AESSA'S CHILDREN: BOOK ONE -- THE LAST BORDER
By V. A. Watts (c) 1993
NOTE: This work is under a registered copyright and unauthorized distribution is prohibited and will be prosecuted. All characters are fictional and of my own invention. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Note on pronunciation: Proper Names and nouns within the language most commonly used on Aessa, Lliyassean, allow that each letter have its own sound. The first vowel in each word is long, the following vowels hold the short sound. Therefore, the name Thana is pronounced: T-HAYN-AH. Maygra is MAY-IH-G-RAH, Kieri is KI-ERR-IH, and Jael is JAY-EL. Diminutives such as Jai and Mag are pronounced as written, so Jai would be Ji (long "I") and Mag would be Mag with a short "a". The use of glottal stops is pervasive. Words ending in "I" are masculine gendered, "a" indicates feminine gender, "n" indicates plurals. Partial Glossary is at the end of each chapter.
The bright sunlight of late summer caused Maygra to squint as she eyed the painted plank at the end of the target stall, her left arm drawn back and her right outstretched for balance. The distance was not particularly great but the target point was small, less than half the span of her hand. Feathery wisps of golden hair had escaped her tight braid, and her sleeveless jerkin was stained by sweat. She ignored the heat and the warning ache in her shoulders as she snapped the ax forward, sending it flying from her left hand. It thudded solidly into the wood, but even at a distance she could tell it was a fingers-length right of center. CHAPTER THREE
She cursed softly and sent the young boy at her side after the uncooperative blade. She watched him run, his spindly legs so awkward she was sure he would fall down the gentle slope to the stall. He did not fall but did over-shoot the target, hands outstretched to stop himself on the open slat-work behind the frame before coming around to grasp the ax handle. Off-center or not, the blade was stuck fast in the wood and the boy had to jerk it up and down before it came free in his hands. Maygra cried a warning as the blade fell toward the ground, narrowly missing his bare foot. He side-stepped nimbly and started back, a triumphant grin on his face. His return was a bit slower; the boy showing a proper respect for the razored double edge.
"Can I try, Mag?" he asked as she came forward to meet him. She smiled and shook her head -- the ax was nearly as tall as he -- but at his crestfallen look she pulled a dagger the length of her forearm from her belt and held it out to him, hilt first.
"You need to grow some, yet, Renn. Try this instead," she said, squatting beside him, laying her ax on the ground beside them.
"Now, one foot forward for balance; bend your knees a little, kiri," she instructed, adjusting his stance with a gentle hand. "When you throw, you pull back and release the blade just before your arm is extended--snap your wrist, like this," she said, taking him slowly through the steps.
Eyes narrowed in concentration, the boy waited until Maygra backed off to the side before pulling back his arm and throwing the knife toward the target. The blade arched high and to the right tumbling into the dirt, sending up a little puff of dust.
Renn frowned, his eyes expressing disgust at the unimpressive throw. His instructor was hard-pressed not to reveal her amusement as she rose to her feet, the corner of her lips twitching in laughter. It took effort to keep her voice steady and assessing as she spoke.
"You need to release a bit sooner, I think. But the distance was very good for a first try--and it did fly nearly straight on," she pointed out, walking forward to retrieve the blade.
"It didn't come anywhere near the target," Renn argued, following her.
"True, but that's a fair distance for someone not used to throwing anything but mudballs," she commented dryly then chuckled softly as Renn's fair skin flushed red and he ducked his blonde curls down to look at the ground.
"We didn't mean to get mud in Pera's laundry," he explained hurriedly. "We were just trying to see who could hit closest to the top of the wall."
"Whose went over first?" she asked as she bent to retrieve the knife.
"Tannis's! And I didn't know it had gone over until Pera started yelling," Renn said, his eyes wide in alarm until he saw Maygra was grinning and did not intend to scold him. Hesitantly he returned her smile, all thoughts of his poor showing with the knife gone from his head.
"Joining the Watch already, Renn?" A masculine voice asked and both looked up to greet the slender man coming to meet them.
"No, Dami, I was just helping Maygra practice for the games. She's going to beat Laric this year!" he proclaimed, as if the outcome were already a fact.
"Ax to arrow?" Damyn commented, raising an eyebrow at Maygra. "That's ambitious even for you, Mag."
"She can!" Renn said and grabbed Maygra's hand, dragging her back to the mark-set. "She's already got the distance. Watch!" he said and handed the ax to the woman expectantly.
Maygra drew a deep breath. She had nearly as much confidence in her skill as Renn but she was suddenly nervous at having to demonstrate her skill in front of anyone but the child. She glanced at the boy, seeing the excited anticipation in his young face, and resigned herself to the exhibition.
Damyn offered no comment, leaning back against the slatted walls of the practice stall. If he was aware of Maygra's discomfort, he gave no sign, motioning Renn to step back as the woman readied herself for the throw.
Even as she released the blade, Maygra knew it was going to be off center again. It hit the target at the edge of the painted circle and Renn gave a delighted whoop of joy before running forward to retrieve it.
"I'm impressed," Damyn remarked and handed her the towel draped over the slats of the stall. He caught her left arm, running his fingers lightly over the shoulder before releasing it with a smile. "Doubly, seeing as you threw with your left hand. How are you with the right?"
"Perfect -- five for five, but that's easy," she said wiping her face and hands on the cloth. "With my left, I'm still over-compensating to the right a little. I can't get three for three, yet, and I need three to beat Laric," She rotated the arm in its socket returning his grin.
"You could beat him with the right," Damyn pointed out with a chuckle.
