With Footfalls of Shadow

by Donogan Sawyer

Liam returned a shallow bow.

  “Come, Tiffany,” he said, beckoning to the girl. The girl slowly walked towards him, head down, her hands folded in front of her.

  “You cannot let him take her, Liam,” whispered Lyra.

  “I gave him my word,” Liam replied.

  Tiffany walked up to Arconus and asked him meekly, “Can you help me up?”

  Arconus sheathed his dagger and reached out to her. Without a moment’s hesitation, Tiffany took the dagger and stabbed at Arconus. Arconus put his hands out to stop the blade, and knife sliced across his hands and fingers.

  Arconus held his hands up in front of him, dripping blood. “You’ve killed me,” he said.

  Tiffany stood there staring at him, the bloody dagger still in her hand and ready to strike again. She watched him fall to the ground, and then close his eyes.

  Then she raised the dagger, and brought it down hard towards her own leg. Without Liam having been aware of it, Lyra had moved in behind the girl and stopped her arm on its descent. She held her from behind, and after a short struggle was able to pry the knife away from her. Lyra held her in her arms, and let her weep.

  XLIII

  The will of the fates ran together like tributaries to a great river, and Liam Foster entered Kraal as the new King of Jeandania. But great dangers, unexpected turns, new lives and new deaths are natural, inevitable features of a great river as it leads to a greater sea.

  – Fedora’s Tales of my Homeland

  “You know, sir,” said Richard. “You really should be standing up.”

  “He is right, Liam,” said Lyra. “We are entering the capital of your kingdom.”

  “My kingdom,” replied Liam, digesting the concept. “I suppose we’ll see,” he said, and took her hand to lead her up to the top of the carriage.

  There were already people lining the road as they approached the entrance to the city. When they saw Liam emerge on the top of the carriage, all started cheering and clapping. A few made his sign. They rode across the drawbridge and through the dragon’s mouth into the city. Liam and Lyra stood together on top of the carriage and waved to the people, as they slowly wound their way along the road.

  “I guess that answers that, Your Highness,” said Lyra.

  Liam nodded wearily. “I suppose I can manage to stand up and wave to people, but once we get to the castle, I won’t know what to do.”

  “That will take care of itself,” answered Lyra. “You will have enough people asking questions to keep you busy all day, every day. It is your job to use your best judgment in answering those questions.”

  “Sounds simple enough. How is Tiffany?” asked Liam.

  Lyra peeked down into the carriage. Tiffany was sitting on a chair hugging her knees and looking out at the crowds without moving. Rhoie and Brandi were on the opposite side, kneeling on the couch together, facing out the window.

  “It will be a long time before she is well,” answered Lyra. “But I think with enough attention and care, she’ll be all right. I think we should keep her with us in the castle.”

  “Why not? I think there should be enough room,” Liam answered.

  “You know, I can’t believe I didn’t think about this before. We are not married, Liam. Maybe it is not appropriate for me to be up here with you.”

  “Nonsense,” replied Liam. “Everyone knows who you are now. Besides, we’ll be married before long.”

  “Is that so?” Lyra asked.

  “I’m the King. I can order you to marry me.”

  “I don’t take orders well. You know that.”

  “Well, I’ll just have to ask nicely, then.”

  Lyra turned to Liam and kissed him on the cheek.

  “If you did, I might consider it.”

  ~Æ~

  General Riley sat with Blade in the carriage behind Liam’s. Blade was practicing manipulating objects on the table with the coiled utility prosthetic.

  “So what are you going to do now?” asked General Riley.

  “I don’t know, general. What about you?”

  “Well, the King is without a standing army at the moment. I’m sure I will be able to find some recruits among our volunteers, but I believe I’ll have my hands full trying to reconstruct the military.”

  Blade nodded. “Don’t look at me. I’m not the military type.”

  “No, I agree,” said General Riley. “You need more of a challenge. You know, as popular as Liam is, he will surely garner enemies soon enough. He’ll need protection.”

  “Yes?”

  “I think you and your Talons may be just the right choice to become the King’s royal guard.”

  Blade laughed, “Imagine that!” He remained quiet for a moment, then asked, “We’d be sleeping in the palace, wouldn’t we?”

  “Yes, you would.”

  “After sleeping on the hard earth for so long, I’m not sure how my men would take it.”

  “Trust me,” said the general. “It doesn’t take much getting used to.”

  Blade shook his head. “I’ll bring it to the guys. Dilano is going to flip.”

  ~Æ~

  “Oh, I love parades,” said Aunty Jules, looking out her window.

  Travis was truly happy to be able to share this with her, but sadness was never far away, summoned at the slightest invitation.

  “Pity Biff isn’t here to see this,” he said.

  “He is here, boy! He is all around us now, out into the Everything. He got a much better view than we do sittin’ here in this carriage. Don’t feel sorry for Biffy, Travis. He lived hard and died a hero.”

  “Yeah, I know. I just miss him,” he answered.

  Jules stepped over to Travis and embraced him. “I know, baby. I miss him too. Now look here. I got two things to cheer you up.”

  “Yeah?”

  “First, since we are in the capital now, I think it might be a good time to congratulate ya’. You a rich man,” she said, and handed him an envelope.

  Travis opened it. It was a promissory note.

  “Five million Lucre?”

  “Yeah, they gave you Biffy’s part, too.”

  “That scoundrel!” he moaned. “He had me working for less than a million. If he were alive right now, I’d kill him!”

