by Bridie Blake
“Walk away and disappoint everyone? I can put a stop to all the suffering.”
“Decisions are hard to make, but we must all make them. But do not fool yourself into thinking that no one will die because you accept this path. Each decision will have consequences. But it is what you make of those consequences that will decide if you have made the right choice.”
“And I thought my speech yesterday was convincing,” she said. “You saw right through me.”
“You have the hand of the Goddess Allarah on one shoulder, but do not forget that on the other you will feel my hand resting.”
Tempani smiled gratefully and reached out and grabbed Chennai’s hand. “I choose to continue.”
“Colbert and Darby may like to argue over who is in charge of this mission, but between us there is no denying that you are the only one to lead this assault. And you must remember that.” Tempani nodded. “Now back to this sword of yours.”
“I practiced when I could. It was hard to find the time and privacy.”
“You are not in Fenella anymore. You cannot rely on men to always be around to protect you, and your magic will not help in every situation. Women must know how to protect themselves. Many who have been unable to protect themselves will come to follow you. Take Bhatia,” she said. “Have you ever wondered why she is so keen to follow you now?”
Tempani shrugged. She had wondered but did not dare broach the subject with the headstrong girl.
“Your path requires you to master your physical strength as well as your Power.”
Tempani rose at dawn the next morning and trudged outside, cursing the rain of the night before as her feet sunk into the ground with each step. Rando hid a smile when she stood beside him in formation.
She watched him out of the corner of her eye as they ran through their swings. She was a bit rusty, but once she got into the rhythm of it she found she could do the steps without thinking.
The men stopped their drills, turning to watch her. They exchanged glances. What was she doing? She was trying to stand with them. Was this just child’s play to her, something that wasn’t taken seriously? Surely she didn’t think she could fight with them. But as they watched her, they saw a determination that surprised them. Impressed them.
The men bit back smiles as the sword whirled around her in flashes of silver. She was breathtaking. Any doubts they’d had about her abilities were squashed with that sword in her hand. She was not just some noble lady who would stand back while people died for her. She would fight alongside them.
The only man who didn’t join them in the mornings was Madoc. He hung back, watching, a curious expression on his face. After each session, Tempani would walk past him and flinch as she waited for the question to come, but each time he would remain silent. She knew though, that it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions.
—
He came last night. Met with R. Teddy balled the note in his fist and threw it onto the hearth.
“It’s from her isn’t it? Nic barged in. He had seen the footman hand Teddy something and had followed his brother back to his room, believing it to be a note from Tempani.
The younger man sighed and shook his head.
“What did she say? Are they coming back?”
“It’s not her,” he said.
“Then why leave dinner so quickly if not to hide it from me?”
“Give it a rest Nic.” Teddy closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He was tired. This was draining him. “I haven’t heard from her since she left.”
“I don’t believe you,” he snapped. “I know you’re keeping something from me.”
He ignored him and tried to push past, but Nic grabbed him by the arm. “If I find out you’re keeping something from me….”
Teddy wrenched his arm from his grip. “You’ll what?” He cried. “You’ll run to father and have me stripped of my title? By all means you’d be doing me a favor.”
Nic’s face softened as he took in Teddy’s tired eyes. “Talk to me,” he said. “Tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help.”
Teddy laughed sadly. “You don’t want to know. Believe me.”
“If you’re in some sort of trouble….”
Teddy waved him away. “I’m fine,” he said. “Nothing to worry about.”
Nic sighed, knowing that something was wrong, but until Teddy told him what it was there was nothing he could do. “If you’re sure,” he said before grimacing. “I probably should get back to Princess Naleeni.”
Once he’d closed the door behind him, Teddy sunk into his chair and buried his head in his hands. He had no idea what to do. And no one to turn to.
—
Tempani’s brows knitted together as she stared intently at the fresh soil before her. She was trying to force a flower to grow but was having trouble keeping her concentration.
“Focus,” Mother Chennai whispered from where she stood nearby.
Tempani clenched her fists and tried to focus all of her energy on the task at hand. She was imagining the stem pushing up from the dirt below. It was almost at the surface when a dog barked, and she lost it.
“I can’t do it!” She screamed.
“Yes, you can,” Mother Chennai said. “You just need to believe you can.”
Tempani rolled her eyes. “And that’s all it takes is it?” She instantly regretted her sarcastic tone.
“You are frustrated.”
Tempani pushed her hair off her face. “Why am I learning how to make plants grow?” She asked. “I should be learning how to fight with my magic.”
“You must learn everything. Not just the elements you think you’ll need,” she explained. “I have been told of the harm you’ve inflicted on yourself.”
Tempani bristled. Anger washed over her. “Zadi had no right,” she snapped. Her confidence had been betrayed.
Mother Chennai pointed at the darkening clouds in the distance. “You’re angry,” she said. “Those clouds are your doing.”
Tempani looked and the surprise she felt overshadowed her anger. The clouds dispersed. “How?” She stammered. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You are extremely powerful, my daughter. When you feel a strong emotion, the elements around you react,” she explained. “And with no magical outlet, that can be dangerous.”
