The Awakened: A Wandering Stars Novel

by Jason Tesar

  When morning came, Kael found himself on Soren’s bed, facing the wrong direction. Narian was gone and Berit was asleep on the floor, huddled in a ball. Soren was putting on his shoes.

  “You guys had better get ready or you’re going to be late.” Soren’s words awakened Berit who promptly ran out of the room with a look of panic on his face.

  “Sorry I took your bed,” Kael said as he was leaving.

  “Don’t worry about it. I can fall asleep anywhere.”

  “Thanks,” Kael said, and went to his room to get ready for morning meditation time.

  The morning’s exercises were a struggle because of the lack of sleep, but Kael made it through. The late morning studies were the most difficult, however, as Kael couldn’t seem to keep his eyes open. As Ukiru spoke of the history of the Orudan Empire, his voice sounded like the steady beat of the ocean waves, lulling him to sleep. By the time the afternoon rolled around, the sleepiness had faded, replaced by excitement for the coming lessons.

  As always, Ukiru stood facing the boys in the arena. “We are fast approaching the year’s end. You have all learned many things that will be of great use to you in the future. However, your studies thus far have only been concerned with how to control yourself in various situations. The next logical step in the training of a warrior is the control of his horse.”

  The boys bristled with excitement. For most of them, a horse represented the life of the wealthy and not something that everyone was privileged to have.

  Ukiru waved a hand, and at his signal, ten horses walked into the arena, each one led by a monk. “A horse is a valuable tool in the arsenal of a warrior. With knowledge of how to use it well, it can be a great advantage in any war. Use it without proper knowledge and it can be a great distraction. I have seen many men go down in battle because they did not have command of their horses. These beasts are powerful. It is best to have this power working for you and not against you. Today we will begin learning how to ride a horse. The best way to learn is to do, so everyone choose a horse and we will help you up.” Ukiru walked to the nearest horse where he waited to help Rainer.

  The boy’s father was wealthy and Rainer knew horses well. He grabbed as high up on the saddle as he could while placing his foot in the stirrup. With one fluid motion, he pulled himself onto the horse.

  “Very good, Rainer. I can see this is familiar to you.”

  “Yes, Sir. My father owns many horses.”

  “I’m sure he does,” Ukiru replied. “But the ‘All Powerful’ is your father now, and he owns many horses as well. In fact, all of the horses that have ever lived are his. You must put your old life behind you and press on.”

  His last words were spoken loud for the whole group to hear. “Is everyone ready?”

  “No, Sir,” came a muffled reply.

  “Who said that?”

  “Me, Sir,” said Jorn, stumbling out from behind his horse. Jorn was a stocky child and was having difficulty pulling himself onto the horse.

  Ukiru walked over to help the boy. “Jorn, you are heavier than the other boys, but you are also stronger. Use your weight to your advantage. Lean into the horse and pull hard with your arms.”

  The boy tried again, following the advice of Ukiru. He was able to stand on the stirrup, but was unable to swing his leg over the animal. Ukiru grabbed his foot from the other side of the horse and pulled his leg over the saddle. “This takes much practice. It will come in time.”

  After each child was mounted on his horse, Ukiru motioned for one of his own. When the monk brought it the children gasped at its beauty. It was black and shiny and walked with gracefulness. All of the other horses were brown in color and didn’t look quite as strong as Ukiru’s steed. He took the reins from the monk and ran his hand down the nose of the animal. “First we will start with a few basic commands. These horses are already trained, so for now, you will simply learn to command them. At some point you will learn to train one of your own, but that will come later.”

  After a few simple lessons on how to control the horse, Ukiru sprang up into position with ease, not bothering to place his foot in the stirrup. Apparently he didn’t need the help. They rode out of the arena and into the bright sunshine. There was a chill in the air and several patches of snow clung to the shadows, leftover from a storm that had passed through a few days ago.

  Kael was excited to ride. His father used to take him on rides before it became dangerous to travel around for pleasure. There were many things that his father wasn’t able to do because of his position within the Empire. But I guess that’s why they found Saba. A thought suddenly came to him. “Did you know that far to the east is a tribe of people who train their horses to obey their voice?” The thought of Saba sparked a memory of one of his lessons.

  “Yes, Kael. That’s right.” Ukiru slowed, letting Soren take the lead. “But in battle, there are many voices. Whose voice will the horse listen to? No, it is best to lead these animals by hand. A rider must always have one hand on the reins, which is why it can be a disadvantage in battle. But if trained properly, a rider can never lose to a man on the ground.”

  Kael was about to say that these people also train their horses to be led by hand or by the pressure of the rider's legs to accommodate any situation. But he suddenly didn’t feel like finishing his story. He only sulked for a few minutes before the enjoyment of riding overcame him once more. The sun felt good on his back and the lurching motion of the walking horse was mesmerizing, like being in a boat.

  The group rode for a few hours before circling back to the stable, arriving just as the sun went down. Ukiru leapt off his horse and helped the children down as well. When Kael’s feet touched the ground, he found it difficult to walk. His knees were cramped and his feet hurt, despite the fact that he had not walked on them for hours.

