Well before high sun, they emerged from the fargi forest and saw rugged mountain peaks rising vertically up before them. They were so close to the base of the mountains that Lyra could not see the tops. SkyDancer led the procession up a steep mountain trail, which was littered with scraps of rock and fallen debris. They climbed steadily for the rest of the morning and the air took on a chill, which was brisk and sharp. Lyra felt the sting of the cold air as she inhaled, but strangely it invigorated her and the weariness she had awoken with dissipated with each breath.
High up the mountain trail, but well short of the summit, SkyDancer turned onto a ridge that ran deeper into the mountain range. The birds moved swiftly over the rocky terrain with a surefootedness that Lyra knew a horse did not possess. Below the ridge a narrow canyon wound through the mountains and Lyra spied clova foraging for food below.
The ridge ended and SkyDancer turned up another mountain trail and they climbed higher, working their way around the peak. The stark beauty of the mountains thrilled Lyra as she caught glimpses of peaks stretching away towards the horizon in every direction. Some of the peaks were still snow covered while others were naked pinnacles of stone. She thought about the last of the Sakovan people living hidden in this cold inhospitable region and shivered. Instead of thinking of her own fate, she found herself dwelling on the fate of the Sakovans. She felt sad that the peaceful Sakovans had been forced to live in hiding and ashamed that it was her people who had forced them to it. Slowly the rationalization that the Sakovans had been forced to accept regarding intruders wormed its way into her mind. She was filled with fear for herself and her friends, but she was also able to see things from the Sakovan viewpoint now.
SkyDancer led the way through a small canyon and again they climbed higher into the mountains. As each successive mountain grew higher than the preceding one, so did the trail take them higher and higher until the chill of the air began to bite at the exposed flesh.
They moved silently and swiftly through the endless mountains as the sun began slowly to lower in the sky. Suddenly, the column rounded a corner and SkyDancer disappeared off the trail into the mouth of a cave.
“Where did she go?” Antello whispered.
“Into the cave,” Lyra answered without thinking, earning a harsh glance from StormSong as she turned and glared at the young girl for speaking while on the trail.
Soon the youngsters also entered the cave and the darkness enveloped them. The Sakovan column kept up their swift pace through the blackness and the sound of the choka claws echoed off the walls along with the sound of distant dripping water. They traveled on in complete darkness and time lost meaning for Lyra. She found herself thinking of what she would tell the Sakovan leader. What could she tell him? She knew precious little about who wanted them and what they really wanted. She became afraid that she would disappoint the Sakovan with her scant information and be condemned to death along with Antello and Syman. Even if she wasn’t killed, what life could they expect living with the Sakovans for the rest of their days?
A circle of light appeared ahead and snapped Lyra out of her contemplation. She stared ahead as the circle grew larger. Soon they emerged out of the tunnel and onto a short trail, which led down to the valley floor. She looked in wonderment at the large valley spread out before her and the city rising up out of it. She felt as if she had stumbled into a magical realm of beauty and splendor as the setting sun cast its rays upon the bright shining buildings creating a mosaic of reflected colors. She turned and saw the smiles upon the faces of the Sakovans behind her and wondered about the grand feeling of returning home after being absent for a while. It was a feeling that she would never experience, she realized sadly. Even if she was allowed to leave StarCity, there was nothing for her to go home to. The Academy was finished. Should Master Malafar ever find his way out of the clutches of those who held him, he could never restart the Academy. She doubted that her father could even live within those walls again after the massacre. She certainly never wanted to.
SkyDancer led the party along a wide road through the fields of corn and watula towards a large wood and metal gate. The gate stood open and they proceeded through it and onto a wide paved street. The citizens of the city all stared at the column, some waving their greetings while others gazed in open puzzlement. Flowers grew everywhere and Lyra could see a huge beautiful garden, its entrance just off to the side of the gate. Tidy shops and stalls lined the street with floors above, presumably for living quarters. Lyra noticed that horses were in use in the city as were wagons and she wondered how trading goods made their way into the city. Some of the goods for sale looked identical to the wares of Omungan traders and she pondered whether trade existed with Omunga in some clandestine manner.
