by Toni Cox
“A little shaken,” she admitted, but smiled bravely for his benefit.
“From now on I want Rothea to share a room with you at night,” Riker said firmly.
Maia noticed Rothea nod behind him, obviously agreeing it was necessary.
“I don’t understand how he managed to get in here or why he singled you out. Do you think they know what you are to us? Could it be possible that he was sent to assassinate you?”
Maia watched Riker’s face. She did not think he was actually asking her, but more posing the questions to himself. It was his duty to make sure she was safe during the duration of their journey and he surely felt he had failed in his duty tonight. The questions did worry her. Why had the Vampyre chosen to attack her? Was he aware of what she meant to her people? Did the rest of the Vampyres know? How many of them were still on Elveron? What was it they were after? She shook her head. She did not know the answers.
During the long Moons winter, the threat of the Vampyres had not seemed as urgent. With little news filtering through to Shadow Hall during that time, they had been unaware of the exact number of attacks within their country. Now, during their fifteen days of travel, they had met many people not just from the cities, but also those that preferred to live by themselves or those that formed small communities or villages outside of the cities. They had heard stories of Vampyre sightings, Vampyre attacks, Werewolves slinking about the night, livestock missing or slaughtered, people either killed or seriously wounded. Everywhere they went, someone had a tale to tell. It worried Maia that the threat seemed to be so widespread.
“Rothea, please pass me my paper and ink. Riker, ask Laeg to bring one of his pigeons. I want to write to my father. He needs to be made aware of the severity of the situation.”
Both nodded and hastened to do her bidding. Rothea was back within moments, putting the paper in front of her. Maia dipped the pen into the small inkwell, and then paused as she thought about what to write. She did not want her father so worried that he would call off her Good-Will tour, but she wanted to make it clear to him that more needed to be done to protect her people. If a single Vampyre had managed to sneak into her room and almost kill her, even with all the protection she had, then how vulnerable was everyone else?
A short while later she put down her pen, satisfied that she had penned the right words. She kept it as brief as possible, writing in tiny letters on the small scrap of paper that would fit into the small delivery tube the pigeon would carry. Laeg took the paper from her once she had sealed it and inserted it in the tube, before fastening it to the bird. He went to the window, pushed the panes open and then threw the bird into the air. For a moment, they listened to the flapping of its wings, before it was too far away to hear anymore.
Satisfied, Maia rose from her chair. As she stood, the blanket Rothea had given her slipped to the floor and Maia noticed Riker avert his eyes. For the first time since the fight with the Vampyre did she remember she was clad only in her light nightgown. She blushed and hastened to pick up her blanket.
“Let me, My Lady,” Rothea said, taking the blanket from her and covering her with it. “Maybe My Lord has some other matters to attend to?” Rothea said, looking pointedly at Riker.
“Yes, of course,” he replied, clearing his throat before hastening out the door.
“Your safety means a lot to me and if keeping you safe means making a few compromises, then I will gladly make them.”
Riker had already finished his morning meal, but Maia barely touched hers. She was not hungry and only sipped her tea; her third cup. Riker suggested that she allow Midnight to travel with them. It was no secret now that the great dragon was at least within earshot of the lodge, even if no one had seen him yet. His roar had awoken every man and woman when Maia was attacked and questions had been asked.
“We have passed the herds of Thala Yll. The people of Alea Yll are mainly farmers and hold little livestock. Once we explain the situation to them, they will understand the need for your dragon to be by your side.”
Maia looked at him. His dark brown eyes swam with concern and she felt the depth of his feelings for her in his Eläm. It was disconcerting to know how he felt about her and it made her wonder again why she was so aware of it now, where before, with Aaron, she had been almost completely ignorant of it.
“I know you wish to keep me safe, but I do not want to frighten the people with my dragon, nor do I want to give them the impression that our own Guard and Regiment are not capable of protecting their …” She hesitated; she hated to say it aloud. “… princess.”
Riker flinched at her words. She knew he felt it was his negligence that allowed the Vampyre to slip into the guest house undetected.
“Riker,” she reached across the table and laid her hand on his. “I will be perfectly safe with you and Rothea by my side. Midnight can follow at a distance, unseen, as he has done since we left Shadow Hall. And Rothea will be sharing my chamber from now on, so I will not be alone at night. Let us be strong for our people. We are here to bring hope, not fear.”
Riker looked down at their hands for a moment, then lifted his head and looked straight into her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat and she held her breath for only a moment. He did not try to hide his feelings any longer, his Eläm glowing brightly with his love for her.
“As you wish, My Lady,” he said, his deep voice full of emotion, and, she thought, respect.
They rode mostly in silence that day. Commander Ridgewell ordered the Scouts and most of his Regiment to ride ahead, or behind, to prevent any attacks from those directions. The rest of them rode in such a formation that Maia was always in the middle. Fire snorted his displeasure at being hemmed in and it took a lot of Maia’s concentration to keep him walking at a normal pace.
She was tired by the time they rode into Alea Yll; she had been up since when the Moons had set. She had not gone back to bed after the attack, too wrought up, but decided to get dressed and get the day going early. So she was glad when Lord Plainspar greeted them with just a small retinue of nobles and Elders and then led them straight to their accommodations.
