Star of Sakova fl-2

by Richard S. Tuttle

  MeadowTune opened the door to RavenWing’s chamber and Lyra strode in and went to his side and took his hand.

  “I am sorry to bother you,” she said, “but I need your wisdom.” She handed RavenWing the two messages and gave him time to read them.

  “The worst is coming, I fear,” sighed RavenWing. “There is nothing you can do for StarWind and her people, including your father, I’m afraid. If it were possible for you to get someone into the city, they would already be out. Her skills are best for getting out of that situation. The armies are what bother me the most. The generals who lead the biggest armies are the most skilled the Omungans have. Their movements must be reported and anticipated. We have to find out why they are moving and where they are going. We cannot wait until they enter the Sakova to start preparing though.”

  “Who is best suited to lead our army?” Lyra asked.

  “You are,” RavenWing declared. “The Sakovans have no need of any leader other than you.”

  “I cannot lead the army,” protested Lyra. “I have no skill at all in that area. I wouldn’t even know what to do.”

  RavenWing smiled and nodded. “It will take time for you to understand our way of life, Lyra,” he soothed. “We do not have an army as the Omungans do. When we fight, every Sakovan will fight to the death. I am not suggesting that you lead a military charge into the Sakova. You have many brilliant and talented people around you and they are all available for you to use. You do not need to appoint a general. Work with your fellow Sakovans and decide what must be done. You may appoint someone for each task or to lead a small group, but you are the only leader we have. You will make the final decisions.”

  “Shouldn’t I at least name someone who can issue orders in my absence?” insisted Lyra. “What happens if I die and there is nobody to take over making the decisions?”

  “If you die,” frowned RavenWing, “then Sakova dies with you. Kaltara has given you to us. If He takes you back then we shall deserve to die because we will have offended Him again. I know this is hard for you, Lyra,” he smiled as he griped her hand, “but you will make the right choices. This does not mean that you should spurn the advice of others, rather you should seek it, but in the end, it will be your decision to make and it will be the right one.”

  “I wish I had your faith, RavenWing,” Lyra sighed. “I am so afraid of making the wrong decision and costing people their lives.”

  “If people die, and I am sure that they will, it is because Kaltara has called them home,” smiled RavenWing. “Sakovans have been dying needlessly for centuries because we spurned our God. Now we know that when we die, we will do so in His favor. Do the best that you can, Lyra. It will be enough.”

  “What about this Lord Marak?” inquired the Sakovan Star.

  “Last year I would have said not to meet him,” admitted RavenWing, “but times are not the same as last year. I trust StarWind’s judgement a great deal. If she feels that this is in our best interest, then I would agree to the meeting.”

  “I have done so,” nodded Lyra as she watched RavenWing’s face, “but I am having him brought here instead of meeting him at Whalebone Cove.”

  “That has long been against our laws,” stated RavenWing, “but those were laws made by us, not Kaltara. You are the law now, for you speak for Kaltara, and if you think he should come here, then it will be so. The Scroll tells us that you will lead us to retake our land, so the Sakova will no longer be our hiding place. Perhaps the secrecy we have maintained will not be necessary much longer.”

  “Have you heard of this Lord Marak?” she quizzed.

  “I have heard some rumors about him,” admitted RavenWing. “He is Khadoran and as such has never been important to us, but what I have heard indicates that he may be good for Khadora. He does not appear to be fighting for power for himself, but to wrest control away from the powerful lords who use people up there. If the rumors are true, then he shares some of our ideals, but they are just rumors. It is possible that his own people have spread the rumors and he seeks to rule both Khadora and Omunga. You will have to decide which he is, friend or foe.”

  “Thank you for seeing me, RavenWing,” Lyra said as she squeezed the old man’s hand in farewell. “I know you are still in pain. Is there anything we should be doing for you that we are not?”

