Beached

by Ros Baxter

Lecanora squeezed the Queen’s hand. Is it…?

  Yes, the Queen said. It is almost the end. That is why I have called everybody here. It is time to talk about what will come next.

  Lecanora squeezed her hand again. But wait, she said. There is more than you know. Manos, he...

  Imd touched Lecanora’s face. Rania and Carragheen apprised me, she said. And now Lunia and Saskia have filled in more of the story. I know enough for us to brief our people.

  The Queen seemed to sag in the water as she said the words, and Lecanora caught her. The Queen looked up into her face and smiled. But, as you can see, I am not well enough to address all these people. She swept a hand across the scene before her, and for the first time Lecanora fully registered the throng. All the creatures of her history—the ordinary, and the magical; those known to The Land and those secret, like Aegirans, in the deepest ocean. Imd continued talking into her head. I have asked Rashind.

  Lecanora’s eyes followed the sweep of her mother’s hand to take in the dark man standing at the back of the dais. Her mother planted a thought again into Lecanora’s mind, and Lecanora could feel the concern in her words. Unless you would like to make the address? You were not back when I asked him to help me. You must be so tired from the song-travelling, but this is your place. You will be Queen. It is your choice.

  Lecanora considered Rashind again. Something about the quality of his stillness was infinitely gentle.

  Lecanora realized that something about the look of this man soothed her very center. He reminded her of a deer Doug had pointed out when they had been sitting by the fire back in the woods. A brown-eyed doe, so still and watchful. She knew that Rashind would do this well, whatever it was that her mother had asked him to do.

  But there was more.

  A part of her, a large part, she realized with a tremor of surprise, sang with relief as she realized someone else could do the task, would do the task. She was not alone, bearing the mantle of impending queenship. There were others who could help.

  Lecanora had never questioned that she would take on her mother’s role after her death. Her mother had schooled her to it from the very first, and she had worked hard to be worthy of it, to manage the nerves and sense of illegitimacy that had always plagued her. And she had done well, she knew. The people loved and respected her. And now that the matter of her birth was resolved, they may even trust her. So why did she feel this crashing relief at the thought that there was someone else? That she was not the only one who could do what needed to be done?

  A beautiful, hard face rose in her mind, frozen and stunned in a moment of ecstasy. She pushed the image away. This was not about Doug.

  As she pondered, Rashind smiled at her, a warm, shy smile that spread the feeling of trust and warmth further through her. She thought about what he had done for her, taking the lover’s ear, allowing her access to his eyes and his brain. She remembered his face as they had discussed it. Lovers’ ears.

  Lovers.

  She shook off the thought.

  Before she could stop her, Imd had been exposed to a tiny glimmer of Lecanora’s warring emotions. The Queen looked deeply into Lecanora’s eyes, and Lecanora felt her about to speak. Before she did, Lecanora spoke into her foster-mother’s brain.

  He must do it, she said. He is ready, he is briefed. She smiled at her mother. And he is the right person for the task.

  The Queen paused, then nodded to Rashind. He made a high, trilling call at the back of his throat, and as Lecanora watched, the crowd parted. Rania and Carragheen came swimming through the space, up onto the dais. Lecanora watched them, hands clasped, like two sides of the same coin. The bodies of fighters. Hard, but beautiful. And with matching determined sets to their jaws. Her beautiful sister, and her sister’s beautiful mate. The other piece of her.

  Again, a picture of a dark, wanton face swam before her eyes, the face of a warrior, who she had known as a lover. She shuddered a little as a stronger memory grazed her, of the touch of warm skin on hers. Again, she pushed the thought away.

  Rania’s hand brushed hers as she mounted the dais.

  Long time, no see, babe, she said. Get it all sorted with Doug and the crew?

  Lecanora nodded, not trusting herself to speak. And Rashind began.

