Empress Hiding

by Y. M. Roger

teluridium – (pronounced “tel-lər-id-ē-uhm”) Precious metal that comprises the primary monetary exchange basis for the Bohrean Empire.

  teşekkür ederim – (pronounced “tē-shā-kur-rā-dir-um”) A formal thank you or, used with less emphasis, thanks much (loose translation – sentiment is same).

  Tempt – (no meaning) Familiar moniker of Unisha’s altre: a rare reticulated hantung that is also male.

  Teymen – (pronounced “ti-ā-mən”) Rank in Bohrean military roughly equivalent to first Teyman. A si teyman would be Si Teymen.

  thaintarr – (pronounced “tā-ēn-tahr”) Large, multi-horned antelope of the tundra and the upper mountain regions of Bohrea Cardinal. Thaintarrs live in small isolated groups and are very reclusive animals although the mating duals in which the males engage before mating for life are spectacular displays that attract members of different groups simply for the spectacle of the event. Preferred (because of their multiple fat stores) although not easy prey of the demercrierres who inhabit the same regions.

  tiemsaho – (pronounced “tē-ehm-sah-hō) Large, extremely thick, leathery skinned swamp lizard with six legs and an extra-long and thick tail topped off like that of a prehistoric ankylosaurus. Its main mode of transportation is swimming and, therefore has very short muscular limbs ending in sharply-clawed yet webbed feet. Its head is not as long as a crocodile but is certainly just as toothy. Due to its limited mating season, the tiemsaho is very rare and found only in the Southern Provinces on Bohrea Cardinal. Boney and bitter and extremely aggressive and dangerous, tiemsahos are rarely hunted except during cycles with extremely warm and wet seasons – it is during these exceptional cycles that the females are hunted as a delicacy because their flesh transitions for breeding and is highly prized as the best tasting dish on Bohrea Cardinal. Once a tiemsaho mating year is confirmed, hunters must obtain one of the limited and highly-prized hunting permissions before taking one as the penalty for killing a tiemsaho without permission is death.

  tombul – (pronounced “tom-burl” – meaning chubby or plump or even pudgy) Originally in the Crimson dialect, but used commonly across both. Implies more “fatty” or, more commonly, “fat” than the similar term lemak which implies more of a “solid” largeness.

  triacate – (pronounced “trē-uh-kah-tā”) Nocturnal feline predator of medium build with wiry pelt mottled in deep burgundy and other red-intonations. Triacates have bobbed tails and much broader shoulders than hip span similar to the build of a bulldog and boldly colored siren-red eyes to help them see at night. Prevalent throughout the wilds and lesser-populated regions of Bohrea Cardinal.

  Tristana tree – (pronounced “trēs-tan-uh” – meaning long life) Extremely large, slow-growing tree similar in growth pattern to a Live Oak but rivaling the Giant Sequoyah in comparative size.

  Tristanin – (pronounced “trēs-ta-nēn” – meaning longer than life) Region of Bohrea Cardinal where the Royal Palace is located.

  üç – (pronounced “ooch”) Bohrean equivalency of three.

  utuzak – (pronounced “uh-tū-zahk”) Extremely physical and, sometimes, dangerous team sport played with three small, heavy and oblong “balls” and four “boxes” (two of each of the two teams’ colors) on an oblong field or court. The object of the game is to get the balls into the other team’s boxes by what ever means possible – no weapons are allowed and participants play as either cognate or altre-being; however, only cognates are allowed in the clearly-defined yellow zone surrounding the boxes. Thus, only cognates can score. Regulation play is such that the first team to twelve boxes wins – a game is defined as however many ‘sessions’ of play (in which three balls are boxed each ‘session’ with a short break between sessions) it takes for one team to get to the required twelve. Because no uniforms can be worn, participants often wear an elasticized torso-band that can remain no matter which part of a being is present.

  vestigial – term denoting the state of a being’s altre or beast being unable to break free of the being’s cognate form. The animal lives within the being but can never present outwardly.

  Visue – (pronounced “vi-shū”) Proper term of address of the Blood-bornes who are blessed with the gift of sight or clairvoyance (like “Father” for a priest) called Augers. Those in the Auger Order are usually branded on their forehead with the mark of that Order upon admission into such.

  wartrige – (pronounced “war-trī-jə”) Large and extremely aggressive predator with face similar to that of a vampire bat but with a four-legged, muscular body not unlike that of a lion. Wartriges do not exist in packs due to the extremely combative and contentious nature of the males – most cannot tolerate even the presence of another male wartrige whether a dominant one or submissive. Hondo’s beast is a wartrige.

  yagkan – (pronounced “yahg-khah” meaning fat blood) “Insect” nearly identical to earth’s ticks but, instead of blood, gorges on the thick, syrupy juices found in berries and other soft fruits.

