Taikiuu knelt at the Old One’s side and she could easily see that his color was not good and his condition was deteriorating. She felt for his heart tones and suppressed a shudder when she found that they were weak. She checked him over for further injury even as the mother inside of her screamed at her to find her children. Now.
She found no other sign of injury and she breathed in relief, although it would be up to the Creator to know whether or not the Old One would wake. She could see that Jon’lan wanted to question the Old One, but no more so than Roark who had been forced to wait here as an invalid while they knew nothing of the fate of their children. Taikiuu refused to break down and weep. Yes, she had been through a great ordeal and she had almost lost her life, but it was the children that she must be strong for now.
Anaay stood rigid in the same spot where he had initially overheard Star Feathers terrible news. Kii. His heart shouted in agony and fear for his lost love. Never had he known such a feeling of acceptance as when he stood in her presence. He did not doubt her feelings for him were as strong as his love for her. But to know that he had gone in the opposite direction in search of First Woman, while Kii had been in danger in the Valley below shook him to his core.
His worry for Yaa, Mar-ee, Giad and Mantiloff shook him to his soul. He had never thought to have so many that he could love so deeply. His first instinct was to rush off with Rhea in search of the children and his heart mate, Kii. Even if he and Kii had not had the mating ceremony that would make them bound for life, Anaay knew that his life was bound to hers regardless. Nothing and no one, except death would keep him from finding her.
Jon’lan and Roark conferred together over the glowing fire as Taikiuu and Star Feather cared for the Old One. Right now he was their only hope at understanding what had befallen the children. Although Kii was now a woman Jon’lan could not help but think of her as his child, his beloved daughter. Ordinarily the two men would always include Anaay in their plan along with any decisions that affected the band. But now was not the time to bother Anaay, it was obvious to all that he had been struck a blow more powerful than anything before in his lifetime. He needed a moment to recover.
Jon’lan was only glad that his loyalty to the band had kept him with them for this long. He also wanted to rush down the side of the mountain and search for any sign of the children, but it would not be the right decision. Roark was still recovering from his wounds and the Old One held vast knowledge of the land that they were about to enter. They could not leave him behind. Nor would they leave the women alone to tend to him while they scouted the Valley below, there was too much risk of danger if they split up now.
They also determined that Sirion and the villagers of Aztlan were not a threat to them at this time. The winter snow would halt any safe passageway through the mountains, at least for now. Roark and Jon’lan conferred well into the night until they were satisfied with their decision.
Jon’lan sought his wife’s sleeping furs and found that she was not there. He walked out into the cold chill of the night away from the warmth of the hearth fire where he found Taikiuu standing in her familiar position with her walking staff firmly planted to give her balance. One hand curved over her belly and he knew that she was communing with the child that they had created together. She stared into the darkness of the Valley as if she could see with an eagle’s eye into its frightening depths in search of their children.
Jon’lan came up behind her and he knew the moment that she sensed his presence, her posture relaxed and she molded herself against his form as his arms encircled her from behind. He breathed in her womanly scent that was uniquely her own and she sighed taking comfort in the shelter of his arms.
“We will find them.” Jon’lan promised. He was surprised when his wife turned in his arms and placed her hand over his mouth.
“Do not speak it if it is not true husband. My heart cannot take the loss of our children, all of our children.” Taikiuu whispered the words and each one stabbed Jon’lan in his heart, for her pain was like a living, breathing thing.
“We will find them.” Jon’lan promised again as he looked deep into her beautiful eyes, rimmed with black lashes as dark as obsidian.
“Let it be as you have spoken!” Taikiuu spoke fiercely as something changed in her eyes and Jon’lan watched as she changed from the soft woman that was his wife into the fierce being of the Ada’na, First Woman, Keeper of the People, and Beloved Mother blessed amongst all.
He no longer doubted the power that thrummed in her blood, flowing through her veins and he no longer feared what he could not understand. Everything that he had learned about Taikiuu had led them to this moment and he would walk by her side for all of his life, whether good or bad came to them, they were one, mated for all time.
Suddenly the strength went out of her and she sagged in his arms as she gave in to the sobs that wracked her body. He realized that she had not been given the chance to tell him all that befell her during her time with the Hetmos warriors.
He knew that no matter what happened he would stand by her side as her husband. She was his wife and he loved her beyond measure. As he gazed into Taikiuu’s beautiful upturned face his love for her overwhelmed his soul. Jon’lan realized a truth that his heart knew well. He had traveled to a land that he did not know to become the mate of a woman that he would love forever.
“You are my star light, the light that surrounds me even when the moon is cast in shadow. We will walk forward together.” Jon’lan soothed her as her tears flowed over his hands where they cupped her strikingly beautiful face. He lifted her right hand and kissed the inside of her palm where he knew the tattoos that marked her as the Ada’na lay visible for all to see. Yet he found them without the use of light.
“Together.” She repeated in a broken whisper as his kiss seared her soul but there was strength behind those softly uttered words. Jon’lan simply nodded as he cradled her to his chest and they both looked into the future that lay before them, an unknown land that had taken their children, the future of their band, without threat or reason, but certainly by force. Jon’lan vowed on his life that he would not rest until each person was safe within the circle of their hearth fire.
Taikiuu refused to tremble as she met her husband’s gaze in the darkness of the night. She would be strong for her band just as she had been strong throughout the journey of her life up until now. She relied on the strength given to her by Shi’nar, her mother, and the strength of the nameless women in her family from time beyond memory. She prayed to the Great One of All, asking for the safety of each member of their band. She listened to the answers given to her in the all encompassing silence and then she asked for the necessary strength needed to find their children and reunite as a whole.
