- Prologue-

1 month after separation

"She wakes."

Arizira groaned and attempted to open her eyes. Her body felt weak and heavy. Her breaths were more difficult to take and her head was a tumultuous riot of distorted images. Where was she? What had happened? As her eyes slowly opened, she realized that her vision was extremely blurred. The face above her own was hazy and without vivid definition. She noticed dark hair and dark skin.

Her heart raced.

"Tah-li..." she croaked in a broken voice that was foreign to her ears.

"Her mind is still fevered," another voice, more familiar, spoke.

"What is the cause of this affliction? Her body is whole," the first voice asked. The voice was raspy and low and unfamiliar.

Arizira allowed her eyes to close, the effort required to keep them open too much for her weakened state. She could not place her location. The last thing she remembered was Talliea in the arms of a powerfully built Esu man. She had run away at Talliea's request.

Had she been captured? Was Talliea safe?

Wait. There were other images. Memories.

She recalled several nights spent in the cover of the forest as she tracked the men who had taken Talliea from her. They had moved quickly and efficiently as a group, even with their injured clanspeople. The man, Markahn, had stayed close to Talliea.

Arizira remembered.

They had not stopped to rest or make camp. They had moved as one on their short journey back to their camp. Arizira remembered her feelings of frustration. She had waited for an opportunity to rescue Talliea, but such a thing had never presented itself.

A week after her separation from Talliea, Arizira had noticed the change in her body and mind. She recalled restless nights, fatigue and lethargy, delusions and pain. She had walked through the forest without direction, her mind too fevered with its loss to be of any use to her.

Other images came to her. Distorted. Askew. There were voices. Conversations. She could not recall everything. The last thing she remembered was falling to the melting snow as her heart finally cried completely for its loss. She had never experienced so much pain in all her life. Her mind and her body had refused to work together and so she had finally given in to the desire to give up.

"Yet, her spirit is not. A month has waned since she was parted from her love. Her spirit cries."

The voice was so familiar. Arizira knew the voice.

"Will she recover?" the second voice asked. "Is there nothing to be done for such a sickness?"

Sickness? She was ill? That would explain her inability to think clearly.

"No. Unless she is reunited with the one of whom she shares her essence, she will die. I can offer her comfort and alleviation, but that is all."

No...

No...

She could not die. She had to save Talliea. She had to rescue her before Lao'dahn or Markahn brought her harm. She had to see her again. Everything would be okay if they were together. Her mission was not yet complete. She could not pass to Aitla knowing her love was confined and oppressed.

She could not.

"This is not what we saw," the first voice said in a raspy whisper.

Arizira felt a hand, warm and soft, caress her forehead. She tried to open her eyes again. Her vision was still unfocused, but she could easily make out silver hair.

An Arnira. The face drew closer.

There was a dull flash of purple eyes.

“All will be as it ought to be, child. Aitla watches you. She guides you."

Arizira licked her dry lips and tried to clear her vision. The strength required to speak seemed enormous to her, but she attempted the act anyway.

"C-Cyn...ra."

Cynra smiled and ran a hand through Arizira's silvery-blonde hair.

"Rest. Your body shall have renewed vigor soon."

As Arizira closed her eyes again, she caught sight of the other person she had heard speaking -- the woman with the dark hair and skin. Her vision blurred as her lids began to close. She smiled softly and, as her mind lost its battle to stay aware and active, she whispered a single word.

"Failira..."

Chapter 1: Malady

"It has been a month"

"I am aware of how much time has passed."

Lao'dahn paused at the venom in Markahn's voice before looking down at the prone woman lying on the bed before him.

"It was that...woman, that creature. She must have done something. "

After Arizira had knocked him unconscious and Markahn and three other Lat'sa'val had come upon the trio, Lao'dahn and Talliea had both been escorted back to the Esu settlement. The trek had been one of haste. Talliea had barely spoken. Her feet had moved sluggishly while her eyes had scanned the trees for her love.

She had felt her presence, but had not been able to pinpoint Arizira's location. As she had walked, her heart had felt heavy. It had nearly been a burden to her, much like her thoughts. With every step, she had hoped to awake from her nightmare of a dream.

Such had never happened. Her reality had settled over her and the weight of it had been painful.

Arizira was gone. Talliea would never get to hear her laughter again. She would never get to listen to the melodic quality of her voice or hear a whispered exhalation of failira. Never again would she watch the glow of Arizira's eyes intensify as the moon came up. She would never again see her smile or feel her fingers upon her skin.

The knowledge that the taste of her kiss would now only live in her memories had nearly suffocated Talliea. Arizira would never say 'I love you' again. Talliea would never hear 'Tah-li' from her lips or fall asleep in her arms.

Their time together was over.

The only small amount of comfort that Talliea could take away from the whole ordeal was that she had spared Arizira a most horrifying experience. She had allowed her to escape so that she might live.

One the second day after their return to camp, as the settlement had come into view, Talliea had taken notice of a most unpleasant sensation. She could not describe it. It was as if she was...stretched. Her footsteps had felt heavier and her thoughts became harder to organize. Once she and the others had made it into camp, the curious ailments increased tenfold and she had blacked-out not two steps from Markahn's dug-out.

The time following the incident was a blur. She found herself in a fevered delirium. Conversations came and went, but none of them were important to her.

"I will find out what has happened from Talliea. Not you, Lao'dahn." Markahn sneered at the other man's earlier words.

Lao'dahn, when his wounds had been healed and he had returned to consciousness, had regaled the other men on his tale of heroism. He had told the entire clan how he had attempted to rescue Talliea from the hands of a savage and heathen woman, the likes of which he had never seen.

According to him, Talliea had been held a prisoner and, as her wounds corroborated, been subject to abuse and pain. He had failed to mention that Talliea's wounds had been by his own hands, and so the clan had come to believe that the mysterious woman -- the savage, had inflicted them.

Without Talliea being able to explain her version of events, the other Esu had begun preparing for the possibility of war. They did not know what manner of creature Lao'dahn had seen. The other Lat'sa'val that had seen her, including Markahn, had been unable to speak truly on what she could be. All of them, however, had said one same thing: The woman, whoever she was, was skilled in the art of combat. She was not to be underestimated.

One week passed, then two, and before long a month was behind the Esu people. Healers had come and gone, all leaving in vain as they were unable to have any impact on Talliea's condition. With her being so ill, the right of claim had been suspended. Neither Markahn nor Lao'dahn would be able to claim her until she was named fit to bear children.

Lao'dahn looked over at Markahn and noted the stress upon his face. "She will tell you nothing. Her words are lost inside her mind."

"We shall see, friend."

Lao'dahn stood and turned to leave. As he got to the oiled flap that marked the exit to the healers' dugout, he asked, "Why did you come looking for me? You never believed her to be alive. Why, then, did you risk the winter in search of me?"

Markahn ran a cool cloth over Talliea's heated forehead. Keeping his eyes on her face, he replied, "I could not be responsible for another senseless death. Too many of us, at the time, were lost to the forest."

Lao'dahn thought upon the words for a moment. Finally, he spoke up with a change of topic. "The healers say whatever afflicts Talliea is not of bone and blood. They say her soul, her spirit, holds some malady."

Without looking at Lao'dahn, Markahn responded in cold and hard words. "Then, perhaps, you should not have been so eager to send Taetylona away. The Sage woman would be of use now. You are responsible for this. Your actions brought this event into being."

Lao'dahn opened his mouth to retort, but wisely chose to ignore the comment. Instead, he pulled the oiled skin away from the exit and quickly departed. Markahn dipped the cloth in his hand into the small clay bowl at his side. Wetting the material, he brought it back up to Talliea's forehead.

As the cloth met her warm skin, he was surprised to notice her eyes opening. "Talliea?" he asked, hopefully. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Their dark depths scanned the room she was in as she licked her dry lips.

"W-where...is s-she?" she asked groggily. Markahn looked confused and turned around to look about the room. "Who?" he asked softly. "Who do you need, Talliea?"

Her eyes met his and she startled at realizing with whom she was speaking. "Markahn?"

"Yes. You are safe now. We rescued you."

He watched tears spring up in her dark eyes as her face contorted to one of sorrow. "No...n-no," she cried. Markahn tossed the cloth he still gripped into the clay bowl beside him and leaned over her to comfort her. His hands were gentle as they landed on her shoulders.

"Tell me what happened, Talliea. Who did this to you? Was it that creature we found with you? Is she the one who plagues you so?"

Talliea shook her head. Her mind was so cluttered and hazy. She could not remember so much. Did her people blame Arizira for her state? No! They could not! Arizira had saved her -- in more ways than one. Lao'dahn had been the one who had struck her and meant her harm. Not Arizira. Never Arizira. She did not know what was wrong with her. She could not understand her condition.

All she knew was that Arizira would never bring her any pain. No, Talliea's suffering, whatever that suffering was, was the product of Lao'dahn's hatred, not Arizira's love. The others had to know that, but Talliea could not tell them. How could she explain to Markahn, the man who had claimed her and waited for her for five years, that she had fallen completely and wholly in love with a woman?

And, not just any woman, an Arniran. A woman of legend and fantasy and myth. A woman her people believed to be mythological faeries. How could she explain to Markahn that Arizira was the person she loved, not him. How could she tell him that she had given her innocence to Arizira, that the two of them had joined and bonded and made love and every other variation name of the act.

No, he would not be able to understand. Her connection with Arizira transcended everything she had ever believed about the world. She could barely understand it herself, let alone try to explain it to someone like Markahn.

Yet, could she deny the truth? Could she have her people believing Arizira had brought about her sickness? What if they sought to find her? What if they declared war on the Arnira? Could Talliea keep quiet when she held information that could be useful?

"Talliea? Stay with me. Tell me what you know. I know lies and deceit color the tale Lao'dahn has sung around the campfire. I need the truth. You possess it. Did that woman hurt you?"

No. There was too much. Too much. She was away from Arizira. Her body was in pain. Her heart ached. Her spirit cried. Now, Markahn was asking for the truth. He wanted to know if Arizira had harmed her. What tale had Lao'dahn told the others? Had he made himself out to be the hero? Had he spread lies about Arizira? About Talliea?

Had he told the others about the two of them? Talliea felt her heart begin to beat faster in her chest. Her vision clouded over. It was too much. She vaguely heard Markahn begging her to stay awake, but she was unable to comply.

Blackness took her and, with it, she hoped to be reunited with Arizira.

* * * * *

"Welcome back, Child of Whispers."

Arizira stirred. Her mind was more clear, her thoughts more vivid. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times to strengthen her sight. "Cynra?" she asked and her voice was stronger.

"Yes. Always you were a heavy sleeper, but this marks a new stage even for you."

Arizira sat up and looked around her surroundings. She was in a wooded enclosure. It almost looked like an Arniran home, but the wood used was not alive. She was not in a tree, but somewhere else. Various animal hides and dried meats hung about the area. The smell of sage and herbs burning came to her nostrils. A bedroll was along one side of the structure she was in. She turned her head curiously at it. Arnira used Ophe'las leaves for their bedding. Who slept upon that bedroll?

Cynra watched her take in everything and smiled to herself. Arizira always was attentive and perceptive.

"Where am I?"

"With me, child," Cynra answered and there was a note of humor in her voice. Memories and events were more available to Arizira and she closed her eyes as they played behind her lids.

Lao'dahn.

He attacked Talliea. Talliea was hurt and Arizira had fought Lao'dahn.

Others…

Others. There were others. Other men. They had separated the two of them. Talliea had begged Arizira to run. To live.

Nights. Cold nights. There was a blur. She was sick. Unable to think clearly. She had felt torn, ripped in two.

Next, there was Cynra. She recalled her face and her voice. There was another voice. Low and raspy. It had belonged to a dark skinned woman. An Esu...

Arizira sat up completely. "Tah-li, where is she? I need to see her." Her voice was rushed and frantic.

Cynra placed old hands on her shoulders. "Shh, do not exert yourself. I have eased your suffering, but I have not healed it."

"I found her, Honored One. My Doira'Liim. She is real and the connection...the sensations -- I need to see her, please."

Cynra smiled sadly and eased Arizira back down. "I know, child. I know. There is much we have need to discuss...so much you do not know." Arizira wrinkled her brow. Cynra's hands were smoothing through her hair again, almost maternal-like. Her eyes were sad, more sad than Arizira had ever seen them. She was about to question what Cynra meant when a noise alerted her to a newcomer.

"Your wolf likes to pretend that I enjoy long walks through the snow."

The voice…

It was the voice from before.

"Stop complaining. There is hardly any snow left to complain about with this strange weather! Your old legs brought you to the Northlands. A walk in the woods to bring back breakfast is hardly anything to gripe about," Cynra argued.

Arizira closed her eyes. Both women's words were known to her. The other woman, the newcomer, was speaking in Esulan while Cynra was speaking in Arniran. Somehow, both women understood the other. The exchange left Arizira's head more jumbled. It was disconcerting.

"I'll complain if I want to. It makes me happy."

Arizira opened her eyes again and looked toward the voice. The woman on the far side of the room was sitting a brace of conies down on the floor. She was tall and stout with a mess of grayish-black hair. Her eyes were almond shaped and the color of tan.

Taetylona. Arizira knew her from Talliea's memories.

"Sage woman," she whispered, not aware she had spoken the words aloud.

Taetylona turned to look in her direction. Her gaze was sharp and focused. She walked over to Arizira and squatted to the floor. "Cynra was right."

"Of course I was," Cynra retorted. "I told you she would know who you are. It's her connection with your clanswoman."

Before anymore words could be spoken, a large, white wolf came up to Arizira's other side. The great animal lowered itself to a seated position and looked down at Arizira. Blue eyes met blue eyes. Arizira recalled having seen the creature once before, but being so close to it now confirmed what she had only felt so long ago.

"The wolf is happy to see you awake," Taetylona said. Arizira's eyes were wide as she continued to stare into the wolf's icy stare.

"This creature is no wolf," she said in a low and awed voice.

Chapter 2: Before the Storm

"I can not believe you are so willing to lead your sisters into battle for the pain of a broken heart."

Bela'luin continued fletching the arrows in front of her without any indication that she had heard Talyn's words. After the ruling of the other Elders over a month past, relations between Bela and the Nai'iris had become strained. The other Elders had agreed with Bela'luin's assessment of the situation and rethought their original decision to be cautious. Like Bela, they believed allowing the Esu time to grow stronger could only prove to harm them in the long run.

With the snows melting early and winter soon to give way to spring, the first battle between the Esu and the Arnira was near. It was only a matter of days before the two peoples would clash.

"I do this for the protection of the tribe."

Talyn scoffed and walked around the look at Bela'luin. "Are you so certain? I know you loved Arizira. You still love her, but it is not our way to hold such feelings inside ourselves when they are not returned. She hurt you, Bela-"

"Enough!" Bela'luin hissed before standing up. "I wish not to speak of this. We are going to war, Nai'iris. A unified voice in that effort would offer us an untold strength. The others need to know that you support this decision."

"I do not support this decision. You would have lies lead our sisters? Bela, please. We are falling away from ourselves and into ruin."

Bela'luin paced around the tree-hut the Arnira huntresses used to house their weapons and armor. With hands on her hips, she turned to Talyn and glared at her for a moment. She did not disrespect the other woman. In fact, she still very much offered her the same level of homage as any of the other women of the tribe. Her issue with Talyn was her inability to see reason. She felt that Talyn withheld information about Arizira and the Esu.

“Whatever my reasons for following this course of action, the end result shall still be the same. The Esu are a threat. Arizira has been away for too long. My scouts lost her trail weeks ago. The Esu woman she was with must have betrayed her."

Talyn looked saddened for a moment. It was obvious that Bela'luin still loved Arizira, but her actions were misguided, her intentions not entirely pure. Talyn could not say what had happened to Arizira, but she did not believe the Esu woman to be responsible for any ill will. If what Cynra had said was to be believed, Arizira's love for the woman was matched only in strength by the Esu woman's love for her.

No, whatever the reasons for Arizira's disappearance, Bela'luin was interpreting the information incorrectly.

"This action will lead to doom. For all. It will not make Arizira love you, Bela. Her heart belongs wholly to another."

Bela'luin lowered her brows suspiciously and took a step toward Talyn. "Again, your words speak of dark information, yet you keep it away from the light. What do you know, Nai'iris?"

Holding Bela'luin's emerald green eyes, Talyn set her jaw and replied, "Only that, if what I have been told is true, Arizira's connection to the Esu woman can never be severed. Their bond is eternal and nothing -- nothing, you do, Bela, will ever change that."

* * * * *

Cynra smiled as she watched Arizira continue to hold the blue eyes of the majestic, white wolf. She knew this moment had been long in the making. For many years, she had been guided by Aitla. Her goddess had shown her Arizira and Talliea's first meeting. She had shown her the depth of their connection and allowed her to witness Arizira's death.

“You shall not interfere."

Cynra recalled her goddess speaking those words to her so long ago in that unearthly voice. True to her promise, she had not interfered…much. When Aitla had seen her struggling with the knowledge she had been granted, She had sent a messenger -- an aide, a creature whose spirit Cynra knew well.

The wolf.

The wolf would be able to go where Cynra could not. It would be her eyes and ears, her warmth and her protector. The wolf had watched over Talliea and Arizira. It had followed them and ensured they both stayed on the path of their destiny. When Lao'dahn had become lost in the woods, the wolf had lead him to where he needed to be. It had kept Arizira asleep so that matters could come to fruition as Aitla desired.

The act had not been an easy one for the wolf. No, far from it. Bringing such harm and pain upon Arizira had been the second most devastating act of its existence; the first being from another time and another place when the wolf had been a different creature.

"This creature is no wolf," Arizira said again. Her eyes found Cynra's and begged for answers.

Cynra inhaled a sharp breath and sat back down on the floor. Taetylona watched her. Arizira watched her. The wolf watched her. "It would seem the time for holding secrets is in the past." Her eyes looked over Arizira intently and a knowing smile spread over her face. "Though you still hold a few of your own."

Arizira appeared confused over the words, but made no comment on them.

"You are correct about the wolf, child. It is no more a wolf than I am Esu. This creature is a messenger, a spirit. When Taetylona first saw her, she believed it to be another spirit she had encountered years before. Though not the same spirit entirely, they each were sent by the same entity."

There was a pause. All eyes were on Cynra. Taetylona did not even know the true nature of the wolf. She knew the animal was more than it seemed, but that was all.

"Aitla sent the spirit of this creature to aid me. To aid you."

"Why?" Arizira asked.

"To fulfill your destiny," Cynra replied mysteriously.

Silence.

Arizira allowed the words to sink into her mind. She knew the women of her tribe believed her to be part of some great fate, that her appearance marked her as someone of import. They called her the Child of Whispers. She had never believed the words spoken about her. She was no different than any of the other women she knew. Her blue eyes and blondish hair were rare and unusual traits, certainly, but those alone could not possibly mean she was destined for greatness or heroics.

"M-my...destiny?" she asked slowly.

"Yes, child."

"And what purpose am I to fulfill?" Arizira asked with slight disbelief and annoyance.

"To love Talliea and set her on the path to her own destiny," answered Cynra.

Arizira exhaled upon hearing Talliea's name. How could Cynra know her name? She had not spoken it, had she? Cynra was telling her that her meeting Talliea was no accident? That their love was always meant to happen?

"Honored One," she started and her voice began to quiver, "can you help me get to her? Please, if it truly is my destiny to love her, then I shall follow that path willingly. I just...I need to see her. I feel incomplete."

"You are incomplete, Arizira."

Taetylona, who had been silent since the start of the conversation, finally spoke up with a question. The connection between Arizira and Talliea was unknown to her. She had never heard of, nor seen, a connection like the one Cynra had described to her.

"You are saying that they both suffer if they are not in the presence of the other? Would that not become a detriment when the need to split-up became important?" she asked.

Cynra let her eyes fall away from the pleading look in Arizira's. Turning to Taetylona, her face changed from one of sadness and regret to one of humor and friendship. "Do not be absurd! Of course they can split-up. Voluntarily. This separation was not of their making. Outside forces caused their split and, as such, their spirits suffer in the same way their bodies were parted. This connection binds the two of them together. They share their essence of life with the other. Their hearts will forever beat as one, and that is not poetic ramblings, mind you."

Arizira listened to Cynra with avid interest. All her young life, she had heard tales of the Doira'Liim. She had grown up hearing of how the powerful connection could not be broken, that it was stronger than either life or death. She had listened and she had adored and she had yearned to find such a thing for herself.

Now, she had found that connection. She had found it, embraced it, cherished it and lost it. The negative side of the Doira'Liim had never been spoken of at length. Cynra's words were new information for Arizira. They only confirmed what she had told Talliea over a month before.

Their separation would destroy them.

The wolf lowered itself to the floor beside Arizira and laid its head across her lap. Arizira looked startled for only a moment before an idea came to her. "Can this spirit help me? Can she help me get to Tah-li?"

Cynra returned her attention to Arizira and looked fondly at both her and the wolf. "She can, but she will not. That is not her purpose in being here."

"Then what is her purpose? You are telling me my destiny is to love Tah-li. How am I to do that in this condition when the two of us are parted?"

"The wolf is the one giving you strength at the moment. That is her purpose now," Cynra responded just as enigmatically as before.

Arizira looked down at the head in her lap before looking back up into Cynra's purple eyes. She had to admit, she did feel much stronger than before. Stronger, but still not whole.

"You said you had eased my suffering."

Cynra shrugged with little regret. "I lied. The wolf aids you, not I. It shares a connection with you."

Arizira tried to understand Cynra's cryptic words. Her mind was more clear and sharp, but she still had difficulty deciphering the Dream Speaker's riddles. All she wanted was to be returned to Talliea's embrace. She desired only to lay in her arms for eternity and fall asleep to the sound of her heartbeat.

Riddles and vague histories and even her own 'destiny' held little weight with her. If Cynra would not help her in rescuing Talliea, then Arizira would commit herself to the endeavor. Alone. Even if she died trying, she had to do everything within her power to get to Talliea again.

"What connection does this spirit share with me?" Arizira asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

Cynra smiled, looking from the wolf's eyes to Arizira's. Taking a deep breath, she said, "The wolf can stabilize your condition because you once shared an essence of life with it…long ago." She paused before, "This wolf holds the spirit of Iolirthas."

Arizira stopped all movement. Her eyes widened. Her stomach dropped. She knew the name, though she did not have a face to place with it. Cynra reached forward and placed a hand on Arizira's leg. "Your nurture mother, child.”

* * * * *

Talliea dreamed.

She saw Arizira's face. So beautiful. So graceful. Her eyes were bright, bluish orbs of silver fire and her lips were pulled back into a playful smirk. Talliea saw Arizira's hair come into view. The silvery-blonde strands were pulled back into a high tail with two elaborate braids on either side of her face.

Talliea smiled.

Arizira's elegant and pointed ears were vividly seen. Her fair skin glowed with a rich radiance and Talliea was certain she could smell her scent. She walked closer to Arizira, but the image moved out of her reach.

No. No...

Talliea's fingers tried in vain to reach out to her love. She desired to touch her so badly. The rest of Arizira's body formed before her eyes. The leather jerkin and tanned breeches were accented by curved gloves and tall boots.

"Ari..." Talliea called and her voice sounded as if in a void. Arizira turned her head in that way that made Talliea's heart flop. "Please stay," Talliea begged.

"You told me to go," the image said.

It was Arizira's voice! That beautiful, lyrical, and accented voice! The sound of it sent a shiver down Talliea's spine. It had been so long since last she had heard it. "I wanted you to live," Talliea said. "I needed you to live."

"I needed you," the image of Arizira responded.

Talliea felt her heart break. She tried again to get closer to Arizira but, like the time before, the image seemed to float further out of her reach. A part of her knew that what she was seeing was not Arizira. A part of her knew she dreamed. She did not care, however. Dream or not, she yearned for Arizira so badly that her mind's fevered tricks and hallucinations were what she would settle for if that was all she could get.

Any image of Arizira was worth it.

"I needed you, too, love. I still need you."

"You let me go. We could have escaped, but you let me go."

Talliea felt tears in her eyes. "No."

"Yes," the image said. "I cried for you and you destroyed what we had."

Talliea swallowed her emotions and took another futile step toward the image of her love. She was so beautiful it made Talliea's heart ache with longing. "I kept you alive. My people would have used you for information. The men would have raped you in an attempt to break your spirit. I could not be the cause of that. My love for you guided my actions. I chose to suffer so that you might continue living."

The image of Arizira turned its head again. A sad look came over blue eyes. "I do not live, I suffer."

Talliea moved again and reached out a hand to caress Arizira's face, but the image faded away and was gone. Talliea fell to the ground beneath her. Blackness seeped in around her and her vision became useless to her.

"I love you. I  love you, Ari-sera. I love you..."

She continued to cry the words not knowing that, while she slept, they fell from her lips in an unintentional declaration. Markahn sat in the corner of the healers' hut and listened to the words continue to fall from the lips of the woman he loved. They were the most heartfelt of any he had ever heard. Talliea's face was scrunched up in obvious distress and sweat covered her brow and hair line. So, that was it. Talliea was in love with the woman she had been with. This…Ari-sera.

Chapter 3: Lineage

"You are so beautiful to me. Everything about you is magical."

"Magical?"

"Yes. I could dream of no other more magnificent perfection. Your hair," dark fingers ran through silver, silken strands, "your eyes," fingers softly trailed across hooded lids, "your lips."

Talliea lowered her fingers and allowed her thumb to gently glide over Arizira's soft lips. She looked down into the face of the woman who had taken over every part of her being. The two of them were cuddled closely together under the warmth of Talliea's blanket. Their bellies were full. Their bodies were warm.

"All of your people share your features?"

Arizira did not answer right away. She continued to look into Talliea's dark eyes and allow herself to become lost to her touch. Raven-colored hair fell around Talliea's neck, face and shoulders and the sight was one of completion for Arizira. She could not fathom how any of her sisters could think the Esu hideous to look upon. Talliea's darker features had always attracted her. To Arizira, she was the epitome of beauty.

After appreciating Talliea's appearance for a moment longer, Arizira finally spoke up. "No other of my people have blue eyes; no other has hair the color of the sun. Apart from those traits, all Arnira share my appearance."

Talliea was quiet for a time. The origin of Arizira's second name, Ahmanae, had nagged at her for as long as she had known the other woman. Many times, she had thought to bring up the name, to ask how an Arnira had come to possess an Esu name, but events had always been more than plentiful. She and Arizira had moved from a friendship to a relationship in, seemingly to her, no time at all. Between learning of one another, surviving during the cold winter, and exploring their newfound feelings, a conversation on names had taken a back seat to other matters.

As she looked down into Arizira's perfect face, she could not help but admire everything that made Arizira who she was. Her features were mesmerizing, astonishing. From the tapered ears, to the glowing eyes, to hair that was a blend of sun and moon, Talliea could not help but be curious about such a wondrous beauty.

Hearing Arizira tell her that her blue eyes and blonde hair were not common among her people piqued Talliea's interest again on the origin of her second name.

"How did you come by such traits? Did one of your mothers have blue eyes?" Arizira shook her head. "Cynra told me that my nurture mother had purple eyes. Of my second mother, I have no information."

"And your nurture mother's hair?"

"Silver, like most Arnira."

Talliea grew silent. She let her thoughts jump from one point to another without trying to ponder any one for too long. Arizira ran the back of her knuckles across the dark skin of her neck and chest as she laid deep in thought. Occasionally, her fingers would tangle in the curly waves of Talliea's sable hair.

"Ari?"

Deep, silvery-blue eyes looked up in acknowledgement.

“What does your second name mean?"

Arizira lowered her fingers from Talliea's black hair until they landed on her shoulder and around the back of her neck.

"Ahmanae means 'whisper'." She neglected to add that, among her people, she was known as the Child of Whispers. Her so-called destiny was not something she wished to discuss with Talliea. For reasons she dared not ponder, Arizira did not want such grandiose tales coloring Talliea's perception of her. New information, sensations, and memories were shared between them each time they laid with one another and Arizira found the idea of imparting the nature of her title in such a way to be easier than a verbalization.

For all she knew, Talliea had already received the information.

Talliea nodded her head at her love's definition and felt herself being pushed until she was on her back. She looked up into Arizira eyes and noted the playful and easy stare being directed her way. Arizira laid next to her on her side and tenderly grazed her fingers across tanned skin. An easy silence fell around the two of them.

Talliea's thoughts contemplated Arizira's words. Ahmanae did mean whisper, but that was not the full definition of the word. It was actually two words from old Esulan. 'Ahma' meaning beauty or beautiful and 'nae' meaning whisper. The term, according to what Talliea knew, had been used to describe a situation, much like the saying 'the calm before the storm.'

Ahmanae was used to describe the beauty of an event; an occurrence that, much like a whisper, came upon a person softly and without effort.

Again, Talliea found the name fitting for her love. It described the other woman perfectly because, much like a beautiful whisper, Arizira had come into her life softly, quietly, and without any effort. From the moment she had seen Arizira in their glade, Talliea had felt an uncanny and indescribable connection with her. Trust had come naturally. Conversation had been easy. Everything she had been searching for -- hoping for -- in her life, she had found in Arizira.

As she felt Arizira's lips begin to kiss the soft skin of her neck, she moaned appreciatively and turned her head up. There was no rush in the caress, no heat. Arizira was expressing her feelings and her appreciation. Talliea brought her hand up and tangled her fingers into velvety, soft, silver hair. She held Arizira's head close to her and sighed at how content she felt.

"I love you." The words were a breath, a soft breath that did little to disturb the air around them.

Talliea smiled, turning her head until Arizira was forced to look up at her. When their eyes met, the two of them shared a moment. Both understood the need that was communicated between them. Both could see the secrets being held at bay.

"I love you," Talliea responded, her eyes still searching Arizira's.

"Tah-li," Arizira's started, "there are matters we have not discussed. There are...things you do not know -- things I have not told you and have not been shared between us."

Talliea nodded her head and gently grasped Arizira's chin in her hand. "I know," she said simply. "There are things I have not said, as well."

Arizira did not respond, but her eyes continued to look deeply into Talliea's. Finally, Talliea smiled easily and said, "Our love will not come to the winter, Ari. We have all the time in the world to explore one another and this connection we have. There is no rush, love."

Smiling and feeling, once again, elated at simply being in Talliea's presence, Arizira leaned down and kissed her lover's lips.

She was correct.

They had all the time in the world...

Talliea felt stronger.

She could not describe how such a thing could be. Her body was still tired. Her head still ached and her thoughts were still slightly jumbled, but all in all she felt better than she had the first time she had come to.

Opening her eyes, she inhaled a deep and clarifying breath. She stretched her body and felt much of her soreness and stiffness dissipate.

"Are you feeling more sound?" a voice asked.

Talliea jumped and turned her eyes in the direction of the voice. She noticed Markahn in the corner of the room, his steely, grey eyes taking in her renewed appearance. There was something in the way he looked at her, some untold revelation that she could not place. He appeared different to her from the last time she had seen him.

Older.

Wiser.

Her sense of loneliness, of remorse and sorrow, were weights so heavy upon her heart and mind that, for a moment, she greatly desired to confide in him. Maybe if she told him about her time with Arizira, he would help. Maybe if she told him about their connection, of how they had shared thoughts and memories and sensations, perhaps he would take pity on her and help her to escape.

But, could she risk such a thing on a mere possibility?

Markahn was a good man. She had never denied that. Of all the other men of her clan, he was the most level-headed and kind. She truly believed he cared for her, in his own way. He held true to his ideals and his belief that a woman had her proper place, but he sought for Talliea to be happy.

Holding the man's intense stare, Talliea shifted in her bedding and tried to sit up. Though stronger, she was still very much weakened. Markahn closed the distance between them and helped her up.

"Thank you," she breathed heavily.

He smiled shyly and nodded his head in acknowledgement before taking a seat on the floor next to her. A few moments of silent contemplation passed before Markahn spoke up.

"I take heart in your being awake."

Talliea looked down at him and felt her heart become saddened. Markahn appeared as if a small boy before her. His eyes were downcast and his shoulders were hunched. Despite his words, she felt nothing for his plight or for him. She missed Arizira. She missed her more than her body felt it could withstand. Being back among her people, the men and women she had wished to run away from, left Talliea feeling as if the world had cast its entire weight upon her shoulders.

She was a slave again, a hisulir, as Arizira would say. Her thoughts no longer mattered. Her opinions were useless. What she desired and wanted in her own life was no longer of value. The chains of her bondage had been replaced.

Looking at Markahn and hearing the obvious pain in his voice left Talliea feeling guilty for not feeling anything for him at all. She supposed a small part of her, a very small part, felt sorry for him. but it was as if nothing compared to her longing for Arizira. Knowing that a response from her, any response, was needed, she opened her mouth and asked, "How long since my return?"

Markahn looked up at her and held her eyes. "A month and a week."

Talliea's face fell. She had been back for a month? Was Arizira safe? Had she escaped? How could so much time have passed? All she could recall were dreams, vivid and fevered dreams of Arizira. Small snippets of conversations vaguely came to mind. She guessed they belonged to the healers and perhaps Markahn. None of them were detailed and so of little importance to her.

"M-my...illness, what is the cause?" she asked.

"The healers have no answer. They speak of an evil that has attacked your spirit. They are unable to offer respite."

Talliea nodded. Her spirit. As she sat in thought, images and sounds exploded around her..

"I can not live without you, Tah-li. I need you. This will destroy me, destroy us."

Memories…

"Tah-li, we will be different after this. We shall be more. Please understand, there will be no going back after this."

Revelations…

"I can not be without you either, Tah-li. We share a bond now."

Understanding…

"You are my Doira'Liim. I believe this to be true."

Arizira's words echoed throughout Talliea’s mind. She recalled them vividly. Had there been a truth to them? A truth that surpassed the impassioned pleas of a broken heart or the noble and truthful declarations of a woman in love? If that were the case, was Arizira also suffering as she was? Talliea had felt and noticed the bond she shared with Arizira. Such a thing was hard not to notice, but she had never truly believed their being separated would have such ill consequences.

"I do not live. I suffer."

The words from one of her dreams sounded in her ears. Had they been a message of sorts? Was Arizira trying to reach her or had the image she'd seen been nothing more than the longings of her own heart? The voice of her immense guilt?

"What is to become of me?" she asked, trying to take her mind away from such depressing contemplations.

Markahn sighed and sat up straighter. His broad shoulders and muscular chest were covered by a shawl he wore for warmth. The dark tattoos on his skin were still easily visible despite his clothing. Talliea grimaced upon seeing them. She did not wish to join with Markahn. She did not wish to have the tattoos of his house etched forever onto her skin.

Like property.

The idea of anyone other than Arizira touching her in so intimate a way caused her stomach to sink. What she had shared with Arizira, her body as well as her heart, was not meant for another.

"Lao'dahn has challenged my claim to join with you. A duel shall be scheduled when the healers deem you fit to bear children. We await your return to safe and good health."

Shaking her head, Talliea looked down at her hands in her lap. She instantly recalled the way her fingers had looked against Arizira's fair skin. She remembered touching the other woman's chest and neck and feeling the sensations tingle along her fingertips. Again, her heart seized inside her chest and she fought to keep her tears at bay.

"I return, against my will, and am fought over like a prized animal." Her words, rough and throaty, were not a question. They were not an accusation. They were but a simple statement of fact. A truth. Markahn looked at her curiously.

"You are changed," he said.

"For the better," Talliea remarked quickly, turning her head to meet his gaze.

Silence ensued once again.

"Talliea," Markahn started, "I...I need answers."

"In regard to what?"

Markahn paused before answering. "In regard to the woman we found you with."

Talliea swallowed a sudden and very strong influx of nerves. Her dark eyes settled upon Markahn's harshly and the very air seemed to be sucked from the room. "I will not help you bring her to harm," she said in a chilling voice.

Markahn noted the change instantly. The determination in Talliea's voice, the strength that had not been present before, all came together quickly and was directed at him. He recalled the words he had heard her whispering in her sleep and knew he had to tread carefully if he was to get any sort of information…if he was to help her.

"I do not wish to bring harm to anyone. I want only to understand."

Talliea settled back against the feather down pillows behind her head. She could feel her exhaustion trying to take a hold of her again. "Understand what, exactly?"

"What manner of being she was. I have never seen anything like her. Sh-she did not look as we do. Her hair, her eyes. -- are there others like her? What was she, Talliea?"

Talliea lowered her eyes sorrowfully and a small and wistful smile tugged at her lips. She wanted to tell Markahn that Ariziria was the woman she loved. She wanted to tell him about her kindness and her empathy and her skill with both bow and blade. She wished she could tell the man about her first meeting with Arizira; of their time together traveling the woods and securing food. She wanted to tell Markahn how Arizira had taught her to track and catch her own food.

But, most of all, Talliea wanted to tell the man who had claimed her that Arizira was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She was the person who had saved her, revived her spirit and healed her heart.

But, she could say none of those things.

"She was a dream. A...faerie of legend."

Markahn looked confused. He sighed. "A faerie? Talliea, I am trying to help you! You have to answer me with some honesty!"

"I will not help you hunt her down! Seek your answers elsewhere!"

Markahn stood up quickly. He was mad. He was hurt. The woman he had desired for five long years was in love with another. Not another man. Not even another Esu! She was in love with a woman. A creature Markahn could not even begin to understand. Had Talliea shared her body with the creature? Had she...was Talliea...?

Was she still a virgin? What would two women even do together?

Despite knowing what he now knew, Markahn was still trying to help Talliea in any way he could. Talliea's vague answers and stubborn refusal to help him in helping her was too frustrating. Add to the mix Lao'dahn's vehemence in claiming Talliea as his own mate, and Markahn was beyond exasperated. Everything he knew and believed was crashing down around him. The one person who could help him in understanding anything was either too sick as to be unresponsive or too stubborn to see him as an ally.

"You have no choice in this matter, Talliea. I am telling you to tell me what you know!" he demanded, his anger finally getting the better of him.

Talliea's breathing became shallow. She could feel herself giving in to the blackness that continually called for her, beckoned her. Visions of Arizira danced along the fringes of her mind.

She desired to fall into the void again. To be reunited with her love once more. With the last ounce of strength she possessed, she responded with, "I do have a choice. Banish me or be gone."

Markahn cast her a sad look before sighing again and exiting the healers' hut. Talliea was only able to rejoice in her triumph for but a short moment, before her strength waned and she once again became lost to the illness that afflicted her spirit.

Where are you, Ahmanae? Where do you linger?

Chapter 4: No More Rhymes or Riddles

Arizira was silent for several long and very heavy moments. She said nothing and did nothing as three sets of eyes waited and watched with expectant gazes. She was unsure how to feel, what to say, or how to react. The mother she had never met, never even seen, was with her. Though the spirit of her mother was in the form of a wolf, Arzira knew that Cynra spoke truly. She could feel the veracity of the statement.

All of her young life, and into her adult life, she had wondered about her parents. Missed them? No. She had not missed them for she had never known either of them. It was not the way of her people to mourn a natural loss. She had been raised by her tribe. Each woman had been a sister, a mother, an aunt. Her family was every member of her people. She had grown up with friends and teachers and protectors. Each one of those women had treated her as a loved one.

Her curiosity over her parents had stemmed from a desire to learn of herself. She had yearned to ask of them the questions others had whispered about her. None of those women knew of her nurture mother; none of them could remember her. Of Iolirthas, little was known. Cynra had told her that her mother had left the tribe long before her birth to follow her heart. She had told Arizira that her mother had not returned until the night she was born.

When a young Arizira had asked Cynra of her other mother, the woman who had shared with her nurture mother the essence of her life, all that Cynra had said was the woman was from a different tribe and that, upon Iolirthas's death, had returned to her people.

Arizira had often wondered why her second mother had not claimed her. Why had she not desired to know Arizira? Had she not wanted a child? Had the two tribes been at war? To Arizira's knowledge, the various Arnira tribes had been at peace with one another for several decades. Why then had her second mother never sought her out?

Arizira had, over the years of her life, come to terms with the fact that both of her mothers had followed their hearts. Each had loved one another and it was that love that had brought Arizira life. She had faulted neither woman, but she had wondered about her own life and her own, supposed destiny.

Now, as she looked around the room she was in, she could not help but feel as if a large part of her life had been a lie or had been kept from her. The people she trusted had treated her like a piece to a puzzle. They had not allowed her to possess any information that may have aided her in her life. Cynra, the most honored and wise of Arizira's tribe, had known about Talliea and the love that would blossom between the two of them. She had known more about Arizira's destiny, and certain events leading up to her fulfilling her purpose, than she had ever let on.

Arizira took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Why was Cynra even away from their tribe? How had she come into contact with one of Talliea's people? Since coming to, Arizira had not questioned matters. Her thoughts had been on rescuing Talliea and putting an end to her suffering. Now that her thoughts were clearer, it became rather apparent to Arizira that a lot had transpired over the last several months.

What was Taetylona doing with Cynra? Why was she not with the other Esu? With the winter breaking early, were the Arnira soon to make war? There were too many questions, too many unanswered questions, that left Arizira feeling very overwhelmed.

Opening her eyes, she looked down into her lap and into the eyes of the wolf staring back at her. "How long has the spirit of my mother manifested itself so?" she asked.

The ears of the wolf flattened. Cynra, her hand still resting on Arizira's leg, responded, "Since the Esu first made camp in the valley."

Arizira nodded and sucked on her bottom lip in thought. "What was her purpose in coming at that time?"

Cynra looked from Arizira's face to Taetylona's. "To ensure your meeting with the Esu woman."

Arizira thought back to the very first night she had seen Talliea. The wind had been blowing from the east in a playful gale and she had, at the time, assumed Salira, the spirit of the wind, to be responsible. Had her mother somehow led her to the glade? She remembered feeling as if her feet moved of their own accord. She had so badly wished to see Talliea that night. Her appearance had fascinated Arizira.

Thinking back on that night, Arizira felt foolish with herself. She had believed her chance encounter with Talliea had been just that -- a chance encounter. Had it all been prearranged by higher powers? If that was the case, why? What had been the purpose in allowing the two of them to be together? To fall in love?

A thought struck Arizira suddenly and left her feeling as if she'd just received a blow. "W-was any of it real? Did she ever really love me o-or was it all just a trick, a game devised by you and my mother to ensure I did as I should?"

Cynra shook her head slowly and a sad look colored her eyes. Leaning closer to Arizira, she spoke in, what she hoped, was a reassuring tone of voice. "It was real, child. We all did what we could to keep fate on course. No other hand meddled in your feelings or hers. The two of you fell in love. All we did was aid you in allowing you both the time to do so."

Arizira thought on the words for a long time. Her heart felt lighter with the knowledge that Talliea truly did love her. The idea that everything between them; every touch, every kiss, every soft caress and whispered confession, had all been a lie had nearly shattered her. Still, knowing that so many outside forces had meddled in hers and Talliea's affairs irked her.

"The connection you have with her has not been seen in this world for many, many years, Arizira. Your mother and I worked to ensure you found the love you desired. It is paramount to everything."

Looking down at the wolf whose head still rested in her lap, Arizira took several deep breaths. "Why?" she asked after a moment. Why did her feelings for Talliea mean so much to other people? Why was Taetylona with them? Why had her mother's spirit embodied a wolf? Why was no one willing to help her rescue Talliea?

Why?

Why?

Why?

"I want answers,” she said. “No more games. No more riddles. No more rhymes. I am not a pawn in a game of chance. I care not for destiny if it keeps me from Tah-li. Too long have others whispered of my purpose behind my back. I am not a tool like a bow or arrow. I am a person whose heart has been ripped from her chest by the interference of others. I am tired and I am weak and I am confused, Dream Speaker. To me, it was but a short time ago that my life made sense. I was with Tah-li and she was with me and nothing else mattered. Our two peoples could have festered in their hatred of one another and that would not have affected us. We were in love and the world was beautiful. Why have you all worked against us? Why have you ensured our separation?"

Arizira's words were pained and angry. Her normally melodic voice was strained with sorrow and fiery heat. Nothing made sense to her anymore. Everything she ever thought she knew to be true was turning out to be one elaborate deception. Was anything true in her life? Was anything real?

Another thought, another question, snuck up on her quickly. "How did La---Laody... How did the man who hurt Tah-li track our location? Was it chance or luck?"

Taetylona shifted uncomfortably next to her while the wolf whined softly. Cynra sighed heavily and, suddenly to Arizira, appeared as if much older. She looked from one face to another in an attempt to find an answer.

"Arizira--" Cynra started gravely.

Arizira shook her head and began to back away. She suspected an answer, but it was too much. Had one of them aided Lao'dahn? Had Cynra or, Aitla forbid, her very own mother led that vile man to them? Had someone she trusted been an accomplice to the tragedy of her heart?

"One of you..." Arizira shook her head and closed her eyes. Tears fell down her cheeks and her body began to shake. "Which one of you told him our location?"

The wolf, Iolirthas, sat up and raised its head from Arizira's lap. It's ears were down and its tail was between its legs. Cynra watched the wolf walk away from her granddaughter's side and lay itself down near the exit of her abode.

"Your mother aided the man. She found him while he was lost and his heart was heavy with despair. It was she that made his steps true just as it was she that kept you lost to slumber while your love left your side."

Arizira felt sick. Her insides chilled. Her heart stilled. Releasing a shaky groan of a breath, she backed away farther from the others around her. Her entire world seemed to turn inside itself as her vision blurred.

Her own mother had helped the man who had abused Talliea? She had aided the man who had taken advantage of such a pure and innocent person? Arizira had wondered, often, what had awakened Talliea that fateful morning. She had been surprised that, whatever it was, had not also alerted her. Her senses were far superior to Talliea's.

Now, she had her answer. The power of Aitla, the power that allowed her mother's spirit to take the form of a wolf, had somehow kept her asleep.

Just long enough to ensure Lao'dahn's further abuse.

Just long enough to ensure that Arizira's heroic arrival was too late.

"Just long enough to ensure our separation," Arizira whispered her last thought out loud.

Opening her eyes and swallowing the bile in her throat, she turned her eyes back toward Cynra and her mother. "You both wished this pain upon me? You, my mother? And, you, Cynra? You whom I have honored the most? Why would you desire this suffering upon me? Is that my destiny? To live in agony until this bond severs my life from this world?"

Cynra stood up and walked over to where Arizira sat on her bed of Ophe'las leaves. Sweat beaded across her brow and her skin was flushed.

"Listen to me, child. I have ever been your ally, your support. The events transpiring have been long in the making and even longer in the coming. You cannot understand every choice and decision made over the years. Know this: Aitla blessed every moment. You are blessed by Her just is your love."

"Tah-li? She is Esu. What has she to do with Aitla?"

Taetylona, who had been nearly silent throughout the entire conversation, suddenly spoke up. "She is the one who is to illuminate the truth of our two deities. The way of Esuval has become dark and corrupted. The ideals of today are a far cry from the true path He set before us so long ago. Through you, Talliea will harness the power of Aitla and, in so doing, show our people the true power of Esuval."

Arizira shook her head in disbelief. Talliea was going to be a host of power? Power from gods? Her sweet love was to herald a new way for the Esu people? Arizira recalled her accident where her shoulder blades had been injured. Her body had been broken beyond mending.

Talliea had healed her. She remembered believing that to be true. At the time, Arizira had assumed it was a power like that of the Lat'sa'val. Talliea had told her of their power to heal. Had that power been of a different kind? Had it been an extension of Talliea's love for her made manifest by her own innate abilities?

As if privy to her thoughts, Cynra broke the silence. "It was she who healed you when your body was not whole. Her desire to make you well called upon the powers she is unaware of."

"H-how did you know?"

Cynra smiled and cocked her head in the wolf's direction.

Of course. The wolf. Her mother.

Arizira suddenly recalled the day she and Talliea had first kissed. Before the kiss had happened, and after Talliea's survival testing, Talliea said she had seen a wolf. Arizira had been so caught up in her body's reaction to the other woman’s closeness that she had not given much thought to the statement. She had not seen a wolf.

Now, however, things made much more sense. She knew Talliea had seen a wolf. She had seen Arizira’s mother. Had Iolirthas been watching them the entire time they had been on their journey together? Had she meddled in every affair they'd had? Or, had she been protecting them and keeping them safe?

Were that the case, why had she allowed their separation? What was the point?

"Everything that has happened? It was written out from the hands of fate? My entire life? Every experience? Every moment?"

Cynra sighed and sat down next to Arizira. Taking the younger woman's hand in her own, she said, "You are very special, Arizira. Of our people, you are the most gifted. You do not see any ugliness in the world, only beauty. You are loyal, honorable, and trustworthy. Aitla blessed you with a most pure spirit. Only you could love Talliea, for she was like you. Both of you were searching for something more. Your life has had meaning with every breath you have taken. Some of those breaths were known before you took them, but not all. The answers you seek from me, from all of us, can not be given wholly. There are still events that must take place."

Arizira looked down at her hand wrapped around Cynra's. She did not understand everything she was being told. Her mind was so confused, so convoluted, that she was unsure which question to ask first and which one to ask last. All she wanted was Talliea. Only she mattered. Everything else could be sorted through later. Her destiny, Talliea's destiny, Aitla and Esuval --All of those could wait until after she was reunited with Talliea.

"Honored One," she started in a soft voice, "will I get to see her again? Will I be with Tah-li once again?"

Looking sad and grave, but trying to appear otherwise, Cynra squeezed Arizira's hand and smiled. Light, purple eyes lined with tears. "Yes, child. You will see her again. She will hold you in her arms and tell you she loves you."

Arizira laughed and smiled as happy tears slipped down her cheeks. Of all the news to receive in the world, she felt as if she had just been given the best. Destiny be damned. All that mattered was that her suffering did have an end. She was going to get to see Talliea again. Her heart felt lighter than it had since her separation from her love. They were going to be together again!

The events of the day finally caught up with her. As she smiled happily, her body grew tired and weak and she felt herself being laid back. The wolf, her mother, quickly came to her side and laid down next to her. She still had questions. So many questions...

Her eyes closed. She heard whispers. Her mother's head came to rest on her chest, over her heart. Her pain became slightly less but she still felt as if she was falling. Falling away from herself, from Cynra, from everyone.

It did not matter, though. Cynra had told her she was going to get to see Talliea again. Her predicament was only temporary.

Soon, her spirit would rejoice. Soon, she would be with the woman she loved.

Chapter 5: Compatriot

After Talliea's argument with Markahn, the days blended into one another in an endless stream of time forgotten.

One day became two. Two became three and then three turned into four. During that time, Talliea was cared for by the healers assigned to her. They washed her hair and body and, when she was more lucid, fed her and allowed her cool water. Markahn did not return while Talliea slept. He and the other Lat'sa'val, assuming a preemptive search of the forest would yield answers on the nature of who, or what, Arizira was, began to prepare groups of men.

Their goal was a simple one: wide spread searches for any creatures like Arizira. If such beings were found, the men were to apprehend them and bring them back for questioning. Though a month had passed without incident, the Esu were a people used to war. If a group of savages was living in the forest, they were determined to gain the upper hand in any future conflicts.

The last days of winter were already upon them. Snow was a rare sight now. The days grew longer and brighter and the Esu feared their potential enemies were only waiting for clear weather. With their camp continuing to grow, crops expanding, and homes becoming more elaborate the Esu felt that defending themselves and their beliefs was imperative.

On the night of the fourth day since her lapse into unconsciousness, Talliea awoke suddenly. Her body was covered in a cool sheen of sweat and her heart raced. She did not know what had caused her to come to. Her eyes tried to clear themselves as she looked around the room she was in. Small hand-crafted wax candles sat on rounded wooden tables at each corner of the room and provided light in the darkening night.

Talliea shifted in bed and groaned. Her condition was getting worse. She felt weaker. How long was her suffering supposed to last? Was there no end in sight? The only good thing that had come from her illness was that neither Markahn nor Lao'dahn could claim her. Knowing she was, inadvertently, denying both men what they wanted gave Talliea a small measure of satisfaction.

If she died, she would die knowing Arizira's hands had been the last to touch her. That was enough to give her peace.

"This has all been very clever of you."

The voice startled her. She had thought she was alone. Sitting up, Talliea did her best to look in the direction of the voice. As her eyes grew accustomed to the darker areas of the room, she noticed a broad figure sitting in the far corner across from her.

Lao'dahn.

"Get out," she said with as much venom as she could muster.

"Defiant to the end, hm?" Lao'dahn retorted as he stood up to walk closer to her. "Did your pet like such talk from you? Did it excite her?"

The mention of Arizira coming from Lao'dahn's foul mouth caused a surge of strength to come to life inside Talliea. It was not overly powerful, nor was it lasting, but is gave her a small burst of energy she, otherwise, would not of had.

"Keep her from your thoughts! You do not get to mention her or speak ill about her. Have you so soon forgotten how she bested you in battle while you did nothing more than swing your little stick at her?"

The words were the wrong words to say. Lao'dahn, still greatly embarrassed by his defeat at the hands of a woman, did not wish to have the event recounted by another woman. Especially when that woman had, only known to him, been intimate with the one who had bested him; the woman who he greatly desired to claim as his own.

As the last of Talliea's sentence left her lips, Lao'dahn finished crossing the room quickly and leaned down in front of her. His hands fisted the bedding on either side of her head and his eyes bore into hers with a heated disgust. "I do not fight like an animal. Like a heathen! It was like engaging a rabid beast. There is no shame in such a defeat."

Talliea, heart thudding inside her chest, only smiled crookedly at Lao'dahn. "Beast or not, you lost," she whispered.

Enraged at Talliea's continuous impudence, Lao'dahn reached up and firmly grabbed her face in his hand. His fingers dig into the sides of her jaw as he turned her to him. "I will enjoy having your flippant mouth choking on my manhood. You laugh now thinking your insolence will grant you banishment, but you are wrong. You were away from us for a long time, Talliea. There is no banishment. Not anymore. You comply willingly or we take what we want by force."

Lao'dahn paused to gauge Talliea's reaction. Seeing that he had her full attention, he continued. "Markahn has grown tired of your disrespect for him. How long do you think he will continue to allow your abuse? When he withdraws his claim, all that shall remain is mine. I do not care if you can bear my children. You are tainted and not worthy of my seed."

Lao'dahn smirked at the look on Talliea's face. Still holding her face in his left hand, he used the fingers of his right to undo the ties holding her blouse together. When her breasts came into his view, his smile grew more lecherous.

"You have other uses, Talliea. Even if you are sick, there are still services you can provide me. In fact, I would much prefer that you not be a willing participant. You can lay just as you are now and I will still enjoy myself."

Lao'dahn's fingers moved to cup Talliea’s left breast but before he could do anything more, voices outside alerted them both to newcomers. Lao'dahn quickly fixed Talliea's blouse and backed away from her. Sitting himself back down on the stool in the far corner of the room, he made a show of watching over her.

The flap on the doorway was pushed back and a figure was briefly illuminated in the light of the candles. Markahn looked from Talliea's flushed face to Lao'dahn's smug one. He did not know what had happened but he did know something had just transpired. His feelings for Talliea, those of protectiveness, flared inside him at the sight of Lao'dahn sitting watch.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone stating he was not in the mood for games.

Lao'dahn stood up and adjusted his clothing, his eyes cutting to Talliea. "Talliea and I were going over the day of the savage's attack. She has provided me with some useful information."

Markahn raised a disbelieving eyebrow at the words. "She gave you information on the woman?"

Talliea swallowed her nerves and began to re-tie her blouse. It still felt too loose after Lao'dahn's hands had been on her. She watched the two men stand-off against one another and, suddenly, realized that the both of them were different. There was no longer an air of peace and friendship between them. Lao'dahn was more brusque and ostentatious while Markahn appeared suspicious of every word that left his former friend's mouth.

"Yes, she did," Lao'dahn replied stepping into Markahn's face. "It would appear she appreciates a stronger man."

Markahn held Lao'dahn's gaze for a long time. Everything in him desired to wipe the vainglorious smile off the other man's face. He knew, at that moment, that Lao'dahn was lying to him. There was no way Talliea would have told him anything about the woman, Ari, he recalled. Talliea's devotion to her was unwavering. If what she had mumbled in her sleep was to be believed, then Markahn knew she would never betray the woman to anyone.

Especially Lao'dahn.

Or, he hoped what he believed was true. Talliea did not trust him anymore than she appeared to trust Lao'dahn. Maybe her words of love spoken in her dreams had be delusions or falsehoods. Maybe she did desire a stronger man. A man like Lao'dahn.

No, no. Markahn knew none of that was true. Whatever Talliea's feelings for the mysterious woman were, he knew she felt a sense of loyalty to her that could not be broken. As he looked into Lao'dahn's eyes, he knew everything the man had told him and the others had been a lie.

More than before, he wished Talliea would confide in him everything she knew. Matters were not as they seemed. Whoever, or whatever Ari was, she meant more to Talliea than him or Lao'dahn or any of the other Esu. She was important. She had caused Talliea to change. To grow. To mature.

"When a stronger man presents himself, I am sure Talliea will take notice. Until such an event happens, I believe it is time you take your leave.“ Lao'dahn became obviously agitated. His face reddened with anger and his hands fisted. "Run along and tell the others all your glorious tales, Lao'dahn," Markahn baited.

Fuming with rage, and seeing that he had no outlet for his feelings, Lao'dahn shoved Markahn aside and left the healers' hut. Once alone with Talliea, Markahn swallowed nervously and nodded his head at her. He looked around the room. A healer came in behind him and replenished Talliea's water jug. Once the man left, Markahn broke the silence.

"Did he hurt you?" Talliea looked at him suspiciously but said nothing. "Before,” he clarified.    “Did Lao'dahn harm you in any way before I entered?"

Again, his question was met with silence. He took in the color of Talliea's face and the fatigued look she seemed always to carry these days. Her condition was getting worse. Even without the healers telling him that much, Markahn knew the truth of it.

“Talliea," he started as he stepped closer to her. Once at the edge of her bed, he prepared her a small mug of water and passed it toward her. "I want to help you. You have no reason to take my words as truth, but I do not wish to see you suffer this any longer. If you know anything that could be of aid, please tell me. Did Lao'dahn hurt you? Has he threatened you?"

Talliea took a sip of the cool water as she stalled for time. Everything in her wanted to tell Markahn that, yes Lao'dahn had harmed her. More than once. She wanted to tell Markahn that she believed her condition was linked to Arizira's, that she had to reunite with her love if she was to be saved. Talliea wanted to tell Markahn that Lao'dahn was evil. He was vile. But, how could she? She was a woman who would be speaking out against a man. She would be making accusations against one, by her people's laws, above her standing.

She would have no evidence or proof of anything. How could she risk herself on Markahn's word alone? On the other hand, how could she not? She was dying anyhow. Would it really matter if she brought Lao'dahn's actions to light before she passed? As long as she kept Arizira, and any information about her, from the conversation all should be okay.

"You would not believe such words as I possess, poised on a precipice of black-hearted and nefarious ill-content," she whispered.

Markahn sat down next to her, his eyes pleading with her for the truth. She took another sip of water and watched him as he watched her. "I am unsure what to believe anymore. The man who was my friend summer after summer has betrayed me. Our people have turned our women into well-fed slaves. We teeter on the edge of rape with every claim a man lays. This was not our way, yet we have adopted it as just. The woman I love was believed to be dead only to return to us and slowly waste away by an unknown disease."

Talliea studied Markahn's face as she contemplated his words.. He truly did seem remorseful and regretful. His desire to help her, to obtain answers, appeared genuine. What gain would there be in him seeking answers about Lao'dahn's account of what happened a month before? If he was being duplicitous, then Talliea's words, if viewed as the inane ramblings of a woman, would only be beneficial to her. The Lat'sa'val would banish her, wouldn't they?

They would declare her a heretic or a harlot and deem her unfit to be claimed. She would become another Taetylona. Her disease would claim her eventually. Right? What harm was there in unburdening herself of the truth? Nothing mattered to her any longer. Without Arizira, her life was meaningless. In her current condition, there was no hope of her escaping her people and looking for her love. She doubted if she would even be able to make it halfway across the settlement.

If, by a miracle she somehow did escape, the men would easily track her down and bring her back to camp. That, or let her die in the forest. No, she had no hope of ever seeing Arizira again. Their time, though brief, was ended. Lost. Gone.

As long as Arizira remained safe, then Talliea felt her sacrifice had been worthy. Unless Arizira, too, was suffering as she was…

Talliea inhaled as her thoughts rolled through her mind. She was tired and sore and weak. She was lonely and sorrowful. The only thing in the world she wanted, she knew she could never have again. As she continued to watch Markahn, the idea of opening up to him and connecting with another living person grew on her.

She was tired of being alone. Perhaps her words spoken today would have everlasting effects on future events...

"You know so very little, "she started, her words shocking Markahn.

"What?" he asked eagerly.

"The world, Markahn. It is so beautiful. There are forces in this world that we can barely dream of. Beautiful and powerful forces. Life is...everywhere. Beauty is in every event, every motion. We have denied ourselves something wonderful."

Markahn looked confused. "What are you talking about? Is this about Lao'dahn or the woman?"

Talliea's face grew clouded. "We will not speak of her. She is not for you."

"Then this is about Lao'dahn? Is it true what he says? Did he rescue you from the savage woman?"

Talliea sat up and leaned closer to him. "She is not the savage one. She is the one who rescued me. Many times over."

Markahn took in the words with a quick nod of his head. He had been of the belief that Lao'dahn's version of events was more colorful fancy than truth. "What did he do to you?" he asked in a low voice.

Talliea shook her head and bit her bottom lip. She had not even been able to discuss the event in question with Arizira. The only way the other woman had learned of it was through their connection. Talliea knew there was no way she would be able to speak of such a horrid experience to Markahn.

"I can not speak of it, for it shames me still. Know that he took advantage of me in a way that allowed me to keep my purity, but strip me of my dignity."

Standing up, Markahn raked his hands through his hair. He could feel the blood pumping through his body in a heated fury as he tried to calm himself. Why had Talliea not spoken of this to him before now? Why had she allowed Lao'dahn to abuse her without speaking up?

Who would have believed her? the tiny voice in the back of his mind asked him. Who, indeed?

Talliea had suffered in silence because she had not felt as if she would have an advocate. None would have believed her, for they all knew the kind of trouble she was capable of. They would have called her a liar and a nonconformist and any other number of cruel names. All because she thought to speak her mind and be her own person.

"How long ago did this event take place?" Markahn asked, his tone shaken.

"The night before you granted me my freedom," Talliea replied not hesitating.

The night before...why, that had been over three months ago! How long had Lao'dahn been manipulating him? The clan? That would explain his near fanatical obsession in finding Talliea when he and the others believed her to be dead. He had known why she desired to leave so badly.

Like a wave of understanding, several events became alarmingly clear to Markahn. He thought back over the last few months and could easily see a pattern in Lao'dahn's behavior. Turning back around, he met Talliea's tired, but hard, stare.

"The woman...she took you in? Clothed you? Fed you? Kept you safe from Lao'dahn?"

Talliea grew quiet. She did not confirm Markahn's thoughts nor did she deny them. If he wanted answers about Arizira, she would not provide them. Markahn smiled softly, despite the situation. "Your devotion to her is admirable. I hope she is aware of your respect for her."

The words were not bitter or sarcastic. They were spoken with an air of admiration and slight envy.

"She is not open for discussion," Talliea said.

"You said she rescued you. The answer is in that statement."

Talliea sighed. She was tired of talking in circles. "What do you want, Markahn?"

Markahn shook his head and shrugged. He did not know how to explain his thoughts to Talliea. He did not know how to make her trust him. It was painfully obvious that Talliea was not going to speak about the woman she knew. She clammed up at even the mention of her name.

"I want to help. Tell me how to do that."

Talliea frowned. "I can't."

"Why?"

"Because you would not understand!" Talliea barked.

Markahn rounded on her. What was she hiding? Was it her feelings for the woman? Was she aware of them, or had they only been spoken while in her fever-induced dreams? Had they acted on those feelings? Did the woman, Ari, share them? Were there others of her kind? Did they plan to attack the Esu? Did Talleia have information on such an event?

There were too many questions! He was unsure which to ask first and which would provoke a strong response from Talliea. Markahn could not begin to understand how Talliea could have feelings for a woman. The longer he thought over matters, however, the more he came to realize how such a thing should not have come as a surprise to him. Talliea had always been different.

She had always questioned everything, wondered about everything. She had, when younger, believed in love and magic and happy endings. Markahn had watched her, as she had grown into womanhood, come to understand that her ideas about life and dreams and love were nothing more than fanciful notions produced by a young and innocent mind.

That was one of the reasons he had decided to claim her. Not only did he truly have feelings for her, but he knew he could help her achieve what she so desired. He was not like his brothers. He was not cruel or vindictive or manipulative. He had always believed that such attributes would eventually cause Talliea to have feelings for him, that they would fall in love and he could give her the happily-ever-after she so fervently sought.

Looking at her now, seeing her devotion to the woman they had found her with, Markahn came to understand that, even if her feelings were not returned or understood, Talliea would never feel for him even an inkling of what she felt for Ari. She had given a part of herself to that woman that Markahn could never have. Her steadfast refusal to give up any information on the woman, despite her own state of affairs, touched Markahn.

He did not need to understand how feelings could exist between two women to see that Talliea honestly did love Ari.

"I understand," he said in a low and soft voice.

Talliea released a heavy breath as her shoulders slumped. The effort required to verbally spar with Markahn was proving quite taxing. She lowered her eyebrows in confusion but said nothing.

“The woman, Ari--"

"How do you know her name?" Talliea spoke up harshly. "Have you done something to her? I swear, if you have even touched her, I'll--"

Markahn shook his head quickly and held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No, no. We have done nothing, nor have we seen her since we came upon the two of you."

Visibly relaxing, Talliea leaned herself back against her pillows and into a more comfortable position. Several minutes passed as she attempted to reserve her strength. Markahn watched her, but said nothing. He was unsure what to say next. Finally, he decided it was time for him to put his cards on the table. Maybe, in doing so, Talliea would also give him a bit of leeway.

"You're in love with her," he stated simply.

Talliea's eyes opened and she started at him for a long time. No words were spoken between either. Markahn waited for Talliea to deny his statement while Talliea waited for Markahn to elaborate. Darkness grew outside. Night fell upon the camp of Esu.

Talliea fought with herself. Inside, her mind sparked a war upon itself. She could not deny her feelings for Arizira. Not ever. It would be a dishonor to what they shared. What was Markahn going to do? Banish her? Execute her? Those things did not matter. Talliea, as she looked into Markahn's face, came to understand that she held a special kind of power.

She was a woman with nothing to lose. Her life was forfeit, she realized. Nothing could be done to her that could be any worse than what she had already to done herself. To Arizira. With their separation, Talliea had come to know a new kind of a pain. A new level of suffering.

She smiled. The answer was so simple. She was free.

"Yes," she said into the silence. "I love her. She completes me, makes me a better person. When I was with her, everything made perfect sense. She was the most kind and gentle soul I have ever met. She showed me the world, Markahn. I have lived more with her than I have my entire life with my people. What we shared..."

Markahn noticed the happy and peaceful smile on Talliea's face. She looked more alive now than she had since they brought her back.

"What we shared was the most uplifting and beautiful connection I have ever felt. I knew everything about her. I felt what she felt. I experienced her memories. We found each other, always, in the forest. Even now, I know she still lives. So, yes, I do love her. I shall not deny it to make it easier for you or anyone else. Lao'dahn found us. How, I am unsure. He came upon me and attacked me. We fought, but he was too strong for me."

At this, Markahn sat back down on the edge of her bedding. He leaned closer to hear every whispered word.

"Ari-sera shot him and I fell to the ground. I had never seen her like she was. She was so...feral, her movements so graceful as to be an art. She attacked Lao'dahn. He tried to fight back, but Ari was too fast for him. He never placed a mark upon her. She disarmed him and he groveled at her feet."

Talliea, her eyes long since having turned unfocused, smiled a proud smile at her last words.

"Lao'dahn told us she had taken you hostage, that he fought her in an attempt to rescue you," Markahn said.

Talliea shook her head. "No, Ari-sera fought him to rescue me. We would have gotten away if you and the others had not come. I told her to run so she could save herself. There is no telling what would have been done to her if you or the other men had been allowed to capture her. I could not allow that, so I let her go."

Talliea's tears slowly fell down her face as she brokenly finished her tale. Speaking about Arizira only caused her to miss the other woman that much more. She could remember ever detail of that day in vivid and stark clarity.

How different would things be for her now if Markahn had not come looking for Lao'dahn! Would she and Arizira have gotten away? Would Arizira have killed Lao'dahn? Would the two of them, now, being lying with one another in blissful union, unaware of anything other than them and their own small pocket of the world?

Markahn watched Talliea cry. He could feel her sense of loss, of anguish. Though he did not understand her feelings, he did not believe them to be bad. Esuval taught that love should be sought after at all costs. The teachings were not as popular as they once were, but he still knew them and tried to apply them to his daily life.

If Talliea and this woman were truly in love, how then could he stand in their way? Would he, in doing so, be disobedient to his god? Yes, he answered himself. Yes, he would. It was not his place to stand in the way, despite what current teachings said to the contrary.

"This connection...it sounds like something out of legend," he said, trying to take Talliea's mind away from her sorrow.

"It was," Talliea whispered.

Leaning closer and trying to catch Talliea's eyes, Markahn asked, "Is it responsible for your condition?"

Sniffing and trying to clear her throat, Talliea nodded slowly but kept her eyes downcast. "I believe it is. Ari knew more about it than I. It is the only thing that makes sense to me, though."

Markahn nodded in thought. "Are you going to die?" he asked in a shaky voice.

Talliea inhaled deeply and looked up at the ceiling of the healers' hut. The candles around the room were burning brightly and orange flames and grey shadows danced on the surface of every piece of furniture. She was unsure how she knew, but she believed she was going to die.

Eventually.

Whatever kept her and Arizira connected was slowly killing her, and possibly Arizira, in the absence of the other. She knew she was going to die unless something could be done to reunite her with her lost love.

Looking back at Markahn, Talliea held his gaze for a moment. The man was watching her with and eager, yet sad, interest. He did want to help, she saw. He had not seemed disgusted by her declaration of love. He had not attempted to preach to her or cleanse her of her supposed sins.

He had listened. He had been her friend.

Talliea licked her lips and nodded her head again. "Yes, I believe this illness is slowly killing me." Arizira's words from long ago came back to haunt her. 'It would be as if a slow death for me...'

Her love had been correct when she had uttered those words. It was a slow death. A slow, painful, and agonizing death. How much longer she had, Talliea did not know. She did not wish to find out. In her current state, she was helpless and pathetic. All she could do was lay in bed and be cared for with the most mundane of tasks.

She was not living; she was dying from the inside out.

Markahn shook his head at her words. Tears sprang up in his misty, grey eyes, but they did not fall down his face. He released a gravid breath and reached out for her hand. "You are not going to die. Tell me what you need me to do."

Talliea looked at Markahn in complete disbelief. She could not accept that he was going to help her. Was this all a deception? Was he hoping she would lead him to Arizira? Was that the plan? Win her trust and then take what was most dear to her?

No. Markahn's eyes were not deceitful. In them, Talliea could see the extent of the man's character. He was a good man, a man who wanted to help right the wrongs of his people. He was a man who, despite his methods, had always looked out for her and tried to ensure her happiness.

He was the man who had granted her freedom so that she and Arizira could fall in love. Though that had not been his intention at the time, the act, nevertheless, had helped Talliea on her path to happiness.

She looked from Markahn's hand on her own and back to his eyes. He said nothing, but waited on her for an answer. "I need to get back to her. The bond we share should strengthen when we are together again."

She failed to mention that her bond would also be able to lead her directly to Arizira. Some information was best kept a secret. If Markahn could help her to escape the Esu settlement she would, possibly, have a chance, with his aid, of finding Arizira.

The plan was not perfect or sound, but it was the only plan she had. The alternative was death.

Markahn nodded, a small smile lighting up his face. "I believe I have an idea."

Chapter 6: D'jiira

"Her trust in you is impressive considering you are holding her hand as she walks toward her own demise."

Cynra tightened the fishing line she was using as she looked to her right. Taetylona sat next to her with a second handcrafted pole in her grasp. The two older women were sitting together on a large rock that overlooked a small pond. The body of water was not too far from where they had built their, more permanent, hut.

Nearly a week had passed since Arizira had come to and learned of her destiny, her mother, and Cynra's betrayal of her trust. In that time, she had grown exceedingly reticent. She barely spoke when she was awake. Her time was spent eating and bathing and staring out across the lush forest around her. She never asked why Cynra was away from the tribe or why Taetylona was with her. She did not attempt to return to her people or do anything other than just exist.

Her zest for life, her love for everything around her, was gone. Where before her eyes had always been alight with some mischief or happiness, now they were dull and without the shine they once had. Iolirthas stayed by her side nearly every minute of every day, yet Arizira hardly seemed to notice.

She felt as if everyone she had ever known had somehow manipulated or deceived her. No one could be trusted. Not fully. The mother she had always longed to know, to see, was with her and she could not muster up the effort required to feel excitement over that fact. Her days were long, tedious hours that blended together until fatigue or boredom finally brought her a respite.

Cynra had watched Arizira, her beautiful and kind granddaughter, slowly waste away from a lively and energetic woman to a sallow and lethargic husk. Many times she had desired to speak with Arizira, to tell her of their connection to one another and of her enormous guilt over her responsibility in Arizira's affairs, yet, she had not. If Arizira knew that Cynra was her grandmother, her sense of betrayal would only increase tenfold.

There was nothing Cynra could say to Arizira that would make anything in her life feel normal again. Her 'meddling', as Arizira called it, had taken her away from the other half of herself. It had ripped her away from Talliea. Nothing Cynra could say, no emphatic apology or begged understanding, would take away the pain that Arizira felt.

The younger woman did not know how important she was. She could not understand the power her Talliea was going to wield through her. Cynra wondered, if Arizira knew her fate, if it would make her situation better or worse. Would she feel a sense of pride in knowing her feelings for Talliea, her love and devotion, would play a part in the dawn of a new age? Or, would knowing simply exacerbate an already tense situation?

Though Cynra knew of Arizira's future death, she still held out the hope that, somehow, it wasn't permanent -- it wasn't the end. Aitla had only shown her a small part of the future. If Talliea's power was to be so great, as Aitla told her, and her bond with Arizira so strong, could death truly be the end for them?

Cynra wanted to believe that everything would work out okay. She wanted to believe that she wasn't sacrificing her granddaughter and destroying a huge part in another woman's life. Though Cynra knew much about the sacred bond of the Doira'Liim, she was hardly an expert. The things she knew had been passed down through many, many generations. The extent of the bond was unknown, the limits, uncharted.

All Cynra knew for sure was that Talliea, through her love and connection to Arizira, was going to harness the power of Aitla and Esuval. Her union with Arizira was going to create an omnipotent--

Cynra dropped her fishing pole. Her mouth hung open as she continued to look at Taetylona.

"What?" the Esu woman asked, confused by Cynra's behavior.

Cynra said nothing as she thought over every moment of time she had spent with Arizira recently. Could it be? Why had the younger woman not said something? Asked for the scared blessing and confirmation? As Dream Speaker, it was Cynra's duty to do as much. Did Arizira know? Surely she suspected...

This complicated matters. Greatly. Cynra's eyes lost their focus as she continued to go over everything in her mind. It was so obvious now, at least to someone like her. It was her gift to know. She was the only one among her people with the ability to know for certain. It was why the other women came to her.

“Oh, Arizira,”  she whispered to herself.

Cynra stood up quickly and dusted herself off. She couldn't go through with things any longer. Not now. Not after learning of...

"What are you doing, woman? You just scared away all the fish!" Taetylona admonished as she stood up with Cynra.

Cynra ignored her friend and began walking back toward the hut. She knew Arizira deserved answers and she was going to be the one to give them to her. She was going to save her granddaughter. Aitla had told her not to interfere, but how could she not? Especially now? Pain and anguish couldn't be the only ways to manifest Talliea's powers. There had to be another way.

More lives were at stake and Cynra could no longer be the instrument of her granddaughter's destruction. She had already lost her daughter. She couldn't lose anymore family, not if her suspicions were true.

Taetylona walked behind her as she moved with a speed that belied her age. Over and over, she thought about the last several weeks with Arizira and cursed herself for not figuring things out sooner. With everything that had been going on, she decided to chalk it up to current events. Why had Aitla not shown her this? This changed everything and the sacrifice asked was, now, extremely too high.

She knew I would be unable to follow through if I was aware of this,  Cynra thought to herself as she finally came to the hut that housed Arizira. She quickly entered and spied her grandchild sitting up next to Iolirthas. The younger woman was looking forlorn as she ran her hand along the fur of the wolf's back.

"Get up," Cynra said entering the room in a flourish. Taetylona entered behind, still utterly confused.

Arizira looked up into Cynra's pale purple eyes before slowly moving to stand. Cynra walked over to her and stood directly in front of her face. The old woman looked over every inch of her granddaughter's body. She studied her face and her eyes and judged her reactions at every turn.

"What are you doing?" Arizira asked after a moment, sounding tired.

Instead of answering, Cynra closed her eyes and meditated a moment. She muttered under her breath and inhaled deeply. For several minutes, all was quite. Iolirthas, suspecting Cynra's intent, nudged Arizira's hand with her muzzle.

Finally, Cynra opened watery eyes and smiled. She looked down at Iolirthas and nodded her head in an unspoken acknowledgement.

"Would someone care to explain to the one person who isn't an Arnira what in the world is going on?" Taetylona huffed in annoyance. She had watched the entire ordeal with a growing interest that slowly turned into a heated indignation.

Cynra, still smiling, turned around and looked over her shoulder at the Esu woman. Grabbing Arizira's arms, she patted her lovingly and cleared her throat. "I think an explanation is what we all need."

She turned back around and looked Arizira in the eyes. Arizira was watching her expectantly. She, too, was lost over what had just happened. "Sit, child. I have much to tell you."

Arizira turned her head in a curious manner before looking down at Iolirthas. The wolf nudged her side in a display of comfort. Arizira sat back down and crossed her legs Indian style. Cynra mirrored the position and motioned for Taetylona to join them.

"I think what I have to say concerns you, too."

Taetylona wasted no time in walking over to the others and sitting down beside Cynra. When all was quiet, Cynra looked at Arizira and began.

"I have erred, Arizira. My life has been long and I have seen much. Long before your birth, I was aware of your Talliea. I knew the Esu would return and I knew she would be the key to future events. When you were born, I became aware of the role you would play someday. I knew you would love Talliea just as she would love you. Your connection would be a new chord in the music our two peoples were making, a new note in history."

Arizira swallowed nervously and with great anxiety as she listened to Cynra.

"Your love holds inside of her a great power. A power born of both Aitla and Esuval. All this time I believed that power came from each of you -- Aitla through you and Esuval through her. I was wrong."

Cynra smiled and shook her head. "I should have seen it with these old eyes, but the years seem to have given my vision a fog. You are the key, Arizira. Just you, for the power of both deities resides in you. Talliea is the conduit."

Arizira scoffed and shook her head slowly. "I do not understand. Esuval is a tyrant god. His teachings are evidenced in the Esu. What has he to do with me? Aitla is my goddess."

Cynra took a deep breath and looked at Iolirthas, her daughter. Words seemed to pass between the two of them. After a moment, Cynra nodded and said, "Of course, I believe she deserves to know, as well."

Cynra's eyes found Arizira's again. "The Esu you have encountered are the tyrants, child, not Esuval Himself. They are a fanatical branch that has existed for many, many years. The teachings of Esuval -- the true teachings, are very similar to Aitla's own but have become lost in the pages of recent history."

At this, Taetylona leaned closer and listened with avid interest.

"Long into the past,” Cynra continued, “the Esu lived in harmony with one another. Men and women were equals and their settlements were devoted to learning and art and spiritual endeavors."

Arizira thought on Cynra's words before asking, "What happened to those Esu? Were they killed off by their crazed brothers and sisters?"

Cynra smiled again, her eyes sad with the knowledge she possessed. "Most did, yes."

"And the others?" Arizira asked.

"A few small groups managed to escape the massacre. They saw that the men leading the attacks were cruel and vicious. Those evil men took advantage of their women, desecrated their lands, and tore down structures devoted to art and philosophy. They became what we know of today."

Taetylona listened to Cynra's words. A part of her knew the truth therein, but another part of her felt refreshed and invigorated hearing a different history of her own people. "What became of the ones that escaped?" she asked, finally speaking up after being silent so long.

"They journeyed for many strides. A few groups traveled as far as the Northlands, ending up here in this very forest and establishing camps over the years. Others stayed in the south and of them I have no information. They became elusive as the ages passed. Many forgot about their existence. The language you speak today, Taetylona, is very different from what they know."

Taetylona smiled. That much, she knew. She had even taught Talliea some of the older Esulan words, words she came to know through deep mediation and time spent on the open plains of the south.

Arizira looked down at her hands. Her mind was buzzing with various thoughts. There were two different kinds of Esu? One evil and corrupt and the other not unlike her own people? Cynra had said one of those groups had traveled as far as their location, her people's forest? But, the Esu in the valley were the first Esu seen by her people, weren't they?

"Honored One, Tah-li's clan is the first of the Esu we have seen before. Have other tribes come across Esu in the past? If that is so, why have they not spoken of such a thing at the tribal gatherings?" she asked.

All fell deathly quiet at the question. Cynra inhaled deeply again and looked into Iolirthas's eyes. Arizira looked from one to the other as her uneasiness grew.

"No other tribe has encountered the Esu, child, but one among us stumbled upon them a long time ago," Cynra finally said, her voice sounding grave as she continued to hold Iolirthas's icy blue eyes.

Arizira slowly looked down at the wolf at her side. Everything seemed to happen as if in slow motion.

"Your mother was much like yourself, Arizira. She loved the forest and would often lose herself to it as she wandered and explored. On one of her little excursions, she came upon a woman who had twisted her ankle. The woman was not like your mother. Her skin was dark and her hair black as night. Though communication was difficult, your mother managed to help the woman. Neither had seen a creature like the other."

Arizira lowered her eyes and stared down at her lap. She knew what Cynra was leading up to and yet, she couldn't bring herself to accept the truth.

"Your mother eventually left our tribe, the memory of her forgotten to all except myself and one another. She and the Esu woman learned each other's words and, after a while, an attraction grew between them. Your mother and the Esu woman, D'jiira, fell in love. Each of them kept the knowledge of the other's existence secret from their people. As the months went by, your mother came to learn that she was pregnant."

Arizira's eyes closed as she bit her bottom lip. She tried to keep her fingers from shaking but the effort proved futile.

"On a stormy night, twenty seven years ago, Iolirthas sought my aid and, not long after our reunion, brought a beautiful and healthy new baby into the world."

Cynra reached forward and grabbed Arizira's chin. Lifting up the younger woman's face, she smiled encouragingly before finishing with, "That child was you, Arizira. Iolirthas gave you your first name, after the Arnira people, but it was your second mother, D'jiira, that gave you your second name. The name is Esu, after your mother's people."

Ahmanae is Esulan, like Tahlet Vahllah.

Talliea's last words to her rang through Arizira’s ears. Talliea had known or, at the very least, suspected. Why had she never said anything? Arizira was silent as she thought over different conversations she'd had with Talliea. She remembered the other woman being curious about her parents and asking questions about her name. Had she not said anything or pressed the issue further because she'd worried about upsetting her or had it been because Arizira knew so very little about either of her parents?

"Ahmanae is Esulan, like Tahlet Vahllah," Arizira whispered to herself, her eyes still down and staring blankly at the ground around her.

Taetylona sat up straighter upon hearing the statement. She had wondered about Arizira's last name but had never felt it was her place to question the issue. She did not know Arizira and her time with Cynra had been spent working around the prophecy. She smiled at Arizira's sentence, however. Talliea had taught Arizira what Taetylona had taught Talliea. The longer she was around her newfound friends, the more she realized that everything was connected in a beautiful pattern of events.

"Ahmanae means 'beautiful whisper,'" Taetylona explained, hoping to draw Arizira out of herself.

The younger woman nodded to herself. Cynra had always told her the name just meant whisper. Was there a deeper meaning in the definition Taetylona had just given her? Arizira sighed. It didn't matter to her even if there was. Nothing mattered to her anymore. Her entire life had been a lie or an exaggeration of one. All she wanted was for Talliea to take her away from everything.

"I am half Esu?" she asked without looking up. Her voice was low and dull.

Cynra patted her leg and nodded. "Yes, child. Your second mother was with us when you were born. Iolirthas had prayed to Aitla for help with your delivery. The answer to that prayer was found in me. Aitla contacted me in my dreams and showed me your mother's desire. I was told to begin traveling. Many weeks later, on that stormy night, I finally found your parents. Unknown to Iolirthas, a sickness had been ravaging her body for most of her pregnancy. She was tired and ill. D'jiira was worried. When I finally brought you into the world, your mother was hot with fever. Her life blood colored the ground around her."

Arizira looked at the wolf next to her, the wolf whose body housed the spirit of her mother. Cynra continued talking as she held her mother's eyes.

"After your birth, both of your mothers named you. We noticed your appearance was more Arniran than Esu. The color of your eyes and the shade of your hair were the only signs that you carried day walker blood inside of you. Iolirthas held you for only a short moment before her sickness and blood loss carried her spirit to Aitla. D'jiira was crazy with grief. She could not accept your mother's passing. Seeing that you looked Arnira, she knew she couldn't keep you with her. Not without Iolirthas."

Tears slid down Cynra's face at having to recount the events of so long ago.

"She knew she could not return to her clan after being away for so long with a baby in her arms, especially a child that held such a drastic appearance to her own. I suggested her remaining in the forest and raising you on her own, but she did not wish for you to live such a lone existence. Her wish for you was that you be among people who could love you, guide you, teach you values and ensure you had everything you wanted. D'jiira asked that I take you and protect you. She did not wish for you to know about her or be plagued by questions and doubts."

At the end of Cynra's tale, Arizira felt overwhelmed with everything she had just learned. Every question she had ever asked, every thought in her mind to her parents and the nature of her unique appearance, had just been answered. She remembered Cynra telling her that her second mother had returned to her tribe after the death of her nurture mother. She had always assumed the other tribe was an Arniran one.

If her second mother had been Esu, did that mean she still lived? Could Arizira find her? Meet her? "Is she still alive?" she asked, voicing her thoughts.

Cynra looked at her with a great intensity.

"D'jiira, is she still alive?" Arizira pressed.

"Yes, to the best of my knowledge," Cynra answered. She smiled with a glint of mischief and grabbed Arizira's hand. "It would seem Iolirthas's appreciation of exotic beauty was passed down to you, child. You followed your heart with Talliea despite her being an Esu."

The words made Arizira smile. She had followed her heart with Talliea. From the moment she had first seen her, she had been struck with the other woman's awe-inspiring beauty. The fact that she was Esu had never bothered Arizira.

Why would it? the voice inside her head asked. You are half Esu.

A multitude of questions stung Arizira's tongue but she found she was unable to express any of them. Since coming to be with Cynra, her mother, and Taetylona she had been bombarded with a plethora of information. She found it difficult to process, fully, everything she had just been told.

An Esu. She was half Esu. Her entire life, she had thought she was no different from her sisters. Now, she was finding out just how untrue that belief was. Did she have any Esu traits? Her hair was not dark, her skin fair. She was not overly strong like Talliea and her eyes were not of an obsidian shade. How did she know Cynra was telling her the truth?

What reason would she have for such an elaborate lie?

More than ever, Arizira found herself wanting only Talliea's company. Why was Cynra even telling her all of this?

"Why have you chosen to disclose this information now? Now that I am sick and lost?" she asked, her voice sounding rough.

Cynra sat up straighter. "Because you deserved to know the truth. I have kept the truth from you, child, but always for, what I believed, was the greater good. I can no longer do that. More is at stake now. Talliea's powers must manifest. She has to learn to control them if she is to fulfill her destiny. I cannot reveal anymore than that. You, on the other hand, must go."

"Go?" Arizira asked, looking startled. "Go where? Have you so soon forgotten my condition?"

Cynra stood up and began quickly filling Arizira's packs with fresh supplies. Taetylona moved to help her.

"You must find Talliea. My dreams of late have informed me if ill-tidings on the wind. Our people are soon to make the first strike in the war. Even now, Bela'luin and the others make preparations to begin their march against the Esu."

Arizira shook her head before standing up slowly. Iolirthas moved to steady her and rested at her side. "War? What war? I cannot believe Talyn would sanction such a move!"

Cynra stuffed some foodstuffs into Arizira's pack before turning to look at her. "Talyn would not, yet we both know complete power does not reside in her alone."

"The other Elders..."Arizira whispered. "Why would they do this against a people who have made no attack against us?"

Coming to stand in front of Arizira, Cynra quickly draped the younger woman's cloak over her shoulders before passing her the leather satchel in her hands. Taetylona appeared a moment later with the second pack and Arizira's weapons.

"Because Bela'luin is aware of your love for Talliea. Her anger leads her now and that emotion is inciting the others. "

Bela? How?

"How does Bela know about us? I do not understand!" Arizira said harshly. Everything was happening very quickly around her and she could not keep up.

"Do not ask so many questions, child! You must do as I say. You must find Talliea and tell her everything I have told you. She must be made aware of the power she has. She is important. With you by her said, I hope she will be able to call upon her abilities without harm coming to anyone."

Arizira was being pushed toward the opening of the hut. Iolirthas trailed behind her. "Harm? What harm? To whom? What is this all about?" Arizira demanded.

Cynra turned her around and held her shoulders. "No more questions, Arizira! You must leave. There is no telling how long it will take you to reach your love."

"But, I cannot go in this condition! With this weakness. Besides, she is with the Esu! How am I to get her to safety?"

Cynra sighed. Questions, questions, questions!

"I do not have all of the answers, Arizira. I know I have betrayed your trust, but you must believe me when I say I am trying to do the best thing for everyone. Please, child. Go. The wolf will walk with you and offer you strength."

Arizira looked down into the eyes of her mother. "You said that was not her purpose."

"It is now," Cynra replied. "Go, find Talliea. Taetylona and I will meet with you again as soon as we can. I am going against my faith to do this, Arizira, but I have recently learned that more is at stake than what I previously believed. War is brewing, child. Soon, the stain of battle will mar the floor of this grand forest. You must find Talliea before it is too late. I will help you as soon as I am able."

Arizira looked hesitant. She did not know what to believe or think or how to feel. Her body was still tired and worn. She still felt weak, but the idea of finding Talliea gave her a surge of strength. She was unsure what all Cynra was talking about and she did not understand why the older woman felt that such haste was required, but she did not question anything. She was being given a chance to see her love again. Her failira. There was an end to her suffering and, with the aid of her mother, it no longer seemed as tedious as before.

"Honored One--" Arizira began, but Cynra stopped her.

"No goodbyes, child. We will see one another again. Soon. Go, remain hidden and pace yourself. Your mother will give you strength on your journey, but you will still feel the restrictions of your illness. If Talliea is still with the Esu, Iolirthas will be able to aid you in her rescue. Just go, child. Now."

"Thank you, for everything. For answers," Arizira said hurriedly. She nodded to Taetylona and secured her weapons to her body. Turning to open the flap that served as a doorway, Arizira was nearly outside when the sound of Cynra's voice stopped her.

"Arizira?"

Arizira turned back around, her body half in and half out of the hut. A bright smile spread across Cynra's wrinkled old face and her purple eyes lit up with some unknown happiness.

"The answer to your unspoken question, the one you always sought to speak to me about before your separation from Talliea?"

Arizira stilled. Her eyes bore into Cynra's and her heart pounded in her chest. She knew the question Cynra was referring to. The one she had not mentioned to anyone at anytime…including Talliea. The one that had the potential to change her life…forever.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly.

Cynra's smile grew. "The answer is yes, child."

"Y-yes?" Arizira stuttered in disbelief. A smile of her own appeared on her lips. A happiness she had not felt in weeks flared inside of her. She was overcome with emotion.

"Yes," Cynra confirmed again. "Yes, but now that you know, caution must be even more than ever your ally."

Feeling a renewed sense of purpose at having the answer to her question, Arizira laughed and nodded to Cynra. All of her worries and her pains and the sting of betrayal no longer seemed to encompass her. A small spark of the life she had lost returned to her and she felt lighter than she had in ages.

Without another word, she left Cynra and Taetylona. Iolirthas walked at her side. Her steps were heavier than normal, due to her condition, but she felt positive that she was walking toward happiness. Her life was back on track. She had a plan. She had a purpose.

She had a second chance.

Chapter 7: A Desperate Departure

"Are you prepared? We will have to be quick and you will have to follow my lead. Deception is to be our ally this night."

Talliea breathed deeply and raggedly as she listened to Markahn. The two of them were in the healers' hut preparing to leave the settlement. Two days had passed since their last conversation and Talliea had worried that Markahn had betrayed her when he failed to return right at first. That fear had not lasted, however, and they both were now going over the finer points of their escape.

Markahn had secured traveling clothes for both himself and Talliea, as well as sturdier new cloaks, fur-lined leather satchels filled with food, supplies, and medicines, and sleeping rolls. All of these he had hidden over the past two days in various spots in the forest. They were to be picked up and retrieved once he and Talliea were safely outside of Esu borders.

Talliea, still incredibly weak, fought with her body to cooperate. Her excitement over being able to see Arizira again was the only thing compelling her to go through with Markahn's daring plan. She looked down at the bedding she had spent the last month and half on and was overcome with a sense of loss. Not for the bed or for her people, but for all the things she had lost when she had been ripped away from Arizira.

She wondered what had become of the blanket Arizira had made for her. Had the Arniran woman gone back for it and their supplies when she had fled, or had other Esu men gone to the cave in search of clues and confiscated their belongings?

The thought of her people being in possession of anything Arizira had once touched caused Talliea's stomach to turn over. They did not deserve anything so beautiful.

“Talliea?"

Markahn's voice brought her out of her thoughts. She turned away from the bed and looked over her shoulder at him. His reasons for helping her still baffled her greatly, but she was tired of lying around and eagerly awaiting death. If there was any hope of reuniting with Arizira, Talliea knew she had to take it.

Still, there was the thought in the back of her mind that spoke of lies and deceit. Was she leading Markahn to Arizira and, in effect, bringing danger to her love, or was she accepting an offer of aid from a strange, but possible friend? When she had told Arizira to go, she had truly believed that her actions were right. At the time, she had been doing what was necessary to save the woman she loved.

Now looking back on those events, Talliea could not help but wonder if she had made a mistake in being so rash. Her impatience and inability to think matters through had always gotten her into trouble. Her impetuous nature had sent her into the forest the night she had met Arizira. It had compelled her to leave without supplies when Markahn had granted her freedom. It had been the driving force behind her finally taking a chance and telling Arizira how she felt about her.

All of those things had turned out for the best, despite her not thinking so at the time. Was it possible that her rash and hasty decision to send Arizira away was possibly going to end for the better after all? She did not know. Markahn's help was unexpected, but she could not turn him away. Even with the risks such a decision held, Talliea knew she had to at least try to find Arizira.

The alternative was death.

"Talliea? You must be more alert if we are to pull this off. The guards at the perimeter must not suspect anything other that what I tell them. I am sorry it must be this way, but it will allow us to leave. Lao'dahn sleeps now that the moon is high. If we are to make our escape, it must be now. Are you prepared?"

Talliea turned around fully and stood up as straight as she could. She tried to adopt an air of comfortableness and ease and not one of pain and stricken sickness.

"I am ready. Let us go," she replied in as strong and normal a voice as she could muster.

Markahn smiled and reached out for her. Talliea allowed him to place his arm around her and the two of them left the healers' hut. There were few people out and about so late at night. A few men played a game of chance around a fire, while a group of small children sat not far away from them staring up at the nighttime stars. Activity was light and voices were hushed. When Talliea and Markahn exited the healers' hut, the men playing chance looked in their direction.

Markahn wrapped his arm around Talliea in a more possessive gesture before leading them toward the eastern edges of the camp. Two Lat'sa'val sat against a giant boulder, obviously lax in their patrol, and spoke to one another. At Markahn's and Talliea's approach, the men stood up and dusted themselves off.

"Where are you going?" one man, D'leit, asked Markahn.

Talliea noticed the eyes of the other man were focused on her. A smug smirk was on his face and his eyes openly appreciated the thin material of her skirts and blouse.

Markahn smiled back at the two men, his body language telling them that he was just as bored as they were. "I thought I'd have myself a good time with Talliea here. I've grown tired of waiting for her. Lao'dahn has challenged my claim and she has finally seen that I am a better man for her. I want some privacy."

D'leit laughed at Markahn before slapping him on the back. "She is finally ready to spread her legs for you, is she? All that time spent in the woods warmed her blood for you?"

Markahn grabbed a handful of Talliea's skirts and hiked them up, exposing her right leg and thigh. "She has seen that she can not continue her little charade of being ill. I promised to kill Lao'dahn in our duel if she gave me proper incentive." At that, Markahn's hands grazed Talliea's thigh and it took everything she possessed to not slap him silly.

What Markahn was doing was necessary if they hoped to escape with few questions, but it still made her uncomfortable. Incredibly uncomfortable.

"She wants you to kill Lao'dahn?" the other man asked.

Markahn shrugged. "She holds no favor with him and sees him as nothing more than a boy begging for attention. If you could have Talliea, would you not kill for a little fun beforehand?"

The man said nothing. D'leit laughed again and grabbed himself. "Maybe, to buy our silence, your woman would be willing to use her mouth for something other than talking back."

Markahn laughed with D'leit. "I think that can be made possible, friend. I touch her first, however. Not you. She has denied me for five years. I know we can not lay together until we are joined, but there are other things she can do, other things she can learn, that still pleases a man."

D'leit nodded and looked back at the second man. "What say you? Care to ease that bulge in your trousers with Talliea's lips?"

The man snorted but nodded. D'leit turned his head back to Markahn. "Fine, I shall let you pass. You have two hours to teach your woman everything she will need to know to please me. I expect to see her on her knees before me, Markahn.. Do not think to rescind on our arrangement."

Markahn nodded and grabbed Talliea in a show of force. "This way, woman. I have desired this for many summers."

The two of them walked until they were out of sight of D'leit and the other man. Long after they could not be seen, Talliea could still feel the other man's eyes on her body.

"I am sorry for such words and actions. They are what my brothers understand and appreciate," Markahn said as he led Talliea deeper into the forest and toward the first of their hidden supplies. They stopped underneath the boughs of a gargantuan willow tree. Talliea watched Markahn bend down and dig through a pile of leaves and pine needles. A moment later, a satchel was revealed.

"Here, warmer clothing." Markahn handed her a thicker skirt with heavy leather lining and a sturdy cloak. Though the winter had passed, the nights in the north were still relatively cool compared to the days.

"Thank you," Talliea said as she took the items from Markahn's possession. The man handed her a new pair of shoes with thicker covering around the ankles.

"You can change up yonder," Markahn said indicating a covered area Talliea immediately recognized as the glade she had first met Arizira.

An enormous and nearly overwhelming sense of nostalgia overcame Talliea. Whispers rode on the breath of the wind while images of soft smiles and innocent wonder formed behind her eyes.

