The Coming Dawn Trilogy

by Austen Knowles

  “And it’s her,” Nep testified, while pointing to Ky. “She made the light fall like rain the other night. We danced in her rain. It’s her!”

  Cobaaron ignored Nep, and continued to address Quintin. “I won’t debate what is clearly a partial archive about its meaning, but this is interesting. There is only one thing to do. The original must be tracked down, and read. Only then can any decision be made.”

  “So you think it’s you and her?” Everyone stared at Ky after the question was proposed.

  “It’s possible,” Cobaaron supposed with uncertainty, but then hastily added, “But nothing should be assumed. I’ll have to find this archive. We leave tomorrow. I’ll need one hundred willing townswomen to accompany my men for our travels as a distraction for my men. If there is such an archive, the three kings are aware of it. And we would no longer be keeping you safe by lingering. All I ask is you keep this meeting private and tell no one. Further communication with Airia isn’t necessary unless it’s to warn her not to speak on this subject until I find the original.”

  Everyone concurred, by nodding and mumbling approval.

  Cobaaron looked at Ky. His mouth didn’t move, but he spoke to her in thought. “If there is any truth to this Ky, I can’t leave you alone. The kings have many spies. Wait for me after this meeting. Don’t leave this room without me.”

  “But what about the Star?” Nep asked.

  “What about Ky?” Cobaaron asked, narrowing his eyes on Nep.

  “Well, we’ve heard the bond is broken. Then we hear a rumor it isn’t. Wouldn’t that mean it’s not her if you two broke the union?” Nep asked. Council members began to babble. Clearly, it was on everyone’s mind. In harmony, the council members demanded proof.

  “Would you like to see my hand?” Cobaaron asked them. He exposed his palm for all to see, and Ky’s name was unmistakably visible. “This is proof of our bond, but don’t assume anything more until the archive is read. This could be nothing.”

  “But Cobaaron doesn’t hold a weapon. The greatest warrior doesn’t carry weapons,” someone shouted from the bleachers, and again there was an uproar.

  “It’s all symbolic. And there is no point arguing about it until the true archive is read. The original must be found so we can read the uncorrupted version. Only then can it be understood,” Cobaaron stated, and then stood. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do, and so do you because I need women to accompany us for the safety of this city’s newest Star.” He hurried down the few steps of the stage, and as he left he took Ky with him.

  Cobaaron led Ky through the back tunnels. For a moment she thought he was taking her up to the room she had been staying in, but he rounded a corner and they began marching up a very steep slope. “We’re going up to the barracks,” he explained to her as if he read her mind. “I need to assemble the men. I regret sending my warriors out to sweep the forest, but they’ll be easy to find. I hope we meet up with them soon because, now, we’re trying to bring women with us. And I need as many warriors as I can get to protect the women.”

  “Why can’t we wait until they return? We’ve been here a long time as it is.”

  “Because ever since that night we sparred in the courtyard, I sensed something stalking us. I’ve been checking and unnatural creatures gather. I think it’s night squawkers. Hopefully, they’re gone. No amount of warriors will make any difference getting passed them. Our only hope is to pass silently and unnoticed. Going through the mountain would only make our death worse. Pray it’s not night squawkers. The women will be so afraid, and we’ll all surely die.”

  “You know you’re talking to one, right?” Ky asked.

  “Yes, you screamed practically the entire way from Gem City,” he said with a smile. “It’s not night squawkers. It’s probably a group of banshees. Maybe a witch. If the kings are watching us, it could be both.” They walked up to a door at the top of the slope. “This is it.”

  He opened the door. Hundreds of warriors were in a massive chamber almost as large as the city dome, but with a low ceiling. The closest warriors stood when Cobaaron entered the room, and saluted with a bow. Soon the entire brigade bowed, and waited for him to speak.

  Partially dressed women were also in the barracks, wearing only short, belted white chemises and looking windswept. One woman’s neckline hung over her shoulder while she clung to a particularly muscular warrior. It bothered Ky that women lost all sense of morals to have children; she felt sorry for them. Pity that society encouraged lewd behavior in hopes that more women would get pregnant. Ky simply couldn’t understand it, even if women rarely conceived.

