3: Always and Forever

3

ALWAYS AND FOREVER

 

“The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.”

-Ursula K. LeGuin

 

 

 

 

          The strayrs entered the Mati capital around mid-afternoon. The people of Tanackniatah were used to unusual visitors dropping by, so no one took much notice of the strayrs. It was the girl that had their attention.

          She was a Mati, a young Mati, but she walked as the strayrs did, in long, sweeping strides. Golden brown hair was pinned back in a messy bunch, feathers tucked in here and there. Her neck and arms were adorned with strayr-style jewelry, and her attire was obviously a product of the Animyths. The onlookers would probably be appalled to know that she had developed a liking for rat stew, and a candy the strayrs made out of the little bitter berries she had eaten in the woods (called blue bitters), and pine sap. The wolf head inked on her shoulder matched the one that walked by her side, growling when someone got too close. Her appearance could be excused as her own liking to such things, but the sword…no child should have a sword that well crafted, or that deadly.

            Emma ignored the stares as she and the strayrs made their way through the city. She wanted to take in every detail of this place, famed for the powerful Mati it produced, and the powerful queen that lived here.

          It was just as beautiful as the stories described it. That morning they had seen it as the sun came up over the city. The towers shown with magnificence, sunlight bouncing of the rooftops, and shining through the giant gems that topped the Five Towers, each one marking a different direction, and a different element. At the center was the Divine Tower, the one that represented the fifth element, Spirit. The sun shone perfectly through the purple gem, called heartfire, at its peak. The heartfire projected it into the four gems around it, making a fiery ring of light in the sky.  That is where Queen Telliandra resided, in the Tower of the Divine. That is where they were heading.

 

What are they staring at? She asked her wolf silently, keeping her face expressionless.

You. He answered

Why?

Mati don’t usually travel with strayrs. They’re too different.

Why?

I don’t know. That’s just the way it is. Things are rough right now. People have enough trouble taking care of their own kind.

          She had noticed that there seemed to a lot of refugee-looking camps along the street. Was the situation really bad enough to drive solitary races, like elves and kahlycs, to the safety of the patron race, the Mati?

I shouldn’t think that way, she scolded herself, we don’t rule over everything. But it was true in a way. The other races of the Mythics looked to Mati for reassurance and safety. That is how it had always been.

          Many of the races here were new to her eyes. The kahlycs, for instance. She had heard of them, but never actually seen one. They sported a long antenna-looking thing on either side of their head, just above their ears, the kind of antenna that you would find on a moth. Emma knew that that was not what they actually were, and that she would probably get her nose broken if they ever heard her say it, put she had never been told exactly what they really were. They resembled humans in every other aspect. No, she thought fiercely, no Mythic looks like a human.

          It was true. All Mythics carried a certain graceful, almost mystical quality. A Mati looked exactly like a human on the outside, and yet they didn’t. It is hard to explain unless you have seen one. Maybe its not so much what they look like, but what they feel like.

          Divine Tower was surrounded by four dragon statues, the traditional guardians of the Mati. For some odd reason Emma wasn’t nervous about meeting the famed Queen of Mati, who had tamed the greatest spirit known (who now resided with her in the tower by its own free will). The Queen who had never taken a husband because “having to give up her place as complete and total ruler would be awful”. The Queen was so great a healer that no person had ever died in her care. But Emma didn’t think that anyone could be as great as her parents, who had died for the love of their children, for the love of each other. Conquering spirits and healing didn’t seem so important anymore.

          She reached down and touched Lyulf’s neck as they entered the tower. The hall was filled with a statue of a black panther, the Queen’s familiar. The strayr’s hooves clicked against the stone floor. Most of them had stayed outside; only Metethiet, Jami, and a few elders had come along. Jami stayed close to Emma’s side, for the walls scared her; she had never been inside a building before.         

          Queen Telliandra Lightsword descended down the stairs in a graceful saunter that would have looked arrogant, had it been done by any other.  Had she been any other she would not be pretty. Her hair was kept just long enough to pull it into a ponytail, though several strands of it had escaped their bounds. It was brown. Not a pretty brown, just a dull, dun-colored brown. She dressed in a white, sleeveless cotton shirt and leather breeches and boots. Not expensive leather, either. Just regular old leather. She wore no jewelry except a polished piece of clear quartz that hung on a chain around her neck. Had she been any other woman she would be arrogant and drab, but this was Telliandra Lightsword, and she was a queen to be reckoned with.

