The bright beam of sunlight hit her face to stir her from her sleep. Neala rubbed her eyes and sat up to familiarize herself with her surroundings. She was in her room, a tray full of fresh vegetables and fruits at her bedside. A sudden heaviness hit her, and she fell back a rain of wet slobbery kisses covering her face.
“Oh, Nia you’re ok! I was so worried. I couldn’t hear you at all.” Gemma continued showering her and rubbing her head all over her.
“I think I’m ok.” Neala said and sat up.
“I fear I owe you an apology my darling daughter.” The queen stepped out of the shadows. Neala jumped with fright as her heart hammered in her throat and a spark of fire shot out of her hands. The queen caught the flame and rolled it into a ball and tossed it back and forth in her hand. Gemma crouched on the bed and gave a growl.
“In my desperation to save my people, and my excitement of seeing you again, I have forgotten how taxing new powers can be on your body. Powers like yours, you just were not strong enough to sustain them.” The queen squashed the flame in her hands and sat down on the bed.
“How long have I been asleep?” Neala said, realizing she was in clean clothes.
“You were out for 3 days and nights. I wouldn’t call it asleep per se. The healer said your mind had left your body, and he feared it wouldn’t return. It wasn’t until Zera heard you screaming that we knew you had come back.” The queen looked vulnerable, a look that Neala didn’t know existed in such a powerful person.
“If there is one thing I must teach you, about our Pyre abilities it is this. The power that we possess evokes a dark anger. I was much like Zera when I was younger. My father hated me for appearing weak. But, once I changed, I had this fury born into my gut. Sometimes I cannot control her. The wine helps to subdue her malicious acts but only for a while. I pray that your Terra side can keep your monster at bay. When you practice your Pyre power, she will grow stronger. You must learn to control her.” The Queen’s eyes transfixed out the window as she heeded the advice. She broke her trance and looked at Neala. She took her hand and squeezed it before leaving.
Neala sat there for a while analyzing the conversation. Upon their first meeting, this had been the queen she met. The rest of her stay here though had been someone else. Neala didn’t know if this was normal for Pyre to have such different personalities. She sank into a bath and felt her muscles relax. She wondered if there was a way to save her mother, this side of her mother, from the daemon that lay beneath her.
The door creaked open and Ember popped in. She was smiling and didn’t drop her gaze. She walked straight to Neala and gave her a tight hug. When she let go her eyes brimmed with shining tears.
“Your Grace is alive! Thanks to you, so are our people! The Queen has been true to her word, and the entire village has rations and we’ve eaten like royals. People have even kept the garden watered and fertilized for you and the vegetables have been growing strong. The water tower has been built and just waiting for the rains to fill it up. You are our savior!” Ember hugged her again.
“I am not sure how much more of that I can do, so I am very glad it has worked. Will you take me there after I dress and eat?” Neala asked. With a curtsey, Ember retreated.
She hurried out of the bath and dressed. She grabbed a handful of the fruits and vegetables and headed out the door. With her mind reeling regarding what to do next, she bolted and ran downstairs eating on the way. Zera was waiting in the entry hall holding hands with Ember. Neala opened her arms for the hug she knew was coming and picked up her tiny little sister.
“I was so worried Nia. I am so glad you are ok.”
“I am ok, now let’s go look at the garden we have created.” Neala ruffled up her hair like Tyee used to do to her when she was little. Zera beamed and skipped ahead. Ember filled Neala in on all the events from her absence. The impoverished daemons continued to work tirelessly in the garden, taking great pride in their new duties. The carpenters had finished the chicken tractors, and they were expanding the garden. They even had a list of supplies to add to the trading list that would help further their sustainable food forest. Neala looked around and the now bustling farm and knew that she was making a real difference in these daemons’ lives.
As they approached the garden, the workers in the field stopped and bowed. The small children ran to Neala and hugged her legs. She smiled at the attention. No one in the Terra tribe had ever given her much time or devotion and it would take a lot to get used to this new life.
Ember toured her through the fields as the workers bowed. Because of all Neala’s Terra energy, the fields were growing at four times the rate as normal. This was keeping all the workers busy. There were now talks of how to best preserve the foods and a cool cellar was already getting started.
Three long horn blasts sounded in the distance, startling Neala.
“It is a call from the queen. It is a signal to gather the village for a speech or instructions. We must hurry.” Ember ushered her out of the garden and back through the streets to the courtyard platform. Her mother’s guards were standing on the platform and they sat the Queen upon a chair waiting for her crowds. Ember escorted Neala and Zera to the platform where they sat on either side of their mother. She rose and waved a hand at the crowd to calm the cheers.
“What a glorious day this is! My daughter, the savior of our people, has awakened and regained her strength. She almost sacrificed her life for you, her people. To celebrate my daughter and our newly abundant food supply, we will soon celebrate with our much-awaited feast. Let’s come together and make this a feast to remember.” The queen raised both arms, and the pyre began cheering again. The crowd started chanting in unison.
