Ravyiel topped the rise ahead of his detachment and stopped, surveying the land around him. The pleasantly rolling hills with the scattering of farmsteads and a relatively nearby village had once been home to the Lord Protector. The farmstead nearest him to the North was inhabited by Eluren and his family, well known for the excellence of their sheep's wool. Only an hour's walk from there was the farmstead of Kohvrel and Ibrana where as a youth he learned the finer points of archery; though Kohvrel was a master farmer, well known for the quality of his gaba vines, he was also a master bowyer. His wife, Ibrana, was likely one of the finest fletchers in the realm and was often teased about being a Kalderi in disguise. The village nearby was where his mother's brother, Dathyiel, was thane and was nearly the most gentle spirit he had ever met in his life. Smiling at his memories, he knew he would have to forgo more social visits and mentally informed his uncle that he would be passing through but could not tarry. Dathyiel, mildly surprised at his nephew's proximity, said that he understood and would not hinder them but requested that Ravyiel invite him to the city when his business was finished. Ravyiel replied that he would and continued onward. As the group descended the hill, Alethyien, a veteran of the Ka'aneph smiled at his Commander.
"How long has it been since you last were here, Your Highness?" he asked.
"Only a few years," Ravyiel replied. "Sometimes, it seems as if it's been a hundred. I think you were with me the last time I was here."
"Indeed I was," Alethyien grinned. "I wonder if your mother's master cook has invented anything new since then."
The group chuckled at the statement. Beridan was one of the most brilliant cooks Ravyiel had ever known. He took great pride in his genius with inventing new recipes which never failed to delight the palates of his diners. When Ravyiel was a boy, Beridan was only an assistant cook in the castle but had showed great promise to his master at being able to prepare getsarit, an often hunted fowl in the region which was known for being difficult to properly cook; he did is so well that it was requested more frequently than hunters could bring it in. Since then, the now master cook had developed at least twenty different recipes for getsarit, not including the literally hundreds of accompaniments he had created to be taken during such a meal. It certainly made the Lady of Tumal pleased.
Within two hours, the group entered the village of Kerim and went directly to the village hall. There, they were warmly greeted by Dathyiel who made sure provisions were ready to refresh the travelers. As they rested, Ravyiel asked his uncle if the regional crafters' faire would be held there or in another village this year. Mentally, they discussed the news of trouble from Damar-Tumal, allowing Ravyiel to determine more of the nature of the problem. To the servants, it seemed merely a brief social visit and a light conversation between uncle and nephew without distinction of rank. Only the Ka'aneph knew the real purpose of the discussion.
"This year, it will be in Ketamir," Dathyiel began. "Nayia had bid for it before anyone else. Around thirty years ago. Since her village would likely benefit from the event, your mother took the bid and stated thereafter that the crafters' faire would rotate each year so that all villages in Tumal would benefit from it equally."
There has been no noticeable change in trade or prices since we learned of it, Ravyiel, Dathyiel mentally stated. It isn't like the last time this happened.
"I wonder why we never did this before," Ravyiel mused. "It seems this idea was once presented around five hundred years ago by Loryien in Hishar."
That's what is nagging at my mind, Ravyiel replied. I don't sense the same tension which means they are either being more careful or they are up to something else. I'm more concerned about it being something else.
"True," Dathyiel replied. "But, as you recall, your father was concerned over any possible dissent to such a notion and wanted to be certain nobody else felt tradition was being ignored."
As am I, Ravyiel. As is your mother. Do you think it some form of diversion away from something occurring elsewhere?
Ravyiel caught the subtle shift of presence. It was something he hadn't considered but was certain that, if such activity were happening elsewhere along the border of Y'Avan, Shethryia would certainly have learned about it by now. Reassuring his uncle that as Shethryia had not informed him of anything likewise taking place anywhere else in the Realm, it was likely that this was an isolated incidence and would be relatively simple to deal with. It would take more than ten thousand Peshkai soldiers making a well-planned attack to be of any real trouble and, even then, with the presence of the Ka'aneph, it would be ended rather quickly. Dathyiel mentally nodded in reply.
"I remember," Ravyiel smirked. "He was always very caring of other people's responses and wanted to make sure his decisions were universally agreeable. It still took mother another hundred years to make this decision herself."
"Well," Dathyiel chuckled. "As to that, she spent that hundred years sending delegates throughout the region acquiring a consensus on the matter. It seems that after given the idea and the potential benefit of such a practice, nobody dissented. Since there was still concern over the previously accepted bids, it was allowed that the rotation would not take effect until after Nayia's bid was honored."
Be very cautious, my nephew, Dathyiel sent. Something unusual is taking place in the world. I can feel it. This is merely part of it.
I will, my uncle, Ravyiel replied. When am I not?
You weren't when you got those scars on your body. You have a child now. Be careful.
I remember and I will. Thank you. Ravyiel ended the mental conversation with the equivalent of a hug. His uncle was right; no matter how simple a situation this may seem, caution was always a valuable asset.
