by Candy Rae
“How are the little darling bridesmaids?” asked Rilla. “Did they behave themselves during the rehearsal?”
“Not really,” grinned Zilla.
Rilla herself was not numbered among them. She, Zawlei, their parents, their surviving sister Zala, her husband Matt and every one of their children had been given places in the chapel where the wedding would take place, to the right of the altar and she was well content with that.
Rilla was attired in the dress uniform of the Vada, the deep maroon contrasting vividly with the silver badges and piping. On the high collar was affixed the bronze star that told everyone who knew that she had fought in the battle at Duchesne.
As Zilla’s ladies had been getting their mistress ready, Rilla had been grooming Zawlei. He was waiting below with Rilla and Zilla’s nephew Mathieu Urquhart.
“I wish Hilla could have been here to see you,” said Rilla, “she would have been so proud.”
“Who says she isn’t? I feel her around me sometimes when I’m alone. We are triplets. Death isn’t the end for us.”
Rilla agreed. She had felt Hilla’s presence too.
“We’ll I’d better be getting along,” said Rilla at last, “they’ll be coming for you soon and the lai only knows what Zawlei is up to. He hates the caprisson, says it makes him all hot and bothered.”
The Vada dress uniform included provision for the Lind - a maroon, silver edged blanket that covered their back and reached half way down the legs. Zawlei hated it with a vengeance.
Zilla laughed and shooed Rilla away.
“Go, go,” she urged and Rilla went.
* * * * *
The Chapel Royal was overflowing with spectators.
Rilla and Zawlei, with Mathieu (dressed in his holiday best) followed their escort through the great carved doors at the far end and up the central aisle, the aisle along which Zilla would soon be making her stately progress followed by the ten little bridesmaids selected by the Dowager Crown-Princess Susan. The ten little girls were dressed in white, plain white silk with blue lace trimmings and each would be carrying a basket of the same winter flowers that made up Zilla’s bridal bouquet.
Rilla hoped that they would behave themselves; their shrill and excited voices had followed her down the stairs that led from Zilla’s rooms.
Zawlei imaged a scene of the ten scampering down the aisle playing shuttle and ball and Rilla was hard pressed to keep her face straight.
: Stop it : she commanded Zawlei.
The congregation was watching as she and Zawlei passed by, craning their heads to get a better view.
Lind were still somewhat of a rarity here at Fort. Zawlei was in fact, only one of two non-humans present in the chapel, the other being Taraya, here with 2IC Vadeln Niaill who was representing the Vada.
Rilla knew that Niaill had been seated at the very edge of the front row of pews and that Taraya would be seated on a carpet that had been placed on the floor beside him, it having been proven impossible to fit her into one of the pew seats. Uncharitably, Rilla hoped they were feeling as uncomfortable as she and Zawlei were.
The three of them reached the carpet below the altar and Zawlei’s paws ceased to click on the stone tiled floor.
Seated at last, Rilla could sink away from the eyes that stared and could look around. On the seats opposite sat the royal family except for Elliot and his youngest sister Janet who was one of the bridesmaids. She smiled and they smiled back, especially the middle sister Mary who bestowed on Rilla a huge grin. Mary was going through a series of hero worshipping stages and Rilla was the present incumbent of the position.
All the royal ladies had shed their black mourning clothes for the occasion, the adult woman wearing deep purple trimmed with gtran and the younger in lilac editions of the bridesmaids’ dresses.
Rilla was sitting beside her father. He sat stiff and uncomfortable in his seat, conscious of every glance that came his way. The situation made him feel uneasy and out of place. Rilla suspected that her mother was secretly enjoying the experience. Talan’s face was strained and nervous. Zanda’s was smiling and alive.
The procession of prelates and altar boys began. The twelve cheeky-faced white-surpliced boys took up their position in the choir stall.
Rilla watched as Archbishop Tom Brentwood took his position and Father Romauld took his at the top of the two stairs that separated the altar from the rest of the chapel. The rood screen had been removed for the occasion to ensure everyone watching had a decent view.
The boys began to sing and the door at the side of the chapel opened. Elliot, followed by Robain walked through it.
Like Zilla Elliot was dressed in white, for this day marked for him the beginning of a new age within his kingdom and Elliot had wanted his wedding to be as different as could be.
His cloak was made of the traditional purple trimmed with white fur but that was his only concession. The candlelight shining on his doublet almost dazzled Rilla as the jewels sparkled. It did make Zawlei close his eyes for a moment and he complained to Rilla about the peculiar vagaries of humankind who felt the need for decoration.
Elliot turned and murmured something to Robain and the Duke nodded before bending to unbuckle Elliot’s sword belt.
Robain took his own place in the congregation in the middle of the front pew, as befitted his new rank and status.
Elliot was nervous and he looked at Father Romauld. Father Romauld smiled understandingly back.
The doors at the far end were thrown open.
A fanfare of trumpets and horns sounded. Zawlei and Taraya laid their ears back. Rilla and Niaill winced, both catching the backlash as the sound hit their Linds’ minds.