  People of Aegira, he said, his voice warm and low, a different kind of authority ringing from it. Lecanora thought about the snatches of leaders she had seen on the televisions on The Land. They were usually men, like Rashind, but so very different from him. Their voices were loud and sarcastic. They fomented difference, and dissent. Everything about this man spoke of gentle authority. She watched the people listen to him, wrapped in his warm, low silk.

  Lecanora listened in to their brains, catching snatches of thoughts as they tuned in. A group of Aegiran women, standing to one side of the dais, watched with rapt attention. Who would ever have thought? So strong. His parents would have been so proud.

  And, from a circling school of lellatas, their brilliant scales flashing in the golden light of The Eye. He is different, so dark. But we were wrong about him. He has earned the Queen’s trust, these last days.

  Lecanora tuned back in to Rashind.

  The Queen has asked me to address you today, because she is very sick. She has asked me to tell you that she is at the end.

  The crowd began a collective moan, and Rashind paused to allow time for the display of grief.

  We have always known that we had her for a thousand years, but we are blessed that her daughter, our Princess, is back with us this day. It gives her mother’s heart comfort, and succor to all of us.

  Rashind held out a hand to Lecanora, and she swam close to him, taking it and watching his eyes glow warm and soft at her. She returned his smile, and then turned to the crowd.

  My lungs thrill to be home, she said, and then gestured at Rashind to continue.

  He continued to hold her hand as he went on. The Queen has asked me to tell you two very important things today, people of Aegira.

  The first is this. We face dark times. You all know, we have all worked together on the skills we will need to face the battle that is to come. I am very...

  He paused, and he seemed embarrassed.

  The Queen is very proud of the work you have done, and she believes that you are ready for whatever we must face together.

  The crowd was still, and Lecanora could feel the fear and worry beating out at her from their brains. She thought about what she had seen, though the lover’s ear; the drills in The Eye, using song as a weapon. She could feel the resistance of the idea in their hearts.

  Manos is coming, Rashind continued. He has always wanted our nation as his own.

  The fear pulsed live and electric through the crowd.

  But he will not prevail.

  Rashind’s pace climbed.

  For we have weapons he can never imagine.

  Lecanora remembered the image—the large conch shell shattering—and felt herself recoil from his words, and tried to draw her hand away. But he smiled at her, and went on.

  They are the weapons of our hearts, he said. Manos cannot imagine the strength of our community, the force of our love, the dark, gentle man said.

  She nodded at him, grasping his hand again, and feeling relief wash through her.

  And we have something else, Rashind said, squeezing her hand as he let it go, and stepped back to motion at Rania and Susan to come forward and stand beside her. The three women swam into position, almost unconsciously grasping each other’s hands. Lecanora felt her heart still as she did, and she finally believed the truth of the prophesy. Because she felt it. Holding hands with these two other women, to whom she was connected by blood, history and loss, she knew there was a bond of magic between them.

  We have The Three, Rashind said, his voice climbing to a beautiful crescendo.

  Wow, Rania said, into Lecanora and Susan’s brains. Quite the showman for a kinda quiet guy, huh?

  Lecanora and Susan smiled.

&
nbsp; The crooning began from the crowd as they watched the three women.

  The words of the prophesy are clear, Rashind said. We can stop the bloodsong, because The Three stand with us.

  * * *

  Imd lay back on her lamanola mattress, the aroma of the soft, fragrant weeds tickling Lecanora’s nose. She grasped Susan’s hands.

  Thank you for making the journey, daughter of Aegira, she said. I know the way is long and the travel is very hard on the body.

  Susan bowed her head. Honestly, Queen, I did not have a lot of choice at the time. We were at great risk. We simply…fled.

  The Queen was quiet, her eyes closed.

  Susan squeezed her hand. But I am glad, she said. I am so glad I came, that I am here. And I am determined to do what I can to help. I will go back to The Land, as soon as I can. I will make sure I speak to the right people. This man endangers us all. Land and Sea.

  She spoke more softly. But even if he did not, I would not let him take my home.

  The Queen opened her eyes. You are Gadula, Saskia. Do you understand what that means?

