by Lena Austin
Talamar backed off Tanne’s horn, and Tanne did not follow. The black stallion laughed. I’ve no objections to that, other than I do find it distasteful that any stallion would sink so low. His glance at Kella was laced with contempt.
Tanne snorted. You hoard all the fillies for yourself, Talamar. What did you expect? I personally think it low of the stallions to demand such services. Wooing and winning a female’s heart is much more fun, especially when your own is given in return.
Jenna chuckled and nodded, along with several other females. One dark green stallion stamped his foot and shouted, “Well said!”
At first, Kella was a little outraged when she realized that the stallions had been coming to the village when they couldn’t get a female from the herd. Talamar’s open contempt changed that. The poor stallions! With no way to seek sexual relief, of course they sought the hard-up bitches of her village. It did no one any harm. The bitches needed the release as much as the stallions did. It was a reasonable solution, and one the bitches welcomed. She certainly did, for as long as it lasted.
Jenna whispered in her mind, You aren’t shielded that well, dearling. I agree with you, but you might want to not think that so loudly. Kella slammed up a shield that allowed thoughts in, but not out.
At the same time, the dark green stallion nodded and winked conspiratorially at Kella. He was probably one of the frequent visitors to her village. His whisper was even softer than Jenna’s. I’ve a longtime love in the village. Now that the secret is out, I think I’ll just trot on over in daylight next time.
Kella choked down her laughter at his jaunty tone. Another charming rogue. She hoped the bitch who enjoyed his favors got much status from her big green lover.
Her own big blue lover was coming toward her, the confrontation apparently over. The ring disappeared as Unicorns dispersed to return to nibbling on grass or holding conversational knots. Talamar was gone.
Jenna remained next to Kella’s side until Tanne joined them. I’m proud of you, son. However, I must caution you that you’ve made Talamar lose face today. His pride has been badly stung, and the rebellion of the stallions is salt in the wound. She turned to explain to Kella. Tanne could have killed Talamar immediately and claimed the herd. The fact that Tanne allowed him to back off made it an act of contempt, saying, in essence, that Talamar wasn’t worth fighting. The herd now knows the Herd Stallion lives and rules only because Tanne let him. There’s only one way for Talamar to regain his pride. Find a way to humiliate Tanne.
I know, Mother. That’s one reason why I removed myself from the herd. I am the better mage and fighter, but I don’t want to be Herd Stallion, and never have. Talamar can have the job. Tanne tossed his head. For me, nothing has changed. I left the herd long ago, and I don’t want to return.
Well, you’ve assured that now. You should stay away, as much as possible. I’ll only call you if absolutely necessary. We’ll manage without you. Jenna turned to Kella. I’m sorry we had to meet like this, dear. I’ll come visit you from now on for a cup of tea and a bit of a chat. I want to find out more about the girl who holds my son’s heart in the palms of her hands.
At Jenna’s wink, Kella’s bewildered shock broke. She laughed through her horn. Well, that’s honest. Come have tea any time we aren’t healing.
She and Tanne turned as one and trotted out of the herd. While no one seemed to move, a way through the milling bodies was made. At first, Kella thought it might be a sign of shunning, until a few dipped their horns and moved. It dawned on Kella that what she was seeing was a sign of respect. Tanne seemed to accept it as his due, so she matched his pace and held her head high until they were out of sight.
On the way home, she mulled over the whole incident. Talamar was indifferent toward his newborn son. A Vampire prince would have been wild with joy, showering the mother with gifts and showing the infant off to anyone whom he happened upon. Secondly, Talamar had been more concerned with having sex with a new filly. Was that all he thought about? Was he that bored? Finally, the whole incident with Tanne’s horn at his herd leader’s neck…
No, wait. That wasn’t correct. Tanne had stated clearly that he’d left the herd. What was it he’d said? That he had left to avoid becoming Herd Stallion. Why?
They’d started to climb the switchback to the cavern, when Tanne stopped. Kella, still thinking, plowed into his hindquarters, narrowly missing skewering him. What’s the matter, Tanne?