Finally she bowed her head in thanksgiving as she remembered all that they had endured together to arrive at this one moment. Taikiuu vowed that she would remember their journey and keep the secrets that had been entrusted to her so that she could share them with the next Chosen One of the People, the future Ada’na.
Only now as her heart was torn in two could she understand the reason why an Ada’na was always chosen. Taikiuu’s role as the Ada’na filled a need for the People and even though her life had been one of great sacrifice and struggle it had not been in vain.
She truly believed that their combined knowledge and abilities would help their band to save those they loved beyond time, distance or reason. With this thought Taikiuu reaffirmed her vow to walk in the path that had been laid out long before her birth. She would be the Ada’na until the next one was chosen.
Be strong. She whispered without sound as she thought of their children, lost below in the Valley at the edge of the Great Mountain. Surely this was not the end.
Read on for an excerpt from Karah Quinney’s next work of prehistoric fiction: CHOSEN ONE (Book Two)– available now!
Excerpt from CHOSEN ONE
“They’re going to take us.” Kii’s words struck fear in
to the hearts of the children gathered at her side. They had just lost the men of their band to a battle on the Great Mountain. Kii’s own mother had been captured by warriors that traveled a great distance to seek revenge upon them all. Now the young woman realized that the feeling of being watched had intensified until it was complete.
They were surrounded by an unknown force and there was no escape. Kii took in the situation in an instant and all the training that she had received at her first father’s knee came back to her. There was no other option except to surrender. She needed to prepare the children for what was to come.
“They’re going to take us and I need you to be strong.” Kii spoke to Giad, a fierce boy of ten summers. He looked at her without any show of emotion, but she knew him well and she felt his fear like a living thing.
Yaa, his sister, trembled visibly for a moment and then she seemed to gather herself and grow calm. Kii held Giad’s young brother, a child not even in his first one season.
The young child, named Mantiloff, snuggled into the warmth of her body and she kissed the top of his downy soft head. Mar-ee, Kii’s hearth sister, cuddled against her legs seeking shelter even as they stood in the open with only a small fire to warm them.
“The Great One of All has been with us this far, he will not forsake us now. Use your warrior’s instinct as well as your guile and we may yet survive. But if we perish, remember that we have known love, freedom and family. Remember this.” Kii spoke firmly as she stood proudly with her Aunt’s spear in her hand.
She refused to tremble in fear. No matter what force approached them in the growing darkness she would not cower. Never again.
Giad had never felt so scared before in his entire life. They were completely surrounded and there was no where to turn. His sister, Yaa, pressed against his side as if she could melt into him by sheer force of will or perhaps she hoped to protect him.
She held her bow and arrow ready to fire at his command. Kii placed her hand on Giad’s shoulder and although he did not look at her he knew what she wanted him to do. He whispered a command to Yaa and she hesitated for a moment before she lowered her weapon.
Giad stood proudly and he refused to bow his head in surrender. The warriors that surrounded them were men fierce in strength and power. Giad could tell by the easy way in which they carried their weapons that the men were used to fighting in battle.
Whether they fought a common enemy or amongst each other, Giad could only guess. But he knew that it would be useless to fight against so many armed men. They were outnumbered.
His father, Roark, had asked that Giad protect the women and children with his life. Already he had failed his father. Giad’s eyes began to blur with tears and he fought to maintain control of himself. He would not show weakness, when his family required strength.
He noticed that Kii still held the spear that his mother, Star Feather, had handed her. Giad was also equipped with a hunting knife, bow and quiver full of arrows. Star Feather had gone back up the mountain in search of the men of their band. Jon’lan, Roark, Anaay and the Old One.
Giad felt certain that his mother had found their bodies, long dead. But he could not be sure. There was still hope. The battle that they fled ended with one of their greatest enemies being killed by his sister Yaa, a girl child of only nine years.
In order to secure their freedom, their Ada’na, Keeper of Secrets, Blessed Mother and First Woman, Taikiuu had given herself over to the remaining warriors. Even now she was being forced to march towards the land that they had abandoned in pursuit of freedom. Giad saw the dream of following the Ada’na into a new land crushed before his very eyes.
Suddenly they were without hope and without a future. Yet, even as they faced a new threat they remained united as one band.
Books by Karah Quinney:
KEEPER OF THE PEOPLE (Book One)
THE CHOSEN ONE (Book Two)
DREAMKEEPER (Book Three)
PILLAR OF FIRE (The Whale Hunter Series: Book One)
SACRED FIRE (The Whale Hunter Series: Book Two) Due April 2012
Author’s Note: I hope you enjoyed reading “Keeper of the People” as much as I enjoyed writing it. The characters of this book have lived in my imagination as real people for many years and I needed only to set pen to paper and tell their story. I hope you will look for the sequel to “Keeper of the People” and add it to your list of favorite reads.
I would like to thank my husband and family for the unconditional love that I have come to rely upon. Last but not least, I sincerely thank the readers that enjoy the stories that I live, breathe and dream, each day. Thank you!
Email [email protected] to be added to the author’s mailing list.
KEEPER OF THE PEOPLE (Book One)
Copyright © 2011 by Karah Quinney
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidding without the written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals is entirely coincidental. This edition is a trademark of the author.
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