Echoes

by Christine Grey

  Dearra nodded to the Etrafarian above her, having recognized him from one of her discussions with Aesri. She couldn’t remember his name, but he responded with a nod of his own before resuming his watch.

  She came around a corner and stopped abruptly. A little girl of nine or ten was weeping bitterly, surrounded by a group of friends who all looked at a loss as to how best to comfort their forlorn friend. Aesri had also noticed the group as well, and she approached them, just as Dearra did.

  “What is wrong, child?” Aesri asked, lowering herself to sit beside the girl.

  The crying ended abruptly. The little girl’s eyes were wide with wonder as she looked at the beautiful fairy lady before her.

  “Well?” Aesri tried again.

  The girl looked down at her feet, and she mumbled something too low to be heard.

  “I cannot hear you, dear one. You will have to speak up.”

  “I said, I got into trouble with my mamma. She took my dolly, and says I can’t play with it no more till I can learn to ‘trol myself.”

  “I think you mean, ‘control’ yourself,” Aesri corrected.

  “Yeah, that’s what I meant.” The little girl rubbed a dirty sleeve across her running nose.

  “If your mother took your doll away, it must have been a serious offense. What did you do to earn such retribution?”

  “What’s retrobshion?”

  “Retribution. It is like a punishment, or justice served.”

  “Oh, I din’t hardly do nothing. I was only goin’ to watch the fairies on the wall. That ain’t so bad, is it?”

  “It is quite dangerous. Had your mother forbidden you from going to the wall?”

  “Well, she told me she din’t really want me goin’ up there, but that ain’t exactly the same as forbidding. I was only goin’ for a little while,” she said, doing her best to defend herself.

  “Be honest now, you knew what she meant,” Aesri said, giving the child a serious look.

  Aesri saw the little girl’s blush of guilt, and took it as acknowledgment enough.

  “Do not fret, child. All children make mistakes.”

  “Even fairy children?” she asked, hopefully. If Etrafarians, whom she viewed as perfection incarnate, could make mistakes, then the sting of her own error would be eased.

  “Certainly! Let me tell you about one such girl. She, also, was told by her mother not to go where it was unsafe. You see, our home is kept hidden from the outside world. I am not always sure of the wisdom of that choice. I believe that we miss out on so much, locked away as we are, but it is what it is. We are very set in our ways, you see.

  “This girl was older than you, but she was still only a girl, and her mother had repeatedly warned her to stay away from strangers. No matter how often she was told, scolded, warned and punished, it did no good. She made friends with some dolphins, and they would bring her news.”

  “She made friends with dolphins? I saw a dolphin once, but it was a long way away, and it din’t pay any attention to me at all,” the girl said sadly.

  “Well, Meeshe was a special young lady, and she often spoke to the animals around her. Dolphins are exceptionally intelligent creatures, and they enjoyed her company. She would frequently swim with them in the surf just off the shores of Etrafa.

  “Whenever sailors came to one of the nearby islands and stopped over to gather fresh water and fruit, the dolphins would come to tell Meeshe, and she would steal away in one of Etrafa’s little boats to approach the island. She would beach her craft on the opposite side from the sailors, and then stealthily make her way to watch the men as they laughed, worked, and joked.

  “There was one ship in particular that drew her like no other. The Hawk and Gull was the name, if I remember correctly. Its sailors had a regular run that brought them to the island about four times a year. If she received word that that specific ship had arrived, nothing could keep her away.

  “The reason for her particular interest was the presence of one handsome young man. He started out as a cabin boy, and he had worked his way up to a full crew member. Meeshe was captivated by him. There was nothing about him that was so very special or unusual, but to Meeshe he was exotic and perfect in every way.

  “In the beginning, she was perfectly content to watch from the shadows, but eventually she longed to speak to him. One day, an opportunity presented itself. He was with a small group from his ship. They were racing one another up the trees to harvest the nut-like fruits that grew there. Meeshe asked a bird to try to lure him away. The bird hopped into the clearing and flopped about, dragging one wing as though injured. This is actually a common practice with that type of bird. They nest on the ground, and if a predator approaches too near their eggs, they feign injury to draw the threat away. Once they have succeeded in their ruse, they take flight and wing their way to safety. The young man must not have been familiar with the bird, for he followed behind it. Whenever he would draw too near, the little bird would flutter just out of reach, and then resume its act. This went on until the sounds from the other men were far in the distance, and when the sailor emerged into a small clearing, there, before him, stood Meeshe.

  “He had heard of Etrafarians, even seen one or two when he had visited Bandar, though they did not frequent that dangerous port often. Still, he had never seen anyone like her. She was on the small side, even for a fairy, but she was most definitely a young woman. She had graceful curves, and beautiful, brown hair with highlights of gold that flowed in a cascade of loose curls, almost to her waist. Her eyes were a dark and mysterious sea blue, and the shift dress she wore was short enough to expose a shapely pair of legs.

  “In her mind, Meeshe could hear her mother’s voice telling her to run away, but her heart told her to stay. Their time together was far too short, but he promised to come to see her in that same glade the next time he returned. They parted after uttering vows of love.

