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.
At Maygra's request, Jael gathered the children and brought them to Maygra's room so they could all spend time together before the children went to bed, putting off their discussion of the Masyren's decision. Maygra sat near the fireplace with Renn on her lap for a long while, listening to the boy talk about what he had seen in the Keep and paying close attention to what he said. She smiled at the faint murmur of hope in his voice as he spoke of Jurrana and of the tour of the Keep she had arranged for him and Kiva on the next day. Kiva listened as well, leaning sleepily against Mikayl's shoulder. When the children could stay awake no longer Jael and Mikayl settled them into Maygra's bed, returning to the fire to talk. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"You don't want to stay, do you?" Mikayl asked his sister softly when the children were asleep and the three adults had settled in front of the fireplace. Despite the season, the air was chill and Maygra had built the fire high, flickering light reflecting off her face.
"I don't know what I want. We can't really decide anything until I talk to Kellas about Damyn," she said, rubbing her eyes. "Lady Below, what a mess. I would say half the Masyren are still questioning our motives."
"I tend to agree with you," Jael said. "I think we've proved we are not under Lorisa's influence but I would guess that half of them probably weren't even aware of that possibility before Council. We scared them this afternoon. Laurien did not expect to hear Aessa, nor did Kellas."
"And Rhys?"
Jael hesitated. "I didn't read Rhys," he reminded her.
"Oh, please. He Saw you, didn't he?" Maygra said shortly. "Don't tell me you got no reciprocal Read?"
"Not much. He was careful about how much overflow I would get."
"And Laurien?"
Jael grinned, "Now, he I can Hear pretty easily. He's a good man, Mag. And he does want Lorisa subdued."
"But not destroyed," Mikayl added softly. "Neither does Sarai. I'm not sure why."
"Not enough provocation," Maygra snarled. "They have a rabid wolf at their gates and they want to see if they can cure it."
"That's harsh, Maygra," Mikayl said. "I know how badly you want the sorceress destroyed, but they have been fighting her longer than we have."
"Then maybe she should do to them what she did to Rhema," she snapped. "Maybe then they'd take a more realistic approach to `subduing' her." Jael and Mikayl stared at her aghast. Seeing their expressions she flushed. "I didn't mean it," she said. "I wouldn't wish Rhema's fate on anyone. It's just that they don't seem to see her as a real threat."
"I think it's real enough," Jael said. "For all the trouble they caused us, we never hunted down the Hai'Karin. It's one thing to defend your people and your home. It's another thing to declare war by a preemptive strike. I think that's what they are trying to avoid -- a war."
"They might not have many choices left. I'm not sure I want us to be here if that's the outcome."
"Us or you?" Mikayl asked. "Tell me, kira, if you did not have us to worry about would you stay and fight?"
"I'm not leaving you," she said softly, touching his cheek.
Mikayl shook his head. "I know that. But if it were just you, alone, what would you do?"
Maygra stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. "I'd stay," she admitted after a moment. "I'd do anything I could to stop that witch."
Mikayl smiled faintly. "So would I."
"This isn't going to be easy," Jael said, squatting in front of Maygra's chair and laying a hand on her knee. "There's more resistance than you know. Merida may be at the extreme but there are others in this Keep that will dislike us just as strongly."
"Nothing's decided, Jai," Maygra said. "I might stay if I were alone, but I'm not. I won't risk the children being this close to Lorisa if Ravon can't secure their defenses."
"Will you leave Damyn?" he asked.
"You know I won't."
"Then you have made a decision. It may take months for him to recover, if he does. Do you plan to wait until spring? I want my son to be safe, Mag. I also want him to have a home. If this is not to be our home, then where?"
Maygra caught his hand in both of hers. "I don't have an answer for you, Jael. Nor do I intend to make this decision alone. The Masyren have given us the freedom to choose. But they gave us that freedom. It was not ours by right, in their opinion. Merida thinks you are dangerous because you use your Gifts differently than they do here. Is that the kind of fear you want to expose Kion to? Or Renn? I would rather go quickly than form an attachment to this place and these people; but to make this decision we must know more about these Kieri."
Jael squeezed her hand and kissed it. "That is all I wanted to know, kira. If that instinct of yours is not screaming at you to run, then I think we are safe for the time being."
