Bertrice Small - A Distant Tomorrow

“Mother, I saw a dark land,” Lara told Ilona. “Dasras and I were riding over Obscura, and I saw the desert of the Shadow Princes curving to the south, but to the north there was a dark land. Is Terah in danger from it, Mother?”

“There is always danger from the darkness,” Ilona said, and then she began to fade slowly from the dream plane. “Follow your destiny, my daughter,” she called as she disappeared completely.

Lara awoke, and her first instinct was to laugh. The mortal side of her had always resented the inscrutable, and the faerie world was always speaking to her in riddles. She saw it was growing light outside of her chamber window. A new day. She had best prepare a habitat for the faeriepost messengers today. They would quickly be here, she knew. Rising she called to Mila to help her dress, and bring her food. When Lara had eaten she went into the beautiful garden overlooking the fjord. The day was gray, and a faint mist rose from the waters below. A few late flowers offered splashes of color here and there, but the trees were almost all bare of their leaves now. Gazing about her she saw a tall narrow tower on the south side. It soared gracefully into the Terahn sky.

“What are you gazing at?” Sirvat was at her side.

“There,” Lara pointed. “That tower. Who lives in it?”

“No one,” Sirvat answered her. “It was once our grandmother’s quarters when our father was Dominus. She loved the tower because its windows faced south, and it was always warm. She lived to be very old.” Her hands gently rubbed her belly as she spoke.

“How do you get into it?” Lara asked.

“Come, I’ll show you,” Sirvat said leading Lara across the great gardens. “The tower appears to be part of the castle, but it really isn’t,” she explained. “There is no entrance into it but from here in the garden.” They had reached the tower, and Sirvat’s hand searched along the stones of the structure until she found what she sought. The small door to the tower opened slowly. “There is no key,” she told her companion. “The door opens by pressing a small lever beneath this stone. Mark it well.”

Lara peered carefully at the location of the wall stone. “I have it,” she said.

“Come then,” Sirvat invited her, and together the two young women stepped into the tower. “I can still climb stairs, albeit more slowly now,” she chuckled.

On the first landing was a lovely sunny small chamber. It was empty. They found identical chambers on the second and top landing of the tower. Lara was delighted.

“This will be perfect for them!” she exclaimed.

“For who?” Sirvat inquired.

“My mother is giving Terah faeriepost messengers,” Lara explained. “I wanted to find a safe shelter for them here at the castle.”

“Faeriepost messengers?” Sirvat looked confused.

“They are tiny members of the faerie race, and their purpose is to deliver messages,” Lara said. “Terah faeries are hidden, so you have no faeriepost.”

“Why do we need them?” Sirvat asked as they descended back down the tower stairs, and exited out into the garden. Behind them the door closed.

“How much has Corrado told you?” Lara wanted to know.

“He has told me nothing, which is why I came looking for you this morning,” Sirvat said. “He says I must be protected since I am carrying his child.”

The two women reentered the castle, and going to the royal apartments made themselves comfortable in the Domina’s day room.

“See we are not disturbed,” Lara told her serving woman, Mila. Then she turned to Sirvat. “I do not know how much you know of the trade between Hetar and Terah.”

“I know we have a trade with the Coastal Kings,” Sirvat said.

“They are but one of Hetar’s regions,” Lara said. “For centuries they have traded with you for the luxury goods Terah makes. The rest of Hetar believed they manufactured these goods themselves, and the Coastal Kings never said they did not. Now, however, the emperor of Hetar has learned otherwise. Sooner or later he will send someone to Terah. Their purpose will ostensibly be to trade directly with Terah, and not get their goods through the Coastal Kings. But they will also be looking to see if Terah can be conquered by Hetar. Hetar is overpopulated and needs to expand its borders. This past spring it invaded the Outlands where the clan families live. Fortunately we had warning of this betrayal of the ancient treaties. The clan families, along with their homes, goods and chattel were removed from the Outlands, and resettled here in Terah.”

Sirvat gasped. “Did you use your magic to bring them here? I assumed you did when Corrado told me of these Outlanders.”

Lara laughed. Sirvat’s fascination with magic always amused her. “Yes. The clan families were brought to the far side of the Emerald Mountains where the land is much like the land they left. This has been a secret, but soon we will confide in the headmen of the fjord villages. They will be led to believe that the clan families have existed on the other side of the mountains for centuries, and only the ruling family knew of it.

“Hetar has now extended its borders, but all that the emperor promised his Mercenaries was not there. No villages, or herds, or slaves to be taken. The Shadow Princes even used their powers to close the hillsides where the mines had been. Only the land existed in fact for the invaders. Gaius Prospero, Hetar’s emperor, has had to expend his own monies helping to make the Outlands habitable. It is going to take them years. But he will want to recoup his losses as quickly as possible, and so he will look to Terah.”

“He will want to see if we are weak, if we can be conquered, too,” Sirvat said.

“Exactly!” Lara agreed.

“So we have to show this Hetarian who comes that we are not weak,” Sirvat responded. “We have to build an army, Lara.”

“Aye, we do, and we are going to build one,” Lara replied. “Corrado is in charge of rebuilding the coastal watchtowers. The headmen of the fjord villages will soon meet with the Dominus. Magnus will explain the situation, and then we will prepare to mount our defenses for Terah. And that is why we need the faeriepost. They will aid us in communicating quickly with each other. Each headman’s village will be given a pair of faeries.”

“I want to help!” Sirvat said.

“And so you shall,” Lara promised her. “But I must assign you a task that will not distress Corrado. At least until after you have delivered his child.”

The two women giggled conspiratorially.

“I plan to use your grandmother’s south tower to house the faeriepost messengers who will live here in the castle before some of them are disbursed to the villages. There are certain things these little creatures need for their comfort, and when I have told you, and shown you, I will leave you, Sirvat, to prepare for our guests.”

“I will gladly prepare for these faeries who will be the first of their kind in Terah. It is an honor to be able to serve the faerie kingdom,” Sirvat said. “Tell me what I must do, and I will begin at once.”

“Excellent!” Lara exclaimed. “We must work quickly, for I know now that my mother has promised us these tiny helpers they will be coming quickly.”

“I’ll call you when I have completed my task,” Sirvat said getting up, and hurrying away. “And I’ll keep our secrets,” she called out softly.

Lara smiled. It would go well. When Hetar came to investigate Terah they would discover not only a prosperous land, but a strong one. But the dark land to the north had begun to prey on her mind, intrude into her thoughts. The unknown was always the most frightening thing of all. But she shook off her fears. One thing at a time, and for now the defense of Terah must occupy them.