Teagan

by Sharilyn Skye

  Motion caught my eye, and I saw Pameline at the entrance to the pens, mouth agape. A look of shock on her face. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she dropped like a sack of flour to the ground.

  A group of men raced to check on her, and I knew that, as a people, we would be okay. They could have ignored her. They could have killed her where she lay, but instead, they placed their fingers on her throat and checked for her heartbeat. Looking relieved, they splashed water on her face until she came around.

  Her eyes met mine across the crowd, and I knew she believed. She shook her head and a broad smile that showed her dimples spread across her face. She eased to her feet, walking our way.

  “Teagan will be back tomorrow then, later in the day. We have a few more hours. Rest now, I’ll come at dawn, and we’ll begin again. Shall I escort you to your rooms?” she asked, waiting for our answer.

  “No, Mistress,” I said from habit. “We’ll stay with the others and rest while we can.”

  Nodding once, she said, “Call me Pameline, Syl’ta.” Turning, she left us alone for the night.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kar

  We slept fitfully. As the sun came up, we were called to fill the furnaces and do the chores that are done daily. Silently we shoveled the black ore into the giant metal beasts that helped to keep the upper palace warm and the lower levels unbearable.

  Once done, we returned to the pens to find a veritable feast waiting. Pameline stood with four other warriors, and they shooed the night turn guards away, shrugging when they commented on the size of the meal.

  We descended upon the food, shoveling as much of it into our faces as we could. We were starved. The heat and hard work, making us ravenous. The warriors ate with us and the smell of cooked eggs, warm meat, and soft bread layered over the stench of unwashed, sweaty men, making it bearable.

  We trained more. With five warriors, it went better. They divided us into groups and worked with us. We had the muscle. We had the ability. They gave us the skill.

  The men were given the weapons they used best, and the females spoke to us about tactics of warfare. They cautioned against simply killing every warrior we came across as hearts and minds can be changed. The bottom line being: women are still a rarity in Eregion despite the power structure. The loss of fifty warriors would be incredibly difficult for future generations; the loss of one hundred might be unrecoverable.

  Female children were so rarely born that the loss of one female life should be avoided. They urged us to use caution as no one wanted to anger the New Goddess promising us power and change.

  As angry as many men were over their circumstances, they calmed with a detailed explanation of our situation. No female, excepting Teagan, had ever spoken to us in such a manner. They treated us like equals, and because of that, we did understand.

  We fought and trained with them until sweat rolled down our bodies. They taught us warfare, but they also taught us social structure.

  Again, no ranks of women came to check on us or wonder about the clash of metal coming from the lowest reaches of the palace. We worked long into the afternoon.

  Afterward, they walked us to the warm water pools so that if any came across us, we would not be breaking the rules.

  The men bathed as the women spoke in quiet tones by the archway leading into the communal bath. Teagan had more followers than she knew.

  We soaked days of dirt and sweat off our bodies and talked too. We had no idea what the day held. Not then. None of us thought that freedom would come easily. It might not come quickly, but the fact that we chose to do something, instead of sitting idly by straightened our spines and filled us with pride.

  The looks on the other men’s’ faces were resolute. Did I want to die? No. Not when I had finally found a life worth living, but if my death meant freedom for my brothers, then so be it. That thought reflected on every face, Even the warriors studiously not watching us bathe.

  We would live or die together. Be chained or freed together. The sense of unity permeated the air we breathed, and that is no small thing. Not in this place.

  After our bath, the five warriors took us back to the pens, where we stretched out on fresh straw and rested while we could. No one could sleep.

  Yellow stained light filtered through the windows, hinting at some strange storm to come, and I knew that storm’s name. Like a summer thunderstorm, she would ride into the capital. I am not a reader of the weather, but I know that hot and cold air clashes violently, often flattening crops and sometimes leveling buildings.

  Teagan’s flames burned hotter, and Kharis cooled by the day. The two would meet, and lightning would strike. I could smell the ozone building and hear the soft sway of branches as the wind picked up.

  We had done what she asked, and with the help of five women who now called us by our birthnames, we were ready. You can’t fight a storm. You can move with it. You can survive it. But you cannot fight against it. Exotic things happen to physics when exposed to the absolute power of nature, and that was Teagan in a nutshell.

  I’d been Eruhini my whole life and changed nothing. Teagan had been here half a turn of the wheel and would tear down everything and rebuild it into something better. I felt that to my core.

  I lay on the straw, murmuring plans with my brothers and waited for the sound of thunder to signal the arrival of our Queen. As the sun sank lower and the wind gusts came harder, I knew she was not far.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Teagan

  I’m never drinking with the Luchorpán again. Mead is good but kicks like a horse the next day. Groaning, I rolled to my feet, stumbling after a skin of water. The sun had risen high over our camp, and the Luchorpáns were gone. They took the wagons we brought and left theirs without waking a soul.

