“I heard every word.” He stared into her eyes, his expression intense. “I’ve been wanting to do this since the moment I first saw you.”
He bent and pressed his lips against hers. Tiri’s body stiffened, visibly relaxing as her arms wrapped about his shoulders. Lyra smiled but looked away, sensing that she was intruding on something private. She considered Gar’s words and wondered at how he could hear them so well from such a distance. Glancing up at the overhang, she was struck by the volume of her own voice when she had shouted. There was something unique about the acoustics. She felt a surge of excitement as an idea formed in her head.
Lyra cleared her throat and took a deep breath. A wordless aria sprang to life, her voice ringing deep notes, true and clear. The horses in the distance stopped grazing again, standing alert and unmoving. The kiss ended and Gar released Tiri, with one arm still about her as he stared at Lyra.
Everything felt perfect. The notes coming from Lyra’s voice. The way the sound reverberated, amplified from the surrounding shell. The fact that Gar and Tiri were together. The rainbow above, the lush land below. Perfection.
Led by the white stallion, the herd strolled across the field, drawn toward Lyra by some invisible tether. When the horses drew close, Gar stepped toward the stallion, moving slowly as he met the majestic beast less than ten paces from where Lyra stood. Tentatively, he placed his palm against the stallion’s neck. The horse shifted slightly but did not flee. Gar gripped a handful of mane and leapt, swinging his leg over the horse’s back. The stallion shuffled its feet, nodded, and snorted, but did not rear or bolt.
Throughout this process, Lyra continued to sing, afraid of how the horses might react if she stopped. Movement caught her attention, and she turned to find the eight warriors they had left on the ledge. With dropped jaws and starry eyes, they stared at Gar atop the horse.
“What are you waiting for?” Gar asked. “Climb on a horse, but make no sudden movements.”
Wuli and the other Tantarri crossed the open space and approached the herd. Similar to the stallion, none fled, and they displayed only the slightest hint of nervous behavior. Only once every warrior sat atop a horse, did Lyra stop singing. She bit her lip, concerned that the herd might bolt, but they remained calm, placid.
“Tiri,” Gar held his arm toward her. “Climb up behind me.”
Tiri approached the horse and took Gar’s hand, leaping and throwing a leg over the stallion’s back as he pulled her up.
“Wuli, please help Tali onto your horse.” Gar said, sounding confident.
Lyra approached the chestnut mare that Wuli had chosen, took his hand, and climbed atop the mount.
“Let’s return to the clan and share the news. The Tantarri are now forever changed.”
Gar nudged the stallion, and the horse broke into a trot, heading toward the tunnel with the herd following closely behind.
36
Lyra moved to the edge of the terrace and put her hands on the low wall as she stared at the city below. People moved about in the open areas, going in and out of the dark openings of the stone buildings. An old woman filled a pitcher in the fountain of the plaza below, while a group of children played in the fountain of the far plaza. The sounds of laughter drifted up to where Lyra stood, and she found herself smiling at their innocent joy.
“This is a wondrous sight,” Tiri noted.
Lyra nodded. “Yes. I believe that we have witnessed something special. These people were nomads, moving about from place to place, their wagons the only home they had ever known…until now.”
“Gar said that the last load of goods is on its way up,” Tiri turned toward Lyra. “He plans to burn what remains of the wagons tonight. He thinks it necessary to convince the older clan members that this is their new home…that the Tantarri will never leave.”
“Burning the wagons would make his point.”
Lyra’s mind drifted back to the moment they rode the wild horses into the Tantarri camp. Stunned faces greeted them, soon evolving to cheers. Some proclaimed that Gar was the greatest leader the Tantarri had ever seen. Some claimed he was the best that the world had ever known. Sitting atop the glorious white horse, he certainly looked the part.
When he announced that he had found the Tantarri a new home, some members had resisted, iterating that the Tantarri had no home and were meant to follow the Path of the Butterfly. Gar agreed, but stated that even butterflies transform, their nature changing as they evolve from a caterpillar, to a cocoon, to a butterfly.
