by Orr, Krystal
Talliea lowered her eyes and sighed. Politics were not her strong point. Being a leader, a title she had somehow been given despite her protestations, was also something she did not believe she was suited for. If the Arnira did not listen to the voice of reason, then Talliea knew matters could be lost. The Esu would never agree to peace, nor would they even entertain the possibility of friendship with beings as strange and magical as the Arnira. What were they to do if Arizira's tribe refused to listen to them? Could they honestly dispute the Child of Whispers?
What course would be left for them if they were forced to wage a battle on two fronts, one with the Arnira and one with the Esu? If neither people were willing to entertain peace and embrace amicability, then was Talliea destined to kill them until they were more agreeable? She could not do such a thing, nor would she. What purpose would there be in such an action? Fighting to protect those she loved and fighting with the intent to end the life of others were two completely different things.
The thoughts left her feeling unsettled and brought to the forefront of her mind a troubling understanding. "Ari?"
"Hm?"
"If the tide turns and we are forced to settle matters with action instead of words, promise me you will not get involved."
Arizira cocked her head to the side in a curious manner. Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "I can not make this promise, Tah-li. How can you request this of me? I have to protect you. Always, I have done so."
"You once told me that if I asked it of you, it was done. I am asking this. I no longer require your protection, love. Now, I protect you. I can not risk any harm coming to you if we are forced to fight."
“If you live, I live," Arizira argued. "Cynra told us this."
"That does not mean you are incapable of being harmed. I thought you dead before, Ari, and as a result I was unable to address the powers at my command. You are not impervious. If something happens to you, I will be unable to control the powers I possess. You are the key to my stability. I do not know how. I do not know why. I know only that if something befalls you, I will lose the focus required for these abilities."
"Tah-li...I need to protect you," Arizira countered weakly, shaking her head.
"No, you protect another now. Our child is your priority, Ahmanae. Our lives are tied together, but we are not certain if that bond extends to our baby. I will not risk her. I cannot. If we are forced to make a stand, I will protect us. Please promise me that you will do nothing to risk yourself. You carry another life, love. She depends on you for preservation."
Arizira did not answer immediately. She looked into Talliea's eyes and could plainly see the resolve staring back at her. She was unaccustomed to being protected by another. Her entire life had been about safeguarding her sisters, her tribe, and their way of life. To not fight now seemed cowardly and against her beliefs and yet, she knew Talliea spoke the truth. Her maternal instincts were already nearly overpowering. The desire and the need to keep her baby safe and unharmed overrode nearly every other compulsion she had.
However, Arizira was unsure of whether or not she would be able to hide away while Talliea and the others fought for their survival and their way of life. On the other hand, she was not certain she would be able to fight either. When she had been searching for Talliea in the forest and had come upon Bela'luin and her hunters, she had been unable to do anything other than watch as the first strike of war had been executed. Her only thoughts then had been on protecting the baby. She had frozen in her moment of indecision.
If such a thing happened while in the middle of all out war, if she froze in the middle of a fight, something could happen to the life she carried and, as a result, possibly cause Talliea to lose control of powers. As much as Arizira disliked it, Talliea was correct. She wondered which instinct would win out, however: Her desire to defend Talliea or her innate need to protect her innocent baby.
Only time held the answer to that question.
"Ari-sera?"
Arizira shook herself from her thoughts and nodded her head reluctantly. "I will do my best, failira."
Talliea studied her face for a long moment before becoming satisfied with her answer. "I love you," she said.
"I love you, too, Tah-li."
Talliea tugged on the back of her neck and brought their lips together for a loving kiss. Before the embrace could go any further, a throat clearing alerted them to another presence.
"Every time we leave them alone...like pups in heat."
The mumbling voice belonged to Cynra, who was shaking out her blanket and smiling at them both. D'jiira emerged from the cave and noticed how they were tangled up in each other. Her beautiful features sparked to a life a happy smile and her eyes found Arizira's. "Do you two require a moment alone?" she asked in a playful voice.
Cynra tossed her blanket over her shoulder and shook her head humorously. "They don't need anymore time alone. Time alone is the reason Arizira is--"
Cynra stopped herself abruptly and looked from D'jiira's curious face to Arizira's anxious one. She cleared her throat again before finishing with, "The reason Arizira is...love struck."
D'jiira chuckled as she watched Cynra walk back into the cave. Her eyes found her daughter's again and she smiled. "We were going to eat something light before making today's plans. If you two care to join us, we will be inside."
With that, D'jiira disappeared just as Cynra had.
Talliea and Arizira, arms and legs still wrapped around one another, looked at the spot their friends had briefly occupied, before bursting into a fit of laughter. Somehow, the heaviness of their conversation now seemed less.
* * * * *
"Do you think they will be successful?" Halydynn asked another Esu man, Jovan.
The tall, muscular man shrugged his broad shoulders and stroked, absentmindedly, the hair of his thick black beard -- which was a rarity among the Esu. Jovan, like Halydynn, was a member of the Lat'sa'val. With the recent crisis and the startling revelation of the warrior women in the area, the other men of the clan had voted that Jovan be in charge of military affairs.