  That sent Aunty Jules laughing hysterically. Travis just shook his head. Eventually she managed to calm down, and she explained.

  “I’m gonna’ be stayin’ around for a while. The Sisterhood has your money. You can have it all any time you want, or if you want us to arrange to buy the vineyard back, we can do that for you. I recommend you let us help you there. The people livin’ there now ain’t of no mind to sell.”

  “But you can put them in a mind to sell?”

  “You catchin’ on,” she said.

  “You said there were two things?” asked Travis.

  “Yeah, well, now that you one of the richest and most powerful men in Kraal, and the Chamber has lost two of its members. Biff was one of ’em. You be takin’ his place.”

  “The Chamber?”

  “Yes, honey. Now, here’s how it works ...”

  ~Æ~

  “This is one of the good times, eh, Filos?” asked Rhemus, looking out the carriage window next to Kaila, Rutain and Kienten.

  “Indeed, little one,” said Filos, relaxing on the long couch. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

  “Everyone is so happy,” said Kaila.

  “Yes. Liam is off to a good start, I think,” said Filos.

  “King Liam, you mean,” corrected Rhemus.

  “Yes, you’re right. I must start getting used to that.”

  “What are you going to do next, Filos?” asked Rhemus.

  “I haven’t decided yet, what about you? You said that you could only try to get your people back together once the Foster conflict was over.”

  “Yes, that is what I must do now. I fear Dantun has returned to the Mikraino cavern. He has his own ideas about bringing our people together again. I know I cannot just walk i
n there and talk to them, not now. I will need help.”

  “What kind of help?” asked Filos.

  “There are other Mikraino in the world. They are just far away. Verkleet told me that he knew of another group who live in a jungle far to the north beyond the mountains. I think I must go there.”

  “Would you like some company?” asked Filos.

  “I thought you might need to stay and help Liam,” Rhemus replied.

  “King Liam,” Filos corrected. “If ever the King needs me to fight by his side, I will be there. When it comes to fighting, I am with Liam. But when it comes to travelling, I am with you.”

  Rhemus smiled brightly. “This is one of the good times.”

  ~Æ~

  “Argus, it has been a long time,” said Bianka, as she poured him some tea.

  “Indeed, my dear. Too long,” answered Argus, taking a sip. He could detect the bitter tang of scarlet moss. He took a deep breath of desert mountain air and enjoyed the vast view from the mountaintop.

  “I am so sorry to hear about your sister,” he said.

  “Yes,” said Bianka, sitting down again. “I came up here to meet her. I was a bit late, so I wondered why she wasn’t here. I waited and waited, and finally I grew worried after about a quarter of an hour. I asked around for her. She was nowhere to be found. Then I thought the worst. I came up here again and looked over the edge. Sure enough, I saw her broken body on a ledge far below.”

  “It must have been awful,” consoled Argus.

  “Yes, well, we must move on. I shall miss her. We all will, but she is now out into the Everything, and that is reason to be happy for her. And for your father.”

  “Yes, another terrible accident, but you are right, Bianka. There is no reason to be sad for him. His spirit is in the æther, and his work will live on for many generations. But enough sad talk,” said Argus. “Tell me why you have summoned me.”

  “As you know, Lyra is the Vetra Ta’raa.”

  “Yes,” Argus answered. “She rode in standing on the carriage with Foster. The new King and his concubine. It was terribly bad form. The people love Foster, but they have yet to decide on Lyra. They know she is an Æhlman sister, and they are already mistrustful of her. She went too far sharing the carriage top with the King. She may have earned some enemies for that miscalculation alone.”

  “Yes,” said Bianka. “Good form is not in the girl’s nature. I find it unfortunate that she has been chosen as the Vetra Ta’raa, but who are we to quarrel with the fates?”

  “Indeed,” said Argus. He had spoken similar words the night of his father’s death. He knew Bianka had killed her sister, Viebke. He believed he had just been given a subtle hint that she knew that he had killed his father.

  “With my sister gone, it falls to me to choose the Ta’raa Guide. That is why you were summoned here, my dear friend ...”

  “Don’t you think this will present a very difficult challenge?” asked Argus. “I made quite a show of opposing Foster.”

  “There is always a way, Argus. Besides, we have allies and leverage.”

  “Leverage?”

  “Lyra will no doubt feel the longings, responsibilities and passions of motherhood.”

  “Okay, I can see how her history can provide us some leverage, especially with all that is at stake. And allies?”

  “Our young Sinead is soon to become Keeper of the Stones, and she has forged a lovely bond with her new friend, Brandi.”

  About the author

  My name is John R Wheeling. I was born in 1970 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. Wisely or foolishly, I used my university experience to travel the country, attending schools in Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida. I paid my way through most of my university days as a gymnastics coach.

  Shortly after graduating with a degree in English Education, I was offered an opportunity to help develop a men’s gymnastics program in Namibia. I stayed in Namibia for a year, where I met my wife.

  We subsequently moved to England. There I studied for a Master’s in Shakespeare and Renaissance Culture.

  I have three children, a son and twin girls. When the girls were born, we decided to return to Namibia. I maintained a modest consulting company in the States which sustained us for our first several years while I launched Leisure Times Magazine, which is now an annual guidebook about Namibia, and has led to some other writing projects.

  I am currently researching a book on creation myths and traditions of the indigenous peoples of Namibia.