“For generations, the Tantarri were that caterpillar, moving up and down the coast and feeding off the land alongside the Outlanders.” The stallion shifted, strolling the area as Gar spoke to his people from its back with Tiri seated behind him. “Three years ago, events caused us to change, and the Tantarri went into our cocoon to await the next form. Today is the day we emerge, today is the day we truly become the butterfly. We have a home, private and unknown to the Outlanders. In addition to a city of our own, I have found Viridian.”
The crowd stirred, clan members exchanging glances and excited whispers.
“Yes. The very home of the Spirit of Nature. It was there that I befriended this majestic animal.” He patted the horse on the neck. “It is there that we can plant crops to grow the food we need to survive.”
The mention of Viridian quieted the dissenters. Gar then dismounted, as did the others. The horses shuffled off to eat, but did not flee.
The subsequent two days were long and laborious. With the wagons unable to make it far into the canyon, the Tantarri disconnected the Oxen and tied packs to them, leading the beasts of burden up the narrow trail in single file while clan members carried smaller, lighter items.
Parts of the wagons were removed, dismantled to reuse as tables, benches, and shelves to augment their city of stone. Within a day, the city seemed more a home than a cold, dark cave.
Movement pulled Lyra from her reverie. She leaned forward to look down at the rooftop plaza directly below the terrace where she and Tiri now stood. Tantarri warriors carried wagon axles, with wheels still attached, toward the fire pit at the center of the plaza. They piled them atop one another, the only pieces of the wagons that had not been rebuilt into something else.
“We celebrate tonight.” Hearing the voice behind her, Lyra turned to find Gar standing at the far end of the terrace. “A feast of thanks for our new home…for our new lives here in Mondomi.”
He waved them over. Lyra turned toward Tiri and shrugged before crossing the terrace.
“Mondomi?” Tiri asked as she approached Gar, who met Tiri and wrapped his arms about her waist.
“Yes, it is the name for this city. In the old language, it means home in the mountain.” He grinned at Lyra. “I thought it best to pull you two away from the edge. You may not have noticed, but words carry far from that spot, similar to when Tali sang to the horses in Viridian.”
Gar’s grin widened as the girls considered what others might have heard. His gaze locked with Tiri, his grin falling away as he stared into her eyes.
“Although I’ve only known you for a short time, you’ve captured my heart, Tiri. I don’t think I ever want it back.”
“I...”
“Please. Let me finish.” Gar took Tiri’s hand, holding it in both of his. “It is not just me for whom I speak, but for my people as well. You were born a princess, raised to lead others. I have no doubt that you can earn the love and respect of my people, as you have earned mine.” Gar squatted and placed one knee on the stone floor as he stared up at Tiri with adoration in his dark eyes. “Tirialle, if you would agree to be my wife, you would make me the happiest man alive. Be my wife and rule by my side. Help me guide the Tantarri into a new age of prosperity and hope.”
Tiri’s breaths became rapid, her eyes flicked toward Lyra, then back to Gar. A tear tracked down her cheek, it dropping away as her lips spread into a smile. “I never imagined I might marry a man I love.” She gave a tentative laugh, as more tear
s appeared. “I love you, Gar. I would very much like to be your wife.”
Gar’s face stretched into a grin. He stood, placed his hands on her cheeks, and kissed her. After a moment, his arms slid down to grip her waist and her arms wrapped about him.
Lyra turned and crossed the terrace to stand beside the wall, looking down at the busy city while she wiped the tears from her eyes.
37
Lyra blinked in the darkness, once again drawn from a peaceful sleep by the sound of screams. She wished that they would find another place for Elden to sleep, somewhere far from where he could wake others. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the man, but waking in the middle of the night to the sound of screams was quite unsettling. She rolled over to her side, sending the hammock swinging.
“I see you’re awake as well,” Tiri said.
