Dare to Defy (16 page)

She could almost imagine the deities laughing at her situation and her foolishness. She grunted. “At least my brothers would show some mercy to me after they had their time to laugh. I am cold, hungry, and becoming very irritated. Open this door and allow me access to what you wish me to see!”

Her palms began to itch and she noticed a redness emanating from them. Not knowing what else to do, she stood and placed her hands on the door and pushed. Two parts of the door moved back, but her way was still blocked.

A spell appeared before her, one that made no sense in its telling.

Anger born in fire, quenched by joyous water flow

Mourning death of bitter winter, bring peaceful winds to blow

Daynel frowned. Could it be that her emotions triggered the Runes? Anger with her plight had caused her palms to heat like a fire smoldered beneath them. Perhaps if she related something that gave her feelings of joy…

“I do not know what I am doing here,” she grumbled. “But I am glad that I got to learn some things about Ilesbet’s childhood. I would have loved to see her gain control over Draiken and the sisters.”

Her palms grew wet as she relayed the stories that Draiken had shared about Ilesbet and her mischievous ways as a child, speaking to the gods as though they were interested listeners. She then shared with the invisible audience about similar things she had done to her brothers while growing up. She placed her hands upon the door and watched as two more panels slid aside, opened by the waters of joy. Excited with her discovery, she then spoke of a time of mourning and how sad her father had been for many years after the death of the mother she never had the chance to know, and how she missed her family even now. Her palms dried and felt rough, like the bitter harshness of a drought, and another panel slid from the door.

“One more left. Air. Peace? I don’t know if I have ever truly felt peace,” she said quietly. “The closest was when I entered the dream world and met you. That place of floating…timelessness…the Gate of the Heavens…”

Cool aid brushed across her hands, soothing her palms. The door opened fully. Daynel glanced up and murmured a “thank you” before stepping inside.

To Draiken’s chambers.

He sat upon his favorite chair, still naked, facing her as she stepped into the chamber with a look of astonishment upon her face.

“You found your way back to me. The gods are very pleased.”

“What happened? How…?”

He smiled, beckoning to her. Slowly the woman approached and felt herself being lifted onto the large lap and kissed soundly on the lips.

“You are not angry that I left your chambers?” she asked timidly, still in awe that she had found her way back to her place of departure.

“I will discipline you for that this evening,” came a cheerful response. “The gods have announced that you are ready for lessons now. You may also remove your splint for they have fully healed your arm, as well as your ankle.”

“I do not wish to be disciplined by you,” Daynel protested, allowing him to unwrap the dressing from her arm and then gently massage the limb. “Are there no other occupants of this structure? I saw no one in my journey. And the halls are so dark! I was terribly lost.”

“That seems strange,” Draiken commented, leading her outside the room after dressing himself and slipping soft boots upon her feet. Daynel froze after walking out the door. The hall was wide, bright, and airy, and several passersby offered them a morning blessing. Draiken turned right down the hall and walked outside to the garden.

“Daynel? Are you well?” Draiken asked as he offered her a seat at a table under a large, flowering tree. A serving maid quickly brought food and beverages to them, giving only a small bow as she set the tray down.

“I am confused. How…?”

“How does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? How does the moon change her shape during the course of time? How does a child grow in the womb? There are many things in this world that just are, Daynel. Those called to the priesthood simply accept that they exist and offer thanks for them. You learned to touch Dragon Magic this morning. Tell me about what occurred.”

Daynel spoke about her experience as she nibbled on her food. Draiken listened with interest, especially to the words of the spell.

“Are you certain that was the exact phrase set upon the doorway?”

“Yes. It is etched in my mind. What is its meaning?”

“I am not certain, but I do believe that it will be what is required to eliminate the Darkness being brought by Ethan’s evil. It stirs even now, attacking Sacred Glens.”

“How can we destroy it?”

“You must first master discipline. The temple’s teachings are nothing more than tools to help us learn to focus upon what it truly important. You are without such teachings, so we will use the gods’ ways that were shown to you today.”

