“Why?”Kaishan asked disinterestedly.“To what end? Father is still trapped in the Marlheman spell.”
“How do you know? Did you find a way in?”Shandova had asked in growing excitement. Kaishan had only shaken his head once in denial. Shandova watched as Kaishan re-sheathed the black, gleaming blade. That done, Kaishan had gazed at the tapestry map depicting Sheyestiva, the Nirami, and the northern reaches of Marlhema.“Then how do you know?”Shandova had asked impatiently.
“I just do, Shandova. The seal will break when he is released.”
Shandova glared at the door. Anger was an ugly thing that grew within his chest. Yes, Kaishan did not deserve the throne, but how was the one who did deserve it get it? The only thing going for Kaishan was his prowess with a blade. Hopeless anger was even uglier.
“Valued son of the Emperor;”Whispered the one voice that could comfort him. The Voice that knew his potential. It whispered its verse that brought back his hope“First you should have been born. Valued son of the Emperor; Your ambition and your strength are great. True heir of the Emperor; The twins before you should not be.”He knew that already, but it was nice to have it confirmed. “True heir of the Emperor; Raise yourself in a way that no blame will befall thee. Wanted Emperor; The Nitcassa will be your…”
“s.”Shandova finished for it.
***
Arathin- Plarn, Marlhema
Dusk had fallen by the time Terana returned home. She had gone toward Plarn after Zeeve literally slipped through her fingers. When she reached Plarn, however, she couldn’t make herself enter. Anger lifted its head when she came near. And along with it something stirred. Terana had no idea what it was, but it was like something was inher. She knew it wasn’t awake yet, it just rolled over in its sleep. And frankly, it scared her. So she had turned away from Plarn, going instead to the forest room.
She had stayed there, curled in a ball, all afternoon. She didn’t know what had stirred within her and she didn’t want it to show its presence again. Soon she decided that she wanted to spend the night in her little safe place. Because it was a courtesy (and she didn’t want her ears lopped off again) she had returned to let her parents know. Well, at least in a way that they would know.
Terana eased the kitchen door open carefully, wincing when the hinges murmured a soft protest. The inside air was warmer and carried wonderful aromas. Oh! It smelled so good. She knew that she was also going to get some dinner. Wryly, she wondered if Zeeve was somewhere nearby drooling. She would have been shocked if he wasn’t.
Since she was staying the night, she silently slipped up the stairs to her room and grabbed her doeskin bag. It was a signal of sorts that let them know when she was out in the woods. Returning down stairs, she heard her brother whispering angrily at something. Terana could guess who he was lecturing. Not wanting to draw either Jeremy’s or his victim’s attention, Terana slipped into the kitchen again.
Quickly she grabbed what she could carry of the leftovers; cooling bread and a cut of chicken. As she wrapped her dinner she heard murmuring from the sitting room. She didn’t pay any attention at first.
Hearing her name changed that.
Terana crept closer to the door to listen.
“What happened, Chris? She used to come to us whenever something or someone was bothering her.”Her mother asked in a tone of hopelessness.
Her father’s chuckle had a tad of bitterness to it.“Perhaps she grew weary of telling us about our neighbors. Perhaps she even thought we were tired of hearing it. You know how Terana strives to not be a burden.
“I know. She does her best, but no one else accepts her! Oh! It makes me so mad…”her mother’s voice dropped from its rising crescendo back to a normal volume.“I feel like we have failed her…and her mother’s trust in us.”
Terana’s breath stopped. Her mother’s…? Her mother wasn’t Sharon?
“What do you mean, Sharon? We raised Terana as the poor woman asked us to.”
Terana felt like the floor had been yanked from under her. I’m adopted…I’m…They took care of me…only…only because they were…were asked too?Blood roared in her ears. Her father…Mr. Carpenter…Was right about her not wanting to be a burden. And here, she had been one all her life. Granted, children were burdens, but she was one her pare…caretakers felt obligated to take on. A moan found itself strangled in her throat.
“We have been trying, Chris”Sharon continued.“But do you see our blood children treated the way she is? Lila and her fellow hens won’t leave Terana alone! If they don’t stop or aren’t careful, someone is going to slip and tell Terana that she isn’t truly ours!”
