War's Ending

by A J Park

  A shocked silence fell over the Council.

  “Why would she do these things?” Ammur asked. “Haven’t we been her enemies? We injured her and took her from her people. What reason could she possibly have to help us?”

  “She wants to stop the war,” Sinnar said.

  The door to the council chamber banged open, and a group of men headed by Farak marched in. Kalleck jumped to his feet, his hand on his sword. How had Farak escaped? Sinnar had left some of his best men on guard.

  “First Guardian Kalleck!” Farak bellowed. “I have come to demand that you imprison the sea-folk girl. Or that she be executed. She cannot be allowed to defile our city. You are charged with the protection of our people and our oath, instead you are a slave to their wishes. You even imprisoned me when I attempted to carry out our law.”

  Sinnar jumped to his feet, furious, his hand on his sword hilt. “I locked you up because you tried to kill First Guardian Kalleck!”

  The room erupted into a confusion of outrage and disbelief.

  Kalleck raised his hand for silence and they all quieted. “Farak,” Kalleck said. “You are not a member of this Council, but since you have chosen to join us, please sit down.” Kalleck gestured to an empty chair along the table.

  “I will stand,” Farak said stiffly. “I await your decision. I’m sure all of the Council would like to know what you intend to do with these sea-folk.”

  “The Council is well aware of my plans. And I told you what I planned to do yesterday morning, if you recall,” Kalleck said.

  “I recall very well, Guardian Kalleck. When I came, you were there, alone with her, in the dark hour before dawn. Had you been there all night? There with her? You were replacing your belt when we entered. It is not lawful for our First Guardian to take a woman in dishonor. Especially not one of them. It is abominable! Kalleck is not worthy to lead us. I appeal to the Council to remove him and place someone else in his stead.”

  Everyone was speaking at once. Finally, Sinnar yelled, “Quiet!” and silence fell. “Let Kalleck speak.”

  With a twinge of guilt, Kalleck recalled the touch of Shalyrie’s fingertips on his face. But it had been dark—she had not seen him. “I put my sword belt back on,” Kalleck said firmly. “I have not violated her honor or my own. And she has not seen the city.”

  Farak said mockingly. “Has she asked you to show her the city? You would do anything she asked, wouldn’t you?”

  “Is all this true, Guardian Kalleck?” Ammur asked.

  They all stared at him, waiting.

  “She has never asked me to show her the city. But it is true that I was there,” Kalleck said firmly and clearly. “I was not willing to leave her unguarded since she is the best hope to save our people. I feared that Farak would do exactly what he did do, come for her in the dead of night with a whole company of armed men. I took off my weapon and sat down. Is that dishonorable now? I do not ask for your support, Farak, but if you dispute my right to be Guardian, I repeat my challenge now. I will defend my honor.” Kalleck stood as he finished speaking, drew his sword and laid it on the table.

  “You cannot resist this woman. She has bewitched you. Why else would you protect her?” Farak hissed. He turned to the others. “Now you see his dangerous obsession with her. He must be stopped! He cannot continue.”

  “We have to make peace with them,” Kalleck said. “Either that, or fight with them until every single Yalkur is dead. Is that what you want?”

  “Peace!” Farak cried. “You would allow them to see the Hidden City and profane the sacred waters? We cannot allow it!”

  “Would you rather we all were dead?” Kalleck demanded.

  “It is not up to you, Farak, to decide what we will do,” Sinnar said coldly. “Challenge us openly or leave the city, now.” Sinnar stared at Farak, his face eager, daring him—begging him—to fight.

  Farak looked at Allemi. “And you, High Priestess, do you side with them?”

  “I will defend my son’s honor with my life. He would never dishonor himself with this woman,” Allemi said. “I agree with him completely. You have overstepped your authority here, Farak. Our order does not support the things you have done. We are committed to be spiritual leaders. Our ways are peaceful. We work to teach and guide the people. We do not seek to further ourselves by the sword. A member of our order… dueling?” Allemi stood. Her dignity and strength made Farak look pathetic in front of her. “Even if it had not been my son who you were attempting to kill, your actions are a poor reflection on our order. You will renounce your office and leave at once. I pronounce a sentence of banishment on you and your followers. Leave our lands at once. If any of you are found here, the sentence of death will find you.”

  Farak looked horrified. “High Priestess…? You would cast me out? After all I have done for our people?”

  “I cast you out for causing dissent among us, for using your sacred calling to gain power, and for attempting to kill the First Guardian. Our order is to remain separate from the Guardians. You joined our order to serve the people. After what you have done, you cannot remain with us.”

  Farak’s face was pale. Slowly, he removed the ceremonial headdress.

  “I support the sentence of banishment,” Kalleck said. “All the men under our command will put you to death if any of you are found. Go, or we will begin now.” Kalleck picked up his sword.

  Farak looked as if he wanted to say more. Without another word, he led his followers from the council chamber.

  Kalleck exchanged a long look with Allemi. Slowly, he put his weapon away.

  It became quiet again, and everyone sat down. Kalleck looked around the table. “Let each clan pass on our decree. If Farak or any of his followers are found, they will be put to death immediately.”

