Arnica Page 6

Commander O'Malley made a noise of agreement.

  "Under the proper tutelage they will all adjust. As with the effort to undermine H'ya it is part of the larger plan to undermine the Queen's guards."

  "Removing support, isolating the Royal family," he agreed. "It is the basic attack plan. We all should have seen this. It is a learning experience I shall be sure to impress upon the troops." He bowed to her. "I'll see to all this business…and a cleansing under the monk Sonwan's guidance for all of us," he reported gruffly.

  "Oh, my. You certainly do want to make amends. Please, not on my account," she teased as she watched a slow blush creep up the commander's neck. "Send out the Queen's Guard to investigate the continents. Don't wait for the transfers to be completed.

  It is important to see what the regiments they oversaw do. When they get back their new captains will have settled in with their families and ready to concentrate on getting acquainted with their troops. I'm sure there will be different priorities they need to focus on."

  "Yes. Protocols they have forgotten My Queen; however, if I send away those that I trust, who will protect you and the Palace?"

  "WE will take care of that. You worry that some may have found it more preferable to live off Allint?" the Queen asked.

  "Maybe not the captains, but family members. I will see that the transition is monitored closely so there is assistance given where it is necessary."

  "Not too much assistance. Without struggle, there is nothing learned."

  The commander bowed and left.

  Chapter 3

  As the airship dropped lower, continuing its decent into the first city where a group of Kiuzi would be deployed, Commander O'Malley knew by the quietness in the troop plane that they were uneasy about something. He had yet to tell them anything. He did not want to chance a spy feeling their excitement.

  "Kenta."

  The officer rose from his seat and leaned in to hear his commander.

  "Commander?"

  "The saplings and oak tree are in danger," he murmured.

  Kenta's expression did not change, but with a new purpose he moved back with the others. When all the groups were deployed O'Malley knew nothing could stop the Golden Monkey Squad from returning to the Palace without even a Drosuan knowing of their presence. They had been trained by the best, the Queen Mother, before her strange illness. They had been on a routine training mission on another continent when the Queen Mother had been infected.

  O'Malley's eyes gleamed in the darkness about his upcoming side trip. He had not visited his parent's yurt since rising to the rank of commander of the Queen's guard. Who better would know of the goings on on all continents but his wandering tribe?

  In his mind he could see the aul set up in a valley. Smoke rising from the scattered yurts, and small groups of people moving about their daily work. He pictured the children descending upon him, riding aggressively on their mounts at the presence of a stranger in their midst, mimicking the warriors they would grow to be.

  He would be a stranger.

  He had not visited the aul since his grandmother's death. She had sent him a vision of her impending death, calling him to her before she passed into the next realm.

  He had brought the sacred fan she had asked him to hold for her. The feathers in the fan were from her sacred animal's plumage. It was to be presented to the next high priestess.

  For her own reasons, she had entrusted it with him for seven years.

  The feathered fan had been given to Celene, granddaughter to the widow Elda.

  Elda was his grandmother's helper and close friend since childhood. Celene became assistant to the priestess when Elda became too old.

  The image of Celene evoked feelings with the commander that he had thought would have faded after all these years. She braided her hair unlike any in the clan, causing her to be viewed as an outsider. His grandmother interpreted this individuality as a necessary characteristic for being a high priestess and so her training began at the young age of five.

  O'Malley loved Celene the first day he set eyes on her and knew then that he would never love another. Celene would not take a husband and being that she was not a vision of physical beauty to most eyes, her decision did not cause a stir. Who she loved, O'Malley didn't know, nor cared to. Since it was new moon, he knew she would not be at the camp. For the priestess it was a time of prayers and meditation, which required fasting and isolation.

  Stepping out of the airship, he nodded to his pilot who handed him his travel pack.

  "Commander, don't let the back draft spin you." Captain Ernai smiled at the uplifted eyebrow of his commander.