The Wheaten Fields was the grandest of the guest houses in Alea Yll and, to Maia’s surprise, the most luxurious so far. Alea Yll was a farming community, taking advantage of the fertile soil of the Yllitar Delta. The area that made up Alea Yll was as widespread as that of Thala Yll, with some of their fields as far as a three-day ride from their city. Alea Yll lay on one of the busiest Trade Routes in Grildor. People travelling from Bron and Galaban travelled there for their grain as well as all the traffic that came through Braérn from the eastern and southern regions. Although not as populous, Alea Yll was as influential within the trading community as Braérn.
Maia had been here only once before, almost forty years ago; she never had the opportunity to go back before. It came as no surprise when Lord Plainspar gave her the itinerary of their stay. It seemed that every segment of the city wanted to hold an event with her and every noble wanted to invite her for tea. Besides these more private functions, there was also the Elder meeting, the memorial, the war council and finally the feast for the city.
“I am sorry, Lady Maia,” Durinn Plainspar said as he walked Maia into the grand hall of the guesthouse. “I know you must be tired from your journey and the news about what happened during the night arrived with a bird this morning. We have cancelled the function for tonight so that you might rest. Yet it would honour me greatly if you would sup with me and my family tonight. I promise not to make it too late.”
“I would be delighted, My Lord,” Maia replied, duty-bound to entertain the Lord of this beautiful city.
She was relieved when they were taken to their rooms to freshen up first. She was even more relieved to find, instead of individual dining tables, one single banquet table had been set up for her and her retinue and she was able to sit with Lord Plainspar and his family to her right and Elder Owen and Riker to her left. The food was excellent and the different juices on
offer were more pleasing to Maia than all the wine that had been offered at Thala Yll.
As promised, Lord Plainspar let them retire to their rooms shortly after their meal. Tomorrow they would meet with the war council first, in light of the attack the night before, and then the Elder meeting shortly thereafter. In a way, Maia was glad that the official meetings would be held first; she wanted to gather more information, as well as discuss ways of ensuring the safety of her people. Right now, all she wanted was a hot bath and her bed.
She had already seen to Fire and found that he had been spoilt with good quality Lucerne and a variety of grains; she had seldom seen him this happy in a stable. Now she sat on her bed, untying the laces of her riding boots. Although she wore the various dresses she brought along for the different festivities and meetings she was expected to attend, she still donned her black leather gear while they were travelling. It was more comfortable and it reminded her of … she paused.
Did she really want to be reminded? Had he not made it clear that he was not interested? She sighed and pulled her boot off. She should just forget about him altogether; she had enough problems to deal with already and the pain she felt when she thought about Blaid was unhealthy.
“Your bath is ready, My Lady,” Rothea said as she came back into the room.
Maia smelled lavender and citrus in the air that Rothea stirred up with her passage.
“Thank you, Rothea, you are too kind to me.”
Rothea helped her into the steaming bath. The hot water felt good on her tired limbs and she sank down into the water with a long sigh.
“Rothea, I want you to know how much I appreciate what you are doing for me. I know you are a Warrior and not a Server, yet you go out of your way to do everything and more a Server would do.”
“My Lady’s words are too kind,” Rothea answered shyly, but then carried on in a stronger voice. “Serving and protecting you is not only a privilege, but I see it as my duty to our people. Sinister plots are underway and I will do everything in my power to assist those who fight against them.”
Maia studied Rothea for a moment. She was tall, with broad shoulders and strong legs. Beautifully arched eyebrows accentuated her narrow face and highlighted her startling eyes. She kept her red hair shorter than most women did, but it suited her well. She emitted an aura of quiet strength and Maia felt safe in her presence.
“What do you think it is that the Vampyres are after?” Maia finally asked her, eager to hear her opinion.
“Our planet,” Rothea replied simply.
Splashing water over herself, Maia contemplated the simple answer for a while. From the beginning, they assumed the Vampyres had been forced to come to Elveron due to a shortage of food on their planet. They defeated the Vampyre army at Greystone and their main worry now was tracking down the few that remained within their borders. But what if Rothea was right? What if the situation on Naylera was indeed so bad that the Vampyres were not just looking for another food source, but another planet to colonise? The thought made her shiver.
“Do you think that last night’s attack was not merely an opportunity seized by a lone Vampyre, but rather that it was a planned attack with a deeper agenda?” she finally asked.
“I do, My Lady. Vampyre activity has been reported all over Grildor over the last few Moons, but ever since we left Shadow Hall, the number of attacks has increased in the areas we have travelled through and visited. I believe our presence is directly related to the number of attacks and that we are not only being followed, but directly targeted. Lord Moonswain is right to increase the security around you, as I also believe that you are one of the main targets. I believe they understand your standing within our society and they have seen the power you wield. They know that eliminating you will make it easier for them to reach their goals. A second war is sure to happen. Maybe not now, but the time will come.”
“You seem to have rare insight. May I ask the reasons for your thinking?”
