See Chapter One (A) for Disclaimers
In the village of the Varoni, six year old Princess Arduinna sat quietly while her mother listened to two sides of a dispute. While it was a beautiful day out, Ari wanted only to remain here, at her mother's side. She didn't want to go out. She wanted to be with Mama.
She loved Papa, of course, but she was afraid now. Afraid of losing her Mama. It had all begun many weeks earlier, after their goddesses had shown Ari's people what had happened to her mama when she was a little girl. Ari had been horrified at the sight of her mother zig-zagging through the forest, trying desperately to lead the hunters away from her younger brother. Ari had no younger brothers or sister. But she had felt her mother's fear and grief. Later, while Mama was 'making up for lost time' with her newly-found brother, Ari heard a strange conversation. Papa had observed to Auntie Marinde, "I don't understand. Those men were chasing Carrin through Curupira's forest. Why wouldn't Curupira intervene?"
"Because they weren't threatening her animals. And Pelagia had already intervened, by saving Dar," Auntie Marinde answered, and Ari had frowned at her aunt's response. That didn't sound right. That didn't sound like the Curupira whom Ari knew, the goddess who had intervened when Ari was threatened by Terrons.
The previous year, Ari had nearly been kidnapped by a Terron. When they reached the trees, Curupira appeared. She said in a mocking voice, "Oh, my, we are brave . . . taking a child from her family! You destroyed the Sula, brave warrior. If you wish to live, I recommend you leave that child here."
As she spoke, a wolf emerged from the forest, snarling. The Terron raised his free hand, and for the first time, Ari realized he carried a knife. She had screamed, "No, no! Don't hurt her!" She wriggled in the man's arm, and succeeded in throwing his aim off just enough to deflect the knife away from the wolf.
Curupira caught the knife in one hand, her eyes now burning. However, she smiled. Her smile had lost its mockery and turned cold. She approached him, murmuring, "You are very brave, are you not?" Her eyes shifted to Ari and she mouthed, 'close your eyes, little one.' Ari swallowed hard, and did as she was told. She knew what was to come.
Curupira continued in a low voice, "Brave warriors should receive a kiss." Ari felt Curupira step closer, heard her drawing the very air from the Terron's lungs. And she felt his arms falling away from her, until she was free. Then Curupira said softly, "It's all right, little one . . . it's over now."
Ari opened her eyes and Curupira lifted her into her arms, murmuring, "Don't look, Ari. There's no need for you to see it." Ari had responded by burying her face against her rescuer's shoulder, and Curupira had carried her back to the village.
Perhaps remembering this incident as well, Papa had told Auntie Marinde, "And what of the Terrons' attack last year, when one of the men tried to take Ari? Curupira rescued her then, and none of the animals had been threatened. Why? Why would she leave Carrin to the hunters, and rescue Ari?"
Auntie Marinde had sighed and offered, "People change over time, Gereon. I would assume that goddesses do as well." Papa had sighed, hugged Ari closer. The little girl had clung to him, fearing that he would leave her. As her mother had to leave her family.
Now, as her mother listened to the disputes, Ari took her mother's hand, and felt her mother gently squeeze Ari's hand in response. One of the guards said, "There is one more supplicant, my queen. She refuses to give her name."
Mama inclined her head, and the guard bowed. A moment later, a robed figure entered the Hall, then knelt before Ari's mother. Mama said, "Arise and speak." The visitor did so, pushing back the hood of the robe. She was a blonde woman, perhaps the same age as Mama. Ari's mother frowned thoughtfully and asked, "You are not Varoni . . . who are you?"
"Your brother asked me that when we met. The answer I gave him was, that depends. I can be your friend . . . or your worst nightmare," the woman replied with a knowing smile. A smile which frightened Ari. The worried little girl looked at up her mother, and became even more afraid. Mama looked furious.
"Sorceress," Mama said in a low voice. The woman smiled. Ari edged a little closer to her mother, and Mama responded by pulling her into her lap. There was something about this woman which frightened her. And made her sad at the same time.
"I see Dar has spoken to you of me," the blonde woman replied. Mama said nothing . . . her dark hazel eyes had turned flat and cold. The Sorceress sighed and continued, "Really, must all Sula be so tiresome? All I want is your brother's ability to communicate with animals! Not such a large thing to ask!"
"All you want is my brother's life," Mama answered harshly. "If Dar was foolish enough to give you what he has, our goddess Curupira would kill him. You think you're the first user of sorcery who has tried to tempt a BeastMaster? You think you're the first to offer their heart's desire?"