  yakisik adam – (pronounced “yah-kē-sēk ah-dahm”– meaning handsome male) Term of endearment for young males in the Crimson dialect.

  yasak – (pronounced “yah-sohk” meaning forbidden or taboo) Also proper term, Yasak, denoting a Blood-borne predator in the present-day Empire.

  yavru – (pronounced “yah-vrew” meaning baby or immature animal) Used alone as a noun or in conjunction with a specific animal name as an adjective. A pair of triacates with a yavru or a yavru triacate.

  yeşil – (pronounced “yeh-shl” – meaning the color green) Only ancient dialects, mostly Crimson.

  yilan – (pronounced “yē-lon” meaning viper or serpent) Originally in the Crimson Dialect, but used frequently across both.

  yuctana – (pronounced “yūk-tahn-ah”) Large, boar-like pachyderms inhabiting the desert oases of Bohrea Cardinal. Very docile and non-confrontational although extremely stubborn. Frequently utilized as pack animals for desert crossings.

  zehirakre – (pronounced “zə-hēr-ah-kray” – meaning poison scavenger or purifier) Large scorpion-like creature covered in thick, resistant fur that makes them practically impervious to poisons or even lighter weapons of defense and/or offense. Unlike an actual scorpion, all of the zehirakre’s appendages are the same size with hard, furless pinchers at the end of each with the front pair only differing in its increased number of joints and “fingers” which increases its fine motor control thereof. Its tail – shaped like a morning star weapon – and its elongated, fanged bite are extremely poisonous. Even though zehirakres can be aggressive hunters when necessary, they are mostly content to be scavengers as well as thieves of other predators’ kills. Zehirakre-cognate pairings are extremely rare.

  zipkin – (prounounced “zip-kuhn” – meaning speared weapon) Double-ended pole weapon mostly used for sparring, training, and other fight competitions between warriors. Can be most likened to a Japanese naginata or European glaive but with a double- or triple-bladed edge at both ends.

  Character Name Listing**

  (pronunciation, lineage, and meaning)

  **Non-name definitions indicated herein can be found in the accompanying Terminology Lexicon.

  Antaya – (pronounced “an-tī-yah” – meaning lost or not found) Hamako’s dragoness altre’s familiar moniker. See Speciatic Cleansing.

  Balstir – (pronounced “bahl-stēr”) First Teymen in Prince Hondo Sadid’s Red Guard. Most trusted of Captain Marid’s Teymens. He has an adopted sister named Mysstree whose altre is a rare, little-understood nestlinger named Miannmarr. Balstir’s beast is a majestic hydenna. Balstir Johanneston.

  Benoni – (pronounced “be-nō-nē” – meaning son of my sorrows) Benoni Sadid. See Speciatic Cleansing.

  Beyaz – (pronounced “bā-yoz” – meaning white) Familiar moniker of Nyrfentyl Sadynnto’s altre, a Fragile Camroolt.

  Bocan – (pronounced “bō-kahn” – meaning shadowed or hidden) Familiar moniker of
Gulzar Dynarist’s altre, an over-sized hantung.

  Bweldon – (prounounced “bwell-dōn” – no meaning) Aging priest who serves in the ancient Blood-borne Kutsal Pantheon that once handled all of the Empress-ordained ceremonies in Capital City. He is also in rotation for the shuttle routes between Bohrea Cardinal and the ICT. Bweldon’s altre is a thaintarr with the familiar moniker of Zeki. Gnysue Bweldon Nagski.

  Cheo – (pronounced “chee-ō” – meaning elegant or delicate) Familiar moniker of Margreet Benson’s altre: a sapphire felnoturnian.

  Chiyo – (pronounced “kī-yō” – meaning 1000 sparkles or eternal) Junko’s pet name for Chiyoto.

  Chiyoto – (pronounced “kī-yō-tō” – meaning 1000 generations or eternal) Hidden blood-borne Empress-Heir of the Bohrean Empire. Chiyoto Darrè (actually Daria).

  Chostah – (pronounced “chō-stuh”) Youngest Red Guard in Hondo’s service. Of mixed heritage. Has specialty in cyber-security and neural tracking. Her altre is a defiant and difficult-to-control pahlgryst named Kalir. Specialist Killar Chostah.

  Daria – (pronounced “dah-rhē-yə” – meaning queen) Surname of the Empress line of Blood-borne rulers. Changed to Darrè following the Cleansing to maintain secrecy.

  Darrè – (pronounced “dar-ā”) Chosen secret surname of the Empress line since the cleansing.

  Dalis – (pronounced “day-lus”) Personal attendant and highly trusted steward to Prime Magistrate Rafal Sadid. His altre is a bushy-tailed monger named Mischief. Dalis Bensen.