She remembered Arizira finding her in their glade more than once and how the two of them, at first, had been unable to communicate. Images from long ago formed her Talliea’s mind as her memories became more vivid…

"Ahmanae?" Talliea said in an unsteady voice.

Arizira cocked her head to the side and regarded her with curious blue eyes.

Talliea smiled again and lowered her hands. Pointing to the Arniran, she tried again.

"Ahmanae?"

Releasing the tension she had on her bowstring, Arizira allowed the string to slacken and brought the bow down to her side. Nodding, she placed a hand on her chest and said, "Ahmanae."

Talliea smiled and a small laugh left her lips. The woman understood what she meant. Arizira looked upon her face and was struck with how perfect the Esu woman's smile was. It made her appear even more beautiful.

"Tai?" Arizira asked, indicating Talliea.

The Esu woman looked confused and licked her lips nervously. Was the Arniran asking for her own name? Perhaps she wished to know what she was doing so far from her settlement?

Arizira pointed to herself again and said, "Arizira Ahmanae." Bringing a hand to Talliea's chest, she asked, "Tai?"

Talliea looked down at the slender and delicate hand on her flesh. The difference in their coloring amazed her. She realized the Arniran was asking for her name. "Talliea Aldis," she said, looking back into sky blue eyes.

Arizira stepped back and turned her head in a curious manner. Talliea noticed the other woman's movements were more fluid and feral than her own.

"Tah-li Aldis."

Talliea laughed at the Arniran's attempt to pronounce her name. Even though, she thought the woman's voice musical and she liked the way her name, however accented, sounded coming from the Arniran.

Nodding, she asked, hoping hearing the name a third time would help her in understanding it, "Tai?"

Arizira looked surprised for a moment but a smile finally lit up her face. If it was possible, the act only enhanced her astonishing features. "Arizira Ahamane," she said slowly.

Hearing the name again, Talliea found, did not help her any. The Esu did not have any 'Z' sounds in their language.

"Ari," Talliea said with a nod of her head.

"Talliea?"

Markahn's voice shattered the memory her mind had been reliving. Talliea felt her heart tighten inside her chest. Things had been so very different all that time ago. Neither woman had known how to communicate their intent, but even then there had been some powerful force pushing the two of them together.

Talliea remembered thinking that Arizira was the most magical and beautiful creature she had ever seen. The way her eyes had glowed in the darkness around them, the sound of her voice like music to her ears, and the way her movements had been more agile and feral than anything Talliea had witnessed. Yes, Arizira had captured her attention from the moment they had met. Everything else between them had been...fate.

"I am sorry," Talliea said to Markahn as she shook her head. "My mind wandered."

Markahn nodded but continued to study Talliea's expression. It was haunted, sad. Yet, there was a trace of happiness and joy.

"You were thinking upon her," he said trying to give Talliea an opening to talk with him. He could understand her reservations, but he greatly desired to help her in any way he could. Despite not understanding Talliea's feelings, Markahn could still see how intense those feelings were. Talliea's affection for the mysterious woman was more powerful than anything he had ever seen from her. No other emotion had Talliea exuded so strongly before.

The statement caught Talliea unawares and she turned away from him in a defensive manner. Before she could say anything, Markahn continued. "I know: She is not open for discussion. You have not the need to say it. I just…" he paused a moment. "I see your feelings for her reflected in the depths of your eyes. If it would help to speak aloud about her, you are free to do so. I will not judge you, Talliea."

Talliea looked down at the cloak Markahn had given her. It was stiff and smelled of recently treated animal hides. The hood was simple except for a small bit of fur lining around the edges. Running her fingers along the soft fur, Talliea allowed her mind once again to wander to thoughts and memories of Arizira.

Arizira turned around and smiled shyly before presenting the blanket over her shoulder to Talliea.

"I made this for you," she said. "It will keep you warm while the winter holds the land."

Talliea remembered Arizira presenting the elaborate and beautiful wolf hide blanket to her after Lao'dahn's attack. Like the cloak currently in her hands, the blanket had been soft and the fur smooth. Arizira's face flashed before her eyes and she recalled the shy way she had offered her gift. Her shoulders had been slightly hunched and her eyes had been unable to fully meet Talliea's.

"I have you, Tah-li. I have you. You are safe with me."

The words were a soft whisper. They seemed to wrap themselves around Talliea as she recalled them. Arizira had spoken those words to her when she had held her close. Talliea remembered crying over what Lao'dahn had done to her. Arizira had held her and whispered into her hair. In her embrace, Talliea had never felt so safe.

"I will go change now," she said over her shoulder after a long moment of contemplative silence. Markahn's offer, though generous, was not something she felt she could take him up on.

Her time with Arizira was her time with Arizira. It was not meant for the enjoyment of anyone else. It was not meant to be relived with Markahn. How could she tell Markahn all the things she had experienced with Arizira when those memories were still as if a fresh wound upon her heart?

Though she desired to express her feelings for Arizira, Talliea felt that speaking of her time with the other woman would, somehow, be offensive to what they had. Perhaps it was because Markahn was the man who had sought to claim her. She did not know. All she knew was that trying to explain to Markahn that Arizira was everywhere she looked was too much. It was too hard. She needed time to sort through her own thoughts before she could even entertain speaking of those thoughts to another person.

"Thank you for everything," Talliea said without turning around. Keeping her head down, she started off in the direction of the glade to change. As she walked, she swore she could hear Arizira's voice around her.

"What do you think I am, Tah-li?"

Without hesitation, Talliea answered, "A faerie, Ahmanae."

Talliea smiled.

Two days later, Talliea and Markahn were walking slowly through the forest. Markahn had found two other satchels full of supplies and their journey was as easy going as it could be given Talliea's condition.

Few words were spoken as the two of them walked. Markahn's mind was awash with questions while Talliea's continued to replay her time with Arizira in vivid detail. Each walked in silence, both lost to the sounds of their own thoughts. Markahn wondered about what Talliea had experienced that had brought about such drastic changes in her personality. He found himself playing out scenarios in his mind about what could have transpired between Talliea and this 'Ari.'

Talliea still had yet to identify what kind of creature the other woman was. Were there more of her kind in the forest or was she some lone creature living in the Northlands? He and the other men, through their scouting, had found no evidence of others occupying the forest. Had the woman been some abomination? Some Esu woman that Esuval had cursed for disobedience?

Markahn was unsure. The brief look of her he had glimpsed suggested no curse. In fact, for all of the woman's differences, Markahn had found her to be rather pleasing in appearance. She had been attractive, in a completely savage way, of course. Her hair had been the color of the rays of the moon and her eyes...they had been the most alluring thing about her. They had glowed. In them, Markahn had noted the glint of intelligence alive in the woman. She was no animal, no matter what the other Esu men wished to believe.

From a physical perspective, Markahn supposed he could understand what had attracted Talliea to the woman. She was beautiful with full, pink lips and delicate arched eyebrows. Her skin had been fair, yet radiant and her ears pointed.

Had Talliea always fancied women? Was that why she had refused his joining for so long? Or, Markahn thought, were her feelings for Ari deeper than just physical lust and the sins of flesh?

He supposed that did not matter, either way. Talliea was not going to tell him anything. Thus far, their journey together had been dull, quiet, and uneventful. Talliea walked slowly, ahead of him, toward a destination known only to herself. Every now and again, she would stumble or take a moment to rest, but otherwise she walked and walked and walked.

Around mid noon, when the sun was high above them, Talliea stopped and lowered herself on the ground at the base of a large pine tree. She licked her dry lips and tossed her head back to feel the sun on her face. Markahn joined her and offered her a skin of water.

"Have you any idea of where we are going?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

Talliea ignored his question for a moment as she drank her fill of water. The liquid was cool and refreshing and did much to lift her spirits.

"You do not need to continue with me if that is not your wish. Your promise to aid my escape has been fulfilled. There is nothing binding you to this journey."

Markahn looked to his right and studied Talliea's profile. Her eyes were brighter and some of her color had returned. He wondered at the change, but chose not to speak of it.

"I know I do not need to stay with you, Talliea. I do so because I want to ensure your safety. You are still weak and, by now, the clan has been alerted to our absence. Others could be in the forest in search of us."

Talliea inhaled deeply and calmly and looked around her. Birds fluttered on heavy laden tree branches, the wind blew softly through the leaves, and the sun beamed down warm and bright on the ground around her. Everything was alive and vibrant. Yet, that was not what had her in such high spirits.

No, the one thing that had Talliea feeling more alive than she had in weeks was that Arizira was in the forest. Talliea had noticed the sensation early morning as she and Markahn had walked a steady path northwest. The sensation had been as if a burden being lifted from her shoulders. Instantly, Talliea had felt a lightness in her chest and in her bones. Her senses had come alive and the weakness in her body had lessened.

She had known, at that time, that Arizira was close -- still far away, but closer than before. The bond between them had alerted her to the change and, ever since, been leading her toward her love. She had not mentioned the occurrence to Markahn. He did not need to know, for his part in Talliea's story was over. He had done what he promised and helped her to escape. His actions, by extent, had saved her life.

There was nothing more she needed of him. Arizira would not approach her with Markahn in tow. No, it was far more likely that, when Arizira found them, she would shoot first and ask questions later. Talliea could not allow any harm to come to the man, not when he had helped her.

But, something Markahn had said did make sense. The Lat'sa'val were certainly aware now of Markahn's betrayal. They would be looking for the two of them. Even though Talliea was feeling better, she was still in no shape to defend herself or hasten the speed in which she was traveling.

"You are right," she said, breaking the silence as the two of them sat under the sun. "We must assume that others now walk where we once trekked. They could come upon us while we slept."

Markahn nodded and looked around him. "Yes, my thoughts exactly. You are still far too weak to be on your own. If matters turn ill, you will need my protection."

His protection...

No.

She did not need Markahn's protection. She needed Arizira. Though Markahn's powers were great, she could not expect him to fight against a group of his brothers. He could be injured.

Or worse.

No. She could not risk him. He had proven his value and his friendship by helping her. For all of his arrogance, he was a good and honest man and she truly believed he loved her.

"No," she said, staring off blankly ahead of her. "No, you must return and tell the others that I attacked you. You must not place the mantle of blame upon yourself, Markahn. Leave and give false information of my whereabouts. That should afford me more time."

Outraged, Markahn stood up and began to pace. "I am not leaving you! I promised to keep you safe."

"And you have, but another made that same promise before you and it is she whom I walk toward," Talliea countered, meeting his eyes. "This is how you can aid me farther, my friend. This is how you can protect me."

Markahn stopped. Talliea had called him 'friend.' Was that what they were? Men and women were never friends, not in Esu society anyhow, but he supposed that was what the two of them were.

Friends.

He could live with that. Still, how could he walk away while Talliea, his friend, was in the condition she was in? Kneeling down, Markahn held Talliea's steady gaze and tried to garner some bit of understanding from her eyes.

"I would have walked with you until the end, whatever that end may be."

"I know," Talliea replied with a small smile.

"How do I know you will be okay?"

Talliea turned her head to the side as she continued to hold Markahn's gaze. The tattoos on his face appeared more vivid than she recalled and his eyes were a darker shade of grey. She knew, without a doubt, that he had always been honest with her. Never had he tried to deceive her or lead her astray. For a moment, she felt badly for ever having questioned his resolve, but the feeling did not last long.

Arizira was who mattered. Talliea's reservation about Markahn had been for Arizira's safety, not her own. Her own life she could gamble with, but not Arizira's.

"How do I know?" Markahn asked again with greater conviction.

Holding up her hand, Talliea cupped Markahn's cheek in a platonic gesture and smiled again.

"You do not. What I do now is beyond your understanding, Markahn. She is close and as such, so too is my safety. Another night and a day and we should be together again."

Markahn did not understand, but he nodded his head anyway. Tears formed in his stormy eyes and he felt his throat tighten. He did not wish to leave Talliea. Even knowing she would never feel for him what he felt for her did not diminish his desire to keep her safe and away from harm.

"Our people will continue to hunt you. They know you hold information on the woman. They wish to know more about her, if there are others of her kind, and if an attack is at hand."

Talliea shook her head. "Attack? I know nothing of such a thing."

"It does not matter. You were with her. She subdued Lao'dahn and managed to get away from three of our number without so much as a scratch. She is dangerous--"

"She is no such thing!" Talliea retorted.

Markahn sighed and backed away so that he could sit in front of her. "I know that. You know that, but you know our people see war in every action. They view her as a threat to our security. To think she is the only one of her kind is narrow-minded, Talliea. I tell you these things so that you know what you are faced with. Even if you find her, our people will continue to look for you. We are advancing into the forest, scouting new areas in search of Ari and others like her. This calm is fleeting, at best. You must take care!"

Talliea took in Markahn's words and wondered when her life became so complicated. She did not wish for war or hatred. She did not want to be hunted like an animal or feel as if she was bringing harm to Arizira. Even if she died, Arizira and her people would still be in danger. The Esu were a people that, once threatened, adopted a single-minded view of everything around them. They would stop at nothing to ensure their superiority and safety.

Eventually, open war would happen. Whether or not she and Arizira would be caught in the middle, Talliea could not say. Her only concern, at present, was reuniting with her love. Plans could be made after the two of them were together again. They could speak with the Arnira and see if a peaceable solution could be reached. Of the two peoples, the Arnira seemed the most amicable.

"I will heed your words, Markahn. We each have our parts to play. Mine is with Ari-sera, always with Ari-sera. Yours is to bring me more time. Your place is with our people. They listen to you and follow your lead. Mayhap you can douse the flame of battle before it ignites and spreads its red death upon this land."

Markahn shook his head again, but did not comment on Talliea's words. Instead, he spoke up and asked, "There is nothing I can say or do to dissuade you from this course of action?"

"No," Talliea replied immediately. "There is not."

"Then, I suppose this is good-bye."

"I suppose it is."

Markahn lowered his head as his tears finally fell. The enormity of everything hit him with a force he was not fully prepared for. This was the last time he was going to see Talliea. He knew, once she found the woman she loved, that the two of them would do everything they could to remain together. They would, most likely, not desire any part in the war that was coming.

The thought of never seeing Talliea again left Markahn feeling empty and alone. All of his life, he had known the woman before him. They had been children together, grown into adulthood together, and if he'd had his way, would have been joined together.

Now, all of those things were over -- never to be again and never to come to fruition. Talliea, the woman he loved, his friend, was leaving to follow her heart and Markahn, though happy for her, was filled with a sense of loss he had never before known existed. He thought back to years in the past when he had known who he was and what he waned out of life. His belief in Esuval and the laws of his people and religion had been without question. Back then, Markahn had understood his place in the world.

Or, he had believed he understood.

Upon Talliea's coming of age year, everything had changed. He had laid his claim on the woman he desired and for five years, that woman had denied him. His people were different now. No longer did they reside in the barren Southlands, fighting amongst neighboring clans for resources. Now, after many years on the open plains, he and his people were in a new land, with new beliefs and new laws.

The woman he wanted was a new woman, with a new life and a new love. Whatever had happened between Talliea and the savage woman had changed the woman Markahn knew forever.

And here at the end of all the things he knew, Markahn realized that his entire life had been in preparation for this moment. His people were different. Talliea was different. He was different, but different was not always a prelude to doom. Since arriving in the Northlands, Markahn had come to see that the world was larger than just him and his people. Like Talliea had told him, there were forces at work that he could not even begin to fathom.

One such force was the love Talliea had for the enigmatic woman she was searching for. Markahn still knew so very little, but he was not so thick in the head that he could not appreciate the connection between the two women. That connection had matured Talliea. It had given her hope and stability and confidence. On the other hand, it was also responsible for her sickness.

Still, Markahn knew that his life had been waiting for this moment. This moment where he defined the man he was going to be. This moment where he helped a friend, even if that friend was a woman in love with another woman. His brothers would say that he was turning away from Esuval, but Markahn knew he was embracing his god.

This was his part, like Talliea had told him.

"I will miss you, Talliea. Please be careful and tread lightly. I will do what I can to ensure your safety."

"Honor and grace," Talliea replied, the words being a common Esu blessing or farewell.

Markahn stood up and sighed heavily. He glanced around them and noticed how serene the forest was. It was hard to believe that his people could be out looking for them.

"Are you certain of this? We have walked for two days without any sign of this woman."

Talliea used the base of the tree to help herself up. Once standing, she looked farther to the west and in the direction of Li’nas Dei.

"Yes, I am certain. Ari is close. With every step I take, I regain my strength because she is near."

Markahn nodded before passing Talliea a second leather satchel full of food and supplies.

"Here. Take this. It is extra food...in case the woman is hungry."

Smiling, Talliea accepted the bag and strapped it over her shoulder. "Thank you. Now, go. Make haste and remember: you have my gratitude. Always."

With nothing more left to be said, Markahn turned and began to walk back in the direction the two of them had come. He tossed his head over his shoulder one last time and watched as Talliea disappeared into the thicket of trees around her.

* * * * *

"We will leave at once," Lao'dahn said.

"No! Our scouts have detected movement near our borders," Haldynn countered.

"Movement? What sort of movement?"

"The source remains unknown, but one of the men was shot down by a bowman."

Lao'dahn rubbed his chin in thought. Since learning of Talliea's and Markahn's escape, he had grown increasingly agitated. The other men had been gathering a force to go in search of their two missing people, but as of today, had yet to mobilize. Lao'dahn knew, somehow, that Markahn was helping Talliea to escape. Why the dolt would do such a thing was beyond him. Did he believe his actions would make Talliea love him?

If that were the case, then Markahn was even more imbecilic than Lao'dahn gave him credit for. Talliea did not care for men. Any man. No, she favored the soft and supple flesh of a woman. Her little pet.

It was not for Markahn that Lao'dahn thought to search. It was for Talliea because that woman had mocked Esuval for the last time. The force meant to search for the two of them would have left the day before, but a scouting party had not returned and so the Lat'sa'val had been hesitant to risk other men.

"The scouting party has returned?"

"Yes, only moments ago," Halynn replied. "Only two men returned whole. Two sustained injuries while the one lies dead with the healers."

"Dead? An arrow you say?" Lao'dahn asked, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

"Yes. It is not one of our make. The scouts said it was adorned with unusual characters. They believe the woman you fought is responsible, or others like her. We could be at the dawn of battle, Lao'dahn."

Turning around to face the older and stern-faced man, Lao'dahn leaned his hands on the table between them.

"You are correct, of course. We can not risk the lives of our brothers. Defenses must hold here if fighting breaks out. I will search for Markahn and Talliea. Alone. A party of one moves with less noise than a party of many. I will scout for a day and, if I do not find them, return to help in any further preparations.

Haldynn shook his head. "You are risking much! Talliea and Markahn have made their decisions. How do you not know they were struck down like our scouts? You could be risking your life for naught but a fanciful belief!"

"It is my life to risk! If I do not find them, I shall return and help you and our brothers. If they are still alive, we are obligated to aid them, Haldynn. They are our people and under our protection."

Lao'dahn was lying through his teeth and he knew it. However, Haldynn did not know it and that was what mattered.

"You are most noble," the older man remarked, standing to his full height. "You speak truly. Take what supplies you need and go. We will look for your return on the morrow. Walk with careful steps. This forest masks a hidden threat, brother. There are others among us. Of that, I am most certain."

Lao'dahn grasped Haldynn's hand and placed a fist to his chest. Nodding, he made his departure.

Talliea and Markahn were alive. He knew they were. Whether or not there were other warrior women in the forest was unimportant. They would not harm Talliea due to her relationship to their kinswoman. At least, Lao'dahn did not believe they would.

He would find the two of them, kill Markahn and finally rid himself of the oafish fool, and have what he most desired.

Talliea.

Chapter 8: Connections

"Lucky for you, is it not? The fact that you cannot speak with me. A few months ago, I knew who I was. I was a huntress of our tribe. I was a protector, a sister to my sisters. I had loved and been loved. My days were about learning of the world, of myself, and of the mysteries of Aitla."

Arizira paused and looked over to her companion. Her mother's eyes held her own with a sense of sadness. She leaned against the tree she was resting against and looked up toward the moon above her. Insects chirped far away and the sounds of owls could be heard ever so often. Arizira had been traveling for only a day. Her pace was not as quick as she would have liked, but her condition kept her from moving any faster.

She was still weak and her mind still hazy. Iolirthas helped, but Arizira did not feel like herself. She knew she would not be so again until she was with Talliea. The thought of the other woman made her smile fondly. She missed Talliea dearly. She missed her laughter and the sight of her smile. She missed the softness of her skin and the smell of her hair. She missed the way Talliea's eyes would hold her own in wonder and the way she would touch her with such innocent satisfaction.

Most of all, Arizira missed the taste of Talliea's kisses. She missed losing herself in the other woman and experiencing the awe-inducing and astounding sensations such a coupling provided them.

In short, she just truly missed Talliea. She missed her friend. She missed her lover. She missed the other half of herself that made her life so exhilarating. Still holding her mother's eyes, Arizira spoke again.

"Then everything changed, Mother. I met Tah-li, whose beauty is unmatched and whose heart is the most pure. She challenged me and I could not help but love her. It was so easy," she sighed. "I knew everything there was to know that was important when we were together. She made me whole, complete and without flaw. I was willing to shed my duties, my responsibilities, just to look at her."

Iolirthas nudged her hand. The night was in full dark and Arizira's eyes were glowing brightly. She had missed the night so much during her time with Talliea. Knowing what she did now about her own parentage, Arizira wondered why the night meant so much to her. She was half Esu and was just as much a part of the day as she was the night. Never before had Arizira felt so disconnected from herself and her people.

She was no longer the person she once was. Her beliefs were now in question. All that made sense to her anymore was Talliea and the feelings she held for her. Of that, she was certain. Most certain. There were no questions that needed answers, no emotions that needed clarifying. If she could return to Talliea then she knew she would no longer feel so adrift.

"The two of us held each other in friendship," Arizira continued, "and it was the most natural occurrence to both of us. We had both been looking for something. Answers. Hope. In the other, we found completion."

Arizira sighed again and looked out over the forest surrounding her. A small fire burned to keep her warm as she sat alone with her thoughts and her mother. Her eyes allowed her to see everything around her without hindrance.

"I did not want to love her," she whispered. "She scared me. We were so very different, Mother, as I am sure you know."

The knowledge that her mother had fallen in love with an Esu woman was still hard to reconcile for Arizira. She had believed her encounter with Talliea to be unique. She had believed Talliea's clan to be the first ever to set foot in the Northlands. Such a belief had allowed her to be bold in her interest and pursuit of friendship. Knowing a whole other and completely different, clan of Esu had been, and most likely still was, in the north had left her unsettled.

Was anything in her life the truth? A plain and simple truth? Were there riddles clouding every question she had for herself? Cynra had always been cryptic, but she had made Arizira extremely confused over the last several weeks. She spoke in circles and in half truths. She answered questions that had never been spoken and refused to answer questions Arizira needed her to.

Why had she chosen to tell her about her second mother when she had? Had she seen something? Some future? Some possible outcome she wished to change? Why was Arizira so important to Talliea's powers? What were those powers? Surely Cynra did not believe that she and Talliea were meant to have any part in a possible battle between their peoples! Could not a peaceable solution be met?

Then there was Bela'luin to worry about. Cynra had mentioned that it was she who was leading the attack against the Esu. Why? How did she know about Talliea? It was not the Arnira way to hold ill feelings about past loves. Was it? How much did Arizira truly know being half Esu? Perhaps darker feelings did reside in the Arnira and she had just never been witness to them.

Still, she could not imagine why the other Elders would choose to attack a people they still knew nothing about. Myths were for entertainment and learning. How could her people believe everything in their ancient legends to the point of attacking a possible innocent group of people?

Was Bela acting so because something had happened? Something Arizira did not know about? She and Talliea had been away from their peoples for several weeks. Had something happened in that time that now fueled the anger in Bela'luin's charge?

Arizira sighed.

Her head hurt. There was too much new information clouding up her thoughts. When did things become so complicated? All she wanted to do was love Talliea. Why was that so wrong? Why did it have to involve so many other people?

Arizira had always believed herself to be loyal to her tribe. Their protection was of the utmost importance. Now, however, she found herself giving her loyalty to only Talliea. She knew she could not sanction any sort of unwarranted attack.

The Esu and the Arnira could live in peace if only they were willing to give it a chance. Though she was aware of the Esu's love of war, she still held out the belief that they, too, would be willing to avoid bloodshed if another solution was made available. The Arnira outnumbered them and were better equipped in their own forest. What hope would Talliea's people have if Bela’luin's warriors reached them?

Could Arizira do something to stop them? Was Bela'luin's force close to her location? If they reached the Esu camp before she did, then Talliea would be in danger and the two of them would be caught in the middle of battle. No, she had to find Talliea first. She could not risk looking for a possible Arnira advance party. There was more at stake now than just her own life or Talliea's.

Since learning the answer to her unspoken question -- a question she had pondered even while with Talliea and had been confirmed by Cynra, Arizira was even more aware of the fact that she could not allow such events to come to life. There had to be a way to avert a war, without endangering her life or the life of her unborn child.

The thought caused her to smile. A child.

She was pregnant.

A part of Talliea grew inside of her. She had enough Arniran blood in her veins to ensure such a conception was possible. How would Talliea feel when she told her? Would she be happy? Overjoyed? Arizira knew Talliea would not regret her pregnancy. Such an emotion was not in her nature. Smile growing, Arizira laughed to herself.

She will ask questions. She will wonder how such a thing came to be without a man.

Yes, Talliea would ask a lot of questions. It was what she did. She wondered about everything. When Arizira informed her that she was with life, a life the two of them had created with their love, Talliea would want to know how long she had been so, why she had not told her of the event sooner, and how the two of them had become pregnant to begin with. Seeing as how Arizira had been the one leading their sexual encounters, Talliea would probably question why it was not she who was pregnant.

The line of thought made Arizira laugh again. Her spirits lifted and she felt lighter for a moment. All of her previous thoughts seemed to fade away as she thought her child with Talliea. She had never imagined herself being a mother and she was unsure how her love felt about being the same.

The two of them had never spoken about children. She supposed the suddenness of her pregnancy would be shocking to Talliea, but she doubted the actual event would bring about anything other than joy.

Their lives had only just begun when they had been ripped away from one another. Now a baby, so soon after they had fallen in love, was due in but a short few months. Arizira wondered how long her pregnancy would actually last. Arnira carried life within them for six months. How long did Esu women? Would her mixed heritage make for a difficult pregnancy or an easy one?

Again, Arizira found herself longing for Talliea's company. As she sat deep in thought, another notion came to her mind.

"Is my child the reason Cynra chose to act the way she did? Did she see something, Mother?" she asked, returning her attention to Iolirthas. She knew the wolf could not answer her, but she still felt the need to voice the questions aloud.

The great white wolf laid its head across Arizira's lap and perked its ears up.

"I shall take that as a yes." A moment passed. "She spoke of harm, harm coming to someone. Was it Tah-li? Our baby?"

The wolf's ears flattened.

"Was the harm she spoke of in reference to herself o-or you, Mother? Something made her take immediate action, yet she still refused me any useful answers. To whom does this harm befall?"

Iolirthas lifted her head and looked up at the moon shining down above them. The sky was clear with naught but a cloud in the sky. Arizira sighed in frustration. She needed information. Her mind could not stay focused on one thought overlong before another fought for her attention.

Between her desire to find Talliea, learning of the life growing inside of her, discovering the truth about her mother and her heritage, and trying to ascertain the cause for Cynra's behavior, Arizira was beset by nothing by questions on top of questions.

She wondered what Talliea would say when she told her of her Esu mother. Had Talliea suspected all along? Would she feel differently about Arizira? View her as less "wondrous" because of her Esu blood?

Would their child appear more Esu than Arnira since only a quarter of its essence would be Arniran? Arizira was half Esu, yet there was nothing on the outside to lead one to believe that to be true. Cynra had told her her hair and eyes were the only traits that spoke of such.

Eyes the color of the sky and hair like the moon and the sun.

Arizira nodded in thought.

"I need rest, Mother. My mind can no longer keep up with the demands of my thoughts. It does not appear that I shall ever have all the answers I need. Once we find Tah-li, all will be made well again. She is all that matters. She and our unborn child."

Iolirthas stood up and watched over Arizira as she went about making herself comfortable. After a moment, Arizira was still. Walking over to her daughter, Iolirthas laid herself down beside her and proceeded to watch over her.

You will have your answers soon, my daughter. Do not let your thoughts be a burden to you.

The words were not heard by Arizira for they existed only in Iolirthas's mind. With the moon soon to retire, both Arizira and Iolirthas laid down together and slept.

* * * * * *

The following morning, Arizira was walking with Iolirthas at her side. She had managed to sleep a few hours during the night and had awakened around mid-morning. She knew if she hoped to reach Talliea, she would have to travel during both the day and the night. The Esu were day walkers and would have a heavier guard set up while they slept.

Iorlirthas walked in step by Arizira in silence. The sun was warm and the day bright. Birds sang in the trees and the smell of pine needles and fresh flowers wafted on the wind. After a few hours of traveling, Arizira stopped suddenly. Her eyes lost their focus and a smile spread across her face. She brought a hand to her chest and exhaled sharply.

Iolirthas stopped and turned her head curiously.

"She is in the forest," Arizira whispered with disbelief. "She...she must be looking for me."

Iolirthas perked her ears up and nudged Arizira's leg happily.

"I feel her. It is...oh, I had nearly allowed myself to forget how wonderful she made me feel."

Laughing softly, Arizira's smile grew as she turned her head to meet her mother's eyes. Tears brimmed her own. "The pain is less, Mother. My heart no longer aches so. We must hasten our journey. I have to find her. I have to."

Before Iolirthas could do anything further, Arizira laughed again and turned away from her. She quickened her pace and was soon jogging toward where her heart was leading her.

* * * * *

"Stop," Bela'luin commanded her warriors. She looked around the area she and her sisters were in and held a hand up. Her group of archers and battle-blades had been traveling for two days at a slow, but steady, pace. They had only stopped long enough to take respite and food before continuing their trek.

"What is it?" M'kesei, Bela'luin's second in command, asked.

"I thought I saw something…a flash of white against the landscape."

M'kesei looked around her and scanned the forest. Her eyes zoomed in on places both near and far. "I see nothing. We should continue our advance."

"Wait," Bela'luin hissed again over her shoulder. She could hear the others behind her adjusting their equipment and stretching out sore muscles. She had not imagined what she saw. There had been something that had caught her attention. Her eyes were keen and were not subject to fanciful imaginings.

M'kesei sighed and gave the signal to the others to rest a moment, but still remain alert. She watched Bela'luin break away from the group and head deeper toward a small group of trees.

Bela’luin cautiously approached the line of trees. She pulled her bow free from behind her back and notched an arrow. With the grace of a feline, she moved slowly and alertly. The trees grew larger around her while her sisters became smaller behind her. When she entered the small clearing that rested between the group of trees, the large white shape she had seen became suddenly clear.

A wolf stood in the middle of the trees, its tail between its legs, ears back against its head, and fur standing up along its back. Its teeth were not bared, but Bela'luin knew the creature was on guard. She stopped and lowered her bow. It was a great sin among her people to kill a wolf for anything other than sustenance. To kill one blessed by Aitla for sport or anything undo was a scar upon the spirit that could never be removed.

The wolf watched her as she replaced her bow and arrows behind her back and lowered herself before it.

"Great spirit," Bela'luin said in honored tones. So caught up in the majesty of the creature before her, she was unaware of another that watched her from above.

Arizira struggled to breathe normally as she sat above Bela'luin and Iolirthas on a tree branch.     She held the thick middle of the tree with one hand while the other grasped her bow. When her mother had alerted her to others being close, she had been prepared for Esu men, not Arnira warriors. Quickly, she had scaled the nearest tree and waited for the newcomers to reveal themselves. She'd had no intention of killing anyone unless in self defense.

When Bela'luin entered the clearing, Arizira had struggled to keep herself silent. The Arnira were closer to the Esu than she had thought! They were but a few days from making war on an innocent and unaware people. Luckily for her, her mother had chosen to avert a possible disaster. She watched as Bela'luin spoke to Iolirthas, never suspecting that the creature she kneeled before was something much more than a mere wolf.

"You are a sign from Aitla. The goddess approves my course and lights my way with your presence."

The moon was still young in the sky as Arizira watched from above.

"You are a blessing, spirit."

Iolirthas did nothing but continue to stand in the clearing. With the moon's rays shining down upon her sleek white fur, she appeared to glow before Bela'luin. After a brief moment, the tall hunter stood back up and looked around her.

"Thank you," she said as she looked at Iolirthas. "My heart has been heavy with what I now do. Your presence is wh--"

She stopped suddenly and quickly withdrew her bow again. Sounds came from the east, voices and the click-clack of feet upon dried leaves. Others approached. Bela'luin retreated into the shadows the trees provided and took cover. When she looked back to the clearing, the wolf was gone.

A moment later the voices grew louder, though Bela'luin could not understand their words. Arizira, perched above her, did however.

"You have gotten us lost," one voice said as they stumbled into the clearing.

"We will make camp here and return at first light. These woods appear different to the eyes without the sun above," another said.

"You should have returned before the night fell. They could be watching us!" the first said in anger.

"Enough!" a third voice interceded. "This errand is folly. We search for phantoms. Nothing more."

"Then how do you explain the woman Lao'dahn fought?" the second voice asked.

The group of Esu men began to set up a meager camp as they argued amongst themselves. With the faint light of the moon, they managed to quickly build a fire. Light grew around them and cast them all in shadows. Arizira counted five in total. She watched Bela'luin from where she lay hidden. Her bow was up and the string taut.

She meant to attack them!

Arizira's mind went frantic. She had no love for the Esu, especially the Esu men, but how could she sit by as Bela'luin killed them without making herself known first? It was murder. The men were not a threat to her. They were only making camp until they could return to their people.

Yet, what could Arizira do? She could not risk being caught in the middle. What if she was shot? She had another life to think about. Arnira were extremely protective of their young, especially while pregnant. Already, she could feel the change within herself.

The desire.

The need to protect, at whatever cost, the innocent life growing inside of her. She could not afford to be as risky now as she once had been in the past. Another depended on her for protection.

She sighed and continued to watch the men. The moon rose high above and the clouds parted. Fresh, bright light fell upon the group. The light was great, so great that it temporarily removed the shadows keeping Bela'luin hidden. Everything happened in a flash. Arizira was unsure if the men actually saw Bela or if they just reacted when one of their number fell dead to the ground. An arrow was stuck in the man's chest, blood covering the green grass where his body lay.

The men jumped up, eyes wide as they looked around. Voices shouted and weapons came up. Another arrow landed in one man's leg while a second lodged itself in a third man's shoulder. Blood splattered the ground and shocked yells sounded in the forest. Arizira looked over her shoulder and her keen ears easily picked up on the sound of the other Arnira warriors making their approach.

She looked down to where Bela'luin had been and was stunned to no longer see the woman. The two men who had not sustained injuries were attempting to help their comrades while also look for their attackers. Arizira struggled to come to a decision, but there was nothing she could do.

She wondered where her mother was.

At that moment, a great white shape appeared along the far side of the clearing. Iolirthas was behind Bela'luin who had moved deeper into the trees' cover. The men were attempting to make their escape and pull the body of their fallen man out of the clearing. Bela'luin nocked another arrow and was about to release it when Iolirthas howled from behind her.

The sound caused Bela to falter in her movements and, like a spell that had settled over, she fell to the forest floor and was asleep.

Arizira watched with shocked amazement. The Esu men disappeared from her sight while the other Arnira soon appeared next to Bela‘luin. Of Iolirthas, there was no sign. She had disappeared.

"Bela!" M'kesei yelled, coming over to kneel by her captain. "She appears unharmed," she said as she inspected the other woman.

"Should we pursue the enemy?" another woman asked.

"No. Allow them to return. Their words will strike a greater fear into the others. Our concern is Bela'luin," M'kesei answered. She studied Bela's face and looked around her.

"What has befallen her?" she asked no one in particular.

"M'kesei, we should take her and get away from here unless we intend to pursue the Esu."

"Of course," the second in command said as she stood up. "Get another to help you with her. We shall move to a safe location and have one of the healers look her over."

"And then?" the second woman asked.

M'kesei scanned the trees that surrounded the clearing. Her purple eyes and silver hair accented an angular face with fair features.

"Then, we continue our march against the Esu. By this time tomorrow, with speed, we can be upon our enemies and finally remove their taint from this blessed forest."

Chapter 9: The Manifestation of Destiny

War is often seen as the result of a catalyst.

Something or someone misinterprets information and a misunderstanding comes about. Soon, that misunderstanding breeds with hate and contempt and something that started so innocently and unassuming, becomes a test of morals and beliefs and values.

Where misunderstanding could have been solved, the emotions of anger and disgust do not allow for talks or forgiveness. They do not have in them the desire to do anything other than run their course. They burn hot and quick and so wish to last as long as possible in their fury.

In war, there is no understanding. There is no common ground because both sides will always believe that they are right and that what they do is just and for the betterment of others. Allowing the enemy a chance to breathe their distasteful views in peaceful negotiations will only spread that set of beliefs and so result in a world one side will always seek to destroy. In such times of upheaval and unrest, there is only one solution.

The truth.

The truth does not take sides. It does not know deceit nor does it have the ability to dissemble. It does not change. It can not be altered, unless by an outside influence. The truth withstands any test of time. It is older than history because history, even with its misconceptions, can never truly exist without the truth.

Even if that truth has become grey due to the interference of sentient beings, the truth shall forever remain the one pure source of goodness in the world so long as there are those who seek to know of it.

War is a catalyst that is often the result of a lie or fabrication. To win a war, to attack a prevarication, one must only endeavor to see the truth.

* * * * *

"You must be certain of this! Did you see a warrior woman or not?"

Haldynn was beside himself. Lao'dahn had left the day before and still had yet to return and the clan was anxious with a wave of apprehension settling over the camp. Ever since the scouting party had returned and spoken of their attack, the entire Esu camp had become agitated and listless. Many whispered that the forest was cursed, that it carried within it evil spirits of evil women who would only attack them as they tried to progress further.

Others demanded action. They were not prone to believe in such fantastical whims as spirits and warrior women who could not be defeated. To them, a proactive and offensive strategy was best. Sitting in their homes and waiting for their enemies to attack them was akin to digging their own graves and laying down to die.

Too many signs pointed to battle: Lao'dahn's strange encounter from months before when he had been shot at by a mysterious bowman, Talliea's survival during the harsh winter months, Taetylona's ominous parting words when she had been banished, and Lao'dahn's fight with the savage woman with glowing eyes.

There were those among the Esu who saw these occurrences as parts to a larger whole. They did not believe their arrival to the Northlands had gone unnoticed.

Recently, Markahn had been seen leaving with Talliea and the two of them were now missing. The latest incident involving the scouting party was only the confirmation of something dire approaching to all within the Esu camp, both those that believed in evil spirits and those that believed a tribe of aggressive women were responsible for so much pain and suffering.

All of these matters weighed heavily upon Haldynn's broad shoulders. With both Markahn and Lao'dahn being absent, the other Lat'sa'val had voted that Haldynn, again, was the man best suited to lead their efforts…whatever those efforts turned out to be.

He looked into the dark eyes of the man before him. A bandage was wrapped tightly around the man's upper thigh and the stain of his blood could easily be seen through the cloth poultice. Others stood around him, eagerly hanging on his every word. The simple man held the future of his entire clan in whatever words he spoke next.

"Y-yes, Haldynn. It was brief. The moon was not my ally, but I glimpsed the woman in her deviant attire. Her hair seemed aflame on her head, silver like a dancing whisper on the wind. She was tall and adorned with weapons while her eyes appeared white and devoid of life."

Haldynn sighed and looked up at the group of Lat'sa'val around him. Four sets of eyes stared back at him in earnest.

"Was it only the one or were there others?" Haldynn asked cautiously as he glanced back down at the injured man.

The man winced in pain and grabbed his leg. He would receive no further healing until the information he possessed was told in full. After gritting his teeth for a moment, he replied. "I saw only the one, but as we ran there were voices carried through the trees. Strange voices."

"Strange?"

"Yes. The words curdled in my ears for I could not understand them and yet..." the man trailed off.

"Yet?" Haldynn prodded impatiently.

The man shook his head and stared off across the room. "Yet, they were fair as if a melody in my mind. As if some song followed me while I ran."

Haldynn scoffed and placed his hands on his hips. "A song? You would have this clan go to war to battle faeries and their music?"

"No," the man replied. "I would have us go to war to avenge our brother who died at that woman's hand. I would have us go to war against an enemy both subtle and devious, one that can ensnare our imaginations as easily as they strike fear into our hearts. This enemy is unlike any other we have fought before, Haldynn. We must make our attack sure and swift. If they come upon us unprepared, our fate will already be sealed."

The man's words seemed to suck the air from the tiny room he was in. A tense atmosphere settled over the other men as they weighed their options. Could they gather nearly every able-bodied man and send them into a forest they were still learning to navigate all on the fevered words of one individual?

If Lao'dahn's tale was to be believed, then there were possibly others in the Northlands. The other men of the scouting party had been unable to corroborate anything. Everything, according to them, had happened too quickly.

One thing was for certain: If there were savage women in the forest, they had to be nocturnal. Lao'dahn's first attack had happened at dusk and all of the men who had seen the woman with Talliea had noted her unusual eyes. Now, this injured man was stating that his attacker had also possessed glowing eyes and the attack had taken place in near darkness.

Haldynn sighed heavily and scratched at his chin. A decision had to be made and he had to be the one to make it. Wait and possibly die in his sleep or take a stand and search for the people responsible for killing one of his brothers.

The decision was easy for a man like him.

"Begin preparations at once. I want groups of five ready to depart within two hours. You will need to move with great haste. Station a guard here and have the women and children taken to the prayer area. I know I asked the previous scouting parties to refrain from using their abilities to light their way in the dark, but I doubt that matters any longer. Our enemy is aware of us just as we are aware of them. Take precaution where necessary."

The directions had been spoken to one of the lead men of the Lat'sa'val order. The tall, stocky, and brooding man only nodded. Dark tattoos covered his eyes in the pattern of bear claws and gave him a thoughtful expression.

"At once, Haldynn," he said in a deep voice.

Haldynn looked around the room and into the eyes that watched him so expectantly. "Tell the men...we are going to war."

* * * * *

Talliea brushed aside a branch that softly caressed her face. The low hanging limb was covered in deep green leaves and newly bloomed pink flowers. She did not stop to admire the flowers, however. All of her attention was focused west. Ever west.

Arizira was close now. Closer than she had been in nearly two months. Talliea's strength was all but renewed as she took a careful step into a wide, open area. Grasses swayed in a gentle breeze and the scent of pine and earth came to her senses.

She lowered her two leather satchels to the ground and proceeded to stretch her tired muscles. During her day's walk since parting from Markahn, Talliea had stopped only long enough to wash her body in a stream a short few hours behind her.

Her food and drink she had taken while she walked. Her delight over finally being able to see Arizira was overriding any other function or need she had. Though she was sore and tired, all Talliea could think about was seeing Ariziria's perfect face adorned with one of her playful smiles.

After resting a brief few minutes, Talliea reached down to grab her belongings when a harsh blow to the side of her head clouded over her vision. Darkness covered her eyes as the warmth of fresh blood seeped down her brow. Staggering, she tried to remain up right and focus on who had just attacked her.

Hands tore the leather packs from her own as a foot collided with her middle. She fell to the ground with a pained grunt. Her vision cleared briefly and she looked up into the hate-filled eyes of Lao'dahn. The man appeared worn and haggard. His eyes were the darkest Talliea had ever seen them. He sneered down at her before reaching down to grab her legs.

Talliea's fight or flight response kicked in immediately. Her mind grew sharp for a moment and, in her determination, she found the strength required to kick Lao'dahn soundly in the stomach and lower ribs. The man grunted and nearly fell backward. Talliea attempted to roll onto her abdomen and crawl away, but hands were on her again all too suddenly and were pulling her back.

"No...n-no," she struggled to get out.

"Stop denying this! It could never have ended any other way! Where is Markahn? Did your pet kill him? Did you?"

Lao'dahn was pulling her toward him again, all the while avoiding her pathetic attempts at resistance. Once he had her close to him, he flipped her over onto her back. Blood covered her face where he had struck her and her eyes remained slightly unfocused.

She struggled to kick at him or push him away, but in her weakened state caused by his blow to her head, she found her attacks less than satisfactory.

"W-why? Why are you doing this? Let me go. It does not have to be this way," Talliea cried. Lao'dahn slapped her hard across the face and her vision blurred again. He leaned down on top of her and pinned her legs down beneath his body. She watched as he began to undo the tie to his pants and her stomach dropped inside of itself.

She slapped at him and continued to try and fight him, but his desire to take her gave him a near unnatural strength. He was determined to break her spirit, to rape her and prove, once for all, that he was powerful and in control.

Nothing else mattered to him. He cared not for Markahn, for he was not present. He did not care about the savage woman he had fought or the possibility that others could be about. To him, all that mattered was Talliea.

His obsession bordered on the insane, but it also gave him a strength he had never known before. It empowered him and he reveled in feeling Talliea squirm and struggle beneath his weight.

Vaguely, he was aware of sounds -- distant sounds. Muted sounds. But he ignored them. It would not take long to finally force himself inside of Talliea. She would cry and she would beg and he would finish and finally be done with it knowing he had been the one to tame her. Afterward, he would take her back to the clan and begin preparations for whatever battle laid in wait.

"Let you go?" he laughed. "No, your trouble ends here. You could very well be the reason for all of this! Did you conspire with that woman to have the others attack us? You would turn against your own people? As if sharing your flesh with her wasn't sin enough! I will cleanse you and you will be mine!"

Talliea watched, horrified, as Lao'dahn leaned back and pulled his engorged erection from his pants. The sight of it caused a familiar panic to rise up inside of her. She remembered the last time he had been on top her. She recalled his erection and how it had made her feel.

As she struggled to push him away, she knew what he intended to do. Although Arizira had not hurt her when she had been inside of her, Talliea knew that Lao'dahn would be different.

He would hurt her because he wanted to hurt her.

She felt his hands pushing at her skirts. His touch was frenzied as he pushed the material up her thighs. She cried and did everything she could do to stop what was about to happen. She had come so close to getting back to Arizira. She had begun to feel whole again. Hope and joy had settled inside her heart. This could not happen…not when she was so close to having everything she wanted.

Lao'dahn leered down at her and stroked himself. Talliea felt bile rise up her throat. He leaned over her and...

Screamed.

The moment happened so fast, Talliea could not say what transpired. One minute, Lao'dahn had been about to rape her, and the next he was on his side beside her screaming. Hollering. Yelling. Crying.

Talliea sat up and backed away from him, covering herself as she moved. Lao'dahn held his erection in his hand. Blood spilled past his fingers which were resting beneath the shaft of an arrow.

An elegantly crafted arrow with beautiful purple feathers at its end.

Talliea's heart raced. She stood up, the act making her dizzy, and looked around for her savior. Behind her, Lao'dahn continued to roll around on the ground begging for her help, but she ignored him.

"Talliea...please. I can not -- please -- help me. We are under attack. They are -- please..."

Sounds came to her. There were footsteps. Many, many footsteps. They were being drawn to Lao'dahn's cries. Talliea looked around frantically. Everything seemed to happen slowly. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her breathing was fast and quick. She looked ahead of her, to the west, and a moment later her entire world stilled.

Arizira stepped out from behind a tree.

Her bow was in her hand, her quiver over her back. She smiled at Talliea, the wind moving her silvery hair across her face. The moment seemed to last forever as the two women stared at one another, each lost in the sight of their love.

Talliea made a sound somewhere between an elated laugh and a relieved sigh. She took a step toward Arizira. Her eyes drank in the sight of the Arniran woman.

She was more beautiful than Talliea remembered.

Arizira lowered her bow as she watched Talliea. The other woman was still some ways off from her. Their distance was still too great for her liking, but she could not seem to get her body to cooperate with her. Her feet refused to move. She was too astounded by being able to see Talliea again to do anything other than bask in the sight of her. Her smile grew as happy tears touched her eyes.

"Tah-li," she whispered to herself brokenly. She leaned against the tree next to her for support when she felt her body begin to sway.

Talliea was here. She was alive and she was beautiful and she was walking toward her. Arizira’s heart elated at the information. Her sadness faded.

"Ahmanae!" Talliea yelled in her direction. She took another step toward the woman she loved before stopping abruptly.

Something felt off. Something felt wrong. The air stilled around them, as if some prelude to the events that were about to unfold. Talliea looked back over her shoulder at Lao'dahn who was still writhing on the ground crying over his manhood. Behind him, as if in slow motion, she saw other men between the trees.

Men with weapons. Men in heavier armor. Men marching toward Lao'dahn. Toward her. Toward Arizira.

She turned around and looked back at her love. Arizira’s eyes were no longer on hers. They were locked with another. Another Talliea could not see.

Unbeknownst to Talliea, Arniran warriors were not far from her location. She was unaware of the group of women who were moving toward her and the men coming up behind her. Arizira was not, however. Her ears had picked up on the sounds of her sisters, even though they had moved quietly enough. The world was stuck between night and day, the transition from one to another not having taken place yet.

It was as if an eternal dusk.

Arizira watched her sisters to the north come to a halt. She watched Bela'luin, a few paces away from the main group, train her eyes upon Talliea. She watched her former lover equip her bow, notch an arrow, and take aim.

Bela'luin viewed Talliea as the reason for her own affairs. She blamed Talliea for corrupting Arizira. She blamed her for bringing the Esu to her sacred forest. With one shot, she could end Talliea's life and, in turn, save Arizira's spirit.

She could not have known about Arizira's parentage. She could not have known that she, herself, had laid with one of Esu blood. She could not have been aware that her actions had been written down long before her birth, or that her next decision would bring about the manifestation of destiny.

No, Bela'luin could not have known about any of those things because her heart had been consumed by hate. She had allowed her anger to lead her actions and, once that course had been set, she could not have done anything to deviate from it.

The arrow was released quickly. She heard her sisters moving away to engage the men coming up from the east. The Esu woman, Talliea, looked in Arizira's direction. Everything slowed and the next set of events happened nothing like Bela'luin had intended.

Arizira moved like lightning from her location. She moved faster than what should have been possible. She moved toward Talliea.

Her actions had barely been given any thought. All that mattered was Talliea. All that mattered was protecting her.

The Esu men emerged from the trees behind Lao'dahn. They noticed his condition. They noticed Talliea standing numb not far away from him. In an overwhelming instant, they became aware of their predicament.

Women came out of hiding around them. Several, several women. Each had either silver or white hair with intense eyes that burned white like the moon. They were all adorned in earth-toned leathers, accented by leaves and feathers and beads. Each woman was equipped with a bow and arrows while several others carried long swords, sabres, daggers, or glaives.

Arizira ran toward Talliea. She felt as if time itself had stopped. The arrow Bela'luin had loosed was going to hit her love. She had to get Talliea out of harm's way. She had to save her. How could she lose her now when she had only just found her again?

Talliea looked around her, too stunned to do anything other than remain frozen where she was. Everything had gone from calm to calamity in far too short a time. She saw Arizira coming toward her and smiled, despite the situation. Yet, that smile never grew to fruition. Arizira's face was not one of happiness or joy or peace. It was one of sorrow, of pain.

It was one of fear.

The moment Talliea became aware of the danger around her -- truly aware, was the moment her world came to a screeching halt. Not twenty feet in front of her, Arizira froze. Her eyes widened as blood spilled from her lips. A shocked and disbelieving look overcame her features.

Talliea felt her breath leave her lungs harshly. Her eyes lowered and she took in the sight of the arrow protruding from Arizira's chest. Arizia fell to her knees.

Talliea screamed.

It was unlike any sound ever made by another. It was a sound never to be replicated again. She watched Arizira's hands come up to her chest before she swayed and fell to the ground. Voices clashed behind her, in front of her, around her. She was unsure. They no longer mattered. Her feet covered the short few paces separating her from Arizira and she dropped to the ground next to her.

"No, no, no...no, please. Ari? Ari? Stay here with me, love. Please...no...no..."

Her hands ran across Arizira's body in a rush. Tears fell from her eyes as she held the body of her love.

"Fai...lira," Arizira muttered faintly.

Talliea cried harder and shook her head. It had been so long since she had heard that term of endearment. Around her, the sounds of battle sounded, but she could only concentrate on Arizira. Her love was dying in her arms and her body felt so much pain, she could barely stand to suffer it. There was an emptiness trying to overcome her.

As her hands ran across her lover's chest, the shocking warmth of blood met her fingers and a new wave of agony ravished her body.

"You should not be here, Ari-sera! I was trying to keep you safe, love! Why? Why?"

And her words were the truth. She had been meaning to save Arizira when she had told her to leave. She had not desired any harm to come to her. When she had been looking for Arizira in the forest, Talliea had never entertained the possibility that open war would break out around them during their reunion.

This was never supposed to have happened.

Arizira coughed and, with difficulty, managed to place her hand on top of Talliea's, which rested on her chest.

"I...m-missed you. I...promised...t-to keep you s-safe."

Her explanation felt inadequate. She wanted to say so many things, but she knew her time was short. Her breathing was coming much more slowly and the effort to talk too demanding. She wanted to tell Talliea about her parents. She wanted to tell her about the white wolf and how Cynra and Taetylona had been working together.

Most of all, Arizira wanted to tell Talliea about their baby.

But, how could she tell her such a thing now with her own life seeping slowly away? Talliea would be doubly devastated if she learned of her child only to lose her so soon after. With Arizira's life fading away, so too was the life of their baby. The thought sickened Arizira, but she could not allow Talliea to feel that same emotion.

Tears fell from Talliea's eyes and pooled in the crook of Arizira's neck. She could feel her love's breathing coming farther and farther apart. Her skin was pale and quickly cooling and blood was drying on her lips.

"Not this way, Ari. Not this way."

Arizira attempted another small smile before wincing with pain. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and Talliea realized the light within them was fading. Quickly, Arizira forced herself to say all the things that were important to her. To Talliea. To them.

"A-always t-this...way, f-failira. My e-eyes are...g-g-gladdened to s-see your...f-face again. Y-you are...s-safe. T-this is...e-enough...f-for me."

"Ari-sera...no...please. I can not walk this world without you. P-please! Stay here. Stay here with me."

Talliea's heart could not decide if it wanted to continue to beat or cease all attempts and join her love's. She had waited her whole life for Arizira. She had found herself in the other woman. Love, happiness, physical fulfillment-all had been achieved for her through Arizira. The two of them had found one another. They had become friends. They had become equals.

They had found love and become lovers.

The thought of never experiencing any of those things again terrified and saddened Talliea beyond all imagining. She could not live her life without Arizira. She couldn't. Their two separate lives had become one over the course of their time together. The bond they shared was unlike anything Talliea had ever known. She knew she'd never find that type of connection again.

"I'm going to save you, love. Do you hear me? Just stay with me," she pleaded, before attempting to pick the smaller woman up.

Around them both, the sounds of steel meeting steel rang out in the silence of the forest. Voices called out to their fellows and resounding commands were issued afterward. Occasional flashes of light flared to life in various areas but, for the moment, no one attempted to interfere with Talliea or Arizira.

Arizira cried out when Talliea tried to move her. Pain shot through her chest and fanned out into her arms and fingers. Fresh blood spilled from the wound in her chest and her vision darkened.

"Do...n-not, Tah-li. D-do n-not," she panted out. She knew the Esu and Arnira would soon be upon them and she desired her last moments to be spent with her love rather than in pain on some futile attempt at flight.

Talliea loosened her hold on Arizira's body and let her head fall onto her neck. She needed to be close to the woman who had brought her to life and healed her heart.

"I love you so much," she whispered in a ragged breath against Arizira's neck. Kissing her pulse, Talliea let herself feel the enormity of her crazed emotions. Everything assaulted her at once and she cried as someone who has lost a most vital part of themselves.

Her spirit felt like it was being ripped from inside her only to be replaced with a deep, black, and unforgiving void. She grasped Arizira's shoulder and squeezed her arm almost painfully in her desperation to keep them together.

"Failira..."Arizira croaked. Her voice was deeper and slower and Talliea knew their time together was coming to a fast end.

Pulling away and running her fingers across her lover's face, Talliea tried to clear her tears so that she could see Arizira's eyes more clearly.

"Y-you a-are...my life's...g-g-great...est...d-desire. I...l-loved y-you...f-from the m-m-moment I s-saw...you. Y-you...c-compli...mented me a-and I w-was great..er...w-with you...t-than I e-ever w-was...a-alone. I...l-love y-you..f-fai..l-lira. A-always..."

Talliea watched the dull glow of Arizira's eyes finally dim and fade away. A glossy sheen seemed to cover them almost immediately and her body slackened in her arms. A deep rattle-like sound came from her throat and in the next moment, she was still and quiet.

"No! No! Oh, please! No! Ari? Ari? I love you...please!"

Talliea's mind attempted to shut itself down. The amount of pain she was currently experiencing was nearly enough to render her completely useless. She looked down at Arizira, her sweet, loving, beautiful and perfect Arizira.

She was gone.

The two of them had just found one another again! No, no, no! How could this be the end? How could this outcome be just and fair? Lao'dahn got to live while Arizira lay dead in her arms? It was not right! It could not be the truth.

She had searched for Arizira for days. She had been determined to find her again and never let her go!

Now, Esu and Arnira battled around her in the deepening night. Flashes of light lit up the sky and voices, both fair and harsh, cried around her. She felt numb. She felt dead. She felt alone and in a state of despair she had no name for.

All of this was her fault. If she had never allowed Arizira to leave, things might have turned out differently. The two of them may very well have gotten away from Markahn and Lao'dahn and the others. Everything happening around her was her fault.

Arizira's death was her fault.

The admission twisted her insides. She was responsible.

"No...no. I am sorry, love...I am s-so sorry. Come back...c-come back...p-please..." she begged.

She gathered Arizira in her arms and held her close as she began to rock them both back and forth. "I love you. I love you, Ahmanae. Please...wake up. Please...please. I love you...so much..."

She couldn't accept this. Her mind refused. She felt her breathing start to become raggedly uneven. It was difficult to draw in the air she needed. Her tears burned her eyes and were hot as they fell down her cheeks.

She started to gasp for breath as she continued to hold Arizira's small body. Her hands tangled in her hair while she held her close.

Suddenly, other people appeared around the two of them. They were a mix of Esu and Arnira.

Talliea's head popped up. Her right hand was resting near the arrow sticking out of Arizira's chest while her left held her head and neck in a lover's embrace.

The men of the Esu yelled to one other and began their advance. On the opposite hill, several Arnira called out a cry in their own tongue and, likewise, began descending the slope toward Talliea and Arizira.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Talliea was unsure why the others had suddenly chosen to take notice of her. The Esu men shouted and Talliea heard words about Lao'dahn and revenge. At the same time, she heard the Arnira speaking. Their words were translated in her mind despite her being unaware of it.

They believed she had killed Arizira. They planned to avenge their fallen sister. They intended to take Arizira away from her just like the Esu men had plans to rip the two of them apart again.

Why couldn't both sides leave the two of them alone? Had they not caused her enough pain? Enough misery and anguish? She hurt --deeply. Inside her bones, there was an ache that she knew she would never be able to relieve. Her heart was beating, but only barely.

Everything was a struggle. All she wanted to do was sit with her love. She only desired a few more moments with Arizira.

Was that honestly asking too much? Could she truly not just be left alone so that she could say goodbye? She had never wanted this war. She had never asked to be a part of others' hatred. All she had ever wanted to do was be free. Be herself. Be in love and be loved. No sooner had she found all of those things, then other people had interfered and destroyed the simple things she had found.

Because of them and their hatred and their animosity, Arizira had been taken from her. Again. Because of them, she had been forced to let Arizira go so that she could live. What good had that sacrifice been? Arizira was dead.

She had been shot through the chest with an arrow. She had bleed to death in Talliea's arms as soon as the two of them had been reunited. What should have been the happiest time of her life had turned into the most devastating, the most horrific.

Talliea felt something stir inside of her. It was powerful, all consuming. It felt familiar. She had experienced it before, when she and Arizira had first made love. It had not manifested itself then, she remembered. Her first orgasm with Arizira had dulled the sensation and she had forgotten about its existence. Now, however, it was present. It was alive.

It was hers.

Several men and women advanced toward her. Their weapons were raised. Their faces were angry. Talliea watched them as they closed the distance. Her face was one of absolute calm. She did not fear them. She pitied them because they were powerless.

Slowly, she raised the hand that had been resting on Arizira's chest. Her fingers were still covered in blood.

Time became hers.

"Stop," she said in a low, but steady voice. The word was not forceful, not was it rushed. It was spoken as plainly as if she was saying hello.

At her command, the battle between the Esu and Arnira changed. Drastically. An invisible wall of force fanned out throughout the forest. Leaves were torn from their branches. Dirt was disturbed where it lay upon the ground. Pebbles and rocks, grass and other debris were flown out in a wide arc around her.

The men and women running toward her were flung into the air. They remained trapped by unseen hands. A sound like that of a sonic boom resounded throughout the immediate area Talliea was in. She watched as the power she had unleashed spread out and destroyed stone and wood and tree alike, creating a crater in the forest floor where once litter had been.

Dust fanned out where dirt was thrown into the air. Startled cries left the lips of both the Esu and the Arnira. They struggled to free themselves from the bonds that held them immobile. Talliea noticed arrows frozen in the air and sword and axe alike that were, equally, trapped within her power.

Nothing moved. Nothing spoke.

There was no sound, only a hush. Small rocks and twigs floated some distance from the ground while the very time of the day appeared frozen. The sun was nearly hidden behind the horizon while the moon was slightly visible in the sky.

Far away on a hill overlooking the battle, Cynra watched with Taetylona in stunned silence. Talliea's powers were far greater than either of them had ever realized.

Talliea looked around her, completely in control of everything she could see. Her eyes, her body, her entire being seemed to be illuminated by some silvery-yellow halo. She breathed normally, calmly. There was no rush. There was no haste. All of time was hers. In this single moment of her life, Talliea understood everything.

She studied the disbelieving looks of the men and women around her. One set of eyes caught her attention. They were emerald green and filled with contempt. Bela'luin watched her some short distance to her right. Her bow was in her hands, the arrow she had released from it, stuck in the air between herself and Talliea. Tears were in her eyes.

Talliea moved her eyes from Bela'luin's and toward the arrow caught between them. She brought her right hand, which was still in the air, down into a fist.

Bela'luin's arrow turned to dust and disintegrated.

Nothing moved for several minutes. Not even a breeze could be felt in the area Talliea commanded. She looked around her once again and, once satisfied that no others were in any position to take Arizira away from her, bent down and easily lifted her love into her arms. Her eyes continued to take in everything around her, and Bela'luin finally noticed what they made appear so unsettling.

There were no whites in them. Only blackness. Her face was as calm as a serene sea. There was no emotion present.

Talliea placed her hand over Arizira's chest and the arrow that had claimed her life ceased to be. In an area where nothing moved, Talliea slowly started walking. Like a painting, the landscape she passed was frozen in time. Leaves and branches and grass and rocks, all were caught in the air around her. Unable to move, unable to fall to the ground. Unable to continue their trajectory.

Talliea walked with Arizira in her arms. She walked away from the pain and the hatred and the lust for battle that consumed those she left behind. She walked away from weapons and anger and blood and sorrow. Long after she had departed the area, the scene remained frozen. It was not until she was safely away that she released those caught under her power.

Sound seemed to be released from a vacuum and exploded around those still present. Every bit of debris that had been rooted in place suddenly continued to fly through the air. Rocks slammed into men and women. Leaves caught in the wind and were carried away. Dirt and dust invaded the eyes and nostrils of both Esu and Arnira as they, too, found themselves able to move.

Quickly, the sun faded to oblivion as the moon rose to prominence.

Time resumed.

Chapter 10: Dark Avenues

It felt like days that Talliea had been lost inside her pain and the delirium of her loss, though in reality it had only been a few hours.

After she walked away from the battle between the Esu and the Arnira, she had unknowingly found herself slowing coming upon Li'nas Dei. When the ground had given way beneath her feet, and the wide open canyon been laid out before her, Talliea had realized to where her feet had lead her.

'Li'nas Dei is a place for contemplation. It is said to light ones way when all other avenues seem in shadow.'

Arizira's words from months past had painfully replayed inside Talliea's mind. She had watched the last rays of daylight playfully dance along the canyon walls, a myriad array of colors bringing the otherwise lifeless stone and clay to life. Her throat had constricted as she held Arizira's still body in her arms.

Some time later, she had retired inside the cave that overlooked the breathtaking geological feature and allowed her grief to fully consume her.

"We are together now, love. No one will take you away from me. We are together. We...are..."

Talliea's voice slowed with the thickness of her emotions catching her in the throat. She rapidly blinked tear-laden eyes and wiped away at the moisture on her cheeks. It had been nearly an hour since she had brought Arizira to Li'nas Dei and settled the two of them inside the cave. A fire burned bright and hot in the middle of the enclosure and offered illumination.

Talliea had rummaged through Arizira's packs and found a small basin and several rough pieces of cloth. Filling the basin in the stream that ran behind Li'nas Dei, she had returned to Arizira's body and was currently washing away both dirt and blood. Her love's fair skin glowed with the flames of the fire next to them. Arizira's clothing had been thrown into a corner as Talliea had refused to continue to look upon the blood that covered them.

"I will honor you as you would have wished," she whispered as she dipped another piece of cloth into the basin of cool water. Her hands gently washed away the dark red blood that had dried on Arizira's lips before wiping away any other dirt that touched her face.

All was silent, except for the crackling of the fire, while Talliea cleaned the body of her love. She recalled Arizira telling her of Arniran death rites and various beliefs on the afterlife that her tribe observed.

According to Arizira, Arnira believed that returning to the earth and becoming a part of nature was a part of something they called the Great Circle or the Grand Design. Their bodies were laid to rest in the earth while their spirits were set free to be with Aitla. There, they became stars in the nighttime sky and forever watched over their loved ones from above.

Before returning to the land, the body of the deceased was cleansed by both water and smoke.

Talliea shook her head slowly. Her eyes were indifferent and dull. The cloth in her hands moved from Arizira's face to her neck and down further until it landed between her breasts. The small, reddish hole in Arizira's chest stared back at her in ugly defiance. The skin around the wound was angry and marred while the hole itself was a reminder of everything Talliea had lost.

She felt her breath catch. Her eyes filled with tears so suddenly, she could barely blink them away. Her fingers moved over the wound and she began to wipe away at the blood that had dried on Arizira's ribs and chest.

"You should be talking to me now," Talliea said in a dead tone. "We should be rejoicing in one another, yet you lay here in silence."

Naturally, no response was given and that fact only saddened Talliea even more. Her mind still refused to accept Arizira's death. Despite having the proof of such laying next to her, Talliea still felt as if Arizira was alive. She felt whole, even though she also felt incomplete.

The sensation was a disorienting one and one she refused to think upon. Nothing made sense anymore. Talliea had no direction in her life. She had no meaning, no purpose, no reason for continuing. Her people and Arizira's people would likely fight one another to extinction and she found she did not care. Their affairs were not her affairs.

All that mattered was Arizira. All that mattered was honoring her and ensuring she found her way to Aitla.

After those rites were observed, Talliea planned to exact revenge upon Bela'luin and Lao'dahn. The two of them were responsible for every bad thing that had happened to her. They had meddled in her life one too many times and, because of them, her reason for existing was dead.

Talliea's fingers smoothed over Arizira's chest while she sat lost to her thoughts. As she stared at the unsightly wound, she found herself wishing it was not present. It scarred her otherwise perfect love's body and was a reminder of what had happened so very recently. Talliea felt the power inside of her from before become more urgent. She felt it reacting to her thoughts and desires.

Before she was aware, an almost nonexistent light flared beneath her fingertips. When she moved her hand away to study it, she noticed Arizira's flesh was without flaw.

The wound was gone.

She stared at her fingers with wide and confused eyes. How had she done that? How had she commanded time and stopped everything back in the clearing? The Esu and Arnira who had been fighting one another had been unable to move when she had allowed her grief over Arizira to find an outlet.

Leaves and twigs had snapped and ripped apart while rocks and vines had been blown apart from the inside out.

She could not explain what had happened or how she had done what she had done. At the time, the only thought present in her mind was keeping Arizira with her. Those around her had desired to separate the two of them again and she had not been willing to allow that to happen.

As if in answer to her wishes, the power inside of her had answered her call and stopped any further harm from coming to either herself or Arizira. In that one moment, Talliea had been aware of everything happening.

She had been aware of the hidden Arnira watching from the trees and awaiting their chance to join the battle. She had been aware of the other Esu men still marching toward their fellows some distance from the clearing.

Arizira's journey to find her had become clear in her thoughts and she had seen the other woman walking beside a marvelous white wolf. Other parts of Arizira's journey had been obscured.

Talliea had felt as though important information was being kept from her. That fact had mattered little as the power inside of her had continued to release its devastation upon those around her.

Lao'dahn's plans and intentions had been known to her just as Bela'luin's anger toward her had shown itself. She had known, as her power stopped everything around her, that it was Bela'luin who had killed Arizira. Not intentionally, for the tall woman's arrow had been meant for her. Arizira's desire to protect her had caused unforeseen consequences and still Bela'luin had blamed Talliea for the outcome.

Everything happening -- every flap of a bird's wings, every breeze caught in the trees, every animal that existed near to her -- had been known to Talliea. She had seen it all, known it all. Experienced it all. Yet, she had cared for none of it. Arizira was who she desired to protect. It was she whom Talliea fought for.

"How is this possible?" she asked herself in a quiet voice as she stared at her hand and back at Arizira's chest.

Again, she spread her fingers and grazed them over her lover's skin. The skin was warm, like it had been since Talliea had brought her to Li'nas Dei. Unlike other dead that Talliea had witnessed, Arizira did not appear as pale as they had. Her lips were not blue, her skin not as pale, and her body not chilled.

For all intents and purposes, Arizira appeared as if asleep to Talliea. Were Arnira different in death from Esu? Did their bodies not react in the same way?

Talliea stood up and turned her back on Arizira. The inky black sky outside of the cave mirrored the felling that was present in her heart. She felt empty. Alone. Her world was collapsing in on her from all sides and she felt as if she were choking and suffocating. Digging her palms into her eyes, Talliea felt her insides twist again as new tears came to life.

"I can't...I can't accept this. You..." Talliea's voice was harsh. She felt her tears fall over cheeks that were already sore from their predecessors’ tracks. Her face and nose were red and her lips trembled. Tears pooled around her nostrils and a moment later, Talliea let out a guttural cry.

What was happening to her? Arizira was dead. Both of their peoples were fighting one another. Death and destruction lay behind her while uncertainty loomed before her. The powers she wielded confused her and she had no one to help her. She had no allies, no friends, no Arizira. It was all too much and she could no longer keep everything together.

"You are supposed to be here!" she cried harshly in Arizira's direction. "You are supposed to be here...with me. I can't do this. I need you..."

Falling to her knees next to Arizira, Talliea cried like she had never cried before. Her chest was heavy, her throat tight. Tears continued to fall in hot streaks that stained her face while an overwhelming sense of loss settled inside of her.

"I need you, Ari. Please..." she cried. "I need your help. Why am I still here without you? Tell me what to do..."

Talliea fell against Arizira's body which lay upon a sleeping roll. The fire continued to burn close to them while Talliea cried. She wrapped her arm around Arizira's body and pulled her close.

"Take me with you, love. Take...m-me...please. I love you..."

Her words were soft and ragged and laced with an agony so great it threatened to fulfill Talliea's broken wish. She kissed Arizira's hair line and traced her fingers over her lips. Throwing her leg over Arizira's middle, she held tightly to her frame and cried her sorrows.

Arizira's death rites would have to wait. Talliea was not ready to give her up. She was not ready to say goodbye. She could not accept the end as it was.

She was confused.

She was lost.

She was alone.

The power she wielded, though great, was not enough to take away her pain. The one thing she wanted in all the world, she could not have. And yet, that one thing still appeared to her to be alive. She was warm and still held some color in her tone. Her heart did not beat and her chest did not breathe, but Talliea felt as if a part of Arizira was still present.

It was that feeling that would not allow her to let Arizira go. It was that feeling that kept her trapped and caught between looking back and moving forward.

"I love you. Do you hear me?" Talliea placed a tender kiss on Arizra's lips and trailed a single finger down her cheek. "You are my heart, so why do I still live while you are gone?" A hiccup sounded in the cave followed by a sniffle.

Talliea unclasped her cloak from around her neck and easily settled it over Arizira's nude body. She closed her eyes as her tears fell still down her face. If she allowed herself to forget about the events of the day, she could pretend that Arizira was still here and that the two of them were only falling asleep together.

If she used her imagination, she could trick herself into believing that the two of them were still in that cave from so long ago saying goodbye to another wonderful day together.

If she focused her thoughts hard enough, she could convince herself that Arizira was alive and that their bond could never be severed.

Talliea fell asleep some short time later. Her body was wrapped around Arizira's, the fire dimming slightly behind them. Her hand rested against Arizira's chest -- over her heart, while her lips and nose settled against her hair and cheek.

Yes, everything was okay. Talliea would awake from this nightmare and all would be okay...

* * * * * *

Talliea awoke sharply and sat up. The fire was still burning, but the embers were low and dull. She could not say for how long she had been asleep. It did not feel like much time had passed, but the deep night outside of the cave told her some hours had gone by since last she had been awake.

She turned and looked down at her love beside her. Arizira appeared the same. Her beautiful face was as serene as it had been when Talliea first brought her to Li'nas Dei.

"Ahmanae," Talliea whispered, her eyes growing clouded.

Very quickly, her feelings of anguish and loss welled up inside of her again. She had hoped to wake up and find her life the way she wanted it. She had hoped to wake up to Arizira smiling at her with bright eyes and impish delight. She had wished for a different outcome, one where she did not have to suffer something so painful and all consuming.

And yet, nothing had changed. Nothing was different. She was still alone with her grief and pain. What was the point in her continuing to live? What was the point in her pushing forward? Talliea thought back to her first meeting with Arizira. She remembered her first conversation, her first kiss, her first time. She remembered it all and wondered what the point of any of it had been.

Why had she found Arizira? Why had she found a friend and a safe haven? Why had she found a lover and the other part of herself only for things to end as they had? It was cruel. It was wrong. It was painful and unjust and Talliea could not accept matters. She refused to. Their time could not be over. She still had so many things to tell Arizira. She still had to make love to her.

During their time together, Arizira had been the one bringing Talliea to orgasm. The sensation had been shared by them both through their connection, but Arizira had always been the one leading the two of them. Though Talliea had desired to one day reverse their positions, she had always been of the deluded belief that she and Arizira had all the time in the world to explore one another.

There had been no rush in their caresses, no haste in their embraces. When the two of them had bonded and made love, Talliea had not ever viewed the experience as a last. She had never believed she would one day be ripped apart from Arizira only to find her again and have her die in her arms.

Now, she would never get the chance to make love to Arizira. She could never get to watch her body react or taste the mint present in their kisses. Her time with Arizira was over. They would not share sensations anymore. They would not share memories and thoughts and emotions any longer. The bond that had connected the two of them was over.

Gone.

But, Talliea could still feel it. She thought back to the death rites Arizira had told her about and wondered if the two of them had ever actually had such a conversation. Had Arizira told her of those beliefs or had Talliea recalled them from the other woman's memories? Were that the case, how was she still able to learn in such a way with Arizira no longer being present in the world?

Her errant and wayward thoughts were not able to provide her an answer. A sound suddenly caught her attention and she looked behind her and toward the opening of the cave. A small and wrinkled woman stood against the darkness. Her hair was like Arizira's while her eyes were a light purple. The woman took a step and Talliea reacted on instinct.

Her hand came up between them.

"No," she said.

The old woman was stopped where she was. A familiar and welcome calm settled over Talliea. She was inside her power again and it brought her a much needed bit of comfort.

"I am not here to hurt you, day walker; I am here for her," the old woman said as she looked at Arizira.

Talliea shook her head, her eyes completely black as she held the old woman in place.

"I am sorry, but I do not underst--"

Talliea stopped. The old woman had spoken in Arniran, and yet she understood her speech. A confused look shadowed Talliea’s features.

"You understand because she understood," the woman said, still unable to proceed any farther into the cave. "You have known her words for some time, but were unaware of it."

Talliea felt her confusion continue to grow inside of her. She could not recall ever knowing the Arniran language and yet here she was speaking to this old woman and understanding her speech. Another thought crawled up her spine and whispered inside her ear as she recalled what the ancient looking woman had just said.

She had come for Arizira. She was here to take her away. Anger darkened Talliea's eyes as she stood up to face the strange newcomer.

"You will not take her away from me," she said in flawless Arniran. As she spoke, the hand she held between herself and the woman spread into an open palm, fingers widening apart. The woman's arms and legs moved likewise until all her limbs were out by her sides and she was suspended somewhat in the air.

A smile appeared on the Arniran's face and Talliea was struck with how familiar it looked to her.

"Your powers are far greater than I expected. I am not here to take her away, nor do I believe such a thing would be possible were that ever my intention."

Talliea did not respond. She continued to study the face before her. She knew this woman, or Arizira had known this woman. It was hard to distinguish her own memories from her love's in her grievous state. All she knew was that the old woman was not a stranger to her.

"Who are you?" she asked, stepping closer.

The woman smiled again. "You know."

Talliea stopped in front of her and looked into her light purple eyes. Her own eyes took in every wrinkle and expression line before she stepped back and lowered her hand. The woman's arms and legs fell to her sides and she was able to move again.

"Cynra," Talliea said simply.

Cynra nodded and a small smile briefly lit up her face. It did not last long, however. She moved her gaze from Talliea to Arizira and her face fell. She felt her heart slam painfully into her ribcage before tears formed in her old and worn eyes.

"Oh, Arizira," she said heavily before stepping over to where her granddaughter lay.

She shook her head and reached out to touch Arizira's face. Her fingers trembled as her tears fell. This was what she had tried to avoid. This was what she hoped to avert by sending Arizira away and in search of Talliea.

How had matters come to pass as they had when she had changed destiny? Was not her act a stone in the lake that should have rippled into the future and made this outcome lost and avoidable? Or, had Aitla known all along that Cynra would go against her? Had Cynra only been playing her own unknown part when she had learned of Arizira's child and sent her away from her supposed destiny?

Had her action, also, been laid out before her and been set in stone?

How stupid she had been. She had truly believed that by telling Arizira about her parents and by confirming her suspicions of being with life, that she was helping to write a different future, a new future. A future where Arizira got to live and enjoy the love she had found and the child she had created.

But, that was not the truth. That was not how matters had played out or how they had ended. Despite Cynra's best efforts, her granddaughter had still died. A broken and half sob escaped her mouth and she brought her hand up to stifle the sound.

Her great grandchild was dead, also. The life she had tried to protect had been snuffed out before it even got the chance to live. And, Talliea... She did not even know what she had made. She was unaware of the innocent life she had helped to create.

It was too cruel; it was too much. Was all of this pain really necessary? Did matters have to end so tragically just so Talliea could come into her powers?

Cynra felt foolish. She had always believed she was following her own destiny; even though that destiny was filled with heartache and regrets, she had always believed that what she did was for the betterment of others involved.

How wrong she had been! Hadn't she lost enough in her long life? Her daughter had been lost to her, her granddaughter was gone, and, now another innocent life in her line had been taken from her.

She should have told Arizira about her death. She should have explained to her why it was necessary and why she had to do everything possible to bring Talliea's powers to life in some other way. But, she hadn't.

She had not wanted to upset Arizira anymore than she already had. She had not desired to upset her grandchild and lead her to question anything else in her life. Cynra had believed that, by avoiding the nature of Arizira's destiny, she could somehow change the outcome of it.

Again, she had been wrong and things had come to pass exactly as she had seen.

"I am sorry, child. This outcome --I tried to help you avoid it. Your news -- the condition you found yourself in -- I hoped to change things for the better. For both of you."

Talliea watched Cynra cry over Arizira's body. She lowered her brows as she listened to the old woman. Arizira had always spoken highly of Cynra, the Dream Speaker. However, Cynra's reaction to Arizira's death was more akin to a family member grieving over the loss of a loved one. She could not understand what Cynra's words meant.

"You were aware this would happen?" she asked.

Cynra turned away from Arizira and looked up at Talliea. The tall Esu woman was indeed beautiful. Her hair was wavy and thick and lush and fell down her back and around her face. Her eyes were deep and thoughtful, both dark and inspiring. The woman's lips were full and her mouth accented a small dip in her chin.

Cynra could appreciate Arizira's attraction. Talliea's skin was darker than any other Esu she had seen, including D'jiira and Taetylona. She was a remarkable figure to behold.

In answer to Talliea's question, Cynra replied "Yes. Always I was aware of this doom. It was my hope to change the course of Arizira's fate, but in so doing I only sped her faster along her course."

Talliea's eyes grew furious. She felt an anger take control of her insides.

"You knew she would die and you did nothing to change that? You knew she would be taken from me and you come here in your sorrow? Why? Why would you bring this pain upon me? Why would you wish this fate on anyone? You could have changed this! You could have avoided it! Instead, you allowed her to walk blindly toward her peril! Why would you wish this upon me? Upon us?"

Cynra flinched at the harsh tone evident in Talliea's words. The other woman was beyond angry. She was beside mad. She had entered a place between despondency and exasperation.

"Talliea," Cynra started, noticing the temperature in the cave beginning to lower. A chill seeped into her old bones and nearly paralyzed her. "Talliea, I did try to avoid this. Once I learned of the baby I--"

All color drained from Talliea's face. The temperature around the two of them rose back to normal and her expression changed from one of bewilderment and contempt to one of agonized suffering and ardent depression. She stumbled where she stood and staggered backward until she fell against the wall of rock behind her. Her hand reached out and blindly searched for purchase.

"B-b-baby? Wh...wh-what baby?" she stuttered before lowering herself to the ground and looking at Arizira.

She felt as if she was going to be sick. Her throat tightened so strongly around her airway that she almost wished for it to end her life. Inside her chest, her heart felt like it dropped and she was nearly unable to notice its rhythm against her ribs. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as new tears blurred her vision.

Cynra stood up and looked over at the Esu woman. Her own face was pained and full of regret. She had not meant for the slip to happen. She had not intended to bring anymore upset to Arizira's love. It had not been her place to speak of their child.

When an Arniran suspected being with life, she did not speak of that suspicion until after her belief had been confirmed with the Dream Speaker of the tribe. Once it was verified that the woman did in fact carry a new life inside her, celebrations were planned in honor of the blessing. Only then did the other mother learn of the joyous occasion. The news was brought to the second parent by the woman who was expecting.

It was Arniran custom and why Arizira had never spoken about her suspicions to Talliea. She could not have talked about them until Cynra had confirmed them.

And now, instead of happiness at the blessing of a new life, Talliea was overcome with a new wave of agony and despair.

"What baby? She never--how could...no...no,no,no. Please do not tell me this. I can not...oh, no..."

Talliea's pleas were hard to understand. They were barely able to get past the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I am sorry. It was not my place to tell you. Arizira carried life. Your life. Her life. She was pregnant with a child made of both of you. When I learned of it, I sent her away to find you. She had suspected her fortune but, per Arniran custom, could not speak of it until I confirmed it for her."

Talliea shook her head and her tears dripped down her neck. Her face was scrunched up into a painful expression of disbelief and she felt as if she was going to vomit. Pregnant...a baby...

Their baby...

Arizira was dead. Their child was dead.

How much more pain was she expected to endure? She wanted to die herself. There was nothing for her left in the world of the living. Not anymore. Why had Arizira rushed to save her knowing she carried their baby inside of her?

Because she loved you and was always saving you. From the minute she first saw you, she was saving you.

Her inner voice did little to make her feel better. If anything, it only increased the level of pain she was feeling. She struggled to control her breathing and looked up into Cynra's glowing eyes. They reminded her so much of Arizira's. Forcing herself to speak, Talliea swallowed painfully several times before her voice complied with her desire to use it.

"How far along was she?" she asked in a rough voice.

Cynra smiled sadly and moved closer to her. "I am unsure, child. The mixed blood makes it difficult to say. Were I to venture a guess, I would place her at two to three months. She was with child when the two of you were separated and that is nearly two months behind us."

Talliea's face crumbled and another broken sob was pulled from deep inside of her. She buried her head in her hands and refused to believe what she was hearing. Arizira had been pregnant when she had fought Lao'dahn to protect her?

She felt as if she were falling in an unfathomable, unforgiving, unrelenting void of all consuming black. One person was never meant to burden the weight of so much grief. How was she supposed to continue on? How was she supposed to pick up the pieces and lead her life? Where was she to go? She had no home. She no longer had a people. War had broken out around her and she was without her friend, her lover, to rely upon.

Arizira was gone. The baby she had brought into being was gone. She did not even fully understand how Arizira had been pregnant, but that did nothing to diminish her pain over losing the child.

Cynra stepped away from her and watched as she crawled over to Arizira's side once again. Her hand hovered over the covered body before landing on her stomach. She traced her fingers from side to side before leaning down and allowing her head to connect with Arizira's ribs.

And then...

She cried.

Chapter 11: Perspectives

Cynra watched Talliea with her head resting against Arizira's stomach. The Esu woman cried as renewed despair racked her insides. Her hands clawed at Arizira's middle while tears stained the light brown cloak covering her body. The night was deep outside of the cave. The moon was obscured by the clouds and a multitude of stars dotted the sky. It was still a few hours away until sunrise.

Cynra's pain, grief and regret washed over her in waves the longer she observed Talliea's sorrow. How could she have allowed this to happen? How could she have been so willing to follow her goddess and, in essence, bring about her grandchild's death?

Her long road had been difficult. The choices she had been required to make had been hard and often times wrestled with, but she had always believed that her actions were for the betterment of her people and the Esu.

Standing now watching Talliea, a purely innocent and unknowing woman, cry over the loss of one she loved so dearly and one she would never get a chance to know, was too much for Cynra. For the first time in a long time, she wished for her long life to finally end.

Arizira's death was always going to be hard for her to accept. She had struggled with it ever since Aitla had shown her a vision of that death, but she had never expected this level of anguish, this level of grief.

How was Talliea in any position to change the course of the future? How was she to be the one who brought truth to the history between their peoples and heralded a new beginning for so many? Talliea was a woman lost. She was a woman torn. If anything, Cynra believed she would sooner exterminate both peoples rather than help them in any way.

The fire next to Talliea continued to defiantly burn. Shadows danced across the cave walls. Arizira's fair skin glowed warm and golden, nearly suggesting that she was still present and not gone off to her next journey.

"Child," Cynra spoke roughly after several minutes, "we must talk. There is much you have a need to know and very little time left to us."

Talliea made no outward sign that she had heard Cynra. Soft whispers of apology and heated declarations of love were spoken against Arizira's skin.

"Why do I linger here? Why? You were the tether that kept me in this place. You grounded me, love. Now you are gone, having taken another life with you. Why?"

The barely uttered words were not known to Cynra. They were spoken in Esulan, but the emotions present in them were heavy enough to show Cynra how touching their meaning was. Walking over to Talliea, Cynra knelt down and wrapped her arms around the crying woman's shoulders. Talliea did not attempt to push her away.

She needed the comfort. Turning away from Arizira, she held onto the fragile looking woman and cried as soft Arniran words were whispered against her hair.

"I know it hurts. I am sorry. This future...oh, I should have done more. I miss her, too. She was...she was very important to me."

Talliea jerked away from Cynra, an unsettling and dark look clouding her eyes. "Important? You killed her," Talliea hissed. "You."

Cynra nodded her head, but did not attempt to argue the statement. In part, it was the truth. She had allowed her belief in faith and the overall goodness of the many to shadow her commitment to her family. There was no other way around that. Though her intentions had been honorable, the outcome had turned out to be anything but.

"I know you will never understand, child. I did what I believed was necessary. Once I learned of your child, I tried to change this future. I had hopes to give Arizira a chance to not end here. Destiny, it appears, cannot be avoided."

Talliea shook her head, her face red and covered in drying tears. She sniffled and wiped away at her cheeks before sitting back down next to Arizira. Her eyes trailed over her love's eyebrows and cheeks, down the slope of her nose and to the perfection that was her mouth.

Biting her cheek, she allowed her fingers to caress those lips while her eyes studied pointed ears and silken strands of silvery-blonde hair. "Your words mean nothing to me," she said hoarsely.

"Talliea--" Cynra tried

"No! I do not wish to hear you words for they bring me nothing but pain. You meddled in our lives. You and so many others. How different would today be had none of you ever thought to place yourselves between us? All we wanted was to be together. Perhaps we were foolish in allowing ourselves to completely forget about and ignore our responsibilities, but we were in love. We were happy."

Cynra watched Talliea as she stared at Arizira. Dark fingers continued to caress Arizira's face and neck with a gentle reverence.

"She was going to show me how to build an Arniran home," Talliea said, laughing shyly at the memory. "In the trees. She taught me how to track my own food and follow the signs ever present in the forest. When I was sad, she brought me joy. When I was unsure, she gave me strength. She understood me. She valued me. She showed me gentleness and allowed me to experience love. and when she touched me for the first time, I knew I could never leave her. She was in me --spiritually, emotionally. She became a part of me."

Unknown to Talliea while she spoke and lightly touched Arizira's face, her fingers glowed softly with a golden-silver light. Where they touched Arizira, her skin also shined in a radiant luminescence. Cynra watched, mesmerized. Talliea was completely unaware of her actions. She was lost to her thoughts and her memories and her emotions...

Cynra smiled slowly, hesitantly.

Her emotions. Yes, of course. Talliea's powers were tied to her emotions which stemmed from her love for Arizira. It was all connected. Near as Cynra could tell, Talliea's powers manifested in several different ways. When she felt threatened, her power presented itself as completely offensive, able to stop time, move objects, or destroy them all together. This part of Talliea's abilities seemed to be the easiest for her to call upon and control.

However, her ability to heal seemed only to manifest subconsciously. It appeared to be invoked by Talliea's thoughts when she was more calm and at ease. Cynra watched the Esu woman. Though it was obvious she was still upset over her loss, her tears no longer fell and her breathing was more normal.

She appeared to be calming herself by remembering Arizira, by touching her skin and allowing herself to relive their time together.

"I remember feeling so scared when she kissed me. Scared, but filled with excitement. No one had ever shown me that level of tenderness. No one h-had ever touched me so that I enjoyed it. Her lips tasted like mint..."

Talliea's words trailed off. Her eyes still possessed some faraway quality while she looked down at Arizira. Her fingers dipped down Arizira's neck and lightly ran across her collarbone. Light followed. Cynra did nothing. She continued to watch Talliea, observe her and study her powers.

"I always felt like she held back in her passion for me, that she was afraid to show me how much she truly felt, but when we bonded...when she made love to me...I fully experienced the depth of her emotions for me. Never before had I felt so valued, so appreciated. She loved me. She...she loved me so much. I was important to her just as she is important to me."

At her last words, Talliea shook herself from her self-induced haze and looked over at Cynra. Her eyes were darker, her face unreadable.

"Do not tell me she was important to you. Were that true, I would not sit here in suffering now."

Cynra nodded, her tired purple eyes showing the sorrow she felt. She looked over at Arizira's peaceful looking face and all was quiet for some time. She noticed her granddaughter's color appeared different -- more lively, but she refrained from saying anything.

Talliea was an uncertainty at the moment. Cynra could do nothing to upset her because she was unsure how the other woman would respond.

Finally, when it was evident nothing was going to be said by either woman, Cynra spoke up "She was my granddaughter, day walker. My child was her mother and both are now lost to me. You will never understand my reasons, nor will you forgive me, but please believe that her importance to me was great."

The sound of the crackling fire met her declaration. Talliea said nothing, but kept her eyes locked with the light purple of Cynra‘s.

"She did not know," Talliea said after a moment. The words sounded like a question, though in reality they were a statement.

"No, she did not. I never told her because I knew this fate awaited her. I believed it was unavoidable, and I was right."

Tears blurred Cynra's vision as she and Talliea sat opposite one another. Talliea allowed her thoughts to run freely inside her mind. Arizira had been unaware of her connection to Cynra. The old woman seemed to have played a part she was no longer happy about.

Her actions, however well intended, had brought about the deepest ache Talliea had ever known. She was unsure how she was supposed to feel about Cynra.

It was obvious she felt remorse and regret over her actions and she was Arizira's grandmother. All the time Talliea had known Arizira, she had felt a longing from the other woman where her family was concerned.

Though she had made no outward show of such feelings, Talliea had detected it the closer the two of them had become. To think that a living relative had been so close and remained so silent was painful for Talliea and Arizira was no longer even among the living.

Cynra broke the silence between them. "I came to see her, but I also came for you."

Talliea, her eyes having gone back to appreciating Arizira's beauty, looked back at Cynra upon hearing the words. "Me? What have you to do with me? You have done enough. I wish to be left alone in my grief."

Cynra stood up and walked over to Talliea. She looked down at the Esu woman and put her wrinkled hands on her hips.

"I am afraid you can not do that. You have a destiny of your own. "

Dark eyes, fully of fury, looked up. "You are not in any position to direct me. Whatever destiny you think I have a part in, I tell you now that I refuse. I only want to be with her."

"That is not possible. She is gone. I am sorry for the bluntness that follows these words. Arizira must be administered her death rites before the second day falls. You still live and you must do your part if a war is to be averted between our two peoples."

Talliea stood up, her impressive height towering over the shorter woman. Her eyes were without any color and her face was hard.

"I wish no part in your war! Let them kill each other! It is no less than they deserve! I will not play your game. Ari did and look where she now lies! Whatever you want from me, you shall not have it!"

The temperature in the room slowly began to drop again. Small icicles formed on the outer edges of the fire next to them and Cynra could feel her old bones protesting the unnatural change. She looked down and watched as an icy fog began to roll across the cave floor.

"Calm down, child. Your emotions bring about your powers," she chattered.

Talliea faltered and glanced around them. She noticed the fog and the glassy sheen of ice along the fire. Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, she imagined warmer temperatures. She thought of Arizira and attempted to bring a calm over herself.

A moment later, all evidence of the sudden chill vanished while the fire next to her grew with renewed life. It was now brighter and glowed with an intense orange heat.

"There, " Cynra said smiling.

Talliea swallowed and looked around in disbelief. How did she keep manifesting such awe-inspiring wonders? Such a thing was unheard of. It was...unnatural. Was it not? She had never heard of anyone possessing such abilities, let alone a woman. What had brought about this change in herself?

"H-how? How do I do these things?" she asked.

Cynra smiled proudly at her and pointed at Arizira where she lay peacefully. "She is responsible."

Talliea turned around confused. The newly bright fire swirled its shadows across her face.

"Ari? I do not understand. What is happening to me?"

Cynra took a deep breath before answering. "The grief you felt over Arizira's death allowed you to unlock the powers lying inside of you. From the moment you met her, your feelings continuously grew. You were curious about her. You learned to trust her. She became a friend and then later your lover. The bond the two of you shared was complete. You were both connected emotionally, physically, and spiritually. That bond tapped into the very essence that you both shared. She was the key, you the conduit."

Talliea shook her head, her eyes still lingering on Arizira's body. "C-conduit? Conduit for what?"

"The power of the sun and the moon; of night and day; of Aitla and Esuval. You are the Chosen, child."

At this, Talliea turned back around. Her face was, once again, unreadable. She struggled with herself for a moment to get her voice to work as she wished. "You are telling me that Ari-sera is dead because you all needed me to become like this? She had to die so I could obtain these abilities?"

The words were spoken slowly and with great stress. Cynra took a step back.

"Yes. What needs to be done is more important than either of you; than me. We are on the precipice of annihilation. Soon, none of us will matter for none of us shall remain behind. Great wars of the past now threaten the present and shroud the future. You are the only one with the knowledge of both peoples. The histories. The truth. You alone have the power to change everything.”

"History? What history? I know nothing. I-I am not the one you have need of. How could something so important become so questionable? For aught others to know?"

Shaking her head and taking a step closer to Talliea, Cynra smiled a crooked smile that somehow seemed out of place with her present company. Her eyes glowed a bright silver-white and their appearance brought about a longing in Talliea's heart.

"What happened, you ask? I shall tell you. Time went through its seasons and we each, Esu and Arnira, became lost to the other. We became legends; myths, lost in a place history has forgotten and scholars have no need of. You are more powerful than you are aware, more important."

Talliea watched Cynra closely. The ancient woman had answers. She knew what Talliea was going through. She knew about her abilities and how they manifested. She spoke of destiny and fate and histories, but underneath all of that she was a light in Talliea's suddenly very dark world.

"Your powers are not fueled by anger, child. Certainly they are manifested by your emotional state, are triggered by them, but your emotions do not rule them. You see, you were chosen because of your purity. Despite your upbringing, despite surviving in a world torn asunder by war and devoid of love and meaningful contact, you remained innocent.

“You believed in love and joy and peace. You held out hope for hope. Like you, Arizira was an unusual spirit. She was not tainted by any negativity. She rejoiced in all things living. She honored her commitments and remained true to her loyalties, even when they appeared to shift. She was the embodiment of goodness. She was protection and strength where you were peace and, hope, and gentleness. Together, you both were balance."

Cynra took another step closer, noticing she held Talliea's complete attention.

"The two of you found a connection not seen in this world for generations: the Doira'Liim. You bonded with each other on every level, every plane. There were two of you, but only one heartbeat. Only one spirit. Through that connection, came your powers. Your emotions call them to you, but it is your love for Arizira that tempers them. You could have killed everyone back in that clearing, child. You did not. You were chosen because you fight with love, for love. In that lies your unmatched strength."

Silence covered the inside of the cave. Talliea stood without response for many, many minutes. Her eyes stayed focused on Arizira's face while Cynra watched and waited.

And prayed.

After a time, Talliea finally spoke up. "Everything that happened between us was destiny? Fate?"

Cynra nodded. "Yes."

"All so that I could come into these abilities and save everyone from some horrible future?"

Again Cynra nodded. "Yes."

Talliea nodded her own head slowly in thought. "Then you can take these powers away. I have no wish for them. I did not ask for them. I did not ask for the responsibility. All I want is her," she said pointing at Arizira.

"I want my love back. I want to be left alone. I want...I-I want my baby, our child. I want back my life. How dare any of you complicate my existence as you have! What gave any of you the right to interfere? I found love, my Doira'Liim, and for what? For a handful of months? For a fraction of happiness in my twenty-three years? All for it to be taken from me so painfully?"

Cynra interjected. "Talliea, you must see the bigger whole. More is at stake. These powers you possess are--"

"I do not care! Every care I had in the world was taken from me! You are asking me to feel pity, to feel love and compassion for those who have brought me agony! My reason for being here is dead! She lies here between us and..." Talliea's voice grew heavier. Her throat tightened.

Tears burned behind her eyes and her chest felt weighted. "D-do you not understand? My responsibility was to her. M-my duty...everything I-I w-was, was in her. She is taken from me. My heart beats, but without hers."

Cynra opened her mouth to speak, but Talliea cut her off. "I care for nothing anymore. Inside, I am dead just as she is. You all took her from me and...I-I do not want these gifts. Take them, as you did her. T-take them and find someone else."

