Jean Lorrah - Wulfston's odyssey

“I thought the Savishnon held Djahat.”

“They did after they drove my ancestors out, until my mother defeated them. My father and Chulaika and I fled through those Savishnon-held lands after the battle at Johara. With Savishnon between us and Z’Nelia, we felt safe in the lands of the Warimu, but with the Savishnon weakened other peoples moved into those lands, driving the remaining Savishnon northward. A short time ago, Z’Nelia took those lands into Zionae power once more. Now I know she knew where I was, and wanted a common border between our lands.”

“Then,” Wulfston wondered, “has she taken Lenardo to Djahat?”

“Yes,” Norgu replied, “or at least that was her plan when she stole him from me. I must take my revenge, but you are right. Alone I would have to wait until my powers grew stronger. With your help, I can seek revenge now, before Z’Nelia’s madness does any further damage!”

Wulfston refrained from commenting further; he had what he wanted, and could only hope that with the help of Ashuru, Tadisha, and Kamas, Norgu could be kept to their plan.

When he told Ashuru and Tadisha the news, Ashuru said, “I did not think anyone could talk Norgu out of his revenge.”

“He still plans revenge; he is just facing the fact that he doesn’t have the strength to fight Z’Nelia alone.”

Ashuru shook her head. “I had hoped to take him beyond mere acceptance of facts. I failed to heal the wounds left by his mother’s treachery-and, of course, his father’s. Norgu is obsessed with Z’Nelia’s power-madness, yet incapable of recognizing his own.”

“But… you have the capability to heal such madness?”

“I have the knowledge,” Ashuru replied, “but not the time. Norgu needs years of care to counteract his terrible childhood. He is in desperate need of the teaching his father was giving him when he died. If we succeed against Z’Nelia-”

“-Norgu will expect jto take her throne,” said Tadisha. “How are we to prevent him?”

“Wait,” said Wulfston. “Queen Ashuru, can your Seers not work together to heal sick minds quickly, as our Master Readers do at home?”

“Quickly?” she asked. “If you mean weeks or months instead of years, yes. But if you mean that I should attempt to heal Norgu before-”

“Not Norgu,” said Wulfston. “Z’Nelia.”

“What?!” Both women spoke at once, two pairs of green eyes fixed on him.

“We have all been assuming,” he explained, “that if we win the upcoming battle, it will mean Z’Nelia’s death. That would create a power struggle between the Karili Assembly and Norgu over rule of the Zionae lands, with the Savishnon ever available to take advantage of any weakness. But what if we do not kill Z’Nelia, but heal her?”

“How do we control her in the battle, so that we can have the chance to heal her?” Ashuru asked.

“Tadisha will be a powerful Seer one day, but she has neither the power nor the training to help me with Z’Nelia now.”

Wulfston looked into the lion’s eyes. “Lenardo has both.”

“Can you speak for him?”

“If he is conscious he will be Reading. The moment he knows what you intend to do, I know he will aid you.”

Ashuru nodded. “Yes-from what I have Seen of Lenardo in your mind, I know that you speak truthfully. But can you give a promise for him, and bind him to it?”

“What do you mean?” Wulfston asked warily.

“Suppose we win the battle, and free Lenardo. Will he stay in Africa as long as it takes to heal Z’Nelia so that she can be trusted on the throne?”

If only I could ask him ! Wulfston thought, remembering Aradia, pregnant-but surrounded by Readers and Adepts.

“Perhaps,” Tadisha answered his thought, “I can reach along the road to Johara out of body. Men on horseback couldn’t have ridden that far yet. If Lord Lenardo is conscious-”

“I doubt he’s being taken to Johara,” Wulfston remembered, no longer startled at having his thpughts overheard. For the hundredth time he wished he had the Reader’s training to decide when he wanted to be Read and when not, without having to concentrate on it.

He told Ashuru and Tadisha what Norgu had told him. “Djahat,” said Ashuru. “That is much closer than Johara. Tadisha, Lord Lenardo knows you, but I fear to allow you to leave your body after what happened in the temple.”

“And I fear,” said Wulfston, “that Z’Nelia is keeping Lenardo unconscious. We know he can Read over five days’ distance. If he hasn’t contacted us, I do not think we can contact him.”

“Then I must ask you again,” said Ashuru, “will Lord Lenardo abide by a promise you give for him?”

“I believe he will,” Wulfston replied, “if you will release him from it the moment your own healers can handle Z’Nelia.”

“Agreed.” Ashuru smiled, the first true smile of friendship she had given him. “I know you are concerned about your sister and the child she carries. If we succeed in our endeavor, you and Lord Lenardo should easily reach home in time for the birth of his daughter.”

When Ashuru went to supervise the continuing preparation for war, Tadisha lingered beside Wulfston as they left their conference room. Karili and Warimu troops were arriving daily, and Norgu’s castle overflowed with people.

Structural repairs had been made quickly, as Z’Nelia’s firestorm had not lasted long enough to destroy stone walls. New doors and window frames were already in place, and workmen pounded away with hammers as they replaced the wooden shakes on the roof of some areas. Where the roof was tiled, it might be blackened, but it remained sound.

There was a singular lack of furnishings, however; chairs, tables, and chests had gone up in flames, along with hangings, cushions, linens, and clothing. To Wulfston it was a sadly familiar situation. Fire was a favorite Adept weapon; he had spent many a day in similarly fire-stripped castles and villas.

He had hoped, he told Tadisha, that he had seen the last of such damage.

She shook her head sadly. “How can it ever end, except through some person of great powers eventually ruling all, destroying his enemies?”

“Is that what you would wish for?” he asked.

“No! No-the stories you tell of your lands, where Movers and Seers live together in peace… if only we could do the same.”

They left the castle, Traylo and Arlus at their heels. The town was busy; they cut through a side street, out into what ought to be the countryside, but was now the campgrounds of a growing army.

“Peace is possible-with vigilance,” Wulfston said. “But it didn’t happen in a day. We are still building trust among our people, and there are those along our borders who think us weaklings if we do not seek to conquer further. Every so often we have to fight off those who try to conquer us. Armies like this are not as common a sight as they once were in the Savage Empire, but there are still times when we must gather them.”

“We,” said Tadisha. “Us. I wonder if our Karili Assembly will ever have that kind of unity, when even among families we see such conflict. Z’Nelia, Chulaika, Norgu- deadly enemies despite being of one blood.”

“One blood,” Wulfston said flatly. ” My blood.”

An apology leaped to Tadisha’s eyes. “I didn’t-”

“I know.” He smiled, silencing her with a gentle finger on her lips. “I needed to say it aloud. A part of me knew I would find such answers, long before I was forced to journey here and ask the questions. Even before Chulaika’s ship entered the harbor in my land, that part of me was waiting for her… with dread.

When she stood before my throne, I didn’t need Seeing powers to know that she and I were related.”