“But nothing bad has happened,” she said. “So I must have had some control.”
“Not quite,” she said. “Your way of coping with the build up of magic in your body was to release it through an open wound. Now that you are using your Power you must learn to harness it or you will be a danger not only to yourself but those around you. The more you learn, the greater chance you have of controlling it.”
Tempani chewed on her bottom lip as she walked off and mulled it over. Had it really been for that reason that she had inflicted pain upon herself? She guessed it made sense when she thought about the sense of calm that washed over her as the blood oozed down her skin. And she hadn’t done it when she was at the convent for those years because she was using small parts of her Power to heal. She thought of all the little scars that covered her body and winced. Would they be a constant reminder of the pain she’d endured or could she use her Power and rid herself of them?
When Nic had been courting her, it had always been there, at the back of her mind. She knew that if they wed he would see them, and she would have to explain what they were and why they were there. At the time it had seemed like the only solution, but afterwards there was always that niggle of regret. Of shame. But now she knew why.
She thought back over the years. The rain that set in while she shed tears over Hamalia’s death. The thunder that roared when she was angry. She had done those things without realizing. What about when she had a nightmare? Now that she was dreaming again, could her unconscious emotions affect the weather? How was she to know? She could hardly ask Zadi to sit up each night and watch for a change in the weather.
What could she do now t
hat she was aware of her abilities? Could she harness her power and bend the weather to her will? That would be useful in a fight.
But she would still have flashes of strong emotion. She wouldn’t be able to stay in control at all times. Storm clouds could give away her position. A lightening crash could bring a tree down on her men. She would have to learn to control her emotions as well as her Power or it wouldn’t be long before her enemies used it against her.
She let herself into her room and jumped at the sight of Madoc sitting on her bed, a defiant look on his face.
“Why are we still here?”
She crossed the room and looked out the window, giving herself a moment to gather her thoughts. “I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed Mother Chennai and the sisters until we arrived. Darby agreed to let me stay and spend some time with them.” Her voice rose with the lie.
“I’m not Nic, Tempani. You can’t just flutter your lashes at me to make me forget what I want to know.” She gasped at him, but he waved her away. “Don’t look so surprised. I know your games and more often than not I enjoy our flirtations, but this time I want the truth,” he demanded. “And I am not leaving this room until I get it.”
“I’m not ready to go back yet. It’s too soon after what happened with Nic. And being there now while he is courting her… it’s just too hard.”
“You and me, we get on all right, don’t we?” He waited for her to nod. “It’s because we have a lot in common. And one of the things we have in common is that we hate being cooped up in a place where we aren’t free to roam around. So if we need to overcome something, we do it by riding our horses or by doing something. Do you see where I’m heading with this?”
“Yes,” Tempani mumbled.
“Now if you don’t tell me what is really going on I’m going to write to Nic or your father and tell them something is going on. I will tell them that I hear whispers of women and magic and of prophecies,” he said slowly. “I will also tell them that Darby’s men-at-arms look like commoners and that they watch every move you make.”
She opened her mouth to object, but he held up a hand to silence her.
“Now if I were your father or the man who loved you that would worry me. And I think I would send a unit of the King’s Guard to see that you were safe. Are you catching my drift?”
“You’re a lot wiser than people give you credit for,” she whispered nervously.
“Spit it out. Tell me what is going on,” he said. “Because no offence to Mother Chennai, but I can’t stay here much longer.”
She wiped her sweaty palms on her shirt and took a deep breath.
“One woman will come forward to bridge the gap between our two people for she understands and is the voice of both.
She will bring forth the freedom of all enslaved as she is bound to them for all eternity.
She will bring about the rise of women and lead them into the power they should possess for not only men should wield magic and strength.
She will be blessed with the Power and will have the hand of the Goddess on one shoulder and the hand of the Black and White Woman on the other.
And the Goddess in a way very few will see shall mark her as The One.
Her faithful servants - woman, man and beast alike - will aid her, until peace is found once again across this land.
We will know when she has arrived, for the strength of her Power will reach the furthest corner of this great land.
Listen for her call and follow her to your destiny.”
“That’s deep Tempani but quit stalling,” he said and clutched his growling stomach. “Dinner will be served soon.”
“It’s me. It is my destiny to unite this kingdom,” she said. “We have been fighting amongst ourselves for far too long, and it’s only going to get worse unless I stop it. The people we came with are my guard, Zadi and Bhatia, my charges, and Mother Chennai my guidance.”
“You’re having me on,” Madoc laughed and stood up. “This is absurd.”
“It’s true Madoc. I struggled to believe it to begin with, but there is no denying that I am the one they speak of. I have been chosen by the Goddess Allarah to bring peace to our kingdom.” She knew she must sound absurd. It was far-fetched, but she needed him to believe.
Madoc stared at her, lost for words. She watched him sort out the information in his mind. Trying to make sense of it all. Slowly the look on his face turned to fear.
