Ishtar's Blade

by Blackwood, Lisa

She dropped down and hooked her legs around his thick neck and wrapped her arms around his head and then hauled back with all her might. “Get him,” she yelled.

  The cubs leapt upon their father with squeals of glee and Iltani’s laughter echoed theirs. They ran their beaks along his tidy feathers, tickling and biting and pulling until a few feathers drifted to the ground. Ditanu mock growled at the sight, but those feathers were likely loose anyway, so she shouted encouragement to the cubs.

  “That’s it Humusi! Three points for the big feather.”

  Of course, she couldn’t hold Ditanu for long. He hoisted himself back to all fours, his cubs rolling harmlessly out of the way. Meanwhile, Iltani found herself dangling across his back, trapped in place by his great wings while he chased each cub. He paced them at his leisure, eventually pinning them down one at a time and blowing hot breath into their baby down, making them squeal with delight.

  After a time, Ditanu finished his play discipline. Then he ducked his head and heaved his great shoulders, sending Iltani rolling down his neck. Knowing what he planned, she hit the ground, rolled and then sprang back to her feet and bolted for the massive bed, using the obstacle to try and evade Ditanu’s pursuit.

  Every moment she remained free was a point in her favor. If she managed to complete a circuit around the room, she won the game. At least, that was how they played it as children.

  Behind her, Ditanu bound over or around anything in his path, keeping an even pace, never hurrying. The cubs had switched allegiances again and were now targeting Iltani, too.

  “Why you little traitors,” she called between gales of laughter. Even as she continued her mad run around the room, she already knew the end of the pursuit was a forgone conclusion, and the longer she made Ditanu chase her, the longer her tickle session after was likely to last.

  “I surrender!” She stopped running and Ditanu knocked her down. One large paw caught her and prevented her from slamming into the ground full force but it didn’t deter the three cubs and they landed upon her, tiny balls of fur, hissing and growling mock fury. Ditanu sat with his paws planted on either side of her body as his cubs gloried in their win.

  A long time later, when the cubs finally tired of the game, she backed out from under Ditanu’s bulk and glanced up into his face. Both the earlier merry cant of his tufted ears and the glimmer of humor in his eyes were gone, replaced by a much more soulful expression.

  “Promise me,” Ditanu demanded in his deep, gravelly tone. “You’ll never leave me again.”

  The breath froze in her lungs, her heart pounded and she swore her stomach had just plummeted to the ground.

  Oh, my king, I never wanted to leave you in the first place.

  His tone completely extinguished her playfulness and she returned his gaze with her own level look, all the while fighting the urge to tell him of her love. Coming to her feet, she stepped up to him until she was standing on his left side, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his feathers as she had as a child and hugged him fiercely.

  “Even if my duties as Ishtar’s Blade should require me to hunt down our enemies and leave you for a time, I will always return.”

  “Good,” he whispered back to her and then fell silent. She thought he was done until she heard his deep purring voice wrap around her senses. “I will hold you to that, my Little Shadow.”

  Her heart overflowing with joy, Iltani squeezed harder. It was a fight to let him go.

  While she was still futilely attempting to brush out the wrinkles and snags in her nightdress where the cubs had clawed and chewed it, she slid her gaze sideways to Ditanu and witnessed him take the hook of his beak to his forearm.

  “While I have you here,” he said, his deep gryphon voice vibrating along her breastbone. “I see no reason not to go ahead with the second blooding.”

  Iltani arched an eyebrow and glanced between his determined gaze and the new wound. This slice wasn’t as neat and clean as the ones he’d made on his chest earlier, but his beak did a sufficient job.

  “You’re really out to annoy your aunt, aren’t you?”

  “In this instance, Ishtar’s high priestess will forgive us if we forgo some of the trappings of the ceremony. The safety of my cubs comes first. Maybe if someone had listened to my childhood nightmare, we might each have had a chance to know our parents.”

