by Sanders, Dan
“It’s beautiful,” Rupurt said. “Does it hurt?”
Sabina laughed. “No. The gills only operate when I am in water. The oesophageal and aural connections are really advanced. They—”
Everybody laughed. They all said, “That’s our Sabina.”
“I bet your father is glad?” Rupurt said.
Sabina glanced at Bevan before continuing, “He… he is a man torn, between his high duty to the Nilawen nation and duty to his family.”
“No other plans, then?” Daimon asked Sabina cheekily. He nudged Bevan who was seated next to him. Bevan blushed and pretended he didn’t hear.
Lupi fiddled with her food and dangled her fork above the plate. With her head in her hands her spiky black hair hid her eyes.
Ignoring the others, Bevan rested his hand on her shoulder. “What’s up, friend? You’re always the first to celebrate,” Bevan said.
“Just thinking about Kato’s rejoining ceremony today. I will miss her. She saved my life, in many ways. And there are no more of her kind.”
Lupi’s eyes welled. She hid her face again.
Elleran raised her glass and said to the group, “Let’s drink to Kato.”
“To Kato,” they all declared.
“What about you, Xavier?” Bevan said. “What are your plans?”
“I’m not sure. Probably take over my father’s kingdom now I am of Jalpari age.”
“I don’t envy you,” Bevan said. “It is a great burden.” He quickly looked at Sabina and said, “But also a necessary responsibility. My time will come.”
Sabina smiled at him. He grimaced.
“What will happen to your Melder studies?” Emily asked.
“That is no longer open. I need a Melder to be my master. And Torek’s Melders are not really an option.”
Xavier smiled a little. Everybody laughed. Xavier smiled more. Without thinking, he started rolling a small flame between his thumb and pointer finger. The others were astonished.
“Sorry,” he said, and squashed the flame.
“Don’t be,” Bevan said. “It’s rockin’ if you ask me.”
As the night wore on, the music and dancing resumed. A procession of people came up to pass their respects to the Circle of Six. Sabina and Lupi were constant favourites. Many of the young boys were impressed by Daimon’s glowing CBlade. Its high pitched buzzing and trail of light as it waved through the night air created quite a stir.
“What about you, Lupi?” Sabina asked. “Where will you go?”
Lupi had wiped her eyes and tried to join in. “My home of course. Thilameth.”
“I thought you were the adventure girl.”
“You weren’t the only one changed by all this,” Lupi said to Sabina.
“While we are on the subject of the rest of our lives,” Lupi said, “What about you, Earthling? Still keen to blow this place and head home?”
“I have come to like this place. Quite a lot really.” Daimon looked at Bevan and said, “I will stay here. Probably see more of Annwyn. See if I can help in some royal guard somewhere.”
Bevan slapped the table and said, “I know a place that needs a talented young general.”
“Or a choir,” Sabina said.
Daimon blushed and everybody laughed.
Emily coughed into her paw and said, “Daimon.”
“What’s up?”
“Elleran and I were talking earlier about Eostra Day and we thought of you.”
“What, me? If it’s singing? I would rather—”
Emily laughed. “It is not singing. The tale of Eostra needs to be told on Earth, to the children, each year. The message needs to be spread among all the lands on Earth so all we have accomplished here is not forgotten.”
“Yes,” he said tentatively.
“And since you know Earth and its ways…”
“I still don’t get it?”
Elleran said, “What Eama is trying to ask you is—”
“No Elleran, let me.” Emily raised her paw. “I should confer such an important calling.”
“Calling?”
Emily hopped over to Daimon and took his hand in between her paws. “Daimon, will you be the Bard of Eostra on Earth?”
Daimon withdrew his hand and stood up. He looked around at everybody. “But I can’t.”
“You are a marvellous storyteller,” Bevan said. “And from my short time with you, I know you’re a natural.”
Emily said, “Don’t worry, you are always welcome here. You can visit during the year cycle after each Eostra season. But the season of Eostra will require the Bard to tell the tale wide, so thousands of years from now, the symbol of spring and the true meaning of Eostra Day will be remembered.”
