Whispers of a Legend, Part One-Shadows of the Past (7 page)

“Helena journeyed the treacherous path to
Yucca, climbing even the steep incline of the mountains with the
young one. By the Great One, she survived with Cono. She stayed a
year ensuring the health and safety of Cono and then returned to
her people.

“Cono looks as his father. And has never
question he's a Sordarin although he has the mark of Brixtone upon
him. He has been a source of great pride and joy to his
grandparents. Lady Faileuba holds great ambition for him. She has
been told of a prophecy of his greatness.”

With my thoughts I walked down the small
hall to begin my work for the day. The sun had only thus risen upon
my entrance into the kitchen. A fire needed to be tended; the food
prepared. Water needed to be heated for the morning baths of Master
and Mistress. I was given simple tasks to perform. I wasn’t allowed
to wait on the Lady Faileuba. At all times I was kept out of sight
of all visitors. So I kept to the kitchen.

In all I didn’t mind. The room was warm and
all within friendly. Although included within the talks of all
around, I realized at one point that no one asked me where I had
tarried from. For that matter, none asked me any questions. In turn
I offered no account of myself.

I worked diligently until after the morning
breakfast had been served being told that the Master and Lady would
be leaving soon and would not be returning until the morrow.
Scarladin was celebrating this day. I gave all no thought and
continued my work. Then I snuck out of the kitchen, making back to
my room. There would be no words to halt me.

I did so every morning. None seemed to
notice. In turn I offered nothing to call attention to my
actions.

I quickly eased back within and woke my
sleeping sister. As was her habit had become, she sleepily hugged
me tightly, kissed my cheek and disappeared immediately.

Smiling to myself, I once more closed my
door and made my way down the hall. Before I had turned to make my
way back into the kitchen, voices echoed out for my ears. At most
times, I would not listen to the words but the voice I recognized.
Cono! And with that recognition the utterance of my name! I
paused.

“Kela? You think I come only to spy on the
girl! Why do you question me, Grandmother? Is this not my
home?”

“Do not play upon me, Cono! Your grandfather
is no longer within the room. I know you have come to check upon
the girl. I beg you pray don’t interfere. I worry so about you. The
King has ordered her to stay here until he has determined her
course.”

“Grandmother in that I don’t understand.
Kela is…”

“Hush, my grandson, the wall has ears. If
the King hears you have been checking upon her! Your grandfather
says that she is to stay here during the ceremony and is not to be
told that she isn’t to be acknowledged as her siblings this
day.”

“Does that in itself not give you pause? I
tell you, Grandmother, there is more going on here than meets the
eye. If you had seen what she did, the destruction in which all
laid. How can the King leave her here? She should well be within
the castle with her sister. Or as Turstan proclaims to train her as
a Sordarin. It makes no sense to treat her thus."

"King Edulf has his reasons, child. Hold
your tongue well my grandson or his wrath will turn upon you.
He has looked favorably upon you until now. You dare not turn him
from you."

“Have no worries, Grandmother, I come only
to ease the young Prince’s conscience. You’re correct in that the
King has even forbid him in seeing her. He wants only to be assured
she is cared for on this day.”

“Than go quickly. She is set. You have
heard…”

I paused no longer. I raced down the hall
into the kitchen giving no time for contemplating only reacting.
“Allersaka,” I cried upon my entrance. “What day is today? What
pray is being celebrated?”

“Child, in all how could you not know? King
Edulf’s missing grandchildren have been found! Praise be! The ones
thought long dead. They are to be anointed this day. Prince Falco
is to be heir apparent. And I have heard of the loveliness of his
young sister, Princess Sareta. There is to be a soaring…Oh, I see.
You aren’t allowed to leave the grounds. Kela?”

Her voice faded into distance for I forgot
all about begging for forgiveness. I ran determined that none
should stop me.

My mind raced with thoughts. Falco hadn’t
forgotten about me! Yet in the next thought, I was dismayed. My
siblings were to be acknowledged this day. And I? I had to get to
my siblings. We had to leave this place. We were being separated
and above all that couldn’t happen!

