Richard Parker - Elsewhere

“High Zarina,” Piros added, greeting the Traveler as well, and minutes later after all the various greetings they all sat down, though the atmosphere on the veranda was now distinctly less casual.

“It’s being said all over Herra that you’ve come to petition the Council,” the Tarina Ethelridge finally said.

Gwaynn nodded. “Yes that’s true.”

The Tarina shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid then you’ve have come all this way for nothing.”

“Tarina Eth….” Tar Endid began but fell silent as she gave him a commanding look.

“You see Prince Gwaynn, you are not the recognized ruler of Massi and therefore are not in a position to petition for aid,” the Tarina continued.

Gwaynn was about to protest when he caught a whisper of a movement flutter by his consciousness. ‘Zebo,’ he thought, but could not have said why. He glanced over at the Traveler Monde, who sat frozen, expression blank.

“I am the heir and ruler of Massi,” Gwaynn spoke up quickly, not truly caring what the Tarina Ethelridge thought. He would still make his petition to Noble Island.

She smiled a blandly at him. “Of course you may try, but do not be too disappointed if your words go unheeded.”

Gwaynn was only half-listening; part of his attention was still riveted on Zarina Monde. Zebo making contact could only mean one thing; the Temple Knights had arrived in Massi.

“I will still offer my petition,” Gwaynn added, his heart hammering in his chest, worry for Samantha and the unborn baby rampaging about in his mind.

“And you should,” a familiar voice said from the door. Gwaynn looked up and saw Kostek, his old teacher and new High Tar, standing in the doorway.

Tarina Ethelridge frowned. “That will be for the Council to decide,” she said briskly.

Tar Kostek smiled, though to Gwaynn it seemed more than a little sad. “As High Tar I am head of the Council,” he informed the Tarina.

“Yes, but may I remind you High Tar, that you are not The Council.”

Kostek nodded. “And may I remind you Tarina Ethelridge that neither are you.”

The Tarina sat silent in her chair for a moment glaring at High Tar Kostek. He ignored her.

“Prince Gwaynn, High Zarina Monde, might I have a word with you…” he glanced around briefly, “in private,” he added and motioned for the two to join him.

They rose immediately and began following him from the veranda. “Tar Endid,” Kostek said and the young Tar vaulted from his seat, a wide smile on his face.

“The Knights have landed south of Drake and are moving on Cape,” Monde whispered quietly to Gwaynn once they were in the hall. Gwaynn bent low to hear her words. “The Rhondono are challenging the Toranado at the Gap.”

Gwaynn straightened back up and continued to follow along behind Tar Kostek. He wasn’t surprised by the news, just dismayed. It was all coming too fast; they needed more time to make preparations. As they moved toward the High Tar’s private quarters he wondered if his General was having better luck persuading the Cassinni.

ǂ

Lonogan Bock was kissing Traveler Jess na Gall, and in his mind kissing her well, at least until she suddenly jumped back from him like a shot. She stood less than a foot from him, her eyes wide and passionate; her cheeks were flushed and tinged a bright pink which momentarily confused Bock, after all she was no longer a young lass.

“Monde,” she whispered in explanation then she closed her eyes and her face went slightly blank, after a moment a dim haze appeared in center of the gazebo where moments before the two of them were sitting and talking, then standing and kissing. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, hadn’t even considered it an option. Oh, she was attractive enough, too attractive by far. But he was not so foolish as to believe that someone like na Gall would entertain the idea of kissing him back. Even now he was having a hard time believing it, though moments before she seemed enthusiastic enough.

‘I must be a fool,’ he thought, trying to pry his eyes from her moistened lips. When he finally succeeded in forcing them away, they went right back like disobedient children hunting candy.

“Hello High Zarina,” na Gall finally said as she completed the connection.

“na Gall,” Monde answered. “Is General Bock with you?”

Jess looked quickly into Lonogan’s eyes and had to fight down the urge to giggle.

‘Get a grip,’ she thought to herself. “Yes, he’s here.”

“Lonogan,” the voice of Gwaynn Massi said through the mist. “How goes it on your end?”

Bock’s smile faded slightly and he was finally able to tear his mind from the thought of kissing the beautiful Traveler before him, nevertheless he licked his lips absently.

“Slowly,” na Gall answered. “We have an audience with King Marc this evening. My father is returning to Parma later this afternoon and will escort us.”

There was a pause then Gwaynn’s disembodied voice asked. “Zarina na Gall, how soon will you be able to Travel?”

“Travel?” na Gall replied momentarily confused and saddened. She was enjoying her time with her family, and her relative alone time with Lonogan. She was surprised by her powerful emotions when she was near the man, though she’d recognized her attraction to the Massi General long ago. It was only last night that her feelings for him truly blossomed, and he hadn’t done a thing. He just slept in the guest bedroom of the house she grew up in, but the fact that he was so close and in a place so familiar to her helped her to realize just how strongly her feelings for him had become. Late the previous night, or more accurately very early this morning, she’d risen very thirsty and passed his room. The moon was bright and in the dim light she could see that he was lying, shirtless under a thin sheet, half on his side but mostly on his stomach. His hair was tousled but his face was as sweet and serene as a young boy’s. Her heart, like a tumbler, did a little flip and continued to flip regularly ever since.

“To Massi?” she asked.

“Yes. The Temple Knights have landed.”

She glanced at Bock in time to see his face fall, even though the news was expected. Her heart did another flip as she thought perhaps his disappointment matched her own at the prospect of leaving Parma and her childhood home.

“I’m not sure…several days,” she answered, wondering just where the Knights were located. She could Travel to Heron from here, but would be hard pressed to jump from there to Manse without further rest.

“Perhaps you should Travel to Noble,” Monde said, interrupting her thoughts, “then we can all make the trip to Manse together.”

na Gall thought about this for a moment, frowning until Lonogan reached out and took her hand in his. Her heart jumped again and she gave him a small smile. “I may be able to Travel to Noble by tomorrow, late afternoon or early evening.”

“Good!” Gwaynn and Monde said in unison, and then they heard Monde chuckle. “Plan on it,” the Zarina continued. “I’ll contact you soon.”

“As you wish,” na Gall answered.

“Win the Cassinni for us,” Gwaynn added as the Speaker bubble slowly disappeared.

After it was fully gone, Lonogan and Jess stood close together, still holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Both wanted to resume kissing, but each felt that somehow, after such horrendous news, it would be the height of selfishness to do so. And even though Lonogan Bock was completely taken with the woman in front of him, his mind refused to stay present and kept darting back across hundreds of miles of water to his army in Massi. Worry caused his brows to furrow slightly and na Gall reached up and caressed his cheek, bringing him fully back to Parma.