Ambition and Alavidha (3 page)

“I hope me and
Kenlei don’t let Susa Malkum down,” fretted Katie.

“You’ll both do
just fine,” said Thalia, at last deciding that she was as ready as
she would ever be and that there was little she could do about it
if she wasn’t. “How long have we got?”

“We’d be better
to make steps,” Katie replied and the two young women linked arms
and made for the door. The stepped outside the cadet barracks for
the last time as cadets.

Josei and
Kenlei were waiting with impatience, conversing with three other
Lind who were also waiting for their partners.

Thalia realised
that most of their year mates (and the more junior cadets who would
also be attending the parade) must have already left for the flat
practice field where the parade muster was scheduled for Fourth
Bell.

As the two
women checked Josei and Kenlei, making sure that their harnesses
were as Katie said, all trim and proper, they heard a commotion
behind them and the sound of running feet. It was the last three
soon to be ex-cadets.

Adam looked
neater than Thalia had ever seen him, he had always been on the
receiving end of demerits for untidiness and she correctly surmised
that the other two had been helping him get ready.

“Are we the
last?” queried Rodick in an excited voice.

“Yep, so you’d
better hurry up or we’ll be late,” Katie advised from her vantage
point astride leggy Kenlei. “It’s not too late for a toasting from
Ryzcka Dominik.”

The three boys
took the hint and with a haste born of much practice began to check
harnesses and accoutrements before spring-mounting their Lind.

Then the five
soon to be fully fledged vadeln-pairs made their way to the
practice field.

* * * * *

It’s like a
carnival
, thought Thalia as she and Josei took their place in
file. Katie and Kenlei, as the recipients of the Sword of Honour
took their place at the front. Katie, realised Thalia, was looking
flushed. ‘Feeling her position’ was the Vada term for this.

She deserves
it. She and Kenlei have worked so hard. I’m so glad for her.

She caught
Rodick’s eye. The young man, he was eighteen, caught hers by return
and winked. He had a devil may care attitude to life that reminded
Thalia of her eldest brother Hal, the only other of her siblings to
be serving in the Vada.

She was trying
hard not to be too bothered by the absence of her family on this
all-important day and was managing pretty well.

Josei, attuned
to her thoughts as always tried to help
: I am here, some of my
lisyas are here and we are your family too. So you do have family
here to celebrate our success :

: Success?
Is that what you call it? :
asked Thalia, diverted by the idea
and much comforted.

: Yes it is.
We, together, have graduated. We should be proud you and I :

: I am Josei, I
am :

* * * * *

The Vada had
been graduating cadets for eight hundred and three years and the
ceremony hadn’t changed much in all that time. It had perhaps just
got a little more elaborate since that day in AL 2 when the first
commanders of the Vada led by Susa Francis and his Lind Asya had
stood to take the salute.

The cadets
still took their oath to protect and they still performed a mock
cavalry charge for the entertainment of their families, guests and
onlookers. The younger cadets still stood in rank and watched,
imagining the day when it would be their turn to walk up to the
Susa and salute, a salute the Susa would return with a few well
chosen words of congratulations. The Lind half of the duo would
incline his or her head, a gesture of respect and one as seeped
deep within the traditions of the Lind as it was with
humankind.

When it was
Thalia and Josei’s turn Susa Malkum returned her salute with the
grave courtesy that was his trademark, even to the youngest, most
troublesome cadets. He complimented her on her achievement and
wished her and Josei good luck and good hunting when they joined
the Fifteenth Ryzck.

In file with
the others she watched with pride as Katie and Kenlei walked up to
the Susas, saluted then received the Sword of Honour.

She listened to
the cheers and clapping as Katie saluted again, this time the
formal salute with sword and remembered Katie practicing the moves
over and over again in her cubicle under the amused gazes of Thalia
herself and their two Lind. She had been so terrified of the idea
that her wrist would wobble and everyone would laugh. It didn’t and
the laughter was more akin to joyful cheering.