Zilla appeared in the archway, an almost ethereal white-clad figure.
The figure began its long, unhurried walk down the aisle, followed by ten solemn faced little girls who were concentrating very hard on keeping in step. One or two of them were counting aloud.
Elliot glanced round once, turned back and looked over to where Rilla was sitting. Their eyes met and in that moment Rilla finally gave over the care of her triplet sister to the man her sister loved.
Rilla looked down to where Robain was sitting, the man who might have married her other triplet. He wasn’t looking her way, nor was he looking at Elliot, his eyes were fixed on the royal stalls where sat the royal family. Rilla followed his gaze but couldn’t work out exactly whom he was staring at. Princess Susan however, had a smile hovering around her lips.
Rilla looked up the aisle to where her sister was taking her last measured steps.
Elliot’s eager hand came out to be taken by her willing one and the two of them gazed at each other for a long moment as Princess Janet came forward to take the bouquet.
They knelt down together and Father Romauld began to speak the words that would make Elliot and Zilla husband and wife.
Rilla listened to the words, one hand on Zawlei’s neck, stroking him and full of joy for her sister. She felt again that indefinable presence she was learning to recognise as Hilla’s spirit - imaginative or real, it didn’t matter.
: They’ll be happy together, won’t they? : she asked Zawlei.
: Can you doubt it my Rilla? Look at them, just look at their faces : he said and turned his huge blue eyes on her.
Caught in his gaze, Rilla’s mind became merged with his. Zilla had her Elliot but she and Zawlei had each other. That was all that mattered.
* * * * *
Chapter 9
Fourth Month of Winter - Santhed
The Quorko
“It’s in there, amongst the reeds,” whispered Brion to Susalai Hansei.
The Susalai peered through the foliage in the direction Brion was pointing.
“Are you sure?”
“I caught a glint of sun on the metal.”
“So how do you suggest we deal with this one?”
“Same way as the others,” Brion answered. “We call in the Lai and they’ll destroy it with their flame an
d we deal with any Dglai who attempt an escape.”
“I think it so inlindane.” Inlindane was the Lind rendition of the human word inhumane.
“I don’t know of any other way,” said Brion. “None of the other Dglai were prepared to consider surrender.”
“They might be already dead,” said the hopeful Hansei. Out of the eleven Quorko they had destroyed to date, in two their occupants had suicided.
The Quorko had no power left in its batteries. With no mother ship, there was no way to replenish them.
It had been a long six months for the Fifty-first Ryzck and the Avuzdel. They had hunted out and destroyed the escaped Quorko one by painful one. Only during two of the destructions (the two where the crewmembers had suicided) had they taken no casualties. The Dglai, despite approaches always refused to surrender. Even the Lai had not managed to persuade them.
It was as if the Dglai wanted to die.
“I’ll go take a look,” offered Hansei.
“No, me and Quindya will go this time.”
“Be careful,” warned Hansei as Brion and Quindya edged out of the reeds and headed towards the silent Quorko.
Brion and Quindya advanced with care. The swamp water was smelly and stagnant and the squelchy mud at the bottom made walking difficult.
At last they were within touching distance. Brion didn’t think they had been heard, but of course, the Dglai were probably not still inside.
He reached the hull at the rear end of the scout ship. He recognised the back of the engine for what it was. He looked up the port side where the door was. It was open. This meant that the occupants were gone or that they were still inside, the open door an invitation to the foolhardy.
: I am going to look. Stay close to me Quindya. Be ready to run :
: Wilco :
The two of them, step by silent step, edged up to the door where they stopped. It was eerily silent inside.
: I don’t think they are in there : offered Quindya.
: Here goes then :
Brion stuck his head inside. There was just enough light for him to distinguish the shapes of four inert Dglai, their bodies stiff in the rictus of death, their green hides faded to an ash brown. Decomposition, Brion realised, had begun some months ago.
: They are long dead. Pass the word on to Hansei :
: Hansei asks how many? :
: San :
: Where is the other one? :
Each Quorko carried five crewmembers.
: There are definitely only four. No sign of the fifth :
: Perhaps there were only four in this Quorko :
: I don’t think so. The fifth must still be around. Tell Hansei to warn the others. They are dangerous when cornered :
: Should we ask him to call for the Lai? They could help us look :
Brion agreed and Quindya passed this along to Hansei as well.
By nightfall the entire area was being flown over by the Lai as they searched for the missing Dglai crewmember, perhaps the only Dglai still alive.
* * * * *
Chapter 10
Fifth Month of Winter - Rakthed
The Lai
Over twenty Lai had been brought in to look for the missing Dglai. The immediate area around the Quorko was where the hunt began, the Lai halving and quartering at a low altitude, eyes fixed on the swamp below. They were searching for signs that there was a Dglai hiding below under the cover of the often gigantic rush leaves.
Nothing was sighted, not even a body.
When dusk fell and searching no longer possible, the Lai reported back to Brion and Hansei about what they called their ‘non-findings’.