A stabbing sensation pierced Terana's heart as Sharon said those words. She squeezed her eyes shut. A low moan escaped her…She didn’t want to hear anymore.
Physically sick, Terana snatched her dinner and slipped out the door again and fled.
***
Gently Chris soothed his distraught wife.“Tomorrow, we will demand that Lila stop her nonsense. Her and the rest.”
Sharon’s near black eyes studied his face hopelessly.“How?”She asked.“We haven’t been able to get them to stop for nineteen years!”
“We’re creative, aren’t we?”Chris asked smiling.“We’ll find a way. We will show them that Terana is our daughter in everything but blood. That we love her as our own.”
Sharon’s eyes became determined.“Oh yes. I won’t give them a choice. I have had enough of what they allow their brats to do to my poor daughter.”
***
Terana ran, blinded by tears, through the fields. Heedless if she trampled the crops or not. She felt as if the knife that had run her heart through earlier was now carving a hole there. Everything made a sort of sick sense now. The people who had taunted her all her life knew that she was a leech. She wasn’t one of them. How they must have enjoyed her ignorance. Now she knew why her parents had looked so worn, they were worrying about the day when someone had either a fit of cruelty or pity told her. Told her that she was a burden. Her family, that she had thought had loved her, had lied to her all her life.
Each thought was another knife carving that ugly hole.
The only person who loved her, who hadn’t lied was Jeremy. Maybe he didn’t know that she wasn’t his sister…Terana stopped dead at the edge of the forest as a memory flickered before her mind’s eye.
“Zeeve knows you to be a good man, but not her brother.”Zeeve had remarked.
Jeremy had paused for a moment as if puzzled by what Zeeve had meant.“She just shows different traits.”He had finally said.
Zeeve nodded thoughtfully.“Really? Zeeve find that hard to believe in a small, out of way town. Zeeve thinks she has different blood.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”Jeremy asked in a snapping voice. As if he…as if he didn’t want Terana to notice what the moleci had been implying. Didn’t want her to know the truth…
Zeeve looked him directly in the eye and shrugged. “Zeeve don’t know. What does it mean?”
With a pained gasp, Terana dropped to her knees. Her arms hugging her tightly, as if to close the gaping hole in her chest. To stop the knives. Oh! She was so blind! They knew. They had allknown! Even Zeeve knew…
A wail of hurt fought its way out of her throat. She rocked back and forth. Back and forth. Twilight passed into deeper night. When Terana realized this, she straightened. She forced herself to stand and seek the shelter of the forest room. She crawled in and dressed into her man’s clothes. As she did this, she planned.
She didn’t belong here in Plarn. She couldn’t remain in Plarn. She had to leave.
Tears still raced down her cheeks as she thought this. She didn’t want to be a leech anymore, but she didn’t know where she could go…It didn’t matter. She had to leave.
And they won’t know or care if I do leave… Terana stilled in the process of retying her boots. And they will think that I am an ungrateful get. She couldn’t leave without saying ‘thank you’ for takin
g care of her. Terana’s bleeding heart quailed at facing any of them again. She wouldn’t be able to say anything; she would be too busy crying. She was too busy crying as it was.
Terana finished tying her boot. Kneeling before her doeskin bag, she drew out her sketchbook and a piece of charcoal. The sound of ripping paper sounded too loud as she tore out a piece. Flipping the book closed again she scrawled her note. Finished with that she threw the book and charcoal back into her bag and drew out a carved paperweight.
Her fath…Mr. Carpenter… was a skilled carpenter and woodcarver. When he had a spare moment, Mr. Carpenter would take a scrap of hard wood, typically maple, and carve Terana something. He knew that she loved nature and myth. So, over the years, he had gifted her with ucora, wolves, eagles, lvessa; all in various positions. One of his latest creations was the dragon. Out of all of them, she considered it her favorite.
She wondered now what he had meant by those gifts. Were they just to make her believe the lie longer? Was he just…did he just make them because he thought that a gift was expected of him? Shuddering at the thought, Terana studied the paperweight in her hand. It was the dragon. With her finger she traced its spiraling ascent forever trapped in the wood. Its wings spread to catch the wind of flight.