Thalia wondered
if Susa Malkum had himself gained the sword-accolade when he and
Freya had graduated.

: They did
and his arm didn’t wobble either :
was Josei’s comment.

Well, Thalia
decided; if anylind would know it would be Josei. Freya was
distantly related to him.

The
presentation of the Sword of Honour completed, Thalia. Josei and
the other new vadeln-pairs trotted over to the edge of the field to
get ready for their mock charge.

Weaponsmaster
Alkin handed over command of the ryz to Katie who cleared her
throat.

“Swords ready!”
she shouted.

There was a
steely rustle as swords, they had been polished until they shone,
whistled out of their scabbards.

“Charge!” the
command emitted from Katie was more of a squeak than a shout but it
didn’t matter. As one the riders leant forward, swords in the ready
position and their Lind leapt forward, gaining speed within a
matter of three bounds until it looked as if they were flying
across the field.

“For Vadath!”
they cried.

* * * * *

Now that the
graduation ceremony was over Susa Malkum and Freya dismissed the
parade.

With many a
whoop of joy and a chalcedony of cheers, Thalia, Josei and their
year mates fell out and sped back to their barracks for the all
important changeover of uniform.

At least the
human halves of the vadeln-pairs did. The Lind? Well, almost as one
they demanded that their harness be removed. Almost as one again
they rolled about on the grass behind the barracks. They were
acting more than ltsctas rather than adults and bona-fide vadelns
of their respective Ryzcks.

This was also
tradition and the Lind always respected tradition even when some
who might be watching might think it made them all look rather
silly.

* * * * *

-
4-

A SHORT RESUME
OF EVENTS ON PLANET WOLF SINCE THE BATTLE OF DUCHESNE IN AL 608
(BOOK 5 OF PLANET WOLF - VALOUR AND VICTORY) AND A QUICK REMINDER
ABOUT THE COUNTIES AND THEIR RESIDENTS

Argyll

Argyll is the
country that occupies the area to the far east of the larger of the
two northern continents. It is inhabited by and ruled by humans.
Its topography of Argyll is varied, with hills and flatlands,
forest and plains and there are many rivers. Society is largely
agricultural; there are many villages, a few towns and one city,
Stewarton, situated at Lake Stewart almost in the exact centre of
the country. The currency of Argyll is gold crowns, silver florins
and shillings and copper pennies. Argyll is defended by an army
called the Garda; its headquarters are based in the original
settlement at the southern tip of the continent. As well as the
Garda, the Vada from the country of Vadath patrol the coastal and
northern wards, providing a fast and effective first line of
defence against predators and the pirates that ravage the shores.
Argyll sends tithe to Vadath for this service.

Since AL 608,
Argyll has not changed much. It remains a democracy, ruled by an
elected Council. If anything, the merchant class has grown more
powerful.

There has been
a cooling of relations between Argyll and Vadath in recent years
although the Ryzcks continue to patrol in the north and along the
eastern seaboard. Some politicians and also not a few of the
ordinary citizenry (mostly those residing in the urban areas)
believe that the Vada’s raison d’être has disappeared now that the
Larg have ceased to be a threat and think they can manage their own
defences. The Garda however, with their eight hundred year history
of fighting with the Ryzcks of the Vada do not concur with these
sentiments.

Dagan

There is still
not much known in Murdoch, the Islands of the Great Eastern Sea and
Argyll about the other northern continent on the planet which lies
west of the Rtathlians of the Lind.

The Lai (called
dragons in Argyllian fables and cold-drakes in the Murdochian
equivalents) remain secretive and do not emerge from their
continent often, even in the Rtathlians of the Lind, the Nadlians
of the Larg or Vadath. For a short time (twenty years or so and
even perhaps into the mid seventh century) the Lai were sighted in
the skies above but suddenly, in around AL 648 even these
occasional sightings ceased. Once more the Lai had become beings of
whom legends were made and fictitious stories were told.