After they finished their refreshments, Ravyiel and his troops left the village and continued toward Damar-Tumal. It would be another day before they arrived and he hoped Shethryia didn't notify him of anything else occurring at some other region. He wasn't sure how large the current problem was or how many bandits had taken up position near the city he once called home. So far, whatever they were doing was not causing problems for trade between the Empire and the Kingdom of Peshkhai. What nagged at his mind was why they were anywhere nearby in the first place.
The rest of the journey was less eventful though the group passed through two more villages and a sizable town before reaching Damar-Tumal. As Lord-Protector, Ravyiel was expected to be accept greetings and offers of hospitality by the village thanes and town mayor. He gracefully took the opportunity at each stop to rest and learn more of the situation as others knew of it, gaining more of an idea as to the nature of the problem as he traveled. So far, nothing had been disrupted, as he had previously come to understand but the closer he got to the regional city, the more tense the people were regarding the problem. He assured his hosts that the problem would be resolved one way or another and that they need not be concerned. As Ravyiel and his party crested the low hill just south of the city, he sensed everyone along the way felt more secure for his personal role in dealing with the problem. When the group was within a hundred yards of the Southern gate, a detachment of the garrison formed ranks on either side of the entry and sounded the horn of announcement: the Lord-Protector had arrived.
At the van of the group stood a somewhat older woman dressed in deep blue robes with an outer garment of deep crimson trimmed in silver. It was Faneshyia, Lady of Tumal. Her long, dark-brown hair was held back by a simple circlet woven of two strands of silver and one strand of gold. In terms of position, she was slightly above that of a duchess in other realms, answering only to the Empress and Lord-Protector. As Ravyiel approached, she smiled and stepped forward to greet him. When they reached each other, the two embraced, Faneshyia kissing each of Ravyiel's cheeks then stepping back to view him from arms reach.
"You look well, my son," she said beaming. "I can scarcely tell you've been traveling at all, save for the rather dusty attire. I take it your journey has been interesting?"
"Thank you, Mother," Ravyiel smiled. "Yes, it has been very interesting. I see you have been making some improvements to local commerce and social affairs."
Many have been concerned over this business of the bandits to the East and North, Ravyiel said in her mind. Nothing seems to have suffered for the trouble and I have assured all that it will be dealt with in short order.
"Yes, I have," she smiled. "I think everyone will find these changes more enjoyable once they take effect."
I know, my son, she replied mentally. I know you will deal with this well and swiftly. I simply hope it isn't more than any of us suspects.
"Perhaps we can discuss this over the evening meal, then?" Ravyiel said by way of moving the conversation and his group into the city castle.
"Of course," Faneshyia said, turning to accept the salute of the Ka'aneph with a polite and graceful nod. "Let us retire to more comfortable environs."
With that, the group moved forward toward the castle with Faneshyia and Ravyiel in the lead. When the entire group had passed, the city guard closed the postern gate and resumed their regular duties. The Lord-Protector, as well as his party, were very well aware of the tension easing from the local soldiers at their arrival. Ravyiel was not certain what exactly would be discovered but felt certain that he would be able to resolve the problem quickly and with little bloodshed. He just hoped the scout reports would be accurate enough to avoid having to perform additional reconnaissance before confronting the offending outlaws. For the moment, he allowed his mind to clear and took in the sight of what he once thought of as his house.
The castle of Damar-Tumal was less elegant than the great fortified city of Damar-Y'Avan but was more refined than a simple fortress. The walls around the structure were forty feet high, ten feet higher than the city's outer wall. Beyond that, he knew there would be an array of smaller buildings, gardens, and a large stable where his mother kept her wagons and oxen. Unlike traders' caravan wagons, these were meant for transporting the Lady and her entourage, as well as her personal guard, on the occasional journeys to the capital city of the Empire. The main structure rose up from a hill and was built of polished stone, some of which was quartz which gleamed in the afternoon sun. The East and West wings were only two stories high and the enclosed courtyard on the South side of the building was accessible from the proximal ends of the wings, as well as the Great Hall and private suites on the second floor of the castle. Above the second level, a wide tower rose another two stories, forming the core of the castle and housing both Faneshyia's elite guard and her personal attendants, as well as providing space for her primary officials' offices.
From what he could see, only a few new reliefs had been added to the courtyard wall and the corners of the wings. The rest of the building looked much as it had always looked for the last two thousand years. They crossed through the small orchard behind the courtyard and entered through the decorative iron gate into the rear garden of the courtyard. There they followed a well maintained path across the plaza of the courtyard to the center doors leading into the castle. Once inside, the group moved down the wide corridor to the Great Hall where a table had been prepared for them all to eat and relax after their travels. Once seated, servants quickly brought food and drink which Ravyiel and his company took to with Faneshyia's leave to begin eating. It had been the first full meal they had had since the previous day. When they were finished and the plates had been replaced with cups and five large urns of sika, Ravyiel turned to his mother.
