New Cali

by Erik Schubach

  I placed a hand on her arm and shook my head. “Stand down. She's under a flag of truce. She was promised a twenty-four hour head start for her assistance in getting us all home.”

  She just stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language before exhaling and bowing to me. “Yes, Great Mother.” Then she was shouting out, “Stand down! Station keeping! Prepare to lift off.”

  I smiled at her look of consternation, she wanted to be the one to bag the most wanted criminal in Sparo, but a truce was a truce, and if you broke it you also broke your honor. She said, “Well shit.”

  Nodding I assured her, “I know exactly how you feel.” Then in a smaller voice, I asked her as my kids came over to hug me, “Can we just go home now?”

  Epilogue

  As we marched through the crowds toward the imposing castle in Highland, I absently reached up to touch my hair, which had grown halfway down to my shoulders in the six months since our return. I shoved Tennison's shoulder. The big oaf looked like he was a giddy papa ready to burst out in pride. Well, fine, I guess I can't blame him.

  Thinking back on that fateful day of our return from New Cali. All the realms had assembled their finest, and the Mountain Gypsies families had sent their finest trackers and healers, so it was no surprise that Mother Sylvia of the Lupei was among them. I'd have to chastise her at some future point for putting the leader of any family in possible danger, but I didn't want to face the repercussions.

  I can hear her now. “No, we wouldn't want to put a leader in harm's way now, would we... Great Mother?” I was imagining it with her accent and all and I still felt sheepish even though she hasn't said it yet.

  Tennison had regained consciousness the following day under her and Ingr's care.

  Gah... Ingr. I love her like a daughter, but the way she and Misty went on, you'd think they hadn't seen each other for years. Those two are hopeless, though completely adorable with their young love.

  There may have been tears on my part when the big knight woke, and I won't admit to seeing them welling in Sarafine's eyes either. A week after the ordeal he was already at one hundred percent in the practice yard.

  I wish I could say the same for me. It took weeks under Sylvia and Ingr's care before I stopped shedding dead skin like some sort of snake and I looked like me again. I refused to wear the wig the official Highland wigmaker for nobles had fashioned out of clippings from the box of familiar long blonde hair supplied to them by someone in our party.

  I didn't know there was an official wigmaker, did that many nobles need one? They had crafted a hairstyle like my old one and dyed it in the same basic color I had but added highlights. Why did I need to wear a wig? I knew I'd grow my hair back in a year or so, but Everly made me promise to wear it at any royal engagements like the Masquerade.

  I did it because she begged, but I felt silly, like I was wearing a hat or something. The rest of the time, Sparo got just me. I was enough for me, so I should be enough for them too. Celeste seemed to really like it and would run her hands through the stubble all the time when it was growing out and it felt sinfully delicious and I may have purred when she did it.

  Speaking of Everly, she and George were at the Southern Outpost, to see off the search party just hours before they launched when we were spotted above the horizon. When we landed, they were first to greet us when we disembarked. Our troops cheered our return. And I had to have the difficult conversation with my co-rulers about the people we had lost. They agreed with me that their families would be taken care of and each raised a rank in nobility posthumously. I was glad the law that allowed the stripping of a spouse's or child's title if a noble died, had been revoked long ago, right after it had been done to my mother before I was born. Their families would want for nothing.

  Sylvia was irate with me that I refused to be looked at by her until she saw to Tennison, I had to debrief the King and Queen before I saw to such nonsense. I was fine, up and walking, Tennison wasn't.

  She did wait until introductions were made to the Mother of the Cristea of New Cali before rushing off to see to the big man. Loretta was dumbstruck, first, she met the Great Mother, someone only sang about by their minstrels of the days before Exodus, now she had met the Mother of another band of the Mountain Gypsies. She spoke as if she weren't sure she wasn't just living in a fairy tale.

  The girls swarmed Everly, attempting to hug her silly as we stood, gazing out into the Uninhabitable Lands while I told the royals about Emily and Donovan staying behind to help rebuild the New Cali government and infrastructure.

