Kyrianna finished taking off the last shin guard and placed it next to the other pieces of the suit. She ran a finger over the ornate symbols carved into the armor. "What do these runes mean? I’ve never seen their likeness."
Lucian studied the symbols for a moment before answering. "I'm not exactly sure, but I think that they are blessings. Don't ask me to explain why I think that, because I can't. It is just my theory."
When he paused and looked into Kyrianna's eyes, studying her face, she wondered what he was thinking. She didn’t know that the warm glow from the candle light in the room danced off one side of her attractive face while the moonlight coming through the window reflected off her opposite side making her look like a goddess in Lucian’s eyes right then. She couldn’t know that at that moment he was thinking that she was truly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"I thank you for your help with the armor,” he said. His voice broke mid-sentence and he looked away and cleared his throat.
Kyrianna couldn’t help but smile at the shy reaction. She decided that she would leave on that note, feeling as if she had regained some of her composure, and headed for the door. "Anytime, mighty Lucian," Her voice held a hint of sarcasm. "If ever you need help with your armor again, just call on me."
He didn’t let her off that easily. "By the way, I could have taken off the gauntlets and shin guards by myself, but thank you just the same."
Kyrianna stopped at the door but would not turn to look at him. She didn’t want him to see her face turning red. "Yes I suppose you could have." She hid a shy grin and walked through the doorway talking as she went. "Looks like you will have to be placed in a new room. Have fun explaining how your door was damaged."
She could hear him chuckling as she turned and rushed down the hall toward her own room, berating herself for acting so foolish. What had gotten into her? She was a Princess. Why did she feel like such clumsy little girl right now? Once she was back in her room it did not take long for the burdens of reality to start weighing in on her thoughts again. But she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Lucian and the way his golden eyes twinkled when he smiled. She realized then that he was the only one who had made her feel so positively warm since the day her parents had died and she had to run for her life.
It was in thinking about Lucian that she was finally able to fall to sleep. Unfortunately the nightmares soon followed.
The Sting of Treachery
Lucian rushed down the corridor following the guard who had come to tell him that the High Priest had summoned him with news of the messengers. He couldn't imagine how that was possible. The messenger from Kaheendra had only left two days ago and it would take him another half day to reach Sanjeera. That would put his return another two and a half days out.
Tarriel must have gotten the news as well because she came up beside Lucian as he jogged down the hall. When they reached the council chamber and the door swung open, Lucian and Tarriel both gave stunned looks as Tophin waited inside to greet them with a wide grin stretched across his face. Solomon was there also and a very large man, obviously from Ortsk, stood next to him.
Tarriel rushed up to Tophin and gave him a crippling hug. "Tophin, so good to see you again, what in the name of Vareehu are you doing here?"
Tophin winced as he put too much of his weight on his still injured leg. "I brought the message to our people. I told them of your plight and so the elders have begun gathering our forces. So I returned immediately to report back to you."
Tarriel cut her eyes at him. "They sent you, with a wounded leg, on such a long hard ride?"
A small grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Well, maybe I kind of insisted that I go. And I decided to come straight here instead of going to Sanjeera"
"I thought as much," said Tarriel as she clutched Tophin's shoulder and gave him firm shake. "Good to see you."
"Where are the others?" Tophin asked as he looked around the room. "Have you become soft and let them sleep in?" His bright smile faded when he saw Tarriel’s expression.
Tarriel looked to the cold marble floor and then deeply into Tophin’s eyes. "The others have fallen in battle. They died well."
"All of them?” he asked in shock. “What happened?"
Tarriel could see anguish in his eyes. It was no mystery that Tophin and Voneel had been very close, possibly even lovers. But they were both very quiet about it and always put matters of war first, before their personal needs. Her heart ached for Tophin and his loss.
"We were ambushed by worvak along the way and then again by a large group of brutes from Kaheendra, followed by assassins. It was a well-planned out attack, we were simply overwhelmed. But no Culdoran went without cost, every assassin, worvak, and brute was killed."