  “As you command, First Guardian,” Ammur said grimly, his big hand closing into a fist. “My men will watch for them.”

  “I hope I find him first,” Sinnar said, with his hand on his sword hilt.

  “And I hope that we never hear another thing about him,” Kalleck said. “He is only making our situation worse. You see what a barrier of hatred has already grown up between the Yalkur and the sea-folk. They are not so different from us. They have men among them who are too ready to kill, or who are cruel and unfaithful, but as you can see…” He looked toward the door where Farak had left. “So do we.”

  He looked around at each of the council members. “I believe there is hope for peace. The girl has already proved it. She has done everything to help our people, and she has proved her loyalty. In return, I propose that we do everything we can to help her. I know it’s not common, but other people have joined the Yalkur in the past. Outsiders have learned of us, taken our oaths and become Yalkur.”

  They were all silent, thinking about what he had said. Would they really allow it? Were they willing to change or were they committed to the war? Would they be willing to see the good in Shalyrie, even though she was different, a stranger?

  Ammur turned to the High Priestess. “Is this thing true?” he asked. “Can others join the Yalkur?”

  “It has not been done for many years, and it has always been rare,” she said. “But, yes, it has been done. We are a strict people, and we have been faithful to our oaths for a thousand years. That is what it means to be Yalkur. Anyone who is willing to learn our ways, and take and keep our oaths may become Yalkur.”

  “But she has her own people, her own family,” Hannal said. “Why would she want to join our people? She will want to go back to her home.”

  “It will not matter where she goes, as long as she is faithful to her oath.” Allemi looked intently at Kalleck. “Take whatever time you need to be sure of her, but you must be sure. If she takes the oath and breaks it, then her fate will be the same as any Yalkur oath-breaker. She and anyone she shared the secret with will be silenced. She must completely
understand what she is agreeing to.”

  “Of course,” Kalleck said. It was a lot to agree to. Would Shalyrie really want to do it?

  “Do you think she will be faithful?”

  “Yes,” Kalleck said. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked the Council to accept her.”

  “She’ll be faithful,” Sinnar said confidently. “If pain and the threat of death haven’t broken her will yet, she’ll be faithful.”

  Allemi spoke. “Then Kalleck will teach her our ways and, when she is ready, he will speak to her of the Sacred Waters, but only if he’s sure she is ready to accept the oaths.” She looked around at all of them. “Does the Council agree to this? And agree that Kalleck will not be judged an oath-breaker as he carries out the Council’s decision?”

  Each one of them agreed.

  “Then I will teach her,” Kalleck said. “She is already learning the language, but I came to discuss this with the Council before I did anything else. I would not make this choice without the agreement of the Council. But if the men we sent as messengers to the sea-king fail, Shalyrie will be our last hope for peace. Without her, we would have no hope of negotiating with them. Without the help of the sea-king, Galenor will bring all his forces here, and I don’t know that we have enough men to defend ourselves. Even if we should manage to drive them back, how many lives would be lost? And they would come again, and again. The longer we fight with them, the harder it will be to stop. It would destroy our people. Do any of us really want war?” He looked around the table.

  “We have never wanted to fight,” Dalron, the Clan Chief of the Farmers said.

  One after another, the others agreed. Kalleck turned finally to Sinnar.

  “At first, I thought we should fight them,” Sinnar said. “But the more we push them back, the more men they bring. And they are Shalyrie’s people. I think we should make peace, if we can.”

  “We all agree, then,” Allemi said. “Shalyrie has already done much to help us. If she wants to learn our ways, Kalleck can teach her.”

  Kalleck looked around at the others. “Will you allow her to see the city?”

  One by one, they gave their assent.

  “She shall not see our faces until she takes the oaths,” Allemi said. “But she may see the city and, when you are sure of her, the Sacred Waters.”

  Once again, the rest of the council agreed. “Thank you,” Kalleck said. “Your acceptance of her is the first step toward peace. I will keep the clan leaders informed of where she will be so that your people can cover their faces when she is in the city. Each of you will inform your clans of our decision and explain it to them so they will understand.”

  The council meeting had gone better than Kalleck expected. He would never have guessed how supportive the members would be. Sinnar had helped. No one expected him to speak in favor of an Almorian. It had gone as well as it could.

  After the meeting, Kalleck went to the quarters of the High Priestess. One of her helpers opened the door.

  “First Guardian, please come in,” the girl said. “I will tell her you are here.” He waited patiently as the girl went to fetch his mother.

  Allemi entered from the other room a moment later and kissed her son’s cheek. “Kalleck, please sit down.” He sat down opposite her.

  The girl brought two cups of hot spice tea and then left the room.

  “I’m grateful for what you said in the council meeting,” Kalleck said. “I was worried for a moment that some of them would listen to Farak.”

  “Farak has some very faithful supporters, and he’s constantly trying to gain more power. Despite the way he has moved up through the ranks of the priests and priestesses, I have never thought he was a good leader. His behavior cannot be tolerated anymore. I had to stop him, and I know you agree. And I meant everything I said in the council room,” Allemi said. “I trust you, and I think that you underestimate your own skill as First Guardian.”