"Oh, no. If I beat him, it will be by a margin big enough to take care of his monumental ego," Maygra said with a laugh. "That's the only reason I'm doing this. Champion Three Years Running! I'll champion him come the Harvest games," she said and watched as Renn trotted back up the hill with her weapon. "Did you need something, Damyn?' she asked suddenly aware the practice field was not a usual haunt for the Healer.
"Only my errant little brother," Damyn replied as Renn rejoined them. "Pera has ordered the midday meal served on the steps -- and that cold. Too hot for the ovens, she claims."
"She's right," Maygra said glancing up at the clear, pale blue skies overhead. Although there were trees around the living quarters and outbuildings, there were none on the practice fields and the sun poured down unimpeded onto the dry earth. The only shade in this section of the Keep was beneath Rhema's high walls, and even that was minimal at midday.
Maygra's gaze raked the dark giant looming over Rhema. Itheron was dark and forbidding even beneath the hot sun of late summer. The Watch had been busy for most of the spring and early summer, for the rains had been heavier than usual, though not enough heavy to threaten Rhema. Nevertheless, until two days ago she had kept her guardsmen and women on short rotations, to keep their skills sharp and had encouraged the minor rivalries and practices for the Harvest games. Their allies would ride the patrols alone for the next week so all of Maygra's people could enjoy the only true celebration Rhema observed. That had been the Elder Council's request and although having no one on patrol made Maygra uneasy, she had not protested too much. She was enjoying having time to spend with her family and friends. Especially very young friends. Renn's enthusiasm eased much of her fretful energy so she did not begrudge the order from the Council. She had also found it a pleasant change to be able to attend the birth of her elder sister's second child. Damyn had assisted at the birth and she found herself smiling warmly at the Healer. His blue eyes held a question but she shook her head, holding the precious joy to herself as Damyn turned to his younger brother.
"Ready to eat?" he asked, pushing away from the slatted side of the stall.
"I'm not hungry," Renn said, giving Maygra the ax. "Besides, Mag needs me to help her."
Maygra smiled affectionately at the boy, ruffling his curls fondly for his show of loyalty. "Enough for today, kiri. I'm hungry and my arms ache and it's hot! However, If you want to practice with my knife for a bit, you may certainly stay," she added, deliberately avoiding Damyn's smirking glance.
After a long moment of very serious thinking, Renn shook his head. "No. I'll eat, too. I'll learn better if you're here to tell me what I do wrong," he said in a serious voice ringing with childish wisdom. "But after we eat --."
"You have other lessons," Damyn said warningly. "And Mother was less than pleased you missed history yesterday."
Renn groaned as the three of them began walking toward the common grounds. "I don't know why we have to learn all that old stuff," he complained. "It's just stupid old songs and stories about things that happened forever ago. I'd rather hear about good things," he said and whirled around to walk backwards so he could face Maygra. "Like when the Watch chased the Hai'Karin all the way to Irreshon last year! Why don't you teach us things like that, Mag? You could teach us all about the Watch! How to spot fires and kill tree-cats and useful things like that!" he said, breaking into a skip as he grew more excited at the prospect. "I would never miss lessons like those. I hate all that lovey stuff about Kerys and Yra, and Damys and Merista," he added rolling his eyes in disgust.
"Kerys was a great warrior," Maygra said dryly with a wink at Damyn. "And Yra was the first of our folk with the Gift of far-Sight. And Damys--."
"Would have renounced his Healing Gift if he'd had a monster of a little brother like you!" Damyn said suddenly and rushed at Renn with a roar. Renn screamed with laughter and ran, but Damyn was quicker and caught him, tickling him till they both tumbled to the ground, Damyn making threatening noises and Renn giggling so hard his face turned red.
Maygra watched in amusement, aware the two were drawing the attention of those on the common grounds who had looked up at Renn's scream. She kept walking but a moment later Renn ran by her, still laughing, Damyn not far behind. The Healer slowed his step until he walked at her side while Renn disappeared into the crowd gathered on the steps of the common hall.
Most of the Rhemans had gathered on the steps and the tree edged lawn below, and Maygra frowned a little as their small number was revealed so starkly against the living quarters flanking the great hall on both sides. Less than a third of the rooms were filled, even when a family might take up five or six adjoining chambers. Three levels watched over the courtyards and walls and the uppermost floors were empty save for storage. Many of the outbuildings stood empty as well, some pulled down, their stone and lumber used elsewhere. The great Garden Tower had once been the focus of much of the daily life in Rhema had been turned into a Watch tower and armory by one of Maygra's predecessors. The old stable torn down to provide practice fields for the Watch.
She shook off the shadowy thoughts and let the laughter of her companion bring her back to the present, laughing with him as he tried to recover his tattered dignity. The Healer was slightly flushed and panting, his hair decorated with bits of dry grass, a smudge of dirt on his cheek.
"Goddess below, to have such energy," he commented, trying to brush the stray grass from his robe and hair.
"You were far worse, cousin," Maygra replied with a chuckle.
"Not me. I was always the scholarly type," Damyn retorted with dignity. "I learned all my lessons perfectly."
"Especially those about Damys and Merista," Maygra teased. As children they had pretended to be the ancient heroes, acting out their adventures all over the Keep.
Damyn chuckled at the same memory. "Aye, true enough. But you would be Kerys; and Maia was always Yra. Which left only poor Mikayl to play Merista!"
Maygra laughed aloud, picturing her younger brother's face as she and her sister had dressed him for the part in one of Maia's old nightgowns. Mikayl had been but five at the time, six years her junior. He had been happy to be included in the play of the older children but the game had been confusing for him. For months afterward he told everyone he was the youngest sister in the family.