“Emily is right, Daimon,” Elleran said. “This is a grave responsibility. For the people of the Earth need to remain connected to the land. They need to grow closer to the land. They cannot do that unless they understand the power of the land and their role in the rebirth of the Earth.”
“But I have such a short life. Bevan or many others can do a much better job.”
Elleran said. “Daimon, you are now part Annwynian and a member of the Circle of Six. You have great power now and with that comes a long life.”
Daimon looked down at his CBlade in his lap. He lifted his hands to the light. He turned them around and watched the light turn pink through his fingers.
He nodded and said, “I will accept your call, Eama. But only on the condition I can visit as often as I can. Anyway, I am sure my mother misses me.”
“Your father will be proud of you,” Bevan said. He stood and put his arm around Daimon and squeezed his shoulder warmly.
“You know,” Daimon said. “Aldrick said the same to me a long time ago.”
Elleran tinkled her glass. Eventually word reached the back of the tables to stop talking.
“I have a special guest I would like you all to meet,” she said.
Elleran looked at the great Havendel wall on the other side of the lake. Everybody followed her gaze. Under an unknown command the sole entry gate swung open. Emily’s heart jumped as she saw Magas on his giant Nakoth, holding its blue mane, glide across the lake and stop on the near side of the grassy bank. As the shadow of Magas dismounted everybody was surprised to see a woman sitting tall on the steed. He reached up with his staff and the woman lifted out of the saddle and glided to the ground.
She was tall, with long, fading yellow hair neatly tied into a bun resting on her neck. Cheers and claps roared across the tables and mountains. Emily smiled.
“Mama,” Sabina said. She pushed her chair back and ran to her mother. She threw her arms around her slender neck and squeezed her mother hard. Cera straightened her arms and held Sabina back and looked her up and down. Her tired eyes filled with tears. Sabina wiped them with her thumb. Emily couldn’t tell whether Sabina’s mother was happy about her daughter’s change.
Magas’ beard shone and his dark-blue velvet robe was lined with gold brocade. He raised his hand and said, “But wait, there is more.”
Magas pointed to the lake. Kalen-Na hovered above the lake, casting a soft golden glow on the turquoise water. Not far from the shore, the water bubbled. A man emerged and stood on the water. He walked across the top of the water and onto the land. He turned and signalled to the water and under his command a bubble bounced through the black surface and rolled onto the grass. It dissolved, and a disoriented and nervous Ketty stared at the throng before her. Nobody moved, not even the children.
A gust of wind wound through the tables. A large lady from the lost nation of Alendi had her large hat with purple flowers blown off into the darkness.
They crossed the grassy slopes up to the celebration tents. Thieador and Ketty stood before Magas, Sabina and Cera, and bowed.
Emily glanced at Bevan and wondered what he would think of the woman who tried to kill him being invited. But his eyes were fixed on Sabina.
Emily looked closely at Sabina’s father. She thou
ght he looked a bit like Sabina. His fine emerald scales glowed less brightly than Sabina’s. He had a black V-mark across his chest ending at his navel. His silver hair had a tinge of yellow.
She hopped closer to the action and saw Cera’s regal stare soften. Cera waved her hand up and down Sabina’s glowing emerald form and said to the man, “Was this your idea?”
“I wish I could say the fault is mine, my lady, but her true form emerged out of necessity of her plight.” He bowed slightly and glanced at Sabina.
“What do you mean, her plight?” Cera said.
“Sabinlel, or Sabina, had been denied her true heritage for too long.”
“I didn’t deny her anything. I was only doing your bidding.”
Lupi buzzed over and said to Cera, “It’s really simple, my lady. She was drowning and her body changed form to save her life.”
Cera lifted her nose and adjusted her hair. “Oh.”
Sabina stepped off the podium and hugged her father. “Thank you, Father,” she said. Tears ran down the scales of her face. Sabina took her mother’s hand and together they sat at a table away from the crowd.
