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.
Duran had always thought Itheron an indomitable mountain range, but Arris Graen dwarfed it, or so it seemed after they had been traveling south along its western base for ten days. Their journey so far had been comfortable. Each of the children had a nurse/guard who made sure they were dressed warmly and never left alone should their fears arise. They were much improved, actually talking and chatting as any other children might. They played in the snow, teased their guards and were endlessly fascinated by what they observed on the journey. At night, however, the old fears rose up like demons in the form of nightmares. Duran found himself called more and more frequently to soothe them for none of their armed escort could Speak to the children as Duran could. It left him fatigued, but he was glad he could be of that much assistance to his young charges. Otherwise, the children had little to do with him, preferring the company of their personal protectors. CHAPTER TEN
His own `protector', directly under Mek'Ain's command, was less genial and Duran found himself isolated from the group. The man made sure he came to no harm, but conversation was not listed among his tasks.
Shadrai kept in contact with them through her own means -- primarily through Mek'Ain. Duran was sure he felt her familiar influence brush by his own thoughts periodically. He was not particularly surprised when Mek'Ain called a halt in the middle of their tenth day.
"Shadrai's son is nearby," he said as he and his men dismounted. "They are less than an hour down this trail and you are to meet him, without us."
"Does he know we are here?"
Mek'Ain shrugged. "Perhaps. She did not say. We are not to meet him. We will wait here," he said and set his men to establishing a camp.
The children were reluctant to leave their guardians but Shadrai had made sure they knew how to follow orders before they left her care. The arguments were short and resulted in Tysa being seated before Duran on his varin and the two boys doubled on another with Duran leading them.
The ride was nerve-wracking, for Duran had come to depend on their escort's protection. Despite Shadrai's augments of his condition he still felt vulnerable, anxious about exactly what her range of influence was. His anxiety spilled over to the children and Tysa was crying steadily when the appointed time passed. The boys were fidgety and uneasy and it occurred to Duran that he had no idea what Shadrai's son looked like or exactly where they were supposed to meet. He rode on well past Mek'Ain's hour, extending his Hearing for any sign of their quarry. The trail was silent, however, and he had decided to turn around when an arrow struck the ground inches in front of the varin. The beast shied nervously and it took all Duran's tortuous months of training to control the beast without losing either Tysa or the lead to the boys' mount.
Once the beast calmed, Duran searched the rocky trail for any sign of the archer, using his Gift and his training in the Watch. The angle of the arrow indicated it had come from above so he began there, catching only the faintest Glimpse of movement.
"Please, if you can hear me, I am alone with these children. An hour's ride behind me is a camp made up of Hai'Karin raiders. We have been sent to meet someone," he said, his voice trembling.
"Who are you?" a disembodied voice asked, both with sound and Speech.
My name is Duran, the Rheman responded in kind. "If there is one named Rhys among you, I have but three questions I must ask, then I will be able to tell you anything you like," Duran continued, haltingly. He had meant to tell them he was from Rhema -- to give explanations before demanding answers. His intent was lost under the onslaught of a will stronger than his own and a different kind of fear crept into his heart.
From the rocks directly in front of them, three figures emerged, a half-dozen more remaining hidden from view but not from Duran's Sight. The center figure of the trio before him was the tallest, raven-haired and sharp featured, pale gray eyes fixing Duran with a gaze that was painfully familiar. To his left a younger man stood, bared sword held casually but at ready in both hands. To his right was a wiry archer, bow drawn.
"You were Kieri," the center figure said evenly.
"I was," Duran said, fighting against the words. I still am! His mind screamed but his mind did not control his voice. "Are you Rhys, only son of Lorisa?"
"I was. Who asks?" the man said, watching Duran carefully.
"Your mother. She has sent us," Duran gasped and felt the strength fading from his limbs. He set Tysa down quickly. Rhys stopped the swordsman from going to the child's aid.
"Is your life among your cousins pleasant?" Duran asked, barely able to keep his grip on the reins. The boys slid off their own mount, coming to either side of Tysa, all three staring at Rhys wide-eyed.
"Far more pleasant than my life with her," Rhys snapped, motioning other guards forward. "You said Hai'Karin warriors guarded you. How many?"