“When do we start?” Daynel asked eagerly.

Draiken sat across from the young woman, perched on a low tree branch that had formed itself to make a comfortable chair. Daynel’s face was red as she cursed the world, hanging upside down and held by another branch wrapped around her left ankle.

“Daynel, I have told you that discipline does not come about by threats and tantrums. It is born of patience.”

“Patience?” Daynel shrieked, pounding her fist against the tree trunk. “You are preaching about patience?”

“I admit that it is not the strongest of my virtues….”

“You magically
forced
a peach tree to bear fruit because you did not wish to wait for the servant to bring you lunch!”

“This is true, but I already know how to control my powers and…
ow
! Daynel! Stop it now!” Draiken hopped out of his seat, slapping at invisible switches. Air? She was using air? Daynel’s red face tightened into a scowl as she focused on the backs of his legs and buttocks, increasing the intensity of the lashes. She suddenly yelped as she, too, began to feel the same switches land quite steadily, and with great force, across the backs of her own legs and bottom.

“Yield! I yield!” she barked, trying to avoid the unseen implements, still hanging upside down and dangling by a single leg. “Pleeeeease, stop!”

Draiken had ceased his hopping the moment he countered her spell with his own. He commanded the branch to lower the crying girl to the ground and helped her to her feet.

“What did you do?” he asked, brushing her off.

“What do you mean?” she sniffled, looking pathetic with a still very red face and hair filled with leaves and twigs.

“You summoned Air to switch me, yet you were angry. Anger bears fire, peace brings air. How did you draw Air?”

“I don’t know. I was just thinking of how funny you would look being switched. And how much you deserved it.”

Draiken thought carefully for a moment, then tapped the tip of her nose. “I think we are going about this all the wrong way. You always must be defiant, must you?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Daynel pouted, following him out of the grove. They ventured down to the beach and Daynel took a seat on a large rock to wait for more instructions.

“Water is controlled by joy. When—” His words were cut off as a large sheet of water rose and landed on top of his head. Daynel broke into gales of laughter as Draiken stood, sodden and very silent. His eyes narrowed as he glared at her.

“This is not amusing.”

Daynel laughed again, bringing a second sheet to splash him straight in the face. “You deserve it, you big bully! A little cold water should cool you off.”

Draiken growled, sending flame about himself and the water evaporated in a steaming hiss. Daynel’s eyes widened, amazed by the power his demonstrated.

“Teach me how to do that!”

“The only thing I am going to teach you is about proper respect, young lady. Follow me, and do not play any further games.”

Daynel hopped off the boulder and trotted to keep close to him as he entered the village. The people prostrated themselves as he stormed past them, looking up with curiosity at the tiny girl who followed the high priest, wondering her purpose. A few recognized her from the beach, and whispered prayers for her. Daynel was out of breath by time they reached a field where several old people were struggling with clearing the ground and laying a crop.

“What is this place?” she asked, bent over with her hands on her knees as she panted.

“This is called Beggar’s Field. Those who are too old or sick to serve anywhere else in the village are put to work here. The soil is fertile, but there are too many rocks to grow a decent yield.”

“That is so wrong. These people should be resting, not breaking their backs!”

“You are right. Help them, Daynel. They deserve to be helped, don’t they?”

Daynel stared at the ancient, bent old woman as she reached over and gently touched the broken leg of a man who could barely stand. There was so much compassion in that simple gesture that Daynel felt her eyes fill with tears. The ground began to shake and Draiken crossed his arms, watching in awe as the rocks were pushed to form a wall on the high side of the field, blocking off the winds from the sea. The people fell to their faces before her, blessing her for her assistance and offering thanksgiving.

“Thank the gods, not me,” Daynel said sincerely, reaching to also touch the man with the broken leg tenderly. “Plant your seeds.”