  Cobaaron acted as if he didn’t noticed them. He simply told his men of their departure the following morning, and how they were taking Ky and a hundred other women.

  “I’m asking for volunteers to go out and get our men. We will travel the edges of the forest and across the swampland on the way to Elder.” Willing men approached Cobaaron; he accepted the first fifty as scouts. “Get some sleep. We leave after breakfast,” he told the remaining men but they didn’t go to sleep; they returned to the women, drank more ale, or continued gaming and conversations. The fifty volunteers packed on their weapons and thanked Cobaaron before hurrying out.

  Cobaaron turned to Ky. “Well, let’s find your cat. Whoever that woman was who gave you Huntra was right. He will be very useful.”

  A few minutes later they found Huntra in Ky’s room, sleeping on her hammock of woven feathers and snoring loudly. She walked over and patted his head, saying, “Wake up, Huntra. We leave in the morning and Cobaaron needs you to leave with him right now.”

  At Cobaaron’s request, Ky retrieved her new clothes Oella made her. She’d forgotten all about the never-ending water flask, until she saw on top of the clothes. “Should I put them in my room?” she asked Cobaaron; Huntra began to swell.

  Cobaaron didn’t hear her. He was looking at the small decanter. “Oh, that.” She picked it up. “My never-ending water.” He searched her face, undoubtedly reading her memories.

  “Your handmaiden is a witch?” Cobaaron asked, looking unhappy with the news. “You can’t accept that. Leave it here.” He slapped it out her hand, letting it clink to the floor, rolling in a small circle before coming to a stop. Ky stared at the harmless looking decanter. “Don’t touch it again, Ky.”

  “You think it’s dangerous?”

  “She’s a witch,” Cobaaron asserted as if being magical settled the matter. “In fact, give me all your clothes and everything she made. There are ways of testing these objects for evil witchcraft. The healer will check them. They’re very knowledgeable in combating witchcraft. Even if there is a spell on them, sometimes they can be healed. You’re clothes may be salvageable.”

  Ky got on Huntra’s back and asked him to make the room appear. She emptied it of all the contents, and then handed everything to Cobaaron. “You really don’t need all this stuff do you?”

  “If I want to sleep well, yes.” With another glance at the small flask, Ky said, “If there is anything like a never-ending fruit bowl, or never-ending water jug I can take with me, by all means tell me.” She then added in a mocking tone to sound like Airia, “I’m a Star, a queen, of very high rank. I need to be pampered while on the road, or I may die from depression.”

  “Well, Princess, you won’t be sleeping alone anymore. And I’ll see what I can do about the other things. The healer most likely stocks such magical effects.” Cobaaron spoke to Huntra who was much smaller again: “Come to my room. I have food for Huntra, and you can sleep with Ky and me tonight.” He looked at Ky searchingly. “Are you okay sleeping with me? I assumed…I won’t have sex with you. We could sleep up in the barracks if you don’t trust us alone, but women do go up there. Now that we’re leaving, there will probably be many women staying…actually, that is a terrible idea; it’s not an option.”

  “Your room is fine, Cobaaron.” Ky smiled. “Let’s go Huntra,” she called her pet. Huntra licked his paw for
a moment, not at all in a hurry, and then he hopped off the bed and strolled leisurely toward the door.

  “Well, looks like someone is slower than you, Ky.” Cobaaron smiled. Ky grinned, because once again he was flirting by teasing her.

  *****

  “We were here a few hours ago,” Ky said when they walked into Cobaaron’s room, and she saw the oversized bed of stuffed feathers, and pillows. “This is your room?” Cobaaron didn’t respond. Instead he called for his chambermaid to get Huntra food and water. “You were taking care of my cat when I was sick?” she asked with a playful grin.

  “This means nothing. I still don’t like cats,” he replied, but she didn’t believe him.

  His chambermaid arrived, and immediately bowed so low that her hair swept the floor. Her voice was soft and timid when she asked him if he needed anything. “My cat needs more food. Fetch the healer, also. And have a stud find Noxis. I need him immediately.”

  “I will,” she said softly, and left to do his bidding.

