Lost Lands (CHANGING TIMES Book 2)

by Shaun L Griffiths

  Vin looked back to the eastern peaks. The sky was a deep shade of crimson, the blackness turning to the deepest blue and the stars starting to fade.

  ‘Won’t be long, Naz,’ said Vin.

  ‘We’d best get under cover, I know they are up ahead somewhere, but we won’t see them until sunrise.’

  They crouched together behind one of the larger boulders that had slipped from the higher peaks. Aware of how exposed they were, they waited in trepidation for the sun to point out their hiding place.

  They all kept guard, looking around to be sure no apes were close. Finally, the first rays of light hit the high peaks above them, turning the normally cold grey rock into a dazzling orange colour and making the snow sparkle blindingly in their eyes. They watched the shadow race down the slopes as the sun rose higher.

  Naz was the first to see the cave. ‘There, to our left, you can just see the slits in the ground. Let’s make a dash for it, now!’

  They ran headlong, diving for the low opening and scrambling through to the cave behind, which opened into an enormous cavern-like space around them. They lay panting for breath after the excitement of the rush to get in.

  Naz and Vin opened their sacks of supplies and brought out their water flagons to share around. Sitting together, each lost in their own thoughts, the silence became palpable.

  It was Holly that spoke first. ‘I am so sorry I’ve caused all this. I really couldn’t stop myself.’

  ‘We know that, Holly,’ said Naz. ‘We don’t blame you, we should have been better prepared.’

  ‘You will never be prepared against HIM,’ she said.

  There was a shocked silence, everyone unsure of how to understand what she’d said.

  ‘Against who?’ Vin asked.

  ‘Against HIM. The one who’s controlling the apes, the one who gets inside your head and makes you do what He wants, even when you don’t want to. The one who tortures you when you don’t listen.’

  They sat in stunned silence. ‘But who is He, Holly?’ asked Carter.

  ‘He’s the one who’s been trying all this time to get hold of the Crystal.’

  ‘Why does he want it so much?’ asked Carter.

  ‘Anyone who’s seen it wants to touch it, to hold onto it forever. But he’s the only one who knows how to use it, how to control it. You see, he has The Book.’

  8

  Chapter Eight

  A New Queen

  ‘I’VE MADE MY decision,’ said Sam.

  Salli stopped her writing and looked up. ‘I know,’ Salli said. She went to him and took his arm, guiding him to his favourite seat in the garden.

  ‘Is there anything you don’t know?’ he asked her.

  Salli smiled. ‘I read it in your shoulders,’ she said, ‘the way they’ve been sloping further down. I guessed you’d decided.’

  ‘Is it too much too soon for her?’ he asked.

  ‘No, Lu is strong, and it’s only a ceremonial position. The planning and leadership will still be yours.’

  ‘The people need a queen to follow. They don’t need a tired old man to be king.’

  She pulled him close to her. ‘You sacrificed the crown to get the children back. If you’d never crossed that border, you’d never be feeling as old as you do, and we’d never have Lu back to be queen.’

  ‘You know, I never really wanted to be king. I’d be much happier fishing.’

  Salli laughed at him. ‘The best time to deal with it is now. I’ll call her.’

  Salli and Lu returned to the garden with cold drinks of lemon juice to refresh themselves. Sam straightened himself when they came to sit with him.

  They drank in silence for a moment. ‘Is there something on your mind, Dad? You look... distracted. Is everything okay?’ Lulu asked.

  ‘There’s something we need to discuss, Lu. The Clan cannot go on for much longer without a head. It’s in our blood to follow a strong leader, someone we can all look to, and fight for if necessary.’

  ‘I’m glad you’ve decided to set a date on the ceremony, Dad,’ said Lu.

  ‘I’m going to pass over the succession to you.’

  ‘What? To me? You can’t do that, you’re our rightful King,’ said Lulu.

  Sam slowly shook his head.

  ‘You see what I’ve become, Lu? I can think straight, but I can hardly walk these days. The Clan needs someone strong, someone they can all look up to, and that’s gotta be you.’

