by P. G. Thomas
His eyes went wide, “What? Where?”
“No, my Earth Daughters, they’re in trouble.” Picking up her clothes and staff, she ran out of the room, banging on the bedroom doors of Gayne, Logan, and Eric. “GET UP, NOW!”
Gayne was the first to walk out, but before he could ask, she demanded fast horses. Knowing better than to deny the request of Earth Mother, he ran down the stairs.
“Bastard, get dressed. Champion, your sword I need. NOW!”
Those who were not getting dressed followed Lauren to the ground floor, watching as she paced with her staff in hand. Ryan pleaded with her to tell her what was happening, but since her concentration was so intense, she never heard the words. When Gayne headed to the stables, the rest followed him, including the Guardians and blood wolves.
She turned to the mounted dwarven warriors, speaking with an authority not heard in years, much like the voice. “You will stay. Your bond shall not fracture.” In the dark stable, none could see her eyes, which were two large dark orbs surrounded by a thin coral iris.
Taking to the saddle of a fast horse, Logan and Eric did the same, and all three bolted into the night. The slick stones caused the fast magical horses to move slower than normal, especially when navigating the narrow turns, and as hard as they tried, they were unable to catch up to Lauren.
An hour later, Lauren dismounted in the middle of a street, and shortly, they did the same, but all she did was point straight ahead at a jail cart, escorted by soldiers heading their way. “My Earth Daughter and her Earth Guard. Those men have taken them captive. Free them.” Before either could act, the hitch attached to the wagon fell off, and a small flame appeared on the rear of the horses, causing them to bolt down a side street.
The four riders who had been escorting the jail cart circled it, and then one called out, “Your tricks will not work, Bastards. We are ready for you this time.”
Logan had been rubbing his red tattoo, however, was surprised at the threat he heard. Then the four horses started to prance, snorting in pain, and in unison, they reared up, throwing the riders to the ground. He heard one of the men call out, ‘Bastards, show yourselves.’ When Logan turned to Lauren, she shared his same surprised look. Then, from the far end of the street, a dozen riders rode out of the dark, and one of the fallen guards called out. ‘There here. Get them,’ and the mounted group split into two groups: one going to each side of the street.
Eric had his sword in hand, “Lauren, what do we do?”
Watching the chaos unfold, she had never anticipated the current events, and in fact, barely remembered waking up.
“Lauren, there hunting Bastards, so if you can’t stop them, I will.”
Thinking back to what Gingaar had done with her staff, and with what John had said about free will and Earth Bonds, she pointed the staff up the street. “Stop. This night never happened. Return home.”
The mounted men ended their search, heading back in the direction they had arrived from, and those that had guarded the wagon sheathed their weapons, moving towards a side street. As Eric and Lauren ran up to the wagon, Logan continued to the alleys that exited onto the street, calling out for the Bastards. Ripping the jail cart door from its hinges, Eric found Krisp and her Earth Guards inside.
Krisp jumped out of the wagon, hugged Lauren, “I am sorry, Earth Mother. They set a trap for us.”
Lauren stroked her hair, “Not now, we need to get you to safety.”
One of the lads walked up, “That is our job.” The youth smiled, “My friends call me Croy, but I am her Earth Guard, so let me do my job.”
“But you were captured,” stated Eric.
Croy nodded, “I knew the—I knew we would be okay,” and then he wrapped his arm around Krisp, “I told you we should not have gone. You really need to listen to me.”
Even though Eric smiled as he turned away from Lauren, he could still feel her unseen scowl.
As the other Earth Guard boys circled around Krisp, Croy spoke to her, “We have other stops to make this night, so we need to go.”
By the time Logan returned to the jail cart, the young Earth Daughter and her protectors had disappeared into a dark alley. In quiet, the three wet legends took to their mounts, heading back to the house, each wondering what would happen next.
*******
Fury blinked as he looked at Tranquil.
She nodded, “Yes, Mother woke for a brief second and is still with us.”