Ari cringed, fearing for her mother. If this woman was a sorceress, then she could kill Mama. But the woman asked only, "If you think Curupira would kill him, what do you think I could do to him? You think I've harmed him so far? I can do far worse, little queen."
Her eyes glittered, and Ari believed her. Believed she could hurt Uncle Dar. Badly. "As can I!" Mama fired back, and Ari saw the Sorceress take a step back. Mama continued, her voice softer, "My father became BeastMaster after I was taken by the hunters. But he was still powerful, he still had the ability to communicate with animals. Just not as my brother can now."
Ari looked up at her mother, who continued, "When I was eight years old, only a year after my mother's death, a Sorceress such as yourself came to our village. She offered my father his heart's desire. She was a specialist in necromancy . . . raising the dead."
"Kyra is not dead, merely . . . unavailable to your brother. I can make her available again. I can return her to him. All he has to do is give me his powers," the woman answered. Ari's mother rose to her feet, still holding Ari, and slowly walked down the steps of the dais, until she was face to face with the woman.
Before she could speak, a voice interrupted, "Obviously, my daughter didn't make herself clear enough for you. You are to leave the BeastMaster alone, Sorceress, and those whom he loves." Ari blinked, as a man shimmered into being beside the Sorceress.
~*~*~*~
Under most circumstances, Zeuran, king of the gods, stayed out of the business of his children. They were several million years old, they knew the rules. Zeuran usually only interfered when one of his grandchildren, mainly Curupira, was being obstinate.
But he had not saved young Dar from the same fate as the rest of the Sula tribe, only to watch Curupira kill him. But his granddaughter wasn't the issue at the moment. Zeuran really didn't care for the way his son had been behaving during the last few millennia. And he was getting worse all the time.
He was encouraging his student in the same sort of irresponsible behavior. Especially kidnapping Kyra a second time, an act which led Math to feed on the girl's youth and vitality. As Pelagia had said, he had become as bad as the bloodsuckers . . . worse, for they had no choice. For them, it was a matter of survival. His son had no such excuse. He had no excuses whatsoever. The final straw came when the Sorceress went to see the Varoni queen. Zeuran had taken a quick peek at his daughter and granddaughter, who were watching over Dar, Tao, and Aveta. For the first time, he was pleased that Zad was such a pathetic creation.
He knew his daughter would have reacted rather . . . strongly . . . to the presence of the Sorceress. Which was why he himself appeared in the Great Hall of the temple which had been once dedicated to his wife. He
told the Sorceress, "Obviously, my daughter did not make herself clear enough for you. You are to leave the BeastMaster, Sorceress, and those whom he loves, alone."
As soon as he finished speaking, he allowed himself a second glance at the young queen. There was a flash of surprise, and relief, in Mira's dark hazel eyes. Still holding her young daughter, Mira dropped to her knees in front of him, murmuring, "Zeuran."
Oh, excellent . . . this child knew of him! Zeuran was never positive about these things, as he had spent less and less time among the mortals during the last few thousand years. Spent too much time cleaning up his son's messes. Well, it was time for that to stop.
The girl was still kneeling, her head bowed. Zeuran put his hand on her dark, curly hair, an unspoken command for her to rise. The young queen did as she was bid, saying in a quiet voice, "We are honored by your visit to our humble village. How may we serve you?"
"No service, child . . . my daughter has chosen the Varoni as her people, but you are my people as well. I simply wished to reinforce what my daughter has already told my son," Zeuran replied. The young queen bowed her head, and the god-king went on, "However, I do believe your little one could use a nap. Might I continue this conversation while you're gone?"
"Of course, Great One," Mira answered, dropping to one knee once more. Once more, Zeuran bade her to rise, and the girl did so. Not that it was easy, with a six year old child on your hip, but she managed quite well. For a brief moment, Zeuran thought of her mother, of the beautiful Etain, and his eyes misted. But he blinked rapidly as the queen departed.
That left him alone with the Sorceress. She was still very young, in his eyes. Only a few thousand years old. And yes, she was older than his granddaughter, but to a being who had lived several million years, there was little difference in age between the Sorceress and Curupira. Curupira remained in the form of a fifteen year old mortal girl, aside from her backward feet and the vestments of the forest. She had been the equivalent of fifteen years old, among their kind, when Zeuran had given her the powers she now held.
While the Sorceress, the girl whom he now faced, retained the form of a young woman. Physically, the Sorceress was perhaps ten years older than Curupira. She had been born some five hundred years before Zeuran's granddaughter.
And thanks to the memory wipe which his son had done when the girl fell in love with Sharak, she had no concept of compassion, or of consequences. Zeuran supposed he couldn't blame her for that. But it was so damnably irritiating when he kept having to repeat himself. When Pelagia and Curupira had already warned the girl what would happen.
