"She could be useful to us. We dare not try to kill her. Find her and bring her here. If she wields such power, she can destroy Damia and all her minions. We use her as a weapon," Lieulundrum said.
"Yes." To this, Amaud agreed. "Use her to reclaim our land and end this. Wipe them from existence."
"We need to know more about this woman and understand every outlet before considering such a stunt," Elzeenor said.
"Seal her away again at least, Darius? She must have been in the Dark Realm too if she's now back after it opened. Maybe Luminear can throw them all back in there and lock the damn door!" the Silver King said.
Darius drew a deep breath and shook his head in frustration. "I am of like mind with Elzeenor. Alas, we cannot act until we understand. I don't think the power, in and of itself, is evil. It is the wielder who is to blame, but Luminear appears weak, timid, her life filled with tragedy. I am unsure such power is safe in her hands."
"Again, I will repeat. This woman is to be found and quickly. This is a pointless debate until we have her," Haelleenia said once more.
"Where would you send me?" Darius asked, "I don't know where to look. Can you give me insight? Murnia. North, I gather, but that could take an age looking over every nook and cranny."
"Go where your visions show you, my dear child," Haelleenia said softly. To her riddle, Darius sighed in frustration until Magus spoke up.
"Well, that is Glenmoore village, and the cave is near the highlands of Pallaecious. I've been to the village personally and recognize the mountains. I’d stake my life, the cave is bordering Vallidor as everything about the area looks familiar. We could find her. If she is being hunted, then we need to get to her before they do. Right?" Magus said. "Autumn leaves. This vision has not yet happened." Darius's eyes lit up.
"You are sure of the location?"
"Without a doubt. Glenmoore, anyhow. That is certain and the leaves. Summer is ending. If we go now, we might find them there," Magus said.
"If they are living in a cave now, or will be soon, there may be a chance. At least you will be on the right path," Elzeenor agreed.
"I can go with you and guide you. I am going to Lockage anyhow," Magus offered.
"What we wait'in for? Figure dis out when we get dere! She can't be taken by the enemy, 'aight? We jus' go get her and bring her here, den ya guys can carry on ya blasted fit. Horns, here, says he knows her. He can talk to her," Calysto said, pointing at Albatros.
"I might. I will go with you, Darius," Albatros said.
Haelleenia rested her chin on her interlaced fingers and spoke in her calm, measured way, "Luminear is taken from harm's way and protected from Damia. Perhaps you let her decide what to do. Force her hand not. But guide her. The armies here will not go away. This enemy we defeated is but a finger of many, and upon a long arm reaching out from darker lands. The body has yet to come. She is a weapon in one form or another, and too dangerous to be left to survive out there alone. Damia is smart enough to find her even while at war with us. We, too, should be wise and prevent it from coming to pass." The group was silent for several seconds, considering her words.
"Will you lend me one of your fastest vessels to brave the sea, my lords and lady of Kaelliakie? Magus, Albatros, and I will go immediately," Darius asked. Haelleenia smiled and nodded, looking over the rest of the company.
"Of course," answered King Lieulundrum.
"Calysto goes too, eh, Wizzy!" Calysto volunteered her services to Darius.
"I agree we need to find her, but I don't think we should be careless about the next step after that," said Lieulundrum.
"Aye, bring her back here, and we will figure out what must be done," said Dwaven. Darius heard but did not share his opinion with the others. He agreed with Haelleenia's request to let Luminear decide what to do and not force her to do anything at all.
"Elzeenor, my champion of the east and dear friend," Haelleenia said, grabbing more than just Elzeenor's attention. "You will join Darius, Albatros, Calysto, and Magus to help find these women. There is no storm here you can prevent with your keen mind. She is key to either winning or losing, and the deciding factor of this end."
"I am aware of this. No strategy can prevent this peril, but slow it down, I can. I fear my place must be here. Who will command? I will go if you wish this of me, but My Grace..."
"I do wish this," Haelleenia interrupted. "This may prove more important than any strategy of battle you can conjure. Your wits are needed on this quest."
"It won't matter unless we have the strength to match the enemy. Dragons? Onyx? Damia herself? This woman is the answer," the mortal King agreed. "Amaud Ujero, I will send you with them. You bring the girl back to us. If she is already being hunted, we need worthy warriors to aid the cause. Elzeenor gave me an account of all your deeds, and I give my deepest respect and condolences for earlier this year." Amaud said not a word, but he nodded. He was honored to assist and understood that nothing could be done here without this mysterious woman.
"There are none here I can send," chuckled Dwaven looking over the bunch.
"Calysto is me. I be dwarf you send, Silva Beard. I go. Jus' say I is ya champion." The Silver King smiled at Calysto's chirpy offering.
"You do excellent work assisting many. I will consider it an honor to send the one who brought my Murnia dwarfs home and saved so many lives," Dwaven said as he applauded with a cheeky grin and a clap of his palms.
"I have no homeland or people to return to. Luminear and Bella are among the only ones I know well enough to consider my people anymore. I intend to join you all and watch everyone's back. We will find them," Albatros said.
"Excellent. Good. Good. Solid help from worthy champions," Lieulundrum said.