  “Hardly,” grinned RavenWing. “Your two friends, Syman and Antello, have been spoiling me rotten. They make sure that the cooks make everything just as I like it. They remove the bland paste that LifeTender has made up for me and sneak in the good food. They even smuggle me outside once a day so I can feel the sun on me. Don’t tell LifeTender. She will have a fit with them. She thinks the food I eat is too spicy and that moving me is out of the question, but if I am to remain alive, then I want to feel alive.”

  “Your secret is safe with me,” assured Lyra, “other than some ribbing with Syman and Antello. I haven’t spent much time with them lately. I really should.”

  “They are good boys, Lyra,” added RavenWing. “I am glad that I had the three of you brought here. It must have been Kaltara directing me.”

  “Well I hope he directs me as well,” Lyra said as she bid farewell to RavenWing.

  Chapter 28

  The Search

  “Help me get into this quickly,” whispered Cherri as she picked up the long slender dress.

  StarWind looked at the blue garment covered with tiny blue gems and shook her head at the narrowness of it and the plunging neckline. “There is no way that you are getting your body into this,” she remarked.

  “I only need to get most of me into it,” Cherri replied as she rolled her eyes. “I had forgot that he was coming tonight.”

  “At least the Monitors did not stay with him,” added StarWind. “Use the visit to your advantage. See what you can find out about the coup.”

  “I will,” sighed Cherri as she struggled into the blue dress with StarWind’s help, “but I must be careful with this one. The Katana did not approve of his appointment and thought that someone was using him. If he is one of the conspirators and I sing the praises of the Katana, it could place me in danger.”

  “You know more about this type of spying than I care to know,” StarWind said. “I trust your judgement. If something goes wrong, signal and we will do what we have to.”

  “Just make sure that Malafar remains hidden and silent,” ordered Cherri. “We will all die if they find him here.”

  Cherri saw StarWind nod in the mirror as she adjusted the dress and then headed downstairs. She slowed as she reached the lower portion of the stairs and acted as if she was not in a hurry as she entered the dining room.

  “Minister Kapla,” Cherri smiled, “I wasn’t sure if you were still going to come or not.”

  Kapla rose and gazed at the beautiful woman and flushed with embarrassment as he realized that he was staring at her. “I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to dine with you even if it was I who was to be the next Katana,” he blurted out.

  “Perhaps you will be,” cooed Cherri as she allowed the Minister of Defense to seat her at the table.

  Fisher appeared from nowhere and held the Minister’s chair out for him and Kapla sat down without a glance towards the servant. “Not this time,” Kapla smiled. “First Minister Alazar has been selected as the new Katana. He will do well for the nation.”

  “Alazar?” Cherri mused. “I don’t believe that I ever actually met him and that is quite strange. I have met most of the Ministers at one time or another.”

  Minister Kapla cocked his head as if contemplating some inarticulate thought and finally met Cherri’s gaze. “I do not believe that I have ever seen him in the company of a woman, now that you mention it,” he frowned. “He certainly has a flair for running the government though. I have heard that he has actually been running it for sometime now. The Katana merely okayed his decisions, so one step in the process has been eliminated.”

  “Well I hope you are on good terms with the new Katana,” C
herri smiled. “You should be groomed as his replacement should anything happen to him.”

  “I am on excellent terms with Alazar,” Kapla stated proudly. “In fact, it was I who nominated him, so I think he will look out for me.”

  “Great,” grinned Cherri as Fisher poured wine for his Master and her guest. “Did they catch the assassin yet?”

  Minister Kapla’s eyes shifted to watch Fisher before answering and Cherri understood his reluctance to speak. She waved Fisher away and explained, “There is no need to worry about him, poor lad. He is deaf. That is why I originally took him on as a servant. Sort of pity I guess, but he has turned into a most efficient servant. I wouldn’t think of letting him go now.”

  “Ah,” nodded Kapla. “You are a very generous woman. Most employers would not accept less than perfection in their domestic servants.”

  “Actually,” chuckled Cherri, “I find his inability to hear very beneficial at times.”

