See Chapter One (A) for Disclaimers

Far overhead, Sharak watched the battle.  For thousands of years, he had been doomed to a separation from his human brothers and sisters, until he met a young boy.  The nineteen year old, newly made BeastMaster would have argued that he was a man, not a boy, but in the eyes of the ancient eagle-man, Dar was but a child.

However, he was a child with potential . . . the potential to be great.  In the years since his transformation, Sharak had watched Dar grow.  And never before had he wished so greatly to be human again.  Never before had he cursed the Ancient One more for this punishment.

It wasn't just being separated from other humans, who saw only an eagle.  But it was also being helpless to aid a friend who needed him.  Of course, Sharak could fly low and attack the men with his claws.  But in the end, it would do no good.  There was nothing  real which Sharak could do for Dar, and that was what hurt him the most.  Dar was struggling to stay on his feet, even as Tao ran for help.

Sharak had also heard the Demon Curupira speaking to Tao . . . she had seen the attack through Sharak's eyes.  And she would not intervene to save a human, not even her BeastMaster.  But . . . she would provide help.

For Sharak knew of the kingdom which Dar and Tao now passed through.  It was a sanctuary for all . . . be they beasts or be they humans.  It was protected by the demon Curupira, and her mother, the Mother Goddess Pelagia.  And Sharak knew, above all else, that Curupira and Pelagia had plans for Dar and Tao in this place.

~*~*~*~

Unbeknownst to Dar and Tao, they had passed into the land of Varono, which was ruled by Queen Carrin.  On this afternoon, Carrin and her consort, Gereon, were in the Silver Forest.  Carrin had always felt safe there . . . always felt safe in the Silver Forest, where she had wed Gereon many years earlier.

"Where are we going today, my queen?" Gereon asked with a grin.  Like Carrin, he had been adopted into the Varono tribe after a terrible sickness had killed many children.  Like Carrin, he had forced himself to forget the family which had been his once, the name which he had been given at birth.  And like Carrin, his former tribe was now destroyed.

"I thought we might go to our cathedral of trees, love.  Nearly everything wonderful that has happened for us happened there . . . and you know our little princess has been asking for a brother or a sister," Carrin replied with a broad grin of her own.  Gereon laughed and swept her up into his arms.

He was on the point of kissing her when something burst into the woods.  Gereon released Carrin and pushed her behind him protectively . . . but the intruder was a terrified young man.  He cried out, "Help me . . . please help us."  He stumbled toward the couple and the queen ran to his side.

"What is wrong . . . are you hurt?" Carrin asked, dropping to her knees beside the young man.  She took both of his hands and looked up at Gereon, who was just watching the newcomer in silence.  He didn't trust easily . . . but he was her protector, as well as her consort.

"My friend and I . . . we were attacked.  I had to leave him there, I had . . . I don't know if he's still alive," the man said, gasping.  Gereon frowned and looked around, then he put his hand on Carrin's shoulder.  The queen looked up and gazed in the direction of her husband's hand.

"I see them, Carrin.  There are six men attacking one.  And it looks like there are animals who are trying to help the man under attack," Gereon said in a low voice.  He shook his head, murmuring, "I wonder if the legends about a BeastMaster could be true."

"He  is the BeastMaster . . . his name is Dar.  But he can't do this alone," the man wheezed.

Dar?  No, Carrin must have heard the name wrong.  For now, that wasn't important.  With her aid, and the aid of her consort, the odds would be a little more even.  Carrin had never had much patience with bullies . . . not as a child, and even less as an adult.  Besides, there was one more consideration.

"We have to help, Gereon.  They were on our land when it happened," Carrin told her consort and Gereon nodded grimly.  She didn't think it was necessary to explain herself, but there were times when she did it anyhow.  She turned back to the man and said, "I am Carrin, queen of Varono, and this is my consort, Gereon.  Now, show us where your friend is."  The newcomer nodded, taking great gulps of air.

"I am Tao . . . it's this way," the man said.  He staggered to his feet, and Carrin put her arm around his waist, stabilizing him.  From behind her, Gereon gave a low whistle, and Carrin turned to smile at her consort.  The trio emerged from the forest as a lone figure fell to the ground.  Tao cried out, "Dar! No!"