“Neala! Neala! Neala!”
The queen turned back and held an arm out for Neala. She stood up and greeted the crowd. Her mother leaned in. “Give them a show, a Pyre show.” She whispered. Neala looked at her mother not knowing what that meant. She remembered the bear the queen used during her battle the night they met. Neala tried to focus her shaking hand to the sky and looked down at her protector knowing what to do. She felt the warm sensation flow from her chest to her fingers and a flame silhouette of Gemma erupted from her hands into the sky. Remembering how she ran and moved during an attack. She watched as the glowing image obeyed her command. Neala couldn’t hear the crowd over the deafening roar of her lioness friend.
As soon as Neala lowered her hands the flames disappeared, and a billow of black smoke was all that remained. Neala collapsed back into the chair and saw her mother grinning from ear to ear and clapping with the rest of the crowd. A sense of pride washed over her seeing the happiness of the Queen and the elation of her people. Zera jumped in her lap and wrapped her arms around her. She used her little sister as a shield to hide the tears that spilled over in that embrace.
Neala used Ember as a support to make it back to the castle. The crowd had dispersed, and the queen’s house staff began the quick work of transforming the main floor of the castle to host the tribe for the feast. Ember helped Neala to bed and began bustling about her room picking out dresses and accessories.
“Your grace, please sleep, you need to regain your strength. I will see you in the morning. When you are ready, you must call and we can tour the village, your people want to know their savior.” Ember closed the shades, bowed, and stepped out. Neala felt a hole grow in her chest. The pride she had with all those daemons cheering for her, faded. She wanted to share this experience, her triumph, with the people she left behind. Neala broke down into full sobs knowing that she chose this life and may never see her father, Callista or even Tyee again. She let the guilt, fear, and sadness take hold of her and she cried herself into a deep sleep, snuggled against the only thing she had left of her old life.
Chapter 15
Healing
As Ember promised she did not disturb Neala until she stumbled out of bed on her own. From the l
ook of the sun shining through her window, it looked to be early afternoon. Gemma pranced to get out and stretch her legs. Neala appreciated the constant companion ship from her four-legged friend but she knew that being cooped up inside these walls was wearing on her.
She dressed and the two of them made their way down to the dining hall. Her mother was sitting with Zera at the table. The candid moment gave Neala pause. Her mother gave off a pink aura and her sisters matched. They were chatting about something and Neala saw that there was love underneath all her mother’s mood swings, and cold-hearted leadership. Maybe it was her fire daemon inside of her that took control of someone much more reasonable.
“Your Grace. I apologize for my absence; it appears I am still not as strong as I should be.” Neala bowed at her mother.
“My sweet princess, you have nothing to apologize for. You have given our people the gift of hope. Food is for once growing in abundance! If we can continue to grow our food, we will get our livestock back. You have saved us after decades of turmoil. You take all the rest you need.” The red queen said.
“If it please, I was hoping to take Ember to the village to assess the health of our people. I was the medicine woman’s apprentice back in the mountains and maybe I can be of help there as well.” Neala said.
“Very well but we need to plan this big feast of ours, I could use your help for the feast.” The Red Queen said. Neala noted the change in her colors but couldn’t understand why.
After lunch, Ember led Neala and Gemma around to where the other Pyre lived. Much like the state of the weaker pyre, their village had been neglected. The living places were in vast disrepair and to her limited experience, uninhabitable.
“Why are these huts so run down, yet the castle is pristine?” Neala asked, staring from one shambled home to the next.
“The natural resources in this area were depleted years ago. Scouting missions will bring some resources in but those are all used to maintain the castle. It leaves people to fix their own homes.” Ember seemed just as disturbed by the looks of the homes.
“Where did you grow up? Did you grow up in one of these homes?” Neala asked, realizing she didn’t know much about her new friend. Ember walked in silence for some time before answering.
“I have always lived in the castle. My family always has, but I am not supposed to talk about them. I do not have any family anymore.” Ember said, her aura reaching for Neala was blue.
“I will be your family. “Neala said. Ember stopped in her tracks and looked around to see if anyone was watching. Then she turned and wrapped Neala in a tight embrace.
“Yes, you are my family.” Ember said and when she pulled away, she was now purple.
“Now show me where your infirmary is. Where do you care for your sick children or injured?” Neala said as they got to the end of the village line. Ember let out a hearty laugh.
“There is an infirmary in the castle, however our medicine woman died long ago and the Queen states there is no one strong enough to fill her shoes. So, like their houses and food crisis, they must care for themselves. It is not uncommon for many of the Pyre children to die before they reach their changing day for immunity.”
Neala was making a mental list of the infrastructure that needed attention sooner than later. The houses were in disrepair, there was no water source accessible, and no place for the children to play. Neala knew she could fix most of the repairs with her abilities, but she would need her full strength and it would take time.
“Are there any cases of sickness now that we can attempt to address?” Neala asked. Ember nodded, and they headed back to the village.