I ran out into the gardens, giving no
thought to its beauty. I heard a commotion behind me, but only
focused on what was before me. A tall encompassing wall, a barrier
between me and freedom! A moment later, I raced toward the gate I
had added having blasted my frustration. I climbed frantically over
the rubble stones. Above me I could hear the flutter of wings. I
turned. For an instant I set to blast, but I hesitated. And with
hesitation came capture.

“I suppose I should be thankful you didn’t
blast me,” Cono said harshly. “But what in all Blue Heavins are you
doing? Trying to be imprisoned!”

At first I glared at him in awe. He was in
truth a glorious warrior. I had been within his arms before but it
had been in the midst of the skirmish. Here the sun gleamed behind
him. He seemed to glow. His strong arms held tight to mine.

Finding my voice, I answered solemnly, “I
have gone to retrieve my family.”

His intense eyes questioned me. Tilting his
head, he looked at me strangely. “I take such you heard my words.
Do you not reason that you will not reach them in this manner?”

From behind him I saw others gather. The
servants’ faces shocked and in wonder of all before them. Nervous
perchance, but it was the warriors that caught my attention. Their
hands held to swords drawn toward me. I gritted my teeth at the
scene. Immediately, Cono whispered low for my ears.

“Do not, Kela. It will gain you
nothing.”

I turned to face him staring him with rage
ignited within me. “Who are you to dare tell me what it will gain
me? I have tried to comply, but to no avail.” Heaving heavily, my
chest burned with my fury. “Release me. At least then I go down as
a warrior instead of sniveling coward. Let go of me.”

I felt power surged within me. Again my
eyes…but suddenly Cono shook me. “Prince Falco sent me. Kela, your
brother…”

Just the mention of his
name, his concern weakened me.
Devil beat
all
! My eyes watered while I felt the
anger dissipate; replaced instead with an overwhelming sense of
longing for my siblings, Turstan and even Gunilda. Then without
warning a sensation swept through me and I’m not where I was. When
my eyes focused, I stood staring at my brother.

“Falco,” I whispered. My breathing became
rapid. I couldn’t manage more than the faint cry. My eyes glanced
around the room. Not to my surprise, my sister walked through an
open door. A wide smile emerged upon her beautiful face. She broke
toward me. She must have called to me in my distress.

Falco dressed in ornament clothing with a
long red train attached to his strapping’s on his shoulder. His
wings had emerged broad and wide. He was as he always wanted to be,
Sordarin. I marveled at his image with pride bursting forth from
me. Sareta eyed me with her tears, but she looked breathtaking in a
sequin gown that glittered upon her every movement.

But my joy was short lived. For movement
caught my eyes. I turned to face King Edulf.

* * * *

I watched the procession from the tower. I
saw only through a tiny slit I was allowed. I could see little, but
in all could hear the cheers of the crowd below. In the distance I
could see bands of winged Sordarins, but in all they were too far
to make out much. An array of armed Sordarin warriors guarded my
cell. In reality, it was not needed. If I was again to use force I
would have done so the moment King Edulf ordered my arrest.

I huddled in the cold, damp quarters against
the corner of the bare cell, given nothing for comfort. Without
question, my siblings had no idea of my treatment during the
ceremony. In all probability they were told I would watch from a
place of honor.

My final words to them had been reassuring
that all was set with me. Pride oozed from my being for them both.
In truth I could have said little else for King Edulf’s eyes lay
upon me, threatening me and my siblings. Even when Falco called to
me I assured him I was well. I had no choice. King Edulf’s words to
me upon my appearance while brief sank deep within my soul.

“I can quickly stop these proceedings, Kela.
If you rebel against my wishes, your siblings will be denied their
birthright. Is that your wish?”

No, I wanted to cry. My wish was to
understand why I couldn’t stand with them beside them to be
acknowledged as was my right. It was my right! Yet I did nothing
but smile at them both in their finery and glory, left to wonder
about my fate. Quickly after their departure, King Edulf sent in
the Winged Guards. To my surprise lead by Cono. He must have known
where I had disappeared too. He met my eyes in disappointment.

