by Kim Fedyk
Selene laughed, at least there was one person who was looking forward to the party.
"You sure you don't want to come to the party," Selene turned to ask Zeeshan.
"No!" he slammed his paws down on the bed with enthusiasm. The bed make a dangerous creaking noise and Zeeshan quickly folded is arms up, "I'm sick of Talywags right now."
So was Selene to be honest, "But they are your people, don't you want to see your friends again?"
"No!" It looked like Zeeshan was pouting, "I see how everyone looks at me, like some kind of freak. Even my own dad ran away from me."
Selene came over to sit beside him and put her hand on his arm.
"It might take a while, Zeeshan, I'm not going to lie to you. But they are still your people and they will accept you, just like your dad did. He was only startled because he had never seen you like that before."
"I know, it's not only my dad... the entire council... I'm scared to even see my mom... I just, I want to avoid it for now."
Selene couldn't blame him.
"And besides, I'm already angry right now at the stupid council, I don't want to make things even worse by having an outburst."
"You are much wiser than your 7 years Zeeshan." Selene said, patting him on the arm.
Zeeshan sighed.
"It will get easier, Zeeshan, I guarantee it," Selene said with a conviction she didn't feel.
Zeeshan just put his head in his hands, Selene sighed sadly and rubbed his back.
"OK what do you think?" Zeeshan and Selene looked up as Arleth bounded into the room.
"Arleth! I can see your underwear!" Zeeshan said, covering his face with his paw.
"Oh ya," Arleth looked down un-phased, "It's a bit short. But Selene you can help me with that right?"
"I sure can. It fits nicely everywhere else though which is good."
Selene put her hands on the hem at the front of Arleth's dress and pulled. A stream of light flowed from Selene's hands onto the dress and as Arleth watched, the dress extended slowly until it was knee length. Selene turned Arleth around and did the same to the back.
"Perfect," Selene said stepping back to admire her work. "Looks like it was that long to begin with. Zeeshan, it's safe to look now."
Zeeshan peered through a crack in his fingers, and then assessing that Selene was telling the truth, removed his hand altogether.
"Arleth you look beautiful."
"I do?" Arleth blushed.
"You sure do," Selene agreed. "Let me just fix up your hair."
From out of nowhere, a hair brush materialized and Selene handed it to Arleth.
Arleth took it and brushed her hair. "You sure you don't want to come to the party Zeeshan?"
"No, it's ok. I've told you why I want to stay."
Arleth nodded, her smile fading, "I know, I'm sorry."
"And besides," Zeeshan continued, wanting his friend's smile to return, "You are too beautiful, you would put me to shame."
Arleth laughed despite herself, "You are silly."
* * *
"It has been a long time since the rightful ruler of Oherra has held power in Iridian," High Councilman Crean began. "But at least today we are finally able to welcome the mighty Aedan Amara to Occa."
There was a loud roar of applause. Aedan raised his mug and smiled in acknowledgement.
"But Aedan is not all we have," Crean continued when the cheering died down. "Travelling with him is his once-presumed dead, sister Arleth." Pointing at her, "Who we can see is very much alive and radiant."
"He has quite the flare for the dramatic, doesn't he?" Graydon whispered over to his brother.
"I dunno the excessive drool might season the food."
Graydon smiled and rolled his eyes.
"..And the ever beautiful Selene," Crean continued.
"This is such a waste of time," Graydon whispered back, "We need to be setting up defences, preparing for war, not listen to flattery at a banquet."
"See that is where we are different brother. If we are guaranteed certain death defending a people that don't want the help, I at least want to go out with a fancy name. Crean seems good at that...Winn the Magnificent, Winn the Handsome...”
"Winn the Annoying," Graydon whispered back, rolling his eyes yet again.
"Winn the conqueror of women's hearts," he continued un-phased.
"And lastly, Winn and Graydon, brothers and Aedan's trusted friends," Crean finished.
Graydon looked over at this brother and put his hand over his mouth to control his laughter.
