edward’s face grew dark. “Yes, well. I’ll have to come to terms with that. I don’t believe in all that religious stuff. Can’t see how I can be the head of a church I don’t believe in. Anyway. The good news is that I think these books go back quite some time. A thousand years at least. You can commune with the draoi in Jergen, yes?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Can you ask them to search for translation material? And more history books with the Cian-Oirthear language? The older the better.”

  * * *

  Three days had passed since the funeral and Steve kept himself locked inside his room on the main floor. Dempster managed to bring him water and bread and get him to eat a little, but he wanted nothing else to do with anyone. Nadine and I sensed his great inner turmoil. Seeing Franky was perhaps the cruellest thing Gaea could have done to him. Steve had needed closure, and he had been so close. Now he knew she was out there and part of Gaea’s world. He wrestled with thoughts that had Nadine and I more than once ready to intervene. He travelled down a winding road of grief, despair, and anger. He thought of suicide one moment and revenge the next.

  Nadine and I kept the few remaining draoi on the farm busy with tasks and the practice of their skills. They were those draoi who were the best tuned to tending plants and animals on the farm. Nadine also worked with the animals and I opened my small workshop and demonstrated making unguents and potions. When it became clear I was no longer needed I backed out of the room to allow Elisabeth and Jolene to work without my supervision. My mother would have been proud of them. They were her equal.

  I came out of the room and walked around to the kitchen. I entered just as Steve came in from the other side. He saw me and froze. I did the same. We stared at each other for a long time. I sensed his emotions were still volatile, and I was worried I would set him off. When he first saw me I felt his anger spike for a moment and then he suddenly calmed. I could sense he blamed me for Franky’s death. It was clear for anyone to see. I knew that Franky’s death lay equally at his feet, but I would never be the one to tell him. For now, I said nothing and waited for him to speak.

  Dempster, his back to the sink and window, watched us both and then turned to the pantry and started pulling out items and laying them down on the counter. “Wait one moment, Steve. Don’t leave.” Dempster disappeared out the back and came back with meats from the winter ice box. “Anne, come here!” he yelled out with a bellow.

  “What?” screamed Anne from the upper floor.

  “I said come here!”

  “I’m not coming all the way downstairs just for you to tell me to go back up and fetch something! What do you want?”

  “To come here! Steve’s out of his room.”

  “Well, why didn’t you say so? By the Word, Dempster! Use words. They do wonders!”

  I saw the corner of Steve’s mouth twitch and I took it as a good sign. I sat at the table and waited. After a moment, Steve sat across from me. Anne came hustling in, with her baby hanging off her hip. She saw Steve and me sitting at the table and then spied Dempster sawing thick slices off a loaf of bread.

  She thrust her baby at Steve. “Here, hold wee Franky a moment, will you?”

  Steve took the baby in his arms and looked at her. The baby was always so calm and liked Steve. She grabbed at his unshaven face and giggled. Steve jerked in his seat and twisted to look at Anne. “What did you call her?”

  “Franky. Now sit and be still, we’ll have food in front of you in a moment. About time you came out of that room. I’ll have to open the windows in your room and change the sheets. It’ll be rank in there.”

  Steve looked at me a moment and then looked at wee Franky. I saw him swallow and try to hold strong. He buried his face in the baby’s neck and held her.

  That night we met at the dining room table after our meal. We called the remaining draoi to join us and the four of them sat together at one end. Dempster was seated nearest the kitchen and Anne sat beside him working a needlepoint on a hoop frame. Wee Franky lay in a bassinet and was sleeping peacefully beside her. Nadine sat to my right, and Steve on my left. Edward sat beside Nadine and was working on his journals.

  “Evening everyone,” I said.

  There were polite replies and then everyone looked at me expectantly.

  “I wanted to speak with you all. I thought it time we discussed many things. Clear the air, I suppose.”

  The draoi nodded. They were getting along wonderfully. Elisabeth and Jolene had calmed the powers of Ethan and Warren. The couples were inseparable and very much in love. Hands had disappeared below the table and I kept my powers away from them. I felt Nadine’s amusement and leaned over for a peck on my cheek.