Cynra watched Talliea move over to Arizira and settle back down beside her. She watched Talliea kiss Arizira's brow, place an arm around her ribs, and lay her head down upon her shoulder.

The fire continued to burn. Time passed outside. Cynra still had so much she had to say. She had so many arguments she needed to bring up, but as she watched Talliea close her eyes and begin speaking softly to Arizira in Esulan, she knew her words would be met much the same as her previous ones.

Talliea was not receptive to anything she had to say. Her grief was too profound, her pain too deep. Nothing Cynra could say would make any difference. She sat herself down on the opposite side of the fire and continued to watch the loving way Talliea caressed Arizira.

She smiled in a painful and tight way and realized something: She did not care for anything she had to say either. She missed her grandchild. She mourned for her great grandchild. She despised herself.

Chapter 12: The Reunion

"I see it. I see it. I am old, not blind."

A cantankerous voice brought Cynra awake some time later. She opened her eyes and blinked as fresh daylight sun shined down inside the cave opening. Sitting up, she spared a glance in Talliea's direction and found her much the same as when she had last looked upon her.

Talliea was tightly and closely snuggled against Arizira's side with an arm holding the both of them near.

"All this walking. Walk, walk, walk. Why could you not be a bird and fly us here?"

Cynra shook her head. She knew the voice. She had heard it quite often as of late, though when Iolirthas had left to journey with Arizira, she had lost the ability to understand the words that voice had spoken. Now, however, she fully comprehended the words being complained and she could not help herself from smiling.

Taetylona had found them.

Cynra sat up and stretched before moving to stand. A moment later, the tall and broad figure of Taetylona entered the cave followed by Iolirthas. Taetylona carried several packs with her, her waist lined with various satchels and small bags. Her hair was wilder atop her head but her eyes were alert and bright.

"I did not miss your complaining," Cynra said as Taetylona walked over to join her.

"Of course you didn't. I still complained; you just couldn't understand it. Nothing to miss if it was never absent to begin with."

Despite herself, Cynra laughed. She had missed being able to converse with the other woman. Their time together, however unconventional, had brought the two of them closer together. They had formed a bond, a friendship. Not being able to communicate in Iolirthas's absence had been entirely unpleasant, to say the least. Difficult, to say at most.

"Get in here and keep your voice down," Cynra said reaching for Taetylona and hugging her in passing. She helped the other woman in removing her leather packs before turning to look at Iolirthas.

The wolf's blue eyes were unreadable as they stared in the direction of Arizira. Slowly, Iolirthas began to move toward her daughter's body when Talliea suddenly became aware of her presence.

Rolling over, her eyes displaying the shock she felt, Talliea held a hand out to Iolirthas. A rumble of unseen force rippled between herself and Iolirthas. The shockwave knocked Cynra and Taetylona off their feet, but did not affect the wolf.

Sitting up and brushing hair away from her face, Talliea looked around her with wide eyes. She recognized the wolf immediately, having seen it more than once during her time with Arizira. From it, she did not feel threatened. Her reaction had been one of instinct when she had realized she was not alone.

Moving her eyes from the wolf to Cynra, Talliea finally took in the last of the newcomers and a smile broke out across her face. A half sob erupted from her throat and she moved to get more comfortable.

"Sage woman," she whispered, the name sounding like a plea, a blessing, and a thank you all at once.

Taetylona picked herself off of the ground and regarded Talliea. She still could not believe the power the younger woman wielded. It made her feel proud knowing that she had helped to nurture someone so very important.

"Talliea," she said simply.

The single word was all Talliea needed. She felt alone. She felt adrift. Her world meant nothing to her. She had no friends. She had no one to offer her comfort. Her people were her enemies now. Arizira's people believed she had killed one of their own. Everywhere she looked, she found only people desiring something of her. She found only people who wished her harm.

Seeing Taetylona gave Talliea a sense of family, of friendship. She was familiar. She was respected. Talliea did not know what Taetylona was doing with Cynra. She did not know what part, if any, she had played in recent events.

All Talliea saw was someone who could possibly make her feel better. She had always valued Taetylona. She had always revered her and adored her for her strength and sense of beliefs.

Taetylona moved toward Talliea and the two of them met in a fierce hug next to Iolirthas. Taetylona felt Talliea's weight fall upon her body. Ragged cries fell from her young friend as hands held onto for dear life. She felt the two of them falling back to the ground and a moment later, she sat with Talliea's head in her lap as the other woman cried against her.

"All will be okay, young one. All will be okay," she whispered as she ran her fingers over Talliea's back and through her hair.

Talliea cried. For what, she was unsure anymore. She cried for Arizira, for their child, for her circumstances. She cried for her people. She cried for the Arnira. Talliea cried for Taetylona. She shed tears for Cynra. For everyone. For everything.

"You are okay, Talliea," Taetylona soothed.

Talliea sat back and tried to gather her composure. Taetylona wiped away the remains of her tears and offered her a smile.

"Sage woman, I am happy to see you. I have felt so very alone, but why are you here? I do not understand."

Taetylona looked back over her shoulder at Cynra. By her reckoning, twelve hours had passed since the battle between the Esu and the Arnira. She knew a lot had to of been spoken between Talliea and Cynra in that time. What all had been told or explained, she did not know. The foreboding look from Cyrna, however, told Taetylona that caution was called for.

"That does not matter at present, Talliea. Know that you sit among allies, those that would see you happy and whole once again."

Talliea snorted derisively before scooting away from Taetylona. She stood up and walked back over to where Arizira lay. The great white wolf was nudging Arizira's hand. Its ears were alert, its tail up. A soft whining sound could be heard from it. Talliea sat down beside Arizira and watched the wolf.

She did not understand what was happening. Who was the wolf? Why was it here? She had seen it before. Had Taetylona been working with Cynra somehow? Why was she not with their clan? Had she escaped? Been banished again? Could Talliea trust her or anyone for that matter?

The wolf began to paw at Arizira's side. The cloak covering her body was pulled as it was scratched.

Cynra, Taetylona, and Talliea watched with curious eyes. The wolf flopped down next to Arizira and nudged her chin and neck with its muzzle. It bumped her head with its own as if trying to get her attention.

Cynra stood up, completely absorbed in whatever was happening. "Iolirthas," she said softly.

The wolf ignored her.

Talliea watched the wolf continue to lick and nudge and paw at Arizira's body. She was unsure what to make of the display, let alone the creature responsible. The name Cynra had called it seemed vaguely familiar, but with everything happening, she could not place it.

When she had used her power earlier, the wolf had not been harmed or affected in any way. How such a thing was possible, she could not guess. One thing she did know: the wolf was more than what it appeared.

She reached over and slapped at the creature to get its attention. "Stop."

The wolf looked up at her and turned its head. The manner in which it did so was utterly familiar to Talliea.

Taetylona walked over and bent down next to Arizira. She pushed Iolirthas away and looked down at the fallen woman. For several minutes, she studied Arizira's face and then her body. She still had color in her cheeks. Her features were still bright, her lips full of life.

Taetylona pulled down the cloak covering Arizira's chest and noticed the absence of an arrow wound. Her fingers moved up a fair skinned neck and came to rest against Arizira's pulse.

Talliea watched with a growing agitation. There were too many people present. She just wanted to be left alone! Why could none of them grant her such a simple request? She did not have long before she would have to say goodbye to Arizira! For good.

First the Esu and Arnira had tried to take Arizira away from her, then Cynra had shown up with her tales of destiny and duty, and now Taetylona and the mysterious wolf were present interfering with her time with her love!

Why were all of them intent on keeping her away from Arizira?

"What are you doing? You disturb her in her final rest! Stop!" Talliea ordered Taetylona in a heated voice.

Taetylona glanced up, her fingers still resting against Arizira's neck. "Hush now, young one. Just...just give me a moment," she begged softly.

Cynra walked up to stand beside Talliea and the two of them observed Taetylona. After a moment, the Sage woman spoke up again. "She still carries heat within her body."

Cynra looked dubious before dropping down next to Taetylona. "What? That is not possible!"

"Feel," Taetylona instructed before guiding Cynra's fingers to Arizira's throat.

"How? How did I not notice this?" Cynra asked, her eyes going wide as she felt the heat coming from Arizira's skin. She had touched Arizira just hours before. How had she overlooked something so important?

"Grief," Taetylona replied, looking up at Talliea who still stood over them tersely. "You were too upset."

Talliea moved to the top of Arizira's body and knelt down above her. She placed her hands on Arizira's temples and regarded the two older women. "What are you two on about? Notice what, Cynra? Tell me!"

Cynra looked at Talliea for only a moment before her eyes landed on Arizira' chest. She, too, noticed the flawless flesh.

"Where is the arrow that pierced her?" she asked.

Talliea, still looking confused, replied, "I destroyed it with my...w-with my power. I am not sure how. I desired for it to be gone and...and it was."

Cynra caught a cry that tried to escape her throat before smiling. She attempted to keep her hope from bubbling up inside of her, but she could not contain her emotions. Was it possible? Could it be true?

"And, the wound? You closed it, as well?"

Talliea, her fingers running along the smooth underside of Arizira's chin, nodded her head. "Yes. It--the wound--it...i-it disturbed her perfection. Why? Why is all of this important?"

Taetylona sat back, covering Arizira back up as she moved. Cynra remained close, her fingers enjoying the heat coming from her granddaughter's body.

"Because she is warm, child. Her skin burns hot."

Again, Talliea could only look confused. She did not know what either of the older women were on about and all she wished was to be left alone with Arizira for but a few moments. Was that asking so much?

"I-I know," she said slowly. "Is it not common among Arnira?"

"Common?" Cynra gasped "Common? No, child. No, it is not common."

Talliea felt her heart begin to be faster. Her vision began to grow hazy and misty. "What are you saying? she asked hoarsely.

It was Taetylona that spoke up, though instead of offering any answers, she instead placed her head against Arizira's chest. Her ear landed over her heart and she closed her eyes and listened. "I believe I know what afflicts this child," she admitted in soft tones.

"What?" Cynra and Talliea asked in unison.

Iolirthas sat across from the lot of them, her tail wagging almost happily and her ears perked up as she watched their movements. Several long, slow, and agonizing minutes passed before Taetylona finally thought to speak again.

"A fevered sleep, yes. Deep, deep sleep. Everything stopped...all movement and time. Could she have...no, and yet...possibly. The arrow gone, the wound closed. Yes...yes...maybe that is the case..."

Her words were spoken to herself, all the while her eyes remained closed and her ear remained over Arizira's heart. Her voice was difficult to make out even being so close to her companions -- even for Cynra's sharp hearing.

"It is faint...so, so faint. Barely does it sound, but it is there. She must have stopped the transition...healed the body, but neglected the spirit...yes...and the baby..."

Taetylona had learned through Iolirthas on their journey to Li'nas Dei the reasons for Cynra's behavior when she had sent Arizira to find Talliea. The communication had not been conventional by any means. It had come to Taetylona as if a dream and at once she had known of the baby both women had created.

Like Talliea, she had wondered about such a conception, but had not questioned it.

Her hands moved down Arizira's body and landed on her lower stomach. She could feel the eyes of the other occupants focused on her intently. Barely a breath could be heard in the silence around her.

"‘Lona," Talliea called to her using a variation of her name not heard in many long years, "please tell me what is going on."

Taetylona remained silent for another brief moment. She strained to feel what she needed to feel. The abilities bestowed upon her from so long ago came to her call and she smiled when she detected the sensation she had been searching. Sitting back up and looking to her friends, she said, "I believe your lost one is in a fevered sleep."

"S-sleep? N-no. S-she is...she is...are y-you saying that she is..." Talliea's words would not form properly the way she desired. Her mind could not reconcile with whatever Taetylona was proposing. A sleep? A fevered sleep? Arizira did not breathe. She had no heart beat. How could the Sage woman suggest such a thing?

Cynra, having been silent the whole time, reached across to touch Arizira. She placed her hand at her pulse and after a moment, a happy laugh sounded from her old throat. "I can not believe...all this time! H-how did we all miss this? Talliea has been next to her without fail. She has touched her and not noticed these things."

Her words were directed at Taetylona who sat smiling as she watched the shocked and stunned faces around her react to her news.

"Grief," she said again simply.

Arizira was not dead. Her heartbeat was weak -- extremely weak -- and her breathing was so slow as to appear to be nonexistent. She was in a deep and fevered sleep, a state Taetylona had come across only once before. The body went into a such a state after a profound shock. To all others, the person would appear to have passed on while in reality the body attempted to mend itself.

By Taetylona's reckoning, and she was by far not an expert, Talliea had stopped Arizira from passing over when she had commanded time back in the clearing. At the precise moment Arizira had been caught between worlds, Talliea had unwittingly kept her bound to the earthly plane. When she had removed the arrow, the act had taken away that which was slowly claiming Arizira's life, and when she had healed the wound upon her chest, all damage to her body had been reversed.

"The Child of Whispers must experience death if her goddess is to find her way to me," Cynra muttered, reciting words spoken to her from so long ago. "Experience death."

Cynra laughed, tears springing into her purple eyes.

"She is not dead, yet I know not how to bring her back to the living. Her body is mended, but her spirit remains separate," Taetylona said.

Talliea sat back and released a heavy sigh. She did not know what to think. She did not know how to feel. Everything she was hearing made little to no sense to her. Dead was dead, was it not?

Yet, Taetylona was telling her that Arizira was not dead. She was in a fevered sleep, whatever that was. Everything in Talliea wanted to believe what she was hearing. There was nothing she desired more than for Arizira to not be gone, but how could she accept what she was hearing?

What if Taetylona was wrong? What if Talliea got her hopes up only for it to turn out that both Arizira and their child were truly gone? The thought of their baby forced Talliea's voice to come to her rescue.

"The b-baby? What...w-what about the baby?" she asked in tight tones.

Smiling, Taetylona placed her hand back on Arizira's stomach. "The baby's life is attached to the mother's. "

Talliea gasped, or cried, or half sobbed. She was unsure. A smile was insistent on gracing her lips and new tears touched her eyes. Cynra patted her shoulder and the two of them shared a moment.

"I do not understand how any of this is possible."

Taetylona nodded and inhaled before beginning her explanation. She told Talliea about her theory, about how she believed that when time had been stopped, so too had Arizira's passage to the other side. She told her about her belief that Talliea had, basically, saved Arizira's life when she had destroyed the arrow and closed the wound.

Everything made a certain kind of sense to Talliea, yet she still had a hard time understanding how her actions had changed anything. Arizira was still lifeless. She was still unresponsive. She was still not with Talliea in all the ways that mattered.

"Will she wake?" Talliea asked hopefully. Her heart was still sad, but she felt a small amount of comfort in the belief that an end to her suffering was in sight. Anything had to be better than her previous state of being.

At the question, Taetylona hesitated and looked to Cynra who had been unusually quiet throughout.

"I do not know,” she started. “Her body is in a slowed state, but she can not continue on without sustenance. You have healed the damage to her flesh, but it remains to be seen if her spirit will also benefit from such abilities."

Healed? She had healed Arizira? How? When? Talliea could not recall doing such a thing. She remembered removing and the destroying the arrow, but she had not been attempting to heal Arizira when she had done so. She had wished for its presence to be gone. She had not desired to look upon her love and see the one thing that had taken her away. When she had closed the wound, she had not even been trying to do so.

Again, she had only been wishing for such a mark to not disturb the beauty of Arizira when she was laid to her final rest. Taetylona was telling her that such acts had been those of healing and that they had, by her account, healed Arizira's body from the damage she had taken.

Before she could express any of these thoughts, Cynra's voice broke the silence.

"I have been an old fool, a fool who did not wish to believe I was just as much a pawn as any other. Aitla knew of this. She knew the part I was to play. This outcome...I believed it to be an end, a permanence. I have allowed myself to forget one very important truth."

"What is that?" Taetylona asked. Talliea said nothing. Her thoughts collided upon themselves with everything she had just heard.

"These two women share a bond. They are spirit mates."

"And?" Taetylona asked.

Instead of answering, Cynra turned her attention to Talliea who sat unmoving near Arizira's head with glassy eyes and a far off expression.

"You still feel her here, do you not? You feel complete and that confuses you because you believe her to be gone?"

Talliea nodded her head, but her gaze remained unfocused.

"You continue to feel her presence, child, because she is still here."

Talliea shook her head, tears blurring her line of sight. She wanted to believe what she was hearing, but she could not allow herself to feel such elation only for it to be taken away, too.     There was cruel and then there was flat out perniciousness.

"No," she whispered in a small voice.

Cynra moved to be closer to her and reached out to grasp her hands. "Yes, child. Yes. We have all been so silly, most of all me. The truth has been right here and we have overlooked it. The two of you share a spirit. So long as one lives, so too does the other. One can not die while the other still draws breath. The only thing to separate the two of you from the other would be a natural death, in which you both would pass together. You hold her spirit inside you because she shares that spirit. You alone can bring her back."

Talliea's breathing came fast and quick while her chest began to rise up and down. She tried to say something. Anything. She tried to form a coherent thought. She tried to force down the sense of joy rising up inside of her, but she could not. She wanted everything Cynra and Taetylona were telling her to be the truth. She needed the things they said to be her reality.

Arizira was alive? She was waiting for Talliea to...to what? Bring her back? Give her back her spirit? What? How was Talliea to do what was being asked of her? She was not even sure how she had healed Arizira. How was she suppose to do what Cynra was telling her?

But...

How could she not at least try? Her love needed her.

“I should have noticed matters sooner,” Cynra continued, “but in my own grief I overlooked the connection you share with Arizira. Your powers, if what I believe to be true, are linked to Arizira and your love for her. You could not retain them if she were no longer on this plane. She is the key! Without her, you are nothing just as she is less without you."

Talliea wiped away at her tears. Her heart was beating so quickly behind her ribs that she believed it was trying to escape the confines of her chest. She released a shaky and ragged breath before leaning over Arizira's face. She kissed her forehead, her nose, and finally her lips.

Taetylona and Cynra moved a ways back to give Talliea whatever space she would desire. The wolf remained close, on Arizira's far side. Talliea scooted until she was sitting at Arizira's right side.

She did not understand anything Cynra or Taetylona had told her. She did not understand the depth of the Doira'Liim connection. Memories of her own seemed to mingle with Arizira's and become lost and muddled.

Certain things were clear and understood while others were elusive and difficult to make out. She felt as if two beings resided inside her body. Coupled with the powers she was struggling to control and Talliea was a mess of emotions, heartache, and uncertainty.

Though she did feel complete, she also felt scattered. Arizira was the only person who could make her feel truly whole. She was the only one who could soothe her chaotic mind.

Talliea leaned down and placed her forehead on Arizira's. Her hand moved under the right side of the cloak covering her love's body and came to rest against her heart. The heat from Arizira's skin made her smile. It was not common.

She breathed deeply and calmly and tried to clear her thoughts of anything distracting. She allowed any and all background noise to fade away. There was no Cynra. There was no Taetylona. There was no wolf or cave or night or day. There was only Arizira. Only her.

Only the two of them.

Time seemed to slow around her and she was unsure if she was the cause or if it was just the state her mind was in . The hand she had resting against Arizira's heart grew warmer. She did not know how she was supposed to help her love. She had no idea what she was doing, but she knew she had to try and so try she did.

A small and very faint reverberation vibrated against her fingertips. It was light and difficult to make out, but Talliea recognized it for what it was.

Arizira's heartbeat!

How had she ever missed it? Not noticed it? It did not matter.

Talliea focused on that feeling and turned her head so that her cheek rested against Arizira's forehead. She released a sigh and continued to concentrate. Unknown to her, her body began to shimmer with a cascade of silver, white, gold and yellow colors. The halo or the aura extended from her own body and wrapped itself around Arizira's. She let her mind focus only on her love.

She pictured Arizira's smile. She heard her laughter. She tasted her lips and her tongue and was assaulted with the woodsy and flowery scent that she had grown to associate with Arizira.

In her mind she saw the two of them walking. She saw them talking and getting to know one another. She experienced her own confusion over her feelings, but also Arizira's emotions and desire to protect her.

The images, the sensory hallucinations, shifted and she saw Arizira practicing with her bow. She saw the two of them bathing and playing in the water.

The light around her grew more intense. The beating beneath her fingers became stronger.

Her mind painted before her a vision of her first kiss with Arizira. The taste of mint exploded across her tongue and she laughed in the silence of the cave. She felt her body and her spirit beginning to stabilize.

Next, her mind allowed her to relive her first sexual experience with Arizira. She felt Arizira's hands on her body and recalled the way they had made her feel. Her skin flushed red. So did Arizira's.

For the first time in a long time, Talliea slowly began to feel alive. She began to feel at peace once again, a peace that had eluded her for nearly two months.

She forgot about the pain Arizira's death had brought about. She did not think about the Esu or the Arnira or about their senseless war. Taetylona became a figment to her, Cynra a dream. Nothing existed for Talliea except Arizira. The deep ache that had taken a hold of her heart released its grasp and left her body. Her chest grew lighter, her breaths became easier to take.

The light around her and Arizira reached its zenith and slowly withdrew back into each of their bodies. Cynra and Taetylona watched mesmerized, their eyes full of hope and awe.

Talliea sighed shakily and slowly leaned away from Arizira so that she could look down into her face. She felt slightly displaced after what had just happened, but her pain from before was gone.

Her eyes scanned Arizira's face while her fingers moved from underneath her cloak to land on her chin. Nothing moved. Nothing so much as breathed.

All was held thrall. All waited eagerly for some sign that Talliea had brought Arizira back, that her act just now had shared their combined spirit and healed Arizira completely.

Talliea kissed the lips so close to her own again and ran her nose across Arizira's.

Arizira blinked. Her eyes moved behind her closed lids. Talliea's heart beat faster. A smile touched her full lips.

"Ahmanae?" she questioned. "Please, please come back to me."

Silence.

Stillness.

"Please, love." Talliea whispered.

And then...

Blue eyes slowly fluttered open. A shy, silver light grew within them. A gasp for air sounded in the cave and...

Arizira awoke.

Talliea gasped, her eyes going wide. She lifted the top half of Arizira's body from off the ground and held her with tender care. She looked down at the groggy and confused face staring back up at her.

"Ari? Ari?" she said over and over again in disbelief. Tears fell down her face while her hands shook with the force of her emotions. She attempted to smile, but her cries kept the gesture from ever being completed.

Her hands wrapped around Arizira's body and lifted her until she was hugging the woman she loved. The cloak covering Arizira's body barely maintained her modesty as Talliea buried her face in her neck and cried against her skin.

"Oh, love, my sweet love. Ari..."

Arizira swallowed thickly and tried to comprehend what was happening. She could not remember what had transpired or how she had come to be with Talliea again.

The thought of her love stopped her musings though.

Talliea.

She was with Talliea?

"Tah-li?" she whispered in a dry and broken voice.

The sound of her name only caused Talliea to cry harder. Arizira's body was half in her lap and half on the floor. The cloak covering her top half fell to her waist and Talliea held her closer as she peppered the side of her face with soft and reverent kisses.

Arizira attempted to touch Talliea. She attempted to reach around her and draw her closer. She managed to bring her hand up to Talliea's hair and tangle her fingers into the thick dark strands.

"I love you," Talliea was whispering against her ear. "I love you more than anything. I love you so much."

Tears falling from her own eyes, though she was unsure of exactly why, Arizira snuggled into Talliea as best she could and replied, "I...I love y-you, too, failira."

Chapter 13: Sojourn

D'jiira stopped upon the shore of the massive lake spreading out before her. In the distance, near the horizon, a mammoth shadow of a mountain sat watch over the surrounding landscape. Around the lake and far to the east, a diverse and numerous amount of trees blocked out her view. Various rocks cobbled along the water's edge and met the gentle lap of the current.

A small inlay of land ran along the right side of the lake and stretched far out in the water. A modest copse of trees were scattered upon the grassy and rocky surface, omnifarious flowers and buds of various shades and colors were easily seen from where D'jiira stood.

She sighed and adjusted the burlap bag resting against her back. The sight before her had not been seen in over twenty years. The mountain, the trees, the lake and the foliage, all had at one time been completely familiar to her. Now, though the scene remained largely unchanged, D'jiira knew it carried memories and a recent history not understood by her.

She bent down near to the water and refilled her water skin. Her dark hair was braided in a single tie that fell down the middle of her back. Age had been kind to her for only a few lines and wrinkles crossed her face and barely a white or gray streak could be spied in her hair.

Her eyes were alert and bright and, according to many, her best feature. They were knowing; understanding; inquisitive. In them, one could see the life of a person whose years had been hard, yet satisfying; sad, yet joyous.

D'jiira had never been a woman to allow anything to pass her by. She had accepted the consequences of falling in love with a mystical Arnira and, equally, had accepted her guilt on leaving the child the two of them had created.

The years following Arizira's birth had been difficult. It had taken D'jiira time to adjust to her new life. Her clan had not asked questions of her. They had accepted her back into their fold and life had continued. Eventually, D'jiira had fallen in love with a woman of her own people. The both of them had been happy for a time.

Until the dreams had started.

The dreams. D'jiira shivered just thinking about them. They had started nearly a year ago. She could not explain them. She could not speak of them. They were less images and more feelings. In them D'jiira had come to understand events happening far, far away from her small corner of the world.

She had come to know that change was coming and that, somehow, her daughter was at the center of that change.

Her daughter. Not one day in twenty seven years had passed that D'jiira had not thought of the young woman. She often wondered if she had kept her mostly Arniran appearance or, as the years had gone by, she had begun showing her Esu heritage. What did she look like? How did she sound? Was she happy? Did she know of D'jiira? Was she a warrior? A healer? A simple tradesmen?

D'jiira wondered if her daughter had any children of her own. Was she in love? Had she experienced something wondrous like her mothers?

Most importantly, how was Arizira at the center of the change she felt was fast approaching? Was she in danger? In harm's way? Did her mixed parentage have something to do with this change?

When the dreams had begun, D'jiira had tried to ignore them. When they had ceased to go away after a week, she had tried to overlook them. After six months of restless nights and sweaty palms, she had finally come to understand that the dreams were not going to stop.

They desired something of her. They'd been trying to get her attention.

Finally, she'd spoken of them to her partner. Words had been exchanged and when D'jiira had expressed a desire to leave, her lover had not been understanding. She did not know of D'jiira's past. She did not know of her daughter. The desire to embark on such a long and uncertain journey, alone, could not reconciled.

The two of them had parted, neither certain of where they stood. D'jiira had packed, said her goodbyes, and left.

Now, months later, she still could not explain her actions or give a rationale account of why she had done what she had done. She missed her partner. The two of them had an easy and mostly uncomplicated existence, but there were things the woman didn't know. Things she didn't understand. D'jiira had known she could not explain them, for they defied even her own perspicacity.

All she had known was that she was going back -- back to a place, not forgotten, but forgiven. A place where she had lost a piece of her self. A place a part of her still walked and breathed and lived. A place with such mixed emotions that the very definition of a conundrum could barely do it justice.

Something in her was compelling her to find her daughter. It had been begging her to move, to walk, to reunite. For four months, she had traveled in the vast stretch of forest that spanned the north. Her younger days had been left behind her, but still she had moved as a person sure in her direction, sure in her purpose.

She looked out over the lake again and smiled. The sun was high overhead and its rays painted the water with an image of the sky and mountains. Only a few more days, a walk around the water and into the forest that lay opposite it, and she would be back where her heart had left her so very long ago.

She would be near to her child, her daughter. The daughter who, despite either of them knowing it, needed her mother now more than ever.

* * * * *

Talliea cried. Her tears fell against Arizira's neck and into her hair. She could barely breathe.

Her head felt light. Her throat constricted. Her fingers trembled where they gently held Arizira's body close to her. She could feel Arizira's hand in her hair.

The feeling made her smile.

Arizira's breath washed across her ear and the side of her neck. Her breath. She was alive! Her love was alive. Her heart was beating. She breathed. Talliea's sobs turned to ragged bouts of laughter that intermingled with her heartache and despair and clashed with her joy and happiness and relief.

She could not reconcile how Arizira was with her again. She had only begun to process her loss and now she was alive and holding onto her; she was comforting her.

"Love," she whispered as she turned her head so that her lips caressed Arizira's ear. She kissed the sensitive shell and breathed out her emotions. "I love you. I love you. Please..." Another kiss, more tears. "Tell me you are here, love. Tell me I do not dream."

The last of the words were a plea. Talliea's voice was ragged. Her hold on Arizira was frantic. Cynra and Taetylona watched the display with tears in their own eyes.

Arizira swallowed the dryness in her throat. Her shining silver-blue eyes were wide and confused as they looked around the cave. She instantly recognized it as the one that sat overlooking Li'nas Dei.

Light's Way.

She was at Li'nas Dei. Why? What had happened. Why was Talliea crying so? She tried to remember everything. Anything. She struggled to recall what events had led her to be in Talliea's arms again. She had missed her so, so much.

The admission cleared away some of the fog from her mind. She had been separated from Talliea. She remembered. They had each been lost to the other. More images and recollections sped behind her mind's eye. Her recent timeline was spread out before her, some events jumbled, some still shrouded in mystery.

Cynra. Taetylona. Her parents. Her journey to find Talliea. Her pregnancy. Lao'dahn. Bela'luin. Danger. An arrow. Talliea. Tears. Goodbyes. Confessions. Love. Pain.

Talliea. Talliea. Talliea...

Talliea pulled away to look into her eyes. Her smile was bright, yet full of uncertain pain. She held Arizira's face in her hands, her thumbs smoothing over her jaw, cheeks, and lips with tender care.

"Hi," she greeted in shaky tones but with a smile. "Hi, love."

Her voice was barely audible, as if she feared the sound of it would shatter the truth that her love was with her once again.

In that moment, Arizira broke.

Whatever had happened did not matter at present. All that concerned her was Talliea. They had been away from each other for too long. Each had a story to tell, she knew that much, but for the first time in a long time, she was back where she belonged.

With Talliea.

She noticed the pain that had been ever present without her failira was gone. She no longer felt stretched or torn or less. She felt whole and complete and sane. Her heart beat as it should, its rhythm steady instead of chaotic.

Seeing Talliea's tears, feeling her skin, smelling her hair, and looking upon her beautiful and inspiring face, again caused a happy and relieved sob to erupt from Arizira's throat. Her own smile touched her lips as she untangled her fingers from Talliea's hair and trailed them over her jawbone.

Talliea laughed, turning her face into the caress. "Hi, love," she said again, though her tone was not as strong as before.

"Tah-li, I have missed you," Arizira whispered. Her voice was rough due to her dry throat, but it still managed to sound musical to Talliea's ears. "I have been so lost without you."

Talliea nodded, her smile widening. She leaned forward and kissed the side of Arizira's mouth. Taking the cloak that was covering her love's body, she maneuvered it so that it was once again respecting Arizira's modesty.

Arizira moved her legs up beneath the cloak and scooted closer to Talliea. Her embrace was her salvation, her security. Yet, her body still felt stiff and awkward.

"Water," Talliea said. "S-she needs water."

Cynra moved quickly, her joy at seeing Arizira alive and well momentarily forgotten, and fetched one of the water skins from a pack Taetylona had brought. She carried it over to Talliea and handed it to her.

"I am very happy to see you, child," she said in heavy but happy tones to her granddaughter. Arizira nodded, a small smile coming to her eyes.

"As I am you," she replied weakly.

Talliea brought the skin to Arizira's lips and cut off any other words the two of them may have wished to share.

"Here, love," she said. "Drink for me."

Once Arizira's throat was no longer parched, she returned her attention back to Talliea. Talliea's fingers smoothed over her wet lips reverently. Her fingers still shook. Arizira reached up and placed a hand on Talliea's wrist to steady her.

Before she could say anything, Talliea bent down and kissed her. The kiss was not long. It was not heated. It was an embrace of love, one meant to verify that Arizira was real, that she was here. Talliea lightly allowed her tongue to glide across her love's bottom lip before pulling away.

"You are here," she said, resting her head against Arizira's. Mint covered her senses. "You are here."

Arizira, her body resting now fully against Talliea's, nodded and smiled. Her head rested against Talliea's chest and the steady thump, thump seemed to heal her more than anything before. Looking up, she said, "We are together."

Talliea smiled. "We are." She felt a sense of calm overcome her. Her inner turmoil from before disappeared and she felt a sudden surge of confidence and certainty that, oddly, assured her.

Her fingers moved across Arizira's neck. Where they touched, a pleasurable tingling sensation shocked pale skin. Arizira glanced down and noticed an eerie light emanating from Talliea's fingers. The touch felt good. It seemed to enhance her senses, awaken her mind, heal her body.

The nature of the sensation, however, was lost to her. She had never felt what she currently was nor had Talliea ever demonstrated such an ability.

"Failira?" she question as her brow furrowed.

Talliea, eyes still full of happy tears, only smiled down at her. "It will not hurt you. Things are more clear to me now. These powers, these gifts -- with you back, I feel I can control it."

Arizira did not know what Talliea meant. Control what? Powers? Gifts? What had happened? How long had she been away? What was going on?

Cynra watched, overjoyed. Somehow, with Arizira's return, Talliea's abilities were stabilizing. She was no longer consumed by grief. Sorrow no longer riddled her insides. She was completely at peace and by extension, her powers were also.

Arizira was the key. Through her, Talliea was able to wield her powers more efficiently, with greater control. Her love -- their love, was the component that brought order to chaos.

Talliea inhaled deeply and smiled down adoringly at Arizira. Her fingers moved down the column of her neck and spread across her collarbone. The same pleasurable tingling passed between them. Arizira moaned softly and a small gasp left her mouth. She kept her eyes locked with Talliea's.

Tan fingers grazed across her sternum before moving back up her neck and toward her face. They slid across the underside of her chin, dipped into the hollow of her neck, spread across her cheeks and shivered their pleasure along her lips. The touch was not necessarily a sexual one, but it did leave Arizira ,as well as Talliea, feeling rather good.

The shocking sensation that accompanied the touch was unlike anything else Arizira had ever experienced. She felt her fatigue being lifted away. Her aches and pains from lying immobile so long dissipated and the faint pain still lingering in her chest was reduced to nothing but a hazy vapor.

The light that was carried with the embrace glowed across Arizira's body. When Talliea cupped the back of her head and threaded her fingers into silvery-gold hair, Arizira moaned again. The tingling moved throughout her skull and caused her eyes to close. She felt numb, yet more full of life than she had ever been.

Talliea leaned over her again and brushed her lips across Arizira’s forehead. A small kiss landed on each of her eyes before Talliea pulled away and the power faded between them.

"Remarkable," Taetylona muttered, her attention rapt and without distraction.

"Beautiful," commented Cynra, a happy smile on her old and worn face.

Arizira opened her eyes slowly and released a shaky breath. Her entire body seemed to hum and her vision was slightly distorted. Talliea stared down at her happily.

"H-how did you...how did you do that?"

Talliea smiled. She playfully moved a single finger down the slope of Arizira's nose. The sensation was brief, the tingling less pronounced, but the effect was the same.

"Magic, love. The same magic that brought you back to me, that created the life you carry now inside of you."

Arizira stopped all action. Her hand moved down her body and landed on her abdomen. How did Talliea know of their baby? Was she okay? Had what happened to Arizira somehow placed their child in jeopardy?

"Is she..."

"She is fine," Talliea reassured her. Her hand settled on top of Arizira's.

"You are...aware of her?"

Again, Talliea nodded. The smile on her face never left. "Cynra told me, but I can feel the baby now."

A single tear rolled down Arizira's cheek. "Does this news make you happy?" she asked.

Licking her lips and feeling her own tears sting her eyes, Talliea laughed and nodded emphatically. "Yes, Ahmanae, this makes me unbelievably happy. A baby..." her fingers wrapped around Arizira's as the two women stared at one another.

"We have much to discuss," Arizira said as the sudden depth of their reality hit her. Many things were different between them now. Different, yet still the same. Better. Enriched.

"We do," Talliea agreed, her tone indicating that she felt no rush.

Cynra and Taetylona shared a quiet look. As one, they gathered one of the packs resting against the wall next to them and silently made their departure. Their roles were far from over. Each of them still had much to talk about with both Talliea and Arizira, but at present all the younger women needed was each other.

They needed to talk first. They needed to be able to express themselves without an audience. Each had matters to discuss with the other: Their time apart, their child, the war, Talliea's powers, Arizira's heritage.

All of these and more needed to be spoken of before Cynra and Taetylona imparted anything further. So, with one last look at the two happy and oblivious women, they took their leave and allowed the sense of peace Talliea had generated to reside in their hearts.

There was time for everything else...

...Later.

Chapter 14: The Bond

"I am glad they left us alone," Talliea said some time later when she noticed Cynra's and Taetylona's absence.

Arizira wrapped the cloak over her body tighter about herself and smiled. "They will be back, but I am glad to have this time with you."

Smiling herself, Talliea slowly backed away from Arizira. She ensured the other woman was able to sit up on her own and moved to examine the contents of the leather packs that had been left behind. Arizira, though feeling better, was still weary and slightly sore in her joints. She rested her weight against one arm and used the other to keep the thin cloak wrapped over herself.

"I feel as if my mind dreams," Arizira said, watching Talliea remove a variety of foodstuffs from the packs. "So much is still unclear to me, but being able to look at you..."

Talliea stopped in her task and glanced up to meet Arizira's eyes. "I know," she said simply. "Yet I feel as if I have just woken from a nightmare. The places I went when I thought you lost to me..." Tears formed around the corners of Talliea's brown eyes and she shook her head to clear her mind. "They were very dark places, Ari."

Arizira felt her breath catch at the words. She wondered what horrors Talliea had been forced to face alone and what could have been so bad as to lead her to such unforgiving places. There were still gaps in her memory, bits and pieces that still eluded her and brought her confusion and aggravation.

She needed to know what had happened. How had Cynra and Taetylona found them? What had happened to Bela'luin and her other sisters? How much time had passed between her memories?

Talliea made a sound of surprise and triumph before walking back over to where she sat. In her hands, various types of food, both wrapped in cloth and in small clay containers, were held. She sat down next to Arizira and laid out the items between the two of them.

Arizira noticed an assortment of nuts in one container, honey and a fruit jam of some sort in two others, smoked deer meat wrapped in a thin white cloth, various roasted vegetables and herbs, and a flat white bread or cake.

"Taetylona must have made this," Talliea said, indicating the bread. "It is called yaldet. The texture is coarse and grainy, but it taste like nuts and goes well with this." Talliea held up the small jar of the fruit jam Arizira had noticed earlier.

"What is that?"

"Potaf ula. It is berries and honey ground and mashed together to create a jam which can be eaten with the yaldet."

Arizira smiled. So much of her time with Talliea had been spent learning about the Arnira and their customs, beliefs, and ways. Talliea had never spoken highly about her people nor gone into any great detail about who they were as a culture. Knowing what she did about Talliea's clan, Arizira could not say she blamed the other woman for her hesitance.

However, Arizira was half Esu herself. There was a whole other side to herself that she did not know about. Granted, the clan her second mother came from, according to Cynra, was vastly different compared to Talliea's own, the fact remained that the two clans were both Esu. At one time, they had each shared the same beliefs and ideals.

Did her second mother eat potaf ula? Did she like yaldet? Were there holidays that she celebrated? Days of the year she observed in special occasion? Suddenly, Arizira realized that Talliea, though from a different group of Esu, possibly held answers about her mother.

About herself.

She watched Talliea spread the jam, the potaf ula, onto a small square of the flat cake.

"Here, try. This will be your first step into my world, Ahmanae."

Taking the proffered bite, Arizira did as instructed. The cake was dry, but not tasteless. Like Talliea had told her, it possessed a nutty flavor and the texture was quite pleasing. The jam was sweet and sticky and coated her tongue with the taste of blueberries.

As she chewed another bite, she realized that perhaps there was more to know, more she wanted to know, about the other side of herself.

* * * * *

Some time later, after Talliea had gone to the stream to bathe, the two women found themselves in conversation.

"What happened to you after my people came upon us?" Talliea asked as she and Arizira sat together near the fire. Arizira was still clad in only the cloak she had awakened in, but she hardly seemed to notice as she was back with her love.

She wrinkled her brow in thought as the memories formed inside her mind. "I tracked you. I followed you for as long as I could, ever searching for a means to expedite your escape."

Talliea smiled sadly. "I thought so. I found myself searching for you at night, in the trees. Markahn kept a vigilant watch and used the powers of Esuval to keep light upon us."

Both women nodded and an easy silence fell around them.

"When you reached your clan, I became so lost because you had traveled to a place I could not follow," Arizira said in soft tones. Both she and Talliea alternated their gazes from the fire to each other.

"That time is a blur to me, Tah-li. I had lost you -- truly lost you, and I was so overcome with grief and sadness. I cried as our circumstances overwhelmed me. There was a pain inside of me that I could not explain."

"I felt it, too," Talliea said, taking Arizira's hand in her own and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I felt as if I were stretched between two different places. My bones ached, my heart felt pierced, and there was a weariness that accompanied my every waking moment. When blackness took me and I fell to slumber, images of you haunted my dreams and the sound of your voice lamented the heartache I felt."

"It is our connection," Arizira supplied softly. She studied Talliea's profile as the sun outside the cave was briefly covered by heavy clouds. The scent of rain on the wind was present.

Talliea nodded, but did not turn her face to look at her love's. She felt a sense of guilt and could not bring herself to look into such unforgiving and unconditional eyes. "Did you know?" she asked in a whisper. "Did you know we would experience that kind of pain without one another?"

A soft beat of silence met her question. Outside, the wind picked up, tossing leaves and small twigs into quickly dying dust devils. Arizira tightened the hold her hand had on Talliea's.

"I suspected, yes. When we made love for the first time, I experienced your life, failira. I felt something different with you than any of the other women I was with before. What we shared was not common. It was...more. I knew afterward that what we had done had forever made us different. The thought of ever being away from you...frightened me."

Talliea shook her head and looked up at the roof of the cave. Tears lined her eyes, but she refused to allow them the chance to fall. Her guilt over what had transpired filled her chest with icy remorse.

Others had been factors, but she, too, had played a part in recent affairs. Her connection with Arizira had been unlike anything she had ever felt before. She'd had no other relationships to compare it to and so had been unable to completely appreciate the unique circumstances surrounding it.

"I am sorry," she said after a moment. Her voice was heavy and rough.

Arizira looked at her -- truly looked at her. She could see the tired set of Talliea’s shoulders, the lines around her eyes where worry had colored her skin, and hear the self disgust evident in her voice. Talliea blamed herself for what had happened.

Reaching over and touching Talliea’s chin with her fingers, Arizira brought her love's face around to her own. She smiled softly and reassuringly as her knuckles grazed smooth skin.

"You did what you thought was best. You were placing my safety above everything else. There is no blame to be had, Tah-li." Her words were ones meant to calm and soothe. They were meant to assuage.

Talliea shook her head and tried to move away from Arizira's soft caress. She did not want comfort. She did not wish to be mollified. Her actions had brought about her separation from her love. Her actions had caused the two of them horrible physical and emotional pain. They had placed more than one life in danger and, in the end, had nearly taken Arizira away from her for good.

The knowledge Cynra had imparted about one of them living ensured the other did as well was a small consolation to her. The fact still remained that she had felt the pain of Arizira's supposed death. How could her love sit and touch her so reverently and speak such pacifying words when she did not know the things Talliea had suffered?

"Do not," she said in a broken voice as she turned her head away again.

Arizira looked confused, but lowered her hand. She could not understand the feelings she was picking up from Talliea. They were troubled and conflicted.

"You were dead," Talliea said without meeting Arizira's eyes. "I held you as your blood coated my fingers, the warmth quickly cooling as your life faded from your eyes. "

Arizira swallowed.

Talliea glanced up to briefly meet her gaze. "It had been so long since I had last seen you. I had missed you, dreamed about you. Every day without you was if a lifetime to me. "

"Tah-li…"

Talliea kept talking as if she had not heard the soft utterance of her name. "Then, you appeared and the sight of you nearly stilled my beating heart. We were together. We had made it. Everything was going to be fine."

Talliea shook her head quickly and bit her bottom lip. She could feel her emotions running away with her and her control began to slip. "But things were not okay, Ahmanae. They were not fine. You died. Despite what Taetylona said about me stopping time, you were dead to me. The despair I felt -- the guilt? I was so lost."

Arizira tried again to console Talliea. Again, she was rebuffed.

"I was going to perform your funerary rights. I was bathing your body and was going to cover you in the cleansing smoke of sage before sending your body back to the stars."

Talliea's throat constricted. It felt thick and tight. Her emotions were still so varied. She felt relief at Arizira being alive and, mostly, well. She felt overjoyed to be speaking with her and kissing her and touching her.

Yet for every good or positive emotion, there was an equally bad or negative one attached. How was she to just accept that Arizira was okay when, so very recently, she had been preparing to say goodbye to her forever?

Arizira touched her face again. Her fingers tucked underneath Talliea's chin and locked their eyes together. "I am sorry you experienced something so dreadful, failira. Vaguely, I was aware of you, I think. I could feel you, but everything was small and black. I do not believe we can be separated. Ever."

Talliea nodded, one of her hands coming up to wrap around Arizira's wrist. She remembered Cynra telling her that while one of them lived, the other did too.

"While you live, I live and while I live, you live. We share a spirit," she said softly.

Arizira smiled and nodded, the fingers she had on Talliea's face brushing across the small dip in her chin. "Spirit mates," she said, simply.

Talliea smiled. She felt some of her guilt and inner turmoil begin to lessen. One of the very first things Arizira had ever told her was that Arnira loved in the spirit, not in the flesh. At the time, she had not understood what that meant.

Even when she and Arizira had bonded for the first time, she had been unable to fully appreciate the scope of what that love entailed. Things had been clearer for her when the two of them had been joined and experienced one another's lives, but she still had not been able to see how encompassing their attachment to each other truly was.

Now, through heartache and grief, she found she was better able to understand her connection with Arizira. Things were much more clear for her. Even their baby and its conception made sense to her in a way she had never expected.

Thinking of their child caused the smile on her face to grow. She turned slightly so that she was facing Arizira and dropped the cloak covering her front side. Arizira gave her a quizzical look, but otherwise remained still. Talliea lowered her right hand until it came to rest over Arizira's stomach. Her palm smoothed over the still flat tummy as she brought her forehead to her love's shoulder.

"How long until the baby is here?" she asked in an effort to move the two of them to a happier place.

Arizira placed a hand over the one Talliea had on her stomach. She did not know what kind of answer to give the other woman. Arnira carried their children for six months, but the child she was carrying was more Esu than Arnira. Her body showed no outward signs of her pregnancy, but she could feel the emotional and spiritual changes already.

Thinking of her baby made her think of herself. She wished one of her mothers was present. She could ask one of them what to expect during this most important stage of her life. She could use their experiences and their wisdom. But, alas, neither of her parents were available. She knew she needed to tell Talliea what she had learned about herself during their separation. The Esu woman had a right to know.

"I-I do not know, Tah-li. This baby is both Esu and Arnira," she started. "H-how long are Esu women with life?"

Talliea lifted her head and studied the side of Arizira's face. She detected a fair amount of trepidation and the lines creasing her love's eyes hinted at an unknown hesitance. Scooting closer, she moved her free hand behind Arizira's back to brace her while the hand she had on her stomach moved in soft circles.

"Esu are pregnant for nine to ten months. Arnira?"

"Six."

Talliea nodded and continued to study Arizira closely. She knew something was amiss, but she could not place what that was. "There is something you hold to yourself, something you do not tell me. What is it?"

Arizira turned her head and looked into dark brown eyes. Since learning of her parentage, she had felt disconnected from everything she had known. She no longer knew who she was or how to identify herself.

No longer was she simply Arizira Ahmanae, Arniran huntress. She was more than that now. She was a woman who had found her Doira'Liim. She was a woman who was one half of her other half's hated enemy. She was Arizira, the woman who had, by all intents and purposes, died and been returned to life.

She was a woman with life, with child. A child she had never anticipated, never thought to have, but was overjoyed nonetheless. She was a woman with two backgrounds, two different heritages. A woman whose love possessed untold powers through her. Yes, Arizira Ahmanae was different than before. She was changed. Yet, that change was not all bad. Even though she felt off and had difficulty in professing who she was exactly, she still felt as if she was greater than who she had been before meeting Talliea.

By all accounts, their meeting one another had changed the both of them. Neither woman was who she used to be. Both were different; both were more. Each had grown and changed because of the other or through the other.

The physical manifestation of that change was growing inside of Arizira that very minute.

By her reckoning, Arizira believed she had been blessed with child the very first time she and Talliea had made love. Their time after that had been very short lived. Not but a month had passed before they had been taken from one another. That first time, though, had been unlike anything else Arizira had ever experienced.

She had felt...everything. Her mind had barely been able to keep up with, or sort through, the various sensations coursing through her body. Talliea's skin, the smell of her arousal, the taste of her lips, the feeling of her body...it had all been beyond explosive.

Arizira had realized when the two of them had finally come together that Talliea, though a virgin at the time, was far more sexual than she had ever believed her to be.

When Arizira had finally been inside of her and the two of them had begun to move, Talliea's wanton side had nearly taken away her breath. She had been nothing like the Arnira Arizira had been with. She had been better. She had given more of herself. The entire experience had been new for Arizira, just as it had been new for Talliea.

Now, that very same woman was asking what information she was withholding, and Arizira knew there was no way she could keep the truth of her parents to herself. Eventually, Talliea would find out. When they were physical again, she would know. Arizira played with Talliea's fingers absentmindedly before looking up to meet her searching eyes.

"Tah-li, while we were separated, Cynra spoke to me about something important. Something about myself…about who I am and who my parents were."

Talliea leaned back a small measure and gave Arizira a pointed look, begging her to continue. She had always been curious about the other woman's parents, especially the mother who, according to Cynra, had been so beside herself with grief she had returned to her tribe without her child. That story had never settled with Talliea as correct. As true.

As believable.

She watched Arizira stare down at their hands which were still joined over her abdomen. Fingers continued to play aimlessly with her own while the silence grew between them.

"My second mother's name was D'jiira," Arizira started, breaking the hush. Her eyes held a dreamy and wistful quality as they watched the actions of her fingers. "She met my nurture mother very much like I met you."

Talliea listened, fascinated. She had never heard Arizira speak in such halting and unsure tones. Always, her voice had held a confident and knowing cadence that had left Talliea feeling safe. Now, however, that voice was different, almost...lost.

"They were happy for many seasons."

Talliea waited for something more. She knew most of what Arizira was telling her. There was something else she had learned, something she had yet to impart. That was what Talliea waited for so patiently.

Finally, Arizira stopped fidgeting with her hands and looked up. Her blue and shining eyes found dark and deep brown.

"Cynra told me it was D'jiira who gave me my second name. Arnira do not share family names, Tah-li. Second and third names are acquired as we pass important stages in our lives. Always, I possessed a second name, a name that was interchangeable. You call me Ahmanae because that name is most familiar to you."

Talliea furrowed her brow. She felt like Arizira was trying to tell her something without actually coming out and saying it.

"Tah-li, what does Ahmanae mean?"

The question was barely a whisper, spoken as if the answer to it would provide the elucidation to Arizira's entire life. Talliea hesitated. Arizira had told her the name meant ‘whisper', but she had always known it meant more. She had told her the name was Esulan when they had been separated. What answer was Arizira looking for?

Talliea decided to be as straight forward as possible. "It means 'beautiful whisper' in an older dialect of Esulan. It is an expression denoting something of great importance, something good and kind. Something powerful, but not forceful."

Arizira smiled and nodded her head. "You knew."

Talliea nodded, though she was unsure if Arizira had actually asked a question. "From the moment I met you and heard your name, I wondered," she admitted.

Another small nod and then Arizira continued. "D'jiira was upset over my nurture mother's passing and she did return to her people. She did not take me with her because I did not favor her in appearance. Her clan would not have understood."

Talliea did not miss the implications of the specific wording. Her people. A different appearance. Her clan.

"My second mother was Esu, Tah-li."

Talliea was unsure of whether or not she heard her love correctly. She sat back so that she could fully see Arizira's face. The other woman was staring back at her with eyes that were haunted and begging. She was looking at Talliea like the news she had just imparted held the fate of their future and of Talliea's feelings.

Talliea shook her head disbelievingly. How? That was her only question. She looked at Arizira' fair skin and her shimmering blue eyes. She studied the pointed ears that had always fascinated her so. Arizira's silvery hair was highlighted with only the faintest traces of golden-blonde. To Talliea, she looked like an Arnira. Completely. Nothing about her appearance would ever suggest that she was one half Esu.

Nothing.

Talliea's mind continued to work in an effort to find an answer that would appease the many questions she had. Her clan had believed they were the first to reach the Northlands. Even if another had somehow made it before hers, that would not explain how Arizira could have an Esu parent. She was nearly thirty summers old. Thirty summers ago, the Esu clans had all lived in the south. Small skirmishes were common, but war had not broken out until a few years later.

"Please say something."

The small voice brought Talliea back to the present. She shook her head again and allowed her eyes to refocus. Arizira had covered herself back up and was watching her reaction. She had seen Talliea's faraway expression, her furrowed brow, and her obvious discomfiture.

She was disgusted.

Arizra sighed and moved to back away. Tears blurred her vision. She had worried about this reaction and it seemed as if she had been right in that feeling. Talliea felt differently about her now. It was obvious.

"Stop," Talliea begged, grabbing at Arizira's middle to keep her seated next to her.

"This upsets you. Your feelings...they lessen."

"No. That could never happen, love. This news surprises me. It confuses me, but it does not change the way I feel about you. I do not love you because you are Arnira, just as I do not love you because you are Esu. I love you because you are Arizira Ahmanae."

Arizira did not comment on the fact that Talliea said her first name without difficulty.

"I love you for everything that makes you who you are. Your kindness. Your gentleness. Your strength and your devotion. I love you for all of these and more. But, I do not understand how this can be true. There were no Esu here so long ago."

Sighing, Arizira suddenly realized how tired she was. Thinking of the task of retelling Cynra's story to her was daunting. There was so much Talliea needed to know, so much she did not know about her own people and their history. Arizira and Talliea may have shared a common people, but their clans were radically different.

The clan her mother hailed from did not treat their women like property. They were not intent on power and war-like displays. If Cynra's words were to be taken as truth, D'jiira's clan was peaceful and enjoyed art, philosophy, and spiritual pursuits.

What had happened that had divided the two groups? Why were the stories about the evils of Esu society preserved in tales and song while the similarities with the Arnira were lost?

Staring into Talliea's questioning eyes, Arizira felt overwhelmed as another question entered her mind: How had Talliea come into such awe-inspiring powers? Did they come from D'jiira's clan?

Cynra had told her that Talliea had always been destined to acquire such abilities, that it was her love for Arizira that allowed her to present such displays.

The powers of both Aitla and Esuval.

That was what Cynra had told her. That Talliea would wield the powers of both deities through her. It made sense to her now. She was a child of both night and day; a blending of both peoples, both gods. She allowed Talliea to tap into such abilities. But, how?

There was too much to sort through, too many questions, too many tales to tell. Arizira had only just come around. Though Talliea had helped to take away much of her weariness and the aches and pains that had still been present, she had not been able to completely make Arizira feel whole.

Complete.

There was still something missing and it was that one thing that left her feeling beside herself.

"I am tired, Tah-li," she said beginning to feel the effects of recent events. There had been a lot of excitement in the very brief amount of time she had been awake. Cynra and Taetylona's presence was still a mystery as were Talliea's powers.

What had happened to each of them still needed to be discussed, their plans had to be spoken of, revelations needed to be expressed and the nature of everything they, respectively, had learned was overdue to be brought to light.

A small flash of disappointment colored Talliea's eyes before she forced a small smile to her face and helped Arizira to lie back down.

"Of course. We have all the time in the world to talk."

She moved away from Arizira. The other woman had only a thin cloak and blanket to offer her any comfort. She looked over Taetylona and Cynra's bags and belongings in hopes of finding another blanket.

"The blanket you made for me? Where is it?" she asked Arizira over her shoulder.

Arizira, lying down flat on her back and staring up at the ceiling of rock, turned her attention to Talliea. Everything that had happened so recently was catching up to her. She could not say she was sleepy, but she was tired and feeling fatigued. Her mind was starting to feel muddled and hazy again and there was still so much to talk about.

"The Dream Speaker last possessed it," she said slowly.

Talliea continued to rifle through the bags. She could feel Arizira's eyes boring into her back and the gaze only served to make her search all the more frantically. She realized that for the last several days, she had been going almost nonstop.

When she had been with Markahn, she had refused to stop and rest very often. Her only goal, her only desire, had been to keep walking. To press forward. To find Arizira.

Thinking of the man caused her to wonder about his whereabouts. She did not recall him from the clearing and did not believe he had been present when she had unleashed her powers. She hoped he had made it to relative safety. He had been kind to her and without him, she would never have gotten away from the Esu.

Arizira shuffled, scooted behind her and brought her back to her train of thoughts. She still felt like she needed to keep going. Even though Arizira was with her, the need to keep pressing ahead was ever present.

She felt that if she stopped, the reality of everything would make itself known. She would awake from her perfect dream and her renewed happiness and realize that Arizira truly was gone and that she was forever alone.

If she kept busy and continued to go, continued to plan and take action and look ahead, then she would not have to deal with the possibility that her mind had finally snapped due to her distress.

“Tah-l,." Arizira called to her.

Talliea inhaled deeply and glanced at her love from over her shoulder. Arizira was sitting up, her left hand holding the cloak over her chest. Her eyes appeared tired and Talliea suspected they mirrored her own.

The both of them had been going for so long without one another that, now that they were together, it was hard for both of them to fully relax. They seemed to have forgotten how to be them amidst all the chaos.

"Come lie down with me. We will sleep and when our eyes find the world again, we will discuss our future with clearer minds and lighter hearts."

Talliea hesitated a moment. She could not sleep. There was too much to think about. The Esu and Arnira could both be searching for them. They could be regrouping and planning attacks against each other.

What if Bela'luin was looking for Arizira? Li'nas Dei was an Arnira location, known to every member of Arizira's tribe. What if one of them thought to come to the cave for guidance and found them instead?

Lao'dahn had been incapacitated when Arizira had shot him, but Talliea did not believe him to be dead. His obsession with her would never die and, now more than ever, he would be intent on finding her. She no longer feared him as she once had. Her newfound powers would ensure nothing happened to Arizira or herself, but she still was not comfortable with the possibility of being caught unawares.

No, no. She could not simply lie down with Arizira and allow the outside world and its problems to fall away. As much as she would like to, she could not. Her body was too tense. Too much had happened the last couple of days to allow her to relax.

"Tah-li?"

Arizira's voice insinuated itself between her troubled thoughts. She allowed her eyes to focus as she studied her love's face. Lightly glowing blue eyes stared back at her. Silver-gold hair framed an angular face with perfect features and full lips. A delicate fair-skinned hand was reaching out for her.

What am I doing? Talliea thought to herself.

Her Arizira was alive. She was with her once again and was reaching out to her. For her. Why was she not showing her how much she had missed her? How much she loved her? Suddenly, the absurdity of their situation came to her mind.

They had been separated for two months, one of them thought to be dead and lost forever. Instead of rejoicing as much as they should at their reunion, they had eaten potaf ula and talked about Arizira's parentage.

They were both so silly.

It appeared that in all the craze, the two of them had forgotten one simple fact: they were together again and they were in love.

Certainly there was much to talk about, but were they not allowed a small amount of time to just enjoy one another without the Esu and Arnira? Without questions concerning Talliea's abilities or Arizira's parents or when their baby would arrive?

Talliea smiled as she stopped her frantic search and turned to face Arizira. Slowly, she walked over to where her love lay and sat down beside her. Her hand took Arizira's as she laid down on her side next to her. Arizira scooted closer and nuzzled her neck, their conjoined hands breaking apart so that Arizira could tangle her fingers into dark hair.

In that moment, laying next to one another in a familiar setting, Talliea allowed herself to forget about all the bad things that had happened to each of them. For just a few hours, she wanted to be able to enjoy Arizira's presence. She wanted to forgo any lengthy conversations or have to answer any heavy questions.

She just wanted to be with her love. With the powers she wielded, they would both be safe.

She tilted her head down and brushed her lips across Arizira's forehead. Her right hand pushed its way into silken hair and held the back of Arizira's head. A calm began to settle around the two of them. Panic, fear, and the responsibility to be what others needed them to be seemed to fade away.

There was only them.

Talliea felt the most tender of kisses against her throat. "I have missed you."

It was a soft whisper of a confession. Talliea smiled upon hearing it. The longer she laid next to Arizira, the more she began to feel the weariness still present in her love's body. She had not healed it completely. Arizira's nose trailed up the front of her neck before her lips kissed the tip of her chin. Talliea looked down into eyes that had always fascinated her and smiled.

She was with Arizira again. The other woman was no dream. She was no illusion or figment. She was here and she needed Talliea.

Talliea chastised herself for getting so caught up in other matters and not allowing herself to truly enjoy what being back with Arizira meant to her. Her right hand brushed hair away from her love's face before her fingers traced the contours of her cheeks.

"Ari," she started in a shaky voice, "I am so afraid of losing you again. I am afraid to be happy with you."

There. She admitted it.

Arizira shook her head. Her small hand in Talliea's hair tightened. "No, failira, do not be afraid. We have a lot to discuss, but take pleasure in knowing we are together now and nothing shall ever separate us again. I am here with you."

Talliea smiled at the words, though she had heard the lassitude present in Arizira's voice.

"You are tired, love. Something is still missing for you," she said, kissing Arizira's forehead.

"I just want to lie here with you, Tah-li."

Slowly, an idea began to form in Talliea's mind, a solution. From whence it came, she could not say. It felt right and true as it guided her. A serenity came over her. Her inner turmoil lessened and matters became clear. She knew what she needed to do.

Gently, she pushed Arizira onto her back until she was looking down at her. Arizira stared up in slight confusion. Her hands rested on Talliea's arms.

"Do you remember when you were injured before?" Talliea asked softly.

"Yes."

Talliea smiled, suddenly calm as she felt her power beginning to come to her aid. "You believed I had healed you."

Again, Arizira nodded. "Yes."

Tan fingers moved down Arizira's chest and easily removed the cloak separating their bodies. Those same fingers glided across skin that had once been marred. Light followed. A pleasant sensation coursed through Arizira's body.

"Tah-li?" The name sounded more like a moan than a question.

Talliea dropped her head so that she could kiss Arizira. Her lips were soft and the taste of mint came to life on them.

"I can heal you again, Ari," she said placing small kisses over Arizira's face. Her fingers moved and circled a suddenly tight nipple. The same pleasant sensation passed between their bodies.

Arizira closed her eyes. Her breathing quickened. Though she wanted to do what she thought Talliea was suggesting, she did not believe she possessed the strength required.

"It will feel good, love," Talliea pressed. Her lips had moved and were placing small, wet, caresses along Arizira's neck. Her fingers were still guiding Arizira's nipple to a tighter and tighter bud.

Arizira could feel her body responding. It had been so long since the two of them had come together in such a way and never with Talliea leading the encounter. Arizira could not deny her excitement or her intrigue. Talliea's powers were still taking some getting used to on her part and she was unsure how exactly her lover planned to heal her.

As if in answer to her unspoken question, Talliea pulled away from her slightly. Once Arizira's eyes reopened, she smiled and said, "When we bond, we share our ourselves with one another, love. You can take from me what you need and I will give you what I can. I will stabilize you."

Arizira's brow furrowed. "How do you know this?"

"I am not sure. These thoughts just come to me. They lead me."

Silence.

"I need this, Ari, and so do you. Let me heal you and make you feel good."

Arizira took a deep breath. She did not believe her body would allow her to be so strenuous, but she could not deny the look in Talliea's eyes. The sensations caused from the light Talliea was invoking were incredibly distracting and soothing. She wished for nothing more than to forget the world and its troubles and to lose herself completely in her love.

What if Talliea was right and the act brought her fully back to herself? Arizira did not wish to lie around feeling so helpless any longer than she had to. There were events taking place that held the potential to radically change things. Them. Their peoples. History.

Arizira could not aid her loved ones feeling as she currently did. She and Talliea deserved this time together. They deserved to share in a moment that was just for them. As she arched her back to get closer to Talliea, she realized how much she had missed the other woman and how much she needed to feel her again.

Her fingers wrapped around the hand bringing pleasure to her breast. She closed her eyes as her hand guided Talliea's. A kiss landed on her lips before she felt her failira moving to straddle her hips.

"I love you" was whispered across her lips.

Arizira smiled and allowed herself to become lost to Talliea.

Chapter 15: An Avenue of Healing

Arizira sighed in contentment as she welcomed the warm and comforting weight of Talliea's body. Talliea's thighs were spread across her hips and her arms were resting near her head. A small kiss landed on Arizira's lips and she smiled at the tenderness.

"Hi," Talliea whispered softly. Another kiss landed on Arizira's chin. "You are so beautiful."

Arizira's smile widened. Talliea was taking her time to reacquaint the two of them. Both of them had been without the other for two months. They had been in pain. They had been confused. They had been lost. Each of them had been through their own personal hell and, now that they were once again where they belonged, Talliea was intent on expressing her emotions completely. To her, there was no rush.

Despite the looming war, despite others' hatred, and despite anyone who wished either of them harm, all that Talliea cared about in that moment was Arizira. She desired for her love to be complete and whole. She wished for Arizira to experience everything she felt.

Her love. Her devotion. Her respect and her loyalty.

"Hi," Arizira responded before another light kiss fell upon her lips.

Talliea smiled happily at her and leaned down until their chests connected. She ran her nose along the soft underside of Arizira's chin and neck, her lips leaving delicate and reverent kisses on the skin she found.

Arizira closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her hands moved and wrapped themselves in Talliea's thick hair. She held Talliea closely to her and allowed herself to forget about anything existing outside of Li'nas Dei.

All that mattered was the two of them. She turned her head until Talliea was forced to look back up at her. The two of them stared at one another for long moments before they came together in a familiar, but long since experienced, kiss.

Nothing was held back. The kiss was not chaste or sweet or one meant to comfort. It was a kiss shared only between lovers. It was passion made manifest; the physical expression of two hearts' emotions.

Arizira, her strength still ill, moaned heavily into Talliea's mouth. She felt a tongue glide hotly across her own and she opened her mouth to deepen their embrace.

Talliea leaned forward, her weight braced on her arms which still rested by Arizira's silver hair, and kissed her love more deeply. With every moan from Arizira, every beautiful sound of encouragement, Talliea grew more confident, more bold. The sensations slowly forming inside her body were new and exciting. Feeling Arizira beneath her was a rush she could not explain.

Her love was completely submissive to her. She trusted her with everything she was and her only form of communication in that moment was with her body. Talliea pulled back to calm her breathing. She could feel Arizira's chest rising quickly as she fought to steady herself. Two small hands continued to massage her scalp and the tingling sensations that traveled down her spine only begged her to continue.

"I missed you so much," she whispered, holding Arizira's intense eyes.

"I have missed you, too, failira. You are my everything."

Talliea smiled again, her teeth flashing behind her lips. She trailed the fingers of her right hand down Arizira's nose before leaning back down to kiss her forehead and her eyelids.

"You are my world, tahlet vahllah." And then no more words were spoken.

Talliea's hand lowered down Arizira's neck and reveled in the softness and the warmth of her skin. She could feel the fast-paced pulse which indicated Arizira was alive, and felt a strong surge of emotion settle inside her chest.

The two of them came together again in another kiss. Moans left both of their mouths. Outside, a steady rain began to fall. It was not harsh or violent, but merely a simple cleansing of the world and its environment. Talliea and Arizira did not notice. To them, only the other existed.

Talliea's fingers began to glow with a pleasing light. She spread them out across the skin of Arizira's chest, the place where her life had nearly been taken from her, and twirled them around the outside of her breast.

The electrifying sensation sent flutters through Arizira's body and caused her nipple to tighten. She gasped into Talliea's mouth and pushed herself closer toward the fingers giving her so much pleasure.

"You are still so weak," Talliea whispered against Arizira’s lips. Kissing her fully several times, she leaned her head against Arizira's and palmed the fullness of her left breast in her hand.

She focused her abilities, the powers granted to her that she now knew were nothing more than the physical manifestations of her love for Arizira, on sharing herself. She envisioned Arizira as she remembered her.

Strong. Lithe. Agile. Graceful and full of life.

Arizira moaned and nipped at her chin which was the nearest part of her body. She felt the smaller woman shake beneath her as she continued to use her abilities to give more of herself to her love.

"Tah-li, what are you -- what are you doing to...me?"

Arizira's question was heavy and thick with the weight of lust and pleasure in her voice. What she was experiencing defied all rational and logical thinking. She and Talliea had not even progressed into anything completely sexual, but already she was more aroused than she could ever recall.

A slow and steady strength began to seep into her bones. She grew light-headed as a warmth expanded throughout her body. Talliea's lips brushed across her forehead and eyebrows before trailing a series of small kisses down the slope of her nose. She kissed the small tip and then moved lower to reconnect their lips.

Feeling the surge of strength inside of her, Arizira kissed Talliea with all the passion and love she could offer. Her hands moved from dark, raven locks and landed on either side of Talliea's face. Fingers reverently touched a tanned jawbone and neck before moving back into black hair.

Arizira arched her back and attempted to get closer to Talliea. It was not often that she allowed any other to have such control over her body, but Talliea was not just any other. She was her love, her lifeline. She was her heart and her spirit and the very essence of who she was.

Talliea moaned into Arizira's mouth upon feeling her body pressing against hers in so wanton a way. The hand she had on Arizira's chest moved to her stomach and gently pushed her back down to the ground. With one last parting kiss, she leaned back and looked down into the eyes of her love.

Mesmerizing, blue, intense, and shimmering eyes looked back up at her. Hooded lids spoke of Arizira’s aroused state while a heaving chest and tight nipples told Talliea that her actions were very much enjoyed. Talliea slowly began to untie the strings holding her blouse together. Arizira watched her with unblinking eyes.

This was where the two of them belonged. This was what they were meant to be doing. All of their questions, all of their fears, all of their processing and worrying and feelings of guilt, were unimportant. This sharing of their bodies, of their souls, was what was needed for both of them. It alone held the power to heal them both in more ways than one.

During their separation, they had felt ripped apart and less than who they were. Only by coming together in this fashion could they both hope to reach and obtain equilibrium. Talliea knew that, afterward, matters would be much less confusing for each of them.

Her experiences would be Arizira's experiences, just like Arizira's journey would be hers. They would each understand their respective time apart much more fully.

"I have missed this," Talliea said, holding Arizira's eyes and allowing her blouse to fall away from her shoulders and down to the ground behind her. "The way you look at me," she elaborated.

Arizira's hands, which had been kneading Talliea's thighs, tightened their grip. She lowered them until they met the bunched up material of Talliea's skirt. Needing to feel the warmth of skin, Arizira began to push her fingers back up, with the skirt as well. Her hands shoved the cloth material up to the top of Talliea's thighs.

"You continue to take my breath away, failira. Especially now."

Talliea smiled and leaned back over Arizira. Immediately, she felt hands attach themselves to her breasts and she moaned heavily against Arizira's ear. For a moment, she allowed herself to enjoy the feeling of her love's skilled fingers bringing her such pleasure.

It had been so long since she had been touched this way. So long since she had felt loved and cherished and adored.

She rolled her body into Arizira's hands. Sweat began to form across both of their chests. Moans and whimpers and gasps of contentment sounded around them, drowning out the gentle pitter patter of rain as it sloshed across wood and rock.

The longer Talliea and Arizira touched one another, the easier it became for them to fall into old patterns. Recent hurts and pains were soon forgotten. All that mattered was them.

Their joy over finally being back with the other seemed to hit each woman at the same time. Talliea kissed Arizira's jaw, following it up toward her chin, and then further to the other side of her face and ear. Arizira's fingers pebbled her nipples before biting at her neck.

"Oh, Ari..."

The words were little more than a growl. Arizira panted against her neck, gaining strength with each passing minute. Talliea forced herself to pull away from her love's touch. She sat back and grabbed Arizira's hands which were still massaging her breasts.

For another moment, she enjoyed the touch, throwing her head back and moaning loudly. "I love you. I love you so much, Ari."

Arizira managed to sit up. She wrapped her arms around Talliea's back and pressed their chests together. Her head landed with her ear against a tanned chest. For several moments, that is how they remained. Hugging one another, wrapped around each other, feeling the other's skin.

'I love yous' were whispered and kissed across every inch of skin. Feelings began to pass from one to the other. They had reached a new level in their slow love making, a level they had each yearned for for two months.

Talliea slowly lowered Arizira back down. She quickly shimmied out of her skirts until the both of them were bare before the other. Their naked, sweaty, and heated bodies melded together. Skin caressed skin. Bones kissed bones. Flesh embraced flesh.

Arizira's wetness met Talliea's and the two of them moved their hips for a moment and glided together. At such an intimate touch, they both began to connect again.

Talliea experienced brief flashes of Arizira's memory in her mind. She watched as Arizira ran through the woods after their separation. She saw her graceful movements and felt her determination in rescuing her.

Talliea saw the world through Arizira's eyes. She noticed the sharpness and detail of the textures and world around her. She smelled the trees and grass and flowers as Arizira did and heard the smallest of insects to the largest of night birds.

Arizira, too, relived a brief moment of Talliea's life. She watched as a man, Markahn, entered a dimly lit hut and spoke to her...to Talliea. She experienced Talliea's feelings of defiance in answering any questions pertaining to her. She felt her sorrow and her guilt.

For a moment, Arizira knew what it was to be an Esu female. She knew the restraints and the responsibility and the suffocating weight of duty.

Both women opened their eyes and looked at the other. Everything was clear to them. They knew that their coupling was to be a healing avenue for both of them.

Talliea pushed forward and kissed Arizira again. Their kisses became more rushed and heated. Tongues glided over teeth, lips nipped and sucked and bit, while moans and gasps of appreciation sounded into the silence.

Arizira had never felt more loved or cherished in all her life. Despite her feelings of confusion and inadequacy, she was being revered and loved by Talliea. Talliea did not care if she was half Esu; the knowledge did not diminish her feelings in any way.

What had happened to them had not lessened their need and desire for the other.

Arizira tossed her head back and exposed her throat. Talliea, the woman who, their first time together had been hesitant and slightly apprehensive, had grown. She was confident. She was sure. She was touching Arizira in such profound ways there was no word to describe the sensations.

A hand lowered and began a mind-numbing and pleasurable trail down Arizira's stomach. Talliea's lips sucked at her pulse. Fingers occasionally pinched or grasped the silken skin along the way.

Everywhere Talliea touched her, Arizira felt renewed. The residual weariness in her body began to wane. She managed to wrap her legs around Talliea's back. Her ankles locked as she held her love over herself. Heels pressed into the small of a dark-skinned back slick with sweat.

"Tah-li, touch me..." Arizira begged in a ragged whisper. She used her legs as leverage to roll her hips up into Talliea. The ache inside of her, the need to give herself completely to her lover, to feel normal and balanced and protected, was overwhelming. Only through Talliea would Arizira regain her sense of self.

She understood that now.

Talliea's fingers stopped over Arizira's lower stomach. She flattened her palm and paused for a moment. Their child was there, resting beneath her hand, growing. Talliea could not help the sudden smile that brightened her features. Being so close to Arizira, sharing herself like she currently was, allowed her to feel and experience so much more than was normally possible.

She could feel every reaction Arizira's body had.

Her arousal. Her excitement. Her need. Even the still small weakness that was present.

But now, she could feel the life inside of her love. The life that was one half of her. The life she had created solely through an expression of her feelings for Arizira. If there was magic in the world, Talliea knew it existed in her child with Arizira.

For what else could produce a life, a new and innocent creature, in such a unique way?

"I feel the baby," she whispered against Arizira's cheek. Her lips brushed across soft and sweet skin.

"She feels you," Arizira answered back with a smile and her words were a truth.

Talliea laughed softly while her forehead rested against Arizira's temple. Arizira had been referring to their child as a girl since she had awakened. It had made Talliea wonder how her love knew the sex of their baby so early.

"How do you know it is a girl?" she asked while her fingers momentarily dipped lower and ran along Arizira's upper sex.

A strong and sudden gasp breathed between them. Hips moved. Arizira, her legs still holding Talliea's back, wrapped her arms around her neck and brought her closer. "What else would she be?" she asked, as if the answer were obvious.

Talliea briefly thought of replying to the rhetorical question, but the feeling of Arizira's abundant wetness and the desperate hold around her neck and back, told her such a thing was unimportant.

Arizira wanted her, needed her. The sudden realization that she had never done anything like she was about to do nearly stopped Talliea with its panic.

Arizira picked up on the emotion. Instead of saying anything, she reached for Talliea's hand which was hovering above her center. Talliea peered down into her eyes and all grew silent. No words shattered their moment.

Eyes locked together, Arizira slowly guided Talliea's hand down between her legs. Talliea watched Arizira's face change as she touched her. Eyes closed, a brow furrowed, lips parted. She moaned the longer her fingers moved through hot and wet folds, slick from her stimulation. It felt unreal and wonderful.

"Do not be upset. This is good."

Words from so long ago came to her mind.

"This is your body's approval of me and my actions."

Arizira's voice.

That moment seemed from another lifetime. She remembered how nervous she had been her first time with Arizira -- not only her first time with Ari, but her first time with anybody. She had been anxious, yet excited; calm, yet restless.

Now, she was the one leading Arizira's body to fulfillment. She was the one creating and sustaining the bond between them. Like a storm, she could the sensations becoming stronger, the feelings becoming bolder. She could practically see the results of her actions. Of Arizira's actions.

Her fingers were warm and coated with Arizira's arousal. She buried her neck into a fair shoulder and felt Arizira's free hand come up around her neck delicately. Fingers wove into her hair and held her close.

And then, Talliea stopped thinking. She stopped analyzing. She allowed herself to do nothing but feel. Arizira released her hand and wrapped it around her ribs.

Talliea took another short moment to rub her fingers across the hard little nub between Arizira's legs, enjoying the extra wetness the action resulted in, before lowering them to the slick entrance of her sex. Every reaction from Arizira's body emboldened her.

Thighs squeezed her more tightly. Heels dug into her back. The hand in her hair, holding her head, tugged while the other hand near her ribs flexed as nails pressed into flesh. She could hear Arizira's breathing so near to her ear.

Hot. Ragged. Haggard. Raspy.

In the next moment, Talliea eased two fingers into the warm, tight, sanctuary of her love.

And the result was astounding.

Arizira felt her breath leave her lungs. Never before had she felt something so...gratifying. So...fulfilling. Neither of the other women she had bonded with had made her feel so much pleasure. Talliea seemed to touch her everywhere she needed to be touched. She rolled her eyes into her head as her head fell back and her back arched.

Sensations exploded inside her body. They electrified her skin like lightning. A multitude of colors, sounds, thoughts, and memories flooded her mind. Images accompanied the onslaught of information and she felt as if she were in two places at once.

Every minute of Talliea's life the past two months were hers. She experienced every ache. every pain. She felt every moment of sorrow, witnessed every fevered dream, listened to every question asked.

Various men walked behind her mind's eye. She grew to truly know Markahn. She saw Lao'dahn and heard his vile and obsessed words. Healers came and went and then she was leaving the Esu camp.

Crude words were spoken between Markahn and two other men. She felt Markahn's hands on her body and experienced the revulsion Talliea had felt.

"Maybe, to buy our silence, your woman would be willing to use her mouth for something other than talking back."

"What say you? Care to ease that bulge in your trousers with Talliea's lips?"

Then, she was leaving the men. She was walking. She was free. Markahn had helped her. No...he had helped Talliea. Memories of their shared time together flew past her and then Arizira was alone. Markahn was gone. She was happy. Relieved.

A man attacked her, threw her to the ground.

His hands were rough. They clawed at her skirts. He was speaking, but his words were too vile to replay even inside her mind. She was scared, so scared. The concept of rape, something so elusive to her, became known in an instant. She knew what he planned to do. She saw him, saw it.

And she panicked.

Then, he was screaming and Talliea's memories collided with her own.

Talliea felt tears leave her eyes and wet Arizira's hair as she experienced her memories all over again. Arizira's journey took her over in the next moment and she opened her eyes to see Cynra and Taetylona. A foreboding sense of loss overwhelmed her senses. Arizira's pain became her pain.

She saw a familiar white wolf and, at once, knew who it was. The revelation amazed her.   Arizira's time away from her formed so quickly in her mind, she could barely follow the events.

Conversations were spoken in the span of seconds. She heard Cynra talking to her -- to Arizira -- about the truth of who she was. Cynra spoke of destiny and fate and her. Arizira's parentage and the tale that went with the information settled inside of her.

She felt a strange sense of displacement but could not determine if that emotion belonged to Arizira or to her.

Another type of Esu? One that valued honesty, loyalty, arts, and philosophy? One that did not subject their women to such a humiliating existence?

Days went by her until she was in the forest, away from Cynra and Taetylona. Iolirthas was with her, her mother. No, Arizira's mother. She heard Arizira's voice speaking.

"I did not want to love her. She scared me. We were so very different, Mother, as I am sure you know…”

"Then, everything changed, Mother. I met Tah-li, whose beauty is unmatched and whose heart is the most pure. She challenged me and I could not help but love her. It was so easy. I knew everything there was to know that was important when we were together. She made me whole, complete and without flaw. I was willing to shed my duties, my responsibilities, just to look at her."

Happiness came next to Talliea as she recalled Arizira's feelings of being closer to her. That feeling was short-lived as, in the next, she witnessed Bela'luin start a war in a single, unexpected skirmish. She felt Arizira's conflicting emotions and her need to protect their unborn child.

The following images were a blur. Her feelings were chaotic. The next definitive thing Talliea was shown was an image of herself being attacked by Lao'dahn. She felt Arizira's anger. The blinding hot emotion spread over her body. She watched as an arrow sped by her and landed in Lao'dahn's erection.

Both Talliea and Arizira opened their eyes and looked at each other. Though it seemed to each that days had passed, in reality only a few seconds had been shared between them. Both of their journeys met at their reunion, but before any tragedy.

"I understand," Talliea said in a breathy gasp. Her fingers pushed forward and curled inside of Arizira. She could feel the tight muscles around them practically vibrating with pleasure.

"You were so brave, failira, so loyal," Arizira replied before her eyes closed and she let herself focus on Talliea's fingers.

For several moments, they moved together. Arizira held Talliea's body against her small frame with delicate care. She pushed her hips up to meet every thrust Talliea made and soon the sounds of their bodies meeting in such a primal way was all that was heard.

The contrast of their skin was a beauty they could not appreciate. One viewing them would have had difficulty in separating who was who were it not for the difference of their coloring.

Talliea could not help the tears that came to her eyes. She was no longer alone. Her world was not as empty as she had believed it be when she had thought Arizira dead. Her purpose was renewed. Her life once again had meaning.

Arizira was alive. They were together, and what they were doing felt so beyond good.

Talliea moved down Arizira's body until her mouth came to a hard nipple. She took that nipple between her lips and began to suck the aroused flesh. More wondrous sounds left Arizira's throat.

It wasn't enough. Talliea needed more. She wanted more. She desired to experience Arizira in a more intimate way. Arizira's hips began to move faster. Talliea knew it was only a matter of minutes before their lovemaking reached a climax. She had more to share. Arizira still needed to know more, see more, experience more.

Talliea removed her fingers from inside her love's soft and hot body. A groan of protest met her ears.

"Wh...what are you--why?"

Leaning back, Talliea placed each of her hands on Arizira's upper thighs. She took a moment to stare down at the aroused woman beneath her. A flush covered Arizira's fair-skinned body. Normally light, pink nipples were a dusky rose and were tight from arousal.

Arizira's glowing eyes were heavily-lidded and the blue within them was a deep azure. Her breathing was quick and her lips were parted.

Talliea ran her palms and fingers over the smooth thighs in her grasp. Arizira refused to unlock her ankles and so the two of them watched the other and waited.

"Open your legs for me," Talliea said, holding Arizira's gaze. "I want to be closer to you."

Arizira looked confused for a short moment, but lowered her legs to the ground. Talliea smiled and leaned forward to kiss her lips. She did not linger long. Arizira felt the kiss move down her throat and across her crazed pulse.

She felt a hot, wet tongue twirl in the small hollow at her sternum. Kisses were left along her collarbone and chest, around her breasts and on her nipples. They graced the scar that no longer existed near her heart before moving down between her breasts.

Arizira inhaled sharply. She could feel her heart racing. Her throat was tight with anticipation and she could barely keep her eyes open to watch Talliea's movements. Lips kissed and nipped her ribs. She felt them brush across her stomach and there they remained for a moment.

Small and more delicate and gentle kisses peppered her lower tummy. Hands held her slight hips in place. She moved her hands to Talliea's hair and threaded her fingers into the black locks.

"I love you." The words were whispered across her abdomen. Arizira wondered to whom they were spoken. To her or to their daughter?

She supposed it did not matter. They were felt and that was enough.

Talliea moved still lower until her heated mouth came level to Arizira's wet sex. The scent of arousal was heavy and it caused both women to moan headily. Talliea wasted no other time. The sight and smell of Arizira's excitement urged her to continue, to be closer.

Without preamble, she lowered her head between Arizira's legs and placed the most intimate of kisses on the flesh before her. Arizira's reaction was effusive. The moan that left her mouth was free and heavy.

Talliea only allowed herself a brief moment to enjoy the sound of it before she placed her mouth over the source of Arizira's wetness. Then...

...she sucked. She licked. She titillated. Her lips were soft to Arizira. Her mouth was hot and wet.

Never in her life had Arizira felt like she currently was. Never before had another touched her in this way. It was...it was everything. She could not control her hips or the sounds she was making. Her body pushed and rolled itself closer and closer to Talliea's eager mouth.

She looked down the length of her body and was struck with the sight of dark hair between her legs. Talliea's head moved as her lips continued to revere her in such an intimate way.

She could not keep her eyes open long enough to continue watching her love love her.

Her strength and sense of self returned to her in one unfettered moment. The rest of Talliea's time away from her was shown to her in a matter of seconds. Everything that had happened in the clearing after she had been shot flashed before her eyes in an agglomeration of sensations.

Talliea's powers astounded her. Her control over so many different elements of nature impressed her. But, the grief she felt nearly consumed her.

Images without any complete form faded in and out of her thoughts until she saw Cynra. Cynra's words were sad, haunted. She witnessed conversations between the Dream Speaker and Talliea.

"I am sorry, child. This outcome...I tried to help you avoid it. Your news...the condition you found yourself in...I hoped to change things for the better. For both of you."

Arizira grew angry, or more accurately, Talliea had grown angry.

"You were aware this would happen? You knew she would die and you did nothing to change that? You knew she would be taken from me and you come here in your sorrow? Why? Why would you bring this pain upon me? Why would you wish this fate on anyone? You could have changed this! You could have avoided it! Instead, you allowed her to walk blindly towards her peril! Why would you wish this upon me? Upon us?"

Words replayed quickly, were exchanged; moved forward.

"I know it hurts. I am sorry. This future...oh, I should have done more. I miss her, too. She was...she was very important to me."

Again, anger flared inside of her. Anger and pain and sorrow and anguish.

"Do not tell me she was important to you. Were that true, I would not sit here in suffering now."

And then, a revelation, a truth revealed.

"She was my granddaughter, day walker. My child was her mother and both are now lost to me. You will never understand my reasons, nor will you forgive me, but please believe that her importance to me was great."

Arizira came back to her senses. Talliea was near to her, leaning over her body. Her dark eyes took in Arizira's reaction. "Now you know," she said. "Now you know everything."

Swallowing and nodding her head slowly, Arizira leaned forward and kissed Talliea. The taste of herself mingled with the taste of mint always present whenever she kissed Talliea. The sensation was new, thrilling. She moaned and licked at Talliea's bottom lip, enjoying the taste.

After a moment, Talliea pulled herself away and moved back down between her legs. She quickly resumed her earlier activities and soon the two of them were moaning and gasping and moving their bodies together.

Nails dug into flesh, scratches marking otherwise flawless skin. Sweat formed on brows and between breasts. Nipples were rolled, pinched, and palmed while kisses, caresses, and embraces were enjoyed.

The heat inside Li'nas Dei rose. It was not a natural heat, but one brought about by Talliea and what she was doing to, and for, Arizira. Both of their bodies grew warmer also. Arizira's wetness was beyond abundant. It covered Talliea's lips and chin and fell down her neck. She had never wanted to climax so badly in all her life.

Between regaining her strength and sense of self, reliving Talliea's past two months, and learning about her relationship with Cynra, Arizira was exhausted in an entirely new way. Not to mention the demands on her body the physical side their coupling was producing.

Her muscles were tired and felt fevered. They ached, but pleasantly. Her throat was dry from breathing so forcefully, her head feeling crazed from trying to keep up.

She could feel her heart continuing to pound against her ribs. Her legs were sore from, first being wrapped around Talliea's back, and now being spread open so widely. She did not feel as if she could last any longer. The tense, but enjoyable, throbbing of her sex was screaming at her for a release. She was in a sensory overload as a new kind of exhaustion tried to overtake her.

Talliea, however, was relentless. Her hands and arms were wound around Arizira's thighs holding her in place as she lapped at every drop of moisture. The taste of Arizira, here, was so very different. She was muskier. Her taste exploded across Talliea's tongue, stung her senses, and rolled across her taste buds.

The smells, the tastes, the textures…

Talliea loved every moment of it. She could feel Arizira's pleasure and she used it to guide her actions. Feeling that Arizira was past being ready for release, Talliea pressed her hot tongue inside of her lover repeatedly. Strangled cries met her ears. The fingers in her hair tightened almost painfully. Arizira's hips bucked up without rhythm against her face and mouth.

Talliea hummed. Her happiness at being with her love again overwhelmed her. She let go of all of her negative emotions and used her abilities to ensure Arizira felt everything she felt for her.

Arizira gasped before moaning. Her body froze. New moisture left her as her orgasm finally granted her release. She felt suspended. Vaguely, she was aware of her hands contracting against Talliea's head. Vaguely, she could feel Talliea's gentle kisses and licks. Vaguely, she knew she was experiencing a first of some kind.

But, vague did not matter to her. It was too far away from the edges of her consciousness. All Arizira could focus on was what her body was going through. Every type of pleasant sensation under the stars assaulted and claimed her body. She felt numb, but sensitive; stimulated, but calm.

A new kind of peace washed over as her body convulsed and shook and vibrated and hummed.

Her eyes were so tightly shut that the deepest black she had ever known could not do her lack of sight justice. She felt as though her breath was caught inside her chest, stilled by the experience she found herself in.

Everything felt...slowed.

Normal time seemed to have stopped and with it, so too had her quick release. Instead, everything felt stretched. In that instant, Arizira knew that Talliea was slowing time much like she had in the clearing days before. She was allowing her to feel everything second by pleasurable second and the results were almost too much to bear.

She whispered Talliea's name, or she thought she did. Her body refused to listen to her commands, so lost in her orgasm she was.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Arizira took a shallow breath and opened her eyes slightly. Talliea was no longer between her legs. Instead, she had wrapped the two of them, haphazardly, under the cloak from earlier. Her lips were gently kissing every available inch of skin while her hands smoothed over Arizira's heated and tired body.

"Are you okay?" The question was whispered against Arizira's neck. Talliea was lying on her side, holding her close.

Arizira smiled and hummed, her eyes still refusing to open completely. Talliea was lying so close to her as to be an extension of herself. Her left leg was thrown over her middle with the cloak barely covering them.

A kiss met her collarbone. "It was not too much?" Another question.

Arizira hummed again. She could not recall ever feeling so satisfied, so at peace, or so sure of who she was. The future was still uncertain, but for now the past was known and could be laid to rest.

"I am more than okay," she slowly replied in slurred speech. Unknown to her, her words came out in Arniran.

"You feel whole now, love?" Talliea asked back in Arizira's first language.

"Yes," Arizira responded simply. A kiss was pressed against her temple, a hand landed across her chest.

"Good."

Silence. The rain outside continued to fall. Darkness crept inside the cave prematurely.

"You taste like mint," Talliea said, her smile evident in her tone. She spoke the words as a testament to the ones she had uttered when she and Arizira had finally kissed for the first time.

Arizira smiled and snuggled closer to Talliea. Her eyes drooped and then closed again. Thunder sounded from far off.

"Ari?"

"Hm?" Arizira managed, her responses coming slower as sleep tried to claim her.

Talliea trailed her fingers tenderly across Arizira's breasts. The touch was gentle and soothing. "Are you aware of where you shot Lao'dahn?"

Arizira moved her right hand up to take a hold of Talliea's left. Turning her head, she kissed her forehead softly. "I do not know what you are talking about, Tah-li," she replied, though the mischief in her tired voice led Talliea to believe otherwise.

The cave slowly began to cool, the rain grew heavier. Cloud cover outside allowed for darkness to settle inside the cave. Talliea and Arizira's breathing slowed and evened out. They moved closer together until Arizira turned on her side with Talliea behind her. Talliea wasted no time in moving in close and wrapping her arms around Arizira's middle securely.

Small kisses were placed on the back of Arizira's neck before Talliea rested her head against her back and finally welcomed the peace she had thought forever gone to her.

"I love you" was whispered one more time and then...

...all was quiet.

Chapter 16: Realities

"Where is she now?"

Talyn's voice was without inflection as she posed her question to Bela'luin. After the battle in the clearing, both Esu and Arnira had realized their predicament. Neither had known what to make of Talliea or the power she had unleashed. Whose side was she on? How had she done what she had done? What was her attachment to the fallen Arniran woman?

When movement and time had been restored, both sides had engaged in small skirmishes until the call to retreat had sounded from their leaders. Fighting had continued for a time, but eventually all those present had left, dispersed, and begun their marches back to their respective peoples.

The trek back to the Arnira village had taken nearly two days. Bela'luin had refused to leave behind any wounded and so the walk back had been slower than she'd liked. As for the few of her sisters that had died in the battle, it had been with a heavy heart that she had given the order to press forward without them.

The information she'd carried had to be delivered to Talyn and the others. The Esu were now aware of their presence. They could no longer hide among the shadows and hope for the day walkers to eventually leave.

As she had walked, Bela'luin's thoughts had lingered over Arizira's death. Her heart had ached and her stomach had clenched.

The arrow had not been meant for her! It had been meant for the dark skin, the one whom Arizira was enthralled with! It was the belief of Bela'luin that killing the Esu woman would break Arizira from whatever spell she had over her. Then Arizira would be free, realize her foolishness, and return to her people to aid them in the coming war.

But, alas! That had not happened. Arizira had sacrificed herself to save the heathen dark skin! Why? The control the Esu woman had over Arizira must have been strong! Bela'luin was still unsure of how Arizira had moved so fast. It should not have been possible, even for an Arnira.

How was she to explain to the Elders that she was the cause of death for one of their own? She could hardly deny it. Others had seen her fire the arrow. Hadn’t they? It had all happened to fast.

She had walked in silence. Time had passed quickly. When she and the others had arrived back to the tribe, a meeting had been quickly convened to learn of what had transpired. Bela'luin had hardly noticed the passage of hours and then days. Her mind had been too caught up on Arizira's loss.

The Elders and Talyn had asked numerous questions. She and each of the others with a high rank and standing had provided what details they could. No one had spoken of Arizira or the accident that had claimed her life. It was not until Talyn had asked if they had been victorious that matters had taken a different turn.

Why were they back so soon, the Nai'iris wanted to know.

Looks had been passed and shared and heads had hung. No had had known how to recount the events that had transpired which had led to their return. Bela'luin had finally, after hours of debriefing, told the Elders about Talliea and the powers she had wielded.

She'd told them about how time had stopped; how the arrow she had been attempting to fire had disintegrated into thin air; how Talliea had been surrounded by some type of glowing halo of crackling energy and how her eyes had been completely black.

She had done her best to describe the haunted look on the woman's face. How she had appeared calm and in control, but also more lost than any one person should ever feel.

Talyn had listened with a quiet resolve. The other Elders had scoffed, not believing Bela'luin's tall tale. Others had been called to ask their version of events and when their information had corroborated Bela's story, none had known how to respond.

The day had been called and everyone had left. While the tribe slept, the information Bela had provided seemed to weigh heavily on Talyn's already troubled mind. So it same to pass, the following night, she called Bela'luin to Rae’kir, alone.

That is where the two women found themselves. Bela'luin looked over at Talyn who was standing to her right.

"Where is who, Nai'iris?" she asked in a dead tone.

Talyn inhaled sharply as she regarded Bela'luin's state. Her normally bright and alert green eyes were dull and marked with some unknown pain. Her shoulders were hunched, causing her not to stand as tall as she normally did, and there was a frown marring her face that refused to give way.

Before the attack, Bela'luin had been eager to march to war. She had argued with Talyn and been furious that her leader had not shared her viewpoints.

Now, she appeared solemn and full of remorse. Something haunted her and was carried in the wake of her steps.

"Do not be coy, Bela!" Talyn snapped.

Ever since hearing about Talliea and her powers, she had wondered about Arizira and her involvement. Why had Bela'luin not mentioned her? Surely, she had been present in the clearing? Why would Talliea be without her?

"Nai'iris--" Bela'luin started.

"Arizira! Where is she? You know as well as I that she would not be--"

Bela'luin interrupted Talyn. "Dead," she said simply.

Talyn faltered and took a step back. Her eyes searched Bela'luin's for a further truth, but found nothing that offered her any hope.

"Dead?" she whispered.

Bela nodded, unable to meet Talyn's gaze. "Yes."

Running a hand through her hair, Talyn shook her head and closed her eyes against the tears she could feel wishing to be free.

No...Arizira could not be dead! She was important. She was the Child of Whispers! Cynra had told her that Arizira's destiny was love. She was meant to love the Esu woman. Words from long ago came back to Talyn in an instant.

"Arizira's love is not some trifle. The kind of love she will experience will be unlike anything any one of us has ever felt. She will find the mate her spirit has searched for. This love will unlock the past and secure our future!"

If Arizira was dead, how was she to fulfill her destiny?

"Keep a close eye on your hunters, child. Anger always lets loose the first volley."

Cynra's last words of warning caused Talyn to look up sharply at Bela'luin. The young hunter still refused to meet her eyes and, instead, stared blankly ahead. Talyn became suddenly aware of Cynra's ill omen.

"What have you done?" she asked in a dark whisper. She rounded on Bela'luin in a flash.

"I-I..it was--i-it was an a-accident." Bela'luin's words were stuttered as she fumbled with how best to say them. Tears made her green eyes watery and blurred her vision while the muscles in her throat contracted.

"An accident? What was an accident?" Talyn question, her hand grabbing Bela'luin's chin and forcing their eyes to meet in an uncharacteristic display of strength.

"I only wished to help her, t-to free her from the bonds that held her prisoner to that w-woman."

Woman? The Esu woman Cynra spoke of? Arizira's spirit mate? Tayln knew that Bela'luin had discovered their relationship. It had been the cause for her later actions, though she had tried to deny that truth. What had happened? Had she found them? Tried to bring harm to the Esu woman? Had she been the one to kill Arizira?