"You house is as warm and welcoming as always, Mother," he smiled, taking a sip of hot sika. "I feel fortunate to have two wonderful homes to spend time in."
"Well, my son," Faneshyia replied. "It will always be second home to you, Shethryia and Dobaryia whenever you are able to visit. And of course to your Ka'aneph as well." She said the last beaming a smile at the guard seated around the table. "I only wish this was a social call."
"As do I," the Lord-Protector said somberly. "We may as well hear of the reports to this point so I can decide what next to do."
"At once," Faneshyia smiled as she summoned the herald to bring the reports to the Great Hall. Several minutes later, a slender woman near the Lady's age strode toward the table with a sheaf of papers under one arm.
Ravyiel admired the way the woman walked, head held high and with the grace of a dancer. He knew she was nearly six and half thousand years old but the only signs of her age were similar to Ranna's: darkening of the skin and a slight lightening of her hair. In all other respects, she was as fit as any a quarter her age. Ravyiel remembered when Karayia had been his governess, keeping the very active and imaginative youth from discovering too much mischief. Once he had reached the age of twenty, she took the position of herald, allowing the seemingly ancient Alaryien to retire from his duties and journey to Ka'alad Avayiadi and from there to the Light Forever. When the herald arrived at the table she gently laid the stack of reports beside Ravyiel then looked at him.
Smiling, Ravyiel stood and embraced his former caretaker. After the brief reunion, Karayia grinned.
"I certainly hope your daughter is being less trouble to Ranna than you were to me," she smirked. "Somehow, I think enough of Her Eminence' demeanor is present to sufficiently keep Eika Dobaryia from being too difficult."
Everyone at the table chuckled. It was well known that Dobaryia was better behaved than most children but was still prone to small acts of mischief. Few didn't know of her attempts to locate Vandaia the day of her arrival as the child lacked subtlety enough to avoid notice when expanding her awareness around another. Most of the Ka'aneph were well aware of the young Princess' mischief.
"She has her moments though not as openly as mine were," Ravyiel said. "She is learning control of herself quickly, whether she wants to or not."
At that, the older women looked at each other with unreadable expressions. Ravyiel could sense the sudden tension despite it being carefully hidden within each of the women. He knew they understood his meaning and was not surprised at their reaction. The last time a young child had generated such concern was when Shethryia was a few years older than Dobaryia. At the time, she was beginning to develop into physical maturity, causing control problems when her emotions and thoughts surged in response to the changes in her body. It wasn't that such problems didn't occur with other Ta'Yiashi girls, it was that it had never happened on that level of magnitude before. The fact that Dobaryia was showing herself to be, at very least, her mother's equal in power, was definite reason to be concerned, particularly as Shethryia was nine years older than Dobaryia when she needed to be reigned-in. That a child could do what the Princess could do was almost frightening.
"Go easy, Mother, Karayia," Ravyiel said, asserting his presence as a calming force. "Both Shethryia and Neshyia are keeping her well in hand. I suspect Neshyia will soon be having a more direct presence in my daughter's instruction. There need be little worry over anyone being knocked senseless for the sake of childhood curiosity."
The two older women chuckled.
"Well, apparently such ability yet needs to be reigned-in," Faneshyia smirked. "Considering the child's parents, it is easy to see how such things might come to pass."
Everyone laughed openly, including Ravyiel.
"Alright," Ravyiel said. "Let us read these reports or have you a summary already, Karayia?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," she smiled, obviously grateful to be on another subject. "It's the first report in the stack. I thought you'd appreciate that."
"As always, you have things in exceptional order and remain a step ahead of me," Ravyiel chuckled.
"As do I, my son," Faneshyia said. "I asked her to collect the reports and order them according to date so that you could more easily observe any patterns you think important to pursue. She did the summary report on her own."
Ravyiel nodded, smiling. If there had been any doubts about getting through this quickly, they were presently dispelled. Having the information ordered in such a way would make choosing a course of action much simpler. Instead of spending hours pouring over reports and comparing notes between them all, the entire issue could be observed according to the actual sequence of events, allowing Ravyiel and his company to note key behaviors and positions of the brigands. He was very grateful for their efforts and said as much as he sat down and began reading the summary report, Karayia distributing the other reports to the Ka'aneph.
After only two hours, between reading and mentally comparing the information to the summary, the Lord-Protector and the Ka'aneph arrived at a conclusion as to how best to confront the issue.
"They seem to be keeping well to the East but off the main road to Ghervon," Ravyiel noted aloud. "The only other movement has been toward the North and that has been mostly arrivals of small groups. None of them have attempted to get closer to our borders than a day."
"Yes, and they seem to be making only short forays Eastward," Alethyien added. "That sort of movement is more the activity of hunters, not brigands. My guess is that they are trying to evade something or someone else, possibly a rival band." Looking up at Ravyiel he asked, "Do you think the Black Circle is involved again?"