  I spotted Anne sneaking a look at Dempster and I smiled to myself and glanced at Nadine. She had noticed, too. I looked up to all the expectant faces.

  “You are all aware of what happened in Portsmouth and what’s happening in Jergen. I haven’t had time to bring Steve up to date. So bear with me.”

  I quickly explained to Steve what had happened in Portsmouth with the black powder and the state of the Turgany Army in Jergen. It didn’t take long, and I could see Steve thinking.

  “It is unlikely that Munsten will send its army south anytime soon,” he said after reflection. “They could lay siege to Jergen for a year and accomplish nothing.”

  “That’s what Brent said. Major Tibert is pulling together a new SOS team. Him and Staff Sergeant Mary Eastman, that is. Brent has plans for them.”

  “I have no doubt,” said Steve. “Brilliant putting together an elite team like that. Reminds me of my early days. We were not so different from the SOS. Truly. I should write some points down for Hugh. Hard earned lessons he might be interested in not repeating.”

  “I’m sure he would appreciate it,” I replied. I looked at the others. “This has been a hard year for all of us. Case in point, Imbolc Day passed last week, and we barely noticed. Imbolc celebrates the quickening of spring, the end of winter, and a time of planning and hope. I thought perhaps we take some time to plan what we do next. And find some hope.”

  “We do whatever you tell us to do, Freamhaigh!” boomed Warren, and the table laughed until Anne shushed us and pointed at wee Franky with one of her needles.

  “Ha ha! Yes, Warren, well that was always understood. Sorry, Anne, we’ll keep it down, but you know we can keep her asleep, right?” I said with a smile. “We won’t, of course. Anyway, what we do next affects us all and the Realm, too. Brent means to do something soon. The death of the Baron has done little to change tactics, but it does leave Edward with no one to dispute his claim to the throne.

  “Back to Brent. He’s seen what the SOS can do, and I sensed a focused thought from him before I left Jergen. He’s thinking of Munsten.”

  Steve interrupted. “You think he means to send the SOS to Munsten? Go for the heart of the problem? Take out Healy?”

  I nodded. “I do.”

  “But you’re not happy?”

  I shook my head. “No. Healy’s not the problem. Erebus is. Why must I always remind everyone of the threat that is Erebus? He is always at the forefront of my thoughts.”

  Steve tutted. “Brent can’t do anything about Erebus. But he can against Healy.”

  I looked surprised at Steve.

  “Right,” he said after a moment. “His God powers. I forgot about that.”

  “I haven’t. Together we managed to push Erebus out of the Crossroads.”

  “Mostly it was you,” said Nadine softly.

  “It was the draoi, together. It nearly killed us.”

  “But we won. We can do it again. We must,” she replied. The draoi at the table nodded in agreement.

  We looked at one another for a moment, gauging everyone’s mood. Dempster looked a little confused by all the talk, and I sensed he wondered why he was invited to sit with us for this discussion. He was family.

/>   “What do we do about the Baron, Steve?” I asked, changing subjects.

  Steve shifted in his seat and clasped his hands in front of him. “Not for me or you to decide. The King will need to replace him. Until then his estate will be run by whoever he had as his castellan. He or she will run his mansion. But without a Windthrop heir it would fall to the head of his army to run the barony until the King appoints someone. Turgany is a vast province. It will require someone who understands the inner workings.”

  “I’m right here you know, I can hear everything,” said Edward, not looking up and continuing to write in his journal.

  “Any idea who?” I asked.

  Steve lifted an eyebrow at me and glanced at Edward. “Why the concern? This is a problem for Brent or Edward to fix. Not for the Freamhaigh.”

  Edward raised an eyebrow but continued to write. “I am concerned because I need Turgany to remain cohesive. I worry someone will take over who does not feel positive toward the draoi. I can’t have that.”

  “Like the Baron did.”

  “Ah, yes, good point.”