At the same time, men emerged from the forest in front of them, and for the first time, Carrin realized she and Gereon had never truly been alone.  He had brought three of his men from the Guard as protection.  And those men were now hurtling toward the fight.  She looked over at her mate.  So much for privacy.  Gereon turned bright red and ducked his head.  They would talk about that later.  

The man named 'Tao' murmured, "They . . . they were the men whom Sharak saw.  Dar and I were wrong.  We had nothing to fear from the men in the forest."  Carrin didn't understand what Tao meant, but she vowed she would remember what the man had said, and she would ask him about it later.  For now, they had a battle to fight, and a man to rescue.

Carrin stopped one of her Guards and said, "Take care of this one: he's in no shape to be fighting."  The man nodded and took Tao from her grasp.  Another Guard came over to help, leaving Carrin, the final Guard, and Gereon to rescue the fallen BeastMaster.  The queen saw a staff at the man's side and smiled grimly.  Her weapon of choice!

~*~*~*~

The dark-haired queen waded into the battle.  Tao caught his breath and watched as she strode toward one of the remaining attackers.  She hooked her foot under Dar's staff and kicked it into the air, then caught it with one hand.  Tao smiled in astonished appreciation.

I should tell Dar about that . . . if only he could see her, the scholar thought.  He looked away from the queen, looked at his fallen friend.  Dar hadn't moved since hitting the ground a few moments earlier.  

One of the attackers swiped at the queen with his sword, but she easily blocked it, then knocked the sword from his hand with a wrist-shattering blow.  He screamed in pain, and while he was still reeling, the queen kicked him in the face.  The man hit the ground, and the woman spun around to meet a second attack from the other side.

"You have never seen a woman fight like that, stranger?  Our queen has been a warrior all of her life.  She will send those pigs squealing," the man at Tao's side said.

The scholar nodded . . . he had seen women fight, the Amazons.  But this woman was different.  Tao watched in silent admiration as Queen Carrin met her second challenge head on.  She was a slight woman, looking almost fragile compared to the man she now battled . . . but 'fragile' she was not.

With precise movements, she drove the attackers away from Dar, and Tao saw his chance.  He bolted away from the guard and ran to his friend's side.  Ruh was already there, growling.  The tiger had sustained a few cuts, but Tao doubted if it was anything serious.

Besides, his attention was focused only on Dar.  He lifted his unconscious friend into his arms, looking around as Carrin and her consort eliminated one attacker after another.  Gereon was much more flamboyant in his fighting style than his wife, but the contrast between the two was enough to surprise any of their attackers.

There was nothing Tao could do until the attackers had been driven away, so he just held Dar's still form in his arms, quietly praying that the damage wasn't as bad as it looked.  And in the meantime, he watched Carrin.  Her movements seemed familiar somehow to Tao, but he couldn't place the style of fighting.

He supposed it really wasn't important, but it gave him a focus, a focus other than Dar's injuries.  Tao cringed, seeing the slashes and bruises which covered his friend's torso.  He would need help healing Dar this time.

"Come," the guard said and Tao looked up at him.  The guard repeated, "We can get him to safety."  Tao realized that the guard was right . . . Carrin and Gereon, along with two guards, had eliminated four of the attackers.  Now only two remained, and the other two guards were joining Tao and their companion.

Tao shifted just enough for the other men to reach Dar, then the four lifted him and began carrying him to the safety of the trees.  Every few minutes, Tao would glance over his shoulder at Carrin.  To the best of his knowledge, she hadn't sustained a blow yet . . . nor had she killed the attackers.  Then he returned his attention to Dar.

His friend's breathing was shallow, and his face was ashen.  Hold on Dar, Tao thought, mentally willing strength to his companion.  Just hold on.  Think of how angry Curupira will be with you if you left us now. At Tao's side were the animals . . . Kodo and Podo in their sack on top of Ruh's back.

