‘We are not defeating the Maphraxies, merely holding them back. Fear for our future is a sickness in the minds and hearts of the free peoples of Maioria.’ He slipped the orb back into its velvet sack and put it into a drawer that magically disappeared when he shut it.
She was disappointed it was gone, its potent magic was quite alluring. She glanced at Freydel who sat scowling, deep in thought. Outside the raven dozed on the windowsill. Of all that she had learned from Freydel, it troubled her that he thought she had a role to play in the whole planet’s dire situation. She decided to convince him otherwise, somehow.
‘Lunch?’ Freydel said, forcing a smile. She smiled and nodded, glad to think about something else.
They ate lunch in the same courtyard where she had eaten breakfast, but spoke only of small things, the heavy conversations of the morning deliberately avoided. She enjoyed the warmth of Celene. Being so far south it was much warmer than Little Kammy ever got, and she liked the humidity too. Freydel named the flowers and insects around them. She only half-listened, watching butterflies the size of her hand dance amongst the flowers.
With all the beauty around her, it was hard to believe that the world was ravaged by darkness and war. Somewhere out there, there were soldiers fighting bloody battles against monsters, and presiding over them all was their Immortal Lord. Again she saw his dark form in her mind’s eye. He reached towards her from the shadows and in his hand held that beautiful pulsing white star trapped within a bottle. It whispered to her of life without end and power without limits. She felt again great desire for it.
‘The greatest gift,’ she whispered.
Freydel stopped his chattering and looked at her.
‘What did you say? You look as pale as a ghost.’
‘The greatest gift,’ she replied.
‘What is?’
‘Immortality, to live without the pain of death.’
The sun passed behind a cloud casting a shadow over them. A butterfly circled around her, though it was not the colourful wings that drew her attention, but rather the darkness of its shadow that danced across her lap. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
‘There can be no life without death, no joy without first the pain, no growth without a sacrifice of old ways,’ Freydel said softly, ‘and we all live forever within Feygriene’s light. Though our forms may change, we can never truly die.’
The sun came out from behind the cloud and cast them in warm light again.
‘I believe there is life without death. And joy, by its nature, cannot know of pain,’ she spoke quietly, sad that these things she felt to be true deep within her, did not seem to be true here.
Freydel did not hear her, however, and stood up brushing the crumbs from his lap.
‘There is still much we must discuss, but it will have to wait. There are things to which I must attend. The festival is tomorrow and the Lady Eleny will need all the help she can get. Let’s go and meet the Lady of Castle Elune.’ He smiled at her.
She stood up, no longer having the appetite to finish her lunch. She glanced back at the butterfly and its shadow but tore her eyes away before she could see any more dark images reaching out to her.
Chapter 25
Black Fire
ISSA and Freydel made their way to the stables behind the Castle Elune. There they found a blonde-haired woman who was busy brushing down an old dappled-grey carthorse chewing on a mouthful of hay. The mare watched their approach with an interested expression on its face.
Memory of Haybear flashed in Issa’s mind. Her shaggy mare with light brown eyes, then her charred remains behind a cart. She closed her eyes against the sudden tears and forced a smile.
Maeve was there too, sat on a stool and furiously fanning her red face. The stool creaked dangerously, trying to support her bottom that was three times its size. The blonde woman looked up and smiled at Issa.
‘Ah, my dear, finally we meet. Are you feeling better?’ she asked, taking Issa’s hands in her own.
Lady Eleny looked to be in her forties, had clear blue eyes, and thick shoulder-length hair. Her handsome heart-shaped face instantly reminded Issa of Fraya. She wore a long, burgundy coloured dress and a fine gold band about her neck. Like Freydel, she was well-spoken and seemed genuine. Issa found herself naturally smiling back.
‘We were so worried about you when you arrived. It’s good to see you up. I trust you are well fed and just need some sun to bring the colour back into your cheeks?’
‘Yes, thank you miss, uh Lady, for all you have done for me.’ Issa said, started to curtsy and instead grinned awkwardly.