Winn's eyes were open in shock.
"Not quite the dropper of women's underpants just yet, brother," Graydon nudged his brother, enjoying himself immensely.
"ONLY. trusted. friends?!" Winn mouthed.
"And now let the feast begin," Crean announced as the banquet doors behind him flew open and dozens of talywags came out, laden with platters
"Hey cheer up," Graydon poked his brother "The food is here. You may not die with a fancy name, but at least with a full stomach."
* * *
"And whatf isf thess?" Arleth asked, her mouth full.
Aedan ripped himself off a piece of the pastry Arleth had taken and took a bite. "Hmm maybe orange custard?" Aedan said chewing slowly.
"WOrangh Whatft?" Arleth asked, shoving another huge piece in her mouth.
"Orange Custard."
"Ahh." Arleth swallowed with a gulp. "I like orange custard." She wiped cream from her face with the back of her hand.
"I can see that," Aedan replied, bemused.
"You also liked the rabbit soup, the yuntafruit salad.." Selene started.
"The candied yams," Aedan continued
"The fillet of Tros," Selene added
"The poached Olope eggs."
"And of course, the fresh gho cheese was just to die for," Aedan and Selene said in unison, laughing.
Arleth blushed, "Well the food is delicious and I'm just being a good guest.. eating everything."
"A lot of everything," Aedan interjected with a huge smile.
"Naturally," Arleth nodded putting another huge chunk of orange custard pastry in her mouth.
"I hope you are enjoying yourselves," High Councilman Crean approached the trio.
Arleth nodded as politely as she could with her mouth stuffed full.
"We are," Aedan agreed. "You have shown us the utmost hospitality." He hesitated not sure if he should continue or not, "But it still doesn't solve the problem of your safety. It would have been much more prudent if we had spent this time preparing for Absalom's armies."
Crean looked annoyed by this, but tried to hide it. "Selene, Aedan, you two come with me, I want to show you something."
Selene and Aedan rose from the table and looked back at Arleth.
"You two go, I'm fine here" A young talywag wearing a flowery yellow dress came up to the table carrying a new plate of desserts. Arleth took one from the child with a smile, "Make that very fine here."
The two of them shook their head at her in amusement and turned to follow the Talywag. He led them across the room, away from the massive dining tables they had been sitting at, across the dance floor where a few brave talywags were just beginning to venture onto and out to a huge balcony. Crean walked over to the railing and gestured for them to follow.
"Look down, what do you see?" He implored at his guests.
Aedan and Selene peered over the railing. From the light of the banquet behind them, they could just make out a throng of dark shapes milling around below them. But they didn't need to see them clearly to know what they were.
"Vrog." Selene said
"Yes, Vrog." Crean asserted. "Every night it is the same. As soon as the sun goes down, dozens of them flock to the base of our city and growl up at us." Almost as if on cue, one of the beasts let out an eerie howl, followed by a second and a third.
"They come every night, they are angry and hungry. They are frustrated they can't get to us in the trees. Children even li
ke to throw things at them and tease them. But they have never been able to attack us, not even close. Not once, in hundreds of years."
Aedan sighed. "I am not arguing that High Councilman. The Vrog are a terrifying species. Because of them, travellers only go through the Frast Forest when they absolutely have no other choice, and even then only during the day, with the utmost caution. Yet the Talywags have discovered a way to live right among them in safety for, as you said, hundreds of years."
"Exactly," Crean said beaming in pride.
"But Absalom's army is not like the Vrog. They are not mindless beasts, unable to adapt to be able to climb a tree." Aedan paused here, he was at a loss. What more could he say that he hadn't already said?
"You remember the Northern Annihilation?" Selene jumped in, trying a different tactic. "Of course you do. Everyone who was alive then remembers it. It was terrible. Absalom wiped out five entire cities in a few weeks. A few weeks. And he destroyed some of Oherra's best defensive cities, home to the world's elite military forces. And he did this at the beginning of his power. Before Rogan became as powerful as he is now, before the Grekens, before this new snow bear- Talywag combination. And before who knows what else he has created since then. If he can wipe out 5 cities who fight back with full armies, how can you expect to defend yourself against him when the Talywag don't know how to fight, your city is unprotected and Absalom's strength has increased immeasurably?"
