The Dawn King (The Moon People, Book Five)

by Claudia King

  Eral was the one who suggested that they meet with Rodan, for he was the leader of his former village, and Adel seconded the idea. They would need to secure the loyalty of the village chieftains if they wanted Jarek to take Atalyn's place without upset. After much heated debate with Radeen-Na, they finally persuaded him to allow Adel to sit with them in the large meeting chamber when they took audience with Rodan. The issue was a contentious one, for only high priests should have been permitted to attend meetings of such importance, and Adel was merely a woman. She had been joining them in the conclave chamber, however, and she suspected that her presence would eventually erode Radeen-Na's adherence to tradition. She had been taking the bench reserved for the high priest of the Mother, a position that she intended to keep. Compared to making peace with the Moon People, elevating women to the status of priests seemed like an easily surmountable challenge within the coming years. With four empty seats at the conclave table, Adel planned on insisting that she take her place as High Priestess of the Mother. After that she would advocate for another woman to take the seat of the Sister that Thakayn had left empty. And if Eral ever gave up his priesthood, then perhaps a woman could replace him as Priestess of the Daughter also. Those were all plans for the future, of course, but her inclusion in the meeting with Rodan was an important first step.

  The village chieftain seemed confused by Adel's presence when he entered the room, but under the eyes of Jarek and the high priests he bowed reverently and took his seat opposite them. She was not sure whether it was the sight of a woman that surprised him, or her fading bruises and burnt hair. Despite her beauty she had never been a vain woman, and it was of little concern to her that her hands would likely be scarred for the rest of her life. The burns on her neck and scalp were less severe, but until they healed she knew her appearance would invite many curious looks. She intended to start taking the herbs that inhibited her wolf again soon so that her rapidly healing injuries did not arouse suspicion, but not until the ache in her ribs began to fade.

  “Thank you for this audience,” Rodan said, dipping his head respectfully, “Dawn King.”

  “I am sorry you have waited for so long, Rodan,” Jarek replied with a smile. “They say you arrived here not long after Atalyn's death.”

  The village chieftain seemed anxious about something. He kept glancing over at Adel. She watched him intently, hoping to discern the source of his discomfort. This would be her role in meetings like this, she decided. She could read people well when she turned her mind to it. She could share her intuitions with Jarek, and then they could decide on a course of action together.

  “My son brought word to the village of what had happened,” Rodan explained. “As chieftain, I was worried. Mountain Sky was a great enemy to my people, and we feared he might take Atalyn's place.”

  “Well that fear is dead and burned,” Radeen-Na said. “And if Mountain Sky's sons threaten the peace then my warriors will remind them of their place.”

  “Thank you, High Priest. It will be a great relief for my people to hear it.” Rodan looked sideways at Adel again.

  “There must be something else you came here for,” Jarek said.

  The chieftain swallowed uncertainly and nodded. “I wished to thank you, Dawn King, and offer you the gratitude of my village.”

  Jarek looked surprised. “What for?”

  “My son, Kale. He says you were the one who helped him to leave the temple during the trouble.”

  Adel leaned forward with interest. So Kale had returned to his family, and his father happened to be a chieftain. She began to suspect that his nervous looks toward her might hold more than mere curiosity.

  Jarek gestured for Rodan to continue, and the chieftain said, “He came home with two companions, a man and a woman. They are camped outside the temple village with my sons.” At last he turned to address Adel directly. “They are waiting for you, Seeress.”

  “What are their names?” she asked.

  “Caspian and Fern.”

  A smile spread across Adel's lips. They were safe, and they were nearby. Netya would be overjoyed to hear the news.

  “Tell me, were they the ones who suggested that you come here?” she asked.

  “In a way, yes. They are... family of yours?”

  “They are,” Adel said, giving the man a hard look. Did he know the truth? It seemed likely. That could be both a blessing and a curse. It would be dangerous for such knowledge to spread beyond the temple, but having village chieftains who were sympathetic to the Moon People might greatly help her quest for peace. She had to be certain. “You may speak the truth in this chamber,” she said. “Did Caspian and Fern tell you who they are?”

  Rodan glanced at the others, all of whom nodded their agreement.

  “Moon People,” he said cautiously.

  Radeen-Na glared at the man. “Does it not trouble you to travel with demons?”

  “They are no demons,” Rodan insisted. “They are good people. My son owes his life to them, as he does to you, Dawn King.”

  Radeen-Na gave an approving grunt and leaned back. Adel could see why he was a useful man to have among the conclave. Besides his talents as a warrior, he provided a hard edge that would complement Jarek's softness well. They would just have to be careful not to let any of the new high priests come into conflict with him the way Hasham and Thakayn had.

  “And it does not trouble you to sit in the same room as people like me?” Adek asked.

  Rodan shook his head. “No. I am here to pledge you my loyalty, to the Dawn King and to all of his new followers.”

  Jarek smiled. “Then that is one fewer village I will have to visit in the coming seasons. You are welcome to stay as our guest for as long as you wish, Rodan.”