‘It’s the least we could do. Please, make yourself at home. We have so few visitors these days, it’s a pleasure to have company. Anything you want or need just ask,’ Ely said.
‘Thank you, Lady Eleny,’ Issa said, stumbling over the words again, and grimacing for repeating herself.
‘Oh, please just call me Ely, we’re all friends here,’ she waved a hand dismissively.
Issa felt more relaxed at that. ‘I’m Issa.’
‘Welcome to my home, Issa, welcome to Celene,’ Ely swept her arm wide. She glanced at the wizard, who was stroking the mare’s nose. ‘I don’t quite understand all that Freydel speaks of, but few escape the White Beast without some blessing of the goddess. I know you have come from the Isles of Kammy, I can tell from your lovely accent. And here you are on another island far to the south, but an island nonetheless, so I hope you will feel at home here.’
Issa felt her cheeks grow warm at the compliment. No one had told her that before.
Ely looked away to the green hills in the distance and frowned.
‘We pray the Dromoorai won’t come here. These are dark times, but who better to serve as your guide, your tutor, than Freydel. There are still good times to be had,’ Ely smiled and the worry on her face disappeared. ‘You have come at a happy time, for the Midsummer Celebrations are tomorrow and we have lots to prepare.’
Issa’s eyes went wide, had so much time passed? Was it Midsummer already? It had only been the beginning of summer on Little Kammy when she had left, and that seemed like a lifetime ago. A lump rose in her throat. Never again would she see Little Kammy’s meadows of summer flowers, so vibrant against a blue sky.
‘I love horses,’ Ely continued, ‘and we breed and nurture some of the finest in the land. Tomorrow the very best knights of Frayon will ride them.’
‘I used to heal horses, and other animals, back home on Little Kammy. Ma said I had a healer’s hand,’ though I could never heal her, she did not say the last. ‘It was my dream to make it to the mainland, and find a seer or goddess temple where I could use my gift,’ she said and shifted nervously under Ely’s gaze.
‘A healer? Hmm, we could do with one of those here,’ Ely tapped her chin. ‘My mother was a healer and a priestess, but I didn’t have the healer’s gift.’
‘I’ve not been trained in the art,’ Issa blurted. She didn’t want to boast or make the lady think she was some kind of powerful healer.
‘The gift is first, the training comes later. It’s a shame the High Priestess of Celene doesn’t realise that,’ Ely added under her breath, but said no more. Issa wanted to know about this priestess but didn’t press the point seeing the scowl on Ely’s face.
‘Come, let me show you the horses,’ Ely said.
Together they walked through the stables, leaving Maeve and Freydel to chat to each other. Though to Issa, from the sound of it, Freydel and Maeve didn’t quite see eye to eye.
‘I’m going to get into that stuffy room of yours and make it clean if it’s the last thing I do,’ Maeve said.
‘Harrumph, I shall have long left this world by then.’
Issa just about caught Freydel’s reply as they rounded a corner. She looked at Ely, who had gone pink from holding her breath, and they burst out laughing.
‘That has been going on for a very long time,’ Ely giggled. ‘But deep down I’m sure they like each othe
r.’ Issa grinned.
The horses were quite beautiful; long-limbed, slender and graceful, with large eyes and chiselled heads. Ely stroked the gleaming coat of a young bay stallion and it nuzzled her fondly.
‘There will be two days of music, singing and dancing, and the finest food and drink from all over Maioria. I was hoping you would be well enough to join us. So I arranged a dress for you. Don’t worry, it’s quite simple, but modern and without that cumbersome Frayonesse bustle. I do hope you’ll like it.’
‘Oh wonderful,’ Issa said and hid a grimace. She missed her riding trousers sorely but felt bad for being ungrateful. These people had so far done everything for her.
As they walked and talked of the celebrations, she realised how long it had been since she had talked about normal things. The hardship of the past few weeks was slowly releasing, and she struggled to blink back the tears of relief before Ely could see. She was no longer alone, and perhaps this would be her new home, at least for now.
Ma had told her to get to the mainland, but here was good enough, especially if Freydel could teach her magic. There was also a temple here, perhaps she could work and train her healer’s gift there and earn her keep tending Ely’s horses.