"You are to leave the boy Dar alone, child. I saved him for a very special reason, and I will not have him dying because he betrayed my granddaughter's trust. If you wish to have his powers, ask my granddaughter for them. 'Tis likely she'll give you her kiss of death, but that is a risk you must take," Zeuran told her.
"Why is he so special to you? He cannot give you any powers," the Sorceress observed. Zeuran simply stared at her, his eyes winter cold. He had created much of the life on this world. Yes, he had been created by something else, but he had created his children, and he had given them their powers.
When his granddaughter Curupira had been born, he had known immediately that she would be the guardian of animals. Even though he waited until she was of age, he had known she would be a forest goddess. Just as he had known that his daughter Pelagia would be the guardian of mothers, after his second wife died in childbirth. Just as he had known Math craved knowledge.
At last, Zeuran answered, "He is special to me, because I created him. He is my child, just as Pelagia is. Just as Curupira is the child of my daughter. And just as Dar himself is the child of Ril and Etain. He is special to me, because of what he is meant to do."
The Sorceress opened her mouth, as if to speak, but Zeuran shook his head. He said in a low voice, "No, I will not tell you that. But you may know this. If you cause harm to the BeastMaster, or anyone whom he loves, I will release my daughter from all restrictions against doing you and her brother harm." That was a step which he had been considering for the last century. A step which Zeuran was loath to take, but something had to be done. He told the Sorceress, "Do not test my patience, Sorceress. And now, I must return to my duties. There is another of my creations whom I must see to."
Before the girl could question him, he disappeared. He actually found it rather amusing. It was a trick she loved to use against the BeastMaster. Zeuran felt it was only fair that someone used it against her. Childish, certainly, but Zeuran never claimed to be something which he wasn't.
He shimmered for a few extra seconds, to make sure the Sorceress had left the Temple, then he departed in full. As he had told her, he had other creations which required his attention. The child was turning against his son. Zeuran could feel it, could sense it. It was just a matter of time.
~*~*~*~
After the god-king disappeared, the Sorceress had no other choice. She knew the Varoni queen had nothing more to say to her . . . and coming here had not been a good idea. But she wanted the BeastMaster's powers. She wanted . . . something from him.
The Sorceress reflected on her conversation with the god-king. Even before the queen had bowed before him, or spoken his name, the Sorceress had known the identity of this man. What she hadn't known was that he was the father of the Ancient One. Then again, it was obvious there was much she didn't know.
Things were becoming very strange indeed . . . this was the second time in the last month the Sorceress had been warned to leave the BeastMaster alone. And by a god, no less. But why? They wanted nothing from him, it seemed. So why would they be interested in him? Unless . . . could it be? Did the gods seek to protect the young BeastMaster, because of . . . love?
The Sorceress frowned, searching her memory for the gods loving a particular individual or people. The Ancient One had never told her of the gods loving anyone, and yet, they were his people. As she reappeared in the Aerie, the Sorceress cast a spell over her scrying bowl, which allowed her to see the Varoni queen. Despite her inability to reach the young woman, the Sorceress remained fascinated with her. At the moment, she was in her daughter's room, gently stroking the child's hair.
The sight engendered strange feelings within the Sorceress. A hint of a memory danced along the edges of
her mind, then fled as she reached for it. She heard the queen say softly, "If you ever see that woman again, little one, be very careful. She is very dangerous."
"She wants to hurt Uncle Dar, Mama. Why? Why does she want to hurt Uncle Dar?" the child asked in a tiny voice, and the Sorceress frowned. She was as puzzled by the hurt which accompanied the child's statement, as she was by the child's statement. The queen didn't answer immediately and the child added, "And that man . . . ?"
"Was Zeuran, the god-king. He's Pelagia's father, and Curupira's grandfather," the queen answered. She paused, then continued, "I do not believe the Sorceress wishes to harm your uncle. She simply doesn't understand what will happen if your Uncle Dar does as she wishes. And I know not how to tell her."
"She scared me, Mama. Why didn't the man scare me? Because he's Pelagia's Papa?" the little girl inquired, and the Sorceress smiled in spite of herself. She felt herself warming toward this child, toward her innocence and . . . something else. What was it?
"I think so, yes. And she frightened me, too, little one. But enough . . . it's time to sleep. When you wake up, perhaps you can see the new baby," the queen replied. The Sorceress waved her hand, frowning thoughtfully. There was a great deal she had to learn about love. Perhaps Kyra was the wrong person to teach her about this strange human emotion, after all.
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