  “Everyone is dismissed. Wash up and we will have our meal.” Ukiru handed the reins of his horse to a stable hand as other monks came out to take the rest of the horses.

  Later that night, as Kael lay in bed, he thought back over the months that had passed since he arrived at the monastery. It was fun to learn everything that they were being taught. These boys had all become friends to him. And Soren was a closer friend than any. He saw things and went places that most people three times his age would never get to. But even with last night’s raid of the kitchen, Kael couldn’t help feeling like he didn’t belong here. No matter how much he enjoyed his time here, he felt even stronger a growing sense of isolation. What’s wrong with me? I have friends…food. I’m training as a warrior. Most kids would love to have this life.

  The question kept crossing his mind. He rolled over and pulled his pillow over his head to block out the sound of his thoughts, but it didn’t help.

  Chapter 16

  The screams echoed down the hallway and Lemus felt his nerves cringe. He didn’t have the patience to sit and wait for the birth of his son. It was driving him mad to do nothing but stare at the floor. He decided, instead, to get some work done. Walking down the hall, he stopped at the door to his study. He wasn’t eager to deal with his new responsibilities either, but under the circumstances, he had no choice.

  He entered the room and sat down at his desk which was covered in an assortment of parchment scraps. Charts, lists, and maps of various sizes filled his vision. He slowly began to organize the mess that had been building for a week. He tried to clear his mind of everything but the problem at hand. A shipment of armor and weapons would be arriving in three days from a neighboring city and he had to make sure that it arrived safely. He had come across several bits of information that led him to believe the shipment would be attacked.

  He had already rescheduled the ships to arrive at midnight, which was unusual. Hopefully, the would-be attackers would be thrown off a bit. Although the city of Bastul never seemed to sleep, the population on the streets would be considerably less at that time of evening, making it easier to spot anything out of the ordinary. Still, there was the pr
oblem of extra reinforcements. There was no good place from which to pull guards. Lemus buried his face in his hands and massaged his temples. He was having trouble concentrating. Suddenly a knock sounded at the door.

  “Yes?” Lemus responded, waiting for an answer.

  The door opened slowly and the face of a female servant peeked through.

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “Sir, the baby is coming.”

  Lemus raised an eyebrow. “Is it here yet?”

  “No,” she answered timidly.

  “Come back when my son is born.”

  The woman nodded and pulled her head back from the room.

  “Make sure he is cleaned up before you come again,” he yelled at the retreating sound.

  Now…back to business. Where was I? Oh yes, reinforcements. He scanned a map of the city, letting his vision pause at the major defense points. Each had only the minimum number of soldiers necessary. Finally he stopped at the armory. Thirty guards. He thought it seemed a bit excessive. I’ll leave two guards there and move the rest to the docks for just a few hours. He looked back to the docks lining the bay. Twenty-eight extra men should be plenty. He would have them dress in plain clothes, not their uniforms, and hide them in the dark alleys near the docks. They would be quick to join the fight if the attack came from the bay. If it came from the streets he would be able to cut them off before they could reach the ships. Another knock interrupted his thoughts.

  “Yes?” he said, annoyed.

  “It is time for you to see the baby,” came the voice from the other side of the door.

  Lemus jumped to his feet and walked briskly to the door. As he opened it, the servant girl flinched. He ignored her and strode quickly down the hall. His heart was racing and he couldn’t think of a time when he had been more excited. The thought of having a son who would follow in his footsteps gave him such a joy that he finally realized what all the fuss was about. He never thought of himself as the type to be married and have a family, but over the course of the last few months, the idea had grown on him. Finally, there would be someone whom he could train, instruct and guide through life, steering him past difficulties while teaching him how to lead people. It was an opportunity that Lemus’ own father had neglected completely. The excitement was almost too much to bear.

  Halfway down the hall he found the spare room where he had chosen for the baby to be born. Maeryn had wanted to be in the bedroom, but Lemus insisted that the mess be kept to a room that was rarely used. Three of the servant women were gathered around the bed and Maeryn was sitting up, propped by pillows. She was holding what looked to Lemus like a bundle of cloths. As he got closer he could see the pink face of the baby protruding from the bundle.

  “Give him to me.” Lemus grabbed the baby from Maeryn. “He’s lighter than I thought he would be.” Pulling the baby close, he moved some of the blankets out of the way of the baby’s face, then noticed that the women were staring at him. “What?”

  Maeryn looked at Zula.

  What’s that expression she’s wearing?

  “It is a woman child.” Zula answered instead, with the cautious look of a mouse about to be struck by a snake.

  “What?” he asked, partially because of the strange wording from the slave woman, partially from unbelief. “What did you say?”

  “It is a girl, not a boy…Sir,” she corrected.

  * * * *

  Maeryn watched as the blood drained from Lemus’ face. His arms went slack and Zula caught the baby girl before he had the chance to drop her. Then the blood returned and his features burned with anger. His eyebrows wrinkled as he backed away from them and turned, storming out of the room.

  The women looked at each other in disbelief. Maeryn had expected something bad to happen, but everyone seemed shocked at Lemus’ silence. The girl who announced the arrival of the baby to Lemus was still standing out in the hall, unsure of what to do next.