"That's highly possible," Ravyiel replied. "When they were sent back to Peshkai, the remaining five leaders escaped bonds and fled the country. I would expect them to reorganize as they had been very lucrative in their efforts before. It is possible that, over time, the group split and those who either didn't know about or believe the news of Ka'aneph traveling with caravans might have surveyed the possibilities of resuming their previous activities."
"First sight would have meant little if they knew nothing of us, my Lord," Alethyien commented. "There are no reports from the Ka'aneph delegates of Black Circle or any other group being anywhere within perceptible limits of any caravans until recently. All those reports state plainly that the brigands keep a very large gap between the traders and themselves."
"True," Ravyiel said thoughtfully. "So, either this is Black Circle activity, possibly seeking to move toward the South end of the Peshkai Realm to interfere with trade there or they have divided and one group is forcing the other toward us in hopes of being rid of the nuisance."
Looking back at the summary report, the Lord-Protector frowned. Something was missing from the reports, a vital bit of information he sorely needed: numbers. All of the reports noted numbers in small groups and the summary tallied the small groups' numbers but lacked a final count. He would need to do a small amount of reconnaissance before confronting the outlaws so that he could get an exact number of those in hiding. He knew there were more than the noted groups. The only questions were how many and where. Feeling a need to resolve this quickly, Ravyiel resigned himself to performing reconnaissance en route to confrontation. He only hoped he would have enough to handle whatever number he might find.
"How many soldiers are closely familiar with that area?" he asked Faneshyia. "I want only well trained, experienced veterans who know that wilderness well."
"I have at least one hundred such soldiers," the Lady of Tumal replied. "Maybe as many as one hundred-thirty. A runner has been dispatched to have them make ready."
"Thank you, Mother," Ravyiel smiled. "Then have them be ready for me at dusk. We will use the cover of night to scout them out and position ourselves to deal with them."
"Very well," she replied. "They will be ready when you arrive at the Trade Gate."
Ravyiel nodded and thanked his mother before ordering his company to rest until he summoned them. It would likely be a long night and he hoped to keep the number of deaths to a minimum. In the past, the decision had been to exterminate the problem and send only a very frightened example back for other outlaws to look upon before deciding to harass the Ta'Yiashi. The plan was carried out and the forest East of Damar-Tumal had come to be known as Death Wood by Peshkhai caravans. The slaughter that day had been remembered for the last four thousand years and Ravyiel felt that one massacre was enough. He merely wanted them moved but would take lives if necessary. He just hoped it wouldn't be.
* * *
Shethryia watched the garden below where Dobaryia was playing with some of the younger maid servants. Apparently, her daughter was taken by the idea of trying to find someone who was hiding without using eluyia to do so. The Empress wasn't sure what notion prompted her daughter to avoid such use but was certain that it would change if the need arose. As she watched, she opened herself to Dobaryia's mind and observed how she was reasoning out her tactics. After a moment, the Empress smiled. It appeared that her choice of acting without eluyia was from a consideration of fairness for those who had no such gifts. She also noted that Dobaryia was becoming very skilled in the practice of deduction; she knew where she had looked previously and eliminated the possibilities in her mind, forming a mental map of the area as she sought her playmates. One by one, she would find them, remembering the location someone was found. Sensing another presence in the area of the garden, Shethryia expanded her awareness and discovered Vandaia was also closely observing the game.
Near the Western gate to the garden, Vandaia watched the game of hide-and-go-seek. She observed that though the others were older than Dobaryia, the Princess seemed to have little difficulty reasoning out how to locate them and was very difficult to find when she hid. The former Warmistress smiled to herself when she also noted that the child was choosing not to use eluyia while playing with the maid servants. As she considered the situation, she became aware of Shethryia observing the garden and knew she sensed her presence. Deciding to leave the young to play their game uninterrupted, the Kalderi silently slipped away from the garden entry unaware that the Princess had noticed her departure.
A few minutes later, Vandaia arrived in the Empress' private quarters and joined Shethryia at the small table near the South balcony. As she sat, Shethryia poured her some sika and smiled.
"What do you think of her choice?" the Kalderi sat as she lifted the cup of steaming liquid to her lips.
"I think it many things," the Empress replied. "Not the least of which is the fact that such development is much more accelerated than I would have thought possible, even for her."
Vandaia looked at her friend closely. The subtle inflection in her voice indicated that her friend was both pleased and concerned. She herself thought it more than exceptional that a six-year-old child had the ability to reason in favor of another's weakness, not to mention that she could already perform simple deduction without difficulty. But that she was aware of doing this and was learning how to take advantage of it was years beyond what she could have done at the same age. Apparently, Shethryia felt the same way.
"Why do you think she is developing so rapidly?" Vandaia asked gently, thinking through what she understood of how Ta'Yiashi children developed their gifts.
"I confess, I have no idea," Shethryia replied. "I was only able to do such things under Neshyia's instruction and guidance." She looked deeply into her friend's eyes. "Neshyia has had no part in her instruction yet... at all."