Emily looked at Bevan. She smiled as he squirmed in his seat. He crossed one leg and then the other. He looked at Daimon, who stared blankly at him. He looked at Emily who was still gazing at the spectacle before her. He looked at Lupi who was already grinning at him.
Lupi Thoughtspoke him, “Go on. Do it. She is a Princess now, after all.”
Bevan breathed in and stood. He straightened his cloak, and straightened his Reven blade and straightened his brown hair. He hesitated but Lupi was hovering behind him. She pushed him towards the table.
“Hhhmm.” Bevan cleared his throat. Sabina turned and saw Bevan approach.
“Mama, you know Prince Bevan Gwyngad, heir to the Ibendari throne.”
Cera’s gazed hardened a little and she stiffly said, “Prince Bevan.”
“And I know you have met my father,” Sabina said.
“Prince Bevan,” said Thieador.
“Chancellor.” Bevan smiled.
“Mama,” Sabina said. “Bevan is also a member of the Circle of Six. He was amazing. He—”
Bevan wrung his hands. Sabina noticed.
She said, “Is something the matter?”
“Sabina, there is something I have to ask you… no, want to ask you.”
Sabina looked curiously at Bevan. Sweat ran down his forehead. Emily and Lupi crept closer to their table to watch. The singing and dancing had resumed among the crowd.
Bevan unsheathed his Reven blade and laid it on the table. The table collapsed under its weight. Water and food fell to the ground.
“I’m sorry. I forgot…”
Sabina was standing now and wiped the food that had fallen onto her shimmering belly of emerald scales.
“What is it, Bevan?”
He held his blade across his outstretched arms and said, “I… want… seek… to become your partner. I offer my Reven blade as a token of that Lore and… my love.” He laid his blade down at her feet and stood back.
Cera Bru stood up and said, “But you didn’t want her when you thought she was a nobody.”
“Mama,” Sabina said.
“No, Sabina. I will not have it.” Cera turned to Bevan and pushed the tight bun on her hair. “You royalty are so conceited that you cannot see the damage you cause others. You think you are above all other living things, land and people. I will not allow this.”
“But Mama,” Sabina said.
“I have spoken. Thieador, support me on this.”
Thieador was about to speak when Sabina held up her hand.
“I am of age and the decision is not yours. Bevan was as you say, but we have been through much together. And he has changed.”
Bevan looked wounded and said, “Cera, Sabina’s birth heritage didn’t matter in the end. We have connected in both heart and mind.”
He turned to Sabina and said. “Your mother is right, Sabina. I was blinded by love of myself when we met. And the strange thing is that the more I knew you, the less I loved myself. That made room for me to fall in love. You removed that blindness.”
Thieador stepped forward and said, “But Sabinlel, you are of land and water. Where will you live? An Exotic and an Annwynian cannot be—“
“It didn’t stop you and Mother.”
“But it ruined my life,” Cera said. “I… we were outcast from Loric society, shunned and locked away. If it wasn’t for Aldrick who nurtured you and your talents... The Prince is as shallow as the rest of them.”
Sabina turned and looked at Bevan. She took his hands and held them to her breast. She spoke to her mother while looking into Bevan’s eyes. “Mama, Bevan saved my life. As my existence faded away from poison, Bevan carried me across Annwyn, often many leagues in his arms. He gave me the clothes off his chest to keep me warm. He fed me and watered my face. He endured pain and failure. But he never gave up and always put my wellbeing first. This sacrifice could not come from a man conceited in his own self-love. But it is not that service in my hour of need that I value in this man. I value something more important. He served me knowing I was nothing but a commoner.” Sabina’s voice choked back tears. “Mother, your greatest regret was listening to others and living a life alone, without your love. I will not make that mistake.”
Cera’s face softened and her folded arms fell away to the side.
Sabina cleared her throat and said to Bevan, “Bevan, you have deep reserves of integrity, honesty and courage. You will father a generation of land and water people.” Sabina turned to her mother. “It’s a generation which you started, Mother.”