  ‘But, Dad, it’s just not done that way. It’s always passed down.’

  ‘These are changing times, Lu, and we have to change with them or our Clan will be lost and forgotten, along with our history. We have to start changing now.’

  ‘But, Dad, I don’t have any experience of being a queen. I don’t know what to do.’

  ‘There’s no guide book for any of this, Lu. You just be yourself, and do the best you can. Anyway, I’ll be here to guide you all I can, but people need to see you there. They need to see someone worthy of their support.’

  Lulu suddenly ran to him, throwing her arms around him.

  ‘Dad, you’re the worthiest person I know.’

  She cried into his chest, understanding now the sacrifice he’d made to come and rescue her from Duma’s grip. She closed her eyes and could see him again, stepping out of the swirling snowstorm, wrapping his blanket around her and squeezing her tight. “Let’s go home,” he’d said. And she’d cried then.

  So many tears and so much sacrifice, she thought, and all because of Duma and that damned Crystal. My father had to sacrifice his life for it.

  She sniffed back her tears, wiping her eyes and her nose.

  ‘I’ll do as you ask, Dad. But promise me, you’ll always be here to help.’

  He sat and looked deeply into her eyes, as if wanting to remember her one last time as a young girl, before the responsibility of leadership made her old beyond her years. ‘I’ll help whenever I can,’ he said.

  ‘Let’s call Casey. We’ll need to make the arrangements,’ said Salli.

  She left Sam and Lu alone to enjoy their last moments of freedom and innocence and went in search of the largest man the Clan had ever known.

  Casey was at the river, leaning against one of the fishing boats pulled up onto the half-moon beach. He was in deep conversation with Dray, who sat in his form as a mountain lion. As the most experienced leader of the prides, he’d taken on leadership of his people, while Sonny seemed content to drift through life, leaving the decision-making to others.

  The talk was again of their moving downriver. They’d had the same talk every day, and it seemed to go nowhere, with no one willing to commit to a decision. In the meantime, the lost people of the town aged before their eyes as a consequence of crossing the border and being unable to change to their inner animal form. Just as Sam had experienced on entering the Gateway to rescue Lulu, so was it now happening to the townspeople.

  ‘May I interrupt?’ Salli said, approaching Casey.

  Dray nodded his understanding. ‘I’ll talk with the people now. I do understand the urgency,’ he said, in closure to another conversation without agreement.

  ‘Dray,’ Salli nodded her acknowledgement. ‘Please stop by our house before evening meal. There’s something that needs to be discussed.’

  He bowed his head in respect to Salli before turning to seek out his own people.

  ‘Walk with me, Casey,’ she said.

  She led him by the arm towards the riverbank, enjoying the easy flow in the afternoon sunlight, almost hypnotic in its calmness. The swirling eddies churned up the bottom sediment and released the sharp river smells that always reminded Salli of her home to the east. She stared off into the whirlpools for a moment, locked in her own thoughts of lost families and lost lands. She looked up at the mountainous man beside her, who’d committed his own life to the protection of her husband.

  ‘Sam’s made a decision then?’ Casey asked.

  Salli smiled up at him, ‘You reading my thoughts again?’<
br />
  ‘There’s not many things that need you to think about what you’re going to say first.’

  ‘Yes,’ Salli said eventually. ‘He’s going to tell the Clan tonight.’

  ‘How’s Lulu taking it?’

  ‘She’s afraid, of the responsibility, as anyone would be. But she’ll accept it, and we’ll be there for her.’

  ‘She’ll make a great queen. It’s what everyone here needs.’

  ‘Yes, I think so too. I want you to be there for Sam, Casey. I want you to be at his side without him knowing you’re there. I don’t want him thinking we don’t feel he’s strong anymore.’

  ‘I understand, Salli. I wouldn’t want it any other way.’

  ‘You do know this also means giving up responsibility for Kerri?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘She’s eighteen now, Case, and I believe Lulu will ask Kerri to be her Companion.’