  “It should be Colonel Sibbald, but he swore allegiance to the Realm Army now. It will probably be Major Crenshaw. Windthrop liked him, everyone knew that. Brent will promote him and send him to arrange Windthrop’s affairs. But we’ll see. They have more pressing issues, don’t you think?”

  “Agreed,” said Edward.

  “What of James and Martin?” asked Steve.

  “And Heather,” added Nadine.

  “Yes, and Heather.”

  “They’re fine. They are halfway to Munsten. They were attacked at the Crossroads. James was wounded but Heather healed him. She says she wishes she could straighten his head. But James, Heather and Vicar Martin will continue their effort. If anything, it will provide closure to a question we all need an answer to. They expect to be in Munsten in March.”

  “Huh? I don’t get it. What do you mean straighten his head?”

  Nadine snorted. “It means James needs to realise that women don’t need a man around.”

  Steve laughed. “Ah, yes. I had many the young man in my crew that failed to realise that soon enough.”

  “I imagine Franky straightened them out,” said Nadine.

  “Oh, she did. She and Agnes were a terrible duo. Why they…” Steve faded off as memories of Franky overtook him. He closed his eyes against the grief.

  I gave a look of concern to Nadine. She patted the air in front of her and then watched Steve. Steve physically shook himself and opened his wet eyes. “Right. Enough of that. Where were we?”

  Nadine smiled at me. “We were discussing Heather and the other two.”

  “Right. James and Martin, It goes well? No trouble?”

  “Heather says no. She patched up James and they hit the road soon after. Martin struggles but is keeping up. Heather is constantly taking care of him with her powers. He doesn’t realise just how much. He’s proud of himself at this point.”

  “Then what? They reach Munsten and what?”

  I stirred. “They head to the catacombs and recover a sample of the late King. Heather will be able to determine if Edward and the King are related.”

  “Martin is certain of the results? I mean the validity of them?”

  “Yes, he is. He’s seen enough of what the draoi are capable of. He’ll attest to the accuracy of our findings and whatever the result he will honour it. He’s a good man. I can see why Brent likes him.”

  Edward sat up. “Will, can you ask your draoi in Jergen to tell Brent to send Major Crenshaw here to see me? Give him a Colonel’s uniform before he leaves, too. I’ve decided to promote him and make him responsible for running Turgany. For now, anyway.”

  I blinked and then nodded. I sensed Nadine already reaching out to Jergen.

  “Um, a good choice, Edward,” I said. I looked at Steve, but he was distant again.

  Nadine focused back on the group. “Edward, your message was received. Brent will know your orders soon enough.”

  Edward merely grunted and continued to work in his journal. Nadine rolled her eyes at me. I smiled back. Edward reminded me of Daukyns a little. I liked the scholastic types.

  I turned to Steve and caught his eye. “We will have to discuss Munsten. We need to leave soon.”

  Steve gaped at me. “Just like that? You take Gaea at her word and run off across the country?”

  I nodded. “Just like that. There is a reason we need to be there, just the two of us. She put something in motion. If she says she needs us there, then we best be there.”

  Steve grunted. He looked around the room and saw only acceptance by the others. He stared a moment at wee Franky and looked at me. “Any word on Katherine?” asked Steve quietly. He looked over to Nadine for the answer and then down at his hands.

  Nadine focused in on Steve and then grimaced. “No, I’m afraid not. Our draoi have not yet reached Salt Lake City, or Cala. That is where we lost her. They will investigate and determine how she and Dog perished. We’ll know more in a few weeks, if not sooner.”

  “I would very much like to find my daughter alive,” said Steve in a whisper, not looking up. “I don’t believe her dead.”

  “I understand. You hold on to hope. I felt too many draoi perish during the Purge. I have no such hope. Once we contact Gaea, we can ask what happened to her. For now, she remains out of touch. She’s out there—Gaea, I mean—and she won’t respond. She’ll know what happened to Katherine and Dog.”

  “I’ve lost too many people this past year. I won’t lose more. Not my daughter, too.”

  Sixteen

  Outside Fjodham, March 902 A.C.