  George asked carefully, “Just what happened down there, Laney? You look like you've dragged yourself out from the pits of hell.”

  I nodded and said in a faraway tone, “I did.” Then I sighed and straightened, assuring them, “We've told you the basics. I would very much like it if we could speak of it more in detail after I get home. I am completely done with this adventure and would thank you to never convince me to do something like this again.”

  Everly snorted and covered her mouth, then chuckled. “That's like asking for it to not snow in the Whispering Walls, Laney dear. Don't let this lout promise you anything he cannot guarantee. Trouble follows you around, dear one.”

  George squinted one eye in mock pain as he said, “It's true, Great Mother.” He motioned around. “Why do you think a simple search party includes a veritable army? We knew if you were overdue without sending the Outrider to dispatch a message, then things were dire in New Cali. And now we learn this may have been under-kill if Aelwen was involved.”

  I nodded and sighed as I said, “Umm... about that. Before you hear about it from someone else. We sort of promised Aelwen a twenty-four-hour head start under a flag of truce.” I winced at their looks of disbelief. “She kind of did save my life.”

  Everly blurted, “What?” Then she added, “After she tried to kill you?”

  I shook my head. “Looong story. Please, can we just go home first?”

  George nodded as he looked me up and down again, his eyes glowing like he wanted to kill someone. “Of course.” Then he looked around and motioned with his hand, at the Fringe. “Curious thing this. You see this circular bulge at the Fringe? Where the heavy troop transports are? It seems it isn't on the current survey maps and the Duke of Far Reach can't explain it.”

  I squinted one eye and said, “Yeaaaah, about that. Misty sort of...” I wiggled my fingers at it and they gave knowing smiles. I asked, “Umm... sorry?”

  They chuckled and Shanny blurted out to them, “Isn't it awesome? I claimed it for Shantopia and the Junior Regiment.”

  Misty chastised her. “Hey, brat, I made it, you can't claim it.”

  “Yuh huh, I called dibs.”

  Misty looked at Ingr who had become glued to her the moment they squeed and ran to each other when we landed. Then she motioned a hand toward her little sister like George could talk some sense into her.

  The man rubbed his chin then shrugged. “I don't know, she did call dibs.”

  Misty's eyes bulged, which just egged the evil man on as he said to Everly, “It isn't on any of the maps, which means it is newly discovered territory...”

  Everly looked at him, she'd talk sense into the silly King. “And if a newly discovered territory has no indigenous people on it, then isn't it the rule of right of first claim?”

  I had to put an end to this as Shanicia just crossed her arms obstinately and beamed at Misty smugly. “George, stop playing around, man.”

  He shrugged, winked at Shan, then led his wife off on his arm, leaving us with, “I'm pretty sure that I'm King. Isn't there some sort of rule that my word is law?”

  I called after him, “There is, but I'm sure there a law against a ruler who is clearly off his nut.”

  Their chuckling didn't seem promising. I won though, right? The way Shan started marching around the new chunk of habitable land, calling out to everyone, “Welcome to Shantopia,” I just wasn't sure. Ju
st like I, and nobody else, was sure if Misty were really a Junior Templar or not. There's no such thing, right?

  Misty whined, “Mooom?”

  I shrugged. “I don't know, baby girl. That man is unfathomable.”

  Misty called out, “Get over here, runt. You're causing a scene.” When she didn't comply with the wishes of the big sister she was currently tormenting, she ran right over when Ingr cutely brought her hand up to her face and beckoned my youngest over with a finger.

  Ah-ha! You have to fight cute with cute! They cancel each other out. I'll remember that for later.

  We all went chasing after the rulers who had joined up with Celeste. They were all in a deep conversation about the rogue duchess. Jezelle was adding as we stepped up to them and the girls all sat down around a rock to watch Bitsy hop around for them. “On the journey home, some of the nobles overheard Aelwen talking about this whole misadventure, trying to get some of them to join her because though things didn't go as she planned in New Cali, it was a lucrative venture. And something about funding her efforts for years.”