  Casey’s shoulders slumped as he let out a sigh of resignation. He nodded his understanding. ‘The day had to come sometime.’

  Salli squeezed his arm, pulling him close to her.’ You’ve done a great job taking care of her since her parents vanished in the forest. No one could have asked you to do more. You can be proud that the little girl you took under your wing will now be the Guardian of our queen. Thank you, Casey.’

  He nodded again, unable to speak for fear of betraying his sense of loss.

  ‘Please stop by before evening meal, we can walk down together.’

  ‘I’d like that, Salli.’

  She reached up and kissed his cheek. ‘You’re a good man, Casey, the best we’ve got, apart from Sam.’ They both laughed to break the tension.

  * * *

  Lulu found Kerri in the flat grasslands beside the river. The fields of green were luxuriant beneath her feet after the recent rains gave a last-gasp spurt of growth before the winter arrived. Kerri was practising with her staff against three of the young men of the Clan, and beating them all. Lulu watched in awe as one after another dropped out following a well-aimed, though playful attack, that still left them bruised and battered.

  ‘Thank goodness you’re here,’ said Avi, as Lulu arrived, ‘I can’t take many more beatings like this.’

  They put down their staffs with relief.

  ‘Do you want to join us, Lu?’ called Kerri, seeing her approach.

  ‘No, not today. I’ve things I need to attend to, and it’s you I need to talk to. Do you mind if I take her away?’ she asked the men, resting on their staffs.

  ‘Please do,’ said Avi, rubbing his bruised arm to relieve the pain.

  ‘Come on, Kerri, let’s walk,’ Lulu said.

  ‘Something on your mind?’

  ‘Something I need to get off my mind,’ Lulu replied.

  ‘Anything I can help with?’

  ‘You can listen,’ Lu smiled.

  They strolled through the tall grass, enjoying the coolness of the autumn air and the smell of the pines in the distance. The banter from the men faded away whilst they walked further across the plain, subconsciously keeping well away from the forest. The sense of evil emanating from the gently swaying giants had become much more pronounced since it was discovered that the forest was infested with apes. It was only through some unknown force that the apes were held at bay from leaving the forest. Now everyone seemed to give it a wide berth.

  Kerri noticed Lulu take a deep breath. Must be serious, Kerri thought.

  ‘It’s Carter,’ Lulu said finally. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Kerri visibly stiffen. She plunged on. ‘I think he’s in danger.’

  ‘Why do you say that?’ Kerri stopped in her tracks, her sharp reply surprising Lulu.

  ‘I think Holly’s giving their position away.’

  ‘But how? Why?... I don’t understand what you’re saying. Why would Holly put Carter in danger?’

  ‘It’s not her fault. She can’t help what she’s doing. She’s being manipulated and she doesn’t know how to stop it.’

  ‘You’re sure it’s Holly?’

  ‘Yes, I’m sure.’

  ‘Who’s doing this? And how do you know all this if they’re on the other side of the border?’

  ‘It’s a gift I have, though a lot of times I feel it’s more of a curse. I “hear things.” I hear someone putting evil thoughts in Holly’s head, telling her to do things. A lot of times she fights against it as she’s very strong. But other times, when she’s exhausted or asleep, these thoughts creep into her mind. It’s the same as Carter was hearing, when Holly was calling for help. Sometimes it’s really scary.’

  ‘I must go to him, Lu. I must help him.’

  ‘No! You can’t.’

  ‘I must. He came back for me. He saved my life twice. If he needs help, I have to be there for him.’

  ‘Are you sure this is about Carter, and not Holly?’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Kerri, confused.

  ‘No one will ever blame you for what happened to Holly. It wasn’t your fault. Carter thought she’d died as well,’ said Lu.

  ‘But Carter believed she was alive and went back for her. I couldn’t believe that.’

  ‘You’re not to blame. If I hadn’t heard her calling, I’d never have believed she was still alive either.’

  Kerri walked on. ‘I have to help him,’ she said.

  ‘You can’t, I need you here.’ The reality finally struck her. ‘It is about Carter. You’re in love with him, aren’t you?’ The realisation now dawned on Lulu. ‘How could I have missed that?’