But Crean was unmoved. "Who's to say Absalom is even going to attack us? You seem so certain, but he has left us alone since he usurped the throne. The Northern Annihilation that you mention, he could have easily destroyed us then, as you say it would be easy," he added distainfully," along with the other cities. We are the closest city to the five he destroyed as you know. But he didn't. He didn't care about us then, he won't care about us now."
Aedan threw up his hands in desperation. "How can you be so blind?" He yelled. "Have you not seen what happened to your son? You must realize that the number of Talywags 'gone missing' has far exceeded what is normal."
"If Absalom comes, we will defeat him." The High Councilman retorted. "We will have part of the Jayan army led by Winn and Graydon, so our city will no longer be defenceless. If they come we will repel them. And if they don't, which I'm willing to bet on, then I guess we will be better able to defeat the Vrog who are clearly such a threat." He pointed down to the milling mass below and laughed derisively.
Aedan stared in shock for a few minutes, unable to believe what he was hearing. "For a smart race you Talywags can be pretty stubbornly stupid, you know that?"
"I will not stand here and be spoken to like this in my own city. If you weren't who you are, I wouldn't have stood here this long. But you are Aedan Amara and so the council agreed to entertain your ideas. But as I said I will not take this abuse. Good night Aedan, I hope you enjoy the rest of Talywag hospitality." He turned on his heel and stormed off, back into the banquet.
Aedan and Selene stared after him in silence. Selene took hold of Aedan's arm and rubbed it gently.
"How can they be so ignorant, so stubborn, so..." Aedan sputtered. "I almost want to leave them to their own defences and let them deal with the consequences."
"You don't mean that," Selene said.
"No I don't, of course I don't. We have to help them regardless of how little they want us too. But I can't help thinking how many of our soldiers we are risking for a useless cause, for a people that don't appreciate it. If anything happens to Winn or Graydon.." Aedan left the rest unsaid.
"I know," Selene said as soothingly as she could. She was as frustrated as Aedan was, but trying to not show it.
"So what did you say to our host to piss him off so much?" Val said, coming out onto the balcony. Winn and Graydon were close behind him. " He stormed in to the banquet like a child that had been scolded."
Aedan sighed. "He was arguing with me again for the merits of staying and doing nothing."
"Ahh."
"The council apparently doesn't even think there is a threat of attack," Aedan continued.
"Oh fun, that should make our jobs easier," Winn replied sarcastically. "Train an army of non-fighters in perhaps only one day for a battle they don't believe will happen."
"Less than one day, we still have to set up defences, " Graydon added.
"I'm sorry," Aedan said. "This isn't fair to you two, or your army. You will likely lose a lot of men in this, because the Talywag are too stubborn to listen to reason."
Winn got serious instantly. "It's alright Aedan," He clapped him on the shoulder. "We have no choice but to defend the Talywags and we are honoured to do so. Just because the council is stubborn and set in their ways, it doesn't mean that the entire city deserves to be destroyed. When the battle starts we will do the best we can for as long as we can. When it becomes apparent what the outcome will be, and if it's not in our favour we will get out as many Talywags and people to safety as we can."
"Including yourselves."
"Including ourselves. Speaking of that Selene, since Occa is kind of in the trees and all, I may need your magical assistance in creating an escape route."
"I already have some ideas."
"Perfect."
Aedan put his hand on both Winn and Graydon's shoulders. "Val and I will be leaving here at first light, as soon as the Vrog are gone, so I probably won't get another chance to say this. I don't want to waste another minute here, and I certainly don't relish the thought of meeting with the High Councilman again."
"I thoroughly second that." Val agreed.
