A Distant Tomorrow (33 page)

“Oh, honey cakes!” Aselma said reaching for the plate containing them.

“Will you always have that sweet tooth?” Narda said almost critically.

Aselma bit into the delicacy, a smile lighting up her face. “Yes,” she said.

“Girls,” Lady Persis murmured warningly. She turned to Lara. “Do you have sisters?” she asked.

“Nay, but I have two half brothers. Mikhail is my father’s son by my stepmother, Susanna. He was still a baby when I left the City. Cirilo is my mother’s son by her consort. He will rule the Forest Faeries one day,” Lara explained. She noted that both Narda and Aselma had grown wide-eyed as she spoke. “I hardly know either of them, but my mother will rule for many years, I know.”

“Your mother is a queen?” Lady Persis inquired.

“Did Magnus not tell you? My mother is Ilona, queen of the Forest Faeries in Hetar. That is where I have obtained my faerie blood. My father is a Crusader Knight.”

“What is that?” Narda could not contain her curiosity.

“In Hetar the military leaders are called Crusader Knights. They command an army of common soldiers called Mercenaries. My father was a Mercenary who ascended into the ranks of the Crusader Knights at the triannual tournament for new leaders. I was sold into slavery in order that he have his opportunity.”

“You were a slave?” Aselma did not know whether to be shocked or not.

“Briefly,” Lara replied. “Why, Aselma, you have hardly eaten a thing, and you have a long journey ahead of you today. In fact you must leave soon if you are to reach your own home by nightfall.”

Lady Persis smiled to herself. Her son’s bride-to-be was clever to change the subject from herself to Aselma so easily. She watched as her daughters quickly ate their meal. Her eyes met Lara’s briefly, and a small smile touched the younger woman’s lips. Lady Persis almost laughed aloud, but had she done so she would have had to explain the jest to her daughters, and they seemed to lack her acuity.

When the Dominus’s mother and sisters were ready to depart Magnus escorted them down to the waterside. There in the presence of many witnesses Lady Persis gave her blessing to her son, and to Lara. She bid Sirvat and Corrado farewell, wishing them long life and many children. Her elder daughters did the same, but Sirvat was more stranger than sibling to them. Then Lady Persis and her family embarked upon their vessels and sailed off down the fjord.

“Well, I suppose I won’t see her for another few years,” Sirvat said sharply.

“She’ll come when you have your first child,” Lara assured her friend.

“She’ll come before then,” the Dominus said. “Do you think she would miss our wedding, faerie woman?”

“Ohh, when are you getting married?” Sirvat asked excitedly.

“Soon!” the Dominus said.

“I don’t know yet,” Lara said.

Corrado chuckled. “I see no meeting of the minds has been achieved between you both. But then, the wedding of a Dominus should be a grand event, and it does take time to plan such an event.”

“There are other considerations,” Lara murmured.

“And conditions which will be met,” Magnus said.

“First,” Lara replied with emphasis.

“Agreed,” the Dominus promised.

“I will help you with the planning,” Sirvat said. “We could start today!”

Lara laughed. “Your bridegroom is just home from the sea, and you would leave him to plan a wedding for which a date hasn’t even been set?”

Together the two couples walked from the fjord quayside back to the platform that would bring them back into the castle itself. Stepping on it they were raised up by the giant whose task it was to operate the lift.

“You love him. He loves you,” Sirvat said. “What else matters?”

“Go and take pleasures with your bridegroom, little sister,” the Dominus said as they stepped from the platform and reentered the castle proper. “Lara and I need to talk.”

He held out his hand, and Lara placed her small hand into his big one. When they had arrived at the Dominus’s private quarters, and were once again alone, Magnus asked her, “Must you contact Prince Kaliq on the dream plane? Can you not reach him another way?”

“I have never attempted to call him through other means, but I could try, my lord Dominus,” Lara said. He was jealous, and she knew it. Yet it accomplished no purpose to allow him to become antagonistic toward Kaliq. “My mother taught me a thought spell to bring an individual into my presence. I have never used it for I enjoy the dream plane, but if it will content you I will use it now.”

