Alphande'

Her head was much lower than I had expected, barely clearing my shoulders. Her face was full and childlike, but with angled cheek bones besetting slanted eyes with large irises of the deepest green. Her hair was as dark as pitch and flowed from her crown to the back of her knees like a curtain of fluid obsidian. Her skin dark, yet shimmered with its own light. The silver dress she wore shone in the pale moonlight and seemed to move on its own accord as there was no breeze in the hall. She lifted an eyebrow and her slightly pouted lips thinned into a smile as if daring me to say something. Gone was the woman with wiry hair and wrinkled skin that I’d come to know in Gé Addar, in her place was a vision of unbounded beauty.

“I bet you were never expecting one so manipulative to look so fetching. It is all a part of the deception. The charm of the changeling it is called, but I would wager you are anything but charmed at the moment.” said a man looking every bit as beautiful as the woman in front of me. He was my height with black hair just as long and eyes just as green. His skin was just a shade lighter than her nut-brown complexion. He was outfitted in a simple shirt and pants covered by a robe of the same floating cloth. He flicked his hands from behind his back in a movement so fast I was sure it never happened. He looked down bored as he cleaned under his nails with his fingers.

“I would wager that you are right.” I said looking from him and back to Tet. I had spent many weeks with her and despite her ethereal beauty, my awe turned into absolute disgust as I knew who she really was and what she had done. “I am anything but charmed.” I looked over both of their heads and past the hundreds of heads of silver and black that were piled in the hall, as I tried to find an exit, but the marble paved floor that marked the boundaries of the hall had several arches surrounding it all leading into the forest of pitch and green.

I noticed that there was only one lit path and that the crowd seemed to be moving towards it. I too followed as I wished to be any other place besides next to my current company.

“That path leads to the feast of the chosen. If you do not wish to be bothered by the company of our kind, it is not a place you should head.” warned Tet.

“You can no longer sing my feet into following you. I choose my own path from now on.” I said and stepped around her as I followed the crowd through the lit path.

The merriment in the air was almost palpable as sweet music flowed in through the hall. I searched for the musicians but there was none in sight. Large tables full of food lined the hall and despite the crowd constantly picking from it, the pile never seemed to diminish.

“For you chosen of the wolf.” said an older looking man with the slanted eye beauty of the people here as he offered me a goblet made of gold.

“What is it?” I said smelling the fruit flavoured drink deeply coloured as fine wine.

“The party special. Fire juice with a little added kick sure to wipe your worries temporarily from your mind. As we all know what troubles your mind.” he said as he patted my back once and then walked off.

I smelled the drink once more and placed the goblet to my lips. The potion seemed to burn my tongue at first, but then it exploded into refreshing coolness as it made its way down my throat. He was right, despite only tasting it, I felt as though my feet had suddenly become lighter. I held the goblet back to my lips and finished what was left in it. I stood drinking for what seemed like a long time however the drink continued flowing. I held it away from my lips and looked into it. The burgundy liquid never seemed to move from just below the rim.

“Amazing,” I said as I looked at it in wonder. “I should have had one of these with me when I was climbing through the hills of Kishbet.” I said as I placed the goblet back at my lips.

The music surrounding was infectious and I couldn’t help but to tap my toes to the beat. I looked over to a group who had formed a circle about a pair of dancers. I watched in delighted awe as these two seemed to move through the very air itself. Each time they spun away from each other and then met again their manes seemed to blend into one rope which connected them. Small sparks of blue, green and gold seemed to fly about them once they broke apart.

“Don’t tell me you drank the fire juice.” said Tet coming up behind me, spinning me to face her and took the goblet from my hands. “Friea.” she said and emptied the contents of the goblet on the floor.

“Well you are becoming as annoying as a bug. Better you were a bug, that way I could swat you.” I said grabbing the goblet from her and placing it back at my lips. To my great disappointment it was empty. “Great, you emptied it.” I said throwing the goblet over my shoulder not caring where it went or whom it might hit. “You were always one to spoil my fun. I figure that I will just have to find another goblet.” I said as I started towards the overflowing banquet table.

“That goblet was given to you by someone of another house to obtund you. Look around Evander. Do you see any of the other chosen feasting here?”

“You know, I really didn’t see their faces as I was quite blind at the time, so I really cannot tell whether they are here or not. And I wonder whose fault that was. My blindness?” My tongue felt a bit lighter than usual as I lost my natural reserve, but I couldn’t have cared less. I felt good!

“Well they are not here. They’ve all gone home to rest and prepare themselves for the race.”

“The race isn’t until the eve of the full moon, until then I think I can shirk my responsibilities and have fun.” I said as I bee lined towards the table.

“The eve of the full moon is in two days.”

