by Kim Fedyk
Alreth gasped in surprise and let out a giggle. Just coming into view was a large bright purple tent. It had two large eyes painted on the front, complete with long curling eyelashes. The door was outlined to look like lips and sprouting out from each side were strips of cloth that were meant to be wings.
"That tent looks like a giant purple bug!" Arleth laughed.
"That it does." The smile disappeared from Aedan's face. "Absalom's Northern Annihilation created many orphans. With their parents dead and their cities destroyed, they had nowhere to go so we took them all with us. Once here, they formed their own little families, grouping together with other children from their village. When we decided that everyone could design their homes however they wanted, that included these children. They had lost everything so we didn't care how bizarre their requests were; they told Selene what they wanted and she helped them create it. This isn't the only tent like this, there are a number of them scattered around."
"So, these tents are people's homes?" Arleth couldn't imagine spending her life in a home that looked like a giant bug. Even a younger, more childish version of herself wouldn't have wanted something like that.
"Yes, each family or, if they don't have a family, each person, has their own tent."
"I see. So then... where is everyone?" Aside from a few children chasing each other a little ahead of them, there was no one in sight.
"All men and women over the age of 12 spend the day in support of the war effort. Most train in the use of different weapons, battle techniques and strength and cardio training. Those that are too old, too weak, or don't have a predisposition for fighting help out in the kitchens or bath houses; with producing or mending clothes; or forging and fixing weapons in the armoury. We are very much a city at war. We try to make it as normal as possible for everyone, which is why we have a residential area, where we are now, which is separate from the army district As well, everyone is allowed to sleep together with their families at night. But first and foremost, our first priority is waging war."
Arleth looked up at a tree growing out of the cave floor that by all rights had no business being there. "And for what it's worth, I think you have done a really good job. I mean it's easy to forget we aren't actually outside."
"Selene is certainly a miracle worker. She has even created gardens complete with fountains, flowers, benches..."
"Wow! Really?"
"Hmm mmm." Aedan answered distractedly, a movement to his right had caught his attention.
Arleth turned to look at Aedan, "So how do the gardens grow ins...." he was already 5 feet away from her, rushing off in the direction of the noise he had heard. "...ide a cave." She finished.
She waited a couple of seconds to see if he would remember he had left her.
He didn't so much as break stride.
"Um ok, I'll just follow you then," she muttered to herself.
She caught up with him beside what looked to her to be a huge stone cylinder. He was deep in conversation with a group of 5 boys.
"How many water skins do you have?"
"Here we only have 500," answered the boys standing closest to him. He pointed at a towering stack standing precariously beside him.
"That won't be nearly enough. We need at least 4,000 filled and ready to distribute by tonight. We leave just after sunset." A shadow fell on Aedan's shoulder " Oh! Arleth, right." He looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry I got distracted."
"It's alright," Arleth said to his already turning back.
"John," Aedan said pointing to the boy who had answered his question, "Go to the storage tents see how many you can find there. Then go talk with Beth Namion. Tell her to stop all clothing production and instead focus all her manpower on sewing water skins. We need 3,500 more by the end of the day."
"Ok I'm on it," The boy hurried off.
Aedan looked at a tall red-headed boy. "I need you to go find Selene and tell her what I have just told you. She will be extremely busy but ask her to visit Beth to see if she needs any magical help to speed things along."
"Done," he too rushed off.
"You three, I need you to continue to fill all of these water skins. When you have finished all of the ones here, go and get the new ones that are being made and fill those too. We need all 4,000 filled."
When Aedan had been giving directions, Arleth had been investigating the stone cylinder, which she now knew to be a huge basin filled with water. The water seemed to come from a long spout that poured into the top of the basin. It's source, Arleth didn't know but the spout stretched all the way up the side of the cave wall. It originated too high up for Arleth to see the top, but if she had to guess she would have said it extended all the way to the top and outside of the cave. Back at Bella's estate, water had been collected in a similar manner from rainwater. She imagined this worked in a similar way, but she would bet that the quantity of water it produced was helped significantly by magic. Extending outwards at 45 degree angles from the basin at regular intervals were long tubes. Each tube had a hatch at the end that could be lifted up or closed. This would be how the water was retrieved. Lifting the hatch would allow the water to flow out, closing it would stop the water. Arleth watched the first boy fill his water skin and was gratified to see that her theory had been correct.
"So, 4,000 water skins need to be filled by sundown... Are we going somewhere?" Arleth asked her brother.
"Yes we are going to Occa." He stood watching the boys fill the water skins for a few moments, before he turned to walk away, motioning for Arleth to follow him. When they were a good distance from the boys, he continued "What Absalom did to Zeeshan is horrible, not just to him, but because it means that Occa itself is no longer safe. He won't be appeased with creating just one creature, he will want to create an army." Aedan told her everything he had discussed in his tent a few hours earlier.
"So I won't be going to Occa with you then?"
"No you will be leaving at the same time as us. But you and Selene will be going to Edika. You need to begin your training with Samara."
