New Cali

by Erik Schubach

  Thinking of Corrick always made me sigh in sorrow. When mother was courting him, I felt as if that was what it was like to have a father since mine died when I was too young to remember his face.

  I pretended to give it much thought until Elise offered me a second cinnamon roll. I had told them, “Of course.” Elise and Jace were such a smart match, even before we found ourselves nobles by accident and happenstance.

  After our meeting with the Duke, which went pretty much as I had expected, we found ourselves in an overcrowded Library of the Techromancy Scrolls. Everyone was standing around the diminutive and smiling Emily and the poor page sitting next to her with a portable flash unit which had wires trailing up to it through the doors of the library. He looked positively enamored with the Queen of the Scrolls, it was a common look around her. She simply had the personality and smile that made you light up and just want to hug her to you and protect her from the world.

  Donovan stood next to his wife, a counterpoint to her small stature, the tall man with his shaved head towered over her and exuded the power you would associate with his title of Prime Techromancer. He was, by all accounts, the most powerful magic user in Wexbury. His hand rested proprietarily on her back and the love between them was almost a physical presence you could reach out and touch.

  The Duke and Duchess appeared on the second level, in a balcony overseeing the main level of the Library. There was no way to reach that balcony via the winding staircases that rose to the upper levels of the rows of bookcases of the space, and I often wondered where the door to that balcony was hidden. I've only ever seen the Duke, Duchess, or Rain up there, and I don't think Rain got there the same way they did.

  Emily looked up to see them, and she smiled then looked around the crowded space. Many nobles from not just Wexbury were there, but from various other realms. Since this wasn't an official meeting of nobles, I assume they were attached to the scholars and Techromancers restoring or studying the tomes and scrolls from the warehouse district which belonged in the Cedar Ridge Public Library.

  I looked around too, searching for my errant daughters and mother. When Em lit up with glee and motioned someone over, I followed her eyes and saw Misty, and Ingr pulling mother along to our matron of the library. Then the girls took turns hugging Emily and spinning her around.

  Wait... where was Shanicia? I turned around to scan the place but stopped and blinked. She was sitting on Celeste's shoulder. How... wait, I didn't want to know how my youngest moved around so stealthily.

  Emily looked to be in heaven having one of her grandchildren there, and she looked around again, no doubt for Shan who she spoiled so. Her eyes locked on us and waved us over. The crowd split as I moved through with my charges and guards and we stepped up to her as Shan dove off of Celeste's shoulder into Donovan's large hands.

  “Pop pop!” Donovan smiled at her and kissed the top of her head as he hugged her then set her down to maul Emily.

  “Hello little one.”

  I pointed out as I kissed first Emily's, then mom's, then his cheek. “She's not so little anymore.”

  “I wasn't speaking to her, how are you Laney, dear.”

  He oofed when Em backhanded his gut. “That's enough of the short jokes from you, you blustering lout.”

  “Yes, Emily.”

  She shook a finger at him. “That's right. Yes, Emily. I swear, if I didn't...”

  He shut her up with a peck on the lips, and we all turned from them to mom as she chuckled. Rain asked, “What is it Margret?”

  “Does their bickering remind you of anyone?”

  Ranelle took a moment as she kissed first Donovan's then Emily's cheeks. Then she grinned and looked from them to Celeste and me, where my wife stood behind me, hands on my shoulders. “Why yes, I do believe you're right Margret.”

  I exhaled, savagely, then sighed and leaned back into the knight of my heart and shrugged. Then I prodded the little blonde, “So... ummm, mom. What is this all about then?” I eyed the page who was frantically typing everything on the flash machine. “And who's on the other end of that thing?”

  I had my suspicions. The page watched the letters on the box flash and read off, “And hello to you to, Laney. What is with all the secrecy? Is this crown business?”

  I didn't have to ask and I prompted the boy, “Hello George. I don't know, this is the Queen of the Scrolls' party.” I stuck my tongue out at a mock affronted Em. The page relayed my words.

  The instant communication devices were a wonder thought up by our Lord Bexington. Bundles of wires have been strung between all of the Lower Ten, and Highland, and the first cables have almost reached New Home with plans to include Arcadia, and the last of the Outlands – Tiamant, and Avalon soon as more wires are manufactured.

  When letters are pressed on the box, a light with the corresponding letter is lit on the other side. There is a switch operator in Highland that can connect any two locations without having dedicated wires between those points. Messages sent via the system are called conveniently enough, flashes, for all the flashing letters involved.

  We all looked at Em. She sighed and said, “Good good, fine fine. I'll tell the whole impatient lot of you.”

  She hugged Shan to her as Misty and Ingr went to work tucking stray strands of Emily's hair back into the massive braid on her back. There was so much murmuring in the crowd that Emily's voice was being swallowed up.

  Rain looked annoyed and brought her fingers to her lips to let out one of her deafening whistles when an earsplitting shrill whistle rang out from the most surprising of sources. Emily lowered her fingers as the Library went silent. “Please. I'm about to begin, if you must make noise in my library, then I'll have to ask you to do it out in the corridor, am I understood?”

