Hearts and Stones (Celta HeartMate)

by Robin D. Owens

  This whole thing was odd.

  The strangest days in his life. He whirled and jogged across the room and through the door, down the short hallway, noting another door on his left that would be the front room with the bow windows he’d seen yesterday evening.

  Pretty much his last image was of the house.

  ZANE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

  Stopping at the front door, he lay his palm against it and linked with the House.

  I FEEL you!

  I feel you, too, he replied mentally. You and I worked together to save me.

  You saved me, too, D and D said simply, I’m glad you didn’t die and rot on my floor. That is scary and nasty and I couldn’t go through that again.

  The atmosphere in the room trembled around him as if the air pressure suddenly dropped.

  Zane grimaced. “I imagine so.” Such a young entity would have hidden his awareness from death and decay within his walls. Perhaps withdrawn so much that he might have perished if Zane had died.

  Yes. We saved each other. He stooped and picked up the Ivy brooch-artifact, then added aloud, “I’m going to turn in this piece of jewelry for the reward, file a claim for you and your land so I will be named as owner.”

  Owner!

  “Unless I can file some sort of certificate that you have become self-aware and are your own intelligent person and I am your Family.” He paused. “I want everything very legal so no harm will/can come to you.”

  You will be my Family? A tiny breeze scraped papyrus scraps around the room along with the equally tiny mental whisper.

  “Absolutely!” He said it so loud it rang against the walls, more, so it sank into the House so D and D would believe him. “I’m also going to arrange the move from my ... previous ... abode to here, D and D. I’ll be back within a septhour, seventy minutes.”

  You promise?

  “My solemn vow of honor, and I have never given that to anyone before.” He paused. “Except for you, last night. You should have memories of all the circumstances of a solemn Vow of Honor. I would suffer if I broke it.”

  I ... care for you. You would hurt me if you betrayed my trust.

  “I care for you, too. I’ll be back.” He paused. “One moment.” He strode back into the mainspace, no stumbling or staggering now. He knew his surroundings. Oh, there’d be no deep sea diving and treasure hunting for him anymore, but he had Flair. Maybe not. Not Flair, but he had some sort of talent or gift that mitigated his blindness.

  He touched the stylized face of the male, Debris, then the female, Detritus, the sculptures flanking the fireplace. Gave and accepted a blessing.

  Then he turned and walked to the front door, said the phrase he’d only given members of his Family before, but, then, this House was his Family, now. “I love you, Debris and Detritus. I’ll be back shortly.”

  I love you, Zane Aster of the House of Debris and Detritus. I will wait.

  Zane chuckled and slid aside the bars, unlocked the door, and stepped into a cold, clear day. No doubt the sun shone, a white star in the deep blue sky. Pain flickered.

  Zane? asked the House.

  “I’m all right,” he murmured, though no one walked along the street for blocks. He couldn’t see the sun or the sky, but he knew that. He took off down the street with a long stride. Someday he might learn how to teleport again, for now he could walk the few kilometers to the GuildHall and turn in T’Ivy’s brooch, file a claim for the House.

  And he knew he’d left something behind in Debris and Detritus after all.

  Despair.

  Like smoke rising, the minor gods, Debris and Detritus, removed themselves from the statues of the fireplace. Their attenuated essence twined into the bedrock beneath the House, separating themselves from the newly intelligent being. They had helped the House become sentient, but now they wished to be individuals.

  They’d linger, though. Rest and wait and grow stronger for a few decades.

  Then they’d leave this sanctuary and run free.

  The House hummed to himself, a jaunty song his Family, Zane, had taught him. He tidied himself up as much as possible, found a button from Zane’s jacket. He swept it into the pile of other small and interesting items next to the fireplace pillar of Detritus. He cleansed everywhere from the stored Flair he’d learned to tap.

  He spent the rest of the time stretching himself.

  Debris and Detritus thrilled at the feel of His Person, Zane, before D and D’s door. Zane had returned as he said he would! D and D could trust His Person. D and D had sensed that, and gone with his very own judgment and had been validated.