  Around me, warriors stirred, groaned, and moaned, wrecked from a night with the cagey wee men. I wondered how many red-haired babes would be born ten months from now, for their people breed like rabbits. With a chuckle and a deep sigh, I relieved myself behind a bush then washed in the warm spring water that ran nearby. I rebraided my hair into a tight queue and pulled my furred hood to cover it. I steeled my nerves.

  As the women struggled to rise, I saddled horses and packed our camp. When they were able, warriors joined in, and we were ready to leave by midday, hours after I hoped to go.

  The beginning of the trip was slow going. Women raced away to the bushes for one function or another then would ride hard to catch back up to our wagon train, as the trip grew longer their stomachs settled and we moved faster.

  Laden wagons did not maneuver as well as light ones, though, and there was only so much we could do about our speed. Tralalis rode in the back, and I kept watch on the sides, riding along both as we traveled.

  Ahead a storm brewed, dark clouds gathered, and lightning struck cloud to cloud, but it did not rain or thunder. As the sun faded, the sky took on an eerie yellow cast that signaled trouble.

  I was under no illusion as to what would happen when we rode through the Capital’s gates. I just wish I had slept better. I pulled my white mare beside Tralalis and lowered my voice. “I’m going to kill Kharis,” I said. “I’m letting you know because she never intended for any of us to return from this mission. Once she knows I live, there will be war,” I paused, waiting to see if she would say anything before adding, “I’m telling all of the warriors that ride with us so that they can choose. I just wanted to let you know first.”

  She stopped her horse, her eyes pinned to mine. I pulled alongside. “You’re going to what?” she asked.

  “I’m going to kill the Queen.” I met her silver eyes, unflinching.

  She kicked her horse to follow the caravan, saying nothing for a long moment. “I respect what you’re doing, Teagan, and I know it’s the right thing. I do. You are a powerful warrior, let me think about it,” she said, riding away from me, her back straight and her head watching the warriors she passed.

  I hung in the back, guardi
ng our flanks. Near mid-afternoon, I galloped to the front of the line and called for the caravan to stop. Warriors dismounted, stretched their backs, and loosened their girths. They stretched legs, spread furs, and sat to eat.

  I moved restlessly through them, hoping my next gambit wouldn’t lead to a fight. I stopped, standing beside their spread of blankets and waited for them to look my way.

  “Warriors,” I started, taking a deep breath for fortification. “I stand before you as your friend and ally. You’d have to live under a rock not to know I disagree with some of the ways we live as a people. I do not like that our men are slaves. They have value as so much more. Men are smart, funny, creative, giving, and kind if given a chance. Yes, they can be violent and hormone-addled, but so can we.”

  “I worship a powerful Goddess, and my People have magic. Your People and mine are cousins, yet you have no magic. I don’t believe that’s right. My Trio has developed magic.” A sharp intake of breath went across the group. “They have also met our Goddess, for she is your Goddess too. Your people have been manipulated to forget her, and that’s a mistake I would see remedied.”

  “Eregion is a great realm, and what makes it great are its people. You are loyal, brave, and proud. There is more strength here than in Talamh na Sithe, where most people have gone soft. You are hardy and persistent. There are no finer warriors. But there is more to life than being a warrior.”

  “If we don’t have a choice, then life is forced upon us. Maybe you would be a glassmaker or a baker. Perhaps you love animals and would choose to train them. Life should offer a choice, and so should a leader.”

  “That we take infants from the bosoms of their mothers and treat their parents like livestock is unconscionable. That we force a man to breed a town and them kill him when he is successful is beyond anything I can tolerate.”

  “I believe in freedom, and I believe in fairness. I’ve made that no secret. I plan to challenge the Queen for First Sword, and if that means war, then so be it. I’m ready. I say this because I want you to have a choice in who you love, who you mate with, what job you do, and who you fight for.”

  “It would be an honor to have the support of the valiant Warriors of Eregion, but if not, then I will stay the course myself. This is not a call to arms. I’m not asking you to fight for me, not yet. I tell you my plans so that you can choose to stay out of the fight altogether. I have many allies at the capital, and they await my return. Should you not want to fight, you have the option of staying behind. We are near a village that I believe will shelter those who would rather wait and let the dust settle.” I stopped talking and looked across the group of women frozen on the ground. No one spoke.

  I was about to sit and eat myself when a hand raised tentatively in the air, seeking my attention. I looked at the warrior and nodded.

  “You would allow us to return and fight the Queen against you?” she asked.

  “Yes, I said. “That is, of course, your choice.”

  Another voice, “You would allow us to seek shelter and be safe in a village while the capital wars with itself?”

  “Yes,” I answered. “This fight is not yours unless you want it to be. I’m bringing the fight to Kharis because I do not believe her ideas should spread, and I want to see the people of Eregion choose their path.” I stood, relaxed, hands clasped, and feet spread.

  “If you win, won’t you just take her place and institute your rule instead of hers,” Tralalis asked from her place at the back of the crowd.

  It was a smart question and one I’m glad she asked. “Yes and No,” I answered. “I want to build a council that is representative of all the people in Eregion: male, female, villager, and warrior. Yes, I would like to lead that council, but I think the combined people of Eregion deserve a voice, and I will give it to them.”