“Two days, see, that time is adequate.” I said moving off again. She grabbed me by the shoulder and before I could stop her she slapped me square across my face. “What was that for?” I said surprised but still mellow from the fire juice.

“Two days is far from adequate. I may have done things differently, but they are what they are and I would do it again if I had to. You seem to forget that while you are having fun that there is still a war raging in Gé Addar and you their only hope of survival, is acting like drunken yobbo wallowing in the sorrow of things that cannot be undone.”

“Some of those things were your doing and I will not apologize for wanting to forget my pain and loss, even for one night.” I shot back. “And I am hardly acting like a yobbo.” I said as I flicked her cheek with my finger and smiled as the skin of her face didn’t seem to move. I wondered how that was. I was about to do it again when she slapped my hand away.

“Your pain and loss! Is that all you can think about! I too have lost much and…!” she seemed to be about to say something about herself but quickly she stopped herself. “Your pain and loss Evander is nothing compared to the trials being faced by your people currently you selfish imp. I carried you here to give your kind a fighting chance and you wish to squander it on drinks. Well fine have it your way Evander king of Gé Addar. If you don’t care about your kind, why should I waste my time caring as well.” she said wrapping her arms around her tiny frame as if trying to contain her shaking anger.

This was the first time I’d seen Tet filled with any amount of emotion that was not covered up by wit or parables. She was unimaginably troubled it seemed and that notion sobered me instantly.

“What is happening in Gé Addar?”

“Oh so you care again.” she said still not turning towards me.

“And it seems that you do as well.”

“What happens in the life of you humans is more than just points of amusement to be told over dinner tables for centuries. They are for most of my kind but not to me, at least not anymore.”

“What is happening in Gé Addar?” I asked again as I touched her lightly on the shoulder. She turned her head only her emerald eyes looking up at my face.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes, I do. I promise that I won’t even try to choke you this time.” I said flatly.

She dropped her hands from around her torso. “It is easier for me to show you than to tell you.” she then walked off and I followed closely behind.

“What is this place?” I asked as I walked between the boughs of silver firs that cleared to form a circular mound. Around it were several stands of stone each with a matching basin that seemed to float over it. I searched for the cords holding them up but there were none. I saw several other changelings standing at different basins but they didn’t seem to notice our entrance as each seemed to be enraptured by something they saw hidden in the pale silvery light emanating from each bowl.

“This is the library of Ta él. Information spanning millennia are stored here. We go to that chapter as it holds the information we need.” she said walking to the one closest to us. As we approached it the two changelings that were there walked away.

“Chosen of the wolf,” they said to me bowing their heads of gold slightly. I returned there courtesy.

“How are we to gain anything from being in this place?” I said starting to regain my former annoyance at Tet.

“Be quiet and watch. You have forgotten why you are here and I will show you.” she closed her eyes briefly and then used her fingers to stir the thick liquid until large ripples formed. “Look.” she said after opening her eyes and removed her finger. I watched as silvery glow emanated from the medium. My face and hers which were clearly portrayed faded away and I found myself looking at a place which was foreign yet somewhat familiar to me. The earth was grey and covered in smoke and dust. I watched for a while longer as the smoke cleared and I could make out what seemed to be craters in the ground, strewn around it were the bodies of broken men and beasts. A few tents stood, but all the others were tattered on the ground. Nothing moved here and even the wind was still and there were only whispering songs of death and desolation.

“Where is this?” I asked.

“This is outside Tel Anir and that is what remains of the camp of the Nuwanhe.” The image shifted and I could see it now. It was the same place but earlier. I saw as the first feldünstar dropped and the confusion that followed and that were heightened as the second, third, fourth…

“Tarnag!” I shouted, but I knew it was in vain as he could neither hear nor see me as these were things that were and not those to come. I watched helplessly in horror as his life was snuffed out as the ball of fire ripped away at the spot of earth where he stood.

The image shifted once more to a man whose hair was black as midnight and eyes as blue as mine. It was the first time I had seen him but I knew that this was Asher my father’s brother. In his hands were three stones. I recognised the blood and foresight stones immediately, but I did not know what the blue one was for. He caressed them gently in his hands seeming pleased yet dissatisfied somehow. Different images moved across the pool flicking faster and faster each showing the same things; cities and homes burning as Verdans littered the streets taking the lives of innocents. Nalahead, Timon , others I could not name they were almost gone all burned.

“Stop! Stop! I have seen enough.” I said closing my eyes and tearing my head away from the pool.

“Just one more.”

“No! I am tired of seeing the death and destruction. There is no point in going back home as there is nothing left to save.” I said as thick tear rolled down my cheek.