Arleth didn't know how she felt about this. On the one hand she was excited to learn about her gift and to discover the kinds of things she could do. But at the same time she felt almost as if she was being left out.
Arleth voiced these thoughts to him.
"You are right Arleth, these are your people too and you have every right to want to help them. And by all means you should be and will be leading many battles both with me and by yourself. But right now the most important thing for you to do is to learn how to use your gift. If you can awaken your power, there is no telling what you will be capable of."
That made sense, Arleth thought. It wasn't like she was much help to anyone the way she was now. And altruism aside, Aedan's there is no telling what you will be capable of, was incredibly appealing.
"No, you are right. My most useful place is in Edika, training with Samara."
Aedan stopped walking and turned to give his sister a hug. "Thanks for understanding. I know this is a lot all at once. I've had almost two decades to get used to being a leader and realizing that means making choices for the better good; you've had only a day."
Arleth hugged him back "I am learning."
He squeezed her shoulder, "And you are doing great."
They continued walking. As they did, the distinction Aedan had mentioned between the residential and military sections became clear. The trees and colourful, disorganized tents were replaced with stark barracks, stone buildings and training grounds. Not only that, but the farther they walked into the military district, the more and more people they saw.
And the more and more people saw them.
It started with just a few coming over to ask Aedan a question --what units to bring to Occa and how to organize them all for the journey, updates on how many weapons were in the armoury -- or for those that didn't see her last night, to speak with Arleth. But soon they were each surrounded by a swarm of people vying for their attention.
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With practiced ease, Aedan fended off his circle with a few words of advice to each and soon the mass around him cleared. Arleth however, was struggling.
"Where were you this whole time, on Oherra somewhere?" A burly red haired man with a beard asked.
"No, Toc -
"Who was hiding you?" An older man burst in
"I was on Tocarra, no one was hid -"
"Someone must have saved you? Do you remember?" A third man interupted.
"What no I was a baby!"
"Oh but you are quite beautiful aren't you?" A woman with a long blonde pony tail cupped Arleth's cheek and turned her around to face her.
"So like her mother, don't you think?" The two women on either side of her nodded,
"Oh yes, very much."
"Same violet eyes."
"Errrr," Arleth blushed. She looked up to avoid the examination of the three women and over their heads she saw the top of what looked to be Winn's head. She stood on tip toe to get a better look. Yes it was Winn. He was talking to Aedan. Aedan who had no crowd around him! How did he do that so fast?
"What are you looking at dear? The blonde haired woman asked turning around behind her to look in the direction Arleth had been.
"What? Oh nothing, no." Arleth dropped back down to flat feet and with an inner sign of resignation re-faced her mob.
A strong hand latched itself onto Arleth's shoulder and started pulling her to her left. The crowd parted slightly and the hand materialized into Winn. Aedan was right behind him.
"Sorry everyone, Arleth has to come with us right now. We have a lot to do in a short amount of time. You will get the chance to get to know her better later."
The people around her gave a collective groan but slowly dispersed. When the last person left, Arleth turned to her two saviours "Thank you!"
They both laughed at her.
Arleth made a face. They laughed even harder.
"Oh don't look like that Arleth," Aedan said when he paused for breath. "Dealing with a crowd like that isn't easy."
"But you dealt with yours in five seconds!"
"Practice."
"Ya, but."
"That's all it is, just practice. I was just like you in the beginning."
"No, he was worse!" Winn chipped in.
"Ok," Aedan smirked at his friend, "I was worse."
Winn nodded contentedly, "Good. And besides Arleth, you are quite famous. You arriving is the most interesting thing that has happened here in a long time."
Aedan nodded in agreement. "But sorry Arleth, I will have to leave you - Winn and I have a lot to do before we leave."
Arleth looked around worriedly.
"Don't worry your admirer's have left," Winn grinned.
"Do you know how to get back to your tent?" Aedan asked.
"Yes I believe so."
"Ok great, see you later."
Arleth watched their backs for a while as they walked away. She had no intention of returning to her tent any time soon. There was way too much to explore here. The only thing she had to be careful of was to make sure she didn't get swarmed by another huge crowd of curious Oherrans. She was NOT interested in having that experience again.
Arleth started walking again, in the direction that her and Aedan had been going before they had been interrupted. She crept along hesitantly at first, her head a constant swivel looking for people that would jump out at her. But after a few minutes when no one approached her, Arleth relaxed and resumed a steady pace.
She had reached an area that appeared to be a practice grounds of some sort. To her right a line of men and women were shooting bows and arrows into targets. The archers had impeccable accuracy; in the shots she saw, not a single one missed the centre of the target. To her left, two men were locked in a sword fight while a group of their colleagues looked on. An older man with black hair greying at the temples was yelling out both instructions and insults to the two fighters. Arleth watched from where she was until one of the men pinned the other down and held his sword at the other's throat. A whistle blew, the fallen man got up and the two swordsmen retreated to the watching group to be replaced by two new fighters. She kept on going.