"You're putting a lot of confidence in my pseudo-Gift," she said seriously.
"Oh, no, kira'sai," he said kissing her soundly. "I'm putting all my confidence in you."
Startled, Maygra stared at him and found her brother grinning as well. "You could have just asked," she murmured.
"I wanted to know what you thought as well as what you felt," Jael said and hugged her.
By unspoken agreement they made room for themselves in Maygra's large bed, the six of them huddled together as they had done for months. Not for any particular reason, Maygra thought sleepily as Renn stirred against her shoulder. She and Mikayl had Renn and Kiva bracketed between them. Jael was at her back with Kion, his arm across her waist and the child's sweet baby breath caressing her cheek. She relaxed into the thought that Damyn was with them as well, that familiar presence brushing against her half-dreaming mind. Rather than resist the presence she knew could not be real, she gave into it, sending as much reassurance to Damyn's dream form as she could.
He seemed so whole to her in the misty world of her fantasy. Not the pale, wasted figure laying in the Healing rooms.
You seem surprised, kira, he murmured, reaching out to touch her cheek. It's a dream. Nothing's impossible.
I know. Lady below, I need your counsel, Dami, she replied, not surprised that her own dream image had no difficulty Speaking mind to mind.
You have only to ask.
I need your forgiveness first, she murmured not able to meet the intense blue eyes.
For what? For wanting me to live? Tell me that's not where all your doubts are stemming from? He said with a chuckle. There's no forgiveness needed when you act out of love, kira'sai.
I'm not sure if it was love or fear, cousin. And I didn't just want you to live, I forced it -- against your will.
Maygra, he said taking her hand and grasping her chin so she was forced to meet his eyes. You could not have forced me to live if some part of me had not also wanted to live. Choices are what they are and no one, not even Shadrai, can force anyone else to make a choice -- there are always other choices. Some are unpleasant but they exist.
Shadrai? Who is that? She asked, the unknown name distracting her. Damyn stared at her, confusion and fear marring the healthy dream image, until he was again pale and wan. Maygra gripped his hand fiercely. Who, Damyn? Who Speaks to the Darkness? Is it the sorceress?
Damyn's face changed from the healthy glow of his dream image to the pale, wasted form that lay in the Healing rooms. I can't say . . . she speaks too softly, he murmured, fading from her vision. Desperately, Maygra reached out to grasp him. I gave up my Gift to be free of her, but she holds me still, he cried desperately.
I won't let her take you! Maygra said fiercely. You will not become what Duran and the children have become, ki'ta, I swear it.
Damyn nodded, fading away from her dream sight until she held nothing but darkness. She shook in anger and fear until a soft voice brought her back from the edge of her nightmare.
"Mag, what is it? You were crying," Jael said softly.
"Nothing, Jai. A dream, that's all. Go back to sleep before we wake the others," she murmured, finding a smile to reassure him and closing her own eyes. She waited until his breathing became the slow, shallow sound of deep sleep before easing herself out of the bed carefully, not surprised to see the pale yellow-gray glow of dawn haunting the edge of her window.
She stirred up the fire, sitting in front of it as she reviewed every vivid detail of the dream, seeking something more about her enemy than Damyn had been able to communicate.
A sudden brush of air across her shoulder brought her attention to Renn standing silently beside her chair.
"What is it, kiri?" She asked quietly, pulling him into her lap.
"I had a dream . . . is Damyn ever going to be well?" He asked leaning his head against her shoulder and staring into the fire. "I want to help him. I want him to be all right."
"Me too, little cousin. And he will be. I promise you, Renn. I could no more bear to lose him than I could to lose you."
"But he's so tired."
"I know, kiri. It's a hard battle he fights. But the Healers say he will live."
Renn stared at her owlishly. "Kellas says he's not a Healer anymore. Will he be like Osra, then? Will he not be Kieri anymore?"
Maygra stared at the boy, unable to comfort him for she had not really thought of the consequences of Damyn's Gift failing. Renn tensed, physically and emotionally drawing away from her and into himself. Startled, she gave him a gentle shake. "You listen to me, Renn-kiri, if I have to take on Yranna herself, we will not lose him. Do you understand?"