  Dynarist – (pronounced “dē-nahr-ēst”) Black Guard Teymen in Prime Magistrate’s service. Mixed heritage. Altre is a hantung named Bocan. Teymen Gulzar Dynarist.

  Eieshen – (pronounced “ē-ī-shən” – meaning dependable or trustworthy) Cook and caterer for Prime Magistrate Rafal Sadid’s residence. Eieshen’s altre is a green-billed monarchic with the familiar moniker of Starshine. Eieshen Yutherianis.

  Ehrtrul – (pronounced “ā-ər-trool) Blood-borne male who serves as tracker for Rafal’s Black Guard – Tracker Ehrtrul Hiroki. Ehr’s altre is a massive bronze inca named Kiyoshi.

  Eniyi – (pronounced “en-ē-yē” meaning best or champion) Moniker given to Kilgar’s beast originally by Balstir but subsequently used by Mysstree.

  Erol – (pronounced “ehr-uhl” – meaning brave) Black-haired, black-eyed twin son of Hondo and Shelvana Sadid. Erol’s twin brother’s name is Matin.

  Farcallin – (pronounced “fark-ah-leen”) Black Guard Teymen in Prime Magistrate’s service. Altre is a crimson bear named Hikaru. Teymen Guang-He Farcallin.

  Ferenti – (pronounced “fə-rhen-tē”) Most trusted advisor to Khedive Khitam Sadid. Ferenti’s beast is a shentalingra. Ferenti Aldatma.

  Gece – (pronounced “ghē-chə” meaning night) Familiar moniker of Tajna Q’Ynnto’s altre: a sheltanock.

  Grundeihl – (pronounced “grun-deel”) Blood-borne male whose son was saved by Chiyoto and Runa after the bombing on-board the shuttle. Grundeihl’s altre is a smooth lechtneu whose familiar moniker is Satoru.

  Guyanni – (pronounced “gī-yah-nē) Crimson male who serves as tracker for Hondo’s Red Guard – Teymen Guyanni Faulcorn. Guy’s beast is a massive genrathe.

  Hamako – (pronounced “hah-mə-kō” – meaning child of the shore) Last ruling Empress of Bohrea Cardinal, Empress Hamako Daria. Hamako’s twin, Umiko, was the progenitor of the next Empress, Junko. See Speciatic Cleansing.

  Hediye – (pronounced “he-dē-yə” meaning gift or present) Although word of common use, it is also the affectionate nickname that Balstir’s family used for their adopted daughter, Mysstree.

  Hikaru – (pronounced “hi-kah-roo” meaning shining brilliance) Familiar moniker of Guang-He Farcallin’s altre: a crimson bear.

  Hiroto – (pronounced “hē-rō-tō” – meaning big flight or big soar) Familiar moniker of Sila Didas’ altre: a midnight chestryl. Moniker currently only used internally by Sila himself as he serves on the Black Guard of the Prime Magistrate and refers to Hiroto outwardly as his beast.

  Hondo – (pronounced “hon-dō” – meaning war or warrior or fighter) Second-born son of Khitam Sadid – brother and only sibling of Rafal. Hondo is ruling Prince of all of Bohrea Cardinal’s southern provinces. Hondo’s beast is a large wartrige.

  Hyndaus – (pronounced “hin-də-houz”) Cook and loyal head housekeeper for the house of Hondo Sadid. Hyndaus’ altre is a shiny bierabon named Slither. Hyndaus Unigua.

  Ilkin – (pronounced “ill-keen” – name meaning first) Eldest brother of Khitam Sadid who mysteriously fell to his death on the day prior to his own coronation.

  Jaylis – (pronounced “jah-ē-ləs”) Captain of Rafal’s personal guard (called the Black Guard). Sworn to protect the Prime Magistrate with his life, but his complete and unquestionable loyalty belongs to Khedive Khitam Sadid who mandated his appointment to the post in exchange for the Khitam’s relenting his anger toward Hondo in choosing to mate Shelvana (a wild Blood-borne being) rather than taking a Crimson consort (the Khedive had threatened to take all of Hondo’s lands and give them to his advisor, Ferenti, instead). Jaylis Yulstantis. Jaylis’ beast is a large monsecrit.

  Junko – (pronounced “jūn-kō” – meaning child of obedience) Current would-be reigning Empress of the Bohrean Empire – in hiding disguised as a seamstress in the slums of Capital City on Bohrea Cardinal. Junko is Chiyoto’s mamere and her dragoness altre is Shizu. Junko Darre (actually Daria).

  Juristin – (pronounced “jir-is-tēn”) Courtier in the Khedive’s inner circle. Legate Juristin Nomadon of the Khedive’s Council on Intra-Species Relations.

  Kalir – (pronounced “kā-leer” – no formal meaning) Familiar moniker of Killar Chostah’s altre: a defiant and hard-to-control pahlgryst.

