9780981988238 (49 page)

The kingdom and the southlands are generally considered completely separate entities from a political standpoint, and their interdependence is often overlooked. But even a brief examination shows that the one could not, throughout our shared history, have flourished without the other.

The southlands came first. That is undisputed. Civilization began in the oncefertile lands south of the Horn; in fact, oral history insists that once the entire southlands was as lush as Water's End, and not much higher in elevation. The abrupt rise into a mountain-high desert was due, according to various legends, to natural cataclysm, the anger of the gods at humanity's presumption, or an even
stranger explanation involving an ancient race with godlike powers.

The text of this thick book is notable for two things: one, its comprehensive nature, and two, the odd changes in the 'voice', as though it had actually been written by two separate people. The first is stiff and formal, as one would expect a highly educated noble to write; the second is rather more
common
. . .

Place-names in the kingdom sound simple, but a little digging reveals deep roots. The word “king”, for instance. The original word for “honored tribal leader/supreme authority” was Kaen (Kaena for females), and the northern kingdom, in the old books, is called Kaenoz. Those names have since shifted to our modern “king” and “kingdom”. Attempts to give the kingdom a proper name have run into strong resistance from the Northern Church and its followers, who believe that their founder, Wezel, should be in some way honored in the chosen name. Their suggestions have tended towards names like Wezeldom and Fourgodsland, and have generally been rejected out of hand; although Ninnic and Mezarak apparently worried the court deeply at one point by seriously considering making those names official. Fortunately, both men were easily distracted and the issue soon faded from their minds. . . .

The simplistic approach displayed in the above excerpt turns an important subject into near-mockery, a sharp contrast to the more learned approach of the first section. Repeated inquiries as to the true identity of the author or authors meet no answer from King Oruen or any of his court, staff, or scribes; whatever hand transcribed this entire volume, no doubt from a collection of notes, is not admitting to the act. . . .

As language changes, the origin of names is lost to all but the loremasters who dedicate their lives to preserving the past; but a better understanding of our beginnings is vital to a firm comprehension of our present, and furthers planning for the future. A word as simple as
s'a
, “honored woman”, can be traced back hundreds of years to the original
saaera
, a woman of status; likewise the masculine form,
s'e
, was once
seere
, which indicated not only an honored man but could, with a slightly different inflection, indicate that the subject possessed predictive powers. The implication that the ancients believed that women could not be seers is undeniable.

The author goes on, with a fair degree of accuracy, to detail the history behind every significant name in the southlands and the kingdom. This section is largely in the more formal voice, but now and again the common tone raises its head again. . . .

The names given on maps and the names used by ordinary people are often very different. The large swamp to the east of Bright Bay is a perfect example. Maps in the royal library assign the incredible name Optsch t'a Kella Wezel; literally, “The Wealth and Divinity of Wezel”. A shorter version, on less official maps, is Optakazel Swamp, which translates to “Madman's Swamp.” Some local commoners even call the area “Ugly Salt Swamp”, referring to its main export, a cloudy, lumpy grey salt which tastes exceptionally bitter and is for some reason in high demand at noble tables (under its official name of optschalz, or “rich man's salt”, rather than the common moniker of “ugly salt” or “madman's salt”, of course). . . .

There is a distinct and reprehensible slant to the overall History, in that the author or authors are clearly disposed against the Northern Church. Historians must needs remain neutral to accurately convey facts, and considering the many good works the Northern Church has to its name (one of the few names not traced in this volume, another example of bias) it is improper to base all perceptions on the recent difficult times.

While Cafad Scratha does not hold a true leadership line, his unusual circumstances dictate that his claim to Head of Family status be upheld. The alternatives are even further removed from the true bloodline than the boy himself, or are unacceptably tainted in their associations . . . Should a true-line survivor ever be discovered, of course, his status as Head of Family is to be stripped immediately and the proper line reinstated. . . .

Azaniari's status, unusual though it may be, and against the duly recorded objections of her own Family loremaster, must be upheld due to taking the trials through Darden and her current known association with Regav Darden. She is hereby confirmed in these Records as an Aerthraim desert lord, and her children are to be watched with great care and steered into choosing partners outside the Aerthraim bloodline. . . .

The child given through Cafad Scratha's blood trial turned out deformed and has not survived; the bastard child produced in the adjustment period after his third trial turned out deformed and has not survived; there are no further traceable offspring after that point. It must be considered, at this point, that Cafad Scratha was so damaged by the emotional trauma of losing his family as to render him effectively sterile. A close watch shall be kept to ensure that any deformed offspring are duly destroyed to avoid introducing undesirable variables into what may remain of the Scratha line, and a new attention is being paid to the previously dismissed alternates. . . .

The children of Azaniari Aerthraim and Regav Darden did not survive long enough to beget children of their own, and as Regav may now be presumed dead and events have altered Azaniari such that she may no longer bear children, that line is to be considered, regrettably, closed. However, Azaniari's twin brother, Allonin, must be given closer scrutiny despite his multiple offenses; his viable fertility is proven beyond question, as are his wits, strength, and ingenuity. . . .

Pieas Sessin is moving in a thoroughly undesirable direction, and his illegitimate children are difficult to track; those we have confirmed, however, are being removed and placed in more appropriate surroundings. Pieas himself remains heedless of his responsibilities and his reputation. . . .

Lord Oruen's fertility is proven, and his illegitimate children are being watched closely; but he has, as yet, shown no interest in an official match. Until his sanity is established as utterly secure, this Council declines to press the issue further. . . .

Leona Wisoker got her start as a writer when she was eight, with a story about all the vacuum cleaners in the world breaking down at the same time. Ever since then she has successfully used the excuse of writing to avoid housework, even going so far as writing poetry (which is then safely locked away in a lead-lined box) when nothing else will save her from chores.

Leona’s work is fueled equally by coffee and conviction; she has been known to take over the entire dining room to deconstruct a difficult novelin-progress. Addicted to eclectic research and reading since childhood, she often chooses reading material alphabetically rather than by subject or author. This has led her to read about aardvarks, birds, child-warriors, dragons, eggs, faeries, ghosts, horses, and many other random subjects.

Her short stories have appeared in
Futures: Fire to Fly
and
Anotherealm
; she is a regular reviewer for
Green Man Review
and
Fantasy Magazine
. She has lived in Florida, Connecticut, Oregon, New Hampshire, Nevada, Alaska, California, and Virginia; has experienced the alternate realities of Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, New York, Long Island, and Italy; and believes that “home is wherever my coffee cup is filled.”

She currently lives in Virginia with an extraordinarily patient husband and two large dogs, and she almost never vacuums.
Photo: Earl Harris
Read more about Leona Wisoker and her work at http://www.leonawisoker.com

for even more background on the world of
Secrets of the Sands
—and a sneak peek at the first chapter of Leona Wisoker’s next novel,
Bells of the Kingdom
.