Part 8
Taysha sat at her console, recording the data as it flew through her holo images, but she scarcely noticed it. She was again thinking about the events of last night. It was perhaps, the most wonderful night of her young life, certainly the best time she had had in the past eight years. The only bad part was that Jervad had sometimes seemed so distant. Not that she knew a whole lot about him, but it seemed as if the weight of the whole universe bore down on his shoulders. She longed to help ease that burden. He wanted to kiss her last night, she knew he did. She just knew that it had taken every ounce of his strength to turn from her. A faint smile spread across her lips. Next time, he would not get away so easily. She sadly remembered the feeling that she would not see him again, but a small voice in her head promised that she would again see her true love. True love? When had she started to consider Jervad that? Perhaps it was when she felt her desire course through her veins. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father hurry into the room, looking panicked. He was alone; Prince Zan should have been with him. She had often seen them together at the back, Prince Zan's face thankfully masked by his visor, as if he really were paying attention. Was he even aware that she was on the same ship?
"Oh, Father!" she groaned, picking up on his panic.
Even though it was well known that Prince Zan paid little attention to his tutors, it would be her father who would be held responsible for the Prince missing a lecture. Things were looking bad. She suddenly remembered Jervad's worry last night, his fear that something was going on. Was Prince Zan in danger? Were assassins on this ship? A single word entered her mind.
Good.
But what of her father? Would he be blamed? Would her family pay the ultimate price for Prince Zan's lack of popularity? Looking around, she saw that no one else looked worried, especially not the other Perdreians. No, her father's panic was simply due to the fact that Zan had evaded him. He was probably looking for some young female cadet to molest.
"Just sit down, Father." she mentally willed to him. "Wait for the pig."
Almost as if he heard her, her father sat in his usual seat at the back of the room, and glanced nervously in her direction, a peculiar smile spreading across his face.
The day seemed to speed past her, and she noticed her meal break was rapidly approaching. She wondered if Jervad would find her today. She promised herself that if he did, she would seduce a kiss from him. She would cheer him up, and ease his burden, even if she had to jump on him. An image sprang to her mind, with her pulling Jervad to her on the dining table. The thought made her laugh, as she considered what the reaction of the other diners would be. Shaking the image, that caused her blood to heat up again, from her mind, she noticed a slight odour in the air and looked around for its source. Seeing nothing unusual, she decided that some Maintenance Technician would be in trouble for allowing the filters to become dirty like that. She laughed at the thought that it might be Kandor's fault. No, she thought, he seemed too thorough to forget a detail as trivial as that. At least she would not be blamed for it. Life was definitely getting better. For the first time in eight years, Taysha was looking forward to the future.
Her meal break arrived, and a Perdreian Science Technician arrived to relieve her. As she slid from her console, she noticed that her relief looked awful. His skin was turning a mottled yellow colour, and his face was damp with sweat. She knew better than to inquire as to his health, but she could not help herself. Meeting Jervad had caused Taysha's caring demeanour to resurface.
"Are you all right?" she asked. "You shouldn't be here, you should be with the Medical Technicians. Let me help you to the sick bay. I'll come back and cover for you."
The man looked like he wanted to argue, but his shoulders sagged, and he weakly nodded to her. She took his arm and looped it over her shoulder, then turned to call for some assistance. She noticed straight away that the other Perdreian technicians in the room were all looking sick. They were all starting to collapse to the floor. Sirens started to chirrup their high-pitched warnings, and Taysha could feel the cool waves of oxygen float from the emergency vents in the ceiling. The Perdreian she held groaned, and when she looked to him, she knew that he was dead.
Around her, a few Kalithens headed for the doors shouting "Death to the Perdreians." Other Kalithens and some Tanbo-ens, obviously loyal to Perdreia, moved to stop them, and were shot down with bolts of energy for their trouble.
"Find Kandor. Trust him, Taysha. No matter what you see. Find him, and tell him I told you to find him. He'll make sure you are safe." Jervad's warning came to her mind instantly.
With dismay, she saw that her father had moved to join the rebel forces, taking the lead. He did not seem surprised at this turn of events. A sudden thought struck her. Jervad had known. He was warning her not to get involved, he had even said that something was going on. If Jervad, who was a Perdreian knew that this might happen, did that mean that Prince Zan, or Lord Rath also knew. Was this a trap?
"No Father," she cried out, as he waved her to join him. "Please don't!"
Someone grabbed her arm, and pushed her towards her father, and the rest of the rebellious forces.
"Come Lady Taysha." Her escort cried. "We shall avenge your family over the dead body of the bastard Zan and his traitorous dogs. You yourself can cut off his manhood as a warning that no more will the Kalithens bow to the Perdreian pigs!"
She was struck dumb, but as the Kalithen rebels swept her along, her mind screamed over and over, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"
***
It was the strange smell that alerted Rath. Perhaps he recognised it from one of his early times, and some part of him now remembered it but he knew it all the same. It was a smell that meant death for the Perdreians. He instantly slammed the button by his desk and the room in which he and the guards were meeting was sealed tight and flooded with oxygen. Alarms sounded throughout the ship, Rath hoped that the Perdreians would have time to react. Those present in the room, thirty of the elite Royal Guards, knew the drill, and were in their red survival suits in seconds. In the corner, wearing black, five of King Xandor's secret police also climbed into their survival suits. The Guards slid their neural enhancers over their heads, and awaited their orders. Each one of them hoped that Prince Zan had the presence of mind to do the same thing in his private quarters. Satisfied that everyone was now protected against the airborne assault, the five policemen opened the door and left the room. They would have their own orders, issued by the King himself, to seek out and capture any ringleaders of any uprising.
Rath had never been in this situation before, but he remembered a war game he once played. With a few men, he had defeated Nikolas, one of their greatest generals. He did it with speed, and the confident delivery of his orders. Although Nikolas thought it was a fluke, Rath knew differently. He had been advised every step of the way by Zan, who just seemed to know what to do before it was time to do it. Rath and Nikolas had almost come to blows over it, starting a long running and bitter enmity. Okay, Rath, think. What would Zan do? We need to control the ship.
"Squad A. Take and hold the bridge. Eject all Kalithens and Tanbo-ens. Try and use non-lethal force. Eliminate only those that pose a direct threat. Assist any Perdreians still breathing."
Ten men saluted, and headed for the bridge. As long as they held that, they would control the ship, and would be all right. There were many Kalithens loyal to Zan, but how would you tell the difference? It was best to trust no one.
"Squad C, sweep the ship, starting from the bridge. Lock everyone into any chambers that are handy. Disable all elevators, except Elevator D. Leave a guard at each entrance when the floor is secure. Squad B. Come with me, we must find Prince Zan."
Perdreians lay dead everywhere. Kalithens and Tanbo-ens moved around in confusion, slowing down Rath and his men. He locked these people, either willing or unwilling, into the nearest quarters. Better in there, safely out of harm's way, than out here where they might be killed, regardless of on whose side they were. They were finding dead Kalithens now, showing signs of a struggle, and the Perdreian bodies they found had been mutilated. Rath was quite shocked that his own people could behave in such a barbaric manner. When they finally reached Zan's door, which was open, a huge group of Kalithens was outside, baying for blood. There were some in the room, destroying whatever was in there. Rath was too late. With an alertness that had been specially trained into them, the ten guards sent shock wave after shock wave into the crowd, knocking them unconscious. It was over in seconds. The five policemen appeared from nowhere, and started to pull the inactive bodies away, looking for ringleaders. Whichever ones they took would be the ones labelled as ringleaders, Rath knew. Even if they had nothing to do with this.
With a sickening feeling, he reached Zan's room. Apart from unconscious Kalithens, and the odd Tanbo-en, the room was empty. If Zan had been here, he would have been torn apart, but there was no sign of this. Zan was no where to be seen, but his red survival suit lay around the room in tatters. That would mean that he was unprotected against the poison still in the atmosphere.
"Where are you Zan?" Rath called out in near panic.
"Well, well, well, look who we have found." one of the policemen commented.
Rath was surprised that the men in black were more concerned about the rebels than they were about Zan. He turned to see the policeman pulling Tentious' body from the melee of unconscious victims. Rath felt violently sick, as beneath Tentious was the limp body of Taysha. Perhaps she had got her revenge after all.
***
Apart from a group of well-armed Kalithens who held the landing bays, the rebellion was quickly put down. With the rest of the ship secured, those in the landing bays would soon be subdued, the climate controls were on the bridge, they would freeze them out. The rebels had not expected any Perdreians to survive the gas, and had lost the element of surprise. Far more Kalithens took the Perdreian side than they had expected. Only Rath's quick reactions saved the few Perdreians that had managed to get into their survival suits. One of the Police officers congratulated Rath, and told him King Xandor would not forget how quickly he reacted. Rath knew, though, that with Zan dead, King Xandor would punish them all. When the captured rebels were safely locked away, a search was conducted for Prince Zan. There were many volunteers. The day was nearly over, the whole ship was now secured and there was still no sign of their Prince, or of his body. A communications officer appeared in front of Rath, looking extremely flustered. There was a look of wild-eyed terror on his face.
"What now?" groaned Rath.
"Urgent Message, Lord Rath. High frequency from Antar."
Had they heard already? Rath asked himself. Had King Xandor already heard of the death of his son? He looked at the message foil, and his shoulders slumped.
"Oh, Fathers of the Universe!" he beseeched, even though he had never believed in Gods. "Just one piece of luck. Just one piece of good news."
There was a strange buzzing in Rath's ears, that hurt him far worse than the whine of the Star Drive. A voice spoke directly into his mind.
"Rath... Help me Rath.... We're in trouble!"
***
The Importance of Being Elizabeth (CC,M/L,MTURE) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 2
Part 9
There were two members of the Royal Guard waiting outside his door when Zan left his room, early the morning after he and Taysha had visited the Observation Chamber. He knew at once that Rath was sensing trouble approaching. He himself had been sensing it for days now.
"Guardsman Borad!" one snapped to attention.
"Guardsman Geltar!" the other one added.
Zan chuckled at their introductions. There was no need for either one to announce their name, but this was a protocol thing. Zan knew both of these Perdreian warriors, very well. It would not surprise him if he learned they had volunteered for this duty. Their presence though meant only one thing. Rath's spies had ferreted out some information that he did not like. Although Rath often came across as having no sense of responsibility, Rath took his allocated duties to Prince Zan seriously. One of those duties was to protect Zan at all costs.
"Lord Rath's orders?" he simply asked, looking at the guard nearest to him.
The guards both nodded.
Zan carefully looked at the two men, inspecting them, gauging whether they might somehow impede his plans. He wondered where their loyalties would lie, at this moment. He knew, however, he could not get rid of them.
"Right then." He ordered. "Follow me, guardsmen."
"Our apologies your highness." One said in a calm, assured voice. "Our orders are to keep you safely in your room."
Zan had never really been one to ram his title down the throats of others, but then, he didn't usually have to.
"Are you aware of the penalties for disobeying the Crown Prince of Antar?" he asked in a voice calculated to be as icy as the frozen tundra back home on Antar.
"Yes sir!" the two men barked, suddenly a little less sure of themselves.
"And do you think that Lord Rath's punishment could in any way be worse?"
The two men looked at each other in resignation.
"Now that we have that sorted out, are you going to stand there, or will you follow me?"
Zan lead the two men to the depths of the ship, to the landing bays, where the scout ships departed and returned to and from the planet below. He was in luck; a scout ship was almost ready to leave. A Kalithen sat in the Flight Technician's seat checking his details. He looked startled when the three men climbed into the back.
"Sorry, but I have no passengers listed on my schedule." he announced looking up. "You'll have to leave!" His eyes widened when he saw his passenger. "I... I'm... I'm sorry, your highness." he stammered. "I... I... didn't realise it was you."
"Are you all set to go?" Zan asked. "Yes sir. If you'll just let me inform control of your presence."
"No, that won't be necessary." Zan urged, eager to get away before Rath found out. "Just go."
"But your highness..."
"Just go." Zan ordered impatiently.
The call from the planet was loud now; every moment was becoming painful.
Although the Flight Technician was extremely agitated, he finally took off. A sense of relief swept over Zan as the ship was finally left behind him. He turned his head and looked at it. He did not know where it had come from, but the spacecraft had been found generations ago, floating on the Holy Sea. It was many years before they were able to understand its technology, and more years to convert its strange interiors to fit their physical shapes. Despite its age, it was better than any space ship any of the Five Planets could build, and the only one capable of sustaining light speed through the wormhole. With a sigh, he turned his head towards the looming planet. Earth.
***
The Kalithen Flight Technician was very nervous about landing on the surface, especially when he found out that Prince Zan was going to leave the ship, and explore a little. That had not been his original mission. While he was there on the surface of this planet, he would be out of communications contact with the Mother ship, a fact he did not like. Add to this the harmful atmosphere outside. He hoped Prince Zan would not make him get out. When the engines had finally closed down, Zan and his two guards emerged from the ship, stepping onto the strange planet. Zan laughed at the Flight Technicians relief when Zan ordered him to remain inside. It was quite dark outside, for the sun was still on the opposite side of the planet. Above them a moon shone brightly, giving the three men an almost clear view of the rocky, barren terrain.
"What now, sir?" Borad asked nervously.
Zan waved his hand across the scout ship, which suddenly looked like a simple outcrop of rocks. Borad and Geltar looked amazed.
"How did you do that, sir?" Geltar asked, placing his hand on the new rock formation, surprised that it felt like real rocks.
"I don't know." Zan answered looking at his hand strangely.
It was true, he didn't know, a voice told him he could do it, so he did.
"Should we alter our physical shapes at all?" Borad asked.
"No. I don't think that will be necessary." Zan answered, looking around at the landscape before them.
"What if some Earthlings see us?" Geltar asked.
He was worried that he would not be able to protect his Prince.
"Look around you." Zan laughed. "I doubt there are any Earthlings anywhere near here. We're in the middle of nowhere. We'll find it easier to move in our natural forms. Besides, do any of us know what shapes to take?"
The only Earthling Zan had ever seen, close enough to appreciate the strange features, was the young girl in his vision. He laughed silently at the though of taking a female's shape. The Earthlings he saw on the images Taysha had shown him last night were too distant, he could never copy their features.
Leaving the Kalithen Flight Technician in the safety of the ship, the three Perdreians followed a narrow path down the side of a large scree, heading for the level plain below. In the distance, they could all see a large semicircular shape that appeared to have once been some kind of large community. Even from this distance, they could see that the structures were ruins. It was this structure that was calling him. To the left of these ruins, in the lee of a small outcrop of rocks, they could make out the glow of a campfire. They were clearly not alone out here after all. Borad and Geltar exchanged nervous glances.
The early morning sun slowly rose above the distant mountains to the east, turning everything shades of pink, red and orange. The three Perdreians stopped, and looked upon the sight in wonder. They had no such sunrises on Antar, their atmosphere was too clean. He suddenly wished he could show this to amazing sight to Taysha, a thought that puzzled him.
"How can a people lead such ugly lives when they are surrounded by such beauty?" Zan asked, remembering the images he saw of people in those special compounds.
Borad and Geltar shook their heads. As one, all three turned back down the path, gently continuing their descent. The path led them into a sort of canyon, a large gully, which they had to cross before they would be able to rise up to the plain, now standing above them. After a short discussion, they decided to sit out the rest of the day in the shade of the rock walls, and rise to the plain after sunset. There were Earthlings nearby, and they did not want to meet them.
"What are we doing here, your highness?" Geltar asked while they hid from the burning sun.
It was a fair question, Zan decided, they were risking their lives because of his foolishness.
"I... I'm not sure." He answered honestly. "I know that I am supposed to be here. I know that I am supposed to visit those buildings we saw last night."
"Forgive me, my lord." Borad added. "But what possible reason could there be to visit old buildings that have been destroyed? We will learn nothing of their technology from that."
"I don't think this has anything to do with the survey, Guradsman Borad." Zan answered. "Can I just ask you to trust me on this one? It just that... I mean I... I can't really explain it."
He let out a deep sigh of relief when the two guards nodded their heads. How could Zan explain this to someone else, when he hardly understood it himself? Somehow, saying that something was calling him, that a voice spoke in his head sounded so... lame.
***
It was as they walked along the moonlit path that the accident happened. A few pebbles and some loose earth fell, causing all three men to look up. They all saw the avalanche of large rocks, and huge clumps of earth falling towards them. Geltar reacted instantly, pushing Zan towards Borad. Almost instinctively, Borad threw Zan to the ground, and leapt over him, covering his body with his own, as the rubble and rocks cascaded down the cliff side, piling into the three men. When all grew silent, Geltar managed to crawl from the rubble, but was unable to stand. His leg hurt too much. He crawled to Borad who was motionless, still covering his Prince. A quick check showed that he lived. He was almost too frightened to check on Zan. Geltar breathed a huge sigh of relief when he felt his pulse.
Of the three of them, Zan was the only one not badly hurt, with just a minor head injury, and so it was he who tended to the others. Geltar tried to object, but Zan insisted. They had no medical supplies, so he tore strips from their suits, and used dried sticks he found amongst the rubble to bind the broken limbs. Geltar only had a broken leg, but Borad was in a worse condition. Both legs and an arm were badly fractured, along with some ribs, and maybe his skull. Zan would do everything within his power to make sure he survived. He wished he had the ability to heal. When he returned to Antar, he promised himself, he would learn it.