“I will be arrested for helping you. Great Gods Tempani, how could you have put me in this position?”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you what we were doing. So you would be free to say you had no idea what we were up to.”
He paced back and forth. Like an animal in a cage. “We are breaking the law!” He cried. “No one will believe I had no idea what was happening. They’ll think I’m a key member of this conspiracy.”
“Why? You knew nothing of this!”
“Look at me Tempani!” He stopped in front of her, his big frame towering over her. “Have you not wondered why my skin is so dark? I have Kalaowin blood in me also so do you really think King Wimarc will believe I am an innocent party in all of this?”
“Then you should understand why I have to do this!” She cried. “I have to free our people Madoc. We are hunted. Captured. What we are forced to do, it isn’t right!”
“King Wimarc will never free all slaves. The nobles like having them around.”
“Not all nobles.”
“You are hardly enough, Tempani.”
“Madoc, I want you by my side on this. I need you to support me because I honestly don’t think I’m strong enough to do it on my own. But if you don’t want to take this on, I’ll understand. It’s a heavy burden to carry, and if we put one foot wrong, it’ll be ruined.” She gripped his arm. “But whatever you decide, I need you to keep what we are doing to yourself. If the wrong person catches wind of this, we will be hunted down,” she said, her eyes wide with pure fear.
“I need to be by myself right now. I’m sorry, Tempani, but I don’t know what to think of all this,” he muttered and pulled free of her grasp.
She of all people understood how difficult it was to believe so she left him to his thoughts and went to the infirmary to see if she would be of any use. She worried that if she went to her room and allowed herself a moment to think she would fall apart. She had wanted to tell him but now that it was out she was worried he would run. And it would all be over.
—
Madoc lay on his bed, his feet dangling off the edge, and ignored his growling stomach. Food can wait, he thought. He had more important things on his mind now. He kept hoping Tempani would walk into his room and tell him she was playing with him and they would now be returning to the palace. But that wasn’t going to happen. He knew that.
He knew what she was planning to do was wrong. It was treason. There was no way she was getting out of this alive. And if he were to help he would face the same fate. And Darby. Why was Darby allowing her to do this when he knew what would happen?
“Because it is her choice,” Darby said when Madoc confronted him. “She is The One we speak of, but at any point she could have refused it and she chose not to.”
“Of course she would choose not to when her mind is filled with stories of heroism and dreams of what Kamara should be like. But that’s not reality.” Madoc kicked Darby’s bed. “She will be killed, and it will be on your hands.”
“I thought you of all people would understand why she is doing this. Or have you forgotten everything that happened to your mother?”
Madoc clenched his fist and turned on Darby. “Don’t ever say that.”
Darby stepped forward and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Madoc. You need to let go of all this guilt.”
“If I hadn’t written to Dinah…”
“Then you never would’ve found out the truth,” Darby whispered and steered Madoc to a chair. He collapsed onto it and buried his face in his
hands, tears swimming in his eyes.
The truth. Madoc wasn’t sure if he ever should have known the truth. It would have saved him so much heartache if he had gone on believing that his parents were who they said they were. But they weren’t, and Madoc still struggled to come to terms with that.
“Don’t judge us too harshly for what we are doing. To us it is the right thing to do,” said Darby.
Madoc nodded and returned to his room. He took out some parchment and found his ink. He knew what he must do. For him it was the right thing. He finished his letter and handed it to the messenger. Then he did something he’d needed to do for years. He told his story to a sympathetic ear.
Madoc swallowed the lump in his throat and sat beside Tempani.
“I killed my mother,” he whispered. “Not directly, but my actions caused her death.”
Tempani reached over and gripped his hand, willing him to continue.
“Did you know my mother is barren?” He asked. “The seemingly perfect Lady Dinah has one major flaw. It broke her heart. My father’s too. It shamed the great Lord Perci of Pina to have no son to pass his legacy onto. Like most noblemen, he had an eye for the ladies. He would take anyone into his bed. Even a Kalaowin.”
“Who was she?”
“A half-blood slave. Uhana,” he breathed her name with such adoration in his voice that it sent a chill down her spine. “She was so young when she conceived me. Not even fourteen.”
“She must have been so scared.”
“My parents moved her into the manor and away from prying eyes. I’m led to believe mother was good to her,” he said. “Gave her everything she needed. But when I was born she was tossed back out. Forced to work in the fields and forbidden from coming near me.”
“And no one guessed you weren’t Dinah’s?”
He shook his head. “She loved me as her own. So who would question them?”
“But your skin,” she said. “You’re not overly dark, but there is a trace.”
“Too much time in the sun,” he laughed sadly. “That was their excuse.”
Tempani sighed. “What of Uhana?”
“It was strange. Everywhere I went on our estate I sensed someone watching me. And when I looked up there she was. Staring at me so openly. She didn’t try to hide it. I was a child with no tact. I asked my parents who the lady was, and next thing I knew she was gone. Sold to another estate.”