  "If I get any back draft I'll send you on a tail spin you won't forget," he returned in mock indignation. He slung his pack, settling it comfortably between his shoulder blades, and started his ground eating lope toward the first hill rise. The url was two hills over; however, he was sure the url guards had spotted the airship, noted the insignia, and word of his arrival to his parents had already been made. He, who had not ridden for at least an er, would be sore the next day if his father sent him a mount to ride into their camp.

  His eyes lifted as he came abreast the first tree, and stopped at the sight of the tall woman. If it was Celene, she had changed.

  Both nodded to each other and then the tall woman gestured in the direction she wanted him to go. He shook his head, no. He could feel the approach of horses shaking the ground under his feet, and when he looked toward their direction the woman disappeared.

  Intrigues.

  The horses were pulled to a stop just inside the forest cover, dust rising in the air.

  "Ho! Stranger! State your clan!"

  "Kiuzi!" he shouted back at the small figure that tried to sound fierce. He made a mental note to tell their trainer about the dust. A skilled warrior would not let dust give away his position unless it was intended.

  "And what is Kiuzi?" a deeper voice asked disdainfully.

  O'Malley smiled to himself and let the challenges go on until finally his father and two younger cousins, who he was sure felt honored at being allowed to come for the meeting, stepped into view leading an extra mount. However, he had already decided he was not going to ride.

  He examined his father's weathered face in the mid afternoon light. His face appeared old but he walked as an agile warrior, and was not favoring his left leg as he did the last time he had visited.

  "My father, I greet you, and ask for the curtsey of sharing the warmth of your family and cover of your yurt if there is room." He bowed slightly.

  "Humph! You don't have a tent in that pack on your back?"

  "I do. However, it's not big enough to fit my father, whom I'm sure will like to spend the night telling tales of the tribe to his long absent son, and for his wife and family who would like to make sure he's telling stories with some truth to them."

  Hakon slapped his son on the shoulder and laughed. "Come then! The campfires are burning, though not as much as your mother's curiosity. She stayed behind to make sure your favorite foods would be ready; otherwise she would have ridden out here herself." His voice was full of pride, both for his son and his absent wife.

  Hakon seemed to know that his tall son preferred walking, and strolled beside him handing him the reins of the extra horse to lead. Hakon waved his hands at the young boy and girl. "They are from Namid's aul. Amalia and Taro. He wishes them to be Kiuzi warriors and hoped I could get them in on your next draft."

  The two men exchanged personal news as they climbed the hill into the forest.

  O'Malley's childhood knowledge of forest ways was still fresh as familiar sounds and smells linked to plant and animal life that formed an ecosystem in the thriving forest community. As they moved out of the forest O'Malley could see the messenger flash a signal to the top of the next hill of their approach. O'Malley frowned. It was too obvious.

  His father noted his son's expression. "Payton, your mother's sister's son, has taken it upon himself to train the youth on the a
rt of defense."

  "Mette? What is his experience?" O'Malley could not remember Mette being interested in anything outside of his immediate family.

  "None," his father answered with a smirk. " Mette has read, however, and spoke with various visitors that have passed through."

  "What happened to Ozark and Melosa?"

  "We don't know." His father's voice took on a deeper tone.

  "What?" O'Malley's voice dropped low and the tenseness of the question raised the hairs on the back of the old man's neck.

  "They disappeared. First one, then the other. We sent out hunting parties but found nothing. Not a trace. No marks. Horse and rider...gone." His father made a sign to ward off evil.

  "What does the priestess say?" he asked, suddenly remembering the orange haired woman that greeted him at the edge of the forest.

  "At first Celene counseled us to stay in pairs, just as we have always done, and not to go off with any strangers. Now, she counsels we travel in groups of five or more.

  About those missing, she says they are behind a veil she cannot see past; however, they are not dead."

  "Have any of the other urls reported this same problem? And when did this happen?"