  Kalleck shook his head slowly. “I wish Father were here. I could never lead as well as he did. Maybe if there had been more time to teach me… I would have spent more time listening to him when he was alive if I had known what was going to happen. But I only wanted to ride in the hills and tend my horses. I never thought that he would be killed, and I never thought that I would have to be First Guardian after him. I could have learned so much more. I miss him.”

  Allemi took his hand and gripped it. “I miss him too.” She opened her other hand, and Kalleck saw his father’s clan marker. The narrow strip of cloth had been woven mostly of red, the color of the Hunter Clan. It had the blue stripes representing their family, and a bit of orange and yellow. The pattern was so familiar. He remembered seeing his father wearing it every day for many years. When Kalleck had turned fifteen and was old enough, his mother had woven one for him too, copying much of the design, but adding unique details. This bit of fabric brought back the memory of his father vividly. Gallidack had died far from his family, and there had been no way to bring him home after the battle. The few Yalkur who had escaped had fled for their lives, but one had managed to return this to them.

  “He would be so proud of you,” Allemi said.

  “So much has happened these past few weeks that I didn’t have a chance to bring this to you before,” Kalleck said. Slowly, he took out the clear blue stone on its chain and held it out to her. Allemi gasped in shock and put her hand over her heart.

  “I never expected to see that again. How did you get it back?” she asked. “Gallidack took it when he rode away. I gave it to him and asked him to keep it for luck. He had it with him when…” She closed her eyes and tears fell onto her cheeks.

  Kalleck went to her and put his arms around her.

  “You know how much I loved him,” she said. “It was such a waste for him to die. And we never got to say goodbye. We don’t even know where he lies.”

  “I’ve thought of him often, and I hope we carry some part of him with us.”

  “You are carrying on his work, Kalleck. That’s the best way you could possibly honor his memory.” She wiped her eyes and took the stone from him. She held it up to the light. “The legends say that the first drop of water that flowed from the Sacred Spring of Akur hardened and became this stone. Whether that’s true or not, the Yalkur have kept it for hundreds of years.”

  “The girl was wearing it when Sinnar found her on the bridge. He gave it back to me and I brought it to you, its rightful keeper.”

  “I will keep it,” Allemi said. “But only until you take a bride. Then she shall keep the jewel.”

  “Keep it till then,” he said.

  “Oh, Kalleck,” she cried, pulling him close again. “It’s such a burden to carry the fate of our people. All the people look to you, and I know that you’re doing everything that can be done to save them. Maybe there is no way, and our people have lived out their time. But if there is any way, I believe you will find it. I think you can make your plan work, as long as the girl is faithful to us. Will you tell me more about her?”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “What is she like?” Allemi said.

  Kalleck took a deep breath, thinking about how to answer the question. “Well, she almost let Farak kill her to save my life, and she rode with Sinnar to find a cure when I was poisoned. She was in terrible pain.”

  “I remember that day and I saw her pain. Why would she do it? Wasn’t she afraid when she came here? Wasn’t she a captive, injured and forbidden to see our city? Why should she care so much for you?”

  “Why are you asking me that?” Kalleck asked. “How should I know how she feels? Do you believe what Farak said, and think that I went to bed with her? You don’t think I would lie to you and to the Council, just because he saw me putting on my sword belt?”

  “Of course not, son,” Allemi said, soothingly. “I trust you. I just want to understand why she would
do it. Do you know the reason?”

  His mind raced back to the memory of her fingers against his skin. Her voice. I didn’t want you to die. He looked back at his mother. “I don’t know why. Everything that she has done has been… unexpected. The sea-king is her uncle, and she came here from across the sea with him. The governor of the city took her to the bridge, and that’s when Sinnar attacked. He was trying to kill the governor, and he knew he would be there that day. That was why he attacked them. Sinnar said he didn’t even see the girl among the soldiers until it was all over. She was hit by an arrow. We had to bring her here so she wouldn’t die of the wound. What else do you want to know?”

  “I only saw her for a moment when you first brought her here, and again on the night you were so ill. I believe I would like to meet this girl,” Allemi said thoughtfully.

  Kalleck studied her, trying to decipher her meaning. “As you wish,” he said.

  As Kalleck walked away from his mother’s quarters, he thought about what she had said. Why had her questions bothered him? For he had to admit, they had. Maybe he should have just told her the real reason. He kept hearing Sinnar’s voice in his mind. “You want her.”

  The memory of Shalyrie’s touch was intense. He had been close to her, and he’d wanted to be closer. Kalleck hadn’t lied—he had not dishonored himself with Shalyrie. But he had wanted to…

  No, he couldn’t afford to think that. He couldn’t afford to lose control. Shalyrie wasn’t one of his people, and she would be going back to her family when this was all done. He had to stay focused on his duty. The Council trusted his word, and they had sided with him. If they had some reason not to believe him, he would lose their support and, if they didn’t support him, who would they support?