Their laughter doubled as the very object of their amusement looked up and saw them. Mikayl was talking quietly with Riallys. The older guard had become introspective since Duran's accident, but Mikayl was doing much to restore her personality and it was obvious Riallys considered Mikayl anything but girlish, despite the long braid he now wore proudly, proclaiming him a confirmed member of the Watch. On seeing his sister, Mikayl gave the woman a quick but thorough kiss and excused himself.
Mikayl met their laughter with a confused smile, but made no effort to probe the cause as he fell in step with the pair.
"Sura was looking for you, Damyn," he said as they neared the steps.
Damyn's smile faded a bit and he stopped, a hint of concern in his blue eyes. "What? One of our patients?" he asked.
Mikayl shook his head. "I don't think so -- it didn't seem urgent. She just asked if I had seen you."
The Healer relaxed and touched Maygra on the arm, lightly. "I had better go find her. I'll see you later, Mag, and you -- Merista!" he added, laughing at the startled look on Mikayl's face as he disappeared into the crowd.
Maygra started to chuckle but saw the sudden comprehension on Mikayl's face and burst into full voiced laughter. Her brother glared at her for a moment before an embarrassed smile came over his face, and he shook his head disconcertedly.
"What brought that up?" he asked as Maygra stumbled, still laughing, toward the tables laden with food.
"Renn -- bemoaning the fate demanding all little children learn their Kieri history," she snickered, grabbing up a loaf of bread and some fruit from one of the baskets.
Mikayl snatched one of the fruits and half the bread from her hands. "At least he has no sister likely to play such vicious tricks on her poor, innocent little brother!" he commented, feigning insult.
"Hah! You loved every minute of it!" she retorted, dancing away gracefully before he could steal any more of her food. She ignored his false scowl and turned away, eyes searching for a shady spot beneath the trees lining the lawn to eat her meal. A familiar face came into view and she waved her loaf of bread, running forward to accept the invitation being offered.
Maygra was reminded of a mythical queen holding court as she joined her sister beneath the full, leafy branches of a theris tree. Maia was leaning against the trunk, a pillow at her back, a blanket spread beneath her and the handsome, dark-haired young man propped up on one hand at her side. In her lap was an infant, no more than three days old, and on her other side, a sturdy fair-haired toddler played with his mother's bracelets.
Maygra sprawled on her side at her sister's feet, having brushed Maia's pale forehead with a kiss and ruffled the toddler's hair. Her sister still looked tired and wan, but she cooed at the baby and gave the man at her side indulgent smiles as he studied the infant with fascination.
Maygra's smile was warm as she watched him explore the tiny features of his infant son. "He won't change much if you look away, Jael," she commented dryly, amused by his enchantment with the infant.
"I can't help it," Jael replied amiably, smiling shyly at the child. "He's absolutely perfect,"
"All babies are," Maygra said in an exaggerated imitation of one of the midwives. "Goddess, you'd think the man had never seen a baby before!" she shot at her sister, who responded with a chuckle.
"It's because Kion is his that he finds him so fascinating," Maia said and reached out to stroke Jael's dark hair, gently pushing his braid back over his shoulder. Jael bent his head to kiss her palm, before returning his gaze to the baby. Maia laughed and sat up a bit, lifting the infant out of her lap and settling him in Jael's waiting arms.
"You're filthy, Mag," she scolded gently, as Maygra took a bite out of her half loaf.
"I've been practicing. What are you worried about? I'm down-wind," her sister retorted. "It's a healthy sweat -- ask Damyn."
"Ask me what?" The Healer said as he and Mikayl joined the little group. Maygra made room on the blanket for them. She was quick to notice that beneath his good-natured tone of voice, there was a hint of concern hiding in the Healer's eyes.
"You found Sura?" she asked and Damyn looked down quickly. Maygra regretted the question; Damyn obviously had not meant to bring the subject up.
"Yes. It was not urgent -- or not really. Duran slipped into unconsciousness after your visit this morning, Mag. Mother and I don't think he'll awaken again," he said quietly and looked up to see the frown on her face. Maia murmured something but Maygra did not hear it.
"I'm sorry, Mag. But it may be kinder," Damyn added, taking her hand.
Maygra let him hold her fingers as she fought back the urge to weep or scream. She knew Damyn's words were meant as a kindness, but they did not stop the flood of guilt from washing over her. A gentle, questioning squeeze on her hand slowed the flow of memories and she returned the gesture, smiling a little to ease the concern in Damyn's eyes.
"A kindness, yes," she said softly and drew a deep breath, chasing her mind's shadows away as she exhaled. "Can anything be done?" she asked.
"Nothing, now. He won't die alone, kira," Damyn said and cursed himself silently as Maygra paled a bit. Despite the combined efforts of Rhema's three Healers very little progress had been made toward the injured guardsman's recovery.
She pulled her hand back slowly and stared out over the Keep, sure she would find pity lurking in the eyes of her companions. She was grateful when Kion's hungry cry broke the uncomfortable silence.
Quickly, Jael handed the infant back to Maia who opened her tunic to suckle her son. Like his father, Kion's hair was dark, wispy curls covering his head. Maia's elder son crawled into her lap, wanting to share the sudden attention his half-brother was getting.
"You're too old for this, kiri," Maia laughed, stroking the boy's head and raising an eyebrow at Jael. Grinning, Jael reached across her and picked up his foster-son, tickling and tumbling him on the blankets until the child forgot the unintended slight from his mother.
"Your brother had best watch his title, come the games," Damyn said to Jael with forced casualness. "Maygra has him beat -- with both hands," he added glancing at the woman.
Maygra would still not meet his eyes but Jael took the hint. "I never knew you to favor the bow, Mag," he commented, grabbing for Kuris' ankle as the child giggled and tumbled into Mikayl's lap.
"I don't," Maygra said, forcing a bright smile. "It's a target competition -- I plan to beat him with this," she said, patting the ax at her side.