“I find it difficult to sleep with a man screaming a few rooms away. The curtains that cover the doorway do little to block sound.”
“True. At least you were able to sleep for a while.”
“Nerves?”
Tiri sighed. “Yes. I’ve often dreamt of my wedding, imagining my dress, a beautiful hall, some handsome man at my arm. Tomorrow, those dreams solidify into something real. I…I love Gar. I am just kind of…afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“I don’t know. What if I’m not a good wife? What if I disappoint him? What if he comes to realize I’m not who he wants to be with?”
Lyra reached out and put her hand on Tiri’s shoulder. “Tiri, you are the most lovable person I’ve ever met. Gar is a lot of things, but he’s not stupid. It was a grand stroke of luck when you entered his life, and he knows it. Gar’s also extremely loyal. He’ll pledge himself to you in two days, and I can’t imagine anything that could cause him to shift course.” She gave Tiri’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry. You’ll be a wonderful wife. I expect that you’ll soon have numerous little Gar’s and Tiri’s running about, and you’ll be a wonderful mother as well.”
Tiri laughed. “Do you really think so?”
“I do. You just...”
The room brightened as the curtain was drawn aside.
“Excuse me, Tali.” Wuli held a torch as he stood in the doorway. “Elden Duratti requests your presence.”
Lyra rolled out of the hammock and stretched, wearing only her shift. The stone floor felt cold on her bare feet. She grabbed the blanket off her hammock and wrapped it about her shoulders as Tiri slid out of her hammock.
“You can stay and rest, Tiri.”
Tiri shook her head. “I can’t sleep, and I want to know what this is about.”
Lyra shrugged as Tiri wrapped a blanket about herself. The two girls ducked through the curtain and followed Wuli down the corridor, past two other closed curtains, and into the third room down the hall.
A single torch on the wall lit the room. Gar sat on a bench beside a square table, while Elden sat across from him. Upon seeing Tiri enter the room, Gar stood.
“Tiri. You did not need to come,” he sounded concerned. “There is much to do before the wedding and you need rest.”
Tiri chuckled. “What about you? You’re in the wedding as well. Why are you here?”
“Well, I’m Head Clansman and…”
“And I’m about become your wife…to rule by your side. Remember?”
Gar grinned. “Fair enough.” He indicated the bench where he had been sitting. “Here. Sit beside me.”
Tiri smiled and both sat side-by-side, their hands clasped together on the table.
Lyra turned toward Elden and found him staring at the table, appearing disheveled, exhausted. He seemed to have aged two decades since she first met him three years prior.
“What is this about, Elden?” Lyra asked. “Am I somehow…involved in one of your visions?”
Elden nodded. “Yes. Sit and I’ll explain.”
Lyra grabbed a stool, set it beside the table, and sat as requested.
“The visions began a little over a year back. I have them most nights. The nights where I avoid them are precious and too few.” His knuckles went to his face, rubbing his weary eyes. “Each night, I would experience a similar vision, depicting a series of future events that lead to the end of humanity.
“Night after night, I have endured this horrible conclusion, one without hope. Can you imagine what it’s like to live with this dark cloud hanging over you? I try to go on with my daily life, try to forget the pain, the suffering, the…hopelessness.
“Tonight, something different occurred. Things began in a similar manner, but there were new elements involved, key events that happen at just the right time, such that they shifted the vision and changed the result. More importantly, it gives me hope.”
Lyra frowned. “Why do you look so worn then?”
“These visions…they consume a lot of energy. I’ll recover by morning with some rest. However, I must record the details of the prophecy for future generations. It is vital that the information be shared with the right person at the right time.”
Lyra’s brow furrowed. “What does that have to do with me?”
“I’m getting to that.” Elden glanced toward Gar, who nodded. “There was more to my vision than what I will record…a series of events that begin now. If these events do not occur, the rest of the vision will never come to be, and we will be back where I was before: without hope.”
Lyra shrugged. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because it begins with you, Tali. You must leave Mondomi and journey southward, toward the free city.”