  “Meeshe made her way back to Etrafa in the dark. When she returned home, her mother and father were waiting for her. They were very, very displeased. Meeshe was confined to her home. She was allowed nowhere without an escort. Even her trips to the shore to swim with the dolphins were put to an end.

  “One night, after several months of confinement, an owl came to Meeshe’s window. After a brief conversation, Meeshe was informed that the Hawk and Gull had returned, and she was desperate to reunite with her love. She sent the owl to fetch as many of her animal friends as would come, and when they came, they came in force. Wolves ran indoors and stole food from the tables, birds swooped down at people’s heads, squirrels, mice and rabbits invaded homes and ran wild over tables, beds, and chairs. The entire city was overrun, and in the chaos and confusion, Meeshe was able to slip away.

  “She met her young man in the glade, and they spent the night, wrapped in each other’s arms. When the sun’s first rays stretched their warm embrace over the eastern horizon, the pair awoke to look into the eyes of Meeshe’s father. The young man sprang away like a deer, but Meeshe’s father pursued him, completely ignoring the plaintive wails coming from his desperate daughter.

  “They dashed through the forest. Every once in a while, Meeshe’s father would wave his hand, and a patch of ground would rise up, causing the man in front of him to stumble, but he always righted himself in time to keep a few steps ahead. Both men disappeared from Meeshe’s view for a moment, then there was a terrible scream, and then nothing. When Meeshe caught up to her father, he was hovering in the air a few feet past the edge of a cliff that had been hidden from view by the dense foliage. Far below, was the broken body of Meeshe’s lover.”

  The children shook their heads in pity for the young couple. One child rubbed her eyes as if trying to wipe the vision from her mind.

  “What happened to Meeshe?” the little girl asked. By this time, she had completely forgotten the reason for her tears, having been thoroughly caught up in the story.

  “Meeshe returned to Etrafa with her father,” Aesri said.

/>   “Did her father give her retbution?” the child asked Aesri.

  “Retribution, child. It is pronounced retribution. No, her father did not need to, life had its own retribution planned for Meeshe. Her time with her young sailor had been enough to produce a child within her. It is actually unusual for us to conceive so easily, but perhaps the fact that they were not both Etrafarian played a part, or perhaps it was Rah’s will that Meeshe should have a constant reminder of her transgression. I prefer to think that Rah presented her with the baby girl as consolation for the love she had lost. Whatever the case may be, Meeshe is alive and well on Etrafa. She cares for her grandson, and she is ridiculously proud of the little boy.”

  “Why don’t his own mother care for him?” the child asked.

  “That, dear one, is a whole different story.

  “For now, it is enough to know that there is a lesson in all of this. When our parents set forth rules for us, it is almost always because they love and care for us, and want to see us safe from harm and hurt. They may not always be right, but we can be assured that, in most cases, they make those decisions out of love. We can never see what the future holds. This world is a precarious place, and life is fragile. If, by following a few simple rules, we can save ourselves and others from pain and danger, do you not think it would be selfish to ignore those rules in favor of choosing only that which brings us personal gratification in the moment?”

  The little girl screwed her face into a look of deep thought as she tried to puzzle out exactly what the fairy was trying to tell her. “I ain’t too sure I understand all them words, but I guess you mean I should listen to my mamma and not be such a trouble to her, if I can.”

  Aesri smiled warmly at the child. “That is about the size of it, yes. Do you think you can do that?”

  The girl nodded her head. “I sure can be better than I am. I’ll sure try, lady.”

  “Good! Then that is enough lesson for one day. Go and play with your friends, and try to be better tomorrow than you were today. If you live each day trying to make some small improvement over the day before, you can be assured that you will grow and improve, little by little.”

  The children scattered in an impromptu game of hide and seek. Dearra reached down and offered a hand to Aesri who took hold, and she gracefully got to her feet before brushing herself off.

  “I liked your story, Aesri. I do not know that some of the deeper lesson took root, but perhaps the seed has at least been planted,” Dearra said.

  Aesri looked up at her in surprise. “You are beginning to sound a little like an Etrafarian yourself, Dearra, with that talk of planting seeds and taking root.”

  Dearra chuckled. “It must be the company I’ve been keeping.”

  “Bah,” Aesri chided. “You were doing so well, and then you ruined it with that word.”

  “What word?”

  “I’ve. You said I’ve.”

  Dearra threw a hand to her mouth in mock horror. “Aesri, you said the word I’ve. I didn’t think you were capable of using a contraction. Do…do we need to hide you somewhere so the others won’t find out?” Dearra had lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

  “Very funny. You are most humorous. We can say those words. It is only that we believe in clarity wherever possible. Anything pure and unspoiled is considered best. That goes for language as well.”

  Dearra frowned. “And people?”

  Aesri looked at her closely and took her time before answering. “It is true that most Etrafarians have very structured views about our bloodlines, but Dearra, that does not apply to how we view those of other races. Never think for a moment that I, or any of my kin, look down on you or Darius because of your ancestry. How is Darius, by the way? Has he fully recovered from the exchange of blood with Brin’du Drak’Tir?”

  “He’s fine. A few days and he was as good as new. But, you’re trying to change the subject.”