Vandaia felt a strange chill tickle her spine at those words. Like anything else, eluyia required learned discipline and years of constant training and guidance before it was fully controlled. It was a reckless maelstrom that needed tempering into a steady, even wind. As far as she knew, no one had ever been able to simply use it in the manner Dobaryia displayed without having some direction from another with greater experience. The fact that this child could, to even a small degree, was nearly frightening.
"I know, Vanni," Shethryia said, using her friend's nick-name. "I am more than pleased at her ability but now have questions as to whether or not I will be able to control her without harming her in the process. Somehow, this one child… my child, possesses an eluyia beyond anyone's expectations. It's as if…"
"You were standing next to the sun," Vandaia finished. After a moment of silent consideration, she asked, "Have you spoken to Neshyia about it?"
"She is on her way here but has another consideration she wishes to share with us. It concerns why the melari have returned."
Vandaia simply nodded and continued drinking her sika in silence. Three things had suddenly come into being that she had never believed would or could. The first was the return of the melari; the second was the presence of dangerous bandits within a day of Y'Avan's borders. The third was that a child of six was capable of things far beyond her years or instruction. The former princess, even having lived well beyond what she would have considered possible, had never known a time when she could not think deeply on more than one subject with ease. With the events taking place, she was at a loss and felt something she had not felt in almost nine hundred years: cold fear.
A few moments later, Neshyia arrived and sat down at the table as if she had been simply standing nearby. Her usually cheerful demeanor was replaced by an expressionless mask and reserved actions. Helping herself to a cup of sika, she looked at the two women already present at the table.
"There are two things which need to be dealt with immediately," she began, taking a sip of the hot beverage. "The first is Eika Dobaryia."
"So, you've noticed," Shethryia responded flatly.
"I have," Neshyia said. "I have been aware of her progress since before she entered the world. I've known many with great ability, a small few who were exceptional in childhood, but nothing like Dobaryia."
Vandaia and Shethryia looked at each other, openly expressing their surprise at the statement. Neither of them knew exactly how old Neshyia was but both knew she had seen the passing of more than two empresses. It was likely she had known many more very gifted people in those years, some noted as exceptional in their time. When Shethryia was a child, Neshyia had told the Empress' mother and father that their daughter was the most powerfully gifted young woman she had ever known. It was then that the Vizier took the future Empress into her tutelage and guided her in gaining full control of the eluyia within. As far as Shethryia knew, Neshyia had never been seriously concerned but was very strict in her instruction. For her to be openly concerned about Dobaryia in this manner was frightening.
"I will need to begin working with her at once, Shethryia," Neshyia stated as she looked at the Empress. "I will handle other aspects of her instruction as well but Ranna will still be necessary to guide her in learning the more social aspects of living."
Shethryia nodded. She knew this would come as a blow to Ranna, particularly when she learned what was occurring with her pupil. She knew her former governess would understand the need for stricter control over the child's abilities but hoped it would not be taken negatively. As her advisor said, the beloved older woman was more than necessary in guiding Dobaryia along the path of development. No matter what one or another was capable of teaching or guiding in, it took many to raise a child most effectively. Hopefully, none of them would encounter any difficulties in the years to come.
"When will you begin working with her directly?" Shethryia asked.
"I think on the morrow," Neshyia replied quietly. "For now, she is content to be a child playing with others. That is a good sign but she will need to be monitored for any change in that consideration."
Shethryia nodded, already keeping mental watch of her daughter's activities. "Now there was another issue you needed to discuss with me?"
"Yes," Neshyia smiled, the usual humor absent from her eyes. "As you know, it concerns the melari. I think I know how we may discern the nature of their reappearance."
"How will we do that?" the Empress inquired, openly curious about such a notion.
"We will bond, all three of us," the Vizier continued. "I will direct the activity but we all need to remain bonded and open to one another. With the three of us combined and collectively seeking, we should be able make some discoveries."
"When shall we begin?" Vandaia asked.
"In a few hours," Neshyia responded. "When Dobaryia is sleeping, we will be able to focus all our attention on that task. It will be difficult but I believe we will succeed. For now, I want both of you to sort out anything pressing in your thoughts. We can have no hindrances within. I will return after the child is asleep."
The other two simply nodded and Neshyia dismissed herself from the Empress' chambers. It would be only three hours until nightfall, another two after that before Dobaryia would likely be asleep. After a few moments, Vandaia also excused herself that she may attend to her own needs and prepare herself for the coming task. Bidding her friend a good day until then, Shethryia stood and looked out over the South balcony. The sun was already halfway toward the horizon from its zenith, meaning Dobaryia would soon need to eat and cleanse herself before bed. Allowing her daughter another hour of play, the Empress decided to exercise her body; she often used specific physical activity to both maintain her health and to help clear her mind of unfinished business.
After mentally securing the doors, the Empress disrobed and began stretching to loosen her limbs. When she felt sufficiently ready, Shethryia began a series of slow, controlled movements designed to improve coordination and strength. After several minutes, she mentally drew her staff to her from across the room and changed the pattern of her movements to a type of slow dance. As she moved, she began singing a light, airy song about the wind and sea, slowly twirling her staff in tightly controlled arcs.