There was a now a problem with their provisions. They had lost their packs in the avalanche, their food and their flasks of water smashed by the rocks. They could feel the moisture being sucked from them by the heat of the desert sun. Zan had no means of contacting the Scout ship, and he did not want to leave his colleagues exposed and alone like this. He tried to make contact the only way he knew how, with his mind. He spent the next hour trying to contact the mind of the Scout Ship Flight Technician, but he could not find it, it was if he had left the ship. He only succeeded in making himself tired, but he had to keep trying. He tried to reach up to the Mother ship, a feat he would find difficult at his most healthy.
"Rath..." he called. "Help me Rath... We're in trouble." The effort was unbelievable, and the pain that shot through his mind stunned him. He collapsed in a heap, exhausted beyond belief. He finally fell into unconsciousness as the sun was rising, with a single word on his lips. "Taysha."
***
He was finally awakened by the welcome trickle of water that gently ran along his dried lips. He allowed a little bit to ease into his mouth, when he suddenly remembered his predicament. He realised that Geltar must have somehow found some water, and was seeing to his Prince first. He sat up intent on making sure that Borad and Geltar, being more badly injured than himself, were made comfortable first. He realised with a start that it was not Geltar that was helping him, but someone else, a stranger, an Earthling. In complete wide-eyed fear, he looked at the person looming over him. It was a female, with long dark hair. With a terrible shock, he realised that the woman was the one from his vision when he had touched Taysha. It was the young woman whose life he had been trying to save.
***
There were two members of the Royal Guard waiting outside his door when Zan left his room, early the morning after he and Taysha had visited the Observation Chamber. He knew at once that Rath was sensing trouble approaching. He himself had been sensing it for days now.
"Guardsman Borad!" one snapped to attention.
"Guardsman Geltar!" the other one added.
Zan chuckled at their introductions. There was no need for either one to announce their name, but this was a protocol thing. Zan knew both of these Perdreian warriors, very well. It would not surprise him if he learned they had volunteered for this duty. Their presence though meant only one thing. Rath's spies had ferreted out some information that he did not like. Although Rath often came across as having no sense of responsibility, Rath took his allocated duties to Prince Zan seriously. One of those duties was to protect Zan at all costs.
"Lord Rath's orders?" he simply asked, looking at the guard nearest to him.
The guards both nodded.
Zan carefully looked at the two men, inspecting them, gauging whether they might somehow impede his plans. He wondered where their loyalties would lie, at this moment. He knew, however, he could not get rid of them.
"Right then." He ordered. "Follow me, guardsmen."
"Our apologies your highness." One said in a calm, assured voice. "Our orders are to keep you safely in your room."
Zan had never really been one to ram his title down the throats of others, but then, he didn't usually have to.
"Are you aware of the penalties for disobeying the Crown Prince of Antar?" he asked in a voice calculated to be as icy as the frozen tundra back home on Antar.
"Yes sir!" the two men barked, suddenly a little less sure of themselves.
"And do you think that Lord Rath's punishment could in any way be worse?"
The two men looked at each other in resignation.
"Now that we have that sorted out, are you going to stand there, or will you follow me?"
Zan lead the two men to the depths of the ship, to the landing bays, where the scout ships departed and returned to and from the planet below. He was in luck; a scout ship was almost ready to leave. A Kalithen sat in the Flight Technician's seat checking his details. He looked startled when the three men climbed into the back.
"Sorry, but I have no passengers listed on my schedule." he announced looking up. "You'll have to leave!" His eyes widened when he saw his passenger. "I... I'm... I'm sorry, your highness." he stammered. "I... I... didn't realise it was you."
"Are you all set to go?" Zan asked. "Yes sir. If you'll just let me inform control of your presence."
"No, that won't be necessary." Zan urged, eager to get away before Rath found out. "Just go."
"But your highness..."
"Just go." Zan ordered impatiently.
The call from the planet was loud now; every moment was becoming painful.
Although the Flight Technician was extremely agitated, he finally took off. A sense of relief swept over Zan as the ship was finally left behind him. He turned his head and looked at it. He did not know where it had come from, but the spacecraft had been found generations ago, floating on the Holy Sea. It was many years before they were able to understand its technology, and more years to convert its strange interiors to fit their physical shapes. Despite its age, it was better than any space ship any of the Five Planets could build, and the only one capable of sustaining light speed through the wormhole. With a sigh, he turned his head towards the looming planet. Earth.
***
The Kalithen Flight Technician was very nervous about landing on the surface, especially when he found out that Prince Zan was going to leave the ship, and explore a little. That had not been his original mission. While he was there on the surface of this planet, he would be out of communications contact with the Mother ship, a fact he did not like. Add to this the harmful atmosphere outside. He hoped Prince Zan would not make him get out. When the engines had finally closed down, Zan and his two guards emerged from the ship, stepping onto the strange planet. Zan laughed at the Flight Technicians relief when Zan ordered him to remain inside. It was quite dark outside, for the sun was still on the opposite side of the planet. Above them a moon shone brightly, giving the three men an almost clear view of the rocky, barren terrain.
"What now, sir?" Borad asked nervously.
Zan waved his hand across the scout ship, which suddenly looked like a simple outcrop of rocks. Borad and Geltar looked amazed.
"How did you do that, sir?" Geltar asked, placing his hand on the new rock formation, surprised that it felt like real rocks.
"I don't know." Zan answered looking at his hand strangely.
It was true, he didn't know, a voice told him he could do it, so he did.
"Should we alter our physical shapes at all?" Borad asked.
"No. I don't think that will be necessary." Zan answered, looking around at the landscape before them.
"What if some Earthlings see us?" Geltar asked.
He was worried that he would not be able to protect his Prince.
"Look around you." Zan laughed. "I doubt there are any Earthlings anywhere near here. We're in the middle of nowhere. We'll find it easier to move in our natural forms. Besides, do any of us know what shapes to take?"
The only Earthling Zan had ever seen, close enough to appreciate the strange features, was the young girl in his vision. He laughed silently at the though of taking a female's shape. The Earthlings he saw on the images Taysha had shown him last night were too distant, he could never copy their features.
Leaving the Kalithen Flight Technician in the safety of the ship, the three Perdreians followed a narrow path down the side of a large scree, heading for the level plain below. In the distance, they could all see a large semicircular shape that appeared to have once been some kind of large community. Even from this distance, they could see that the structures were ruins. It was this structure that was calling him. To the left of these ruins, in the lee of a small outcrop of rocks, they could make out the glow of a campfire. They were clearly not alone out here after all. Borad and Geltar exchanged nervous glances.
The early morning sun slowly rose above the distant mountains to the east, turning everything shades of pink, red and orange. The three Perdreians stopped, and looked upon the sight in wonder. They had no such sunrises on Antar, their atmosphere was too clean. He suddenly wished he could show this to amazing sight to Taysha, a thought that puzzled him.
"How can a people lead such ugly lives when they are surrounded by such beauty?" Zan asked, remembering the images he saw of people in those special compounds.
Borad and Geltar shook their heads. As one, all three turned back down the path, gently continuing their descent. The path led them into a sort of canyon, a large gully, which they had to cross before they would be able to rise up to the plain, now standing above them. After a short discussion, they decided to sit out the rest of the day in the shade of the rock walls, and rise to the plain after sunset. There were Earthlings nearby, and they did not want to meet them.
"What are we doing here, your highness?" Geltar asked while they hid from the burning sun.
It was a fair question, Zan decided, they were risking their lives because of his foolishness.
"I... I'm not sure." He answered honestly. "I know that I am supposed to be here. I know that I am supposed to visit those buildings we saw last night."
"Forgive me, my lord." Borad added. "But what possible reason could there be to visit old buildings that have been destroyed? We will learn nothing of their technology from that."
"I don't think this has anything to do with the survey, Guradsman Borad." Zan answered. "Can I just ask you to trust me on this one? It just that... I mean I... I can't really explain it."
He let out a deep sigh of relief when the two guards nodded their heads. How could Zan explain this to someone else, when he hardly understood it himself? Somehow, saying that something was calling him, that a voice spoke in his head sounded so... lame.
***
It was as they walked along the moonlit path that the accident happened. A few pebbles and some loose earth fell, causing all three men to look up. They all saw the avalanche of large rocks, and huge clumps of earth falling towards them. Geltar reacted instantly, pushing Zan towards Borad. Almost instinctively, Borad threw Zan to the ground, and leapt over him, covering his body with his own, as the rubble and rocks cascaded down the cliff side, piling into the three men. When all grew silent, Geltar managed to crawl from the rubble, but was unable to stand. His leg hurt too much. He crawled to Borad who was motionless, still covering his Prince. A quick check showed that he lived. He was almost too frightened to check on Zan. Geltar breathed a huge sigh of relief when he felt his pulse.
Of the three of them, Zan was the only one not badly hurt, with just a minor head injury, and so it was he who tended to the others. Geltar tried to object, but Zan insisted. They had no medical supplies, so he tore strips from their suits, and used dried sticks he found amongst the rubble to bind the broken limbs. Geltar only had a broken leg, but Borad was in a worse condition. Both legs and an arm were badly fractured, along with some ribs, and maybe his skull. Zan would do everything within his power to make sure he survived. He wished he had the ability to heal. When he returned to Antar, he promised himself, he would learn it.
There was a now a problem with their provisions. They had lost their packs in the avalanche, their food and their flasks of water smashed by the rocks. They could feel the moisture being sucked from them by the heat of the desert sun. Zan had no means of contacting the Scout ship, and he did not want to leave his colleagues exposed and alone like this. He tried to make contact the only way he knew how, with his mind. He spent the next hour trying to contact the mind of the Scout Ship Flight Technician, but he could not find it, it was if he had left the ship. He only succeeded in making himself tired, but he had to keep trying. He tried to reach up to the Mother ship, a feat he would find difficult at his most healthy.
"Rath..." he called. "Help me Rath... We're in trouble." The effort was unbelievable, and the pain that shot through his mind stunned him. He collapsed in a heap, exhausted beyond belief. He finally fell into unconsciousness as the sun was rising, with a single word on his lips. "Taysha."
***
He was finally awakened by the welcome trickle of water that gently ran along his dried lips. He allowed a little bit to ease into his mouth, when he suddenly remembered his predicament. He realised that Geltar must have somehow found some water, and was seeing to his Prince first. He sat up intent on making sure that Borad and Geltar, being more badly injured than himself, were made comfortable first. He realised with a start that it was not Geltar that was helping him, but someone else, a stranger, an Earthling. In complete wide-eyed fear, he looked at the person looming over him. It was a female, with long dark hair. With a terrible shock, he realised that the woman was the one from his vision when he had touched Taysha. It was the young woman whose life he had been trying to save.
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 2
Part 10
Pushing himself away from young Earthling woman who herself looked startled, Zan crawled backwards, towards the wall where his companions lay. Although he knew that he was much too weak to try to defend himself fully, he wanted to at least try to protect his men. When he reached them however, he noticed that the ragged attempts he had made at patching them up had been replaced with crisp white bandages, and they both were sleeping peacefully. The beautiful young woman caught his attention, and held her container up to him, her eyes looking quizzical. She was obviously trying to ask him something. Do these Earthlings have no means of communication other than signalling each other? Perhaps they communicate telepathically.
"I wish you could understand." She spoke quietly, the frustration in her voice obvious. She lifted her canteen up again, carefully, and loudly pronouncing the word, "Wa - ter"
"I do understand." Zan said, feeling relieved that they could at least communicate, yet amazed that they spoke the same language.
"Oh, thank goodness." She smiled. "Drink this. It's water."
He gratefully accepted the canteen from her, but turned to his two companions.
"No, its Okay." The woman said. "I've already seen to them. Its just you, now."
Zan nodded gratefully, and started to drink. He knew that he should be suspicious of this woman, but for some reason, he felt that he could trust her. After all, he thought, carefully studying her as he drank deeply, this was the girl that he had seen in his vision. From her slight frame, her long dark hair and her beautiful face to her... wait... no. He stopped drinking, and lowered the canteen, staring intently at the girl, his eyes narrowed.
"What?" She laughed nervously, seeing his searching looks. "Have I grown horns, or something?"
Her blue eyes twinkled in the sunlight. That was it. The girl in his vision had brown eyes, beautiful deep brown eyes. This woman's eyes were beautiful, but they were blue. He shook the thought from his mind. This was not the time to consider his strange dreams and visions, he and his colleagues were in trouble.
"Thank you for tending to my men." he said.
"Your men?" she asked. "Forgive me, but you don't look like any of the men that I know. You don't even look... like humans."
He looked up at her sharply.
"What did you say?" He demanded, feeling chills run down his spine. "H'Manz?"
"No... humans. That's what I am. A human. We, that is, the people here, on this planet, we call ourselves Human."
Humans, H'Manz. Rath would freak; his fairy tales were coming alive. Zan was convinced now that these were the people prophesied to destroy the Five Planets.
"Are you going to kill us?" he asked quietly, now fearing his death.
I don't want to die, he thought, and please, I want to see Taysha again. He wished now that he had told Taysha the truth. About him, that is. She deserved that, at least. Why must people keep secrets from those they care about?
"Why would I do anything like that?" she laughed. "After I went to the trouble of patching the other two up."
"Because we are enemies," he replied, cautiously. "Sorry, mister." She sighed. "We have enough enemies with the Germans and the Japanese. I don't need any more enemies. Do you know what happened to your ship? Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Zan looked at the woman. She certainly did not seem hostile; neither did she appear threatened by the fact that she was alone with three complete strangers, from another planet, no less.
"You're alien, aren't you?" she asked.
Though it was more like a statement.
"No, we are Perdreian, from the planet Antar." he answered.
"Okay... " she smiled. "We use the term 'alien' to describe a being from another planet."
"Oh. I see. That is why you are not afraid."
"Why am I not afraid?" she asked in confusion.
"Because you have obviously had contact with other 'ay - lee- ans'. We were not aware of that."
"No." she shook her head. "So far as I'm aware, you are the only aliens ever seen. Around here, anyway, and certainly by me."
"And you are not frightened?"
"No." she said after a long searching stare. "Not of you anyway. You have this... I don't know, this kind of... aura about you. Princely, almost."
Beside him, now awake, Geltar laughed. The woman and Zan both looked at him.
"Earthling," he said with a chuckle, "I have the honour of introducing his Royal Highness, Prince Zan, son of King Xandor, heir to the throne of Antar and the Five Planets."
"I'm pleased to meet you." She replied with a deep breath. "My name is Claudia. Claudia White."
***
They slept fitfully for the rest of the day, while Claudia did her best to see to it that they remained comfortable. Zan finally awoke while the sun was just setting. As with the sunrise yesterday morning, this was another beautiful sight.
"Lovely, isn't it? Claudia asked quietly, noticing Zan looking at the natural wonder.
"It's incredible. We have nothing like this on Antar." Zan replied, not looking away from the scene before him. "How is it that you can be surrounded by such beauty, yet wage such senseless wars."
Claudia looked carefully at Zan, as if searching for some hidden thing. Feeling her watching him, Zan looked to her, and smiled sadly.
"It depends upon where you look at the war from, Prince Zan." She answered quietly "Some things are worth going to war for."
"Please, Claudia White, call me Zan." He brightened. "And tell me more."
"Okay," she returned his smile. "But only if you call me Claudia."
He listened intently as she told him about the history of the war, of America's original isolationist stance, and how a surprise attack by another enemy had finally pulled them into the war a little over a year ago. Then, she told him about another war, one they claimed would end all wars, and when she finished with that one, she told of another, and another. Each time, she tried to explain the causes of each war. Then she told him of a war that split her own country in two, dividing North against South, brother against brother. She explained how from the North's point of view, it was a war to end the abhorrent condition of slavery, while from the South's point of view, it was because of the North's envy at their prosperous Southern neighbours, rapidly becoming economically superior because of their use of slave labour. Abolishing slavery was a convenient excuse for the North.
"So who is right?" Zan finally asked her.
Claudia shook her head sadly.
"The winners." She said softly. "It is the winners of a war who write the history books."
Zan was amazed. This young woman was no more than seventeen years old, and she was far more fascinating than any tutor he had ever had. In so many ways, she reminded him of Taysha. Once again, his mind drifted slightly as he considered Taysha's fine features, etched in his memory. He truly wished he had kissed her, that other evening which seemed a lifetime ago now.
"Tell me about Antar." She asked after they had seen to the other two.
The sun had long since set revealing a beautiful starry night. Zan searched the heavens hopefully, but could not see the stars that made up up his home. He told her all he knew of their geography, their history, their politics, of his father, and the rebel factions that threatened to bring a turbulent era to his planet. He apologised for not knowing as much about his planet as she knew about hers. She had laughed, telling him that he seemed to know more than he let on. Then, almost without thinking, he told her about Taysha, what he had felt about her, and what she had told him regarding her problems with who she thought was Zan. He neglected to tell her of his visions, or his dreams.
Claudia looked carefully at the man. Although he seemed so strange, she could not help but be attracted to him. He had a demeanour about him; she called it his aura; that made her willing to listen to him and to trust him implicitly. He must be a great man, and well-loved at home, she thought. He will one day be a great King. She could easily detect the passion in his voice as he talked about a woman on his ship.
"You are in love with Lady Taysha." She said quietly. "Aren't you?"
It was almost an accusation. A strange smile appeared on Zan's face, as he finally admitted the truth to himself. Claudia was right, he had fallen in love with Taysha, probably from the first time that he had met her. Zan looked at Claudia carefully, was that a look of jealousy he detected?
"You are wrong!" Geltar announced from his position close to the fire. "Everyone knows that Prince Zan loves only the Lady Ava. They belong together, it is written in the stars. When they marry, Antar will be forever united in peace." Zan smiled sadly.
***
"What are you doing here, Claudia?" Zan asked a short while later.