          Queen of Mati greeted Leader of Surefoot herd with a smile and a nod of her head; she bowed to no one. Where are the servants? Emma wondered. But there were none. In fact, there was no one else in the room, just the strayrs, Emma, and the Queen.

The queen talked with Metethiet in strayr for some time. The foreign language fell from her tongue like she had been speaking it all her life. Maybe she has Emma thought. It wouldn’t surprise her.

“And who are you?” Emma almost jumped at the sound of English in her ears. She hadn’t heard it in so long.

“Emma Sarasi Cyton of Ujin Hra.” Any other person would have stuttered and squeaked had they been addressed by the queen, but she was Emma Sarasi Cyton, and she did not believe that this Telliandra was all the stories said she was.

          Telliandra looked into Emma’s eyes with interest. Hmph, she thought, this girl has some spirit!

          Emma didn’t blink or look away from the older woman’s eyes. They were her only stunning feature, a deep blue that was almost purple. Finally the Queen smiled and nodded her head. “I am sorry about your family, daughter of cuChulainn, but believe me, the humans will pay.”

That surprised Emma. How could she know that much about her already? Had she asked Thiet?

Queen Telliandra Lightsword extended her hand, and Emma Sarasi Cyton took it. Neither looked away, or loosened their firm grip. There was a smile on the queen’s lips, and a twinkle in her eye, almost like Emma had just passed some sort of test, and she was pleased with the outcome. “You are most welcome, “ she said, “to the city of Tanackniatah.”

 

 

 

The strayrs were invited to stay in the tower, but chose to stay in a nearby field. They were due in the tower at eight’ o’clock, to discuss events in Wales.

          Emma sighed happily as she soaked in the bath that had been drawn for her. She hadn’t had a warm bath with soap for six months. She had elected to stay in the tower until after the meeting, then return to the field with her friends.

          Lyulf was asleep next to the tub on his back, looking more like a sleepy dog than a dignified wolf. Her ink art would not wash off; it was strayr ink, permanent but painless. She would carry it forever. 

Someone rapped on the door. Emma slipped below the frothy bubbles. “Yes?”

The door opened to reveal a willowy woman with coppery curls tucked under a blue bandanna. She wore the simple clothes of a maid. So there were servants in the tower.

She smiled and took a seat on the bed, smoothing the cloth in her hands. “You must be Emma, right?”

Emma nodded.

She smiled again, an engaging grin that made you want to smile back.

“Telli told me to tell you that you are to attend the council tonight representing Ujin Hra and cuChulainn, since the true heir is not present. She also told me to tell you that even she will be wearing a dress tonight, so you’d better, and that this is a gift from her.” She began to unfold the clothing g in her hands.

“Who’s Telli?”

The maid looked surprised for a moment. “Oh. Telliandra. We just call her Telli ‘round here, though. You done?”

She was. If she stayed in any longer she would turn into a prune. The maid turned around while Emma got out of the bath and dried off behind a screen. “Okay.”

A hand reached over the screen to hand her the bundle.

          It was a dress. Not just a dress. The most beautiful and expensive-looking dress that Emma had ever seen. It was an emerald green, sleeveless velvet dress, with a green duster to go over it. Emma pulled on her underclothes and gingerly slipped on the velvet, afraid that it would rip at any moment. It fit her perfectly. How had the queen known that?

          The duster went on next. You could see the wolf head through it, but it didn’t matter. The dress was too beautiful for Emma to care.

          Emma walked carefully over to the bed where the maid was sitting.

“It looks beautiful on you, miss. Just gorgeous. Telli said it would.”

Emma looked wide-eyed at the woman. “The queen bought this for me? Why?”

The maid shrugged. “She does some strange things, that Telliandra. I suppose she feels sorry for you, losing your parents and all.”

Lyulf walked around his master several times. “It’s gorgeous, Emma. You look wonderful.”

The maid was eyeing her shoulder. “Strayr ink?”

Emma nodded.

The maid grinned and shook her head. “Legend has it that that stuff lasts a million years. No one’s ever lived long enough to prove it, though.” She looked at Emma thoughtfully. “You look young. How old are you?”

“Eleven.” Emma smoothed her skirts and waited for the woman’s gasp. It never came. The maid didn’t seem surprised.