Ember knocked on one house. Neala could hear shuffling and a man answered the door. His eyes were dark with circles under them, he had a yellow appearance to his skin, and his hair was frail and thinning.
“Good afternoon Agni. This is Princess Neala, and she has requested to see your daughter.” Ember introduced the man who opened the door wide and fell onto his knees.
“Princess, oh what an honor. Please, please come in. I am sorry for the appearance. I cannot keep up after my wife died and my Pricilla got sick. She is this way.” Agni got up and scurried to the back of the house. Neala instructed Gemma to stay outside and guard the house. She could see the sunlight peeking through the straw roof, and the walls appeared so dry that she feared they would crumble if she touched them. A gurgling rasp alerted her to the child’s room. Before she set foot in the room, she knew that the child was gravely ill.
Neala ran to the child’s bed. She appeared sleeping but Neala knew better. The child’s skin was clammy, waxy, and blazing hot.
“How long has she had the pleurexia? Has she been in contact with any other children?” Neala had heard about this disease. When she was a child, the pleurexia ran rampant through her village and killed four of the children. Neala couldn’t leave the castle for months and she feared for Callista’s life. When disease comes on soon it takes over any child it touches.
“She has been sick for weeks and has not opened her eyes for days. I know she is near.” The father said and collapsed next to his daughter.
Neala sent Ember out for some water and berries. She propped the child up and ground up the berries into a paste. She put the paste in between the child’s cheeks and gums. She then put the water into a bowl and lit an ever fire underneath to make the water steam. She remembered all the things Della taught her about these respiratory diseases. She instructed the father to strip the extra blankets off her and to keep the steam bowl full.
Then Ember and Neala visited all the homes with sick children. Some of them were still awake and able to eat and drink. Neala found out that ten children had already died from this disease. She instructed any families with children that are not infected to stay in their houses and not to encounter any of the other children.
Neala went to the storages and the garden. She fetched the newly grown garlic, ginger and honey, mixed them into a tincture and distributed it out to all the healthy and unwell children. All they could do now is make rounds and wait. Hoping for some improvement while the virus worked through their systems. She went home that night with a list of concerns she wanted to bring to the Queen.
When she arrived back at the castle, she searched everywhere for her mother. She climbed the tower to the Queen’s floor to find her head warrior outside the door.
“Is the Queen unwell?” Neala said, now knowing what that meant.
“Yes, she is. She also told me to tell you, that you better decide where your loyalties lie.” The stone-cold expression the warriors face was enough to scare anyone. Neala however had been through enough today to let this man push her around.
“I know where my loyalties lie. With the daemon that need me the most, and right now a party is the least of my concerns.” She said with a hiss and made her way back to her room.
That night she prayed to the gods for the first time since she was a child. She prayed for all the little ones battling for their lives and prayed for guidance on what she had to do to help heal these people. She lay down exhausted from the day and dove deep into another vivid dream. This time it wasn’t fire and the red devil woman, but of the salty sea and sound of birds in her ears.
Gemma’s low growl woke Neala, and she bolt upright. It was still dark outside her windows, and Gemma never growled if Zera or Ember came in. That is when she saw the red hair and pale skin reflect in the moonlight.
“It is ok Gemma but stay close.” Neala thought to her friend.
“I don’t trust this woman.” Gemma said but obeyed Neala.
“You must think of me as a monster after your little stroll today.” The Red Queen said.
“No, your grace, but I am concerned for those daemons.” Neala said, trying to stand her ground.
“The Pyre have always been a prideful people. Even during the early years of daemon kind, we never c
rossed our blood. The Fire daemon inside of us forbids it, that daemon controls a lot of what we do. After years of war and the evolution of the other daemon species, left our people weak. Over time, our powers have dwindled, and in some daemons, you met, doesn’t show at all. We do not have the resources left for everyone, so I am using natural selection to bring back our flame. I went to such great lengths that I crossed our blood just hoping we could revive our species.” The Queen sat on the end of the bed. Neala matched the green aura and the sincerity in her voice and knew that the Queen thought she was helping her tribe grow stronger by weeding out the weaker Pyre.
“What if all they need is to gain their strength back? Food, jobs, training. I can help you with that, but if you let them all die, we are in danger of losing much more. We will lose our morality.” Neala said pleading with her mother.
“Do what you can for them, but they are your responsibility. I chose to only focus on those who are worth my time. This can be a test of your abilities to lead. Now the feast is tomorrow night, so I expect you back here by midafternoon from your shenanigans to celebrate a new era.” Her mother said and left the room. Neala hugged Gemma’s neck.
“We have to save these daemons from her.” She said and Gemma purred in agreement.
She waited until the skies faded from orange and reds to blues. She crept into Zera’s room and sat on the edge of her bed. Her room was a stark contrast to her own. There was no private bath, no vibrant colors, or four-poster bed, just books with a simple bed and single rocking chair. From the looks of the room even with her own children, she favored the strongest. She shook her sister’s shoulders.
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