'All I am saying is, that by even thinking of going to Aelia, we are breaking the one law, I don't like it. I don’t like Aelia.'
'You know nothing of Aelia, Teanne, only tales told by the Wanderers – how can you be so sure it is not the right thing to do? Plus the Order Lords have already broken the one law, by sending their Mesi army into our borders.' Teanne looked at her friend, and was happy to see the Chev she knew and respected had returned. Teanne smiled, 'You will make a great Head Elder someday, Chev.' Chev turned and continued to pack supplies into her bags, smiling shyly.
Teanne turned and watched two of the City Guards approach. She felt a lump in her throat, were they bringing news of Jacob? She still had not heard anything about whether he was alive. The grim expressions on their faces made Teanne move to Chev’s side and grip her arm. Chev lovingly placed a hand over hers.
‘Sister Teanne, Commander Lee has requested your presence immediately.’
Teanne finally exhaled, he was alive.
‘It’s initiate, not Sister.’
‘Pardon?’ The guard asked ‘I’m an Initiate, not a Sister.’ Teanne didn’t know why she felt the need to correct him. All that mattered right now was getting to Jacob. Dismissing her correction, the guard directed Teanne to follow.
‘Do you want me to come?’ Teanne turned to Chev, then the guard. His blank response indicated he didn’t care either way. Teanne nodded.
‘Where are we going? Is Jacob … is Commander Lee, all right?’ The guard didn’t answer, but drove out quickly, the second following behind as Teanne and Chev tried to keep up.
Finally the guard stopped. Teanne and Chev were both panting. Teanne saw Jacob’s land-walker tethered to a tree at the end of a path; she looked up and saw the opening to the cave. Mixed emotions filled her. It had been days since she had last seen his beautiful face, she was excited to see him, but she was also nervous by the manner in which she was summoned. Jacob must have sent the guards to fetch her because he was busy. He was Commander now, and would have so much to do, than worry about her. Teanne and Chev followed their escorts up the path and stopped at the entrance. Teanne jumped as the guard who had summoned her, announced their arrival. She could hear muffled voices inside the cave, but strained to make out the conversation, finally a voice from inside the cave answered.
‘Come.’ Teanne sighed at hearing Jacob’s voice.
Entering the cave, Teanne waited until her eyes adjusted to the low light, and then quickly looked around the small cave. She recognised it immediately as the cave where she and Jacob had first kissed. Teanne found Jacob kneeling next to a woman, holding her hand. He turned and smiled softly, Teanne wanted to jump into his arms, and tell him how much she loved him, but the look in his eyes made her remain still. He looked angry. Teanne turned her gaze back to the older woman, and gasped. It was the Head Elder Elite.
Taking a small quick breath, ‘You requested to see me,’ she spoke shyly, ‘Commander?’ Jacob smirked at her attempt at formalities,
‘Is there anything else I can get you before I leave, Lin?’ Jacob asked.
Teanne was shocked. Jacob had just called the Head Elder Elite by her first name; the older woman slowly shook her head. Jacob rose and gently kissed her hand, and moved towards the entrance stopping at Teanne’s side, squeezing her arm. Teanne looked into his eyes and knew definitively that he was angry. ‘Come Chev, they have an important matter to discuss.’
Teanne looked around the cave; she would have to find something more appropriate for the Head Elder Elite, it was damp and smelt of... death. But it would do, for now. She looked back at the woman and waited. The Head Elder finally looked at her, and gently raised her hand gesturing for her to approach.
‘You have grown into such a beautiful woman. Come little one, sit.’ Teanne took a stool and sat down; sheepishly she looked around the cave again, the Head Elder reached out and took her hand. 'Do you remember much from your childhood?' Teanne shook her head, and felt unsettled at the familiar way the Head Elder looked at her. ‘Are you well, Teanne?’
The Head Elder knew her name?
‘Yes, Head Elder, I am well and …’ she stopped herself before asking the obvious; the Head Elder tried to raise herself up, ‘here, let me help you.’ Teanne carefully bunched a few cushions behind her for support, the older woman smiled appreciatively.
'Your betrothed is rather angry with me.'