Tanne looked straight at the large rock nearest the cavern entrance. There’s a Gryphon perched on the boulder up there. He walked more carefully up the path.
Kella peered into the late afternoon shadows. The huge wings of the Gryphon fluttered lazily as he watched them both approach. He jumped down and waited patiently, his flopping tail the only sign of his agitation.
It is waiting here I have been for an hour, healer! The odd accent had Kella pausing to puzzle his words out.
I’m sorry, Ayshen. There was a birth in the herd. How can I help you? Tanne approached much closer than Kella would feel safe. She lingered back a little, and gave one longing glance toward the dark interior of the cavern.
Ayshen lifted his beak skyward. It is the moon, I am thinking. My mate has cubbing pains, but it is too early. Concerned, we are.
Kella looked where his beak pointed, at the lovely, full orb just peeking over the cliff tops. What did the moon have to do with birthings?
“This is Nin-Kaa’s first litter, is it not?” Tanne shifted to his preferred human form, so Kella did, too.
Ayshen hung his head. Her second pregnancy, it is. We lost the first litter. Hoping, we are, to save this one. His head snapped upright. Two months more, we have. Only two months. Come, you will?
Tanne turned to Kella. “I can see you are weary. Why don’t you do a bit of organizing in your stillroom? I don’t think this will take long.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Shall I prepare a bed in case the lady needs to come here?” It seemed only right to offer. She could re-make the burn bed, if it was needed.
Ayshen trilled, and she realized after a moment that it was a Gryphon’s laugh. A fine nest we have, healer. But your offer of hospitality is gracious. He bowed to her. Ayshen, I am. Perhaps after our cubs are born, you will see them?
Kella was suddenly grateful she’d manifested her skirts when she changed form. She gave Ayshen a curtsey. “My name is Kella. I’d be delighted to admire your younglings, good sir.”
Ayshen turned one platter-sized eye to Tanne. It is as Le-An said. Chosen wisely, you have. Pleased, I am, to see for myself that there is a place where all may come to be healed, with kindness. We go now?
Tanne changed to a swift falcon’s form and took to the skies. Ayshen followed a breath later, leaving Kella to guard her eyes from the dust raised by his great wings.
By the time she’d used her apron to wipe from her eyes the tears caused by the dust, they both were out of sight.
She wasn’t weary, as Tanne had intimated. She did have a great deal to sort out in her mind and to do. The stew got a warming spell before she opened the trap door and went downstairs to her stillroom.
Manifesting all the things on her list took a small amount of time, but there was little to do until she went herb hunting or arranged to get seeds. A peek down the corridor to the secret entrance showed full dark was descending, so there was no time for even a small excursion before dark.
She made a lonely supper for herself, and was washing her dish when Tanne popped in literally right beside her.
Exultant, he snatched her up into a full hug, whooping. Her bowl went flying back into the soapy water with a wet plop.
“Tanne! What has you so excited?” Her braid whipped around like a flag as he spun her full circle.
Laughing, Tanne put her down and planted a kiss on her lips. “Didn’t you hear Ayshen? Le-An has been spreading the word that we will heal anyone who comes to us.”
Tanne strode to the cauldron and dipped a bowl of stew for him
self. He sat at the table and gestured with the spoon he manifested. “He told me more while I checked Nin-Kaa. She’s going to be fine, by the way. I’ve limited her to staying in the nest and rising from it only to relieve herself. Ayshen is happy to hunt for them both.”
Kella made herself a mug of tea and sat down. “So, what did Ayshen say about our healing?”
Tanne grinned and swallowed his mouthful of stew. “Le-An tells everyone that we have a healing facility here. That I heal by magic, and you by knife and herb. This is being celebrated by all those creatures who do not have healers for themselves.”
“The only races I know of who have healers of their own are Unicorns, Vampires, and Elves.” Kella tapped a finger on her chin. “This means we’ll have many creatures coming to us.”
Tanne mimed the shooting of an arrow. “Dead in the black, my love.” He grew thoughtful. “You’d better get your garden planted and growing well, even if we have to accelerate its growth with magic.”