"Oh." She smiled. "I love archaeology, um... the study of human history. The ancient peoples who used to live around here fascinate me. You know, the stuff of their civilisations, and the symbols they have left. They left so many mysteries behind them, I would love to be involved in solving some of them. They were called the Anasazi. An old Indian, ah... a man whose people have lived here for many centuries before my people arrived, told me it means 'The Ancient Enemy'."
Zan looked up sharply. The ancient enemy?
"I want to study this in college." She continued. "My ambition is to write a book, one day."
She paused, expecting Zan to make the usual comment she received from the males she told this to. Some gibberish about a home and having babies. Sure, she wanted these, but not on someone else's terms. The comment didn't come, however. Instead, he simply seemed to be thinking about this.
"What about you Zan?" she asked gently. "Why are you here?"
He had already told her about the scientific survey, so he guessed she meant why was he here on the surface of her planet. Zan looked over to Borad and Geltar, to make sure that they were not listening. He did not want them to know the truth. Especially since they had almost been killed because of it. Cautiously, Zan told her of the strange voice that called him to visit this spot, how the call seemed to come from ruins up on the plain. He was expecting her to think he had perhaps lost some of his faculties, to laugh at him. Instead, she looked at him understandingly. Claudia did not tell Zan that she herself had heard a voice telling her to investigate this very canyon.
"Claudia, would you look after my men, while I continue my quest?" he asked suddenly.
Claudia, and Geltar looked up sharply at him. "I don't think that it is wise that you go alone!" Geltar offered. "Make me a crutch, that I may accompany you."
"No, Geltar. Thank you for your concern, but I could get there and back in the time it takes the two of us to just get there."
"I cannot allow you to go alone, your highness." He looked over to Claudia, his mind considering something. "Take the girl. I will look after Borad."
The now conscious Borad nodded his agreement. Neither man wanted Zan unprotected, but the Earth woman was the only help available. All three looked to Claudia.
"Can we trust you to look after our Prince?" Geltar asked. "That you will not hand him over to your warriors?"
The look that she cast at Zan, who now stood to one side of the group, assured Geltar that she could be trusted. It appeared that Claudia White had fallen in love with his prince.
"Actually, I can do better than that." Claudia said firmly. "I have a jeep, a vehicle, back at my camp. I can go back and get it. There is path that leads down into this canyon a ways back. I can bring the jeep right up here. We can put Borad and Geltar into the back, and all of us can drive to the ruins. They would make a better place to wait than an exposed place like this."
Zan looked at her deep in thought. Although the call was strong, Claudia was right, he had to get his men into some shelter.
"That is good, Claudia." he said at last. "I will wait here while you go and get your vehicle."
***
The day was almost over when the whine of an engine attracted their attention. They watched in disbelief at the ancient mode of transport that approached them. Both Borad and Geltar exchanged amused glances.
"Keep your comments to yourself." Zan reminded them with a gentle chuckle."She is doing us a great service."
Claudia had brought a better first aid kit with her, and her camp bed. With fresh bandages, Claudia attended to the men's wounds. "You do this well, Claudia White." Borad grimaced as she tended his more painful injuries. "My older sister is training to be a nurse." She smiled. "She teaches me what she learns. She says you never know when it will come in handy."
"Then your sister is a wise woman indeed."
They strapped Borad to the camp bed that Claudia had brought, and lifted him onto the back of the jeep. Geltar and Zan climbed up with him, to make sure he remained safe and comfortable. Very carefully, Claudia retraced her route, trying her best to avoid the bumps and potholes, for this was no road. Borad was obviously in a lot of pain, but he bore it as best he could, never complaining, never crying out. The sun had long since set, and the jeep's meagre headlights did not do a very good job of finding the best route. A little before midnight, they finally arrived at the ruins that had been calling Zan. The complex seemed to form a squashed semi circle, with a bank of buildings built along the flat edge, raised in three steps. Some of the buildings seemed in the darkness to be circular. It was from one of these that the pull was coming. At Claudia's insistence, they placed the two injured men in one of the more complete rooms, towards the back of the largest building, where they would be safe from the elements, and the prying eyes of any passing strangers.
Zan stood, looking towards the circular building that called him, from the opposite end of the structure.
"It's called a khiva." Claudia said from behind him. "It used to be as high as three stories. Great wooden pillars, hauled from forests hundreds of miles away held up the floors."
"What happened here?" Zan asked quietly. "Was it a war?"
"No one knows for sure." She shrugged. "They just left. The thing is, there's evidence to suggest that they caused some of this ruin themselves."
"How so, Claudia?" Zan asked.
"Well, the roofs of the khivas seem to have been deliberately dismantled, and the wooden floors and supports were set on fire."
Claudia explained how the buildings were made, with square chambers, and the round buildings called khivas. She told him she thought it strange that these people would go to all the trouble to build this structure, yet not live in it. She explained how other similar structures existed, some distance away in straight lines from each other, aligned along one of their walls.
"It's as if these khivas do not belong here." Zan said carefully. "Like they are... I don't know, a kind of warning."
"You mean you think they may have built the khivas amongst the other buildings just to warm someone?" she asked. "That's stretching it a bit."
"Do you think that the fires were some kind of signal?" he asked, quietly.
"Who for?"
"Me?"
Claudia stared at Zan for a moment before realising that he was not joking. He turned away from her slowly, returning his gaze at the same khiva again.
"It will still be there tomorrow, Zan." she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we get some sleep."
Zan hardly slept at all. The pull from the khiva was intense, but he resisted the temptation to go. Claudia awoke, prepared a breakfast for them, and then checked on Borad and Geltar's comfort. At last, they were ready to leave.
"We'll make for the khiva that calls you," she told Zan, "and then swing by my camp and pick up the rest of my stuff. It isn't far."
"This way." He said, leading Claudia across the courtyard.
Tentatively, Claudia placed her hand in Zan's, and she was pleased when he firmly gripped it. She looked up at him, with a big smile. Her legs went weak when he returned the smile. She did not know how she managed to continue. Inside the khiva, they wandered around, taking in the huge structure. Zan stopped over a very solid looking section of the floor, and knelt down to study it. Whatever it was that called him, it was here. Unhesitatingly, he pushed his hand through the solid rock, causing Claudia to look on in wide eyed amazement. His hand emerged holding a small wooden box, ornately decorate with carved symbols. The voice in his head cheered. Claudia gasped, and when Zan looked up at her, he knew she had heard the cheer too.
Inside the box was a pendant, made of a smooth flat stone, with a small hole at one end, through which was looped a long thin strip of leather. Engraved into the stone was another symbol, one that resembled a galaxy spiral. Zan gasped. It was the symbol his people used to represent his galaxy.
"It's a spirit stone," Claudia told him quietly, looking over his shoulder. "It's supposed to be big magic."
"What does it do?" he asked, looking up at her.
"Well, according to legend, its supposed to hold the spirit of the wearer, should the wearer die."
"What happens then?"
"I don't know," laughed Claudia. "I've never met anyone who died wearing one."
Zan laughed with her.
"Are you done here, do you think?" she asked.
Rising to his feet, Zan nodded his head; he no longer felt the pull. For some reason, he knew that he had found what he was supposed to find.
"Come on," Claudia said to him, again taking his hand, "My camp is just over there."
As they rounded the bend to her camp, Claudia stopped suddenly, and pushed Zan behind a boulder.
"Wait here," she hissed. He remained crouched as she walked towards a figure he had momentarily seen. If she was ever going to betray him, it would be now.
"Claudia." A voice greeted her warmly. "We were getting worried about you." "We, Deputy Valenti?" she asked. "Okay, I was getting worried. And you know you can call me Jim."
"Why were you worried Jim?" she asked. "You know I often come out here. And aren't you a little way out of your jurisdiction?"
"Soon as I heard about the sighting, I came out here to protect you."
"What sighting?" she asked tensely.
"Some hikers saw a Japanese plane land out here the other night. Don't want you running into a bunch of Japs now, do we."
"There are no Japs out here, Jim. Go Home. I have work to do."
"Not until you agree to go to the Valentine's Dance with me next Saturday night."
"Jim. It's a high school dance. You dropped out of High School, when?"
"No one will mind me being there. You know, some consider me a great catch."
"Not me, Jim. Now go home."
The man looked at her for a while, and finally turned towards the vehicle behind him. She waited until she was sure he was gone before she came to get Zan.
"Are you alright?" He asked, noticing her look of tension.
"Are you busy Saturday night?" she asked with a forced grin.
***
Pushing himself away from young Earthling woman who herself looked startled, Zan crawled backwards, towards the wall where his companions lay. Although he knew that he was much too weak to try to defend himself fully, he wanted to at least try to protect his men. When he reached them however, he noticed that the ragged attempts he had made at patching them up had been replaced with crisp white bandages, and they both were sleeping peacefully. The beautiful young woman caught his attention, and held her container up to him, her eyes looking quizzical. She was obviously trying to ask him something. Do these Earthlings have no means of communication other than signalling each other? Perhaps they communicate telepathically.
"I wish you could understand." She spoke quietly, the frustration in her voice obvious. She lifted her canteen up again, carefully, and loudly pronouncing the word, "Wa - ter"
"I do understand." Zan said, feeling relieved that they could at least communicate, yet amazed that they spoke the same language.
"Oh, thank goodness." She smiled. "Drink this. It's water."
He gratefully accepted the canteen from her, but turned to his two companions.
"No, its Okay." The woman said. "I've already seen to them. Its just you, now."
Zan nodded gratefully, and started to drink. He knew that he should be suspicious of this woman, but for some reason, he felt that he could trust her. After all, he thought, carefully studying her as he drank deeply, this was the girl that he had seen in his vision. From her slight frame, her long dark hair and her beautiful face to her... wait... no. He stopped drinking, and lowered the canteen, staring intently at the girl, his eyes narrowed.
"What?" She laughed nervously, seeing his searching looks. "Have I grown horns, or something?"
Her blue eyes twinkled in the sunlight. That was it. The girl in his vision had brown eyes, beautiful deep brown eyes. This woman's eyes were beautiful, but they were blue. He shook the thought from his mind. This was not the time to consider his strange dreams and visions, he and his colleagues were in trouble.
"Thank you for tending to my men." he said.
"Your men?" she asked. "Forgive me, but you don't look like any of the men that I know. You don't even look... like humans."
He looked up at her sharply.
"What did you say?" He demanded, feeling chills run down his spine. "H'Manz?"
"No... humans. That's what I am. A human. We, that is, the people here, on this planet, we call ourselves Human."
Humans, H'Manz. Rath would freak; his fairy tales were coming alive. Zan was convinced now that these were the people prophesied to destroy the Five Planets.
"Are you going to kill us?" he asked quietly, now fearing his death.
I don't want to die, he thought, and please, I want to see Taysha again. He wished now that he had told Taysha the truth. About him, that is. She deserved that, at least. Why must people keep secrets from those they care about?
"Why would I do anything like that?" she laughed. "After I went to the trouble of patching the other two up."
"Because we are enemies," he replied, cautiously. "Sorry, mister." She sighed. "We have enough enemies with the Germans and the Japanese. I don't need any more enemies. Do you know what happened to your ship? Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Zan looked at the woman. She certainly did not seem hostile; neither did she appear threatened by the fact that she was alone with three complete strangers, from another planet, no less.
"You're alien, aren't you?" she asked.
Though it was more like a statement.
"No, we are Perdreian, from the planet Antar." he answered.
"Okay... " she smiled. "We use the term 'alien' to describe a being from another planet."
"Oh. I see. That is why you are not afraid."
"Why am I not afraid?" she asked in confusion.
"Because you have obviously had contact with other 'ay - lee- ans'. We were not aware of that."
"No." she shook her head. "So far as I'm aware, you are the only aliens ever seen. Around here, anyway, and certainly by me."
"And you are not frightened?"
"No." she said after a long searching stare. "Not of you anyway. You have this... I don't know, this kind of... aura about you. Princely, almost."
Beside him, now awake, Geltar laughed. The woman and Zan both looked at him.
"Earthling," he said with a chuckle, "I have the honour of introducing his Royal Highness, Prince Zan, son of King Xandor, heir to the throne of Antar and the Five Planets."
"I'm pleased to meet you." She replied with a deep breath. "My name is Claudia. Claudia White."
***
They slept fitfully for the rest of the day, while Claudia did her best to see to it that they remained comfortable. Zan finally awoke while the sun was just setting. As with the sunrise yesterday morning, this was another beautiful sight.
"Lovely, isn't it? Claudia asked quietly, noticing Zan looking at the natural wonder.
"It's incredible. We have nothing like this on Antar." Zan replied, not looking away from the scene before him. "How is it that you can be surrounded by such beauty, yet wage such senseless wars."
Claudia looked carefully at Zan, as if searching for some hidden thing. Feeling her watching him, Zan looked to her, and smiled sadly.
"It depends upon where you look at the war from, Prince Zan." She answered quietly "Some things are worth going to war for."
"Please, Claudia White, call me Zan." He brightened. "And tell me more."
"Okay," she returned his smile. "But only if you call me Claudia."
He listened intently as she told him about the history of the war, of America's original isolationist stance, and how a surprise attack by another enemy had finally pulled them into the war a little over a year ago. Then, she told him about another war, one they claimed would end all wars, and when she finished with that one, she told of another, and another. Each time, she tried to explain the causes of each war. Then she told him of a war that split her own country in two, dividing North against South, brother against brother. She explained how from the North's point of view, it was a war to end the abhorrent condition of slavery, while from the South's point of view, it was because of the North's envy at their prosperous Southern neighbours, rapidly becoming economically superior because of their use of slave labour. Abolishing slavery was a convenient excuse for the North.
"So who is right?" Zan finally asked her.
Claudia shook her head sadly.
"The winners." She said softly. "It is the winners of a war who write the history books."
Zan was amazed. This young woman was no more than seventeen years old, and she was far more fascinating than any tutor he had ever had. In so many ways, she reminded him of Taysha. Once again, his mind drifted slightly as he considered Taysha's fine features, etched in his memory. He truly wished he had kissed her, that other evening which seemed a lifetime ago now.
"Tell me about Antar." She asked after they had seen to the other two.
The sun had long since set revealing a beautiful starry night. Zan searched the heavens hopefully, but could not see the stars that made up up his home. He told her all he knew of their geography, their history, their politics, of his father, and the rebel factions that threatened to bring a turbulent era to his planet. He apologised for not knowing as much about his planet as she knew about hers. She had laughed, telling him that he seemed to know more than he let on. Then, almost without thinking, he told her about Taysha, what he had felt about her, and what she had told him regarding her problems with who she thought was Zan. He neglected to tell her of his visions, or his dreams.
Claudia looked carefully at the man. Although he seemed so strange, she could not help but be attracted to him. He had a demeanour about him; she called it his aura; that made her willing to listen to him and to trust him implicitly. He must be a great man, and well-loved at home, she thought. He will one day be a great King. She could easily detect the passion in his voice as he talked about a woman on his ship.
"You are in love with Lady Taysha." She said quietly. "Aren't you?"
It was almost an accusation. A strange smile appeared on Zan's face, as he finally admitted the truth to himself. Claudia was right, he had fallen in love with Taysha, probably from the first time that he had met her. Zan looked at Claudia carefully, was that a look of jealousy he detected?
"You are wrong!" Geltar announced from his position close to the fire. "Everyone knows that Prince Zan loves only the Lady Ava. They belong together, it is written in the stars. When they marry, Antar will be forever united in peace." Zan smiled sadly.
***
"What are you doing here, Claudia?" Zan asked a short while later.
"Oh." She smiled. "I love archaeology, um... the study of human history. The ancient peoples who used to live around here fascinate me. You know, the stuff of their civilisations, and the symbols they have left. They left so many mysteries behind them, I would love to be involved in solving some of them. They were called the Anasazi. An old Indian, ah... a man whose people have lived here for many centuries before my people arrived, told me it means 'The Ancient Enemy'."
Zan looked up sharply. The ancient enemy?
"I want to study this in college." She continued. "My ambition is to write a book, one day."
She paused, expecting Zan to make the usual comment she received from the males she told this to. Some gibberish about a home and having babies. Sure, she wanted these, but not on someone else's terms. The comment didn't come, however. Instead, he simply seemed to be thinking about this.
"What about you Zan?" she asked gently. "Why are you here?"
He had already told her about the scientific survey, so he guessed she meant why was he here on the surface of her planet. Zan looked over to Borad and Geltar, to make sure that they were not listening. He did not want them to know the truth. Especially since they had almost been killed because of it. Cautiously, Zan told her of the strange voice that called him to visit this spot, how the call seemed to come from ruins up on the plain. He was expecting her to think he had perhaps lost some of his faculties, to laugh at him. Instead, she looked at him understandingly. Claudia did not tell Zan that she herself had heard a voice telling her to investigate this very canyon.
"Claudia, would you look after my men, while I continue my quest?" he asked suddenly.
Claudia, and Geltar looked up sharply at him. "I don't think that it is wise that you go alone!" Geltar offered. "Make me a crutch, that I may accompany you."
"No, Geltar. Thank you for your concern, but I could get there and back in the time it takes the two of us to just get there."
"I cannot allow you to go alone, your highness." He looked over to Claudia, his mind considering something. "Take the girl. I will look after Borad."
The now conscious Borad nodded his agreement. Neither man wanted Zan unprotected, but the Earth woman was the only help available. All three looked to Claudia.
"Can we trust you to look after our Prince?" Geltar asked. "That you will not hand him over to your warriors?"
The look that she cast at Zan, who now stood to one side of the group, assured Geltar that she could be trusted. It appeared that Claudia White had fallen in love with his prince.