She rejoined Draiken to watch the people scatter the seeds and then set about the laborious task of bringing water to them. He nodded at her questioning glance and she inhaled, visualizing a light rain upon the field. Loud exclamations were heard as the drops began to fall briskly.

“With ease, little priestess,” Draiken urged, “you do not wish to wash away the fruit of their labors, do you?”

“What fruit? I…I did that?” Daynel asked, opening her eyes and seeing a field rich in greenery. “How?”

“Your power lays in need, my love. What your heart believes is deserved is how your magic serves you. Your heart dictates the type of power used as well. This can be dangerous, for if your heart is not pure or has selfish ambition, it can cause great harm.”

“How does one change the thoughts of the heart?”

“You learn to see as I have seen…into infinity and you would be true to yourself. But to know this is also to suffer.”

“Draiken, enough with the priestly rhetoric. Tell me or…why aren’t you yelling?”

“Because you attempted to pinch me with Air? Your heart knows it’s wrong now. It has learned and will never use anything to cause me discomfort again. They come with a basket of vegetables as thanks,” he whispered, seeing the small group approach them. “Accept it humbly and offer to heal that man’s leg.”

“I do not know how.”

“Healing is complicated and requires practice. I will guide you.”

Daynel did as Draiken instructed, profusely thanking the people for their wonderful gift and praising the beauty of the harvest they had chosen for her. She asked the man if he would allow her the honor of healing his leg, admitting that she was learning and that she would require instruction. He gratefully accepted and sat upon the ground next to her and the high priest.

Draiken uttered some words, calling upon the wisdom of the gods, and had Daynel repeat them continuously until they rolled off her lips as though she had uttered them from the cradle. He stood behind her and pressed his chest against her back, wrapping his shoulders around hers while keeping his arms outstretched. Like wings of a dragon. Daynel continued to chant the phrase, her eyes closed with Draiken’s deep rumbling behind her.

They spoke to her! Daynel almost broke her chant with delight. The gods directed her to place air about the fractured bone and mold the material back to the proper shape. Water in the blood increased, swirling around the bone and muscle, bringing it nutrients and life. Finally earth, the pressure of gravity pressing the mass together, strengthening it. Daynel saw each process in her mind’s eye, all the while aware of Draiken holding her solidly in place. Abruptly, the voices departed and Daynel, suddenly withdrawn from the presence of the gods, collapsed in Draiken’s arms.

* * *

“I fear it was too much for the child to endure her first day, my son,” the Healer said to Draiken after putting the exhausted girl to bed. “She needs her rest.”

“I have never seen a new one take to the power as she did, Healer. With such natural instinct. Even Ilesbet required years of training to reach her potential.”

“You do not wish to frighten her, or make her arrogant. Take care with her, Draiken. If she is to be high priestess of the Eastern Islands, then she has much responsibility to face.”

“Ah, more than that, old friend. She is to also be high priestess and queen of the southern kingdom. Her strength, with mine, must be strong enough to conquer a force of evil that is destroying the land.”

“Even more reason to allow her to rest. And keep your
dragon
to himself tonight,” the Healer eyed Draiken’s crotch. “Allow her time to recover before you share your power with her. I sense your need, old friend. The Power flies from you like lightning, needing its target. You must take care with her, for I am afraid it will be too much for her to bear.”

“I am aware of that. My sister requires the sharing of blood to exchange power with the Guardian. Why is it that I am required the sharing of my seed?”

“You must ask the gods that question. My answer will only bring you sorrow.”

“Tell me. We have known one another since you taught me as a boy. You have withheld no truths from me, even if unpleasant.”

“Very well. When a priestess is required to make a blood sacrifice to give power to her Guardian, that is what she will also be required to give to her people.”

“Ilesbet does not practice human sacrifice, Healer. It is against her heart and she knows that the gods take no pleasure in it.”

“She will sacrifice herself, my son. And your offering, your seed…it will be what is needed to replace that which is lost.”

“No…”

“You know the one man’s death opens the doorway for another man’s life.”