Renn nodded slowly, trusting her but not sure how she would fulfill her promise. Maygra hugged him again, her eyes fixed out the window to where dawn was bathing the tower wall of the Web Garden in weak light.
The answer to defeating her enemy lay within those walls, if she could only convince Ravon to use the very thing the sorceress coveted to turn Lorisa's powers against her. She released Renn suddenly. "Tell the others I've gone to find Rhys, kiri," she ordered. "But have them stay here until I get back."
"Where are you going?"
"To find us an ally," she said with a smile and a kiss.
Maygra had no idea where Rhys kept his quarters, but, as Mikayl had discovered, the kitchen staff was very kind. Rhys' rooms were on the extreme east end of the main residence wing, three flights up and almost overlooking Ravon's walls. Most of Ravon had set up their quarters on the lower two levels, so Rhys had few neighbors, a fact that did not surprise Maygra in the least.
What did surprise her was that the Kieri sorcerer's door was open. Unprepared, she entered cautiously finding herself in an enormous chamber twice the size of her own large room. The floor was heavily padded and spare benches and a single long worktable were the only furniture visible. A second door was partially open and she caught a glimpse of more inviting rooms beyond before Rhys blocked her view.
He was startled by her presence, recovering as he shrugged into the loose short tunic he carried. Not quickly enough to cover the parallel scars across his chest, however, and Maygra wondered how anyone could have survived such injuries.
"I was expecting Kevyn. We usually practice in the mornings," he said coolly. "Can I offer you something to eat or drink?" he asked, picking up a pitcher from the worktable and two cups. He poured something warm and spiced into the cups.
"I thought your folk ate together," she said, accepting the hospitality.
"Most do. I am customarily up before anyone else. What can I do for you, Maygra?" he asked, leaning against the table.
"It may be what we can do for each other," she said. "I have a choice to make and I need your help to make it."
"Mine? I'm flattered. What caused this change of heart?"
"The fact that you want your mother destroyed as much as I do. Or am I wrong?" She queried, watching his face.
"Laurien said he told you of my parentage. What brought you to the conclusion that we have similar goals?"
"You are here. There are only two conclusions to be drawn by your presence at this border. Either you want to defend our people at all costs or you are a spy for Lorisa."
"And you have concluded I am not the latter."
"Yes and no. If you are spy, it is with no more willingness than Damyn or Duran."
Rhys's face paled and he turned away. Not prepared for that reaction, Maygra moved toward him, touching his arm before she realized she had reacted. Rhys stared down at her hand then at her face.
"That's what you fear," she said softly. "That somehow your mother has made you her unwitting pawn."
"It is not outside the realm of possibility," he said ruefully as Maygra dropped her hand. "There are as many gaps in my memories as in your Healer's. Mine, unfortunately, all pertain to my childhood. I can remember very little."
"Willing or no, right now you are still in the best position to help me."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I and mine will leave. I did not lead them from one slaughter only to enter another."
"You are so certain that is what Ravon will become -- another massacre."
"You weren't at Rhema. You didn't see what was done and how -- or how quickly."
"The Web keeps her at bay."
"The Web draws her like a moth to the flame. She will find a way. With each captive, she gets better at this game of turning our own against us."
Rhys stiffened, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
Maygra stared up at the ceiling in exasperation. "Is she intelligent, Rhys. Does your mother learn from her mistakes?"
"She's very clever and innovative."
"Then how long do you think it will take her to find a way to insinuate herself into one of our people beyond our ability to detect her? She had you to test and try first and who knows what others. She has the children of Rhema and one of my guardsmen, who you did not know was possessed until you were attacked. She has Damyn -- or at least part of him. How many more will it take?"
"Why come to me? You don't trust me any more than you do my mother," Rhys said harshly. "Why not Laurien or Sarai, in the Lady's name? They wield far more influence than I do."
"Because Laurien doesn't like my solution and because he has not learned from Lorisa what you have -- that she has nothing to fear from the Kieri."
"That's a harsh accusation," Kevyn remarked from the doorway. "You make it seem as if my father does not want to see Lorisa defeated."
"Defeated is not destroyed and that's what it will take. Do you agree, Maen Rhys?" Maygra asked pointedly.
"I won't help you undermine Laurien," Rhys said.
"I don't want to undermine him. I want to save him from his own compassion."