“Well, Emma, I’m to take care of you as long as you’re here, so call if you need. But the servants here aren’t like those in other places, mind you. They don’t come to a bell. Basically you’d better have a good reason to get me up in the middle of the night. I’m Cassidi, Casi for short. Cassidi Hemlem. “

          Casi helped Emma with her hair, first by ordering the water that was dripping from it back into the tub (she was a water elemental). The drops flew through the air and back into the bath with a splash. Emma’s hair was perfectly dry.

          Casi braided Emma’s hair and tied it with a strip of green-dyed leather. Green suede boots went on next, then the green jewelry her friends had made for her. Casi showed her how to put on just enough make-up so that she didn’t look too unreal. Emma stood infront of the full-length mirror and admired her reflection. In Ujin Hra there had never been any fancy parties to dress up for. 

“You’re beautiful.”

Lyulf’s voice rang with approval.

“Better get going, miss. Don’t want to be late. Telli hates people who don’t show up on time, and believe me, you don’t want her as your enemy.”

         

 

          The other attendants were already seated when Cassidi opened one side of the large double doors for Emma. She walked in quietly, Lyulf beside her, careful not to trip. It was hard to look elegant after all the time she spent learning how to walk properly. Elegant to a strayr and elegant to a Mati were two completely different things.

Telliandra saw her struggling and smiled to herself. She would have to tell Rishka about this girl. The panther at her side growled quietly.

Emma took a seat next to Thiet, and Lyulf settled down beside her chair. She took a careful look around her. The assembled ranged from kahlycs to Mati, and all looked tired and worried. Some had bandages wrapped around wounds. This was the work of humans. Quiet rage settled into the pit of her stomach. They would pay for this.

          Telliandra stood, and the quiet murmurs subsided. “Friends, I have called you here today to discuss recent events concerning the rule of Arthur.

          “Your people have been killed and enslaved like animals. Many cities have been destroyed. Emma Cyton, “ she gestured toward Emma, “is the daughter of cuChulainn of Ulster. He and his wife have fallen, along with all other occupants of Ujin Hra, save Emma, and her brother, the heir of cuChulainn, who has been taken for slavery.

          “Metethiet of Surefoot herd tells me that his mate has been killed along with the Longear herd. Too many villages of all races of been attacked and killed. Alaster’s city has been destroyed, and too many of his people are dead.” The kahlyc who was Alaster nodded. Telliandra sighed heavily and gripped the edge of the table. “I have just gotten word but a few hours ago that the human’s evil does not stop there. They are killing unicorns.”

The members of the meeting stared at her in disbelief.  The unicorns were pure, innocent, the protectors of nature and magic itself. To kill a unicorn was unthinkable. “They lead them into a clearing by a virgin maiden, then shoot them. Their horns are cut off and their bodies left to rot.” Telliandra spit the words from her mouth as if they tasted evil. Her knuckles were white in her effort to keep control of herself.

They attendants were too shocked to say anything.

          “However much I hate to admit it, this is war. The humans can no longer be considered an ally, to any of us. Arthur will not stop until he has killed every last one of us, Hemyth or Animyth. Either we win this battle or we die.”

          Her words were true, everyone knew that. But it was hard to come to terms with it. Why? The question was universal. Didn’t they realize that without the Mythics magic on Earth would die?

          The meeting seemed to go on forever. The assembled talked of ways to communicate, people to be notified, losses. There had been no victories. Emma listened to it all in silence, praying to Flora that it would be over soon. Why did the queen want her here, listening to stories of all the blood that had been spilt? She should be in the field, planning her search for Ty.

          When two hours had passed Telliandra called an end to the meeting, and the attendants dispersed. Emma followed Thiet into the hall, weaving her way through the other Mythics.

“Emma!” The queen’s voice halted her. “Wait, I’d like to speak with you for a moment.”

Thiet touched her shoulder before leaving her to Telliandra.

          Telliandra Lightsword asked her if she would come to her room. Emma followed in silence, not knowing what the queen of the Mati wanted with her. Cassidi’s voice kept ringing in her head: “You don’t want her as your enemy…” 

          Telli gestured for her to take a seat on her bed. Emma did so, and the panther jumped up behind her.  Emma shivered. She didn’t like the feel of the cat’s breath on her neck.

Telliandra sat down beside her. “I need to tell you some things, Emma.