She had put this one and the eagle one in her bag to draw. She hadn’t thought that she would leave one to weigh down her last note. But now it seemed like a good idea, so they would know that the note had truly come from her. They all knew that she loved these two carvings the best. Perhaps they would know that she had left it to show that she loved them…But which one should she leave; the spiral ascending dragon or the eagle landing on a branch? Which would say the most about how much she loved them? The one she loved the most.
She traced the dragon one last time, kissed its head, then set it down upon the note.“Guard it till they find it.”She whispered to it. She retreated then; pushing her bag before her as she crawled out the entrance.
Beneath its dragon guardian the note waited. Waited for someone to find it. Waited with its message.
I know now that you were obligated to care for me. I thank you for all that you have done for me. Know that I love you, enough to remove this burden from you.
Terana
Later in the night, Terana slowed her trek. Above her own soft tread, Terana’s keen ears heard something padding toward her. She paused, peering through the shadows. She felt something peering back. Terana felt that she knew who it was.
“Russy?”She asked quietly.
There was a short bark followed by soft rustlings in the underbrush. Like red smoke, Russy materialized before her
Terana crouched to embrace him.“Hello, buddy.”She hugged his scruffy neck. His thick fur felt good against her face. She inhaled his musty sent and felt at home. Here was someone who didn’t care that she wasn’t kin by blood. He loved her. Russy moaned and pulled away from her. He cocked he head at her; his eyes seemed to be asking her a question.“I’m leaving.”She informed him. He snorted.“I am.”Terana said with conviction.“I am leaving and I won’t come back for some time. If ever.” The wolf came up to her again and rubbed his head against her chin. It was as if a candle was lit. She didn’t have to be alone in her self exile. Plus, Russy could help her survive.“Hey boy, do you want to come with me?”She asked him hopefully. Terana feared to be alone. Maybe now she wouldn’t be. Russy’s amber eyes gleamed with silver moonlight as he studied her.
After a few tense heartbeats he yipped and wagged his tail. A grin took residence on her lips. She wouldn’t be alone after all. As he bounded ahead of her a sudden pang of guilt eclipsed her joy. She was taking him from his pack. His family; where he belonged. What if he didn’t understand that she was truly leaving Plarn?“Russy.”She called to him. He glanced over his shoulder.“Do you understand that I am leaving Plarn? The valley? Everything? That means your family too.”She didn’t want him to leave her, but she didn’t want him to feel like she had tricked him. She knew how that knife felt. Russy gave her a‘of-course-I-know-silly’look.“Just making sure.”She called to his back.
Chapter Ten-Emissary of the Past
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the acknowledgment of it.” –Fieressen of the Persharan Dragons
Pershara- Sigon Pass
Kairevasigh sat bundled in some spare blankets before the fire. She gazed at the people about her. The old men, Robert and Bendon had asked that she come with them. Too tired to put up a struggle Kairevasigh had agreed. Besides, she couldn’t shake the feeling of safety she felt. They took her to a stone disk carved with symbols. Bendon had tinkered with it. Kairevasigh had felt a touch of pressure on her neck. Then the disk glowed and the three of them touched it. The pressure spiked. When Kairevasigh opened her eyes again it was to be surrounded by more people: a woman with blonde hair and gentle eyes, a tall, thin man, a big man with the eyes of a soldier, and a youth about her age.
She had given Robert the sword, a move considered foolhardy back home. But she wasn’t home and she avoided using it. The woman had taken her under her wing, insisting that Kairevasigh rest and eat. The woman introduced herself as Kindra.
That had been several nights ago when the moon had been full. Kairevasigh felt that she had finally come home. Which was strange, because she had never been farther. But she felt safe and with a family of sorts. Kindra was especially kind. The only person who really unsettled her was Tep, though he didn’t say all that much. But he did watch her a lot when he thought she hadn’t noticed.
The group was moving south through what they called the Sigon Pass. They were on their way to Bendon’s daughter near the capital of Pershara. Tommy, the tall man, said that they were making good time considering the fact that they were on foot and it was late winter. They had stopped for the night.