She passed row upon row of training grounds until she came to one that was at the very back a little removed from the rest of them. Sitting on it, with his huge paws covering his ears was Zeeshan.
"What are you doing?" Arleth asked him, coming to sit cross-legged in front of him.
"Oh hi Arleth. I'm practicing."
"Practicing what?"
"How to control my anger."
"Ahh"
"Selene came and found me earlier this morning and asked me if I wanted to continue my lessons. She brought me out here to avoid any - interruptions." Zeeshan slumped over and buried his face in his paws.
"Aww, Zeehsan! Don't worry." Arleth rubbed his arm gently. "People will get used to you, you just frightened them because you are something new that they haven't seen before." Zeeshan didn't look convinced. "And besides," she continued smiling at him, "Selene seems incredibly capable and if she says she can teach you to control your anger, then I'm willing to bet she can." Zeeshan raised his head to look at her. "And that will help people to relax around you right?"
"Ya I suppose so."
"Not suppose so! Yes it will... So tell me about Selene's training."
Zeeshan explained for the better part of 10 minutes. Arleth asked questions and reacted enthusiastically when she was supposed to. And by the end, his dejection had been replaced with hope.
Arleth began to ask Zeeshan a question, but was distracted by a flicker behind his head. She stared in shock for a few seconds, "Is that snow?!?"
Zeeshan turned to look. "Oh ya! It's really neat huh?"
"Why is there snow?"
"I asked Selene the same question when she was here. Apparently each training ground goes through all of the different weather patterns that soldiers might get outside - rain, strong winds, blinding sun, extreme heat or cold, and of course snow. If they practice in all possible conditions, when they encounter them outside, they will be ready. It's brilliant really!"
"Wow, ya that is brilliant!" Arleth could see how training inside a cave would leave someone very unprepared if they had to fight a battle in rain for example. But clearly her brother had thought of this.
"Your brother is quite smart!" Zeeshan said as though he was reading her thoughts. "He could be a Talywag. We are known as the smartest race you know."
Arleth smiled despite herself. "I know Zeeshan, you have told me."
"Right, of course. Well you will see for yourself anyways when you come to Occa."
Before Arleth could tell him that she wasn't going to be going to Occa with the rest of them, she suddenly got a bone-chilling blast of cold air. Her exposed skin immediately broke out in goosebumps. "I tttthink ttthiiiss ttttraining ground is gggoing through some extreme ccccold right now," Arleth chattered.
"Oh is it?" Zeeshan looked at her goosebumps and chattering teeth. "I don't feel anything."
"Ok, wwwell I can't stay hhheere. I'm gggoing to go."
She got up, turned to go and then hesitated. She didn't know if she would get the chance to see him again before he left for Occa. And after that... who knew. She turned back and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms as far around him as she could - which really only reached halfway along his side. Surprised, he let out a rough laugh and then wrapped his arms gently around her.
"Bye Zeeshan," She said into the thick fur of his chest.
"Bye..." Zeeshan was bewildered by her sudden rush of emotion.
"I'm glad we could save you."
Arleth pulled herself away, smiled at Zeeshan once more and hurried off out of the cold.
Zeeshan shook his head at her retreating figure, a huge smile on his face, "And I'm the one that's emotionally unstable."
* * *
"Do you like this one?" Selene asked the child sitting in her lap.
"Ya it's pretty."
Selene adjusted herself so she was sitting more comfortably on the grass and held out the glowing circle of light so the child could see it better.
"Are you sure?"
"Well... umm.. can it be pink?"
"Of course it can." Selene cupped her hand over the light in her hand and blew on it. Blowing on it was completely unnecessary for the magic to work but Lucy loved this part. She smiled delightedly and added her own "puff" of air to Selene's hands. "Perfect."
Selene opened her hands, the sphere now glowed a bright pink.
"Yay!" Lucy clapped her hands. "Pretty."
As the child stared in fascination, Selene made pulling motions on one side of the sphere. The girl copied her, miming Selene's actions in the air. Slowly a thread of pink light started growing out of the side of the sphere.
"Oooohhh" Lucy squealed.
Selene laughed and continued her pulling motion but stopped abruptly. "Lucy you have to help me, I can't do this alone!"
"Oh right!"
Selene, with Lucy mimicking her, continued until the strand of pink was about a foot long.
"Ok let's see if this is good."
Used to the drill, Lucy pulled up her hair and Selene wrapped the strand around her neck. She leaned over the child to make sure the pendant was hanging properly on her chest. Satisfied, she grabbed the pendant and the end of the strand in one hand and squeezed it shut. A faint glow pulsed in her closed fist and then went dark.
There was a rustling in the grass behind her. Selene dropped the pendant on instinct and turned her head to see who was behind her.
"Oh Arleth, it's you."
"Thanks Selene!" Lucy bounded out of her lap and turned to face the newcomer. "Do you like my necklace? Selene made it for me."
"It's very nice," Arleth responded. "Is pink your favourite colour?"
"For today. I also have a purple one. Purple was my favourite colour yesterday.