  "It was about two ers ago that I noticed at the family gatherings, that people of importance were missing. But nothing is said about it as if speaking of it will bring the same fate to them. Bahh. They are like children and hide beneath their blankets as if a monster would see them."

  O'Malley's lips thinned at hearing his father's frustration with the clan leaders. "Is Celene still in retreat?"

  His father glanced at him and smiled. "Yes. She told us of your coming, so we were waiting for you. Young Surl noticed the air approach and sounded the call. He won the third pick of a mount from the spring deliveries."

  O'Malley did not bother to ask who was who. Tradition was the men who married went to live with his wife's family. The boys by then should have a string of ponies and skills to bring to his new family unit. If he and his wife so desired, they could start their own url, with others who wished to join them. This prevented camps from expanding so large to make their nomadic life cumbersome. The number of nomadic tribes and members were limited to how much the land they wandered could absorb their way of life. He was aware that on Allint such groups of his people existed but he had yet to meet them. His duties and theirs seemed to keep them apart.

  "Ten groups of families moved to the 3rd continent to start their own urls," his father mentioned as they started up the last hill. "It's not often that amount of space opens up. Land Management Department closed a large area due to a contaminaton by some off-world visitors killing everthing in the area so they opened up another area to keep the population at a steady count."

  "Padma. Yes. On the east side there is open land ." His dispatches had said nothing about anyone from his clan settling there, but mention of clan and age group seldom were mentioned in reports unless there was trouble, and then one would only have to focus on the trouble spot and know.

  "They drew straws for sites. Eight will not have it as nice, however, they willingly agreed on the areas they were assigned. The Council of Land Management sent over some people to speak with them on what to expect, rules of behavior, and gave them one err to see if they can make a go of it."

  "When was this?"

  "Two errs ago. We felt three of groups die. They were slain." His old voice quivered with anger.

  They reached the top of the hill and both stopped for a moment, looking down at the family url with the thirteen yurts giving plenty of space between its neighbors in case of fire or raiders. Raiders were a thing of the past but from what his father had just said, maybe the habit was still good to practice.

  "Who did such a thing?"

  "The priestess said they were dressed in black." He turned to look into his son's face. The face of a serious chubby cheeked kid was long gone. Now it was unreadable, and unfamiliar. He could not even deciper in the air around him what he could be thinking. Hakon decided it was because of his training, afterall, his son was the Queen's own commander. He smiled with pride.

  O'Malley nodded and kept his thoughts stilled, knowing it was moments of expressed grief or anger that a telepathic spy could learn more about his or her prey. It suddenly dawned on him that this was why the queen had insisted he also go out and gather information. For all that the queen could see and hear, others' versions were just as important to her, knowing that everyone had a built-in prejudice no matter how schooled they were in being objective. Even she, the wisest person he knew, guarded against her prejudices. He shook his head with all these thoughts. When he was away from Allint he found his thoughts wandered too easily.

  "How did the others escape?"

  "The attackers failed to kill the priestesses first."

  "So, the others were prepared. Was there a reason for the attacks?"

  "We have sent an emissary to the Council of Arnica. One moon ago they reported they will bring it to the Queen of Allint." He raised an elaborately braided eyebrow, implying that that was why he thought his son was here.

  The Queen had been quite busy lately, but she would not have kept this from him if she knew about it, or... was his being here her response?

  This would be like the Queen Mother, sending a student into a situation where his next lesson could be learned. So, like mother, like daughter? Well, that was not important. What was important was what did this mean?

  "Just where did these attacks occur?"

  Horses were headed their way, making the ground tremble under their feet. His mother's pony led the charge.

  "Does she not ride like a young warrior?"

  O'Malley smiled and could feel tears prickling his lids. Both his parents were voted as leaders of the url but his mother had pushed his father forward, liking the idea of him having to face the daily business while she worked behind the scenes. Getting so much more done, was her way of putting it. Their herds were healthy, their potters and weavers were known for their unique designs, and the young metal worker that joined them was proving a good teacher to even the older members that wanted to try their hand in it. Being Kiuzi commander, he heard news from all the continents, and his messengers made sure they supplied information of his childhood family.