Thus Kairevasigh found herself bundled by the fire. She watched the group about her. Toliver was telling Tep about some King Cole and how maps had been drawn on pears after the potato disaster. Tep was listening with a raised eyebrow. Tommy was juggling rocks for Kindra’s enjoyment. Bendon and Robert were talking about travel plans. By the sound of it, it was an old argument. Robert mentioned the transporter symbols. Bendon said it would be too close to Altana and she would feel the magic use.
“Why don’t you just dampen your use of power?”Kairevasigh gathered the nerve to ask.
“The pressure is a natural occurrence.”Bendon replied.
“True, but if you channel power into the void created when you use magic, the pressure is reduced if not completely nulled.”She replied with what Kaizir had always told her.“It just takes focus.”
Both men turned to stare at her like she had said something astonishing.“Fascinating.”Robert said.“Where did you learn that?”
She looked into the fire.“A friend from home taught me.”A fact mostly true. They did come from the same landmass, just a vastly different time.
“Where are you from?”Kindra asked.
Kairevasigh met Kindra’s gaze. The vast bluegrass plains of home swam before her vision. Ansool, the beautiful winged leopards, flew in their prides, stalking plain deer. In the distance were black eagles. Her home farm appeared, her father and mother going about their simple lives. Her brothers helping and going off to apprenticeships. A feeling of homesickness lodged itself in her throat. She had lied to her parents about going to the seamstresses school in Maloressi. Instead, she had gone to the great library: the Ulaisékan. She had lied, which was against her nature, to apprentice there. Her whole entrance into the apprenticeship had been a lie except for her desire to learn. Only boys could become scholars. She had thanked the spirits and the night that she was flat chested still. Kairevasigh had cut her hair and shortened her name to Kairev. She had even gone so far as to write a letter of introduction from her illiterate father, not that she needed it. It had been four years since the start of her apprenticeship that she had seen her family. Who knew how much time had passed since she had gone back in time.
Was she even close to her own time?
Kindra gasped, breaking the pictures of home. Kairevasigh blinked. Kindra was gulping air, her hand to her chest. Kindra stared at her. Tommy rose to Kindra’s aid, his eyes flickering between the two women. I made eye contact…she saw…Kairevasigh moaned softly, burying her head in her hands.
“What was that? What did you do?”Kindra asked crouching before Kairevasigh.
“I’m sorry. It was an accident.”Kairevasigh apologized.“I didn’t mean to…”She ducked her head again. Telecy was a tricky magic. It connected minds, but it could also trick the mind with illusion. The more powerful telecers were said to also control another, stealing that last refuge. Kairevasigh hadn’t taken control of Kindra’s mind, but she had connected with it. A fine tether was between them now.
“What happened?”Bendon asked.
Kindra turned to him.“I am not sure, but I saw…”She looked quizzically at Kairevasigh.“her home?”Kairevasigh nodded, her face still hidden.“It was like no place I have ever seen. Vast plains of grasses as tall as Tommy. Maybe taller.”She amended eying Tommy.“And all of it was the color of blue spruce. Winged leopards and a sprawling estate surrounded by smaller farms. Also saw a vast underground library.”
“I’ve never heard of a place like that in Pershara.”Tommy said.
“Grass t’aint blue. T’is green.”Tep asserted.
“So this is Pershara.”Kairevasigh whispered, the last of her doubts erased. In a louder voice she answered Tep, raising her head to look in his general direction. She had to keep in practice of avoiding eyes, those doorways to the mind.“That may be true here in Pershara. But Sheyestiva is not in Pershara. Or anywhere near it. Sheyestiva is part of what you would know as Arathin.
***
Silence met Kairevasigh’s announcement. Kindra, Robert, and Bendon stared at her in shock. Tep and Toliver both looked very confused. As for himself, Tommy was uncertain. A feeling he did not like. Arathin was a fairytale land of strange magic and diverse peoples. Arathin was said to have been lost more than two thousand years ago. The only thing that remained was the language that was only used for magic and old scholarly work.“
The Ways of Mages: Starfire Page 9