  Iltani merely nodded and then turned her back to him and dragged the nightdress over her head. She knelt, bowed her head and dragged her braids off to one side. This time was less nerve wracking than the first time. While she was honest with herself, she admitted she found Ditanu as a gryphon surprisingly less intimidating than Ditanu as a man.

  A brush of feathers along her side was the only warning before he pressed his bleeding forearm against her spine. Unlike the first time, there was no sense that Ishtar was present. However her body did react to Ditanu’s blood, eagerly drawing it in and adapting her body to be more like him.

  “I wonder,” his voice rumbled loudly next to her ear, “what color of gryphon you’ll make.”

  “You’re so certain that I’ll advance that far? Most of Ishtar’s other blades never did.”

  “The strongest did. I’m certain you hold the potential to be one of Ishtar’s greatest blades.”

  “How very brash of you.” It was easier to bait him than acknowledge how much she would one day like to be able to fly, wing to wing, as his equal. Even knowing it might one day be a possibility, she still had trouble imagining herself as anything other than human.

  They were silent after that, but Iltani was still aware of the environment around them, the cubs sleeping curled nearby, the night breeze blowing in from the ocean, the silent regard of the Shadow standing at guard in one corner. That one now knew what she was, but he, like all his brethren, was not inclined to gossip.

  Iltani hadn’t forgotten him, but like the king was pretending he didn’t exist.

  Ditanu shifted at last, taking the weight of his forearm off her back and licking to close the wound. When his own wound was closed, he nudged Iltani in the side, urging her to stand up.

  She would have obeyed at once, but at this second blood exchange, she now felt a deep sense of lethargy seeping through her body. She’d be content to sleep on the floor. The carpets covering the king’s floors were plush enough.

  Ditanu nudged her with his beak. “Up with you. Ishtar’s Blade does not sleep on the floor.”

  “Not even just this once? I won’t tell if you don’t.” She turned her head enough to see him pad softly toward his bed. With a heavy sigh, she scooped up her discarded nightdress and stood.

  It wasn’t until she poked her head out the top and wiggled the bunched fabric down her hips that she noticed Ditanu sitting on his haunches watching her. His tufted tail flicked softly and his dark bird-like eyes studied her in that unfathomable way shared by both gryphons and birds of prey.

  He watched her a moment more, as if he wanted to tell her something, but then his gaze slid away from her to land on the other guard in the room.

  At his soft call, the cubs stirred awake from where they were having a power nap, and then followed him back up onto his bed. There the big gryphon curled on his side and offered his warm flanks and belly fur for the cubs to nestle in. They did and soon Iltani heard their soft snores.

  “Come here and sleep with the cubs. You need time to rest and allow your body to process my blood. Tomorrow will be a long day and I don’t want Ishtar’s Blade falling asleep at her own blooding ceremony.”

  Iltani snorted with humor but realized she was tired and her body did need rest.

  “Do not worry,” Ditanu offered. “I will stand watch over both you and my cubs this night.”

  She hesitated a moment more. Then with a shrug she went to the head of his bed, grabbed a pillow, gave it a couple savage fluffs and then flopped down next to the cubs, circling them protectively. Little Kuwari grumbled softly and then shifted closer to her and began to purr
.

  The whole time, she felt Ditanu watching, but she didn’t look up at him. After a moment, a large wing curved over both her and the cubs. Iltani sighed, closed her eyes, and slept peacefully for the first time in four years.

  Chapter Nine

  Dawn had barely painted the clouds with the first rays of light and already gryphons darkened the skies. Iltani stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean as she waited for the king’s entourage to ready themselves for flight. King Ditanu and Ahassunu, as well as many of their Shadow guards, had already taken on gryphon form. As was customary, a third of those in gryphon form already wore harnesses and saddles so they could carry armed riders as a precaution.

  Burrukan, still in human form, was holding a heavy bodied crossbow in one hand similar to the one Iltani carried. Although, hers was slightly lighter. Given what she’d learned the night before, seeing the crossbow in Burrukan’s hand was more worrisome than reassuring. He adjusted the harness and saddle of the gryphon that would be his mount.