"Where is Laric, anyway?" Maia asked, peering around at the family groups sprawled on the lawn enjoying their meal in the sunshine.
"He has the Tower Watch -- or he did," Maygra commented, rising to her feet. Her eyes picking out the familiar figure running toward them.
A younger Laric would have passed for Jael's twin. As it was, only the faint silvering of his dark hair above his ears and the tiny creases at the corner of his eyes betrayed the fifteen years between them. Moving as quickly as the rock bucks he loved to hunt, he reached the little group barely winded despite the distance from the Tower to the courtyard. He greeted the others, losing the reassuring smile when faced with his commander.
"What is it, Laric?" Maygra quietly demanded, alert to the masked anxiety in his chestnut eyes. There were other undercurrents as well; more personal, but no more pleasant.
"We're not sure. I came for Mikayl, actually," he said shortly and turned to her brother. "It may be nothing -- perhaps an ural flock wandered too far south. They're moving quickly though and on a straight line. Mal's range is better than Osra's."
"Where?" Mikayl asked, already scanning the clear skies.
"Northeast of Tellis Watch," Laric replied but Mikayl had already set Kuris aside and was lost to his Sight, his eyes seemingly vacant as he searched for his prey. Beside him, her eyes scanning for the as yet unseen threat, Maygra fingered the handle of her ax nervously, impatient for her brother's report. She was startled when the youth suddenly grasped her hand and winced in pain as he forced his way into her mind allowing her to see what he saw.
It was an indistinct vision, Maygra's capricious Gift interfering with her ability to readily identify what Mikayl was showing her, but she suddenly understood the urgency which had prompted the unsolicited contact. The crude contact gave her an impression of several incredibly large and very fast flying creatures eating up the distance with each beating of their wings. With a gasp, Mikayl released her hand, rubbing his temples as he turned to his sister with wide worried eyes.
"Lady Below!" Maygra swore stumbling a little. She cursed the pain behind her eyes which made her vision blur but started running before her companions realized anything was amiss. Maia rose as well, arming her own Gift as she steadied herself against Jael's arm.
"Wings of the Dark One! Those aren't uralen," Maia murmured referring to the huge nesting birds who made their summer home on the craggy peaks of Itheron Grae. She shoved Jael after the running figures. "Go with them, Jai," she ordered taking Kuris' hand in hers and began running for the hall.
By the time Jael caught up to the trio, Maygra was taking the outer steps of the Watch tower three at a time, Mikayl and Laric half a step behind her. They were all panting by the time they reached the top but Maygra grasped the edge of the broad battlement, peering toward the north with anxious eyes. Around her gathered the other two members of the on-duty Watch.
"How far, Mal?" she asked, pulling her brother forward. Again, Mikayl's eyes went vacant as he tried to pace the time and distance of the unknown threat. Impatiently, Maygra tapped her ax handle against her leg until Mikayl turned to face her, his green eyes wide in surprise.
"I've never known anything to move so fast!" he said. "Less than a quarter of an hour -- if that."
Maygra stared at him in amazement then leaned over the tower's edge, filling her lungs and calling out in a clear voice which echoed off Rhema's solid walls, filling the whole Keep with the cry.
"Adel 'eva!" She cried, calling the Watch to arms. "Archers! Hait!"
The response was instantaneous. Wherever they were and regardless of what they were doing, the entire watch suddenly assembled below the tower. Beyond them, their families and friends moved quickly into the great hall, food, blankets, and games forgotten. The sudden shift from laughter and chattering voices to the watchful silence was eerie, but Maygra ignored it as she ran down the steps, giving orders as she moved.
"Archers to the tower and north wall!" she called and a score of men and women ran toward the armory within the towers, emerging momentarily with bows strung and quivers full to take up their assigned positions. "Jael, take the third rotation to the hall -- tell them enough to calm them. Laric, second, third and fourth rotations ready in the yard," she barked before running back up the steps.
They had not long to wait. The beasts appeared to the naked eye more quickly than even Mikayl had anticipated. There were at least a dozen, their great wingspans far exceeding anything Maygra had ever heard of in life outside of legend. They were frightening in their speed and she gave her archers no time waste on nervousness; arming them in three sets and waiting until the last moment to shoot.
Even so, Maygra felt her own blood run cold as the beasts drew closer and suddenly began an organized dive at the walls. The first volley of arrows fell short, but the second was dead on target -- to no effect; the shafts unable to penetrate the tough leathery hides. With raucous cries, one beast flew over the walls, causing every man and woman to duck in reflex as the shadow raked across the stones of the walls and the grass of the Keep. Maygra had time only for a glimpse of the beast. With wings spread wide it was at least ten saddle-bow lengths from tip to tip. The neck was long and thick ending in a sleek head tapering into a long jaw lined with small, sharp teeth. Above the jaw, the head was smooth -- the creature had no eyes, yet it flew with unerring accuracy, pulling up its long head with a cry as it banked for a turn and was suddenly joined by a dozen more.
"What are they?" Laric demanded of no one in particular as the group turned to watch the creatures.
"They're like vegenen, the winged messengers of Kairos and Thuryl," Osra said, notching another arrow, "but the legends paint them much smaller and not so -- oh!" she cried, startled as the creatures wheeled in the sky, coming in for another pass.
As one the beasts dived in another sweep and Maygra cried warning as the first of them stretched out their long, snakish necks to eject a stream of black venom. The liquid struck the walls of the Keep with a hiss and Maygra, horrified, watched the stone melt away into puddles of slag. She barely had time to cry a second warning as the beasts swept over the tower.