“I trust you!” he said quickly.

“I know.” Lara smiled. “Now take me to an enclosed chamber so none may see what I am doing. Would you like to remain?”

“No,” he said quickly. Then he led her to a small windowless room within his own apartments. “I will await you outside the door,” he said.

“Good, for I may seek your counsel while I speak with Kaliq,” Lara told him. Then she kissed his mouth softly and entered the little chamber, closing the door behind her. Looking about she saw there were two carved chairs, and a table inlaid in mother-of-pearl. A tapestry hung upon one wall. It was obvious this place was used for conversations of the utmost privacy. She turned toward a smooth blank wall, and silently thought the spell.

Kaliq of the Shadows heed my call. Come to me from out yon wall.

Lara waited, and then just as she was considering that perhaps the spell had not worked the Shadow Prince appeared. “Magnus is jealous of the dream plane,” she explained before he could ask.

“Mortals,” the Shadow Prince murmured wearily. “Now tell me what it is you need of me, my love.”

“You know that I believe my destiny is to prevent another war between Hetar and the Outlands,” she began. “It is now time to accomplish that.”

“It is,” Kaliq agreed. “I told you we cannot hold back Hetar for much longer. The effort has weakened us, Lara. We must soon let go if we are to regain our strength.”

“Will Gaius Prospero invade before the winter?” Lara wondered.

“Nay, there is no indication of it, and we would know if there were,” Kaliq said.

“All indications are that he plans his invasion as a spring event. And he will not come through the mountains this time. He will come through the Coastal Kingdom.”

“What?” Lara was shocked. “Archeron would never permit it.”

“Archeron is very ill, and Arcas now rules in his name. I believe Archeron is being poisoned slowly to make his death appear a natural sickening. It is said he has never recovered from his wife’s death,” the Shadow Prince explained.

“Arcas is ever the fool,” Lara responded. “He imperils their secret by allowing Hetarians of other provinces into the coastal lands. And that will endanger us.”

“He has ordered that come the spring none of their trading vessels may set sail. And he even plans to hide the ships up the coast from the palaces of the kings so Hetar’s armies may not see them,” Kaliq continued. “We have our spies listening and watching.”

“So Hetar will invade through the Felan lands,” Lara said slowly. “It is a good plan, Kaliq. The Felan clan families are gentle folk, and as mild as their sheep unless provoked. Such an attack would be totally unexpected. Hetar could easily sweep through the Outlands through the Felan first, and then attack the Tormod and Piaras from two sides. They would wipe them out, for Gaius Prospero will certainly hold a grudge against them for the last defeat he suffered at their hands. He could set an example to all who would consider defiance by annihilating those two clan families. The rest he will enslave, and many more will die rather than suffer such a fate.”

“We have the strength to move the Outlands and their people here to Terah now,” Kaliq said quietly. “If we do it quickly we can spend the winter regaining our energies so we may be of use in the future. Gaius Prospero has rebuilt a huge mercenary force by promising them much when spring comes. If he does not deliver they will kill him. He has wheedled and bribed many, Lara. Hetar is close to anarchy.”

“I will have to return to the Outlands to speak with the leaders of the High Council, Kaliq. I must go and come by means of magic for there is no other way as we have not much time. It is almost autumn, and the Gathering will soon be held. That is a good place for me to meet with them.”

“And the Dominus?”

“We must bring him with us, Kaliq. He desires to meet the clan family lords,” Lara said.

“Will he keep his promise to you?”

“How do you know he made me a promise?” she asked with a small smile.

He chuckled. “Let us just say I have my ways of knowing such things,” he teased her. “Besides, you are planning to wed him, are you not? You would not have agreed to his proposal had he not agreed to your conditions, my love.”

“Then you will take him with us?” she said.

The Shadow Prince nodded. “Speak with him and set a time. Then recall me, and I will transport us to the Gathering. They will resist you, you know. You may not be able to save them all,” Kaliq warned her.

“I know,” Lara said. “But I will save as many as I can. It is all I can do.”