  I prompted, as Mother Loretta walked past us quickly toward the kids, “What did she mean by that?”

  We turned when Loretta asked the girls in a tone of disbelief, “Where did you get that, child?”

  Shan was spinning some sort of fist-sized green crystal on the rock near Bitsy. And she shrugged and held it up for Loretta to look at. “I sort of took it from a pouch Auntie Psycho had between her...” She pushed her upper chest together like she had bosoms. “...when I broke her nose.”

  The mother of the Cristea asked as we joined them, “May I, child?”

  Shan shrugged again, handed it to her, then turned back to play with Bitsy and the girls again. Our eyes went wide when she opened her hand for all of us to see the most humongous, impossibly clear, brilliant green emerald I have ever laid eyes upon. And there are some spectacular ones in the royal treasury, but nothing even a quarter the size of the one in Loretta's hand.

  She whispered, “The Mind Stone of New Cali. It is the treasure of the people there, it signifies the bright future they have together by being unified in purpose and the pursuit of becoming more than the previous generations.” She growled, “That woman has no scruples at all. Robbing a people oppressed and enslaved? This is a piece of their culture, their past. This needs to go back to its rightful spot, in the Place of Learning.”

  I nodded and answered before George. “Of course,” Then I asked Shan, “We're going to take this and get it back to its proper owners, ok baby?”

  She glanced back. “Ok, mom,” before putting her finger out for Bitsy to hop on, then the girls ran off when the silly rockhopper jumped up onto Ingr's shoulder.

  I looked at the stone, then Shan, and I narrowed an eye in suspicion. Celeste looked from me to our daughters as they ran off. She said absently, “I wouldn't doubt that she knew exactly what she was doing, love.”

  Precisely my thoughts. Our daughter emulates Rain far too much for the things she does, acting all innocent, to be random acts. They almost always turn up being useful or have more meaning than we put into them. Oh no, she truly was acting just like a certain former Great Mother, we were all doomed.

  Everly was watching us closely then flicked her eyes to Shan and I could see her starting to think the same thing. Then she turned with the rest of us when George said as he gazed northward, “Ah, here we are. The reason the fleet hadn't departed yet.” He pointed at the sky and said, “This was going to be presented to you at the next Masquerade, Laney dear. But the dirigible yard had just finished her shakedown cruise once everything was completed to the Conclave's specifications.”

  “The Conclave gathered at the Meeting Spot on Father Stone and wanted to participate in the search and rescue as we said, but they wanted to do it in a Mountain Gypsy vessel since you were involved.”

  I had to blink, I had looked away to him while he had said that, and when I looked back up, the distance the incoming airship covered was half again faster than the second Outrider had been. What was coming at such a high rate of speed?

  Others had spotted it and people were pointing. And as it swooped in close enough to make out the details, my mouth just hung open. Even Celeste was speechless as George said, “Laney, the Altii of Sparo present you with the Jewel of the Great Mother. The Jewel for short. The fastest airship ever created, using third generation designs from Templar Bexington and the finest Mountain Gypsy artisans. Her keel was laid eighteen months ago.”

  Mother Luna, it was already upon us, descending to the edge of the new Fringe. It was possibly the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The gondola was smaller than the second outrider but about three times the size of a gypsy wagon.

  It was an exquisite work of art, constructed in the Mountain Gypsy fashion. The colors and stained glass windows, and carved exposed wood were breathtaking. And instead of a lift envelope the shape of a loaf of bread, it was more that of a spinning top. The rigging and girders were artistically crafted and looked more like vines growing around the canvas, which was dyed the dark green of the Great Mother.

  My mouth was working but nothing was coming out as what looked like two skids extended under the gondola which looked like the timber rails under the sleds the ice mongers used to transport those huge blocks of ice down to the towns in Wexbury. It landed softly... there were no... anchors?