The narrow steps were deadly as she and her companions raced downward, trying to outrun the attacking creatures. Behind her, the screams of her Watch broke the eerie silence of moments before as venom caught flesh as well as stone and the high balustrade of the tower began to dissolve like an acid waterfall. The sharper sound of cracking stone gave Maygra enough warning to leap to the ground as the balanced support of the tower was upset by melting stone. With a pitiful, rending groan, the tower began to collapse in on itself, the huge blocks tumbling down the shaft of the tower, shattering the wooden flooring with a thunderous rumble. The Watch scattered, all thoughts gone save escaping from the shower of rock and wood.
Maygra stumbled, tripping over a body barely moving on the ground at her feet. Osra's dark hair was matted with blood, and she moved feebly trying to wipe the blinding substance from her eyes. Maygra knelt beside her, barely hearing Mikayl's warning. Between them they grabbed the woman's arms, dragging her clear as what was left of the tower suddenly shifted and began leaning, falling over like a child's stack of building blocks. Mikayl hefted the limp body over one shoulder as Maygra turned wrathful eyes upward. Above them, the oversized vegenen were circling, spitting and destroying sections of wall with arrogant precision. They made no effort to target the Rhemans -- ignoring them on their attack on the wall -- until three broke away and dived toward the great hall.
It was a tribute to his training Jael saw them coming and had his kinsfolk running toward the open yard before the first of the winged demons targeted the hall. There was no silence now as frightened men, women and children screamed and cried their fear as they ran.
Maygra shoved Mikayl and his burden toward the group and called her guard back, forming a protective circle around their folk. She had a vague idea of how she could defend her people from the attack from the sky--no creature, not even a legendary one, was invulnerable, but the arrows were obviously too light to do any damage.
"Mal!" she called to her brother as he surrendered Osra to the Healers. A moment later he was at her side. "See if you can salvage some of the long pikes from the tower base -- as many as you can find!" she ordered. "Laric, fire at one at a time -- keep them distracted. Terris, Ishana, Jael! Hait!" She cried, her voice carrying over the screams, bringing three Shield-Gifted guardsmen to her side. "Can you Shield all of us against them -- block us from sight? The three of you linked?" she demanded, not encouraged by the wary glances they gave one another. "Just long enough to run for Bredas Hulden -- They'd have to raze the whole forest to find us there," she said, explaining her plan and seeing the hope blossom in their faces.
"We'll try--." Ishana started to say then cursed, whirling Maygra around to see a new threat.
Through the breached walls great scaled lizards had entered. Twice the size of any varin, Maygra was far more familiar with these creatures than the vegenen. They were desert dwellers, called the n'garin by the nomadic Haian who annually traveled and traded throughout the Elerak plains east of Rhema. The n'gari were primarily scavengers and possessed no great intelligence. Solitary beasts and usually somnolent in the heat of the day, they were ruthless, efficient hunters. Their stamina and bulk made them dangerous despite the slowness of their movement, and arrows would be of little use against the beasts, armored as they were by heavy scales protecting them head to thick tail and along their bellies.
They were mounted by men wearing the black striped tunics of the Hai'Karin raiders and more of the raiders followed on foot. Beyond that she could barely discern three dark cloaked riders on varin-back, watching the invasion through the breach. The latter Maygra had no time to give thought to as she called to the archers, but Laric had already redirected his rotation and the first volley caught a dozen of the Hai'Karin, the bodies dropping, prickled by the slender shafts. As she had expected, the arrows had little effect on the lizards and they were quickly mounted by other raiders.
A change in the sound of the screaming, from fear to protest, redirected Maygra's attention yet again. The vegenen had begun diving again, this time lifting bodies into the air in strong, taloned feet.
"Make for the hulden!" Maygra screamed and her command was taken up verbally and mentally, scattering the Rhemans in all directions. Mikayl and a half dozen others suddenly appeared in the middle of the group and Maygra could have cheered as her brother's long pike penetrated one of the beast's leathery armor, making it shriek in pain. It took all of them to bring it to the ground, but others, not all guardsmen, joined the battle.
Heartened, Maygra turned her attention to the n'gari, running toward the nearest, swinging her ax with all the force she could muster. The blade bit deep into the creature's shoulder, glancing off the bone, and Maygra barely had time to leap aside as the creature swung its great head, jaws open to snap her in two with razored teeth. She came back again, burying the ax in the creature's skull, and tripped backward as the thing collapsed, its black eyes filming over immediately.
She back-pedaled and regained her feet, sparing a glance to see her guard attacking the n'garin with ax and sword. It was an uneven fight. Only an ax or pike could be directed with sufficient force to penetrate the brains of the creatures; a risky maneuver bringing her folk too close to the snapping jaws. Nevertheless, swords could injure and occupy, giving those with ax or pike a chance at the skull.
A warning shout wrenched Maygra's attention from the scene and she ducked then cried out as the curved tip of a Hai'Karin sword raked her shoulder. Without the warning it would have taken off her head and she whirled, the injury throwing her off balance for a moment. She found her footing and winced. Her muscles responded as she swung her heavy blade, burying it in the chest of the raider. Blood spattered her face, stinging her eyes and she wiped them desperately. Fetid breath washed over her and she was struck down, her own blood obscuring her sight from deep gashes along the right side of her face. Half-blinded by blood and pain she swung wildly, feeling the blade bite into scaled flesh, the n'gari screaming in pain and jerking away, almost wrenching the ax from her hands. Recklessly she heaved and the blade came free but she fell, slipping in the blood-slickened grass.
Someone caught her arm, pulling her backwards, and a familiar hand hastily rubbed the blood from her eyes. She felt a tingling in the wound and the pain eased away allowing her to focus on Damyn's face. He gave her no time to speak, but grasped her face, struggling to be heard over the screams tearing at the air around them.