  She looked around at all the sheepish faces and then bounced on her toes, supremely pleased with herself as she squeaked out, “Good.” She looked up at the Duke and Duchess. “My liege, my lady,” Then at me as she curtsied. “Great Mother Laney.”

  We all inclined our heads to her, giving her the room. We weren't crazy, nobody denied her in her Library, and nobody corrected her when she declared the realm's library hers. Again, we weren't nuts.

  When she spoke again, her voice carried to every corner of the library clearly, like the voices at the Meeting Spot were amplified by the cutout behind it in Father Stone. I glanced up at the beautiful craftsmanship of the carved wooden domes of the Library and thought for the first time that must be why it was designed that way.

  She began, “As most of you know by now, I, Emilathia Brightseeker, am not of the realms of Sparo. I am from a land faraway to the South, where Father Sol reigns with a fiery hold on the lands of New Cali. I was First Seeker from our repository of knowledge when I was sent to Sparo to document your progress since the last time the Knowledge Seekers came to Sparo to observe your culture, hundreds of years ago.”

  She sighed in sorrow. “It is a treacherous crossing, even with all the weigh stations built for the task a thousand years back, and few of us survive the journey.”

  With a shrug she continued as the poor page's fingers flew across the letters on his box, attempting to keep up with her, “I was to observe and learn of your culture to add it to the knowledge we have gathered in the new rising of man after the Great Impact tore our world asunder. For ten years I was to observe then retire back to New Cali, but I never expected to fall in love with the people of Sparo, nor this big lug here.” She beamed a look of love and devotion to Donovan.

  Then as Duke Liam of Solomon would say, she lowered the boom on us. “I am thirty years overdue and am likely assumed dead in the crossing, but I believe it is time for New Cali to come out of the shadows and our two peoples to meet. Sparo has surpassed us in most ways and we could all benefit from the sharing of knowledge.”

  She smiled and shrugged, suddenly looking smaller than normal, her voice wavering slightly. “It is time that I go home.”

 
A ripple of surprise and even excitement flowed through the people gathered. I know my heart was beating a little faster, but not because of the possibility of us meeting a new people... but did her going home mean she was leaving Sparo behind? Was this despair I was feeling?

  Misty hugged her from behind in a show of support as Donovan pulled her to his side to share his strength. She wiped a teary eye and said in a stronger tone and allayed my fear, “Don't get me wrong, Sparo is my home, Donovan is my home...” Her smile bloomed as she pulled Shan to her. “My family, is my home. It is just time to introduce our peoples.”

  I could feel a ten ton weight lift from my heart in relief.

  She looked toward the flash box and said with a smirk, “And someone has been relentless the past three years since I first revealed my story, trying to convince me to do just this.”

  The page read some lights a moment after he sent the dictation and he made himself look small as he read with one eye squinted as if in pain, “So sayeth the Queen of the Scrolls.”

  She grumped, “Shush George, I'm not done. Everly, control your man.” She looked like an imp, bouncing on her toes and biting her tongue through a toothy grin as a chuckle ripped through the library. I could count on one hand the people who could get away talking to the King in such a manner, and Em was on that list.

  The page read, “Yes, Emily.”

  Another round of murmured laughter circulated.

  She stood tall, and though she was dwarfed by her spouse, she looked a hero of legend to me for some reason as she said firmly, “So I have decided to petition the Crown and the Great Mother of Sparo, to assemble a diplomatic and cultural exchange expedition to New Cali, the cold season is beginning and that is the best time for the people of Sparo to visit as the average temperature in New Cali is one hundred degrees, summer would be most unpleasant to you as it rivals and exceeds the temperatures in the Burning Desert.”

  I noticed she was looking directly at me, question in her eyes. I was nodding like a loon. “Of course.”

  Then the page was reading in that stilted manner as each word completed flashing, “The Crown has no objections to such a historic undertaking, and as it shall be the first meeting of our peoples, then the Crown or Great Mother should be present. And as our dear Laney represents both the Altii and the People with her unique heritage, I believe her best suited to the task.”

  My heart was beating faster yet again, excitement flooding me. An adventure! An adventure to a new land away from my crushing responsibilities here? I composed myself and looked at the page and said, “Passing the buck are we, George?” I didn't wish to look too eager after all. People chuckled.

  The page cringed at the flashing lights, gnawing at his lower lip in discomfort. He clearly didn't wish to say what came across. I prompted, “What is it, young page?”

  He sighed and slumped his shoulders and relayed the message, “Just a little.”

  The place erupted in uproarious laughter when I muttered, “Even over flashes, jokes of my height? Not becoming of a King, your high and mightiness.” The boy hesitated, likely wondering if he could get the stockade for insulting the King by proxy. Then his fingers flew across the letters with a cringe.

  Then he said as lights flashed, “Everly here, Laney dear, the old buffoon is busy laughing. We leave it to you to arrange the expedition and dispatch airships to gather your party. We just request the Crown be invited to witness the departure of this historic expedition.”

  I inclined my head though they couldn't see me and said over the rising voices in the space as everyone excitedly spoke of the mission, “Of course, Ev. When we have a solid plan, we'll contact you and your joker husband.”