“I’ll gather herbs tomorrow and contact Sedna. If I can trade something for full-grown plants and seeds, this would be better.” Kella breathed a sigh of relief deep in her innermost heart. Perhaps, if she remained useful, Tanne might keep her. She did love healing, and was good at it.
Tanne leveled a sober glance at her. “Just beware, Kella. The Vampires are worshipers of Unicorns as gods. Not only are you a heretic in their eyes, but also I offended the Herd Stallion today. It would be easy to punish me by harming you. Talamar would have no qualms about doing this. Even Sedna may be an unwitting pawn.”
Chapter Sixteen
Kella took Tanne’s warning to heart, but could not believe Sedna would be embroiled in plans to harm her. Still, it bore thinking upon. After all, the select Vampire bitches chosen by stallions would be looked upon as having achieved a great honor and would attain higher status. Naturally, since they hid Kella from the sight of the stallions, she’d had no idea.
The difference between Kella and those chosen bitches was that Kella had left the village to live with her stallion, and be his mate. That was heretical, and was looked upon as having elevated herself into the realm of the gods.
Consequently, Kella procrastinated. She spent a few weeks gathering herbs that grew wild, and did not contact Sedna. She used the excuse that, nearly every day, a new patient appeared. A Werewolf with a dislocated shoulder, a few younglings of different races with bellyaches from eating too many half-ripe berries, and even a Mermaid with a sore tail called for aid.
Finally, the day came when there was a need for herbs she could not get wild. Kella sighed and used her newly learned teleporting skills to make her way to just outside the village. She squared her shoulders and walked to the temple, shields on high. The occasional rotten fruit came flying, but those bounced harmlessly off. When she passed Reimy, her former best friend stuck her nose in the air and walked right past. That hurt, but Kella kept a serene half-smile pasted on her face and slipped into the temple.
Her cloak swirled about her, and she blessed her thinking in wearing her black gown. With a gray cloak and a black dress, her hair discreetly in her hood, Kella looked like any other worshiper who chose a corner to pray and contemplate. Instead, she sent out a tentative mind-call to Sedna.
The joyous answer was followed by a simple command. Wait there.
A few minutes later, Kella noted the white hem of Sedna’s robe beside her. Sedna beckoned silently, and Kella rose to follow meekly, a few steps behind like any other worshiper.
Only when the door to Sedna’s apartment closed did Kella get a loving hug and cup of tea. Alarm bells rang in her head when she saw the formal tea set, laid out as if for an important guest. Kella gestured to the fine layout. “As if we need such things, Sedna!”
Sedna flicked her eyes at a curtain to the side. “Ah, but we do, Kella. I’ve a favor to ask of you.”
The warning was enough. Kella modified her shields and found the aura of the High Priest in his hiding place. His thoughts were clear, and Kella read the whole plan.
Sedna wisely dropped her own shielding and was waiting when Kella turned back, fury in her eyes. There was a lightning-quick mind-speak conversation wherein Kella learned how Sedna was coerced. A little play-acting was decided upon.
Kella sat regally in a chair and allowed Sedna to pour for her as if she’d never served at Sedna’s feet. “How convenient, Sedna. I’ve come to trade for some herbs and plants for my garden. I’m sure we can strike a bargain.” She fingered her collar and got a wink in return.
Sedna sipped her own tea placidly while both “listened” to the High Priest squirm with impatience. He wanted Sedna to command Kella to the task.
“As I’m sure you are aware, Kella, you’ve gained some unique abilities of late. Your people now ask for use of those skills, if you would be so kind.” Sedna drawled her words as if indifferent to the outcome of the bargain, but Kella knew how important the task truly was, and simply nodded.
“One of our seers has seen that there is a village of Vampires approximately one day’s ride from here, outside the Valley shield. Humans are about to attack that village. None of us have the form swift enough to get there in time, and warn them. We have received permission from the Herd Stallion to send one representative in hopes of convincing them to immigrate here.” Sedna allowed some of her anxiousness to color her voice.