Suddenly, Talyn could not stand to be so close to Bela'luin. She had been against the course of action the younger huntress had taken. She had been against her trying to divide Arizira and the dark skin, though she had been unable to express as such at the time. She backed away from the taller woman with a heavy breath.

"What did you do?" she asked again.

Bela'luin described, in detail, how she had come upon Arizira and the Esu woman. They had still been feet apart, but she had witnessed the look shared between the two. She had also noticed the enemy approaching from the opposite side of her location. She told Talyn of her thoughts and how she had only wished to 'cure' Arizira and release her from whatever sway the Esu held over her.

Talyn shook her head at the words. There was no spell. No power. No sway or anything of malcontent in Arizira's feelings. She was--had been--in love with the Esu woman.

"...but she moved and in the next moment..." Bela'luin's words cut into Talyn's thoughts, but quickly faded as soon as they reached her ears. She could not believe what she was hearing. There had been no need for Bela'luin's actions! Her mission was to find and detain any Esu settlers, not attempt to 'rescue' a woman who no longer loved her. How could Bela have been so impetuous?

"The Esu woman closed their distance and she and Arizira appeared to speak to one another. Fighting broke out. Our hunters engaged the Esu warriors, but it was obvious the Esu woman was everyone's target. We surrounded her and--"

"And then she unleashed this power you spoke of?" Talyn questioned, turning back to look into Bela'luin's eyes.

"Yes."

"Why?" Talyn asked.

Bela'luin paused, looking unsure and confused. "Why?" she questioned, not understanding Talyn.

"Why did you shoot at an unarmed woman who had done you no harm?"

The tall huntress opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off as Talyn's voice continued to rise.

"Why did you decide to start a war based on feelings that long ago should have died! Why did you seek to take away Arizira's happiness by attempting to murder one she held so dear? It was not your place, Bela, nor was it our way! You have disgraced us all, cast a shadow over our honor and virtue! And for what? You have no idea what you have done! Arizira was important!"

Bela'luin took a step forward and spoke over Talyn. "I know that! She was important to me! It was not Arizira I fired upon! It was the Esu!"

Talyn closed the distance between herself and Bela'luin again. Her purple eyes were livid and her face was flushed. "Who are you to decide who lives and who dies? That woman is important to everyone!"

"Why? Who is she to be important to us?"

"She is Arizira's spirit mate! The Child of Whispers was fulfilling her destiny and you interfered! Anything ill that follows these events is on your shoulders, Bela! You have betrayed us all with your hate and your denial!"

Silence fell around the two women. Bela'luin shook her head slowly as she stared into Talyn's angry eyes. She could barely fathom the words she had just heard. Was she actually to believe that the day walker was some fabled great love of Arizira's? That was ludicrous.

The Doira'Liim was a child's tale. Nothing more. Even if it was true, there was no way some Esu savage could have any part in it.

And yet... Bela’luin had seen the way Arizira had looked at the woman. She had seen how they both had reacted upon seeing the other. If not for love, why else had the Esu woman reacted the way she had? She had not acted like a person whose spell had been shattered. She had not acted as if a person who had recently lost a slave or minion.

She had reacted as a person who was lost. Hurt. In pain. The Esu woman had been grieving when Arizira had died. Was it possible the two of them truly had been in love? Bela'luin knew very litte about spirit mates. The idea had always seemed more fanciful than useful to her. Was it possible the Esu woman's powers were the result of that connection?

She had stopped her own people as well as the Arnira. Though her display of power had been awe-inspiring to behold, Bela'luin had noticed that no harm had been done to anyone in the clearing. In fact, all the Esu woman had done was stop everything so that she could take Arizira away.

She could have killed everyone and everything present, yet she had not. Instead of killing Bela, like Bela had tried to kill her, the Esu woman had simply destroyed the arrow between them and walked away.

She had left to mourn, like a lover would.

Talyn watched as the reality of matters became known and understood for Bela'luin. Both of them knew very little when compared to what Cynra knew, but Talyn had always believed events were transpiring that were larger than she was.

She had not wished to be hasty like Bela'luin. Instead, she had chosen to believe that Arizira and her love would do what was needed and usher in whatever peace Cynra believed to be true. It was her faith in Cynra that Talyn followed, despite knowing so very little.

Bela'luin, on the other hand, had acted rashly and, as a result, possibly brought about events Cynra had not planned for. What would happen now? Was all-out war the only future left to them? Was bloodshed to be her legacy at the end of these days?

And Arizira, the woman who was like a daughter to Talyn, was dead, gone, her life ended. Would the Esu woman, wanting vengeance, seek her tribe out? Was death the only outcome to be had?

Talyn shook her head and stepped away from Bela'luin. She did not speak another word as her feet carried her out of Rae’kir and away from the damnation suddenly cast upon her people.

* * * * *

Talliea breathed easily as she lay by Arizira. The two of them were facing one another, Talliea with her back to the mouth of the cave. Her limbs were tangled with Arizira's and their bodies were pressed together. Talliea's right hand played with her love's silver-blonde hair, while her left was wrapped around Arizira's back, keeping her close.

Arizira's head was tucked underneath Talliea's chin and her arms and hands were, even in sleep, holding on tightly to the form of her love.

All was quiet as dusk slowly covered the land. A steady and light rain fell easily outside, while the sound of frogs and cicadas intermittently added their calls to the slowly forming symphony.

Talliea, eyes closed, brushed her lips across Arizira's forehead. The cloak tossed over them both barely concealed their modesty as more skin was showing than was covered. Talliea smiled and pressed Arizira closer to the warmth of her skin.

Her foot ran along Arizira's leg before wrapping around her ankle. It had been several hours since the two of them had made love. Sleep had followed them both easily as their bodies and minds had healed.

Now, Talliea found herself awake. Her mind was busy with activity.

Arizira was back with her. They were together, but for how long? Were their others looking for her? For Arizira? Cynra had spoken of some purpose Talliea had yet to play. What was that purpose? Why was it she who was important? If she took Arizira and ran away, would she be dooming both the Esu and the Arnira to further condemnation? Did it matter? Their battle was not her battle.

Arizira was all that mattered to her. Her and their baby. Were not they her only priorities? Would she be forsaking something important if she left both peoples to their own whims and desires?

She had nearly lost Arizira once already. She knew she could not live with that type of pain. It had been too much before. It had been heavy and all consuming and it had left her feeling empty and dead inside.

Talliea knew she could not live without Arizira. Yet, Cynra had told her that while one lived, the other lived. Did that mean she and Arizira were immortal? That they could not die unless by a natural means? Were that true, what did it mean for them? Did that same gift extend to their unborn child? Talliea could gamble with her own life, but not with the innocent child growing inside Arizira.

At all costs, she knew she had to protect the baby.

The baby. Talliea smiled. She had never really pictured herself as a mother. A part of her had always wanted children, though. She had desired something in her life to be meaningful and important, and what other endeavor could prove more meaningful than nurturing new life?

But, she was Esu and when she had thought of her possible future children, it had been tempered with a harsh reality.

If she had a boy, he would grow to view her, his mother, as any other woman in the clan. He would adopt Esu ideals and learn that disrespecting women was what was expected of him. If she had a girl, that girl would know the loneliness Talliea had always felt. She would know how unimportant she was to others. She would know restrictions and unseen chains.

What happiness was there for those children?

Now, however, Talliea was having a baby; a girl, according to Arizira, and there was nothing else that made her happier. Their child would be free. She would not know the kind of life Talliea had known. She would not be held down or held back by anyone. Their child would know the world they showed her, as it should be.

For the first time in her life, the idea of a baby made Talliea immensely happy and overjoyed. It was with that thought, that she knew she could not be whatever Cynra and Taetylona wanted her to be. She needed to get Arizira away from danger so that their daughter could have a chance to live a happy and peaceful life.

"What thoughts burden your mind, failira?"

Arizira's sleepy, yet beautiful, voice interrupted Talliea's overwrought thoughts. She felt soft, small, hands begin to move across her ribs and the simple gesture helped to ease her anxiety.

"Nothing, love. Go back to sleep. You need rest."

Arizira pressed a kiss to Talliea's throat before moving back slightly so she could gaze into her eyes. Her hands moved and brushed across a tanned sternum.

"Do not lie, Tah-li. I can feel that something troubles you."

Talliea smirked. She dipped her head down to kiss Arizira's lips. There was no point in prolonging the inevitable she supposed. Besides, it wasn't like she could actually keep anything away from the smaller woman; nor would she ever want to.

Sighing, but keeping Arizira close to her, Talliea finally spoke. "I think we need to move, Ari. We need to place distance between ourselves and the hatred spilling out across this land."

Arizira pulled back and regarded Talliea with disbelieving eyes. "Leave?"

"Yes, it is for the best."

"For whom?" Arizira questioned.

"For us. For our baby. I can not suffer any harm coming to either of you. I need to protect you both, love. Do you not see?"

Arizira shook her head. Though she wished for no part in the battle between the Esu and the Arnira, she did not think she could just walk away from her people like Talliea was proposing. She had friends she would miss. What would Sed'dya think if she never returned? Talyn? M'kesei?

No, she had a responsibility to her tribe, to her people. She was sworn to protect them even from themselves. There had to be an alternative. "I can not, Tah-li," she whispered slowly after a time. "I can not walk away from my people."

Talliea shook her and looked down into Arizira's glowing eyes. "Your people walked away from you! It was one of your own that… th-that..." Talliea closed her eyes as she struggled to complete her sentence. "It was Bela'luin that nearly took you from me, Ari."

Arizira sighed as her eyes dropped. She knew it had been Bela'luin's arrow that had slowly begun to claim her life days before. Even still, matters were vague and uncertain and a fair amount of confusion and misconception was clouding both peoples' realities. Arizira still felt a sense of duty to her people. She could not walk away while both her people and Talliea's brought one another to annihilation.

Her left hand fell from Talliea's chest and moved to settle on her own stomach. Her connection with her baby had only increased since bonding with Talliea. She could feel the life inside of her more vividly now than ever before. The same sense of protection that had come over her when Bela'luin had attacked the Esu men came over her suddenly.

Perhaps Talliea was correct. She could not risk her life by fighting in a war when she did not even know whose side she was supposed to be on. But, she needed to do something. It was not in her nature to shirk her responsibilities or to walk away. What would she tell her daughter when the repercussions of present events rippled into the future? What example would she be setting?

A hand landed on top of her own and helped to settle her mind. She looked back up into Talliea's deep and dark eyes and could not help the smile that appeared on her face.

"We do not have to decide now, love," Talliea whispered, her hand smoothing over the soft skin of Ariziria's abdomen. "Just know that I will always choose you. You are what matters to me. There are no other ties that hold me to any one place. All I know is that I have to protect you."

Arizira nodded. "And I have to protect you, failira, but I can not walk away from something that will impact so many. Peace can still be achieved so long as there are those who desire it."

Smiling, Talliea pressed forward to kiss Arizira again. "I suppose you are correct, but I will not allow anything to happen to you or to our baby. Whatever we decide to do, we shall do so together."

"Always," Arizira replied before snuggling a bit closer to Talliea. The rain outside picked up and night larks added their calls to the music being created. Darkness grew.

Talliea continued rubbing small circles on Arizira's stomach. She was overcome with a powerful emotion the longer she did so. "Ari?"

There was a brief pause.

"Hm?"

"How is it that I feel her as you do?" Talliea asked in regard to their child.

Arizira smiled and kissed Talliea's neck again before answering. "Because you are a part of her."

Talliea said nothing for a time. The easy peace around herself and Arizira continued to grow.

"This is not the same for the men of the Esu?" Arizira asked, breaking the silence. "They do not feel the life of their children?"

"No," Talliea replied. The foot she had earlier wrapped around Arizira's ankle moved. It slowly glided over calf and knee before being tossed, leg and all, over Arizira's thigh. Talliea placed small kisses across Arizira's forehead and nose.

"Then that is a sorrow, Tah-li. You shared yourself with me when we bonded. It is only natural that you should share in our baby's growth. I carry her, nurture her, and share my life force with her, but you will experience everything that I do. When she kicks, you will know. When she moves, you shall feel it. When she sleeps, you will know peace. It was not only my doing that gave her life, but yours also. You will share this experience with me, as we have shared everything else."

Talliea's smile grew bright and happy and, for a moment, she was able to forget about all the bad taking place in the world around her. She was able to think about her family, a concept she had never fully understood. Her hand stilled in its movements and she allowed herself to just feel the life inside of Arizira. It was magic.

"This will take place even with her being more Esu than Arnira?"

Arizira shrugged slightly. "I can not say, but you feel her now so I can only assume."

Another silence.

Arizira entwined her fingers with Talliea's over her tummy and scooted closer to the warmth of her body. She pressed her cheek against Talliea's chest and over her heart, and contented herself with falling asleep to the sound of her heartbeat.

Tallie swallowed her fears and worries as she cradled Arizira's body. Her eyes slowly closed as the rain became more violent outside. Thunder rumbled and seemed to explode in the distant sky.

"Just sleep, Tah-li," Arizira whispered.

Hand still resting over Arizira's stomach, Talliea exhaled a sigh. Plans could be made tomorrow. This time was for them. Whatever they decided, Talliea knew she would never allow herself to be separated from Arizira again. She would do whatever was necessary to keep her family safe.

"I love you so much," she mumbled into Arizira's hair before sleep finally claimed her again.

Chapter 17: The D'Tyshacea

Markahn stopped and knelt down beside a gently flowing stream.

The water was clear and cool and reflected the trees and mountains around him. Ever since his departure from Talliea, Markahn had discovered himself to be at odds on what he should do. Talliea had told him to return to their people and work toward bringing about changes and progression, but he could not do that.

Not now, anyhow. His people were too eager and set on war to be able to listen to anything he had to say. Besides, what exactly was he supposed to tell them? That women lying with women was no longer a sin? That the woman found with Talliea was no threat to them? That she was, in fact, in love with Talliea? How was he expected to return to his clan and tell them that a woman attacked him and ran away while under his watch?

He could not have done such a thing, not then and certainly not now. Ever since finding Yalliea and the savage woman, Markahn's clan had been on alert. Lao'dahn's account of events aside, it was hard for any Esu to believe that such a creature as Ari was a singular happenstance. To them, there had to be more.

After Talliea had departed, Markahn had walked aimlessly without any real direction. He had decided to double back and head in the direction Talliea had been intent on taking, with the exception of following her footsteps exactly. Instead, Markahn had chosen a path farther north and closer to the mountains. His hope had been that he would be able to help Talliea, should any sounds of struggle come to his ears.

On the same day that the two of them had departed, Markahn had finally heard what he had dreaded all along: sounds, voices, the clash of battle. Though he had been too far away to view anything for certain, the sounds of something truly dreadful had come to him on the wind. And then, a scream had cut through that wind and chilled everything around him.

He'd known at once that the horrible cry had belonged to Talliea. Acting without thought for himself or his safety, Markahn had started in the direction of the battle he'd known was past due. By the time he'd made it to the edge of the clearing, the evidence of the destruction around him had astounded him. A crater of dirt and branches and rocks had expanded as far as he could see. Nearby trees were deformed as several sides of their leaves and bark appeared to have been blown away.

Markahn had stayed as far out of sight as he could and taken in the full scope of the unnatural state of the environment around him. He'd noticed figures in the crater, several frozen bodies. Both men and women, Esu and Arnira. Each of them was as if a statue, posing in heroic-like struggles as if time had thought to remember them. Rocks and twigs had floated in the air near Markahn's feet and his eyes had noticed more than one arrow suspended between parties.

No sooner had Markahn been able to take in the awe-inspiring damage around him then everything exploded and time had quickly resumed. Debris caught in the air had spread out and flown past him while startled cries from the warriors frozen had brought sound back to life.

Of Talliea, there had been no sign. Markahn had struggled to grasp everything he had witnessed. As his fellow Esu had called a retreat, Markahn had faded back into the sanctuary of the forest and resumed his search for Talliea. He'd been convinced that something had befallen her and so had come to be of the mind that it was his duty to learn exactly what. Something had happened in the clearing. His people had finally clashed with others of Ari's people.

It came to pass, two days after Markahn had left Talliea, that he spied a familiar looking cave in the distance. By his best guess, he could reach the cave in just a few hours and use it for a bit of reprieve from his weary travels. He cupped his hands in the stream before him and washed his face off with the cool and fresh water. Before he could stand, something sharp and pointed dug into the side of his neck.

A deep, yet pleasant, voice came to his ears and the words were, at once, both alien and familiar to him. "Do not move if a value you have on your life."

Markahn swallowed and held his hands out to his sides by his head. The words spoken were Esu, but different. A few of the words were not known to him, but he had understood enough to get the general meaning.

"Turn around and keep your hands where I can see them."

The woman spoke in sure and deliberate tones. Markahn could not even begin to guess to whom the voice belonged. The fact that it was a woman was surprising enough. To his knowledge, the only two Esu women in the forest were Taetylona and Talliea. Was it possible one of the savage women spoke the Esu tongue? That would explain the oddities in the dialect.

The pointed object dug into his neck as if to urge him to comply. Markahn, keeping his hands out to his sides, slowly turned around and looked up into an unexpected sight. The woman behind him was Esu, but not like any Esu woman he had ever seen. Her hair was thick and black and fell over her shoulder in a single braid. The woman wore a weathered pair of leather pants with knee high treated boots and a cloth shirt underneath a v-neck oiled vest. A belt around her waist carried a few small pouches and a single traveling bag was flung over her back with a leather strap.

Markahn noted a gleaming dagger at the woman's left hip and surmised the blade at his neck was its twin. Swallowing again, Markahn looked into the woman's eyes. They were by far her best and most striking feature. They were brown, but so light in color as if to be grey. In them, Markahn could ascertain nothing of the woman's nature. She was attractive, but guarded.

"You are a woman," he said, the words the first that his mind could offer him.

The woman cocked her head to the side in a curious manner and regarded him with cool eyes. "An Esu? Here? Your words are strange. Why are you this close to the Border Plains?"

Markahn's face went blank. Border Plains? His words were strange? Who was this woman? "Answer me," the woman pressed. "What clan are you? I do not recognize your clan markings."

Again, Markahn was only barely able to make out the woman's words. Her Esulan was very different from his own. As such, it took him longer to piece together the words he knew and come up with a sensible translation.

"Clan name?" he questioned. His people did not have clan names. There were different houses within the various clans, but there were no names denoting each clan. "I have no clan name nor have I taken a mate to establish my house. I am simply Markahn."

The woman was slow to respond, obviously having trouble herself in understanding his dialect. For long moments, she studied him. The dagger in her hand never lowered. "Markahn? Where is your clan? This area is forbidden. To tread here is to bear a curse."

The woman did not explain why she was present in such a "cursed" place, but Markahn saw little point in explaining that. Instead, he said, "My people traveled far from the south to arrive here. Many of our number were lost on the Great Trek. We established a camp in the valley beneath these hills--"

The woman leaned into him and pressed the dagger against his throat again. "The south? You arrived from the Southlands?"

Markahn nodded, but said nothing more. The woman shook her head. This could not be true. Eyes staring deep into Markahn's, she asked, "You are one of the D'Tyshacea?"

Markahn did not reply. The woman's words were unknown to him. Whatever she had said was too foreign to be anything like the Esulan his people spoke. Shaking his head, he struggled with how to respond. The woman cocked her head to the side again and seemed to study him more closely. Finally, she opened her mouth and asked, "You are...you are one of the..."

She trailed off as she searched for a word she knew that would be close enough to what she meant. "One of the...Others?" she finally asked.

"Others? I do not--"

The woman stood back and leveled him with an icy stare. She had no time for this! "What is your purpose here, Markahn?"

Markahn lowered his hands to his sides, but kept them where the woman could see them. The blade was still pressed against his neck and he could feel its bite against his skin. He did not know who this woman was, but it was obvious she was trained in weapons and combat. He thought briefly of using his own abilities to gain the upper hand, but decided against such a course. There was no telling how skilled the woman was. Besides, she was intriguing.

"I was escorting a friend of mine to safety," he replied.

The woman seemed to relax at his words. "Why would your friend think safety resides in the forest?

"Because the one she loves takes home amongst these trees."

"She?" the woman asked. If Markahn was from the Southlands, then the idea of him leading a woman away from the clan was practically unheard of. The D'Tyshacea treated their women like property. Or so the old tales went.

"Yes," Markahn answered simply.

"What is this woman's name?"

Markahn was unsure why that bit of information was important, but there was something compelling him to answer, something powerful that forced him to speak when he otherwise would not have.

"Talliea. Talliea Aldis."

The woman turned her head again and a ghostly expression crossed her features. "Aldis?" she asked and Markahn nodded.

Aldis? This woman, Talliea...how was it she possessed such a unique name? If Markahn and this woman were truly from the south, how was it that Talliea had a name belonging to her own people's dialect of Esulan? Aldis meant ‘protector’ or ‘guardian‘. Some used the word as an archaic title, but it's most-used definition was ‘goddess‘. The term was not one heard often as the Esu worshiped a male deity, but there were small groups that studied old texts and tales and they knew of the word.

Most often, Aldis was used in reference to the Arnira and any tales or myths about them. Usually, the word was used for the Arniran goddess, Aitla. Aitla, being a guardian and protector to the Arnira, was one reason some people had given ‘aldis’ those added definitions.

Markahn noticed the faraway expression on the woman's face and cleared his throat. Cool and intense eyes came back to him before the woman shook her head.

"Where were you taking this woman?" For reasons unknown, Talliea was important. The woman felt such to be true.

"I told you, to safety," Markahn replied curtly.

The woman acted so quickly, Markahn could hardly remember one moment from the next. A hand grabbed his collar and yanked him up to his feet. The woman was tall, nearly as tall as he was, and her grip was both strong and secure. Markahn felt his hands grow warm with the light of his gift, but he was unable to do anything farther. The woman slipped the dagger back into her belt in one swift motion before her hand came back up to the side of his head.

Her palm fell against his temple and an intense searing pain shot through his skull. "Answer me," the woman growled.

Markahn could not believe what he was experiencing. The woman was using the gifts of Esuval! On him! Whatever she was doing was causing him intense pain. He struggled to lift his own hands so that he could defend himself, but the woman's power glowed with more intensity and he felt his body go numb.

"I would not struggle were I you. I control your abilities now. Answer me and I will release you."

Markahn quickly nodded and stuttered his reply. "T-to...another woman. I w-was taking h-her -- taking her to-to another woman."

"Who?" the woman demanded.

"I-I do not know. Her name was...s-strange. Ari..Arecira.."

"Arizira?" the woman asked suddenly and Markahn nodded eagerly. In the next instant, the woman shoved him away from her and turned her back to him. Markahn coughed several times and fell onto his back as the pain began to clear from his head. How had a woman learned to use the Light? It was not possible and yet, this woman had! He struggled to his knees and regarded the strange woman with new respect.

"Do not harm them. If that is your intent, I will do everything in my power to stop you."

The woman turned back around and her face was no longer as harsh as before. "Harm? No, I do not wish to harm them. The woman, Talliea? She is Esu like us, yes?"

Markahn nodded.

The woman smiled and shook her head to herself. "Like her mother," she mumbled. Her eyes darted back to Markahn's as she fell to the ground in front of him. Her smile did not fade. "What does she look like?"

Markahn, again, struggled to translate the woman's strange dialect. "Who?" he asked.

"Arizira. Have you seen her? Is she...like me? Or does her appearance differ from your own?"

Markahn stood to his feet and dusted himself off. The woman stood as well and the two of them regarded each other for several moments. After a time, Markahn spoke. "Who are you and why are you interested in Talliea and the woman?"

He knew he was risking possible harm to himself if his questions irked the woman, but he had answered enough questions thus far and had none of his own answered. If he was going to give this woman anymore information, he needed to know who she was and what her intentions were. Even if the act killed him, Markahn was not about to risk Talliea's life unduly.

The woman smiled and placed a hand to his chest, over his heart. "Honor and Grace," she said before stepping back. Markahn nodded in acknowledgement of her words, but said nothing more. The woman spoke just a short moment afterward.

"My name is D'jiira. Arizira is my daughter."

Chapter 18: Nai'lana

"We have to make ready to leave at once!" Kolofen, a Lat'sa'val man said during yet another argument over recent events. "Something evil lurked in this forest before we ever made camp here, and now that same evil lies within Talliea! Her power was not bias in that clearing. If she does not greet us with death, then surely the savage women shall!"

Ban'nuk, another member of the Lat'sa'val Order spoke up. "And what of these women? Who are they? Why do they attack us so?"

"Does it matter?" Kolofen countered heatedly. "We are beset by enemies by every direction the wind blows! Talliea is a pagan demon of old! She rendered us all powerless with but a single gesture! Not even the warrior women could stop her!"

"Exactly!" Ban'nuk interjected with a passionate cry. "The savage women could prove our allies against her!"

"Allies? Those primitive heathens? They would sooner side with Talliea than with us! Did you not notice? There were no men among their numbers! Were I prone to believe the ancient tales, I would say the women we fought were the Arnira."

Haldynn spoke up then, having listened to Kolofen, Ban'nuk and several others swap one theory after another for the better part of an hour.

"Arnira? Come now! Do not be absurd! Those tales are for children, not fully grown men of Esuval!"

Kolofen would hear none of it. "If not Arnira, then who, or what, are they? Did you not glimpse their hair, the shine of their eyes? They were feral and primal. The Arnira were said to be the same and legend holds that they called the Northlands their home!"

Such arguments had become the center of Esu conversation and debate since the groups sent to scout the surrounding forest had returned with tales of women wielding magnificent blades and bows and how a battle had broken out two days walk from the camp. The men, upon returning, had told their fellows of the battle that had taken place and how they had been set upon without their noticing.

Alas, but such stories were not the focus of the men’s' tales. No, the event that had started such heated arguments amongst the Esu camp was that one of Talliea. Of how she had cried over the fallen savage woman. Of how she had used some power, some ability, to slow and then stop the passage of time and freeze everyone present, both Esu and heathen woman alike, with but a command -- a thought.

The stories surrounding Talliea's display spoke of how she had been in control of the very earth itself. Of how rock and tree and wind and twig had shattered around her and injured anyone near enough to her. Men had told of how Talliea had disintegrated an arrow that had been meant for her while it had still been in mid-flight. They had had informed the others of how she had picked up the fallen female and carried her away before, some time later, removing everyone in the clearing from the terrifying grip of her power.

The knowledge had spread like wildfire in the Esu camp. Men and women had both been fascinated and fearful of such news. In all their long history, the Esu could not remember any power such as had been displayed by Talliea. Over the following days, patrols had doubled as everyone in the camp feared another strike by the savage women or Talliea.

Of Markahn, there had been no sign and the members of the Order had come to assume him lost at Talliea's hand. Lao'dahn had been taken to a healer, his blood loss nearly claiming his life as well, and had remained in a deep sleep since.

"We are overlooking the bigger issue!" The words were spoken by another, Tor'len. "The women can be dealt with. They withdrew just as we did. Our concern is Talliea. With her powers, she could remove this camp from existence. We need to focus on neutralizing her as a threat first!"

Haldynn laughed. "How do you propose we do that? She could freeze our movements before we ever approached her!"

"Then forget that! Forget the savages!" Tor'len said over Haldynn's mockery of him. "We need to find out how Talliea came upon these powers of hers! Not always have they been a part of her, for she could have used them long before now. It was not until we settled here, in the north, that she started to become even more obstinate.

“Perhaps the woman she carried away is the answer. Lao'dahn said that he fought a woman when he rescued Talliea. Could the woman killed in the clearing be the same, and if so, is it she who gives such unnatural abilities to Talliea?"

Ban'nuk responded with a scoff. "You said it yourself: the woman is dead. What strength of answers could lie in wait within her?"

Before the two men could get into a longer debate, Haldynn held up a hand. "We are going about this the wrong way. Talliea is one of our own. She is alone, without friend nor shelter nor peace of mind. I suggest we attempt to give her these things."

Silence met the end of his words. Kolofen smiled and leaned closer to the group. "You mean, entice her to walk with us and with our purpose? Use her abilities for the clan?"

Haldynn nodded, albeit in a solemn manner. "Yes. We cannot hope to defeat her, but perhaps her anger over the loss of the woman can be channeled into something righteous and good. She can yet help us to defeat our foes and claim this land as ours, and if not, we end her life."

* * * * *

Talliea sighed and scratched at her forehead. The day was only half spent with the sun already heading toward the horizon. Talliea and Arizira had been up and about for some time now, having bathed in the stream running behind the cave of Li'nas Dei, and eaten their fill of the provisions left for them. Even with the very recent events, Talliea still could hardly get her mind to accept that her love was safe and alive and with her once again.

Several times during the day she had found herself with a silly, yet happy, smile upon her face. Her eyes had rejoiced in Arizira's beauty, her ears delighted in the sound of her voice, and her fingers praised the perfection of her skin. To say that she was happy would have been to say that the sky was blue or the grass green, for it would not have done her feelings justice, nor given proper expression to the lightness in her heart.

Now, however, Talliea was not rejoicing in her love. She was annoyed with her. After allowing their bodies to dry by the fire, Arizira had been dismayed to find her leather jerkin ruined and covered in her blood. Her boots and breeches had fared quite better and those she currently wore, but of her jerkin there was no hope.

Instead of pain over what the article of clothing represented, Talliea only felt a mild annoyance at Arizira's behavior. Was the vest truly that important? Arizira was alive and that was all that mattered. The past few minutes had been nothing but nonsense.

"Am I to walk the forest like this?" Arizira was saying, indicating her naked upper half.

Again, Talliea shook her head while a shy smile touched her lips. "It is not such a horrible fate as you are acting."

"No?" Arizira asked, aghast.

"No," Talliea said simply, walking over to her love. She stopped by one of the packs left for them by Cynra and Taetylona. Of the several leather-bound bags, one stood out. It was plain, without the adornment of the others, and Talliea quickly surmised it as one of her own. When Lao'dahn had attacked her in the clearing, her belongings had fallen to the dirt and she had believed them lost.

Cynra and Taetylona had retrieved them.

Opening the satchel and searching its contents, she brought out a plain, white blouse and held it up to Arizira. "It is not your normal dress, but it will have to do." She slipped the blouse, big on her love's small body, over Arizira's shoulders and began to lace up the strings that covered the chest area.

Arizira began to laugh, the musical quality sounding welcome in the darkening cave. "We are so silly," she said through her laughter.

Talliea finished the ties and stepped back to listen, her eyebrows raised slightly.

"We have been separated for months, both of us feeling ill. You endured horrors of your clan's making, I the weight of my enigmatic past."

As Arizira spoke, her fit of giggles grew and tears touched her eyes. Talliea found herself smiling, despite finding nothing funny in Arizira's words. "And then, I was shot, in the midst of a battle between our two peoples and here we are complaining about a piece of armor!"

At the end of her sentence, Arizira's laughter finally got the better of her. She leaned back against the wall of the cave nearest to her and brought a hand to her face to wipe away her tears. Talliea smirked and then smiled before her own bout of laughter washed over her.

For long moments, the two of them laughed. Something so simple and innocent seemed to lift their spirits and lighten their hearts. It felt good to remember that such things existed in the world, that there was joy to be had in something benign and without any contempt.

The sounds of their happiness echoed off the cave walls as they continued to lose themselves in the emotional release such a gesture was providing them. Finally, after a fair amount of time had passed, Talliea composed herself and closed the distance between herself and Arizira. Arizira's glowing eyes were moist and her face was flushed from laughing so hard. She was unable to find her voice before Talliea wrapped her up in a tight hug and held her close.

Arizira immediately sensed the change in mood, the urgency in the embrace. With one hand, she held Talliea closer while the other tangled in thick black hair at the base of Talliea's head. She turned her head and nuzzled her nose against a tan neck. The arms wrapped around her were snug.

"I can not believe I nearly lost you," Talliea's voice whispered against her ear. It was different from just a moment before.

"I know, Tah-li," Arizira said simply.

Quiet deepened as the two women held one another. Talliea was the first to step away, though her hold on Arizira did not lessen. She leaned forward to kiss her love when a voice sounded to her right.

"Oh, come now! We gave you two a whole day to get all of that over with!"

"Just because you're too old to enjoy such pursuits doesn't mean the young ones are!" another voice, raspier than the first, said.

Talliea and Arizira broke apart as Cynra and Taetylona walked into the cave.

"I have you know, Arnira are never too old to enjoy such passions. Unlike your people. They wouldn't know a good time if they stepped on it!"

Despite herself, Talliea couldn't help but smile. The two older women were amusing, and like her earlier laughing fit with Arizira, such a thing was welcome in the world.

Before Taetylona could say anything, Cynra stopped near to Talliea and Arizira and smiled brightly. The wrinkles on her worn and old face stood out and her pale purple eyes were alight. "Feeling healed?" she asked Arizira with a knowing nod.

Arizira stepped away from Talliea and moved in front of Cynra. Her face was different now. Not sad or pained, but not as carefree as before. She reached out and touched Cynra's face with a hand. When she and Talliea had bonded the night before, the knowledge of who Cynra was to her had been shared.

All of her young life, she had respected and admired Cynra, the Dream Speaker. The woman had been one of many who had cared for her in the absence of her parents. She had schooled Arizira, taught her ancient lore, showed her the uses of various plants and herbs, and instilled a greater love for all things mysterious.

Cynra had been a friend to Arizira, someone the young huntress had always been able to rely upon. And now? Now, Arizira knew the full extent of her relationship with the wise, and often times, meddling older woman.

She was her grandmother. The only family Arizira knew of. Smiling, her throat growing tight, Arizira cupped Cynra's wrinkled cheek and said but one simple word. "Nai'lana."

Cynra gasped, a happy gasp if any such thing could exist, and placed her hand on Arizira's cheek. Nai'lana, in the Arniran tongue, meant 'honored mother.' Loosely, it translated as grandmother. Talliea, watching the two women, smiled as they embraced one another.

"Oh, daughter's child," Cynra cried happily.

For twenty-seven years, she had kept her relationship to Arizira a secret. Not just to Arizira, but to all the women of her tribe. When Iolirthas had died, Aitla had intervened and removed the memory of Cynra's only daughter from all but Cynra and D'jiira. At the time, Cynra had not understood her goddess's reasons for doing so. The idea of having to continue her life as if her daughter had never existed had been daunting, to say the least.

Yet, Cynra was nothing if not faithful. She had accepted that Aitla had a plan for Arizira, a destiny that would one day present itself.

She had been correct. Her daughter's daughter had come to be known as the Child of Whispers. To her, the whole of the tribe had come to view as one important to future events. Cynra had done her best to keep emotional distance between herself and Arizira, but she had never been able to ignore the bond that developed in spite of that.

For all of her endeavors, Cynra had still been touched with Arizira's awe, honor, and respect of her. Not being able to tell her that she was her grandmother had been hard on Cynra throughout the years. Even harder had been following, what she believed at the time,  was Aitla's plan for Arizira and her subsequent 'death.'

Matters had played out differently, however, and Cynra had been filled with hope once again at the knowledge of Arizira's well-being. Despite that, she had still found herself unable to give the young woman the information about their kinship.

Staring into a face that, characteristically, reminded her so much of Iolirthas Cynra smiled. Arizira was a beautiful blend of both of her mothers, despite her being unaware. From Iolirthas, she had inherited the physical features of the Arniran people -- their pointed ears, glowing eyes, silvery hair, and heightened senses. She had gotten Iolirthas's love of the forest and curiosity, as well as her gentle nature and jovial personality.

Despite that, everything else about Arizira came from D'jiira. Were it not for the Arniran traits, she would have been a spitting image of the Esu woman. She had taken after D'jiira in her mannerisms and her ability to lead and take charge of a situation. The fact that she had picked up Esulan so quickly, even with the aid of nature, had spoken of her own Esu heritage. From D'jiira, Arizira had inherited her sense of duty and responsibility, for Iolirthas had been far more carefree in her approach to the world.

Yes, Arizira was a wondrous blend of both Iolirthas and D'jiira. After twenty-seven years of silence, Cynra was ecstatic about finally being able to share everything she had kept hidden from Arizira.

She did not question how Arizira knew of their familial bonds. She did not have to. Talliea had known so, naturally, Arizira did as well.

"It is so good to be unburdened by the knowledge," Cynra said, still holding Arizira close. To her left, Talliea smiled a radiant smile, while behind her Taetylona looked pleased. The four of them, each a unique and powerful woman in her own right, were finally together without the pall of death hanging over them.

"Why, Nai'lana?" Arizira asked and Cynra knew what she was getting at. She wanted to know why she had never told her, why she had kept the knowledge of who she was to herself for so long.

Cynra, her hands patting Arizira's upper arms, smiled sadly and shook her head, "We all had our parts to play," she said in way of explanation.

Arizira nodded, the answer being all she knew she would receive from her grandmother for the time being. Everyone made their way to the small hill that overlooked the canyon of Li'nas Dei. A cool wind blew through the valley below and the sound of a gurgling stream could be distantly heard. Overhead, flocks of birds flew while their calls echoed off the canyon cliffs.

Arizira inhaled deeply and rejoiced in the majesty of nature. Talliea took a seat to her left while Cynra and Taetylona got comfortable to her right. Of all of them, she was the only one who remained standing. The wind blew through her hair and the white blouse Talliea had given her. Cynra cleared her throat and made a motion to Taetylona.

The older Esu woman, Arizira noticed, had en elegant bow strapped across her back. Her bow. Two other objects were bound in thick leather hides at her sides.

"We managed to grab these for you after the others retreated," Taetylona said handing the leather hides, which held Arizira's twin sabres in them, and the bow to their proper owner.

Still standing, wind continuing to whip at her unbraided hair, Arizira smiled. It seemed ages ago that she had held the weapons in her hands.

"The last wrapped quiver of your arrows is in the cave," Cynra said as she watched her granddaughter. "You will need them in the days to come."

Before Arizira could question Cynra, Talliea stood and spoke up. "She will not. You can not ask this of us."

"Tah-li--"

"No! Do you not see? They want you to take part in the war to come! It does not concern us, love."

Despite Talliea's earlier promise of the two of them deciding matters together, the Esu woman could not just allow Arizira to walk toward certain doom. The last time she had done so, had followed Cynra's lead, she had nearly died.

"It does concern us, failira. We are a part of this world. This forest is my home, as it is yours. How can you ask me to walk away?"

"I ask you to walk with me, by my side, until our daughter is born," Talliea responded softly.

Taetylona, having been silent for most of the gathering, spoke up. "Talliea, think of the children who will not be born if we allow the Esu and the Arnira to fight one another. One of our peoples shall be the victor, the other the loser. If the Arnira are victorious, what will become of our clan? We will be forced to leave this lush forest and await starvation and disease to take our lives. Any other clans that reach the Northlands will face a similar fate.

“And if the Esu claim sovereignty? They will rape the women for their own enjoyment before turning the Arnira into nothing more than slaves...if they don't kill them all after humiliating their spirits and defiling their bodies. Children could be born, half Esu and half Arnira, with no place in the world the Esu will make. The female children will either be killed at birth or raised into a lifetime of sexual deviancy. Though the male children might fare better, they would be bred from birth for nothing but war."

Talliea blanched at Taetylona's heavy words and her throat tightened. She had never truly given the ramifications of war any further thought. Her only concern had been for Arizira and their baby. She had not asked for the innate hatred her people had, nor their xenophobic tendencies. She had not sought power or strength or war or anger.

All she had ever desired was for her life to be her own. She had wanted only the chance to follow her own pursuits, her own passions. She had desired to fall in love and be loved for who she was, not what she could provide.

When she had met Arizira, all of those things had seemed, for the first time in her life, to be within her reach. Arizira had proven to be a friend and a confidante. She had become a source of hope, joy, and inspiration for Talliea. After weeks of avoiding and wrestling with her feelings and emotions, Talliea had taken the biggest and most daring chance of her life and told Arizira how she felt about her. The result had been the greatest love and passion she had ever known.

Saving that, protecting that, had been all that mattered.

Now, having the situation explained to her in such graphic detail, Talliea realized she could not just walk away and abandon her people or Arizira's. Though she had not asked for her powers, she still had them nonetheless. How could she walk away when she could use such abilities for the greater good?

Arizira was watching her, her mesmerizing blue eyes appearing less luminous in the sun.

"You all are correct," she finally resigned. "Forgive me. I could not see."

Arizira walked over to her, her weapons now securely fastened to her hips and back, and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Worry not, Tah-li. You do not walk this path alone. We shall all be beside you. Mayhap peace comes before bloodshed."

Talliea, her head down in thought, only nodded. She felt Arizira stepping closer to her before a forehead was pressed against her own.

"I will protect you, failira, as I have always done," Arizira whispered as her arms wrapped around Talliea's body. Talliea smiled, her own hands landing on her love's hips.

A moment passed as the two of them held one another. Talliea's right hand eventually found its way to Arizira's lower stomach and there it remained. "I shall protect you, too, Ari. Both of you."

A small kiss later, Talliea moved around Arizira and focused her attention on Cynra. The older woman was watching her.

"If I am to do this, to follow my destiny as you say, I shall do so with more information than I currently have. You have meddled where you should not have, but I can not fault you. Your actions have led both myself and Ari to one another. For that, you have my respect."

Cynra stood up and turned to face her.

"However, the time for riddles and half answers is in the dark. We are only four women against two great nations. To succeed, we most be honest with one another."

Again, Cynra nodded, the wind picking up, tossing her hair over her shoulders.

"Before we make plans to disembark,” Talliea continued, “you will tell me everything you know about my destiny, Ari's destiny, our connection, and anything else you may think to be of use."

At the words, Cynra visibly deflated. She looked from Talliea's brown eyes to Arizira's blue. The same stubborn determination was in both of their gazes. "This could take some time," she said, hoping to stall and get moving more quickly.

Talliea stepped closer to her, the power she commanded causing the very air to ripple around her body. "Then, by all means, take it."

Chapter 19: Past and Present

The sound of wind exploded in the gloaming sky.

Ir'ra looked through the steel bars holding her captive and saw Tareya , in the town square, moving through gale force winds of her own making. Two dark-skinned men raised double-headed maces and charged toward Tareya, their intent clear. Ir'ra's heart raced inside her chest.

The men closed in toward Tareya but at the last moment, the tall woman stopped. She looked up at the sky above her, arms out at her sides, neck back against her shoulders, and a moment later a powerful strike of lightning slammed into the first man. He stood in shock as the bolt of energy coursed through his body before falling to the ground. The second man slowed in his advance only briefly. Seeing his comrade fall had enraged him and he now ran toward Tareya with a greater resolve.

Screaming a battle cry, he raised the mace in his right hand and brought it down quickly, the head moving to collide with Tareya. Just as the weapon was about to make contact, it froze in mid-swing as if hindered in some way. The man had only a second to register what had happened before Tareya turned her head and looked at him. Her eyes were completely black, yet glowing with some unknown light. Strange wisps of energy seemed to confuse the air around her and she appeared to be separate from one moment in time to the next.

The man noticed, in one quick instant, how everything around him seemed to slow down. His brain processed information second by agonizing second and he grew afraid. Around him, moving just as slowly, were his brothers-in-arms coming to his aid. Looking back at Tareya, he found her eyes still on him. The mace, only inches from her head, was ripped from his hand and sent hurtling toward the very men trying to help him.

It slammed into two of the men, their slow movements no match for its speed. Blood colored the ground around them as they fell. The other men tried to move away, but time was against them and their actions were too slow.

The man who had thought to kill Tareya glanced down and noticed a slender hand on his chest. He could not recall how or when it had gotten there. The next thing he knew, dark eyes grew more intense and a painful jab was sent through his ribs. He watched, in slow motion, as he was thrown backward away from Tareya. Vaguely, he registered the muffled sounds of voices around him before such pain as he had never known shattered every other thought in his mind.

His body crashed into the remaining men behind him, their raised weapons piercing his flesh unintentionally. Time resumed normally for the man, but an instant later his body succumbed to its injuries and he was lost.

Ir'ra watched from the cage she had been placed in. Her face was one of horror and awe and disbelief. Green eyes took in the sight of battered bodies, blood, broken windows and crushed buildings. Everywhere she looked, she saw destruction and agony. Women cried, children wailed, and men were either dead or dying. At the center of the chaos, untouched by the calamity, was Tareya, her love.

The Esu woman's grey eyes seemed to clear as the power around her visibly faded. Her face changed from one of calm serenity to one of shock and desperation.

"Ir'ra!" she called and began walking on two shaky legs.

"Here," Ir'ra all but whispered. Her voice was rough, her throat dry. She pushed a hand through the bars of the cage and reached for her love.

Tareya smiled, the act appearing nearly grotesque in the chaos around her. Women and children backed away as she passed them. Once at her love's side, she shattered the heavy door keeping her prisoner. The sight of Ir'ra's bruised and battered body brought her to her knees.

Tears filled her eyes. The two women managed to embrace one another. "I heard their acts," Tareya whispered against Ir'ra's neck. "I knew they were pleasing themselves with your body."

Ir'ra could not respond. The memories of what the men had done to her so very recently were still fresh, just as the physical evidence was also. She felt Tareya's lips against her cheek.

"H-how?" she asked in a raspy croak. "How did you manifest such power? It is a gift of the gods."

Tareya pulled back slightly to look into Ir'ra's green eyes and shrugged. Her mouth opened to reply, but her answers were lost. "I do not know. I heard your cries and knew I had to get to you."

Ir'ra, exhaustion crawling up her spine, collapsed against Tareya's taller form and sighed. The fight inside her finally gave out. As darkness swam around her mind, she whispered, "I love you, failira. Thank you..."

* * * * *

"I do not have all the answers," Cynra said, sitting herself back down.

Talliea dismissed the words. "You have more answers than do we."

"Just tell us everything you know, Nai'lana," Arizira whispered, placing a hand on her grandmother's arm.

The words made Cynra smile. She patted the hand on her arm and nodded. "Very well. It starts with you, Arizira, as I have told you. You are one half Esu and one half Arnira. When your parents fell in love, they overcame prejudices that had lasted for ages and beckoned back to a time when our two separate peoples lived in harmony."

Talliea made a face and interrupted. "Wait. What harmony? Ari spoke of it briefly, but our people have always warred."

Shaking her head, Cynra elaborated. "There was a time when Esu and Arnira lived in peace. It was not until a single fanatical branch of Esu men began the Darkening Wars that history became so convoluted. What prompted such a change in those Esu, memory can not recall. All that is known is that this branch nearly eradicated the Arnira and their Esu brothers and sisters who did not agree with their views."

"How do you know all of this to be true when we have never heard as much?" Talliea asked.

Everyone present was curious as to the answer. Sighing, Cynra simply said, "I am old, child. Very old. Just trust that there are things of which I am aware."

Silence settled around the four women as the sun continued to shine down from above.

"When Arizira's nurture mother sent word to me, I came upon her and D'jiira as Arizira's birth was at hand. As I have told Arizira, a sickness had been in Iolirthas for some time. It claimed her life after the birth of Arizira. D'jiira's mind became clouded with the grief of her loss. I have never witnessed such sorrow. It was with a heavy heart and burden that she left Arizira in my care and returned to her clan far in the west. She was not like your people, Talliea.

“She could trace her ancestry all the way back to the very Esu clans who once lived in peace with the Arnira. Only a few of the pure-hearted Esu managed to escape the slaughter inflicted upon so many by their recalcitrant breathren. Still, many generations after those events, D'jiira's clan, like your own, believed the Arnira to be legend. She could not return home with a child that looked like Arizira. I agreed to care for the child, for you Arizira. After all, you were my blood child. As I was returning to the tribe, a vision came upon me during the night. In it, Aitla informed me of your importance. I was to be the one of only ones who knew the truth, the only one who would recall Iolirthas. I did not question my goddess. The vision had shown me that you were the key to future events that would unravel past ones."

Somehow, while Cynra had been speaking, the other women had all moved to be closer to her. Their attention was rapt and their curiosity piqued.

"Where do I come in to all of this?" Taetylona asked.

Cynra chuckled and fixed her gaze on her friend. "Your part in this tale is one of the most important ones. Again, the answers are not all within my possession. All I know is that you were to be vital in ensuring Talliea's health and well-being, for she was just as important as Arizira. In a way, we both were care-keepers to these two young women, each ensuring that one day they would have a chance to meet."

Taetylona nodded, her eyes looking out among the chasm valley of Li'nas Dei in deep thought. "The spirit," she said. "During my first exile."

Cynra nodded and so Taetylona continued. Both Arizira's and Talliea's eyes were fixed on her.

"When I was young and had been exiled in the harsh and dry Southlands, delirium nearly took my senses. I was weak from a lack of food and water and my body grieved at all the things it desired but had lost. One night, as I lay counting the span of my misery, a spirit came to me. It was a vision, but without form. A lightness covered my body and my mind and for a moment, I did not lament my suffering."

Talliea listened wholeheartedly. She had never heard of the events Taetylona now spoke of, nor had she believed the Sage Woman to have any connection to her other than being a member of her clan. She could recall, fondly, growing up listening to stories from Taetylona, but had there been another reason for the older woman's interest in her all those ages ago?

"The following daybreak, upon the new sun's rising, I began the journey back to my people with a new vigor in my limbs. In my mind, I carried knowledge and information anew. A prophecy had been given to my eyes and it concerned a child that was to be born upon my return. That child was you, Talliea. Your mother was having difficulty during your birth and the leaders at the time called for my aid, for they knew me to possess abilities in ancient medicines. I helped your mother bring you into life and, as much, was given the authority to replace your house name with one of my choosing."

Talliea had often wondered why it was that her second name differed from her father's and mother's. According to Esu tradition, she should have the same name as the leader of her house, in this case, her father's. Her parents had always told her the Sage woman had named her, but Taetylona had never given her the full story.

“What does Aldis mean, Taetylona?" Talliea asked, her mind full of questions.

Taetylona sighed and threw her arms up in confusion. A moment later, a rueful chuckle sounded from her throat. "I wish I knew. During my trek home, much of what I had witnessed and seen from the spirit began to fade. I could recall a few of the words from old Esulan and a bit of history on the Arnira, but that was all. Apart from knowing of your coming, my mind refused to hold the wisdom bestowed upon it. When I was given charge to name you, the last thing I could recall from the vision was Aldis.I am afraid the ever-growing shadow age brings to one’s mind has forever clouded the translation."

Talliea swallowed and exhaled as she took in everything she had just been told. It was all nearly too much to comprehend. She was not a person spoken of in prophecies with a name shrouded in a mysterious origin! She did not possess untold power or the ability to heal the wounds of her love. She was just Talliea, a young woman, despite her upbringing, who was filled with everlasting hope of how the world could be.

And yet, she did have inside her something that gave her special abilities. She did have a name that differed from all the others of her house and she had been mentioned in some ancient prophecy long before her birth. It all hardly made any sense to her. How had she gone from the innocent youth who had stumbled into the woods one night and been happened upon by a perplexing and wondrous creature of myth, to the person she found herself to be lately?

The woman who had been sick with fever and nightmares. Who had ended up befriending the man who had long-desired to claim her. Who had been attacked and hounded by a man who was both cruel and deceitful. How had she gone from being the person who had been awed, humbled, and anxious the first time someone had touched her body with pleasure and gentleness to the woman who had watched that same person nearly die in her arms?

How had she gone from simple, assuming Talliea, to a person at the center of a generations-long feud that had since become legendary?

A soft hand on her forearm grounded her and helped to ease her mind. Arizira was looking at her, concern evident in her eyes, and Talliea smiled. Clearing her throat, she placed a hand on top of the one on her arm, and said, "So, everything that has transpired, from the moment of my birth and Arizira's, was meant to happen as it has?"

Cynra nodded. "It appears that way, yes. Arizira was -- is -- the key to your powers. Her own bloodline touches both Aitla and Esuval."

"Why are we so important, though?" Talliea asked. "What is it about me or Arizira that is so vital to all of this? Even with these powers, how am I to erase such animosity as exists in our two peoples? What do you want from me?"

Silence met the end of the question. Cynra seemed to be choosing her words carefully. Arizira kept her hand on Talliea's arm and the simple touch proved to be somewhat calming.

"I told you, I do not have all the answers. You and Arizira are spirit mates. That kind of connection has been missing from the world. All I do know is that I have done everything I can to protect the both of you, to ensure your initial meeting, and to see that events foretold come to fruition. Whatever else happens now, I can not see plainly. We are in dark times, child, and there is very little light to bring us clarity. You are the answer, however. That is all I know."

Talliea shook her head, anger at her circumstances coiling within her. "You have to know more than that! Aitla speaks to you! Ask her what she wants from me! How am I to just stand between two warring peoples? You are asking me to risk myself, my mate, my child and you do not know our path!"

Cynra stood up and looked down into Talliea's dark eyes.

"Your path is the truth! It has become hidden in the murky waters of falsehoods. Our past has become black with the unknown, the forgotten. The only way to win this war, for everyone involved, is to find and uncover the truth. You have the power to do that. Your connection with Arizira is more powerful than either of you realize. The Doira'Liim is about more than sharing experiences and feeling good with one another. The potential for greatness is limitless. I do not know what you must do, child. All I know is that you must try! Lives have already been lost. Men and women died in that clearing and more are sure to follow if we do not stem the tide."

Talliea exhaled and her shoulders sagged. Her eyes darted around at the different colors of rocks in the canyon before her. Beside her, Arizira kept a steady hand on her arm and attempted to soothe her suddenly chaotic mind.

"I do not even know where to begin," she said after a moment in a small voice.

Cynra knelt next to Arizira and waited for Talliea to meet her eyes. “You do not take on this endeavor alone. We will help you and pray we find allies along the way."

Talliea sucked in a sharp breath and held the air in her lungs for a long moment. She attempted to calm herself and order her thoughts. A hand on the side of her face gently brushed aside her hair before caressing her skin. She turned and looked into Arizira's lively and vibrant eyes and found the peace she had been searching for.

"My destiny is to reveal the truth?" she asked Cynra but her eyes remained on her love's.

"Yes, through that truth shall come unity. Only you can break this cycle of hatred and bring the past to the present."

The sun was briefly blocked by cloud cover high above the four women. A soft breeze blew Arizira's hair around her face and neck while the slightly darker sky caused her eyes, as well as Cynra's, to glow with greater intensity. Taetylona, gentle and wise Taetylona, watched Talliea with an air of understanding and silent strength.

Talliea reached up and brushed Arizira's hair behind her ear before cupping the back of her neck with her hand. "We do this together," she whispered.

Arizira nodded. "Together."

Talliea's hand traveled down to her love's stomach. "For her. For our child."

Again, Arizira's silvery head of hair nodded. "For all children, present and future, Tah-li."

A moment of silence carried afterward.

Talliea seemed to be coming to some conclusion, some commitment, within her mind. Everyone was quiet as the sun above went from bright to shadowed as the clouds passed over it.

Eventually, Talliea inhaled, looked up, and nodded her head. "Okay. I shall do what I can. I will have need of counsel ere we depart and often while we journey."

Cynra, who was smiling, nodded. "You have it, child. From myself and Taetylona."

Talliea turned her attention back to Arizira. "You will be my guide, love, in more ways than one."

“Anything I am is yours, failira."

Talliea nodded again, slowly getting used to the idea of undertaking such a perilous task. "Okay," she said, "where do we begin?"

* * * * *

D'jiira stepped into the small crater and looked around her. The dirt had only recently been disturbed, but she could not venture a guess as to what had caused such devastation to the landscape. Turning her head, she took in broken branches and torn tree bark, as well as shattered rocks and ripped vegetation. There were no bodies to explain a possible battle, nor any weapons that she could see.

She walked further into the deep impression. Behind her, she heard Markahn sliding down to follow her. Her booted feet sounded loud in her ears as she stepped on dying leaves and decayed plants.

What had happened here?

"This was not always present," D'jiira said to Markahn in relation to the disturbed earth they both were standing.

"No," Markahn said looking around. "No storms did this land such tragedy either."

"Then what caused this?" D'jiira asked turning around.

Markahn just shrugged and shook his head. The two of them walked toward the western rim of the crater. Something caught D'jiira's observant eyes.

"Here," she said, walking over to a darker spot upon the dirt. The area appeared nearly black, as if the earth had been scorched, and was in the shape of a body, maybe two. D'jiira ran her hands along the dirt and the outline of a form. She could swear she made out a small and slender body.

"Something happened here, something strong and powerful. Do you see it?"

Markahn, his gray eyes stormy, nodded. "Yes, I see it and I believe I know who did this."

"Who? You believe a person is responsible for such power? Such destruction?"

Markahn stood back up and barely noticed a set of footsteps leading away from the crater. He remembered hearing Talliea’s scream, remembered coming upon the battle that had taken place in this very spot. He recalled the frozen forms of men and women, caught in statue-like displays of might and virtue. He did not know why, but something was telling him that Talliea was responsible for what he had witnessed then and what he was seeing now.

"Yes, I do, and I believe your daughter is nearby."

Chapter 20: Leyaja

Talyn paced inside the wide circular area of Rae’kir. Her shoulders were tense with apprehension and her headache was quickly moving from a dull ache to pounding throb. It had been two days since Bela'luin and the other hunters had returned from their first clash with the Esu. Two days since so many of their number had not returned with a spark of life in their bodies. Two days since Talyn had learned of Arizira's death.

Not for the first time since war broke out, Talyn found herself wishing Cynra were present so that she could offer her a bit of advice and wisdom. She chuckled to herself ruefully. What did anything matter now? She had been attempting to direct the tribe in a certain way to effect the changes Arizira's fulfillment of her destiny would bring about.

With Arizira dead, there was no longer any use in continuing down the path Cynra had set her upon and yet, Talyn still could not sanction a full-scale attack on the Esu settlers. Perhaps she was being overly optimistic. Perhaps she was refusing to acknowledge the way matters truly were. For whatever reason, Talyn was holding out the vain hope that peace could yet be met.

A scout entered Rae’kir and paused just inside, out of breath. Talyn turned around at the sound of the woman. "Yes?" she asked in a tight voice.

When Bela'luin had spoken with her two days before about how the battle with the Esu had gone, Talyn had decided to send scouts to the outlying Arnira tribes to gather information, spread the knowledge of the Esu presence and, if worse came to worse, call upon reinforcements.

Adesriel, the scout sent across the Menderway, bowed and stepped further into Rae’kir. Her fair skin was slightly flushed from running and her hair, normally braided and placed into a twist upon her head, was now errant and falling below her ears.

"Nai'iris," she said, dipping her head.

"You have returned far before I expected. The news you carry must be dire indeed to have made your feet so swift."

Adesriel, her round face making her appear nearly like a child, stood up straight and began to balance her weight on the sides of her feet. The gesture was one commonly used when an Arniran was anxious.

"What word bring you from Zy'nilur?"

Zy'nilur was the Nai'iris of the tribe across the Menderway in the east. She was far more impulsive and quick to action than was Talyn, but her judgments had always been made with poise and the best of intentions. Of all the tribes of the Northlands, Zy'nilur's was the one Talyn's people had the most dealings.

They were also the ones Talyn had warred with the most. Though the Arnira were mostly a peaceful people, there had been times when disputes had broken out over territory lines and trade agreements.

“Another clan of Esu has been spotted south of the Menderway," Adesriel said in a heavy breath. "Zy'nilur has observed them for one moon month."

Talyn took in the news with a grave face. Another clan of Esu? So near to the first? Why had Zy'nilur not spoken of this before now? Talyn sighed and silently chastised herself. She had known about the Esu for over four months and had kept the information close at hand rather than share it with the other tribes. She could not fault Zy'nilur for having made similar decisions.

"Then she is aware of the threat they face?" Talyn asked Adesriel.

"Yes, Nai'iris. The Esu of the Menderway are unaware of our people and have thus far not ventured far from their settlement."

Talyn turned away from Adesriel. Clasping her hands behind her back, she cast her purple eyes around the smooth wooden walls of Rae’kir. Strands of white hair covered her neck while the rest was pulled back into a high tail. A single green, blue, and purple feather rested near her ear.

"What is her stance on the Esu? Does she plan to attack them or offer them peace?"

Adesriel shifted her feet before answering. "A convoy of Zy'nilur's finest archers will be here come the third moon rising. She was content to allow them be, so long as they did not encroach upon her territory. With the news of our recent battle, she has since had a change of heart. It is Zy'nilur's belief that a united Arniran front will be the most effective against the Esu. More could be on the way."

Talyn nodded at the last words. Zy'nilur was correct. There were now two groups of Esu settlers along the northern forest with no way of knowing exactly how many more would arrive. The longer the Esu were allowed to travel and settle unchecked, the more likely it was that they would be able to overthrow the Arnira. Time was the one thing Talyn had run out of. Even if she was inclined toward peace, which she was, there would be very few others who would follow that path were she to set out upon it.

Again, Talyn found herself desiring Cynra's counsel, and Arizira's company and cool head.

Yet, neither of them were present. Talyn had to make a choice and follow through with that choice.

"Will Zy'nilur be with the convoy?"

Adesriel nodded, still attempting to catch her breath. "Yes, Nai'iris."

Turning back around to face Adesriel, Talyn set her face into one of grim determination. "Then matters have already been decided. All out war is soon to reach these lands."

* * * * *

Bela'luin lit the bundle of sage in her hand. The minty smell wrapped itself around her and small clouds of smoke wafted into the nighttime sky. All was quiet except for the sound of a burning fire and the call of nocturnal animals.

Beneath Bela's feet, elaborate characters had been drawn into the dirt. They were deep, and when read by one who understood them, spelled out a single name: Arizira Ahmanae.

Bela'luin began to dance around the fire whose embers were taking to the sky in quickly dying red flames. The sage was moved through the air in complex designs meant to aid a loved one in her last journey.

The journey of death.

"Arizira Ahmane, no'rei Aitla. Ez'lir ha fei tu'la tai. Ez'lir ha fei gei'or tai."  Bela’luin’s words translated thus: Aitla bless you, Arizira Ahmanae. The stars shall keep you. The stars shall guide you.

Bela'luin continued to chant as her body moved around the large blazing fire. As she danced, her feet kicked up the dirt and began to cover the name she had written there. The smoke of the sage danced with her, its grayish tendrils mixing with the flames of the fire.

Arnira believed that when a loved one died, it was the duty of those closest to her to aid her journey to Aitla. For six days after a death, friends, family, and loved ones enacted elaborate rituals and ceremonies meant to guide the spirit of the fallen to the stars.

Long moments became passed as Bela lost herself to the ritual. Tears fell down her cheeks, yet still she danced.

"Ez'lir ha fei tu'la tai. Ez'lir ha fei gei'or tai..."

When the fire lost much of its blaze and the bundle of sage in Bela'luin's hand became less instead of more, a silence fell in the clearing. Bela knelt by the fire on one knee. She used the last of the sage to completely cover Arizira's name in the dirt before falling into a quiet meditation.

That is where Talyn found her some time later. The older woman stepped into the circle Bela'luin had made and knelt beside her. Placing her hands in the dirt she recited the words Bela had chanted earlier before speaking.

"You honor her," she said.

Bela'luin nodded, but said nothing. She kept her eyes on the ground and watched her tears stain the dirt.

"I come with news," Talyn tried again. "News that is both dire and welcome."

Sniffling, Bela'luin cleared her tears and looked up at Talyn. Green eyes met purple.

"Another clan of Esu has come to the Northlands. Zy'nilur seeks my audience and aid. Her convoy will arrive in three days."

Again, Bela'luin took the news somberly. Nothing seemed to affect her as of late. Since the battle with the Esu, and especially since Arizira's death, Bela had become withdrawn and ridden with guilt. Talyn's words about Arizira fulfilling her destiny had rang true for her. When she had stopped and allowed her mind to think, truly think, she had been able to see how much the Esu woman cared for Arizira and how Arizira had cared for her in return.

"Why do you tell me this?" Bela'luin asked. "I can be of no help to you. To anyone."

Talyn replied, "Because times are changing, Bela. Arizira's love is still out there. Who knows what her intentions are. With more Esu arriving, we run the risk of being outnumbered if we do not act now."

Silence settled around the two women with only the crackling of the fire breaking the hush occasionally. Long moments passed.

"She loved her," Bela said after a time. Her eyes were unfocused and her voice was softer than Talyn had ever heard it.

"Who?"

"Arizira. When she saw the Esu woman on the day of the battle, her face mirrored her heart's desires. She sighed with relief and her face was one of joy, as if her entire life had been awaiting that single moment. The way she looked at the Esu woman..."

Bela'luin's eyes shifted as her words trailed off and she lowered her head. "It was love, the purest form of positive emotion the world has ever witnessed. And I? I killed it. Killed her."

Talyn scooted closer to Bela'luin. "Your actions were fueled by hatred and fear, yes, but you--"

"I what? Had pure intentions? Meant the best?" Bela shrugged out of Talyn's hold and stood back up. "A shadow of hatred and jealousy covered my heart and blinded me to what was good and true! Under Ma'nolira's orders, I followed Arizira from the moment the Esu were discovered. Ma'nolira did not trust Arizira for it was plain for all to see that she was curious about the day walkers."

Talyn interrupted. "Arizira was curious about everything. In that way, she was far more wise and innocent than either of us."

"Perhaps," Bela said before continuing. "She met with the Esu woman many times as I stepped in their wake. From the beginning, I saw how Arizira looked at the woman. It was not just curiosity that set her heart to racing. There was a connection between them that ignited a fury in me.

“As the days went on, the Esu woman's feelings began to surface and when they did, I knew it was only a matter of time before they joined. The thought was like a sickness in my mind. An Esu and an Arnira? Sharing their bodies in such a way? It was wrong and that was how I justified my actions. Now the guilt of wrongdoings is a burden I do not believe I can bear."

Talyn stood up as well and dusted herself off. She walked over to Bela'luin and turned her around so she could look into her eyes.

"Listen to me. Now. Your guilt is not soon to depart. It serves to be our conscience when we have erred in the most grievous of ways. For many years, you will shoulder the weight of that guilt, but you shall also learn from it. Either that, or it will consume you just as readily as your fear and jealousy did. Choose quickly, Bela, which part your guilt will play. Arizira is dead and now resides with Aitla. You can still honor her life by helping the woman she loved."

At this, Bela'luin looked up quickly. Her eyes were narrowed in disbelief. "Help? How are we to help the Esu woman with more of our people soon to join this fight?"

Talyn smiled and laid a hand on Bela'luin's shoulder. "That is where your story will begin anew. I have a plan. Come."

* * * * *

Talliea sighed and rested her head in Arizira's lap. The two of them had retired to the front of the cave overlooking Li'nas Dei when night had fallen. After Cynra and Taetylona had both given their respective tales, it had been decided that making contact with the Arnira first would be the wisest course of action.

"They believe you to be dead, child," Cynra had told Arizira when the four women had been weighing their options. "Before my departure from the tribe, I informed Talyn of your love for a day walker. She is aware that Talliea is a part of your destiny."

So, it was that the first step on the path of their journey had been decided. Night had descended a short time later and the four women had made camp in the cave, Cynra and Taetylona taking the larger, yet darker, section toward the back. That left the wide area near to the front of the cave for Talliea and Arizira.

Arizira sat with her back against the wall closest to the mouth of the cave. No fire burned this night as the world outside was both warm and humid. With her legs drawn up and her knees bent, Arizira cradled her love's head in the space the position provided. With her vision, she was able to see plainly the face of Talliea. Fingers brushed through dark and thick strands of hair, every now and again stopping to trace over skin or ears or lips.

The silence was heavy but welcome. For the first time in many months, Talliea felt somewhat at peace. She likened it to when she and Arizira had first fallen in love and the world had been not nearly so bleak. Back then, everything had been wonderful. She had been learning to track and navigate through the wilds, as well as exploring her budding feelings for Arizira.

How she yearned to return to such a state of innocent simplicity.

"Close your eyes, Tah-li, and sleep will soon follow," Arizira's lyrical voice requested as gentle fingers moved to smooth the worry of a furrowed brow.

Talliea smiled. She had always believed Arizira's voice to be beautiful, even being as accented as it was when she spoke Esulan. However, understanding the Arniran tongue like she did now, Talliea was even more in awe of the musical quality of Arizira's speech.

"I can not," she admitted with a soft sigh. "I despair at what lies ahead."

Arizira nodded, though she knew Talliea could not appreciate the gesture in the deep dark. Her blue eyes were burning with a silver fire and they looked down at Talliea with adoration. She used her free hand to cup her love's chin in her palm while her thumb traced over the soft skin there.

"Despair when all hope is lost, not when you are the beacon of that hope. We have come this far, failira. Trust that your destiny and mine will lead us where we need to go."

Sighing again and turning her head into Arizira's stomach, Talliea kissed the thumb that momentarily grazed her bottom lip before resuming their conversation.

"I trust in you, Ari, not destiny or fate or riddles from the past. You have always been the Child of Whispers. Destiny, rather grand or paltry, was something you embraced. It is not the same for me. There was never a destiny, never a plan that would allow me to deviate from the norms of my society."

Talleia paused and took in her thoughts for a moment. The silence around her was calming in a way, but  not nearly as so as that of Arizira's embrace and touch.

"Everything changed when my clan arrived here. There was a mystery and a magic about this forest and that was only confirmed when I met you."

At that, Arizira smiled and took Talliea's hand. Bringing it to her lips, she kissed the palm.

"You became my meaning for everything, love. My past did not matter because you were my future as well as my present. With you, I felt that anything was possible. Yet, now, I am the one chosen to stop a war between our peoples when I barely understand why they fight to begin with. It is," she paused before finishing with, "overwhelming."

"Overwhelming keeps the mind alert, Tah-li. We will walk this path together. Do not despair. Our happiness will come again."

Talliea smiled, her hand still held tightly in Arizira's. "I know. Besides, you still have to teach me to use a bow," she said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Arizira laughed fully, squeezing Talliea's hand. "With the powers you command, I do not think you have any need of archery, Tah-li."

Talliea felt a peace settle in her heart. Being with Arizira as she was left her feeling balanced and more lively. Her feelings of despair still lingered, but they were not as strong as her feelings of contentment. She realized that she had Arizira to thank for her current state. It was she who seemed to be able to bring about such harmony. Concentrating, Talliea focused on her hand still held in her love's. A light sparked to life in the dark and caused her palm to glow and become warm.

The bright luminescence spread to Arizira's hand as light gave life to darkness. Arizira sighed and looked down at Talliea. The other woman was smiling up at her with an amused expression on her face.

"I suppose you are correct."

"How do you do this, failira?" Arizira asked, moving her fingers over Talliea's glowing ones. It appeared as if a flame was behind her hand, offering its light but doing so shyly.

"I do not; my feelings for you do. When I am at peace and feeling settled, like I am now, my powers can manifest. When you were still injured and weak, I could use them to heal you, and when I felt that you were threatened, they acted as your defense. You give them life. I just illustrate them."

Arizira smiled, more to herself than to Talliea, while her eyes remained mesmerized on her love's fingers. "You are magic." she said in a whisper.

"I wish that were true," Talliea said. "Were it thus, I could make everything right so we could be together without sorrow."

The light Talliea had called into being faded and appeared to melt into her skin. Arizira, however, could still make out everything around her in vivid detail. She studied the conflicted look on the Esu woman's face and sighed.

"Sleep now. The world shall appear differently on the morrow."

Talliea inhaled deeply and, for a moment, it looked as if she were going to remain obstinate. After a few short moments, and with Arizira continuing to brush her fingers through her hair, she closed her eyes. Her breathing became slower and evened out.

Arizira traced her fingers down the slope of Talliea's nose before leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Sleep, failira."

* * * * *

Arizira cocked her head to the side. Her eyes were two flaming silver orbs in the pitch of dark around her. It had been several hours since Talliea had fallen asleep and Arizira had thought she would soon be able to join her. A sound, however, had caught her attention and placed her on alert.

There were whispers, susurrations on the wind.

The sounds were faint, as if whoever or whatever made them were trying to move quietly and without fault.

Arizira noted that Talliea still slept soundly. She turned her head back toward where she knew Cynra and Taetylona to be asleep. Her ears strained to pick up any evidence of either of them being awake, but she heard nothing. Apart from the whispers and the rustling coming from outside, all was calm as the world slept.

Arizira shifted so that she could lift Talliea's head from her lap. Once Talliea was covered with the blanket Arizira had made for her --which Cynra had been in possession of -- she moved toward the mouth of the cave. Her body stayed low to the ground as she moved like a wild cat.

The sounds outside continued, became closer. Arizira felt her heart speed up. She felt conflicted. Did she wake Talliea and tell her what she was hearing or did she protect Talliea and see to matters herself? Doing one could possibly bring harm to her love. Doing the other could bring harm to her child.

Pausing at the opening of the cave, Arizira allowed the soft nighttime wind to blow across her face and clear her senses. Salira was not too playful this night. Reaching toward the cave wall, she found her sabres, Daisir and La'nu. Their leather-bound handles felt good in her hands and she felt a familiar calm come over her. She was in a state of protectiveness. For Talliea. For their baby. For Cynra and Taetylona.

Exhaling, body still crouched low to the ground, Arizira opened her senses fully and allowed the more feral part of herself to take over. Behind her, she heard Talliea shift in her sleep. Her eyes found the form of her love in the dark and, again, a strong desire to keep any harm from her clouded her mind.

Movement.

There was movement in the forest. Arizira's head whipped back around to the landscape just outside the cave and paused. Whatever she had seen had been in her peripheral vision. Straightening her back, she sat by the cave mouth and listened. Her eyes tracked every slight shift that happened before her. She could smell the scent of pine and oak and sage and honeysuckle.

And…

…something else.

Something...alive, yet not a beast nor plant.

Slipping one sabre into the leather at her hip, Arizira slowly left the cave and ventured outside. She was as silent as a single leaf falling to the forest floor as she crawled further out.

Another sound. Closer.

Arizira cocked her head to the side. Her sense of smell alerted her to something nearby. The scent of leather.

Again, Arizira's heart raced. She was torn between returning to the cave and informing the others, and doing her duty and protecting those she loved. With her free hand, she placed her palm on her lower stomach and tried to calm her breathing. Did she return and, in effect, protect her baby, or did she continue on?

A twig snapped nearby. The sound of an exhalation was cut off before it ever truly came to life. Then, all was quiet. Deathly quiet.

Arizira knew, suddenly, that there were people close at hand. How many, not even her skilled hearing could predict. All she knew was that someone was drawing close to her position, someone who could threaten Talliea while she slept. Arizira’s mind did not allow her to think about Talliea’s newfound powers and her ability to now protect herself. All she could think upon was some harm coming to those she loved.

Her sense of duty and protection overrode any new information she had recently obtained.

The decision was made quickly. Arizira grabbed her second sabre and stood up. She moved across the forest, through the grass and underbrush without a sound, and headed toward the rustling she'd heard from before.

The smell of leather became more intense. Leather and...something else. Something pleasing and calming. Arizira tightened her grip on her blades. Her pace quickened as she began to run. Faster and faster she moved. A rock jutted up in the path before her. Without pause, she ran atop it and leaped onto a lower-hanging thick branch on a nearby tree.

She paused.

Her senses were vivid with the information she was gathering. The sounds of movement came again and she knew whoever was about in the forest was soon to be right below her. Flipping her blades along the insides of her forearms, Arizira lowered herself into a squat as she looked down from the tree branch she was perched in. The leaves were heavy and green and, with the darkness, offered her sufficient cover.

Two forms suddenly came into her line of sight. One she recognized, the other she did not. They were both Esu. One a man. The other a female.

A strange female.

She moved with far more certain steps than the man. Where her footfalls met the earth, hardly a sound was made. Arizira was impressed. The man, however, was heavy-footed. With the pitch darkness around him, his steps were loud and clumsy. Arizira watched him open his mouth to say something, but the woman held up a hand. A small sliver of moonlight lit up the area where the two Esu stood.

The man, using the light the moon provided, saw the gesture of the female and stopped. He sighed and looked around him, though Arizira suspected his eyesight afforded him very little. What was he doing here? Who was the woman? And why did the man appear to be taking orders from her?

Arizira's heart pounded in her ears.

The woman was looking up at the trees with a knowing light in her brown eyes. Arizira watched her, her head cocked to the side in a curious manner. There was something about the woman. Something...familiar. Something welcome. The woman's dark hair was pulled into a single braid that fell down her back and she was tall and sturdy of build. She was dressed in traveling leathers with heavy boots and a burlap bag across her shoulder. Apart from a mace and dagger that hung at her sides, she appeared to carry no other weapons.

The woman looked back at the man and nodded. He looked around, for all the good it did him, and slowly moved in front of the woman and continued walking. Arizira tracked his movements until he was out of sight, then returned her attention to the Esu woman.

Something in the woman's mannerisms fascinated Arizira. She felt as if she knew the woman, but that was absurd. Apart from Talliea and Taetylona, she had met no other Esu women. Yet, Arizira could not shake the feeling inside of her that seemed to be pushing her toward the stranger so near. The woman's face was so familiar...

The moon above became a shadow as distant clouds passed over it. Darkness covered the area the woman was standing in. Arizira gripped her sabres again an adjusted her feet on the branch, poised to attack if the situation arose.

A blinding light suddenly appeared by a few trees next to Arizira. The radiant flash caused Arizira to jump, but still she remained hidden. Her sense of alarm rose. Did the Esu know she was nearby? Were they attempting to flush her out? Arizira looked down and realized that the woman was not the one causing the light.

Another flash lit up the nighttime sky. This time, it was closer to her. Arizira deduced that the man must have been the one making the sheets of light. Her eyes remained on the woman as her survival instinct kicked in. She could not remain where she was and wait to be revealed.

A third flash of light colored the tree she was in and, as it did, Arizira jumped. Her knees were drawn up close to her body while her blades stayed tucked along the inside of her arms. The woman turned around and looked up right as Arizira landed behind her. Twin sabres swung into Arizira’s hands. Another flash lit up the sky. The woman looked with wide eyes at Aizira, but was unable to do anything else.

Sharp blades whistled against the wind as Arizira waved them at the woman. She was not trying to harm the Esu woman, just get her to understand the threat she represented. Darkness fell again as the light from before once again faded. A mace appeared in the woman's hand.

Another flash came, coupled with the sound of feet moving closer.

Arizira heard the man's approach and knew she would soon have two opponents to deal with instead of one. She could not understand why the man was here or what his intentions were. All she knew was that she had been flushed out of her hiding place and had to keep Talliea and the others safe.

Eyes returning to the woman, Arizira bared her teeth and hissed a warning. Her blades twirled between her fingers in a deft motion. The clouds above moved in the sky and the moon's light once again flooded the small area. Arizira charged at the woman. The blade in her right hand jabbed quickly in an attempt to disarm her opponent. To her surprise, the Esu woman deflected it and jumped back.

Arizira cocked her head to the side in approval and lowered herself toward the ground. She flipped her other blade in her hand and thrust the handle at the woman's side, again in an attempt to disarm her. The woman barely moved out of the way in time to dodge the attack.

Her eyes were wide again as she regarded her attacker. There was something about her. The way she cocked her head to the side...

D'jiira stopped suddenly and dropped her mace to the ground.

The Arniran woman, crouched in front of her, hissed again and turned her head. She watched every movement D'jiira made, but did not attempt another strike.

D'jiira held her hands above her head and crossed her arms at the wrists. She walked toward the small Arnian woman and stopped a few paces away. The woman's face was one of confusion and curiosity.

"Tai kha'vires feia h‘niz‘rah," D'jiira said in Arniran. Her words told Arizira that she knew her gesture of peace was understood.

Arizira released her grip on her blades before placing them at her sides. She remained on alert and from her face, D'jiira could see that she was at a loss as to how an Esu knew her language and customs.

D'jiira smiled when the woman lowered her head and stood up, keeping her weapons on the ground. The act was a return gesture. She was letting D'jiira know she accepted her offering of peace and goodwill.

No longer needing to defend herself, D'jiira allowed her eyes to completely take in the features of the younger woman. Her hair was silver with traces of...blonde? and her eyes, though glowing brightly, were obviously blue. She had a straight nose with a perfectly shaped mouth and high cheek bones. Tapered ears peeked past long strands of hair. D'jiira studied every inch of the woman's face. She watched her every time she cocked her head or raised an eyebrow.

Instantly, she knew the woman before her was her daughter. Not only did she look like D'jiira, but the bond she had felt when Arizira had been born, the bond she had tried to ignore for twenty-seven years, was drawing her toward this one woman. There was a connection that could not be denied.

This woman was her daughter. This woman was Arizira and she was beautiful.

D'jiira let out a choked laugh. Her face contorted as she tried, in vain, to keep her emotions in check. Arizira turned her head again in that endearing way and watched her with a furrowed brow. The sound of movement signaled Markahn's arrival a moment later. The tall man entered the clearing and paused at the sight that greeted him.

Arizira lowered her body into a defensive position and narrowed her eyes.

"It is okay. We will not harm you," D'jiira said in Arniran.

Arizira looked around for a means of escape. Her mind was cluttered with questions. She needed to return to Talliea and tell the others about this encounter. She needed to get away before any harm befell her unborn child.

"Arizira?"

Arizira turned back to look at the woman, eyes alert. "How do you know my name?" she asked quickly. D'jiira smiled. A few heavy tears slipped down her cheeks as she shook her head.

"How is it that you lead a man being a woman? That you wear clothing befitting a warrior? How is it that you know my words and my people's customs?"

Arizira's questions were plentiful as they left her mouth. She found herself wishing Talliea or Cynra or Taetylona were present. The man, Markahn, was eying her with something unknown in his gaze and made her uncomfortable.

"I can answer all of your questions," D'jiira responded, "once we are safe and out of this open space."

Arizira swallowed nervously. Could she trust this woman? Something in her was demanding that she do so, something strong and powerful and primal, but still she was hesitant.

"Who are you?" she asked.

D'jiira opened her mouth to answer when another voice interrupted. An older voice. A new voice.

"D'jiira? It has been many moon seasons, my dear friend."

Arizira, D'jiira, and Markahn all turned toward the sound of the voice. Standing along the edge of the trees was Cynra, Taetylona, and Talliea.

"Cynra?" D'jiira asked in a shaky breath as she dipped her head. "Leyaja."

Chapter 21: The Turn of Years

"Leyaja"

Cynra smiled, slightly misty-eyed, as she beheld a sight she thought long gone from the world of happenstance and chance.

"It has been long since I was called such," she said and her voice wavered on a heavy breath.

D'jiira smiled, her dark face easily seen by Cynra's sharp eyes, and exhaled shakily.

Leyaja was a word much like Aldis or Ahmanae in that it, too, was from D'jiira's dialect of Esulan. Literally, it translated as 'mother of my love', but most commonly its definition was mother-in-law.

Even after nearly thirty years, D'jiira's respect for the mother of Iolirthas had not lessened; much like her feelings for the woman who had carried the child she knew stood just paces behind her. The moon above shined down upon the small gathering of six and offered its light. Cynra stepped away from Taetylona and Talliea with her arms spread wide toward D'jiira. The Esu woman practically fell into her arms, so happy she was to finally be at an end to her journey.

Around the two of them, several pairs of eyes darted from one person to another. Taetylona looked upon Markahn with distaste while Markahn's surreptitious gaze continually sought out Talliea. For her part, Talliea only had concern for Arizira. She knew who D'jiira was. She knew how badly, despite Arizira never having said so, her love desired to know one of her parents. Now, the woman who had left Arizira in the care of her grandmother was here, in the present, her face no longer a ghost.

Her life no longer in the past.

Talliea watched Arizira, whose chest was still rising heavily from the excitement she'd so recently found herself in, and felt her heart spasm. Silver-blue eyes were lined with unshed tears and were wide with disbelief and...something else. Arizira's throat could be seen tightening painfully in an attempt to keep her emotions in check. Her attention never wavered from D'jiira's form.

"Why are you here after all this time, D'jiira? These are dark days you walk into."

Cynra's voice brought everyone back to themselves and to the situation currently at hand.

D'jiira, pulling herself away from Cynra's embrace, shook her head to herself and looked down at her hands. "I have ha--"

Her words died in her throat from a soft whisper behind her, a barely uttered name carried on the breath of one whose heart could not express what the spirit so desperately felt.

"Lana?"

D'jiira turned around at the name falling from her daughter's lips. Lana meant 'mother' in Arniran. Arizira's eyes, so silver and blue, were watery with tears she still refused to allow a release. Her bottom lip trembled and her hands were in fists at her sides. D'jiira exhaled sharply, a timid smile coloring her features.

She had never thought to hear any variation of mother from the woman standing not five feet away from her. The knowledge that Arizira knew her, knew who she was, was the sweetest and most dear news D'jiira had ever received.

Facing Arizira fully, she cleared her throat which was suddenly thick. "You know who I am?" she asked roughly.

A barely perceptible flicker around Arizira's eyes caught D'jiira's attention. Behind her, she heard movement.

"Ahmanae?"

The voice was full and rich and...pained. D'jiira surmised it to belong to the younger Esu woman she had seen standing near to Cynra.

Talliea, the woman her daughter was in love with.

Another voice broke the silence. It was Cynra. "No, child. You can not help her in this. Leave her be."

D'jiira's attention returned to Arizira. Again, her throat was nearly painful in how it gripped her emotions. She took a small step forward and re-asked her earlier question. "You know who I am?"

Instead of answering, Arizira took a step toward her. Then another and another until she was face to face with D'jiira. D'jiira's eyes were taking in every nuance of Arizira's face. She noted the way she walked and moved and the way her own eyes seemed unable to stray from D'jiira's face.

Hands moved and a moment later, D'jiira felt them on her face, tracing over the contours and the lines and she smiled. She remembered that Arnira used touch as a way of learning about the world around them. Arizira's fingers smoothed over her cheekbones and down her jaw. Tears still lined her mesmerizing eyes.

"I know this face," she whispered, her gaze unfocused. "I know your face. It is like my own."

D'jiira, overcome with so many conflicting emotions, found she could do nothing but stare at her child who was no longer a child, but who would forever be her baby. The innocent baby she had been forced to leave behind because the world, at the time, never would have accepted her.

Smiling, tears staining her cheeks, D'jiira reached up and placed her hands around Arizira's wrists. Her daughter moved her hands down and ran them across her neck, every action painting a picture in her mind of who D'jiira was.

"I know your face," Arizira whispered brokenly, her tears finally falling.

Upon hearing the emotion evident in Arizira's voice, D'jiira's resolve faltered and her face contorted painfully.

"I am so sorry," she said, her hands moving to land on her daughter's shoulders. "I left you and I should not have." She did not know how much Arizira knew about her or the circumstances surrounding her departure. She did not know what Cynra had told her or even if she had told her anything. The bond between an Arniran and her child was said to be powerful, unable to be broken, but able to transcend distance and space.

D'jiira was no Arniran, but she had been in love with one and that love had made possible Arizira's conception. She knew that bond between mother and child extended to her just as strongly as if she were Arnira herself. Had Arizira known D'jiira was her mother because of their bond or because Cynra had told her?

As she looked into Arizira's face, a face that looked so much like her own, she decided it did not matter how Arizira knew she was her mother. All that mattered was that the two of them were finally together. She now had a chance to say all the things she needed to say.

"I have thought of you everyday of every year. Always you have been a part of my thoughts. I prayed I had done the right thing, that my actions had aided you instead of harming you."

Arizira shook her head, tears continuing to fall from her silver eyes. She bit her bottom lip while her fingers explored D'jiira's nose and chin. Before she could speak, her mother's voice came to her again.

"Can you forgive me? Please...please. Tell me you forgive my actions, my decisions."

As if a dam had been breached, every emotion D'jiira had been carrying within her for twenty-seven years finally flooded to the surface of her being. Her hold on Arizira's shoulders became frantic and her tears grew more forceful. Twenty-seven years ago, she had been only a few years younger than Arizira was now. She had been in love and amazed at the magic that existed in the world.

Twenty-seven years ago, D'jiira had learned that there was a secret beauty and mystery in the world and that enigma was in the Arnira. She had fallen in love with, not only a creature of fantasy and myth, but a woman. From that, her world had changed and for many months, she and Iolirthas had been young, free, and in love. Then, there had been only the world and its wonders. The greatest wonder of all had come nearly a year and a half later when she had learned of Io's pregnancy.

She had marveled at such an occurrence, at how her connection, so deep and spiritual with Iolirthas, had produced and created a whole other life, a life that she had been able to feel the moment she learned of the pregnancy.

Twenty-seven years ago, that life had come into the world at the departure of another life. Iolirthas had died and, with her, taken a part of D'jiira.

Despite how much she had grown over the years, a part of her had remained in this majestic forest. That part was her youth and her optimism and her belief in magic. Not a day had passed in nearly thirty years that D’jiira had not thought of Arizira or Iolirthas or wondered how things might have been had she never left. Not a day had gone by that she had not felt the weight of her guilt or found herself second-guessing all of her past decisions.

Now, however, she was finally where she had always desired to be. Back in the forest that was the home of the Arnira. Back with the child she had left, the daughter she loved more than anything.

Arizira stepped closer to her, shushing her and drawing her close. D'jiira's sobs sounded in the quiet as mother and child embraced for the first time. Arizira cried with her. All of her life, she had felt that a part of her was missing. Though she had led a life full of wonder and discovery and happiness, not knowing her parents had always left her unable to know a part of herself.

She had accepted the fact that her parents were not with her and thus had made the most of her life. Every woman in the tribe was as if a member of her family in some way. Many of them had fed her, clothed her, or taught her various skills. Women she knew today, that had been her childhood friends, had filled her youth with games of chase and bow bending, and nights filled with staring up at the stars.

Always, Arizira had been happy and caring and patient. Yet, as she had gotten older and, especially after she had met Talliea and learned of her own pregnancy, she had found herself more and more wishing that her parents were with her. Though Iolirthas had aided her during her separation from Talliea, her nurture mother's spirit was in the body of a wolf. She could not speak to Arizira or offer her the comfort nor the answers she needed.

D'jiira, however, was living, breathing, proof of her existence. She could hold Arizira and tell her about herself and about the past. She could help her to understand herself in ways that Iolirthas could not.

The enormity of everything that had happened in her life so very, very recently hit Arizira suddenly. From learning of the Esu to falling in love with Talliea; to being separated and feeling ill to learning about her parentage and her pregnancy; to reuniting with Talliea only to fall victim to an arrow fired in hatred by Bela'luin, to returning to her love, learning of her powers, discovering her connection with Cynra, and now meeting her mother whom she had yearned for all of her life. Arizira poured everything she was into the hold she had on D'jiira.

The both of them swayed where they stood. Tears glistened on their faces as words were spoken between them.

"There is nothing to forgive, lana. Always you have had my respect," Arizira whispered, holding her mother tightly in her arms.

Around them, Cynra, Talliea, Taetylona, and Markahn all watched. Cynra could not help the smile on her old and worn face. So many years had been spent in secrecy that she was happy for the truth to finally have seen the light of day. No longer did she have to hide her relationship with Arizira or the truth of who she was. She could just be nai'lana now, not Dream Speaker or Honored One.

Watching D'jiira, taller than Arizira, holding her granddaughter healed a part of Cynra that had been suffocating the last several months.

Markahn smiled, despite not having understood anything D'jiira or Arizira had spoken. He understood enough of the situation to know that what he was witnessing was a reunion. His eyes, yet again, cut to Talliea and he watched her with a mask of forlorn longing. The way Talliea was looking at Arizira was the way he had always desired to see her look upon him. It was pure, pellucid, and genuine love.

He noticed tears falling down Talliea's face. Despite the darkness around him, the moon above provided enough light so that he could appreciate her beauty.

Taetylona watched Markahn watch Talliea and her face mirrored the repugnance she felt. She did not know what Markahn was doing here nor what his connection could possibly be with the mother of Arizira, but she vowed to keep a close eye on him were he inclined to join them.

"My daughter. My beautiful child. Look at you," D'jiira's voice sounded hitched as it cut into Taetylona's inner musings and she returned her attention to the two women nearby.

D'jiira sniffed and held Arizira at arms’ length as her eyes unabashedly looked over her features. She smiled when her fingers traced over the pointed curve of Arizira's ear and when her eyes noticed the way Arizira turned her head the same way she did when she was curious.

Without a doubt, despite the Arniran features so heavily present, Arizira was D'jiira's daughter. She was a child of the day just as much as she was a child of the night.

"Lana, what are you doing here?" Arizira asked, her voice full of wonder and fascination as she pulled herself together.

D'jiira smiled down at her and moved so that she could look at the other people present. Her eyes immediately found Talliea and she felt a happiness well up inside her for her daughter. The other woman was exotically beautiful. Her skin, hair, and eyes were a darker shade than D'jiira had ever seen among their people. Full lips set off delicate cheek bones while intense and deep eyes stared back at her.

Yet, despite the beauty of the woman, there was something else D'jiira was sensing from her. Something old and powerful, yet gentle and humbling. Talliea may have looked unassuming, but D'jiira suspected she held within her a force stronger than any of them combined.

"We have a need of shelter for the night. I can answer everyone's questions, as I am sure there are plenty, but right now we need to take haven from the dark."

Cynra looked to Talliea and Taetylona. The other two women nodded and the decision was made without words.

"We are holding camp at Li'nas Dei until daybreak. You may end your sojourn this night," Cynra said.

D'jiira smiled her thanks, her arm still around Arizira's shoulder. Her eyes landed on Markahn and she hesitated. Reuniting with both Cynra and her daughter had allowed her mind to forget about him entirely. She suddenly was unsure how the other women would feel having him included in their affairs.

Whatever those affairs were.

Clearing her throat, she held out a hand and indicated Markahn. "This man aided me in my travels. He claims to know you, Talliea." Turning back to Arizira, she said, "Translate my words for me."

Arizira smiled. "She sees your words, lana."

D'jiira frowned, "How?"

"Because I do. Our connection allows this to be possible."

D'jiira nodded, not understanding the full implications of the connection Arizira spoke of. Her eyes found the older Esu woman's. "Does she also see my words?'

At this, Talliea stepped forward and entered the clearing where both Arizira and D'jiira stood.

"Yes, she does," she said. "For reasons we do not understand, the four of us have been able to communicate freely. Whether your words are Esu or Arnira, we will understand them."

D'jiira smiled. Talliea had spoken to her in Esulan, the same strange dialect that Markahn spoke in. At the thought of him, she turned to face him.

"And you? Have you understood the Arniran tongue tonight?"

Markahn shook his head slowly, his eyes growing wide as everyone focused their attention on him. Despite the dark, he felt very exposed under the women's scrutiny. "N-no," he stammered. "Only just now, as Esulan was spoken have I understood the words."

Cynra took a step closer to him, her purple eyes studying his face with interest. Arizira watched her and a small smile colored her lips. She wondered if this was the first time her grandmother had seen a man.

"A mystery, for certain," Cynra said. "But a mystery we shall examine at a later time. Arniran scouts or Esu patrols could be about. Come, let us return to camp."

Talliea translated Cynra's words for Markahn before looking back at D'jiira. The other woman smiled at her before placing a hand first on her forehead and then over her heart. "Honor and grace," she said.

Dipping her head and returning the gesture, Talliea waited until everyone was moving and heading back toward the cave overlooking Li'nas Dei. Arizira met her eyes and the two of them shared a smile. Talliea caressed her cheek briefly before leaving her love to walk with her mother.

* * * * *

"Yet the dreams continued, invading my mind while my body slumbered," D'jiira said. Her words were spoken in Esulan so that Markahn would be able to follow the conversation. Currently, he sat a little away from the main group who were all huddled around a small fire in the front cavern of the cave.

It had taken the group nearly half an hour to cover the short distance from their location to the cave sitting near Li'nas Dei. Cynra and Arizira, their eyes sharp and their senses keen, had been the only members of the party able to see in the lack of moonlight. Their Esu fellows had fared far worse, even with Markahn's abilities offering some illumination.

When the group had finally come to the cave and relieved themselves of their gear and packs, everyone had sat themselves near the fire-pit, sharing food and drink alike as D'jiira had begun her tale. She told Cynra and Arizira about her dreams, about how they had been relentless and unending. She told them of her long and lonely trek from the west and how her mind and heart had been divided over matters.

"Twenty-seven years in the past, I made a decision to leave my child, thinking it the lesser of two evils. Now I have left my mate on the voice of a dream and I wonder, again, if I have erred," she had said.

Finally, she'd returned to the dreams, her mind refusing to allow her a moment to forget them. Cynra sat forward, nibbling on a piece of dry cake. "These dreams, they did not fade when you resolved to travel here?"

D'jiira shook her head. "No. They lessened, but ever they were with me. A part of me wondered if my mind was diseased, so crazed I felt after journeying.

"No, no disease, but a spirit," Taetylona's raspy and low voice barely sounded over the crackling of the burning fire.

"A spirit?" D'jiira asked, her eyebrows lowering. She sat with one knee drawn up to her chest while her right arm was draped across it.

"Yes. A similar occurrence visited me before Talliea was to be born. I, too, felt a madness in my mind. It was as if a fever burned inside of me. The knowledge I possessed, given to me by another, was too great for my faculties. I felt crazed and burdened, but the madness stopped as I neared completion of my task."

"You are saying that something desired my presence here? That a spirit invaded my dreams so that I would come to be here, in this one moment?"

Taetylona smiled crookedly and nodded. "That is what I am saying, yes. You will soon come to realize that more is happening than you are aware."

Again, D'jiira furrowed her brow and looked at her daughter who was seated to her left. "I deduced something was amiss when I spied two Esu with your grandmother. Never in memory have our peoples walked in friendship, yet they do."

Arizira nodded and inhaled deeply. Her eyes found Talliea's and she could not stop the smile that touched her face. "Taetylona is a friend and an adviser. Her counsel is without debate and she is as wise as she is gifted." Reaching for Talliea's hand, she entwined their fingers before continuing. "Tah-li is my friend and more."

Markahn shifted slightly at the words but said nothing. D'jiira's eyes twinkled as she watched the two women knowingly.

"She is the mate of my spirit, lana, the other half of my heart. My love is for her and hers for me. We are one."

Cynra and Taetylona smiled, happy for the younger women who, despite the dark times, had managed to find and secure a love for one another. Markahn smiled, too, though his did not quite reach his eyes.

D'jiira's smile, however, was bright and full and happy. Her eyes misted over as she looked upon her daughter's fair hand covering Talliea's darker one. "An Esu and an Arnira," she said in playful tones. "History repeats itself."

Arizira and Talliea laughed, their eyes finding one another.

"D'jiira, these two women are more than just lovers. You named Arizira ‘Ahmanae’ and over the years she came to be known among our people as the Child of Whispers."

"What?" D'jiira asked, unsure where Cynra was going with her words.

"The others of our tribe attributed her hair and eyes as a sign of greatness. They grew to believe that she was destined for some grand fate and they were not wrong in that assumption."

"What are you on about, leyaja?"

Instead of answering, Cynra raised an eyebrow at Arizira. The younger woman sighed. She wished she could just enjoy a moment with her mother without the present interfering. She just wanted to learn about D'jiira and hear stories about her life instead of being reminded of all the bad that had recently happened.

Talliea squeezed her hand in comfort, but remained silent. "Lana, are you aware of the Doira'Liim?" Arizira began.

D'jiira appeared taken aback and looked around at the faces gathered around her. The Doira'Liim was an Arniran belief, a myth about the possible connection between two people. Iolirthas had told her about it, what little she knew, and the two of them had smiled and fancied themselves the recipients of such a bond.