"Vengeance has yet to be exacted no matter how many are dead. My blade will be colored with the blood of our enemies for this, I swear it," promised Tophin through gritted teeth.
Tarriel lifted up her chin in approval. "There will be plenty of enemies to kill soon enough dear Tophin. How long before the army is ready to advance?"
Tophin gave her a wicked smile. "A sizeable force waits just on the outskirts of Kaheendra already, five hundred of our best. The rest of our forces should be on their way to Vorea this very day, numbering close to three thousand."
Lucian was listening to Tophin's report as he greeted Solomon. He thought for a moment that Tarriel might jump in glee at the news but seeing that he was watching her, she contained her excitement. Lucian, on the other hand, could not contain his. Solomon had just told him that his entire army of nearly five thousand was already marching toward Vorea. He looked back and forth from Solomon to Tophin. "What made you men send the forces toward Vorea? What if we had not been able to secure Kaheendra?"
"I had faith in you Lucian,” said Tophin, “As did the elders of Culdora. We had no doubt that you would bring Kaheendra to our cause."
Solomon was nodding his head as Tophin spoke. "I told you Lucian, that you had a purpose in Kaheendra. I believed that you would succeed and that is why I also ordered our army to march on to Vorea."
Lucian saw Kara standing with Ojori, listening to the reports. She was smiling from ear to ear at the news. Never had he thought that this could be possible. These were tribes of which Vorea had never allied with and yet they were gathering their entire armies to come to her aid. Most astounding of all was that they seemed to be for him. The idea just baffled him. But as he looked into Kara’s eyes and saw the hope and appreciation filling them, he decided right then that he would do whatever it took to save her people.
Suddenly another man burst into the room, gasping for air. His clothes were caked with dried mud and his face was dirty and wind burned. He was heavy set and had thick powerful limbs with a bald head.
"Leramy!" yelled Lucian, elated to see the butcher from his tribe. "What are you doing here? Is everything all right?" He rushed over to the large beefy man to help him stay upright as he pulled air into his lungs.
"There...is no...army. No one...will come." Leramy's words came in short bursts between each labored breath.
Lucian couldn't get his meaning. "Come my friend, have some water and regain your breath. Then you can tell me the news."
Leramy sat down on a stool and took a few deep breaths, all the while shaking his head. "Your brother....he denied…"
Lucian cut him off, "My brother? Eolic?"
Leramy nodded, his breathing had become steadier. "Yes, your brother Eolic. It was he who denied your request for aid. The messenger left to report back to Sanjeera but I thought you might be here, so I came as fast as I could to bring you the news."
Lucian stepped back as if he had been hit by an invisible fist in the chest. He was shaking his head as though he didn't believe it but he couldn't find any words. Lucian had been worried about Eolic since the day their parents were murdered. He constantly wondered how his brother fared, what he was doing. He was sure that Eolic would be happy to know that he still lived
. Lucian couldn't understand why Eolic would deny his request, not after what they had gone through. He must know of the pending war.
Lucian grasped Leramy’s wrist and thanked him, then spun and rushed out the door.
Kyrianna ran after him. "Lucian, what is it, what do you intend to do?" she yelled as she tried to catch up to him.
Lucian turned to answer her. His face was twisted in what looked like a mix of pain and rage. "I need to get to Yavasura and muster our force, it may be small but everyone willing to fight will be needed in this war. I do not know why my brother would refuse me, but I intend to find out."
She caught up to him and grabbed his wrist as he started to turn again. She pulled in close to him and looked into his pained eyes. "I know you feel hurt by what your brother has done. But look at all these other people who have flocked to your banner. Whether you believe it or not, you make a great leader and those who willingly follow you need that leadership. What I have witnessed today, I never thought possible. If you must go to Yavasura, then go. But please hurry back, these people need you." She paused, unsure if she should say what she felt. "I need you. I will leave for Vorea today with whatever force I can gather. But these men follow you, not me."