“He awaits you impatiently outside the portal to this chamber. Call him to us,” the prince said.

Lara leaned forward, and kissed the prince upon the cheek. “What would I do without you, Kaliq?” she asked him.

He laughed almost ruefully. “Soon the pupil will outstrip the master,” he said.

“Never!” Lara replied softly. Then she arose, and opened the door to admit Magnus Hauk. “Come in, my lord Dominus. We have matters to discuss.”

“How do you arrive in the middle of my castle?” the Dominus asked the prince, shaking his hand as he came forward to join them.

“Your future Domina cast a tiny spell,” Kaliq answered. “I will always come when she calls me, Magnus Hauk.”

The Dominus laughed. “You will not intimidate me for all your magic, Kaliq of the Shadows. While magic amazes me, it no longer frightens me.”

The prince chuckled.

“If you two are finished playing boy games,” Lara said, “we will speak on the Outlands, and their people.” She fixed them both with a stern look. The two men grew silent, but the glance they shared was one of coconspirators. Lara ignored it and began.

“Magnus, you have spoken of your desire to know the people of the Outlands. Shortly they will come together for a yearly meeting called the Gathering. This is an ideal time for us to go to them, and offer them a new homeland beyond the mountain range you call Emerald. Kaliq and I agree we must transport them before the winter sets in for Hetar means to invade the Outlands come spring.

“Archeron, the oldest and most senior of the Coastal Kings, is very ill. Kaliq believes he is being poisoned by his son, Arcas, who has taken his place. Arcas has promised Gaius Prospero access to the Outlands through the lands of the Felan which border the Coastal province of Hetar. This is a terrible betrayal, for the Coastal Kings have always lived in concord with the Felan. And such an attack will constitute a great surprise to the Outlands. The Hetar Mercenaries can sweep over the lands unimpeded. And as they reach the Purple Mountains, Hetar will attack the Tormod and the Piaras from two sides. Kaliq is more than aware of how the mind of Gaius Prospero works. This emperor of Hetar will slay all the Tormod and the Piaras for he certainly holds them directly responsible for Hetar’s loss to the Outlands in the Winter War.”

“You have been protecting the Outlands since Lara’s departure, haven’t you?” the Dominus asked the Shadow Prince.

“We have,” Kaliq responded, “but even we grow weary, and need our energies restored. Our advantage has been that no one is aware of our part in the Outlands’ seeming invincibility. If we can make this transfer from the Outlands to Terah before winter sets in then we will have that time to renew our strengths. We will be more than ready to stand against Gaius Prospero when the time comes.”

“And you can take Lara and me to this Gathering, and return us in safety to Terah?” the Dominus asked.

“I can,” Kaliq answered.

“One thing,” Lara said to the two men. “No one can know I have come but for the clan lords. Our visit must be a secret one. If Gaius Prospero could subvert Vartan’s brother and his wife, who knows what he has promised, and to whom within the population of Outland peoples. The clan families are not very sophisticated, and have no real idea how guileful Hetarians can be. I will not be responsible for endangering Terah. It is my hope that Hetar will never know what exists on the other side of the Sea of Sagitta. I fear for us all if they learn. And worse, if they discovered the Obscura we would certainly not be safe,” she concluded.

“You do not want to see your children?” Kaliq asked her, curious.

“I will see them once they are safe again,” Lara replied. “I will reveal myself only to the clan lords, but first to Rendor of the Felan. He will tell me what has happened in the year I have been gone. We must seek his wisdom before we speak with the others.”

“Aye,” Kaliq said, “I agree that would be the best course.”

“Rendor,” Magnus said slowly. “He was the lord chosen to replace Vartan as head of the High Council?”

“Yes,” Lara responded. “Roan of the Aghy desired the position, but we convinced him to marshal a military force for the Outlands. Rendor has a cool head, but Roan is as hot-tempered as his red hair indicates. If it had been necessary to treat with Hetar he could not have done it. Ordinarily he is a peaceful man, but not when his people or his horses are threatened,” she explained with a small smile.