"What if he doesn't want to be saved?" Kevyn asked quietly.
Maygra stared at the younger man speculatively. "Perhaps I sought out the wrong person and am using the wrong arguments. You Saw what happened to Rhema, Kevyn. Are you willing for Ravon to share the same fate? Are you willing to let the bodies of your friends and family rot under the sun?"
Kevyn paled as Maygra's words brought back Jael's vivid memories.
"Who would you try to save, First Sword? Luckily, there are not many children here so that would not be such a problem; but who would you save and who would you sacrifice?"
"Leave him alone," Rhys said, grasping Maygra's arm as Kevyn backed away from her. "This is not Rhema. No matter your fears, Maygra, Rhema's fate will not be Ravon's or any Keep in Estanis."
"Based on what promise, Rhys?" she demanded. "You already know what must be done -- you've known for months. Your own actions prove you know I'm right."
"What do you mean?"
"You hesitated in striking when you met Duran and the children this past winter, even though you knew he was an envoy from Lorisa. Why?"
"How do you know that?"
"From me," Kevyn said meeting Rhys' eyes. "Jael got the tale from me. It's what prompted the Council. Jael knows what I know and I know his life from birth until we met in Nessa. He knows more about me than anyone, you and Meri included."
"I had no idea the contact went so deep," Rhys said, ignoring Maygra for the moment at the stricken look in Kevyn's eyes. "Why didn't you say something, little brother? That much I could have done for you."
"Jael will not betray your privacy, Kevyn," Maygra said. "Not even for me."
"I know," Kevyn said. "It was an accident -- seeing Kiva brought back the fear, it was strong enough for Jael to read and remember. He has been consciously trying to keeping our memories separate -- as I have."
"I would have pressed him harder but he believes what he and Kevyn share to be more important that even the safety of his son," Maygra said. "For the sake of the same compassion that Laurien lives by. I will save who I can, but not at the cost of Lorisa gaining one more slave. The hesitation you showed on Arris you did not display when you encountered us in Nessa. You forced Jai's Shield and subdued my brother without doubt or thought of consequence. Why? You knew Duran to be more of threat than we were, yet there was no indecision on your part. Strike first and ask questions later. Victory occurs by surprise, not compassion. That is what you have learned from your mother."
Rhys drew a sharp breath as if Maygra had slapped him and Kevyn glanced sharply at the Maen.
"You already knew that and you two have a plan," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Just exactly what do you and Kevyn `practice' in the mornings? Honing your sorcery or using your Gifts in ways that aren't taught by your elders?" Both men remained silent until Maygra started laughing. "What Laurien does not know will not hurt him, is that it? Hypocrites, both of you. You are trusting the very compassion you would not save Laurien from to save you if your plan succeeds."
"It's not your concern, Maygra," Kevyn said. "My father's leadership has kept Ravon and our sister Keeps safe thus far."
"But it can't last much longer and you both know it. Not because of poor leadership but because Laurien will never be as ruthless as Lorisa -- not and remain true to who and what he is. And it is my concern. If Ravon falls, nowhere and no one in Estanis will be safe. Where should I take my kin, Kevyn? Maybe we should backtrack to Rhema and hope she thinks Estanis big enough to satisfy her hunger for power. Lady protect us. We certainly don't seem to be able to do it ourselves."
"So what is your plan?" Rhys demanded. "Take the Iimarin apart and accept the loss of half our population as justifiable? You saw what happened when the net failed yesterday -- those suffering backlash and separation sickness would be dead if the Web were shut down completely."
"No. I want to succeed and it has been made very clear that plan is not acceptable. However, I do think the Web could be made to appear vulnerable, weakened enough to bring Lorisa close enough to grasp what she wants and then destroy her."
"With the Web?" Kevyn asked, alarmed. "It is not a weapon."
"Just because it has never been used as one, does not mean it cannot be," Maygra said evenly. "But no, not by the Web. I don't understand enough about how it works to rely on it as a tool, only as bait. Despite her sorcery, I take it she is not immortal. Am I wrong?"
"No," Rhys said quietly. "But getting close enough to kill her will not be easy and she'll be on alert. She also has far more allies than Ravon can effectively repel if it came to an all-out attack."