"I believe you are right," Darius chuckled. "This is more than I could have hoped. Information I was not aware of, counsel, and a band of champions."
Chapter Thirteen
New Dilemma
Soon after their meeting in the Crystal Palace, the eastern company set out for the long sail ahead, and as they did, Luminear and Bella found themselves in yet another dire circumstance. The two lived in a cave near Glenmoore, a village within the highlands of Pallaecious, as seen in Darius’s visions. Here they took odd jobs to raise funds needed for their next move and spent the final weeks of summer.
With autumn approaching, they planned to move on to Laeluffian, where they would settle, work and save until spring. Then in the spring, the sisters intended to sail across the Pallae Sea, journey the entire expanse of Kaelliakie, and take to the Starry Sea to settle on a tropical island of the Starspire Islands.
The Starspire Islands would be a paradise so far removed from the nightmares they’d lived, that a fresh start sounded, not only possible but wonderful, yet Luminear still harbored many doubts. Since the night their comrades were killed, Luminear had never shared with Bella what she had experienced because she didn’t understand it herself. Yet, she had felt a phenomenal surge of power, as if she was taken over by something unknown. This mystical force had enhanced her vigor and intelligence and allowed her to bend elements and conjure unimaginable strength. Even though this queer occurrence lasted only a short while, for the better part of a year, Luminear couldn't stop thinking about it. Something lived inside of her, something both exhilarating and terrifying. In her private thoughts, she dwelt in a dark place, while outwardly following Bella's ideas for a brighter future.
Bella refused to express anything but hope out loud. She focused exclusively on her dreams of going far away. She wanted to escape the reality of their lives and put their horrifying past behind them. This move to the Starspire Islands became the answer Bella held on to, and it could not happen soon enough. However, an unexpected event brought their goal to a pause.
***
Shortly before the move to Laeluffian was to happen, Luminear awoke to find Bella outside their cave curled up in agony. A wrenching abdominal pain had driven Bella out of bed. Once Luminear found her, she helped Bell
a inside and held her hand, where they waited for the misery to diminish.
"That rabbit. Rotten meat- must be the hare," Bella said. She insisted their dinner from the night before was to blame.
"I didn't get sick," Luminear said, suspecting a different culprit. "You drank that ale last night. Tainted drink? You said they gave away barrels for free in Glenmoore yesterday." Neither knew what was going on, but Bella had accepted and drank some old spirits the night before, so this remained a decent possibility.
"I'll kill that sard," Bella groaned, still curled in a ball, now laying on her cot.
Their home was small, barely big enough to stand up straight inside, yet wide enough to contain a small fire pit, and two make-shift beds, along with a few trunks for their belongings. The cave had served the women well over the past few weeks. The entry into the cave was low and narrow, forcing them to crawl in or out whenever they wished to come or go, but a solid log acted as the door. It was not like they couldn't stay in the village, but after the massacre that claimed the lives of Markus, Fern, and countless others, neither were willing to risk it. They could not be certain if they were still being hunted or not, but alone they felt safest.
"Bell. It will be all right. Try to sleep it off, and we can leave tomorrow."
"Sleep?" Bella's hands were fists, clinging to her sister, and her eyes clenched, squeezing out fresh tears. "How do you expect me to sleep? Every time it calms down, it comes back even worse."
What's happening to her? Luminear's mind raced in a panic. "Just breathe, Bell. I'm right here, and you will be fine." For Bella’s sake, she stayed as nurturing as possible, but Luminear was frightened. Please, let me be right. Don't take her from me.
"I don't understand!" Bella said through her tears. "Xio is punishing me for being a weak sard. Or for not believing in him." She twisted about on her cot in anguish, cursing herself between her spasms.
Luminear listened and held her, repeating a silent mantra in her head. Stay calm, Bella. You'll get through this. She couldn't bear the sight of her sister so miserable and wondered if she was dying. Luminear refused to let Bella torture herself with guilt and seated herself at the head of the bed, then wedged her arms under Bella's shoulders. "Come to me, Bella," she said as she pulled and guided Bella's head into her lap. Bella gave in, and Luminear placed a kiss on her forehead.
Bella gazed up at her and forced a smile through her tears. "I'm sorry, Lumi." One hand held on to her sister’s, while the other cradled her lower stomach. "If it were poison from last night, I've vomited it all out, but it won't go away. This is a sign." Her voice cracked as she spoke in a whisper.
It seemed to come and go from Luminear's observation, but after a couple of hours, the torment appeared only to worsen. "A sign we shouldn't go?"
Bella nodded, "For me not to go with you because I'm wretched. You need to go."
"Oh, Bella, stop that nonsense. You saved me."
"I did nothing!" Bella yelled, punctuating a new ache in her belly. In reflex, she jerked up her knees, and her head shot up. Luminear bit her lip as Bella tightened her grip on her hand, then gently pushed her sister’s head back down in her lap. Once the spasm stopped, Bella continued. "Don't you see? My weakness all those years ago. The way I ran off as I did. Selfish obsession. I left you and lost myself. If I never left, maybe none of this would have happened."