He was a man who did not ask many questions, instead choosing to find his answers at the end of a blade. Action was what would determine the fate of their clan and action would be the savior to them all. Talk was not an option. The warrior women had already shown their value and their worth. They had been seeking to attack the Esu camp without the Esu even being aware of their existence.
To Jovan, and men like him, the only way to end hostilities was to engage the savages in combat. He and the others of his clan were inured to war, it was a normalcy of life. For as long as Jovan could remember, his clan had fought those that would seek to bring harm to them. In the past, it had been neighboring Esu clans. Now, it was the enigmatic women many were calling the Arnira.
The name of the enemy did not matter. The nature of the enemy did not matter. All that was of importance was securing their hold and their claim on the forest of the Northlands. Too long had Jovan's clan been nomads and wanderers. No longer. They had established a home in the valley and none would take it from them.
Jovan turned to look at Haldynn. The older man was watching the four groups of patrols as they disappeared into the surrounding forest. Each group consisted of four men. Four groups. Four men. They were assigned a simple task: spread out, search, and find Talliea.
It was still the hope of Haldynn and Jovan that they could appeal to Talliea and gain her favor. She was Esu and one of their own. Having her on their side during the coming war would most certainly assure their victory.
"I am not certain," Jovan said in a deep and rumbling voice to Haldynn's earlier asked question. "The outcome is unimportant. With or without the witch Talliea, we shall march to war. The warrior women will not hesitate. They will strike under cover of darkness. Mark my words. Already have they drawn first blood. Our retaliation is just for we shall repay them in kind."
Haldynn nodded as he watched the last group of men recede into the th
ickness of the trees.
Jovan continued speaking. "Get the others on their feet and tell them to prepare for a hard march. We are bringing this war to our enemies. They will rue the day they thought to attack us."
"You mean to assault the savage women? We know not where they abide."
"We shall find out," Jovan retorted.
"And of their ability to use the night as a cloak? How do you purpose to march the men safely? They must find rest at night, yet they shall have none if the women rain bow and blade down upon us."
Jovan smirked and turned around to fully face Haldynn. Deep set and dark brown eyes danced with a near maniacal glee. "We are Esuval's soldiers. The gift of light does He provide. The women shall not match us in strength. They will not expect such a bold attack and that shall be another boon for us. Gather the men. Now. We leave in two hours."
Haldynn nodded and walked away from Jovan's towering form. The time for indecision was over. The Esu were marching to war.
Chapter 24: Whispers from the Past
After breakfast, Talliea and the others of her small group had packed up their belongings and finally left the safe haven of Li'nas Dei.
After a thorough discussion of their plans, it had been decided that they would take the western-most way into the Arniran village. Arizira had explained that, under normal circumstances, the walk to her people would take only a matter of days with a group of their size. However, both she and Cynra had agreed that skirting normal patrols routes and sticking to the cover the heavy trees along the western side of the forest provided, would make for a safer, though slower paced, journey.
Taking such a route would add nearly a day and a half to their trek. The women and Markahn had been steadily walking for several uneventful hours. Talk was light. Cynta and Taetylona led the group, each engrossed in conversation, whose topics ranged from history and herbal remedies to rituals and cultural differences.
Currently, the older women’s discussion was turned to more recent events.
"You do not believe you words were too harsh on the boy?" Cynra asked.
Taetylona gave a sideways glance to her companion before scoffing and turning her eyes back to the trail before her.
"Harsh? Long have I lived with the harshness of their words. A small tongue-lashing might do the lad some good. My mind is rattled over his presence, for the intentions of his heart are unknown to me."
Cynra nodded, casting a brief look over her shoulder. "There is also the matter of his sudden understanding of my words since the day before. You, D'jiira, Talliea, and Arizira all speak and understand Esulan. I, however, do not. Forever have my words been spoken in my own tongue, yet suddenly the boy understands them, and I his as though we were each one of our own people. Something else is at work, something whose colors have yet to be revealed to all."
Taetylona and Cynra continued walking while their respective thoughts pondered such foreign and strange occurrences.
Talliea and Markahn walked a few paces behind the older women. Markahn, early in the trek, had expressed his joy at seeing Talliea again and his happiness that she had found the woman she sought. The two of them now spoke of their people and Markahn told Talliea more about D'jiira and how he had come to be with her.
"She nearly killed me on the spot with the point of her dagger. Women skilled in blades and combat… The concept is new to me."
Talliea chuckled at his words, finding herself surprisingly at ease around him. He was no longer the man who had desired to claim her, nor was he the person she had to answer to before she made any decisions. Now, he was just her friend, the person who had aided her in returning to Arizira and who now walked beside her in amity.
"Then you can imagine the wonders of my mind upon first glimpsing Ari. She was a spark in the dark, a fresh sun after a cloudy day. I was entranced by her from the moment we met."