Gradually, she increased the tempo of her movements while keeping the song at a steady pace. In moments, she was dancing in a tight circle, accented by occasional leaps, spins and shouts, twirling her staff faster and in increasingly complex patterns. Soon, her staff was no more than a blur which created a droning accompaniment to her voice. The song, too, had increased in tempo and the interjected shouts became more frequent. Faster and faster she danced, her feet making a light tattoo on the smooth stone floor like the beat of a drum. A minute later, a small globe of pulsing light formed above her head, keeping steady time and growing in intensity. After a few minutes, the light became a blinding white with a bluish tinge with each pulse. Then, the air around her crackling with power and the combined sound of staff and song reaching a crescendo, she stopped; with one foot on the ground, the other drawn up behind her so that her heel was less than an inch from her head and her back arched, she gave a final shout and held her staff diagonally across her glistening body. A moment later, the globe of light faded and disappeared, leaving the chamber lit only by the sun.
When she was finished with her exercise, Shethryia crossed to where she kept her staff and set it down gently, then mentally unbarred the doors and called for Amia to draw a bath for her and Dobaryia. Amia arrived a few moments later and hesitated in her step at the sight of her Empress standing nude in the middle of the large chamber. Quickly recovering, the younger woman went about her duties of filling the bath. When her attendant had left the room, Shethryia summoned her daughter. Smiling at the child's wish to play longer, followed by a sigh of resignation when she was told she could not, the Empress moved to a chair beside her small table and slid on her inner robe as she sat down. A few minutes later, the girl arrived and the two entered the adjacent room, slipping wordlessly into the warm bath.
"Did you enjoy your play today, nimat?" Shethryia asked, addressing her daughter by a term of endearment.
"Yes, Mama," Dobaryia smiled as Amia scrubbed the rich black soil from her skin. "Ferra is very silly, though. She kept laughing every time I found someone quickly."
"Well," Shethryia chuckled. "She is less silly than you think. You haven't spent a lot of time with Ferra before but she is a very happy girl who is gifted at being able to find humor in the antics of others."
"What are antics, Mama?" Dobaryia asked, scrunching her face into a frown.
"How people behave, Darling," the Empress laughed. "Your running about searching for people very specifically struck her as being unusual for a child your age and it gave her cause to laugh. To her, it was like watching an older child or young lady playing hide-and-go-seek in a small child's body."
"Oh," Dobaryia replied. "That is funny! And silly, too."
Amia and Shethryia both laughed good naturedly at the young Princess' remarks, largely for the manner in which she said them. Shethryia sensed her daughter was unaware that others thought the same thing but were mindful of a much deeper meaning than Ferra understood. She gently opened her awareness to the servants Dobaryia had been playing with to see if any of them had any concern or felt the child's abilities were odd for one so young. None of them seemed to consider Dobaryia's abilities anything more than lucky and her antics cute. Smiling inwardly, the Empress knew that in the years to come when Dobaryia ruled Y'Avan, these girls and young women would be adoring and faithful servants to her daughter. The thought pleased her greatly and she dismissed any deeper consideration of the future.
When they were finished bathing and had dressed once more, Dobaryia in her lavender night shift and Shethryia in a comfortable gown of deep blue accented with green and turquoise embroidery, mother and daughter sat at the small table in the Empress' bed chamber. When they left, Amia set about the task of cleansing the bath and tidying up for the next day by herself. Shethryia sensed the young woman was enjoying the time alone, allowing herself to relax before retiring for the night. Certain her attendant had no idea of the deeper issues underlying Dobaryia's afternoon play, she summoned servants who brought a light meal for her and her daughter to share at day's end.
Conversation was simple, centered on the new direction Dobaryia's instruction would take the next day. It pleased Shethryia that her daughter found the change exciting and that she liked Neshyia very much. The odd note to the Empress was how Dobaryia had come to think of the Vizier as something akin to a grandmother; the child never knew her own grandmother which, in and of itself, was unusual. As far as Shethryia knew, the Princess was the first child born in the Empire since the first generation who did not know her mother's parents. Perhaps there was a reason behind that, too, and one day that reason would assert itself. For now, the Empress was content that her daughter was eager to adapt to the change in her instruction routine.
When they were finished, the two sat quietly in meditation, focusing their thoughts on the life-giving perfection of the One and felt gratitude for the day they were given to enjoy. Since Dobaryia was around four, the Empress spent such time with her, often with Ravyiel present as well. It allowed them to bond as a family and remain centered in spirit, drawing upon the ever-present power of the One to unite them and grant them daily serenity. Shethryia knew that Neshyia would soon be teaching Dobaryia more about the One and about the nature of eluyia, particularly that it was a Gift of the One to have such abilities. She also knew that, as Dobaryia advanced in her understanding of things, she would be instilled with a deep sense of humility, temperance, and respect for that Gift. Like it or not, the child would need to learn both control of and responsibility for the power she possessed. Such was the nature of the Gift and of growing-up. After the hour of bonding and meditation, Shethryia kissed her daughter goodnight and sent her off to bed.