I felt her hand on my shoulder. “There is Evander, look.” Slowly I turned around. “This is your home,” she said as showed me the hills of Au Valley as grey and beautiful as I remembered it with the verdure hills standing proudly above the heavy fog. The picture shifted to the desert of Sigh and the towering pillars of Agnon, Agner, Asora and Arridia that formed a backdrop around the bare red rocks. I could see dark-skinned children with trinkets of bones swinging from their hair as they played carelessly outside their homes untouched by war.

“And these are your people who you were meant to lead,” she continued. “I saw the faces of the hundreds of soldiers gathered in the streets of Indué. Some faces were proud and triumphant in their bearing. But the majority of them I saw looked tired, worn down and afraid. They were not men of war, but farmers, artisans, scholars and merchants. Some were mere children being forced to fight and die before they had the chance to grow and see what life really held for them.

“Can you honestly tell me that you cannot go back? If you don’t save them Evander, who will?” she said as I saw men sailing up from the south on over a hundred ships that had sails like giant eagles. On the north thousands of Ulgana most with scales of silvery blue gathered, until they were like a raging sea waiting to swallow the lands that stood before them. “When this war begins Gé Addar will be changed forever and the place you once knew will have ceased to exist.”

The pool became dark and then our reflections reappeared. My face held a mask of determination which made my eyes seem to have a spark of golden fire that burned away at the deep blue of my irises. I looked at her reflection and saw the same determination marked there. If her lips lied I knew her eyes couldn’t and despite all she has done I could truly see that she thought that it was for the betterment of Gé Addar.

“Why do you want to help us Tetjana? Why have you brought me here?”

She sighed and turned from the pool and started to speak in a hushed tone.

“I became the Intervener twenty years ago as my brother had said solely for the purpose of my own glory. You humans meant nothing to me, just lives that we would trifle with for the entertainment of our race.”

“So what changed?”

“I did. We do not show emotion or express love the way your kind did. Our most valued traits here are knowledge and power. Respect is given to those with both and so it has been from the beginning.

“My father before me was the Intervener. He too was like the typical changeling, if such a word could ever be applied to us. Stern, on a quest for power and knowledge. But I noticed that every time he came home from being amongst your kind something changed; until he was different from any other changeling I had ever encountered. He laughed not at you, but with you. He didn’t find joy in other person’s misfortunes…” she sighed again. “He was becoming—human.” She frowned slightly. “But humanity was not what our kind revered. They said he had spent too long amongst your kind and it had damaged him beyond repair. There is no place for the imperfect amongst our kind, the imperfect are discarded. My father too was discarded and I took his place.”

“I still do not see how this aided your decision.”

“It is simple, humans made my father imperfect and for that I wished to punish your race for as long as I could. The best way I could do that was to become the Intervener. What I have done to you is only the tip of the iceberg Evander. I didn’t care who died or was hurt as long as I got my piece of revenge. Until…”

“Until you too began to change. You started to understand emotions and the ties that bonded us together.”

“The thing that made you imperfect.”

“Love.” I finished.

“I could see why my father changed and why he would want to change, so I too began to change. But of course, I was more careful than him. No one has seen my cracks as yet. But that is the thing, I should not have to hide who I am. Our race could be so much more ahead if only we chose to learn from other races as well. That is why I brought you here. You are exactly what we need. I believe that humans aren’t the only ones who need you, but changelings as well.”

“And Ulgana?”

“Them too, I suppose,” I could still see that she had some prejudice there.

“So why didn’t you enter the Great Race since you are passionate about this?”

“I cannot as I am female. All our leaders have been male and it shall remain so.” she seemed tired after this speech and I couldn’t doubt her sincerity. Though I now understood her better, I still hadn’t forgiven her for what she did to me.

I turned back to the pool and again the surface gleamed. An image appeared it was my grandmother and she was holding me in her lap. In her hand was the cream coloured stone that gave me the power of foresight.

“Why do you keep this rock Babu?” I’d asked.

“I keep it because great power can lie in the simplest of things Evander. Even in this rock.” She said before kissing me on the forehead.

“I do not understand Babu.” I replied.

“You will one day.” she said as she lifted me from her lap.

That scene disappeared and then another one shimmered in front of me. It was a like sheet filled with metal chimes that whistled with the wind. There was one I noticed that was different. A simple staff I noted made of nothing more than tangled wood. The image disappeared.

I turned back to Tet, but it was like she hadn’t seen what happened. I marvelled a bit about what I had seen. I wasn’t sure if it had actually happened.

She took note of my expression. “What is the matter?”

“Nothing,” I said shaking my head. “You have given me much to think about that is all. We should go home now.” I said.

“Nothing is ever the matter. The fact that there is matter it means that there is substance. You wish not to speak and I will respect that for now as all things of importance are stored closest to the heart. I am nowhere there and so I shall leave you be.” she said and together we walked off.