“I have fought them at Greystone and their determination was unmistakable. If you had not done what you did at the end, we would all have died. I have also spent the winter Moons studying the reports, even those that came in before the war. Commander Ridgewell and the entire first Regiment have been in discussions with the Guard and your father for a while, trying to guess at the ultimate intent of the Vampyres. I do not agree with everything they have concluded so far, but it is not always my place to speak up.”
“I think what you are saying makes sense. I will see to it that your assumptions are heard when we are back at Shadow Hall. It is unsettling to think that we may not have seen the worst of them yet. I will bring it up at the war council and Elder meeting tomorrow. Can I call on you to speak at both meetings?”
“As you wish, My Lady.”
Rothea looked down, her cheeks colouring, but Maia knew the pride Rothea felt at having been taken seriously as an advisor and at being asked to speak before the lords and Elders.
Although the early morning had been chilly, the day was now uncomfortably warm; not even the slight breeze coming off the great fresh-water lake on which shore Alea Yll was built brought any relief. Maia pulled at the collar of her dress, longing for her loose cotton shirts. They had been in meetings all day and Rothea’s ideas had sparked intense discussions.
“But these are just assumptions,” Kayverii Thornbird, Commander of Alea Yll’s Regiment, said with outrage. “To make this public would just spark panic amongst the people.”
“I agree,” Lord Plainspar had cut in. “Until we have some kind of confirmation as to what the Vampyres are actually planning, we should keep these thoughts to ourselves. There may yet be truth in it, but until such time it is proven, there is no need to spread fear. And, if the Vampyres are indeed planning another war, then we do not want them to find out that we are aware of their intentions.”
Maia was relieved when Riker escorted her back to the guesthouse. The discussions today had given her much to think about. If it were to come to another war, would she be ready? She was physically fit and as accomplished with her weapons as the best of them. Would it be enough?
The only reason they managed to overcome such overwhelming odds the last time was because of the magic that had taken hold when she had fought alongside Blaid. Then he had abandoned her and she did not know if he would ever come back to her. She did not think she was strong enough to weave that same magic by herself; death was not in her nature; she would surely fail.
She went to bed that night feeling lonely and inadequate. Strange dreams plagued her of Vampyres sneaking through forests and lurking around dark corners. Sometimes the creatures that slunk about in the dark were not always Vampyres; she saw Elves, as well as wolves, hunting, hurting, killing. She woke up screaming with every death she witnessed in her dreams and every time Rothea was by her side. Only when the moons finally began their descent did she finally fall into a dreamless sleep.
Wearily he adjusted his black travelling cloak around his shoulders. He had swapped the heavy winter coat for this lighter one, once he reached the milder climate. Now he was tired. Tired of the travelling, tired of sneaking around in the dark, tired of waiting and simply tired of it all. He wished matters would move quicker. He had gone out of his way to ensure safe passage for them, yet they still complained. He had acquired the beast, mapped the routes, given descriptions, and provided safe-houses all over the country. Yet they still complained. As far as he was concerned, they were not performing as promised. He would have to be more firm with them if he wanted to see results any time soon. It was frustrating to watch them be foiled at every attempt. They promised so much and yet failed to deliver so far.
Wearily he climbed onto Shard, adjusted his travelling bag across his broad back, and then headed east. The dragon made travelling so much easier; he was glad he had risked going to the Icelands for him.
Now, he would have to take matters into his own hands. He knew their plans and if he got there in time, he might get the chan
ce to sort the problem out himself. Smiling at the thought of the recognition this would earn him, he urged Shard into flight. His time was coming. He would make sure of it.
The memorial held in Alea Yll was not as elaborate as the one in Thala Yll, yet it was so full of emotion that Maia found it difficult to speak to the people. After the attack on her and the discussions during the war council and Elder meeting, she found it difficult to concentrate. Memories of her vivid dreams kept resurfacing and it took all her willpower not to let the people see how scared she was.
She was now constantly surrounded by Riker and Rothea, as well as Commander Ridgewell and at least one other member of his Regiment. But she was glad for the company; even though she did not have much privacy; as it kept her from moping about the situation and feeling sorry for herself. At night, however, all she did not want to think about kept crowding her mind. Was she strong enough to save her people? Was there anything she could do this time to prevent a war? Should she find Blaid and make him help her? Would he help her if she asked him, or would he reject her? She was sure by now that he did not want to be with her; during their stay in Alea Yll, more news of the alleged Werewolf surfaced and, from the descriptions, she was sure it was Blaid. And he was pointedly avoiding her.
Riker, on the other hand, lavished his attention on her and she began to worry that people might notice. She was sure her father would approve of such a suitor, but permission always had to be asked first. Elven marriages usually lasted millennia and it was necessary for all involved parties to be agreeable to the union in order to avoid friction between the families at a later date. The more time she spent with Riker, the more relaxed she became in his company and she often caught herself being a trifle too familiar with him. She would have to be stronger; Blaid’s rejection and Riker’s advances were messing with her emotions almost as much as the threat to her people. This entire trip was turning into a nightmare and she now wished she were already back at home.