"Allies who are bound together only by her influence. I know the Hai'Karin," Maygra said. "They took me by surprise at Rhema. I had never seen so many work together at one time. They keep their groups small usually -- no more than a hundred. Lorisa has found a way to bring them together. Destroy her and you destroy her allies. They are not planners or empire builders, they are raiders and scavengers by nature."
"If we could lure Lorisa to Ravon, what would you do?" Kevyn asked.
"Separate her from her minions. She is closer to her base of power here than she was when she attacked Rhema. But as you have said, Rhema had not the protection of a Web. Between your Web and Jael's Shield, we should be able to pinpoint when she approaches and keep her from detecting a small patrol. It is similar to the tactic Lorisa used at Rhema. We did not know there was a threat until we were overwhelmed."
"Learning from your enemies, Maygra?" Rhys said. "You are putting a lot of faith in Jael's Shields."
"They served us for a year without Lorisa detecting us."
"But I was able to."
She hesitated, then nodded. "True. How?"
"There was a non-presence. A nothingness that should have contained something. It is the same effect you carry all the time."
"How did you detect this `nothingness'?"
"By Sight. I knew from the Web monitor that Seeing directly was not possible, so I looked around what could not be Seen."
"By sorcery," Maygra said biting her lip. "Yet Lorisa could not or did not see us when Jael Shielded."
"Not by sorcery, by Sight -- by Gift," Rhys said softly, his eyes widening. "My mother does not or cannot use her Kieri Gifts. She has not since I can remember."
Maygra stiffened. "Then the difference is in how you use your sorcery."
"Or by how you draw the power for magic," Kevyn said staring at Rhys. "You have never used blood or drawn power from another living creature."
"What do you use?" Maygra demanded.
"My Gifts -- the Web," Rhys replied, startled. "I cannot use both at the same time or either for great lengths of time without weakening both. I have taken that which was offered voluntarily on occasion -- that is what Kevyn and I have been practicing. I can borrow strength from him that he draws from the Web. It works for a time, but we are both the worse for it."
"Then perhaps she has sacrificed one for the other. My own folk have long known how to `find' me, but it must be taught. It is not instinctive to look for what is not there," Maygra said. "Lorisa does not know how to seek what she cannot See with her sorcery or with the eyes of her hunters. She can see Gifts but only in use -- that is what drew her to us time after time."
"You may have found the answer -- or a least part of it," Rhys said. "The other parts must still be sorted out. How do we weaken the Web without destroying it or bringing harm to our people?"
"And how do we convince Laurien that the whole plan has merit?" Kevyn reminded them. "Laurien and the Council."
"We don't," Maygra said. "We do what is necessary and take the consequences."
"No," Rhys said. "By doing so we will also destroy what Ravon is . . . what we stand for."
"Ravon or Laurien?"
"Both," Rhys snapped. "For most folk here they are one in the same, the council notwithstanding. The people who remained at Ravon did so because of Laurien."
"That's a heavy burden to lay on one man," she said.
"Heavier than the one your kin have laid on you?" Kevyn asked gently, reaching out to touch her shoulder when she turned. "Right or wrong, good or bad, Maygra, your kin are alive because of you. They will follow you or defend you blindly."
"Blind faith is dangerous."
"It's the only kind that has any meaning. Belief in what you do not know or understand is the very definition of faith."
"Then you are a fool. Do you also put your faith in the Goddess who, until yesterday, never spoke to you?"
"Aye. I do. Her silence was expected. When she would speak was always the unknown."
"Not for my folk. Not for me. There are times when I wish she wouldn't talk so much," Maygra said wryly. "So, you will not proceed without the blessing of Laurien and the Council. Would you have also sought their blessing for your own plan?"
Rhys smiled faintly. "No. But it would have involved no one save Kevyn and me."
Maygra nodded and headed for the door. "I will leave you to your practice, then. I will wait for an answer, Maen Rhys, but not long. My folk will fight with you, but we won't fight alone for anyone but ourselves. Do you understand me?"
"I do. I can't promise how they will react," he cautioned.
She grinned. "I'm not looking for promises, Rhys. Only choices," she said and left feeling far more optimistic than she had in days.
CHAPTER 19GLOSSARY
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 of 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 rhinoceros, 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 elongated snouts and long flattened tails used as messengers for the gods. (pl. vegenen)