"Winn, Graydon, I know I am asking a lot of you and your men and I know you do it gladly. But please keep your safety in mind. This is just one battle in the war and we need both of you for the long road ahead. Not to mention both of you are like brothers to me and I don't want to lose either of you."
"Don't worry, we are a hardy bunch," Winn said trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"We won't let you down," Graydon agreed, clasping Aedan's forearm.
"I know you won't."
A burst of laughter erupted from inside the banquet hall, cutting the tension in the group outside. They all turned to look. Arleth was on the dance floor. She and a group of Talywag children had their arms linked together and were spinning around in circles, laughing and giggling the whole time.
"That is why we fight," Winn said softly. "So those children can have a future, regardless of what their parents believe."
* * *
Halfway across Oherra, Absalom couldn't sleep. He stood at the window in his bed chamber, gazing to the East.
Torch light reflected off the window causing him to look down at the plains below where his armies were assembling. From his height it looked like the entire plain was alive, a writhing mass of shadows. Ten thousand men.
Add in the four dozen Imari he hoped to have created before they set off, and a handful of Greken, Enjoy your last night Occa, he thought, a smile forming on his lips.
Chapter 29
It was still pitch black outside when Aedan woke from a restless sleep. He had tossed and turned all night, his mind racing with a million thoughts. He regretted how angry he had let himself become at Crean, he kept going over and over in his head what he said to him, wishing he could take it back and at the same time wishing he could have been stronger in convincing the Talywags to leave Occa. He hated leaving two of his best friends to defend Occa in what he couldn't help thinking was sure to be a slaughter. Should he have forced them all to leave, made them leave by brute strength?
He worried about Arleth and if Samara would be able to help her. Was she even ready to use her gift? Or would it destroy her?
He tried to think of a strategy for when him and Val reached Kalshek, but there were too many intangibles.
And on top of all that, every time he was close to drifting off, his body jolted awake in shock at the thought that it was almost dawn and he should be leaving.
"What time is it?" Selene said, stirring
in the bed beside him. She half sat up and peered at the window at the foot of the bed, "It still seems like the middle of the night."
"It is, I just couldn't sleep."
"Neither could I, too many things on my mind."
"Tell me about it."
Selene rolled over to face Aedan, although she couldn't make out more than a shadow of him in the darkness. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to not be us, and to lead a normal life."
"Or how different things would be if my parents were still alive?"
"Exactly."
"Every day."
"Me too."
Aedan reached for Selene in the darkness and pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry, when this is all over, I will make good on that promise to marry you. And we can go about seeing how boring and normal we can be."
Selene laughed, "Boring sounds wonderful."
They lay in each other's arms for a while, until there was a faint knock at the door.
"Are you two awake? I heard talking."
"Come in Val, we are awake."
They could hear the doorknob turning and then abruptly it stopped. "Um is it safe?"
Selene laughed, "Yes Val, come on in." She disentangled herself from Aedan and sat up.
The door opened, and a wash of light from the hall seeped in. Val entered, already fully clothed for the trip, with his travel bag on his back.
"You couldn't sleep either?" Aedan asked.
"No, I've bloody been up for hours."
Aedan and Selene murmured in agreement. Aedan sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his stomach grumbled loudly. "I don't suppose you have any food in that pack of yours?" "Ahh, no."
"Alright, give us a few minutes and we will go see what food we can find."
Val stepped back out of the bedroom into the hall, closing the door behind him.
Ten minutes later, Selene and Aedan appeared, both were fully dressed and Aedan was carrying his travel bag. Occa wasn't used to receiving important travellers - or travellers at all - and since they were run by a council, no one residence was big enough to hold them all. So Arleth, Aedan, Val, Selene, Winn and Graydon had spent the night in Occa's only hotel, aptly aimed The Inn. The six of them had taken up the entire 5 rooms it contained. Their army had been forced to find space where they could with individual Talwag families, and a large number of them had pulled out their bed rolls and slept on the floor of the banquet hall once last night's party had ended.
