“‘Mother!’ I screamed, but there was no response. I know you cannot hear the trees as we do, but their voices raised in wailing song is…not beautiful…it is…haunting. Yes, that is the word, haunting. I found her beneath the branch that had broken when I landed upon it. She was smiling.
“The forest claimed her before my tears had even dried. Oh, yes, you would not know. When we die, we are absorbed back into the earth so that we are not lost, but become part of everything around us. Legend says that, if an Etrafarian passes as a result of some especially noble or selfless act, a mound of purple blooms will appear on the spot. I do not know if that is true. There were never any flowers where my mother fell, but then, she died because of my carelessness, so I guess there would not be.
“I made my way home alone. Everyone knew what had happened by the time I got there. The trees had seen to that. Aesri was the only one who I would listen to. My heart had turned bitter. I looked to her for comfort, and she provided it. She spoke softly to me of Rah’s love. As odd as it may seem, I listened. You might think that I would be angry at Rah, but I could not have it both ways, could I? If Rah was a myth, then no one was to blame for my mother’s death but myself. If Rah were real, then everything my mother had taught me about Him must be real as well, and she said Rah did not cause evil or misfortune. Instead, He led his children through their perils, and if it was not meant for them to come through unscathed, then He would welcome them to the next world.
“I found it much easier to accept Him after that. I am not as warm as Aesri, I know, but I am trying to learn. Each day I strive to be a small measure truer to His teachings than I was the day before. I am not very good at it. I always have that voice inside telling me to be skeptical, to doubt, and I am not always able to hear my heart over that voice, but I will keep trying. I must.”
Niada’s voice trailed off. No one knew what to say. It was quiet an almost uncomfortably long time, and then Brin spoke.
He is real, Niada. Tolah has told me Himself. If Rah watches over anyone, I am now certain he must watch over you.
Chapter 18
The monotonous thud of hoof beats was only interrupted by the occasional splash when they encountered a puddle in the roadway. It had seemed as if they would never complete their task, and then, only four days ago, Aesri had found a few sprigs of spring green poking up through the snow. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to know it was time they returned to Maj.
Dearra had finally found her seat, and she was able to ride her own horse. On the one hand, it was nice to not feel like a child having to be toted behind Darius everywhere they went, but on the other hand, she missed the close contact of riding double with him. Besides, she hated horses. They were nasty, smelly, arrogant things. When she rode with Darius, she could at least pretend she was somewhere else. It was a luxury she didn’t have when riding by herself.
The change in landscape over their four-day ride was profound. Shoots of grass were everywhere, and even a few hearty flowers had emerged from their winter sleep. Water ran in streams down rocks and pooled in the road. The warm breezes only served to chill their hearts, however, as they meant the Breken would not be far behind.
They hadn’t meant to cut it so close, but it seemed as if one day it was cold and frozen, and then all of a sudden it was not. Dearra chastised herself for her inattention to the days. Maj had been caught off guard by the Breken once, and that had been only a small raid. How could she be so stupid as to risk it a second time when the stakes were so much higher? Her only excuse was that they’d wanted to keep searching for recruits as long as possible. Shanks had even sent men to look for the hill tribes. They were Mirin Tor, but in the same way the Maj were Mirin Tor—they recognized the king’s rule but did not interact much with anyone other than their own kind. They did not farm, but lived off the land and enjoyed a nomadic existence. So far, they had not been able to find any of the elusive tribes, but Dearra suspected it was because they did not wish to be found.
A winded snort from up ahead drew Dearra’s attention from her silent reverie. Daniel was leading the group. He rode like a man possessed. Dearra surmised it was his desire to get to Carly that drove him onward, and though she understood, she wished he would slow down just a little bit; it would serve nothing if he wound up breaking his neck.
The horses were tired already, and it was unfair to ask so much of them. At least they would be able to rest soon. The group was nearing the coast, and the king had sent men to take charge of the horses, as well as row the boats that would return them to Maj. Dearra hadn’t wanted to return to the capital at all, but they couldn’t just leave the horses to wander about once they were no longer needed. They hid Darius away, just in case King Jaymes was still miffed about them smuggling the Breken from the castle, but he never said a word about it. Dearra guessed she had the queen to thank for that little miracle.