Teanne blushed, 'he has no right to be angry, Head Elder'
'Oh he has the right. He is Commander now, and I answer to him. But Jacob still needs to realise this. He will make a good leader.' Teanne simply nodded her head.
'You still look as I remember you' It was only a whisper but Teanne looked at the woman, who unlike many others, did not cower from her stare, the Elder began laughing 'ignore me child, I am a rambling old woman.'
'Do you know much of the history of our land?'
Teanne was taken aback by the sudden change of subject, ‘I recall a little of the tales, but not as much as I would like.'
'Do you enjoy history?' Teanne nodded and shifted uncomfortably.
'History has a funny way of repeating unless you learn from it.’ Teanne nodded in agreement, this was something she truly believed and it was refreshing that someone else shared her beliefs.
The Head Elder gripped her hand, a fierce grip for one close to death Teanne noted,
'If I am to leave you with anything of value child, it is this – learn from history and trust in yourself' Teanne nodded. 'Promise me that you will trust your instincts.'
'I will.' Teanne said, even though she was growing more confused with every moment – was this woman going mad from the pain, did she have her confused with someone else? Why was she here talking to the Head Elder – this was not her place.
There it was again, that look of familiarity. Teanne wanted to leave, and looked over her shoulder toward the cave entrance – she needed to get out.
'Ah I remember now, you are a Carrier are you not?' Teanne lowered her gaze and the woman continued, 'there is no shame in being a Carrier child, they are as important as a….' The Head Elder stopped as a sharp pain hit her, Teanne moved forward, but the old woman continued,
'It is important you trust your instincts always, and it is vital that you learn the history of Luia.'
Teanne looked at the woman and responded angrily, 'Luia is gone!'
The Head Elder shifted her head against the cushions, 'Luia is more than buildings made from stone or mud, child'.
Teanne felt her cheeks heat, and lowered her head shamefully. Why would she speak so disrespectfully to her Head Elder? She heard the elder sigh and looked at her. The comforting look in the older woman’s eyes made Teanne relax. She smiled sheepishly, and could believe she was about to speak out of turn once again,
'Head Elder, May I ask you a question?' the woman nodded, her eyes closing.
'Why did you send an emissary to Aelia? Surely this is against the one law?'
Teanne noticed a sly smile at the Elder’s lips.
'Aelia was once our sister land. There is a lot of history between the two lands, a history that neither discusses nor acknowledges these days. Even after the Old War we still defied the Order Lords by meeting. But this changed once...' Elder Lin paused,
'Things change.
'I would not concern yourself with the one law child, the Order Lords broke it the moment they brought Mesi into our lands' Teanne smirked thinking of Chev saying the exact thing earlier.
'What do you need from me Head Elder?'
'I need you to learn. And patience would be a good first lesson.' Teanne felt her face redden;
'You have always been a curious one, even from the moment you came to Luia. I should have sent for you earlier, trusted my instincts.' Elder Lin slowly pulled her legs off the cot and stretched them out, letting her feet touch the cave floor.
'What I need from you, and only you, is to return to the temple surrounds Teanne, I need you to retrieve a journal from my st
udy. You must learn the truth of the one law child, the truth of the history of Luia – I do not have the time to teach you what you need, my time is short.’
‘But do not fear, child. A time of understanding will come, a time will come.’ Teanne's forehead creased as the words of the man cloaked in black echoed through her mind.
‘This one law has enabled us, me, to learn many things, Teanne. I had wanted to pass on the teachings in a more appropriate manner, but time unfortunately is now short. If I had more time I would have taught you how to read the signs of the forthcoming alignment, and how to harness your powers.’ Teanne nodded, though she did not understand what the Head Elder meant.
'It is written child, that when the alignment begins, so starts the next reign, and that an old one will walk the world to return the …. '
Teanne eagerly waited for the Elder to continue, and watched as the older woman shook her head and started muttering to herself, 'What are you waiting for you crazy old woman, you know this to be right.' A tear rolled down her cheek and caught in a wound on her face. Teanne watched the droplet become red as it fell to the cushion.