"They're after the children!" he shouted. "The children!"
Maygra spun around, taking in the sights around her. There were bodies everywhere, Rheman and beast alike, and so much noise between the screams of her people and the roaring and screeching of their attackers it was hard to think. But now, above the din, she could hear the higher pitched cries of children. She looked up, watching in horror as one of the winged vegenen bearing the small body of a child delivered it into the waiting arms of one of the mounted Hai'Karin. His prize in hand, the raider turned his scaled mount, heading outside the walls. Three Rhemans fell beneath the claws and swords of the n'gari and its rider before an arrow caught the raider in the eye and he fell, the child with him. Two figures darted forward; one attacking the beast, the other wrenching the child out of the dead man's grasp and escaping to hand the girl over to her hysterical mother.
No adult was taken aloft; the vegenen impaled any adult who came between them and their small prey. The why of the selective capture seemed unimportant as Maygra screamed in frustration as another child was delivered n'gari-back, this time closer to the wall. It took five to free the child and this time with tragic results as the small body was crushed beneath the great claws of the beast.
Her "No!" of protest was not meant to be heard as the small body was cast aside and the hunt began again for living prey. The Hai'Karin were actively pursuing adults with children, seemingly oblivious to how ferociously -- and desperately -- an adult would fight to save a child. What she knew of the Hai'Karin was minimal, but slavery was not one of their common crimes. They were fiercely clannish. Outsiders were of no use to them whatsoever. They did not trade, even amongst themselves, their nomadic tribes small and inclusive. Hostages, captives, made no sense at all and certainly not the near-infants they were targeting.
Suddenly the why became very important. As Maygra watched, young Tannis was carried over the walls by one of the winged ferrymen. She ran, her eyes locked on the beast and its cargo, Damyn close behind her. She dodged pockets of fighting, finally obtaining a clear view beyond the slagged out wall.
The chaos within Rhema seemed out of touch with the calm scene beyond. Almost gently the vegen delivered its young charge into the waiting arms of a dark cloaked figure on varin-back. Not one of the Hai'Karin -- the cloak and saddle were too finely decorated and jeweled -- but a slender, feminine figure who took Tannis as if he were her own, calming the tears as gently as any mother. Enthralled by the scene, Maygra staggered forward, unable to reconcile the slaughter around her with the tender grace of the rider. The coweled head came up to stare at her, the face obscured in shadow.
Pain exploded in Maygra's head and she screamed, falling back against Damyn. She forced her eyes open as Damyn bore her up, staring at the rider. Gone was the gentle scene to be replaced by a nauseating aura of greenish light emanating the outstretched hands of the faceless, graceful woman and surrounding both her and the boy. Maygra struggled to regain her footing, ignoring Damyn's voice in her ear as the greenish light, now tinged with red, enfolded Tannis. The small face had been contorted in tears and fear but abruptly his expression went slack and he was set down on the ground. For a moment he sat on the grass then rose, stiffly, moving unsteadily toward a wagon. His movements were jerky, like a puppet missing strings, but he made his goal and climbed in without protest or sound, then slumped over on his side, face toward Maygra, eyes wide open and staring, vacant.
She screamed at the coweled figure and ran forward again, Damyn following her with a curse. The hidden face turned toward the pair, watching as they approached. No one interfered with their charge -- it was as if an aisle had opened between guardswoman, Healer and rider. Ten pike lengths from the breach the rider raised a hand casually.
Maygra's scream went unnoticed among the other screams. Damyn caught only part of the spell, a whispered murmuring of voices echoing and re-echoing within his skull, keeping him from moving or even thinking. Vaguely, he was aware Maygra had gone to her knees, her hands clutched to her head as if she could somehow shut out the sound. He reached for her automatically, his cry mingling with hers as he caught the full impact of the sorcery.
There could be no other description for the invasion of their minds. The spell had a hard, unnatural feel to it, all aside from the pain and mental havoc it caused. Even Kieri Gifts could be used in less than benign ways, but their aggressor seemed to find a perverse pleasure in provoking as much horror as possible. Desperately Damyn cast about him for something to use as a Shield and briefly touched minds with Jael. The contact was lost as quickly, even as the force of the spell faded once more.
Maygra shoved him away, her face contorted in an expression the Healer had never seen, nor ever wanted to see again. She made slow progress forward, her ax held before her in both hands. His gaze went to the rider who was lowering the outstretched hand slowly. The other hand gripped the reins of her mount and she backed away, turning her head to have a terse discussion with one of her two companions before focusing her attention back on Maygra. Some silent struggle went on for a long suspended moment before Maygra shook herself free of whatever control the woman was exerting. Both women seemed equally surprised at the sudden break in the stalemate; the rider jerking her mount back and issuing quick orders to her underlings.
Her orders went into effect immediately and the two Rhemans suddenly found themselves surrounded again. The Healer almost went down under the onslaught but Maygra responded like a woman possessed as she cut a path, all but dragging Damyn along in her wake. Her rage was not enough to get her past the wall even when joined by other Rheman defenders. She made one last attempt to get past the struggling bodies only to be caught squarely along the jaw by an enemy elbow. The blow set her face to bleeding again and sent her sprawling into Damyn's arms.
Damyn took advantage of her dazed state to drag her free of the slaughter near the breach, barely hazarding a glance at the mysterious riders beyond the wall. Jael appeared nearby, trying to organize some sort of line defense, giving Damyn the room and the time he needed to assimilate what he had seen and experienced.
Even now the effects of the sorceress's spell seemed to hover nearby but only Maygra knew the full extent of it and he ruthlessly dived into her mind to find out what she had experienced. Maygra cursed and resisted then gave in, gripping Damyn's hands where they rested on the side of her face, green eyes meeting blue.