"Actually, I can do better than that." Claudia said firmly. "I have a jeep, a vehicle, back at my camp. I can go back and get it. There is path that leads down into this canyon a ways back. I can bring the jeep right up here. We can put Borad and Geltar into the back, and all of us can drive to the ruins. They would make a better place to wait than an exposed place like this."
Zan looked at her deep in thought. Although the call was strong, Claudia was right, he had to get his men into some shelter.
"That is good, Claudia." he said at last. "I will wait here while you go and get your vehicle."
***
The day was almost over when the whine of an engine attracted their attention. They watched in disbelief at the ancient mode of transport that approached them. Both Borad and Geltar exchanged amused glances.
"Keep your comments to yourself." Zan reminded them with a gentle chuckle."She is doing us a great service."
Claudia had brought a better first aid kit with her, and her camp bed. With fresh bandages, Claudia attended to the men's wounds. "You do this well, Claudia White." Borad grimaced as she tended his more painful injuries. "My older sister is training to be a nurse." She smiled. "She teaches me what she learns. She says you never know when it will come in handy."
"Then your sister is a wise woman indeed."
They strapped Borad to the camp bed that Claudia had brought, and lifted him onto the back of the jeep. Geltar and Zan climbed up with him, to make sure he remained safe and comfortable. Very carefully, Claudia retraced her route, trying her best to avoid the bumps and potholes, for this was no road. Borad was obviously in a lot of pain, but he bore it as best he could, never complaining, never crying out. The sun had long since set, and the jeep's meagre headlights did not do a very good job of finding the best route. A little before midnight, they finally arrived at the ruins that had been calling Zan. The complex seemed to form a squashed semi circle, with a bank of buildings built along the flat edge, raised in three steps. Some of the buildings seemed in the darkness to be circular. It was from one of these that the pull was coming. At Claudia's insistence, they placed the two injured men in one of the more complete rooms, towards the back of the largest building, where they would be safe from the elements, and the prying eyes of any passing strangers.
Zan stood, looking towards the circular building that called him, from the opposite end of the structure.
"It's called a khiva." Claudia said from behind him. "It used to be as high as three stories. Great wooden pillars, hauled from forests hundreds of miles away held up the floors."
"What happened here?" Zan asked quietly. "Was it a war?"
"No one knows for sure." She shrugged. "They just left. The thing is, there's evidence to suggest that they caused some of this ruin themselves."
"How so, Claudia?" Zan asked.
"Well, the roofs of the khivas seem to have been deliberately dismantled, and the wooden floors and supports were set on fire."
Claudia explained how the buildings were made, with square chambers, and the round buildings called khivas. She told him she thought it strange that these people would go to all the trouble to build this structure, yet not live in it. She explained how other similar structures existed, some distance away in straight lines from each other, aligned along one of their walls.
"It's as if these khivas do not belong here." Zan said carefully. "Like they are... I don't know, a kind of warning."
"You mean you think they may have built the khivas amongst the other buildings just to warm someone?" she asked. "That's stretching it a bit."
"Do you think that the fires were some kind of signal?" he asked, quietly.
"Who for?"
"Me?"
Claudia stared at Zan for a moment before realising that he was not joking. He turned away from her slowly, returning his gaze at the same khiva again.
"It will still be there tomorrow, Zan." she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we get some sleep."
Zan hardly slept at all. The pull from the khiva was intense, but he resisted the temptation to go. Claudia awoke, prepared a breakfast for them, and then checked on Borad and Geltar's comfort. At last, they were ready to leave.
"We'll make for the khiva that calls you," she told Zan, "and then swing by my camp and pick up the rest of my stuff. It isn't far."
"This way." He said, leading Claudia across the courtyard.
Tentatively, Claudia placed her hand in Zan's, and she was pleased when he firmly gripped it. She looked up at him, with a big smile. Her legs went weak when he returned the smile. She did not know how she managed to continue. Inside the khiva, they wandered around, taking in the huge structure. Zan stopped over a very solid looking section of the floor, and knelt down to study it. Whatever it was that called him, it was here. Unhesitatingly, he pushed his hand through the solid rock, causing Claudia to look on in wide eyed amazement. His hand emerged holding a small wooden box, ornately decorate with carved symbols. The voice in his head cheered. Claudia gasped, and when Zan looked up at her, he knew she had heard the cheer too.
Inside the box was a pendant, made of a smooth flat stone, with a small hole at one end, through which was looped a long thin strip of leather. Engraved into the stone was another symbol, one that resembled a galaxy spiral. Zan gasped. It was the symbol his people used to represent his galaxy.
"It's a spirit stone," Claudia told him quietly, looking over his shoulder. "It's supposed to be big magic."
"What does it do?" he asked, looking up at her.
"Well, according to legend, its supposed to hold the spirit of the wearer, should the wearer die."
"What happens then?"
"I don't know," laughed Claudia. "I've never met anyone who died wearing one."
Zan laughed with her.
"Are you done here, do you think?" she asked.
Rising to his feet, Zan nodded his head; he no longer felt the pull. For some reason, he knew that he had found what he was supposed to find.
"Come on," Claudia said to him, again taking his hand, "My camp is just over there."
As they rounded the bend to her camp, Claudia stopped suddenly, and pushed Zan behind a boulder.
"Wait here," she hissed. He remained crouched as she walked towards a figure he had momentarily seen. If she was ever going to betray him, it would be now.
"Claudia." A voice greeted her warmly. "We were getting worried about you." "We, Deputy Valenti?" she asked. "Okay, I was getting worried. And you know you can call me Jim."
"Why were you worried Jim?" she asked. "You know I often come out here. And aren't you a little way out of your jurisdiction?"
"Soon as I heard about the sighting, I came out here to protect you."
"What sighting?" she asked tensely.
"Some hikers saw a Japanese plane land out here the other night. Don't want you running into a bunch of Japs now, do we."
"There are no Japs out here, Jim. Go Home. I have work to do."
"Not until you agree to go to the Valentine's Dance with me next Saturday night."
"Jim. It's a high school dance. You dropped out of High School, when?"
"No one will mind me being there. You know, some consider me a great catch."
"Not me, Jim. Now go home."
The man looked at her for a while, and finally turned towards the vehicle behind him. She waited until she was sure he was gone before she came to get Zan.
"Are you alright?" He asked, noticing her look of tension.
"Are you busy Saturday night?" she asked with a forced grin.
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 2
Part 11
Back at the ruins after striking her original camp site, Claudia prepared some food and drink for them. Zan sat outside in the sun, looking through a book that Claudia had brought back with her.
"Hey, that's private, mister!" she laughed coming up on him.
Zan could not tell if she was angry, or embarrassed.
"Oh, I'm sorry." he smiled, looking up from the leather bound book. "What is it?"
"It's my journal. I write everything I think, feel, that sort of thing."
"But these are not your thoughts, or your feelings, Claudia." He said, showing her a page of strange symbols.
"No," she frowned. "Those are copies of petroglyphs, you know, symbols I found, among those buildings. I hope to be able to translate them, one day."
"I know these symbols Claudia," he said in a strange voice. "They are from an ancient language, from Antar." Claudia was stunned.
Later that evening, when Borad and Geltar had finally fallen asleep, Claudia found Zan staring blankly into the fire.
"Are you all right, Zan?" she asked. "You seemed so distant."
"I am worried, Claudia." He said quietly. "Something terrible must have gone wrong."
"What do you say that, Zan?" she asked. "Because my people have not come for me. The Flight Technician that brought us here knows where we are. Surely he would have alerted someone by now. Or tried to find us. Either way, there should have been some kind of search."
"Would he think to alert someone?" she asked.
"I would hope so." Zan sighed. This might not have been such a good idea after all. "Perhaps I should go and see if the Scout ship is still there." "Wouldn't they know where he landed? If he hasn't returned, they would have checked there first, right?"
"Not really. You see... I sort of commandeered the ship. No one knows we are here. If the Flight Technician had not returned to the ship, they would not know where to look for us."
"Oh." She said softly. "I get the feeling you aren't telling me everything."
"For days now, weeks, maybe, I have had the strangest feeling that something bad was about to happen." Zan thought of Taysha, and the hatred she held for the prince.
He hoped that there was not some kind of rebellion being planned, that she was not a part of it. But what if there was? A sudden, terrifying, thought struck him.
"Perhaps I have been abandoned here."
"You're well rested now, aren't you?" she asked. "Why don't you try to contact your friend, telepathically again."
"I really don't know if that would work." He sighed.
"We don't know anything will work, until we try it." She told him. "And in any case, it's not as though you have anything to lose by trying."
Zan looked at her carefully.
"You are right." He smiled.
He blanked his mind, reached out into the void of space and concentrated on his friend.
"Rath... Rath... can you hear me?"
The answer was almost instantaneous.
"Zan? Zan? Where are you?"
The relief in Rath's voice was clear. It was far more than concern for a missing friend, even if he was a prince.
"Zan, where are you?"
Zan too felt relieved. Everything must be okay, he had not been abandoned.
"I'm on the planet's surface, Rath, We were in an accident."
"Zan, listen. You have to get back right away. Where are you?"
"We're by a place called Chaco Canyons. Ask Taysha, she knows where it is."
"How did you get there Zan?"
"I sort of commandeered a ship. Sorry Rath."
"No, its Okay. It's just I've been... we've been worried. Worried sick actually. Where is the ship now?"
"If he hasn't already come back, he must still be down here, waiting for us."
"Zan, get back immediately. Immediately." Rath was urgently stressing the words.
"Okay, Rath. There's a problem. Borad and Geltar are seriously injured. They need urgent medical assistance. We are some way from the ship."
There was a silence. Rath was obviously discussing something with somebody.
"Zan. Listen carefully. You have to kill the guards then, and destroy the bodies. Leave no trace of them. Then return to the ship. Hurry!"
"I can't do that Rath!" He exclaimed with shock.
"Sorry Zan. That order comes from someone I choose not to disobey."
"My father?" Zan gasped.
"Zan, please! Don't waste any more time." He snapped, and then turned more gentle. "We've... We've been summoned home."
***
"I must return to my ship. Right away." Zan gasped urgently, after breaking the mental link with Rath.
"Oh." Claudia responded with a look of dismay. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes, but I don't know what. Rath wouldn't tell me."
He explained his conversation with Rath, while Claudia listened intently.
"Oh, Zan. What will you do?"
"Claudia, I have a big favour to ask. It could change your whole life."
"What is it Zan? I would do anything to help."
"There is no way I can... kill... my men. I can probably carry Geltar to the ship, but Borad..." They both looked at the seriously injured man. "Borad is in no fit state to be moved. Could you care for him? Here? It will be just until the next survey team comes. A few years. It will not take him long to heal, but I, I..."
"Could you not go and get the ship, and bring it back here?"
"The dynamics of the ship are such that it needs to land, and to take off from certain types of terrain. I would not be able to land anywhere near here, and then take off again. Borad will have to stay behind."
"Of course Zan." she smiled. "Don't worry about a thing. The only problem I would have, though, is keeping him hidden. I suppose he could hide in the ruins. But what if someone sees him?"
"That is no problem," Zan shook his head. "Show him an image of a human, and he can change his shape to match it."
"That could be handy." she smiled in amazement. "Have you ever heard of Clark Gable?"
Zan and Claudia packed a few things that Zan would need to help them on their trip back to the ship, such as food, and water. Borad had quickly accepted his fate, realising that the Zan must get back, at any cost. He said his good-byes to his friend, and his prince, assuring them both that he would be fine. When all was ready, Claudia drove them back to the place she had found them. The jeep could not proceed further up the ridge.
"You have been so kind to us. Kindness unlooked for is a great gift indeed. So by way of a thank you, Claudia White, I shall give you a great kindness. One that will speed you on your way to your ambitions."
He handed her the journal, which she took with a look of confusion.
"I don't understand." she stated.
Tears had been filling her eyes, threatening to over spill.
"Turn to the symbols."
She hurriedly did so. Next to the symbols she had carefully drawn, Zan had written a few words, telling her how they could be interpreted. She looked up with a big smile. She knew that this alone would almost guarantee her degree.
"Thank you." she whispered.
He embraced her affectionately, and turned to Geltar. At Zan's insistence, Geltar reluctantly climbed onto his Prince's back, and they set off back up the path.
It was a long climb, and it took the rest of the night. Carrying the heavy form of Geltar tired Zan quickly, resulting in frequent short stops for a rest. When the sun rose, Zan kept climbing. He was hot, and he was exhausted, but he knew he had no time to waste. At last, the ship, still hidden by the illusion of rocks that Zan had created came into view. It took another hour to climb the scree below it, and breathless, they were standing before the craft. A wave of his hand, and the door opened. They were both surprised to find the Kalithen Flight Technician in a bad condition. He appeared as though he had been dipped in acid; he was obviously in a lot of discomfort.
"I thought I heard something," he gasped through his pain. "Outside the ship, I mean."
Zan tried to calm him down, while Geltar started the ship's engines.
"I went out to investigate." He continued. "I couldn't find anyone, but I got a bit lost. I was out there for ages."
Zan did the best he could, but he was no Medical Technician, and did not know how to treat the man's wounds. Once Geltar had the engines running, Zan took over in the Flight Technician's seat. Geltar was not fit enough to try to fly the ship.
"What happened?" the Kalithen asked. "To the other one?"
"We had an accident." Zan stated over his shoulder, staring at Geltar, hoping he would not contradict him. "He died."
"Oh", the Kalithen said. "I'm sorry."
Zan did not really understand why he lied about Borad, the voice just told him to.
It was not the best take off that had ever been performed, but it had been a long time since Zan had last piloted a ship. They slowly eased up from the rocks, and swept away over the cliffs, dipping slightly as it fought against the planet's gravity. As he pointed the ship upwards, Zan glanced back towards the ruins where his comrade and his new friend sat. After a momentary thought, he rapidly accelerated, soon breaking free from the Earth's atmosphere.
***
Among the ruins, Claudia White heard the whine of the ship above the distant ridge as it lifted off. She looked up to see the sleek silvery craft, the like of which she had never seen before momentarily hang in the sky. She clearly heard the voice in her head.
"Good bye, Claudia White. You are a truly remarkable woman. Fear not, for we shall meet again."
The ship accelerated so fast, that Claudia lost sight of it instantly. It was as if it just... vanished. A flood of tears rained from her eyes, and a long, loud wail escaped her mouth. She reached into the back of her jeep, and pulled out her journal. She never wanted to forget this feeling, so she would record it. She smiled sadly when she opened it to the next fresh page; Zan had drawn some symbols for her. She flicked back to the page with Zan's notes on it, and quickly translated his message, except for the last two symbols, which she had no match for. What she could match simply read "Follow your heart." Her tears reappeared.
"Good Bye, my prince." she cried. "May God be watching over you."
***
End of Book 2
Back at the ruins after striking her original camp site, Claudia prepared some food and drink for them. Zan sat outside in the sun, looking through a book that Claudia had brought back with her.
"Hey, that's private, mister!" she laughed coming up on him.
Zan could not tell if she was angry, or embarrassed.
"Oh, I'm sorry." he smiled, looking up from the leather bound book. "What is it?"
"It's my journal. I write everything I think, feel, that sort of thing."
"But these are not your thoughts, or your feelings, Claudia." He said, showing her a page of strange symbols.
"No," she frowned. "Those are copies of petroglyphs, you know, symbols I found, among those buildings. I hope to be able to translate them, one day."
"I know these symbols Claudia," he said in a strange voice. "They are from an ancient language, from Antar." Claudia was stunned.
Later that evening, when Borad and Geltar had finally fallen asleep, Claudia found Zan staring blankly into the fire.
"Are you all right, Zan?" she asked. "You seemed so distant."
"I am worried, Claudia." He said quietly. "Something terrible must have gone wrong."
"What do you say that, Zan?" she asked. "Because my people have not come for me. The Flight Technician that brought us here knows where we are. Surely he would have alerted someone by now. Or tried to find us. Either way, there should have been some kind of search."
"Would he think to alert someone?" she asked.
"I would hope so." Zan sighed. This might not have been such a good idea after all. "Perhaps I should go and see if the Scout ship is still there." "Wouldn't they know where he landed? If he hasn't returned, they would have checked there first, right?"
"Not really. You see... I sort of commandeered the ship. No one knows we are here. If the Flight Technician had not returned to the ship, they would not know where to look for us."
"Oh." She said softly. "I get the feeling you aren't telling me everything."
"For days now, weeks, maybe, I have had the strangest feeling that something bad was about to happen." Zan thought of Taysha, and the hatred she held for the prince.
He hoped that there was not some kind of rebellion being planned, that she was not a part of it. But what if there was? A sudden, terrifying, thought struck him.
"Perhaps I have been abandoned here."
"You're well rested now, aren't you?" she asked. "Why don't you try to contact your friend, telepathically again."
"I really don't know if that would work." He sighed.
"We don't know anything will work, until we try it." She told him. "And in any case, it's not as though you have anything to lose by trying."
Zan looked at her carefully.
"You are right." He smiled.
He blanked his mind, reached out into the void of space and concentrated on his friend.
"Rath... Rath... can you hear me?"
The answer was almost instantaneous.
"Zan? Zan? Where are you?"
The relief in Rath's voice was clear. It was far more than concern for a missing friend, even if he was a prince.
"Zan, where are you?"
Zan too felt relieved. Everything must be okay, he had not been abandoned.
"I'm on the planet's surface, Rath, We were in an accident."
"Zan, listen. You have to get back right away. Where are you?"
"We're by a place called Chaco Canyons. Ask Taysha, she knows where it is."