  “Thank you, Dawn King. It may be a difficult task for you to win everyone's loyalty, but I wish you the best fortune.”

  “Why do you say that?” Adel asked. She was curious to learn more from the village chieftain before they brought the audience to a close.

  In a tone that suggested the answer was obvious, Rodan said, “He is a foreigner. I have no objection, of course,” he added quickly, “but others will see a man with dark skin and braided hair and ask themselves why he should be our leader.”

  “Of course,” Radeen-Na murmured.

  “That is why I must visit all the most powerful chieftains for myself,” Jarek said. “I will bring food to share, songs to sing, and stories to tell.”

  “Do you think that will sway them?” Adel asked Rodan.

  The chieftain shrugged. “Some. The villages led by Casara and Jemor have strong ties with mine. They will listen to me if I say our new Dawn King is a worthy one, and yet more people will listen to them.”

  Jarek and Radeen-Na looked satisfied with the answer, but Eral caught Adel's eye and shook his head slightly. She motioned for him to speak.

  “Rodan has enemies as well as friends,” he said. “If they hear that he supports Jarek, they may do the opposite just to cause trouble.”

  “What can we do but approach them one by one?” Jarek asked.

  “If you wish it, Dawn King, I could call for a gathering of my neighbouring villages,” Rodan said. “We often meet to celebrate the harvest. It is a fine way to renew friendships and forget disagreements. I think it would persuade many people that you are a worthy successor if I spoke well of you at a gathering.”

  The idea immediately appealed to Adel. A gathering. It seemed foolish that she had not yet considered it herself. The Moon People's gathering had been a place where even bitter rivalries were set aside. It was the only time that the disparate packs ever drew together in unity as one people. Rodan—perhaps with Caspian's help, for this seemed very much like one of his ideas—had revealed to them an excellent opportunity. Yet his idea of one small gathering was not enough.

  “Bring them all here,” Adel said. The four men looked at her in surprise. “Every single village, before rumours can spread about who the new Dawn King is an
d who he favours. Call a great gathering here in the shadow of the temple, on the far side of the river beyond the farms.”

  “Don't be absurd, woman,” Radeen-Na protested. “We cannot call every person in the land away from their homes.”

  “Not every person, only the chieftains and whoever they choose to accompany them. Use the bounty of this year's harvest to lay on a great feast. A feast like no other. One that will be remembered for years to come.”

  Radeen-Na remained sceptical, but Rodan began to nod enthusiastically. “I could help spread the word. Many will come, not just the chieftains, but farming families too.”

  “It will be a great show of power and generosity,” Adel said. “And no one chieftain will want to turn against you with so many others present. If the feast goes well, the mood will linger with everyone after they leave. Good omens will accompany them back to their villages.”

  “How soon could it be done?” Jarek asked.

  “The village stores are full,” Eral said. “There is enough food for a great feast. If we dig cooking pits and set up tents on the far side of the river we might be ready within a few days. But if every chieftain in the land is to come...”

  “The temple sees food spoil in its stores every year,” Jarek said. “Open them up too. Keep only what we need to see us through the winter.”

  Radeen-Na still seemed unhappy. “That tribute is not supposed to go back to the same people who sent it.”

  “This year it is. You know the farmers resent the temple for taking part of their crop. They never see the hungry mouths it feeds elsewhere in the land, or the new villages that it helps to build. For once everyone will share in the bounty.”

  Radeen-Na folded his arms, appeared to search for some objection, then sighed in resignation. “My warriors can send word to most of the villages within a few days. The farthest ones may take a little longer.”

  “That will give us time to prepare,” Eral said.

  Jarek grinned. “Do so immediately. The temple has seen enough sadness and mourning. Our priests shall organise the villagers and make the gathering site ready. Let this celebration mark an end to these troubling times.”

  Adel allowed the men to continue their discussion, a satisfied warmth spreading through her chest as they conversed animatedly with Rodan. Now that Radeen-Na had relented even he was determined to see the feast organised to the best of his ability. This was what the temple needed: a great undertaking that unified the people behind Jarek, and a show of generosity toward those who might oppose him. Eral and Radeen-Na seemed to have forgotten that the original suggestion came from Adel, but Jarek gave her a look of gratitude that meant more to her than any acknowledgement from the high priests. She understood, then, as did he, that this would be the source of their strength. Together they could lead like this. The feast would be their first great undertaking together, hopefully the first of many. In the past Adel might have sought to take control for herself, but Jarek's silent gratitude filled her with a sense of contentment that rivalled the admiration of an entire pack. She could still be a leader here, one who brought change and prosperity to many people, but she did not have to be the lonely mountain standing tall and resolute against the world. She did not have to be bound to the whims of her own pride, not when she had something so much more satisfying to return to in the evenings.

  A feeling came over her that she had almost forgotten. It was a feeling she'd often longed for, but never embraced. It was the daydream she'd shared with Jarek when they were young, of what it would be like to forget about their packs and run away together, to a new land where they could live a new life. She gazed at him lovingly across the table, realising that despite everything she was going to lose, she would be regaining something just as special. This was a reconciliation of the two branching paths her life could have taken. The seer, and the lover. Someone bound by tradition, and someone who was free. She would be able to leave her past behind while still watching over her people from afar.