Birds flittered about the trees, and bees hummed in nearby bushes. The smell of summer flowers was heavy in the air, and all was peaceful. The late afternoon sun had lost its former heat but the breeze had dropped so it remained very warm. They came to a stop at the last stable.
Issa was suddenly alert, all her senses heightened, her limbs poised for flight, and her heart quickened. The world was clearly defined as if someone had drawn around everything with a fine pencil. The raven darted past her and landed on a couple of stables set apart from the others. Ely jumped and stared.
‘A raven. A good omen, if a little powerful,’ Ely said, but Issa barely heard her. The raven was trying to tell her something.
‘What’s in those stables,’ Issa nodded towards them, her eyes never leaving the raven.
‘Oh, those horses are not for the celebrations tomorrow. One is my mare. She’s a little old now to ride much, but I still love her. The other, well, it’s a sad story. He was a gift from the King of Atalanph. A beautiful black foal, but the ship carrying him and his mother was attacked, most on board were killed or drowned, including his mother. Some managed to flee the sinking ship. With a raft only half-filled with people, they took pity on the struggling foal and dragged him in with them. They were all lucky to survive.’
‘Keteth,’ Issa said. Ely nodded.
‘The foal never recovered from the trauma. We managed to get him to eat, eventually, but never tame enough to ride. If we cannot tame him we cannot name him, and so he remains nameless. He’s only calm when my mare Izy is with him, that’s why we put them together. He’s beautiful and fast, but dangerous; no one can get near him without getting bitten or kicked. Such a shame,’ she shook her head.
‘Can we look? Maybe I can help,’ Issa asked, intrigued by this ominous horse.
‘Sure, just don’t get too close.’
They headed to the stables, atop which the raven was busy preening itself.
Izy was in the first stable. A mild-mannered strawberry roan who whickered softly and nuzzled Lady Eleny’s hand. A heavy stamp came from the next stable. Issa walked towards it.
The smell of fear and sweat lay heavy in the air and at first, she couldn’t see anything in the blackness. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and sweat tingled her forehead. As her eyes adjusted, a dark horse appeared in the corner. He stamped and snorted, tossing his head up and down. She could feel the horse’s fear as if it were her own; a sense of loss, confusion and stress. These were all feelings she knew well.
‘There, there,’ she whispered. ‘I’m not here to hurt you.’
The raven cawed above her, and all at once the horse ceased his stamping. She wondered if he was talking to the horse, reassuring it in some way, because he seemed calmer, even daring to venture forward a little into the light. His coat was as black as midnight, and glistening with sweat from the constant battles fought against the demons in his mind. The whites of his eyes were brilliant crescent moons of fear. He was very tall and his powerful muscles constantly twitched. She found him quite magnificent to look upon.
She stayed motionless, breathing lightly, and in each other’s presence, a sense of calm settled between them. He came closer, turning his head to look at her, first with one eye and then the other. He was close. She could touch him if she tried, but she made no move and he took another step forward.
For a moment they stayed there, neither one moving, neither one willing to be the first. Then she raised her hand to gently touch his nose. His fear flowed into her, and she pushed it out to let it dissipate in the air, as she had known to do so many times at the Laron’s smithy. Beyond the fear she felt something else, like a flickering flame, but black and not yellow, and the image was gone. She smiled and drew her hand away.
‘There that wasn’t so hard was it?’ The horse stood calm and snorted.
‘Well I never,’ Ely whispered in amazement, coming a little closer, but keeping her distance. ‘No one has come that close to him for a long time. Why don’t you try and ride him?’ Ely grinned.
‘Hah, I think it’s a little early for that,’ Issa said, ‘but there is something more I felt. It’s difficult to explain, but sometimes they send me images. I can’t be sure, but it could be his name. They try to tell me their names if they want to.’ She wondered if Ely would take her seriously.
‘Well, he has long been without a name, unfairly so I feel,’ Ely smiled.