  Other bits of armor and weapons were strapped to those gryphons not caring a rider. The king’s cubs were also bundled onto three gryphons like so much baggage. When King Ditanu finally gave the order to mount up, Iltani thanked her gryphon mount and settled into the saddle and clipped herself into the harness. With a barely discernible signal, the king ushered the vanguard of his escort into the air. They were soon followed by Ahassunu, the three gryphons carrying the cubs, and then Burrukan. Iltani’s own mount followed next, and then Ditanu took wing next to her. He darted forward, taking his place in the formation to the right of his cubs. The rest of the escort followed a few wing beats behind.

  If Iltani hadn’t been preoccupied with worry for her king and his cubs, she might have enjoyed the flight. However, she imagined she would like it better when she had her own wings. She rather hoped her king was right on that account. Though she honestly didn’t know if Ishtar would bless her so greatly.

  Personally, Iltani thought Ditanu might be wrong. She was no great war hero or wise advisor to her ruler. To be a Blade was blessing enough. She wanted no honor or glory, especially if it meant something might happen to Ditanu or his little ones.

  Iltani cursed herself for woolgathering again. She was just reacting to Ditanu’s talk of his and Kuwari’s returning nightmares.

  *****

  By the time the island of Uruk came into view, the sun was well above the horizon. It promised to be a bright, clear day. The gryphons in the lead began their descent. Iltani’s own mount followed suit. Soon, the entire entourage was landing, their wings kicking sand high up into the air as they touched down upon the beach.

  The island home of High Priestess Kammani had some of the nicest beaches she’d seen. As children, she and Ditanu had come here to play many times. It didn’t surprise her that Ishtar would demand a temple built here.

  The Queen of the Night loved things of beauty and claimed them as her own. Be it a stretch of scenic beach, or the grace of gryphons on the wing—Ishtar appreciated them all.

  Iltani jumped down from her mount and landed on the sun-warmed sands. Already several of the king’s councilors, and what looked to be half the court had gathered on the beach between them and the stairs leading up to the cliff-side temple. Iltani would have preferred if the escorts could simply have flown straight to the temple, but one did not approach Ishtar’s temple with anything other than humble bearing.

  The first of the councilors had already cornered Ditanu while he was still in gryphon form. The escort circled the king, his consort, and his cubs protectively. Iltani pushed her way through the throng, not caring if it was a priest, a noble, or a councilor she shoved out of her way. Being a Shadow and having to answer only to the king and his safety was a benefit in a crowd. When she finally reached the king’s side, she stood so close to his flank she could feel the heat of his body. The tip of his flicking tail occasionally brushed her arms. Ditanu was not annoyed with her; his grumpy expression was for anyone else who ventured too close to his cubs. Ahassunu was giving her own growls of warning. Ah. Here was the gryphon parents she’d expected to see last night.

  Taking her clue from them, she glowered at anyone who tried to get to close.

  As the other Shadows started to clear a path to the temple stairs, Iltani manhandled more councilors and nobles. When they still didn’t take the hint, she tossed back her cloak and rested one hand on the hilt of her sword.

  They finally took the hint and backed off a few steps, enough the king and his entourage could move toward the stairs unhindered. At this rate maybe they’d make it to the temple before sunset.

  Iltani steeled her spine and prepared for a very long day.

  *****

  While it hadn’t taken half the day just to reach the temple, unfortunately, it was a long drawn out affair. Once they’d reached their destination, High Priestess Kammani and several of her priests and priestesses were already there waiting for them with refreshments and quiet places for the gryphons to shapeshift back to human form and dress.

  The king chose to remain in gryphon form, saying it was to comfort the cubs. Iltani had interacted with the cubs for less than a day but already knew the cubs were familiar with their parents’ ability to shapeshift and were not stressed by Ditanu in his human form in the least.

  Ditanu must have another reason for wanting to retain his gryphon form. Iltani would bet it had something to do with his returning nightmares. While they waited for half the Shadows to take on human form in the side chambers, Iltani took the opportunity to join Ditanu as he stood by a window, looking out toward the ocean. In gryphon form, he stood a head taller than her but probably weighed five times as much.