  A short time later an older man with a short, dark beard, navy blue eyes, and paisley robe with plenty of pockets entered. Cobaaron greeted him. “Hyun, thank you for coming so quickly. This is twice now I’ve called on you.” Hyun bowed in his presence. Cobaaron gave Hyun all of Ky’s belongings to inspect. “I need to establish if they possess evil charms that may harm Ky. Oella made them, along with a suspicious never-ending water flask that’s in her room. Maybe your wife can dispose of it properly.”

  The man lifted a dress and held it to his ear, listening. “Well, there is no question it’s magic. There is a hushed hum, but it doesn’t sound menacing. Then a witch would know how to cover that up,” Hyun mumbled while he took a flask from a pocket. He poured a single orange droplet onto the article of clothing and waited. Nothing happened. Then he proceeded with the next, dropping the liquid onto another garment. Again nothing. He went through her belongings, and each time nothing out of the ordinary happened.

  “Well?” Cobaaron asked.

  “Well, I’m quite certain now that she will never drown,” Hyun jested. Cobaaron laughed loudly. Hyun grinned wider. Then Hyun removed what looked like a bundle of small dried lavender flowers attached to brittle, brown stems and leaves from a pouch in his pocket. He brushed them over the clothes, and still nothing. He administered the same test to all her belongings. He tried harming her things, but when they couldn’t be damaged, Hyun was pleased. “They’re safe. It’s clear they have enchantments to protect the Star, but not to harm. I could remove the protection, but then they would be ordinary clothes. I’ll strip off the charms if you wish, but I’m certain none of them are evil. She may use them, my King, without injury. I’d bet my life on it.”

  “Do you have a never-ending water flask or fruit bowl for my woman’s travels?” Cobaaron asked.

  “Ah, and an endless ale if you so wish, my King. Though the food is hard to come by, I only have one endless jerky in my stash. Maybe you could whisper a word to the council that you wish for me to have some payment in return for the jerky, perhaps.” Hyun smiled hopefully.

  “How much?”

  “Thirty-two gold coins at twenty ounces each, or a Kishmit ruby,” Hyun suggested with careful calculation.

  “Go get them now. I’ll pay you myself. Hurry and I’ll pay double the gold for looking over her things.”

  “Ah, my King, for that I will make you a warrior uniform fit for a Star. I heard fire destroyed your clothes,” Hyun replied, and pocketed his things before hurrying out the door.

  “Well, I do feel better about your clothes,” Cobaaron said, and then told Ky she could put them in Huntra’s room. As she stored her belongings, the chambermaid came back with Huntra’s food, and told Cobaaron that Noxis was on his way.

  Hyun came back with the flask and jerky. Immediately, he handed over the flask, which was larger than the single ounce container Oella made. The container was the size and shape of a hip flask and had elaborately engraved flowers on one side. “These come much larger, but frankly I’ll be glad to be rid of this. Not one warrior wants a flowery flask. And my daughter has too much clutter as it is. I’ve had this thing for years; I can’t seem to give it away.” Hyun gave her the jerky that was thick, and dark like dried seaweed. “The thing about this jerky is it’s very filling. Take the smallest bite. When it grows back to this size, take another bite. It’s important you don’t eat it so fast it doesn’t have a chance to grow back; if you take another bite too soon, what you chew off will never come back. It is only as long as your hand so it’s imperative you let the jerky rejuvenate.”

  He stepped closer to Cobaaron, and had him hold still long enough to let Hyun transform his clothes from black leather to a new material resembling rigid rubber. Hyun even changed his armbands, belt and sandals. Hyun smiled and said, “They will repel any soot, liquid and the hottest light that your bond partner can produce.” He then tapped his fingers together waiting for payment, but Noxis arrived.

  “I asked the council to choose a hundred women to go with us,” Cobaaron immediately told Noxis. “I want you to supervise the selection. I can’t afford to bring weak women. I need strong, courageous women. If you can’t compel the council to choose stronger women, deny the fragile in private.”

  “Any young woman?” Hyun asked, curious.

  “Any strong, capable woman,” Cobaaron agreed with a nod.

  “I’ll oversee it. Is there anything else?” Noxis asked.

