The Traitor and the Chalice

by Jane Fletcher

When Tevirik learnt of this insult, she turned white with anger. She went to her grandmother, the queen, and swore that she would go in search of the chalice and not return without it. At this, the hearts of the people sank, for there seemed no hope that she could achieve this quest. But Tevirik would not go back on her oath. The whole island turned out to see her depart. There were tears in many eyes, for none expected to see her again.

  Tevirik sailed east for many days until she reached land. She left her boat on the beach and went from place to place, searching for news of the chalice, but nothing could she find.

  One night, she was awakened by the sound of fighting. Nearby, she saw an old man cruelly attacked by robbers. Not hesitating, Tevirik drew her sword and set about the gang, so that within seconds, they were fleeing for their lives.

  The old man turned to her with thanks. “My gratitude is yours forever. Yet I can see you are a stranger in these lands. Why are you here?” he said.

  “I am searching for my people’s sacred chalice, which was stolen by an enchanted raven. Do you know where it might be?” Tevirik replied.

  “No,” said the old man. “But the sorcerer Bakoda may know, for she is one of the wisest women in the world.”

  “Where may I find her?”

  “She lives in her citadel, far to the north. To reach her, you must cross a sea of grass, and that will not be easy.”

  “I have crossed the true sea of water in the west. Surely a sea of grass shall prove no great obstacle,” Tevirik said.

  In the morning, Tevirik awoke and set out for the north. For many days, she walked until she reached a plain of grass that stretched to the horizon. The wind roared, causing the grass to ripple like the waves breaking on the shore. It blew so fiercely that for every three steps Tevirik took forward, she was blown back one, but at last, she arrived at a mighty citadel. Inside this citadel, the sorcerer Bakoda sat on a silver throne.

  Tevirik stood before her and said, “I am searching for my people’s sacred chalice, which has been stolen by an enchanted raven. Do you know where it might be?”

  Bakoda sat and thought, and then she said, “Several months ago, I saw the bird fly out to sea, and I sensed the magic of the one who sent it, but who that was, I cannot say. Perhaps my sister, Kradira, may know, for she is wiser than I.”

  “Where may I find her?” Tevirik asked.

  “She lives in her palace far to the south. To reach her, you must cross a sea of sand, and that will not be easy.”

  “I have crossed the true sea of water in the west and a sea of grass in the north. Surely a sea of sand shall prove no great obstacle.”

  The sorcerer made her welcome, and Tevirik rested from crossing the grasslands and prepared for the journey ahead. After three days, she set out for the south.

  She walked for many days until the land became hot and dry, and only barren sand stretched out before her. The wind whipped the sand, building it high like waves on the open sea. The sun was like noon on the hottest summer’s day. Tevirik filled her goatskin bags with water and then set off across the desert.

  The sand was so hot, it burnt the soles of her feet. After four days, her water bags were empty, and thirst tormented her, but at last, she arrived at a great palace. Inside this palace, the sorcerer Kradira sat on a golden throne.

  Tevirik stood before her and said, “I am searching for my people’s sacred chalice, which has been stolen by an enchanted raven. Do you know where it might be?”

  Kradira sat and thought, and then she said, “Several months ago, I saw the bird return from the sea and sensed the magic of the one who sent it, but who that was, I cannot say. Perhaps my sister, Jemera, may know, for she is the wisest of us all.”

  “Where may I find her?” Tevirik said.

  “She lives in her castle far to the east. To reach her, you must cross a sea of snow, and that will not be easy.”

  “I have crossed the true sea of water in the west, a sea of grass in the north, and a sea of sand in the south. Surely a sea of snow shall prove no great obstacle.”

  The sorcerer made her welcome, and Tevirik rested from crossing the desert and prepared for the journey ahead. After three days, she set off into the distant east.

  For many days, she travelled until a line of mountains appeared. Her road led ever upward. An icy wind soon became a torrent of snow. The blizzard was like a storm at sea when the tempest blots out the world and there is neither up nor down. Yet Tevirik was not deterred. She fought her way forward, though the cold was so bitter that her hair froze to her head.

  At last, she saw a castle atop a rocky peak. “Surely here I will learn how I may achieve my quest,” she told herself.