  ‘What?’ shouted Kerri, now blushing. ‘He’s just a boy, and he does crazy things.’

  Lulu turned to look at her. When Kerri lowered her eyes, Lulu laughed, but decided to change the conversation. They walked on together towards the river, both lost in their own thoughts. Lulu finally broke the silence, ‘There’ll be an announcement tonight. My dad’s passing over the succession.’

  ‘My goodness!’ Kerri stood, shocked.

  ‘I need you to be my Companion, Kerri. Will you help me, please?’

  ‘But... but... Lu, of course I will. I’ll always be there for you.’

  ‘I knew that, it’s just that’s it’s going to be an official title now.’

  ‘I’ll be by your side, Lu.’

  ‘It’ll mean moving out of Casey’s place.’

  ‘He’ll never survive, living on pancakes every day. He’ll get malnourished.’

  ‘Don’t worry about him. Once you move out, I know there’s a lady down by the river who’s waiting to ask him for dinner. He’s the most eligible bachelor in the Clan.’

  ‘What can we do about Carter? What can we do to help?’ Kerri asked, returning to her concerns.

  ‘We can prepare and be ready to help. There’s a lot I don’t understand yet, but my Mom’s helping me. I’ll tell you about it when I’m more certain. Come on, let’s walk back. Tell me when you first started feeling this way about Carter, about what happened between you two over there, over the border...’

  ‘Lu!’ She laughed for the first time in many days.

  * * *

  They met at Sam’s house. Through the large open windows, Salli stood with her back to the others, watching the sun setting over the river. With a final rush, it dropped below the horizon, leaving a burning sky reflected in the high clouds to the west. The autumn air, though still warm during the day, had now started to feel cold at night. The Clan had started to use the fallen oaks on their communal fire, to warm the bones of the older members. The first hints of wood smoke drifted passed the windows.

  Please help them survive this night, Salli prayed to her God.

  Dray was already waiting, sitting in his human form at the kitchen table with Sam, when Casey and Kerri arrived together.

  Salli poured them all a warm drink of tea, made with her own recipe of herbs that she lovingly cultivated in the garden. With a scraping of ginger and harvested honey, it was sure to keep away the chill of the evening air.

  After they�
��d settled themselves, Sam coughed gently. Everyone recognising his sign that he had something to say, and they’d better listen.

  How does he do it? Casey thought. He’ll talk to a crowd but make it seem like he’s talking only to you.

  Sam looked around the table, catching each one’s eye. ‘I’m sure you all know why we’re here, but you’ve been too polite to discuss it with each other.’ He smiled, to show his respect to each of them around the table.

  ‘So let’s get straight to the point. I’ll be passing over the succession. Lucinda will be your new queen, as of tomorrow. I will be advising, but all decisions will be hers and hers alone. And with my forfeiture, I’ll let Lu speak.’

  ‘Thanks, Dad.’ Lulu rose, and walked over to the window, giving herself a moment to compose her thoughts. Turning to look at Casey and Dray, she could see the expectation on their faces.

  ‘After tonight, I don’t expect any formality from the Clan nor our visitors. But I do expect the respect my position and my decisions deserve. I’m looking to you to ensure that happens during the early days. But I also ask for your patience and understanding as I find my feet.’

  They each nodded their assent around the table.

  ‘Casey, I want you to maintain the position of Companion to Dad,’ she said.

  ‘I don’t need a bodyguard now, Lu. I’ll never be king. He’ll be better suited looking after you.’

  ‘Dad, are you starting already?’

  Sam laughed, held up his hands in submission. ‘I thought I’d be getting rid of you, Case!’

  ‘Not that easily,’ Casey replied.

  ‘Kerri will be my formal Companion.’

  ‘No change there, then,’ she said to laughter from those around the table.

  ‘Dray, as the informal head of your people, I’m looking to you for support in all my decisions. I know that by your culture, Sonny was supposed to succeed as your leader, but he is not yet capable.’