Daughter of Hauk (The Raven Chronicles Book 1) (16 page)

Chapter Twenty-Two

            
 
L
exi watched her cousin dart past her into the pavilion, blind terror written all over Arwenna’s face. She tried to stop Joss as he ran after her, but just missed him. Lexi stepped directly in front of Y’Dürkie, halting her in mid-stride.

              “What happened?”  Lexi demanded Y’Dürkie to tell her. Barek shouted orders left and right, a fierceness in his eyes that made Lexi cringe.

              “Senyan had Bohrs there. I do not know if he vas alive or undead, but he vas sittink there. It did not sit vell with Arvenna, especially after Senyan insinuated he vould let Bohrs have her for a pet if she got too close.”  Y’Dürkie’s fist slammed down on a table. “He vent too far, Lexi. He knew Arvenna vould go to the meetink, he did it on purpose.”

              Lexi clenched her jaw, anger building inside. She was going to have to do something about this.

              “Y’Dürkie, we need to talk. Privately.”  There was a note of command in her young voice that visibly startled Y’Dürkie. Lexi strode purposefully off to where her mount, Grie, had been grazing. She did not need to look back to know that Y’Dürkie followed her.

              Lexi started to groom Grie, waiting for Y’Dürkie to catch up to her. She felt curiosity pouring out of Y’Dürkie. Taking a deep breath, she spoke quietly. She didn’t want anyone else to hear what she had to say. “Y’Dürkie, a lot has changed since we first saw Barek, Mialee, and Senyan disappear into Tanisal months ago. More than you probably can imagine. Arwenna’s death has left her scarred in more places than either of us can comprehend. Your own experience wasn’t a bad one, yet you still chose to return when given the option. What happened to me, however, is beyond comparison to the two of you.”  She turned and looked her friend in the face, knowing that she needed to choose her next words very carefully.

              “I’ve changed, Y’Dürkie. Or I was changed. I’m not sure I had much choice in the matter. But the change was a major one, and one that came with restrictions.”

              Y’Dürkie swallowed, eyes intent on Lexi. “Vhat kind of change vas it, Lexi?”

              Lexi saw her friend’s hand twitch slightly towards the great sword at her side. “Nothing evil, Y’Dürkie. Rather the opposite. It seems some fairy tribes thought I’d make an excellent Goddess and started to worship me as such. Their faith in me is what led to the changes.”  She closed her eyes for a moment, willing the façade she had kept up around everyone for the last several months to drop so Y’Dürkie could see her as she truly was.

              The look of awe that crossed Y’Dürkie’s face told Lexi that her friend had seen the real her, so she reestablished the disguise quickly before anyone else could see. “Now you know why I won’t be here tomorrow. I can’t be here, deities are forbidden to intercede directly in wars between men.”

              “Vhat are you goink to tell Arvenna, Lexi?  You cannot just up and leave, not now. She has already had enough shocks for the next ten years.”

              Lexi reached out to smooth some of Grie’s feathers, collecting her thoughts before speaking. “I need you to tell her about all this, Y’Dürkie. She’ll believe it coming from you. I can’t do it. I’ve wanted to, more than you’ll ever know. I’m the only family she has left in the world. Finding out what I am may cause her more pain than I can bear. You’ll find the right words, or the right excuse. She has Joss with her now, even if Barek doesn’t like him much. And I know you’ll keep a close eye on her.”                Swiftly, she leapt up into Grie’s saddle and looked off towards the woods. “There’s something I have to do before I leave, Y’Dürkie. Something that’s best Arwenna knows nothing about. I’ve given instructions to the nearby fairy tribes. Your warriors will get some assistance that they won’t expect tomorrow.”

              She looked down at Y’Dürkie again. “I don’t know the future, Y’Dürkie. I don’t know if any of us are going to come out of this in anything close to one piece. I know some of us won’t make it out alive, so keep a close eye on Arwenna for me. If things don’t go well tomorrow, then you have another option. There’s a relic to the east. It’s called the Gem of Tiren. If you can find it, and it will accept one of you as a Wielder, you’ll be able to defeat Corse and Senyan.” She made a clicking sound to Grie, preparing him to fly.

              “Vhat? Vhere is it, Lexi?” Y’Dürkie’s voice called out as Grie’s great wings began to lift Lexi off the ground.