"Here . . . this will be good enough.  The first thing we need to do is stop the bleeding.  The queen can heal the wounds when we return to our palace," a second guard said.  He glanced over his shoulder, then added with a grim smile, "The queen and Gereon almost done, so I'll get some wood.  Make a litter, so we can carry him back to the palace."

~*~*~*~

By the time Carrin finished with her opponent, her three guards and the young man called 'Tao' had begun building a litter for the injured man.  She told Gereon, who had begun tying up the final attacker, "I'm half tempted to let the tiger drag that fool back to his leader."

"Better not.  We don't know if this one will survive the trip.  And you need to see to the other boy," Gereon observed.  Carrin rolled her eyes at her consort's choice of words . . . Gereon was thirty-four, five years older than she, but he wasn't an old man!

"Curupira doesn't choose children as BeastMasters . . . he is no boy," Carrin answered.  Her husband just shook his head and continued his work, while Carrin went over to the unconscious man who was now being placed upon the litter.  She cringed, seeing the wounds.  Bruises, cuts in his flesh, and it was possible there was more damage inside.

As Carrin brushed her hand over his forehead, she realized he was running a fever.  It's a wonder he stayed on his feet as long as he did, the queen decided, but I'm quite sure he's stubborn.  He would have to be, if Curupira chose him as a BeastMaster.  She gently stroked his hair away from his forehead, and thought briefly of the father who had sired her.  An image flashed into her brain . . .

She was seven years old, waiting outside her home.  The little girl didn't know whether to be relieved or frightened that her mother's screams had halted.  She rocked herself back and forth, trying desperately not to cry.  She was so afraid, and she didn't know if she was afraid for her mother or the child which her mother carried.

After what seemed to be an eternity, her father emerged from their hut, his face drawn and his eyes red.  He held a small bundle in his arms, and he tried to manage a week smile for the little girl huddled on the ground.  But she knew, beyond any doubt, that her mother was dead.

Carrin came back to herself with a shock.  Tao was staring at her, and the man asked her with obvious concern, "Are you all right, your Majesty?  Carrin managed a smile for the man and nodded.  She unfastened her cloak and settled it over the unconscious man.  He was already feverish . . . they did not need further complications.

However, Carrin had the unnerving sense that it was already too late for that.  She told Tao, "I'm fine . . . just concerned about the severity of his injuries.  But I will do whatever I must to save him.  Come.  We must return to the palace . . . my herbs and medicines are there.  And while I am treating your friend, I want you to rest."

Tao began to protest, but Carrin silenced him, adding, "No arguments from you.  If nothing else, think of your friend.  He will need you when he awakens.  I have no doubt that he's strong, but this is one time when his strength will not be enough.  He will need you, he will need your strength.  Do you understand me?"

Tao nodded and Carrin added, "Good.  Now come along, and make sure your friend's animals are following us."  Not that Carrin was terribly worried about the animals getting lost.  If this man truly was the BeastMaster, there was no way the animals would allow him from their sight when he had been harmed.  In fact, Carrin would be astonished if they allowed her to treat him without their presence.

~*~*~*~

Now this was getting interesting.  Pelagia, the Mother Goddess, watched as the queen of Varono led the small group back to the palace.  The Varoni were her people . . . well, all were her people, but the Varoni were special.  She said to her daughter, "Curi, you didn't plan this, did you?"

The Demon Curupira, as the humans called her daughter, looked up with an exasperated expression and replied, "Of course not, Mother.  Why should I care anything for those humans, they're not my concern!"

"Ah," Pelagia said, nodding wisely, "is that why you whispered to Tao that the BeastMaster wouldn't survive if he didn't run for help?" Now Curupira was glaring at her, and Pelagia continued mildly, "Do not look at me like that, child.  I am still your mother."

Curupira dropped her gaze, and Pelagia continued, "You forget, Curi.  I know you.  Oh, yes, you try to impress your uncle by pretending not to care about your BeastMaster.  And perhaps they are easily replaced.  But . . . in your heart of hearts, you know better.  There is only one Dar, there is only one Tao . . . just as there is only one Ruh.  Think on that, my daughter."  With that, Pelagia disappeared.  Carrin would need her help in healing Dar.

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