  The climb was hard, but Tevirik eventually reached her goal. As she was about to enter the castle, she heard furious roaring, and a hideous monster charged towards her. Its claws were so sharp that they dug holes in the rock, and its teeth were as long as an arm. With scarcely time to think, Tevirik drew her sword and, in a single mighty stroke, cut off the monster’s head.

  Tevirik knelt to clean the blood from her sword. When she stood again, there was a woman standing before her. In an instant, Tevirik’s eyes were blinded, so that she could not tell whether it was night or day.

  “Who are you? And what have you done to me?” Tevirik cried out.

  “I am the sorcerer Jemera. You have killed my beast, so I have taken your sight in payment,” the sorcerer said.

  “I am sorry for the loss of your beast, but I only defended myself.”

  “Be that as it may, it was my beast, and I must take payment for its death.”

  “If you will help me with my quest, I will gladly make what recompense I can,” Tevirik said.

  “Will you swear to meet whatever terms I say?”

  “My people are not rich in gold or silver, but if it is within my power, I will do so.”

  “Then let us go inside and talk further.”

  As the sorcerer spoke, the blindness was lifted from Tevirik, and she could see again, though in marking of this change, her eyes had changed from brown to grey. The two of them went into the castle and Jemera sat on a stone throne. Then Tevirik stood before her and said, “I am searching for my people’s sacred chalice, which has been stolen by an enchanted raven. Do you know where it might be?”

  Jemera sat and thought, and then she said, “Several months ago, I saw the bird fly out to sea and return from the sea. I sensed the magic of the one who sent it, and I know her well. It was the evil sorcerer Levanno, a long-time enemy of mine.”

  “Where does she live, and how do I find her?” Tevirik said.

  “She lives under the mountains at the bottom of the earth. Finding her will not help you, for she will turn you to stone as soon as she sees you.”

  “Nevertheless, I have sworn to recover the chalice, and I will not abandon my quest.”

  “Then I will come with you. Yet there is still the question of payment for my beast,” Jemera said.

  “What are your terms?”

  “You must swear that if I help you achieve your quest, then you will follow me and serve me for five years.”

  “That I will gladly do.”

  For three days, they rested in the castle, and then they set out. They walked all day and that night they made camp. As they prepared for sleep, Jemera said, “The entrance to Levanno’s realm is nearby, and this area is guarded by many deadly foes. It would be wise if we kept watch.”

  “I will take the first watch and wake you at midnight,” replied Tevirik.

  For the first half of the night, she kept a good watch, and it was as well that she did so. An hour before midnight, she heard howling, and a pack of wolves appeared. Tevirik drew her sword and set about them, so that soon a dozen wolves lay dead and the rest were fleeing to save their lives. At midnight, she woke the sorcerer and took her turn to sleep.

  Jemera then kept a good watch, and it was as well that she did so. An hour before dawn, she heard the rattling of bones and saw a hor
de of ghouls with rotten flesh hanging from their skeletons. Jemera cast huge fireballs at the ghouls, and they were burned to ash.

  With daylight, Jemera awoke Tevirik, and the two women continued on their way until they reached the entrance to a cave. Then Jemera spoke. “Now, listen to what I will say. Levanno is a mighty sorcerer, and any warrior, no matter how brave or strong, has no chance against her. I have a plan so that this may work to our advantage. When Levanno sees us, she will know I am a sorcerer, but she will not fear you, so her attack will be directed at me. I will give you an enchanted magpie. Keep it hidden under your cloak, and when the two of us are locked in battle, release it. Around Levanno’s neck is an iron amulet that holds the root of her power. The magpie will fly to Levanno and take the amulet. Without it Levanno will be powerless.”

  Tevirik agreed to the plan, and the two women entered the cave. Once inside, they were surrounded by a crowd of tiny people who were so small that they barely reached to Tevirik’s waist. Tevirik would have drawn her sword, but Jemera restrained her and said, “These are good folk who have been enslaved by Levanno. To gain their freedom, they will lead us to where she is.”

  They followed the small folk deep into the caves and at last reached a huge cavern. Standing in the middle was Levanno. The two sorcerers glared at each other, and then Jemera said, “Levanno, many times have you tried to kill me. Now I will have my revenge.”

  “Fool. All you will get is your death, for I am mightier than you,” Levanno replied.