"How did you get there Zan?"
"I sort of commandeered a ship. Sorry Rath."
"No, its Okay. It's just I've been... we've been worried. Worried sick actually. Where is the ship now?"
"If he hasn't already come back, he must still be down here, waiting for us."
"Zan, get back immediately. Immediately." Rath was urgently stressing the words.
"Okay, Rath. There's a problem. Borad and Geltar are seriously injured. They need urgent medical assistance. We are some way from the ship."
There was a silence. Rath was obviously discussing something with somebody.
"Zan. Listen carefully. You have to kill the guards then, and destroy the bodies. Leave no trace of them. Then return to the ship. Hurry!"
"I can't do that Rath!" He exclaimed with shock.
"Sorry Zan. That order comes from someone I choose not to disobey."
"My father?" Zan gasped.
"Zan, please! Don't waste any more time." He snapped, and then turned more gentle. "We've... We've been summoned home."
***
"I must return to my ship. Right away." Zan gasped urgently, after breaking the mental link with Rath.
"Oh." Claudia responded with a look of dismay. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes, but I don't know what. Rath wouldn't tell me."
He explained his conversation with Rath, while Claudia listened intently.
"Oh, Zan. What will you do?"
"Claudia, I have a big favour to ask. It could change your whole life."
"What is it Zan? I would do anything to help."
"There is no way I can... kill... my men. I can probably carry Geltar to the ship, but Borad..." They both looked at the seriously injured man. "Borad is in no fit state to be moved. Could you care for him? Here? It will be just until the next survey team comes. A few years. It will not take him long to heal, but I, I..."
"Could you not go and get the ship, and bring it back here?"
"The dynamics of the ship are such that it needs to land, and to take off from certain types of terrain. I would not be able to land anywhere near here, and then take off again. Borad will have to stay behind."
"Of course Zan." she smiled. "Don't worry about a thing. The only problem I would have, though, is keeping him hidden. I suppose he could hide in the ruins. But what if someone sees him?"
"That is no problem," Zan shook his head. "Show him an image of a human, and he can change his shape to match it."
"That could be handy." she smiled in amazement. "Have you ever heard of Clark Gable?"
Zan and Claudia packed a few things that Zan would need to help them on their trip back to the ship, such as food, and water. Borad had quickly accepted his fate, realising that the Zan must get back, at any cost. He said his good-byes to his friend, and his prince, assuring them both that he would be fine. When all was ready, Claudia drove them back to the place she had found them. The jeep could not proceed further up the ridge.
"You have been so kind to us. Kindness unlooked for is a great gift indeed. So by way of a thank you, Claudia White, I shall give you a great kindness. One that will speed you on your way to your ambitions."
He handed her the journal, which she took with a look of confusion.
"I don't understand." she stated.
Tears had been filling her eyes, threatening to over spill.
"Turn to the symbols."
She hurriedly did so. Next to the symbols she had carefully drawn, Zan had written a few words, telling her how they could be interpreted. She looked up with a big smile. She knew that this alone would almost guarantee her degree.
"Thank you." she whispered.
He embraced her affectionately, and turned to Geltar. At Zan's insistence, Geltar reluctantly climbed onto his Prince's back, and they set off back up the path.
It was a long climb, and it took the rest of the night. Carrying the heavy form of Geltar tired Zan quickly, resulting in frequent short stops for a rest. When the sun rose, Zan kept climbing. He was hot, and he was exhausted, but he knew he had no time to waste. At last, the ship, still hidden by the illusion of rocks that Zan had created came into view. It took another hour to climb the scree below it, and breathless, they were standing before the craft. A wave of his hand, and the door opened. They were both surprised to find the Kalithen Flight Technician in a bad condition. He appeared as though he had been dipped in acid; he was obviously in a lot of discomfort.
"I thought I heard something," he gasped through his pain. "Outside the ship, I mean."
Zan tried to calm him down, while Geltar started the ship's engines.
"I went out to investigate." He continued. "I couldn't find anyone, but I got a bit lost. I was out there for ages."
Zan did the best he could, but he was no Medical Technician, and did not know how to treat the man's wounds. Once Geltar had the engines running, Zan took over in the Flight Technician's seat. Geltar was not fit enough to try to fly the ship.
"What happened?" the Kalithen asked. "To the other one?"
"We had an accident." Zan stated over his shoulder, staring at Geltar, hoping he would not contradict him. "He died."
"Oh", the Kalithen said. "I'm sorry."
Zan did not really understand why he lied about Borad, the voice just told him to.
It was not the best take off that had ever been performed, but it had been a long time since Zan had last piloted a ship. They slowly eased up from the rocks, and swept away over the cliffs, dipping slightly as it fought against the planet's gravity. As he pointed the ship upwards, Zan glanced back towards the ruins where his comrade and his new friend sat. After a momentary thought, he rapidly accelerated, soon breaking free from the Earth's atmosphere.
***
Among the ruins, Claudia White heard the whine of the ship above the distant ridge as it lifted off. She looked up to see the sleek silvery craft, the like of which she had never seen before momentarily hang in the sky. She clearly heard the voice in her head.
"Good bye, Claudia White. You are a truly remarkable woman. Fear not, for we shall meet again."
The ship accelerated so fast, that Claudia lost sight of it instantly. It was as if it just... vanished. A flood of tears rained from her eyes, and a long, loud wail escaped her mouth. She reached into the back of her jeep, and pulled out her journal. She never wanted to forget this feeling, so she would record it. She smiled sadly when she opened it to the next fresh page; Zan had drawn some symbols for her. She flicked back to the page with Zan's notes on it, and quickly translated his message, except for the last two symbols, which she had no match for. What she could match simply read "Follow your heart." Her tears reappeared.
"Good Bye, my prince." she cried. "May God be watching over you."
***
End of Book 2
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
Disclaimer: I, in no way, am associated with the actors, writers, producers, etc. of Roswell. The rights to the show belong to: 20th Century Fox, Jason Katims, the WB, Melinda Metz, etc.
Summary: The truth about Zan's life on Antar, the rebellion, and his marriage. Please be sure to read Book 1 and Book 2 first.
Category: Max/Liz - honest
Rating: Mature
Authors Note: My thanks go to all members of the RBI for their theories, and for their opinions of mine. My special thanks go to three very special people, Qfanny, Shapeshifter and Bluecornmoon, without whose help, kindness and encouragement this would have never appeared.
Book 3
Part 1
With the urgency of Rath's demand that Zan return to the ship immediately, he was rather surprised to find that there was no reception committee in the landing bay. He was sure that Rath, at least, would be there to greet him. It took him a second or two to realise that whatever it was, the problem was to be dealt with in the privacy of the bridge. He leapt from the scout ship, amongst the startled maintenance technicians working to secure the small craft. He called for medical technicians to care for the two men still in the scout ship, and hurried towards the bridge. What could be so urgent as to warrant the requirement of killing two men whose only crime was to be injured while protecting their prince? This was an action typical of King Xandor, but not Prince Zan. Something bad had happened, he surmised. Had the armies on Earth detected them?
Only one elevator seemed to be working, and the corridors were strangely empty. It was then that Zan noticed the signs of a recent skirmish. What had been happening? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he dimly recalled that he had noticed no Perdreian technicians in the landing bay. A strange sensation started to tingle at the back of his head. At last he entered the bridge, about to demand what had been going on. The reaction to his arrival, doubtless caused by the relief of his safe return, surprised him. To a man, the occupants of the bridge knelt on one knee, facing Zan, with their heads bowed.
"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Rath intoned, relief showing through the obvious strain on his face.
The implication of Rath's greeting, and the behaviour of the others was not lost on Zan. Instantly, he knew. Desperately, Zan wanted to collapse into a chair. The sudden grief of his loss; compounded by the exhaustion of the past few days finally catching up on him, nearly floored him. But Zan knew that he could not show that fatigue, or his emotion. Not now, not here. He had to remain strong. His father was dead and Zan was the new king of Antar and the Five Planets.
The bridge remained silent, the occupants still on one knee with heads bowed in respect, as was the custom. None could rise until King Zan accepted their homage.
"Rise loyal subjects," he half whispered at last. "Rise that you may serve your King."
One by one, they approached King Zan, took his hand, and kissed the finger that would soon wear the Royal ring. Rath waited until everyone else had performed this custom before he too repeated the gesture.
"Your Majesty," he started, as he rose. "Permission to return to Antar?"
Antar.
His mother and his sister would be devastated. It would be two years before he would see them. Their mourning would have ended, but for Zan, only a few weeks would have passed. It would still be fresh in his mind.
"Yes, lets go home Rath," he sighed shaking the despondency from his brain. "As fast as possible."
There would be time for mourning later.
***
Zan sat in his Royal stateroom and stared at the wall. He and Rath had been talking all night, making sure that each knew what had been going on. With the exception of the truth about Borad, Zan had told Rath about his adventure on the planet and his meeting with a 'Human', requesting that this remain between them. Ordinarily, Rath would have made a joke about fairy tales or something, but he was somehow... different. Was it simply because Zan was a King now? Rath then briefed Zan about what had been happening on the ship, and how they all feared he had been killed, either by the gas or by the Kalithen rebels. He told of everyone's relief when he finally made contact, about how only the missing scout ship offered any hope that he was safe. Zan had enquired as to the condition of Geltar and the Kalithen Flight Technician, whose name he found out was Ren. It pleased him that both were recovering well.
Rath saved the worst news for last. He told Zan of Tentious and Taysha's involvement in the rebellion, and how they had been 'arrested' outside Zan's own chambers. As anticipated, Zan took the news extremely badly, and sank into his chair with great sigh of resignation. No matter where she had been found, Zan refused to accept that she had been a willing participant. But it was not this that bothered him.
"Have they been interrogated yet?" Zan asked quietly.
Once the Secret Police had interrogated a suspect, there was usually little left of them. He could not bear the thought of lovely young Taysha's fate at the hands of the Police. Zan thought of the interrogators of one of the armies that Taysha had shown him a few days ago. They fought for the side that Claudia had told him was evil. Yet they were so much like his father's, no... his own... police. Did this mean that Zan was the King of an evil race?
"No, sire," Rath responded, causing Zan to sigh with relief. "I requested that they wait until you had been found. I thought that maybe we might have to use them, you know, if we needed a hostage trade, or something."
The relief Zan felt was obvious. Ordinarily, the ship's Commander would be in charge of all matters on board. But he was Perdreian, and had perished on the bridge, killed by the deadly gas. In Prince Zan's absence, Captain Kishan, leader of the police unit would have taken command of the ship. With the death of King Xandor, Kishan would have had absolute authority; even Rath would have had to defer to him.
"Good. Tell Captain Kishan that he is not to interrogate either of them without my permission."
"He will not like it, sire," Rath stated flatly.
"He doesn't have to like it!" Zan said quietly. "He just has to do it!"
"By your command, sire," Rath responded tersely, and then left.
Forever robbed of what little anonymity he had, Zan remained in his chambers. He had much to do, and they would be entering the wormhole in days. Where should he start? He thought about Claudia White's stories about how things were handled on Earth, and wondered how these ideas might be received on Antar. He called for his newly appointed temporary chamberlain, a loyal Kalithen about twice Zan's age. His name was Denbers, and was once a Science Technician, until he received his new appointment.
"What do you think I should do with the rebels, Denbers?" he asked quietly.
Denbers looked at his King cautiously.
"Allow Captain Kishan to interrogate them, and then drop them in the worm hole," he replied. "Make examples of all evil traitors."
Zan stared at him in amazement. What was it Claudia had said? For evil to triumph it is only necessary for good men to do nothing. It had been something like that.
"They call themselves patriots," Zan informed him. "They believed that what they were doing was good. How does that make them evil?"
"We were victorious, sire," the chamberlain said, as if that explained it all.
The winners write the history books. Zan sighed, and slumped in his chair. Zan remembered how Claudia explained that the treatment of the nations that had lost the "War to End all Wars" had actually lain the foundations for the next big war. If he allowed the rebels to be treated as Denbers suggested, would this not give rise to the next generation of those opposed to Perdreian rule? Would he in fact, just be creating yet more enemies?
"Take down these orders," Zan commanded. "I want them obeyed, to the letter, by everyone. Even the... no, especially the police."
"Yes sire," Denbers replied, taking a small device, and waving his fingers over it.
It would record Zan's voice as he spoke. Later, it would be transmitted to everyone on board the ship.
"First, I want Guardsman Geltar and Flight Technician Ren to receive promotions and commendations for the part they played in saving and preserving my life on the planet's surface. Second, I want to see that Guardsman Borad's family does not suffer any for their loss. Place them in my care, at the palace. Find them suitable jobs, or make sure they receive the best tutoring possible."
Zan had suggested to Geltar that they allow Rath and the others to believe Borad had died. Geltar had believed that this was because Zan had disobeyed a last order from his father. It was actually because the voice had advised Zan of this. Zan was learning to trust the voice. As it turned out, Borad had no family anyway.
"Thirdly," Zan paused. His next order would be bound to stir up trouble. "Place Lady Taysha and her father, Lord Talbuth, in more comfortable chambers, give them one of the larger suites. Place two men on guard. No one, and I mean NO ONE is to enter their chamber without my authority."
"But sire," Denbers objected, "Captain Kishan...."
"If you are going to tell me that someone won't like this, I will take that as your resignation. I am in charge here. I give the orders, and I expect them to be obeyed. Are we clear on this?"
"Yes, sire."
"Good. Now lastly, I want all the rebels that have been arrested made comfortable. I do not want them to suffer any unnecessary hardships during the journey through the wormhole. Take the third level quarters, and move the current occupants to other empty chambers. There are enough of them now. Place all the rebels on the third level, and place guards in all the corridors."
Zan glared at Denbers, daring him to make a comment on his orders.
For the rest of the day, a steady stream of visitors had approached King Zan, offering their support to guide him through this turbulent time. It was surprising just how many close friends his father apparently had, he reflected dryly. Once the offer of unwavering support had been made, it was usually followed with an offer of their services as his trusted advisor. Zan recognised sycophancy when he saw it. It was as if they all recognised a chance for power, by controlling a naive young King. After he thanked them, and told them that he would consider their offer, they would proceed to tell him how rash his initial orders were. Nicely, of course. Zan would try to politely dismiss them, but they were always so dogmatic about it. When they became too tiresome, he would allow his mind to drift, and think about Taysha, and how he might resolve the situation she currently found herself in. When not thinking about Taysha, it would be Claudia, and her uncanny resemblance to the girl in his vision.
It took three days for the transfer of the prisoners into more comfortable quarters to be completed. Lord Talbuth and Lady Taysha had refused the offer of a more luxurious chamber than their co-conspirators had been allocated, so Zan was forced to place them on the third level with the others. Elsewhere, the ripples of his actions spread across the ship, and there were many that warned that this sign of weakness would have far reaching effects. Captain Kishan was furious, and was only slightly placated by the fact that Zan allowed him to question the prisoners, with the exclusion of Lady Taysha, as long as no unnecessary physical or mental abuse took place. Rath spent all his time inspecting guards, checking the ships' readiness and conducting spot searches for any further threat, anything that would keep him busy. Zan had been a King barely a week, and already Rath was avoiding him.
***
Zan had to summon Rath in the end. He entered the King's chambers, and stood by the doorway, awaiting the King's word.
"Leave us, Denbers," Zan nodded to his chamberlain.
"But, sire, I should... " He complained.
"Now would be good," Zan said loudly.
"You sent for me, sire?" Rath stated in a neutral tone, as Denbers left.
Zan rose from his seat, and walked over to the small console he had some technicians install. He had the lighting changed, so that the console was shrouded in shadow, to allow him to better see what it projected. A holographic image of the planet Earth slowly revolved above it. Zan watched the side that slowly crept into the light.
"You should have seen it, Rath. It was beautiful," he said quietly.
"Yes sire. I'm sure it was."
He clearly did not want to be here. Zan sighed sadly.
"When we had that fight, all those years ago," Zan spoke quickly turning towards Rath. "You said you would never treat me like a king. Then we became friends. That’s what I liked about you, you weren’t like the others. When I was just a prince, you treated me like a friend. I'm the same person Rath. How come you now treat me like... a King?"
"Because like it or not, sire, you are a King." Rath informed him.
"Am I not still your friend?" Zan asked, in a quiet, tentative voice.
Rath looked hard at Zan, as if he were somehow looking for the changes.
"A king cannot have friends, sire." he answered cautiously. "He has loyal subjects, and he has enemies."
"What are you, Rath?" he asked quietly. "Are you just a loyal subject? Or are you now an enemy?"
"I am your most loyal subject, sire." Rath objected.
"So, when you were in a panic because I was nowhere to be found, was it only your loyalty. Or was it your concern for a friend?" Zan asked.
"You were not the King then."
"So just because I lost my father, I have to lose my friend too? Is that it?"
"Like I said, A Ki...."
"A King can't have friends. Yes, I know. Heard it before."
Zan was rapidly becoming impatient.
"Was there something else, sire?" Rath asked flatly. "I have my duties to attend."
This was why he had summoned Rath. He needed a friend's advice for how to handle what he had to do next. But with Rath’s reluctance to be a friend, this seemed to bring into question whether he should in fact discuss this with him. With a deep breath, he broached the subject.
"I'm going to talk to her, Rath." He almost whispered.
"I would advise against that course of action, sire."
Zan looked at Rath closely.
"Are you advising against this as my friend, or as a loyal subject?"
"As your most loyal subject, my King", Rath said sounding surprised. "I advise that you leave Lady Taysha and her father to Captain Kishan."