  “Debris and Detritus,” murmured Zane, and the man touched D and D’s front stone door jamb. The House felt the warmth of his living flesh, and through that flesh the joyful emotions of the man.

  Yes? he sent telepathically.

  “I am going to affix a plaque next to your door, on the outside of your wall. It announces your name, and that you are an intelligent House, soon to become a Residence.”

  YES!

  “It may hurt a little.” Zane sounded apologetic.

  D and D creaked a little around the newly fixed hinges of his door. Thought the noise would sound like a human huff. I am a strong being. The little pain is WORTH having My Plaque.

  All right, Zane sent mentally. And have you noticed you’ve started speaking with EmPhaSis?

  I have connected with another new Residence, the Mugwort-Moss Residence. Once known as the Turquoise House. A spurt of pain from his person stopped D and D’s explanation. What is wrong? he demanded.

  I did not SEE you well in the storm and before I lost my sight. I do not know what color you are.

  It does not matter, D and D assured him. I do not know what color I am, either. My Name and Being is not linked to color like the Turquoise House was.

  Ah, replied Zane, then said aloud and the vibrations of his voice hit D and D’s front wall stone, “Ready?”

  Yes. D and D braced himself.

  The tiny pokes and pricks and holes in his outer skin hurt, but as soon as Zane set the attaching pieces into his stone, D and D sent his Flair-magic to make the plaque a permanent part of him. And he felt the new ... addition to himself, the change of stone to metal, and an additional feeling of ... light.

  Zane commented, The glisten metal of the plaque should be shiny. I feel the warmth of the sun on my body, so the sign will be reflecting light.

  Oooooh! D and D whisked a breeze through himself and sent the song note from that to Zane.

  “I’m glad you’re pleased,” Zane said.

  I AM! He sensed that someday he might be able to modify enough to see the street. Fascinating!

  What does it say? asked D and D.

  “It says ‘Debris and Detritus House, Aware this Month of Willow, 424 Years After Colonization, Zane Aster Family.’”

  Thank you!

  At that moment a ... change happened at the edge of D and D’s boundary. A massive feeling of Flair stood on his sidewalk.

  Zane felt surprise with a touch of alarm zip from his new home, his intelligent house, to him. Bracing a hand on the doorjamb, he turned, trying to sense what D and D had.

  An ovoid shape seemed to block light and wind, a person. Struggling to master the new sharpness of his physical senses that had nothing to do with mental and personal psi power, Zane said, “Yes?”

  And the air took on a heaviness.

  “Oh,” said the voice of a man that Zane recognized but who he’d avoided. “Zane Aster and, I see by the new plaque, a new intelligent house named Debris and Detritus.” A pause. “Odd, and I do believe I’ve heard equally odd rumors about this House, but that might explain why I was drawn here. A newly acknowledged being and a new bonding of human and House.”

  Zane felt the ripple of the breeze, the change of the light and figured the great nobleman bowed. “Greetyou, FirstFamily GreatLord T’Vine,” Zane said and bowed, too. He wanted to open the door and run and hide inside his new home instead
of listen to what the Prophet of Celta had to say.

  Zane licked his lips, found the humid air colder than he’d expected as it dried the wetness from his mouth. “I’ve lost my Flair as well as my sight ...” and how proud he felt to be able to say that steadily! “So you can’t use my Flair to see my or Debris and Detritus’s future.”

  The man’s steps came near, stopped slightly outside what would have been Zane’s old personal-space boundary. Now he needed more, felt he should have a huge bubble around himself, but he wouldn’t reveal that to this guy.

  “I don’t need your Flair to see your future, Zane. I only need my own. However, there is an old and massive accumulation of Flair on this particular piece of land.”

  A part of T’Vine’s essence, a shadow, seemed to move as if he tilted his head to look beyond Zane and toward D and D. He raised his voice, “Greetyou, Debris and Detritus.” Another dipping of air, as he bowed once more. “The people who set and tended your HeartStones did very well, cared for you very much. You are well blessed and imbued with much Flair-power.”