  Here at long last, in the lands of the Sun People, she truly believed she could find the peace that had escaped her all her life.

  By that evening the preparations for the feast had already begun. Teams of labourers had been called off the farms to begin clearing the land on the opposite side of the river. Spots were being marked out for cooking pits, tents, and bonfires. Warriors who would soon be departing to bring word to the other villages checked their travelling supplies and made ready to leave at first light. The preparations had drawn the attention of everyone in the village, even those who had no involvement themselves, and children shrieked and giggled as they chased one another up and down the riverbank.

  Adel still found it difficult to walk without aggravating the pain in her chest, but she made the journey down the hillside and through the village to the site of the feast. Netya held her arm on one side while Kiren walked on the other. Just as she was wading out of the shallows on the far side of the river ford, she saw them. Caspian, Fern, and Kale waited with Rodan on the far bank. She heard Netya take a sharp breath.

  “Go on,” she said softly, ushering her apprentice forward. “Don't wait for me.” She stood back as Netya and Kiren splashed through the water to greet their estranged packmates. She smiled tenderly as her clan embraced one another. There were tears, and there was laughter. It seemed an age since they had all been together, though in truth less than a season had passed. This summer had been long and warm, and its end would see them parting ways once again. Adel would have liked to return home with them, perhaps just for another year, to make sure the pack was ready to carry on without her. It would have given her more time to say goodbye. One day she would return and spend time in the valley again, but not now. There was far too much to be done here in the heartland plains. She wondered how the pack had coped in her absence. Orec would have kept them safe, but spirits would be low. The sooner Netya returned the better.

  With a sigh Adel walked forward to join the others, folding her hands together within the sleeves of her gown to hide the unsightly burns. She did not want her people fretting over her.

  Caspian and Fern broke off their embrace with Netya when she approached, but Kale and Kiren were still absorbed by their own reunion. The pair were exchanging bits and pieces of their stories so quickly that they barely formed a coherent conversation.

  “Adel,” Caspian said with a relieved smile. “You kept them safe.”

  She bowed her head to him. “I did my duty to my pack.”

  After a hesitant pause Fern stepped forward and put a hand on her arm. “Your hair... and your face. What happened?”

  “Nothing worth remembering right now. I'm sure there will be time for all those tales at the great feast the Dawn King has planned.”

  “The Dawn King who is your lover, I hear,” Caspian said. There was a hint of disbelief, perhaps even chiding amusement in his voice.

  Adel smiled, and the smile seemed to confuse him even more. She was not behaving very much like the Adel he remembered, she supposed. “He is. And he will be a good leader to these people. One who can make peace with our kind.”

  “Come and sit with us,” Fern said, looking from Adel to Netya. “It will be getting dark soon. Rodan has a fire.”

  Caspian nodded and gestured for them to follow with the arm that was not currently wrapped around his mate. “We will be up all night telling stories.”

  “I don't know if I want to tell stories tonight,” Netya said. She had her head on Caspian's shoulder, embracing him as if she were a child clinging to a parent's side. Adel could tell that all she wanted to do was curl up in her mate's embrace and lie with him all night long.

  “There will be plenty of time,” Adel said. “The feast is to begin on the full moon and last for three days. After that, I would ask you all to make the journey home.”

  Caspian frowned. “You say it as if you are not coming with us.”

  Adel began walking, making for the spot where Rodan had lit his fire. “I think it
will be best if I share my story first.”

  —53—

  Little Mother

  It was indeed a night of tales, slow and exhausted ones. Only Kale and Kiren seemed excited to tell their stories. Netya said little, but Fern was happy to hear that Adel had reunited with her lost love, and Caspian was concerned and inquisitive about her desire to stay behind. Adel herself tried simply to relax and find contentment in her pack's company. Once she had said her piece, she sat back and listened to the others without interrupting them. It was good that Kale had chosen to stay with his family. In the past Adel would have thought it unwise, but Jarek had proven that, with the help of the herbs, their kind could live among the Sun People for many years without falling prey to the needs of their wolves. One day she hoped that people like Kale would be free to live openly in these lands, their wolves celebrated rather than feared. Perhaps in Adel's lifetime that would happen. She would do everything in her power to make it so.

  Despite some sadness at parting ways with Kale, Kiren was eager to embark upon the journey home. The girl had grown terribly restless in the temple. She wanted to run and hunt again, and bring home tales of the great adventure she had been on. Perhaps at the next gathering she would impress Vaya with her stories. For once the thought of Vaya did not anger Adel. It was easy to judge her for everything she had done, put perhaps she had simply needed to find her place in the world, and not everyone's journey along that path was without missteps. It surprised Adel how accepting and tolerant she had grown in recent seasons. Jarek had given her the final push in that regard. Now that she was with him, it seemed like such a waste to focus her energy upon pride and resentment when she could concentrate on things that filled her with joy and enthusiasm instead.