When they crested the last hill and saw the beach up ahead, Dearra sighed in relief. Morning fog lay across the sea, and Maj was shielded from view by a misty veil of gray, but just knowing it was there was enough to make Dearra’s heart sing.
The horses were pulled to an abrupt halt, and Daniel slid to the ground. He began to shout orders to the men from the capital almost immediately. “You there! Get the reins, we’re not wasting time chasing after horses. Not you, idiot. Get the boats ready!”
Dearra thought about telling him to calm down, but she recognized the futility of the gesture. Instead, she unlashed her pack from her horse and was trying to wrench it free when Darius walked up beside her and unhooked the leather strap that had tangled itself into a knot. He lifted it free and handed it to her.
“Excited to be going home?” he asked, tucking her wild hair behind her ears.
“Ecstatic! It feels like I’ve been away forever. I just hope I haven’t waited too long. Who knows what could have happened while we were away.”
“If anything was wrong, Rordan would have sent word to the king, and you would have heard when you were in the capital.”
“I suppose so, but I still worry.”
Me too, Brin added. Can’t they hurry up with those boats?
“Brin, you haven’t grown fond of us have you?” Dearra teased.
Yes.
The frank admission wasn’t what she’d expected, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. She opted to say nothing, and took herself off to see what she could do to hasten their departure.
***
Daniel held himself rigidly in the bow of the little boat and strained to see through the fog.
The first thing to become visible were the tops of the golden-leaved gnarn trees. The fog shifted and thinned when they neared shore.
“Home,” Daniel whispered, and a smile stretched across his face.
Daniel sprang from the boat before it had even scraped bottom, and began to run, full tilt, in the direction of Maj Keep.
“Daniel! Wait!” Dearra called.
Let him go, Dearra. You may want to move it along a bit yourself, you know.
“Brin?”
Carly’s baby must be as eager to see her father as he is to see her.
“That’s wonderful!” Dearra chimed out in delight.
I may not be the best at figures, Dearra, but I think it’s a little early.
Dearra frowned. Brin sounded worried and that worried Dearra. Babies that came early didn’t usually do very well. Sometimes they couldn’t breathe, and when that happened, there was nothing that could be done to help them. “How early? Is Carly all right?”
Aesri stepped from the boat. She kept her expression calm so she wouldn’t upset Dearra further. Getting carried away before they had even seen Carly wouldn’t help. “Dearra, it may be fine. Etrafarians do not carry as long as other races. It could be completely normal.”
“Or not, right? There’s no way to tell for sure, is there?”
“No, but let us not worry until there is cause to. Carly will need our reassurance, not our anxiety.
“Niada,�
�� Aesri said turning in her direction. “Will you see if you can find some holly?”
Darius grabbed the last of their belongings and helped push the boat back out to sea. He offered a wave of farewell to the Mirin Tor men who had ferried them across before slinging the packs over his shoulder. He watched Niada make her way into the gnarn forest without a backward glance at any of them.
“What do you need the holly for, Aesri?” Darius asked. “I don’t know as much as I should about the medicinal qualities of plants, but I have some knowledge, and I have never heard of using holly for a birth. The berries can be useful as a poison, but it’s the wrong time of year for holly berries. I would be surprised if they have even flowered yet.”
“Actually, Darius, it is the leaves that have the healing qualities. There is a variety that can be used to treat fever. Sometimes we use it for the management of aching joints in our elders, and—”
“Aesri, please! We can go over the benefits of holly leaves later. Right now we need to get to Carly.” Dearra was already walking away, anxious to get back to the keep.
Aesri nodded, but she continued to speak to Darius as they set out toward the castle. “We do not gather the holly for its medicinal properties. When an Etrafarian is born, we present the child with a wreath of holly leaves as a token of good fortune and blessing.”
“When a Breken child is born, we present the newborn with a knife.” Darius furrowed his brow in thought. “I think I like your way better.”