What did this ancient myth have to do with anything?

"Io told me of it years ago. It is just a story told to inspire hope and good fortune."

Arizira smiled and looked over at Talliea. Her love smiled back at her and stood up. Everyone watched, including Markahn who was eager to know exactly what was going on. D'jiira spared a quick and unsure glance at Arizira before returning her gaze to Talliea.

Everything grew silent. Talliea closed her eyes and brought her hands together before her body. For long moments nothing was said and no action was made. D'jiira was about to question matters when Talliea opened her eyes. An unknown wind blew her blouse and skirts around her and her eyes were completely black, devoid of any white. She spread her hands apart and, to the astonishment of everyone present, the fire that had been burning in the pit below her now danced between her palms.

D'jiira looked to Arizira, her eyes wide. Talliea, her black eyes now glowing with some inner white power, turned to look at her. The flame in her hands did not burn her nor mar her flesh.

She bent down in front of Arizira and extended her hand. Arizira smiled and took Talliea's hand, the flame seeming to become infused with her skin before a bright light was all that could be seen between their joined hands.

Talliea exhaled and the light appeared back in her palm before returning to the fire pit. The wind that had blown around her ceased to be and her eyes once again became brown instead of black.

Markahn sat nearby, too stunned to do anything other than stare in wonder and disbelief. D'jiira swallowed her awe and met Arizira's eyes.

"It is not just a myth, lana. Tah-li is my Doira'liim and I hers."

Chapter 22: The Measure of Worth

"I...I have no words. This gift, this power-- it is from Esuval?" D'jiira asked, her eyes curious and slightly unfocused after Talliea's display. Across from her, Markahn too watched with a disbelieving gaze.

"No, not entirely," Cynra answered. "This gift is an extension of Talliea and Arizira's love for one another. It is a gift from both Esuval and Aitla because Arizira herself is both a day walker and a child of night."

D'jiira shook her head slowly, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes seemed to dance with the flames of the fire before her, and her face was set with a visage of esteem and wonder. She suddenly realized that there was much she had a need to know. Events had taken place that were larger than herself, larger than just her people. Somehow, just as she had suspected all along, her daughter was at the center of great change. She was the eye of the coming storm.

Talliea, the woman Arizira loved, was the storm.

Swallowing the several questions that begged to be voiced, she tried to focus on what to ask first. Her eyes caught movement and she watched Markahn scoot closer to Talliea. The action caused Arizira's gaze to land on him quickly. Silver-blue eyes, illuminated in the deep dark of night, seemed to emit an air of warning. Markahn exchanged glances with first Talliea and then Arizira before gaining the nerve to speak what was on his mind.

"It was you," he started, looking at Talliea. "The clearing. The crater and the destruction. That was by your hand, was it not?"

Talliea met his expectant eyes and was silent for a long moment. Even feeling Arizira's hand in her own was not enough to allow her to forget how alone and devastated she had been when she had believed Arizira lost forever. Vividly, she could recall the look in her love's eyes when the arrow had pierced her skin. She could still feel the warmth of her blood as it had coated her fingers. Though the events were in the past, Talliea could still see them in her mind more clearly than she wished.

Arizira's dying words to her replayed inside her thoughts.

The feeling of their hands grasped together as Arizira fought to speak her last words left Talliea feeling flushed.

The loss of light and life in Arizira's eyes was an image her own eyes refused to bid farewell.

She remembered how despair and agony had quickly replaced her feelings of happiness and hope as Arizira had slowly faded to death in her arms. She knew the memory of the event would leave an indelible mark on her until the spirit of her life walked elsewhere.

Perhaps, even then.

"Talliea?" Markahn questioned when she did not answer.

Talliea shook her head slowly and allowed the dark images to diminish before clearing her throat. "Yes," she said simply.

"How? If this power you have possessed, why did you allow me to take you back to camp when I found you? Why did you allow Lao'dahn to assault you as he did?"

Talliea stood up, her towering height appearing even more impressive as her shadow flickered against the cave walls. Her eyes were dark and unforgiving as she stared at Markahn.

"I did not allow anything. When you found me that day, I was not aware of this power. Then, I was simply Talliea, as I had always been. I walked with you to save Ari, to give her a chance to escape. As for Lao'dahn, if this power had of been mine when he humiliated me, he surely would not be among the living today. At that time, my friendship with Ari-sera was still new. Our feelings for one another had not yet been given a voice."

Markahn nodded slowly, truly trying to take in and understand everything that was being revealed to him. Talliea had changed. A lot. He had been able to see that when he'd returned her to camp, but that change was still taking place. It was more evident now. At times, he barely recognized her and at others, she was still the same young, innocent, Talliea he had first fallen in love with.

"I am sorry. It was not my intention to offend. I am merely attempting to grasp this situation."

Talliea's features softened and she smiled apologetically at her friend. "No apology is asked."

Cynra spoke up at the silence that filled the cave. Her eyes landed on D'jiira who was still looking at both Talliea and Arizira with utter bemusement and respect.

"We will get to Talliea's powers shortly, but I think it would be best if we began this tale at the beginning, for truly that is what it is: A grand tale spun of legend and myth that will resonate in the hearts of future generations for ages to come."

Her words were met with nods of approval and so she continued.

"I suppose this tale begins with me and with you, D'jiira. You were the first Esu to glimpse an Arnira in many, many moonturns, just as my daughter, Iolirthas, was the first among our people whose eyes beheld an Esu. Ironic, if one allows their mind to ponder such things. Your clan, D'jiira, had made a home of these forests for many winters and summers and never once did either of our peoples fathom the existence of the other.

“The night that Arizira was given life and brought into this world, Aitla had shown me of the importance she was to have. At the time, my mind was unaware of the nature of that importance. I was only to watch over her until certain future events came into being."

Cynra kept her light purple eyes on D'jiira and a sad smile spread across her features. "The sacrifice that night was the memory of Io."

Something pained and dark passed over D'jiira's face, but Cynra continued speaking. "She had a greater purpose, just as we all did. I, alone, was given the gift of her memory. I and you. When I returned to the tribe, questions arose as to whom the child I carried belonged. I told the others Arizira was the daughter of one of our own who had long ago left to follow her heart."

"And of her other mother? Of me?" D'jiira asked roughly, engrossed in the events of her daughter's life.

Again, a sad smile colored Cynra's worn and wizened face. "Of you, little was mentioned. The others came to believe that you were from a neighboring tribe. Not a complete fabrication, of course."

Arizira reached out and placed a comforting hand on D'jiira's arm. "You knew nothing of me in your younger years?" D'jiira asked her daughter. "Nothing of who you were?"

Sparing at glance at Cynra, Arizira hesitated before answering. "I only learned of you and of my own Esu blood very recently. Perhaps, twelve moons past."

D'jiira appeared visibly shaken as her eyes lost their focus. She did not know what sort of answer she had been searching for, hoping for, but the news that Arizira had lived the last twenty-seven years knowing nothing about her hurt. It stung and it stung deeply. She had lived every day of her life since Arizira's birth regretting her decision. She had cried, in solitude, every night for the child she would never know.

Learning that Arizira had not even been aware of her existence was akin to a cold and harsh wind biting at her skin.

"I thought of you, lana. I was aware that my nurture mother had passed to Aitla, but of you? I knew only that your grief over her loss had been profound. It is not the way of the Arnira to dwell upon what has been. In my mind, you had made your decision and I harbored nothing of ill will toward you. You had given me life. It was not my place to question your own."

Smiling and trying to keep the tears she felt behind her eyes from falling, D'jiira bit the inside of her cheek and placed a hand on top of Arizira's. "Cynra's wisdom was passed to you, I see,” she said smiling.

"My wisdom, but your outlook," Cynra said, continuing her story. "Arizira's younger years were happy, D'jiira. She received the best training in all fields of study. Your curiosity and quiet reserve served her well. It was she who first learned of the Esu settlers in the valley."

At this, Cynra's purple eyes cornered Markahn who had been watching, rather absently, Talliea run her fingers through Arizira's hair.

"Which brings this story to you. What part in this tale do you play, hm?"

Markahn started and looked around him. Five faces, Esu and Arnira, stared back at him. Of those faces, only two looked upon him with a sense of trust and friendship. "Pardon?" he asked.

Taetylona, her almond-colored eyes appearing to strip away any possible facade he held, spoke up. Her voice was low and raspy. "Speak truly, boy, for your words shall be the basis for which you be judged. Will they be presented honestly or will duplicity color your statements for all gathered here? Are you friend in this tale or foe? Leave any trumpery behind, for though my body be old, my mind remains sharp."

Markahn felt anger well up inside of him. He was to be judged? Why? Because he was a man among women? Because he was Esu? Taetylona, Talliea, and D'jiira were also Esu. The warrior woman, Arizira, was half Esu as well. In fact, the longer Markahn thought on the matter, the more he came to realize that all of those present were Esu. All except Cynra. Why then was he being brought under such perusal?

He had given Talliea her freedom. He had fought Lao'dahn at every turn to keep the man from venturing into the forest after her. In the end, his efforts had been for naught, but the fact that he had sought to keep Talliea's privacy must have counted for something. When he had decided to look for Lao'dahn, and through that endeavor found Talliea, he had not ordered the men with him to pursue Arizira. When Talliea had been sick and lost, Markahn had offered her his hand in friendship and, through that gesture, aided her in escaping their clan so that she could find her love.

Instead of returning to their people and leaving Talliea to chance, he had turned around to ensure her safety and, instead of finding Talliea, found D'jiira, who in a strange turn of events turned out to be the mother of Talliea's love.

How such a thing was possible, Markahn had never asked. He had, again, desired only to help and for his efforts was being questioned? His role carried to such inquiry?

Opening his mouth, he went to speak but was interrupted by D'jiira. "This man offered me his aid. Surely his intentions are noble."

"Noble?" The voice belonged to Taetylona. "Noble, you say? Nobility holds the hand of honor not that of chain and key. Tell her, noble man, who you are to Talliea." Taetylona's attention was fixated on Markahn's dark and grim face. "Tell the woman who speaks of your character the truth of who you are."

A heavy silence met the end of Taetylona's harsh words. D'jiira looked to Talliea whose gaze fell upon Taetylona. "Sage woman, rashly do you speak. The past is the--"

"Bah! Rashly spoken words are oft times the most truly presented. The past now lies in the present and until we confront it, the future can never come! Speak boy!"

Markahn sighed and stood up. He somehow found his sense of self better served on his feet rather than his knees. "I stand before you a friend and an ally, if you would permit me to be so."

“Answer the question, boy," Taetylona persisted.

Markahn sighed again and sagged his shoulders before meeting D'jiira's penetrating eyes. "I am the man who claimed Talliea and sought to mate with her. I am the man who desired her to join with me."

D'jiira looked startled. She turned away from Markahn and looked at Taetylona who only nodded implacably before speaking again.

"You see now why I am reluctant to admit you leave to remain among us. Your mind forgets that I lived among you, Markahn. Though the lot of you overlooked me, my eyes were observant enough to see the comings and goings on of your lives. Your feet fell in Talliea's footfalls from the moment she was old enough to be considered a woman. When her time came to be joined with a man, you did not hesitant in claiming her for your own.

“What decency is there in those who would subjugate another's will, or have you so soon forgotten that your nobility exiled me, not once, but twice? You see, I have never felt the gentleness of a lover's touch, nor tasted the sweetness of another's kiss. For desiring to be my own person, I was named a heretic. A harlot. Eyes thereafter only fell upon me with suspicion and distrust. Have you any mind to fathom the loneliness that accompanies such an existence, hm? Have you?"

Markahn started to shake his head. He opened his mouth to answer, but Taetylona's low voice sounded in the silence again.

"I have borne witness to the 'friendship' extended at the hand of your kind, boy. Enough to know that there is never an act of kindness unless there is also one of advantage. Is it your intention to try to win Talliea's heart through these, the most noble of deeds? Do you harbor a darkness in your heart for Talliea‘s love? How can you stand here offering friendship when you desire something you can not claim? For that is all the men of our clan have ever shown an aptitude for: taking what they want. How can you be trusted among us?"

"Enough!" Markahn yelled, causing everyone to jump. "Enough. I shall not sit in judgment when my recent actions have spoken to my true intentions. Yes, I desired Talliea, just as every man in our clan. She is unique among our kind. I was following our traditions. Our ways. I will not apologize for that, but always I wished for Talliea to be happy. When she was returned to us, it became clear that her happiness lived in another. Not with myself nor any other man. I offered my aid. I helped her."

Taetylona scoffed. The other women watched quietly. A part of Talliea felt as though she should stand up for Markahn, but at the same time she was also curious to the part he would play in future affairs. Too much was at stake to risk otherwise. D'jiira listened eagerly. She had never suspected that Markahn was anything more than a rogue member of his clan. To think that he had feelings for Talliea unsettled her. Had she unwittingly led a man who meant harm to, not only her daughter, but her daughter's love? At the thought, D'jiira looked toward Arizira.

Her daughter's face was guarded. Not a hint as to what she was thinking could be inferred. Apart from the tight grip her hand had around Talliea's, there was nothing to indicate how Arizira was feeling.

After a moment of heated silence, Talliea finally spoke up. "I believe Markahn should be given the benefit of doubt. If his actions have been carried with a dubious intent, then we shall deal with that matter when it comes before us. Fighting amongst ourselves shall only result in dissension. I vouch for his presence."

Silence.

Taetylona continued to look at Markahn with suspicion. Cynra glanced around at the faces present and slowly nodded her head.

"The child is correct. Allies are in short supply. This man aided both Talliea and D'jiira. In so doing, he brought happiness to Arizira. That is enough for me to vouch for his presence as well."

"I know not of events before my coming, nor can I stand in judgment of another's past when my own is not without fault. Markahn walked with me even after I threatened his life," D'jiira paused with a small smile on her face before continuing. Her features became resolute and her voice grew hard. "However, knowing what I do now, I will say here before these witnesses --" Keen eyes turned their attention to Markahn. "Arizira's peace is all that matters. Talliea makes her happy and calms her spirit. Any action you take that upsets that balance will be dealt with swiftly. Do nothing to harm my daughter or her love."

Markahn swallowed and slowly nodded his understanding.

"Then you also have my voice to add to your presence amongst us," D'jiira finished.

Smiling and acknowledging his thanks, Markahn took a gravid breath as he waited for any further word from Taetylona. The warrior woman, Arizira, had yet to speak about him favorably or not. Her unusual silver-blue eyes glowed in the dark and made it difficult for him to make out what she was thinking. She sat to his right between Talliea and D'jiira. Talliea held her hand and looked to Markahn to be sheltering her smaller form from some unseen harm.

Despite his appreciation of the situation, Markahn could not help but smile at Talliea. No longer was she the young, unsure woman he had known. She was in love and she protected that love.

"Do your eyes see the danger in the dark ahead? Have you a mind as to where your feet lead you or do you walk blindly?" Arizira suddenly asked after the brief lapse in conversation. "Do you understand what it is we do? What quest is before us? Though peace is what we hope to achieve, such a thing can not be without the possibility of bloodshed. Are you so willing to spill the life of your brothers? So ready to offer to walk this path without fully appreciating its scope?"

To Markahn's left, Cynra smiled approvingly while Taetylona appeared smug and satisfied. It was a point all of the women had been pondering and contemplating themselves. Each of them--Talliea, Arizira, Taetylona, D'jiira-- had been involved in said events from the beginning. Each of them had been an important part, a vital piece to the entity of time. Markahn, however, had not. He was just a man, a simple person in comparison to his company. Was he genuinely willing to aid those that could so readily bring harm to his clan?

Yet, how could he not be? His brothers were destroying themselves. He knew that they would never allow Talliea to be. Not after she had injured their pride in the clearing. They would not seek friendship with the Arnira either. No, their only purpose would be to eradicate their enemies and secure their sovereign supremacy. It was their way.

He could not follow the path of this brothers, but at the same time, he did not know if he would be able to take up arms against them. Arizira's face softened and she spoke before he had time to think about matters any longer.

"You appreciate the situation now, I see. Hold your tongue and keep your thoughts until you have heard fully the whole of this tale. Then, make your peace in whatever way soothes your spirit. None will think less of you if your path splits from our own. You led my mother to me. For this, I am grateful."

Markahn nodded again and sat back down. D'jirra smiled at Arizira and placed a motherly hand on her shoulder.

"Your wisdom is beyond the measure of your youth, my daughter. I think I should like to hear the rest of this tale, of your finding the Esu and falling in love, as well as how Taetylona came to be among you."

The next few hours were spent with both Talliea and Arizira revisiting their recent past. Arizira told her mother of how she followed Talliea the night she discovered her people in the valley. She told her of how she learned the Esu words so that she could speak with the woman who fascinated her; of how she, early on, had felt a connection that left her breathless. Arizira told D'jiira of her subsequent times finding Talliea.

The first visit to Li'nas Dei. The meeting at the hot spring after Talliea's assault. Arizira's decision to help Talliea and aid in her survival.

She told D'jiira of her 'Spirit Quest' and how it had allowed her the time she needed to be with Talliea.

Minutes, hours, and days were spoken of in great detail and at great length. Talliea, Cynra, and Taetylona each added their own roles and thoughts to fill in the missing gaps of Arizira's retelling. When the matter of their first kiss came up, both women smiled and blushed at one another. Talliea told D'jiira of how their initial first kiss had been interrupted by the howling of a wolf.

“A wolf? They are blessed by Aitla, if I recall," D'jiira had said.

Cynra had given both women a look that requested of them their silence in revealing the truth of the wolf's identity. Neither had questioned matters, understanding that Cynra most likely felt the need to impart that particular detail to D'jiira in private. Their story had continued, the night aging with the passage of time.

Food and drink were shared as Talliea and Arizira told D'jiira, and by extension Markahn, the story of how they fell in love.

Talliea took over after a time, giving the account of Arizira's injury in vague detail. Months after the event, she still felt a sense of guilt over her actions. She recounted to everyone how scared she had been and how alone she'd felt while Arizira had been on the mend. Events moved forward again and when Talliea thought to skip over the first time she and Arizira had bonded, her love had given her a questioning look.

"It is private, Ahmanae," she'd whispered.

"Yes, but the insight we gained, the understanding and the clarity, that must be shared," Arizira had responded. So, once again, their tale had resumed and both women had given their account of that first coming together. They reserved certain details, naturally. Both told of how they had been able to feel the other's emotion and experience parts of their lives. From there, their story continued at a much quicker pace.

The appearance of the white wolf the morning of their separation was told; Lao'dahn's second attack and Arizira's heroic rescue were relived, as well as Markahn's untimely arrival and their painful separation from one another.

Markahn had apologized quietly to Talliea before the story had continued once again.

Both women told of their illness and its debilitating symptoms. Arizira told D'jiira about Cynra's revelations to her about her Esu heritage and about Talliea being at the center of her destiny. Arizira, like Cynra, had not said anything about her pregnancy. Like her Nai'lana, she desired such news to be delivered privately.

Next came both of their journeys to find one another again; Talliea with Markahn's aid and Arizira with the mysterious white wolf's. Finally, their reunion came and a heavy air of sadness settled around both women.

Cynra had taken the opportunity to tell D'jiira of Aitla's words to her before Talliea and Arizira had ever admitted their feelings to one another.

"The Child of Whispers must experience death if her goddess is to find her way to me," she had said in a whisper.

D'jiira had exhaled sharply, her face attesting to her assiduous attention.

"Die? Your goddess spoke of the death of your granddaughter? Obviously you aided them for Arizira still breathes."

When no answer had been forthcoming, D'jiira had turned her attention to Arizira in a search for answers.

Arizira had only shaken her head slowly and allowed Talliea to continue their story. In slow, halting, and ragged tones, Talliea had told of Lao'dahn's last assault, of how he had tried once again to rape her and strip her of her dignity. A small, yet fleeting, smile had colored her lips when she'd told everyone of how Arizira had saved her yet again.

"The arrow struck right in the one thing he was so proud of," she'd said. "Arizira was still several paces away. It was a mark of her skill to land a shot so true in a target so small."

And then…

The events of the battle had been described. Talliea and Arizira told D'jiira about how both Esu and Arnira warriors and huntresses had suddenly come up about them. Arizira echoed her sentiments and thoughts of the day in question as she told her mother of Bela'luin's arrow and how it had been meant for her love, for Talliea.

"My feet were nearly in her shadow when I was pierced through the chest" Arizira had said in a wavering voice. D'jiira's eyes had been full of tears while her bottom lip trembled.

"I screamed, yet the sound was ripped from my body as if by another," Talliea had told, her fingers brushing across Arizira's cheek softly. "I caught her as she was falling. Her skin was pale, her eyes a dull shadow, and her blood --her life-- bled into the skin of my fingers."

A moment had been taken to allow both women time to collect themselves. Apart from Markahn, everyone present had tears in their eyes. Markahn's lack thereof was not due to him being uncompassionate, but for him being the type of person he was. By his upbringing, men did not cry. It was a sign of weakness. He had already shown that weakness once before when he had cried in front of Talliea and was determined to not do so again.

Arizira had wrapped a comforting and protective arm around Talliea's shoulders while Talliea had done the same. Once both of them were wrapped in the arms of the other and secure in the closeness they were sharing, the tale had continued. But, not before a promise of a kiss had been placed on Talliea's lips.

"I could feel my life passing like the seasons, fading like so much mist on a new morning. I tried to tell Tah-li a lifetime's worth of promises and love in the span of mere heartbeats. There were matters she was not aware, news she was ignorant of. I had so much I desired to tell her, but my life was fading all too quickly and the news I wished to share would only have added to her sorrow."

Talliea had swallowed over the lump in her throat at Arizira's retelling. The news her love had been referring to was that of the child she was pregnant with. D'jiira had looked both confused and intrigued, but had said nothing to interrupt.

"With the life remaining in me, I told Tah-li that I loved her, that I had always loved her, and that she had complimented me and made me better than I was alone. That is all I remembered until later," Arizira finished.

Silence hung on the air. The pain of Arizira's death still haunted Talliea and she'd found herself unable to say much in regard to it. Both Cynra and Taetylona had remained quiet, each allowing the younger women their own time in telling the final bit to their tale. As for Markahn, he had been without words. Truly without words for the first time in his life. Everything he'd been so recently told was both fantastical and lamentable; breathtaking and wretched; wondrous and forlorn.

"W-what transpired afterward?" The hoarse voice had belonged to D'jiira. Tears had lined her face, unashamed of their own visibility.

"The Esu and Arnira closed in around me. Arizira was limp and slack in my arms. I-I was beside myself. A hole had formed where once my heart had beat and a blackness, unforgiving and harrowing in its power, replaced every bit of hope Ari-sera had ever given me. I was angry. Angry at myself. Angry at my people, at the Arnira, at Lao'dahn and everyone else who had kept me from my happiness. I felt a great sense of injustice. Arizira had been the most pure and beautiful person I had ever known and for those virtues, she was dead while those that sought to bring cruelty and hate yet lived."

Talliea had paused briefly, her entire face mirroring how she'd felt the day her power had awakened in her. The day she'd believed Arizira had been taken from her. Glassy and unfocused eyes had gazed into the dancing flames of the fire while tears had fallen despite her notice.

"At the time, my entire existence up until that point had just been reuniting with my love. My body was sore and defied me, my heart was erratic and out of rhythm, and my mind was cluttered with images of my life and who I was, as well as Ari's life and who she had been. All I had wanted was just to be with her. To walk beside her. To love her. She had been taken from me, her life snuffed out like the flame of a fire. I was crying for her, for my loss. I was alone and no one could appreciate that. Both of our peoples saw only war. They saw an enemy in me instead of a person in anguish. I only desired a moment alone with my love. That was all. A single fragment in time and yet I was to be denied again.

“As I was surrounded, I remember a sudden calm coming over me. It was as if a shroud of placidity and I welcomed it. It settled my unrest. My thoughts were only on allowing me more time with my Ahmanae."

Talliea had then gone on to give, in great and vivid detail, the account of her powers manifesting themselves; from time slowing and then stopping, to the destruction of the trees and rocks that had been nearby, to disintegrating Bela'luin's arrow in mid flight.

"There was no anger in me, no hate. Only a sense of righteousness. I was in complete control and rather then allowing that sense of authority to consume me and overwhelm me, I embraced it and let it grant me what I desired: more time with Ari."

The final part of their story had been told quickly after that. Cynra and Taetylona had taken over, allowing Arizira and Talliea a moment to comfort one another. Arizira's return to life had been told, the enigmatic white wolf making yet another appearance in the sublime tale, followed by Cynra's realization and true understanding of Aitla's prophetic words to her from before.

"Experience death, Aitla had said. Her death was not a true death..."

Conversation afterward had consisted of questions and clarifications and elaborations. Everyone had answered as best as they could. D'jiira had hugged Arizira repeatedly, her awe and gratitude over matters evident every time she kissed her daughter's face. Cynra had informed her that there was still much she did not know. Arizira had nodded, a bright and anxious smile coming over her face.

When Taetylona had finally suggested that they all get some rest, no one had objected. Promises had been made to finish telling D'jiira everything she needed to know the following day. Cynra had hugged D'jiira tightly before she and Taetylona had retired to the back of the cave. It was decided that D'jiira and Markahn would take the front of the cave for their use while Talliea and Arizira would sleep under the stars. Bedrolls, cloaks, and blankets were passed among the four as final goodnights were given. Then, rest finally came to Li'nas Dei.

Chapter 23: The journey forward

Arizira allowed her eyes to marvel Talliea's flawless and breathtaking features.

The sun was just beginning to crest the rim of the horizon far to the east and the sky, as a result, was variegated with pinks and purples and a smattering of blue. Crickets still chirped in the distance and cicadas sang, from high in the trees, their soporific mating songs. The whole of the world had yet to fully awaken and Arizira smiled to herself. She loved the early morning nearly as much as she adored the beginnings of dusk. There was something magical and complacent about the transition from night to day and day to night.

Glowing silver-blue eyes easily traced over bronzed skin and full soft lips. They moved over high cheekbones and across lush eyelashes before falling on the gentle rise and fall of Talliea's chest. Arizira's fingers moved and landed near to Talliea's heart. A steady beat continuously met the tip of her fingers, its pleasing vibration seeming to sing to her soul.

Lying on Talliea's right, Arizira leaned across her love and placed a tender kiss on each of her closed eyelids. Lips whispered soothing caresses down the slope of Talliea's nose and across her cheeks, while fingers slipped past the confines of a thin cream-colored blouse to connect with warm, soft skin.

A moan, freely given yet barely uttered, left Talliea's throat. Arizira smoothed her fingers across the inviting skin of her chest and flattened her palm over her heart. She continued to pepper Talliea's face with soft and gentle kisses as the sun continued to rise in the sky and bathe the world in light.

Arizira's actions were not hurried, nor meant to be anything other than an expression of her feelings for Talliea. She did not seek any other physicality. Her slow and reverent kisses were just that. In the break before the world came to life, and by its birth her own journey set to begin, Arizira wished nothing more than just to enjoy a few simple moments with the woman she loved. Soon, the others would be awake and their day would be filled with further conversations and decisions and planning. They would embark on a peregrination that none could know the outcome of.

So, for a moment, Arizira enjoyed the feeling of Talliea's skin beneath her lips. She savored the warmth that embraced her fingers and appreciated something that was so easy, so needed, and yet so hard to come by in her life of late.

"Mmm, what are you doing?" Talliea's voice, raspy from being asleep, asked in a low whisper.

Arizira, instead of answering, leaned her forehead against Talliea's until their noses touched. The hand she still had in Talliea's shirt moved and fingers spread out along a flushed collarbone and neck. The sounds of insects began to fade away as the songs of birds sought to greet the new day.

"Admiring you," Arizira answered in an equally low tone of voice. Her breath washed across Talliea's lips. "I miss you all the time, even though you are here with me."

Talliea, continuing to wake up, wrapped one arm behind Arizira's back while the other landed on her cheek. She could feel Arizira's desire for closeness, as well as hear the small twinge of necessity in her voice.

"I am right here, love. In this moment, only the two of us exist. Just like before."

Arizira closed her eyes when she felt Talliea's hand move from her face and into her hair. Fingers massaged her scalp and she could not repress the contented sigh that left her lips.

"How I wish that were true, failira."

Talliea turned her head slightly and placed the gentlest of kisses behind Arizira's ear. "It is true, Ari. There is only you, only me. Just touch me, if only for a moment."

Arizira did as Talliea told her. She tried to imagine that there was nothing to concern herself with other than being with the woman she loved. She tried to convince herself that she and Talliea were still alone in their cave far to the west, ignorant of their peoples' growing hatred of one another, and having only a need for one another. For just a snippet of time, Arizira told herself that there was no possibility of war, no journey to take, no barely explained powers or destinies, or prophecies of the future.

To her, there was only Talliea. Only them. She embraced that belief and gave it the power to momentarily engross her.

Turning her head to look down into Talliea's face, Arizira smiled. She trailed her fingers over Talliea's chin and jaw before lowering her head to kiss her. Mint danced on their tongues. The two of them kissed slowly for several minutes, neither desiring to rush the cherished moment they were in. Talliea tangled her hand in Arizira's hair and tightened her hold around her back. Their kiss intensified for but a moment before Arizira turned her head to the side. She rested her cheek against Talliea's forehead and closed her eyes again, willing her mind to believe that the two of them were alone and the world was not as blemished, damaged, and wanting as it seemed of late.

She felt Talliea kiss the side of her jaw while hands and arms wrapped around her neck, shoulders, and head. For an uncounted number of breaths, the two of them remained that way: Surrounded by each other. The sun was steadily rising higher into the sky and the world continued to wake from its natural slumber. Already, the scent of morning flowers and pine was catching on the early morning breeze that heralded a new day.

"I am sorry," Arizira murmured, her cheek still lying softly against Talliea's forehead.

"For what?"

"For this moment of ambiguity, for hesitating in my convictions when it was I asking you to make a stand for peace."

Talliea took a deep and calming breath. She could feel Arizira's fingers grazing along the underside of her chin and neck. Kissing the other woman's jaw again, she said, "There is no need for apologies, love. What we seek to do is...daunting. Allow us to just lie here with one another as the world wakes."

Arizira and Talliea were silent for time, both enjoying being alone with the other. Each were lost to their individual thoughts. Arizira felt divided. Never before had she questioned her desire to do what was right, but today was different. Today, she only wanted to be with Talliea., away from everything and everyone else. She wondered if the Esu woman's hesitation from the day before had somehow been shifted to her, for now a part of her ached to do nothing but run away from her responsibilities.

Talliea, while still firm in her stance to keep Arizira and their baby safe, seemed to have accepted her responsibility, though with a strong timorousness. Her lack of faith had little to do with her own abilities and more to do with what exactly they all hoped to accomplish and how they intended to go about matters. She supposed that Arizira was feeling some of the same emotions she was, experiencing some of the same doubts.

"I love you," she said suddenly, deciding to lead them away from the uncertainties of the future. The three words were whispered against Arizira's skin and she smiled, her heart lifting. "Do you remember when we first met?" Talliea asked.

Arizira lifted her head and looked down into dark and deep eyes. Placing her fingers against the pulse of Talliea's neck, she nodded.

"Of course, failira. You captured my imagination and I felt compelled to seek your presence. You fascinated me like no other and your beauty was unrivaled and without peer. As I told you before, I loved you the moment I saw you."

Blushing at Arizira's words, Talliea felt her heart begin to beat faster. Despite everything the two of them had been through, the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows, Arizira still had the ability to leave her breathless and in a state of wonder.

"I felt so alone that night, Ari. My whole life, I had been surrounded by the men and women of my clan. We prayed together, celebrated together, ate together and communed every morning. Yet, I felt alone, imprisoned by the restraints of my life. There was no happiness. No chance of love or of friendship. All I had to look forward to was the very solitude that kept me confined. Each day was the same as the one before it, with all future days destined to be the same. There was nothing to look forward to as every action of my life, every deed and occurrence had already been determined."

Arizira listened to Talliea with avid interest. She did not know where her love was going with her words, but she minded them all the same.

"The night we met, I had nearly convinced myself to run away from my clan. They provided me with the basic needs of life: food, water, shelter. Yet, of friendship, of love and the feeling of being appreciated and adored, I was starving. I felt as if I was dying from the inside out and it was almost welcome. If I was numb to everything, perhaps I could finally be what others desired me to be. But, that night, I met you. You looked at me like I was noticeable. Our first meeting lasted only a matter of seconds, but you made me feel more alive than I had in all the previous years of my life."

Arizira rubbed her thumb across Talliea's throat while her fingers stayed next to her pulse. "Why do you tell me this, Tah-li?"

"Because, it does not matter to me that we are surrounded by others, Ari. They are our friends and they make me feel loved. Even with them being near, all you have to do is look at me and, in my mind, we are alone. I am no longer forsaken, Ahmanae. Whether in the company of Cynra and the others, or alone with you as we are now, I am satisfied because I can make a moment with you. A memory."

"Like now?" Arizira asked.

Talliea nodded. "Like now."

An amused smile touched Arizira's lips. "When did you become so wise?"

"Perhaps your sage disposition was shared when we were last together," Talliea replied dryly.

The two of them laughed. Arizira leaned forward and kissed Talliea's lips once, then twice before pulling away to look, once again, into her eyes. They appreciated one another for a long moment. Neither spoke. Fingers lazily explored any exposed skin as the morning grew.

"I wish I knew what to expect," Talliea's voice broke the silence. "Do you think your people will embrace the peace we desire? Do you think they will listen to us?"

Arizira sighed and turned her head slightly to the side in thought. "I cannot speak words of sureness, failira. Talyn is a wise leader, but fear and enmity are powerful influences. Many of my sisters will use them to justify their actions, however abhorrent. There are those among the Elders’ Council who believe that Talyn is too lax, that she hides behind illusions of peace and cedes when she should make a stand. The tribe nearest to ours now has control of a portion of our hunting lands because Talyn, many seasons ago, negotiated a treaty with them. In exchange for our territory, we now trade across the Menderway instead of hunting as we once did. Since that time, many of the Elders have questioned Talyn's resolve."

Talliea lowered her eyes and sighed. Politics were not her strong point. Being a leader, a title she had somehow been given despite her protestations, was also something she did not believe she was suited for. If the Arnira did not listen to the voice of reason, then Talliea knew matters could be lost. The Esu would never agree to peace, nor would they even entertain the possibility of friendship with beings as strange and magical as the Arnira. What were they to do if Arizira's tribe refused to listen to them? Could they honestly dispute the Child of Whispers?

What course would be left for them if they were forced to wage a battle on two fronts, one with the Arnira and one with the Esu? If neither people were willing to entertain peace and embrace amicability, then was Talliea destined to kill them until they were more agreeable? She could not do such a thing, nor would she. What purpose would there be in such an action? Fighting to protect those she loved and fighting with the intent to end the life of others were two completely different things.

The thoughts left her feeling unsettled and brought to the forefront of her mind a troubling understanding. "Ari?"

"Hm?"

"If the tide turns and we are forced to settle matters with action instead of words, promise me you will not get involved."

Arizira cocked her head to the side in a curious manner. Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "I can not make this promise, Tah-li. How can you request this of me? I have to protect you. Always, I have done so."

"You once told me that if I asked it of you, it was done. I am asking this. I no longer require your protection, love. Now, I protect you. I can not risk any harm coming to you if we are forced to fight."

“If you live, I live," Arizira argued. "Cynra told us this."

"That does not mean you are incapable of being harmed. I thought you dead before, Ari, and as a result I was unable to address the powers at my command. You are not impervious. If something happens to you, I will be unable to control the powers I possess. You are the key to my stability. I do not know how. I do not know why. I know only that if something befalls you, I will lose the focus required for these abilities."

"Tah-li...I need to protect you," Arizira countered weakly, shaking her head.

"No, you protect another now. Our child is your priority, Ahmanae. Our lives are tied together, but we are not certain if that bond extends to our baby. I will not risk her. I cannot. If we are forced to make a stand, I will protect us. Please promise me that you will do nothing to risk yourself. You carry another life, love. She depends on you for preservation."

Arizira did not answer immediately. She looked into Talliea's eyes and could plainly see the resolve staring back at her. She was unaccustomed to being protected by another. Her entire life had been about safeguarding her sisters, her tribe, and their way of life. To not fight now seemed cowardly and against her beliefs and yet, she knew Talliea spoke the truth. Her maternal instincts were already nearly overpowering. The desire and the need to keep her baby safe and unharmed overrode nearly every other compulsion she had.

However, Arizira was unsure of whether or not she would be able to hide away while Talliea and the others fought for their survival and their way of life. On the other hand, she was not certain she would be able to fight either. When she had been searching for Talliea in the forest and had come upon Bela'luin and her hunters, she had been unable to do anything other than watch as the first strike of war had been executed. Her only thoughts then had been on protecting the baby. She had frozen in her moment of indecision.

If such a thing happened while in the middle of all out war, if she froze in the middle of a fight, something could happen to the life she carried and, as a result, possibly cause Talliea to lose control of powers. As much as Arizira disliked it, Talliea was correct. She wondered which instinct would win out, however: Her desire to defend Talliea or her innate need to protect her innocent baby.

Only time held the answer to that question.

"Ari-sera?"

Arizira shook herself from her thoughts and nodded her head reluctantly. "I will do my best, failira."

Talliea studied her face for a long moment before becoming satisfied with her answer. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too, Tah-li."

Talliea tugged on the back of her neck and brought their lips together for a loving kiss. Before the embrace could go any further, a throat clearing alerted them to another presence.

"Every time we leave them alone...like pups in heat."

The mumbling voice belonged to Cynra, who was shaking out her blanket and smiling at them both. D'jiira emerged from the cave and noticed how they were tangled up in each other. Her beautiful features sparked to a life a happy smile and her eyes found Arizira's. "Do you two require a moment alone?" she asked in a playful voice.

Cynra tossed her blanket over her shoulder and shook her head humorously. "They don't need anymore time alone. Time alone is the reason Arizira is--"

Cynra stopped herself abruptly and looked from D'jiira's curious face to Arizira's anxious one. She cleared her throat again before finishing with, "The reason Arizira is...love struck."

D'jiira chuckled as she watched Cynra walk back into the cave. Her eyes found her daughter's again and she smiled. "We were going to eat something light before making today's plans. If you two care to join us, we will be inside."

With that, D'jiira disappeared just as Cynra had.

Talliea and Arizira, arms and legs still wrapped around one another, looked at the spot their friends had briefly occupied, before bursting into a fit of laughter. Somehow, the heaviness of their conversation now seemed less.

* * * * *

"Do you think they will be successful?" Halydynn asked another Esu man, Jovan.

The tall, muscular man shrugged his broad shoulders and stroked, absentmindedly, the hair of his thick black beard -- which was a rarity among the Esu. Jovan, like Halydynn, was a member of the Lat'sa'val. With the recent crisis and the startling revelation of the warrior women in the area, the other men of the clan had voted that Jovan be in charge of military affairs.

He was a man who did not ask many questions, instead choosing to find his answers at the end of a blade. Action was what would determine the fate of their clan and action would be the savior to them all. Talk was not an option. The warrior women had already shown their value and their worth. They had been seeking to attack the Esu camp without the Esu even being aware of their existence.

To Jovan, and men like him, the only way to end hostilities was to engage the savages in combat. He and the others of his clan were inured to war, it was a normalcy of life. For as long as Jovan could remember, his clan had fought those that would seek to bring harm to them. In the past, it had been neighboring Esu clans. Now, it was the enigmatic women many were calling the Arnira.

The name of the enemy did not matter. The nature of the enemy did not matter. All that was of importance was securing their hold and their claim on the forest of the Northlands. Too long had Jovan's clan been nomads and wanderers. No longer. They had established a home in the valley and none would take it from them.

Jovan turned to look at Haldynn. The older man was watching the four groups of patrols as they disappeared into the surrounding forest. Each group consisted of four men. Four groups. Four men. They were assigned a simple task: spread out, search, and find Talliea.

It was still the hope of Haldynn and Jovan that they could appeal to Talliea and gain her favor. She was Esu and one of their own. Having her on their side during the coming war would most certainly assure their victory.

"I am not certain," Jovan said in a deep and rumbling voice to Haldynn's earlier asked question. "The outcome is unimportant. With or without the witch Talliea, we shall march to war. The warrior women will not hesitate. They will strike under cover of darkness. Mark my words. Already have they drawn first blood. Our retaliation is just for we shall repay them in kind."

Haldynn nodded as he watched the last group of men recede into the thickness of the trees.

Jovan continued speaking. "Get the others on their feet and tell them to prepare for a hard march. We are bringing this war to our enemies. They will rue the day they thought to attack us."

"You mean to assault the savage women? We know not where they abide."

"We shall find out," Jovan retorted.

"And of their ability to use the night as a cloak? How do you purpose to march the men safely? They must find rest at night, yet they shall have none if the women rain bow and blade down upon us."

Jovan smirked and turned around to fully face Haldynn. Deep set and dark brown eyes danced with a near maniacal glee. "We are Esuval's soldiers. The gift of light does He provide. The women shall not match us in strength. They will not expect such a bold attack and that shall be another boon for us. Gather the men. Now. We leave in two hours."

Haldynn nodded and walked away from Jovan's towering form. The time for indecision was over. The Esu were marching to war.

Chapter 24: Whispers from the Past

After breakfast, Talliea and the others of her small group had packed up their belongings and finally left the safe haven of Li'nas Dei.

After a thorough discussion of their plans, it had been decided that they would take the western-most way into the Arniran village. Arizira had explained that, under normal circumstances, the walk to her people would take only a matter of days with a group of their size. However, both she and Cynra had agreed that skirting normal patrols routes and sticking to the cover the heavy trees along the western side of the forest provided, would make for a safer, though slower paced, journey.

Taking such a route would add nearly a day and a half to their trek. The women and Markahn had been steadily walking for several uneventful hours. Talk was light. Cynta and Taetylona led the group, each engrossed in conversation, whose topics ranged from history and herbal remedies to rituals and cultural differences.

Currently, the older women’s discussion was turned to more recent events.

"You do not believe you words were too harsh on the boy?" Cynra asked.

Taetylona gave a sideways glance to her companion before scoffing and turning her eyes back to the trail before her.

"Harsh? Long have I lived with the harshness of their words. A small tongue-lashing might do the lad some good. My mind is rattled over his presence, for the intentions of his heart are unknown to me."

Cynra nodded, casting a brief look over her shoulder. "There is also the matter of his sudden understanding of my words since the day before. You, D'jiira, Talliea, and Arizira all speak and understand Esulan. I, however, do not. Forever have my words been spoken in my own tongue, yet suddenly the boy understands them, and I his as though we were each one of our own people. Something else is at work, something whose colors have yet to be revealed to all."

Taetylona and Cynra continued walking while their respective thoughts pondered such foreign and strange occurrences.

Talliea and Markahn walked a few paces behind the older women. Markahn, early in the trek, had expressed his joy at seeing Talliea again and his happiness that she had found the woman she sought. The two of them now spoke of their people and Markahn told Talliea more about D'jiira and how he had come to be with her.

"She nearly killed me on the spot with the point of her dagger. Women skilled in blades and combat… The concept is new to me."

Talliea chuckled at his words, finding herself surprisingly at ease around him. He was no longer the man who had desired to claim her, nor was he the person she had to answer to before she made any decisions. Now, he was just her friend, the person who had aided her in returning to Arizira and who now walked beside her in amity.

"Then you can imagine the wonders of my mind upon first glimpsing Ari. She was a spark in the dark, a fresh sun after a cloudy day. I was entranced by her from the moment we met."

Markahn smiled and nodded. He found it only slightly strange that he and the woman he had long desired to join with were talking and conversing like equals. Never before, since the two of them had grown into adulthood, had he tried to have a genuine conversation with Talliea. He found his new friend both smart and funny, intriguing and loyal.

"Tell me more about her. Her feelings for you are plain before the eyes..." Markahn and Talliea lost themselves to their reminiscent discourse as the sun above shone down on the whole of their group.

Bringing up the rear of the party were Arizira and D'jiira. Arizira walked with light steps with D'jiira easily keeping stride with her longer legs. Each had many questions to ask, yet neither knew how to approach the subjects they were both curious about. D'jiira wished to know everything about Arizira's life. She wished to know about every moment of happiness, the meaning behind every tear ever cried, the first time she learned to use a weapon, her relationships with the different women of her tribe, what made her desire to become a huntress, what her thoughts were when first discovering the Esu, and how she reacted when learning of her parentage.

Arizira, for her part, wanted to ask D'jiira about her relationship with Iolirthas. She wanted to learn more about the Esu clan she came from, what beliefs D'jiira held, if D'jiira had found love again and, if so, if Arizira had any siblings. She desired to learn about D'jiira's life and how she had come to terms with the knowledge of the Arnira. She wanted D'jiira to teach her what it meant to be Esu, for she had always believed herself to be only Arnira.

But, above all else, Arizira greatly desired to tell her mother of the life she was carrying. The life she and Talliea had created as an expression of their love the first time they had been intimate. The words for such a conversation were on the tip of Arizira's tongue, and yet she hesitated in imparting the joyous news. There were matters she did not wish the others to hear of, fears and insecurities she did not desire Talliea to learn just yet. Until she could ensure she had a private moment with D'jiira, the news of her pregnancy would have to wait.

Besides, she had only just been reunited with D'jiira after twenty-seven long years. There was still much she wanted to know and ask.

"How did you know I was nearby yester night?" Arizira asked, resuming the light conversation she was having with her mother.

D'jiira watched Markahn and Talliea some steps in front of her. She easily side-stepped a fallen branch in the path before her feet and turned her light brown eyes in Arizira's direction. The long, black braid of hair that normally fell behind her back was currently tossed over her shoulder and laying against her chest.

"Hm?"

Arizira followed her mother's eyes. Markahn and Talliea were deep in some conversation or another, but their words did not concern her. She could feel Talliea's mood and knew there was nothing of their talk to raise alarm.

"Last night, how did you know I was in the trees? I watched you pause as your eyes scanned the heaviness of the branches, yet a sound did not escape me."

D'jiira studied Arizira's earnest and curious face. A small furrow was between her brows and D'jiira could not stop the smile that came over her features. Iolirthas used to look similar when she was contemplating something that intrigued her.

"I was not aware of you, my daughter, nor of any one person in particular."

Arizira cocked her head to the side as they continued walking. D'jiira smiled again at seeing it. "You must have sensed me then, lana. Is that why you sent the Esu man away? Why you had him put light in the sky?"

D'jiira chuckled and shook her head. "I knew Markahn and I walked toward a place of spiritual importance to the Arnira. It was safe to assume that others could hold watch above us. It was precaution, nothing more, though I am overjoyed at having found you, regardless."

Arizira held D'jiira's eyes and the two of them shared a smile. "You fight well," Arizira said. "Not many deflect my attacks as easily as you did. I was not aware that Esu women trained for combat."

The ending statement was one meant to learn more about D'jiira's clan and their beliefs.

"Your nurture mother first trained me many long summers ago. After her passing, I expressed a desire to learn more of Esu disciplines and have studied since that time. You move as Io, just as agile and graceful, but I knew her. I watched her. Anticipating your attacks was as if recalling my own memory."

"My nurture mother, was she skilled in archery, as I? Or did she favor any particular weapon?

Smiling at Arizira's curiosity, D'jiira replied, "Io was gifted with a bow, yes. She preferred the ability to strike a target with the skill and cunning required for the weapon, than to engage in close quartered hand-to-hand combat."

Arizira kept her eyes locked with her mother's before nodding in thought. D'jiira turned her head to look, once again, in Markahn and Talliea's direction. Arizira studied her profile for a moment. D'jiira had told her she moved like Iolirthas. It made her feel closer to her nurture mother knowing they shared something in common. Knowing that something in her personality or her ways was from her parents seemed to fill a void within herself she had never known was truly missing.

"She is very beautiful."

Arizira shook her head, and in so doing her thoughts, and followed her mother's line of sight. Her eyes fell upon Talliea, who had turned in her direction and was currently offering her a bright smile. Arizira's face flushed and a smile of her own caused dimples to touch her cheeks. She held Talliea's eyes until her love turned back around and continued walking.

"She is,” she said. “My hearts sings for her. Her beauty is such that it could command the very sky above if she desired it. She captivates me."

D'jiira turned to look at Arizira and smirked. "You love her very deeply." The words did not require a confirmation, but Arizira nodded anyway. "I am happy for you, my daughter. It is my wish that, after we have brought peace to the lands, you and Talliea will find your happiness and begin a family of your own."

Arizira stopped in her tracks. D'jiira continued walking for a moment until she realized her daughter was no longer at her side. "Arizira?"

Arizira inhaled sharply and held D'jiira's gaze as the taller woman closed the gap between them. The mention of a family had brought Arizira's desire to tell her mother of her pregnancy to the forefront of her thoughts. D'jiira came to stand in front of her and placed her hands on Arizira’s shoulders.

"Forgive me. It was not my intention to upset you."

Arizira shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "You did not. Lana, there is something I need to tell you. Something of the most precious importance."

Behind D'jiira, Arizira noticed Cynta, Taetylona, Talliea and Markahn all lowering their satchels to the earth and taking seats around the base of a large oak. She knew another pause in their trek was being taken. Arizira watched as Talliea took an uncoordinated seat, before a confused look came over her face. D'jiira's voice interrupted her concern before she could contemplate mattes further.

"Are you unable to conceive children with your Esu blood?" D'jiira asked sadly. "Did I err in speaking of a family?"

Arizira hesitated. Now was the opportune time to speak to her mother of her pregnancy. The others of the group were resting their tired legs and feet while partaking of various meats and fruits. Yet, something felt peculiar. Wrong. There was an electricity in the air, as if the strike of a lightning bolt had shocked the nearby trees and left a lingering imprint in the forest. Things felt off.

"It is not that," Arizira said in a slow whisper, as her eyes focused more clearly on Talliea. The tall Esu woman was sitting on the ground only a few paces ahead of Arizira, but there was a look in her eyes that spoke of unfamiliarity and confusion. Time seemed to move slower than was normal. Arizira watched as Markahn waved over Cynra and Taetylona. The two older women came to Talliea's side and knelt beside her.

"Then what troubles you, my daughter?" D'jiira asked, oblivious to the events unfolding behind her.

Arizira did not answer. She watched Talliea, whose eyes were now completely unfocused and hazy, raise a shaky hand to her forehead before mumbling something incoherently. In the next moment, she slumped back against the base of the tree she sat in front of. Eyes rolled back into her head as she lost consciousness.

"Talliea!" Markahn's voice sounded strong and clear in the sudden silence. Arizira moved around D'jiira's tall form and toward the body of her love in one swift movement. Before Markahn's exclamation had finished leaving his lips, she was beside Yalliea with the other woman in her arms.

"Tah-li!" she cried.

Talliea's head fell against Arizira’s chest. Eyes moved rapidly behind her closed lids. Arizira ran her hand along her love's face and neck trying to find a reason for her sudden unresponsiveness.

"What happened?" D'jiira asked, catching up to the others and watching a frantic Arizira.

Markahn shook his head helplessly as he sat back on his knees. "I do not...I do not know. We were talking and she mentioned a dizziness. I asked for a respite and then...she just..." His voice trailed off as he watched the woman he loved lying motionless in the arms of another. Arizira's wide eyes continued to scan Talliea's face for answers. Her hands were frenzied and frightened tears threatened to color her cheeks.

"Failira? Can you hear me?" No response. "Wake up. Wake up, please."

The plea, spoken so earnestly and heartfelt, did nothing but fall upon deaf ears. Talliea made no indication that she heard Arizira, no hint that she was aware of her love's distress. There was nothing. Nothing that existed for her except the images dancing behind her eyes. The visions consuming her mind. The pictures of another place. Another time. The forms of other people. Other memories. Other loves…

"Stop, my love, stop. I need to rest."

Tareya slowed her steps and unhooked Ir'ra's arms from around her shoulders. Gently, she eased the other woman's body down to the ground. Ir'ra groaned as pain rippled through her limbs. Green eyes looked up into grey.

"Where do your steps lead us? We walk deeper into the countryside, yet farther away from any aid."

Tareya paced in front of Ir'ra in agitation, not happy at having to stop, but understanding the need to do so. "There is no help in the dark, in the past of our journey walked. Do you not understand? My people have become corrupt!"

Ir'ra managed to sit up straighter against the tree behind her. Her entire body ached. She had been beaten, whipped, cut, interrogated, and defiled. There was not a part of her body that did not bear the evidence of her time spent in the Esu city behind them. Dried blood mixed with deep bruises that stood out against her pale ivory skin. The shock of her white hair seemed only to enhance the brutality that had been inflicted upon her.

Licking dry lips, she attempted to calm Tareya. "Our peoples have forever been friends, my love. We can not place our faith in the decadent indulgences of one city."

Tareya whipped her head around quickly, her grey eyes softening at the sight of the battered form of her love. Kneeling before Ir'ra, she placed her hands on her knees. "We were beset by enemies the moment our feet were safely away from the Arniran tribe that watches the city. Those Esu men reacted with animosity because of us. Because of our feelings for one another! They did not follow the laws of regulation between neighboring cities and tribes. They assaulted you! They confined me. We were placed in cages like animals!"

Ir'ra shrank back from the vehemence in her lover's voice, before trying to reason with her once again. "Something afflicts them, love. We must seek the counsel of the other--"

"No!" Tareya's voice interrupted as she stood back up. "No others. We have no way of knowing if their sickness is widespread. Long have we been away from the politics of our peoples. I will not risk you on a whim."

A small smile touched Ir'ra's chapped lips. "I appreciate your concern, my love, but I am unable to heal this suffering of my body. I am in need of my people."

Tareya shook her head. "Seeking the aid of your sisters will, undoubtedly, lead us toward an Esu settlement. You know this."

"Then we can approach the E'mae'leyo at night, to ensure your people's slumber," Ir'ra countered roughly as a sharp pain radiated down her back. She could understand Tareya's concerns, but she knew she required the aid of healers were her body ever to be fully mended. Every step was met with agony, every breath a stinging fire of pain. She could not continue to walk and be with Tareya, alone as the two of them had been for so long, without the help of one of their peoples.

Finally, Tareya sighed in defeat and nodded her head slowly. She came to sit next to Ir'ra and easily cradled her worn body in her arms. "You are correct," she whispered. "We shall make for the closest E'mae'leyo once your body has rested."

The two of them sat in silence for several long moments. Occasionally, Tareya would bring a water skin to Ir'ra's lips or softly run her fingers through her hair. "There is one thing I do not understand."

Ir'ra slowly lifted her head from where it had been resting on her love's shoulder. Her tired and weary eyes gazed up in silent curiosity to Tareya's words.

"In the city past, why did the women not aid us? Why did they cower in the streets like so much vermin? Never did one invoke the power of Esuval and seek to smite those that brought us harm."

Ir'ra remained silent for a time. Her mind and body, having run on adrenaline for so long, refused to be of use to her now that she was alone and safe in the arms of Tareya. Her eyelids grew heavy, her breathing became even. She leaned into Tareya's sturdy and warm frame.

"I do not know, my love. During my captivity, I took a notice to the fact that the men of that particular city were the only ones in any positions of power. Matters of state were not governed as I was accustomed."

Tareya scrunched her brow while her fingers continued to glide through Ir'ra's white hair. "How do you know?" she asked.

"I heard whispers of a uniform group, a select number of men who controlled the city."

Tareya swallowed and stilled her fingers movements. “Controlled? What group?"

Ir'ra barely heard the question, so far gone was she to her painful and ragged state. With the last of her strength, she whispered a single name. "Lat'sa'val." Men of Light.

Talliea awoke with a sharp gasp.

Chapter 25: A Symbol of Hope

Zy'nilur dipped her head in respect to Talyn before standing back up to her full height.

"It seems fortune favors the weary, Talyn," she said in her deep and commanding timber. Her deep amethyst eyes surveyed the inside of Rae’kir with an uninterested air. Tall and compactly built with silver hair and avian like features, Zy'nilur was the epitome of a leader. Her very presence demanded and commanded respect and authority. She was a woman who was not afraid of action. Of all of Aitla's aspects, she favored that of the warrior spirit most.

Zy'nilur was a woman who was not hesitant in making hard decisions. Like others of her calling, she was revered for being both wise and authoritative. Those of her tribe valued her strength as much as they did her keen mind. She and Talyn had often times been at odds with one another because of their stark differences in ruling their respective tribes. Where Talyn was more cautious and open to negotiations, Zy'nilur was quick to action and believed force spoke louder than mere words.

That was not to say that Zy'nilur was without her own sense of understanding the nature of peace. She was no Esu, no warmongering heathen. No, like all of her people, she harbored a deep respect for nature and all of its facets. Instead of allowing events to happen, like Talyn seemed to do, Zy'nilur was more prone to allow effect to precede cause.

Talyn smiled a tight-lipped smile at Zy'nilur. "Aitla favors those with the wisdom to respect that weariness, so fortune matters little," she said diplomatically.

Smiling at Talyn's chosen words, Zy'nilur nodded. "True enough."

"You arrived earlier than we were expecting," Talyn said, choosing to change the subject. She turned her back on the other woman and walked back to the center of Rae’kir.

"What greater motivator can there be than when the Esu walk so near our borders. My sisters and I were blessed with speed on our journey here. "

"Of course," Talyn replied absentmindedly.

She heard Zy'nilur move behind her and come closer. "I expected to meet with your lead hunters. My archers mean to attack soon. What plan are we to make together to ensure this war is ended swiftly?"

At the words, Talyn turned back around and regarded Zy'nilur somberly. "My lead hunters are not to be a part of the upcoming battle, I fear."

"Why?" Zy'nilur asked sharply, her deep eyes questioning.

Talyn matched the other woman's gaze for only a moment. "Bela'luin is on another task, a personal task, for me. I will not speak of her quest to you or any other. Know only that what she seeks to do, she does for all of us."

Zy'nilur nodded and accepted the information without question. "And of Arizira? Of the Child of Whispers? Surely her destiny is at hand?"

Even among other Arniran tribes, Arizira was well-known. Though she had rarely met any of the other tribes personally, her unique appearance and generous spirit had spread to the neighboring lands like a wildfire. As she had grown into womanhood and shown a disposition in weapons and tracking, her legend had only continued to spread. Tribes to the east and west knew of the Child of Whispers. They knew she was destined for greatness and that that greatness would impact them all in some way.

Talyn's throat tightened at the question. She had known Arizira would come up, just as she had known speaking of her death would tear at the spirit of the Arnian people. "Arizira is..." Talyn paused and fought to compose herself.

Zy'nilur narrowed her eyes and pressed the issue. "Arizira is what? Is she on some fool’s errand as well? My archers would be heartened to have her lead them into battle. Surely she is the spirit of our people."

"Arizira fell in the recent battle," Talyn said quickly before Zy'nilur could say anything further.

"Fell?" Zy'nilur managed to get out before her emotions tried to consume her. She had only met the younger woman once before, but once had been enough. Arizira had been a woman with a kind and calm presence. She had inspired others simply by her demeanor and of her love for life. Zy'nilur had never been able to quite place what it was about Arizira that was so endearing, if it was the legend surrounding her or the young woman herself, but whatever it had been had become the hope many Arnira thrived upon.

Arizira had become a symbol, a symbol of what it meant to be Arnira. She embodied all the traits and aspects of Aitla herself. Her goodness, her wisdom, her playful nature and her unconquerable curiosity, all had come to be the very essence of the Arniran people and they lived in one body.

One spirit.

They had lived in Arizira Ahmanae, the Child of Whispers, and that symbol of hope was gone. Cut down by some day walker who most assuredly had no idea how important Arizira was.

Or had been.

Zy'nilur shook her head slowly, looking more aghast than Talyn had ever seen, and took a step back. "H-how? What happened? Did you retrieve her body? Administer her last rites? Where is she, for I wish to pay my respects."

Talyn walked back toward Zy'nilur and placed her hands on the other woman's broad shoulders. She shook her head sadly and exhaled sharply. "The story is long and is not yours to know. We were unable to recover her body. There was an unseen fo--"

"What?" Zy'nilur asked heatedly as she pulled away.

"Zy--"

"You did not recover her body? You allowed her spirit to suffer? The time for the rites has passed! She can not be with Aitla now! You have doomed her to an eternity of suffering! The Child of Whispers! Why?"

Talyn tried to remain calm as her companion's ire continued to grow. She had expected this type of response. Arizira's death was not just a hardship for her tribe. Once the other tribes learned of it, the knowledge would only dampen her sisters' spirits and possibly deter them from engaging the Esu in any way. Either that, or they would use Arizira's death to fuel their fury and seek justice in her name.

"She was taken by an Esu woman." Talyn said gently.

"Esu woman? Why was a woman on the battlefield? I thought the Esu treated their women like property."

Talyn wrapped an arm around Zy'nilur's shoulders and turned them back toward the center of Rae’kir. "Come, my friend. There is much you do not know. The Esu woman was, and still is, a part of Arizira's destiny."

"How?"

"Come, let us speak," Talyn said, leading them into an adjoining chamber set off to the left of the main room of Rae’kir.

The next several hours were spent retelling Zy'nilur everything that had transpired the last half year. Talyn told the other woman of the Esu's arrival. She told her of Cynra's departure and of her vague prophecies of Arizira's love for a day walker. She told Zy'nilur of her own troubles in knowing which path was correct for her to take and of how Bela'luin had managed to get the other Elders' approval to march against the Esu clan.

All the while, as Zy'nilur listened, she could not stop herself from feeling displaced. Before, as she had been marching toward Talyn's tribe, she had told herself and her sisters that they were doing what was right. They were defending their ancestral lands and defeating their ancient enemy of old.

There had been a sense of righteousness to their cause that Zy'nilur had used to embolden her sisters. Now, learning of Arizira's death and of the circumstances surrounding that death, Zy'nilur found herself no longer as certain as she had been before.

What power gave such ability to this Esu woman, this woman Talyn claimed was the great love, the Doira'Liim, of the Child of Whispers? How were they to combat someone with such grand and majestic power if the woman chose to intervene? Fighting the Esu was one thing. Raising bow and blade against a woman who commanded the power of a god was another.

Would the Esu woman aid them or would she view them as her enemy? Who was to say that she was not far into the west this very moment? What purpose would she have in remaining behind?

Zy'nilur did not have all of the answers, and that alone was something that left her feeling unsettled. Matters had quickly become far more complicated than she had ever thought. Instead of leading a charge against the Esu in the valley, she now had to tell her sisters of the death of the Child of Whispers and of a rogue Esu woman whose intentions were as shrouded as the dark of the nighttime sky.

* * * * *

"Tah-li?"

Arizira's voice sounded far away to Talliea. Though her eyes were open, she could make out nothing definitive in her immediate field of vision. Everything appeared blurred and hazy. Unfocused. She blinked several times in an effort to clear her sight. Gentle, yet frantic, fingers brushed through her hair and she felt soft lips against her forehead.

"Ahmanae?" she whispered, closing her eyes again.

She felt dizzy and nauseous. An ache, fierce in its attempt to hammer inside her head, could be felt behind her eyes. The high sun above did little to help the pain and she pushed her face farther into Arizira's chest to shield herself from it. The calming scent of pine and earth helped to ground her and she released an unsteady breath.

"Tah-li, I have you. You are safe, failira." To emphasize her words, Arizira pulled Talliea's body closer to her own and wrapped her arms about her frame more securely.

"What happened to you, child?" Cynra asked, kneeling next to Talliea.

Slowly, Talliea opened her eyes again. D'jiira had moved to stand with her back to the sun and her tall form helped to block some of the harsh light. Markahn knelt to the side with both Taetylona and Cynra to his right. Taetylona was still standing, her almond eyes showing the concern she felt.

"I am okay," Talliea said in a low voice.

None of her companions seemed to relax at her words. If anything, they appeared even more anxious. Tilting her head up, she looked into Arizira's mesmerizing and shining blue eyes. The look of panic and fear, laced with love and adoration, startled her.

"I am okay, love," she said in a stronger tone.

Arizira smiled softly and nodded her head. She helped Talliea to sit up and quickly offered her some water, which Talliea took.

"What happened?" This time, the question was posed by Markahn. The Esu man's grey eyes were lined with tears that were quickly fading. His face, dark and handsome, spoke of his worry.

Talliea cleared her throat and took another sip of water from the skin. She attempted to order her thoughts and recall everything she had just witnessed. Voices and names and places floated around inside of her skull, all unorganized and without any meaning. She shook her head. It was not the first time she had been visited by such images. Before the group had set out on their journey, and before Markahn and D'jiira had joined them, Talliea had dreamed of the same two women once before.

In the dream, she had witnessed a starling and awe-inspiring sight. A woman, Esu like herself, had called down lightning from the sky and used it to assault groups of Esu men who were attacking her. The setting had been unknown to Talliea. Tall buildings and structures had lined cobbled streets with immaculate stone houses and shops covered by brightly colored awnings.

Talliea had known, somehow, that the setting had been that of some ancient Esu settlement. How she knew that was unknown. She had watched, in the dream, as the Esu woman had commanded powers much like her own to carve a destructive path through the attacking men. She had watched women and children crying in the streets before the vision had shifted and an Arniran woman had come into focus.

At the time, Talliea had not thought overmuch on the dream. There had been too much else occupying her thoughts. She had only recently been reunited with Arizira; the two of them had made love only hours before and so Talliea's mind had not pondered if her dream held any other significance.

Afterward, Cynra and Taetylona had returned and later Markahn and D'jiira had joined them. However, her most recent vision left her wondering if there was something larger at work. Why was she seeing these two women? Who were they? What part were they to play in future affairs? A lot of what the women spoke of made very little sense to Talliea.

She did not understand many of the terms they used, nor did she know much of the geography they spoke of. What she did understand was the anger the Esu woman felt. She experienced it as if it were her own. The fury the woman had felt over the actions of the Esu men left her own blood boiling. She cried inside for the atrocities afflicted upon the Arniran woman by their hands.

What if it were Arizira who had suffered like that woman had? What if men of her clan defiled Arizira as the Esu men from her visions had done to the Arniran? She knew she would feel exactly as the Esu woman had. The fear and panic that both women felt, the sense of dread at their situation, still weighed heavily upon Talliea, even with her now being awake.

She looked up into the many sets of eyes regarding her. "I was given a vision," she began slowly.

Cynra leaned closer to her. "A vision? Visions are gifts from Aitla. She rules the realm of the mind and of dreams to come. It is how she communicates with those of my kind."

Talliea shook her head. "I am unsure to whom I should accredit these dreams."

"Dreams? There has been more than the one?" Arizira asked, interrupting Talliea.

Nodding her head and averting her eyes, Talliea replied, "Yes, love. There was another after we...reunited. It occurred like any other dream, so my mind was able to overlook it."

"What are these visions about?" Arizira asked, concerned.

Talliea shook her head and looked up at the faces surrounding her. Each was lined with both worry and curiosity. "Both have shown me the same two women. Women my eyes have never before seen."

"What do you know of these women?" D'jiira asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Talliea shook her head again and shrugged. "I do not know. One is Esu, the other Arnira."

Shocked faces met her words. Arizira looked around, first to her mother then to Cynra and finally back to Talliea. "Like us?" she asked in a small voice.

Talliea rubbed a hand across her forehead before answering. "Yes and no. I do not know their names, for they call each other "my love" and "failira."

"Like the two of you," Taetylona murmured.

Again, Talliea nodded. "I do not believe these two women are from this age. The setting for them is...different. I can not explain. They speak of places and events I have no knowledge of."

"What do they say?" D'jiira asked.

Talliea sat in thought for a moment and allowed her mind to replay everything she had heard in her vision. The idea that she was receiving some kind of message or information was odd to her. Despite accepting whatever destiny she had, there was a part of her that was still hesitant to believe all that was happening to her and to her friends.

She was doing what she believed was right. She was more sure in her powers now, though she understood only the basics of their origins. When she was inside her power, when she allowed it to overcome her and course through her entire body, everything made sense. For those brief moments, she knew who she was, who Arizira was, and what was happening everywhere in the world.

She was omnipotent in those moments, but as soon as she released the power all of that certainty was gone as well. It was for that very reason that Talliea felt so divided over matters; why she went from sure to reluctant seemingly one day to the next. Now, to add to her confusion, she was having visions or dreams of a time that was not her own, concerning women she did not know. Were the visions meant to aid her in her future quest? Were they the edge she needed to bring peace to the Esu and the Arnira?

How were dreams and images meant to help her in anyway? How were they going to aid her against combat and warfare and hatred?

The pain behind her eyes began to pound the longer she thought on matters. Looking up at D'jiira, who looked so much like Arizira, despite her dark skin and eyes, Talliea answered, "The last thing my mind holds is mention of a new power rising. A select group that was responsible for horrible pain and suffering and sacrilege."

At her words, all present became more interested. She felt Arizira's fingers still running through her hair and the action helped to calm much of her upset.

"What group?" Markahn asked, his eyes briefly watching the tender way Arizira touched Talliea.

Talliea licked her lips before speaking. "The woman from my dream, the Arniran woman, spoke of the Lat'sa'val.”

Markahn sat up straighter and appeared taken aback. Talliea had said the Lat'sa'val were responsible for "horrible pain and suffering." That couldn't be correct. His Order was about the preservation of the edicts of Esuval. It was about maintaining structure in a chaotic world and adhering to the principles of their people. Now, recently his brothers had become more fanatical in their views, but certainly they were not responsible for something such as a "sacrilege."

D'jiira nodded and a sly smirk touched her lips. "I can not argue with that. Though our past is lost to us, many of my people are aware of the atrocities committed by the Lat'sa'val. The exact truths behind that awareness are no longer known to us, only the memory of how our forebears were driven into flight in order to live as they chose. These women whose figures dance inside your mind could very well be from the long forgotten past."

Talliea appeared startled at D'jiira's words. The thought had crossed her mind, but she had not allowed that thought to fully take shape. She, too, had been of the belief that what the visions were showing her had something to do with the past, but even believing that did little to allow her to understand what that something was.

Turning her eyes away from Markahn and to D'jiira, she asked, "Do you know what an E'mae'leyo is? The name was mentioned, but it is unfamiliar to me."

D'jiira furrowed her brow and shook her head. "No, I am sorry. Part of the word is familiar, but the rest is not. 'Leyo' is my people's word for 'settlement' but I am unsure what the rest of the word means. " She looked in Arizira's direction before catching Cynra's eyes. "Is anything known to you in the word?"

Cynra's light purple eyes appeared distant, as if she were in some deep thought or another. Shaking her head slowly, she kept her eyes unfocused, appearing unable to completely leave her contemplations. "No, nothing is familiar to me. The Arniran language has changed very little, to my knowledge, but surely there must be phrases or words that have been lost in the annals of time."

Talliea spoke up then, beginning to feel much of her fatigue and dizziness fade away, and asked "Why am I having these visions? Apart from incapacitating me, they serve little use."

"If you fall to your mind, we could suffer a worse fate," Taetylona said.

"Agreed," spoke Cynra. "If we come before Talyn with you in a deep sleep, she would take heart in our return, but view the others as prisoners of war. Long has it been since I last spoke with Talyn. The state of our affairs could be a chill wind turned ill. We have no way of knowing how our approach will be received. Apart from Markahn and Taetylona, who are Esu from the valley, there would be the matter of you, D'jiira. I am uncertain how Talyn would fare with the knowledge of your existence."

"I will look after, Tah-li, no matter her state when we arrive before the Arnira. There is still the matter of my return. By your account, Nai'lana, Talyn believes me to be dead. Surely she would overlook our odd company in favor of the Child of Whispers’ return from the dead. Either Talyn will allow us audience, or she will not," Arizira explained, offering a possible different outcome to their predicament.

Talliea shook her head and sat up a bit more. Arizira stayed close at her side and continued to rub soothing patterns across her neck and back. "You take a lot upon yourself, love. If matters turn against you and you are not welcome upon your return, what then shall the lot of you do without my power to protect you? You ask me to risk you and our--"

Arizira inhaled quickly and gave Talliea a pleading look. Talliea looked up and noticed D'jiira eyeing them suspiciously. "--our friends," she finished poorly.

"Look, we can debate this until the moon takes over the sky and we will stay be no closer to an answer," D'jiira said, holding a hand up to her brow and peering into the distance beyond them. "Our goal is to come before the Arnira and attempt peace. That has not changed. We can not allow these visions to change that course. There is a change in the world, a change others will either accept or be driven into despair. Long have we all believed the other to be myth or lost in history. Your people," D'jiira pointed to Markahn, "believed the Arnira to be nothing but childhood tales. My own people had long since forgotten the dark history of your kind, just as my daughter's people believed the both of us to be myth."

Subtle nods came from every member of the group before D'jiira continued. "Now, we are all here -- together. We are all seeking answers to larger puzzles, both personal and otherwise. Whatever happens, we shall face it together. Of the two peoples, the Arnira will be the most willing to lend us an ear."

Arizira smiled up at her mother with pride. The older woman was very much like herself and, again, Arizira found herself fascinated with D'jiira. There was a kind of strength inside of her mother that both intrigued and humbled Arizira.

"You are wise and of great help to this party," Taetylona said, eyeing D'jiira with new respect.

D'jiira dipped her head in acknowledgment before offering a hand down to Talliea. Talliea took the proffered hand and was easily hauled to her feet. Arizira dusted her off and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Their journey continued.

* * * * *

Later that night, as the rest of the group slept, Arizira sat a few feet away keeping watch. She was lost in her thoughts as her eyes glowed from the moon above. The sky was an inky blackness dotted with a multitude of shimmering stars, and Aitla was full and bright in her glorious splendor.

Arizira allowed herself to enter a meditative-like state as she sat in solitude. She was still aware of everything happening around her. Her senses still detected every new scent that blew on the wind, heard each breath Talliea took. She would be ready to strike if any threat presented itself, but she allowed her thoughts to take over inside her mind. She allowed them to collide with one another and expand upon themselves.

A lot had happened since she had been reunited with Talliea. A lot had happened before she had been reunited with Talliea. She had learned of her parents and of her own heritage. She'd had her suspicions over being pregnant confirmed by Cynra, who she later learned was her grandmother. The mother of her nurture mother, Iolirthas. Iolirthas whose spirit presented itself in the form of a wolf.

The wolf was revered among Aitla. No other animal or spirit was believed by the Arnira to be more important to their goddess. It was their belief that Aitla used the wolf to embody her own essence and then walked the earth in that sacred form. Was her mother a messenger from Aitla? Why had her spirit not passed to the stars? What had kept her lingering all these years? Had she always been present or was she only around now due to the nature of the world?

Thinking about Iolirthas, Arizira suddenly realized that she had not seen the wolf the past few days. How were they all communicating without Iolirthas? Why was her nurture mother not present? Arizira wondered how D'jiira would react to the news of Iolirthas's fate. Did she know?

Arizira sighed and continued to breath deeply and slowly. She heard Talliea mummer something softly in her sleep and her ears immediately tuned into her love. Minutes passed as Arizira assured herself that Talliea was safe. She wondered if her love would wake up when it was time to depart or if she would be unresponsive like she had been before.

The thought frightened Arizira. She was unsure what to expect with Talliea's newfound visions. A part of her hoped that whatever Talliea was being shown would somehow prove useful, but she hated not being able to wake her love. Never had she felt such panic as when Talliea had lain nearly lifeless against her and not responded to her pleas.

A single tear slipped from her eye, but she was unaware of it. Unconsciously, Arizira placed a hand over her lower stomach. A sense of calm overcame her and she smiled. Her thoughts turned toward her child. She knew that what she sought to do she did for her daughter. Her baby was a child much like herself, a child from two different people, who would have to learn what it meant to be both Esu and Arnira.

Arizira frowned.

She did not even know what it meant to be Esu. How was she to teach her daughter Esu values, when she did not know them herself? She was, by her understanding, Arniran and yet she was more than that. She was half Esu. Esu, yes, but from a completely different group than Talliea.

Arizira suddenly realized that the child she carried was amazingly unique. She was a part of every faction that was to play a part in the coming war. She was Arnira, like Arizira and she was Esu, like Talliea, just as she was Esu, like D'jiira.

Three distinctly different peoples with an intricately woven history, and her baby was a part of all of them. She was a symbol of hope and unity. Arizira rubbed her lower abdomen absentmindedly while her thoughts continued to dance behind her eyes. Long moments passed as she sat in silence.

A soft sound caught her attention and she turned her head, eyes still closed, to better focus on it. The sound came again, this time closer. Arizira listened and determined it was the sound of feet against the forest floor. Another minute of listening informed her of who was awake. Her heart beat faster knowing all was well with her love, that she had awakened without difficulty.

"Failira, you should be asleep."

Talliea came up behind her and wrapped her body in her arms. Pressing Arizira's back to her front, she rested her chin on the smaller woman's shoulder. "I cannot sleep without you. You make me feel safe," Talliea whispered back, her breath teasing the sensitive skin of Arizira's neck.

Arizira smiled and turned her head so that their foreheads were touching. She remembered Talliea saying similar words long before they ever admitted their feelings for one another.

"Come lie with me, love."

Arizira sighed and rubbed her nose against Talliea's. All was quiet around them except for the deep breathing of the others. The moon above was full and bright and its white light shined down upon them. Arizira's eyes took in the way the luminescent glow of the moon seemed only to enhance Talliea's features.

"You are so beautiful," she whispered, nearly to herself.

Talliea smiled back at her and held her tighter against her body. "So are you, love. You are my faerie."

Arizira laughed, unable to stop herself. The unexpected gesture felt good. Again, she was reminded of an earlier time; her first conversation with Talliea.

"Do you remember my thinking you were a faerie when first we met?"

Arizira nodded, still laughing softly. She turned slightly in Talliea's arms and reached out to run her fingers gently down a tan cheek. "I remember, Tah-li."

"I thought you were the most magnificent creature I had ever seen. Magic and beauty in one body. From the moment I met you, you made me feel safe. Even now with the powers I command, I still need you to help me feel that way. Come lie down with me, Ahmanae."

Arizira nodded. She and Talliea stood up and silently made their way to their bedding. Talliea laid down first and held out her arms for Arizira, who a moment later snuggled down beside her. The wolf hide blanket was tossed over their bodies and all was quiet again.

"I do not fancy this sense of doom and unknowing that seems always to hang over us," Arizira whispered.

Talliea, lying behind Arizira with her arm thrown over her middle, fingers brushing across a soon to be growing belly, simply rubbed her nose across the back of Arizira's neck. She kissed the skin near to her lips and exhaled happily. Inside, she found herself laughing at how she and Arizira seemed to switch the roles of being upset and being a sense of comfort from one night to the next. There were any number of things that she could think about that would leave her feeling as Arizira described, but currently she was as content as she could be.

Lying next to Arizira, wrapped around her body and inhaling her calming scent, was all Talliea needed to create a feeling of normalcy. "Just lie here with me. Let your mind find rest until the morning," Talliea whispered back, her voice already slurring and becoming heavier.

Another few moments passed as Arizira attempted to calm her racing mind. "Tah-li, please do not leave me like you did before. Do not go where I am unable." The words were a broken plea, hoarse and rough.

Arizira waited for a response, but none was forthcoming. Talliea had already fallen asleep, safe and secure next to her love. Sighing one more time, Arizira intertwined her fingers with Talliea's, which rested on her stomach, and quickly feel asleep.

Chapter 26: A Red Haze

"Your delay in action will only cause further pain to the tribes!"

"It was action, haste and harsh, that brought about devastation before! How can you speak of another bloody assault so soon in the dusk of past events?"

Zy'nilur and Talyn faced one another, each flushed with anger at the other. The two of them had been in one heated argument or discussion for most of the last night. Aitla had passed from the sky long ago and still the two tribal leaders had remained, each seeking to sway the other to her point of view.

Talyn did not wish to engage the Esu so soon after their last battle. It was her belief that too much blood had been spilled already. Her plan was to fortify defenses to give Bela'luin a chance to succeed and to use scouts to keep track of the Esu clan’s movements, if any. She did not desire to take an offensive stance unless she had no other choice.

Zy'nilur, on the other hand, had no use for sitting and waiting. She had not marched across the Menderway with her best archers so they could do nothing but remain idle. She believed Talyn's delays were what had caused matters to be as they currently were. If Talyn had just eradicated the Esu at the first sign of trouble, perhaps the Child of Whispers would yet be alive and well.

No, waiting was not the answer. The Esu, according to legend and myth, were a ruthless enemy. They would not hesitate in their attack, nor would they offer mercy or show compassion. Their assault would be brutal, yet efficient. They could attack during the day and gain the full advantage of their god's powers.

Zy'nilur wished to exact revenge upon those who had murdered Arizira. She wished to do her spirit one last honor. By going to battle in Arizira's name, the Arnira could avenge her and, mayhap, allow her spirit to find Aitla.

"I will not allow idle hands to dictate matters. My sisters and I are going to march on the Esu. Today. The Child of Whispers will be remembered and avenged."

Talyn exhaled and her shoulders slumped, giving her a defeated appearance. Once again, it appeared that she was to be overruled. None wished to even consider peace. Zy'nilur was under the belief that the Esu had killed Arizira. Talyn had not told her anything different. Apart from M'kesei, Bela'luin's second, only she knew the truth surrounding Arizira's death. Everyone else assumed she had fallen at the hands of one of the Esu.

That was how Talyn wished to keep things, for the time being. Her people were facing enough adversity without adding such sorrow needlessly. Bela'luin was paying for her act, just as she was also trying to atone for it by seeking Arizira's love.

"Are you truly to stand in my way when the spirit of Arizira Ahmanae is at stake? My sisters will grieve at the knowledge of her death. They will despair, but from those dark feelings shall come a fury the Esu can not match. Once this battle is over we shall celebrate, but not for our victory. We shall celebrate the Child of Whispers’ life and these forests shall sing with her memory."

Talyn shook her head slowly, but held Zy'nilur's deep purple eyes. The other leader was correct. She could not stand in the way, not without revealing the truth of who had killed Arizira. There was little she could do except accept matters. Zy'nilur was going to assault the Esu with or without her and her hunters.

She could not allow others to die because of her failure to act. Despite not wanting to admit such, Talyn found herself suddenly realizing the cold and hard truth: There was to be no peace nor any hope for it. Before she could respond to Zy'nilur, a new presence caught her attention. Adesriel stood near the entrance of Rae’kir.

"Yes?" Talyn asked in a tired voice.

Adesriel bowed and saluted to both women. "Nai'iris, I bring news from one of our scouts. The Esu have been spotted a half day's march from here. They move like a sickness across the forest, soon to be before us."

Zy'nilur looked to Talyn. Her eyes were hard and her face resolute. "How many?" she asked Adesriel.

Adesriel stood on the sides of her feet in a nervous gesture. She licked her dry lips before saying, "Several score. A comparable force to our own. Nearly the whole of their camp has emptied."

Talyn visibly paled before looking at Zy'nilur. She had not been expecting such a move by the Esu. At least not so soon. What were they hoping to accomplish? Did they truly believe they could win against her people?

Unless...

Talyn stepped around Zy'nilur and looked straight into Adesriel's unsure eyes. "Was a woman glanced among their numbers?"

"A w-woman, Nai'iris?" Adesriel asked.

"Yes! The Esu woman from the clearing! Is she among them? Does she march into battle against us?

Adesriel shook her head. "No, Nai'iris. The scout did not report such."

Talyn sighed heavily and closed her eyes, thanking Aitla for small miracles. A moment later, Adesriel cleared her throat. "Nai'iris, what shall I tell the hunters? Do we prepare for war and assemble to meet them, or do we tighten defenses against a siege?"

The question caused a heavy feeling to settle in the air. Zy'nilur watched Talyn carefully while Adesriel waited expectantly for an answer. All grew quiet, so much so that Talyn could hear every beat of her heart. It seemed to be the only sound she was capable of hearing.

Loud. Pronounced. Emphasized.

The thumping cadence was as if a lament, a portent to what awaited.

Talyn attempted to breathe normally. The sound of the act was drowned by the pounding of her heart inside her ears. She had never desired to be the one to make such decisions. Her people were peaceful. They were trackers and hunters and they believed in the spirits of nature and of an eternal cycle of life and death. They did not believe in war and bloodshed. Such things presented themselves, of course, but the Arnira were a people who tried to avoid violence.

Talyn wished Arizira was alive. The younger woman always had a way of bringing clarity to any situation. She was as wise as she was kind and Talyn found herself greatly desiring her long lost company. She wondered where Cynra was. Was the Dream Speaker still alive? Had she been caught in the battle, killed by the Esu woman's power?

It did not matter. Neither of those two women--those friends--were able to help her now. She alone had to make the difficult decisions. She finally looked up and held Adesriel's gaze. "Tell the hunters to prepare for immediate departure. We are going to engage the Esu."

"We are to assemble during the reign of the sun?" Adesriel questioned, looking as if she had heard Talyn incorrectly.

"Yes. They move quickly. Our time is spent. Gather our warriors. Tell them we march to avenge the Child of Whispers."

* * * * *

The smell of smoke, acrid and irritating, caught Tareya before she and Ir'ra came before the Arniran tribe they had been so desperately trying to reach. The heat was caustic. Heavy plumes could be eyed seeking escape in the dark sky above. As Tareya slowed her pace, Ir'ra lying still in her arms, she could vaguely make out the sounds of voices coming from the burned remains of the tribe.

Ir'ra moaned in her arms. Stark streaks of orange, blue, and yellow danced on blackened pieces of wood and the crackling sounds of several fires were loud in Tareya's ears. She looked down into her love's face, managing to tear her eyes away from the horrific scene before her. "Stay with me, love," she pleaded with Ir'ra. "Help is near."

Tareya could feel herself beginning to panic. The Arnira in this part of the forest were the only ones for several more days' walking. They were the only hope Ir'ra had of healing. Since the two of them had decided to seek such aid, Ir'ra's condition had only declined. She had lost the strength to walk on her own, resulting in Tareya having to carry her the rest of the way.

The previous day, Ir'ra had stopped eating and drinking. Despite Tareya's pleas for her to look after herself, Ir'ra had refused, stating that she felt too sick to eat. Her breathing was shallow and short, her color pallid, and her body heated and flushed.

The many bruises and cuts marring her body were still vivid and harsh against her skin. Dark purples and deep blues marked her pale and nearly lifeless flesh. Since Tareya had been forced to carry her, all Ir'ra had done was moan and mumble incoherently.

Tareya was beside herself with grief. She was stricken with a sickness of her spirit. Her love was sick, possibly dying, and there was nothing she could personally do to help her. She had walked, nonstop, for more than a day with only one thought in mind: Get Ir'ra to an Arniran healer.

Having to try to avoid the Esu settlement some distance to the south had only added to the time Tareya already did not possess. Now having finally come to her destination, the place where all her hopes lay, Tareya found the Arnira in ruins. Their homes were burning, their crops and fields ravished. Everywhere she looked, she saw signs of a recent battle. Weapons lay here and there, foodstuffs were scattered in the dirt, and torn bits of clothing were spied in the chaos.

"Failira..."

Tareya started and looked back down at Ir'ra. "I am here, my love. I brought you to your people. Rest now. All will be well soon."

Ir'ra struggled to open her eyes. Even in the dark, they did not shine as brightly as they normally did. She coughed several times before she was finally able to get her body to cooperate with her. "I love you," Ir'ra whispered hoarsely.

The truth cut into Tareya like a blade. She tightened her throat in an effort to keep herself from crying. Smiling, what she hoped was her most reassuring smile, she replied, "And I, you."

Ir'ra attempted a smile before losing consciousness again. Tareya remained standing where she was for another moment. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Her emotions were frayed, thin. She felt as if the world were soon to cave in on top of her. Nothing made sense. She could not understand what was happening. Why had a group of her people attacked and imprisoned her and Ir'ra? What were the powers she could still feel seething beneath the surface of her mind, waiting for her command to seek restitution? Who had attacked the Arniran village before her?

Tareya shuddered. She could venture a guess, but her heart refused to believe such. She had prayed that the last Esu settlement she and Ir'ra had been to was an isolated incident. However, looking at the smoking remains before her, she began to doubt.

"Halt!" A sudden voice split into the silence.

Tareya stiffened and looked toward the sound. Three Arnira stood to her right. Each bore the evidence of battle. Blood seeped from various wounds. Soot and ash covered normally green and brown armors. Weapons were held in each woman's hands, and bright shining eyes looked upon Tareya with suspicion.

"Identify yourself!" a strong looking woman in the front of the other two demanded.

Tareya turned toward them to do as they had asked, but before she could speak her name, the women raised their weapons and pointed them at her. "An Esu!" one woman cried.

Tareya could feel an anger burning deep inside of herself. She did not have time for this! Ir'ra was dying! She had seen enough of her surroundings to deduce that another group of Esu, possibly very much like the one that had captured her and Ir'ra, had attacked the tribe of Arnira before her. She could understand their pain and their feelings of betrayal, but she was not responsible! She was only responsible for Ir'ra, her love. Despite feeling for the women before her and what they had obviously suffered, Tareya needed them to help Ir'ra, not point accusing fingers at her.

"I am not your enemy," she said in a slow and strained voice.

She could feel the anger inside of her growing. It was the power from before and it was akin to a rage. It felt powerful and unstoppable. Tareya felt its righteous fury and reveled in it. It was violence, the kind that often followed a gruesome attack and was justified by most accounts.

"That remains to be seen," the lead Arnira said.

"She carries a sister with her, an acolyte from her clothing," the third Arnira said to the first. The lead Arnira stepped forward, her long, blood covered blade still in her hand. "Lower the woman in your arms to the ground. We will take care of our own."

Tareya turned her head pointedly and looked at the Arnira. She was powerfully built with toned muscled arms and shoulders. Her eyes were purple, her hair silver, and her features both beautiful and commanding.

"She is not your own. Her care is mine. We were attacked and seek a healer."

All three Arnira exchanged glances, their weapons still at the ready. One woman held a bow, its notched arrow aimed directly at Tareya. "No Esu will enter our tribe, not after the assault they led against us! The bodies of your people are soon to be burned and released to whatever god you now believe in. We will care for our sister, but you are to leave this place. Now. We shall not suffer your kind to walk amongst us. Your people have broken the pact. There is no friendship between us any longer."

Tareya's breathing became more pronounced. Her body practically hummed with power. She could feel the shocking electricity in her muscles and deep inside her bones. A red rage covered her other senses. Time and space became meaningless as she felt the power inside of her continue to pulse.

"I am not your enemy," she stated again. Her body crackled with a reddish-yellow glow. "I only come before you to seek your aid. We were att--"

The lead Arnira stepped forward and shoved Tareya back. "We will help our own, but you we shall not allow to pass. Your people have brought a blemish to these once pristine lands. Even now, we receive word of other tribes under assault at the hands of your people. Leave the acolyte with us, then depart from our borders."

"No, I will not leave her. You shall treat her and then we shall both be on our way."

As Tareya spoke, her voice sounded as if many persons' speech were overlapping with her own. The power around her became visible and warped the space around her. Ir'ra, still held in her arms, remained oblivious to what was happening. Thunder sounded in the sky and a chill took to the air.

"What is happening?" the second Arnira asked, her glowing olive colored eyes looking in shock around her.

The lead Arnira noticed the energy around Tareya. She noticed the dark hue of her eyes and the way she appeared to be the focal point for whatever was occurring around them. Wind picked up behind her and began to swirl the debris at her feet.

"It is the Esu! She attempts to finish what her people started!" she yelled.

At her words, the Arnira with the bow released her arrow. The projectile sailed through the air in a rush. It never met its mark. Before connecting with Tareya, the arrow changed trajectory, mid-air, and flew back in the direction of the shooter. It landed in the center of the Arnira's chest.

"No!" the lead Arnira screamed. Seeing her companion fall to the ground incited a madness in her. She turned on Tareya and raised her blade. The other Arnira twirled two short blades in her hands and rushed forward to help her sister.

Tareya watched them come. Ir'ra remained in her arms, her head lolling against her love's arms. "I do not wish to hurt you," Tareya said. Her eyes were pitch black and the reddish crackling energy coursing across her body continued to coil around her.

The lead Arnira yelled a warrior cry, her blade raised and ready to make a killing strike. Tareya looked at her, their eyes meeting, and jerked her head to the side. The woman was sent flying in the same direction where she fell against a small collection of rocks. She attempted to stand back up, blood spilling from her mouth, but Tareya kept her down. She was soon to be gone from this life regardless.

"I only wish to save my love,” Tareya said. “Please."

Her words were not heard by the remaining Arnira. In the chaos, she had managed to get close enough to strike Tareya in the shoulder. Her blade cut deep, nicking bone and skin alike. Tareya screamed in rage, the blow nearly causing her to drop Ir'ra.

Her power consumed her then. She did not allow mercy or compassion to play any part in her actions. The Esu and the Arnira both were her enemy. They each sought to attack, imprison, or harm her or Ir'ra. All she desired was a way to help Ir'ra. That was all. She had not asked for her people to become senseless murderers and sadists. She had not asked for them to attack the Arnira and break a generations-old pact.

Yet, they had and now the Arnira, once friends and allies, could not see her as anything other than a killer. They were her last hope to save Ir'ra and they could not look past recent events and see that she was not their enemy. She had never been so. She and Ir'ra had seen past the physical and cultural differences that marked each of their peoples and, through that, had come to see the spirit of one another. They had found love and been happy.

Long had they traveled together, seeing the world, and enjoying each other. Now that was soon to end. Ir'ra was slipping from her. She could feel it. Yet, she could do nothing to stop it. Ir'ra had told her that they shared a spirit, that she had never felt the kind of connection that she experienced with Tareya with any other.

Tareya had always taken heart in that. She, too, had never known the connection she shared with Ir'ra. But all of that mattered for very little. She did not know how to save Ir'ra. She did not know how to make things right in the world again. Everywhere she turned, there was nothing but conflict and enemies. Where before her world had been peace and happiness and friendship, now it was tarnished and ugly and full of hate.

The last Arnira flipped her short blades in her hands and moved in for another attack. Tareya screamed, the sound causing the already falling Arniran homes to crumble to the forest floor. She used her abilities to lift the Arnira high into the sky. The woman's weapons fell from her hands as she struggled to regain control of her body. Tareya, a red haze obscuring most of her body, as well as Ir'ra's, sent the young Arnira flying back in the direction of her still burning home.

She fell into a heap on top of one of the tree homes her people used. Flames still licked greedily at the wood. The fire burned at her skin, but her quick reflexes saved her life before any real damage could be inflicted.

Tareya remained still and quiet standing outside of the Arniran outpost. Her breathing was still ragged and quick. The power refused to release her. She looked down at Ir'ra's gentle face and felt tears on her cheeks. "All I want to do is save you," she cried.

Looking around at the carnage she had just added to the destruction around her, Tareya released a gravid breath and began to walk away. Help would not be found here.

Unknown to her, the slight pack on Ir'ra's back fell to the ground. The cloth satchel held little, but for several scrolls and pieces of parchment Ir'ra had written about the two of them, their journey, and their inspiring and prodigious connection. Also unknown to Tareya was the knowledge that the last woman she had attacked still lived.

Chapter 27: Future's Promise

Talliea awoke suddenly.

Her heart was racing inside her chest and her whole body had broken out in a cold sweat. She looked around her and noticed the others still slept. Cynra and Taetylona were lying next to one another, a shared blanket covering them both. Markahn slept fitfully a short distance away, his face painting a picture of the, no doubt, conflicting dreams his mind showed him.

Ever since the day before when she had given the information about the Lat'sa'val, Markahn had been quiet and distant. Talliea felt for him, she truly did. Having one's world view thrown into question was hardly easy. She herself had dealt with similar issues, but there was too much else to worry about apart than Markahn.

At such a thought, Talliea turned and looked down to her right. Her heart began to beat faster, but for an entirely different reason. Instead of being bombarded with images of unknown women and horrific deaths, Talliea instead gazed upon a fair-skinned face, soft and pouty lips, long eyelashes, and a straight nose. Her eyes took in the gentle arch of slightly dark, yet delicate eyebrows, silvery-blonde hair, and gently tapered ears.

Arizira.

Talliea smiled, feeling some of her trepidation and anxiety from her nightmares beginning to fade away. She turned as quietly as she could and faced her love. Briefly, she wondered why Arizira had not awoken when she had, but quickly dismissed the thought. Arizira had been scared the night before. Talliea had felt it. Experienced it. Arizira's fears had been about her, about her visions and how they affected her. She had very likely lain awake for most of the night, watching over Talliea and reassuring herself that she was safe, before finally attempting any sleep herself.

Talliea sighed sadly and allowed her fingers to tenderly caress Arizira's cheek. She wished Arizira would not worry about her so. She needed to take care of herself. Their baby required it. Arizira no longer had only herself to look after. Another life now depended on her for protection.

The thought of their baby made Talliea smile involuntarily. Her fingers moved from Arizira's face to her lower stomach. She reverently brushed them across her love's abdomen. Their baby felt...stronger. She could feel its life force as though it were her own. The sensation was strange, but welcome.

The baby was growing.

Once again, Talliea found herself wondering how long Arizira would carry their new life. Such a thought had her desiring, yet again, that she could take Arizira and their baby far, far away.

Away from war. Away from pain. Away from hatred.

Her fingers continued to draw lazy and quickly forgotten patterns on Arizira's stomach. With every soft stroke, Talliea could feel the life of their baby. Such pure innocence, she thought. The soft clearing of a throat interrupted her easy ministrations. Talliea looked over Arizira's still sleeping form and noticed D'jiira standing not far from the two of them.

"Did you sleep well?" D'jiira whispered in an effort to not wake her daughter.

"As well as one can in these chaotic times," Talliea replied just as quietly.

D'jiira smiled and gazed down at Arizira. The younger woman's face was still and without worry or apprehension, an indication of her deep slumber. "It is good that she sleeps now. She was up, lost in her thoughts, for most of the night."

Talliea looked curiously at D'jiira. "You were up, as well?"

D'jiira shook her head. "No, but I am her mother. Despite our separation, my bond with her is just as strong today as it was the day she first had breath. It is the way I know she keeps something from me. Something she is unsure of how to impart."

Talliea's brows drew together in thought. D'jiira was aware Arizira withheld something. Talliea knew that something to be the news of their pregnancy, but she was still fascinated about the bond D'jiira spoke of. She covered Arizira up with the wolf hide blanket and slowly stood. Arizira did not stir.

Talliea and D'jiira walked to a more open area a few feet away. The sky was a bluish-purple with a bright orange sun lazily reclaiming the sky. Dark rain clouds could be seen far along the horizon, their existence seeming to be a doom Talliea and her friends were walking toward.

"You are very good to her," D'jiira said to Talliea once they were away from their still sleeping comrades.

Talliea smiled, sparing a quick look over her shoulder at her love. "We are good to one another. She was the first person who showed me kindness, the first person who allowed me to experience love."

D'jiira, standing next to Talliea, looked out across the descending slope before them. During their walk the day before, they had steadily moved toward the Arniran village, taking the western-most trails which had also forced them to ascend along rolling hills and a climbing landscape. From their viewpoint now, D'jiira could see, far into the distance, the damage that had been wrought by Talliea the day her powers had manifested.

A huge area, where once trees had stood, was now blasted with dirt and debris. A crater marked the previously beautiful and quiet smattering of forest. Leaves and branches had been cleared from several of the tall standing evergreens, giving the dense area the appearance of an eternal winter.

