A Leopard in the Mist

by S E Turner

  The maid brought over his cup of water and placed it next to him. 'Is there anything else I can get you Master Namir?'

  'No, thank you. I am perfectly content.'

  'You will hear a gong in a few minutes,' she said softly. 'Please do not be alarmed. It's only the dinner bell summoning the elders and guests to the Great Hall for supper.'

  'That's where Gya and Macus will be heading, I am guessing.'

  'Indeed, they will, and then they will come and see you.' She smiled.

  He was in no rush to leave the refuge of the infirmary, and so it didn't bother him at all that his two saviours would be feasting on gourmet food and being entertained with delightful conversation while he supped alone on his water bowl.

  At eight o clock precisely, Gya and Macus duly arrived to visit him and were thrilled when they saw that he was sitting up and looking more like his usual self. His hair was back to its glossy black layers now, his colour had returned, and he sported his usual clean-shaven look. The locket had been polished and could be seen glinting beneath the white tunic that he wore. He was back in his bed now and sipping from another vial of nutritionally-dense cordial that the physician had prepared .

  'Namir, I am so pleased to see you looking so well,' enthused Gya. 'You had me so worried a few times back there.'

  He smiled at her. 'I need to thank you, Gya, for saving my life and bringing me back to this incredible fort.'

  'You are most welcome. Though I have to be honest, I never dreamed that my people could rebuild a place on a scale of magnitude such as this.'

  'It is truly remarkable, isn't it,' he answered. 'I am astounded at their feats.'

  Gya almost blushed with pride before relaying more revealing news. 'I believe that Lyall is drawing up plans, as we speak, to replicate it.'

  'He's been here?'

  'He came here looking for you,' said Macus. 'He told the elders everything about the battle between the clans and the palace, and how he thought you had been imprisoned by the new Emperor. He said he had searched everywhere but couldn't find you.'

  'The guards moved me from the tower while Lyall was talking to the Emperor,' said Namir witheringly. 'They knew that Lyall would look for me there, so I was bound and gagged and put in a meadow with my horse until he had gone.' He winced at the recollection.

  'Lyall thought as much but couldn't be certain. Cornelius told him that you had left the palace after the treaty was signed, so he scouted the clans searching for you, just in case Cornelius was telling the truth and you had fallen ill somewhere.' Gya shook her head in shame. 'The Smilodon people were aware and looking out for you.'

  Namir shook his head as he took in all the information and reflected. From the lie to get him away from the camp to his friend's sudden disappearance.

  'Does anyone know what happened to Alun. He was supposed to be my guide but he went missing on the first night?'

  Gya shook her head again. 'Sorry, Namir. He was found downstream by members of your clan.'

  'What had happened to him?'

  Gya looked to Macus to deliver the horrendous news.

  'He suffered a massive injury to the head Namir. He had been murdered.'

  Namir bit down on his fist. 'I knew it. I knew he wouldn't have left me. He was an honourable man and would not have run away from his duty.'

  'If it makes it any easier for you,' said Gya humbly, 'we have been told that he was given a pyre burial, and that his soul is now in the afterlife.'

  'Yes, that does make it easier to bear,' agreed Namir, after contemplating the alternative. 'At least his totem brought him back to the clan, so our people could pray for him and give him an honourable ceremony.'

  'And it alerted the village to the danger you were in.' Macus' face was grim.

  Namir shook his head in dismay and sighed heavily. 'You know, I have witnessed some dreadful things in the last few years. But that new Emperor has so much hate and bitterness, he is a dangerous man. '

  Gya and Macus looked at each other in disbelief. He didn't know.

  'The Emperor is dead, Namir. He won't be bothering you or anyone else again,' Macus almost whispered it.

  Namir nearly choked on his potion. 'How?' he stammered, knocking back the heavenly liquid.

  'Gya killed him,' Macus declared.

  'Well, it was both of us, really,' Gya reacted humbly, raising an eyebrow to Macus.

  'I merely threw a knife to her. Gya was the one who killed him. I cannot take any of the glory.'

  'I know of another woman who did that,' said Namir, proudly. 'Happily, I am married to her. And I am truly honoured to be in the presence of such courageous human beings.'

  'Your wife has been informed of your whereabouts,' said Macus kindly, wanting to share the news that Namir most sought. 'She is at Castle Dru with your brother and his wife and is in fine health.'

  'How does she know I am here?' Namir looked shocked.

  'A guard was deployed to the castle as soon as you arrived,' Macus clarified for him. 'Lyall was promised that he would be informed straightaway should you arrive here, and they kept to their word. The guard dutifully returned with news from the castle.'

  Namir put down the vial and sobbed into his hands.

  Gya sat down beside him and put an arm around him. 'Your whole clan is safe, Namir. Lyall moved them all to the Castle.'

  'Everyone?' He looked up from a teary face.

  'Yes, everyone. I don't know how he did it, but everyone is there praying for you.'

  'I can't wait to see them,' he sniffed back a runny nose.