It was a horrible vision she showed him, the memory of the spell ripping through her mind and into the very core of her being like a surgeon's knife. Its aim had not been to strip Maygra of will, but of any personality whatsoever. It had preyed and fed on Maygra's own weaknesses, amplifying them tenfold and wiping her strengths away with careless ease. How she had withstood the sudden overlapping of her enemy's persona over her own, he could not fathom -- nor how she had broken free, for he was sure he would have been unable to imitate the feat. Locked mind to mind, Maygra also revealed what she had concluded from the encounter and Damyn let his hands slip as he was physically ill. This was no random kidnapping or attack. The sorceress wanted those children alive and unharmed. She wanted young, untrained minds and bodies and she had little care how many died to fill her quota. Her motives were hidden but having experienced what her dark talents had done to Maygra and to himself, the thought of her touch on the children was unbearable.
Maygra's breath hissed out between her teeth and she grabbed the front of Damyn's tunic, pulling him close so he could hear. "They must not take any child alive from these walls! Do you understand me? Pass the word!" she ordered. Damyn's skin paled beneath his dirt-streaked face as the import of her words sunk in and he opened his mouth in wordless protest. Roughly she pushed him in front of her, pointing toward the riders and the wagon and Tannis's empty face.
"Tell them, Damyn! If they can't save them -- kill them!" She screamed at him before stumbling away to carry out her own order. Damyn followed her grasping her arm with a violence she had never expected in a Healer, especially Damyn.
"I can't! Mag, do you know what you're saying?"
She wrenched her arm away, pointing to the sky where another child was screaming in terror as she was carried over the disintegrating wall.
"That is their fate. Better they die by our hand than as slaves or worse! Damn you to Yranna's hells, Damyn, we can't defeat THAT!" she screamed, pointing at the mounted sorceress.
When he did not move she cursed him and ran to one of the archers along Jael's defense line. Hanna was dispassionately, systematically killing the mounted Hai'Karin, completely unaware of Maygra's presence until her captain jerked the bow from her hands. Maygra set arrow to gut, sending the barb straight and true through the child's heart.
Hanna cried out in protest and came toward her, grief and horror in her face and Maygra met Damyn's eyes. She broke the gaze with a curse as the guardswoman grabbed her arm, wrenching her around in challenge. Maygra wasted no time in explanation but broke the other woman's hold, pinning her arms and shoving her toward the Healer.
Damyn stared at her numbly for a brief second, all the color draining from his face. With one last, stricken glance at the friend who had suddenly become a stranger, he began relaying the order, ignoring the murder in the woman's eyes as he ruthlessly projected his explanation. The archer's anger faded abruptly, her ire supplanted as the devastation of Damyn's prediction took root. She trembled in Maygra's grip, face paling alarmingly as she realized what the outcome of the battle would be. Maygra released her, squeezing her upper arm in mute sympathy before turning once again to the grisly task she had set for herself and her people.
The order made itself known quickly, terrified screams precipitating to cries of anguish and protest. Maygra could tell at a glance who of her folk would follow the order and who would not. Some responded to the order with renewed determination to save and secure as many children as possible, but three more of the youngsters were already beyond rescue, carried aloft or beyond the walls. The vegen and Hai'Karin were spending as much time containing the adult Rhemans as they were capturing the little ones, keeping the two groups as separate as possible.
Nor were their enemies unaware of the sudden shift in tactics. On some unheard signal the n'gari suddenly became a far more vicious threat, actively attacking anyone in their path, sometimes with such ferocity they exceeded the ability of their riders to control their frenzy. The horror among the Rhemans gave way to desperation. The Hai'Karin raiders turned their attention to the adults, their own archers and swordsmen picking careful targets among the Rheman archers and leather clad watch.
Even with the sudden redirection of the attack, the Rhemans were slow to realize what Maygra had already foreseen. Had the Rhemans not been caught unprepared, they might have stood a better chance of refuting the onslaught. There were too few trained fighters among them to repel such an invasion and their attackers were more diverse and better equipped to deal with such an ineffective foe.
Their commander set another arrow to the bow only to find a restraining hand on her arm. Jael's face was tear-streaked, and marked by blood from a slash along his neck and shoulder, but he raised his own bow to kill a child being dragged away by one of the Hai'Karin. She saw, rather than felt his grief, as the child's death washed over him, watching as he steeled himself against the wrenching vacancy the surcease of life caused and searching for any child to save. She could do nothing to ease the overwhelming grief of her kinsmen and she sought desperately for some way to turn the tables on the invaders and gain the advantage. At the edge of her vision she caught the struggle of a familiar fair-haired child as he tried to free himself from the restraining arms of one of the Hai'Karin.
"Renn!" she screamed over the noise, grimly aware the boy saw her and hope flared in his eyes. He renewed his struggles, biting the man's arms and kicking as Maygra ran toward him. His captor cuffed him viciously on the cheek. Maygra caught the raider by the back of his checkered tunic, ax handle digging into his back with a force which cracked his ribs. He dropped his captive, turning and staggering to face his attacker, but there was no mercy or fair combat in Maygra's soul as she swung her blade, opening the man's chest and covering her and Renn with blood and gore.
The raider had not even fallen to the ground before Maygra had Renn in her arms, balancing him on her hip as she brushed the spattered blood from his face. The boy buried his face against her neck, small arms clinging to her as he cried. She had no time for comforting words, but ran, seeking shelter for her young charge. It was Jael who took the boy from her, ignoring Renn's wail of protest as he made for the far western wall of the Keep, trusting Maygra to watch his back.