  Then I noted how quiet it had been even with four oversize propellers. They had wooden enclosures around the propellers circumference that resembled the middle bulge of a barrel. I couldn't even hear it over the slowly whupping blades from other airships that were prepping to return to their home realms.

  George continued as twelve Mountain Gypsies in the colors of most of the bands disembarked, “We figured that since your co-rulers had the Highland... which by the way, you crashed... that our co-ruler deserved her own transport. One that befits her station as Great Mother. And here we are. It bears the crest of the great mother and is not beholden to any realm.”

  I sputtered out as I saw the Gypsies had noted our presence and were rapidly coming our way, “I... I don't know what to say.”

  Everly said, “How about, thank you, silly girl.”

  George said, “Yes that, and that you're happy to pay for the construction of another flagship for me out of your stipend.”

  I kissed his cheek, then Everly's and said, “Thank you. And good luck with that, your high and mightiness. Wasn't it you who insisted I take the Highland? And every iron penny of my stipend goes to the commoners most in need in all the realms.”

  He tutted. “I guess I can't take from the mouths of those in need, can I? I suppose you're right. Aren't you supposed to be the sweet one?”

  I crinkled my nose at him and said to his wife, “I don't mean to be rude... Ev, but I'm dying to see this grand Gypsy vessel. Shall we?”

  She chuckled as George made some faux indignant sounds before we all went to meet up with the approaching Mountain Gypsies to see the work of art they had flown in.

  The intervening months left little time for me to even catch my breath.

  Now here we were for a grand celebration, my family being smack dab in the middle of it all. And to top it off, Everly shared that they had an exciting announcement for the kingdom afterward. Even if Ev hadn't insisted on Jace's wedding be held in Highland Castle, her teasing this new development for the kingdom had me intrigued and I would have come anyway.

  It was a simple matter now as the Jewel could make the journey between Templar Hall and Highland Reach in just over a half a day now... faster with a tailwind.

  Rain and Syl walked almost regally beside our group as we headed through the columns of guards who cleared a path to the castle for us, the girls all walking with them. Ranelle asked, “Any news on that detestable Aelwen?”

  I huffed in exasperation and Celeste patted my hand in the crook of her arm as she shared, “Still not a trace of her. Wherever she
has hidden the Avalon airship these past years, we can't find it. You'd think it would stick out like a beacon from the air, but search parties have even flown over a hundred miles out into the Uninhabitable Lands with no signs of her or her groups of Rogues and Marauders.”

  Baring my teeth like fangs I added, “And Emily shared this morning when they arrived from New Cali for the ceremony that there is no trace of Dianda and the Seekers and Disciples still under her thrall either. It seems that we just keep making more enemies and the threats to our peoples just keep growing.”

  Rain said sadly, “Welcome to the curse of ruling, Laney. It is the way of things since the dawn of creation.” That was a somber, but true statement.

  I paused when I heard a line from a new ballad I've been catching bits and pieces from lately. When we left the Hall, after stopping in Wexbury to pick up my brother and his bride to be, I caught snippets in the Market.

  The wills of the Cali enslaved...

  The heavens,

  they did stand witness,

  as the Thief of Minds was unmade.

  And just then, I heard a Gypsy Minstrel who was here with the Lupei who crossed the Gap to carnival at Highland for the wedding.

  I played it back in my head, and it was as if I were standing right in front of the bard with his lute as he sang lines from the song.

  At her limit at last,

  passing judgment and wrath...

  For the voices called home,

  by the Father of Stone...

  So that their souls may be free

  and their whispers will always be known.

  I halted and turned around, and prompted, “There it is again. What is that song that the minstrels and bards are singing everywhere as of late?”

  Celeste covered her mouth as she snorted, mischief twinkling in her gorgeous green eyes. Sylvia's eyes widened in surprise as she asked, “Oh. You really don't know?”

  I groaned, having my suspicions and Misty proved them out by almost chirping in excitement, “That's the historical ballad of Great Mother Laney and the Thief of Minds, mom.”