“What mischief is your child god causing to make this happen?”
*******
The elf sat straight up in bed, “Mother? My Earth Mother you called out to?” When the questions went unanswered, the elf massaged its aching temples. “I need to drink less,” then turned to the still occupied bed. “I need to drink much, much less.” Jasmine quickly dressed, leaving Panry snoring in the room.
*******
“So what happened last night,” Steve asked, reaching for more fried meats at the breakfast meal.
“To be honest, I don’t know,” replied Lauren.
Tilting his head, John looked at Lauren, holding his comments.
“An image woke me. The rest, until we were standing on the street is a blur.”
Logan smiled, “But there are Bastards in the Bright Coast.”
“How did they get captured?” asked Steve.
“We never asked last night, as her Earth Guard wanted to get her to safety,” replied Eric.
Lauren set down her cup, “We need to find them.”
“We can’t today, the vote,” protested Ryan. “It might be the last chance to go north of the Key.”
“Somebody needs to go to that vote,” suggested John.
Lauren shook her head, “Was it this complicated last time?”
In unison, all but Steve replied, “Yes.”
Lauren looked at her Granite Guardians, “I can’t go to the vote since they’ll want to follow me, but Ryan is right, and we need to keep looking. Mirtza, can you please take Ryan and Steve out again with Sam and Hope? Gayne, can you please take Eric, Logan, and John to the vote?”
“What about you?” asked John.
“I need some time to think.”
*******
Much to Eric’s displeasure, Gayne had strongly suggested he should not bring his sword to the vote. As a result of the prolonged discussion, they had arrived late, meaning they had to stand at the back of the crowded third level observation balcony. After an hour, a door on the lower level opened, and the Darkpaye councilors entered taking their seats.
Gayne let out a groan, “This is bad. As a rule, they enter last to make themselves seem more important.”
“Are they anxious to get the vote started?” asked John.
“No, it should have started twenty minutes ago, so I doubt if anybody else is going to show up.”
John looked at the empty Calicon seats, turned to Logan, and with an excited hushed whisper, yelled, “Do something!”
“What?”
John looked around the large meeting hall, which had an open octagonal design, with the center space measuring sixty feet across. Three levels of balconies circled the main floor, and he quickly determined that each segment would hold about sixty people, five hundred on any one level, but realized most held more. At the top of the wooden structure, a vaulted and vented ceiling helped to regulate the air temperature. Then he turned to Logan, wrapped his hand around his mouth, and leaned closer to his ear. “The place is made of wood, so start a small fire on the ground floor with lots of smoke. Just interrupt the vote but don’t burn the place down.”
He started to roll up his shirtsleeve, but Eric whispered, “Leave them down.”
From the lower level, they all heard the announcement. “I call this meeting to order,” which was followed by boos from the assembled Calicon residents.
Scanning the lower level, Logan continued to rub his red feather tattoo.
“There is a motion on the floor; a vote to segregate the Bright Coast.�
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Logan began rubbing the tattoo faster.
Then the speaker on the floor spent ten minutes discussing the crime issues, concluding with a short speech on how they would enforce the segregation.
The entire time, Logan concentrated on a small hot fire that would only create smoke.
“All those present, if in favor, please stand.”
“FIRE!”
Everybody in attendance turned, looked at the back of the large room, seeing the black smoke billowing out from underneath several doors, which was followed by an eruption of chaos.
John’s eyes went wide, glaring at Logan.
“I already put it out.”
Even though most of the buildings in the Bright Coast were of wood construction, building codes and fire escapes were not present. Pulling the three into a corner, Eric protected them while the crowds rushed towards the few exits, which were designed for single lines of calm people—not mad hordes. Billowing up to the vaulted roof, the smoke found the vents, escaping to the outside, unlike those trapped inside.
When the door where the smoke first appeared opened, a clerk carrying a bucket stepped forward, “The fire is out,” but with hysteria having overtaken the crowd, none heard his words, especially the Darkpaye councilors who had fled first.