"Of course. A king who will not listen carefully to advice honestly given would be a fool." Zan said with a sad smile. "He would be an even bigger fool if he blindly took any advice he receives."
Rath looked up at him in confusion.
"If my friend had advised against this, I could discuss with him the reasons why." Zan stated. "I might even listen."
"But you have already made up your mind," accused Rath, "so what use would a friend be, your majesty?"
"You are dismissed Rath."
"But sire, I..."
"If you want to be a loyal subject, Rath, then you had better learn to obey orders when they are given."
"Yes sire!" Rath spat.
When Rath left the chamber, Zan's shoulders slumped. That had not gone well, and he had fallen into a rather childish tantrum. This was not how he had imagined being a King would be. But then, he had always assumed his father would be on the throne for decades to come. He thought that he would have plenty of time to watch his father, to learn how to rule properly. With a deep sigh, he turned to the image of the Earth, and saw the area called 'New Mexico' was just turning to face the sun.
"I hope it's a beautiful sunrise, Claudia White," he softly whispered. "Enjoy it for me."
Thinking of Claudia made him think of Taysha. It was strange how he found the two almost inseparable in his mind. Despite Rath's concerns, Zan knew that he had to see her now. This had to be resolved before he changed for the journey through the wormhole. Not only did he miss her; the voice told him that the time was right. He sent for Denbers.
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
Part 2
Zan stood by the small console, watching his globe slowly spin. The sun was shining down on New Mexico now. It would be quite hot. He hoped that Borad would be all right. He heard the door hiss behind him, and he sensed the fear in the young lady that entered. His heart lifted, as just her mere presence could do to him. It was his deepest wish that his presence would do the same for her. He knew that by the console, he would be in the shadow, and so she could not see him clearly, but he remained looking at the globe.
"Your majesty sent for me?" she inquired in a strained, vitriolic voice.
Zan sighed. There was no easy way to handle this.
"Please, Lady Taysha. Sit down, make yourself comfortable." Zan said as pleasantly as possible.
For her comfort, he had ensured that a comfortable seat had been placed close to the door. Zan's heart ached.
"No thank you, sire." she spat icily. "I will stand."
Zan felt the cold waves of hatred now, mingled with those of fear. He could sense that she was on the verge of panic, and he could hardly blame her. He had known this would be difficult.
"Are you comfortable? In your quarters, I mean."
"My cell, is more like." she replied quickly.
Despite her fear, she was determined not to show it. She is so strong, this one, he thought.
"If you would prefer, I can arrange to have you and your father placed in proper cells. Small, cramped, dark and cold. Would that satisfy your indignation?"
Zan berated himself for this outburst. He knew how she must have been feeling right now.
Taysha was momentarily lost for words, as she considered her options.
"No." she replied with a touch of defeat, her shoulders slumping. "That won't be necessary. My father is not as young as he was, and I thank you for seeing to his comfort."
Zan did not like what he was doing to her. He had not summoned her for a fight.
"I am not the monster you take me for, Lady Taysha." He said gently.
"I am just Taysha now, sire." she half-whispered, but spitting the word 'sire' as if it burned her. "Your father saw to that. My title was removed, as was my father's. We are commoners now."
"You could never be a commoner, Lady Taysha", he told her truthfully. "You are far too lovely."
"You failed to rape me, so now you try to seduce me?" she asked incredulously "You flatter yourself!"
Although she could not clearly see him, the look she threw his direction was filled with venom. Zan instantly noticed she made no reference to his royalty, and laughed softly. Such fire! What a queen she would have made. He realised that it did indeed seem as though he was seducing her. It wasn't that he would not want to, just not now. Not under these circumstances.
"Your pardon, my Lady." he chuckled "Just as I am not trying to seduce you now, I can assure you that I did not try to rape you then."
"I am not your 'Lady'" she snapped. "That title belongs to another! And as for the other matter, your majesty forgets that I was there! I know what would have happened to me, had my uncle not come in."
"That was my first visit to Lord Servetrius' palace," he stated.
"Oh," she sneered, "what a coincidence."
"I had only just arrived, when I saw...."
"A most beautiful girl, and you had to have her, right?" she interrupted with sarcasm. "Is that how it was with Lady Ava, too?"
"It is a shame, Lady Taysha," Zan snapped, "that you do not listen as well as you talk. Being someone who claims to be a scholar, how do you ever hear your tutors?"
Zan could sense her sudden shock, and felt saddened that he had to rebuke her in that way. At least it had made her quiet.
"I saw... " He continued gently, "Lord Rath. For some reason, we took an instant dislike to each other. We traded insults for a few minutes, and then finally, one of us challenged the other to settle the matter behind the servants' quarters. After fifteen or twenty minutes of fisticuffs, we were covered in mud, blood and bruises. We only stopped because my sister, Princess Vilondra, came out and put a stop to it. We were in no state to return to the ball, so instead we played cards, and dice, in the servants' refectory. Neither of us were any where near the Ballroom."
He paused, allowing her to absorb the information.
"I do not doubt that someone attacked you that night, Lady Taysha," he gently told her. "I do not believe that you are a liar. However, I believe that you are mistaken as to the identity of your attacker."
Zan so desperately wanted to hold her, to soothe the fear and the pain from her.
"This is a new one." mumbled Taysha. "Of course Rath would back up your side of the story. I would expect no less."
"I can prove that it was not I that attacked you."
"How?"
Zan turned from the globe, and stepped into the light. As she saw whom it was who emerged from the shadow, the look of fear and anger was momentarily replaced by a look of relief... and of joy.
"Jervad!" she exclaimed with a huge smile, taking an unconscious step forward.
But then her eyes narrowed, and she looked nervously around the room. The relief and joy soon disappeared. Now she looked... hurt.
"What trick is this?" she asked, the anguish in her voice clear.
Zan was pleased to note, however, that while her anger had returned, her fear had not.
"It's no trick, Taysha." he said gently, taking a step towards her. "I am King Zan."
"No, no!" she cried. "You're Jervad! You told me so!"
At his forward step, she retreated back towards the door, which made Zan stop. He released a sad sigh.
"I know." he whispered. "That time I met you, I was trying to be anonymous. You know, just relax without all the pomp and circumstance. I'm sorry that I deceived you."
"And Kandor? Was he Rath?" she hissed bitterly.
Zan nodded.
"You knew, didn't you." she stated, her eyes widening. "You knew there would be an uprising. You and Kandor, you're spies for Prince, I mean King Zan! Aren't you! And now you're here to find out what you can. You're trying to trick me into giving up names, or something."
"No, Taysha!" He said urgently. "I'm not a spy! I'm not trying to trick you! I don't care what names you have. I don't want to know. All I care about is that you believe me. And as for knowing about the uprising, I didn't. Know, I mean. I suspected. And I begged you not to get involved. I so badly wanted you to be safe."
Zan suddenly found that his feet were fascinating.
"Well, I guess I became involved the day you tried to rape me," she hissed. Zan looked up at her quickly, an incredulous look on his face.
"Look at me, Taysha. Who do you see?"
"I see Jervad, but you tell me you are King Zan."
"Then why did you say that I tried to rape you? Was it I?"
"No!" she shouted, clearly confused. "No. Not you, Zan!"
"Taysha, I am Zan." he confirmed urgently.
No!" she cried, scrubbing her face with her hands. "No! It's a lie, Jervad! I saw him! He tried to rape me!"
"Taysha, I am Zan. I am the same man you invited into your chamber, the same one you wanted to kiss."
Zan paused, and again studied his feet.
"The same man, who wanted to kiss you," he whispered.
"But you are NOT King Zan!" she cried. "Stop tormenting me, Jervad. Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends. I though you liked me!"
Tears flowed down her cheeks.
Zan dropped his shoulders; this was not going well at all. He had hoped that she harboured the same strange feelings for him, as he held for her. Ones that instinctively told him he could trust this frail looking girl. With a sorrowful sigh, he waved a hand towards the door. A guard entered the room.
"Would you escort Lady Taysha back to her Father's chamber, please? She should not be alone."
The guard stood back for Taysha to leave the room, when a sudden inspiration struck Zan.
"No. Wait!" he cried. "Taysha, please be seated."
Taysha stopped, and still crying, slumped into the chair near the door. Zan felt suddenly bad. He had done this to her. He had defeated her.
Zan led the guard out of his chamber, and whispered something to him. The guard departed at once, and Zan went back inside his chamber. He found Taysha standing by his globe. She jumped back guiltily. When he moved to join her, she again stepped away, moving more into the light, so he went over and sat back in his chair.
"I went down there, Taysha," he said pointing to the globe. "Remember that night, when you showed me? I visited that same spot. It's beautiful Taysha. I would love to share it with you, one day."
He spoke gently, softly hoping that his feelings for her would somehow help her. Although he could sense her nervousness, and hear her soft cries, when she looked up momentarily, there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Despite her anguish and pain, she is intrigued, he thought. He started to laugh silently, a gentle smile on his lips.
The door opened, and the guard escorted Taysha's father, Tentious, into the room. Instantly, he saw his daughter crying and the King relaxing in a chair with a satisfied smirk on his face. There was no sign of a guard. Naturally, he jumped to the wrong conclusion.
"You bastard!" he screamed, and with a lunge that completely surprised the guard, the old man had thrown himself at Zan.
King Zan quickly rolled from the seat, and onto the floor, just missing the old man's charge. His force caused the seat to crack; at least Zan hoped it was the seat, leaving Zan with little doubt as to what would have happened to him if he had not been so quick. The guard was on Tentious in an instant, pinning him to the broken seat.
"I'm sorry daughter," he cried in anguish, his own tears falling at his failure to protect her. "I'm so sorry."
Taysha immediately ran to him, looking at Jervad, or rather, Zan, for some kind of help. She wanted the guard to release her father. Zan nodded to the guard who removed himself from the man, now crying huge sobs of grief. Taysha swept her broken hearted father into her arms. Zan pushed away a momentary twinge of jealousy.
"Leave us." Zan commanded.
The guard looked startled, but nodded his acceptance of the order.
"And say nothing of this, please. It didn't happen."
Zan knew that he had his guards' complete loyalty. They had heard of Zan's refusal to abandon Geltar, and how he had carried him back to the scout ship. They would do anything for him now.
I'm sorry, Taysha." Zan said softly. "I didn't think. I should have realised what conclusion he would have jumped to."
"But why should he attack you Jervad?" she asked through her own tears. "He doesn't know about you. He doesn't even know you are... were... a friend of mine."
"Ask him, Taysha." he urged gently.
"Ask him what?" she asked, her pain etched on her beautiful face.
"Ask him who I am."
She looked down at her sobbing father, cradled in her arms, and back up at Jervad, whose own face was a mask of sorrow. She did not really want to know. The world was somehow safer if the man before her was Jervad, a man to whom she could give her love, and not Zan, a beast who would steal that love from her.
"Father," she asked gently, "Father, do you know this man?"
"What game is this, daughter." He sobbed. "This is King Zan, and I was unable to protect you from him."
Taysha looked up, tears flooding her lovely eyes. Her emotions were completely jumbled, but in that instant, Zan saw the one emotion he feared. He knew that now, whether he was Zan, or Jervad, the Lady Taysha would never forgive him. She truly hated him now. Both of him.
"I will leave the two of you alone, Taysha." he gently told her. "I think you two will have much to discuss. The guard will see that you are not disturbed. When you are ready, he will escort you back to your own chambers."
As the tears cascaded from the beautiful eyes that had haunted Zan's sleep for weeks now, she simply nodded her thanks. Zan left the chamber, and wiped away his own tears. Perhaps he should have listened to Rath after all.
***
Zan stood by the small console, watching his globe slowly spin. The sun was shining down on New Mexico now. It would be quite hot. He hoped that Borad would be all right. He heard the door hiss behind him, and he sensed the fear in the young lady that entered. His heart lifted, as just her mere presence could do to him. It was his deepest wish that his presence would do the same for her. He knew that by the console, he would be in the shadow, and so she could not see him clearly, but he remained looking at the globe.
"Your majesty sent for me?" she inquired in a strained, vitriolic voice.
Zan sighed. There was no easy way to handle this.
"Please, Lady Taysha. Sit down, make yourself comfortable." Zan said as pleasantly as possible.
For her comfort, he had ensured that a comfortable seat had been placed close to the door. Zan's heart ached.
"No thank you, sire." she spat icily. "I will stand."
Zan felt the cold waves of hatred now, mingled with those of fear. He could sense that she was on the verge of panic, and he could hardly blame her. He had known this would be difficult.
"Are you comfortable? In your quarters, I mean."
"My cell, is more like." she replied quickly.
Despite her fear, she was determined not to show it. She is so strong, this one, he thought.
"If you would prefer, I can arrange to have you and your father placed in proper cells. Small, cramped, dark and cold. Would that satisfy your indignation?"
Zan berated himself for this outburst. He knew how she must have been feeling right now.
Taysha was momentarily lost for words, as she considered her options.
"No." she replied with a touch of defeat, her shoulders slumping. "That won't be necessary. My father is not as young as he was, and I thank you for seeing to his comfort."
Zan did not like what he was doing to her. He had not summoned her for a fight.
"I am not the monster you take me for, Lady Taysha." He said gently.
"I am just Taysha now, sire." she half-whispered, but spitting the word 'sire' as if it burned her. "Your father saw to that. My title was removed, as was my father's. We are commoners now."
"You could never be a commoner, Lady Taysha", he told her truthfully. "You are far too lovely."
"You failed to rape me, so now you try to seduce me?" she asked incredulously "You flatter yourself!"
Although she could not clearly see him, the look she threw his direction was filled with venom. Zan instantly noticed she made no reference to his royalty, and laughed softly. Such fire! What a queen she would have made. He realised that it did indeed seem as though he was seducing her. It wasn't that he would not want to, just not now. Not under these circumstances.
"Your pardon, my Lady." he chuckled "Just as I am not trying to seduce you now, I can assure you that I did not try to rape you then."
"I am not your 'Lady'" she snapped. "That title belongs to another! And as for the other matter, your majesty forgets that I was there! I know what would have happened to me, had my uncle not come in."
"That was my first visit to Lord Servetrius' palace," he stated.
"Oh," she sneered, "what a coincidence."
"I had only just arrived, when I saw...."
"A most beautiful girl, and you had to have her, right?" she interrupted with sarcasm. "Is that how it was with Lady Ava, too?"
"It is a shame, Lady Taysha," Zan snapped, "that you do not listen as well as you talk. Being someone who claims to be a scholar, how do you ever hear your tutors?"
Zan could sense her sudden shock, and felt saddened that he had to rebuke her in that way. At least it had made her quiet.
"I saw... " He continued gently, "Lord Rath. For some reason, we took an instant dislike to each other. We traded insults for a few minutes, and then finally, one of us challenged the other to settle the matter behind the servants' quarters. After fifteen or twenty minutes of fisticuffs, we were covered in mud, blood and bruises. We only stopped because my sister, Princess Vilondra, came out and put a stop to it. We were in no state to return to the ball, so instead we played cards, and dice, in the servants' refectory. Neither of us were any where near the Ballroom."
He paused, allowing her to absorb the information.
"I do not doubt that someone attacked you that night, Lady Taysha," he gently told her. "I do not believe that you are a liar. However, I believe that you are mistaken as to the identity of your attacker."
Zan so desperately wanted to hold her, to soothe the fear and the pain from her.
"This is a new one." mumbled Taysha. "Of course Rath would back up your side of the story. I would expect no less."
"I can prove that it was not I that attacked you."
"How?"
Zan turned from the globe, and stepped into the light. As she saw whom it was who emerged from the shadow, the look of fear and anger was momentarily replaced by a look of relief... and of joy.
"Jervad!" she exclaimed with a huge smile, taking an unconscious step forward.
But then her eyes narrowed, and she looked nervously around the room. The relief and joy soon disappeared. Now she looked... hurt.
"What trick is this?" she asked, the anguish in her voice clear.
Zan was pleased to note, however, that while her anger had returned, her fear had not.
"It's no trick, Taysha." he said gently, taking a step towards her. "I am King Zan."
"No, no!" she cried. "You're Jervad! You told me so!"
At his forward step, she retreated back towards the door, which made Zan stop. He released a sad sigh.
"I know." he whispered. "That time I met you, I was trying to be anonymous. You know, just relax without all the pomp and circumstance. I'm sorry that I deceived you."
"And Kandor? Was he Rath?" she hissed bitterly.
Zan nodded.
"You knew, didn't you." she stated, her eyes widening. "You knew there would be an uprising. You and Kandor, you're spies for Prince, I mean King Zan! Aren't you! And now you're here to find out what you can. You're trying to trick me into giving up names, or something."
"No, Taysha!" He said urgently. "I'm not a spy! I'm not trying to trick you! I don't care what names you have. I don't want to know. All I care about is that you believe me. And as for knowing about the uprising, I didn't. Know, I mean. I suspected. And I begged you not to get involved. I so badly wanted you to be safe."
Zan suddenly found that his feet were fascinating.
"Well, I guess I became involved the day you tried to rape me," she hissed. Zan looked up at her quickly, an incredulous look on his face.
"Look at me, Taysha. Who do you see?"
"I see Jervad, but you tell me you are King Zan."
"Then why did you say that I tried to rape you? Was it I?"
"No!" she shouted, clearly confused. "No. Not you, Zan!"
"Taysha, I am Zan." he confirmed urgently.
No!" she cried, scrubbing her face with her hands. "No! It's a lie, Jervad! I saw him! He tried to rape me!"
"Taysha, I am Zan. I am the same man you invited into your chamber, the same one you wanted to kiss."
Zan paused, and again studied his feet.