              “To the east, “she called back. “Look for the ruins of a monastery that was attacked from the inside out. There’s a book in what remains of the library, under the burned shelving. It’ll tell you what you need to know.”  With that parting call, Lexi turned her attention forward as Grie lifted her into the skies.

              She gently guided Grie through the sky and away from the camp. Y’Dürkie would do what she must, and not more than that. At some point, either Arwenna or Barek would pry everything out of her, but she’d be long gone by then. She spotted the small clearing she had been looking for, and guided Grie to a gentle landing. She let him run loose for now, confident that he would return if she called him. A small tree stump made a perfect seat as she waited for the other person to answer her summons.

              Senyan did not make her wait long, striding out from her left as if bewildered at why he was there. Lexi straightened slightly; a quick shift of her hand reassured her that her bow was within easy reach.

              “Well now, this is a surprise. I certainly didn’t expect you here, Lexi. Did your cousin send you to fight her battles for her?”  The sneer on his face did little to add to any attractiveness left there.

              “No, this is my idea. She doesn’t even know I’m here.”  She paused, kicking at a small rock, and then looked at him again. “Why’d you do it, Senyan?  Why give her the idea that Bohrs was dead and then torture her by parading him in front of her?”  There was a sharpness to her voice that spoke volumes.

              “Why? Why not! After all the pain she’s put me through, aren’t I entitled to a little bit of retribution?  She needed it put in front of her to understand just what she’s up against.” 

              “She didn’t do it knowingly, Senyan. She was set up just as much as you were. More so, in some respects. What you did went beyond the line, though. And if you had any shred of humanity left in you, you’d know it.”  Without warning, her hands blurred to her bow and quiver. An arrow launched faster than most eyes could track, aimed right for Senyan’s throat.

              He waved a hand with a small chuckle and watched the arrow veer off to the right. “I know your aim too well, Lexi. I came as prepared as you did.”  A red beam of flame burst out from his hand, easily deflected by Lexi.

              They circled each other warily, each looking for an opening as they continued the verbal battle.

“Tell me, Lexi. Have you told her yet what you’ve become? That you’re now nothing more than some thought in the witless brains of fairies?” Lightning shattered the rock standing just to her left.

              “I think she’d have an easier time believing in me and what I can do than in you and that demon you call master. After all, I was the one who found her in that hell Bohrs created for her and brought Hauk to her.”  The arrow whizzed past Senyan’s ear, barely missing him. “Hauk was most appreciative. His Chosen don’t get lost often, and he felt Arwenna’s absence most keenly. He was very put out with Corse for destroying her home and isolating her like that.”

              “Like it matters. All this hype Barek’s built up about Arwenna is not going to help him at all. You do realize that. She may be a ‘Chosen Daughter of Hauk’ or whatever the title is that Barek’s given her to wear, but Hauk can’t come to the field tomorrow. And neither can you.”  Flames surrounded her for a moment.

              With a nonchalant wave of her hand, Lexi dismissed the flames. “Direct intervention is prohibited, yes. But that doesn’t mean I can’t help at all. And I think you’ll find that
my
kind of help is much more creative and deadly.”  A blast of air knocked Senyan off his feet and threw him fifty feet backwards. Quickly, she whistled for Grie to come to her and leapt on his back before Senyan could get back up. She guided the gryphon over to Senyan’s prone body and looked down at him. “Give your master this message, Senyan. If you or Bohrs ever come near Arwenna again, then Corse can expect a visit from me. While I can’t meddle in the large wars, I’ll make damn sure he goes back to where he belongs when it’s just him and me.”  She clicked the command to Grie, and was off the ground before Senyan could even finish getting up.

Chapter Twenty-Three

            
 
T
he night air was chilly on her skin, but Arwenna didn’t even feel it. Staring across the valley at the various campfires now visible amongst the trees, her mind started thinking of how many would not live to return to those fires tomorrow. There would be just as many, possibly more, that wouldn’t return here to their side. How many rites would be needed to speed the dead?  Will the blessing she and the others struggled all day to put upon weapons and armor have any effect?  And what if
he
found her again?  Fear threatened to grip her again momentarily and she wiped at the tears trickling down her face with the back of her hand.

              A movement caught her and she turned slightly. Joss stood off to the side, watching her. She reached a slender arm towards him, beckoning him to come closer.

              “You shouldn’t be out here without a cloak, Arwenna.”  He chided her gently, opening his up as he walked up behind her.