"Twenty. Shadrai has told them they must wait for us to return and not interfere. Please, I will tell you --," Duran gave a little moan of fear as his vision began to blur and darken. "Do you miss the mother that gave you life?" he said quickly, afraid Shadrai was punishing him for not getting her questions out quickly enough.
"How can I miss a mother that never was?" Rhys replied harshly.
Duran's vision came back swiftly as did his strength. So much for the gratitude of my only child, said a voice that was not his own and his hand moved in patterns that Duran did not understand nor had any control over. I did give you a chance, my son, the Voice inside him said coldly and then left Duran as the spell began its work.
Rhys shoved his younger companion aside, blocking the spell with some unheard words of his own. The archer was not so lucky, for all eyes had been on Duran, the children forgotten. Duran was left to observe. His strength had faded again and he lolled against his mount helplessly. His vision remained and he was unable to turn away as Tysa stumbled forward to fall at the archer's feet. The man reached for her, thinking she was trying to escape Duran's control, but as he touched her, she gripped the hand he extend firmly, her other hand touching the stone beneath them. Like a pool of water the stone beneath the archer's feet turned liquid and he sank to his knees. The stone solidified and Duran could not close his eyes or ears to the man's screams as his legs were crushed by the moving stone. The archer fell backward and Tysa's Gift flared again, encasing the man completely in stone, only his hands free and they stopped moving shortly afterward.
Rhys tried to intervene, but Tannis stood between him and Tysa, the Shield Duran had marveled at used like a battering ram -- its force enough to send Rhys to his knees. The swordsman came to his aid as the other guards tried to surround the group, three of them taking Duran. He tried to warn them that he was not the threat but neither of his Voices worked and he was dragged to the ground.
"Kevyn, look out!" Rhys warned as the fair-haired swordsman went after Tannis, distracting the boy enough for Rhys to regain his footing.
The swordsman whirled to find Nian between him and the rest of the Watch. At first the boy seemed to do nothing, but Kevyn's sword dropped slowly as he Listened to a Voice that mesmerized him body and soul. Still fighting Tannis's Shield, Rhys could not stop Tysa from skirting the group, her hands reaching for the ground near Kevyn's feet.
One of the other guards saw the girl and dived toward her, knocking her away. Tysa struck the rock hard, a very childlike cry escaping her and the woman could not help but react. She reached for the girl as the archer had done, too late realizing her danger. Tysa's grip was far stronger than that of a six year old's and the woman found her hand enclosed in stone to the wrist, trapped as her companion had been.
One guard immobile, Tysa once more set her sights on the entranced Kevyn. Another guard had drawn his bow but seemed unable to let the barb fly. Duran moaned deep within himself, understanding at last how treacherous Shadrai's words had been. He had been prepared to believe her account of the battle at Rhema but he now knew what Maygra had guessed. Shadrai wanted powerful Kieri Gifts, not as allies but as slaves -- he was the medium of her will and the children as much tools as the vegen had been. He had not trusted her entirely, but he had trusted her too far and this was the result. His questions to Rhys had been the triggers to the spells of control set on the children. These Kieri had not the courage to do what Maygra had ordered, and like Rhema, they would all die as well.
He could not warn them. He was a limp heap on the ground, watched by two guards who did not realize how little a threat he posed. He had no Voice available to distract Nian. Shadrai had cut off his Voice but she had left him his Sight because she thought it no threat. Without really understanding his own plan he connected his Sight with Nian's, Seeing what the boy saw and wincing as he recognized the nightmare the boy had experienced only the night before. It was Shadrai's creation, garnered from the boy's own fears of being abandoned in Rhema. It was not an unknown stranger in front of him, but one of the n'gari, its great claws trampling his mother in an attempt to get to him. Nian held the beast at bay by thought alone, praying that someone would help him. Tysa was the only help available and she saw what Nian did, as did Tannis.
Duran could not cast an illusion as Shadrai had, but he could reveal the truth using his own Sight to override the children's visions, showing them the truth of their situation instead of the lie. There was a snarl of surprise from one part of his mind and his sight failed in a painful flash of darkness.