Lucian could feel her breath against his face. He felt the warmth of her hand on his wrist and the weight of her gentle grip. He wanted nothing more than to stay near her. The feelings that rushed through him whenever he looked at her were unlike anything he had known before. But he couldn't let that sway him from the cause. Yavasura needed to join in this war. They were his people after all. He couldn't believe that his own brother had denied him.
He couldn't stand to look into her eyes lest he desire to stay close to her and forget about Yavasura. "Why must you go to Vorea now, Kara?” he asked her. “Could you not wait for my return and for the Ganthian and Sanjeeran forces?"
"No,” she said quickly, wincing a bit as Lucian called her by the fake name she had given. “I can’t wait any longer. I must return home and be with my people. They need me now more than ever"
"I understand. I will return as swiftly as possible and I will bring the army of Yavasura to bear."
As Lucian finished speaking, Eliath came down the hall to join them. "We travel to Yavasura then?" asked Eliath, reading Lucian's intentions.
"No, I travel to Yavasura. I wish you to stay here with Kara and protect her on her way to Vorea. Will you do that for me brother?"
Eliath took a moment to respond, not wanting to leave his charge alone but unable to refuse a request from his longtime friend. "I will do as you wish. Kara will be safe with me until you return to us. Go now and find out what all this nonsense is about with your brother. Travel swiftly."
Lucian bowed to them both and was off.
Leramy came charging down the hall, calling for him to wait but Eliath knew that Lucian wouldn't stop.
He held out his hand, halting Leramy. "Lucian will be fine and the pace he will no doubt travel at could very well kill you."
Leramy puffed out his chest and looked as though he would scold Eliath, but soon realized the truth of what he had said. "Very well, then I suppose I should get on down to the butchery and see what I can do to help. It looks as though there will be a great many mouths to feed here very soon."
Kyrianna smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "You have been on a long, tough ride. Get some much needed rest and food. There will be plenty of time to help later, a few hours without you will not lose the war." She saw that he had no intention of going along with what she proposed so she took a different route. "You will be a much greater help if you are rested and fed, I think."
The last part of what she said seemed to register in Leramy’s head. He thought about it for a second and then nodded in agreement and started off to find someone that could lead him to a warm meal and a room. Kyrianna looked up at Eliath and gave him a crooked grin. He was a handsome man but so large that he was intimidating to look at. "So you are my protector, Eliath of Yavasura?"
Eliath nodded stoically.
"You and Lucian are brothers?" asked Kyrianna.
Eliath let out a small chuckle, "Not by blood, but we have spent many years together. I am bound to him."
Kyrianna nodded and gave him a sly smile. "You seem to follow him willingly, is he a great leader back in Yavasura?"
Eliath knew what she was getting at but decided to leave the discussion open for the questions to be answered by Lucian himself. "Lucian was born to lead men, as it was written."
Kyrianna didn't know what Eliath meant by that but before she could question him more, he turned and started down the hall.
"Come, we must prepare to leave,” he said back to her as he walked. “I will gather some men to join us on our trip to Vorea."
Kyrianna wasn't satisfied with the answers Eliath had given her regarding the mysterious Lucian, but she realized that he would not forfeit anything more, so she simply let it rest and followed him. She decided that it was silly to be thinking about such things when a war was at hand. It was time to set her mind to the task of battle.
They entered the council and Tarriel, Solomon and Tophin joined them.
"Where did Lucian run off to?" asked Tarriel.
"He rides to Yavasura to gather the army there, he would not settle for his own people abandoning the other tribes in this war," said Eliath.
Tarriel shook her head in disgust. "To think, he is out here alone, rallying the tribes of the south and battling against impossible odds and his own people will not come to his aid. They should all kill themselves so the world would suffer them no longer."