              She welcomed the embrace and the warmth from the cloak as he wrapped his arms around her from her back. The silence was welcome, both lost in thoughts.

              “You were gone when I woke up. You had me worried.”  His low voice carried to her ear.

              “There was much that needed to be done, with a battle ahead. I was going to make everyone sleep once the blessings were all done anyhow, didn’t see that there was much of a reason to wake you up.”  Still staring out, she leaned back into him.

              “You should be resting as well, then. You’ve got more magic in you than the rest of us. Still, I don’t want to have you falling over from exhaustion.”  She closed her eyes at the small kiss she felt at the top of her head.

              “I’m not tired right now. My mind’s too busy trying to think of any possibilities that haven’t been considered.”  She paused, enjoying the closeness. “Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to just leave now, tell the warriors to go home and just disappear.”

              She felt his body move as he chuckled a little. “That would be nice, yes. Just take off and not have to worry about anything that’s waiting for us down there. I think you like the idea, but I know you won’t do it. You’ve got too much of a sense of what’s right, Arwenna. What’s out there, waiting for tomorrow, isn’t right. It’s not even close to it. I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder for Bohrs to show up. Barek’s been circulating a description of him around the various tribes of warriors down there. Bohrs is going to be killed tomorrow, and the blessing will be said, and he won’t ever be allowed to rise up again in any way.” His sigh brushed across her cheek like a soft breeze. “I know you want to leave this all behind you. Sometime soon, you’ll be able to. And you can go wherever you like and live out your life in peace. I’d like to be a part of that, if you’ll have me.”

              Arwenna blinked at the implication in his voice. She turned around and looked up at his face. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” She spoke in a whisper, unable to completely believe the look in his eyes.

              “More than serious, Arwenna. I love you. And I’ll follow you around as long as you allow me. When you’re ready for something more, you just have to say the word and I’ll do whatever it is you ask of me.”  He let go of her enough to unclasp the silver-worked bracelet on his wrist. The metal was warm as it touched her wrist. “That can stay there as long as you want it to.” 

              The sincerity and patience she read in his eyes sparked a sense of hope deep within her. She met his kiss with one of her own, doing her best to keep her balance. She broke away after a few minutes, melting into his chest to catch her breath. A whisper in her ear about someone approaching made her back away at last.

              Y’Dürkie stood far enough away to give at least the idea of privacy without interruption, but Arwenna could tell something was on her mind.               “What is it, Y’Dürkie?  Have you finally figured out where Lexi ran off to on that big bird of hers?”  She kept her tone very friendly, no matter how much she wished her friend to disappear.

              “Oh, vell, um, no, not yet.” The reply was hasty, as if the question caught her off guard. There was something else in her tone that made Arwenna realize there might be more to the story. “But I vould like to talk to you for a moment, if you do not mind.”

              Arwenna disengaged herself from Joss’ arms and walked over to Y’Dürkie. “This isn’t like you, Y’Dürkie. What’s wrong?” All sorts of things began to dart through Arwenna’s head, none of them pleasant. Y’Dürkie rarely approached her with such seriousness on her face.

              “You and I have spent much of the last year and more together, Arvenna. Ve have spent many hours around a fire in both laughter and tears. You have shown more courage in battle than most vithin my own clan can boast. You have kept me alive in times vhen I thought death vas a certainty, and you have given me the gift of life renewed more than once. I have long looked upon you as a sister, and I vould ask you now to come be made family vith my clan.” The look upon Y’Dürkie’s face made Arwenna realize this was not something she would ask lightly.

              “Be made family….I’m not sure I understand.”  Arwenna’s puzzlement crept into her voice.

              “My family and I, ve vould like the honor of addink your name to the rolls of the Veasel Clan. If you agree, you vould become as family to us and vould have the right to call upon us at any time for vhatever reason. You vould have a home to go to vhenever you vanted it.”

              Arwenna’s eyes widened as she realized the gift Y’Dürkie offered her. She grinned at her friend. “I would be honored, Y’Dürkie. What needs to be done, and when can we do it?  And is it all right if Joss or Barek come along and observe?”

              Y’Dürkie smiled back at her, all traces of seriousness gone. “They can both come and vatch, if they like. The Clan is gatherink now. The rite itself is a simple one, though it vill require a small knife prick to draw a drop or two of your blood. I vill leave it to you to do the explainink to Joss.”  A knowing look crossed her face, causing Arwenna to flush a bit. “You seem quite good at explainink things to him lately. I vill go ask Barek if he vants to come vatch and ve can head that vay.”  Y’Dürkie waved her hand in parting and walked off to find Barek.