Dobaryia slipped into bed, her mind full of anticipation of the next day's events. She knew Neshyia well and always enjoyed spending time with the older woman. Somehow, her mother's advisor seemed ancient though she looked no older than her mother did. There was also a strange bond she felt with her that she couldn't grasp. Each time she thought of it, the reason eluded her mind and she was left to simply consider that Neshyia was simply a very close friend of her parents. Hopefully, she would learn more about how to understand and learn things with her mind, as well as more about how everything had come to be the way it is. Dobaryia wasn't sure but somehow she sensed that Neshyia would know more about why life was the way it was than anyone else, including her parents. Forcing herself to calm, she drifted off into a restful sleep dreaming of one day knowing everything and making sure everyone was always happy.
Dobaryia was asleep no more than a quarter hour when Neshyia arrived, Vandaia a step behind. Shethryia knew her advisor was keeping track of the child as much as she was and had likely summoned Vandaia. When all three were together, Neshyia moved to the center of the room and sat on the floor, followed by the other two.
"This is going to be a bit taxing for all of us," the Vizier began. "It is vitally important that we do not break contact with one another or we may be harmed. I don't know what exactly we will discover but I sense it will not take our snooping mildly if it should become aware of us."
"You mentioned something of the Great Dragons once inhabiting this land," Vandaia said. "Do you think it possible that such a creature is behind all of this?"
"I don't know," Neshyia admitted. "No one really knows anything about them in detail. Merely theories about how they behaved with some actual explanations which, I must confess, make little sense."
"What do you mean?" Shethryia asked, surprised at Neshyia's statement.
"One of them was a prolific writer," Neshyia replied. "He or she, we don't know which, took the time to explain the existence of their kind and what they did during their time. It appears they lived much like we do now but had abilities even the most powerful of us would be hard-pressed to duplicate."
"Like what?" Vandaia asked, now more curious about what such creatures were capable of.
"They had the power to move through the universe," Neshyia said. "At least the writing refers to such activity as being somewhat usual for them. That is how they hunted, seeking sustenance on other worlds when that which they hunted here had either died out or needed to repopulate. The melari were formed and bred, initially, to act as hunting dogs, similar to how the Peshkai hunt boar and bear."
"Didn't they use them as war dogs, too?" Shethryia asked. "I recall you mentioning that hey became used as guard animals at some point."
"Yes, they did," the Vizier went on. "They were used primarily as scouts and harriers, seeking the location of a rival then attacking the other's pack of melari. The writer I mentioned seems to be the one who had developed the creatures and was displeased with their being used in such a fashion."
"That seems odd to me," Vandaia commented. "Why would such things bother a Great Dragon? Couldn't he or she have simply destroyed the beasts when they became misused?"
"I don't know," Neshyia frowned. "There is little that states the extent or nature of their power, simply that they had it and were, for lack of any other explanation, creatures who embodied that power physically. Again, we know little exact truth about them but what we do know is that they have power beyond any of us. They could annihilate us without great effort."
The other two women shuddered at the words. The idea that a Great Dragon had returned to the world was suddenly beyond frightening and it took all their control to remember that such was merely theory. No one really knew what such beings were capable of. They were only certain that they did not want to find out. Gripping each other's hands, the three women forced themselves to calm and once again cleared their minds of extraneous concern. They didn't know that it was a Great Dragon causing these things to occur, only that the cause was potentially destructive. For Shethryia, it was a matter of discovering how she would be able to best keep her people from harm. When they were ready, Neshyia asserted her awareness, joining the three women together.
For a moment, the world around them seemed to fade, as if the room had suddenly become insubstantial and they were left to hang in empty space. Then, slowly, there was a sensation of movement and their perceptions shifted. They could see the lands of Y'Avan spread out around them and begin to pass by as they moved Eastward. With each passing moment, their movement quickened until they were speeding along faster than any creature known to exist. The world around them became a blur of dark, muted color with a canopy of deep shadow streaked with light. In minutes, they reached and rapidly crossed over the Plains of Zami, the last stretch of land before the great chasm which separated the Northland of Shanai from the rest of the lands. As they soared over the chasm, a new presence was felt. They were close.
Slowing quickly, Neshyia mentally commanded the other two to mute their presences. As they did, the sense of the other grew. It was a presence like nothing any of them had ever encountered in their lives. Ignoring the onset of what might otherwise have been pain, the women moved forward toward a grand plateau where they could see villages and farms dotting the countryside. Just ahead of them, a high jagged ridge broke the horizon, a black ragged line beneath a clear, star-filled sky. The closer they got to the ridge, the stronger the presence grew, causing Shethryia to form a mental barrier around them to shield the three from the negative emanation. A few minutes later, they were aware of a rough facing to the ridge with a wide opening nearby leading into the ancient rock. Neshyia conveyed a warning that such an entry would likely be monitored by the being within; if it was powerful enough to radiate the kind of power they felt at a distance, it would have no trouble discerning the presence of their collective awareness. Opting for less obvious means of intrusion, the Vizier directed them to allow her more access to their minds and began moving them through the solid stone of the cliff.