  “Thank,” came the stone creak-crack-tiny-pebble-flake-and-fall audible voice to augment D and D’s mental blast.

  “You’re welcome.” Zane heard the GreatLord’s voice deepen, grow richer with Flair, as if he used that power to see and reveal the future. “Debris and Detritus, you fear that you will be abandoned again.”

  Zane flinched and thought D and D’s innermost beams shivered.

  “That will never happen,” a lower, slower, heavier tone carrying Flair. “You will always be well-loved, and remain in--with--the Family Zane founds ... weds into. Though Zane himself will be one of the people who stays the shortest time within your walls.”

  “NO!” both Zane and D and D cried aloud.

  “It will be all right, fine ... even ... fabulous for all of you ... Zane Aster and the Family he bonds with.” The prophet’s voice thrummed with promise bordering on vows. “They will need you more than ... humans usually need an intelligent House and Residence. You will be most prized.”

  Oh, a tiny word from D and D.

  Scary feelings, and the prophecy gave them all too much to consider right now. Zane had to act. He opened the door, it swung easily, fixed forever. “Come in,” he offered to the GreatLord, though he and D and D had no food or drink to give the man, or any furniture for him to sit on.

  The noble retreated. “I don’t think so,” he said, a little huskily.

  Zane stilled as the notion came that the GreatLord knew more than he told, might see even further than he’d revealed.

  “As I said, I’ve heard rumors about this place.”

  “From whom?” Zane pressed.

  He thought T’Vine flicked a hand. “General whispers. And I don’t care to leave behind something I can’t afford to part with.”

  “You gave us a service,” Zane said reluctantly. “For which we didn’t pay, that will count in your favor--”

  “Thank you for the hospitality, but no payment required. Merry meet, Zane Aster and Debris and Detritus,”

  “And merry part,” Zane replied automatically.

  “Merry,” murmured D and D aloud.

  “And merry meet again,” ended the GreatLord, then the air shifted and Zane understood the nobleman had teleported away, and more hurriedly than any of them might have anticipated.

  Zane stood a few minutes, heard others walking on the sidewalk across the street, but no one coming near. Finally, he said, “You know, D and D, I don’t think that you and he will meet again. At least, I don’t believe he’ll come back anytime soon.”

  D and D answered him mentally. He is a man with GREAT Flair power.

  “Yes, everyone says so.”

  And his visions and prophecies are disconcerting.

  “Everyone says that, too,” Zane agreed. He opened the door and walked in. The whole place smelled better than when he’d left. All trace of smoke and despair vanished under a fragrance of spring blossoms.

  He moved through the entryway to the mainspace, turned slowly, extending his senses. “You know, I have a healthy bank account. We need to furnish you, particularly with food no-times, the newest and the best. Then we’ll decide what rugs and chairs and beds and whatnot you and I will want and need.”

  “Thank you, Zane,” Debris and Detritus said, but sounded subdued.

  Zane crossed to the fireplace, put a hand on the mantle, said softly, “The prophet may be right, who knows? I may be one of your Family who stays with you the shortest amount of time, but know this, Debris and Detritus. No one will ever cherish you or love you more.”

  Stone In Zanth’s Paw

  This story was originally written as part of a conference promotion and put on a website under the title of Zanth Returns To The Beach. I’ve since revised it.

  This is the only Animal point-of-view story in this collection.

  Those of you who follow/ed me on Facebook will recognize the story as my second, shorter Staying At Home Story, posted page by page with an image every day.

  Chronologically, this story is the last entry in the history of Celta so far.

  No, I’m not finished! I have plenty of other story and book ideas for Celta!

  STONE IN ZANTH’S PAW

  426 Years After Colonization, Ash Family Beach Estate South of Druida City, Summer

  Zanth, top Familiar Companion Cat of all of the planet Celta, stomped down the path from his house to his beach. He should not have to do duty on this beautiful, sunny morning.

  But Mother Turtle, Swift-In-The-Sea, had mentally contacted him a week ago. She’d told him she wanted to inspect her daughters she’d sent two years ago to be cared for by the animal Healer, Danith D’Ash. Danith was one of Zanth’s humans.