  “You’re worried about something?”

  His closest tufted ear flicked in her direction while he stared steadily out the window. “I am a king—there’s always something to worry about.”

  “Yes, but unless you’ve changed more than I believe you have, this is something more.”

  Turning to her, he dipped his head, rubbing against her side in a showing of gryphon affection. Iltani returned his loving gesture by reaching up and grooming the feathers on his head. He leaned into her scratch, shifting every so often so she could reach the best spots. His eyes drifted closed in pleasure.

  They stood like that for a few moments. Not king and blade, but simply friends.

  “My King?” Burrukan’s voice prodded them out of their moment of shared affection. “We are ready. Whenever you wish us to leave, we can.”

  “Then we should go,” Ditanu agreed. Giving himself a shake, he ruffled all his fur and then flicked his wings before slicking all his feathers back in place.

  Once Ditanu’s entourage emerged, Kammani dropped her persona of High Priestess for a short time and greeted her nephew with a warm welcome. To each of the cubs, she gave a kiss and a good head scratch before clasping Ahassunu’s shoulders and kissing each of her cheeks.

  The welcome done and over with, the business of prayer, politics, and court intrigue commenced.

  *****

  For the majority of the ceremony, Priestess Kammani and Consort Ahassunu took the lead. Iltani decided the naming of an heir was a direly serious business, which even at half the length of time, would still have been deadly boring.

  Throughout the ceremony, the king scanned everything around him, his dark eyes missing nothing. Iltani endeavored to outperform him. Though, in the end, she doubted it was possible. She wasn’t a gryphon parent.

  The afternoon waned and the sun sank lower in the sky while high up in the temple the priestess held the oldest cub aloft and declared her the crown princess, Ditanu’s heir, and future guardian to all those of gryphon blood.

  Iltani echoed the prayers and chants as required, thinking that should nothing untoward happen in the next hundred years, Humusi would be the next Gryphon Queen. Glancing at the tiny cub chewing on the priestess’s belt, Iltani grinned, having a hard time visualizing this little one all gr
own up into a fierce ruler.

  The rites droned on for some time afterward. Iltani stopped paying attention to the ceremony, but her attention to the world around her never waned, nor did Ditanu’s. At last the ceremony was over, the nobles cheered, servants brought out platters of food, and wine began to flow.

  The celebration would run long into the night, but Iltani wouldn’t see it through to the end. She would be at her own ceremony. At last, Ditanu called his escort to him and announced he and his family would retire to the temple for private prayers to Ishtar. If some of his guests thought he wanted to give his cubs rest from the noise of the celebration, she imagined he was all right with their assumptions.

  They left behind the noise and drunken bustle of the celebration and Iltani felt the peace of the temple wrap around her. Currents of Ishtar’s power played against her skin and raised gooseflesh. Once again, she felt Ishtar’s attention upon them. Ditanu must have felt the same thing for the big gryphon shook out his wings and his tail twitched gently as he looked over his shoulder at her. Outwardly, he showed no other signs of his nervous apprehension or the eagerness she felt reverberating along their link.

  Priests and priestesses came forward, bringing with them bowls of water for washing, goblets of wine, and more platters of food. The room Iltani found herself in was warm sandstone with beautiful carvings and paintings of Ishtar. Ringing the outside of the walls, were more of the large stone archways allowing in the ocean breeze.

  From her east-facing vantage point, Iltani watched the first of the stars appear against the night sky. Soon the Moon would rise and it would be time for the ceremony.

  The servants came forward offering the king food and drink. He waved them away with a flick of his tail but instructed them to serve the rest of his entourage. Then with a glance over his shoulder at Iltani and a flick of his tail in invitation, he paced away from the rest of the escort, his large paws silent on the stone floor. Four equally silent Shadows followed.

  Iltani started after him but was waylaid by Kuwari. He cried and clawed at her boots, begging to be picked up. She reached down and scooped him up. He was shivering as if afraid.