"The same man, who wanted to kiss you," he whispered.
"But you are NOT King Zan!" she cried. "Stop tormenting me, Jervad. Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends. I though you liked me!"
Tears flowed down her cheeks.
Zan dropped his shoulders; this was not going well at all. He had hoped that she harboured the same strange feelings for him, as he held for her. Ones that instinctively told him he could trust this frail looking girl. With a sorrowful sigh, he waved a hand towards the door. A guard entered the room.
"Would you escort Lady Taysha back to her Father's chamber, please? She should not be alone."
The guard stood back for Taysha to leave the room, when a sudden inspiration struck Zan.
"No. Wait!" he cried. "Taysha, please be seated."
Taysha stopped, and still crying, slumped into the chair near the door. Zan felt suddenly bad. He had done this to her. He had defeated her.
Zan led the guard out of his chamber, and whispered something to him. The guard departed at once, and Zan went back inside his chamber. He found Taysha standing by his globe. She jumped back guiltily. When he moved to join her, she again stepped away, moving more into the light, so he went over and sat back in his chair.
"I went down there, Taysha," he said pointing to the globe. "Remember that night, when you showed me? I visited that same spot. It's beautiful Taysha. I would love to share it with you, one day."
He spoke gently, softly hoping that his feelings for her would somehow help her. Although he could sense her nervousness, and hear her soft cries, when she looked up momentarily, there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Despite her anguish and pain, she is intrigued, he thought. He started to laugh silently, a gentle smile on his lips.
The door opened, and the guard escorted Taysha's father, Tentious, into the room. Instantly, he saw his daughter crying and the King relaxing in a chair with a satisfied smirk on his face. There was no sign of a guard. Naturally, he jumped to the wrong conclusion.
"You bastard!" he screamed, and with a lunge that completely surprised the guard, the old man had thrown himself at Zan.
King Zan quickly rolled from the seat, and onto the floor, just missing the old man's charge. His force caused the seat to crack; at least Zan hoped it was the seat, leaving Zan with little doubt as to what would have happened to him if he had not been so quick. The guard was on Tentious in an instant, pinning him to the broken seat.
"I'm sorry daughter," he cried in anguish, his own tears falling at his failure to protect her. "I'm so sorry."
Taysha immediately ran to him, looking at Jervad, or rather, Zan, for some kind of help. She wanted the guard to release her father. Zan nodded to the guard who removed himself from the man, now crying huge sobs of grief. Taysha swept her broken hearted father into her arms. Zan pushed away a momentary twinge of jealousy.
"Leave us." Zan commanded.
The guard looked startled, but nodded his acceptance of the order.
"And say nothing of this, please. It didn't happen."
Zan knew that he had his guards' complete loyalty. They had heard of Zan's refusal to abandon Geltar, and how he had carried him back to the scout ship. They would do anything for him now.
I'm sorry, Taysha." Zan said softly. "I didn't think. I should have realised what conclusion he would have jumped to."
"But why should he attack you Jervad?" she asked through her own tears. "He doesn't know about you. He doesn't even know you are... were... a friend of mine."
"Ask him, Taysha." he urged gently.
"Ask him what?" she asked, her pain etched on her beautiful face.
"Ask him who I am."
She looked down at her sobbing father, cradled in her arms, and back up at Jervad, whose own face was a mask of sorrow. She did not really want to know. The world was somehow safer if the man before her was Jervad, a man to whom she could give her love, and not Zan, a beast who would steal that love from her.
"Father," she asked gently, "Father, do you know this man?"
"What game is this, daughter." He sobbed. "This is King Zan, and I was unable to protect you from him."
Taysha looked up, tears flooding her lovely eyes. Her emotions were completely jumbled, but in that instant, Zan saw the one emotion he feared. He knew that now, whether he was Zan, or Jervad, the Lady Taysha would never forgive him. She truly hated him now. Both of him.
"I will leave the two of you alone, Taysha." he gently told her. "I think you two will have much to discuss. The guard will see that you are not disturbed. When you are ready, he will escort you back to your own chambers."
As the tears cascaded from the beautiful eyes that had haunted Zan's sleep for weeks now, she simply nodded her thanks. Zan left the chamber, and wiped away his own tears. Perhaps he should have listened to Rath after all.
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
Part 3
It was a lonely life, being a king. Zan finally realised why his parents had pushed so hard for him to get married. If he had a wife, at least he would have someone to talk to, someone who would not be calculating how much power they might obtain from their conversation. More than ever, he missed Ava. He desperately needed someone to hold him, and tell him things would be all right, that what he was doing was right. How he wished Vilondra were here, so he might hear her mock him, helping to end this misery.
He knew that from now on, he could not talk openly, in case someone took a casual remark as a promise, or an insult. His words must of necessity, remain guarded. Rath continued to avoid him, and the high-ranking nobles and officials continued at pretending to be his friend while seeking some sort of advancement. The only ones who he truly trusted were his Royal guard and Geltar in particular. Once his leg had been healed, Geltar had volunteered to be Zan's personal bodyguard. Zan had only accepted this, because it gave him someone to talk to.
Rath had been furious when he found that he did not command the loyalty of the Royal guard. They would not inform him of Zan's whereabouts, or what activities he was engaged in. Every time he gave an order, they would tell him that they responded only to the King. Technically, this was correct, but until recently, they had obeyed Rath's orders because he was the King's representative, looking after the prince. But just as Rath had pointed out to Zan, things were different now. This new frustration only seemed to add to the alienation that had grown between Zan and Rath.
There were now less than two hours to go before they reached the wormhole. Zan had already issued the orders for the Royal guard to shape change. The few Perdreian Technicians who had managed to somehow survive the deadly gas had already done so. Only Zan and Geltar remained. Before he himself changed, Geltar had approached Zan and informed him that Lord Talbuth had requested an urgent audience. Zan was waiting for him now, hoping that Talbuth had not come to bargain. Treason was punishable by death, so he suspected that Talbuth would probably offer to trade the names of high-ranking rebels on Antar in exchange for the lives of him and his family. Zan hoped that Talbuth was better than that.
Geltar escorted Lord Talbuth into the room, and knowing Zan's thoughts on the matter, left immediately. Zan knew Geltar would have already searched him thoroughly.
"May I have a word, sire?" Talbuth asked nervously.
Zan noticed straight away that the edge of anger that he had always sensed about Talbuth had gone, but his tenseness remained.
"Is Lady Taysha all right?" he asked, temporarily delaying Talbuth's reason for being here.
"As well as can be expected," he answered. "Considering what she has gone through."
"I never meant to hurt her," Zan told him honestly.
"It is never the intent that causes the damage, King Zan. It is always the deed."
"Still the tutor?" Zan asked with a raised eyebrow. "You still have some lessons to teach me?"
Lord Talbuth smiled.
"When I first met her, I wanted to be ordinary, you know?" Zan explained. Talbuth remained silent.
"She was so friendly, so vibrant. I somehow knew that if I told her who I was, she would not be so... open," he paused "At the time, I didn't know about what she thought of me. I mean, the other, royal me."
"How do the both of you fit on one throne?" Talbuth asked with a light laugh.
It was the first time he had heard Talbuth laugh. Under other circumstances, they might have been friends. Zan smiled with him.
"When people see me," Zan continued, "they are not just looking at... me. They see my father's name, the palace in which I grew up, the extravagant clothes. They are looking at a... prince."
He laughed, as though it was funny that anyone could consider him royalty.
"You are who you are." Talbuth replied, as a father talking to a young child. "Isn't it just as false to pretend to be someone else as it is for others to pretend they are talking to you, when they are only talking to some ... prince?"
Zan looked up quickly, his eyes searching for something in Talbuth's. At that moment, Lord Talbuth knew that he was standing before a man who might one day be a great King indeed.
"How little you know my daughter," Talbuth added with a whisper, dropping his eyes from King Zan's stare.
"But your daughter is not the reason you wished to speak with me, is it?" Zan sighed.
Lord Talbuth suddenly looked edgy.
"In a way, she is, sire." he started. "I know what you are thinking, for I have been in this very same position, before... before... well... you know."
Zan nodded.
"I am not here to bargain. I made my choice, King Zan, and I am prepared to suffer the consequences."
"Proceed." Zan stated when he realised Talbuth was waiting for him to say something.
"All I ask is that you spare my daughter and my wife."
"Your wife, I understand, Lord Talbuth. But why do you ask me to spare your daughter? I begged her not to get involved. I told her to seek safety, and to hide. She told me she would. Instead, she was up there at the lead. I'm told she was found outside my private chambers. I grant that her intentions were misguided, but the evidence against her is strong."
Talbuth looked defeated. He had somehow hoped that Zan's obvious feelings for his daughter might somehow buy her a reprieve from the executioner.
"I had to try." he sighed. "May I have your permission to leave?"
Zan watched him as he nervously swayed from one foot to the other.
"Not yet, Lord Talbuth," he said finally. "Since you come here to trade, I will offer your daughter clemency, in exchange for information."
"I told you earlier, sire. I will not bargain with names."
"Not that kind of information, Talbuth." Zan reprimanded. "No, this is more like a lesson, a lecture, if you will."
"Sire?"
"I want you to tell me about the Perdreian Prince and the Kalithen Princess."
"You want me to tell you about yourself and Lady Ava?" he asked, incredulously.
"Don't play games, Talbuth." Zan said calmly. "You know exactly about whom I speak. You must decide quickly, for I must change shortly."
Talbuth narrowed his eyes, as he tried to find some twist that might free him from this task. At last, his shoulders dropped, and he sat in the nearby chair with a deep sigh.
"Alright," he said quietly. "You must remember though, what I have to say is only legend. There is no factual evidence to substantiate this story. I will tell you truthfully everything I know, but I do not claim that it is authentic."
"I understand, Talbuth." Zan said eagerly. "Just tell me."
"Her name was Princess Isozilde." He started. "She was considered a great beauty, among all three of our races. Our seers had read her stars when she was born, and had proclaimed that she would rule Antar and the Five Planets. Her father was King Kador. He showed loyalty to King Shadoral, but in reality, he plotted his downfall, so that his daughter would rule in his stead. There is nothing new in this latest rebellion, King Zan." Talbuth shook his head sadly.
"King Kador had selected a number of suitable suitors, each a potential King. He introduced them to Lady Isozilde, who rejected each and every one of them. Lord Kador grew angry, and demanded that she make a choice. Her character was such that she would probably have run away, but external events overtook them. The ongoing war with the barbaric H'Manz pushed the matter to the background, as the three races combined their entire forces so that they might finally end this centuries old war."
"It had been discovered that the visitors, refugees from a galactic cataclysm, had been secretly assisting the H'Manz, for they planned to steal a weapon of great power, and so rule, themselves."
"What weapon was that?" Zan asked, thinking of the Granolith.
"I don't know. No one can ever explain what weapon this could be. If someone had been in possession of some powerful weapon, why had the war gone on so long? The visitors, and their H'Manz allies were finally trapped by the great Pyramid Mountains and the Holy Sea. It was thought that all was finally over. As they prepared for battle, Prince Traznor, son of King Shadoral appeared on top of the Pyramid. At his side stood Princess Isozilde, holding Prince Traznor's hand. They were both dressed in robes of gold, and they shone with a kind of light. Together, they produced a shield of power, separating the two armies. The H'Manz made their escape with the visitors, fleeing in their space ship to who knows where."
"After they had gone, and the shield had fallen, King Shadoral, King Kador, and their respective personal guards climbed the Pyramid. When they came down from the Pyramid, Prince Traznor was clad in chains, while the body of Princess Isozilde lay dead on the mountaintop. Although the Perdreians denied it, it was agreed that she had been slain by one of the Perdreians, some say Shadoral himself. Prince Traznor himself had lain a curse upon the Perdreians, promising that a Kalithen Queen would be reborn, slay the false Perdreian King, and the Kalithens would rule the Five Planets. The alliance was over, and the Perdreians somehow managed to flee from the Kalithens and Tanbo-ens now allied against them. Over the next few decades, through the use of advanced weapons, Kalithens and Tanbo-ens were soon brought under Perdreian rule. The Kalithen Royal family was abolished, and we now all swear allegiance to yours. Over the years, Kalithen rule has passed from one family to another, usually based on the whim of the current King. Now, of course, Servetrius rules."
The room went quiet while Zan considered this. He remembered his dream, where he stood next to Taysha on a mountain, with an army below them. They were wearing gold robes, and they loved each other.
"Talbuth," he asked. "Do you, or do any Kalithens believe that Taysha is Isozilde reborn?"
"Of course not, King Zan." Talbuth laughed. "We do not believe in fables and fairy tales. Taysha is just my daughter. Nothing more."
***
It was a lonely life, being a king. Zan finally realised why his parents had pushed so hard for him to get married. If he had a wife, at least he would have someone to talk to, someone who would not be calculating how much power they might obtain from their conversation. More than ever, he missed Ava. He desperately needed someone to hold him, and tell him things would be all right, that what he was doing was right. How he wished Vilondra were here, so he might hear her mock him, helping to end this misery.
He knew that from now on, he could not talk openly, in case someone took a casual remark as a promise, or an insult. His words must of necessity, remain guarded. Rath continued to avoid him, and the high-ranking nobles and officials continued at pretending to be his friend while seeking some sort of advancement. The only ones who he truly trusted were his Royal guard and Geltar in particular. Once his leg had been healed, Geltar had volunteered to be Zan's personal bodyguard. Zan had only accepted this, because it gave him someone to talk to.
Rath had been furious when he found that he did not command the loyalty of the Royal guard. They would not inform him of Zan's whereabouts, or what activities he was engaged in. Every time he gave an order, they would tell him that they responded only to the King. Technically, this was correct, but until recently, they had obeyed Rath's orders because he was the King's representative, looking after the prince. But just as Rath had pointed out to Zan, things were different now. This new frustration only seemed to add to the alienation that had grown between Zan and Rath.
There were now less than two hours to go before they reached the wormhole. Zan had already issued the orders for the Royal guard to shape change. The few Perdreian Technicians who had managed to somehow survive the deadly gas had already done so. Only Zan and Geltar remained. Before he himself changed, Geltar had approached Zan and informed him that Lord Talbuth had requested an urgent audience. Zan was waiting for him now, hoping that Talbuth had not come to bargain. Treason was punishable by death, so he suspected that Talbuth would probably offer to trade the names of high-ranking rebels on Antar in exchange for the lives of him and his family. Zan hoped that Talbuth was better than that.
Geltar escorted Lord Talbuth into the room, and knowing Zan's thoughts on the matter, left immediately. Zan knew Geltar would have already searched him thoroughly.
"May I have a word, sire?" Talbuth asked nervously.
Zan noticed straight away that the edge of anger that he had always sensed about Talbuth had gone, but his tenseness remained.
"Is Lady Taysha all right?" he asked, temporarily delaying Talbuth's reason for being here.
"As well as can be expected," he answered. "Considering what she has gone through."
"I never meant to hurt her," Zan told him honestly.
"It is never the intent that causes the damage, King Zan. It is always the deed."
"Still the tutor?" Zan asked with a raised eyebrow. "You still have some lessons to teach me?"
Lord Talbuth smiled.
"When I first met her, I wanted to be ordinary, you know?" Zan explained. Talbuth remained silent.
"She was so friendly, so vibrant. I somehow knew that if I told her who I was, she would not be so... open," he paused "At the time, I didn't know about what she thought of me. I mean, the other, royal me."
"How do the both of you fit on one throne?" Talbuth asked with a light laugh.
It was the first time he had heard Talbuth laugh. Under other circumstances, they might have been friends. Zan smiled with him.
"When people see me," Zan continued, "they are not just looking at... me. They see my father's name, the palace in which I grew up, the extravagant clothes. They are looking at a... prince."
He laughed, as though it was funny that anyone could consider him royalty.
"You are who you are." Talbuth replied, as a father talking to a young child. "Isn't it just as false to pretend to be someone else as it is for others to pretend they are talking to you, when they are only talking to some ... prince?"
Zan looked up quickly, his eyes searching for something in Talbuth's. At that moment, Lord Talbuth knew that he was standing before a man who might one day be a great King indeed.
"How little you know my daughter," Talbuth added with a whisper, dropping his eyes from King Zan's stare.
"But your daughter is not the reason you wished to speak with me, is it?" Zan sighed.
Lord Talbuth suddenly looked edgy.
"In a way, she is, sire." he started. "I know what you are thinking, for I have been in this very same position, before... before... well... you know."
Zan nodded.
"I am not here to bargain. I made my choice, King Zan, and I am prepared to suffer the consequences."
"Proceed." Zan stated when he realised Talbuth was waiting for him to say something.
"All I ask is that you spare my daughter and my wife."
"Your wife, I understand, Lord Talbuth. But why do you ask me to spare your daughter? I begged her not to get involved. I told her to seek safety, and to hide. She told me she would. Instead, she was up there at the lead. I'm told she was found outside my private chambers. I grant that her intentions were misguided, but the evidence against her is strong."
Talbuth looked defeated. He had somehow hoped that Zan's obvious feelings for his daughter might somehow buy her a reprieve from the executioner.
"I had to try." he sighed. "May I have your permission to leave?"
Zan watched him as he nervously swayed from one foot to the other.
"Not yet, Lord Talbuth," he said finally. "Since you come here to trade, I will offer your daughter clemency, in exchange for information."
"I told you earlier, sire. I will not bargain with names."
"Not that kind of information, Talbuth." Zan reprimanded. "No, this is more like a lesson, a lecture, if you will."
"Sire?"
"I want you to tell me about the Perdreian Prince and the Kalithen Princess."