The citizens grew more plentiful as the group approached the center of the city. Lyra gazed ahead and saw a massive stone palace blocking the road. Looking down the cross streets, Lyra could see other streets and they appeared to be converging on the palace. All of the citizenry appeared armed, but she was surprised by the lack of guards. Even the palace entrance was devoid of any type of security personnel.
SkyDancer passed through the palace gate and turned to the left, paralleling the wall and the column followed quietly. After proceeding a short distance, Sakovans ran to greet them and relieve them of their chokas. The group dismounted and hefted their packs as StarWind led the way into the palace itself. Lyra gave up trying to remember the route as StarWind meandered the corridors and eventually ended up in what appeared to be a guardroom of sorts. The room had several benches and rows of tidy footlockers.
“Please remove your weapons and store them in one of the footlockers,” StarWind instructed. “You will be staying within the palace walls and you will have no need for weapons here. All of them please,” she added.
The youngsters complied, drained at the thought of trying to fight the Sakovans within their stronghold. StarWind led them up a flight of stairs and along some more corridors until she stopped in front of a wooden door.
“Lyra this room will be yours,” StarWind stated. “For tonight, you will not leave it for any reason. In the morning you shall meet with our leader. After that, he will decide the degree of freedom you shall be allowed.”
StarWind started to lead the two boys down the hall and stopped. “I shouldn’t have to warn you, Lyra,” she said, “but it will not be my group ensuring you obey the rules here in the palace. I implore you to follow instructions precisely. There is a bell within your room that you can use to summon someone if needed. Good night.”
StarWind led the boys away and Lyra stepped into the room. The room was large and had stuffed chairs and a writing table in the center. A very large bed adorned one wall and a sofa on another. A fireplace lay dormant with a fresh stack of firewood next to it. A hanging closet and dresser completed the fixtures and Lyra looked around in wonderment. Instead of the cell she had expected, she was being housed in the palace guest quarters. Of course StarWind had told her that they did not bring prisoners into the stronghold, but still she had not expected to be housed in splendor.
Giving in to the exhaustion of the trip, she decided upon a short nap before exploring further and sank into the softness of the great bed and was asleep in moments.
Chapter 14
RavenWing
Lyra awoke in the darkness. She rolled over in the softness of the bed and sat up wishing for some light. She momentarily thought about calling for the fire lighting spell and quickly dismissed it, remembering the pain of her hand when the fireball spell backfired. She remembered seeing a candle on the small table next to the bed and groped around for it. Grabbing hold of the candle she continued to probe for a striker, but the table was bare. She rose and cautiously padded over to the fireplace and ran her hand along the mantle. She found a striker and lit the candle, taking a moment to let her eyes adjust to the new light. She placed the candle on the dresser and walked to the small window and leaned out. The freshness of the cold air i
nvigorated her and she gazed up at the stars to gauge the hour. Still several hours to dawn she calculated and turned her attention to the city below. The streets were quiet, but there were still some people moving about. Here and there an occasional light shone from a window.
Lyra pulled her head in and returned to the dresser. She had meant only to take a nap, but she had slept for some time. She reached down and snared the water pitcher and filled the washbowl. A small cake of soap sat upon a silver dish next to the bowl and Lyra shed her traveling clothes. Her skin pricked with bumps as she submerged her hands in the icy cold water. Again she wished to invoke her magic to warm the water, but was afraid to. She wondered if she would ever perform magic again after the fiasco at the stream. She returned to the fireplace and built a small fire and placed the washbowl on the hearth. She decided to lay out her clothes for tomorrow while she waited for the fire to take the chill off the washing water. She rummaged through her packs for something suitable to meet the leader of the Sakovan people and came up disappointed. Feeling the chill of the night air sweeping over her naked body, she wished she had waited for the water to warm before disrobing. She dragged her packs over to the fireplace and sat down before the flames.