They eased their collective awareness through the ancient rock under Neshyia's guidance, careful to mute their presences as they moved. They were near their quarry and could feel needle-like pricks of pain in their minds, greatly subdued by the shielding Shethryia had formed around their unified presence. Somewhere ahead, they sensed a large space many times the size of the Great Hall and within it, the object of their search. For several minutes they mentally traveled through tens of feet of solid granite until at last, they cautiously emerged into the colossal chamber.
Their senses reeled from the being's unabated aura of power. It's presence felt like every nightmare and horror that ever existed had been given form. In shape, it resembled the descriptions of what Great Dragons were believed to have looked like but lacked solidity and definition. The air around it reeked of death and decay, as if what flesh it possessed was taken from the remains of a thousand graves and hellishly woven into the body it now resided in. They shuddered involuntarily at their nearness to it, unable to completely shake the sudden feeling that they had been deeply violated. All three were certain no living person had ever been near anything such as this creature and were completely repulsed by it's very existence. As they formalized their impressions, Shethryia overcame her revulsion of the creature. Driven by a need to discern it's purpose and reason for coming into being here, she gently reached out with her mind.
Instantly, her mind recoiled, as if she had just put her hand into something long dead and still decomposing. In that moment, all three knew from their union that this was no Great Dragon; it was the culmination of the rage and hatred which plagued the lives of people throughout time. At it's core, the being was a paradox, a thing with life yet not alive. The violent disdain it wore as hide seethed with animosity for others, especially those who embraced and cherished the Light. It was the very incarnation of evil and the Empress knew without doubt that it hated the very essence of life itself.
Immediately, Neshyia began their withdrawal from the cave. She warned Shethryia not to seek more but she was too late. In her brief moment of contact, she learned it had a specific agenda and, for the sake of protecting her people, she had to know what it was. As she gently reached out again, a sudden wave of pain ripped through her consciousness and she realized in horror that the creature was now staring at the spot where their collective awareness had entered the chamber. It was aware of their presence.
"What is it you seek here, Daughter of Light?" it said, it's voice filled with cruelty and malice. "Your vanity will be your undoing, Ta'Yiashi. When it does, your precious Empire will crumble and all that fool Yianchaver believed will lie in ruin for all time." It paused, asserting it's presence more powerfully, threatening to tear away the shield the Empress had erected. "You are dead already, as are those with you. In the end, I will reign and the living will be no more than a distant memory to the universe."
With a focused surge of power, Neshyia withdrew them completely, sharply breaking the union of their minds and forced the other two to return to the Empress' bed chamber. The effect was staggering and left Shethryia and Vandaia shivering uncontrollably as their senses were suddenly thrust back into the setting of their bodies. It took several minutes before the Empress could recover, quite a bit longer for the Kalderi. The Vizier waited, watching the other two closely until they had regained control of themselves. When they stopped shaking, the Neshyia sighed.
"That was both dangerous and foolish, child," she frowned at Shethryia.
Shethryia blinked hard. Neshyia had not spoken to her in such a manner nor addressed her as "child" since she was around forty. Worse was the added sting of the other's eluyia behind the words. The sensation was something akin to being slapped in the face.
"I needed to…" the Empress began, cut off by her advisor.
"To what?! Become the mindless shell of a woman unable to control her own body?" Neshyia snapped, rising to her feet. "You have a responsibility as Empress, as a wife, and as a mother! Your first assertion with that being was enough. I learned all we needed to know from that contact."
"You forget the full weight of my responsibility, then," Shethryia retorted hotly, as she also stood. "If threat is borne against the Land, it is borne against me. For the sake of my people, I will learn all I can about our enemy and I will overcome it!"
"I have not forgotten what I taught you," Neshyia replied flatly while asserting her presence more forcefully. "You failed to protect the Empire by failing to follow my guidance in protecting yourself."
"I failed at nothing!" Shethryia hissed, her words backed by an equal assertion of her eluyia. "I am Empress here, not Neshyia!"
"Please! Stop!" Vandaia cried, lurching uncertainly to her feet. "I may be the youngest and weakest here, but I can feel the taint." Trying to steady herself, she looked at each woman and said, "It's… seeking you. It wants…"
Vandaia never finished her words. Before anyone could react, a piercing shriek filled the air coupled with sudden pain that sliced through their minds like a sword. The journey of her mind and clashing of presence between Neshyia and Shethryia was already more than taxing but the sudden scream combined with the thrust of a powerful eluyia was more than she could handle. Eyes suddenly glazed, the Kalderi's face drained of color as she slumped senselessly to the cold stone floor. As one, Neshyia and Shethryia shook their heads then looked from the Kalderi to where the sound had come from. It was Dobaryia.