  “I can imagine,” Kapla smiled with raised eyebrows. He sipped the wine and nodded. “Excellent wine, Cherri,” he declared as he placed his glass on the table. “I am afraid that the assassin is still at large, but he will be found soon. The whole city is sealed tight and the Monitors are helping the Imperial Guard with house-to-house searches.”

  “Oh my,” inflected Cherri with surprise. “I imagine he will be found soon then. Who was it? How did it happen?”

  “He is a Sakovan,” Kapla spat. “His name is Master Malafar and he is a renowned wizard. I was in the ballroom when it happened. I still shake when I think about it. Not with fear, you realize, but with astonishment. It was so quick that nobody had a chance to do anything except Alazar himself. He just walked into the ballroom and cast all sorts of nasty spells at the Katana before anyone knew what was going on. One minute the Katana was there, the next minute his body parts were flying all over the room. Alazar was quick and sent a flaming ball of fire into Malafar’s back, but then everything flared into brightness and we all went blind. The Sakovan must have been immune because he was gone when the Monitors arrived.”

  “Wow,” sighed Cherri. “With magic like that, I’ll bet he is not even in the city anymore. He probably made himself invisible or walked right through the city wall or something. I can’t imagine how people can do magic like that.”

  “Even if he did make it out of the city,” Kapla boasted, “he will not get far. The three largest armies are sealing off every entrance to the Sakova right now. Malafar will be caught, I promise you that.”

  “Surrounding the Sakova? You mean we are going to be going to war?” asked Cherri.

  The Minster of Defense twisted his neck and searched for servants before answering, “Not just yet, but soon. Alazar does not want to start the war until people are properly aroused, but it doesn't hurt to have the troops already in place, he grinned.

  “You are a sly one,” chuckled Cherri as she signaled for Fisher to serve the dinner. “I told you that you would make a good Katana. I can tell, you know.”

  Cherri’s mind reeled as Fisher served bowls of turtle soup, but she waited until he left before continuing her probe. “I guess we will be safe enough here in the city when the war comes,” she mused, “but I have property in the country as well. Do you think I should sell it before everyone finds out that we are going to war?”

  Kapla stopped slurping his soup and looked up. “That depends,” he murmured, “on where it is. If it is along the coast it will be fine.”

  “Actually I have more than one estate,” she grinned, “but one of them is in the mountains up north and not along the coast.”

  “Where in the mountains?” Kapla asked as he wiped the soup off his chin with a napkin.

  “Close to the Khadoran border,” Cherri stated. “It is not an area near the Sakova so I guess it will be all right.”

  “I would sell it,” Kapla said while shaking his head. “You will be better off with the gold.”

  “I hardly have a lack of gold,” laughed Cherri. “You don’t think the Sakovans will attack way up there do you?”

  Minister Kapla laid his spoon down and pushed the empty bowl to one side. He sat there for a moment fondling his lower lip while Cherri nonchalantly finished her soup. Kapla’s eyes widened as Cherri finished her soup and looked up to meet his gaze. He started fidgeting with the dinner utensils and smiled boyishly.

  “The Sakovans are not likely to cause trouble that far north,” admitted the Minister of Defense, “but the Khadorans might. I fear that there may be a war up there soon as well.”

  “Oh my,” Cherri frowned. “I guess gold is looking better all the time, or maybe a new mansion on the beach instead. How much time do I have to get rid of it?”

  “It’s not certain,” confided Kapla. “I would guess no more than two months. You must not repeat any of this Cherri,” he added with an apprehensive voice.

  “Silly boy,” laughed Cherri. “Do you think I would want anyone to have the advantages that I have? I didn’t get all of my gold by spreading news around you know. I wouldn’t share this with anyone.”

  Kapla sighed, obviously relieved, and Cherri signaled for the next dish. Fisher rolled out a cart loaded with vegetables and fruits and a large succulent meat roast in the center. He rolled the cart to Cherri first and she pointed to the section she desired and watched silently as Fisher carved the meat and set pieces on a plate for her. Fisher repeated his chore with the Minister and then set the plates of fruits and vegetables on the table and departed. Kapla poked at the meat and then cut a small portion and shoved it into his mouth.