It took over two hours for the three to navigate their way down the stairs, letting all those in front push and shove their way through the crowds, while they calmly walked alone at the back. Unfortunately, they also had to walk the long distance back to the bridge, as all of the carriages-for-hire had found employment, and there was no safe place for Gayne to activate a portal. In quiet, they strolled through the congested streets, hiding their smiles of success. Once across the bridge, Gayne hired a carriage, and they headed back to the house.
As they rode back, John cast his sight to the carriage floor, “Did anybody else hear Lauren last night?”
“You mean—Mother?” asked Gayne.
“We all did,” replied Eric.
Logan was smiling, “Wasn’t that what we wanted?”
“What exactly happened when I was away?” asked John.
“Lauren used some berries to detox a bunch of youths from that Midnight Sun. Then she made two of the girls Earth Daughters, and the boys that were with her Earth Guards to protect them. Oh, we opened a pizza place.”
John shook his head, “What?”
“We opened a pizza place so that—”
He cut him off, rephrased his question, “Lauren did what?”
“She used berries to detox some kids,” replied Logan.
John’s frustration was building, “No, the middle part.”
“She proclaimed two girls to be Earth Daughters,” replied Eric.
“You mean in name only?” asked John.
“Yeah,” Logan replied, “she named them Earth Daughters.”
Eric shook his head, “No, she used the staff.”
John thought of Tranquil’s words; while its magic may be without limits, the same is not true of the contents. He remembered seeing Lauren that morning, thinking the staff looked shorter, but reasoned it must have been at an angle, creating an optical illusion. Realizing that the staff had bestowed Mother’s gifts to others, John understood that ‘piece of wood’ was no longer a sufficient descriptor for what Lauren held. He turned to Eric, “These boys that she made Earth Guards. Would you say they were play-acting, like Cowboys and Indians, or would you think they were actually Earth Guards?”
“Earth Guards since they were very worried both about their Earth Daughter and what she was doing.”
What the hell did Tranquil give Lauren? Power without limits? If she ever gets mad—crap, I have to talk to her. And it’s shorter?
“What happens now with the segregation vote?” asked Logan.
“I am uncertain,” began Gayne, “but I imagine once they air out the hall, they will try to have another one very soon, but I fear the outcome of it.”
Eric nodded, “The Calicon councilors. You don’t think they’ll show up?”
“From what I saw today,” Gayne shook his head, “No.”
Logan smiled, “Well, until they build a house of stone, all of the meetings will end the same way.”
“It might work for a while,” began Gayne, “but they will eventually move it to a secret closed meeting and then get what they want.”
“They can’t do that, can they?” asked Logan.
“We’ll find a way to stop them,” replied Eric.
*******
Late in the day, Steve and Ryan saw large crowds of Darkpaye citizens gathering. As they worked, they listened to the conversations, and after an hour of eavesdropping on several groups, both headed to the wagon.
“Sounds like somebody was a little hot under the collar at the vote today,” advised Steve.
Ryan nodded, “I don’t know what happened or what he did, but as long as these Darkpaye people are upset, I’m not.”
“At least, we have more time now.”
Ryan picked up a piece of horse dung, throwing it down the quiet street, “It’s been almost, what, three weeks? This isn’t working.”
“We’ve only been doing this for one week, so give it some time.”
*******
After the rest had left that morning, Lauren walked out onto the patio with her staff in hand, sitting down to face the Bright Coast. The rain this day had died off to an intermittent drizzle, and after spending so much time cooped up inside, the fresh air was more appealing. Closing her eyes, she thought of the two Earth Daughters, and even though unable to see them, she knew they were safe. However, when concentrating on her daughters, she gained no knowledge of them, but trying to recall the events of the previous night, most of it was a fog. Although certain aspects caused her concerns to heighten, as they had set a trap for Krisp, and those from Darkpaye were actively hunting the Bastards. Secretly, she was pleased that both girls had embraced the gift, and the boys had a genuine concern for the new Earth Daughters, but she was uncertain if it was free will or the staff. One of the house servants brought her a cup of bean juice and breakfast, but her appetite was for knowledge, and soon the hot bean juice went as cold as the staff in her hand.