  “Yes, have my treasure keeper pay Hyun. He may take sixty-four large gold coins and a precious stone for my clothes,” Cobaaron said.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Cobaaron kissed Ky awake. “Ky,” he whispered. “Wake up.”

  She smiled before she opened her eyes. She liked waking this way, with him close and the union tugging her to love and want to make love to him. “You said you wanted me to sleep, and that it wasn’t smart for us to touch or we’d get carried away.”

  “I did let you sleep. It’s time to go.” He nibbled her neck.

  “It feels like I just fell asleep.” Ky rubbed her eyes. He hovered over her, kissing her; she embraced him. His soft skin felt inviting. She lightly scratched his back and hoped she would never have to sleep alone again.

  Cobaaron interrupted his soft love bites to show her the timekeeper. “It’s early morning. You slept eight hours. See?”

  “But days are longer here. I need at least nine hours.”

  Cobaaron scoffed, as if that was excessive. Ky looked intently at the stone. She didn’t see how he was reading hours from the glowing stone, but maybe it took time to decipher. He kissed her again, but when she moaned he distanced himself.

  “I think the bond has shifted in me. I have over ten days longer than you to fixate on you. We need to go.”

  The magical union stirred within her, and she didn’t want him to take away his presence so soon, but he was already dressed and it was time to leave. He watched her lying on the bed, clearly wanting to crawl back to her. He silently struggled with momentary lust as he fought to refrain from touching her body. She could see his inward battle in his shaky hands. She decided to get up, and help him fight his desire considering they didn’t enjoy the union using lust to pull them together.

  “Do you think we’ll get past the lust?”

  “I hope so. We’ll figure out how to defy it. I don’t want to touch you in lust. I feel more for you than that, so much more.” He watched her change clothes, and kept his eyes on her as she double-checked to make sure she had all her things. He continued to eye her amorously while she put everything into Huntra’s room. Ky pretended she didn’t notice, because at the moment he gazed at her as if she were a sex goddess. His thoughts of making love to her were evident with his entranced expression. She didn’t need to read his mind to know how fond of her he was becoming. After strong assertions that warriors could not feel or love, he was well on his way to falling madly in love with her. Maybe he already loved her if his bond changed once again, makin
g him struggle with powerful sexual desire.

  “I’m ready to go,” she announced, which snapped him out of his thoughts as he vigorously shook his head.

  While groggy, Ky followed Cobaaron, with Huntra on their heels, as they headed to the square. All the warriors and the women who were leaving, were waiting. In the square were enormous turquoise and white carriages attached to creatures resembling huge, hairy buffalo with big floppy ears. Cobaaron grumbled, annoyed to see the beasts.

  Noxis came to them when they entered the square. “The women are coming in carriages. Half of them won’t go otherwise.”

  “Then they can stay with the carriages, because we aren’t taking them. Those russux-oxen are slow, and smell like food,” Cobaaron chided.

  “I thought so,” Noxis smugly gloated. “I conveyed that to the council last night. They wouldn’t listen. I’m not king.”

  “Then defy the council, Noxis, you are third in command. The women will die once we leave the city with such strong-smelling creatures. Besides, the russux-oxen are slower than women.” Cobaaron shouted to the women: “Those who want to stay in carriages may do so, but they will not be coming with us.”

  All the women began to look at one another, some backed away from the carriages, while others were undecided. Cobaaron didn’t waste any more time. He told Ky to get up onto Huntra’s back. Huntra, who understood Cobaaron, began to enlarge.

  Huntra flung Ky into the air. She bounced onto his back. As he continued to grow, the saddle appeared and bubbled around her. She adjusted to get comfortable in a rush as the bars snuggly wrapped around her legs. A second later the saddle grew another seat in front, except the handlebar didn’t curl slightly backward but looped while leaning forward for steering purposes. Huntra then bounced Cobaaron onto his back. He didn’t land on the saddle, because he spun mid-air to see what had happened with the unexpected nudge. Cobaaron held a tuff of fur on Huntra’s neck for balance, stood, and then took the saddle in front of Ky. “Let’s go,” he said and Huntra walked toward the castle courtyard.