  The women have told me some parts, Susan said. It is the…ruling class? Down here, in Aegira, is that right?

  The Queen sighed and smiled gently, pulling Susan’s hand to her cheek and rubbing it across her skin. Have I told you, my darling daughter of Aegira, how wonderful it is to have you home? How a loss of any one of us is felt so personally?

  Susan smiled. No, you have not, Queen, she said. But I can feel that in your words.

  The Queen opened her eyes again. You are wrong, Saskia. You have it wrong. The Gadula are the direct descendants of Aegir and Ran, and their billow maiden daughters. Me and my sisters, and the men with whom we mated while we were alive, before the Awakening. But the Gadula are not the ruling class. They are the serving class.

  Susan frowned. Servants?

  No, the Queen smiled. Not servants, but the serving class.

  Susan shook her head, touching her temples. Who do they serve?

  The people of Aegira. The Queen reached for Susan’s other hand. It is different from The Land. The highest privilege we can give to each other is the right to serve.

  Susan nodded. I understand that, I think.

  Lecanora felt tears gather thick and salty at the back of her eyes, and watched the telltale silver streak the water. The words sounded heavy and portentous in her brain. So long, waiting and wondering, yearning to find her place, her identity. And now she was poised on the cusp of the greatest act of service at all. Becoming Queen of Aegira.

  If they could only survive the next few days.

  She did not fear service, but something, something still and quiet in her heart, had liked the freedom of The Land. The sense that you did not need to know everything, that you could find your own identity, and that you did not need to have it revealed to you.

  As she pondered it all, she saw her mother watching her, and knew that the Queen saw the turmoil in her heart.

  Imd turned back to Susan, and spoke to her, but Lecanora had been this woman’s daughter her whole life, despite what she now knew. And she knew that, as much as her foster-mother was speaking to the lost Saskia, she was also speaking to Lecanora.

  But the very highest calling, my dear lost one, is to follow your truth. Nothing has higher value to your people, and your home, than your own experience of it.

  The Queen turned to take Lecanora’s hand.

  Now, daughter, tell me, what do you know? What does Manos have in store for us?

  Lecanora tried hard to sort the shards of it, the things she had learned, during the two confrontations in that accursed bathroom.

  He is powerful, she said. And it is not just his army that makes him so.

  The Queen nodded. How did he turn them?

  With the sound weapon, I think, Lecanora said, feeling it out as she spoke the words, checking her heart for the truth of it. Rania?

  Her sister nodded, swimming skittishly beside the bed. Yes, she said. Go on, babe, you’re good at this stuff.

  Lecanora nodded. I think the weapon he used on Imogen, and on me, in the cave, was a prototype. He was testing it, testing his ability to capture souls. It backfired at that time, and was destroyed. But the replicas you have seen, they were more advanced, and he used them to…what is the best way to understand this? I suppose he tuned the young men in, brought them onto a frequency that caused them pleasure. And he used that pleasure to…capture them.

  On the land we call it addiction, Rania said.

  Yes, Lecanora said. That is the right analogy. Those young men, they need the noise. They respond to it, like a signal, and he can somehow control them through it, overlay messages, commands really, right into their brains. In time, he weaned them off, pared it back a little, so now he can use just the faintest echo of it. And almost no-one else can hear.

  What else? Lecanora could hear the exhaustion in her foster-mother’s voice.

  They do not just serve him, Lecanora said. I felt it, in his brain. They have also fed him. He is very powerful, perhaps more so than ever.

  Imd closed her eyes. But what does he want?

  Lecanora closed her own eyes against the memory of the sorcerer, staking his claim on her. She would not tell her mother that.

  Everything, Lecanora said. The Land, The Sea, to control it all. He is coming for you here. He will come for all of us.

  We are ready, the Queen said, dropping back onto the spicy rush mats. Finally, now that you are all here, we are ready. She waved a hand at the small crowd. I must rest, she said. Before it begins, whenever that may be.

  As the crowd made to move off, the Queen caught Lecanora’s hand.