  Zula gave the baby back to Maeryn who had tears running down her smiling face, despite the awkward event with Lemus. “She looks like her father.” It was a statement that didn’t ask for confirmation.

  Zula agreed anyway. “Yes, she does. I am proud of you, my lady.”

  Maeryn was unsure what the woman meant, but was too exhausted to ask.

  “Your strength has been tested and you have proven to yourself that you are strong. I know that you will raise your daughter to be the same way.”

  Maeryn cried tears of joy as she looked from Zula to her new daughter. “Aelia will be strong indeed as long as she is in the presence of women like you.”

  The soft light of the morning filtered in through the window of the birthing room. Maeryn lay awake watching Aelia’s body expand and contract with each breath. She seemed so peaceful as she slept, unaware of the world she had been born into. Maeryn felt more at peace than she had in a long time.

  “When is it coming?” came a faint voice from outside her window. A scrap of someone else’s conversation drifted into the room from the courtyard. Maeryn listened for a recognizable voice. It didn’t take long before she heard Lemus’ hissing.

  “Two days from now…at midnight.”

  Maeryn’s interest was peaked at the hushed voices. She leaned closer to the window to catch more of the conversation.

  “What should I do?” asked the other man.

  “Leave two men behind at the armory. The rest of you will be reassigned to the protection of the shipment.”

  “Is that really necessary?” The other man seemed to be confused about his orders.

  “I have received information that the rebels will attack the ship as it docks in the harbor. You and your men will trade your uniforms for less obvious attire.” Lemus paused, apparently enjoying his own brilliance.

  Maeryn imagined that the other man was probably smiling with a devious grin that would only serve to make Lemus think more highly of himself than he usually did.

  “What do you expect to happen?”

  “The docks will already be guarded with the usual amount of security. Perhaps the rebels will attack from the sea; however, I find that unlikely. Instead, I think they will be waiting a short distance away from the docks in the city. Your men will be disguised in various places near the docks as drunks, fishermen, and whatever other rabble can be found at that time of night wandering the city. We will stop the rebels before they can even reach the boats.”

  A quiet laugh echoed slightly off the stone buildings and made its way to Maeryn. It was obvious that Lemus’ underling was trying to flatter him.

  “Make sure that your men are ready. If you sense that any of them are not up to the task, you must tell me at once. I will deal with them. We cannot have any mistakes.”

  “Yes, Sir,” the other man answered.

  The retreating footsteps signaled to Maeryn that the conversation had come to an end. Ever since she realized that she was pregnant, she hadn’t given much thought to the idea of getting back at Lemus. She had been focused on how to keep her baby safe from the monster who was now her husband. She remembered how Zula had once told her that there were better ways to get back at Lemus than to kill him while he slept. Until this morning, she hadn’t understood.

  Zula was right. This is much better!

  Maeryn lived with the man responsible for governing the city of Bastul and she had access to information that other men would kill to have. She remembered that while Adair was Governor, he had kept informed on the Resistance movement. They were a subversive group of people living within the Empire and among its citizens. Adair never spoke of what these people stood for, but she remembered that he had even communicated with them on several occasions through a local fisherman who relayed messages. Throughout his time as Governor, he had managed to avoid any major confrontations. The fact that they were now planning to attack a shipment in the harbor meant that they didn’t think too highly of the new Governor.

  “Zula,” Maeryn called as carefully as she could without waking the baby.


  “Yes, ma’am,” the slave woman replied, coming in from the hallway.

  “Is Lemus gone?” she whispered, tilting her head toward the window.

  The woman walked to the window and peered out. “Yes, ma’am,” she answered after a few seconds. “Shall I fetch him for you?”

  “No,” Maeryn answered quickly, wondering if the slave woman was being facetious. “I was thinking that I would like to have fish this evening for dinner. I would like you to go into the city and buy some from a certain fisherman.”

  “But, ma’am, we have plenty of fish here.” Zula was obviously confused.

  “Yes, I know, but he is a friend of the family and it has been a long time since he has heard from us. I am also going to send a letter for you to deliver to this man.” Maeryn motioned for the writing utensils on a nearby desk and Zula quickly brought a quill along with a sheet of parchment and an ink pot.

  “Thank you,” she said as the woman handed her the items. “Give me a few minutes to write the letter and then you can go into the city.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Zula said and left the room to finish what she was working on before she was called.

  Maeryn dipped the quill in the ink and paused to look at the baby. One day, I’ll be able to tell you who your real father is. And we won’t be forced to live a lie. She looked back to the parchment and began to write.

  I have recently become aware of information that may be of some use to you. There is a shipment coming to Bastul at midnight, two days from now. There are rumors that the Resistance has made plans to attack the shipment as it reaches its destination. I can assure you that measures are being taken to solve this problem and the attack will likely be unsuccessful. Your lives will be at great risk should you choose to continue with this course of action. I have heard from a reliable source that the armory will be emptied of all but two men on the night of the shipment to deal with this rumored threat. Perhaps the cargo of the ship is not as important as the contents of the armory to a movement such as yours.