by Toni Cox
The next morning, feeling subdued, Maia made her way to Silas’ cave. She had not given her other task - that of finding a way home for Aaron and the children - much thought in the past few days, and she felt guilty about it now. She remembered what Dorien said about Soul Reaping and it made her shudder.
When she walked into the cave, Silas was already there. He had just lit a fire and was putting on a kettle for tea. She helped him take down cups and arrange lanterns around the space where they would be working. The satchel with the books and scrolls from Dorien’s Library lay on a nearby stool. Silas picked it up and carefully emptied its contents on the large table.
Once the tea was ready, they took their cups and sat at the table. Silas spread the scrolls and weighed down the corners with small stones to keep them open. They worked in silence, paging through the books and studying the many paragraphs and drawings on the scrolls. They were on their third cup of tea when Silas made a small sound, catching her attention. She looked up from the scroll she was reading and he waved her over.
She went to stand next to him. He was reading a passage in one of the great, leather-bound books. She leaned forward a little to decipher the passage written in tightly spaced runes.
Elemental, beware thee of temptation
From it great sorrow will arise
Do not look beyond your constellation
The foreign will often mesmerise
Elemental, beware thee of temptation
From it great sorrow will arise
Do not alter any of their population
For it will lead to naught but their demise
Elemental, beware thee of temptation
From it great sorrow will arise
Even with careful preparation
They will eventually come to realise
Elemental, beware thee of temptation
From it great sorrow will arise
It is the greatest trepidation
That their hearts will memorise
Elemental, beware thee of temptation
From it great sorrow will arise
It is the most horrendous violation
That their souls shall ever despise
Elemental, beware thee of temptation
From it great sorrow will arise
Their hearts will rend with lamentation
So do the only thing that’s wise
Her skin crawled. She had no great love for poems and she often struggled to decipher their meaning, but this message was clear. She looked up at Silas. He was watching her.
“The page was marked. Did you tell Dorien why you were looking for this information?”
Maia nodded. She briefly explained and relayed to Silas what Dorien had said. “I am sorry, Silas, I was not sure if I was to tell him or not.”
“It cannot be helped, it is done now. Dorien is a friend. He will keep it to himself.” Silas sighed, and continued. “It is clearly a warning. It speaks of sorrow and heart break and a violation of rules.”
He rubbed his hand over his head, making his thin, white hair engulf his head like thin tendrils of smoke.
“It looks to me this has happened before and it did not end well. If Dorien was aware of our predicament, then I am sure he has selected these scrolls with care. You have no other plans for the next few days?”
Maia shook her head. She had intended to work with the bearskin, to give it to Aaron as a Home Blessing gift, but that would have to wait.
Maia’s eyes were burning. How is it even possible to write in such small letters?
This last scroll was not only the longest, but its script was small, spiky and tightly spaced. It also seemed to be the most helpful. It described in detail the various ways to Travel, how to transport goods and, much to their joy, how to transport people. They had been looking at this for hours now and a small headache formed behind her temples. She had been making notes, and her fingers were cramping. And, in light of the difficulties described in the text, she now felt miserable and disheartened.
If it was really that difficult to transport people, how had she done it in the first place? She thought back to that fateful day, tried to remember what she did. The memory was hazy, as if it had only been a dream.
Besides the vague explanations on how to transport people, the effects of bringing people against their will were outlined in detail in the book with the poem. So far, none of her family had exhibited any of the signs. Aaron was the only one who was bitter in the beginning, but that had now changed and he seemed to have accepted his situation. Luke and Jasmin had taken to her planet as if they were born to it and did not seem upset or disturbed, and showed no signs of hatred towards her. She wondered if that would change and how it would manifest. How would she deal with it if it happened? How would she feel if they started despising her?
The throbbing in her head intensified. She wanted desperately to close her eyes and forget about all of it.
“Maia, wake up.”
Someone shook her shoulder.
“Mm?” She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. She sat up.
“Here, have some tea.”
Silas was looking at her with a kindly face, handing her a cup. She didn’t even remember putting her head down on the table. She wondered how long she had slept.
“I’m sorry, Silas, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“It’s all right. We’ve made a lot of headway today.”
Silas rolled up the scrolls they had been working with while she sipped her tea. The hot liquid burned down her throat, but she almost immediately felt revived. She tasted mint, sage and aniseed and something else she could not quite identify. It was sweetened with a bit of honey. In her mind, she ran through the properties of each herb and wondered how Silas always knew exactly what she needed.
When she had finished her tea, Silas took her cup and shooed her out of the cave, saying, “It’s time for you to go home and rest. It is almost midnight. Meet me here again after you have breakfasted with your family.”