  The page sighed and looked uncomfortable again as he read, “Grand. Love you dear, speak to you soon.”

  I looked at the uncomfortable boy and grinned maniacally at him as I laid my head on my hands in the air and fluttered my lashes while I said, “Love you too, bye.” He faux grumped, a little smile giving him away as he relayed the words.

  Donovan said, “Well that went as well as could be...” He winced at the shrill whistle coming from his wife.

  We looked at her as she clapped her hands three times in the sudden silence. “What are all of you doing milling about in my library, making such a ruckus? Out out out. Shoo now!” She was all smiles as everyone rushed to do her bidding.

  Mother was first to talk as people rushed out of her domain, “So Em, home? This is exciting.”

  The diminutive librarian hugged Shan tighter to her as she said in a low tone so it didn't carry, “Then why am I so damn nervous?”

  I sighed heavily when a voice from above called down, “Oh Emily, Great Mother, a word when you have a chance?”

  Of course. I sighed.

  Em didn't even look up as she waved the man off. “Yeah yeah, Fred, we'll get to Wexbury's requests as soon as possible.”

  I heard Lucy reprimanding as they left out whatever hidden door was up there, “You could at least have waited until the body was cold, Fred.”

  Emily and I snorted in unison then we looked around at all who were left after the page left, coiling his wires as he went. Just family, and we all started squealing as we took turns mauling Em with hugs and kisses.

  This would be an adventure like no other. And for once, one without risk.

  Chapter 4 – Seekers

  The next three weeks were a whirlwind as we planned a three week expedition to what sounded like an exotic land by Emily's descriptions. But there was one thing that I had never asked.

  My curiosity was killing me so one day after hours of us sitting with a flash page outside the little office she had tucked into a corner of the Library, and speaking with each realm about their contributions to the expedition, I turned to her to ask, “You never did say how the Knowledge Seeker Sect knew where to find Sparo. Or did your people do as the Cristea had and trust fate?”

  Her smile reminded me of the mischievous imps in the fables that the girls enjoyed me reading to them at night in the wagons during our travels. “About the Cristea...” She looked almost embarrassed as she continued, “I can't believe I've never told you this... you being the Great Mother and all. It has just never come up. There are Cristea in New Cali. Thirteen of them survived the journey all those centuries ago. When I left, their band was thriving, around four hundred Cristea strong live there now.”

  I was blinking in disbelief over what she was sharing. I was trying to form words when she added, “And unlike the Mountain Gypsies of New Home, the New Cali Cristea have retained at least some of their magiks.”

  The Cristea band had long since been lost to history when they believed that there had to be more inhabitable lands out there than Sparo, the lands of Hope. They were the thinkers and intellectuals of the Mountain Gypsy tribes. They left Sparo to the four points of the compass centuries ago and were never heard from again. The lost fifteenth band.

  Lost until one day a man in archaic gypsy garb in the colors of the lost band showed up on the western outer marker. That is how we came to find the Westlands... New Home, where the portion of the Cristea who had traveled west, lost many of their numbers to the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Uninhabitable Lands.

  Upon our arrival, we found that lost band under siege, their lands occupied and their people enslaved by the soldiers from Avalon. The Mountain Gypsies had, over the generations away from Father Stone where the People believe is the source of all magiks, had lost the spark and none were among the touched of the People anymore.

  This news from Emily sparked hope in me. If the Cristea survived West and South, then perhaps Duke Rojah's exploration efforts to the east may yet bear fruit. It was heartbreaking last year when news came from the joint Perth Hollow and Defiance expedition to the the north had located the remains of dozens of gypsy wagons near the east end of the the Northern Rift. The fire serpent which stretched for hundreds of miles in either direction, filled w
ith ever churning lava, creating a natural barrier to any ground travel or exploration.

  The quarter of the Cristea family that had journeyed north, had just missed discovering Highland so close to the main body of Sparo. They must have run into the impassable barrier torn in mother Earth herself, then traveled East along it looking for a way across. By then, they were already beyond the point of no return, having surely have already consumed over half of their supplies so they had soldiered on with that unbreakable spirit of theirs.

  It is amazing, their fortitude, as they had made it the hundreds of miles to the end of the rift, before the uninhabitable lands claimed them for its own. Sending their souls back to Father Stone. The remains of the few who were not buried under the sea of stone cairns at their final resting spot, were carefully returned to the conclave at Father Stone and those remains were interred there at a monument to their courage. A matching monument was erected at the remains of the wagons and the graveyard of Cristea.

  But if two parts of their family had been successful at a high cost, then perhaps a third did as well. Underestimate the Mountain Gypsies of Sparo at your own folly.

  I found my voice. “There were other Cristea and you knew?”

  She looked completely embarrassed and shame painted her features as she averted her eyes. “Thirty years of hiding who I was and what I know is hard to let go of. I apologize, I should have revealed this long ago.”

  I nodded thoughtfully, and could imagine the strain of hiding her past and capabilities from an entire people as I had tried that and failed in the first day after my igniting, and it was terrifying to me, thinking I would be put in the stockade or worse. So I could understand where she was coming from.

  Sighing, I just nodded and told her, “Smiting list for you.”