  'In a few more weeks, Namir. The weather is treacherous out there. We wouldn't even attempt moving you now. You have to get strong, and the weather has to improve greatly,' she urged.

  'Let your people at the castle look after Skyrah, and let the physicians here look after you,' said Macus, raising Namir's spirits.

  Gya threw Macus a loving smile and touched his hand affectionately.

  The three of them discussed at length their tales of the past few months. Gya relayed her story from when she was a frightened little clan girl to the present day, and Macus relayed the accounts from the palace over the past few years. Both of them talked about what they had learned from Myra, the Matriarch.

  After two hours of chatter, the maid came to break up the ensemble and switch off the lights. 'You can see him tomorrow. He will still be here,' she assured them, filling up Namir's water bowl and patting his pillow for him.

  Gya kissed his cheek, Macus rubbed his shoulder. 'See you tomorrow,' they said together. 'May your dreams be sweet and filled with joy. '

  Namir reclined back and closed his eyes and filled his head with the sweetest dreams of his beautiful wife and unborn son, living safely under the protection of Lyall and Arneb at Castle Dru, while he gathered his strength and fortitude under the watchful gaze of those at the Smilodon Fort.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  After exactly one month of treatment, Namir was well enough to be moved to the main building where he was given a very comfortable apartment next to Gya and Macus. While he was in the infirmary, Gya had taken to reading to him from a selection of books from the library. So now that he was well enough, and in his own apartment, she was going to teach him to read and write. Macus' literacy skills were also a little thin, so he was going to join them. During these long, dark, winter months, it proved to be a highly valuable few hours in the day.

  As well as having his own personal pedagogue, Namir had his own chambermaid who would run his baths, bring his clean clothes, and change his sheets every day. His room was spacious, with a huge bed fit for a king, a deep sunken bath complete with jet streams of yarrow essence, a window that looked over the gardens, and a mirror that ran the length of one wall .

  The maid had closed the window for fear of him getting a chill, but he opened it wide and breathed in the fresh December air. He felt the air igniting his soul once again and let out a sigh of relief for his much welcomed freedom and good fortune. Never
again would he take his freedom for granted. Never again would he ignore his wife's better judgement.

  This would be the first time that he would dine in the Great Hall with the Matriarch, his friends, and the appointed guests and dignitaries.

  That evening, he donned a long-sleeved gown and slipped into a pair of grey flannel trousers and black slippers. He followed his friends to the Great Hall where a banquet was awaiting him. The Matriarch was standing alongside her deputies and began the applause as he strode in, nodding to the dignitaries.

  Taking his seat, the congregation were still on their feet, and he kept rising to accept the fanfare. Gya and Macus sat either side of him, and the Matriarch had to chime her glass with a silver spoon several times to get order.

  'Thank you, everyone, thank you,' she said over the gentle rumbles.

  As it quieted sufficiently, she addressed the man himself. 'Namir, I think you can see by this reaction, that we all hold you in high esteem.'

  He smiled and bit his bottom lip with an air of embarrassment. Gya touched his knee with pride and Macus patted him on the back .

  'But to everyone here, I do not need to introduce this fine young man, because by now you all know who he is. This is the man, whom, with his brother and their legions, defeated the General and the Emperor of Ataxata. And it is for this reason that our own Gya from the original Smilodon Fort, who witnessed those very same monsters brutally killing her family and our families, has taken such heroic steps to save him.'

  Namir kissed her cheek and the roars went up for Gya once more.

  Myra continued, 'I am so proud of all those in the infirmary who have worked day and night to bring this man back from the brink of death.'

  Namir, Gya, and Macus joined in the applause and nodded their heads in agreement.

  'I know that you will wish to return to your family at Castle Dru soon, Namir, and we will be sorry to see you go, but please come back and see us whenever you can. Be sure that you will always be given a warm welcome.'

  Myra was holding back tears, as the crowd responded with a request for a speech from the great man himself. She sat down and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief from one of her deputies.

  Namir was on his feet now to a rapturous applause and had to wait a while for calm once more. When all was settled, he found a composed voice and addressed the room.

  'Thank you, everyone, for this amazing welcome, and thank you for bringing me into your home.' He looked around in awe. 'Words cannot express how I feel right now.'

  The assembly was mute. You could hear a pin drop.

  'But just as you have created a magnificent spectacle here, you all know that it has been a team effort that has accomplished this extraordinary feat. You know that the Matriarch and her deputies oversee it all, and make sure that everything runs smoothly.' He smiled in her direction. 'And the battle against the forces in Ataxata was much the same. My brother and I were part of an incredible team. A mass of likeminded people, who were brave, determined, and steadfast in their duty to protect their kingdom, came together that day. So many people were involved in that victory—just like your achievements here at the Smilodon Fort. For it is not the accomplishment of just one person, or from the hands of the man who holds the sword, success comes from the joint efforts of many people—with a lot of skills, and an abundance of pride and determination—who all strive for the same thing. Yes, I am the leader of the Clan of the Mountain Lion, but I can't take all the credit. It was all of my people who saved us from the grip of a devil, and it was my duty, along with my brother, Lyall, to lead them. So, I will take your kind words back with me, and tell everyone at the castle that you are indebted to them all. Thank you.'