Her attention once more on the battle, Maygra almost gave in to the growing nausea as she saw an arrow pierce a small, struggling body being carried over the wall by one of the winged creatures. Her curses went unheard as the vegenen screeched defiance, dropping the small body and wheeling to dive for another.
A familiar voice cried out, breaking through the hazy, overwhelming sickness in Maygra's soul and she ran blindly, until she came to the source. Maia was screaming as she struggled with one of the raiders over her eldest son. The Hai'Karin was fending her off with the long spear he carried, drawing blood from Maia's arms and shoulders but she would not give up, cursing and crying as she fought an uneven battle. Kuris was crying as well, both in pain and fear. Kion in one arm, Maia held tightly to Kuris' wrist with the other, threatening to separate his arm from his shoulder. Hanna had joined the fray, armed only with a short sword. The raider almost lost his grip on the boy as her blade buried itself in his leg. He kicked his mount and the beast shifted, knocking Hanna off balance. Before the woman could recover he had buried his spear point in her chest. She made a faint effort at freeing herself, but the wound was deep and mortal. She slid soundlessly to the ground, still staring sightlessly at her murderer.
Hanna's death left no void in Maygra or else filled it so quickly with anger she could not tell the difference. With a curse she sprinted forward, her ax swinging hard, down and into the Hai'Karin's mount. The n'gari lurched, sending Maia off balance, and with a cry of despair, she lost her grip on her son's wrist and the Hai'Karin took a better grip, but Maygra leapt savagely at him, tumbling the three of them to the ground. She rolled free, Kuris in her arms, and rose, shoving the boy toward his mother as she turned to face her opponent's sword.
Maia's despondent cry split her attention, and she echoed the wail as her nephew stumbled and fell and a vegenen swooped down, carrying the boy upward.
"Nooonooo!" Maygra shrieked, her throat torn raw as she tried to catch Kuris' legs. She failed, falling heavily against the now unmounted raider. With a feral cry she sent her elbow into his face and wrenched the spear from him. Tears and blood blinded her but she found her target and hurled the lance with all the strength she had left at the beast above her. There was no joy in her as the spear penetrated the beast's underside, causing it to falter then fall. She tried to reach the small tumbling figure released from the vegen's claws, thinking she could somehow break the fatal fall, but the Hai'Karin grabbed at her braid, yanking her brutally backward and she screamed again as Kuris' small body hit the ground. Savagely she whirled but some instinct halted her turn in mid-stride and she dodged as her opponent tried to send his sword through her stomach. Instinct took over and she dropped, one booted foot kicking upward to deflect the blade. She rolled to her side and ducked again, but not quickly enough. The blow should have cut her in two, but instinctively she raised her arms to ward off the blow. The sword caught her along the arm. She saw, rather than felt, the blade cut through her arm, the bone sheared like a sheaf of wheat. Death hovered beside her for a split second then the Hai'Karin suddenly lurched forward, Maygra's ax buried in his skull. He fell against her, both their bodies sagging to the ground in a grotesque embrace.
She saw her sister standing over her, hatred burning in her eyes. Maygra wondered distractedly who the hatred was aimed at before she gave into the shadows and heard the muted flapping of Death's Wings nearby. It seemed an eternity before she realized it was not the Wings the Dark Maiden but the wings of a vegenen. She opened her eyes and her senses to pain and a sickness in her stomach which would not be denied and she retched, the force of the convulsion tearing her insides apart with searing pain. Again, Damyn's gentle hands eased both pain and weakness, and she opened her eyes to find him binding her right arm to her side with three torn strips of cloth. His hasty bandage done, he lifted her bodily. She was vaguely aware Mikayl guarded his back as he carried her to the far wall and then handed her roughly down into a damp, dark place where gentle hands caught her and eased her into the cold, wet ground.
She recognized the light, soothing touch of a Healer's hands before she was sent easily into a different kind of darkness. She made no effort to resist, preferring the void to the bitter defeat and black guilt haunting her with every sound and sight. She made no sound as the Healer's touch left her devoid of pain and feeling, sliding her into a netherland where the screams of her people, of those she could not save, could not reach her.
to chapter 4GLOSSARY
A'del'eva:..............Literally: "By your oaths to Aessa" A war cry and a summons. (think au seccors)asa:........................Literally: Truth. an affirmative as in, "yes" or "is it not so?"
Graen:....................pl. Mountains, (also Grae; Mountain)
hait:........................ "To Me" or "Here", imperative, a summons.
kira'sai:...................f. sister, little sister, beloved sister, [familial]
kira:........................f. little one, child (diminutive)
kiri:........................m.little one, child (diminutive)
kiri'nai:...................m.brother, little brother, beloved brother [familial]
Makyera:................f. First, as in a title.
Makyera Gen:........as in First Sword a title, overall commander ot the Watch (also: gen... sword, shield, defense)
Masyra-Maena:......f. title of rank for females, equivalent of Lord-Master, title for a member of the Elder Council (or Lady-Master)
n'gari:.......................large lizards, desert scavengers, about the size of a rhonocerous, but looking more like komodo dragons.
Shadrai:...................Literally, Shadow Speaker.
shan'nai:.................m.Wise man or brother, an affectionate term of respect. Used between equals.
shan'sai:..................f.Wise woman or sister, an affectionate term of respect. Used between equals.
theris:.......................fruit bearing tree native to Elerak and the Eastern Plains, rather like a pulpy pomegranate
uralen:.....................pl. Ural; a large cliff dwelling bird, average wingspan is about 20 feet, scavengers mostly.
varin:........................a breed of extremely stocky, sure-footed horses, powerful bodies but small heads. (pl. varinen)
vegen:........................historically they were small leather-winged creatures, not unlike bats, but with elogated snouts and long flattened tails used as messengers for the gods. (pl. vegenen)