“He must have flown away somewhere,” said Brion. Hansei disagreed, pointing out that all the evidence pointed to the fact that the Dglai could not fly except in short spurts although generations ago they could have flown as well as did the Lai.
“You mean like us Lind and the Larg?” queried Quindya. “The Lai tell that once there was no difference between us.”
“You are essentially correct young Quindya of Vadath,” said Aniku, the Lai who, with Velu, had done the reporting. “But in our case it has gone much further. The Lind and the Larg continued to live their lives on the same planet, so differences are not so very great. The Dglai spent the generations apart in outer space, which has speeded up the change process. The Lind and the Larg can assimilate with ease and there have been many instances of interbreeding. If the Dglai and we Lai had been able to meet in peace it might have been possible to re-assimilate but of course that will never be known now.”
“So where do you think the missing Dglai is?” asked Brion of Velu.
“I have no idea. I guess he must be dead, otherwise we would have found at least some trace.”
Brion, Quindya and Hansei agreed with Velu.
They were wrong.
* * * * *
The Lai and the Dglai
The missing Dglai was not a he but a she.
She had departed the Quorko moments after it had belly-flopped on to the reed bed, its power indicators at zero.
The other four crewmembers had decided to suicide but Quia would not, could not. She was egg-heavy and the instinct of self-preservation and the subsequent survival of her young would not permit her to consider that option.
She had struggled through the cloying water of the swamp and had emerged, exhausted but triumphant as the summer season had changed to winter into a high sided, tree-filled and narrow valley whose river water fed the marsh.
Quia had been lucky. This was an area to which the Larg rarely ventured. It was also filled with a plenitude of game, forests being the natural habitat of the tree-rudtka, the covet and a small breed of animal related to the kura.
The only possible dangers to her were the gtran, the catlike carnivores that also inhabited the mountains of the northern continent but they did not bother her. Why take on Quia with her flaming breath when there was plenty of other prey, prey that did not fight back?
Once inside the valley, Quia had looked around for a safe place to lay her eggs and had found it; a dry cave, dark and deep enough for her purposes with fresh water nearby.
She had hunted then, dragging back enough meat to the cave to sustain her once the eggs were laid for when that happened she could not leave them. They would need to be kept warm so that the shells could harden so the embryos inside could incubate. Warmth was the key. There were no artificial hatcheries here as there had been on the Ammokko.
During the last dying days of summer, Quia laid her eggs, six of them, soft pearly white ovoids, which she arranged to her satisfaction before settling down on top.
Now the nesting was almost at an end. The eggs were hard as rocks and she could feel her babies moving around inside. Quia believed all six would hatch.
Quia was getting hungry, the meat she had gathered was finished but she wasn’t overly troubled. Once the hatching was over she would be able to go hunting. Her babies would wait in the cave until she returned, bringing with her the meat to feed them and her. They wouldn’t venture out from the nest site for at least seven suns and moons. She also knew that she wouldn’t need to go far from the cave to find meat. If she listened she could hear the sounds of the forest ruminants browsing around outside. The forest kura did not have long memories and had forgotten all about the large green predator hidden within the cave.
All six baby Dglai hatched, each clawing his or her way out of their shells and staggering towards their doting mother, mewling for food.
Quia waited until dusk was beginning to fall and ventured out of the cave. She felled a lone forest kura almost at once and dragged it the short distance back to the cave. Her babies’ noses twitched as they smelled the blood and they mewled louder, little green eyes glinting as they moved on unsteady legs towards their first meal.
With her talon-thumb Quia opened up the stomach of the kura and the entrails spilled out. With mewls of greed the babies descended on the glistening innards and began t
o eat.
Quia ate the rest.
Sleepy now, the six little Dglai nestled into their mother and fell asleep. Quia placed her stubby wing over them and laid her head down on the cave floor. She was tired and her meal, after the long abstinence made her less alert than she would normally have been. The meat from the buck had not completely assuaged her hunger either. It would take more than one of the little forest kuras to fill her belly and replenish the weight loss caused by the months of egg sitting.
What Quia did not know was that during her short excursion she had been spotted. So intent had she been on her hunt for meat that she hadn’t noticed the circling shape in the skies above.
* * * * *
Quia raised a wary head.
What was that?
She could hear cracking noises coming from outside the cave.
Something was approaching the cave mouth.
Quia began to think about her second stomach.
She had never had to emit flame before but she was quite prepared to do so now in defence of her young. Her stomach began to rumble as the juices inside metamorphosed into the liquid that would ignite when it met up with the oxygen in the air.
Her babies woke up. They didn’t like the sensations emanating from their mother’s belly. They began to voice their displeasure.
Outside, Haru paused, recognising the sound for what it was, the babbling mewl of the newborn. The very young of the Lai spoke in identical squeaky voices and Haru stopped to ponder about what he should do.
His first thought when he had spied the Dglai had been to dive down and sear the creature into oblivion but something about it had stopped him just as he had been about to shut in his wings and tilt.