In all his treatment was kind, as kind as
one could be given my circumstance. He waited until King Edulf
departed. Signaling to the others, he said in a tone not to
questioned, “There is no need. I will fly her to the tower.”

Away from the eyes of all, he took me into
his arms as if I weighed nothing. Unseeingly concern that I would
disrupt his flight, he flew to a balcony which led into a dark lit
room even in the middle of a bright day. He released me. All heads
turned upon our appearance. Cono immediately began to bark orders,
but I didn’t listen to them. My soul deflated.

He led me into the cell. “I wish none of
this had happened, Kela. Pray be patient. I’m certain all will
settle. Stop infuriating the King. I will do what I can after the
ceremony. Please for your own sake do nothing until I come
again.”

He gave me no time for response before
closing behind him the thick wooden door. In time I closed my eyes.
Sleep must have befallen me for the next I awoke startled. Night
had fallen for the air outside the window had turned dark. A loud
voice bellowed outside my door. The next instant it opened wide.
Turstan!

“All that’s in heavin! For one to be treated
such! For what reason! She is one of them.” Turstan’s voice shook
the walls, echoing his fury.

I scrambled to my feet and ran to him.
Shivering, I knew not from the cold or my experience. Breaking from
his hold, others began to circle around me. He had not come alone.
Lord Lothar stood beside Cono, but it was Falco whom my eyes beheld
with water within them. He had come for me.

Lord Lothar gestured with his hand and the
Winged Guard departed. Before he began talking, he motioned for
Cono to make sure all had left. Then he turned his attention to
Turstan.

“We have not long. We need only to decipher
how to handle this before I present our plan to the king. I can’t
answer King Edulf’s reaction, Turstan. Frustration with all,
perhaps. That the Euchoun we had hoped for is a mere girl. That his
agreement he gave he doesn’t want to hold to. Whatever the reason,
his lordship is adamant about it. At the moment, we have kept her
here. The other two he openly accepts. He has his reasons, Turstan.
And he is King and he has declared that Kela stay out of sight from
everyone. If she could have contained herself, she could have
stayed within my home, but after the display this day it is not an
option.”

“We have the house outside the city,” Cono
offered returning to his grandfather’s side.

My anger toward him subsided somewhat with
his effort. My hand gripped Turstan’s tightly, frighteningly
fighting back the tears welling in my eyes. For the first time in
my life I was truly frightened, not for my safety but being ripped
from my family. My biggest fear.

“Then the King is a fool! He knows not the
power which lies in that girl. I know. I have seen!” Turstan
declared. “But, Lothar, even if the girl had not the power, for all
that is wholly, is she not his granddaughter?”

“In that I don’t understand. I do know that
the King has extensive knowledge of Euchouns. He seems to give
credit to Falco for her display,” Lothar acknowledged. “From all
accounts, most give Falco the credit for all that occurred that
night.”

Falco laughed out loud. “You can rest
assure, my Lord, it wasn’t I. I may have the ability to do small
things,” he paused. He looked at a wobbly chair at the end of
beaten table. The chair fell back. “That, sir, is the extent of my
ability. A far cry from the destruction Kela caused. I know of no
other, but I will give you that I had never seen such even from her
than what she did that night. I cannot turn from my sister. I will
not.”

Lord Lothar sighed heavily in a manner that
he wanted not to deal with Falco’s stance. He turned to Cono.
“Cono, you agree? You had hold of the girl. If she did all the
damage and without her hands, how?”

“It came from her eyes, my Lord,” Cono said.
He glanced over at me waiting for me to offer an explanation. I had
none. I clung tighter to Turstan.

Lord Lothar shrugged, pressing his lips
together tightly. Then he shook his head, “I’m afraid I’m not going
to be able to offer anything that will make you happy. King Edulf
insists Kela stays here until he finds a solution.”

Lord Lothar’s hand went up immediately to
Falco. “Oh, young Prince, do not begin with me and I would advise
you not to go against King Edulf. It has been a long day of
celebrating for most. Morning is only a couple of hours away. I
have instructed for a bed for your comfort, Kela. It is all I can
do at the moment. Know though I will intervene on your behalf. You
will not be in the tower long of that rest assured…”