Markahn smiled and nodded. He found it only slightly strange that he and the woman he had long desired to join with were talking and conversing like equals. Never before, since the two of them had grown into adulthood, had he tried to have a genuine conversation with Talliea. He found his new friend both smart and funny, intriguing and loyal.
"Tell me more about her. Her feelings for you are plain before the eyes..." Markahn and Talliea lost themselves to their reminiscent discourse as the sun above shone down on the whole of their group.
Bringing up the rear of the party were Arizira and D'jiira. Arizira walked with light steps with D'jiira easily keeping stride with her longer legs. Each had many questions to ask, yet neither knew how to approach the subjects they were both curious about. D'jiira wished to know everything about Arizira's life. She wished to know about every moment of happiness, the meaning behind every tear ever cried, the first time she learned to use a weapon, her relationships with the different women of her tribe, what made her desire to become a huntress, what her thoughts were when first discovering the Esu, and how she reacted when learning of her parentage.
Arizira, for her part, wanted to ask D'jiira about her relationship with Iolirthas. She wanted to learn more about the Esu clan she came from, what beliefs D'jiira held, if D'jiira had found love again and, if so, if Arizira had any siblings. She desired to learn about D'jiira's life and how she had come to terms with the knowledge of the Arnira. She wanted D'jiira to teach her what it meant to be Esu, for she had always believed herself to be only Arnira.
But, above all else, Arizira greatly desired to tell her mother of the life she was carrying. The life she and Talliea had created as an expression of their love the first time they had been intimate. The words for such a conversation were on the tip of Arizira's tongue, and yet she hesitated in imparting the joyous news. There were matters she did not wish the others to hear of, fears and insecurities she did not desire Talliea to learn just yet. Until she could ensure she had a private moment with D'jiira, the news of her pregnancy would have to wait.
Besides, she had only just been reunited with D'jiira after twenty-seven long years. There was still much she wanted to know and ask.
"How did you know I was nearby yester night?" Arizira asked, resuming the light conversation she was having with her mother.
D'jiira watched Markahn and Talliea some steps in front of her. She easily side-stepped a fallen branch in the path before her feet and turned her light brown eyes in Arizira's direction. The long, black braid of hair that normally fell behind her back was currently tossed over her shoulder and laying against her chest.
"Hm?"
Arizira followed her mother's eyes. Markahn and Talliea were deep in some conversation or another, but their words did not concern her. She could feel Talliea's mood and knew there was nothing of their talk to raise alarm.
"Last night, how did you know I was in the trees? I watched you pause as your eyes scanned the heaviness of the branches, yet a sound did not escape me."
D'jiira studied Arizira's earnest and curious face. A small furrow was between her brows and D'jiira could not stop the smile that came over her features. Iolirthas used to look similar when she was contemplating something that intrigued her.
"I was not aware of you, my daughter, nor of any one person in particular."
Arizira cocked her head to the side as they continued walking. D'jiira smiled again at seeing it. "You must have sensed me then, lana. Is that why you sent the Esu man away? Why you had him put light in the sky?"
D'jiira chuckled and shook her head. "I knew Markahn and I walked toward a place of spiritual importance to the Arnira. It was safe to assume that others could hold watch above us. It was precaution, nothing more, though I am overjoyed at having found you, regardless."
Arizira held D'jiira's eyes and the two of them shared a smile. "You fight well," Arizira said. "Not many deflect my attacks as easily as you did. I was not aware that Esu women trained for combat."
The ending statement was one meant to learn more about D'jiira's clan and their beliefs.
"Your nurture mother first train
ed me many long summers ago. After her passing, I expressed a desire to learn more of Esu disciplines and have studied since that time. You move as Io, just as agile and graceful, but I knew her. I watched her. Anticipating your attacks was as if recalling my own memory."
"My nurture mother, was she skilled in archery, as I? Or did she favor any particular weapon?
Smiling at Arizira's curiosity, D'jiira replied, "Io was gifted with a bow, yes. She preferred the ability to strike a target with the skill and cunning required for the weapon, than to engage in close quartered hand-to-hand combat."
Arizira kept her eyes locked with her mother's before nodding in thought. D'jiira turned her head to look, once again, in Markahn and Talliea's direction. Arizira studied her profile for a moment. D'jiira had told her she moved like Iolirthas. It made her feel closer to her nurture mother knowing they shared something in common. Knowing that something in her personality or her ways was from her parents seemed to fill a void within herself she had never known was truly missing.
"She is very beautiful."
Arizira shook her head, and in so doing her thoughts, and followed her mother's line of sight. Her eyes fell upon Talliea, who had turned in her direction and was currently offering her a bright smile. Arizira's face flushed and a smile of her own caused dimples to touch her cheeks. She held Talliea's eyes until her love turned back around and continued walking.
"She is,” she said. “My hearts sings for her. Her beauty is such that it could command the very sky above if she desired it. She captivates me."
D'jiira turned to look at Arizira and smirked. "You love her very deeply." The words did not require a confirmation, but Arizira nodded anyway. "I am happy for you, my daughter. It is my wish that, after we have brought peace to the lands, you and Talliea will find your happiness and begin a family of your own."