Aesri laughed her musical laugh. “I think I like my way better as well. The holly leaves may be a bit prickly, but I have yet to see an infant die from them.”
The keep came into view, and their pace quickened. When they pushed open the doors, it was immediately evident that something was wrong. Throngs of people milled here and there, and the Great Hall was filled with Maj, each of them either sitting or pacing in complete silence.
The stillness shattered when Carly let out a long, blood-curdling scream that echoed through the stone halls.
They have her in your room, Dearra. Hurry!
She dashed down the halls and ran up the stairs as fast as she could without falling on her face. When she threw her door wide, she was greeted by a room full of people, all of them fluttering wildly about, except for Ann, who was calm and in control, as always. Daniel sat beside the bed and stroked Carly’s hair. The look of pain on his face was, if anything, even more pronounced than the one Carly wore.
The temperature in the room swung wildly from freezing cold back to hot again.
“Carly!” Aesri said sharply, drawing everyone’s attention to the fairy who had just entered the room. “That is enough! You are going to wear yourself out.”
“Aesri,” Carly breathed. “I’m so glad you’re here. And Dearra, I was hoping you would get here in—” Carly tensed and the room chilled again.
Dearra rushed to her side and took hold of the hand that Daniel had not yet claimed.
“How does she do that?” Darius said. “The cold, I mean. What has that to do with wind, or water, or fire, or earth?”
Dearra shot him a glare. “You think now is a good time?”
“No, no, it’s okay,” Carly said. The pain had passed, and she relaxed back onto her pillows. “I’ve always wondered the same thing. Besides, anything to distract me from this right now is appreciated.”
Aesri was conferring with Ann, but she stepped closer to the bed to answer the question. “It is water. Etrafarians who control water have the ability to affect the temperature so they may make it cold enough to bring snow. When the room warms rapidly, it is the fire aspect. I am water, so I can make it colder. I cannot make it warmer, as Carly can, but I can allow the temperature to return to what it was before I changed it.
“Now that we have answered that question, I believe it is time to make some adjustments to the room. Ann, as we discussed, please.”
Ann clapped her hands, drawing the attention of the attendants. “Aesri says Carly is under too much strain, and I quite agree. I will stay, everyone else…out! Darius, you too.”
Darius snapped his fingers, and Reo jumped up from his spot on the floor and followed him from the room. He had known Ann long enough that the thought of arguing with her never crossed his mind. Besides, being in the birthing room wasn’t high on his list of things to do. The whole process of childbirth was a mystery, and he was happy to keep it that way.
Now, only five remained in the room. Aesri and Ann were gently maneuvering Carly to straighten the blankets that had twisted beneath her. Dearra continued to hold one hand, and Daniel the other.
“Better?” Ann asked her.
“Yes, much. I felt like I was trapped in all of that.”
Another pain gripped her. She arched and then rose several inches above the bed, but she did not scream this time, seemingly better able to breathe through the contraction.
Carly settled back onto the bed and panted lightly.
“Let’s take a look, shall we?” Ann moved to the base of the bed and shifted the linens aside to check the baby’s progress. “Oh, my,” Ann said.
“Oh, my? Oh, my! What does that mean?” Daniel jumped up and moved to the bottom of the bed beside Ann. “It’s…a head. My baby has a head.”
Catch him, Dearra! Brin shouted, but it was too late. Daniel turned white and collapsed to the stone floor. For Tolah’s sake! Weapons master, indeed, Brin said in disgust.
“Dearra, drag Daniel out of the way. Aesri, help me. The baby is coming,” Ann said calmly.
Carly tried to sit up when the next pain took her, and Aesri moved behind her to support her so she would be better able to bear down.
Dearra had pulled Daniel to the side of the room and was gently tapping his face and wiping his forehead and cheeks with a cool cloth.
“Leave him,” Ann commanded. “Get a blanket ready.”
Niada had slipped into the room unnoticed by anyone, and she stepped to Dearra’s side. “I will help him,” she said. She knelt beside Daniel and took the cloth from Dearra’s hand.