  Not you daughter. She looked towards Lunia. Will you stay also?

  Lecanora held the hands of the two women she called mother. She felt wrapped in a warm bubble, protected by their love and trust.

  You have doubts, the Queen said.

  No. Lecanora shook her head.

  The Queen rubbed her hand gently, smiling into Lecanora’s eyes. I know your doubts are not about the rightness of the cause, or what we must do here, but what will come after.

  Lunia nodded. I feel it too.

  The Queen’s eyes were wide, almost as though they were imploring Lecanora to listen, to understand. I need you to know, right now, before the end, that this throne was my legacy to you. You have earned it. It is yours. But only if you want it. I will not allow it to become a prison for you.

  Lecanora shook her head again, the words both lifting and terrifying her. No.

  The Queen nodded, her mouth set. Yes, she said. You must choose. And you will.

  Lunia moved closer to the Queen, and stroked her cheek. I will always be here to guide her, Queen.

  Yes. Imd smiled at Lunia. What a gift your tragedy gave me, Lunia. How can I ever thank you?

  Then the two women spoke as one into Lecanora’s brain.

  Whatever you decide, it will be the right decision.

  Chapter 17

  A week later Week 3, Day 6 The beginning of the end

  As she woke, the thing overtook her. It wrapped rough tentacles around her heart. It was not a dream, more that other kind of seeing, the visions she’d had before. It was a presentiment.

  And there was blood. The seas ran red with it. It stung her eyes and darkened her skin.

  As she watched it unfold, she saw his face. His true face, not the ones he had worn like masks on The Land. His face was the color of the sea when it is sick. Green-black and foamy. Like the form of a human, but twisted with a long lifetime of avarice and hatred. Cold, pale blue eyes took her in, and there was a hunger in them that chilled her. He wanted her, like a meal. He wanted to take all there was of her and leave nothing left.

  As the vision abated, leaving her gasping and spent in its wake, a new knowledge settled inside her. It was soon. They stood on the eve of the reckoning.

  * * *

  Rania and Carragheen were working with the strike crews on
ce again. Lecanora shook her head, marveling at the skill the citizens and refugees alike had managed to master in such a short time.

  They were lined up in rows, in The Eye. Rania was moving among them, whispering to them and giving last minute instructions.

  Carragheen stood down the far end of The Eye, supervising the movement of large sea-boulders. The huge blocks were being dragged through the water by teams made up of Aegirans and the strong and faithful Leigons.

  As the last block settled in its place, Carragheen moved over to it, calling across the space to the first row. ‘It is precision we are after now. You have proved you can do it. Now we need to do it exactly. If they come…’ He paused, knocking unconsciously on the rock he leaned against. ‘When they come, they will move amongst us. We cannot be indiscriminate. We need to be surgical. We will not lose any of our own.’

  A line of heads, eyes, and variously shaped bodies nodded and writhed, depending on their method of acknowledgement.

  Carragheen went on. ‘To test your skill, I am going to stand here.’ He knocked on the boulder again. ‘Beside this one. You are going to work on it.’ Even from where she was standing, Lecanora could feel his smile. ‘And please, don’t kill me.’

  Lecanora’s eyes darted to where Rania was standing, issuing last moment instructions to the line-up. Lecanora could see the lines of her body tense at Carragheen’s words.

  As Lecanora watched, Rashind joined her.

  ‘How are they progressing?’

  Lecanora smiled at him, the familiar warm feeling creeping through her at his presence. She had watched him, over the last week. He had been by her mother’s side at every step, and he had made himself available to her, also. She was tired, the weariness lodged deep in her bones. She had spent the week with her people, talking, reassuring, and moving among them. And here, in the training ground.

  And wherever she had gone, the people had asked her. When?

  And she had answered them as best she could. We do not know; she is waiting. Wanting to ensure we are safe, before she joins her parents. And the people would touch her and squeeze her and tell her they were glad she was theirs, and that she would make a fine queen.