I can cure them of Midnight Sun, and we have a place they can find hope. They should be able to identify others that would want to accept the gift but what then? I would need a thousand Earth Daughters to fight the suffering here, but where would they get all of the gifts from Mother they need? Then Lauren started to concentrate on the garden next door, and the forest on the outskirts of the Bright Coast. Slowly a vague map began to form in her mind, but all of the forests she saw were too far away. Sure, you can find Mother’s gifts, but my daughters are a mystery to you! How can I rebirth the majesty of Mother to those here in the Bright Coast? For the remainder of the day, her questions once again exceeded the night stars, and the confusion of the current events, acting like a thick layer of clouds, hid any illumination on the matters that plagued her mind.
It was late in the afternoon when Gayne, John, Eric, and Logan arrived back at the house, updating her on the events of the vote. The news both angered and calmed her since the absence of the Calicon councilors meant that Darkpaye now controlled the power. Agreeing with Gayne, she knew that while Logan could continue to interrupt the meetings, sooner or later, they would have a secret vote making the segregation official.
Watching the others leave, John turned to Lauren, “So, what happened while I was at Ironhouse?”
“We freed some of the children from the Midnight Sun, but then we lost some. When I offered two of the girls the chance to help lessen the burden, they accepted.”
“What exactly did you offer them?”
“The knowledge of Mother’s gifts that grow, and how they can help the people here that suffer.”
“The boys?”
“I told them the two would need protection, so I asked them to be her Earth Guards.”
“Do you remember ex
actly what you said?”
“No.”
“Did you actually make them Earth Daughters and Earth Guards?”
She shook her head, “Only Mother could do that.”
“Do you remember what Tranquil said about the staff?”
Before she could answer, they heard Ryan calling, and Lauren went to see if he had any news, but once again, it was the same results that he reported for the last week.
Chapter 26
The next day, Mirtza again drove the SHET wagon to the north side of the Key with otters Sam and Hope at his side, and Logan sharing the front bench. In the back, Steve, talking to Ryan, was trying to be optimistic.
Back at the house, John borrowed the triggers to open a portal to Alron and Gayne’s house, and then dropping the first through the bracelet, stepped through to arrive in Alron.
Lauren turned to Gayne, “I assume you want to go to your school first, but after that, can we visit Jedimac. I want to see if he knows anything, and then can we go see how Iljam is doing?”
*******
Stepping through the portal, John looked in the direction of his house, and high overhead, he saw the kite flying, which meant his first cloak waited. Heading towards it, he realized the streets seemed unusually quiet since the absence of dwarves was very evident. Recognizing some residents, but wanting details, he assumed Zack would be able to provide the most in-depth update. With concerns for Nur as well, his pace increased, and he soon stood looking at the protectors in front; six Granite Guardians, three wolves, two elf Earth Guards and four Alron citizens.
Even though none of the sentries moved to advise the house occupants that he had arrived, Zack opened the door, “Unchosen, you’re uncrowded. Where’s the rest of the band?”
John smiled, “Can I come into my house?”
“First, Sam and Hope. How are they?”
“There both fine,” and then John headed to the open door, entered, and sat down on the couch, “How’s Nur?”
“While she’s doing better, some of the cuts were deep, so she still needs bed rest. We had a few minor issues with infections, but Gingaar kept them under control. John, what’s happening with the dwarves? A few days after you left, a couple of the clans jumped ship, and by the time Ramy took Edrock back to Ironhouse, to get the new weapons and Granite Guardians, half of the clans were gone. Since then, the rest have left, and the only dwarves in Alron are Ironhouse.”