  The Matriarch stood up and bowed to Namir. 'You are a remarkable man with a remarkable brother in King Lyall of Durundal. I acknowledge your humble words of reverence and honour for your fellow men and women. But you are a strong and exemplary leader who speaks with fairness and selflessness, duty and pride, and you will remain in our hearts as Namir, King of the Clans.'

  He smiled at the accolade and nodded his head in her direction. Raising his glass, he proclaimed his allegiance.

  'To the clans and their leaders, and all those who serve with them. May we live together in harmony and prosper together in peace.'

  The whole room was on its feet and gave this humble man the thundering rapturous applause he deserved before sitting down to celebrate in the knowledge that good does conquer evil, and that a humble and gracious leader exudes far more power and respect than the tyrannical one.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Another month had passed, and the worst of the bad weather had also been and gone. Namir and his party expressed their gratitude and bade their goodbyes to the leaders of the Smilodon Fort. They were now heading through the market square and past the many houses where the people had come to their doorways to bid them farewell. A flock of white doves had been let out to symbolise peace and prosperity, and they spiralled up into a soft grey sky towards the spire of the Grand Committee Rooms, to where the Matriarch and her deputies stood watching.

  The buildings that lined the streets glowed in the January afternoon, and the Smilodon Fort bunting flapped frantically in the cool of the day. At the gates, the guards stood to attention, and a horn blower hailed a fanfare as Namir and his party waited for their horses to arrive. The Captain came over to salute him and offered Namir his own personal greeting.

  'I trust you have enjoyed your stay with us, Master Namir, and please, if I may be so bold, if any of your people want to come and stay with us, at any time, you know they will be warmly received.'

  'Thank you, Captain, for your kind parting words. Myra and her deputies have already invited us back again in July for the Summer Ball, so I will undoubtedly see you then.'

  'Most definitely, Master Namir, most definitely. And I look forward to seeing you and your family then.' The Captain looked round when he heard the sound of horses approaching and took the reins from the stable boy. The young lad stood, cap in hand, as he watched the brave warriors mount their destriers.

  Namir looked straight at him. 'Thank you for tending to my horses while I have been detained; they look extremely well cared for.' Namir patted his horse and the lad looked up at him in awe. 'Goodbye for now, and rest assured, I shall return in the summer.'

  The trumpets blazed, the people cheered, the children ran from the school building, and with banners waving and hands held aloft, Namir led Gya and Macus out of the fortress gates.

  The party stayed close together as they shared their experiences at the Smilodon Fort, what they had taken from it, and what they would remember the most.

  'For me, it has to be how everyone is treated as an equal,' said Macus. 'Every person has a role to play in the network and is regarded with respect and admiration.'

  Gya nodded her head in agreement. 'I agree with you, Macus. Though personally, it was seeing the Matriarch and her lady deputies in charge. For ten years, I had to live as a man to find the recognition I deserved as a woman. Even Cornelius changed towards me when he found out I was a female. I pray that the success of the Smilodon leads the way for the future of our kingdoms.'

  Namir had been listening to their reasons and had formed his own. 'I agree with both of you. I personally can't see a successful future where a single voice makes every decision. We all have skills and services to share, qualities and gifts to teach, and each service is an important function in a thriving community. I agree with the highest position of a Matriarch. I only have to think of my Skyrah and how she has reacted in the face of adversity, plus I have to tell you that it was she who begged me not to go to the palace. She was the one who saw through the lie of the offered peace treaty and the pretence of the officers. Is that a quality that all women have?' A raised brow and thin smile offered acceptance as he continued. 'But equally, the characteristic that stood out most was the organisation and distribution within the walls of the fortress itself. The whole community
was cared for, where the elders, with years of expertise and experience, were considered the hierarchy. I applaud their tenacity and steadfastness, and I will endeavour to work with my brother, alongside Skyrah and Arneb, to equal that same institution.'

  'Hear, hear,' echoed Gya and Macus together.

  The party edged ever closer to the castle, and with the clip clop of hooves on the ground and the billowing of horses’ nostrils, they reflected further on what had been discussed.

  Eventually they rode onto a path that ran west, and each of them turned to whatever thoughts were uppermost in their minds. Macus was deciding whether he was strong enough to ask Gya to marry him. They were so akin now and having shared an apartment for the past few months, it seemed the most honourable thing to do. But what if she said 'No ?' What if she declined him? She was such an independent woman, after all. Was marriage what she really wanted? The conundrum held his voice silent for some time while he assessed the situation.

  Gya was contemplating whether she should make the first move on the same subject. After all, she had spent the past ten years as a man. She knew them as well as she knew herself, and that meant she could be waiting years for Macus to summon up the strength. And as he had only just found the hero within himself to fight back at a corrupt organisation and those power-hungry individuals in authority, was it too much to expect him to find the courage with this conundrum. Her face expressed the air of confusion while the thoughts played frantically in her mind.