Issa focused on the magnificent horse in the darkness of his stable and closed her eyes. A vivid image formed, a world of fire, great walls of orange flames burned all around her. The flames turned black, and within them, she felt freedom and fury and the forming of a word.
‘Duskar,’ Issa breathed. The raven cawed and the horse stamped his foot as if in response.
‘A most fitting name,’ Ely nodded, wonder in her eyes. ‘In old Celenian, it means, “black fire.” ’
‘Yes,’ Issa laughed, ‘that is indeed his name.’
She said stroked his neck and wondered what had passed between them. The sinking sun cast them all in a red glow.
‘Hmm it’s getting late,’ Ely said. ‘Though I’d love to spend all day here with my horses, there’s much I have to do. Come back to see him tomorrow, or whenever you like. Maybe you can help us train him.’
‘I can try,’ Issa said, and stepped away from Duskar, unwilling to leave him alone in the darkness once more.
‘Until tomorrow, friend,’ she directed her thought to him. Duskar tossed his head, and retreated back into the darkness, not healed but calmer than before.
Freydel and Maeve were no longer there, so they walked alone along a pink stone path back to the castle, chatting about Issa’s healing experience on Little Kammy. They passed many servants setting up chairs and tables about the lawn, and gardeners busily draping beautiful garlands of flowers over marquees. Tomorrow they would serve the food and drink brought from across Maioria.
Issa followed Ely to the dining room where a large empty fireplace dominated one wall, and on the other were windows that reached from floor to ceiling. Some were open, and a cool evening breeze flowed in, carrying with it the scent of the ocean. There was a long mahogany table laid with plates, cutlery and wine glasses. Only three places were laid at one end, and they took seats next to each other. Hot smells of spices came from somewhere and Issa’s stomach rumbled. It seemed she could not eat enough since escaping the Shadowlands.
‘Freydel will join us shortly,’ Ely said, just as a young maid with dark eyes and chestnut coloured curls entered. She set down a tray carrying a bottle of red wine.
‘It’s all right, Glyn, we can look after ourselves now,’ Ely said. The maid smiled, curtsied, and left them to pour their own wine.
‘She’s always shy of new people,�
� Ely explained. ‘I like to think we’re all friends in one big house, rather than a lady and her servants. I’ve need of friends the most, and would much rather do things for myself, though many of them insist I do not.’ Freydel walked in.
‘Ah, there you both are. And that’s a fine bottle of Celenian wine,’ his eyes lit up as they rested on the bottle Ely was pouring.
‘Only the finest for Midsummer’s Eve,’ Ely grinned.
Issa took a sip, it was soft and mellow and instantly relaxing. ‘I haven’t drunk wine since it was Ma’s birthday last autumn. ‘It was always too difficult to grow on Little Kammy, and the imports were so expensive. We had to make do with cider,’ but as she said it she saw the blackened trees of their orchard and wished she hadn’t spoke.
‘The best cider always came from the Isles of Kammy,’ Ely said.
‘Here’s to the finest cider from the Isles of Kammy,’ Freydel said, raising his glass with a grin. They cheered and chinked glasses, and she was glad to forget about her destroyed home.
A large roast dinner was set before them, and as they ate and sipped wine, they spoke of the celebrations tomorrow. The Midsummer Celebrations on Little Kammy were always fun, but the one planned for tomorrow seemed far more sophisticated. She was looking forward to it. Although she wanted to chat more, after the food and wine she found herself struggling to keep awake.
‘If you’ll excuse me, I think I need to sleep,’ she said between yawns.
She left Ely and Freydel chatting. When she got to her room, Maeve was there laying out a pair of riding trousers, slim boots and a white shirt.
‘Lady Eleny thinks you should have these. She told me about that nightmare of a horse and you naming him Dusk…arr. Seems like you have a way with animals, which can only be a good thing in them there stables. I think she wants to get you on a horse as soon as you can so you can be her riding companion. Since her husband passed away she rides alone, if at all, these days. He was such a handsome honest man, too good for this world, I’ll tell you.’ She took the clothes from Maeve’s outstretched hands.
Night Goddess (The Goddess Prophecies Book 1) Page 26