An eternal half death.

"Your destructive capabilities inspire awe," D'jiira said, her eyes still capturing the scene before her and her voice sounding nearly hollow.

Talliea looked from the devastation below her and back to D'jiira. She studied her face and the contours of her jaw and neck. Her profile was very much like Arizira's, despite her dark features. "I only wanted to be alone with Ari. Destruction and death were never my intent. I just...wanted a moment with her."

D'jiira nodded, her eyes growing sad. "She died for you," she mumbled.

Talliea's throat tightened. "Very nearly, yes. She was always saving me. From the moment I looked upon her in the glade by my clan's camp, she was saving some part of me. When we confessed our feelings, she saved the very heart of me. It is in her nature to protect, even at the cost of herself."

D'jiira's eyes clouded with tears that soon fell down her bronzed cheeks. She could not believe how close she had come to missing out entirely on her daughter's life. While she had been traveling from her distant home in the west, Arizira had been discovering Esu settlers, aiding an unknown woman, falling in love, learning of her parentage, and nearly dying in an unfortunate, yet inevitable, battle.

She found herself concocting scenarios of what could have happened had she arrived to learn of Arizira's death. Quickly, D'jiira shook the thoughts from her mind. She was proud of Arizira and the woman she had become. By all accounts, her daughter was a remarkable person, loved and revered by many, not the least of which was the woman standing next to her.

"Thank you," D'jiira said, placing a hand on Talliea's arm.

"For what?"

"For saving my daughter so I got the chance to meet her. You have no idea how painful it was to walk away from her. At the time, I believed I had no choice. I desired for her to have a happy life, full of people and joy. I thought that was not to be with me, yet now after all these years, I wonder."

Talliea shook her head and turned to look fully at D'jiira. "No, the past is the past. We all have one. It does not dictate the outcome of future events, though it can be a factor in shaping them. Ari-sera is the most kind and humble person I know. She believes in peace and respect and loyalty. Her life has been beautiful and full of wonderful moments. You are here now, when it is the most important. "

D'jiira smiled, the act reminiscent of Arizira's own, and looked into Talliea's eyes. "And of you? How did you get to be such a gentle spirit? The tales of the D'Tyshacea speak of cruelty and oppression, not wisdom and generosity."

Talliea inhaled and looked out at the forest. The orange sun was nearly at its zenith in the sky and its bright rays were quickly lighting the rest of the landscape with warm hues and deeper colors. The name D'jiira had used was unknown to her, and yet it wasn't. She could not explain the phenomenon.

"The tales you have heard are true. My clan came to the north from the Southlands after a bloody war with the other clans. Most of my years were spent on the open plains, ever moving to reach a land that could sustain us. I can recall always being a dreamer, much to my mother's chagrin. The ideas of love and honesty and hope were never instilled in me, nor taught to be any truth, but I believed them to exist, regardless. Life had to be more than being a slave to another's will."

D'jiira listened with a patience borne of many years. Her eyes never left Talliea's face, just as her hand never parted from her shoulder.

"My obstinate tendencies were overlooked until I reached my eighteenth summer. At that time, Markahn stated his claim to me. Suddenly, I was no longer a child free to enjoy the wanderings of my imagination. I was a woman and I was expected to join with a man and have my every day afterward belong to him."

Talliea sighed heavily. "The idea alone was an oppression, so I fought for every modicum of freedom that my people's laws would allow. I denied Markahn for five summers, but our customs only allow that much time before a woman must join with a man or be banished."

D'jiira looked aghast. "How barbaric..."

Talliea only nodded. "You ask how I have a gentle spirit with the past of my life? I have no answer for you. I simply am who I am, no more and no less. Ari saved me in so many ways and, with her, I saw that the world was always as I had dreamed it could be. Together we provided what the other was longing for."

Silence settled around the two of them. The sun reached its height in the sky and birds began to sing and chirp to herald the birth of a new day. "What of you?" Talliea asked, turning their previous conversation around.

D'jiira, having been lost in her own thoughts, started. "Hm?"

"What of you? Your clan does not demand that their women be the property of their men?"

D'jiira chuckled. "Esuval's Light, no. We are free to choose our partners. More times than not, we mate for life."

Talliea appeared unsettled at that. "For life? Did you believe you would be with Ari's nurture mother for life?" A sad ghost of a smile crossed D'jiira's face. Her eyes darkened and her jaw jumped as she ground her teeth together.

"Yes, I did, but Esuval and Aitla had other plans for us. We walked the path of our life together until one of our lives ended. By that, I did mate for life, though that life was to be short lived. Now I dedicate my life to another. We are happy, but a part of me will forever live in this forest."

The news of D'jiira having another partner startled Talliea. She had never given the matter any thought, what with everything transpiring in her life of late. "You are joined with another?" she asked.

D'jiira nodded. "Yes, a woman."

Again, Talliea appeared beside herself. A woman? In an Esu settlement? Was such a thing allowed? Tolerated? D'jiira laughed next to her and patted her on the arm.

"It is not common," she started, sensing the question on Talliea's tongue, "but it does happen. My people believe love presents itself in various ways. We do not judge love, however it chooses to appear. There were male suitors before Io, just as there were male suitors after I returned. I was not searching for love, with either a man or a woman, but love found me and I could not overlook it."

Talliea could hardly believe how different D'jiira's clan was from her own. They sounded more liberal and open-minded, spiritual and accepting. "I am happy for you. Does Ari know?"

D'jiira shook her head and looked out at the forest again. "No, time has not been kind to us since our reunion.

Talliea nodded, understanding fully D'jiira's sentiments. A part of her wished to tell D'jiira of their baby, to spread such joyous and hopeful news, but it was not her place. The news was Arizira's to tell. D'jiira was her mother.

Movement startled the two women and they each looked over their shoulders. "You two planning on letting us sleep all day?" Cynra asked, shaking out her blanket. Next to her, Taetylona was gathering supplies while she shook her head. "You complain about me being grumpy? The day has only started and already we're listening to you."

Cynra huffed and ran a hand through her hair. "The day is starting by Esu standards. By mine, it is ending. I'll complain when I want."

D'jiira and Talliea shared an amused look before returning to the others. It was time to wake Arizira and resume their trek. The Arniran village was only a half day's walk away.

* * * * *

"A group moved this way," a tall Esu man said kneeling over the remains of a fire inside a cave.

"Yes, and not one of our patrols. We were the only ones sent in this direction," said another man.

The first man nodded, a smile forming on his face, and stood back up. "It's Talliea, though she may not travel alone."

A third man walked back inside the cave, having been surveying the massive canyon beyond, and interrupted the first two. "There are fresh tracks leading away west and north."

"How many sets?" the first man asked.

"It is hard to say. At least three, possibly more."

The second man looked to the first. "She moves with allies if it is her."

The first man shrugged. "If it is not, then we shall draw first blood in this war. If it is, then we shall be remembered for taming the demon witch."

He motioned for the other men to join him and together they all moved out of the cave overlooking Li'nas Dei. Little did they know, but they walked in the footprints of Talliea's retinue.

* * * * *

Talliea walked hand-in-hand with Arizira, who was speaking to D'jiira. As the day before, Cynra and Taetylona led the party with Markahn in the middle. The man had said very little since starting the second day of their journey. Everyone spoke to him and included him in their plans and discussions, but he remained ever reticent while not engaged.

"Tell me of your clan, lana. They do not make war on the land and their neighbors?"

D'jiira smiled at Arizira. Her obvious curiosity was touching. "Our clan observes the cycles of the sun, celebrates the passage of night to day, holds festivals for the first harvest of the summer, as well as expressing our souls through art and sculpting. The Esu heart is one of fierce determination. We are a volatile people, but that does not mean we are cruel. 'In everything, there is passion.' This is our creed."

Both Talliea and Arizira remained silent when D'jiira finished speaking. Neither of them knew how to take her words. Talliea had only ever known her Esu clan and their ways. She had never known a branch of her own people that had such a rich and detailed society, filled with rituals and ceremonies. Arizira, on the other hand, found herself feeling a note of pride. D'jiira's clan--their clan-- was much like her Arniran family. They rejoiced in the different cycles of nature and appreciated that which made them who they were.

Art and sculpting, though being pastimes her people knew of, were hardly pursuits they were well versed in. Arizira was intrigued at the concepts. There was a whole other side to herself that she had yet to discover. A whole other side to the life growing inside of her.

"Sculpting?" she asked, her accented voice making the word more pronounced.

D'jiira nodded. "Yes, out of stone we create wondrous works of art."

Arizira's face lit up and she looked to Talliea. "Stone shapers! Like your clan, Tah-li!"

Both Talliea and D'jiira smiled at Arizira's exuberance. "The shaping of stone has ever been at the heart of all Esu, no matter their clan."

"Are you a stone shaper, lana?"

"Yes," D'jiira replied. "Many years have seen these hands create that which only the mind can see. When all of this over, my daughter, I will take you to our people and show you my work."

Arizira linked her free arm with D'jiira's and the three women walked in silence for a few footsteps. Despite the overwhelming task before them, Arizira felt lighter today than she had the one before. Talliea had not spoken of any dreams or visions and the Arnira were only a few hours away. By dusk, they would make the edge of the village.

Cynra and Taetylona spoke several paces ahead, their old bodies close together and their whispered voices carrying on the wind. Markahn walked slowly directly in front of the three woman. Occasionally, he would turn to look over his shoulder and offer Talliea a small, yet worn, smile.

The forest was quiet, except for the sounds of nature. A gentle wind rustled through the trees and with it, the scent of honeysuckle came to the party.

Arizira squeezed Talliea's hand and looked up into her brown eyes. The two of them shared a smile. All hearts were unburdened the nearer they drew to their destination. Soon, they would hopefully be among friends and the war could be stopped before it ever truly began.

"Tell me more of this connection the two of you share," D'jiira said, resuming their conversation.

Arizira looked again at Talliea and the smile that touched her lips was bright, happy, and a misleading sign that all was right in the world. "We both felt a pull to the other--" she started.

"It was a sense of safety and relief--" Talliea said at the same time, causing the two of them to laugh. Talliea cleared her throat and started again. "I was confused by my feelings, at first."

"And I was certain, yet wary, of mine," Arizira added, hand still firmly grasping her love's.

"We became friends, despite the circumstances. I risked punishment by leaving my clan and seeking Ari-sera."

Arizira smiled fondly, remembering their early days together. "Tah-li was the most fascinating and beautiful woman I had ever met. I could not have stayed away from her."

The three continued walking, Talliea and Arizira each telling D'jiira of their love and connection. "She tried to deny us before our first kiss," Talliea was saying a short time later.

Arizira poked her in the side and giggled. "I was so very in love with you and the fear of being nothing more than a test or curiosity was nearly crippling. When you kissed me and the taste of mint touc--" Arizira stopped suddenly and gasped lightly.

Both Talliea and D'jiira paused. "Ahmanae?"

Arizira closed her eyes and released a shuddering breath. Her hand came to rest against her stomach while her other grasped Talliea's arm for support. D'jiira called for a stop and Cynra, Taetylona, and Markahn all turned in their direction. "What is wrong, Arizira?" D'jiira asked, panic lacing her normally smooth voice.

Arizira opened her eyes and a shy smile could be seen. "Tah-li..." Talliea angled her body so that she could look into Arizira's face. "What is it, love?" Instead of answering, Arizira took Talliea's hand and placed it on her stomach, over her own.

"Feel," she whispered. D'jiira stood up straighter and watched the two of them, her face quickly changing from one of worry to one of hesitant disbelief. Could it be?

"She moves," Arizira said in a breathy voice, her tone one of awe. Talliea laughed, releasing a sigh. Now that she was not worried, she could feel what Arizira felt. Their connection flared and increased.

"Oh, love, "she said, unable to form any other words. Around them D'jiira, Markahn, Taetylona, and Cynra formed a circle. Cynra looked to D'jiira, whose eyes were wide, and smiled. Markahn appeared to be unable to accept what his mind already knew to be true. Taetylona came up next to Cynra, placing a hand on her shoulder, and smiled at the scene.

"She moves," Arizira said again. The smile on her face was one of the most beautiful sights Talliea had ever seen.

"Arizira? "D'jiira asked, stepping closer. Arizira looked up, happy tears in her eyes, and nodded to D'jiira's unspoken question. Talliea reached out and took the older woman's hand before placing it on Arizira's abdomen. A short time later, movement, very slight, met D'jiira's palm. She released an unsteady half sob. "Arizira? A baby..."

Arizira nodded again, the weight of her news no longer a burden. "I was waiting for the right time to tell you, lana, but I believe she," Arizira said, indicating her baby, "grew impatient." Everyone laughed, except Markahn, who was still unsure of what to make of the situation.

"H-how far are you?" D'jiira asked, tears falling down her face.

"Just about three months, but I do not know how long this pregnancy will last."

D'jiira smiled. She could hardly believe the news she had just learned. Her daughter was with life. A child. A new generation of hope. She could not keep the smile from her face. With Arizira's mixed blood, she had been uncertain if she and Talliea would be able to conceive children. "I am so happy for you. For both of you. I was not here for you during your own childhood, but I shall be here for this child."

Cynra came up to the three woman and wrapped her arms around D'jiira and Talliea, pulling them all into a warm hug. Taetylona soon joined them and, for a brief moment, they all rejoiced in the new life that was soon to join the world -- a world that, hopefully, would be one of peace, understanding, and acceptance.

No one noticed Markahn slip away and fall into the surrounding forest.

Chapter 28: Fury and Friendship

"This way. The tracks walk toward the west, but we can make haste if we move with purpose toward the northeast. Mayhap we will come before Talliea by saving time this way."

The lead Esu man, who had been at Li'nas Dei some time ago, only nodded his head in agreement. "Move with caution. The savage women could be close, but we have a chance to come upon our brothers in this direction." The other three men secured their gear and weapons and turned along a more northeastern path. If Esuval proved to be with them, they would intersect Talliea before the day's end.

* * * * *

Arizira smiled, truly happy, as she was hugged by Cynra, Taetylona, and D"jiira. Though this was not the way she had envisioned telling her mother of her pregnancy, she was overjoyed nonetheless, that D'jiira finally knew of her happy news. To her left, Talliea stood, a joyous smile on her face and a hand still on Arizira's stomach.

The baby no longer moved as before, but that did not stop the other women from continuing to try to feel her presence. D'jiira took a step back, her light brown eyes taking in Arizira's face. "Arizira," she started at a loss for words.

"I know, lana."

D'jiira opened her mouth to say something, but a confused look suddenly came over her features. "Three months?" she asked in a deliberate tone of voice Arizira nodded, her face still happy. A furrow formed on D'jiira's dark brow as a frown touched her lips. "That would mean you were with life when..."

Cynra, Taetylona, and Talliea all held collective breaths. The older women stepped away from Arizira to give her more space, while Talliea continued to stand close. D'jiira studied the faces of the women around her and knew the answer to her question without any other confirmation. She released a shaky breath and swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. Arizira had been pregnant when she had been pierced by the arrow. Both she and her baby had nearly been taken away from D'jiira.

Forever.

D'jiira shook her head. Her current thoughts were no longer important. Arizira was alive, as was her unborn baby. The two of them were safe, despite past events. Attempting to force a smile onto her face to erase much of the unease she felt, D'jiira looked from Arizira to Talliea and asked, "Do the both of you have a name decided?"

Arizira looked up at Talliea, who still stood on her left side, and smiled shyly. "W-we have not been able to...to give the matter any thought. Esu take a name after the family, yes?" Both D'jiira and Talliea nodded, noticing the hesitation in Arizira's musical voice, as well as the tight lines of worry near her eyes.

"Arnira do not take this custom, however," Talliea said meeting Arizira's gaze and smiling reassuringly.

"No," Arizira said and shook her head.

D'jiira stepped closer, her keen sense regarding her daughter picking up on Arizira's obvious discomfiture. "A name does not need to be decided just now. Io and I each gave you a name. You have neither a family name nor a taken name as is Esu and Arniran custom. The choice will be for the both of you, despite what is proper to our peoples."

Arizira smiled and nodded toward her mother. The truth of the matter was she was terrified of what kind of mother she was going to be to her unborn baby. She knew only Arniran customs and beliefs, nothing of Esu behavior. Knowing her child was likely to appear more Esu, be predominately more Esu, than Arniran was intimidating to Arizira.

"There is a ceremony Esu perform when a woman becomes pregnant. It is a way of welcoming the new life, blessing future endeavors, and ensuring a safe entrance into the light and grace of Esuval," D'jiira said, breaking Arizira out of her ruminations.

Talliea nodded. "My clan has a similar ritual, but it is performed in the hopes that the child shall be born a male to continue the teachings of Esuval."

D'jiira shook her head, appalled at Talliea's information. "This ceremony is one of joy and welcome, not one meant to favor one sex in the light of the sun while the other dies in the shadow of subjugation. If the two of you will allow it, I would be honored to perform this rite for your child."

Before Arizira or Talliea could respond, Taetylona's raspy voice sounded. "Where is the boy?"

Cynra, Talliea, Arizira, and D'jiira all turned and looked in the direction Taetylona was facing. There was no sign of Markahn. Only the wind blew where once he had stood. "I knew he was not to be trusted," Taetylona growled. Her eyes scanned the immediate area in front of her.

Cynra came to stand beside her. "Let us not be too hasty in our accusations."

Taetylona turned to face Cynra and her face was resolute and without conflict. "He is a leading member of the Lat'sa'val, a group he recently learned comes with a past stained in blood rather than in virtue. The woman he desired for five summers, who rejected him at every opportunity, loves another -- a woman. A woman he now knows carries life. There is nothing hasty in my accusations. The boy has made flight."

Cynra could not dispute Taetylona's logic. Instead, she turned to look back behind her. Arizira was already pulling her longbow over her shoulder and ensuring the arrows in her quiver could be easily grasped. "His tracks will still be fresh. I can--"

Arizira's words were cut off as D'jiira moved to stand in front of her. "No. You will do nothing."

Arizira looked taken aback. "I am skilled in tracking and am the fastest among us. No other knows this forest better than I. I can--"

Again, D'jiira interrupted her. "No. You carry something sacred and precious, Arizira. You can no longer walk along paths whose trails are unclear. I forbid it." Arizira turned her head in a curious manner, the gesture mirrored by D'jiira. D'jiira's face was stern and her jaw was set with complete determination. Her normally light brown eyes appeared darker and there was a noticeable fear in them. Mother and daughter stared at one another for several breaths, each taking measure of the other's resolve.

Finally, Talliea stepped around Arizira and moved toward D'jiira. "I will go in search of Markahn. He is of my clan."

“Tah-li, no," Arizira gasped. "I cannot allow you to travel alone, even with your powers.” Her voice become thick and heavy. "This could be a trap, elaborate and devious, all to lure you away for some nefarious purpose."

Cynra and Taetylona nodded, expressing their agreement. D'jiira, taking her eyes away from Arizira's, moved to stand next to Talliea. "I will travel with your love if the knowledge of such will calm your mind."

Talliea smiled at D'jiira and nodded her thanks. Arizira stood before them both with a pained and panicked expression on her face. She did not like staying behind while those she loved risked themselves. She was a huntress of her tribe. She was charged with protection. The protection of her people, their way of life, and the innocent women and children who lived in her village.

Always, she had been free to roam the forest, hunt, and be on the front lines of any conflict. Though she could understand Talliea's and D'jiira's concerns for her safety, it was still difficult for her to be the one receiving protection rather than the one giving it. She felt useless and that was not a feeling she agreed with in any way.

"Lana, I shall only be doubly worried with the both of you gone to some potential harm. I only just found you. I can not--" Arizira's words trailed off, the dismayed look in her eyes still speaking louder than mere words could. Talliea stepped closer to her and took her in her arms. Pressing their foreheads together, she attempted to calm Arizira's anxiety. "Do not despair, love. You shall be aware of my state through the bond we share. Knowing you are safe will ensure the use of my powers. I shall look after your mother. I will learn what I can and return to you. I shall always return to you."

Arizira, her slight panic causing her breathing to sound haggard, quickly kissed Talliea soundly. She placed her hands tenderly on the sides of her love's jaw and smoothed her fingers across silken soft skin. "I love you," she whispered as she pulled away.

Talliea kissed her softly again and echoed her sentiments. "You are my very soul, Ahmanae."

D'jiira smiled at the two women and looked toward Cynra. Bending down, she pulled a dagger from each boot and held them in one hand. She used her free hand to unhook the mace at her hip and tossed it to the older woman. "Leyaja, you still remember how to use one of those?"

Cynra caught the mace and smirked at D'jiira, her violet eyes shinning brightly. "Of course. Arnira never forget the feeling of a weapon in our hands."

Walking over to Arizira and Talliea, D'jiira spread her arms out before her daughter. Arizira stepped away from the warmth of Talliea's embrace and willingly fell against D'jiira. The same calming scent she had noticed the night she followed the sounds of Markahn and D'jiira came to her again. The scent of wood oil and leather and lavender.

D'jiira held Arizira's head against her chest. She could feel hands on her back where Arizira clung to her. "This is not a goodbye, my daughter," she whispered into Arizira's hair. "We will be safe. You shall see."

Looking over her shoulder at Cynra and Taetylona, she said "Remain alert while we search."

* * * * *

Markahn walked at a brisk pace. Hanging branches on passing trees scratched at his face as he moved. He brushed the leaves and twigs away from him and continued to walk. His entire sense of being felt heavy. There was something inside of him boiling and raging and hurting. He felt as if a part of him were trying to escape, to flee, to never see the light of the sun again.

The sting of tears touched his eyes but he forced himself not to cry and continued to walk. Farther and farther. With every step, he was placing distance between himself and everything in his life of late that had changed or been altered or become different than what he knew.

When he had learned that Talliea's love was pregnant, he had been overcome with something dark and ugly. He had barely understood how such a thing was possible, but that had done little to deny the truth for him.

A baby. Talliea was going to be a mother.

It had been too much. Markahn had watched as the women, all of them, cried happy tears and hugged one another and spoke words of love and congratulations. He had not been able to handle what everything meant. So he had sought solitude in the forest. He was not a man who allowed his emotions to overcome him, especially while in the presence of others. He had just needed a moment to get away from everything. For so long, he had just accepted the changes happening around him. He had listened to Talliea when she had been ill. He had believed her. Helped her.

Then D'jiira had come upon him and her skill with a weapon could not be denied. He had been bested by a woman. A woman who, somehow, had turned his own gifts against him. Yet despite that, Markahn had helped her to find her daughter who, ironically, was the woman Talliea was so in love with.

He had helped D'jiira because, by helping her, he was helping himself. He was helping to find Talliea and ensure her safety. Then, his life had taken one tumultuous turn after another. Not only had he found Talliea and Arizira, but he had also discovered that Taetylona, a woman who had been banished from his clan, had been aiding the younger women. Taetylona had not been pleased by his presence and she had made no show of that distrust.

After D'jiira and Arizira's reunion, Markahn had learned that Talliea was responsible for the destruction he had witnessed and the crater that now marked the land. Somehow, her powers were related and linked to her love for the Arniran woman.

It had all been a lot to take in, but Markahn had attempted to do so. That is, until Talliea had begun to have visions and one of those visions hinted at a bloody and violent history that his Order was responsible for. Markahn knew of the past. The past that had been taught to him and all other young Esu boys, but that past varied greatly from what Talliea had mentioned.

All the while, Markahn had desired only to seek comfort from one of his friends, Lao'dahn or Jovan or Haldynn, but that was not to be a possibility. Lao'dahn had betrayed him and attempted, on more than one occasion, to rape Talliea. Jovan had been one of the lead proponents in the societal changes the clan had recently implemented, and Haldynn was an old fashioned coward, willing to go along with whatever the majority thought best in an attempt to keep his place of power and importance.

As Markahn had stood and watched Talliea and Arizira and their friends rejoice over the news of their future child, he had realized how alone he was in the world. He had come to see that changes had been effect around him since he had arrived in the north and he had done absolutely nothing to stop those changes.

He had gone from being a person of influence, a man soon to be joined to his greatest desire, and a respected member of the Lat'sa'val, to being a man who had no friends, no power, and no ability to find himself again.

So he had fled. The need to clear his head and be alone for a moment had been overwhelming. The silence of the surrounding forest had been the comfort he longed for. As his thoughts crashed inside his head, he realized how erratic his breathing had become. His chest felt weighted and his heart was beating madly. He stopped and fell to the ground by a large boulder of rock jutting up from the grass. His throat tightened as he fought to keep his emotions inside himself, but it was to no avail. A strangled sob escaped from his lips and, a moment later, hot and heavy tears fell down his cheeks.

Markahn wept.

* * * * *

"My mind still refuses to believe that she is gone. Aitla had a plan for her, a destiny. How can it be that she has passed so senselessly?"

Bela'luin tried to ignore Sed'dya's constant and incessant gabbing. Since Talyn had come to her and requested that she attempt to seek Arizira's love in peace and friendship, Bela'luin had been far more quiet and reserved than was normal. When she had left the tribe, she had asked that Sed'dya accompany her. Sed'dya had been Arizira's friend and it was Bela's hope that the young and jovial woman would be of aid to her in handling Arizira's love.

The two of them had been searching the northern reaches of the forest for nearly two days. Several times, they’d been forced to take more indirect paths to avoid the increasing Esu patrols. Time was running out.

"She needs to be avenged," Sed'dya said, behind her.

Bela'luin jerked and stopped suddenly. "What?"

Sed'dya, her intense green eyes holding Bela's innocently, elaborated. "Arizira. She needs to be avenged. I care little for which Esu struck the killing arrow, but they shall all pay their debt to our loss in blood."

Bela'luin held Sed'dya's gaze with a haunted expression for several moments. Like many of the tribe, Sed'dya was not aware that it had been she who had killed Arizira. Whether by accident or with true intent would be irrelevant to her sisters. All they knew was that Arizira Ahmanae, Child of Whispers, was dead in their greatest trial and time of need.

"You do not believe so?" Sed'dya asked frowning at the look in Bela's eyes.

Bela'luin shook her head and turned back around. "I think our focus at present should be on finding the woman Arizira loved." Sed'dya hesitated for a moment, noticing Bela's evasive answer, before continuing behind her once again.

"Do you believe it to be true?" she asked.

Bela'luin did not stop as she asked, "Believe what?"

"That Arizira was in love with an Esu woman?"

Eyes looking straight ahead, Bela'luin answered without hesitation "I know it to be true." The two of them walked without conversation for a long while afterward. Neither were accustomed to moving during the reign of the sun, but Talyn had informed Bela that her chances of finding Arizira's love would be higher during the day, rather than at night.

As Bela'luin stepped between two towering oak trees, a sound came suddenly to her keen ears. She paused, noticing that Sed'dya had also heard the sound. The two women shared a look. Bela'luin pulled a long sword from a scabbard at her hip and quietly moved in the direction she had heard the noise. Sed'dya removed the short bow from her back and followed.

The sound became more pronounced. Bela'luin and Sed'dya moved still closer.

Trees passed them in a haze as they made their way toward a small clearing. In the center of the area was a large boulder, likely having fallen some time ago in a rock slide from the mountains surrounding the forest. A short distance from the rock stood a tall and muscular figure. Tattoos crossed over his shoulder blades and disappeared into the leather vest he wore. His hair was black and pulled back into a small braid and his skin was dark.

Bela'luin moved her hand in an elaborate display, signaling Sed'dya behind her. The word she signed was simple: Esu. Sed'dya stiffened, but nodded. Pulling an arrow from the quiver over her back, she quickly notched it and awaited Bela'luin's command.

Bela continued to watch the man in the clearing. He appeared alone, but she could not know that for certain without venturing closer. As she studied him, she came to realize that he almost looked...disconcerted. His shoulders were hunched and his back was slightly stooped. A closer inspection of his face showed traces of dried tears.

Bela'luin held up a hand and signaled Sed'dya to hold her fire.

The man was upset over some matter. Bela'luin did not know if she should attack him or greet him. She doubted they would be able to understand each other, but she and Sed'dya needed to pass through the clearing to get to Li'nas Dei. That was their ultimate goal because that had been the direction Arizira had been taken. Enough time had been lost evading Esu patrols thus far. Bela'luin did not wish to detour again.

She stood up fully, sword still firmly held in her hand, and was about to go out to the man when he suddenly slammed his fist into a nearby tree along the rim of the clearing. Bark and leaves fell to the ground. Bela'luin made her decision. He was just one man and there were two of them. She did not desire to kill him, but she would disable him if the need arose. Her mission was too important to prolong any further.

She signaled Sed'dya to cover her and stepped out from behind the trees she was using as cover. The man jumped and moved into a defensive position. Bela'luin placed her sword on the ground next to her feet and approached him. He held up a hand that began to glow with a yellowish light.

"I am not your enemy," Bela said, her arms raising above her head and crossing at her wrists. She was nearly certain that he would not understand that the gesture was one of peace, but she felt it needed to be honored in any regard. The man took a step back and kept his hand held out in front of him. His eyes were rimmed red and his face appeared ashen.

"Do you understand me?" Bela'luin asked. She did not kneel in front of the man, as was her people's custom, but she kept her arms above her head. Markahn licked his lips nervously and looked back behind him for any sign of the others. The woman before him was Arnira. She was tall and lean with green eyes and fair skin. The words she spoke, he was stricken to learn, could not be understood by him. He had understood the language when Cynra or Arizira spoke it. Why could he now not understand this woman?

He realized there was nothing he could say to let the woman know that he was on her side. That he was not her enemy, nor did he desire to bring her any harm. He could not relate to the woman that two of her own traveled with him or that he was part of a group seeking peace.

If he turned and tried to run to get one of the others, the woman would likely shoot him in the back, thinking his retreat one to seek aid from his own people. Yet if he stayed and tried to communicate, there was no promise of success and others of his clan could come upon them. The situation was hopeless.

Unless...

Markahn knew what he had to do. He despised having to do it, but it was the only way he could see to get back to the others and hopefully continue their trek. Quickly, he raised his hand. The woman watched him closely with her shimmering eyes and Markahn noticed how taut her body was. She was waiting for him to make a move.

So he did.

His hand thrust forward and a bolt of bright light shot toward the woman. It was not his intent to kill her, only to incapacitate her so he could get away. The woman dodged out of the way of his attack nimbly. As she rolled across the grass, her hand picked up the long sword she’d placed near her feet earlier. She came up and began to circle him.

Markahn did likewise. He noticed her twisting her sword in her hand with deft skill and knew he had to disarm her before any harm came to him. He increased the light in his hand until its glow caused the Arniran to turn her head away in pain. Markahn rushed her and knocked her to the ground.

The sword flew across the dirt and out of reach. The Arniran yelled something over her shoulder in her native tongue before punching Markahn across the lower jaw. The blow stung and caused him to bite his tongue. The next thing he knew, he was on his back and the woman was circling him again with a crazed glee in her eyes.

Markahn stood up and winced when he moved his jaw. The woman feigned to the right but turned on her heel quickly and kicked at his right knee. Catching the crippling blow, Markahn yanked with his superior strength until the woman was forced to slide onto the ground. As he was about to disable her, a sound from behind him caught his attention.

He turned around and was greeted with the sharp tip of an arrowhead. His eyes followed the shaft and fell upon a second Arniran warrior. This one had darker skin. She said something to him in her language that he could not understand. The first woman kicked her leg free of his grasp and moved to stand up. Before he could determine his next move, the taller warrior slammed him into a tree while the second kept her bow trained on him.

"I mean you no harm. I travel with two of your kind. I can lead you to them, but you must--" His words were cut off as the first woman gripped his sore jaw and pushed his head roughly against the bark of the tree. Words were exchanged between the two women and as Markahn scanned the forest in front of him, he thought he caught a glimpse of something, or someone, moving through the trees.

"Someone comes hither!" he said heatedly, hoping the women would notice the figures he was seeing. There were two for certain that he had noticed.

The women ignored him. The first began to search him for any hidden weapons. He did not have time for this! Talliea and the others could be in danger! He summoned every ounce of strength Esuval had granted him and practically threw the tall woman away from him as he attempted to put space between himself and his would-be captors. The vivid sound of a bow string being released sounded loudly in his ears and he realized he was not going to be fast enough to dodge the arrow.

He was going to die. "No!" he yelled in frustration. Then, everything changed. A figure stepped out of the trees to the far side of the clearing and Markahn saw that it was Talliea! Another figure stood behind her, eyes wide.

D'jiira.

The arrow that was near inches from his head suddenly vanished in a heap of wood shavings. Markahn noticed how slow his thought processes were and how electrified his skin felt. It was akin to being struck by lightning, a bolt that lived inside his flesh and shot through his nerve endings.

Talliea's face was one of absolute calm. She held everything in the grip of her power and it was terrifying to Markahn. The taller Arniran woman who he had pushed away from him was currently adrift in mid-air. The second was frozen in her stance not far from him. He opened his mouth to speak his thanks, but realized he could not move. At all. His eyes widened in fear.

Talliea began to walk toward them. Her eyes were completely jet-black and a shimmering silver-yellow halo danced across her body. She thrummed with power, the sound of such which could almost be heard in the silence. Behind Talliea walked D'jiira. Her eyes viewed Talliea with something Markahn could not place.

When Talliea got to the taller Arniran, whose face was covered by her hair, she waved her hand in a gesture. Hair was cleared from her an ivory face and Talliea looked down into a frightened countenance. Recognition colored Talliea's eyes. Her face went from one of utter serenity to one of unmitigated rage.

"You," she rasped.

Markahn watched in disbelief as Talliea tossed her hand out in a wave in front of her. The body of the woman was thrown onto the ground while leaves and grass and rock were blasted up away from the earth in a horrific arc. The woman stood up, Talliea obviously allowing her to do so, and held her hands out in front of her.

"I am here in peace," she said in her own language. Markahn did not understand, but he did notice the dark look that colored Talliea's face.

"Peace?" Talliea scoffed, also in the Arniran tongue. Somehow, Markahn understood the word.

Bela'luin nodded. "Yes. My Nai'iris wishes to speak with you. She does not seek conflict." Talliea silenced Bela'luin before lifting her body and slamming her into the tree next to Markahn. A grunt left the Arniran's mouth as her eyes tried to regain their focus. She coughed and spit up blood where she had bitten her lip upon impact.

D'jiira moved next to Talliea and placed an arm on her bicep. "Talliea, this is not why we are here. Please, stop this."

Talliea did not acknowledge D'jiira's words. Her eyes were an intense black and the energy around her, appearing like a glowing and hazy smoke, only grew more striking. She walked up to Bela'luin, her anger and fury evident in the way she moved, and noticed the second Arniran to her right. "You, I shall spare," she said.

Sed'dya could do nothing but stare at Talliea. The woman caused the entire area to feel as though it were on fire. Her insides churned. Her skin tingled. The air felt singed and acrid and her lungs burned. The closer Talliea was to her, the more intense the sensations. Sed'dya looked beyond Talliea, where she had spun up and disturbed the earth, and was stunned to notice that the debris still floated in the air.

Talliea returned her attention to Bela'luin. "You tried to separate us," she said in Arniran.

Bela'luin struggled to reply. Her back hurt. Her head hurt. She could not move, yet she knew what Talliea spoke of. She knew who Talliea spoke of. "I am sorry," she admitted honestly.

"Sorry?" Talliea snapped. "Sorry?" Bela swallowed and forced her mouth to cooperate. Talliea's fury was a palpable and tangible thing. She could feel it against her skin. "Yes. I erred. If you would allow...my name is--"

Talliea held up a hand. The action caused Bela'luin's words to die in her throat. "I am aware of who you are and who you were to her, Bela'luin."

Both Sed'dya and Bela appeared at a loss for words. Talliea tilted her head toward Markahn and he was released from her power. He staggered over to D'jiira, whose eyes were still watching Talliea with some uncertainty.

Bela'luin gasped and tried to speak. "Y-you know who--"

"Yes," Talliea said as she studied Bela's face. "I know you as if I were her myself."

Swallowing nervously, Bela'luin tried to move any part of her body. She needed to get through to this woman. To Arizira's love. But, how? "W-what are you...to do...with me?" she asked.

Without sparing a moment to contemplate, Talliea leaned closer and replied, "The same thing you thought to do with me." The words were without inflection. Without remorse. Without question.

D'jiira stepped forward, every movement feeling is though she walked through ice and fire and lightning all at once. "Talliea. You need to stop. Now. We have Markahn and can return to the others."

Talliea turned her head slightly, her right ear moving to face D'jiira. "You know not of who this woman is." The words, like D'jiira's, were spoken in Esulan and Sed'dya and Bela'luin could not understand them.

"It does not matter. You are hurting her. All of us. Stop this. This is not our way."

Talliea turned to focus her attention back on Bela'luin. Her features were darker than before and her face harder. She held up a hand by Bela's neck and squeezed it into a fist. Though her fingers did not actually touch skin, Bela'luin gasped as though she were being choked.

"Talliea!" D'jiira screamed and attempted to move forward. Talliea turned and held out her free hand toward D'jiira. The action stopped the older woman in her tracks.

"No! She is the one who shot Arizira!"

Silence met her words. Thick. Heavy. Silence.

"I will stop the spread of this disease," Talliea forced through her teeth, her eyes finding Bela's once again.

"She would not want this!" D'jiira tried again. "Please!"

"No," Talliea whispered, her sense of right and wrong being overshadowed by the horrible violence she felt coursing through her blood. She squeezed her hand again and Bela'luin struggled to breathe. Sed'dya managed to jerk her head, the only sign of her turmoil over what was transpiring. Behind Talliea, both Markahn and D'jiira continued, in vain, to try and get her to release Bela'luin from her grasp.

Talliea ignored them all. She ignored everything. She only had a singular thought. Bela's eyes began to water. She fought for a breath. For air. For movement.

Talliea watched every minute of it, lost to everything but her need for revenge. Suddenly...a presence. A comforting, soothing, and welcome presence. Talliea felt something shift within her before...

"Tah-li?"

Talliea lost her focus and started. Bela'luin gasped for air and breathed deeply several times. The voice. It was so familiar. Yet, it could not be...

"Tah-li! Stop!"

Talliea's eyes cleared. Instead of the intense jet-black from before, they returned to their normal brown. The wispy like tendrils of power around her lessened, but did not fade. She was still inside her power, but the rage from before was fading. It was being replaced by peace. She glanced up at Bela'luin and noticed her green eyes were wide, shocked, lined with tears, and full of disbelief. She looked beyond Talliea and into the face of another.

Talliea, keeping Bela pressed against the tree's trunk, turned around and her gaze fell upon her love. "Ahmanae," she whispered brokenly.

Chapter 29: Battle of Blood

After Talliea and D'jiira left, Arizira sighed heavily and sat down on a fallen tree behind her. She dropped her head into her hands and struggled to keep her emotions under control.

'I forbid it.'

The voice of her mother resounded inside her mind and mingled with the cool afternoon air. She had never been expressly forbidden to do anything in her life. There had been times, in the recent past, when she and the rest of her tribe had been forbidden to wander or leave the safety of the village, but she herself had never been told a course of action was not available to her. Another had never looked her in the eyes and informed her she could not do something she felt was right in her heart.

Di'jiira, however, had done just that. There had been no room for argument in her tone, no small amount of possible discussion in the stern set of her face. As Arizira had stood in shock at her mother's strong words, she'd found herself unable to say or do anything. Her mind had become blank, wrapped in a stunned and mute inability to express itself.

She had felt divided in that single moment and torn between doing what she felt was best for everyone else and respecting the wishes of her mother. All Arniran children held great respect for their elders, but no other sense of courtesy or deference was given a higher regard than to one's mothers. Having lead the life she had, and not knowing either of her parents, Arizira had never been placed in a situation where her desires clashed with one of her mothers‘.

Until now.

D'jiira's demand had been borne out of fear for her and her unborn child. While she could respect and understand that, it was still difficult for her to deny certain impulses she had. One such impulse was the need to keep her loved ones safe.

So Arizira had found herself only able to stare at D'jiira as the two of them had stood off against one another. Everything in her had desired to press the issue and get her mother to understand her reasoning, but something else had stopped her. Something she had never felt before: Respect and esteem for one of the women responsible for giving her life.

"She only seeks to protect you."

Arizira looked up into Cynra's wrinkled face. The older woman smiled at her before sitting down to her left. "I know," she replied in a dejected tone.

"Try to understand, Arizira. A choice she made twenty seven winters past has cost her dearly. Now, she has a chance to know you and her grandchild. She does not wish to make another poor decision. Besides, your own desire to protect your new life must be gaining strength."

Sighing again and staring at her hands in her lap, Arizira nodded slowly. Cynra spoke truly. When an Arniran became pregnant, a bond was formed with the child immediately. Nearly all other concerns were barely given consideration. All that became important was protecting the gift of life Aitla had bestowed.

Arizira felt that desire, that need. She felt it ardently.

Since learning of her pregnancy she had experienced it. It was strong. Powerful. She often times found herself wondering if the feeling would be more influential if she or her baby were full Arniran. Was the desire more powerful without Esu blood?

Arizira mentally shook her thoughts from her mind. Whether or not the need to protect her baby would be stronger or not was unimportant. What was important was keeping that new life safe. Despite also wishing to protect the others, Arizira could not deny her feelings of guardianship over the child she was nurturing.

All in all, her inner turmoil left her feeling drained and confused. Looking back at Cynra, Arizira studied the wizened old face of her grandmother. This woman had been known to her the entirety of her life. She had grown up respecting and honoring Cynra like no other. Now that she knew the Dream Speaker was her family, Arizira found herself attributing different quirks in her personality to Cynra.

"It is difficult," Arizira began, "this transition in my life."

Cynra said nothing, but took one of Arizira's hands in her own.

"I am in a constant state of war with myself. One side desires to protect, to be on the front lines and ensure the safety of all I hold dear, but the other side finds itself unwilling to put me at risk. It wishes to go somewhere secluded and nurture this life."

Arizira placed her hands on her stomach and focused her gaze on her boots. She'd never felt so conflicted before. One moment she was willing to lead a charge against any Esu patrols between them and her people, and the next she wanted only to be left alone so that she could protect her baby.

It was a startling set of differences she found herself battling everyday. Add to that her insecurities over motherhood, and Arizira was awash with emotional upheaval.

Cynra squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture. "What you feel is normal, child. All of us have walked with this uncertainty before. Aitla's blessing is not something to disregard. She ensures that we protect the life she gives us because our ways are not like the Esu. We can not lay together at a time of our choosing and create a life. We do not have siblings as they do. Our children are special because they are a gift from Aitla. Once we have a child we never have another, so the need to protect that life becomes paramount."

Arizira sat in deep thought as she listened to Cynra. Her grandmother was correct. The child she carried would be her only child with Talliea. Her only child ever. There would not be another. The baby she carried was a daughter of three different nations. Her importance was more than just to Arizira and Talliea. She was the hope for a better future.

Despite such thoughts, Arizira knew her turmoil stemmed from more than just her desire to protect her friends and family.

"Something else troubles your heart," Cynra said next to her.

Standing up and taking a deep breath, Arizira placed her hands on her slim hips and studied the trees of the forest in front of her. She watched Taetylona picking different herbs and leaves along the edge of the clearing they all stood in.

"Arizira?" Cynra's voice called to her. "What is it, child?"

Arizira shook her head and kept her gaze focused on Taetylona and the surrounding trees. She did not know how to voice her concerns to her grandmother. She did not know how to express her feelings of inadequacy and insecurity.

"Arizira?"

"I do not know how to do this," Arizira said suddenly as she turned back around to face Cynra. Taetylona stood up from collecting barberry and eucalyptus and looked in the direction of Arizira's voice.

"Do what, Arizira?" Cynra asked concerned.

Arizira exhaled and a frightened look touched her features. Keeping one hand on her hip, she placed the other back on her stomach. "Be an Esu mother," she admitted softly.

Whatever reaction Arizira was searching for did not come. There was no understanding or sympathy and concern. There were no words of advice or reassurances or soft utterances of support. Cynra did not allay her fears or assuage her doubts.

Instead, she laughed.

Arizira glanced up and looked at the older woman with stunned annoyance. She had nearly allowed herself to forget how...eccentric Cynra could be. The Dream Speaker rarely reacted as others felt she should. "I fail to see the humor in this, Nai'lana."

Cynra continued to snicker from where she sat on the fallen tree in front of Arizira. "Oh child, it is there. We all worry about being proper parents, be it Esu or Arnira!"

Feeling ashamed, Arizira turned away from Cynra and shook her head to herself. She did not need her concerns being met with such reactions. She needed answers, advice, support. Cynra moved behind her and came to stand at her side. Arizira avoided her eyes and continued to scan the trees around them with faux earnest.

"Arizira, these feelings you have are without merit." Arizira said nothing. "Child," Cynra tried again, touching Arizira's elbow with a gentleness that surprised the both of them.

When Arizira turned around to meet her eyes, Cynra smiled. "Your baby is unique, Arizira. Neither you nor Talliea know what it is to be Esu like D'jiira, just as Talliea knows little about Arniran customs. What matters is that you teach the child your values and ideals. Whether those come from Arniran belief or Esu matters not if the intent is positive and the value good. Anything you do not know about being an Esu mother, you can learn. Remember, however, that the baby is also Arniran. Talliea knows little about being an Arniran mother, so the two of you will learn together and your child will learn from the both of you."

Arizira let her gaze fall from Cynra's as she thought on the wisdom of her words. Her grandmother was correct, but that knowledge did not completely alleviate her worries or fears. "I fear for her," Arizira whispered, her eyes staring at her boots. "I fear the world I shall bring her into. I fear the life she will have. Always, I am afraid for her, and I worry about being a good mother to her. I should be doing more to protect her… to protect all of you."

Cynra cradled Arizira's neck in her left hand and used her right to grasp Arizira's fingers. "That fear is a silent strength, Arizira. You fear for her because you love her. That speaks and tells me that you are already a good mother. Worry not with such burdensome thoughts, child. We all fight for a future of peace. You are not alone. All shall be well. As for you protecting the lot of us? We protect each other and you protect the most innocent amongst us. In that way, your task is far more important."

Silence settled around them both. Arizira licked her lips nervously and looked up to meet Cynra's purple eyes. She smiled. "Your wisdom continues to bring balance to my life."

Cynra laughed and squeezed her hand. The two of them shared a light laugh as the sound of the wind in the trees above moved through heavy boughs. The sighing and cracking of wood as it swayed in the breeze was all that was heard for several breaths.

Taetylona rejoined them a moment later and the three women went about sorting through and wrapping the various herbs Taetylona had picked. They had no idea that D'jiira and Talliea were mere moments away from finding Markahn. They did not know that Talliea was, very soon, going to come upon one who had caused her the most agonizing of pains and that, from that meeting, she was going to allow a darker side of her powers to take over.

* * * * *

"She loves you. I can see it mirrored in her eyes every time her gaze find yours."

D'jiira's words were thrown over her shoulder at Talliea as the two of them walked. Talliea had been impressed with D'jiira's tracking abilities. The woman was not as quiet as Arizira, nor were her senses anywhere as keen, but she moved with near silent steps and her eyes continuously picked out the trail Markahn had, unintentionally, left behind.

Conversation had been kept to a minimum as D'jiira hoped to keep the element of surprise on their side. She did not believe that Markahn had betrayed them, but she also could not keep complete faith in that hope. If the alternative turned out to be true, D'jiira knew she would have to do what was necessary to protect her daughter and her grandchild.

She still could barely believe that Arizira was pregnant. The news was more welcome than she could describe. For the past twenty seven summers, D'jiira had mourned in silence the child she had said goodbye to. She had watched other women become pregnant, have children, and expand their families, and always she had quietly envied them. She often wondered if they knew how precious their children were. How important they were.

After Iolirthas had died, D'jiira had been beside herself in her grief. She had observed the Arniran rites of death and said goodbye to her love, with Cynra beside her. That night had been her only night with Arizira. As she had stood over the final resting site of Iolirthas, D'jiira had held a tiny Arizira in her arms, close to her chest. Arizira had barely made a sound, her eyes not yet having any color staring up at D'jiira. Uncoordinated fingers had reached for her face and D'jiira had cried all the harder knowing she was saying goodbye to more than just one love.

She had been twenty two when Arizira had been born. Now, at forty-nine summers, D'jiira was determined to have a part in both her daughter's life and her daughter's daughter. She could not make up for the past, but she could ensure a better future for her family.

She heard Talliea walking behind her before the younger woman responded to her earlier spoken words. "No one has ever looked at me the way she does. From the moment I met her, she made me feel visible and important. I love her completely."

Both women smiled and continued walking. Talliea broke the silence a short time later, her voice barely a whisper. "I admire you," she said to D'jiira.

D'jiira slowed and looked over her shoulder. "Me?"

"Yes," Talliea nodded. "You are everything I always hoped to be. You are assertive and your opinions are voiced. Despite tragedy, you found love again and your people have supported you. My clan is so far removed from the honor they like to believe they possess, but you are honorable. You left the life you knew to find your daughter, despite the unknown seeming to walk in your very shadow. All my life, I desired to be more than I was allowed to be. You are a vision of who I could have been had my life not been so oppressive."

D'jiira stopped and turned to face Talliea. When she smiled, Talliea saw Arizira in the gesture and she, too, smiled. "My daughter is blessed to have found you. You are a kind, gentle, and beautiful spirit, Talliea Aldis. You are changing the course of your life with every step. The child Arizira carries is fortunate to have you, to be a part of you."

Talliea smiled, a blush coloring her dark skin. D'jiira looked around them, noting the disturbed underbrush next to her feet. Markahn was close. She readjusted her leather vest and ensured her daggers were easy to get to.

"Your second name is like Ahmanae, did you know?" D'jiira asked, turning back to the trail and resuming their walk.

Before Talliea could express her curiosity or answer D'jiira's question, the sound of commotion caught both of their attention. There were voices. Pleas. Feet against the dirt. The clang of metal. Light. Talliea and D'jiira set off at a faster pace, always moving toward the sounds of an unknown altercation ahead of them.

Always moving toward Markahn. Toward Sed'dya. Toward Bela'luin...

* * * * *

"What is it?" Taetylona asked suddenly.

Arizira moved away from Cynra and Taetylona and studied the landscape around her. Her eyes were focused and clear. Her body was taut. The muscles in her throat strained as she craned her neck around and listened to some obscure sound. "Something is wrong," she said in a voice that was both chilling and soft.

"Wrong? Cynra asked.

"Yes, can you not feel it?" Cynra and Taetylona stood up and moved to join Arizira where she stood next to a tall pine tree. Her eyes seemed to look past the trees and bushes and grassy hills. "Arizira?" Cynra asked cautiously.

Arizira did not respond. Her eyes clouded over with some foreign pain as she gasped and clutched at her chest, near her heart. Her knees threatened to buckle and she would have fallen to the forest floor had not Taetylona's strong arms steadied her.

"Child?" Cynra asked again, her tone one of worry.

Arizira closed her eyes and scrunched her brow. Taetylona held her up and supported her weight. "Something is wrong," she said again. "Tah-li -- it is so dark. I have to find her. She is in danger."

Before Cynra or Taetylona could ask any other questions, Arizira was recovered and nimbly moving through the trees, her lithe form running quickly in search of her love. The two older women spared a bemused look before gathering their supplies quickly and following after Arizira.

The younger woman moved with sure steps. She did stop to search for a possible trail. She did not slow to study the earth around her. Instead, her feet rushed past leaves and twigs and rock and toward the location she knew her love to be. Behind her, Cynra helped Taetylona tried to keep up. The Esu woman was not accustomed to such haste. Cynra's heightened senses allowed her to keep track of Arizira while she aided Taetylona.

Whatever fear had gripped Arizira was strong. Cynra knew not to question matters. Arizira's bond with Talliea could not be explained. She only hoped that everyone was safe.

Finally, she and Taetylona broke a perimeter of trees and stumbled into a small, bough-covered, clearing. Cynra steadied Taetylona, who was winded from their run, and looked around. Sed'dya stood far to the right, her dark skin easily recognizable. She was in an archer's stance, a bow half lowered at her side. Her green eyes were lined with tears and her gaze was fixated on Arizira, who was behind Talliea. Talliea, still some distance from Arizira, stood in the center of the clearing. Her body was enveloped with some wispy appearing energy and Cynra quickly noted the sensations touching her skin.

She remembered them. They were an indication of Talliea being inside her power. She had felt them when she had first made herself known to the Esu woman after Arizira's death. As before, they were far from pleasant. Talliea stood before Bela'luin. The huntress was pressed against a tree, kept there by some unseen force. Her eyes were locked with Arizira's. Pain and disbelief danced in their depths. Behind Talliea, and between her and Arizira, D'jiira and Markahn stood in mute upset. Neither of them seemed to be able to move.

"Tah-li?" Arizira took a step toward Talliea. She did not appear to be hindered by her love's power. Talliea's face was lined with tears as she brokenly whispered Arizira's name again.

"Ahmanae..."

Again, Arizira moved toward Talliea. Her steps were silent, yet slow and measured. Though she was unaffected by Talliea's powers, she could still feel the emotions behind them. She was aware of what Talliea's intention had been, and partially still was, and so moved cautiously as she approached. All eyes followed her.

Talliea kept her gaze on Arizira's blue eyes. The sight of her was as if the warm sun kissed her face on a cold winter's day. Her rage was still present, begging for her attention, but she felt a sense of serenity battling that desire.

"What are you doing, failira?" Arizira asked as she stepped past her mother and Markahn. Her voice was confused and her tone mollifying. Her eyes quickly noted Bela'luin's distressed face and Sed'dya's hurt one. Why the two women were present was unimportant to her at the moment, but she was happy to see Sed'dya again. It had been many moon-months since they had last seen one another. Bela'luin's presence, however, was disturbing to Arizira. She was unsure how she felt about her past lover.

All that mattered to her presently was calming Talliea. All other questions would wait. The darkness she had felt before had been an ache on her soul. It had nearly crippled her so strong it had been. Knowing that sense of hatred had emanated from Talliea startled Arizira.

Talliea's face changed before her. The pleading look from moments before faded, only to be replaced with a stone cold visage of determination. Talliea looked back at Bela'luin and, in a swift breath, her fury was back. She stood up straight and slammed her arms out to her sides. The wave of force that was the product of that gesture knocked everyone present to their knees.

Everyone except Arizira.

She looked around her and noticed her friends, family, and tribeswomen nursing sore spots from the force of the blow. Her mother's eyes locked with hers and she saw in them a great fear.

A fear of Talliea.

Turning her attention back to her love, Arizira was stunned to see the power wrapping itself around Talliea. It was as if black lighting coursed across her body. Talliea reached for Bela'luin with her hand, though the two of them were still some distance apart. Despite that, Bela'luin was lifted as if she had been touched.

"Stop!" Arizira yelled.

Talliea faltered. Her eyes lost their focus again and she looked over her shoulder at Arizira. "I can not," she whispered. "I do this for you, so that you may be safe."

Arizira shook her head and began to move closer again. "I am safe, Tah-li. You need to stop."

Talliea, a torn expression on her face due to the battle being fought inside her, turned back to Bela. Holding her eyes, she spoke to Arizira. "My destiny is to bring peace. To unify."

Arizira took another step closer. She was nearly able to touch Talliea now. "Yes," she said, simply.

Talliea lifted her arm and, by extent, Bela'luin was hoisted higher up into the air. "Yet, if I am to do that, I must remove those who would seek to bring us harm. Bela'luin killed you. She is responsible for my suffering."

Arizira shook her head again. "Your place is not one of judge, Tah-li. Only the gods hold this title. She is no threat, so what you seek to do is not justified."

"Justified? Were she Lao'dahn would your feelings be the same?" Talliea asked, eyes still staring into Bela'luin's.

Faltering, Arizira stopped when she came up behind Talliea. The energy around the woman licked at her skin, but did not burn. Her hair felt electrified, however, and that was the only indication she had of the immense power around her. Arizira placed a hand on Talliea's right arm, the same arm that was lifted and keeping Bela'luin in the air. "If he was unarmed and unable to defend himself, then yes. Please stop this."

Talliea swallowed painfully and closed her eyes. She did not release the hold she had on her power, but she felt the rage dwindling again. Arizira stepped closer to her once more, her front pressing against her back. The hand on her arm squeezed and wrapped around her bicep.

"Tah-li...this is not who we are," Arizira whispered against her ear. "This is not our way, failira. Stop this. For me. Please."

And, like that, Talliea's power faded. The cold electricity that held the clearing vanished. The wind resumed to blow. Sound suddenly filled the space, seeming to escape some great vacuum. Everyone present slowly stood and rubbed at their skin in an effort to remove the sense of heat that lingered. Birds above resumed their flight. The dirt and rock that Talliea had disturbed and flung into the air around them fell to the ground in small clouds of brown and green and grey. Where a void had been before, now life continued undisturbed.

Collective breaths were taken, yet movement was still kept to a minimum. All eyes focused on Arizira and Talliea who stood in the center before them. "Ari?" Talliea asked, turning into her love's arms. Her voice was one of confusion and self-reproach. Moisture touched the corners of her eyes.

"It is okay. I have you now," Arizira whispered back to her. She wrapped her arms around Talliea and pressed her lips to her temple. Talliea continued to look around the two of them. She felt as if she were coming out of some haze, some fog that had clouded over her judgments. Cynra, Taetylona, Markahn, and D'jiira all stood before her line of sight. Their expressions were all the same: Uncertain.

Talliea wrapped her arms around Arizira's slender middle, her hands resting in the small of her back. "I am sorry," she cried raggedly against Arizira's shoulder. "I do not know what took me."

Arizira hushed her. "It is okay now, failira. It is over. You are safe with me."

Talliea shook her head, her nose grazing the side of her love's neck. She could recall every dark and vile emotion that had taken over her senses and she was repulsed with herself. The desire to seek vengeance had been strong. It had been seductive and powerful and difficult to resist. Even though those dark emotions were now being replaced with tranquility, peace, and love, it was difficult for Talliea to understand how she had allowed such negative influences to control her.

Had Arizira not come when she did, Talliea was sure she would have killed Bela'luin. The action would have been one that had far reaching consequences. Ripples from such an action would have led her down a path she was unsure she ever would have come out of. But, how?

She was not such a person! She had never harmed anyone in her life! D'jiira, that very day, had spoken of her gentle nature. How had she allowed such a darkness to grip her? Was not she the one who controlled her powers?

"Ahmanae..." she cried against Arizira. "I am so sorry. I nearly--" Talliea stopped herself, unable to finish her sentence. "It was so strong, the desire," she said instead.

Arizira nodded and kissed the side of her face, near her ear. Her fingers tangled themselves in dark strands of hair. "I know," she said. "I felt it, too."

Talliea pulled away and stared into Arizira's eyes. "You did?"

"Yes,” Arizira responded before wiping away at Talliea's tears with her thumbs.

Both women stared at one another, unable to find the proper words to express their confusion over the situation. Behind Talliea, Sed'dya finally found the strength to move. She had not understood anything exchanged between Talliea and Arizira, as their words had been spoken in Esulan. Still, looking at Arizira was enough to remove any other feelings she had. "Arizira?" she asked in a small and uncertain voice.

Arizira pulled away from Talliea slightly but kept her close. Her left arm wound itself behind Talliea's back and rested against her hip. She smiled at Sed'dya and released a heavy sigh. "Sed'dya."

Sed'dya laughed, the sound shattering the remaining tension that still held the clearing. Tears finally fell fully and without reservation down her lean face. She took a step closer but stopped when she noticed Talliea's eyes on her.

"It is okay," Arizira reassured her, and in so doing, the rest of their friends as well. "She will not hurt you."

Sed'dya appeared unfazed by Arizira's words. Though Talliea looked very different from just a few moments before, Sed'dya was still unsure of her own safety. The woman's powers had been extraordinary. They had been frightening, yet also awe inspiring and worthy of reverence. Even though Talliea's power had faded and no longer touched the area they were in, Sed'dya was still uncertain of being around her.

Yet knowing that Arizira was alive, was a hard fact to ignore. In the end, Sed'dya chose to focus on that good news, rather than on the harrowing experience with Arizira's love.

"We were told you were dead," she said in a shaky voice.

Arizira nodded and stepped away from Talliea. She reached for Sed'dya's hand. "I was nearly so. Tah-li saved me. Our love brought me back into balance."

Sed'dya did not know what to think of the news. All reports had said that Arizira had been shot through the heart, that she had died on the battle field. Yet, here Arizira stood. Alive and well. Reaching out, she took Arizira's hand and allowed herself to be pulled into a hug. Both women cried as they held one another. Sed'dya kissed Arizira's face with a happiness long since forgotten to her. When she had heard of Arizira's passing, a hole had formed in her heart. She had been beside herself. Her grief over Arizira's passing had been horrible and, many days had seen her lost inside herself.

Now she was reunited with her friend and it felt wonderful. The world made sense again and the hole in her heart was no longer. "I love you," she said happily, still holding Arizira.

Arizira laughed and responded in kind. After several moments, something that had been nagging at Sed'dya finally made itself known. She separated from Arizira and looked toward Bela'luin, who had fallen to the forest floor painfully when Talliea's powers had receded. She sat, unmoving, at the base of the tree. Her eyes were focused on Arizira and unwavering.

"You shot Arizira?" Sed'dya asked.

Bela'luin blinked. The gesture caused the tears that had pooled in her eyes to fall down her face. "I...I -- it was an accident," she said hoarsely. "A horrible accident and I have paid for that penance in every waking moment."

Bela'luin's words were slow and sounded dead in her ears. Her voice was hollow and flat and she could not get her brain to accept what her eyes were telling her was true. How was it that she looked upon Arizira? Arizira Ahmanae, the Child of Whispers, was dead. Bela'luin had paid her tribute. She had mourned her and given respect and honor to her life. She had walked with grief-stricken steps since learning of her error.

Arizira's death was the reason Bela'luin had agreed to go in search of Talliea. It was the cause and the drive behind her need for redemption. The whole of the Arniran people were currently in sorrow over Arizira's passing and yet, here she stood before Bela'luin in perfect health. She was vibrant and alive and breathing, with no visible signs of what she had suffered.

All of this was possible because of the Esu woman? She had brought Arizira back to life? She had defied death? With the display of power Bela'luin had seen the woman exhibit, the possibility of her bringing Arizira back to life was not a hard concept to accept. Still, looking at Arizira was nearly as painful to Bela, as also her supposed loss had been.

Sed'dya stalked over to her quickly and lifted her up by the collar of her jerkin. "How could you?" she hissed.

Bela'luin did not try to remove herself from Sed'dya's grasp. The other woman hated her in that moment no more than she already hated herself. Before she could answer, Cynra stepped forward. "Enough! Sed'dya, release her."

The words of the Dream Speaker were not to be taken lightly, in any context. Sed'dya quickly stepped away from Bela'luin and turned back around to face Cynra. She noticed an older Esu woman standing behind the Dream Speaker, and next to them the man she and Bela had fought was standing near a middle-aged Esu woman who looked uncannily like Arizira.

Arizira had returned to be close to her love and the two of them were holding one another in their arms.

"Honored One," Sed'dya said, dipping her head at Cynra. She heard Bela'luin move behind her before stepping up next to her side. Several pairs of eyes studied one another.

"What are you two doing here?" Cynra asked, taking the lead in the encounter. Sed'dya glanced at Bela'luin. She was of a higher rank and the mission was hers. As such, custom dictated that it be she that spoke. Bela released a shaky breath and let her eyes find Arizira. She smiled weakly before glancing up at Arizira's love. The woman's eyes were dark and unforgiving, even as tears colored her cheeks.

"Speak quickly!" Cynra said, bringing Bela'luin out of herself. Bela jumped and focused her attention on Cynra. She was surprised to notice the older woman with Arizira and found herself wondering what all had been going on that she had not been privy to.

"I was sent with haste to find this woman," Bela'luin said, indicating Talliea. Talliea raised an eyebrow, but kept her focus on Bela'luin.

"Why? By whom?" Cynra asked, stepping further into the clearing and nearer to Bela'luin. She placed a comforting hand on Arizira's arm as she passed her before finally coming to stand in front of Bela'luin and Sed'dya.

"Talyn was the matron of my task."

Cynra regarded Bela'luin closely. "What was your mission, huntress?"

Bela did not hesitate in her response. "I was meant to find this woman and attempt to make peace. The Esu move to attack us and it is Talyn's hope that the Arnira will not have to wage a war on two fronts. She desired that I offer my life to this woman, that I attempt to make restitution in exchange for her sparing us as a people."

Talliea listened with sudden interest. The leader of the Arnira believed her to be a threat? She believed she would harm her people, bring suffering to their tribe? She remembered the feelings of loneliness and anguish she had felt after losing Arizira. At that time, her desire had been to kill Bela'luin and Lao'dahn. In her mind, they had brought about her suffering. Yet, never had she thought to wreak havoc on the Arnira as a whole.

"Talyn is wise," Cynra was saying. "She knew of Talliea's importance to Arizira. Your task is fulfilled, huntress. This party is seeking audience with Talyn." Cynra swept her arm out behind her and indicated Talliea, Arizira, D'jiira, Taetylona, and Markahn.

Sed'dya made a noise of discomfort, but did not say anything. Bela'luin looked at Taetylona and D'jiira the longest, before her eyes found the man, Markahn. "He will be shot on sight," she said evenly. "It will not matter the company he walks with."

Cynra nodded. She had always known as much, but she had also wished to learn more of the man and his intentions. "Yes, he must part ways. It has always been his path," she said.

Markahn, not understanding Bela'luin, but knowing Cynra's words somehow, only looked confused. They were speaking of him, but he was unsure of the context. D'jiira stepped around him. She had understood both sides. "It is death to allow him to part," she said.

"And who are you?" Bela'luin asked with a suspicious note.

D'jiira stepped closer and leaned over Cynra's shoulder. She locked her eyes with the young and defiant woman and answered, "I am Arizira's mother." The look of shock that colored Bela'luin's face would have been humorous had not complete calamity taken over in the following breath.

Four Esu men suddenly appeared behind Bela'luin and Sed'dya. Their approach should have been impossible -- the keen senses of the Arnira should have alerted them -- but the perplexing turn of events for all involved had left them only able to focus on what was happening directly in front of them. Everyone had allowed themselves to concentrate on events transpiring inside the clearing. They had forgotten about the rest of the forest.

Arizira had thought she heard movement at one point, but she had instead focused on Sed'dya and their reunion. As such, the Esu patrol had been able to gain on their position. Surprise worked in their favor. One man used the handle of his hammer knock Bela'luin in the back. She fell to her knees. Another man sent a bolt of light toward Sed'dya. For a moment, she was engulfed in a bright sheath of gold before the light dissipated and she dropped as well. She scratched at her skin frantically. The light had sent tingles of pain through her body.

Talliea, seeing only a danger to Arizira, quickly wrapped her body around her love's as a shield. She dropped the two of them to the earth in a huddle. A dome of force surrounded them and kept them protected.

D'jiira and Cynra were the closest to Bela and Sed'dya and their reactions were much more swift than the other two women. The man who had struck Bela'luin wheeled on D'jiira but paused at the sight of her. His moment of hesitation was all D'jiira needed. She bent down quickly and grabbed both of her daggers. Lunging forward on her right leg, she used the force of her own momentum to swipe the blade in her right hand across the man's middle.

Blood spilled to the forest floor and stained it in red. The man grabbed his side in pain. D'jiira flipped the blade around to the handle and slammed it into his temple. The man fell and did not rise again. D'jiira turned, lost to the heat of battle, and looked for another foe. The man who had used his powers on Sed'dya was currently sending bolts of light at Cynra, who despite her age was dodging quite nimbly out of the way. The mace D'jiira had given her suddenly flew into wrinkled hands.

Cynra spun around and slammed the head of the weapon into the man's shoulder. He cried out, but did not fall. His Esu strength absorbed most of the impact. D'jiira watched the man raise his right hand and a ball of light could be seen forming in his palm. Cynra was not going to be quick enough this time.

D'jiira focused her attention on the man and used her own powers to absorb his. He faltered when he noticed the light in his hand was becoming dim. His eyes searched Cynra's before falling on D'jiira.

"Thanks," D'jiira said, before taking the man's gift and sending it flying back at him. The ball of light he had intended for Cynra now collided with his chest with great force. He felt the heat from the blast and staggered to his knees. Before he could right himself, Cynra swung the mace again. The head connected with the underside of his chin and sent him falling to the ground. Blood oozed from his mouth as he moaned in agony.

Two down. Two to go.

D'jiira ran over to Cynra and placed a hand on her arm. Cynra smiled up at her. "You've come into a few new tricks since Arizira's birth."

D'jiira only smiled and shook her head at the older woman. They each noticed Talliea protecting Arizira and moved their attention to Markahn and Taetylona behind them. The other two Esu men were battling them. And winning.

As D'jiira watched, four other Esu men suddenly burst through the trees and entered the fray. They were going to be outnumbered. "Look after them, leyaja." D'jiira said pointing at Sed'dya and Bela'luin. The Arniran women were slowly getting to their feet.

"What of you?

D'jiira smiled, the act looking more predatory than anything else, and glanced to where Markahn was fighting the two men. "Do not worry for me."

D'jiira turned and ran toward the second battle. Markahn wrestled with a tall Esu man whose hands were grasping his shoulders. "Why do you do this?" the man asked.

"Because it is right," Markahn responded before head-butting the man. The man grabbed his nose and hollered out in pain.

Markahn took the opportunity to kick him in the middle and send him falling to the ground. He turned and watched Taetylona slam her staff into the back of the second man. It was then that Markahn noticed the other four Esu men who had joined the fight. They passed him, not thinking he was part of the opposing group, and converged on Taetylona.

"Sage woman," one man said with disdain. He slapped Taetylona across the face. Markahn stepped up and punched the man in the side of the jaw. Another man grabbed him from behind and pulled him away. Markahn managed to free an arm and elbowed his captor in the face. A second man stepped forward and kicked Markahn in the stomach.

D'jiira focused on the other two men still surrounding Taetylona. She ran as fast as she could and, once close enough to one of the men, jumped into the air and slammed both of her feet into the back of the man's shoulders. The blow knocked the wind out of the Esu. D'jiira fell to the ground in a heap, the force of her own attack causing her to land on her back.

The man was on her in an instant. He punched her across the face and dazed her. Her vision blurred. She heard Taetylona muttered something close to her before a blinding flash and the smell of smoke caught her attention. She did not know what had happened, but she suspected Taetylona had somehow disarmed another one of the men.

Behind her, Sed'dya and Bela'luin were back on their feet, as were the first two men that had attacked them. They currently fought the Esu with everything they had. Bela'luin had recovered her sword and was matching steel with the man who wielded the two-handed hammer. Sed'dya dodged a blow from the man who had struck her earlier. She rolled across the dirt and out of reach of his strike. Blood covered the front of his chin and neck where Cynra had hit him. Still, he was determined to keep his honor and so attacked with fury and blind rage.

He watched Sed'dya roll away from him and raised his hand to summon his gift. He failed to realize that D'jiira still possessed it. His eyes widened when nothing came to his summons. He focused his attention on Sed'dya and watched her notch an arrow into a bow. Before he could do anything, the arrow flew into his neck and he fell to ground.

He was dead before the impact. Sed'dya strung another arrow and landed it into the back of the man attacking Bela'luin. The blow did not stop the man, only slowed him.

Bela'luin brought her sword down and attempted to disarm her opponent. The man lifted his arms and used the handle of his weapon to block the attack. He slammed his elbow into Bela'luin's stomach and knocked her to the ground. Turning around and seeing Sed'dya, he raised his hand at her and sent a blinding flash of light into her eyes.

She staggered and fell.

Cynra threw her mace at him and the weapon connected with the side of his skull. "Talliea!" she yelled. "We need your help!"

Talliea barely heard the call. She had to protect Arizira. Her senses were unable to do anything else and she did not trust herself after her encounter with Bela'luin. She could not risk bringing harm to one of her friends if the darkness from before took her over.

"No," she whispered, though only Arizira heard her. "No, no."

Arizira struggled out of Talliea's embrace. Everything had happened so quickly that she had not had time to protest anyone's actions. When her eyes scanned the forest, she was overcome with sorrow. Sed'dya was lying on the ground some distance from her, unconscious. Bela'luin was fighting a relentless man with an arrow protruding from his back. Cynra was attempting to get Sed'dya's bow and arrows.

Arizira looked around again and noticed Taetylona also on the ground. Blood seeped from a wound on the side of her head. Markahn was fighting two men in a struggle for survival while the rest of the men, four in all, were attacking D'jiira.

D'jiira was barely able to gain any ground. The men were surrounding her. She used the powers of Esuval when she could and she managed to cut the men several times with her daggers, but her strength was waning. Arizira knew it. The men knew it. They were only waiting.

"No!" Arizira yelled and pushed out of Talliea's embrace. She knew her love was hesitant. She could feel it, but she could not sit by and do nothing. If Talliea could not bring herself to protect the others, then she would.

"Ari!" Talliea screamed after her, but Arizira did not hear the plea. She unhooked her sabres and ran into the circle of men attacking her mother. The blade in her right hand cut down one man before he even had time to mount a defense. The sabre sliced him open from just underneath his arm to the front of his stomach.

The man nearest to him noticed Arizira and raised a double-edged sword in her direction. She blocked the attack by him with both of her sabres while kicking at a third man who had thought to overwhelm her. "Run!" Arizira yelled to D'jiira. Her mother's face was covered in blood and several bruises colored her skin.

Arizira used all of her strength to press against the second man's sword. The action caused her own sabres, which had blocked the attack, to slice down his front in a wide arc. Blood spilled onto Arizira's white blouse. She allowed the man to fall to the ground before focusing her attention on the remaining two men.

The man she had kicked earlier rushed her, but he was not prepared for how quick she was. She allowed the man to move as close as she dared, before turning and slamming the butt of her sabre into the base of his neck. The man dropped like a stone.

D'jiira stood on shaky legs and stumbled to where Arizira stood. The wild look in her daughter’s eyes was unsettling. She had known Arizira was skilled from their first encounter, but she'd had no idea just how skilled.

Until now.

The last man looked upon Arizira with hesitation. Behind Arizira, Bela'luin had finally dispatched the man she'd been attacking. Both she and Cynra were seeing to Sed'dya. Markahn got the upper hand briefly with the two men he'd been struggling with, but instead of attacking him again, they pressed in on Arizira.

She was the biggest threat.

Markahn moved to stop them, but one man sent a bolt of light into his face and temporarily blinded him. That left Arizira alone, expect for D'jiira, who was in far than perfect shape.

Arizira lowered herself to the ground in a crouch. She twisted her arms behind her until her blades where resting against her back. She hissed at the men as she moved to put herself in front of her mother.

"Arizira! No!" D'jiira yelled, but her strength was failing her. She knew she could not take on all three men and survive, but she also knew she could not allow Arizira to do so either.

Why wasn't Talliea aiding them?! She could put a stop to this! D'jiira looked over her shoulder and noticed Talliea viewing the scene with clouded eyes. She was lost to a fear of herself. The most powerful among them, and she was too afraid of herself to aid them.

"Stay back, lana." Arizira said. Her eyes watched the men with the sharpness of a dagger. All grew quiet. Blood covered Arizira in various places and it's coppery stench clung to the air.

Suddenly, the men attacked as one. All three of them yelled battle cries and rushed at Arizira. The movement had been so quick, none had seen it coming. Arizira twisted her blades around to strike at the men, but they were suddenly flying back away from her. They each slammed into earth, tree, and rock. Where they fell, they did not get up.

Arizira turned around and looked over her shoulder. Talliea stood with a hand raised in her direction. Her face was calm and there was no indication of the turmoil that had gripped her earlier. She looked around at the dead bodies of the men. Eight men. All dead. With a gesture of her hands, the vines and grass grew up around those bodies. They covered the men, wrapping around their corpses and returning them to the earth. After a moment, there was no evidence of the recent battle, except for the blood that covered the ground in places.

"Tah-li?" Arizira asked.

Talliea turned her head and nodded at her. "I am okay, love. Forgive me. I was too frightened to see."

Arizira smiled at her and allowed the adrenaline in her body to fade away. She slumped to the ground and sighed. D'jiira placed a hand on her shoulder and moved to check on Taetylona. Cynra, Sed'dya, and Bela'luin moved closer and soon the whole of the party was near to one another.

"Is everyone well?" Taetylona asked.

"Yes," Bela'luin responded, not realizing she had just understand Esulan. Sed'dya, who was leaning against Bela'luin for support, looked around curiously. "How did we understand your words?" she asked.

A wolf emerged from the forest and stood before the group. Its fur was pure white, its eyes an icy blue. It focused its gaze on the group as if scrutinizing their appearance. Before anyone could ask any further questions or check on the status of how everyone was after the battle, the wolf's eyes found D'jiira’s and a silence settled around the clearing.

It was no natural silence. "I am responsible for your communication." The voice seemed to be coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. It was ethereal and rich and musical and it echoed off of the very trees.

D'jiira recognized it at once and a sound like a cry and a plea left her throat. She stepped away from the others. Of the group, she had received the most injury. Cuts and scrapes marred her chest and neck and face. Blood seeped from several wounds and bruises dotted her skin. The injuries were all superficial. A lot of the blood had come from the Esu men instead of her. Still, she was in a delicate state.

Everyone kept their attention focused on the mysterious wolf. Except for Sed'dya and Bela'luin and Markahn, everyone knew who the wolf was. D'jiira took an unsteady step toward the wolf. Tears were falling down her face and washing away the blood that had dried there. Before she could take another step, a silvery flash of light converged on the wolf. The light was so bright that all present had to shield their eyes. When they turned back toward the wolf, it was gone.

In its place stood a woman. An Arniran with long silver hair and startling purple eyes. D'jiira fell to her knees and a cry whimpered past her lips. "Io..." she whispered brokenly.

Chapter 30: Farewell, My Love

Iolirthas smiled in D'jiira's direction, the gesture showing in the set of her eyes. Her long silver hair fell down her back and over her shoulders. The strands shimmered in the daytime sun as though they were touched by the moon.

Iolirthas wore the same outfit she had been adorning the night of Arizira's birth. Treated leather pants were light in color and tall curved boots completed the look of a hunter. A magnificent silver cloak, long and flowing, was draped over a green cloth shirt with a dark-stained leather vest. Like her hair, the cloak appeared ethereal the way it glowed with radiance.

"You look different," D'jiira's voice broke the silence. "Older than my memory recalls."

Iolirthas looked down at herself and smiled again. "Aitla has chosen to show me as I could have been had I lived."

Cynra, who had been nursing the gash on Taetylona's head, took a step toward her daughter. Heavy tears lined her eyes. Communing with Iolirthas as a wolf had been a great difference to seeing her now. It had been so very long since she had glimpsed her daughter this way.

"Mother," Iolirthas said in greeting.

Breaking off a cry that wished to escape, Cynra swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded her head. "My child." Behind D'jiira, Markahn, Talliea, Arizira, Sed'dya, and Bela'luin were all getting to their feet and turning to get a better view of what was transpiring. Arizira's eyes were watery and she could almost feel D'jiira's emotions over this particular encounter.

"Io...how?" D'jiira asked in an unsteady tone.

Iolirthas reached out a hand to D'jiira. "This is Aitla's blessing," was all she said.

Walking slowly, tears slipping down her cheeks, D'jiira finally closed the distance between herself and Iolirthas. She tentatively took Io's hand in her own and a cry sounded in the clearing at the contact. "My dear love," Io said and her voice was like music on the wind.

Arizira felt Talliea behind her. Hands landed on her shoulders and held her close. Arizira stood with a small smile on her face as she watched her parents. The way they looked at one another was beautiful to her. These women were responsible for giving her life, these parents she so previously thought lost in her life. They had found one another long before either of their peoples were aware of the other. They had overcome prejudices and fallen in love.

Watching them now, Arizira found herself wondering how her life would have been had Iolirthas not passed to Aitla on the night of her birth. Would she have grown up in the forest with the both of them? Would they have tried to bridge the gap between their peoples to offer her a more social childhood? Would she now know what it was to be both Arnira and Esu?

When Arizira's eyes focused again, she was pleasantly stunned to notice that D'jiira's wounds had been healed. Blood still covered her clothing, but her face was clean and there was no evidence that she had recently fought to protect the rest of them.

"Oh, by Esuval, you are here," D'jiira was saying, not taking notice of her own changed state. Her hand in Io's moved and grasped her shoulder in a need for further confirmation. Fingers moved up an ivory neck before slipping into soft silver hair. "What miracle is this?"

Iolirthas closed her eyes at D'jiira's touch. It had been so long since she had enjoyed anything so physical. Her time as a wolf had opened her to different senses, different sensations. This last gift of Aitla was the most sweet, the most tender, but also the most painful and sorrowful. It could not last, despite her wishing that matters were different. Her time was short and she found herself lamenting all the things she desired to say, but would not have a chance to. The blessing of her physical manifestation was also to be a precious curse.

D'jiira stepped closer and leaned her head against Io's. Her hand cradled her love's neck while her shoulders shook from the force of her emotions. For several moments no one spoke, though a question or two burned on everyone's tongue. Sed'dya and Bela'luin, lost to the reunion before them, could do little else but watch with wide eyes and mouths agape. Their minds were refusing to believe that Arizira was half Esu, even with D'jiira's presence having already spoken of such.

Taetylona stood, her weight resting heavily on her walking stick, and watched with tears in her own smoky eyes. Next to her Markahn was silent, his mind trying in vain to understand everything going on around him.

Talliea and Arizira stood closely and watched the reunion, each holding the other as near to them as possible.

"I love you. I have always loved you," D'jiira cried.

Iolirthas nodded, her hands holding D'jiira's body close to her own. "I know, my love, I know. I have watched over you for a time. I know of your new love. She brings you happiness and for this I am gladdened. My heart was forever yours, just as it shall always be, but my time grows short and I have so much I wish to say."

D'jiira cried harder upon hearing the words. Iolirthas moved closer and took her into her arms. The two of them hugged one another as the minutes passed. Finally, D'jiira pulled away and attempted to regain her composure. She turned her head and caught Arizira's gaze. "Io, I found her," she said with a small laugh. "I found our Arizira."

Iolirthas smiled and sought out Arizira's eyes. "I know, my love, for it was I that started you upon your long journey to seek her."

D'jiira turned back around. "You? You are responsible for the dreams?"

"Yes," Io responded. "I knew important events were on the horizon and that my time on this plane was to be brief. I knew our daughter would need guidance, the type of guidance only a mother can provide. I knew also that you needed Arizira, but your fear of what transpired in the past kept you from ever attempting to find her."

D'jiira's eyes turned back to Arizira. "You brought us together."

Again, Io's answer was simple. "Yes."

Arizira stepped away from Talliea and toward her parents. Much of what they had spoken was confusing to her, just as much of it was clarifying. She wondered about the other love of D'jiira's that Iolirthas had mentioned. Yet despite her confusion, only a single word formed on her lips when she thought to speak.

"Lana'vira."

Lana'vira translated as 'mother who nurtured.' It was reserved for the woman who carried a child.

Iolirthas turned her head and smiled at Arizira. She took a step away from D'jiira and regarded her daughter. Though the two of them had met, in a sense, this meeting somehow felt much more tangible. "My beloved Arizira," Iolirthas said in a voice that was heavy, yet beautiful.

Arizira found herself moving toward her mother, the woman who had carried her and nurtured her until bringing her into life. Talliea did not attempt to stop her in any way. She let her fingers run down Arizira's forearm until they were no longer within reach of one another.

D'jiira watched Arizira walk on shaky legs toward herself and Iolirthas. This reunion was one she never thought possible, yet here the three of them stood. Together. Iolirthas cried when Arizira fell into her arms without reservation. The emotion was nearly too painful. She wrapped her arms around Arizira's back and pressed her against her body in a warm and tight embrace. Tears against her cheek and neck signaled Arizira's own tears.

"My beautiful, beautiful Arizira," Iolirthas cried.

D'jiira stepped closer to the both of them and joined in their hug. It was to be a last, an embrace that could never again be experienced. D'jiira tried to commit every breath to memory, ever sensation to heart, and every caress to her soul. Around them, the rest of their unconventional company watched in silence. For several minutes, nothing moved and no one spoke.

Cynra was the first to change that. She moved toward the family that had been taken from her and joined them in their embrace. Whispers of love were spoken and kisses were placed on cheeks and foreheads. Finally, the group separated. Arizira remained close to Iolirthas, her body hugging one side while D'jiira claimed the other. Cynra, tears lining her light purple eyes, stepped away and looked toward the rest of the group.

"My daughter, you know already of the others, do you not?" Iolirthas smiled and nodded. Her eyes traveled from Taetylona's, whom she had met before as a wolf, to Markahn. The man remained a mystery to her. She had encountered him before, though not directly. Her gaze shifted from Markahn's to Bela'luin's. The woman's green eyes were wide and unfocused. She appeared to look past the reunion taking place before her.

"I have met you before," Iolirthas said. Bela'luin jumped at being addressed before focusing her attention on Iolirthas. The two of them regarded one another for several moments until a dawning of comprehension colored Bela's face.

"You were the wolf I encountered before, yes?"

"Yes."

"You did nothing to stop the events you knew were imminent. Why?"

Iolirthas looked down at Arizira briefly before returning her attention to Bela'luin. "My task was to protect my daughter. She hid in the trees above that night. I could not allow her to be brought to harm. You still had a part in the grand story to be told. I protected my child."

Bela'luin shook her head. "Part? What part?"

Iolirthas did not respond, but Bela knew of what she spoke. What other action had she taken that was so monumental, other than when she had unintentionally pierced Arizira through the heart with an arrow from her bow? That was supposed to have happened? Arizira was meant to nearly die? Was that the part she had played?

Instead of addressing Iolirthas, Bela'luin looked to Arizira. "Why did you do nothing that night? Why did you hold your tongue instead of offering me your insight? I could have helped you, helped our sisters. I could have followed a path that did not lead to such sorrow."

Arizira contemplated her response for a moment. She cut her gaze to Talliea's and found the stability she needed. "My eyes were blind to which side was just. To me, only Tah-li could I trust. I was ill without her. I could not risk myself on a whim because I nurtured something far more precious than you or I. My mind held no understanding of what was soon to come to pass that night."

Bela'luin was silent. She narrowed her eyes at Arizira's words. Risk herself? Bela had seen Arizira fighting just moments before Iolirthas had made her presence known! She had been risking herself for the Esu woman, D'jiira. Her...mother. Why could she not risk herself before? What was different? Unless...

'I nurtured something far more precious.'

All color drained from Bela'luin's face. Arizira had been acting on instinct when she had jumped to D'jiira's rescue. There had been no real thought involved in her decision to leap into battle. Adrenaline had flooded her system, where before fear had. Fear not for herself, but for--

"You are blessed with life?" The question cut off Bela'luin's thoughts. She turned toward Sed'dya. The woman was smiling at Arizira, her eyes shining brightly in the daytime sun. Arizira swallowed nervously and met her friend's happy face. She said nothing, but nodded her confirmation.

"A baby?" Bela'luin whispered, her eyes cutting to Talliea, who stood in front of her. "H-how? She is Esu."

"I am half Esu," Arizira said, looking at D'jiira. "Aitla blessed us with a child. I do not seek to question that, Bela. The night you speak of, I had only recently learned of being with this life. The thought of any harm coming to her in my weakened state paralyzed me with fear."

Bela'luin said nothing. She looked around at the many faces surrounding her and lowered her head. Her mind had much to ponder. Iolirthas took that time to step away from her family and toward Talliea. What she needed to say was of utmost importance and her physical form was not meant to last much longer.

"Talliea Aldis," she said, her voice sounding like the soft hum of chimes on the wind.

Talliea's eyes widened at being spoken to. She stepped closer to Iolirthas. "Y-yes?"

Io smiled. "I have watched you since your clan arrived here. Ever have my eyes been set upon you. My goddess knew who you were and who you were meant to be to Arizira. I protected you when you were alone, just as I guided you in accepting your feelings for my daughter. You are one amongst many, but your true strength lies not in numbers, but in your love for Arizira."

Talliea listened earnestly, but said nothing in return.

"The powers you possess are a gift from both Aitla and Esuval. Only one whose love is true and pure, and whose heart is filled with beauty and hope, could be given them. However, there can never be light without darkness. For every pure emotion, there is also a negative one. You must learn to accept this within yourself and balance it, lest the gift of the Moon and Sun corrupt you. Your uncertainty keeps you from your true potential."

Talliea shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest. "I do not understand. Corrupt? Potential? Why? How? If you were protecting me, why did you keep Ari in slumber the morning we were separated? Why not reveal yourself and tell us of what peril awaited us? Why the riddles and the secrecy?" Talliea's questions were plentiful. She felt herself becoming agitated. Her life was her own and she was tired of being told what she must do without being informed of how she was to do it. She had not asked for power. She had not asked for a destiny. She had not asked to be a part of some prophecy or to be responsible for the path of the future.

If peace was what the gods desired then she was happy to help in that pursuit, but she needed more information than she currently possessed. She needed answers!

Iolirthas regarded her with a playful smirk on her lips. Talliea noticed the look appeared very much the same as when Arizira did it. "Your questions shall be elucidated. In time. I can not answer them for you, for that role is reserved for another. It is information that is not mine to give nor to know. However, your other questions I can illuminate. I kept Arizira asleep, the morning you speak of, because your path to be walked differed from her own. She could not interfere with what was to transpire between you and the Esu man. Doing so would have prohibited your powers from manifesting. As for the secrecy? All the actions, of everyone here, were meant, however unintentionally or intentionally, to bring this possible future into being. Each of us was a thread in a vast tapestry. I could not reveal myself, nor could I leave the form I was in."

Talliea furrowed her brow. "You are presenting yourself thus. How could you not do so before?"

Iolirthas lowered her eyes sadly. She looked from D'jiira and Arizira, whose faces were a reminder of a beautiful tragedy, before regarding Talliea once more. "I appear to you now, in this form I once held, to say goodbye to those I hold the most dear. I have used the last of the power Aitla granted me to manifest as I am now. This is no permanence, I am afraid. Aitla is allowing me to say the goodbyes I was denied before. The power wanes, as does the moon, and soon I shall return to the stars above, never to grace this plane again."

D'jiira pulled away from Iolirthas. Her light brown eyes were pained and her expression was tight. "No," she whispered brokenly. "I can not -- I c-can not say goodbye to you twice."

Iolirthas touched D'jiira's cheek sadly. Her eyes moved over the face of the woman she had loved in life. "I am sorry, my love. Aitla offered this chance and I took it without question. Long has it been since my eyes held yours and I longed to see you this one last time."

D'jiira bit the inside of her cheek defiantly to keep herself from crying again. She reached up and held the hand that touched her cheek before turning her head and kissing Io's wrist. Her eyes glimpsed Arizira's stricken face. Iolirthas turned to regard her daughter once again. Her form began to fade in and out of existence. She flickered as if some mirage in the desert.

"No, no, lana'vira. I need more time with you," Arizira pleaded. "I need your wisdom. Please do not go. Help me with this stage of my life." Iolirthas shook her head sorrowfully. She turned away from D'jiira and hugged Arizira tightly. Her body continued to shimmer and fade.

"Would that I could, beloved child. You do not need my wisdom, Arizira. Everything you've a need or desire to know is around you. Motherhood is a gift. Follow your instincts and trust in those you call friends. Your love for Talliea is more powerful than you are aware. It can light even the darkest of places and provide shelter from any storm."

Arizira continued to cry. Her tears were bittersweet. "No, lana'vira. I need you."

Pulling away, Iolirthas held Arizira's face in her hands and smiled. "I live on in you, Arizira, just as a part of me shall forever touch your child. It is the way of things."

Iolirthas turned next to Cynra. Her time was quickly coming to an end. She could feel the pull calling for her, gently requesting her to accompany it. No words were spoken as the two of them embraced one final time. They held one another tightly. When Cynra pulled away, her face was pleased. Aitla had given her this special time with her daughter. She could ask nothing more.

"My gift to you," Io said, addressing the group, "is communication. Whosoever you view in friendship shall understand your words. If the goal of those you encounter is common to your own, no longer shall language be a hindrance. "

Talliea stepped forward and gently wrapped her arms around Arizira from the side. Her love continued to cry as they both watched Iolirthas fade and flicker and grow brighter as time passed. D'jiira stood off to the side and kept her eyes on the woman she had shared a part of her life with. Her tears had dried, but her eyes were red-rimmed and her face flushed. Her time with Io, once again, was to be too short. They were not to be given enough time together.

Iolirthas looked up at the sky above and smiled. She took a deep breath and looked down at those gathered one last time. Her eyes found Talliea's. A voice sounded in the clearing. Though it was Io's, her lips did not move.

"Your time for answers is at hand. Be strong and embrace that which makes you unique."

Before Talliea could respond in any way, Iolirthas blinked out of existence. A blinding flash of silver light engulfed everyone present. When it faded, Iolirthas was gone. Arizira turned in Talliea's embrace and hugged her in comfort. Everyone glanced around in a search for answers or direction, yet no one spoke.

Talliea caressed Arizira's back in a soothing pattern before a familiar and dreaded sensation crawled up her spine. She felt herself sway slightly. Her vision blurred and a strong sense of vertigo nearly crippled her. She blinked as a blanket seemed to cover her and mute her senses. The sensations were like those she experienced before the visions came to her. She swayed again. Her feet twisted and her legs gave out beneath her.

A voice called her name in concern, but it sounded muffled and distorted. She could not make it out. "No, not again," she managed to mumble before everything around her grew black and disappeared. She fell to the ground in a painful heap. The sound of her breathing was loud in her ears.

Opening her eyes slowly, she panicked at the scene that greeted her. There was no Arizira. No, D'jiira, or Cynra or anyone. The others were gone and she was alone. Talliea looked around quickly. Her eyes were wide and her mind was racing. She scrambled around in the dirt in an attempt to find something that could shed light on her friends' disappearance. Her heart hammered inside her chest with a painful anxiety.

What had happened? Where was she?

At the thought, she quickly noticed that the scenery was different. She was no longer where she had been before. Instead of tall trees with thick branches and berry laden bushes surrounding her, Talliea was now near some sort of settlement. A town. Grand buildings rose before her in the distance. The sounds of people and commerce caught her attention. She could smell freshly baked bread and produce, as well as smoking meats and the sweet scent of flowers.

"A-Ari?" she called hesitantly. "Ahmanae?" Her voice was hoarse and laced with panic.

"She can not hear you," a voice said behind her. "She is not here."

Talliea whipped her head around and looked up into a pair of turbulent grey eyes. A woman stared back at her. She was Esu, like herself, with long black hair pulled away from her head and fastened with a clip. Talliea felt as if she had seen the woman somewhere before. Her eyes were painfully familiar.

"W-who are you? Where am I? What have you done with Ari?" The woman smiled, the act appearing more haunting than reassuring, and offered her hand to Talliea.

"My name is Tareya Aldis, and we have much to talk about, Talliea."

Chapter 31: A Divergent Path

Time was far too short a device.

In moments of sorrow it passed in a stagnant memory of remorse, as if the gods desired one to remember such grievous suffering as a testament to mortality and the lugubrious nature the heart was capable of withstanding. In stages of happiness, however, time moved akin to a flowing river. It passed quickly and in the blink of an eye. Time was both history and the future, existing simultaneously, leaving one to wonder if it was real and true or rather one's perception of it caused it to be thus.

It was a cruel dichotomy as opposed to one another as the moon and sun, yet dependent on the contradictory mood of the other for its sustaining life.

D'jiira's reunion with Iolirthas had been a moment in between grief and joy. It had defied time with its desire and confused it with its agony. For far too brief and far too long a time, D'jiira had been with her first love. For an instant, she had been with the family that was now only a distant hope. She had been with both her daughter and her daughter's nurture mother, the woman whom had opened up a whole new side of her so many years in the past.

Yet as beautiful as the moment had been for D'jiira, it had also been one of sadness and despair. It had been a reminder of what was gone and what would never be again. It was an occasion that had followed a battle of sweat and blood and was now followed by another possible tragedy. Immediately after Io had left the plane of life to be with Aitla, Talliea had lost consciousness and fallen into another deep sleep. Long had the minutes been without any change. At first D'jiira had tried to convince the others and Arizira that it was but another vision, but the longer time had stretched without change, the more she had come to suspect that matters were not as they appeared.

That suspicion had only been confirmed by Arizira. "This is different. I can not feel her as once I did. It is as though I walk alone without her by my side. Where she was now resides a void."

No one had been sure how to respond to the cryptic words and time had continued to pass. D'jiira looked around her and took in the group's appearance. All stood with varying degrees of heartache and confusion. Bela'luin appeared stricken with both remorse and guilt, but her respect for Arizira was noticeable. Sed'dya looked conflicted over matters, as if she struggled with some decision within herself. Markahn, for all of his stoic mannerisms, was nearly as lost as Arizira over Talliea's predicament.

As for Cynra and Taetylona, the two older women stood together in close confidence discussing possible solutions in hushed tones. The silence of their surroundings was broken only by the sound of a wolf howling somewhere in the distance. Orange rays of sunshine danced between the trees and shimmered across the faces of rock and stone that dotted the forest landscape. It was a farewell, a last bid to beckon the party to seek their destination before the sun retired in the west.

"Arizira?" D'jiira asked as the silence grew and the sun continued to set. "We can not stay here."

Looking up from where her head rested against Talliea's neck, Arizira found her mother's eyes. Her face was still covered in dirt and blood from the recent battle and her silvery-blonde hair was tangled and unkempt looking. She took in the drawn expressions of those around her. In a rush, her senses came alive with vivid information as she allowed herself to focus on everything transpiring around her.

She noticed the wind was cooler than it had been before. It carried with it a growing night's chill. The sun, far to the west in front of her, could still barely be glimpsed retreating into the canyon of Li'nas Dei. The sounds of birds, rabbits, and far off deer now mingled with the songs of insects, owls, and wolves. Around her, the evidence of the fresh skirmish with the Esu could still be spied in the disturbed earth and the dark red blood that covered the surrounding brush. Though Talliea had returned the bodies of the dead Esu men to the earth, Arizira knew they were not far off, dreaming in an eternal sleep.

The seeming tranquility of the landscape was misleading. "We can not remain here, my daughter," D'jiira said again noticing she held Arizira's attention.

"And what would you have me do? What would any of you have me do? Leave her?"

Arizira's emotions were heavily present in the how she addressed the others. Her normally mellifluous tone of speech was riddled with vehemence and strain. Her eyes were two orbs of silver fury in the growing dark. "I remain where she is! Without her, we are lost."

Cynra moved closer to Arizira. "Child, none here are suggesting that you leave your love. To do such would defeat the purpose of all. However, your mother speaks truly. We can not remain out in the open. Night comes, as does Aitla's return. It shall be harder to reach the tribe with our Esu friends unable to move with such lack of light. Also, there could be other Esu patrols that move toward us. We must seek refuge."

Arizira shook her head, her tears washing away some of the dirt on her face. "I can not leave her. Where does such refuge live, Nai'lana? Where are we to find peace when war both follows and awaits us. Without Tah-li, we have no hope."

"Arizira--" Cynra chided.