The fire warmed her and she continued to search for presentable clothes, but everything she owned was dirty and crumpled. She pulled the clothes out and spread them on the floor, thinking that she might wash some of them out and be able to dry them by morning. She stuck her finger in the washbowl and felt the water. It was not warm, but it no longer chilled her to feel it. She slipped her mother’s ring off and shoved her hands into the cool water. She stared at the mark upon her finger and how the candlelight caught it and sent rivers of blue color cascading through the washbowl. Shaking her head in puzzlement, she quickly washed up in front of the fireplace. She sat before the fire for a time letting the warmth roll over her body and dry it. As she sat her eyes examined the room in the dim light. She wondered whom the room was designed for. StarCity should have no ambassadors coming to it nor did it appear as if the Sakovans had any formal court, at least none that she had seen. The palace had seemed deserted.
Her eyes stopped on the hanging closet and she thought she could hang her clothes in there so they would not appear so crumpled. She rose and made her way to the closet and opened it. Inside the closet was an array of feminine garments and she pawed through them. Without thinking, she cast her fire lighting spell and held the tiny flame aloft so she could see well. There were dresses and skirts, pants and robes. She pulled a few items out and held them up to her body with her free hand. Most appeared a little large, but not too large as to be noticeable. She returned to the dresser and pulled open the drawers. The dresser was loaded with clothes. Neatly folded shirts and towels, socks and leggings, even some cloth hats and gloves inhabited the drawers. Lyra smiled, extinguished her spell, and pulled out a sleeping gown and tugged it on over her head. Leaving her packs strewn across the floor, Lyra pulled back the covers on the bed and slid in. Within moments the warmth of the covers radiated through her body and she drifted off to sleep.
A pounding on the door awakened Lyra and her eyes snapped open to a light filled room. She gazed at the packs strew across the floor and her eyes rested upon her mother’s ring on the hearth. She quickly leaped out of bed and snatched the ring, sliding it onto her finger before answering the summons from the door. When she answered the knocking with a shout, the door swung open and StarWind entered.
“I trust you found the quarters comfortable,” StarWind smiled as she eyed the packs strew across the floor.
“Indeed I did,” Lyra returned the smile. “Who were these rooms set up for? I mean I wouldn’t think that Sakova had any ambassadors.”
“Not ambassadors,” StarWind answered. “We have some people who live in Omunga and they come to StarCity only occasionally. We have rooms furnished for when they come as they stay in the palace when they are here.”
“Oh,” Lyra responded sheepishly, “I hope she doesn’t mind me using her nightgown. I needed to wash up and I found nothing suitable to wear.”
“She won’t mind,” StarWind frowned. “She was killed three months ago by the Omungans. She won’t be coming home again. She was close to your size and you will find some clothes in the hanging closet. Feel free to choose something appropriate to wear. We will have breakfast as soon as you are ready and then meet with the leader. I will wait outside for you.”
“No wait,” Lyra said abruptly. “Please stay. I will not be but a moment.”
StarWind nodded and closed the door. She sat in one of the stuffed chairs and stared out the window.
Lyra opened the hanging closet and chose a plain blue dress. “Did you know her well?” Lyra asked as she made her way to the dresser.
StarWind nodded and then said, “Yes, I knew her well. I know all of them well. Each and every empty room in this palace haunts me.”
Lyra cringed as she heard the loss in StarWind’s words. She wondered what it was like to have your friends dying left and right everyday. She suddenly realized how sheltered a life she had led. These Sakovans were at war with Omunga, had been at war ever since there was an Omunga and most of her countrymen had no idea the conflict existed. She felt a tinge of shame as she realized that StarWind had many such losses in her life and yet Lyra had pounded on her because StarWind hadn’t seemed to care enough about possible innocent casualties while clearing the Sakova. How foolish and self-centered she must appear to the Sakovans who live with death continually.
“I cannot imagine the inner strength you must have to accept these losses and continue on,” Lyra said. “I think there are many things about Sakova that I do not understand.”
“You should not be expected to know about us,” StarWind replied. “In fact, I wish you knew nothing about us. I wish you had not come here.”