Eliath raised a finger at her. "They simply have not seen what you and I have. There could be many reasons as to why they denied aid to Lucian. I fear however, that it had much to do with his brother and that he has a much more personal battle in store for him when he arrives in Yavasura."
"Bah!" said Tarriel, too stubborn to see it as anything but abandonment and dishonor. "If it were my sibling, I would simply challenge him at hand to hand combat and put him in his place."
Kyrianna was very confused about the entire situation. She was sure that Lucian was not being serious about his position in Yavasura but then, why would his request for aid be denied? Was he really just a peasant, a woodsman that has somehow been thrust into this position of leadership? She scolded herself for thinking so much on him again instead of the war, "He will deal with whatever is thrown his way, and I believe this in knowing him for just these past days. You all have shown great faith in him thus far, have faith that he will return to us."
Tarriel gave Kyrianna a firm pat on her shoulder. "I am beginning to like this one. She already understands our Lucian’s strange antics." She looked Kyrianna up and down. "Little on the scrappy side, but we'll put some muscle on those bones."
Kyrianna thought it was most funny, listening to the way these people talked to her. She had grown up with everyone treating her with reverence. It was a nice change to be treated as a normal, equal person for once. "Well Tarriel, if I could fathom eating as much as you do, I am sure that I would put on some weight, though it might not be muscle."
Everyone but Tarriel started to laugh at the remark. She simply grinned and nodded at Kyrianna. Again the two women spoke the silent challenge with their eyes.
Solomon grabbed them both by the shoulder and chortled as he pulled them along with him, out of the room. "Come along, we have to get our things and prepare the horses."
Eliath followed behind, and was still chuckling until Tarriel shot him a look over her shoulder.
It wasn't long before they had their equipment together and had packed their horses for the trip. They rode out with Tarriel and Tophin to the edge of Kaheendra and met with the army. Tarriel took over as general of the forces and set them to prepare for the march to Vorea. All the Culdoran warriors were excited and eager to be off to war.
Kyrianna watched as Tarriel rallied her small force. They were a barbaric looking lot, but it mad
e them all the more intimidating. At first Kyrianna was shocked to see so many women but then she remembered what she had read about the Culdorans being a female dominant tribe. She stared wide eyed at the many tall, muscular women. Some of them looked manlier than many of the Vorean men she knew.
She appraised Solomon next. He looked to be a man that demanded little respect but was worthy of much. She was still puzzled by Lucian and Eliath. Both men claimed to be of little importance and yet these others of great standing followed them without question. Lucian seemed to be the key to it all and she wished he had not left. She would have liked to learn more about him, to talk to him further, discover who he really was. She frowned to herself, at how she was acting. She couldn't seem to take her mind off the man. It was beginning to worry her, but she couldn't get the image of his golden eyes out of her mind. She rationalized it by telling herself that he was responsible for saving her life. But deep inside, she knew that was not the only reason.
Solomon rode up next to her on his large war horse as they started out. The Culdorans were all on foot, the only horses along with them were for carrying supplies on wagons. Other than Tarriel, Tophin alone mounted a horse but looked none too comfortable doing so. Despite his still wounded leg, he wished to be on foot, among his fellow warriors, and ready to charge into any affray.
"So tell me Solomon. What is your station among the tribe of Ortsk?" asked Kyrianna.
"I am a Priest, nothing more. The people of the tribe look to me for guidance in many things but we are all equal and strive to help our fellow man. We work as a whole unit, for alone we are weak and vulnerable to influence."
"Sounds like a wonderful way of life,” said Kyrianna. “It is a type of lifestyle that many have attempted and failed."
"Yes, it is a difficult struggle and by no means have we perfected it. We still have our downfalls and there are always wolves among the sheep that strive to weave chaos into the fabric of the just. But by the grace of the Great Father we have come a long way and have prospered."
Revelations of Doom Page 37