  And so they began to fight with balls of fire and lightning bolts and magic arrows of ice. The small folk fled the cavern, but Tevirik knew no fear. She got as close to Levanno as she could without being burned or frozen by the magical weapons that the two sorcerers hurled at each other. Then she opened her cloak, and the magpie flew out. The bird circled the cavern once; then it dived down and plucked the amulet from Levanno’s neck. The evil sorcerer screamed as she felt her power ebb. Jemera hurled one last fireball, greater than any yet cast, and cracked open the roof above Levanno’s head. The rocks crashed down and ended Levanno’s wicked life.

  Tevirik and Jemera then searched the cavern and found the chalice stored with piles of gold, silver, and precious gems. “Do you want to take your share of the hoard?” Jemera asked.

  “No. All I want is the chalice.”

  “That is wise,” said Jemera. “For the treasure is cursed, and if you took even the smallest coin, you would not live to see another sunrise.”

  The two women left the cave and travelled west for many days until they reached Tevirik’s boat on the seashore, and so they sailed back to Storenseg.

  Great was the rejoicing at Tevirik’s return, but her mother’s tears of joy soon turned to tears of sorrow when she learned her daughter was oath-bound to leave again and serve the sorcerer for five years.

  For many days, there was feasting on Storenseg, but the time for Tevirik to depart grew close. On the last night, Tevirik’s younger sister, who was called Laughs-at-danger, came to speak with her.

  “You have achieved great things. It is now my turn. May I not go in your place and serve this sorcerer?” Tevirik’s sister said.

  Tevirik replied, “Alas, that may not be. It was my oath, and I must discharge it. Yet it is heavy in my heart that this sorcerer will lead me to my death. In five years, I may return; otherwise, wait for three more years. If I have not returned by then, you will know that I no longer walk among the living. In that case, I entrust to you the care of our homeland and our people. Guard them wisely and well.”

  Laughs-at-danger wept as she heard these words and swore she would do as her sister asked. The next day, the whole island gathered on the shore and watched as Tevirik and the sorcerer Jemera sailed away.

  Everyone waited for Tevirik’s return, but after three years, her mother could bear no more and died of a broken heart, wishing only for the return of her brave and noble daughter. The next winter, the old queen also died, and there was no one to rule the island.

  Then the matriarchs of the families came to Laughs-at-danger and said, “Your mother and grandmother are dead, and Tevirik is not here. Therefore, will you become our queen?”

  “No,” said Laughs-at-danger. “For my sister is due to return soon. I will not usurp her place. However, if you wish, I will rule as regent.”

  For four years, Laughs-at-danger was regent of Storenseg. Each morning, she walked onto the cliffs and looked out to sea, hoping for sight of her sister’s boat. Yet her vigil was in vain.

  At last, the matriarchs came to her again. “The time for your sister’s return has passed, beyond all hope that she will come home. The uncertainty of a regency harms Storenseg. Therefore, we beg you to become our queen.”

  Laughs-at-danger bowed her head and wept, but she could no longer hope to see her brave sister again this side of death. So she built a pyre on the beach and held the funeral feast for Tevirik. Then she took the queen’s throne and ruled Storenseg for many years, wisely and well, and her daughter and granddaughter after her. For Princess Tevirik never returned to the island of her birth, nor did any word come back of what fate befell her.

  About the Author

  Jane Fletcher’s novels have won a GCLS award and been short-listed for the Gaylactic Spectrum award. The Exile and the Sorcerer is the first book in her Lyremouth Chronicles. The sequels, The Traitor and The Chalice and The Empress and The Acolyte, will be published by BSB in 2006. She is also author of the Celaeno Series—The Walls of Westernfort, The Temple at Landfall and Rangers at Roadsend.

  Her love of fantasy began at the age of seven when she encountered Greek Mythology. This was compounded by a childhood spent clambering over every example of ancient masonry she could find (medieval castles, megalithic monuments, Roman villas). Her resolute ambition was to become an archaeologist when she grew up, so it was something of a surprise when she became a software engineer instead.

  Born in Greenwich, London in 1956, she now lives in southwest England where she keeps herself busy writing both computer software and fiction, although generally not at the same time.

  Visit Jane’s website at www.janefletcher.co.uk