Tannis faltered, seeing, for just an instant, not a terrifying vision, but someone he did not know. It was enough for Rhys to attack the boy, not physically but with a spell that sent the boy into unconsciousness. One foe down, he turned to Tysa, catching the girl just as she loosened the rock below Kevyn. The swordsman stumbled, one leg and an arm encased in the liquid stone, but before she could cement the stone, Rhys had her under one arm, his hand brushing over her forehead. She slumped in his arms, her face lax and her tiny body trembling.
"Maric, Vaena -- get Kevyn free," Rhys commanded.
Duran gave a silent cheer, only to be viciously cuffed, not by his captors but by Shadrai. This is no escape, for you, my dear. I just wanted to make sure Rhys remembered me, she said coldly and suddenly Duran's strength came back, his will subjugated to Shadrai's plans. She grabbed at one of the guard's swords, drawing on Duran's training to kill the closet of her enemies, all but cutting him in two. Another call went out and Duran was aware that Mek'Ain answered, far closer than he should have been. Yes, well, I never was very good at keeping promises, Shadrai chuckled. I think my son has a great deal of affection for that young swordsman. Mustn't get too attached to people now, should we? she murmured and Duran moved toward the still groggy youth. Kevyn saw his danger at the same time Rhys did, blues eyes wide in fear and shock. Out of the corner of his eye, Duran saw Rhys set Tysa down, sprinting to his young friend's aid. Laughter that was not Duran's spilled from his throat as he brought the sword down.
The youth raised his arm instinctively, Rhys's scream echoing across the rock. The blade came down toward Kevyn's throat and then stopped as if it had struck stone. Duran stared and found his eyes locked with Tannis's.
Those eyes were no longer glazed by Shadrai's spell, but aware and haunted by something far older than the boy's ten years. Shadrai growled in frustration, altering the position of her blade and hurling it, not at Kevyn, but at Tannis. The boy made no move to evade the sword but took it fully through his middle, knocked backward by the force of it, his cry of pain choked back only by a faint smile of satisfaction before he died. Shadrai snarled again and called to Mek'Ain. The Hai'Karin came at a gallop down the trail, and Rhys quickly organized the patrol, dragging Kevyn to his feet as Shadrai/Duran bent to pick up Tysa and then grab Nian by the hand, dragging the boy toward her allies. She did not look back until they were well behind Mek'Ain's line. Nor did she offer to aid the Hai'Karin. Too late, Duran realized her control was slipping, but she reasserted enough of it to keep him mobile.
Try and escape me now, Duran, she hissed in his mind. I've enough control yet to see these two little brats eat your heart while it's still beating and they'll still be mine. Mek'Ain will stay only long enough to cover our retreat, but he'll find you. Either way, you're still mine, she murmured and then laughed as tears fell from his blind eyes. Tannis was lucky, but I won't make that mistake again. I thought him too old to control completely without some other threat. Tysa and Nian, now, they are my perfect little darlings, she continued, her Voice fading. Come home now, Duran. With your will or against it, you'll end up here -- it's up to you how painful the journey has to be, for you and my little ones, she murmured, then laughed confidently as Duran turned the beast toward Morvan. Whatever Shadrai had intended to accomplish by this nightmare journey, she seemed satisfied with the results. Worse, she had discovered before Duran exactly what his limits were. He doubted he would be allowed Voice or Sight again without her direct control. It crossed his mind to send himself and the children off the edge of the trail, but the echo of laughter in his mind convinced him that she would indeed follow and use him beyond life. He would not be fooled by her again -- if only he had discovered her treachery before it was too late to escape.
GLOSSARY
A'del'eva:..............Literally: "By your oaths to Aessa" A war cry and a summons. (think au secors)A'Ki'Ka................A binding Oath of will, heart , soul and mind...reserved for the Goddess.
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.
Ien Ki'Ka............... Soul Oath. An oath of binding.
ka'kiira...................f. Daughter of...
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]
ki'ta.........................f.heart sister. Not quite a lover.
Makyera:................f. First, as in a title.
Makyera Gen:........as in First Sword a title, overall commander of the Watch (also: gen... sword, shield, defense)
Makyeran Gyeld......First Born. A title of respect applied to no other peoples but the original five Oathtakers who birthed the Kieri race.
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 rhinoceros, but looking more like komodo dragons.
N'yris.......................Oath Breaker...a broken oath. A fatal transgression
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)