Dearra sprang away to get the blanket and then waited behind Ann, trying not to get in the way.
“Okay, Carly. Nice, big push now,” Ann encouraged.
Carly gripped the blankets in her fists and issued a growl as she strained to bring forth her daughter into the world.
The baby slipped free, and Ann handed the tiny newborn to Dearra. She expertly tied off and cut the cord before turning her attention back to Carly. The afterbirth came next, and Ann began to firmly massage Carly’s stomach.
Daniel was roused by the cool mist that sprinkled his face, and he looked up into Niada’s strange, cat-like eyes. It took him only a moment to realize where he was before he leapt to his feet and moved back to Carly’s side, taking care not to look at anything other than her face.
A tiny cry pierced the room, demanding everyone’s attention.
“Let me wash her off, Carly, and I’ll bring her to you,” Dearra said.
“No, give her to me, Dearra,” Carly said, reaching out for her baby.
Dearra nestled the child gently in her mother’s arms. The baby was still covered with a thin layer of birth blood, and her hair was slick and wet. Carly stared wide-eyed at her child.
“A girl. I have a girl.” Daniel reached down and used one finger to carefully explore his daughter’s dainty hand. When the baby wrapped her fingers around his, he smiled broadly. “Will you look at that! She knows me already!”
Niada cautiously approached. “Carly, may I lay this wreath around your baby’s head? It is an Etrafarian tradition, a blessing for your child.”
“Of course, Niada. Thank you.” Carly adjusted the baby so that Niada could slip the woven wreath over her head.
The leaves were a bit prickly, and the newborn wriggled in her mother’s arms. She let forth a howl of displeasure, but then she turned her head and made little sucking movements with her rosebud mouth, bringing chuckles to the adults in the room.
; Dearra was entranced. “She’s so beautiful, Carly. Even covered in blood from the birth she’s the prettiest baby I think I’ve ever seen. She’s so little, too. I worried, because Brin thought she might be too early, but she looks perfect. I think she—”
Dearra got no further, as the minuscule buds on the spring holly swelled before their eyes and then burst forth in a spray of fragile white blossoms.
Niada gripped Aesri’s sleeve looking to her for an explanation, but Aesri could only shake her head.
“Is that some sort of fairy thing?” Daniel asked. He stroked the baby’s cheek. The baby turned her head and resumed her sucking motion.
“I have never seen anything like it,” Aesri said. “But she is not pure Etrafarian. She has a very special mother, so I see no reason for alarm, Daniel. She is, as Dearra says, perfect in every way that I can see. Do not be concerned.”
Daniel looked skeptical for a moment, but then smiled, and caressed Carly’s face. “Yes, she does have a very special mother.”
“What are you going to name her, Carly?” Dearra asked.
“I think I will call her…Holly.”
Chapter 19
An uneasy stillness had settled over the island. All of the families with small children had long since left Maj for the relative safety of Mirin Tor. The Etrafarians had also made their way to the capital. Aesri was not happy to leave Dearra and Darius, but she needed to see her people settled. Some of them were already starting to question the decision to become involved in this war. Aesri worried that if she didn’t stay with them, they might come to the conclusion that they should return home and leave the rest to Rah. Carly adamantly refused to leave until Daniel agreed to go with her. It was the right thing to do. He would be more use training recruits at the capital anyway. Kahn was loaded aboard one of the rafts that had been constructed to carry the livestock, and Dearra was on hand to see them off with a wave and quite a few hugs.
Zusia, Royce, and Phillip remained on the island, as their families were still there. Dearra worried that she should have sent Phillip on ahead with Carly and Daniel, but she felt they had been separated enough. First he was kidnapped and taken to Parsaia, and then she was forced to be away from him again so she could see to her responsibilities on Mirin Tor. She reasoned there would be time to see him safely away before the Breken made landfall. At least, that’s what she told herself. He seemed so happy to be with her, and there were few guarantees that there would be many happy times ahead. If she could give him this one small thing, it was worth the risk. Wasn’t all of life a risk anyway?
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