“No!” Tiri blurted.
“Leave?” Lyra felt confused. “Why?”
“I’m sorry, but if you remain, things that must occur cannot, and the one possible future that enables humanity’s survival will be forever lost.”
Lyra turned toward Tiri, whose lower lip quivered as a tear tracked down her cheek.
“I don’t want to go,” Lyra said. “My sister is about to get married. I want to be here with her.”
“This future we hope to avoid, it will mean the end of the Tantarri – the end of everyone.” Elden put his hand on her shoulder, his eyes pleading as he spoke. “I don’t expect you to understand. I only beg you to believe me.”
Moisture blurred Lyra’s vision, tears that she tried to blink away. Tiri was her only family. With Tiri, Gar, and the other Tantarri, Lyra thought she had found a home. Instead, she once again found herself banished from a life she had built, leaving her outcast and abandoned. She shook her head, not wanting to be alone again, unwilling to start over. Finally, she stood and fled, unable to stop the flow of tears.
38
Lyra lifted the heavy pack and slid it over a shoulder. Turning about, she found Gar and Tiri staring at her with concern in their eyes.
Gar handed her two full water skins, which she accepted and slid over her other shoulder.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take a horse, even for a day or two? They’ve already shown that they know how to return to Viridian.”
“No, Gar.” Lyra shook her head. “It doesn’t seem right. They belong here…belong with the Tantarri. I’ve traveled on foot before. I can do it now.”
“I wish you could be here for the wedding.” Tears clouded Tiri’s eyes. Again.
Lyra steeled herself, focusing on her task to avoid the emotions welling up inside. “You’ll be fine, both of you. You have each other and that makes all the difference.” She forced a smile. “Besides, Elden says that I can return in the future, once I’ve done whatever it is I must do in Wayport.”
“Be careful,” Tiri warned. “I know that they call Wayport the Free City, but the term is deceiving. Father always said that the pirates running Wayport were not to be trusted. They have their own laws and their own agenda.”
Lyra nodded. “So you’ve told me, at least three times now. Don’t worry about me. You know I’m careful, and I know how to blend in.”
Tiri leaned forward with an embrace
that Lyra returned. Unbidden, tears emerged again. When Tiri stepped back, Lyra wiped her eyes dry.
“Be well, sister,” Tiri said.
“You too.” She looked at Gar. “Take care of Tiri. If you don’t, I’ll come back and beat you bloody.”
Gar grinned. “I guess I best treat her like a princess then.”
Lyra chuckled as Gar gave her a hug. When he released her, Lyra heard another voice.
“Tali?” A girl stood in the doorway, holding a glass jar, sealed with a cork. “I wanted to give you a gift before you leave.”
“Hello, Dari.” The girl approached, holding the jar toward Lyra. “There’s not much left, but I thought you might like some honey as a treat during your journey.”
Lyra accepted the jar and eyed the amber gel that filled the bottom third of the jar.
“This is a thoughtful gift, Dari. A taste or two of honey each day will surely make my travels more enjoyable.”
Dari smiled and burst forward, wrapping her arms about Lyra. “I wish you could stay.”
Lyra held the girl tight as she kissed the top of her head. “So do I, Dari. So do I.”
When Dari released Lyra, she wiped her eyes, her nose, and bolted from the room.
Lyra stared at the curtain sway until it settled in the doorway. Just as she was about to follow, the curtain slid aside and Elden stepped into the room.
“Hello, Tali,” he said. “I…I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for the way you’ve been forced to leave. I wish things were different, but I must do what I can to ensure the future of our people…of all people.”
“I realize that it’s not your fault, Elden.” Lyra felt oddly surprised that she didn’t blame him. “I’ve seen what Prophecy can do, and the things it can prevent when you follow the guidance of a vision.” She shivered, thinking of what might have happened if not for Cal’s prophecy three years earlier.
Rogue Legacy: The Secret History of Issalia Page 23