"None of this was ever in your control, Bella. Ever," Luminear said as she shut her eyes and drew a frustrated breath. I knew she blamed herself, and I've been too unavailable to help her. She said aloud, "They would have done what they did, regardless. You survived. I survived. And you rescued me."
"I got everyone killed," Bella broke down harder, letting out such a wail that Luminear felt it in her gut. "Markus," she said in between moans. "Lae and Fern." Again, a sharp pain struck her hard, and she jerked up. "Sarding sard shite!" Bella yelled as another surge of torment ripped inside of her. "My insides are being twisted apart! I need to shite!"
Oh my! Then it hit her. "Stop fighting!" Luminear said as she maneuvered herself out from under Bella's head, coming to her feet. Shocked, Luminear realized what was happening to her sister. "Calm down, Bella," Luminear said aloud before thinking to herself, All right, now how do I do this?
"Fighting what?"
"You’re trying to stop it from coming out," Luminear said while she plopped down at the end of the cot and grabbed at Bella's waistline, seizing her pants to pull them off. "I know what's happening!"
"What are you doing?" Bella snapped, fending off her sister's hands.
"Stop, Bell. Trust me," Luminear pleaded.
Bella trusted her but still wasn't comfortable with her sister pulling her pants down, especially since she feared she might release herself all over the place. She tried to fight back, but Luminear stayed adamant and yanked them off, leaving Bella exposed.
"Oh, my-sarding-Lumi!" she screamed and slammed her knees together in shame.
"I think you're having a baby. Quit struggling and listen," Luminear scolded, raising her voice in authority while trying to maintain a sympathetic approach.
"What?" Bella shook her head in disbelief. "That's not possible. I'm not fat."
"Don't have to be," Luminear explained, trying to remember what she had been taught in classes back in Garroth years ago. "You've been so distressed; you wouldn't know. Lay back. Deep breaths and spread your legs. Knees up and don't fight," Luminear fought to maintain calm, while Bella struggled. Though appalled, Bella did as instructed, abashed being on display like this, sister or not.
"No. This can't be right. This-" A rippling torment hit Bella from her back to her lower front, both cramping and seizing her in agony. Bella felt trapped, like in the undertow of a violent wave. She groaned, now terrified.
Don't go against me now, Bella. Can I even do this? Luminear battled herself, unsure if she could do what was needed to help her sister. She could tell Bella continued to fight against the inevitable. "Stop, and let this happen, Bell!" Bella was stunned, even a little frightened at Luminear's stern tone. "The baby has to come out, or you will die."
"You are wrong, Lumi, this isn't possible. I can't get pregnant. Markus and I have tried-" Luminear reached out and grabbed Bella's hands again and tightened her grip, and when she did, Bella forgot her words.
"You've been vomiting at odd times several moons now and often complaining of your bosoms hurting." Luminear reminded her. "If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong, but humor me now! You can yell at me later, but obey now. You are giving birth, and I will help you."
The sincerity in her sister's eyes got through to Bella, and she started to believe. She had never considered the possibility, but nine months had passed since she last laid with Markus. That final night she asked him to give himself to her, wanting to create something real between the two of them.
"Oh no, please, no!" Bella muttered in tears, the truth of their situation hitting home.
"Oh, yes. Now breathe. Everything will be fine." Luminear brought her hands under Bella's knees to assist, keeping her eyes pinned on her sister’s. "Let's get this babe out of you, Bell. Are you ready?" Bella shook her sobbing head.
"No," she cried.
"Well, he, or she, is ready, and you have me. Come now. Push with, not against," Luminear coached again and again until Bella submitted, trusting her sister's instructions.
I can do this. Show no fear and act like I know exactly what I'm doing. Luminear gave her sister a confident smile and nod. She followed fragmented memories she had learned from class thirteen years ago, hoping against hope to deliver this child and keep her sister alive. "Keep pushing, Bella. You are doing wonderful." Without breaking a sweat, Luminear refraining from displaying an ounce of fear. Instead, she spoke gently, encouraging Bella.
Luminear was correct in her assumptions. After many anxious and aching moments, Bella’s baby’s head crowned from her orifice. She had gone into labor in the early morning and had been fighting every step of the way, but when Bella
finally succumbed and aided the effort, the babe was ready. It may have seemed like a lifetime for Bella, but Luminear brought that child out shortly after Bella cooperated.
"A girl, Bell." Luminear smiled and handed Bella her baby, after cutting the cord and wrapping the child up in her tattered tan cloak. Bella took the child in her arms in utter shock. They'd woken with a plan to set out, and somehow hours into the day, she lay wrapped up in blankets, holding an infant she had given birth to. At a loss for words, Bella didn't smile at first. She looked at the child, baffled and scared to death. Taken by the unexpected turn of events, Bella was petrified over the whole ordeal, looking back and forth between her child and sister for support.
"What do I do?" Bella implored. Luminear took her seat on the bed and smiled.
"You nurse and recover for now, and I'll clean these linens. We aren't going anywhere for a while, I reckon," Luminear said, glancing back to the sleeping babe, with only a few strands of black hair poking here and there.
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