For three more days Silas and Maia worked with the scrolls and books. Each day they spent their daylight hours in Silas’ cave. During late afternoon, Maia would sneak out for a bit to see to the bearskin. Then she went back to the cave to read yet another passage in a scroll, or a poem in a book.
It was tedious, but they made progress, agonisingly slowly, deciphering the old texts. They paid special attention to the warnings mentioned, but were especially interested in how to recreate the original magic she had used to bring Aaron and the children here in the first place. She was astonished by how complicated it was and wondered how she had accomplished it without being aware of it. The energy involved to do so should have killed her, yet she had only suffered a few days of unconsciousness.
Thank you, Midnight, she thought.
Also, and here the books hinted that this was not supposed to be possible, she had not only healed their various ailments during Travel, but had also effectively changed their language, so that they were convinced they still spoke the language they had used back on Earth. English it was called, Silas said, but she had no recollection of speaking it.
The one thing they had so far not been able to figure out, was how to get them back to Earth, without Maia having to undergo the Change again. If she were to do that, she would have to spend yet another two years, or twenty Earth years, away from home and she wanted to avoid that.
Silas and Maia spent the day by the small lake. Silas wanted to recreate the situation at the Gate in the hope that it would trigger something in Maia that would help them. It was frustrating work and they gave it up as the sun started to set. She wanted to join her parents for the evening meal, so she bid Silas goodnight at the bottom of The Fleeting Steps, while she carried on along The Median, before descending to Lower Walk to her home.
As she reached the top of The Winding Stairway, she saw Aaron stride towards her from the opposite direction. He was wearing leather pants, a black waistcoat over a brown cotton shir
t and ankle high leather boots. Maia was amazed by how comfortable he looked. Not so long ago he had complained about having to wear leather pants. Now he strode over the swaying bridges with confidence. He almost looked handsome in the twilight of evening.
It remained strange between them and Maia often felt awkward in his company. She never knew what to say to him, especially not when he looked at her that way. Today, though, he made it easy for her.
He talked about the house. It was almost finished. The plumbing was complete, the wooden shingles were on and the creepers were already accepting them, slowly making them part of the tree. He seemed comfortable with the subject and it showed in his body language. She relaxed as they walked and he talked.
No strange innuendos today then, she thought with relief.
During the following days, Maia spent most of her time studying the scrolls with Silas, or working the bearskin for Aaron. Often she was called into the Elder Hall to participate in the meetings, as was Silas. Three more reports of attacks had come in since their return from Braérn. The situation was worsening.
Already, Jagaer had set curfews and no one was allowed out of the city after sundown. People that tended fields and fruit trees now went out with armed guards to keep watch over them while they bent to their tasks. Riders were sent out to drive the horse herds in closer to the stables, and the Horse Masters patrolled the herds every night.
The Hunters went out every day, but not just to hunt. Every trip they went on became part scouting mission. They ranged in all direction, looking for any sign of foreigners on their land, signs of attacks, dead animals and anything else suspicious.
A Quarter went by without any further news and the people began to relax.
When the day came that Aaron’s house was finally complete, Jagaer announced they would hold a feast. A Home Blessing.
Secretly, every family had been working on gifts for Aaron and his children and looked forward to presenting them. Maia had finally finished the bearskin. With all the interruptions, it had taken her longer than anticipated, even with the new ways of tanning they were using. Now, however, she was finally happy with the result. The evening before the Home Blessing, she laid out the various gifts she had for her family and re-tightened a string here, put a finishing touch there, until she was happy with everything.
She knew it had been perfect before, but the thought of the house finally ready unsettled her. She had not forgotten Aaron’s request that she move in with them. Now the time had come to make a decision and she wasn’t ready. She did not want to hurt their feelings, especially not Jasmin’s, but felt, if she took this step, there would be no turning back. Their entire community would think she had finally consented to Aaron being her husband; to then leave him at a later time would bring dishonour to her family.
Even if she made it clear that she only lived there for her children’s sake, at some point it would become so common, everyone would naturally draw the conclusion that she and Aaron were together. Besides, once she was under his roof, it would only be a matter of time before familiarity drew them together, whether it was love or not.
When she woke in the morning, it was with a heavy heart. She ate a quick breakfast of oats and fruit and dashed out of the house before anyone else awoke. She called to Midnight as she ran though the Silver Forest down one of the Workers Lanes. A few moments later, she heard Midnight land just past the trees. She hurried the last few paces and finally broke through the trees into blinding sunshine. Midnight crouched low, trying to peer underneath the leaves of the trees, but when she stepped out into the open, he rose up to his full height, towering above her.
She ran to him, embraced his left foreleg and clung to him for a few heartbeats. With a mental nudge, he made her release his leg and settled onto the ground, for her to reach him better. Maia briefly touched his cheek in thanks and rested against his chest. She needed the comfort.
“Sometimes I wish I could just fly away with you.”