  But, they had not said anything of the killings on Padma. Had not the travelers, Gi and Talara heard?

  His mother swung off her pony and flung herself into his arms hugging him and crying. "You have not visited us during the celebrations of Urga. It's for family gatherings. Come, come. I have your favorite sweet things for you." She pulled on his sleeve and slipped an arm through his father's pulling him along too. It was as if he were five ers again.

  The others tended to the ponies, trying to control the dancing hooves that picked up the excitement of his mother.

  The night was long for O'Malley. His parents were disturbed by what the other url chiefs were reporting, and not reporting, and intended on getting answers from him, since they were not getting anything from the Council of Arnica.

  Priestess Celene would see him before he left, a young messenger informed him before he lay down for a few hours of sleep.

  To the left the sun was setting over the flat steppes. To the right, where the forest begins, O'Malley knew Celene would appear with her basket and ceremonial bag. His eyes did not waver from one tree as he sipped tea and ignored the children that were showing off their skills hoping he would take notice. He also ignored proud parents as they called encouragement to their children, hoping their cries of praise would move his eyes toward the child who was working hard at a skill they were just learning. A flutter caught his eye.

  Rising quickly, he moved toward the tree, remembering that people alone disappeared. However, he did not intend on moving into the trees out of sight of the villagers. Quietly he stood in front of the tree he had been staring at. Up close, it didn't look any different than it's neighbor, yet he felt it was different. He nearly laughed aloud wh
en his eyes found an old carved heart with his parent's names in it. Of course. That was why the tree stood out to him. His mother and father, whenever he walked alone with one or the other, would tell a different story on how their names ended up on the tree trunk, and only after their wedding was the heart carved, encircling the two names within its womb.

  A sound further in the woods caught his attention. Looking back at the camp, he could see elders and their children taking a break from their labors. Smiling, he took another step into the wood. He heard a yell. Then a stick whizzed by his head. If it was not for a small hand grabbing his and pulling frantically he would have succumbed to the spell of the net that dropped.

  He was pushed down to crawl into a naturally hollowed out old tree trunk where a young Caladia followed him in.

  "What is wrong with you? Didn't you take the warnings of your clan elders seriously!"

  Had it been another time, the sight of this youth admonishing him would have made O'Malley laugh.

  "How do you know what the clan elders spoke to me of?" he countered while pulling his long legs to his chest to give the pacing Caladia room.

  "It's not the point! You should know better!" the small voice spoke low but the emotion behind what it was enough to make O'Malley rethink.

  "It was not a smart thing to do," he admitted to himself and his young rescuer.

  "Tell me why you ignored the warnings," the small voice compelled.

  O'Malley found himself telling the youth that even though he knew it was not wise, curiosity drew him to see what was in the woods.

  "Very good Citri," a melodious voice praised. Just then the space expanded and Celene joined O'Malley and the youth.

  "Jack O'Malley, you should at least have worn an amulet," Celene admonished with a smile.

  O'Malley nodded feeling justifiably embarrassed. "Celene. I wow the clan, and as usual, fall flat on my face in front of you." Then he laughed with her at their childhood memories. "So…is what I nearly fell prey to, part of the others' disappearance?"

  "We believe so. Citri and her group are from an ashram in the wilds. They have been seeing disturbances in the time line, which they have firmed up, but they were curious at what it left behind. Citri was curious enough to set out alone to investigate. I found her wandering through the forest, tapping into energy pockets that mysteriously appear then disappear. We have been comparing notes and have decided that due to changing energy patterns on Arnica, phenomena we have not experienced before is occurring in what could be random patterns, though, I'm sure there is some sort of intelligence behind the occurrences."