  After two years, the two littlest of the hatchlings now stood and stretched twice as big as he. Still talked in baby-talk, though. Less than half-baked in Zanth’s opinion.

  Zanth had informed his Family of Mother Turtle’s request. Then the whole Ash Family, T’Ash, and D’Ash and their two sons and two daughters, had come to this southern estate and the large house near the beach where the turtles had cracked out of their shells.

  Zanth had saved them then, so now he seemed stuck with them. Mother Turtle had not wanted to meet Danith, like most animals in all the planet of Celta should. Otherwise Danith would be doing this duty and not Zanth. He grumbled low in his throat.

  Even worse, two of Gwydion Ash’s mob of gray housefluff bunnies decided to follow Zanth and turtles from the mansion to the beach. Zanth disliked the fluffs.

  Anyway, it looked like he led a parade of fools. That detracted from his status.

  Still, he kept his tail high and waving.

  As he approached the first dune, he could smell the patch of herb he liked to sleep in. Far away from the scary and restless big water. To his nose, the spicy groundcover smelled sweeter than ever. From the buzzing of the insects that liked to sit on the leaves, the herb had spread since last summer into a nice, big mat for him.

  But no sleeping this morning. This morning he had to return the two female sea turtles to the damn damp sand and meet with their mother. Both now plodded after him.

  They lumbered in his wake, sending falls of sand into the scruffy brush, and they were s-l-o-w. Even the two housefluff bunnies hopped along faster.

  And the turtles were loud, both with their swishing walking behind him—he was silent—and with their mental comments. Every smart being, human and Fam, could hear their mental shouting.

  We are going to SEE MAMA! shrilled the first one into his mind and into the air.

  Yes, yes, yes we are! the second yelled. And maybe we will swim with her and sleep with her and BE with her, now.

  Zanth grumbled, You should be grateful you lived with Us, that MY FamWoman took you in and helped you survive and taught you stuff and how to talk in words more than squeaks.

  Yes, Zanth, TopFam, said the first.

  Yes, Zanth, TopFam, agreed the second.
BUT WE ARE SOOOO EXCITED, she screamed to the world.

  Zanth winced and tried to fold down his black ears in reaction, but even weighted with his emerald earring studs, they didn’t lower.

  You are too loud! screeched one of the housefluff bunnies.

  Those Familiar Companion beings hopped behind the turtles, and over them, and around them, getting in Zanth’s way.

  The Family had spent much, much gilt—money—on the two immature female turtles. For personal protection spells for them. For trips to the local seaside near Druida City and a cottage on that beach. A place FamWoman Danith had gone alone many a time to take care and check on the turtles as they grew. She left her HeartMate, FamMan Rand, who didn’t like that at all. She left Zanth! For beings who stayed in the big water!

  Inconceivable.

  All to keep two turtles well and happy.

  He snorted. And he smelled—bad odor.

  What’s that? asked Housefluff One mentally. His nose wriggled wildly.

  I don’t like that smell! said the housefluff’s mate, her own nose moving slightly less.

  Zanth stopped himself from wrinkling his own nose. Dead and rotting thing, he said. Always something dead or dying on the beach. He’d learned that from experience. The big water is tough on beings. Zanth thought all water was tough on beings. Nasty stuff.

  If something not dying on beach today, will tomorrow, he said. He just planned on it never being him.

  The female housefluff stopped in her big-footed tracks, one of her large pink-lined ears tilted. I’m not going up and down dunes to the beach.

  Zanth tossed her a glance. You housefluffs return home, not that far.

  The female lifted her foot, stared at her pads. Don’t like this grit.

  That’s sand, nothing but sand on the beach. And shells, broken shells that become sand, Zanth informed her. Sand and grit got between pads and had to be picked out. Like these beings littered Zanth’s life. Turtles soon to be gone, though.

  Female bunny twirled and hopped back toward the house, round puffy tail twitching. Zanth stared at it. He’d always wanted to catch a housefluff by the tail.