'You should have come to me long ago, but I was too eager to know the truth myself.' Teanne nodded politely, and watched as the Head Elder slowly reached behind her robes to draw out a long silver chain. Her eyes popped as the gem attached to the chain’s end illuminated the cave – bouncing off the uneven surfaces. It was the most beautiful thing Teanne had ever seen. Its beauty was captivating. She almost hungered for it, and wanted to grab it, consume it.
Wetting her lips, Teanne looked at the Head Elder,
'This... this was once in the possession of our Mother Sovereign, her role was simple; but like so many before and after her, she craved to control it, manipulate it. This is our heart, our birthright Teanne. Do you know what it is?
‘The… Estrus?’ Teanne whispered, hesitating she slowly continued ‘but I thought it was lost, Head Elder?’
'No sweet child, not lost, just hidden.' The Head Elder started mumbling to herself. Teanne could not take her eyes from the stone. She watched as the older woman swung the chain and tapped it with her finger. It responded to each touch.
'The Estrus has been protected by the one law ironically. Hidden in plain sight, waiting until we could find the true Carrier...’ The Head Elder looked at the stone lovingly then sighing continued, ‘It is time, I have no choice now, and my hand is forced’.
Captivated, Teanne could only hear fragments of what the older woman was saying, she could not take her eyes from the stone; she followed it as the Head Elder gently unravelled it from the chain; she looked into the stone - it was like fire trapped behind glass. She watched as the Head Elder cradled it in her hand and stroked it, and then handed it to her.
Teanne steadied herself and looked at the stone then to the Head Elder in total bewilderment. Finally she found her voice. ‘I don't understand?’
The woman laughed heartily, then stopped to take a slow laboured breath, she replied,
‘I am delivering it, returning it to its rightful carrier.’ She motioned once more to take it. Teanne moved back. Elder Lin peeled open Teanne’s clenched fist and deliberately laid the stone in her hand.
‘I am giving this to you, willingly. Remember this. I believe with my entire heart child, that you are the only one who can carry this stone.' Teanne flinched as a surge of electricity shot up her arm; she closed her fingers over the stone, and smiled as her hand warmed.
'It likes you'.
'Everything you need to continue your journey is in the Mother Temple...' The Head Elder flinched as another bolt of pain shot through her frail body; Teanne moved forward to help but stopped as the woman raised a hand.
'I need you to fetch my journal. That stone will show you where to look, – the journal will explain much. You need to learn what you can in order for you to return it. You will then find answers within the sacred garden – let the Estrus guide you,
‘I cannot tell you what you must do, that is not my journey, and if you are the true carrier the path will reveal itself. You must seek out a place beneath the sacred garden, you must find this place and recover four stones that I left in haste, these are known as the message runes. With my journal, and those stones you will be able to return the stone to its rightful owner.’ Teanne nodded sheepishly, though she grew more confused.
‘Use these message runes to help you carry the Estrus to its true home – no one can take the Estrus from you unless you offer it willingly. Once you have what you need, let me further guide you…’
Teanne smiled meekly. Who did she think she was? She would guide her? The stone would guide her? The Great Study? The Head Elder coughed, a trail of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, her breathing was growing weak,
‘Let it lead you. It is important, Teanne...’ her voice suddenly finding strength, ‘It is important that you keep this safe and that you never reveal to anyone that you possess that stone until it is ready, do you understand?’ Teanne nodded, ‘I revealed it too soon. I was always too eager’ Elder Lin softly continued, then sighed, and pushed her away.
‘Go. Time is short.’
Teanne rose and looked at the Estrus, the hunger and longing returned instantly.
‘Elder Lin?’ The woman looked up, her eyes clouding over. ‘I don’t understand, why me, why am I the one to do this? I am a Initiate, not a Sister.’
‘You will, you will.’ She slowly waved Teanne away, ‘Go now. You must find the old one before the alignment finishes'.
Teanne bowed her head and left the cave, Lin watched as all light seemed to leave with the girl. She looked at the small candle beside her, and lifted a finger weakly, the flame extinguished.
Resting her head back against the cushions, she closed her eyes,
‘The Carrier has returned.’
Lin, the Head Elder of the Elite, the protector of the Estrus, over one hundred turns, died moments later.
AELIA – Afternoon