"No, do not. She is a part of me, Nai'lana. Without her, I am nothing. She does not dream. This is no vision.

"How do you know, child?

"Because I feel it! I am less, aimless. Where she walks, I am forbidden. You all should make haste to depart."

Bela'luin stepped closer at Arizira's last words. She knew her counsel was the last that was desired, but she had not come as far as she had and lived with the burden she carried for it all to end so quickly.

“Arizira, war marches. The drums of change are heard all throughout our lands. We must be with our people when the hour of our history looms before us."

Arizira lowered Talliea's head gently to the ground and stood to face her fellow hunter. Her shoulders were squared and the color of the blood covering her was stark against her pale skin. "Our people? Your tongue speaks with banter as its companion, Bela. For whose people would I be fighting?"

The sound of Arizira's raised voice carried far into the forest. She did not mean the words, nor did she intend to be difficult or discouraged. For everything she had been through, everything she had learned, Arizira had always carried herself with a certain honor and poise. She had never allowed her title or her own worries to stand in her way. Always, she had been with Talliea and the other woman had served as her strength and her stability.

Even when the two of them had been separated, Arizira had followed her only chance to reunite. Knowing that she moved with a purpose that would bring her back to her love had given her a sense of hope. Now, there was no such hope. Not that she could foresee.

Two groups of Esu had ambushed them. They had nearly been overcome. Arizira had put herself and her baby in danger by protecting her mother. D'jiira had suffered injuries, Taetylona's vision was clouded due to the blow she had received to her head, and both Bela'luin and Sed'dya still bled from various wounds.

Arizira had not been given a moment to recuperate or tend to anyone's injuries, let alone any possible ones of her own, before her nurture mother had manifested before them and spoken her bittersweet farewells. Arizira was tired. She was exhausted mentally, physically, and now emotionally. The adrenaline she had been surviving on, the tiny part inside of her that had been forcing her to press forward and do what must be done, had run out.

When Arizira looked to what lay ahead, all she could see was pain and suffering and possible death. She felt alone and scared and cold without Talliea. She could not explain how she knew something was different this time to the others. They could not understand. They had not experienced her connection with Talliea. All Arizira knew for certain was that she felt the way she had before she and Talliea had bonded for the first time. That singular feeling, that expression of being simple rather than complex, pervaded every fiber of Arizira's being. Talliea's thoughts and emotions were dark to her. She could not sense them, could not feel them. Her best attempts at rousing her love had been met with nothing but a setting sun and a rising sting of panic inside herself.

She was alone, despite the company of the others around her. Without Talliea, without her spirit touching Arizira's own, she was alone.

Hearing her mother and grandmother, and now Bela'luin, telling her that they could not remain where they were was just the final straw on Arizira's already fragile state of mind. She could not think of their task or of reaching Talyn. She could not fathom possibly meeting the Esu on the pristine springtime forest of her childhood. Her only concern was for Talliea. Without her, what hope was there for any of them? What did they all hope to accomplish by marching to the Arnira? For all Arizira knew, the Esu were already upon her people.

Where was the safe haven Cynra spoke of? Where was any safety without Talliea?

"Arizira, you misunderstand," Bela said in response to Arizira's heated words. She, like all those around her, was unaccustomed to Arizira's sudden belligerent and contentious behavior.

"I misunderstand?" Arizira retorted. "Those men attacked us without provocation. Nary did they state their intent before they were upon us. They ambushed us without mercy or understanding, even with several of their own standing amongst us. Why? Because we are different? Because we believe differently than they do, think differently than they do? What world do our children inherit where such acts of deviancy and cowardice are praised as just and sung with blessing? What world do they inherit where acts of mercy, compassion, and love are seen as signs of the weak to be exploited?

"You speak of the drums of war, Bela, but you have sounded them yourself already! It was you who desired to attack the Esu long before they were aware of our presence. You sought to slaughter them based on songs of myth and tale rather than learning of them firsthand. Both Esu and Arnira have acted rashly and those deeds have only ripened to this present...this dawn of all out war where the iniquitous and the deceitful are rewarded with life and earthly riches, while the pious and the benevolent pass on and are lost. Why do the considerate suffer and those that seek to subjugate thrive?"

Arizira looked around at the faces before her. There was an asperity burning inside of her that she had never experienced. For so long, she had been complacent and without duplicity. Life for her was endless stretches of grass, lush and towering trees, the songs of birds and the hoots of owls. Or it had been. Ever since she had been separated from Talliea, her life had been one rock in the path after another. She had learned of her parentage and of Cynra's involvement in several key moments of her life. She had discovered the truth of the enigmatic white wolf and of its connection to her. Soon after, she had found her love only to be caught in the first of many battles between her two peoples. Death had loomed before her, but Talliea had saved her.

Still, matters had continued to change and contort around her. D'jiira, her long lost second mother, had returned on the eve of inevitable war. With her had been the man, Markahn, who had long desired to join with Talliea. Her life had been one momentous event after another ever since. Talliea's visions, Arizira's pregnancy, Markahn's upset, the appearance of Sed'dya and Bela'luin, the bloody and fatal battle with a large number of Esu men and the short-lived reunion with Iolirthas all had transpired in the span of mere days.

It was all too much to take in. Arizira had had no time to process anything before something else had been thrust before her and Talliea. Was there no end in sight to her suffering? Never before had she felt so despondent, so full of despair.

"You have the right of all of it, Child of Whispers," Bela'luin said after a long and weighted silence. "I did act rashly. I believed my actions were ones meant to protect, but they had been borne of fear. I see that now. No longer are my eyes dark with my own deception. I can not speak to the minds of the Esu, nor their intent. Your spirit is one far more pure than any of us here...of any of our sisters. It always has been. That strength of character has been matched by this woman."

Bela pointed to the prone body of Talliea. "She completes you. You nearly died for her because of the rashness of my actions. Allow me to atone for that mistake. Whatever I can do to aid you, I shall, Arizira. I can not remake the past, but I can seek to face the future with less fear and hatred than before. I can attempt to view the world as you do. As she does. What would you ask of me?"

Arizira sighed heavily and dropped to the ground next to Talliea. The sun's rays of orange light fought to break the crest of the Li'nas Dei canyon. Running fingers through Talliea's hair, Arizira remained quiet for several moments. She was tired. All she wanted was her love, but of her she could not have. "I can not leave her," she whispered brokenly.

"I know," Bela'luin said.

“You will not, my daughter, and nor shall I," D'jiira added. "Tell us what you desire to do."

Silence breathed again. Arizira's mind was frantic and desperate as she tried to formulate a course of action. Before she could speak her thoughts, Sed'dya stepped forward and knelt beside Talliea. Arizira's silvery-hued eyes watched her friend's movements. Sed'dya touched Talliea's forehead. "There is a chill that touches her skin."

Sed'dya removed her hand and moved her fingers down Talliea's throat where she felt for a pulse. "She breathes, but the air is shallow and soft in her lungs, as if she sleeps without a dream."

"What is wrong with her?" Arizira asked in a pleading tone.

Sed'dya shook her head before placing her palm over Talliea's heart. She chanted words of healing in the Arniran tongue and closed her eyes. Everyone watched her actions in silence as the sun continued to die in the west. "The beat of her heart is erratic. It does not match her breathing."

Taetylona stepped away from Cynra and moved to join Sed'dya. She studied Talliea herself and listened to her heart. After a while, she looked up and met Arizira's eyes. "This is similar to when Talliea believed you lost to her. Your spirit was trapped between the realms of life and death."

Arizira appeared stunned. "You are saying that Tah-li is trapped? That her spirit resides elsewhere?"

Both Sed'dya and Taetylona shrugged their shoulders. "I can not say, young one," Taetylona answered. "Whatever ails Talliea is not known to me. Her condition is similar. That is all I can say."

Arizira's throat tightened. "What am I to do? Tell me how to bring her spirit back!"

Cynra stepped forward. "Your love used her powers to save you, child. Perchance, given time, you could find a way to do the same, but at present our time moves with the sun and grows short."

"Cynra is correct. Darkness comes. Only an hour or so of daylight remains to us," D'jiira said. "We should find shelter. After that, perhaps we can search for a cure for Talliea."

Sighing once again, Arizira glanced over her shoulder at the setting sun. Given Talliea's condition, there was no way the group would be able to reach the Arnira by nightfall. She knew they were close to the tribe, but Talliea's inability to move would slow them considerably. Taetylona's head wound needed to be tended and Cynra, wise as she was, needed the safety of her sisters. She was old, like Taetylona. Though the two women had held their own well enough, Arizira knew that if they were attacked again by a larger force, the chances of greater injury for both was higher.

"Sed'dya," Arizira said, "I need for you to take the Dream Speaker and the Sage woman to the safety of our tribe. See that their injuries are looked after."

"You would seek to divide our numbers?" Sed'dya asked. "Is there not strength in many?"

"Yes, but age is a foe that requires an ordered approach. Cynra and Taetylona have endured the winter in the forest. They have walked great distances to help both me and Tah-li. They have earned a rest before war asks more of them. Take them, please. Tell Tayln that Taetylona enters our people's protection with the Child of Whispers’ blessing. Tell her to accord her the same rights as she would any other woman."

"Are you certain of this? I am okay to travel," Taetylona countered.

Nodding and smiling graciously, Arizira said "Yes. I shall meet up with you all in a another day, at most, if all goes well."

"What do you intend to do?" Bela'luin asked.

"I am going to make a travois to pull Tah-li behind me. We will be slow, but I can not be where she is not. You and my mother can scout ahead to ensure my way is safe."

"No," D'jiira interjected. "I am not leaving you. Just as you spoke of Talliea, I can not be where you are not. Besides, you may need my protection along the way. Better for me to be at your side where I can watch over you."

Arizira smiled and dipped her head in thanks, accepting her mother's aid. "I shall walk beside you as well," Bela'luin said after a moment. "It was I who thought to try and take her from you in my jealously. I pledge my sword and bow to you." Bela'luin dropped to a knee and lowered her head before Arizira. The act was one of supplication in Arniran custom. Bela'luin was giving Arizira her life until such a time came that Arizira decided her debt had been fulfilled.

Again, Arizira nodded. They had a plan. That made her feel slightly more herself. She disliked that they were being separated, but it was the best course of action for everyone involved. Cynra and Taetylona needed to be away from the immediate fighting. Sending Sed'dya ahead would ensure that Tayln was prepared for other arrivals and would not be taken unawares by Arizira's return.

"What of me?" Everyone turned and regarded Markahn, who still sat in the dirt in shock from recent events. "What am I to do?"

Arizira swallowed nervously and looked to the others. She had forgotten about him in her plans. Where did he fit in? Where best could he be of use? He could not journey with Sed'dya, Cynra and Taetylona. The Arnira would shoot him on sight, not because he was Esu, but because he was an Esu man. Despite any possible company, Arizira knew that Tayln would not allow him to sully sacred Arniran lands with his presence. He represented, however unfairly, everything Tayln was fighting against.

Arizira thought of allowing Markahn to walk with her, but she knew that was a mistake. She had noticed his looks of longing directed at Talliea. She had watched him continue to blush and fawn over her when he was around her love. Despite his good intentions and his aid, Arizira knew Markahn was too close to the situation. He was too close to Talliea and his feelings could cause him to act hastily in the future. Arizira doubted as much, but she could not take a chance. Markahn's place was with his people. With his brothers. He was a good man and was an example of what future generations of the Esu could be.

He had in him the qualities and traits to be a leader. His part in Talliea's life was over.

"You have aided Tah-li even at the expense of your own heart. You have walked with her in friendship and sought to bring her happiness. For that, we shall both be eternally grateful. However, your path in life no longer follows hers, nor ours. You must depart and make for your clan. Though the attempt shall prove to be futile in all likelihood, you must try and delay any actions of war from your brothers. Mayhap envoys from each of our peoples can be roused to speak of peace. If you return and war soon follows, you must chose whatever course seems best to you. Remaining with us is an arrow at your throat, you know this. At least with your clan you stand a chance to make a difference."

Markahn remained silent in his thoughts. He had always been aware that he was the outsider. Maybe a day would come in the future when both Esu men and Arnira could walk together in peace and friendship, but it would not be this day he knew. This day, he was meant to find himself again and determine the kind of man he would be the remainder of his life.

"Very well. I shall help with your travois and then depart. With the sun setting, my journey shall be slow. I can make camp in the forest and begin at first light on the morrow."

Arizira nodded and clasped his arm in hers in a warrior's grasp. The two locked eyes in respect before separating. Arizira stood back and released a shaky breath. "Aitla's blessing be with all of you," she said, unsure how to say goodbye to Cynra and Taetylona after walking with them for so long.

Cyrna took her in her arms and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Arizira, my dear granddaughter."

Taetylona approached her next, her smoky almond eyes holding a near sly smile. Arizira hugged her as she had Cynra. "Thank you for everything. Your strength is silent but dependable, Sage woman."

"As is yours," Taetylona responded. "Never have I seen Talliea smile more often than when she is with you. Keep her safe."

Arizira nodded and turned her attention to Sed'dya, her oldest and most dear friend. The two of them had just been brought back together only to have to leave one another so soon after. "Do not say anything," Sed'dya said. "I shall look for you at Aitla's departure. Together we shall greet whatever happens thereafter."

"Of course," Arizira whispered, tears falling again down her face. Sed'dya hugged her and kissed the side of her face. "Safe journey," she whispered.

Goodbyes and safe wishes were shared between the various members of the group. D'jiira, Markahn, Bela'luin, and Arizira watched Cynra, Taetylona, and Sed'dya gather their supplies and silently take their leave. When their forms became obscured by the heavy trees, Arizira wiped a hand across her face to remove her tears before leaning down next to Talliea.

"Failira, wherever you are, know that I protect you. I shall get you to safety and bring your spirit back to mine. Do you hear me, Tah-li? We shall face our destiny together." Arizira brushed dark strands of hair away from Talliea's face and kissed her brow tenderly. Her lips lingered for a moment before she pulled away. "I love you. Do not fear. I will come for you. I will bring us back together."

Another soft kiss was placed, this time on Talliea's left eyelid. "I love you."

Chapter 32: Answers in Mint

"My name is Tareya Aldis and we have much to talk about, Talliea."

Talliea sat in mute shock, eyes wide and unbelieving, as she stared up at the woman looming before her. The sounds and smells -- so vivid -- that she had recalled just a few moments previously were now hushed and dull.

Talliea felt her heart beating erratically inside her chest, its beat seeming to thump against the flow of blood in her veins. Swallowing a strong wave of anxiety, she licked her lips nervously and lowered her eyes to the ground beneath her. Her thoughts began to drift farther and farther away from her.

Farther away from the strange environment she had found herself in. Farther away from confusion. Farther way from Tareya.

Talliea's thoughts left her surroundings and fluttered and meandered inside her head. She lost all sense of time and reality. As she remained unfocused, her memory began to take shape in her mind. A memory from a short lived but very much loved time in her life.

She saw a cave next to a steaming hot spring. She saw herself. She saw Arizira.

Instantly, Talliea knew the memory. It was some moment shortly after she and Arizira had bonded for the first time. She recalled how alive she had felt then, how wonderful and at peace. Arizira had made her a woman. She had made her an adult grown, someone responsible for more than themselves.

As Talliea descended further into the memory forming inside her mind, she began to hear voices. Conversations. Her recollection bloomed before her and she willingly lost herself in it. Talliea laid on her back with Arizira nestled warmly against her side. Her tan fingers lazily traced easy patterns along Arizira's arm and back. Soft skin tingled against her fingertips and she sighed in her complacency.

A tender kiss was placed against her collarbone before moving to her neck and jaw. Talliea tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Arizira's lips were wet and warm and soft. "The taste of you enthralls me, failira," Arizira whispered as the fingers of her left hand brushed across Talliea's chest and up her neck to tangle in her hair.

"Everything about you captures me, Ari," Talliea responded with a small and satisfied smile gracing her lips.

Arizira's light kisses continued to warm her jaw and cheeks. She could feel Arizira's heart beating against the side of her rib cage and the gentle rhythm seemed to become a part of the slow drizzle of rain and sleet falling outside. Tallie had never known such peace, such easy contentment. Ever since Arizira had touched her for the first time a day before, the two of them had only grown closer.

Their connection was new and fascinating to both of them. The sharing of emotions and thoughts and memories was matched only by the physical sensations that accompanied them and left them both feeling satisfied. Each time after they had made love, the two of them would lay silently together as their thoughts settled and the information that had been shared became a part of the other.

Afterward, Talliea and Arizira would talk quietly about what they each had experienced or felt. The act only brought them closer together and fortified their bond. As Talliea felt Arizira's lips move to just below her jaw by her ear, she inhaled a shaky breath and wrapped her hand tighter around her love's back.

"I love you, failira" was whispered, hot breath brushing across her ear.

Failira.

Talliea had learned the meaning of that beautiful word just the day before when they had first been intimate. She had not spoken to Arizira about it yet. When the information had been shared, Talliea had not understood much of what she had witnessed. The word and its meaning had been somewhat shrouded in confusion. Whether by Arizira or something else could not be determined.

Talliea had learned, in an instant, the story Arizira had grown up hearing about two special women. Ir'ra and Tareya. Ir'ra had called Tareya 'failira' and they had been in love. Everything had happened so quickly for Talliea in that moment as other memories and thoughts had passed before her eyes. In a brief moment, she had moved away from the meaning of the word and experienced other emotions by Arizira.

Lying naked under her wolf hide blanket with Arizira softly caressing her skin, Talliea could not help still being intrigued by the word her love continued to call her with such simple intimacy.

"Ari-sera?" she said in a voice rough from her previous activities.

Arizira moved her lips up Talliea's jaw and to her mouth where she kissed her chastely. "Hm?"

"Failira -- I would know more of it. I learned of the word and its meaning when we were connected, but much was lost on me. Who are Ir'ra and Tareya?"

Arizira pulled away and looked down at Talliea. Her eyes were glowing with a silvery-blue intensity. She studied Talliea's face, the hand she had previously tangled into her hair moving to trace across the arch of her eyebrow. "They are women who lived long ago, Tah-li. Much of what we know comes from scrolls written by Ir'ra in a time before remembering, but the ancient texts have become obscured with time. The story now passes in the verbal tradition."

Talliea furrowed her brow in thought, Arizira's fingers still lightly smoothing across her skin. "They were of your tribe?" she asked.

"No one can recall," Arizira replied. "Ir'ra was an acolyte of Aitla, an Order than has all but vanished in recent times. The only remainder of that ancient sect are what we now call Dream Speakers."

Talliea nodded. She moved the hand she had on Arizira's upper arm and trailed her fingers up and across her throat. "And of Tareya? Who was she?"

At this, Arizira shook her head. "There is nothing about Tareya that remains in the texts that could shed light on who she was."

"Nothing? Why?"

"It is said that any information about Tareya that could illuminate her nature in the texts is badly damaged. Some of the wise amongst us say by time and weather, others by those desiring to keep her a secret."

Talliea frowned. "Why would someone wish to do such a thing? Keep her a secret?"

"I do not know, failira. That is for the scholars and the Dream Speakers to debate. All I know is that Ir'ra and Tareya are believed to be the first to discover the Doira'Liim connection. Their story served as the basis for my faith in that bond. Having met you, I know their connection to have been real for I now experience it."

Talliea smiled and lowered her eyes. She watched as her fingers ran soft patterns across Arizira's sternum. It unnerved her that no more about Ir'ra and Tareya had survived the test of time. She could see a resemblance between them and Arizira and herself. What knowledge about this bond now lay buried with them in the past, she wondered. What troubled Talliea the most was the possibility that some, long ago, may have tried to hide Tareya's true identity. What purpose could there have been for doing such?

Perhaps time had erased the memory of Tareya, as Arizira had said. Still...

"Tah-li?" Brown eyes moved back up to meet silvery-blue. "The rain and sleet have stopped. Let us dress and go play in the snow."

Talliea laughed. Arizira's childlike playfulness still continued to touch her. To Arizira, there were no worries, no problems. To her there was only life and joy and happiness. There was only love and peace and games in the snow. "You want to play in the snow?"

Arizira nodded, a bright smile beginning to touch her lips. "There is a winter berry called endei'thwir that will freeze on the outside creating an icy shell, while the meat and juice on the inside remains moist. My sisters and I have often enjoyed cracking the ice crust over handfuls of snow. The juice inside covers the cold snow creating a sweet treat."

Talliea found herself smiling with Arizira at the other woman's easy exuberance. She hoped always to see her love as she was now: Carefree. Happy. Loved.

Talliea's eyes regained their focus, though they remained slightly misty. Looking up, she met Tareya's gaze and grew unnerved by her presence. She knew who this woman was, at least partly. "I know who you are," she said.

Tareya nodded, her steely gaze unwavering. "I should hope so since I am a part of you." Talliea swallowed her nerves and stood up. The air was warm around her and the sun felt good against her skin. There was a sense of dread, of unease, that was attempting to crawl up her spine and whisper in her ear. The woman before her was dead. Arizira had told her that Ir'ra and Tareya had lived many years in the past. How was it that she now stood in conversation with one of those women? Was she dead? Had she suffered some injury in the battle? What had Tareya meant when she said she was a part of her?

"You are one of the women I have been having visions of. Ari told me of you. You were the beloved of Ir'ra." Tareya nodded, but did not elaborate. Her grey eyes continued to behold Talliea, seeming to look through her and see every part of her soul laid bare. "What am I doing here?" Talliea asked. "Where is Ari-sera?"

"She is safe and watches over you," Tareya said. "But our time runs against the pace of war. Even now Esu men march against the Arnira." Talliea's eyes grew wide. Her clan was moving to strike against Arizira's people? So soon? What moment of boldness had spurred such a move?

"Your love," Tareya was saying, "and the company you keep will be too late. Their arrival shall meet a clash of arms in progress.

"Then you must return me to her!" Talliea yelled. "Without me, peace can not be achieved!"

"How do you know this to be certain?" Tareya asked, eyes sparkling with some unknown glint.

Without hesitation, Talliea replied, "Because it is my destiny, or so I have been told."

Tareya smiled, but it did not evoke comfort in Talliea. "You have been told much, some true and some fed by conjecture." Talliea threw her hands up and turned her back on Tareya. She was tired of everyone playing games with her. She was tired of being told riddles that she had to guess the answers to, or of being given slivers of possible answers that she was then expected to decipher. If the Esu were marching against the Arnira then Talliea knew Arizira and their friends would be caught in the middle.

What would happen if that came to pass? Arizira was a formidable warrior; Talliea had seen her reflexes and her strength with weapons. She knew her love could hold her own, but for how long? If the Esu camp had emptied, then that meant hundreds of Esu men, skilled in the ways of the Light as well as in close quarter combat, were now moving to attack. Arizira could not fight them all.

She was only one woman and she was pregnant. Standing with her hands on her hips, Talliea wheeled around in a fury and met Tareya's eyes. "Enough! I shall not stand here and banter with you when my love faces certain peril! I am getting back to her, with or without you help!" With that, Talliea turned away from Tareya once again and started down the dirt trail that lead back into the surrounding forest. She did not get but a few steps when Tareya materialized in front of her. Talliea took a step back, rattled.

"Tell me," Tareya said in a smooth voice, "when you kiss her, is there a flavor that lingers? A tantalizing taste that kisses your lips long after she has moved away from you?"

Talliea faltered. Tareya smiled that unnerving smile again. Silence stretched for long moments as one strong spirited woman stood against another strong willed one. "M-mint," Talliea whispered softly into the passing breeze.

Tareya turned her head to the side. "Hm?"

"Mint. She tastes of mint," Talliea said, this time louder.

"Ir'ra used to taste of endei'thwir berries. She loved them, I recall, so it was quite a nice surprise for both of us." Talliea did not respond, but Tareya continued to carry their conversation. "You have tasted mint since the first time you kissed her, yes?"

"Yes."

Tareya stepped closer to Talliea. "Do you know why?"

"No."

"A pity," Tareya said, frowning.

When the two women were once again face to face, Talliea found her voice again. "Do you know why?"

"Yes, that is why I am here. I am the answer to all the questions you have been seeking."

Talliea felt her heart beat faster for a moment. The thought of finally learning everything she had been searching for was inviting. For so long, both she and Arizira had been kept in the dark on their destiny and what each of them were required to do. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, both of them had still decided to undertake the journey Cynra had asked of them.

They'd had no reasons to believe the older woman, just as they'd had no reasons to doubt her. In the midst of ancient hatreds and current animosities, Talliea and Arizira had chosen to do what they felt was right. Even in times where their courage had seemed to waver, they had pressed on in the hopes of learning more about themselves and for the possibility of creating a more welcome world for their unborn daughter.

Here, wherever that was, Talliea was being given an opportunity to quench her thirst for knowledge. Here, there was someone who promised her answers. Could she so easily turn away from that chance? What of Arizira and the others? Did she risk them for these answers? Perhaps the answers Tareya held were the key to victory? Without them, was hope already truly lost?

"You have much to learn afore your eyes see your love," Tareya said, shattering Talliea's inner debates.

"About what?" Talliea whispered in a small voice.

"About me, Arizira, yourself, as well as Ir'ra, for all our spirits are bound by a single thread of fate."

Talliea turned away from Tareya's penetrating gaze and looked behind her. The large and distant settlement seemed to call to her. Never before had she seen the likes of it. Even when she had been a small child, before the wars had broken out in the Southlands, her people's towns had never matched what her eyes beheld now. "What is this place?" she wondered out loud. "Where are we?"

Tareya moved to stand next to Talliea and the two of them looked on in wonder at the sprawling town that loomed before them. "We stand at the height of Esu civilization, as well as the precipice of its great downfall. This is both the dawn of our achievements and the growing dusk of our esurience."

Talliea swallowed nervously and nodded her head, though Tareya's answer was less than elucidating. "T-this is...this is the past?" she asked.

"Yes. This is where it all began: My story. Your story. You desire answers?" Talliea nodded, eyes still lost in their view. "Truth shall be your weapon against all those who would seek to be your enemy. The history of our people with the Arnira has become lost, traces of it now living on in fanciful tales of legend and valor. I shall show you the true history of our two peoples. I shall teach you of yourself and of your own shameful lineage."

Turning to meet Tareya's eyes, Talliea could only dip her head in acquiescence. Question upon question fired inside the confines of her mind and burned the tip of her tongue, but she ignored them and put her trust in Tareya. "You said you knew why I tasted mint in Arizira's kiss."

Tareya inhaled and looked back to the distant settlement. "Yes."

"Tell me."

Turning back to Talliea, Tareya responded "It is the physical manifestation of your spirit touching hers. Only those who share the bond you do can experience it. The flavor is unique to the individual lives of those who come together. Your life and experiences, as well as hers, culminated into that single moment when you each sought out the other. One of you long enjoyed the taste of mint and that was shared when you kissed, becoming a symbol whenever your two spirits recognized each other thereafter."

Talliea exhaled a shallow breath, the memory of her first kiss with Arizira dancing before her eyes. Wrapping her arms around herself, though she did not feel chilled, Talliea felt tears sting at her eyes. "It was me. I enjoyed the taste of mint. It was I who initiated the contact with Ari, who sought to deepen our connection. I kissed her."

Tareya smiled and nodded. "You created a symbol, a physical and sensory symbol, that belongs to only the two of you. Come." Talliea looked down and noticed Tareya's outstretched hand. Hesitating for only a moment, she took the proffered hand and allowed her destiny to take her over.

Chapter 33: Alone to Lament

Arizira exhaled and let her body fall back against Talliea's. The water was warm around the two of them from the early morning sun. Strong arms wrapped around her middle and landed on her stomach while a soft kiss was placed along her wet neck.

"This is new," Arizira said in a low but playful tone of voice.

Talliea, nestled behind her in the stream that ran behind Li'nas Dei, smiled against her skin. When the two of them had decided to bathe that morning, neither had been expecting to find a large drop off in the muddy and rocky bottom of the rivulet. As such, the water where they now stood came up to just below their chests and allowed them the pleasure of submerging their bodies completely.

The night before, Talliea had used her abilities to bring Arizira back to her and the two of them had reunited after months of being apart. Thinking about their lovemaking caused Arizira to blush. She rested her head back on Talliea's shoulder and placed her hands on top of the ones holding her so securely.

Though the Esu women, in the valley below Li'nas Dei, were known to use this same stream for their own bathing needs, they never ventured so far up hill and so Talliea and Arizira knew their privacy was assured. Neither knew when Cynra and Taetylona would return, but they both were aware that their time alone was limited. So they put off thinking about what lay ahead and instead focused on their love for each other. They focused on being together again after so long being apart.

Talliea's smile grew as she slowly began to trace circles on Arizira's lower stomach. She could feel the muscles tensing with every soft stroke. "New is not bad, though. This drop in the water is nice," she responded after a time. "I have always enjoyed feeling the water slick against your skin and mine."

Arizira did not say anything. She was in a state of absolute peace, despite every other facet of her life being so convoluted. For just a moment she wanted to shut out the world and concentrate on being in love and being an expectant mother. The gods owed her that much.

Another kiss met the side of her neck and moved up to caress her ear. She moaned softly and pushed her self back against Talliea. "I am so happy right now with you, failira."

Talliea tightened her embrace and lowered her head until her nose was grazing across Arizira's shoulder. Water ran down her face from her wet hair. "Me, too, love. I have missed you so much. You feel like a dream." The wind picked up above them and blew leaves and the scent of spring flowers through the stream. Birds took to the sky while a rabbit bravely approached the water's edge to sneak a drink.

Arizira watched the white and grey rabbit with a smile on her face. Behind her, Talliea was tracing her lips across her shoulder blade. She looked up and became lost as the sun danced behind the thick canopy of trees and sent shadows and streams of light parading across the forest floor.

Tranquility and serenity settled inside her and she sighed. "Would that I could remain like this with you forever."

Talliea nodded against the back of her neck, her own heart mirroring Arizira's desire. "We can still run away together, Ari."

Arizira swallowed the tight lump that formed inside her throat at the mention of running away. Just the night before, Talliea had brought up the possibility of the two of them leaving both of their peoples and getting away from the increasingly likely coming war. Arizira could not deny that a part of her wished to do so. She could not suffer the idea of any harm coming to Talliea or their baby. Especially not their baby.

Yet, she knew she did not have it in her to leave. She could not walk away from her responsibilities or her duties to her sisters. There was still, in her mind, a chance of peace. What example would she be setting for her daughter if she abandoned her tribe in their greatest time of need, if she left and disregarded her oaths as a huntress and protector?

"I can not, Tah-li." Talliea sighed at the whispered response and all grew quiet. Arizira felt Talliea's left hand move and glide up her chest and to the side of her face. Fingers brushed hair away from her neck and caressed wet skin. Talliea's right hand also moved, it coming to rest against Arizira's right breast.

For several moments, that is how the two of them remained. Talliea's left hand gently continued to brush across Arizira's ear, jaw, neck and hair, while her right hand palmed a soft breast. "I love you," Talliea whispered into Arizira's tapered ear before licking at the sensitive shell.

"Show me, Tah-li," Arizira said, " Allow this moment to be remembered." At Arizira's words, Talliea felt the mood between them shift. No longer were the two of them simply enjoying a bath together as the morning grew and the sun rose. No. Arizira was asking for something more. She was asking for peace and fulfillment because she knew their own time alone was coming to an end. She knew simple moments where they could make love and talk about life and fall asleep in one another's arms was soon to become a fleeting memory.

Arizira was asking for Talliea to give her something they both needed, something that would be a source of strength for them when they were faced with hard decisions and choices; something to sustain them when they had to leave Li'nas Dei.

Talliea's right hand squeezed her love's heavy breast and palmed the tight nipple. Arizira's breath hitched. "Right here?" Talliea asked with a playful smile evident in her tone. The mood of arousal between them was quickly escalating.

Squeezing the hand that was holding her breast, Arizira nodded. "The world would shun us for our feelings, for being in love when it is the most pure and beautiful emotion. I would have the world be witness to my desire for you, to know that what we share is true."

Talliea lifted her head from Arizira's shoulder and searched her face. Their location in the stream was well secluded. A multitude of trees surrounded them and thick bushes ripe with berries lined either side of the water around them. Rocks and pebbles could be spied between tall grass and green-fallen leaves. No other living soul, other than birds and rodents, was near to them.

And yet, Talliea knew what Arizira was referring to. She knew what Arizira's intent was. Their short-lived time together had seen them bonding while in dark and secluded caves. It had seen them hiding from those that would harm them or not understand them. Talliea knew Arizira wished to make a statement, a single unified voice from the two of them that love was never wrong.

"I would have you bond with me as the sun and the trees and all that is rich amongst us bears witness, for we do not hide our feelings, Tah-li. Touch me and let me forget everything but you. Please." The simple word was all it took for Talliea to slide her right hand down from Arizira's nipple and move between her thighs.

Arizira moaned and pushed back against her love. It was not so long ago that Talliea had been shy and unsure of herself, that she had been afraid of being more than she had been raised to be. Arizira recalled Talliea's reluctance to voice her opinions early on in their friendship and how she had viewed her body as something shameful, rather something beautiful and worthy of adoration.

Yet, that time was no more. It was in the past. Through her, Talliea had blossomed into a stunning, kind, certain and strong young woman. She had grown and was now more confident and sure of who she was. Though she was still the curious woman with wide-eyed wonder to Arizira, she was now something more than that. As Arizira felt two fingers slide into her entrance and a hand wrap around her hip and middle to hold her in place, she realized what that something was: Talliea was no longer a girl. She was no longer a child ignorant of the world. She was now a woman. She was an adult and a mother to be.

Fingers began to move inside Arizira slowly and she felt her breath catch. Talliea's touch was gentle, yet also strong and reassuring. Arizira recalled the first time she had discovered that strength in her love. Then, it had not been something that excited her like it was now. No, then it had frightened her because Talliea had still been unsure of herself. She had still been haunted about who she had been before and who she stood to become by being with Arizira.

Water splashed around their naked bodies as they began to move together. Talliea rubbed her nose across Arizira's ear and exhaled against her neck. Through their connection, she was privy to every thought her love was having. No words were spoken as the two of them shared a look. Dark eyes held hooded silver-blue. Talliea leaned closer to Arizira and kissed her lips. The taste of mint graced their tongues. Arizira began to moan and breathe heavily. Water continued to splash. Talliea's feelings of protectiveness and love were shared through their bond and that sense of security seemed to bring them closer together.

Arizira pushed back and down against Talliea's strong body again. She arched her back and reached a hand around to tangle into raven-black hair, while the other hand moved to become entwined with the fingers next to her hip. All thoughts of war, hatred, and negativity fled from both women's minds.

Talliea held Arizira's eyes with her own and watched as various emotions flashed in their silvery depths. Her fingers between Arizira's legs were held tight in her love's embrace and she shuddered at how intimate they were in this single moment. "Tah-li..." Arizira whispered brokenly before closing her eyes.

Talliea pressed the smaller woman closer to her, her left hand moving to hold an ivory abdomen pregnant with new life. With Arizira's eyes closed, Talliea allowed her head to drop into the crook between her neck and shoulder. She lazily dragged her tongue across her love's skin and moaned at the taste that greeted her senses. "I have you, love. I have you," she whispered. She found it quite fitting that her own comfort and hope were with Arizira, just as Arizira's harmony and calm were with her and their union.

Arizira felt her muscles tighten as her body neared climax. Talliea's emotions and pleasure collided with her own and took her breath away. Turning her face toward the sky above, she opened her eyes and felt the wind kiss her face. A moment later her entire body convulsed and her breath caught in her throat. The fingers inside of her stilled their movements and Arizira allowed the peace and happiness Talliea was giving her to take her over completely.

In the midst of all out chaos and uncertainty, Arizira could not help smiling as she felt Talliea kissing the side of her face and jaw, her own ragged breathing sounding next to her ear. They had one another and they would never be parted again. So long as they remained together, there was nothing that could stand in their way, no force that could challenge them. The beauty of their connection, of their physical accord with each other, was precious to Arizira. It went beyond mere satisfaction.

Their bond had created the life inside of her. It had brought her back when Talliea had believed her to be dead. It had stabilized her when she had been weak, and now it had brought her mind peace and clarity.

There was nothing the two of them could not do so long as they were with each other. Surrounded by Talliea in that moment and feeling her fingers snug inside of her, Arizira truly believed everything would be well.

They were together.

"Arizira?"

Arizira shook her head and looked to her right. D'jiira walked next to her, her strong arms pulling the travois that held Talliea behind her. Arizira had offered to help, but D'jiira had informed her that her inherent strength would be enough for the task at hand. "You are with child, my daughter. Save your strength," she had said.

Up ahead, Bela'luin walked a slight distance from them, her keen eyes and ears serving her well as a forward scout. It had taken some time to put together the make-shift travois for Talliea, but Arizira had been insistent that her love be comfortable and warm.

At the curious look being directed her way, D'jiira said "You appeared distant. Where were your thoughts?"

A sad wisp of a smile tugged at Arizira's lips as she recalled, once again, the memory she had been so vividly recalling. Her face felt flushed as the images touched her mind again with a last fleeting caress. That had been a different time, an easier time, even with her believing then that it was not so. At least during that time she had been with Talliea. Her love had been at her side and served as her strength.

Now she was once again alone, with no explanation as to why or how. Arizira spared a glance over her shoulder and her eyes immediately landed on Talliea's serene face. Stray stands of wavy dark hair fell against high tanned cheek bones and full lips seemed to beg for Arizira's touch.

"I was remembering a happier time with her." That particular time had been just the day after her miraculous return to life, yet before Cynra and Taetylona had returned to set them on the quest to their destiny. D'jiira looked over her shoulder and her eyes, like her daughter's, found Talliea. Arizira continued speaking. "I just want to be with her, without war and without us always being separated."

D'jiira slowed to ease the travois over a bed of pine needles and resumed her earlier pace before responding to her daughter. "She will find her way back to you."

"How can you know, lana?"

Smiling, D'jiira bit back her own emotions and said, "Because this did not transpire until after Io departed. Her words were that Talliea's time had come. Wherever your love is, she is safe and will return to you."

Arizira pondered the words a moment. Her tall and curved leather boots easily moved across twig and stone and dirt as she walked with her mother. The blood on her face from the earlier battle had been wiped away and her long silvery hair was now thrown into a lose tail. Her bow and arrows were secured behind her back while her two sabres hung at her hips.

"You believe so?" she asked, her voice telling D'jiira that she needed some sort of hope.

"Yes. You shall see. Not all allies are those you can see with your eyes." Arizira offered D'jiira a weak smile, though the words did alleviate a small amount of her apprehension and melancholy. Perhaps D'jiira was correct. Could it be that Talliea was somewhere with Io or some other messenger receiving information on how to protect them all and avoid a war?

"Besides," D'jiira continued, "though you can not feel her spirit, it still lingers, for your child is still healthy, is she not?"

Placing her hands over her middle, Arizira sighed but said nothing. D'jiira smirked at her and said, "You know as well as I that an Arniran pregnancy is just as much a physical condition as it is a spiritual one. Talliea's spirit nurtures the baby, just as your own body protects her. If Talliea were truly gone from this world, you would know it and so would your unborn daughter."

Insects began to chirp far off in the forest and toads croaked as the world readied itself for the coming night. The sun still claimed the sky, and would for another hour or so, but its rays were growing darker and more dim with every step. "Thank you, lana," Arizira said. She reached out with her right hand and placed it on D'jiira's left forearm.

"You will learn to value the wisdom of my words," D'jiira said with a smile, easily causing Arizira to laugh softly. They walked in silence for several long minutes afterward. The music of the wood was only interrupted by the dragging of the travois as it was pulled by D'jiira.

"Are you well, lana?" Arizira asked after some time had passed. D'jiira turned her head in a way much like Arizira did herself. "You have not spoken on Iolirthas's appearance." Arizira elaborated. "Or how her departure affects you."

D'jiira lowered her eyes and looked away from Arizira. She focused her attention on her footing as she navigated Talliea's travois. Io's brief reappearance had been both a happy time and a sad one. She knew it would be some time before she was able to put the encounter into the proper perspective. With the state of everything else happening around her and the group, D'jiira's thoughts were scattered.

"It was good to see her again," she began in a much softer voice, "and to know that her spirit is free and with her goddess." D'jiira licked her lips and inhaled deeply as she scanned her eyes at the line of trees in front of her. "I am most heartened that you were given a chance to see her, Arizira."

Arizira studied D'jiira's profile before the other woman turned to meet her gaze. "She was very pretty, lana," she said smiling. D'jiira smiled with her and nodded and the two walked in silence once more.

"Arizira?"

"Yes?"

"Before, when we were attacked--"

"I know what you would say, lana," Arizira said as her eyes cut to the heavy trees around the two of them.

D'jiira stopped and lowered the front half of the travois to the ground. Stretching out stiff muscles, she turned to look at her daughter. "You risked yourself to come to my aid."

"It was instinct," Arizira replied, still looking away from D'jiira's light brown eyes.

"You could have been injured. Your baby--"

"I know." Arizira briefly met her mother's gaze while her hands found their way, once again, to her lower stomach. "I could not remain idle. Tah-li froze and her vision became dark for all else save me. I-I could not watch you all be overcome." Arizira looked up and finally met D'jiira's eyes. The two shared a moment together.

"Thank you, my daughter, but please do not risk yourself in the future."

"I shall not seek such encounters, lana, but I will not allow harm to come to any of you. I know my duties, both as a woman protecting her young and as a huntress protecting her loved ones, but I can not do nothing when I have the power to do something."

D'jiira did not say anything. She held Arizira's eyes for long moments. Her daughter continued to be a source of pride for her. She was so much like Io, so much like her. Her sense of honor was such that the rest of the world could scarcely understand it, let alone appreciate it. Arizira was not one to hide; she was not one to walk away nor to allow indecision to dictate any given matter.

She was a woman willing to do what was right, even if what was right was hard and difficult. D'jiira could not deny her daughter's stubborn streak or her unwillingness to always heed prudent advice, but she could not fault her those things either. For everything that made Arizira who she was, both good traits and bad, she was her own person. She was a natural leader and her easy calm and appreciation of life led others to her cause without her being aware she had one.

"Very well," D'jiira said. "Just promise me that you will allow Bela'luin and I to protect you and Talliea first before you risk yourself and the baby."

Arizira took D'jiira's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You have my word, lana."

The two of them smiled at one another and resumed their trek. The sun continued to set behind them. Arizira's mind began to conjure images of what a war would be like if the Arnira and the Esu actually came to arms against one another. She had seen very little of combat in her twenty seven winters. There had been the rare time or two when her tribe had clashed against Zy'nilur's tribe across the Menderway, but that was the extent of her experience.

Her skills had always been used to patrol borders and ensure enough food and supplies were available to her sisters. When not used for any given task, Arizira's abilities had been kept honed by sparing with the other hunters of her tribe. It had been as much for practice as it had been for exercise and entertainment. The Arnira believed that such endeavors with weapons and physical skill appeased the warrior aspect of Aitla.

Arizira found herself wondering if she would be able to protect all those she held dear against the Esu men. Though she had learned she was half Esu, she held no love or obligations toward Talliea's clan. To her they were still the enemy, and they had only assured that belief for her when they had attacked them before. She desired for peace between the two peoples, hoped to achieve it, but she was not ignorant to the possibility and likelihood of that not being in the future.

Without Talliea, war was likely. How many other patrols of Esu men were lurking in the forest even now? Were they scouting Arniran defenses? Making plans for an assault? How many of her sisters were likely to die if the Esu attacked them? If Talyn attacked first, would she be advocating the hate Arizira was trying to avoid or protecting the peace Arizira yearned for?

As the night steadily drew closer, Arizira could not shake the feeling that nothing was certain. For every thought she had, her mind split off in various directions, all of them contradicting the one before it. All she knew was that she would do everything in her power to protect Talliea, their baby, and her mother. With Cynra now hopefully safe with the tribe, Arizira's only immediate concern was for her family.

If she was forced to fight for her sisters, she would do so without question, without hesitation. Right now all that mattered was her current company. All else could wait to be decided until such a time presented itself.

She just hoped that time did not come.

Chapter 34: The Child of Whispers

After Sed'dya, Cynra, and Taetylona had parted company with the rest of the group, they had moved quickly for a time. Sed'dya's steps had been swift and burned with a haste native to her kind, yet Taetylona's head wound from the battle had slowed their progress. Cynra had walked with her and ensured she remained standing, despite the dark of night continuing to draw closer to them.

When they finally came before the tall wooden perimeter of the Arniran village, the sun was hanging low in the sky and the horizon was a mix of vibrant oranges and soft pinks.

"Halt! Who travels here? State your names and your purpose!"

Sed'dya pulled the hood of her cloak back and away from her face. Her shimmering green eyes and silver hair marked her as a sister. Before she could state her name or speak of her company, Cynra stepped away from Taetylona and moved to the head of the trio.

"Your eyes can plainly see that we are your sisters, just as they can see that you now address the Dream Speaker. Our purpose is for us to know, now move aside and allow us entrance. Our news is most urgent."

The slender woman who stood on the parapet above them gasped upon seeing Cynra. Many of the women of the tribe had come to believe the old woman lost in the forest. She nodded quickly at Cynra, bowed her head in respect, and pulled a horn from her hip. One blow of the horn signaled the arrival of guests and the strong, thick gate surrounding the village began to open.

Cynra moved back to Taetylona, who still had her hood up to cover her face. With Sed'dya in the lead, the three of them moved and waited for the gate to open. "All my long years and this gate has been forever open. Now in this time of change I return home to them being closed and my sisters preparing for war."

Neither Taetylona nor Sed'dya commented on Cynra's words. When the gate was swung open, two hunters appeared to greet them. They were in full battle armor. Their chests, shins, and forearms were covered by hardened and reinforced boiled leather. Boots and gloves were tall and curved, as was the Arniran fashion. An assortment of weapons adorned each hunter. Cynra could see a short sword on one hip and a long sword on the other hip of each woman. Strapped to the outside of the hunters' right thighs was a dagger, and over their backs were longbows, the weapon of their calling. One of the hunters also carried a spear. Though Cynra could not see them, she knew each woman before her also carried hidden weapons: breast daggers, stilettos, or pouches of herbal powders meant to blind an opponent.

In addition to weapons, the women also had on their person small pouches of medicinal herbs that could staunch bleeding, as well as dohethra that could ease pain if the injured could apply it in time.

"Dream Speaker," the lead hunter said in a reverent tone. "You arrive in a time of chaos. Zy'nilur is soon to march out and meet the Esu."

Cynra waved a hand at the woman whose green eyes and white-haired head followed her every movement. "I must speak with Talyn. The matter is most urgent."

"The Nai'iris will be heartened by your presence, Honored One. She has often despaired since your departure, but never more so than when learning of the Child of Whispers."

The small group moved inside the village and the gates began to close behind them. Fires burned throughout Cynra's line of sight, women dancing and chanting and praying around their flames. The tribe was alive with activity. Blades were being sharpened on whetstones, bow strings were being tightened, arrows were being fletched, and all around women were being adorned and prepared for war.

Cynra did not notice any children and could only assume that Talyn had ordered them to be taken to Rae'kir for safety. She spied several women she not know, their faces covered in war paint, and knew them immediately to be of Zy'nilur's tribe.

"The Child of Whispers is who I need to speak to Talyn about."

The lead hunter nodded and waved to a shorter woman with a round face who was passing by. "Adesriel, the Dream Speaker has returned. See her to the Nai'iris." Adesriel nodded and looked to Cynra, Sed'dya, and Taetylona, who still held her head down with her shoulders hunched. Though the tribe was fluttering with the comings and goings and preparations for war, few women stopped to pay attention to the newcomers.

"Who is the cowled one? She can not go before the Nai'iris without stating her name."

Cynra moved in front of Taetylona and looked Adresriel in the eyes. "She is a clanswoman of the Esu in the valley." Adesriel made a noise of shock, but Cynra continued, "Her story is long and varied and is not meant to be told in full here. Know that she enters with my blessing. I want no harm to come to her. She is a sister to us under Aitla and, as such, shall be afforded the same protection. No one shall harm her. Do you understand?"

Adesriel nodded, her eyes wide as she perused the stout figure hidden under the cloak and hood. Sed'dya stepped closer and whispered, "She has suffered injuries recently. I shall take charge of her care. Speak to no one of her presence. The knowledge of such could incite panic."

Nodding to Cynra and Adesriel, Sed'dya took Taetylona by her shoulders and led her away. As she was being turned, Taetylona glanced up and met the stunned face of the young messenger, Adesriel. Nothing was said and she was soon led away to be treated her injuries. Cynra watched them part. "Talyn. Now."

The two of them moved quickly, weaving between the women who continued to prepare themselves and the village for battle. Cynra saw Zy'nilur standing upon a tree stump, several hunters and warriors spread out before her. The charismatic leader's voice was full of conviction and emotion as she spoke to the assembled.

"They are a sickness to the land! They do not care for the animals, nor the trees that give them life! They take without regret and without giving anything in return! The northern forests have prospered under our stewardship for hundreds of years. This majestic forest is Aitla's and ours by rights as Her children!"

A song of voices went up in cheer. Cynra slowed to listen.

"These dark skins have come from the south to reek ruin upon our home! They would attack us for defending what is ours to protect! These are grievous offenses in themselves, but the Esu have wronged us in another way."

The gathered grew quiet.

"They have taken one of our sisters from us, Aitla's favored. They have struck at the heart of our nation, our people, and we have bled. Yes, my sisters, we have bled. The heathens have taken the one whom was most pure, the one who was the most gentle. Arizira Ahmanae was the light of the moon made flesh. She was the Child of Whispers, our most revered as we hoped to emulate her serene nature and be more like Aitla. "

A soft murmur of approval went through the hunters. Cynra could not help but smile at the tribe’s -- both tribes’ -- loyalty to Arizira. She desired greatly to speak up and tell the women that Arizira was alive and well and headed toward them, but she did not. Speaking such things would delay her from conferring with Talyn. Questions would be asked, stories would need to be told.

Cynra hoped to speak with Talyn, get the other woman to gather the whole of the village, and tell her sisters from both near and far of Arizira's journey. Yet as she watched fortifications and preparations continuing, she found herself wondering how much time was left to them. The hunter at the gate had said Zy'nilur was preparing to march out and meet the Esu.

That could only mean that the Esu were also marching to war against them. Time was running out. With Talliea being unconscious, was war unavoidable? What good would speaking of Arizira's safety do for the tribe if she died in the coming battle with her love?

No, as much as she desired to speak of Arizira's fate, Cynra knew she could not do so just yet. There was more at stake than just her granddaughter's life. There was the life of her child and the life of Talliea, as well as their unique connection and what that connection meant for the future.

"Today," Zy'nilur was saying, "we avenge Arizira! Today we slay those that killed her and send a message to the warrior aspect of Aitla that her chosen comes home to be with her! Today we remember and honor the life of the Child of Whispers!"

A roar sounded. Women cheered and yelled their approval. Zy'nilur, spear in hand, began to tap the weapon on the ground. Around her, the hunters and warriors stomped their feet in unison. Before long the heavy beat of battle was sounding.

"Come, Dream Speaker," Adesriel said. Cynra shook herself free of her internal struggles and turned away from Zy'nilur. Peace had always been what she and the others hoped for, yet how was that to be achieved without Talliea? Could she advise Talyn to wait before engaging the Esu? Give Arizira time to arrive? No, she could not do that. If the Esu were marching, Cynra had to do everything she would to ensure she made it to the tribe in time. There was a very real possibility that she could be caught in the Esu's march with only D'jiira and Bela'luin for protection.

No, Cynra had to advise Talyn to let her hunters meet the Esu in battle. She had to divert their attention. It was the only way, and hopefully it would allow Arizira and the others to arrive safely so they could try to wake Talliea.

She was their last hope, their only way to avoid all-out slaughter. Whoever the victor proved to be come the end of the battle, there would still be death on an unimaginable scale for the other side.

When she finally came before Talyn, Cynra fully realized how tired she was. Her journey had been a long one, and not just the walk to reach her tribe either. The Nai'iris was kneeling before a large carved wooden likeness of Aitla. The face and its features were obscured, left to the believer to choose her appearance. At the base of the carving were several offerings left by other women who had come for blessings.

Cynra saw berries and pine cones, herbs and riverbed rocks, nuts and spices, arrows and favored blades. A small bowl surrounded by larger stones held burning incense, the smoke wafting up and dancing on the growing night's wind.

Adesriel bowed to Cynra and left the two women alone. Nothing was spoken for long minutes. Talyn remained in her kneeling position, her soft prayers barely heard by Cynra, who closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment alone with her goddess.

The area they were in was far removed from the center of the tribe. During a full moon, when Aitla was at her highest point in the sky, light shone down in abundance and seemed to dance and rejoice in celebration. Typically, all rituals and ceremonies were held in Rae'kir, but occasionally a huntress or warrior or healer desired a private moment with Aitla and so chose to come to this spot: Aitla's Grove.

"I have prayed for your return," Talyn spoke some time later, her head still bowed before the likeness of Aitla.

"Your prayers were answered, my old friend."

Talyn stood up and slowly turned around to face Cynra. Her face, normally reserved before those she led, was drawn and awash with emotion. Instead of speaking, she moved and embraced Cynra in a tight hug. Tears slipped from her eyes and fell down her cheeks. "Oh, Cynra, your arrival is a blessing. I tried to give you time. I tried. I waited for your return. I waited for Arizira's. Fury grew white hot in the hearts of our sisters and I could not stem their anger."

Cynra hushed Talyn and hugged her again. "Some things are unavoidable. Much has happened, Talyn. I fear I do not have time to recall it all. Even now, the tribes ready to meet the Esu. I assume they have been spied in the forest?"

"Yes," Talyn said as she pulled away and gathered her composure. "I am but one voice against many. Another clan of Esu has made camp in the Menderway. More are arriving and our sisters no longer seek to wait."

"I know," Cynra said. Silence fell around them.

"News of Arizira's fate has reached you?" Talyn asked.

At that, Cynra smiled. "That is why I have come before you, child. Arizira is--"

"Nai'iris! The Esu!" Adesriel's frantic voice shattered the easy peace of Aitla's Grove. "They have been glanced by the archers on the parapets. Zy'nilur's march is to be too late! They are here!"

Talyn moved away from Cynra and rushed to Adesriel. It was here. Time had run out. No longer could any of them attempt to make plans or speak of peace, prophecy, or destiny. The war between the Esu and the Arnira had arrived.

"Have they attacked us, or do they seek treaty?" Talyn asked.

Adesriel shook her head. "They--"

At that moment, a cry was heard in in the center of the village. Talyn ran out of Aitla's Grove and was greeted with a blinding flash of light covering the sky. Women ran to take up battle positions. Archers stood ready to fire from the parapets. Zy'nilur was moving with her hunters toward the gate.

The light that had flared in the sky suddenly began to fall. Women watched as it grew larger and larger before their eyes before exploding in the sky above them. The flash that followed blinded everyone who was near. Exclamations sounded.

Chaos spread in a matter of breaths. Talyn, who had been far enough away from the explosion, ran to the center of the village. "Archers! Fire at will! Give cover so that Zy'nilur can meet them! Prepare to open the gates!"

Cynra grabbed her arm. "You mean to attack them rather than defend this position?"

"If they breach our defenses, our children are no longer safe. I must draw attention away from them." Talyn looked to the archers. "Full volley! Rain down Aitla's fury! Defend the children above all else if we are overrun!"

Women moved in a fluid dance to complete their orders and tasks. Lights flared in the sky, each one attempting to blind the women raining down arrows. Some of the flares struck the archers in the chest, killing them instantly.

"They are still some distance from us, Nai'iris!" one archer yelled as she strung another arrow and took aim over the wooden walls of the village.

Talyn turned to Cynra. "Seek shelter! The time for talk has passed. Some actions are chosen for us despite our best efforts. I must defend the tribe! Go!" Before them, the gates opened. The archers sent another volley into the now dark sky as cover for Zy'nilur and her hunters.

"Give them no mercy as they gave Arizira none!" the woman yelled. They cleared the gates and disappeared in the surrounding forest. Soon the clash of steel meeting steel rang into the night. The gates closed once again.

"Go, Dream Speaker! Now!" Talyn ordered again. She moved to give commands to a second large group of hunters waiting to join the battle, when a golden string of light slammed into the ground by her feet barely missing her. She flipped back away and landed in a crouch, her eyes scanning the heavens.

"They attack blind!" she yelled. " Take positions under cover! Give the archers time to decimate their number!"

Cynra ran to join her, her heart pounding with fear and anxiety. "Talyn, Arizira is alive!"

"What?" Talyn asked over the din of growing battle. More explosions of light sounded and sparked outside the village. Warrior cries to Aitla could be heard mixing with the steel and iron song of weapons clashing.

"Arizira, child! Listen to me! Arizira is alive!"

Talyn appeared unable to believe Cynra's words as the two of them huddled near one of the perimeter walls. "How?"

"Her love, the day walker. She is alive and she journeys here, Talyn!"

"No, Bela told me she saw her die. How can she conquer death?"

Cynra grabbed Talyn by the shoulders, her grip firm. "That does not matter at present! She is alive and she could be caught in the battle outside! You must command the archers to watch for her arrival. She will be coming from the west. They must keep that position clear! She is the key! The key! Do you understand?"

Another cry from the western parapet caught their attention. One of the archers had been struck with an arrow through the shoulder. She staggered and fell to her knees as the other three archers sent return fire into the forest.

Talyn swallowed and licked her lips nervously. Arizira...alive? Could it be? Could it be that not all hope was lost to them? Cynra had returned. Why not the Child of Whispers? She was, according to their belief, Aitla's chosen. If what Cynra said was true, then Talyn knew they had to hold their position. They had to.

Standing up, she cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled toward the western parapet. "The Child of Whispers lives! Watch for her return from Li'nas Dei! Ensure we do not lose our strength in that direction!"

The three remaining archers, one tending to the wound of the fallen woman, all stared at Talyn suspiciously. "Say again, Nai'iris?" one yelled back.

"Your ears do not deceive you! The Dream Speaker has spoken for Aitla! The Child of Whispers lives! Spread the word! Allow the news to bring renewed vigor and spirit to our sisters! Arizira Ahmanae lives and is soon to return!"

* * * * *

Arizira sat next to Talliea's travois and ran a wet, cool strip of cloth across her lips to moisten them. The last rays of the sun were finally dying behind her and darkness was settling over the forest. Soon D'jiira would be blind in Aitla's reign unless the moon chose to be full and bright.

"Nothing will happen to you, failira, so long as I am here. We are close to my people's protection."

D'jiira and Bela'luin had gone further ahead to ensure the last leg of their journey was clear and safe. Both Bela and Arizira had heard soft noises in the forest the closer they had gotten to the Arnira. Arizira had whispered to D'jiira at one point that she felt the apprehension in the forest.

Something was happening, she'd told her mother. At D'jiira's insistence, she and Bela'luin had ventured ahead to try and ascertain the nature of Arizira's upset and disquiet. Now Arizira sat alone with Talliea and tried to calm the rising sense of panic swelling around her insides.

"I will protect you," she whispered to her love, more for the comfort of hearing a voice than for reassurances to Talliea. "I will always protect you." She brought her water skin to her lips and took a long pull from it as her eyes and ears remained on alert. Her mother and Bela had been gone for some time now and she was beginning to worry for their safety.

A sound caught her attention suddenly. A muffled cry in the forest. Arizira sat up and strained to make out anything further.

There. Another cry, a grunt. The sound of swords ringing. There was fighting.

Arizira stood up in one quick motion and scanned the forest in front of her. She dared not call out to her mother or Bela. Inside her chest, her heart was racing. Had they been ambushed again? Another Esu scouting party?

A light flared into the sky, but quickly faded. Arizira made a decision.

Turning back around, she secured her supplies next to Talliea, ensured her weapons were at her sides, and quickly grabbed the two poles of the travois holding her love. She had to get Talliea to safety. Afterward, she could look for her mother and Bela. She began to move in the direction of her tribe. Her pace was slow, as she did not possess the strength of her mother, but it was sure and measured and Arizira soon found herself nearing the clearing that spread out before the walls of her village.

Sounds came to her. Sounds that had somehow been masked to her keen hearing by her fervent desire to get Talliea to safety. Those sounds came to her now and they were vivid. She slowed before the clearing and lowered Talliea behind her. Lights flared again, but this time they did not fade. Instead, they exploded in the nighttime sky above her and rained down in a golden shower of violence. Before her eyes, men and women fought one another. Swords clashed, arrows fell, the smell of blood clung to the air. Though the battle being fought was still some distance from her, she could make out every detail.

The walls that surrounded her village and marked her tribe's boundaries could be spied to her left. Their height appeared greater to her than her memory could recall and she was despaired to notice the Great Gate was closed. Archers rained down arrow after arrow. Cries and pleas sounded throughout the forest.

Several bodies lay motionless on the ground, both Esu and Arnira, and the number of warriors from both sides seemed endless. Whenever one fell from either side, another came in their place to continue the fighting. Arizira fell to her knees against the large tree she was hiding behind. Tears stung her eyes and mixed with something acrid in the air: Smoke. Fire.

Her beloved forest was burning in small spots where the Esu's lights fell to the ground. Though the fires quickly died or were snuffed out by shuffling and fighting feet, their flames still licked at the leaves and twigs that lined the trees around the clearing.

They were too late. The war had begun despite their best efforts, and the one person with the power to stop everything was lost to some vision. Arizira cried. Her sisters were dying and there was nothing she would do. If she joined them, she risked harm coming to Talliea. Looking over her shoulder, she took in the sight of her love and silently prayed for a miracle. "Tah-li, you have to wake up," Arizira cried as she shook Talliea's shoulders. A death scream behind her tore at her insides as one of her sisters fell in battle. "Please, Tah-li. Help me."

Talliea did not move. She did not wake.

Arizira took several heavy breaths and tried to calm herself. With her back against the tree, she peered out and perused the parapets that lined the boundary. Two archers fired arrows from the westernmost side. Two? Traditional formations called for four. Where were the other two? Had they already fallen? Were there no others to replace them?

Arizira leaned back against the tree and attempted to come up with a plan. If she could get Talliea behind the wall, perchance she could attempt to wake her like Talliea had her. Perchance she would aid her sisters or look for her mother and Bela. She needed to do something. She could not sit and hide and wait for the Esu to eventually find her. She had to protect Talliea.

At all costs.

She peered around the tree again and her keen eyes noticed a third archer scanning the forest in her direction. The woman was sitting low to avoid any fire and her eyes were glowing brightly in the dark. Had Cynra made it through before the fighting began? Had she informed Talyn that she was approaching with Talliea? Was the third archer looking for her?

A branch snapping cut off Arizira's thoughts. She turned, grabbing a sabre in her hand, and looked in the direction she'd heard the sound. A single Esu man was some twenty feet in front of her. How he had come to be there, she could not say. The man was bloody and his face was covered in dirt. The dark tattoos on his body gave him a wild appearance and the axe in his left hand was dripping with the blood of those he had recently fought.

When he saw Arizira, he grinned and raised the weapon in his hand. He failed to notice the prone form of Talliea lying on the travois. He charged.

Arizira's blood boiled, her heart raced. She moved into a defensive stance, prepared to counter the man's attack, when an arrow suddenly jutted out from his throat, spilling blood down his neck. The man gurgled and spit as he choked on his own blood. His eyes were wide when he fell to the forest floor.

Behind him stood Bela'luin, bow in hand. "Are you well?"

Arizira swallowed and nodded. "Where is my lana?" she asked.

At her words, D'jiira appeared behind Bela'luin. Fresh blood covered her neck and the front of her leather vest. "Arizira!" she yelled as she ran to her daughter's side. "We were attacked by the advance party when we scouted ahead. The Lat'sa'val march in full force. We barely managed to escape and doubled back for you, but you were already gone."

"I heard fighting and had to protect Tah-li," Arizira explained.

Bela'luin interrupted them. "We can not stay here. The Esu are upon us."

"The gates are closed," Arizira added. "We no longer have the option of entering behind the wall for protection. In the battle, we could be shot by mistake."

"Agreed," Bela said. "Our only option is to fight. You need to get your love to safety, some place where you can attempt to call to her spirit. "

D'jiira nodded. "Bela is correct. Talliea is the only way we can stop this bloodshed. I will fight with your sisters, but you must attempt to reach Talliea."

Arizira did not say anything immediately. Her mind was racing, as was her heart. Everything was happening too quickly. This battle was never supposed to have come to fruition. They had risked so much, sacrificed so much, in an effort to avoid this outcome and yet here they all stood.

It was not fair. There was not enough time! She did not even know how to reach Talliea, let alone if she even could. She was a huntress. That was her calling. Medicine and the spirits were not her area of expertise. They were Sed'dya's and Cynra's. What was she to do?

"Arizira!" D'jiira grabbed her by the shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Seek some form of refuge. Keep Talliea safe." Arizira nodded, her eyes appearing to D'jiira to be far away.

Bela'luin stepped closer. "I shall try to make my way through the fighting to let the gate guards know you are alive. Mayhap they can send others to see you safely inside the village."

"Keep her safe," Arizira said suddenly in a soft voice, pointing to D'jiira. "Keep her safe for me, Bela."

Bela nodded and held Arizira's eyes. "Of course, Child of Whispers."

D'jiira hugged Arizira and kissed her forehead before standing quickly and moving away. Before any further words could be said, a group of Esu, seeking a momentary respite, ran into the trees near their location. A volley from the archers on the rampart killed three, but the remaining four managed to dodge out of the way.

Both Bela'luin and D'jiira moved in front of Arizira and Talliea. "Go, Arizira! Now!" D'jiira yelled before yelling a cry and rushing the nearest Esu man. Her mace came down and caved in his skull. Bela'luin exchanged her bow for her sword and met a second man in battle. The man dodged her first two attacks, infuriating her, and managed to cut her left bicep with his own blade.

Angered, Bela'luin parried his next attack and buried the blade of her sword in his belly. She drove the blade in deep and jerked up and away, the action spilling the man's life blood on the ground beneath his feet.

Arizira waited only a moment more before she turned, grasped the two poles of Talliea's travois, and ran deeper back into the woods seeking shelter. As she ran, she thought she heard muted voices yelling in Arniran.

"The Child of Whispers lives! The Child of Whispers lives! The Child of Whispers lives!"

Chapter 35: The Eclipse War

Arizira Ahmanae did not run. She did not flee. She did not turn away from a fight and leave others in her place to brave danger while she withstood hardship. Yet here she was. Running. She had left one of her fellows and her mother behind, surrounded by four Esu men.

A part of her knew she was following the only course left to her, but the other part could not shake the sinking feeling that she was a craven. She was hiding and avoiding a war when the women she most loved and adored fought for her safety. What else was she to do, though? Her mother had been correct when she'd said her place was with Talliea. It was with the woman she loved and with the unborn child they both loved.

Rushing into battle and risking herself would accomplish nothing in the end. Deep inside, Arizira knew that. Once she had run a safe distance from the fighting, or what she assumed to be a safe distance, she stopped to catch her breath. Her silver-blue eyes looked around the area she and Talliea were in and she became aware of one thing: she had not traveled as far as she had thought. Carrying Talliea behind her had slowed her normally light and swift feet.

When she'd left D'jiira and Bela'luin, she had run back west and followed the gentle slope of the land as it had curved around and away from the Arniran perimeter. The location she found herself in was wide and open. A small enclosure surrounded by rock offered her the chance to clear her head of its heavy thoughts and formulate some course of action to bring Talliea back to her.

Arizira carefully dragged the travois behind her and into the opening of the three-sided rock formation. She wondered if the structure had once been a cave of some kind or some long forgotten altar of ceremony. Lowering Talliea to the ground, Arizira took stock of herself and supplies. She still had a skin of water and half of another left. Her weapons were secured at her sides and over her shoulders. Checking the supplies she'd laid next to Talliea, Arizira was gladdened to find her quiver of arrows, a number of dried meats and nuts, and a few pieces of cloth wrapped over dohethra. Nothing had been lost as she'd absconded.

"Thank-you, Aitla," she whispered. If she was to be away from her loved ones, at least she had enough supplies to be made comfortable while she attempted to reach Talliea. "Failira?" she whispered as she sat down next to Talliea. Her love's brow was slightly furrowed and she espied a light sheen of sweat along her hairline. Arizira brushed her fingers through Talliea's dark hair and trailed them down her cheek.

"What does your mind descry, I wonder? Do you dream of me or do you perceive some wisdom from these women who dwell inside your mind?" Talliea's eyes moved rapidly behind her closed lids, as though her heart was aware of Arizira's presence and longed to be able to confess her desires. Arizira sighed and gently moved her fingers along her love's eyebrows, trying to sooth away the worry she saw present. "I do not know how to help you, Tah-li. These powers you possess do not reside within me. How am I to bring you back without knowledge of your gift? What do your eyes see?"

No response came from Talliea.

Arizira sat herself with her back against the far wall of the rock formation. She kept her fingers stroking the soft skin of Talliea's forehead and nose and tried in vain to come up with a solution to her current lot.

* * * * *

"Any sign of Arizira?" Talyn asked one of the archers on the western parapet. Around her, women moved from one end of the village to the other, passing on fresh arrows, tending to the wounded, or offering new blades to the groups of warriors passing beyond the gate.

Thus far, defenses were holding. Barely.

The young archer who had been watching for Arizira looked over the parapet at Talyn. "None, Nai'iris. Sometime ago my eyes very nearly convinced me I saw her, but no sign has been glanced since. If Arizira is in the forest below, she hides herself from my sight."

Talyn sighed in defeat and motioned for M'kesei across from her. She had been hoping that Arizira would arrive soon, if truly alive she was as Cynra claimed. Such an appearance from the Child of Whispers would surely bolster the Arniran in battle. M'kesei quickly weaved through several other hunters and came before Talyn. "Am I to lead my hunters into the fight?" she asked.

Talyn shook her head, "I need for you to gather two of your sisters who are fleet of foot. I am sending you on a mission of paramount importance." With Bela'luin on her own mission, M'kesei, her second in command, had taken over as a lead huntress.

"I shall follow your command, Nai'iris. What task of import do I embark upon?"

From across the courtyard, Talyn noticed Cynra moving toward her. "Find Arizira with all due haste."

M'kesei faltered in her enthusiasm. Apart from Talyn, she was the only one among them who was aware of the truth surrounding Arizira's death. She had been present the day of that first battle and she had seen Arizira fall before her eyes. She had seen the Esu woman's despair, felt her heartache. She had been witness to the horrifying powers the woman wielded. When Talyn had begun spreading the word that Arizira lived, that she was approaching them from the west, M'kesei had not known how to process that revelation, nor reconcile it. Now she was being charged with bringing the Child of Whispers home?

"Finding Arizira will be no easy task," Cynra interrupted when she came before Talyn and M'kesei.

"Why is that?" Talyn asked.

"There are things of which you are not aware."

"What things?" This asked by M'kesei.

Cynra looked around them before quickly ushering them into a more secure area. "When I departed from Arizira's company," she began, "I left her not alone with her love, but also with Bela'luin."

Talyn smiled. "She found them? I worried for her when Sed'dya returned and she did not."

"Yes." Cynra nodded. "However, there was another who remained with her and offered her protection."

M'kesei lowered her brows. "Who is this other?"

Cynra looked from Talyn's face to M'kesei's before answering. "Her mother."

"Her mother?" Talyn gasped. "You told me her nurture mother had died in birth."

"She did."

"Her spirit mother?" Talyn asked, intrigued and Cynra nodded again.

"I can not recount the full tale, but you must be made aware of who this woman is, as well as what she is. Do not ask questions, Talyn, when I tell you this. Time is short and we have it not in plenty." Neither Talyn or M'kesei said anything. Both women were just as interested in what Cynra had to say as the other.

"Who is her mother, Dream Speaker?" Talyn asked at length.

Cynra met her eyes and replied, "Her name is D'jiira. She is an Esu woman from a clan far removed from the one we now fight."

"Esu?

"How is that possible?" Both Talyn and M'kesei asked at once.

Cynra looked around her and took in the sounds and sights of war occurring. She noticed the smell of smoke and witnessed the emotion and desire present for hope and survival that permeated the air. She could hear screams, cries, and yells. She could see arrows being sent into a starry sky, as well as archers dodging return fire and healers covering and dressing wounds. Her sense of smell noticed the coppery tang of blood mixed with sweat and oil, and she could feel the state of panic that touched the hearts of all involved.

"It does matter how it is possible, only that it is so. Her history is not as that of the Esu on the other side of the wall. Her people have borne witness to the travesties of their brothers and thus lived a life of veiled secrecy from all save themselves. She met Iolirthas many, many moon seasons ago and they fell in love. Arizira was the product of that love, though she only recently learned of her own nature."

Cynra paused to gauge Talyn's and M'kesei's reactions before continuing. "If D'jiira is among those outside the wall, she is an ally but will view any who attempt to approach Arizira as a potential threat if the two are near to one another. Allow precaution to shoulder the weight of your decisions, young hunter. Do not harm her, for her loss would be of great upset to Arizira."

M'kesei nodded, though her thoughts were harried and without any common ground. She could not allow herself to fully believe that Arizira was half Esu. All the years she had known the other woman, all the seasons the two of them had practiced archery and tracking, it was difficult to believe that one of Esu parentage had been among them. A creature of myth and legend and fantasy.

Arizira was viewed as the truest of their people, praised by all the northern tribes, and she was only half Arniran.

"There is one another matter afore you take your leave," Cynra said.

"What is that? Some other news?" M'kesei asked.

Cynra nodded. "Yes. Should you come upon Arizira and find her alone without Bela or her mother, you must still approach her with good intentions in your heart."

"How else would I approach her? She is one of my sisters."

"A war is being fought outside these walls, young one, or did that escape your keen notice?" Cynra countered harshly. "Arizira is likely protecting her love and now seeks some shelter from the fighting. If the fighting should find her, she will not ask for mercy. She will fight. Whoever moves against her, she will fight. You are aware of her nature."

"Of course," M'kesei responded.

"What you are not aware of is the unique condition the Child of Whispers is in. She is not just protecting the woman she loves. No, she protects something more than that, though her love is important enough."

Talyn leaned forward and looked into Cynra's pale purple eyes. "Speak quickly, Dream Speaker. What else do you know of?"

"The Child of Whispers is with life," Cynra said without preamble. She took in the astonished faces before her and silently congratulated her ability to still leave the younger generations speechless. "I see that got your attention."

Talyn felt a smile begging to grace her face as her breath caught in her chest. M'kesei could only shake her head in wonder at the news. “A baby? With the day walker?" Talyn asked.

"Yes. She only now begins to show, though she is still swift and lithe. I have judged her to be nearly at her third month, though I admit I have no understanding of Esu pregnancy. If you advance too swiftly, M'kesei, Arizira could very well attack you and your hunters without realizing you are allies first. She will be scared, lost, and fearing for both her love and her child. You must near her delicately, however you find her. Do you understand?"

Swallowing her now heavy nerves, M'kesei nodded slowly and tried to process everything she'd just been told. Not only was Arizira half Esu, she carried life, and her mother fought in the battle outside. Her mission was of paramount importance.

"Gather your sisters, huntress," Talyn said as more light flared into the dark sky above them. "Go quickly and keep to the west. Mind the words of your elders."

M'kesei bowed to both women and moved away without another word.

* * * * *

Arizira's ear was pressed against Talliea's chest as she listened to the rhythm of her heart. Her silvery-blonde hair fell down her back and over Talliea's neck. "You heart beats," she whispered before lifting her head and turning to look at her love's face. She pressed a finger under Talliea's nose and felt air touch her skin. "You breathe."

Outside the small area the two of them were in, the sounds of the battle escalating were picked up by Arizira's alert ears. She could hear battle cries from her sisters, their voices fair and musical, as well as the harsher yells and outcries from the Esu men. Every time her eyes looked toward the sky or surrounding forest, bright flashes of light greeted her. It seemed ages that the fighting had been happening, but Arizira knew in truth it had most likely only been minutes.

Time seemed to pass differently when in clashes of hostility.

"Tah-li, people are dying," Arizira pleaded. "This is our destiny. To stop this. To aid those that have a need of us. Come back to me, failira."

As Arizira whispered, she placed her hands on Talliea's chest and concentrated on the sound of Talliea's voice, the timber of her laughter, the scent of her skin, the taste of her lips, and the feeling of her embraces. She tried to envision her love before her, awake and alert. She tried to see the dark hue of her eyes, the tug of a smirk on her lips, the way her face became so achingly beautiful when she smiled.

Arizira remembered the first time she had seen Talliea. She remembered how her eyes had been unable to see anything or anyone else but her. She recalled how innocent and pure and good Talliea was, how unsure of herself she had been early on. She thought back on how Talliea had been upset over Lao'dahn's abuse and then how empowered she had been after the two of them had bonded for the first time.

As she thought and remembered and recalled and envisioned, Arizira kept her hands on Talliea's chest, over her heart. She could feel the warmth of her love's skin kissing her fingertips where they had slipped into the material of her shirt. She remembered the first time she had touched Talliea and how it had felt as if a memory long buried. She recalled how her heart had pounded inside her chest every time Talliea looked at her with such beautiful satisfaction and reverence.

Arizira did not know if what she was doing was helping Talliea or proving to be of any use at all. Her hands did not glow like her love's had. There was no energy interrupting the air around her, and she did not feel as though she was directing some omnipresent power. She was at a loss as to what she was supposed to be doing.

War was happening around her. People were dying. Her sisters and her village were being attacked and she had never felt more helpless and useless in all her life. She was a warrior, a huntress. That was where her strength was. She would protect Talliea with everything she was, but she needed to be doing something. She needed to feel useful and as though she were contributing in some way.

A lone tear slipped from her eye and trailed a wet shade of sorrow down her cheek. Was this it? Was this her destiny? Was she meant to watch those she loved die while Talliea faded away from her, lost to some dream or malice? What good was she?

"Wake up!" she yelled at Talliea. "Please, my beautiful failira, please."

Despairing, Arizira fell against Talliea's body and cried. She did not know what to do. She did not know how to make things right nor how to protect those she loved. Was she meant to sit by idly while everything in her life was slaughtered? Was that some price she was meant to pay to be with her love and their baby?

No, no. She could not believe that. Her faith and love of life had always served her well. It had seen her through hard times and good times. Always it had directed her courses and decisions and guided her throughout her childhood and into adulthood. She could not abandon that sense of self now, but oh, how she felt alone was nearly enough to cripple her in that moment.

"I need you, Tah-li," she whispered in Esulan. "I lose myself without you here. Tell me how to bring you back. Tell me how to help you. Tell me how t--" Arizira stopped suddenly and jerked to a crouched position. Her tapered ears perked up at the heavy and offending sounds she could hear. In an instant, her tears were no longer falling, her sorrow no longer present. Everything in her changed from despondent to aegis in a matter of seconds.

She took a deep and calming breath and reached for the sabre at her left hip. A sense of peace overcame her as she gripped the leather-bound handle. This was where she thrived: Swordplay, archery, tracking, weapons, being alone with her thoughts in the forest. This was where Arizira felt alive and at home. This was where she believed her goddess spoke to her.

She took no joy in taking a life, but she believed the training, the practice, to be an art form and she loved it dearly. When her fingers wrapped around her bow or her sabres, it did not matter if she were only practicing or hunting for game to sustain her sisters. In those moments, she felt safe and in control. She felt alive and centered. She felt as though she had a purpose. The only other thing in her life that brought her such satisfaction was being with Talliea.

Arizira stood up quickly. Not a sound was made as her feet found solid purchase on the ground beneath her. Her body was taut as she listened and followed the footsteps she could hear further away. Judging by the way they cracked leaf and twig and earth alike, Arizira did not believe whoever approached her was a friend. Even her mother walked more quietly, like her sisters.

Looking behind her at Talliea's prone form, Arizira became aware of her situation. If Esu men neared her location, she would have no other choice but to fight. She could not allow the men to take Talliea. She would fight with everything in her to keep them all safe. As she slipped her second sabre from its bond at her hip, she could not help but wonder what had come of her mother and Bela'luin. Were they hurt? Injured? Or worse? Had they died trying to protect her?

Arizira allowed such thoughts to leave her mind. They had no place at present. Her only concern was protecting Talliea. She wished she had something heavier protecting her middle than just Talliea's thin blouse, but she would have to make do with what she had. If Esu men showed themselves, she would attack quickly and try to get Talliea away before more men showed up.

The sounds grew closer, and with them came the muffled grumble of voices. The words spoken were Esulan. "Come, quickly. There may be a way over the wall if we follow it far enough. If nothing else, we can gather our strength before returning."

A second voice spoke up. "The women fight savagely. We lose too many men!"

"And we allow them to suffer the same loses!" another voice said.

Three voices, but Arizira could hear at least four sets of feet. She lowered herself to the ground and leaned against one of the walls of rocks. The footsteps drew ever closer. "Here!" said a man. "Mayhap the rocks up ahead lead over the wall."

Arizira inhaled again and tightened her grip on her sabres. She could hear another set of footfalls. That made five. Five men. Against her. Alone. Arizira swallowed slowly and readied herself for battle. She had no other choice. A shadow darkened the rocks across from her. The men were no longer far away. Without pause, Arizira lunged forward and away from the wall and plunged the sabre in her right hand into the first man's ribcage. She felt the blade pass through muscle and nick bone.

He had no time to scream in pain before he fell at her feet. Dark red blood pooled around his body. Arizira stood up and kicked him away from her, his body rolling to the far side of the structure. Sparing a look at Talliea, Arizira moved out into the open and in front of her love's body. Four men stood before her readying weapons. Light flared in two men's hands.

Arizira studied each one. Her eyes surveyed their features and the tattoos on their skin. She took in the various weapons and state of dress in the span in a few short heartbeats. Baring her teeth, she hissed at the men and twirled her left sabre in her hand. When her eyes fell upon the last man, she cocked her head to the side and felt an anger well up inside of her like a hot flame.

Its red fury burned her skin and set her heart to racing. She knew the last man. She had encountered him before. He noticed her, too. His almond shaped eyes and hooked nose could not hide his own disbelief at seeing her before him. Arizira focused her attention on him, disregarding the other men as irrelevant. Her teeth bared again, the feral side of herself taking over as her instincts kicked in. The man's eyes looked past her and found Talliea and he smiled a wicked smile.

Yes, Arizira knew the man, though how he had come to be in the battle was lost to her. Lao'dahn flipped his staff in his hand and looked to his brothers. "Get her!"

One of the men rushed forward, a long sword in his hand. He brought the blade down with nothing but wild strokes. There was no technique to his advance, only a belief that his strength would avail him. Arizira lifted her left sabre and managed to block most of the attack. The man's strength was greater than her own and the side of the blade came down to cut her shoulder.

She shrugged it off and used her other sabre to slice at the man's side. Her own blade met skin, but the cut was not deep. The man jumped back to see to himself as another man moved in to attack. A flash of light slammed into Arizira's chest, but did not harm her. Both she and her attackers faltered at such an occurrence.

"How can--" the second man attacking her started to ask. Arizira kicked him between the legs once and then again when he doubled over.

Lao'dahn stood back and watched. He had been the one to release a bolt of light. How was it that this woman was still alive? He had seen her fall in the first battle! Yet here she stood. He had used his power against her, yet she was unharmed. Lao'dahn knew she could be injured because she now bled from the wound on her shoulder. Somehow, she was immune to their powers.

"Focus on your melee! Do not use your powers!" he yelled.

The first man, realizing his cut was not life threatening, returned to the fight, while a third man jumped forward with a flurry of attacks from his axes. Arizira, swift and agile and with keen eyesight, deflected the man blow for blow. She lowered herself quickly, under the man's axes, and spun around to deliver a graceful strike. Both of her sabres came down and around her left side at a wide arc. The man had no time to parry the attacks. With his left side wide open to attack, he tried in vain to counter Arizira.

He was to be too late. Arizira's sabres cut into his side. A long gash opened up and bled through his leathers. His axes fell, and so too did he. Another down. Three to go.

Arizira turned, remembering the first man moving to strike again, but her response was too late. The man barreled into her from her exposed right side. She felt the air forcefully leave her lungs. The man managed to get her left arm in his grasp and hold it away from her body. She attempted to strike him with her right sabre, but a third man moved in wielding a great hammer.

As Arizira was shoved backward, she barely managed to angle herself and the man holding her away from Talliea. Her back slammed into the far wall of rock and the man's weight pressed against her. The man with the hammer rushed her, his weapon above his head ready to smash the life from her.

At the last minute, Arizira got control of her right sabre again, reaffirmed her grip on the handle, and struck quickly. Her blade cut the advancing man's forearm. A thin stream of blood ran down his arm and, with his hands above his head holding his weapon, that blood spilled into his eyes.

The man slowed, angered. Arizira wiggled her foot in between herself and the man against her and kicked him away with all her strength. He fell into the man with the hammer and the two of them crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

Arizira took a moment to catch her breath. She noticed Lao'dahn hanging back and observing the fight. She knew he meant to have the others wear her down so that he could finish her off. Then he could be away with Talliea.

Arizira twirled her sabres in her hands again and took a defensive posture. She would not allow that to happen. She would protect Talliea. Blood seeped through the white shirt she wore and her back ached from being slammed against the wall, but otherwise she fared well. The men before her stood up and hefted their weapons in their hands. Each moved to a different side of her. She noticed the man with the hammer was closest to Talliea.

"Tired, savage?" Lao'dahn called. Arizira cut her eyes toward him, the silver light in them burning brightly. Before she could do or say anything, the man with hammer finally realized who it was that lay unconscious next to him.

"It is Talliea," he said dumbly. A lecherous smile spread over his bruised face.

"Do not touch her," Arizira growled.

The men laughed at her and began their attack again. The one with the sword grabbed his hilt with both hands and moved to strike at Arizira's middle. Panicked, Arizira used her left sabre to swipe the attack outward. The man's momentum sent him into the wall behind her. As Arizira turned her attention to the second man, she was dismayed to see him approaching Talliea.

"No!" she screamed and rushed him. The man barely got the shaft of his hammer up in time to block both of her attacks. Arizira pressed him, relentless. She had to get him away from Talliea! The two of them traded blows and dodged and parried attacks. Arizira feinted to the right, nimbly avoiding a near paralyzing blow, and struck out with her left sabre. The blade cut into the man's hip and he fell to the ground. As Arizira moved to finish him off, she became aware of a sound behind her.

The first man that had run into the rock wall was now moving to attack her again. Arizira turned around, her body exposed as she tried to move quickly to bring up a defense. The man's blade swiped across her left side. Blood colored her stomach and she staggered backward.

“No, no, no,“ she whispered raggedly to herself. Her hand came up to her stomach and she felt the hot sticky blood under her fingers. No. No. In her state of tension from fighting, Arizira could not be sure how injured she was. All she knew was that the man had cut her stomach. She did not know how deep he had cut. She only knew that her baby was at risk.

Everything blurred around her as she looked away from the blood on her hand and up into the faces of the men before her. Lao'dahn stood back smiling at her, his victory seeming to him to be at hand. The world slowed in that moment for Arizira. The man with the hammer was struggling to get to his feet again. She noticed him and a cry sounded from deep inside her throat. A cry of rage and anger and sorrow for something she may have lost, but was not sure.

Before anyone had time to react, Arizira lashed out with her right sabre and cut deep into the man's throat. He fell back down close to Talliea and groped at his torn flesh. Blood bubbled from his mouth. Arizira turned back to the first man with the sword, the one who had cut her. Lao'dahn was moving closer now. His eyes were full of hate.

"I'll kill you myself," he said before charging against her.

Chapter 36: In Defense of Love

When Lao'dahn had been shot while attempting to take Talliea during the first battle between the Esu and the Arnira, he had been ravaged with pain and unbearable agony. His eyes had remained open for only so long before he had lost consciousness. All that he could remember of that day was Talliea's savage woman shooting him, that woman being shot in turn by another, and Talliea's screams shattering every other emotion in the forest.

Later he would recall the powers Talliea had summoned, but most of that recollection he attributed to his delirium at the time. When he'd been brought back to the clan, he'd been in a dreamlike state. For many days, he had slept while the healers attempted to repair the damage the savage woman had inflicted upon his manhood.

During that time, he later came to find out, preparations for war had been made and his brothers, nearly the whole of their number, had began their march north. Without him. The days of his sleep had eventually lifted and when the healers had told him they had done all they could, but that he would never father any children nor lay with any women, Lao'dahn had been furious. He was no longer a man! He was no better than a eunuch and it was all because of Talliea's uncivilized little pet!

So Lao'dahn had left the healers' hut, prepared for his own march, and left his clan. His brothers had a fair bit of distance on him, but one man could move more quickly than a large host. He'd been confident he would reach them and when he'd finally done so and fell into step alongside them, no one had spoken out nor asked any questions.

It had been fate, or perhaps destiny, that had led him to where he currently was. When he'd seen the woman responsible for his damaged manhood, he'd taken the situation as a sign from Esuval. His god desired him to seek retribution! His day was here! "I'll kill you myself," he said as he charged ahead, staff in hand.

Arizira stumbled back again, tripping over Talliea in the process. Her left hand continued to hold her side where warm blood coated her fingers. Somehow, since being struck, she'd dropped her second sabre and so now had only the one left.

Both Lao'dahn and the man who had cut her rushed forward. The man with the sword was clumsy, fortunately for her, and he got a stiff kick in the groin for the pain he'd caused her. Arizira watched him drop his sword and grab between his legs. Lao'dahn paid him no mind as he got within distance of her. The swift and harsh strike to the right side of her face from his staff caused her to spit up a mouthful of blood. His attack ruptured her gums and her ears now rang.     Arizira could not think. She could not defend herself. She could barely keep her eyes open. Her thoughts were focused on one thing and one thing alone: what if she'd lost their baby? She was frantic with worry and the blood, dark and red and angry, that seeped through her fingers and colored her blouse only heightened that sense of panic.

She wished Talliea would wake up. She wished she could focus and finally put an end to the miserable man before her, but her mind seemed unable to do anything but lament over her possible loss. She knew whatever pain she was feeling was being lessened by the adrenaline coursing through her veins. How badly she was truly injured, she did not know.

"You think yourself so above me, don't you?" Lao'dahn asked her. His voice practically dripped with his hatred of her. Arizira spit up another mouthful of blood and looked up at him defiantly. He dropped in front of her and slapped her across the face. "Not so willing to talk back when you are beaten, savage?"

Arizira refused to answer him or rise to his taunting. She continued to stare at him with all the insolence she could muster. The man she'd kicked earlier was slowly standing upright again. He picked up his sword and watched her with Lao'dahn.

"I think I shall make you watch as I take Talliea. I do not know what afflicts her, but I do not honestly care. You ruined me. You took away my ability to be a man!" Arizira was unsure what he was talking about, but she smiled at his words nonetheless. The gesture only infuriated him. He grabbed her jaw in his hands, his fingers pressing into the gash across her face and causing more blood to fill her mouth.

"There are other ways I can take Talliea...other objects I can use. She will be just as helpless to stop it as you are. I shall have my revenge on both of you and ensure neither one of you comes back from the dead again!"

Lao'dahn, holding Arizira's jaw in his right hand, used his left to run his fingers down Talliea's chest. In his blind belief that he had already won, he dropped his staff down to his side and fondled Talliea. Just as Arizira suspected he would.

In a flash, she acted. She spit the blood that had fill her mouth into Lao'dahn's face. Startled, he went to wipe it away, and that was when Arizira moved. She backhanded him across his face and reached for his staff. Lao'dahn backed away, wiping blood from his eyes, and stood up. Arizira lunged forward and slammed the head of the staff into his middle. The blow knocked the wind from him and he coughed harshly.

Meanwhile the man with the sword, who had been watching Lao'dahn and enjoying his own respite, was now forced to act quicker than he was prepared for. Arizira, while still holding her side, twirled Lao'dahn's staff between her fingers and waited for him to make a move. She did not know how long Lao'dahn would be out of the fight, but she knew she had to kill one of them to even the odds against her.

The man with the sword struck out with his blade. He aimed his attack at her left side. Arizira barely dodged out of the way and came to rest against the rock wall behind her. She used it for support to keep herself upright and continued to twirl Lao'dahn's staff. One of her sabres was just next to her left foot. If she could get it into her hand, she'd feel more confident. The man came at her again and all thoughts of her sabre fled from her mind.

"Get her!" Lao'dahn yelled. Arizira noticed him wiping the last bit of blood from his face and dusting himself off. He would soon be upon her and then she would be overpowered. The rock wall she was leaning against was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it was giving her much needed support. On the other, it cut off any means of retreat. She had very little room to move with the rocks so near to her.

Her eyes landed on Talliea's face and she wanted to cry. She was supposed to protect her. She was supposed to protect their baby. Lao'dahn was moving toward her and so was the man with the sword. The blood coming from her side had stained her hand red and she was beginning to feel light-headed. Soon she would fall to blood loss if the men did not get to her first. Arizira wondered how much of her thoughts were from her panic and sorrow and how much were due to the wound she'd suffered.

It did not matter, however, as the man with the sword moved closer to her. He raised the blade over his head, in the process exposing the whole of his chest. Arizira hefted Lao'dahn's staff in her hands, twirled it to the side so that the shaft ran along the back of her arm, and swung out with all of her strength when the man moved within striking distance.

Her attack landed on the man's right side, the force of the blow cracking several ribs. When he went to fall, Arizira screamed and struck him again across the opposite side of his face and changed his direction. Instead of falling on Talliea, he now stumbled toward the right.

Despite the injuries he suffered, the man did not fall like Arizira had hoped. He lifted his sword in his left hand and moved in to finish her. Lao'dahn was now nearly upon her as well. Arizira struggled to use her foot to kick her sabre into her hands. If she could get the pommel at the right angle… Yet her side kept her from moving as she desired!

The man was advancing. Lao'dahn was advancing.

Arizira dropped the staff in her hand and finally managed to get the pommel beneath her foot. She pressed down on it and the sabre jumped up. She grabbed it in both hands right as the man was upon her, and slammed the gleaming metal into his middle with all of her strength.

He stopped. His sword clattered where it fell on the ground.

Arizira was breathing heavily. Her side ached. She watched the life leave his eyes as he fell against her. No sooner had he died and he was being pulled away. Arizira had not the time to react. Lao'dahn shoved the body of his comrade to the side, tore the sabre from Arizira's hands, and grabbed her by the arm. "Enough! You are mine!"

He yanked her away from the wall and threw her out into the open. She landed painfully on the ground and used her feet to try and kick herself away from Lao'dahn. The wound in her side kept her from moving quickly and then Lao'dahn was on top of her. He pressed his fingers into the cut on her stomach and she cried out in pain.

"My only regret is that Talliea will not be witness to this! Esuval has passed judgment on you, heathen!"

Arizira struggled with him. She was so tired. Her body was in agony. Blood spilled from the cut on her shoulder, her mouth, and the gash across her middle. She had been thrown into rock, slammed into dirt, knocked over, slapped, and cut. She had done everything she would to protect Talliea. Of the five men who had entered the area she was in, she had killed four. Lao'dahn pulled a dagger from his boot and smiled down at her. She grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into his eyes.

He yelled out, but managed to keep her pinned beneath him. Fresh blood colored the already stained fabric of her blouse as she fought to free herself. Lao'dahn trailed the blade along her cheek and watched the fear that colored her eyes take residence. He moved the blade down her neck, where he nicked her, and further down her chest.

When the blade come to her middle, Arizira's panic became more evident. If she had not lost the baby as she feared, then she could not allow him to cut her like he intended. Not her middle. Not there. "Sa, sa..." she heard herself cry in Arniran. "Sa'li e fenya."

"What?" Lao'dahn asked leaning over her. He pressed the blade to Arizira's cheek again and leered down at her. "What did you say? Begging for your life? Beg in a language I can understand. I want to hear you."

Arizira swallowed her rising panic and held his eyes. They were the cruelest eyes she had ever known, so full of malice and hate. She could not tell him that she was begging him not to harm her baby. She could not tell him she was begging him to spare a child so innocent, a child that was of her and of Talliea.

No, she would not tell him what she said and she would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her beg for her life. As she lay beneath him, she realized that this was how Talliea had felt when Lao'dahn had abused her: Helpless. The knowledge angered her and she felt a sudden surge of strength in her limbs.

She managed to get her legs wrapped between his. Quickly, she twisted and flipped him off of her. On her stomach in the dirt, she moved toward Talliea. Her back was to Lao'dahn but she just needed to get the sabre that lay next to her love. Then she could kill him and be done with it. Then it would be over.

Before she could get her fingers around her weapon, Lao'dahn's hands were on her legs. He yanked hard and pulled her away from her sabre. Away from Talliea.

"Sa...failira..." she rasped. Red blood covered the ground where she had bled. Lao'dahn flipped her back over onto her back and straddled her hips. The strength from before faded from Arizira and she realized she was to be beaten. By this man.

She was too tired to fight. She'd lost too much blood and she was too distraught over the possibility that the baby's life blood was what stained the earth. She had done her best. She had protected Talliea against five men. She just did not have the strength to kill the one that mattered most. What else was she to do? She could not die, could she? Cynra had said that so long as one lived, the other did as well. Since Arizira could not feel Talliea's spirit, did that still apply? Could she take such a risk on an unknown?

She had nearly died already. By all accounts, she had been dead. It was Talliea who had brought her back. Talliea who had healed her. Talliea who had stabilized her. Would such happen again if Lao'dahn drove his dagger between her ribs? She could not risk it! Her baby mattered, if she had not lost her already, and she could not gamble with her child's life.

Lao'dahn raised the blade in both hands above his head. Arizira swallowed again, her left hand coming to press against the wound at her side. She tried to gather any last remaining strength, but it was futile. The blade in Lao'dahn's hands gleamed in the moonlight above.

"I will make sure Talliea knows that you failed her...after I enjoy myself first!" The blade moved. Suddenly there was another blade. A darker steel blade that protruded from Lao'dahn's chest.

Arizira breathed heavily. She watched Lao'dahn struggle to understand what had just happened to him. The dagger in his hands fell to his side. Blood spilled from his lips. He coughed and looked down at the large blade sticking out of his front.

A face appeared from over his shoulder. A voice whispered, icy and poisonous, in his ear. "Get. Away. From. My. Daughter." D'jiira pulled the blade from Lao'dahn's back and gave him a hard kick. Her Esu strength sent him over Arizira where he landed in a bloody heap on the ground.

"Arizira?" D'jiira asked in a frantic voice. She looked around at the carnage and blood and death her daughter had brought about. Four other men lay dead, various cuts on their bodies. Blood ran in pools on the dirt and collected in other places. To the far side, above Arizira, Talliea was peaceful in her travois. Only the smallest amounts of blood spatter had touched her face.

"I-I tried, lana. I protected her," Arizira said, though it was obvious she was hyperventilating. D'jiira dropped to Arizira's side and took in her injuries. A cut on her shoulder bled down the front of her chest, a small nick was on her throat, a dark discoloration could be seen on the right side of her face, and worst of all, an angry slash had cut her left side. The front half of Arizira's white blouse was a red-black in color.

"No, no. Arizira?" D'jiira asked again and the panic in her voice was heavier. "Bela!" she yelled. Bela'luin was behind her in a moment. Her green eyes were wide. "Get me water. Now!" D'jiira demanded. She lifted up the tattered remains of Arizira's blouse and examined her wound.