  Khitam – (pronounced “ki-tam” – name meaning last or end) Preeminent Khedive Khitam Sadid. Current Crimson ruler of the Bohrean Empire.

  Kiken – (pronounced “kī-kin” – meaning danger or dangerous) Name/familiar moniker given the yilan beast of Afacan by Neşeli (Tazirr’s altre) – Kiken’s cognate, was taken in by and is now mated to Tazirr, huntmaster for Prince Hondo Sadid’s household. Type of yilan is not yet identified outwardly to Tazirr.

  Kilgar – (pronounced “kil-gahr”) Lifelong friend and confidant of Prince Hondo Sadid. Kilgar is the Captain of the Prince’s Red Guard. Kilgar Marid. His beast is the largest demercriere on written record.

  Kiyoshi – (pronounced “kē-yō-shē” – meaning soundless or silent) Familiar moniker of Tracker Ehrtrul Hiroki’s altre: an enormous bronze inca.

  Margreet – (pronounced “mahr-grēt”) Mate of Rafal’s personal steward, Dalis Benson. Margreet’s altre is a sapphire felnoturnian with the familiar moniker of Cheo. Margreet Benson.

  Marid – (pronounced “mə-reed” – meaning rebellious). Sir name of Captain Kilgar Marid.

  Matin – (pronounced “mə-teen” – meaning powerful or strong) Blonde-haired, blue-eyed twin of Prince Hondo and Shelvana Sadid. Matin’s twin brother’s name is Erol.

  Mischief – Familiar moniker of Dalis Benson’s altre: a bushy-tailed monger.

  Miannmarr – (pronounced “mē-an-mahr”) Familiar moniker of Mysstree’s altre, a rare nestlingler.

  Mysstree – (pronounced “mis-trē”) Name of Balstir’s little sister. Adopted when she was found as an abandoned blind baby, Mysstree is Blood-borne whereas Balstir’s family is Crimson. Mysstree’s altre is a rare and little-understood nestlinger with the familiar moniker of Miannmarr. Mysstree Johanneston.

  Neşeli – (pronounced “nā-shah-li” – meaning cheerful or joyful) Familiar moniker of Tazirr’s altre, a spiked zehirakre.

  Nyrfentyl – (pronounced “nēr-fen-tēl”) Female component of the jedandva union with Tajna and Sila. Nyrfentyl is predominantly of Crimson heritage with the extremely rare gift of telekinesis. Her altre is a fragile
camroolt named Beyaz. Nyrfentyl Sadynnto.

  Ornico – (pronounced “ohr-ni-kō” – meaning ferocious protector) Head mechanic – both domestic and military – for Prince Hondo Sadid. Known for his sardonic and often confrontational disposition, Ornico’s beast is a fedai, and he is mated to Verisse who is a member of the Red Guard.

  Patu – (pronounced “pah-tū” – meaning destined or destiny) Umiko’s dragoness altre’s familiar moniker.

  Rafal – (pronounced “rah-fell” – meaning God’s healer or God has healed) Eldest Prince and first-born heir to Khedive Khitam Sadid. Rafal is the Prime Magistrate and Crowned Prince of Bohrea Cardinal – although he prefers to be addressed only as Prime Magistrate as he prefers not to be linked verbally to his sire, the Khedive.

  Runa – (pronounced “roo-nah” – meaning hidden or secret warrior) Chiyoto’s dragoness altre’s familiar moniker. Extremely wild and intensely protective of Chiyoto. While Chiyoto is of smaller build, Runa is the largest and most powerful Empress altre to ever exist.

  Sadid – (pronounced “sah-deed” – meaning strong) Surname of the Crimson Royal Line since the speciatic cleansing. Prior to the cleansing, there was no fixed surname for the ruling Khedive as each Empress chose her Crimson mate.

  Satoru – (pronounced “sə-tor-oo” – meaning enlightened or knowledgeable) Familiar moniker of Grundeihl’s altre: a smooth lechtneu.

  Shadow – Familiar moniker of Yearlan Wakahisa’s altre: a spotted lechtneu.

  Shelvana – (pronounced “shel-vahn-ah”) Devoted wife and beloved mate to Hondo – mother to their twin sons, Erol and Matin. Shelvana’s pseudo-altre is a marabilla – the word pseudo is used here to indicate that there is no separate personality name to separate the cognate from the altre – it is simply a shift in their being from one to the other. The cognate is but a mask for the altre.

  Shizu – (pronounced “shī-zoo” – meaning silence or silent or quiet) Familiar moniker of Junko’s altre – carries all the memories and consciousnesses of all prior reigning Empresses – their wisdom, their experiences, their emotions, and their dreams – as entrusted from passing Empress to inheriting Empress-Heir in the passing ceremony of outgoing elder (passing into the next realm) to incoming younger.