  No more questions came. I finished my meal and moved to mount up. We rode until we came to the crossroads leading to the village where Kharis stole the babes from the mothers, and I hesitated for just a moment.

  “Anyone wanting to shelter in the village, speak now,” I asked, watching as several women rode forward. “Tralalis, you have the caravan, I’ll secure their safety and catch up to you.”

  I didn’t give her a chance to question. I kicked my mare into a gallop and wheeled away with a dozen women who would rather not fight at all. I understood them and felt no animosity at their decision.

  We rode hard, cutting through the mountain passes at the fastest speeds possible. The thought lay in the back of my head that the warriors in the caravan could easily ambush me upon my return. It was a gamble telling them my plans ahead of time, but I meant what I said. They deserved to choose.

  If they chose to fight me upon my return, I would fight. I understood from the beginning that not all the warriors disagreed with Kharis’s social policies. There would be blowback. Just because you cut the head from the snake does not mean it will die.

  It took little time to reach the village. Our horses clattered into the square as curtains were pulled, and doors were barred. I understood this too.

  “Faldwyn!” I shouted, turning my horse in a tight circle as villagers flew from their homes, axes and picks raised. “Faldwyn!” I yelled again, not wanting to draw my sword against these people.

  “What is it Warrior, we have given all we can,” she said, emerging from a nearby home, her face angry.

  “Shelter these women and I will die trying to return your babes to you,” I said simply. “I plan to rule this land, but I need the help of everyone to make it the kind of place where people want to live. Do you understand? Time is short, and I have battles to wage,” I said, hoping that she understood.

  Nodding her head once, her face a mask, she took the reins of the nearest horse, and I whirled, galloping the way we came alone.

  I caught the caravan as it entered the final stretch to the Capital City gates. The sun was low on the horizon, and we were still some distance away. The positive side of our delayed start was that Kharis would have expected us long ago. Since she never truly planned on our return, our lateness might lull her into a false sense of security.

  The downside was that we would arrive after dark. Snow had fallen while we were gone, and the reflected moonlight provided some light, but if a battle waged, and I hoped it would, the lack of light would have me at a disadvantage.

  I circled the caravan from a distance, looking for anything amiss. The women rode alongside the wagons with Tralalis and Vonali in the rear. Maybe they did not believe I would challenge the Queen as no one had ridden ahead to warn her.

  I trotted up behind the group, not wanting to trap myself by approaching from the front.

  “They’re tucked in,” I said, pulling up alongside Tralalis.

  “Good,” she answered. “We follow you, Teagan,” she said with no preamble. “All of us.”

  Vonali leveled me with her fierce gaze, and I met her stare. She nodded once and rode to the front of the line. With each passing step, we approached danger from the front, so I left the flank to Tralalis and joined Vonali there.

  We came out of the last pass, and the gates spread out before us. The stark black and white beauty of the place caused my breath to catch. Despite the frigid chill and the ice or maybe because of it, the place was lovely.

  I kicked my horse into a slow canter, and the other women followed, leaving the wagons to a few. The gates swung open, and the townspeople stopped as we rode by.

  The air was heavy with snow and a sense of quiet anticipation. In the silence, hooves echoed off the face of the palace, and I saw Kharis sweep onto her balcony, her Trio in tow. Clutching her arms to her chest, she fisted her hands, threw her head back, and screamed into the sky, showing the depth of her anger at my return.

  “Kharis!” I screamed. “I challenge you for First Sword!” I infused my voice with magic so it would be heard for miles around.

  Doors were barred, and shutters slammed as the people around us sought safety. Her eyes glitter
ed as the moonlight reflected off the snow and struck them. I’m not sure how I ever thought her beautiful for no soul lived behind those cold blue eyes.

  “Take her!” she shouted, and warriors on horseback flowed like water around the buildings to intercept us. I raised my sword and held my mount still with my legs. Behind me, the sound of metal scraping against leather rang out, and I knew the time to decide had passed. We would win, or we would die.

  From the far side of the palace, more riders approached at breakneck speed. Pameline and many other women fought their way to us. I watched as two sides of the same coin converged like a wave crashing into the shore: sister against sister, mother against daughter. I noticed then that many men rode as well, weapons raised. Their blood-curdling screams rang through the streets.

  Kicking my mare, I raced into the fray with my sword held high and a warrior’s scream on my lips. The women behind me followed, and we slammed into the wall of fighters with a flash of steel and grunt of bodies.

  The warriors loyal to the Queen fought hard, but they were outnumbered and soon dropped their swords in surrender. The garrison that went to Tir fo Thuinn was not back, and that helped our side. They would come back and find their lives had changed. They would adapt, or they would challenge me. I worried not for I had already fought them all to claim Second Sword.

  I searched the seething mass of bodies for my Trio, but there was no way to find them in the chaos. I fought my way toward the palace and Kharis. This battle would stop when her head hung from my hands.

  “Kharis!” I challenged again, riding my horse to the doors of the palace. Jumping off, I entered the building in search of her.