  KATHERINE RIGBY AND Dog had managed to traverse a large section of northern Belkin and they established a camp outside Fjodham, well clear of the road and hidden from view. The mountains had posed no serious difficulties to their travel due largely to their ability to draw strength directly from the surrounding land. Dog had selected their campsite in an area beside a small waterfall of a slow-moving river. The ground was clear of snow and undergrowth and they could see in all directions all around them. The lower trunks of the pine trees were clear of branches, and the upper branches provided a thick canopy overhead. Below them, at the base of the waterfall, there was a small, ice-covered lagoon that would teem with small-mouthed bass once the spring thaw arrived.

  They had decided to remain at this location for a few days. The act of travelling had become wearisome to them both, and they wanted nothing more than a break where they could lie around and just enjoy the peace and quiet. Dog had suggested the break, and Katherine—surprised at the idea coming from Dog—had quickly agreed. Shortly after they had settled down, Gaea had appeared to observe them, and Katherine had invited her over. She had tried to speak to Gaea about their powers, but Gaea had offered little insight and refused to speak to what she and Erebus truly were. Until last night.

  “These motes,” had begun Katherine, during their third night beside the falls. In front of her the campfire was providing unnecessary warmth, but the smell of smoke and the licking flames brought a feeling of comfort to her and Dog, and so they always had a small fire going. Gaea sat cross-legged across from her and shimmered in the heat rising from the fire. Dog was off roaming the area and smelling everything he could. Through their bond she could tell he was having the time of his life. The talks with Gaea bored him. Katherine was looking at Gaea using her sight and trying to focus in on her substance. “These motes, they are what you are, correct?”

  Gaea hesitated and then nodded.

  “Erebus is the same?”

  Gaea nodded again, then shook her head. “Yes, and no. We were once the same.”

  Katherine chewed the inside of her cheek, a habit she had picked up from her mother and hated. “Why are you no longer the same?”

  Gaea turned her head to look out over the boulders covered with river ice that marked the top of the waterfall. The ice was thick on the river and the sound of water rushi
ng under the ice could be heard as a soft gurgle. It was a pleasant sound, and it helped Katherine fall asleep each night.

  “Gaea? Why are you no longer the same?”

  Gaea looked back at Katherine. “It was long, long ago. I was changed.”

  “Changed how?”

  “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I am not Erebus. I work to maintain the world as it was.”

  “As it was? As it is, you mean.”

  “No, as it was. Erebus has been successful almost everywhere in the world. Little remains that I control.”

  “Is he stronger? Stronger than you?”

  Gaea gazed directly into Katherine’s eyes, and Katherine shuddered despite wanting not to. Seeing Gaea with her powers allowed her to see what Gaea was. The motes Will had discovered were everywhere. The world was saturated in them. Every living thing had motes working within them. Gaea was these motes. But not all of them in the world. Half of them were Erebus. The magic of what they were escaped Katherine, and Gaea refused to explain their nature. Katherine waited for Gaea to reply. When she didn’t she growled. It was a growl that would have escaped Dog had he been present. It was the sound a dog made when angry with something.

  “Answer me. Is he stronger than you?”

  Gaea nodded once, then pursed her lips.

  “How? If you are the same, how can he be stronger?”

  “He is less constrained than I am. I have restraints placed on my actions. Restraints I myself placed there. I had thought them correct at the time. I was mistaken.”

  “So correct it. Remove them.”

  “I cannot. It is too late for that. But I could and did so with you and Dog.”

  Katherine’s head rocked back. “What? Explain.”

  Gaea picked up a stick and poked the fire and watched the sparks travel up into the air. Katherine watched Gaea through her power and watched as the motes that made up Gaea’s eyes rearranged themselves and gave the illusion that Gaea’s eyes were tracking upwards. It was all a ruse. This image of Gaea was nothing more than a mirage. She could be nothing more substantial than a wisp of smoke should she so choose. She had said during a previous conversation that a past friend had urged her to seem more humanlike. She continued to follow that advice and had for a millennium. The length of time that Gaea spoke about so calmly was beyond the ken of Katherine. She appreciated it was many years, but had no way to fully comprehend the scope of it.