Kella held up her hand to stop the flow of words. She made her voice deliberately cold. “So, because I have the ability to change to a swift form, you wish me to be that representative? What kind of fool do you think I am?” She rose from her chair to pace. “I have no special persuasive skills. I must sneak past a veritable army of humans and somehow lead an entire village back here? The task is nearly insurmountable.”
The High Priest’s thoughts were absolutely clear. He knew the task was impossible. He thought it unlikely that anyone would be able to get past humans, and then convince and move an entire village unseen. It was a plausible excuse to get rid of the heretic, at the request of the Herd Stallion. The seer’s vision could not have come at a better time.
Sedna, however, had more faith in Kella than that. She thought it not unreasonable that a swarm of bats and a pack of wolves could indeed slip past the human sentries.
Kella thought it unlikely that an entire village would be persuaded, but she was willing to try. Uppermost in Sedna’s mind were the memories of her own immigration to the Valley, and these cluttered her emotions.
Kella decided the game was at an end. She sent forth a whip of power and yanked the High Priest from his hiding place. His squeaking protests were loud until Kella shut his throat.
“You think to use me and get rid of a heretic, not caring if you condemn an entire village of our own people to a horrible death at the hands of humans.” Her anger and contempt were palpable, but she loosened the noose of power around his neck enough so he could breathe.
“You cannot do this to me! I am your High Priest!”
“I just did, and you are a fat, spoiled fool. Since you wish to skulk behind curtains and allow bitches to do your work, be gone! I have no need of your approval or good wishes. You are dismissed.” She tossed him out of the room with a mere thought.
Kella turned to sit back down, and allowed Sedna to regain her composure. It took a few minutes for Sedna to stop laughing behind her hand, smothering her chuckles.
“Where did you put him, Kella?”
“In the ornamental fountain in front of the temple. I’m making a point, here, Sedna. I won’t be manipulated, nor am I that meek little acolyte any longer. I won’t be beaten for every offense or take any sort of abuse. I don’t worship the princes as demigods, and I personally feel the bitches are wrong to treat them so.”
A slow, evil smile lit Kella’s face. “You see, Sedna, I am going to try to rescue that village. If I do, I’ll be bringing males back. Viable, unspoiled males, not to put too fine a point on it. Our brat-princes are about to get a hard lesson.”
Sedna looked a little alarmed. “I can see the implications. Oh, there’s trouble afoot.”
“Now, here’s your portion of the tasks. I want you to tell everyone who will listen to you that the priests have persuaded me. Make the priests look oh-so-heroic in having convinced the Vampire sorceress to perform this nearly impossible quest. And…”
“But Kella, why? Why make the priests look good? They wish you ill.”
Kella allowed her eyes to twinkle. “Because, when the villagers show up, males included, the priests look like the chumps for persuading me. They cannot blame anyone but themselves when they’ve been puffing up with pride at being so noble.”
Sedna chortled and nearly spilled her tea. “Hoist on their own petard! I love it. Next task?”
“Gather those bitches whom you can trust to prepare for the immigrants, of course. They’ll need shelter and all the other necessities, since traveling light will be my orders. Only swaddling for the babes-in-arms and what can be carried in a light pack will be permitted. These folks are going to arrive with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs.” Kella nibbled on a honey cake and thought.
“That will be another ugly surprise for the priests. It will be the duty of the temple to provide shelter and food, until permanent homes can be erected.”
Sedna’s sly comment was accurate. Kella stood, and brushed crumbs from her gown. “Don’t forget my herbs, please. If you’ll forgive me, I’ll need to get started. Do me the kindness of telling Tanne I’ll be back in approximately three days. He’s with the Dwarves, where a cave-in caused some damage. The Dwarves have odd rules about females not working outside the home, so I couldn’t attend. I also can’t mind-call him when he’s so deep in the earth. I’ll have to depend on you, and a note I’ll leave him. Would you mind? He’s likely to be upset.”
Sedna set her teacup down decisively. “I can handle an upset stallion. I’ve done it before and can do it again. Let me walk you through my personal garden, and you can show me your herb needs as you leave through the side gate.”