However, during
the two centuries since AL 608, it is the continent that has
changed the most. Lind, Lai and some Larg now live there and in
harmony with the world around them and with each other.

There is now,
situated in the north east a township called Talastown which is
home to a thriving human community which trades with the mainland
and also with the south. They do not however, answer questions
about their Lai neighbours.

It is still a
continent of mystery to most. Its people, whether two legged, four
pawed or winged, prefer it that way.

The Islands of
the Great Eastern Sea

The Islands to
the east of the northern mainland were first colonised by humans
during the first decade after landing on Rybak. There are estimated
to be over four hundred islands, ranging from small rocklike crags
to large arable areas as much as a hundred miles long and wide.

The inhabitants
are a mix of religious beliefs and cultures. They are independent
of the mainland and have their own governments. The main threat to
their existence are the sea pirates.

By AL 807, most
of the islands are populated to some degree. Some call this
expansion the ‘Second Colonisation’. The majority of these
colonists have come from Murdoch and Argyll.

The Western and
Eastern Isles and the Galland Confederation are still allied to the
Kingdom of Murdoch but are looking more to the other islands and
not to the south.

The pirate
islands of R’sair have become a state in their own right although
piracy is still rife.

The island
groups of Randall and Eilidon continue to flourish.

The Island of
Galliard has become very rich and wields much commercial
influence.

The biggest
change in the Great Eastern Sea has been the emergence of the
Kingdom of Leithe. During the seventh century, successive kings,
through marriage or conquest, annexed nearby islands. This trend
escalated in the eighth century and now Leithe is the richest and
most powerful state in the islands.

By AL 807 some
island states have woken up to the threat Leithe poses and nebulous
alliances are being formed to protect their independences.

The tiny Island
of Hallam remains un-allied and independent. It has no need to form
alliances to defend itself. It has its Larg.

Nadlians of the
Larg

The Larg are
the large warlike creatures that inhabit the extensive southern
continent. In size and build they are similar to the Clydesdale
horse of old Earth and like their distant cousins, the Lind of the
north, they are wolf-like in appearance. The Larg have telepathic
abilities although it is at a far more basic level than that of the
Lind.

Their society
is rigid in structure, all packs owing allegiance and instant
obedience to one pack, the members of which are the hereditary
rulers of all Larg. The supreme Larg is called the Largan.

Largdom has
changed only in that the Larg no longer wish to dominate the planet
and the Lind are no longer enemies but it has been a difficult two
centuries as they have tried to mould their culture to this new way
of life and thinking.

Rtathlians of
the Lind

The Lind are
the large peace-loving beings that inhabit the larger and more
easterly of the two northern continents of planet Rybak. In size
and build they are similar to the Thoroughbred horse of old Earth
and they are wolf-like in appearance. Their colours and patterns
vary depending on the pack they come from, usually striped although
some of the far western packs have patterns more similar to the
Larg. They live in packs led by older members who are called the
‘Elda’. Their society is pack based but all packs defend their own
and the entire nation of Lind. The Lind prefer to live in forested
areas. The Gtratha, or High Council of Lind is made up of a member
from each pack, looks after their land’s defence and is the
receptacle of all traditions and knowledge. The ruler of the
Gtratha is called the Gtrathlin.

Vadath

Vadath is the
long slice of land in the northern continent and is ruled jointly
by Lind and humans. It is situated between Argyll and the
Rtathlians of the Lind. More humans and Lind are life-paired in
Vadath than anywhere else on the continent. There is only one town
of any size and it is situated on the southwest coast. It is the
home of the Vada and has the most unoriginal name of Vada too.

Vadath is the
base of the Vada, the Lind/human cavalry force that does so much to
defend the mainland from intruders and dangers. The commanding pair
of the Vada, or Susa as they are called are charged with leading
the combined forces of Lind, Vadath and Argyll in time of war.