"Please, lana. Is she o-okay. Please...sa'li e fenya."

Bela'luin rushed back over and fell beside D'jiira with a skin of water in her hands. D'jiira wasted no time in squeezing the water out and over Arizira's stomach area. She cleaned the blood and dirt away as best as she could to get a better look at the cut underneath.

Arizira cried in pain as D'jiira worked. "Is s-she okay? Please. I-I tried. I tried, lana. I did my best."

"I know. I know," D'jiira soothed. She ran a hand through Arizira's hair and smiled at her. "You did well, my daughter. Better than any of us could have done."

"Is he d-dead?" Arizira asked indicating Lao'dahn. Bela'luin looked over at Lao'dahn's body. She knew he was dead. No one could survive being struck through the chest as he had. Still, she stood up and unsheathed her sword. Walking over to him, she kicked him over onto his back. To her surprise, he was still alive.

But only barely. She knew he would soon die, so she helped him along. She pressed the tip of her blade to his throat and swiftly drove it down and into the dirt. His eyes widened and then closed. He stopped moving.

Lao'dahn was dead.

Arizira sighed in relief and looked back down at her abdomen. The flesh was ripped and red. Blood still oozed down her side.

"It is only a flesh wound, Arizira," D'jiira said. "I do not believe your baby is in any danger, but you have lost a lot of blood. This needs to be closed and dressed to keep out infection."

Yet Arizira did not hear D'jiira. Her mind was instead focused on how horrible the cut looked. All she could see was blood and skin and flesh. All she could see was the baby she would never know. She began to hyperventilate again. "No, no, no, no, no."

"Arizira? Did you hear me? The wound is not deep. Your baby will be well so long as we can dress this properly," D'jiira said.

Bela'luin sat down next to Arizira. She turned Arizira’s head to face her and looked into her eyes. "Arizira? Remain calm. It is over now. We are going to dress this and get you to safety. Sed'dya will heal this and you and your baby will be fine."

Arizira continued to not see or hear anything. The emotions from everything she had just undergone finally caught up with her. She had never been so scared in all of her life. D'jiira moved away from her and to Talliea. She cut off a large section of Talliea's outer skirts and returned to Arizira. "My daughter?" she asked. "Arizira? Look at me. Focus on me. You are safe now. I am going to cover this and we are going to put you on the travois with Talliea. Everything will be okay."

Somewhere inside Arizira, D'jiira's voice touched her and she looked down at her mother. Their eyes met. "Lana, please save her. I do not wish to lose her. P-please." D'jiira nodded and began to dress Arizira's cut. Bela'luin held Arizira's hand and brushed hair away from her eyes. "I tried to p-protect her. I did. T-there were s-so many of t-them, but I protected h-her. I d-did not allow them to get t-to her."

"I am proud of you, my beautiful child," D'jiira said, though her voice wavered with her emotions. She continued to dress Arizira's wound. "You protected Talliea and I protected you. That man shall not harm you anymore."

Bela'luin stood up and was about to move to the travois so she could attempt to make room for Arizira, when a sound alerted her to the presence of others. She did not know if they were friend or foe, but she doubted her sisters would make so much noise. "D'jiira," she said, her eyes looking out into the trees before her.

"I hear it," D'jiira responded.

Arizira attempted to look past her mother. "W-what? What is it?"

"Nothing, Arizira. Try to remain calm."

In the next moment, a group of Esu men broke the clearing of trees. Bela'luin counted six when another group joined the first. Their number was seven. Thirteen men. How had they found them? Had they followed them from the main fighting? Been alerted somehow by their brothers who now lay dead around them? There were too many of them.

Bela'luin hefted her bow into her hands, grabbed an arrow from the quiver over her shoulder, and strung it in one fluid motion. She did not hesitate in her attack. Her arrow flew and struck one of the men in his eye, the arrowhead piercing his brain. He died instantly. The Esu men, advancing in the dark, could not pinpoint where the attack had come from. Though the moon was bright above, it was continuously obscured by the trees and clouds above so that only flashes of its rays came down to touch the forest.

Yells of alarm went up. D'jiira finished dressing Arizira's cut and picked her up in her arms. Arizira made a noise of pain, but did not cry out. She knew better. D'jiira placed her next to Talliea and moved over to pick up the great-sword she'd killed Lao'dahn with. The weapon had fallen from one of the men she'd killed earlier in the battle and she'd claimed it as her own.

Bela'luin had another arrow in her bow. "You need to take them and make haste to get to my people."

D'jiira shook her head. "They will kill me for being Esu before they allow me entrance. You go!"

"No, you carry the Child of Whispers. You are the mother of the Child of Whispers. She is very important to our people. Besides, I promised Arizira to keep you safe. Now go!"

D'jiira struggled with herself on what to do. She could not pull the travois and protect her charges at the same time. Getting to the Arnira would be a pointless endeavor if she attempted it alone. "We go together. I will have need of your battle prowess along the way."

Bela'luin released her second arrow. It hit a man directly in his heart. That still left eleven men who were advancing toward them. The clouds in the sky parted and allowed the moon above to shine down into the forest. All pretense faded like the darkness and the men saw who had been attacking them. They raised weapons and brought to life light in their hands. One man directed a ball of shimmering light to leave his outstretched hand. It flew toward Bela'luin, but D'jiira stepped in front of it at the last minute. She held out her own hand and absorbed it into herself.

"His gift is mine, but I can not take the others," she told Bela'luin before sending the man's light back at him. He cried in agony, but the bolt did not kill him. An arrow flew suddenly from somewhere in the darkness of the forest. It struck that same man in the stomach and he fell to the ground. Both Bela and D'jiira looked around them. Did they have an ally? From the shadows of the forest, M'kesei appeared with two other hunters. Their bows were aimed at the men still in the surrounding trees.

"Bela! My eyes take heart at seeing you."

"Likewise," Bela'luin responded. M'kesei spared a glance at D'jiira, but said nothing. "We need to get to the village. Arizira is injured."

M'kesei nodded and released an arrow from her bow. Another man went down. Nine left. "Go. We shall cover you." One of the Esu men summoned a flare of light and it blazed through the forest. It hit one of M'kesei's hunters and she fell. "No!" M'kesei yelled. Another man followed suit and a second flare of light killed M'kesei's last hunter in short order.

Bela returned fire and killed the man, leaving eight. "We can not leave you!"

"You must! Take Arizira and go!"

Chaos broke out in the next moment. The men, closer now and seeing only three women, charged forward. They used their abilities to brighten the area to a point that the Arnira present had to shield their eyes. Still, both Bela'luin and M'kesei rushed to meet them. They knew they had to keep distance between Arizira and Talliea and the men attacking.

Lights flared, steel met steel, and arrows flew in an attempt to hit something. Anything. D'jiira stayed near to Talliea and Arizira and only attacked the men who got within her range. Where she could, she took the Esu men's abilities when they attempted to use them against her. She heard a cry and saw a man slash M'kesei's leg. The huntress went down on one knee, but managed to kill the man before he killed her. Her short-sword cut open his middle and his innards spilled to the ground. Bela'luin moved to protect her against two other men. D'jiira counted six men still, but with M'kesei now down, that did little to improve their odds.

Behind her, Arizira moaned. D'jiira struck a man that thought to attack her with the large blade of her great-sword, before sparing a glance over her shoulder at her daughter. The dressing over her wound was dark with blood. She had to get Arizira away from this! Another man attacked her. He punched her across the face before slamming his mace into her upper arm. She heard, as well as felt, a bone breaking. Farther ahead, Bela'luin still fought with the two men from earlier, but now a third had joined in. M'kesei struggled to help her sister, but D'jiira knew they would soon be overpowered.

Five men. Three of them. And her arm had just been broken. Her dominant arm. She lifted the great-sword in her left hand, but the attack was not as coordinated as she had hoped. She barely managed to block the man who had struck her before kicking out at him. Her foot connected with his ribs and he staggered a moment.

"No!" D'jiira heard Bela'luin scream and knew that M'kesei must have been killed. She managed a quick look in their direction and found her assumption to be true. Five men. Two of them.

Bela'luin, in her outrage, slashed once, twice, three times, and the men who had killed M'kesei fell before her. She turned and ran toward D'jiira. Where had the last man gone? There were supposed to be two left, but both D'jiira and Bela'luin counted only the one who had just been kicked in the ribs. Bela'luin screamed a cry to Aitla and lashed out with her sword. The blade cut the man in his back from his shoulder all the way down to his hip.

Before a victory could be claimed, both women realized where the last man had gone. He had turned back and signaled for more of his brothers. A flare could still be seen hanging in the sky, a sure sign to call his brothers to him. More men were soon spied through the trees. How man Esu men were there? They seemed to be endless. Though they were still some distance away, Bela'luin and D'jiira knew they had no time to retreat. Not with having to pull Talliea and Arizira behind them.

"Lana?" Arizira whispered in a soft voice. Her skin was pallid. D'jiira turned to her and dropped to her side. She ran her good hand through Arizira's hair and held her head.

"Do not worry, Arizira," she said while cradling her broken arm to her chest. "We are going to get you to safety. You and Talliea and your baby." The sounds of advance drew closer. The men were coming. There was no way they were going to be able to take on another large group. Not with only Bela'luin able to fight effectively. M'kesei was dead. Her two hunters were dead. D'jiira's arm was broken and she could barely hold a weapon. Arizira was losing blood and was near in shock and the most powerful one among them, Talliea, was still unresponsive.

Their situation was grim. It was dire. There appeared no way out, but death.

"I-I love you, lana. Please k-know that. I am t-thankful for g-getting to know...you."

D'jiira's face contorted as she tried not to cry. "I love you, too, my daughter. Do not say your goodbyes just yet. You still have a baby to give life and a woman to love. You still have a life to live. I will not let you die, Arizira. Not so long as I draw breath into my body."

Arizira managed a small smile and nodded her head. The men came closer and began their attack, shattering D'jiira's moment with her daughter. She moved to stand and struggled to lift the great-sword in her left hand. Bela'luin was in front of her, her sword in one hand and one of Arizira's sabres in the other. Their situation appeared without hope. The men were suddenly upon them.

Cries sounded in the nighttime air. Lights came to life. Battle yells cut into the hearts of all who were near. And at the moment when all hope seemed to have died, Talliea Aldis opened her eyes.

Chapter 37: Beautiful Whisper of the Goddess

Talliea felt as if she had been asleep for days, weeks, months. Years. In reality, only a short few hours of time had passed since she had lost consciousness. As her eyes slowly opened and her vision began to clear, she became aware of a myriad amount of things at once, none of which she could even begin to process.

There were sounds. Numerous and various sounds. She could hear voices. She could hear grunts and yells and groans of struggle. She could hear the metal clang of blades kissing, the sound of the wind sighing, and the stomp of feet, uncountable, on the earth.

Her sense of smell overwhelmed her with but a single scent: blood. It overshadowed the smell of sweat and dirt. It absorbed the odor of leaves and flowers and everything living and covered those things instead with a pall of gloom and death.

In the span of seconds, Talliea's senses all informed her of the same things. They informed her of what she already knew: She was in the middle of a war.

Another sensation shivered up and down her spine and pricked at her awareness. She took in a deep breath and when she released it, she became aware of what that sensation was. It was pain. Deep, stabbing, white-hot, exhausted pain. The pain was not her own, however. As she became more and more perceptive of her surroundings, she came to see that the pain she was experiencing was Arizira's.

Without hesitating, Talliea whispered a soft word, the same unassuming word she had uttered when first her powers had manifested. "Stop." The command, though spoken softly, reverberated throughout the forest and drowned out all other sounds. Everything shifted in a single, intense, and defining moment. The many Esu men around Bela'luin and D'jiira were frozen, mid-strike, in their killing blows. D'jiira looked wide-eyed at the double-edged sword less than two inches from her face. She knew immediately, as her body tingled hot, cold, and electrified that Talliea was awake.

She would forever remember what it felt like to be in the grip of her power. Yet unlike before, there was no fear in her heart. This time, D'jiira felt safe, hopeful. A relieved and thankful tear trailed down her cheek. They were saved.

The man with the sword in front of her had a panicked expression on his face as he stood immobile in the stillness. Not a sound could be heard. There were no animal calls, nor insect songs. There were no battle cries or the music and drum of war anywhere in the forest. All was quiet. All was still, as if the very existence of sound and movement had been erased or forgotten.

The only sound that could be heard was that of Talliea's breathing. It was slow, steady; calm. Talliea sat up, only then realizing that another rested beside her. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes found Arizira's face. Her bruised, cut, and blood-stained face.

A sound of distress and pain escaped her lips and echoed throughout the forest. Power rippled around her, distorting the very air, and her eyes glowed an eerie silver-gold and black. Turning in the travois to face her love, Talliea took in Arizira's body. A purplish discoloration marred her right cheek, a small nick disturbed the perfection of her neck, a cut on her shoulder bled down the front of her chest, and a large wound on the left side of her stomach soaked blood through a make-shift bandage and turned it a furious red.

Talliea noticed Arizira's hand over her stomach, as if she believed the small gesture would somehow protect their baby. Though she knew that she could heal Arizira, the sight of her battered, beaten, and bloodied body was so intense that it brought about a near crippling physical pain for her.

She brushed her fingers lightly through Arizira's hair. "Ahmanae?" she whispered softly. Arizira groaned and her eyes fluttered open. They were hazy and unfocused, but the pain in them lessened a degree when she found Talliea's gaze.

"Failira." Arizira attempted to reach out with her left hand and touch her love. Her blood-stained fingers pressed against Talliea's cheek and colored it red. "I missed you. I p-protected you."

Talliea grabbed Arizira's hand in her own, a smile half gratitude and half despair gracing her lips. "Rest now, my love."

Arizira grasped Talliea's hand more firmly in her own. In her current state, she was barely aware of what was taking place. All she knew was that her Tah-li was with her. She was talking to her and touching her and smiling at her, and she was so beautiful.

The amount of blood she had lost, coupled with her recent physical excursion, had left her scarcely able to hold onto her consciousness. She was not aware of the stillness around her, nor of the near fatal state of her mother and others throughout the forest. For her, only Talliea existed.

"Everything is okay. Just lie still and feel me. I shall make everything as it should be," Talliea said. Around her the world continued to be suspended in time. Men and women remained in their frozen, statue-like poses, while the air around them buzzed with energy and licked at their skin with a frozen heat. Talliea paid them no mind. They could wait. Her only concern was for Arizira. Time was hers. Completely. There was no rush because she owned and controlled everything around her, everything beyond her.

For the first time since realizing her powers, she understood them wholly. The full extent of them, of her abilities, was within her. Everything was known to her. Everything. Her time with Tareya had shown her the vastness of her potential. It was nearly infinite. She knew what she needed to do to stop the war. She knew what was required and what was expected. Yet, that too did not concern her at present.

Everything else could, and would, wait. Talliea's focus was Arizira. Only Arizira. Always Arizira.

She studied Arizira's face and watched her eyes close with the weight of her exhaustion. Her hand in Talliea's went limp. Talliea remained calm. She touched the small scratch on Arizira's neck with her fingertips. They began to glow and when she pulled her hand away, the wound was gone. Talliea moved her hand next to her love's cheek. The skin was dark with bruising and swollen from her ruptured gums.

Talliea's palm covered the purplish mark. Light flared. She gently ran her palm down toward Arizira's chin. Where the bruise had been, now was unmarred flesh. She lovingly stroked Arizira's jaw and watched silver-blue eyes slowly flutter open. "I am sorry for this, love," she said in a voice that seemed to echo in the stillness. "Your pain, your suffering, they were never my desire, but they have served as a message. Still, my heart has cried at the pain loving me has caused you."

At this, Arizira furrowed her brow in confusion. Her breathing was still shallow and the cuts on her stomach and shoulder still bled, but being with Talliea again and feeling her spirit caress her own was a balm immeasurable. She did not understand the meaning behind Talliea's words, but she was too tired to even attempt to.

Talliea looked down at her with her deep and dark eyes and Arizira found peace. Nothing else mattered. She could feel herself drifting just above her own conscious self and fought to keep her eyes open. "There is...nothing I would not s-suffer for you, failira."

Talliea smiled, though this time it was colored by sadness. "You no longer have need to suffer on my behalf, nor do you need to be in this pain, my love." In the hush that held the world, both Talliea's and Arizira's voices were unnaturally loud. Every man, woman, and child heard the words clearly in their minds, no matter their distance. Language also was not a hindrance, as the words spoken were translated by the listener.

Talliea, still turned in the travois and leaning over Arizira, trailed her fingers from her love's chin to her shoulder. Light radiated from her fingers, a silvery-golden luster. She covered the angry cut on Arizira's shoulder and held her eyes as she closed the wound, as the flesh mended and healed.

The pain in Arizira's eyes became less. Talliea ran the back of her fingers across her cheek tenderly. Time continued to not exist. Talliea did not give a care to the many men and women who remained a thrall to her power. Both she, and especially Arizira, had given so much of themselves to their gods, to destiny, to their peoples and to the world. By Talliea's reckoning, she was to be granted any time she desired with her love. Everything else could come later. The world and its problems could wait. The gods knew, she and Arizira had waited long enough. They had been waiting since before they fell in love.

"Tah-li," Arizira whispered.

"Yes, love?"

Instead of saying anything further, Arizira glanced down at the blood-soaked cloth around her midsection. Tears glistened in her eyes and her hand clung to the spot where she knew her baby rested. Talliea, her face still as calm as a serene sea, reached down and removed the saturated remains of the bandage. Fresh, warm blood oozed from the six inch laceration and Talliea's calm resolve faltered.

She brushed shaky fingers across the wound. Arizira flinched at the gentle touch and studied Talliea's face. Her eyes appeared impossibly dark and glowed with a strange hue. Around her body the air was distorted and shifted while a golden aura seemed to wrap itself over her. Arizira struggled to put together what her senses were telling her, but her blood loss left her feeling light-headed and disoriented. Only Talliea's presence kept her awake and somewhat alert.

"Is she okay, Tah-li?" The pain she was still in kept her from sensing her baby as normally she would. Talliea lifted her face and met Arizira's frightened gaze. She placed her hand, palm down, over Arizira's stomach and focused her abilities on their connection. Her hand glowed with more intensity than before.

Arizira gasped as her back was lifted from the travois. The feeling of Talliea's touch was electrifying, yet undeniably satisfying. She could feel the pain fading from her body. Vigor touched her limbs while her fatigue began to recede.

The cut along her abdomen, the cut that had been delivered unfairly and without honor; the cut that had panicked her as she had never been panicked and nearly cost her unborn child her life; the cut that had kept her from being able to think clearly and properly defend herself, slowly began to close. It stopped bleeding as the skin, muscle, and tissue was healed by Talliea's touch.

Inch by inch, the cut became shorter and shorter until it was no more. Apart from the dried blood, there was no evidence of Arizira's near fatal attack. With the constant pain no longer clouding her senses, Arizira exhaled as her body was lowered back to the travois. She opened her eyes and found Talliea staring back at her. Her hand was still on her stomach and a moment later, before any words could be spoken, a sound entered into the quiet.

It was steady and strong, but considerably fast. The sound of it began softly but soon grew more audible as it became the beat of hope that was soon to touch the heart of the world. Arizira's eyes watered. Her expression changed from one of pain, to one of relief, and finally to one of awe. Talliea watched her and smiled, her hand all the while remaining over her midsection.

"Is that--" Arizira started.

"It is," Talliea finished for her, a smile evident in her tone. In front of them, D'jiira felt tears fall more profusely down her face. She knew what sound she was hearing, though how such a thing was possible she could not guess.

"Her heartbeat?" Arizira asked, wonder struck.

Talliea nodded as the sound of their baby's heartbeat resounded throughout the forest. In the absence of any other sounds, it was emphatic and vociferous. Arizira released a trembling breath and smiled.

The moment stretched between them for several long minutes. When Talliea finally removed her hand from Arizira’s middle, it was only then that their surroundings became apparent to Arizira. No longer in any pain, and no longer worrying over her baby's fate, she now looked away from Talliea and became aware of the state of the forest.

Her eyes widened as she sat up. Her mother stood in front of her, broken arm still cradled against her chest, while her left arm was out by her side. The sword she'd killed Lao'dahn with was barely contained in her grasp. Had Talliea's power not frozen time, the blade would have been in the dirt. A man stood before D'jiira, Arizira saw, his face one of fury and confusion.

A double-edged sword was in his hand and was mere inches from D'jiira's face. Arizira looked away from her mother and farther ahead and noticed Bela'luin. Her fellow huntress was surrounded by six men. Two of them were before her with weapons raised, one was frozen in the air from where he'd been kicked in the groin, Bela's foot still extended, while another man held a ball of light in his hand.

Arizira noticed Bela had one of her sabres and it was currently raised in the air to block an axe attack by a fifth man. As for the sixth, he had dodged away from the strike of the sword in her opposite hand and was in the throes of delivering a fatal wound to Bela'luin's back with his hammer.

Both her mother and her fellow huntress were moments away from death. Talliea's power had saved them. Further ahead in her line of vision, Arizira could see more men. Lights of power hung suspended in the nighttime sky. Explosions of fiery light glowed in the dark. Leaves that had been in the process of being blown by the breeze now wafted in the air unable to move.

Arizira noticed the quiet next. There were no sounds of battle, no sounds of life or struggle or death. There was nothing. It was as if the whole of the world held its breath and prayed for a moment to continue. Arizira was speechless. She looked back over her shoulder and fully realized why Talliea had appeared differently to her.

She was in her power.

Before, when she'd been wounded and in pain, she'd not been able to focus her thoughts and form any sound conclusions. She'd just been happy at being with her love again. Now, however, she saw and she knew. Recent events sped through her mind as she recalled the war being fought between the Esu and Arnira. It had not been a dream, a nightmare, as she had hoped while drifting in and out of consciousness.

It was real. And Talliea now controlled it.

As she sat dumbstruck, Arizira watched Talliea stand to her feet. The power that pulsated around her warped the air and played tricks on the eyes. Talliea's face showed no trepidation. It showed no uncertainty. Where before there had been a shade of doubt, now there was nothing but control and completeness.

Talliea's face was calm. She looked down at Arizira, her eyes completely black and glowing eerily, and stepped away from the travois. Where her feet touched the ground, dirt and pebbles rose into the air. The entire forest was in a state of static shock.

Talliea stepped behind D'jiira and her eyes found the man with the double-edged sword. She turned her head and looked at him, saw the hate in his eyes, the cruelty and the malice. In his heart, there was no redemption. She raised her hand before his face and thrust out her fingers.

The man was flung away from D'jiira. His sword fell toward the ground but was stopped before it landed, as was its owner. The man was a figure of legs and arms as he hung in the air some feet in front of Talliea.

Talliea left him there, forgotten. She turned her attention to D'jiira and stepped toward her right side. "Your heart is pure," she said in an otherworldly voice. "The gods bless you." She placed her hand on D'jiira's broken arm. D'jiira felt a jolt shock her body. She would have gasped had she been able. When Talliea stepped away from her, the pain in her arm was gone.

Talliea had healed her.

Arizira watched her love, the power and control she wielded both stunning and terrifying. Talliea looked back at her and held out her hand. The gesture was so sure, so confident, and utterly welcome. Arizira, still half sitting in the travois, slowly reached out her hand and took Talliea's.

The very moment that she did, her entire body was suffused with energy. Power blasted her insides as it also emanated from within her. So strong was the force that bathed her, she was propelled to her knees. Her head fell back on her shoulders and she looked up at the frozen and starry sky above her. Her arms fell at her sides, though her left hand remained in Talliea's right.

Her entire body was rigid, her eyes were wide, and she had never before known such power, such strength and such overwhelming eminence. As she remained within the force of Talliea's omnipotence, she realized that the power she was experiencing was not originating from her love, as she had always believed. It was coming from within her.

Arizira could not understand how she knew such a thing to be true. A peculiar breeze, though one not birthed of the wind, surrounded her and Talliea. Their hair was tossed about their shoulders, their clothing was blown around their legs and torsos, and the area in which they occupied grew warm and energized.

Arizira could not speak. She could not move. The power that surrounded her, consumed her, and liberated her was all encompassing. It lived inside of her. It came from within her and extended itself to Talliea. It was calming and satisfying. It was peaceful and strong. In it, Arizira knew wonders she'd never imagined. She knew histories she'd never been told and faces of people who had become shadows in recent memory.

The whole of the forest and everything that lived inside of it, Arizira knew. She saw D'jiira and Bela'luin as though she were standing in front of them. She knew their hearts and their desires. She saw Zy'nilur in front of the Great Gate of her tribe with weapons raised and mouth agape. Dozens of her sisters flashed behind her eyes, each a frozen image in time.

Arizira's vision moved still further out and she beheld Markahn huddled behind a tree. His face looked back over his shoulder in the direction his brothers had marched, and his steely gray eyes were touched with a deep sadness that he had been too late. In an instant, Arizira knew everything about him. She became aware of his nature and saw in him the qualities that would one day mark him as a leader, as a person capable of bringing about and directing change.

No sooner had her mind found Markahn, than everything changed and her sight found Talyn and Cynra. Talyn was yelling at archers on the western parapet and Arizira knew with a certainty that those archers had been tasked with looking for her. In an overwhelming burst of sensation, the motivation behind her people's attack became known and made itself true inside of her.

Her tribe fought in her name. They had believed her to be dead and their attack on the Esu had become twofold: They fought to protect themselves and their way of life, as well as to ensure her safe and assured passage to Aitla.

Their respect for her was staggering and breathtaking. For being no more or less than who she was, she had earned the reverence, favor, and esteem of her fellows. She knew that was to be her everlasting legacy. That was the purpose behind her being the Child of Whispers, for when her sisters had looked upon her they had seen an image, so fair, of what they had once been. They had seen what Aitla desired of them so long ago.

Not being aware of the reasons behind their adoration and awe of her, Arizira's sisters had simply come to accredit her appearance and her easy and gentle nature as some portent of a much greater destiny. They had been without the knowledge that their title was to be a truth, that Arizira was to be important to future events.

Cynra's face formed before Arizira's eyes next. The older woman was suspended in a half-stooped posture as she attempted to help a young warrior who had been blinded by a flash of light from the Esu outside of the village.

Inside Rae'kir, a dozen or so children sat around a healer. Their small bodies were immobile and their faces each mirrored the fear and distress the whole of the world was experiencing. Frozen tears and reddened cheeks told a story for the heart of every child.

All of this and more Arizira took in as she rested on her knees with her hand in Talliea's. Her eyes opened and she tilted her head back to gaze upon her love. Talliea was watching her, unflinching. Silver-white and yellow-golden energy crackled across her body. The two of them stared at one another.

They were two women, two simple women who had been leading simple lives until fate brought them together. Two women who had overcome decades of prejudice and generations of hate and bias. They were two people who had not allowed gender or race or beliefs to color or taint the attraction they each felt.

Instead, they had allowed their hearts to lead them. They had given in to the astounding emotions that had pulled them toward the other, all the while not being aware that their desire for one another was a part of a larger whole.

Talliea allowed Arizira's hand to slip from her own. She gazed past her and to the far rim of the world where the sun had bid farewell not an hour before. Above them, the moon was full and white and cast a silvery halation. Talliea extended her hand toward the west. Her body grew taut.

Arizira looked over her shoulder and toward where she knew Li'nas Dei to be. She watched agog as a different shade of light began to rise in the sky and caress the world. Rich and radiant golden rays slowly broke the horizon of the forest as the sun rose back into the sky. Two celestial bodies graced the heavens; one pale and incandescent, the other bright and effulgent.

Arizira, along with all those held in the forest and beyond, gazed in wonder and horror as both the moon and the sun held the sky at once. Those who would later recall the event would come to know this day and its affairs as The Eclipse War.

Talliea directed the sun to a higher point in the sky until it came to rest slightly above and behind the moon. The effect of light, the spectral shades that came to life by such a wonder, created a result that left the world in a state of dawn and dusk at once.

There was no day. There was no night. The world now existed in a frame of time that simply was, for both the power of Aitla and Esuval now resided in the forest. It was an occurrence that had not been witnessed in the world since before the dawn of a different age. Every Esu man, woman, and child that lived and breathed in the world at large bore witness to Talliea's power, just as every Arniran and child across the realm did likewise.

Talliea's power was not limited to the immediate area she was in. It extended beyond her, far beyond her, to lands she had never seen and to people she had never before encountered. As those people beheld the phenomenon that lay in the sky above them, their hearts and minds were opened as their long forgotten history was returned to them.

Arizira stood up on shaky legs. The splendor of the sun and moon above her was nearly crippling with its overwhelming beauty. Slowly, she walked over to where Talliea stood and took her hand in her own. Talliea, kissed by her power and the energy it carried, as well as the light and rays of the sun and moon, was never more beautiful to Arizira than in that moment.

As the two women locked eyes, everything Talliea had learned whilst with Tareya, became known to all. Every detail; every moment; every war, battle, love affair and turning point throughout history, now breathed new awareness into the sons and daughters of the Sun and Moon…

In the beginning, in a time before remembering, there was the Sun and the Moon. The Sun was the ruler of the day. He was passionate and believed in action and decisive thinking. The Sun was fury and violence and abundant power. He represented masculine energy. All life relied on Him for growth and renewal.

Crops followed His seasons while His rays provided warmth and comfort to all manner of animals.

Conversely, the Moon was the matron of the night. She embodied mysteries and secrets and wisdom. Her nature was one of nurturing gentleness, yet fierce protectiveness. She was the master of both wind and ocean. Her realm was one of caution, philosophy, and deliberate thought. She was the epitome of female energy.

Together the two powers, Sun and Moon, watched over the world when it was young. They brought to life trees, plants, and animals as numerous as they were various. Everything that grew and lived and thrived under the heavens owed its existence to the Moon and the Sun, as all life also held a place and purpose in a greater cycle.

The years passed and the world became a wild place full of exotic seas, lush forests, massive mountains, and endless grasslands. Then, a time came when the Sun desired more, for He was the heart of creation and multiplicity. A new kind of being did the Sun breathe to life. This life was to be different from all that came before it.

Instead of walking on four legs, it stood upright and was capable of thought. The life was complex and made to be the image of the Sun's disposition. Like the Sun, His children were passionate and demiurgic. Their bodies were covered not in fur or feather or scale, but by dark caramel skin; and they possessed, as well, dark features.

They came to call themselves Esu after the name they chose for the Sun, Esuval, meaning Light God. Soon this new creation became the sovereigns of the land and all its creatures. They learned to hunt and sow crops, as well as how to build marvelous structures of wood and stone.

Over the years their society grew and their culture was formed. They began to expand across the land and take away more than they returned. The Sun, Esuval, viewed this expansion as a testament of His children's greatness. Their passion fueled their endeavors and this Esuval blessed.

To reward His creation for its achievements, Esuval bestowed unto them, and all future generations, a portion of His power. It was His belief that His followers should be able to heal their sick and defend their weak. This gift was given to all, men as well as women, and helped to shape a more cohesive and ritualistic society.

Towns became cities and the disciplines of forging and smithing and sculpting became the pulse of all Esu pursuits.

Unbeknownst to Esuval, the Moon had observed His children for generations upon generations. She had watched with distaste as they grew and disrupted the balance of nature. In their belief that they were supreme, the Moon had watched them become disrespectful and vainglorious.

When Esuval granted this new creation a portion of His power, the Moon deemed that Her time had come to act. She knew the Sun would never see His own folly, viewing instead His children as wondrous over calamitous. In an effort to restore balance, the Moon created in secret Her own children. Instead of possessing both men and women, the Moon chose to have Her new life be solely female, as She was the manifestation of all things feminine.

It was Her belief that female energy was gentle and caring and more perceptive to change and peace. She named Her new life Arnira, meaning 'protectors.' The Arnira were not like the Esu. Their skin was fair instead of dark and their features were light and reflective. To them the Moon gave heightened senses and agility, for it was Her desire that the Arnira be stewards of the wild.

She distilled in them a connection to the plants and animals of the world and made them prone to follow instinct over earthly desires and riches. The Arnira, though standing upright and being capable of thought like the Esu, were at times more feral than mild.

To ensure that Her children could continue to watch over the wild, the Moon granted the Arnira the ability to procreate amongst themselves. This act would be more spiritual than physical and would deepen the bonds of community. Love, pleasure, endless joy of life and adventure, exploration, hunting and gathering -- these were the passions the Moon bestowed upon the Arnira.

They were not interested in conquest or being lords over the land. They did not deem themselves as above the wilds, but a part of it. When their society was introduced to the Esu, it was decreed by both the Moon, now being called Aitla by her children, which meant 'life giver', and Esuval, that both of their creations were to live in peace.

The Esu were to be guardians of the day, while the Arnira would be protectors of the night. Each people taught the other new arts, new crafts, and new beliefs. It came to be that when the Esu expanded, breaking off into different clans, that the Arnira did so as well. Each clan was matched and paired with a new tribe. This arrangement was favored and blessed by both Esuval and Aitla.

The Arnira continued to be protectors of the land and also tempered the lust and passions of the Esu, while the Esu instilled in the Arnira a greater desire to see the world and taught them of combat and making weapons of steel, copper, and iron.

Later, as the years evolved, the Esu and Arnira would come to enjoy their pact. New types of settlements arose, each consisting of one Esu clan and one Arniran tribe. These settlements were called e'mae'leyos, which translated rather un-poetically as 'the dual settlement.'

Trade was common in an e'mae'leyo. The Esu would trade breads, crops, blades, and fine cloths for fruits, bows, jewelry and wooden carvings. Over time, communication between the two peoples slowed but each remained true to their respective duties. Commerce soon became the only times when the different clans and tribes of any given e'mae'leyo interacted.

That was not to say that any hostilities arose during that time. Both the Esu and the Arnira remained amicable toward the other, but as the years passed and communication became less, each came to view the other indifferently.

Over time, a small number of Esu men, desirous and passionate, came to resent the Arnira who lived behind their wooden walls in their homes of trees. They greatly desired to lay with the Arnira and conquer their independent spirits. To the rest of their brothers, these select men became outcasts for their lustful thoughts and dark intentions.

Barred from their clan and shunned from their e'mae'leyo, these men were cast out into the open wilds and left to die for their heinous thoughts. Their people informed them that they would be allowed back into their hearts only if they put aside their libidinous would-be actions.

The men cursed their brothers and fled into the wilds. In time they came upon another e'mae'leyo. When they spoke of claiming the Arnira for their mates to another small group of men, they were heartened to find ears more eager to hear their words. A darkness crept into the hearts of these men and a shadow fell upon their spirits.

During this time, Esuval's influence over His children began to wane. As the men's hearts became darker and more came to believe in their views, Esuval's strength wavered while the men's increased. Like a sickness and a disease, the dark hearted men spread their beliefs among the whole of the clan they had traveled.

They began to speak out against the Arnira, viewing them as abhorrent and against nature. The few men and women who spoke against them were soon also under the sway of the men's elocution. The men preached that the world was divided into two halves. Those halves were masculine and feminine and anything that deviated from that was evil. They taught that men had their duties and women had their duties and none of those were to ever be shared.

This, the men said, was also against Esuval and nature.

Now, belief is a powerful yet silent force. Of all the great and noble, or the villainous and ignoble acts a person can or will commit in life, all stem from a single catalyst: belief. If a person believes they are defeated in battle, that end shall come sooner than if the person believed otherwise. By believing in doubt, that person assured their defeat.

If a person believes in love and goodness, those things shall prove true, for the person shall see them in all acts of kindness and all simple words of praise. Belief is the root of war, the stem of change. From a belief comes action.

So long as the Esu believed in the pact with the Arnira, they saw in it a mutual arrangement. So long as they believed that Esuval and Aitla were equals and so too were their children, they kept to their ways and allowed themselves to be taught and shown matters not of the Esu heart.

However, that belief works also in favor of ill intent. The first Esu men to begin questioning the pact became the root of a new belief. That belief, that lack of faith in Esuval, caused a change in the Sun's power. Already less in strength than He was in the beginning of time due to sharing His power with His children, Esuval now became a translucent shadow of His former glory. His children's betrayal of Him and His teachings began to weaken him.

The women of the Esu were also weakened during this time. Fearing that these new Esu men spoke true, they began to believe that by harnessing Esuval's gift they were an affront to their god. They came to believe that they had been given the gift, not because they were deserving, but because they were weak. The power and gift of Esuval, the men said, was a curse and a test to see what strength lay in the hearts of women.

By rejecting this gift, the men said, the women would fall into their true place and come to see the full glory of Esuval. Fear, like belief, is a powerful force. By believing something to be true, the Esu of this new e'mae'leyo made that belief thus. Radical changes came about and in the months that followed, the Esu men that had been banished from their homes found strength and power at the dawn of a new era.

The women became servile property to the men of their clan. Their belief that Esuval's gift was not theirs to keep slowly began to spread. No longer were they equals of the men, but servants. The men, conversely, grew in their power. A new order was formed in this single clan, an order that would spread far into the future and lay a blackness across the land.

This order was called the Lat'sa'val.

Far removed from this e'mae'leyo, while corrupted men committed evil deeds, another great change had been taking place. An Esu woman and an Arniran acolyte had fallen in love. Each woman had been of the same e'mae'leyo. When trade was exchanged, the two women had become curious of one another. That curiosity led to a friendship and later a passionate love affair.

Taking leave of their peoples, Ir'ra and Tareya perceived to travel the lands together and see all the wonders there were to see. Esuval and Aitla, both mindful of the changes taking place farther away, descried this marvelous occurrence. With dark hearts clouding their influence in other parts of the world, both the Sun and the Moon blessed this love, for each woman had not paid mind to their differences.

They each bestowed upon Ir'ra and Tareya a special connection which would allow them to always feel the presence of the other. It would allow them to share memories and experiences and ensure they each became closer to the other.

Ir'ra came to call Tareya, and their connection, her Doira'Liim. Her spirit mate. The two women traveled far and wide and named their love and connection a gift of the gods. Their time was joyous and without harm or deceit or gloom.

As fate would chance after a time, Tareya and Ir'ra came upon the e'mae'leyo that was diseased with the malcontent of the evil-hearted Esu men. Not being aware of events that had taken place, both women entered the settlement in peace. They spoke firstly to the Arnira, who like them were unaware of such changes, and proceeded to the Esu clan some small distance away from the tribe.

The Lat'sa'val, upon discovering the nature of Ir'ra and Tareya's relationship, used the two women as a means to further their dark intentions. They claimed that the Arnira were evil sprites that desired to foul and corrupt their women with their unnatural ways. They yelled on high that the children of Aitla were the mortal enemies of the children of Esuval.

'Night and day do not exist together,' they said. 'Why then should our peoples?'

Believing the Lat'sa'val spoke truly, the men of the clan attacked Ir'ra and Tareya. The women of the Esu, though being filled with heartache and dread over the abuse Ir'ra especially suffered, stood idle and made no action of aid. They viewed the event as a test of faith by Esuval and so chose not to intervene.

The men separated Ir'ra and Tareya. To Ir'ra, they beat and raped and defiled, as they had always been wont to do. To Tareya, the men tried to reason. They attempted to convince her that she had been deceived by Ir'ra and that by repenting her sins to Esuval, her spirit would be saved.

Esuval, upon learning of His children's heinous act, despaired greatly. His children's actions held sway over His power. In a moment of haste and desperation, Esuval the Sun god of passion and decisiveness, blessed Tareya with the fury of His power. To her, Esuval granted great destructive capability and command over the elements. It was His belief that she would be His champion and would strike at the heart of the sickness spreading amongst His children.

However, Aitla did not bless this action. She saw it as more careless folly and warned Esuval that power corrupted and absolute power corrupted absolutely. She turned away from the Sun in that moment. Her only concern was for Her children.

Tareya, unleashing the sudden power she commanded, rescued Ir'ra and the two of them escaped. Far they fled into the forest with their hearts and minds full of doubt and confusion. Ir'ra, being stricken with near death by her ordeal at the hands of the Esu men, grew weak ere they came upon another e'mae'leyo. For days Tareya carried Ir'ra, until at last they came before another Arniran tribe.

Alas, their arrival was to be too late. Tareya's actions against the Lat'sa'val had hastened their war against the Arnira and served as the proof they used to justify their beliefs. Tareya and Ir'ra arrived before the Arnira soon after they had been attacked by Esu.

Fear and suspicion oft times spreads like wildfire and the Arnira were unwilling to permit Tareya entrance amongst them. Tareya's own fear over losing her love spurred her actions and she attacked the Arnira. The power she wielded began to consume her as did her fear of losing Ir'ra.

Afterward, war broke out quickly between the Esu and Arnira. The Lat'sa'val grew in power, influence, and number. Those Esu that would not submit before them were slaughtered without mercy. Only a small number of clans still true to Esuval's teachings would escape and seek lands far away from the killing.

During this time, Tareya's despair over Ir'ra continued. Wherever she went, she was not received warmly.. If she came before Arnria, they would not admit her as she was Esu. If she came before Esu, they too turned her away because she walked in step with an Arnira. Enemies surrounded Tareya and Ir'ra grew still weaker.

Aitla refused to intervene on Tareya's behalf, seeing her as no different than the Lat'sa'val. Like them, she had killed Her children. Instead of perceiving a different action, she had followed her volatile Esu ways. Soon thereafter, Aitla called Ir'ra to her and ended her suffering.

Grievous beyond words, Tareya cried and lamented Ir'ra's passing. Despite her best efforts, her love had died. Left alone in the world, without clan nor friend, Tareya sought vengeance on all those who had played a part in allowing Ir'ra to die.

The world stood changed. Where before peace and harmony and friendship had reigned, now war and violence and bloodshed stained the wilds. Esu fought Esu. Arnira fought Esu. Clans dispersed. Clans fled. Clans died.

During this time, Aitla retreated from the world. Her children too had been consumed by the fighting. The Moon saw that war was rampant. Her only options were to partially abandon Her children or remove them from the world all together. Not being able to destroy Her creation, Aitla chose to have them live out their lives by their own actions. Their consequences would be their own.

The only hand She would have in their affairs, would be to ensure the continuation of their race. Like the Sun, the Moon despaired that Her blessings of life and free will had been shunned and mocked. Seeing that Her children were on their own, the Moon retired into Her thoughts until such a time came that She could correct the mistakes of mortal life.

Tareya, during this time, had become a seething and loathsome individual. She feared no man. She feared no Arnira. None could stand before her with the power she commanded. With her love no longer in the world with her, she became consumed by her need for revenge. She killed indiscriminately with no favor to any one side. It was not until Esuval intervened and removed the power He had given her, that Tareya was defeated and her life ended.

Afterward, like the Moon, the Sun retreated from the mortal world with the last small amount of power He held.

The wars continued for many years later, both Esu and Arnira being unaware of their gods' abandonment of them. Over time, the deeds and events that had so changed the world, became stories. Stories became legend. Legends turned to myth. Esu and Arnira migrated to far opposite corners of the world and created new lives for themselves and all but forgot the history that had shaped them so.

Names and peoples and places became obscured. The clans of Lat'sa'val that had not been decimated during the war years and years into the past traveled to the Southlands. There they continued to war amongst themselves for generations. Their settlements, once marvelous and awe-inspiring, were cursed by Esuval to never see the splendor and grandeur of days before.

Whensoever a clan reached a height of structural greatness, war would follow and the Esu would forever be punished for their arrogance. Not until His children put aside their hateful ways would Esuval grant back to them the glory of their past. It was small punishment, but all that the Sun could muster in the waning of His power.

Time continued, the world changed, and for seven hundred years the Esu and Arnira lived apart from one another. It was not until a chance encounter by a woman named D'jiira and a woman named Iolirthas, that Aitla and Esuval began to spread their influence on the world again.

Chapter 38: Night and Day

Talliea released a steady breath and looked out at the sea of faces before her.

Through her power, she could see far beyond the mere clearing where D'jiira and Bela'luin stood frozen. She knew the images -- the history -- everyone had just been privy to went beyond simple visions, for she had also bestowed unto them a sense of truth. In their hearts, the Esu and Arnira knew that what they witnessed was a gift from Aitla and Esuval.

Beside Talliea, Arizira still stood holding her hand. Her silvery eyes appeared more blue being beneath the peculiar mix of light from both sun and moon. She turned her head and met Talliea's eyes. In the calm, the world stood poised for change. The past that had just been revealed left all with a sense of having found something long lost.

Talliea allowed her eyes to fall away from her love's. Her head fell back on her shoulders as she looked up at the phenomenon in the sky. Bathed in light and energy, she called forth more of her power, of Arizira's unending strength.

Winds began to blow in the stillness, great gales of near violent force. The Esu and Arnira caught in the forest, suspended in battle, were helpless against the power around them. The winds blew leaves and trees and bushes alike in a crazed frenzy. Thunder clapped, a cacophonous rumble sounding somewhere in the far reaching sky above, and accompanied the fierce winds.

Still holding Arizira's hand, Talliea stepped slightly away from her and studied the various types of weapons being wielded by the men and women in the forest. Her black and disquieting eyes fell upon the double-edge sword that had come so close to ending D'jiira's life. She raised her left hand and curled her fingers into a fist.

The sword disintegrated into dust and scattered on the wind. Next, Talliea looked to Bela'luin. The men trapped before her, all carrying different sorts of weapons, were unable to stop the power that shattered their blades, hammers, and axes. Like the double-edged sword, their weapons were dispersed and carried away on Salira's breath.

All across the forest, weapons that had been raised in anger were destroyed and lost in the whirlwind that raged across the land. Swords, axes, hammers, spears, halberds, bows, daggers, glaives, arrows -- all were abolished. The only weapons that were spared were Arizira's sabres and bow. The rest became like so much dust. Talliea knew the weapons could easily be remade, but for the present none would be able to use them in anger.

Talliea reached out and touched D'jiira's shoulder. Instantly she was free of the power that had held her frozen and fell to her knees on the ground. Only Talliea kept her safe from the mistral around her. Tears fell more freely down her face. She stretched out her right arm and was relieved to experience no pain. Her wide and light brown eyes looked around her and studied the forest more closely.

When she turned around and looked over her shoulder, she became mesmerized by the sight of her daughter standing next to Talliea with power and energy and light dancing between their bodies.

Talliea's eyes found hers and it was as if being seen by the gods themselves, so ubiquitous was the gaze. "See your own past with fresh eyes," Talliea said and the past resumed and became the present once more.

Iolirthas was a young, light-hearted tracker who spent the majority of her time wandering the vastness of the forest. Her spirit was wild and she often times could lose herself to the majesty of the trees and the wonders of the sky, biding farewell to nights and days as she walked and explored and forgot all sense of time.

She was loved by many, but most of all by Cynra, her mother. Cynra it was who had carried her and protected her until she had been welcomed into the world. Of her second mother, Iolirthas could scarcely recall, for the woman had passed to Aitla three winters after her birth. Her childhood had been one adventure after the next and her fellow sisters had grown fond of her as she had also grown fond of them.

On a night much like any other, Iolirthas found herself following the sounds of the forest. She came to a vast body of water, the top of which was alight with the moon's reflection. So enthralled by the sight was Iolirthas that she perceived to descry what lay beyond the still waters.

She returned again to the lake some days later, this time prepared for a longer trek. Her spirit and wanderlust were never more at a height than when she set out around the perimeter of the shimmering water of the lake. Her feet carried her far and the nights passed quickly. Within a fortnight’s walk, Iolirthas had come to the far side a new bank.

The smells in the forest so far from her own home both fascinated and enticed her. Her ears and eyes took in that which they had never glimpsed and she came to discover that she could not return home until she explored more. So her journey continued, and for days she walked and danced under the moon and hunted deer and small game and slept beneath the stars.

Of her tribe, Iolirthas thought little. Though she loved them and desired their company, the welcome embrace of the forest could not be turned aside. It came to be that after a month had passed, Iolirthas happened upon an unlikely creature. A sound met her ears as she sat tightening her bowstring. The sound was not that of an animal, no bear or wolf, no bird or insect. The sound was of that of speech, though in words foreign to Iolirthas. Keen senses and quick reflexes, coupled with an insatiable curiosity, sent Iolirthas in search of the nature of the sound she had heard.

Soon she found herself looking down upon a strange creature from the safety of a nearby tree. Silver-purple eyes glanced dark skin and ebony hair. A woman sat beneath Iolirthas, one whom she had never before seen the likes of. The woman was tall and her features were as shadowed as the darkness around her. Curiosity flared inside Iolirthas at the sight of the woman.

She remained hidden for a time, the moon moving overhead and breaking the cover of clouds in the sky. Stars danced and came to life and the deepest hour of night touched the world. As Iolirthas studied the strange woman beneath her, she came to discover that an injury prevented the dark skin from finding comfort.

In a moment of unfettered officiousness, Iolirthas dropped down from her perch above and landed beside the startled woman. Light brown eyes found glowing purple and a new note in history's music was sung, for this meeting would mark the beginning of a new age to come. The woman Iolirthas had found was D'jiira D'anun of Clan Anot Solij , or Prayer's Strength.

D'jiira's injured ankle kept her from taking flight, but her own astonishment at Iolirthas was what bade her to keep her silence. Iolirthas tended to D'jiira's ankle and soon thereafter, the two of them became enamored of one another. Though they did not speak the language of the other, D'jiira and Iolirthas spent the next several cycles of the sun and the moon in the other's company.

Over time communication and understanding eased their eager desires and they fell in love. Iolirthas taught D'jiira of the forest and of the weapons she favored, while D'jiira taught Iolirthas about her people and of creating art with stone and wood. For many seasons, both women shared themselves and grew closer together.

It was during this time that Aitla began to pay the world and its occurrences a closer mind. Time passes differently for the gods, a decade of mortal time seeming nothing more than the life of an insect to them. Aitla had long desired to right the wrongs of the past, to once again influence Her children instead of watching them with shame.

When Her sight fell upon one of Her children with one of Esuval's, She recalled another time wherein the love of mortals had defied their own beliefs and misgivings. Like before, Aitla desired to bless this union between Iolirthas and D'jiira, to bestow unto them the same connection as Ir'ra and Tareya of old, but brought to Her mind was the tragedy that had been their love.

So Aitla bided Her time and sought the counsel of Esuval. The Sun's power was not as grand as it once had been. His children's abuse had severely weakened Him to where His influence and strength was all but ignored in modern times. Aitla revealed to Him the love between their children. She shared a plan with Him, a way to restore balance to the world and abolish the crimes of one fallen sect in the days of before.

Esuval agreed, for He had already perceived to influence the future, and for the first time in over seven hundred years, the Sun and the Moon came together to once again shape events in the world.

To D'jiira and Iolirthas, Aitla blessed a child. This child was to be the first child ever born of both Esu blood and Arniran spirit. She would possess all of the qualities of Aitla Herself, of the very first born Arnira. This child would be the Moon's chosen.

Aitla was aware of the need for secrecy, for she was the matron of such acts, and so called to Her Iolirthas after the birth of her child. To Cynra and D'jiira, She left the memory of Iolirthas. Their parts would come later, when the world was ripe, but not until events could be shaped and mortal minds kept from that which was not yet ready to be known.

However, Aitla did not account for the free will or stubborn qualities of D'jiira D'anun. She did not account for the possibility that D'jiira would make a decision to leave her daughter, Arizira Ahmanae, in the care of Dream Speaker Cynra. Despite this unforeseen occurrence, Aitla remained true to Her plan.

D'jiira's name for her child, Ahmanae, would prove to be more apt than she ever perceived.

Meanwhile Esuval's plan was taking longer to bring to life, as His power was far weaker than Aitla's own. This was no such matter to Him, as time was a mortal concept. Three summers after the birth of Arizira Ahmanae, far to the distant south, Esuval's long and labored work -- work begun before Aitla had come to Him -- finally came to fruition. Years before He had watched as one of His true children, a woman named Taetylona, was banished to the harsh wilds and left forgotten by her clan. While Taetylona had wandered in a fevered state many seasons later, mouth full of thirst and belly full of hunger, Esuval sent to her a spirit.

This spirit imparted to Taetylona vast knowledge of the past, as well as information of a child to be born in the future. The spirit was that of Tareya Aldis, for Esuval had long grieved over her passing. Both she and her love, Ir'ra, had been innocent in the wars of the past. Only the actions of others had resulted in their fates and Esuval had long desired to make right the errors of so long ago.

To Taetylona, the spirit of Tareya taught ancient lore and forgotten medicines, She taught Taetylona her language and spoke of a child that would herald a new age, a child who would carry her name, as a sign of the past correcting the future. The name, her name, would also serve to please Aitla, as it had in the beginning of Esu language when both Esu and Arnira lived in peace.

The name, Aldis, was to be a symbol of the alliance between Esuval and Aitla. Just as Arizira Ahmanae would be of both gods, so too would the child that inherited Tareya's name. The child would be Esu, but would possess a name honoring the Moon. Through this union, Esuval and Aitla hoped to achieve balance.

When Talliea Aldis was born, Aitla asked Esuval why He chose His champion to be a female instead of a male.

'Men it was that first turned away from me,' Esuval replied. 'My daughters have been subjugated at the hands of those meant to honor and respect them. My power wanes, more so now than ever before, and I have not the luxury for another misstep if my gift is defiled.'

Talliea's birth set events into motion. These events would deviate from the gods' original plan, as they would not understand the nature of mortal death, free will, or the burdens of old age. Of the knowledge Tareya's spirit had shared with Taetylona, only a small portion would be retained. Time and age would steal most of the information, taking with it Talliea's destiny and purpose.

Of Arizira, the gods could not foresee that she would share Iolirthas's free spirit and her desire to explore. To ensure that both Talliea and Arizira found one another, as Esuval's influence began to wane much like His powers, both gods touched their chosen with a portion of the spirits of Tareya and Ir'ra.

This blessing would not restore Tareya or Ir'ra to life, nor would it change who Arizira and Talliea were. As it was, this blessing would only create an intense and overwhelming desire to find the other. Ir'ra's Doira'liim of the past would now find the present. When Arizira and Talliea met, an instant connection was formed. This connection was one borne of their own attraction and enhanced by Tareya and Ir'ra, for both Esuval and Aitla had made Arizira and Talliea for each other.

Unlike the connection shared between Ir'ra and Tareya, the one formed between Talliea and Arizira was to be different. It was blessed by Aitla to strengthen what was already powerful. Though Tareya and Ir'ra were able to share memories and sensations, they forever remained two separate spirits in two different bodies. One could exist without the other.

To Arizira and Talliea, Aitla made it so that once the two of them shared themselves with the other, their spirits would join and become one. From that moment forward, the two of them would be two separate people sharing a single spirit. This blessing from Aitla would ensure the restoration of balance as it also would deepen the love between Talliea and Arizira.

To aid the way of peace and bring events to their conclusions, Aitla spoke to Cynra, Arizira's grandmother. The information She imparted was just enough to progress events as needed. The vision would further shape the plan of both gods while also allowing their children's free will to breathe easily.

Also, to help curb the headstrong tendencies of both women, Aitla sent the spirit of Iolirthas to the physical plane to watch over Arizira and Talliea. Again the need for secrecy was paramount. The gods' power, though infinite, could not sway completely the free will of mortal minds capable of thought.

Influencing events was the extent of both Aitla's and Esuval's power. The rest of their plan relied solely on the actions of Talliea and Arizira and their friends. When Iolirthas showed Lao'dahn the path that was true, the action was a last effort to bring about the fruition of needed events. Talliea's separation from Arizira was needed. Arizira's time with Cynra and Taetylona was needed.

Every event that came to pass after Lao'dahn found Talliea and Arizira was a small drop in the ocean whose ripples generated effects far into the future, for Aitla had known of Talliea's reluctance to accept herself. She had been aware that a child of Esuval was to be stubborn and defy a change she did not understand.

Arizira's death, though tragic and overwhelming, was to be the catalyst for Talliea acknowledging and accepting all the parts of herself she had tried to overlook. Once her power had been awakened, nothing could stop it. By healing Arizira, and in essence bringing her back from the brink of death's kiss, Talliea had further established the bond the two of them shared.

Unlike Tareya's power of old, Talliea's power was to be different, as both gods would influence it. The infinite ability that resided in her power was not to be hers alone. She would be able to direct it, but she would have no full control over its extent. That power would be Arizira's. The Child of Whispers, gentle in Aitla's grace, would be the silent force within a force. The eye of the storm.

She would temper Talliea's inherent fervor and ardor and passion, traits shared and revered by all Esu. Where Talliea would be power and violence and strength, as Esuval's chosen, Arizira would be peace and serenity when those things were called for. Talliea would be the hand of retribution, Arizira, she who would pass judgment in the names of authority and integrity.

Untold power would be at Talliea's command, but the gift would live in Arizira. Arizira would not be able to call upon the power, but she would be immune to its affects and be able to influence its outcome.

This unique sharing of power was to be Aitla and Esuval's insurance that the past would not repeat in the present. Tareya's power had been undivided unto herself. She alone had been in control of it. Of Esuval's punishment and fury. Complete power always corrupts completely.

For Talliea and Arizira, Aitla blessed this power of the Sun with her own power. This blessing provided both Arizira and Talliea with a portion of the gods' favor, yet neither would be able to tarnish or disgrace such a gift. Both would share in it. Both would be needed to call upon its effects, yet neither would possess, wholly, the ability to command it.

Through this beautiful exchange, this sharing of power, destiny, and spirit, the Doira'Liim connection was reborn…

Arizira released an awed breath as the images and information faded from her mind's eye. Nearly every question she had desired an answer of for so long now had an answer. She recalled ever breath she had taken with Talliea over the past several months and, again, was struck with how interwoven events had been. She now understood her life in ways that had not been known to her before.

She met D'jiira's penetrating gaze and was overcome with how well she now knew her mother. Not just D'jiira, but Iolirthas as well. Her connection to Talliea was overwhelming to her now. She understood it completely. The simple attraction that had compelled her to follow Talliea, that which had been so unassuming before, now was a moment in her life she knew was forever defining.

Every word whispered, every soft caress enjoyed, had been but a step further toward this possible outcome. The gods had gifted both her and Talliea with potential. They had blessed them with a connection long before they had ever met. Yet, everything else that had transpired between them had been because of them. They had chosen to trust one another when their languages had each still been unknown. They had followed something foreign between them when war had been but a distant possibility.

They had chosen to confide in each other; to rely on each other; to find peace and fulfillment in each other, and when they had fallen in love and expressed themselves, such had been the only action they could never have denied.

Even after their separation and subsequent reunion, it had been the two of them who had eventually decided together to embark on a journey and a quest so full of unexplained, unidentified, and uncharted variables. The gods had blessed them with power and a destiny, but it had been the two of them who had chosen to accept those responsibilities. Their free will, along with the gods' influence, had resulted in the suspended moment of history Arizira now found herself in.

Always, she had believed herself no different than her sisters. Though whispers about her nature and her appearance had always abounded, Arizira had never paid them half a mind. She was simply Arizira Ahmanae, yet now she understood the truth of the words always spoken of her. She was touched by Aitla. Her tribe, having recognized the unique spark inherent in her, though not understanding how they knew, had simply named her accordingly and paid her a measure of respect.

She knew, as she looked down at her hand entwined with Talliea's, that she would have found her failira even without the gods' help. The two of them had been born to meet. They had been destined to fall in love. Whether or not they would have followed their destiny and reunited their peoples was not known. Arizira wondered how her life would have been had she and Talliea run away like they once had planned.

What would have happened had they not been separated? If Cynra had not kept information from her? If Markahn had stopped Lao'dahn from venturing out on his own?

In every scenario, Arizira discovered that the one thing that could not change was her being with Talliea. They would have found a way, regardless of their peoples' hate, to be together. Now, however, she realized that this present was her destiny all along. She was helping to achieve peace. She was helping to unify.

Had she and Talliea not chosen to be a part of this war, who was to say how different the world would be for future generations? Would the power of Esuval eventually have faded all together? Would his children have been forever shamed? How long would Aitla's power have kept the Arnira hidden and secure?

A hand on Arizira's cheek shook her from her thoughts. She turned her head and met Talliea's dark eyes. A smile touched her face, one of happiness, peace, and strength. It was a smile that had only ever graced Talliea's lips while in Arizira's presence.

As the two of them stood and looked upon the other, the rest of their recent history quickly formed in their minds, as it also did in the minds of all of those under their power. They saw D'jiira with a woman who they assumed to be her partner. In a blinding haze, the whole of D'jiira's dreams, the dreams that had led her to seek out Arizira, became known to them.

The force behind those dreams, the spirit that had touched D'jiira's mind, had been none other than Iolirthas. She it had been who had contacted D'jiira and set her upon her sojourn. The events following D'jiira's return were witnessed by all in a new light. Battles were relived, decisions made were replayed, conversations spoken were recited, until at last the moment Talliea had lost consciousness settled over the Esu and Arniran people.

This event had been the gods final influence on Talliea and Arizira's life. They each had witnessed how wayward the group was, how without uniform direction they were, and so Esuval, using a last vestige of his power, brought Talliea into contact with Tareya.

Tareya was the last hope of aiding Talliea in the full use of her abilities. She was to be a teacher, an historian, and a scholar all at once in an attempt to give Talliea the confidence and information she would need to stop a war. Unfortunately, the timing of such an encounter would come at the onset of clashing and opposing forces.

Yet this, too, was to serve as a symbol and a message to every man, woman, and child that graced the world. For, when all hope had seemed despaired, Arizira Ahmanae had still chosen to fight for her love. Despite the odds, despite the personal risks to herself and her unborn child, despite the overwhelming nature of the task before her, she had fought for her love. An Esu woman. An enemy to the Arniran people.

Like before when she had taken an arrow for Talliea, Arizira had chosen a path of self sacrifice in the name of love. She had suffered both physical and emotional pain because she believed in the goodness and purity of love. She believed peace could be achieved. She believed a person's actions helped to pave the future, and so she had chosen to show both Esu and Arnira time and again, that love and peace were worth fighting for.

They were worth protecting.

Ahmanae. Beautiful whisper.

Most certainly, that was what Arizira now was to both peoples. Without their being aware of it, her actions had come upon them quietly and without any effort. As the images of her heroic fight from just moments before flittered in the minds of all, Esu and Arnira were both struck with the power and strength of Arizira's convictions, of her love for Talliea. Of her hope for peace.

Talliea stroked Arizira's cheek as the last of the images, of history and sacrifice, faded away. "Come, my love," she said in a voice that was both commanding and ethereal. The two of them stepped in front of D'jiira, who was still overcome with everything she had just been witness to, and moved further into the forest. Where the two of them stepped, energy danced across the ground and electrified the men and women in their path.

Slowly, Talliea and Arizira cut through the carnage of battle and war. Any remaining weapons snapped, cracked, and turned to dust as the two women moved. When Talliea came upon a powerfully built man, tall with dark hair and a dark beard, she stopped.

"Jovan." The single name from her lips echoed throughout the forest, touching both the Arniran village and the Esu settlement in the valley to the south. Jovan swallowed a nervous lump in his throat and held Talliea's gaze with all the defiance he could sustain. "Your eyes have been shown the past. Your Order's history is now known to you, yet your heart is still consumed by shadow and hatred. "

Jovan said nothing. He cut his eyes to Arizira, who stood beside Talliea. "Speak, if that is your wish," Talliea said.

Swallowing nervously once more, Jovan held Arizira's eyes and said, "That thing inside of you is an abomination, just as you are an abomination. Esuval has been corrupted and weakened by your heathen goddess. He has become influenced by her ways. Our Order is true. You have shown us our history, yes, but that matters not! My kind will forever fight yours! You can not stop it!"

If either Talliea or Arizira were affected by Jovan's words, they made no show of it. Talliea continued to look upon the man with a calm and detached air. Her black eyes were alight with silvery-gold wisps of energy.

"You are wrong," she said simply and reached up to touch his face. Jovan's mouth opened in a gasp and his eyes widened. His entire large body was suffused in a web of changing colors and facets. When he fell to the ground, he coughed and shook as if chilled from the inside.

Talliea looked down at him with pitiless eyes. "Your power is no longer yours to command. Esuval's gift to you has always been subject to his influence. When your Order was strong, his powers were weakened by your immoral misuse of his gift. Now, however, I have spread his influence across the realm once more. His power is his own again. Those of the Lat'sa'val who are evil of heart shall forever be banished from his sight and grace."

Jovan glanced up at Talliea and then to Arizira. He looked at his dark hands and tried to summon his gift, but it was futile. He could feel the truth of Talliea's words. Inside, he felt hollow and weak. His powers were gone. Now he was just a man without a god.

"The same is true for all of you,” Talliea said looking out across the sea of men spread out before her. "Change is upon us. No longer shall our clans be reduced to a nomadic existence. We can thrive, together, as once our great people did. To the women -- my sisters, daughters, mothers, and aunts -- I bestow unto to you, Esuval's blessings. Always, his gift was yours. It was our belief that we were less that hindered our connection to him."

Inside the Arniran village, Taetylona felt a strange sensation tingle her fingertips and warm her chest. She smiled as she realized the truth of Talliea's words.

"We are changed," Talliea said. "Those of you who desire to make peace within yourselves and with your neighbors, I say unto you that all the gods' blessings shall be yours." Thunder sounded above the forest, close and shattering. A chill wind swept through the area. "But, to those who would seek to reap hatred and sow insecurity," Talliea said, her voice dropping to a terrifying octave, "the full might and fury of the gods' shall forever follow you. I am their instrument on this plane, their way to exact punishment on those who would seek to destroy the balance of nature and order. Choose a path, one or the other, but know that your choice shall forever dictate the state and worth of your life."

In a single and influential moment, Talliea released the world from the hold of her power. A shockwave of energy, all the force she had held at bay and created when she had frozen the battle, exploded and fanned out in all directions. The sound was deafening. Men and women fell where they stood or toppled to the ground from the sudden nature of their release.

All was quiet. Not a sound could be heard, not even that of an animal or insect. The sun slowly receded back beyond the rim of Li'nas Dei. Darkness would have touched the forest had not the moon in the starry sky been so full and bright.

Hunters and warriors and healers, of both Esu and Arnira, looked around in mute shock. No one made a move to further instigate any war. The men who had been around Bela'luin had all been thrown back in the shockwave and now sat rather unceremoniously on the ground. Bela slumped to the forest floor and sighed in relief. She looked at Arizira's sabre in her hand and smiled softly.

The blade's name was La'nu, which meant “hopeful in life”.

Talliea felt the last of her power fade and return to Arizira. She turned toward her love and for a long moment, the two of them could do nothing more than look upon the other adoringly. There was a satisfaction that touched the both of them, as there also was a sense of accomplishment. Their task was at an end. Their trials were over. Now they could finally focus on being in love. They could focus on their family. They could focus on them.

Talliea stepped closer to Arizira, everything else around her forgotten, and gathered her love in her arms. Without hesitation, she kissed Arizira passionately. Now that the adrenaline from before was receding, and her power was no longer touching her, Talliea desired nothing more than to reassure herself that her love was safe and secure.

She had been more frightened than she had been able to experience when she first came to. Then, her recent time with Tareya was still fresh on her mind. Then, she had been protected by the power that enveloped her. Then, she had been in control and with that omnipotence had also come a barrier that had not allowed her to be as affected as she normally would given Arizira's dire circumstances .

Now that she was simply herself again, she felt the need to reassure her mind that Arizira was okay. She kissed her love twice more on the lips, and then once on the tip of her nose, before standing back to assess her state. She brought a hand up to Arizira's middle and placed it across where the wound had been. "Ari--" she started, but Arizira stopped her with her a finger to her lips.

"All is well now, failira. Do not make a fuss."

A small laugh erupted from Talliea. "I can not help it, love. I have nearly lost you too many times."

"That is over and in the past. The war is no more. If only all of them could end so neatly.” Arizira paused a moment before continuing. “I am just heartened to be with you once again."

Before Talliea could respond, a sound behind her alerted her to Jovan. The bearded man was attempting to stand and attack Talliea when an arrow struck him in the chest. Both women turned to see who their supposed savior was. A young Esu man, barely out of his childhood years, dipped his head some short distance behind Arizira.

Talliea smiled at him and the boy smiled back, a simple gesture following such an important act. A sound caught the attention of all gathered a moment later. Talliea stepped closer to Arizira again and the two women held one another and watched as the Great Gate of the Arniran village began to open.

A lone figure walked out. "My tribe offers hearth and healing to any who would enter in friendship," Talyn said. "We will gladly share our food and drink and tend to the wounds of both our own and any Esu."

Most of the men gathered looked on with a curious and confused air. They had not understood the words spoken. Arizira translated for Talyn and soon word was spread around the forest. "The gods could not grant us a blessing of understanding?" Arizira whispered, light-heartedly, to Talliea. Talliea smirked and shrugged her shoulders. She knew there was still much to be done. Talks had to take place. Treaties had to be drawn up. Trade agreements and territory lines had to be made.

She knew there would be Esu men who would not take this change with happy hearts. There would likely be skirmishes fought before peace was fully achieved, but she felt confident that the scales of balance had tipped in their favor.

"Come," Talliea said as she led Arizira toward Talyn. "Let us finally rest."

Chapter 39: Peace at Last

Talliea looked around the small area that housed Arizira's belongings.

To her right, a small bed of Ophe'las leaves lined the tree wall. To her left, various animal teeth, feathers, and small weapons adorned carved shelves that were once a part of the tree Arizira called home. The room she stood in, though not large, was wide enough for her to move about comfortably and tall enough for her to stand unhindered.

Directly in front of her, different pieces of cloth and leather lay on the floor. She could see the beginnings of various articles of clothing among the animal hides and the pieces of cloth, she noticed, were light linen blouses cut in the Arniran fashion. In the far corner of the room, to the left of Arizira's bedding, a small wooden table held a basin full of steaming water.

"Talyn had us bring warm water to you so that you may wash and clean yourselves before resting." Both Talliea and Arizira turned to see a fair looking Arnira with her head peeking out of the floor drop that lead to a ladder. The ladder was balanced against the tree itself and served as the means by which entrance to any living quarters was reached.

The Arniran took a few steps down the ladder and pulled the hatch closed behind her without another word. After the battle, reunions had taken place. Every Arnira in Arizira's tribe had desired to talk with her and obtain her blessing from Aitla. They all had believed her dead for so long and wished to spend time hearing of the glorious tale that had been her life since meeting Talliea.

Of the Esu men, only a handful of wounded had accepted Talyn’s offer. None of them had possessed the fortitude of spirit to take the first step toward relations with the Arnira. They all had looked upon each other as if expecting one among them to take up the mantle of leadership. The Arnira had tended to their wounded as best as they knew how. Without their healing magic from Esuval, the men were unable to cure their afflicted on their own. None of them still retained any of their abilities. Talliea, Arizira, or D'jiira had worked as a translator when the need arose.

Only those who had helped Talliea or Arizira along their journey were still able to communicate freely. That blessing had come from Iolirthas and its limits had been met, as it now seemed that the gods desired their children to actively learn the other's tongue on their own.

D'jiira had been greatly accepted among the Arnira. Like with Arizira, they had been fascinated by her and yearned to hear more of her life and her time with one of their own. With the past having been returned to all, and the need for secrecy no longer paramount, the memory of Iolirthas had been returned to Arizira's tribe.

Many hours after the battle had seen Ma'nolira and Talyn recalling Cynra's daughter with fondness. Roasted meats, vegetables, nuts, fruits, herbs, breads, and drink had been shared amongst all those who sought peace and safety within the Arniran walls.

The fallen of both peoples had been tended to en mass, as custom for both had dictated. As Taetylona was the only Esu, apart from D'jiira, to now possess Esuval's gift, her time had been spent learning of herself and attempting to aid any that needed comfort. Never before had she felt so respected and appreciated. D'jiira had stayed close to her and served as her means of communication while she used every resource available to her to help both Esu and Arnira alike.

Cynra, for most of the night, had walked wherever needed. She offered blessings, healing, services for the deceased and their loved ones, words of comfort or wisdom, and helped in ensuring all gathered were fed, cleaned, and offered water. Her long years of burden were no more.

Her family was safe, healthy, and happy. She could ask no more of her life than that. With the time remaining to her, she wished only to watch her granddaughter fall more in love and welcome into the world her new great granddaughter.

After several hours or talks, feasts, services, stories, introductions, and reunions, Talliea and Arizira had finally excused themselves and retired to Arizira's home. They now stood in silence in the dark of the room around them. Only the glow of Arizira's eyes and the light of the moon streaming in from a small window, offered any illumination for Talliea.

Outside, they could still hear the voices of the gathered and smell the aromas of various meats. Talliea took a deep breath and looked to her love. Arizira stood in the center of her home with an expression Talliea could not read. Slowly, she removed her bow, which had been gathered earlier, and her sabres and gently placed them along the wall in front of her. She looked down at the tattered remains of her shirt and sighed.

In the excitement following the battle, Arizira had not had a moment to do anything other than wash her face and hands. Talliea's blouse that she wore still clung to her body, and the blood from earlier still covered the front of it. The silence around the two of them was oddly comforting. There was nothing pressing that either of them had to do. There was no journey they had to undertake, no worry they had to trouble themselves with. For the first time since they met, Talliea and Arizira could simply enjoy just being.

Talliea moved and stepped deeper into the room. She walked to Arizira and stood in front of her. Silvery-blue eyes looked up at her approach and held her gaze. Without a word, Talliea brought her right hand to Arizira's shoulder and trailed her fingers along the fabric of her top. She took a step closer and her other hand came to Arizira's left shoulder. Slowly, she pushed the torn remains of the white shirt off of her love's body.

It fell to the floor silently. Arizira's hands landed on Talliea's hips and a shaky breath sounded in the room. Talliea placed a lingering kiss on Arizira's forehead, and for a long moment neither woman moved. When tears slipped from Talliea's eyes and touched Arizira's nose and cheeks, a deluge of emotion followed.

As powerful as Talliea had been, as strong as she had appeared, a part of her had always been, and would forever be, the frightened and unknowing girl who had first come to the Northlands. In a very short span of time, she had suffered much. She had believed Arizira to be lost to her, taken at the tip of a silver fletched arrow. She had believed their destiny together to be too demanding to ever allow them happiness. When the Esu men had attacked them after finding Bela'luin and Sed'dya, she had frozen in her panic over Arizira's safety.

The relief she felt after that encounter had been short lived, as she had succumbed to the will of another and been taken from Arizira yet again, only to awaken in the midst of a war with Arizira's bloodied and battered body lying next to her own.

As she thought back over the past several days, Talliea realized how much of her time had been spent in a state of worry or apprehension. She had not been allowed a moment to relax or a moment to enjoy the company of her love. For every brief moment she managed with Arizira, another two or more had demanded her immediate action. If it was not Cynra telling her she was the only one with any hope of saving them, it had been Taetylona's unassuming presence reminding her of what they all stood to lose if no action was ever taken.

Now, however, as Talliea stood closely with Arizira, she realized how different her life was to be now. The powers she had been granted were now dormant. They would not surface again unless the need was great. Her task to the gods had been paid, her favor well earned. Only her unique connection to Arizira remained. Their bond was a lasting gift for all they had endured and suffered.

Talliea could be herself again. No longer was she anything more or less. Now she was simply Arizira's love and the mother of their unborn child. Her life was her own to do with as she chose. All other demands or duties were now in the hands of others.

As the tears continued to fall from her eyes, she could not stop the emotions that filled her chest. Her sense of relief was overwhelming. She cried for Arizira's suffering and pain in the name of their destiny. She cried for all the times she had very nearly lost the one person who mattered the most to her. She cried for the fallen. She cried for D'jiira and Cynra and all those who had known loss so that this present could exist.

Most of all, Talliea cried for the unborn child Arizira carried who had nearly been taken from her at the hands of others one too many times. Dropping to her knees in front of Arizira, Talliea ran her fingers across her love’s stomach. Dried blood still covered her skin.

Arizira looked down at her and stroked her hair. She spoke no words as none were needed between them. Talliea reached toward the basin of steaming water next to her and dipped a piece of cloth into its warmth. She brought it to Arizira's stomach and reverently washed away the blood that covered her. For several minutes, Talliea cleaned Arizira's body. She helped her love out of her leather pants and continued to wash away dirt and sweat and blood. When Arizira was clean, Talliea knelt before her again and pressed her lips to her abdomen. Soft kisses were placed on warm and moist skin.

"I love you," she whispered, her hands holding Arizira's hips as she continued to trail her lips across the space that had nearly claimed her family's life. "I love you so much." Arizira, standing bare before the woman she loved, wrapped her hands in dark hair and allowed Talliea the time she needed. Fresh tears met her stomach as Talliea continued to cry. "I can not lose you...either of you."

"Tah-li, it is over now. We have only a need to be happy with each other."

Talliea rubbed her nose across Arizira's middle and used her hands on her hips to pull her closer. "I need you."

Arizira smiled softly. This was her Talliea. This slightly unsure, scared, and endearing woman. This was the Talliea she had first fallen in love with. Though she knew Talliea had grown during their time together, both in confidence and in their relationship, she was also aware that this side of Talliea would always be reserved for her. For when the two of them were alone.

Now that immediate danger and threat were in the past, Arizira knew that Talliea would need time in processing matters. Everyone would need such time. This vulnerability that Talliea was now displaying was healing for the both of them. For so long, they had been looked upon as reluctant heroes. They had been expected to have answers or to seek answers.

This time alone, this time where they could just be them, was to be a new beginning. Arizira lowered herself to the floor and came face to face with Talliea. Tears covered her love's face.

"I need you," Talliea whispered again and her voice was so small, so delicate, that Arizira's heart ached. They were both finally free and the knowledge of that liberation was both sudden and breathtaking. They no longer had to hide their feelings. They no longer had to worry about their people learning of them or each other. They no longer had a destiny that demanded their sacrifice.

Arizira wiped away at Talliea's face and kissed the side of her mouth. Her thumbs soothed over her love's jaw as she placed tender kisses across her face. She pushed her hands into Talliea's hair and trailed her lips up her jaw and to her right ear. "I love you, failira. I have you now. I shall always have you," she spoke in a hushed voice. Her lips kissed Talliea's ear. "You are safe with me."

At the words, Talliea could not stop the small laugh that sounded from her. How many times had Arizira uttered such reassurances before? How many times had she caught her and made her feel secure, just as she was this very moment? Pulling back slightly to gaze into her love's mesmerizing eyes, Talliea slowly brought their lips together in an unrushed embrace. No more words were spoken as Arizira pushed her onto her back and settled herself on top of her.

* * * * *

"It is three months this very day, Tah-li," Arizira whispered as the two of them lay entangled together after making love. They had moved to the Ophe'las bedding and were now half under a soft fur blanket. Talliea's legs were entwined with Arizira's and her foot was running soft patterns along her calf. Her arm was underneath Arizira's neck and her fingers softly stroked the silken skin of her love's shoulder.

Arizira's left hand, settled against her chest, was currently playing with the fingers of Talliea's right as they each laid on their back next to one other. Her own right hand scratched Talliea's back lightly and occasionally dipped into the inviting curve of her spine. The sounds of fellowship below them had faded somewhat and now the nocturnal melody of deep night met their ears.

Talliea lifted her head from Arizira's shoulder and looked down into her face. "What has been three months, love?" Since bonding with one another, both women now felt more centered and at peace than they had before. A deep and satisfying contentment resided inside both of them.

Arizira lifted her head enough to kiss Talliea's lips chastely. She threaded their fingers together on her chest and lowered her head again. "Since we made love for the first time."

Talliea, despite everything she had been through with Arizira, blushed. "It seems as though it should be longer."

Arizira smiled and nodded her agreement. "It does. Nine moon seasons have marked our time together since we met. Two of those months saw us separated. It does not seem possible to me that my time with you totals only seven complete months."

Talliea shook her head and looked down at her hand entwined with Arizira's. She felt warm lips press a kiss to the side of her neck and inhaled softly. Freeing her right hand, she pushed the fur blanket covering Arizira's middle further down her body until her abdomen was exposed. Her fingers gently brushed across her love's stomach and she stopped when she noticed something different.

"The baby has grown, as has your womb. You are slightly swollen with this life now." Arizira did nothing more than smile when Talliea turned back to face her. "How?" she asked, awed.

"An Arniran pregnancy progresses as the mothers share themselves. I may carry our daughter inside of me, Tah-li, but you nourish her with your spirit. I do not know how much our bonding affects this pregnancy, but our lovemaking just now has--"

"--caused this?" Talliea finished, spreading her fingers out over the small, and barely noticeable, bump of Arizira's stomach. Arizira nodded and moved her left hand down her body to join Talliea's.

"This is beautiful," Talliea whispered. She looked, once again, into Arizira's eyes and was overcome with how much she loved the other woman. When she first came to the Northlands, she had not imagined the wonders that awaited her. She had been unaware of the love she was destined to find, and of the happiness that love would bring her.

Then, her life had been simple, small, and suffocating. She'd been expected to join with Markahn and bear his children. At the thought of the man, Talliea briefly wondered when he would make his way to their location. She knew he was well and safe.

She kissed Arizira's chin and nuzzled her neck before laying her head back down on an ivory shoulder. Her life was no longer small. It was far from simple, and with Arizira, she had never breathed easier. Instead of bearing Markahn's children, she was expecting a baby with Arizira, the Child of Whispers. She was not joining with a person out of duty or obligation or against her will.

She had found love. True love. That love had been a teacher to her. It had balanced her. It was responsible for her growth and her ability to see magic and wonder in the world. Her love with Arizira had blessed them both with a child. She was no longer who she had been before traveling to Arizira's sacred forest. Not entirely.

She was more and she had Arizira to thank for that. Every good thing that had ever happened in her life was because of Arizira. Now that war had been averted, both Talliea's and Arizira's happiness was finally at hand. Talliea felt Arizira wrap her arm tighter around her back and pull her closer. Lips moved along her hair line. She continued to rub Arizira's tummy, enjoying the slight swell her fingers met in the process.

"I am so glad I found you," Arizira whispered into the quiet. Her fingers moved up and down Talliea's right arm soothingly.

"Me, too, love," Talliea yawned softly as sleep began to claim her. "You are my beautiful whisper." Silence engulfed the two of them as their breathing settled and grew softer. "Ari?" Talliea asked a heartbeat later.

"Hm?" was the sleepy response.

"You still need to teach me how to use a bow."

Epilogue

-4 months later-

Cynra pushed through the crowd with barely restrained agitation.

The large circular main chamber of Rae'kir was filled with most of the tribe, a few sisters of Zy'nilur's tribe that had remained after the war, and D'jiira and Taetylona whom Cynra now moved toward.

Since the cease of hostilities four months past, Cynra had resumed her role as Dream Speaker and spiritual leader of the tribe. Her lessons of history and lore to young Arniran children had changed greatly to reflect recent events. Also to have changed was her relationship with Arizira. Though the both of them had always been close, they now were as grandmother and granddaughter ought to be. They were a family.

"How soon? Has it already begun?" Cynra asked D'jiira, who appeared anxious and preoccupied.

"She is still receiving the preparation rites. It should not be long now, leyaja," D'jiira replied. Her attractive face was colored with excited apprehension. The months following the Eclipse War had seen D'jiira being instrumental in bridging the divide between Esu and Arnira. Often, she had traveled to Talliea's clan to teach them of older customs now forgotten, as well as to help in the forming of their new society.

Her mate, Lenet, had journeyed from their home in the west shortly after witnessing the history that had been returned to all. With her, Lenet had brought an envoy to open a dialogue with the northern tribes. The journey had taken three long months, but in her month's stay with Talyn's people, Lenet had grown overly fond of her mate's daughter and of Arniran customs.

She now stood next to D'jiira and listened to her exchange words with Cynra. Being unable to understand the Arniran tongue left her in her own thoughts. Learning of D'jiira's past, though startling, had not diminished her feelings in any way. It had given the two of them much to talk about and had brought them closer together. Like D'jiira, Lenet was tall with tanned skin. Her eyes were a rich and deep brown and her hair was long and black. Her face was round and a small cleft kissed her chin. Though her features were average, she possessed a natural beauty that was easy to notice.

When she had first met Arizira, there had been no doubt in her mind that she was D'jiira's daughter. The two of them looked too much alike for anything else to be true.

"I should be in there!" Cynra huffed. Her wrinkled hands came to rest on her hips as she made no show of hiding her displeasure.

"You know that is not possible. You are not the Dream Speaker today," D'jiira said in even tones. "You are family. Talyn and Sed'dya have matters well in hand."

Cynra grumbled under her breath and turned toward the small chamber she knew Arizira to be. A soft chuckle caused her to turn back around. Her light purple eyes found Taetylona's amused face. "What?" she asked, placing her hands once again on her hips.

Taetylona mirrored the action. "You are always late and you now show upset at this occasion?" She laughed again. Her wild hair appeared even more disheveled than usual atop her head, but beads and feathers adorned her new attire, complete with leather hide pants, and marked her time spent with the Arnira.

Talyn had made her an honorary member of the tribe and granted her a permanent place amongst them as recognition of her service. Her understanding of the Arniran language had progressed to the point of her now being able to understand simple conversations without the need of a translator. Both D'jiira and Lenet had aided in her comprehension of Esuval's gift and her ability to heal and comfort had been greatly sought since the war.

"I am always on time!" Cynra remarked. Taetylona raised a disbelieving eyebrow and smirked. To her left, D'jiira translated Cynra's words for Lenet's understanding and the two of them laughed.

The overall mood of all those gathered inside Rae'kir was of elation and expectancy. This day was a special day. The Child of Whispers was in labor. A new life was soon to be amongst them; a life who was in part the hope of every clan and tribe under the moon and sun. This child was to be the first child born in Talyn's tribe since the war.

"I should go inside and learn if they are having difficulty," Cynra said a moment later. Taetylona placed a hand on her arm and gave her a comforting smile. It was Arizira's belief that her grandmother and the Sage woman were slowly beginning to fall in love. As neither woman had confirmed or denied such a belief, Arizira had been left with only her suspicions.

If nothing else, both Cynra and Taetylona had found a dear friend in one another. Taetylona had felt no desire to return to her own people. Even with Markahn the new leader of the clan, Taetylona had wished to remain amongst her friends rather than return to a people who had once shunned her. Her clan would fare well under Markahn's guidance. Of all of his brothers, only he had retained his gifts.

"I can hardly believe this day is here," D'jiira whispered to Lenet. "Seven months ago I was still following dreams and searching for my daughter while she was making a new life. Now my daughter is soon to be a mother herself."

Lenet squeezed D'jiira's arm. "As you are soon to meet your grandchild." The words were simple. Lenet did not elaborate her statement. She left it on the air as it was and allowed her mate to focus on what the words would soon mean to her. The birth of this very special baby would change the lives of many.

* * * * *

"No. No, no. Do not push yet, Arizira," Sed'dya instructed in a strained voice. "The baby may be ready, but your body is not."

Arizira fell back against Talliea, who was supporting her from behind, with a heavy and tried sigh. Both she and Talliea were in a small chamber directly off the main ritual area of Rae'kir. This particular room was used exclusively for births. A single stone slab served as the means by which Arnira welcomed their children into the world.

After a birth, the stone was blessed and cleaned until needed again. Arizira was currently lying on the slab of stone with her legs open. Her breathing was fast and labored and a fine sheet of sweat dotted her forehead from her exertion.

"Just a while longer, love," Talliea whispered from behind Arizira. Arizira's top half was resting against her fully and she could feel the strain and discomfort as her love did. The wondrous connection that had created their daughter, that had allowed them both to feel her movements, now also served to bring a near blinding pain to Talliea.

Despite this, she remained holding Arizira and offered support. This event would not happen to them ever again. Arnira only ever had a single child. Despite sharing in the birthing pains, Talliea was determined to fully appreciate this experience. Very soon her baby would be with her and all the pain and discomfort would be worth every moment.

Arizira panted and groaned and looked down at the top of Sed'dya's head between her legs. To her right stood Talyn. It was Arniran custom that both mothers be present for a birth. Also in attendance would be the tribe's nai'iris, a healer of the parents' choice, and the Dream Speaker. No other family was allowed during the birth.

After the child had been blessed and welcomed by both mothers, the mothers of those mothers would then be allowed to enter the chamber, followed by all other tribe members. Since Cynra was both family and Dream Speaker in this instance, she had been forced to remain in the central chamber with the rest of her sisters.

Several moments passed. Talliea rested her head against the side of Arizira's neck and held her tightly, her hands resting on her love's rounded abdomen. As Arizira's pregnancy had progressed, and her body had begun to change, Talliea had been awed at the life she knew to be growing inside her love. She had witnessed several births and been around numerous expectant mothers, but somehow watching Arizira's body change, and knowing that a part of her had created a new life, made the last few months far more humbling. Arizira's beauty had only been enhanced during her pregnancy. Talliea had been unable to keep a silly smile from coloring her face anytime Arizira was around her.

"I need to push," Arizira managed to bite out through her teeth. Her head fell back onto Talliea's shoulder and she squeezed both hands holding her middle. Only Talliea's Esu strength kept her from crying out.

"Okay. Okay," Sed'dya said suddenly. "Push only when I tell you, Arizira." Arizira nodded quickly and looked back down at Sed'dya. Her breathing quickened again and a moan left her lips.

"Almost, love," Talliea whispered, feeling the same pain her love was. "Almost."

"Push now, Arizira!" Sed'dya commanded.

Arizira did as she was told. Talliea leaned forward behind her and helped her to push. Arizira's fingers grasped Talliea's tightly as she cried out again. Sweat ran down her neck. She fell back against Talliea, exhausted. "Good, good," Talliea said and kissed her temple.

Sed'dya examined between Arizira's legs and looked back up. "I can see the head. Breathe and push again." Again Talliea leaned forward and helped Arizira to push. This exercise went on for several more minutes. Talliea did her best to help and offer comfort. Talyn spoke soothing words of encouragement. Arizira could not speak. The pain and effort and energy of bringing a new life into the world was taxing.

"Oh!" A cry from Sed'dya caught everyone's attention.

"W-what?" Arizira croaked. Her face was flushed and her eyes were weary.

Sed'dya looked up and a smile broke out across her face. She looked from Arizira's tired face to Talliea's worried one. "She's beautiful," she laughed. "She has your black hair." Talliea's eyes watered and she found her words were taken from her in that moment. "One more push, Arizira," Sed'dya said.

With all of her remaining strength, Arizira did as Sed'dya told her. She felt Talliea's body behind her and was enveloped with her love's presence. A loud groan left her throat as she pushed one final time. Then a small cry sounded in the chamber. Exhausted, Arizira fell fully against Talliea. She could not recall ever being as tired as she now was. Were it not for Talliea's strong embrace behind her, Arizira was certain she would have slipped off the birthing stone.

Both she and Talliea watched Talyn and Sed'dya wash away red and white wetness from their baby. A shrill, yet still small, cry continued to sound around them. Sed'dya wrapped the infant in a cloth and fur swaddle and gave the fragile bundle to Talyn after cutting the umbilical cord. She then proceeded to stitch Arizira.

Talyn smiled down at the small child in her arms, gave the customary blessing, and gently passed her to Arizira. Arizira reached up eagerly and a moment later, she finally felt the weight of her child in her arms. A contented and awed gasp parted her lips when she first looked upon her daughter. Dark hair covered the infant's head. Her skin was caramel, like Talliea's, but not as rich in tone. She had Arizira's nose and pointed ears, but her mouth belonged to Talliea.

When Talyn opened a small flap above them to allow the moon's light to bless her newest daughter, Arizira noticed silver highlights in the baby's hair. "Ari," Talliea said, her voice tight as she gazed upon her daughter. "She is...perfect."

Arizira nodded, too awed to speak. Her smile was the brightest it had ever been as she continued to look at her baby. She had yet to notice the color of her eyes as her daughter defiantly kept them closed. Since coming to rest in Arizira's arms, she had ceased to cry. Now she curled her fingers and opened her mouth on occasion as if searching for nourishment.

Talliea laughed, a sound of wonder and disbelief at once. "Look what we made."

Trailing her fingers down her child's forehead and nose, Arizira brushed them over her tiny lips and still further down her neck and chest. Talliea recalled Arizira telling her that Arnira were tactile by nature. She knew her love was getting to know their daughter in her own way.

"She looks like you. She takes my breath away," Arizira finally said a moment later. Her voice was small and barely above a whisper. Seeing the tiny and innocent life she and Talliea had made together, and feeling the weight of that child against her breast, left Arizira too moved to do much else but stare at her perfect creation.

Tears slipped down her cheeks. Talliea, still behind her, reached around and brushed her fingers over their daughter's head. She, too, was at a loss for words. It was as though the last seven months of Arizira's pregnancy had not been enough for her to fully appreciate the fact that they were having a baby. Now, as she looked down into her daughter's peaceful and beautiful face, she realized what this baby was. She was a part of both of them. In a moment -- one beautiful moment when Arizira had first made love to her -- this innocent baby had been conceived. As if the moment had not been defining enough for both women, they had also created a new life.

This life.

"Look at her," Talliea whispered. She turned her head and kissed Arizira's temple again. "Look at what you did, love."

"Look at what we did, Tah-li," Arizira corrected.

Talyn stepped up to them and smiled. "I shall inform the tribe of this birth." She turned and left the chamber without another word. Sed'dya finished her task between Arizira's legs and cleaned up around the stone. "We shall give you some time alone. Many there are who desire to pass their blessing to this child. Congratulations. She is beautiful." Sed'dya, too, left and gave Arizira and Talliea a moment alone with their daughter.

Once alone, Talliea leaned forward and turned Arizira toward her with her nose. She kissed her love deeply and smiled when they parted. "I could look upon her face forever and never tire," Arizira whispered. Her exhaustion after just giving birth was only kept at bay by her overwhelming desire to be with her baby. She was sore and tired and desired to clean herself, but at present nothing else mattered to her but the infant in her arms. She pressed forward and placed a light kiss on her daughter's brow.

Her lips lingered for long moments. Talliea watched and felt her heart swell with love. She could not imagine ever being happier than she was in this moment. "Hi, baby," Arizira said softly. "We went through much to bring you into this world."

The baby cooed and reached for Arizira's hair. Tiny eyelids fluttered open and Talliea leaned over Arizira's shoulder to see her daughter's eye color. There was a dull glimmer in the small orbs that marked her Arniran heritage, but her eyes were a deep and dark brown like Talliea's.

"She has your eyes," Arizira noticed happily.

Talliea nodded and rested her head against her love's. She allowed the baby to grasp one of her fingers in a tight hold and felt her breath catch. "I had hoped they would glow like yours, love."

Grazing the tips of her fingers along the curve of her baby's ear, Arizira smiled. "There is a light in her eyes, failira. Arniran children are not born with their nocturnal vision. Give her time." She knew how much Talliea adored her shimmering silver-blue eyes and she was confident their daughter would possess the same trait.

"I hope so, but if not, she is perfect in every way," Talliea responded.

The two of them rested against one another and continued to be in awe of their new child. They counted her fingers and toes and marveled at how small and light she was. She was not as big as some of the Esu babies Talliea had known. Her daughter was small and her size only made Talliea all the more protective of her.

Arizira nuzzled the infant's nose with her own and felt a tiny hand land on her cheek. "I love you," she whispered softly. Looking back up at Talliea, she said,  "Both of you." Talliea kissed her again and leaned down to kiss the crown of her baby's head.

A sound alerted them to the presence of another. D'jiira stepped into the chamber and slowly made her way toward her daughter. Her face was already tight from fighting back tears and when she saw Arizira with a small wrapped bundle in her arms, she could no longer keep her emotions.

"Oh, by Esuval's grace," she said and closed the distance separating her from her new granddaughter.

Arizira smiled a tired smile at her approach. "Lana." D'jiira stopped next to Talliea and Arizira and looked down into the tiny little face peeking out from the fur and cloth swaddle. Her voice caught in her throat and her tears finally fell.

"She--she is..." D'jiira laughed, unable to form her thoughts coherently. Arizira passed her daughter into her mother's embrace and settled back against Talliea. Both she and her love watched D'jiira interact with their baby. The smile that covered D'jiira's face was unlike any other.

"Hello. Do you know how perfect you are?" D'jiira uttered softly in Esulan while cradling her grandchild close to her chest. She kissed a small hand and brushed her lips across fine black hair. "You look like both of your mothers, yes you do. You are gorgeous." D'jiira looked up and met Arizira and Talliea's gazes. "You both should be so proud. She is absolutely stunning. I am in love after only a moment." Both mothers smiled and nodded their agreement.

"Do you have a name reserved for her? It is her name day, after all."

Arizira looked up at Talliea and then back to her mother's expectant face. "We do."

D'jiira rocked her granddaughter softly back and forth another few moments before cocking her head back to her daughter.

"Her name is Kysmyra," said Arizira. "Kysmyra Aldis." D'jiira nodded her acceptance of the name. In the Arniran language, kysmyra meant 'hope.'

"You chose to keep a family name?"

Arizira nodded. "We felt it was appropriate given that she is more Esu than Arnira. The Aldis name has been missing from the world for generations and it was by one that carried that name that we now know peace."

Talliea looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "We desire to raise her in both Esu and Arniran traditions."

"You hear that, Kysmyra? You are a very special baby," D'jiira said in a light and playful voice. After a moment, she looked up and met Arizira's eyes. "I will do whatever you need for this child. I was not with you during your youth, so please, if you have need of me, or of Lenet, just ask."

Reaching out a hand, Arizira took one of D'jiira's and nodded. "Our daughter will benefit from your presence, lana, as have I."

D'jiira remained another few moments before giving Kysmyra back to Arizira. She watched Kysmyra open her mouth wide again and search for food. "I believe she is hungry. Feed her. I shall tell the others they will have to wait a while longer before meeting the daughter of the Child of Whispers and her goddess," D'jirra said in a jovial tone. She knew how eager Cynra and Bela'luin and all the others of Arizira's tribe were to meet their newest addition, but they all would have to wait a small while longer.

"I love you, Arizira, and you, Talliea. You both have filled my heart with pride. Your daughter is the symbol of perfection and peace the both of you have created." Looking down once more at her granddaughter, D'jiira touched her brow softly. "In the warm embrace of Esuval are you blessed by his light. I love you, little one."

After her departure, Arizira positioned herself so that she could feed her daughter. Talliea remained behind her. They both knew it was only a short matter of time before others would come wishing to meet their child. They enjoyed their moment together in easy bliss.

"My Kysmyra," Arizira said as she looked down into her nursing child's innocent face. "I have waited for you my whole life, as has my Tah-li. The world you inherit is full of possibilities, but you shall never know hate or bias or sorrow."

Talliea tightened her embrace around Arizira's middle and touched her hand to Kysmyra's little toes. The baby kicked her feet as she continued to nurse. Her eyes began to close. Talliea nuzzled Arizira's neck. "I love you, Ahmanae. Thank you for this. For her. For everything."

Arizira did not respond. Her own eyes were beginning to droop as she allowed her fatigue to come over her. Safe and secure in Talliea's arms, she held Kysmyra to her chest and closed her eyes.

The world was now a place of rest, peace, complacency.

Huge thanks to all the people who have supported me and believed in me! This story wouldn’t be what it is without all of you! Thanks to my mom, Angie, Flossie, Tabitha, Sharon, Beth, and all the other wonderful people who helped make this story and endeavor a possibility!