“I wish that as well,” sighed Lyra sensing that the Sakovan already knew what Lyra’s fate was to be and didn’t like it. “StarWind, I want you to know that I hold no hatred for you or your people. We were wrong to enter the Sakova. It is not your fault, but mine. I do wish though that somehow Syman and Antello could be spared. Their only crime is in trying to help me reach my uncle. I feel bad that I got them involved.”
StarWind rose and smiled sadly. “Do not give up hope yet, Lyra. Our leader is not a ruthless man. If I can think of someway to save the three of you without harming Sakova, I will.”
Lyra merely nodded and indicated that she was ready to leave. StarWind led the way downstairs to a small dining room. Two small girls immediately brought out trays of food for them to eat. The fare was simple but enjoyable. The eggs were larger than Lyra was accustomed to, but they were also tastier and the pastries were oven-fresh. There was no talk during the meal and when Lyra was finished, StarWind led her through endless corridors again until they were outside a wooden door. She knocked and Lyra heard a muffled reply. StarWind opened the door and ushered Lyra inside, closing the door behind them as she entered as well.
Across the room an old bird-like man stood behind a desk. His hawkish nose turned towards them as they entered and he came around the desk to meet them. His long white hair bounced as he walked and he stopped just short of three chairs arranged before his desk.
“You must be Lyra,” he said dryly. “Please sit. StarWind I wish you to stay and hear what this young lady has to say.”
StarWind, as head of gathering information, had expected as much and she slid into one of the chairs. Lyra was hesitant, as she was not sure how to greet the old man. She finally seated herself without a greeting.
RavenWing seemed not to notice any breach of etiquette and took the remaining chair rather than sit behind his desk. “I understand that you and two boys have been caught within the Sakova. I trust you are aware that such a trespass is a serious offense. We do not normally ask questions of those who come uninvited onto our lands, but I am told that there are some rather strange occurrences involved with your visit. I w
ant you to tell me what is going on to bring you into the Sakova.”
Lyra fidgeted in her chair for a while regarding the old man with a skeptical look. She nodded slowly and met the old man’s gaze. “I want very much to tell you my story,” Lyra said. “It needs to be told to someone, but I am concerned for others as you are concerned with the Sakovan people. As their leader, you have the responsibility of safeguarding the Sakovans. I too have a responsibility to safeguard others. As I aid your cause in revealing what I know, will you aid my cause in helping these others to safety?”
RavenWing frowned and shot StarWind a puzzled look. Lyra saw StarWind shrug out of the corner of her eye. RavenWing returned his gaze to Lyra and his features hardened. “This is not some game we are playing young girl,” he scowled. “By all rights you should be dead now. You live only at my grace. I will have the answers from you that I seek and I will have them now.”
Lyra started to rise and felt StarWind’s hand on her arm. She remained seated, but she met the old man’s gaze firmly. “As you said, I should be dead now. There are several times that I should have died already and now you hold the power of life and death over me. You may indeed kill me for not telling you what you want to know, perhaps you will kill me once I tell you what I know, but I still have my responsibility to fulfill and I am determined to do so. I have no quarrel with the Sakovans; indeed I have never known about their existence until being apprehended by your people. I will endeavor to aid you in any way that I can. Why is it unreasonable to ask the same of you?”
RavenWing sighed and rose from his chair. “Perhaps I was wrong in suggesting this course of action, StarWind. It is obvious that this child has no concept of where she is and what she is facing.”
Lyra leaped to her feet, StarWind unable to catch her in time, and wheeled to face the old man. “I do understand exactly the situation I am in old man,” she stormed. “I know I am about to die and still I offer to aid the very people who are going to kill me. I offer to help because I have come to feel for your people. I am ashamed of what my fellow countrymen have done to you and continue to do. I will tell you my story although I am not sure what good the information will do you. All I am asking is your help to care for people who depend on me because I will no longer be able to help them myself. Is it so difficult for you to accept that there are other people who suffer other than the Sakovans? Or have you just killed anyone not Sakovan for so long that you do not even think about it anymore?”
Star of Sakova Page 18