Maia felt a deep rumble vibrating against her back.
“You are always so free. You can make your own choices, go where you please, do what you please and no one will judge you for it.” She sighed.
Midnight growled.
“I can’t stay long. The feast is this evening, but I promised my father to attend him today at the meeting. There is some new plan they want to discuss.”
Images and feelings flashed through Maia’s mind.
“Yes,” she agreed, “it’s about the attacks. More people have died and we don’t know what to do about it.”
Another image swept through her head.
She gasped. “You saw this?” As Midnight assent touched her mind, she jumped to her feet. “Thank you, Midnight.” She kissed his great muzzle. “Stay close, I might need you later.”
Before Midnight could answer her, she was running. Running through the forest, up the stairs, over the bridges and finally into her house. Her father, her mother and Aaron, sat at the table, eating breakfast. They all looked up startled as she barged in.
Out of breath, skin flushed, she almost shouted, “I have seen the Vampyres.”
The Elder Hall was buzzing with the voices of everyone talking at once. She had explained to her father what Midnight had seen and they immediately left to wake the Elders and gather the Guard. Explaining took a little longer. Elders, Guard and a few other high ranking members of the community, as well as the Commanders of the Warrior Houses, were present. Everyone wanted a question or two answered. Although all knew about Midnight, some were slow to believe that the dragon could distinguish between an Elf and a Vampyre, or that he could comprehend their situation of peril.
“And I tell you again,” Jaik stood tall before the muttering crowd, “I have spoken to the dragon myself and he is as intelligent as you or me. If he says he has seen the Vampyres, then I believe him.”
“As do I,” added Jagaer.
“And I.” Silas stepped forward, placing himself next to Jagaer.
Maia exhaled the breath she had been holding as, one by one, the congregation accepted the word of her dragon.
“Emrik, send birds to all cities. They must be made aware at once. Jaik, double the guards around the city and the herds, use anyone who is willing to help. Tell the Night Watch to keep the lanterns open the entire night, do not dim them. Maia, would Midnight be willing to fly patrols around the city at night?”
“Yes, Father,” she said after a moment of conferring with Midnight.
Jagaer continued to give orders and she watched as even the most revered Elders hurried to do his bidding. This is why he is leader, she thought, no one would dare oppose him when it comes to the safety of his people.
“What about the feast tonight, Jagaer? Should I let everyone know that it has been cancelled?”
Jagaer studied Glark for a moment. The Dwarf had been with them for almost sixty years and he considered him as much part of their clan as he did any of the Elves.
“No, Glark. Let the Home Blessing go ahead. The people will be glad for the distraction and there is no need to worry them further.”
As dusk settled over the village, the torches were lit and the lanterns un-shuttered. The trees, bridges and walkways around the new house had been adorned with colourful flags and ribbons and they fluttered merrily in the slight breeze.
A group of younger Elves had gathered at the centre trunk of the new abode and played a funny little tune on their reed pipes, Wolf running in circles around them.
The smell of food drifted over from the Gathering Grounds and a procession of people, carrying tureens and platters heaped with steaming food, crossed the grounds and set their load on the tables prepared earlier.
Maia felt herself relax. People were laughing, the few children of the clan were playing, someone started to sing and soon couples were dancing to the ever-changing songs coming from the reed pipes.
At the back of her mind she felt Midnight circling overhead and she knew the Guard, the Sentinels and the
Night Watch were even now patrolling the perimeter of the city. She was acutely aware of Jaik’s absence and kept glancing down the different paths, hoping to spot him. He had said he would join them a later to present his gift.
She sipped her juice while she watched. Everyone seemed happy, but she knew what was at the back of everyone’s minds. A couple came walking past her, discussing something that caught her attention.
“They say he has been seen numerous times already,” the man said.
“It cannot be a good omen for the new home,” the woman replied.
“Indeed, to have a Death Wolf this close to the city can only mean ill for all of us.”
Then the couple was past. Maia shivered. Maybe it was just a rumour; maybe someone had actually seen him. She was not sure if she really wanted to know. Why was he here? She felt as if he was following her and that his presence had nothing to do with the Vampyres or bad omens or anything else. He was here for her and her only. She almost jumped when someone spoke next to her.
“Come, dance with me.”
Before she could answer, Jasmin grabbed her by the hand and dragged her along to the open space between the trees that acted as an impromptu dance floor. She laughed with Jasmin as they spun in a circle. It was their feast and she was happy for them. Maybe she could forget, just for a moment, that her people were threatened. Forget she was stalked by Death and that her heart felt as if it was being held in a vice.
She let Jasmin spin her around and she twirled past other couples that were laughing and singing and she felt herself relax some more. Then, just when she thought she was actually enjoying herself, Aaron stepped out of the crowd watching the dancers and approached them.