          “You are very powerful. Most Mati don’t receive their familiar until sixteen or seventeen, fifteen at the youngest. You got yours when you were ten.

          “A girl your age shouldn’t be able to heal as well as you can. I couldn’t heal as well as you can at your age. You have more raw cor then I have ever seen, including me. Do you know what that means?  It means that with the right training you could be more powerful than I am. Much more.”

          Emma listened to all of this in silence. More powerful than the queen of Mati? She must be crazy! 

“I know it sounds crazy, Emma, but it’s true. I know you need to find your brother. We can scry for him when you’re in training, and when you’re ready I’ll let you go out on your own.”

Emma stared at her. “Training?”

“I’d like to make you my apprentice.”

          For a second Emma thought she must be dreaming. Apprentice? To Telliandra Lightsword?! Impossible! She was a child, a girl who had never even seen the other side of the forest until now. Apprentice?

“Do you except my offer?”

Emma shook her head. “You don’t understand. I have to find my brother. I won’t leave him for the humans. He’s all I have left.”

Telliandra looked at her sadly. “Emma, have you ever heard of cor shock? If a Mati can’t control their power, their magic takes over. I’ve been cor shocked before. It’s like falling into a black hole that you can’t get out of. You can’t think, you can’t feel, you can’t see, you can’t hear. You forget who you are, what you are, what your name is. Only a stronger Mati than yourself can pull you out of it. My mother helped me. She died ten years ago. But Emma, if you go cor shocked, then you’ll never come out again, because there is no one more powerful than you.”

          Emma felt like she was cor shocked. The words rang in her head. No one more powerful than me? The room spun.

“Now will you except my offer? Please?”

Emma nodded numbly.

“Good, and thank you. The room you took your bath in will be yours from now on. You may stay with the strayrs tonight, if you wish.”

Emma just nodded again, and, taking that as her dismissal, she left.

 

 

The strayrs had decided to leave at sunrise the next morning, heading towards Eagle Forest, where the Great One lived, the king of the unicorns, and therefore of the Animyths.

          Emma cried when Metethiet told her. She was going to miss them so much. She cried again when they gave her a bag full of blue bitter candies, new jewelry, a little bottle of strayr ink, and carved figurines that in strayr legend brought good luck to the owner, including a few strayrish gods.

          They feasted on rat stew until they couldn’t eat anymore, and danced around the fire with Emma, singing her songs and twirling her around. They played their flutes and taught her how to play hers. She wasn’t very good at it, but by the end of the night they had her playing a simple little tune.

          She slept in between Jami and Thiet underneath twinkling stars and a bright, full moon, dreaming that the sun would never rise.

          But it did, and when it opened its glowing eye Emma solemnly helped the strayrs to pack their things. She bid farewell to Right and Left, telling them to behave and not to twist any ankles. The little donkeys bayed and whistled in her ear. Emma couldn’t help it: she started crying again.

          When it came time to say goodbye there was a lot of hugging and crying, and not too many words. No one could think of anything to say.

          She sobbed all over Jami and Mastenar and most of the herd. Finally the group stepped back and Metethiet stepped forward, smiling down on Emma.

“Do oo have the flute?”

Emma nodded.

He kneeled down and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. Emma pressed her face into his shoulder and sobbed. She might never see him again.

He  put his mouth up to her ear and whispered. “ ‘E ‘ill never forget oo, Emma. Never. ‘E ‘ill tell our kidlings about oo, and they ‘ill tell theirs, and the strayrs ill love oo forever. Be good, kidling. ‘E ill meet again.”

He tilted her face up and wiped a tear off her cheek. “Oo have my love, Emma. Always and forever.” He gave her one of his goofy grins, and she couldn’t help but smile back.

He stood, stepped back, and the herd bowed to her. She bowed back. 

          The strayrs took hold of Left and Right and turned towards the East. As they walked they began their traveling song.

 

“The grass is green beneath my hooves

my tummy full of good good food

Say goodbye to ut’s behind

And see ut up ahead e find…”

 

Emma watched as the strayrs reached the hill, where they turned and waved goodbye to their friend. Emma waved back, waved long after the strayrs had turned and began their journey, until not even Metethiet’s horns could be seen. But  she could still here them singing:

 

“The grass is green beneath my hooves,

My tummy full of good good food

Say goodbye to ut’s behind

And see ut up ahead E find…”