  “I am not,” she protested, but she couldn’t quite meet Dearra’s eyes. “As I told you, my people do not look on your mixed blood in any negative light.”

  “And what of Carly and Holly, or Meeshe’s child or grandchild?”

  “You must understand, Dearra. We have been set in our ways a very long time. When people live one way for too long, they become stunted in their growth, like a flower forced to grow in a pot too small for it.”

  “You aren’t answering my question,” Dearra said. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

  “It is true that many Etrafarians were uncomfortable around Meeshe’s child, and Carly’s existence was not met with happiness. It should not be so. A sister is a sister, no matter where she comes from, but…well…”

  “Were? What happened to Meeshe’s child?”

  “She gave birth to a son of her own three years ago, but she did not survive the birth. The baby took after his much larger grandfather.”

  “What about the baby’s father?”

  “He took his own life after his wife’s death. It is a terrible crime against Rah to take one’s own life. He might have recovered from her death, but when he married her, many, if not most, of our people turned against him, and he had no support. Meeshe raises her grandson now.”

  “And how do you feel about Etrafarians who are not of pure blood?”

  “I love Carly as much as I love any of my sisters. Her birth is of no consequence to me, one way or the other. Surely you have known me long enough to know that I tend to go my own way. I let my heart guide me. It is too easy to be fooled by one’s own head, to rely too much on logic.”

  “There you are!” Niada’s voice interrupted their conversation.

  “I was worried sick, Aesri. You were to meet me for luncheon over an hour ago. I prepared us something special.”

  “I am so sorry, Niada. I was distracted by some children and found myself carried away telling tales.”

  “Children,” Niada said shaking her head and then sighing deeply. “You have always loved children. You should have one of your own.”

  Aesri smiled. “Yes, I do love children dearly, but there is something I love more, and sometimes in life we cannot have everything we desire. For my part, I believe that I made the right choice for me. Come, Niada. Let us go to lunch.”

  Dearra watched the two women depart. When her stomach gave a noisy rumble as a reminder, she decided it was probably time she found some food herself.

  Chapter 25

  The stench was overpowering. So many animals and people crowded together was taking a toll. The winter was proving to be a dry one, and there wasn’t enough snow to melt to keep all of the animals and people watered, let alone bathed. Even with the Etrafarians doing what they could to draw water from the air, things were still getting desperate.

  Daniel and Darius stood at the wall and looked out at the Breken encampment. From time to time, a daring Breken youth would jog forward a few hundred yards, take aim with his bow, and try to pick off one of the watchers on the wall. This was accompanied by cheers, whistles, and hoots from the Breken army.

  Darius stepped casually aside to let the arrow fall harmlessly to his left. Neither Daniel nor he commented on the shots being taken at them. This particular archer wasn’t very good, and he was shooting from too far away. He was having to aim so high in order to get the distance he needed, that the arrow came from almost directly above and clattered impotently to the stone before coming to a rest.

  “How are the wells holding up?” Darius asked as he continued to scan the distant woods.

  “They’re in rough shape.” Daniel raised his shield over his head with apathy. The arrow struck, bounced off, and skidded down the outside of the stone wall. “Well, that was unfortunate. I hate to see the arrows go to waste like that. Even if it was badly damaged, we could at least have burned it. Pity.”

  “What about the tunnels under the city? Don’t they lead to a water source?”

  Daniel was still staring over the wall at the lost arrow. “Two are blocked by
cave-ins, though there are diggers working to remove the blockage, and the third would bring us up into the middle of the Breken camp on the north side of the city.”

  Darius leaned a little toward Daniel as another arrow passed by on his left. “I would like to strangle King Jaymes. What was the man thinking to keep the city in such poor repair? Those tunnels have been blocked with dirt and stone for decades. If he would have kept them up—”

  “Darius, it serves nothing to question why he didn’t do more when he could. He knows now that he was wrong. I’ve seen him out working shoulder to shoulder with the men of the city, trying to make it right. He’s no longer a young man, but you wouldn’t know it by the way he’s pitching in.”

  “I suppose that’s something, but I don’t know if it’ll do much good.” Darius turned to face Daniel. “We can hold out for quite a while, but to what end? The Breken aren’t going away. We’re going to have to engage them sooner or later. Doesn’t it make more sense to—” His rant was cut short when a wooden shield hastily went up in front of his face. There was a loud clunk as a crossbow bolt embedded itself into the shield.

  Darius hadn’t even seen William approach.

  “They switched shooters,” William said, nodding his head in the direction of the open field below. Loud cheers had erupted from the Breken at how close the crossbow had come to eliminating Darius the Traitor.

  “Thank you, William. I let myself be distracted.”

  “Yes, you did,” he responded in his typical direct fashion.

  “Quit fooling around, you two,” Daniel said, yanking the bolt from the shield. “We need to decide what to do about the water.”

  “There’s only one thing to do,” William said. “We have to go and get some.”

  Darius and Daniel looked at him and then at each other, and then they grinned like little boys.

  ***

  Daniel and Shanks had gathered two thousand men, and a few dozen Maj women, together on the square, which was the traditional practice area for the castle guard.