              Arwenna turned and quickly filled Joss in to the happenings of the night. Taking a quick glance down at her dusty gown, she realized a change was in order. She excused herself and dashed into the pavilion.

              A few minutes later, she reemerged in the emerald green gown to find Joss, Y’Dürkie, and Barek waiting for her. There was something on all of their faces, as if a discussion had stopped because she stepped out. And not a pleasant topic, either.               Without an indication from any of them that they were willing to tell her, she took Joss’ proffered arm and let him escort her behind Y’Dürkie. Barek fell into step on the other side of her.

              The Weasel Clan had taken up a space not that far from the command pavilion, so the walk was a brief one. The drumming and talk died down as soon as they approached. D’Mitta sat in what looked like a seat of honor on the far side of a huge bonfire. Arwenna stood behind Y’Dürkie, waiting to see what would happen next.

              D’Mitta rose, her booming voice throwing out a challenge. “Who comes before the Veasel Clan and for vhat end?”  The formality in her voice conveyed the weight of the rite they were ready to perform.

              Y’Dürkie’s voice rose to the challenge. “It is I, Y’Dürkie Zinkey, member of this Clan. I brink another to join our ranks and to be made sister to me.”

              D’Mitta motioned them forward. Arwenna gave Joss a reassuring smile as she followed Y’Dürkie’s lead. Walking towards D’Mitta, she kept the fire between them. She stopped even with Y’Dürkie and waited.

              “Members of the Veasel Clan, this person known as Arvenna has been much in our minds as of late. Ve go to var for her. Tomorrow, some of us vill die because ve think her cause is just. Blood shall be shed on the field of glory, and the songs of our deeds and deaths shall be sung for all time. Before this glory can be granted, though, Arvenna must be made a Veasel. My own granddaughter does vouch for her vorth. To this voice I vould add my own. Are there any here now that vould disagree with us?”  The fire crackled and popped in the silence.

              Arwenna drew a deep breath and watched as D’Mitta brought forth a goblet and dagger, both ornately carved and jeweled. With a swift motion, she calmly pricked the palm of her hand and allowed a few drops of her blood to fall into the goblet. A nod towards Y’Dürkie and Arwenna clued her in and she presented her palm to D’Mitta. The prick was quick and almost painless. Someone pressed a small cloth into her hand to help stem the small flow of blood after drops were added to the goblet. Arwenna absently wrapped her hand as she watched D’Mitta complete the ceremony.

              “The blood of all three, leader of the Clan and those who vould be sisters to each other, is vithin this vine. Drink in turn and vith the drinkink bind yourselves to each other and to the Clan as a whole.”  D’Mitta took a sip, passing the cup over to Y’Dürkie. Y’Dürkie drank deeply, and passed the cup over to Arwenna. Without pause, she drank of the contents before handing the cup back to D’Mitta.

              The cup was silently passed around the fire, each member of the Clan drinking in turn. It wove its way back to D’Mitta, who drank the last of it.

“Do not just stand there, Y’Dürkie!  Your sister looks hungry!” With a laugh, Arwenna and               Y’Dürkie gave each other a hug as the onlookers began to cheer.

              It took Arwenna a good half hour before she could escape the well wishes and questions from Y’Dürkie’s family and the rest of the Clan. She finally spotted Joss sitting on a log near the fire and walked towards him to find a seat.

              “You don’t look like you’re enjoying yourself, Joss.”  She gently chided him.

              He laughed, “I’m having fun, really. I’m just being a good escort and keeping far enough away not to scare any of your new family, but close enough to jump in if you have troubles.”

              “Speaking of troubles, what were you talking with Barek and Y’Dürkie about before I came out?  The three of you looked like I’d interrupted your favorite blood sport.” She kept her voice as unconcerned as she could.

              Joss looked away from her before he answered. “It’s nothing you should worry about. Just chalk it up to all of us wanting the same thing, which is to keep you safe, and to find ways not to step on each other’s toes while we do it.” 

She started to say something, but stopped as he continued. “It’s not something you’ll be able to solve for us, Arwenna. It’s best you stay out of it completely.”  She could hear a finality in his voice that told her she wouldn’t get anything else from him about it.