Sabina stepped over his Reven blade and drew closer to Bevan, and said, “Bevan, I will be your life partner.” She slid her arms around his waist and buried her head into his chest. He lifted her off the ground and swung her Annwynian feet in circles.
Bevan put Sabina down and walked over to Ketty who stood silently with her head down and fingers locked in front of her apron. He lifted her chin and said solemnly to her, “My dear Ketty. I know you were only protecting your family. You have spent your life raising me, and I ask you now to help me raise a new generation, perhaps one less selfish than the one before.”
Ketty nodded and wiped away her tears. With his arm around her shoulders, Bevan drew her into the celebrations with the others. Sabina touched Bevan’s arms and smiled and he nodded.
By this time the music had stopped and the crowd hung on every word. Cheers erupted and the music began.
Children and animals swarmed on the Circle of Six and continued the Eostra celebrations late into the night.
Emily took Magas aside and asked, “What happened to Torek?”
“He gave the Zora Stone for Blade to use against you. But he forgot that he grew accustomed to its power, so without it, he was weakened. And his failure with you also weakened him. For now we prevailed, but he yet lives, and for that we must remain vigilant.
“Tomorrow is an important time for you and for the Twin Worlds Emily. Don’t stay up too late.”
She smiled, and hopped off to be with Rupurt and the others. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t need to take a big breath.
Chapter 53
Easter to Earth
ANNWYN to EARTH
Emily was nervous. The thought of travelling back to Earth worried her. Would she transform back to a bird? Would she have her powers to achieve her duty? But what bothered her most was how she would react when she saw her family. Would she want to come back to Annwyn after seeing them? Magas had explained to her all the rules; she must not speak to her parents or anybody from her past, and that included Noogie. But she was still worried.
Warm spring rain had filled the early morning. The rain had stopped and the crystal mountains glistened from the water. Only the occasional droplet fell from the clouds. Emily was impressed at how quickly the mess of the celebrations had been cleaned and the fields in front of the city retur
ned to their former order. The energy lattices, swirling in the sky above Havendel, remained. As the clouds inched across the blue sky, Emily caught upside-down glimpses of an Earth coastline. Every time she looked up a different image of Earth was displayed. She wondered if the image she now saw was Athens, which Daimon had explained was his home city, and near where her brood lived. She lifted up her footpads and wiped off the wet grass. She chuckled to herself as she shook water from her long white ears. Her brood home on Earth seemed so far from Daimon’s Athenian home, but after her experiences her perspective had changed. The world, or worlds in her case, were now much smaller. She hoped she had the strength to come back to Annwyn. Deliver the eggs and get back home, that was her plan. Do not visit her old home. She couldn’t trust herself.
Lupi and Daimon approached Emily up the hill. Bevan and Sabina followed, whispering. Sabina had her arm through Bevan’s, smiling. Emily looked around and saw Magas, Elleran and Xavier walk out of the Egg Factory. Alecia and Bently trailed behind, their little paws hopping madly to keep up. Magas had his arm across the boy’s shoulders leaning lightly on his staff as he walked. Elleran laughed at something Magas had said. Xavier nodded solemnly.
“I wonder what the secret society is all about,” Lupi said, pointing to the group coming up the hill.
“That boy has it tough,” Bevan said. “He is going back to a nation torn and defeated.”
“And he’s so young,” Daimon said. “He’s around my age and I couldn’t do what he has to do.”
“Your calling will demand much of you,” Sabina said to Daimon. “But I’m sure you will do us all proud.”
“I like Xavier’s new clothes,” Lupi said, indicating the velvet blue robes.
“Those robes are the same as Magas’,” Sabina said. She pulled at the emerald Seltan on her neck. Her emerald scales flickered in the strong spring sun.
“Be well on Eostra morn,” Magas said loudly as he reached them, puffing slightly.
“A wet morning,” Lupi said wiping the dew from her hair. A black lock hung on her forehead.
When Bently and Alecia reached the group Magas said, “Before the procession begins I have a little announcement to make.”