  “This is excellent!” he exclaimed. “Never tasted meat like this before. What is it?”

  “It is not the meat that you savor,” grinned Cherri, “but the way it has been prepared. Another reason why I would never part with my servants. Anytime I find foreigners in town, I arrange for my servants to spend time with their cooks. They learn many delicious ways of preparing food and all about herbs and spices. I figure the day away from here is a sound investment.”

  “You have strange ideas for a woman,” smiled Kapla. “You think of everything as an investment. Do you look at me as an investment too?”

  “Of course,” laughed Cherri. “I intend to invest a lot of time in you too,” she grinned. “I intend to marry the next Katana, and I do not mean Alazar.”

  Kapla laughed and then turned deadly serious. “You do not want to cross that man, Cherri,” he warned. “Do not even think about it. He knows everything that goes on and what everybody is thinking. I wouldn’t mind being the next Katana, but I do not want to get involved in trying to depose this one.”

  “I would do nothing of the sort,” assured Cherri. “I am a patient person. We may have to spend many years together waiting for Alazar to die, but when he does, we will be ready. That is, if you think you would care to spend those years with me.”

  The Minister of Defense froze with a forkful of meat before his open mouth and stared at the buxom blond in the tight blue gown. Slowly he closed his mouth and put his fork down. “Do you mean it?” he asked. “Are you serious? We barely know each other.”

  “I know ways that we can become better acquainted,” smirked Cherri. “I miss the days at court,” she pouted, “and you are a wonderful man. I have been watching you from afar for some time now. I knew that one meeting was all it would take to make sure about you. That is why I went to court last night, to see you. Do you not feel the same about me?”

  Just then, there was a loud banging on the front door and Cherri jumped in her seat. She caught a flash of StarWind running from the kitchen to the front door and listened tensely. StarWind cracked the door and stuck her head out. She did not even get to finish her question before the door was flung open and six Monitors poured in. The lead Monitor shouted instructions and the invaders split up to search the house. It all happened so quickly that Cherri was frozen for a minute and then she leaped to her feet. Swiftly she tried to follow the departing Monitors as they started se
arching the house. She saw StarWind being held by a Monitor at the front door. StarWind did not resist, but appeared to be awaiting a signal to fight as the Monitor was looking around the room as he held her. Turning, Cherri saw another Monitor heading for Fisher in the kitchen. Nervously, she wondered if the Khadoran possessed any survival skills if it came to a fight for their lives.

  Minister Kapla rose and wiped his chin with the napkin again as he stared at the commotion. Cherri heard someone trying to forcibly open the locked door to her private garden. She turned to Kapla and asked, “Why are you letting them do this?”

  “They are just doing their job,” the fat Minister answered. “They must check every house in the city. They will be done quickly and we can resume our dinner.”

  The lead Monitor and another entered the dining room and it was obvious that the leader recognized the new Minister of Defense. It was also obvious what he thought of Cherri as his eyes widened and one eyebrow rose dramatically. Cherri fought to keep track of the movements of the Monitors as they searched the mansion, bitter that Kapla had not intervened on her behalf. She had thought for a brief moment that Kapla’s presence would save her from the search, but neither Kapla nor the leader of the Monitors seemed to be so inclined. She tensed involuntarily as she tried to anticipate which of the Sakovans would be the first to attack. She even thought that Malafar might start blasting magic around or Fisher might try to break free and run.

  Cherri knew the location of five of the Monitors and listened intently for sounds of the sixth. All she could hear was the Monitor still trying to gain access to her private garden. Then she saw the last Monitor heading for the staircase to the rooms upstairs. She watched in slow-motion horror as the Monitor climbed step after step, knowing that when he reached the top, Master Malafar would be found.

  Cherri looked quickly at StarWind and saw the Sakovan spymaster ready to spring into action. A quick glance at Fisher showed that he was calmly leaning against the wall as if casually waiting for a signal for the next course of the meal to be served. She envied his calmness as she tightened her hands into fists and felt stark terror rip through her body.