"You want me to tell you about yourself and Lady Ava?" he asked, incredulously.
"Don't play games, Talbuth." Zan said calmly. "You know exactly about whom I speak. You must decide quickly, for I must change shortly."
Talbuth narrowed his eyes, as he tried to find some twist that might free him from this task. At last, his shoulders dropped, and he sat in the nearby chair with a deep sigh.
"Alright," he said quietly. "You must remember though, what I have to say is only legend. There is no factual evidence to substantiate this story. I will tell you truthfully everything I know, but I do not claim that it is authentic."
"I understand, Talbuth." Zan said eagerly. "Just tell me."
"Her name was Princess Isozilde." He started. "She was considered a great beauty, among all three of our races. Our seers had read her stars when she was born, and had proclaimed that she would rule Antar and the Five Planets. Her father was King Kador. He showed loyalty to King Shadoral, but in reality, he plotted his downfall, so that his daughter would rule in his stead. There is nothing new in this latest rebellion, King Zan." Talbuth shook his head sadly.
"King Kador had selected a number of suitable suitors, each a potential King. He introduced them to Lady Isozilde, who rejected each and every one of them. Lord Kador grew angry, and demanded that she make a choice. Her character was such that she would probably have run away, but external events overtook them. The ongoing war with the barbaric H'Manz pushed the matter to the background, as the three races combined their entire forces so that they might finally end this centuries old war."
"It had been discovered that the visitors, refugees from a galactic cataclysm, had been secretly assisting the H'Manz, for they planned to steal a weapon of great power, and so rule, themselves."
"What weapon was that?" Zan asked, thinking of the Granolith.
"I don't know. No one can ever explain what weapon this could be. If someone had been in possession of some powerful weapon, why had the war gone on so long? The visitors, and their H'Manz allies were finally trapped by the great Pyramid Mountains and the Holy Sea. It was thought that all was finally over. As they prepared for battle, Prince Traznor, son of King Shadoral appeared on top of the Pyramid. At his side stood Princess Isozilde, holding Prince Traznor's hand. They were both dressed in robes of gold, and they shone with a kind of light. Together, they produced a shield of power, separating the two armies. The H'Manz made their escape with the visitors, fleeing in their space ship to who knows where."
"After they had gone, and the shield had fallen, King Shadoral, King Kador, and their respective personal guards climbed the Pyramid. When they came down from the Pyramid, Prince Traznor was clad in chains, while the body of Princess Isozilde lay dead on the mountaintop. Although the Perdreians denied it, it was agreed that she had been slain by one of the Perdreians, some say Shadoral himself. Prince Traznor himself had lain a curse upon the Perdreians, promising that a Kalithen Queen would be reborn, slay the false Perdreian King, and the Kalithens would rule the Five Planets. The alliance was over, and the Perdreians somehow managed to flee from the Kalithens and Tanbo-ens now allied against them. Over the next few decades, through the use of advanced weapons, Kalithens and Tanbo-ens were soon brought under Perdreian rule. The Kalithen Royal family was abolished, and we now all swear allegiance to yours. Over the years, Kalithen rule has passed from one family to another, usually based on the whim of the current King. Now, of course, Servetrius rules."
The room went quiet while Zan considered this. He remembered his dream, where he stood next to Taysha on a mountain, with an army below them. They were wearing gold robes, and they loved each other.
"Talbuth," he asked. "Do you, or do any Kalithens believe that Taysha is Isozilde reborn?"
"Of course not, King Zan." Talbuth laughed. "We do not believe in fables and fairy tales. Taysha is just my daughter. Nothing more."
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
Part 4
Zan was again staring at the globe when Geltar returned from taking Lord Talbuth back to his chamber. He walked up to his King, and looked on the image as well.
"Are you thinking of her?" he asked, tensely.
"Yes, Geltar, " he sighed. "I hope she and Borad will be well. It will be four years, or more, before we can return."
"Forgive me, sire, but is that the only reason you think of her? I saw how she looked at you. You surely cannot be thinking..."
He stopped short at Kings Zan's laughter.
"No, Geltar." he chuckled. "I hold Claudia White in my heart, the same way I hold Vilondra. I love her like a sister. I believe this woman is very important to me, though I know not why."
"And Lady Ava? How do you hold Lady Ava?"
"I don't know, Geltar." he sighed. "I don't know."
"Sire, forgive me for saying this, but if the prophecy is true, our only hope is in your union. Lady Ava is a direct descendant King Kador. As close to Kalithen Royalty as you can get. Surely she will be the Kalithen Queen foretold."
A slight whine echoed through the ship. They were starting to fire the Star Drive, enabling them to travel at speeds greater than light, through the wormhole.
"Lord Rath informs me that we have twenty minutes before we enter the wormhole." he paused.
Zan knew he had something else to tell him, something he did not want to do.
"Lady Taysha is outside. She requests an audience. I have told her that you are about to change, but she begged that I at least ask if you will see her."
Zan's heart leapt at the news, but he wondered why Taysha wanted to see him.
"Send her in Geltar, then go to your chamber and change. As soon as I have seen Lady Taysha, I'll change too."
"As you wish, sire... but may I speak freely?"
"Of course, Geltar."
"Please allow a Kalithen guard to remain in the room with you. There are many that do not trust her. It might do more damage than you can imagine, if it became known she was in here, alone with you." He paused. "Sire, I do not trust her, she doesn't belong here."
Geltar opened the door, and allowed Taysha to enter. He bowed to his King, and reluctantly departed. Taysha's face showed the signs that she had been crying, probably non-stop since she found out the truth. One of the Kalithen guards stepped in behind her, obviously at Geltar's request.
"Lady Taysha," Zan greeted her, as pleasantly as he could, hoping to show that whatever her feelings for him, he still cared for her.
"He cares for you a great deal, doesn't he, your majesty?" she stated, neutrally. "But I think he does not much care for me."
"He is a good man. He saved my life, down on Earth."
"Was it really beautiful sire? On Earth, I mean?" she asked, walking towards the console.
Zan looked at her curiously, and smiled. At least she was not afraid of him.
"Yes, Lady Taysha. It was. And I meant it when I said I would have liked to have shown you."
A shadow passing across her face as she recalled those events.
"Who is Claudia White?" she asked suddenly. Then she remembered her protocol. "Sire?"
Zan looked at her suspiciously. Only he and Geltar knew Claudia's name, and he had only told Rath he had met an Earthling. How had she found this out?
"Geltar was complaining because I asked to see your majesty," she continued, clearly sensing his unease. "He said you should be changing. When I begged him, he told me I was worse than Claudia White. He was horrified when he realised what he said, so I guess it must have been some kind of secret. Um... I will tell no one."
It brought a smile to her lips. Only a small one, but Zan thought his heart would burst. Thank you Geltar, he whispered, silently. Zan looked up, carefully studying the lovely woman before him.
"You have this way about you, Lady Taysha," he said softly. "People seem to trust you."
Taysha looked over to him, and smiled, a little sadly. Trust. Such a fragile word.
"Claudia White is an Earthling." he continued. "We met her on Earth, and she helped us when were in trouble. She is a most remarkable young lady."
"Oh." Taysha replied, looking down at her feet.
"My father told me, sire," she said. "About what you and he agreed. Thank you."
"You're welcome Lady Taysha," he smiled earnestly. "Though I must admit that there was never any need for him to bargain. No one will be heading for the executioner when we get home. Not even your father."
"Thank you. Would you just call me Taysha, please, sire? I can pretend that we are still friends then." Tears ran down her cheeks.
"Of course, Taysha. But I would like to think that we are still... friends," he replied, honestly. "There is no need for any pretence."
"That's impossible, sire," she whispered, looking into his eyes. "You are the king, and I have been... involved in an attempt on your... life."
"All things can be fixed, Taysha."
"Not all things," she responded sadly. "May I ask another favour, sire? Would you allow me to be imprisoned with my mother?"
"Of course, Taysha," he whispered sadly. "I will see to it that you share the same... quarters."
"Thank you, King Zan. I wanted to ask you now, before you changed for your journey through the wormhole. I know at the other end, you will have more important things to worry about than the fate of your prisoners."
She turned to leave, and then stopped.
"I'm glad that you are safe, my lord."
She emphasised 'my lord'. Zan knew that whatever her emotions were at that moment, she had forgiven him. She rushed to his side, kissed his cheek, and fled the chamber in tears.
***
The whistle of the Star Drive was getting louder now. He could feel the beginnings of the pain it caused. When he changed, he would be unable to do anything except sit back for the two weeks that the journey would seem to take. Perhaps he could delay his change, and use the time to check things on the Databanks.
He instantly knew when they had entered the wormhole. He suddenly felt as though he was wearing a suit of metal, and it was two sizes too small. He felt every organ in his body being crushed. He found that if he concentrated on gently pushing back against the force, the pain eased, but only slightly. At least it was bearable, and he could think on other matters. The high-pitched whistle in his head was agony, but it was a small price to pay. His kingdom, perhaps his very planet was in great danger, and he did not know from whom.
There was no time to waste. He knew that Rath would send someone to check him on a regular basis, and once he discovered what he was up to, there would be an argument. The sooner he found answers the sooner he would change, and make everyone happy.
"Databanks, open." he commanded, looking upwards.
Now that he was the King, he had the authority to unlock the records his father had locked.
"Databanks open, King Zan."
"Image of Lord Talbuth's trial. Display."
"Image record does not exist, King Zan."
That was strange.
"Transcript of Lord Talbuth's trial. Read."
"Transcript record does not exist, King Zan."
Zan should have realised that his Father would have taken steps to remove those records in the event of his death. What other records have been lost? Why would he have done this? "Eyewitness account of Baron Shastiv. Read"
"Reading. King Xandor and Lord Servetrius were standing on the dais, watching the dancing. Prince Zan and Lord Rath had disappeared together over an hour ago, and had not been seen since. Lord Talbuth stormed into the ballroom, looking very angry. Lord Talbuth was carrying his young daughter, the Lady Taysha, who was sobbing in his arms. Lord Talbuth started shouting at the King, accusing his son of attacking his daughter. The King was outraged, furious that Lord Talbuth would make such an unfounded accusation. The whole room was shocked when Lord Talbuth demanded justice, and called Prince Zan a most ingratiouse name. At Lord Servetrius' suggestion, his Seer was summoned. Blessed with the ability to read peoples memories, the Seer quickly determined that both Lord Talbuth and Lady Taysha...."
"End!" Zan commanded. " Lock record by my authority."
"Confirmed, King Zan."
Clearly his father had not known about this record. Though he had to grit his teeth against the pain, he knew he had to get to the bottom of this. Something big was going on, and it all seemed to revolve around Lord Talbuth and his daughter.
***
Zan was again staring at the globe when Geltar returned from taking Lord Talbuth back to his chamber. He walked up to his King, and looked on the image as well.
"Are you thinking of her?" he asked, tensely.
"Yes, Geltar, " he sighed. "I hope she and Borad will be well. It will be four years, or more, before we can return."
"Forgive me, sire, but is that the only reason you think of her? I saw how she looked at you. You surely cannot be thinking..."
He stopped short at Kings Zan's laughter.
"No, Geltar." he chuckled. "I hold Claudia White in my heart, the same way I hold Vilondra. I love her like a sister. I believe this woman is very important to me, though I know not why."
"And Lady Ava? How do you hold Lady Ava?"
"I don't know, Geltar." he sighed. "I don't know."
"Sire, forgive me for saying this, but if the prophecy is true, our only hope is in your union. Lady Ava is a direct descendant King Kador. As close to Kalithen Royalty as you can get. Surely she will be the Kalithen Queen foretold."
A slight whine echoed through the ship. They were starting to fire the Star Drive, enabling them to travel at speeds greater than light, through the wormhole.
"Lord Rath informs me that we have twenty minutes before we enter the wormhole." he paused.
Zan knew he had something else to tell him, something he did not want to do.
"Lady Taysha is outside. She requests an audience. I have told her that you are about to change, but she begged that I at least ask if you will see her."
Zan's heart leapt at the news, but he wondered why Taysha wanted to see him.
"Send her in Geltar, then go to your chamber and change. As soon as I have seen Lady Taysha, I'll change too."
"As you wish, sire... but may I speak freely?"
"Of course, Geltar."
"Please allow a Kalithen guard to remain in the room with you. There are many that do not trust her. It might do more damage than you can imagine, if it became known she was in here, alone with you." He paused. "Sire, I do not trust her, she doesn't belong here."
Geltar opened the door, and allowed Taysha to enter. He bowed to his King, and reluctantly departed. Taysha's face showed the signs that she had been crying, probably non-stop since she found out the truth. One of the Kalithen guards stepped in behind her, obviously at Geltar's request.
"Lady Taysha," Zan greeted her, as pleasantly as he could, hoping to show that whatever her feelings for him, he still cared for her.
"He cares for you a great deal, doesn't he, your majesty?" she stated, neutrally. "But I think he does not much care for me."
"He is a good man. He saved my life, down on Earth."
"Was it really beautiful sire? On Earth, I mean?" she asked, walking towards the console.
Zan looked at her curiously, and smiled. At least she was not afraid of him.
"Yes, Lady Taysha. It was. And I meant it when I said I would have liked to have shown you."
A shadow passing across her face as she recalled those events.
"Who is Claudia White?" she asked suddenly. Then she remembered her protocol. "Sire?"
Zan looked at her suspiciously. Only he and Geltar knew Claudia's name, and he had only told Rath he had met an Earthling. How had she found this out?
"Geltar was complaining because I asked to see your majesty," she continued, clearly sensing his unease. "He said you should be changing. When I begged him, he told me I was worse than Claudia White. He was horrified when he realised what he said, so I guess it must have been some kind of secret. Um... I will tell no one."
It brought a smile to her lips. Only a small one, but Zan thought his heart would burst. Thank you Geltar, he whispered, silently. Zan looked up, carefully studying the lovely woman before him.
"You have this way about you, Lady Taysha," he said softly. "People seem to trust you."
Taysha looked over to him, and smiled, a little sadly. Trust. Such a fragile word.
"Claudia White is an Earthling." he continued. "We met her on Earth, and she helped us when were in trouble. She is a most remarkable young lady."
"Oh." Taysha replied, looking down at her feet.
"My father told me, sire," she said. "About what you and he agreed. Thank you."
"You're welcome Lady Taysha," he smiled earnestly. "Though I must admit that there was never any need for him to bargain. No one will be heading for the executioner when we get home. Not even your father."
"Thank you. Would you just call me Taysha, please, sire? I can pretend that we are still friends then." Tears ran down her cheeks.
"Of course, Taysha. But I would like to think that we are still... friends," he replied, honestly. "There is no need for any pretence."
"That's impossible, sire," she whispered, looking into his eyes. "You are the king, and I have been... involved in an attempt on your... life."
"All things can be fixed, Taysha."
"Not all things," she responded sadly. "May I ask another favour, sire? Would you allow me to be imprisoned with my mother?"
"Of course, Taysha," he whispered sadly. "I will see to it that you share the same... quarters."
"Thank you, King Zan. I wanted to ask you now, before you changed for your journey through the wormhole. I know at the other end, you will have more important things to worry about than the fate of your prisoners."
She turned to leave, and then stopped.
"I'm glad that you are safe, my lord."
She emphasised 'my lord'. Zan knew that whatever her emotions were at that moment, she had forgiven him. She rushed to his side, kissed his cheek, and fled the chamber in tears.
***
The whistle of the Star Drive was getting louder now. He could feel the beginnings of the pain it caused. When he changed, he would be unable to do anything except sit back for the two weeks that the journey would seem to take. Perhaps he could delay his change, and use the time to check things on the Databanks.
He instantly knew when they had entered the wormhole. He suddenly felt as though he was wearing a suit of metal, and it was two sizes too small. He felt every organ in his body being crushed. He found that if he concentrated on gently pushing back against the force, the pain eased, but only slightly. At least it was bearable, and he could think on other matters. The high-pitched whistle in his head was agony, but it was a small price to pay. His kingdom, perhaps his very planet was in great danger, and he did not know from whom.
There was no time to waste. He knew that Rath would send someone to check him on a regular basis, and once he discovered what he was up to, there would be an argument. The sooner he found answers the sooner he would change, and make everyone happy.
"Databanks, open." he commanded, looking upwards.
Now that he was the King, he had the authority to unlock the records his father had locked.
"Databanks open, King Zan."
"Image of Lord Talbuth's trial. Display."
"Image record does not exist, King Zan."
That was strange.
"Transcript of Lord Talbuth's trial. Read."
"Transcript record does not exist, King Zan."
Zan should have realised that his Father would have taken steps to remove those records in the event of his death. What other records have been lost? Why would he have done this? "Eyewitness account of Baron Shastiv. Read"
"Reading. King Xandor and Lord Servetrius were standing on the dais, watching the dancing. Prince Zan and Lord Rath had disappeared together over an hour ago, and had not been seen since. Lord Talbuth stormed into the ballroom, looking very angry. Lord Talbuth was carrying his young daughter, the Lady Taysha, who was sobbing in his arms. Lord Talbuth started shouting at the King, accusing his son of attacking his daughter. The King was outraged, furious that Lord Talbuth would make such an unfounded accusation. The whole room was shocked when Lord Talbuth demanded justice, and called Prince Zan a most ingratiouse name. At Lord Servetrius' suggestion, his Seer was summoned. Blessed with the ability to read peoples memories, the Seer quickly determined that both Lord Talbuth and Lady Taysha...."
"End!" Zan commanded. " Lock record by my authority."
"Confirmed, King Zan."
Clearly his father had not known about this record. Though he had to grit his teeth against the pain, he knew he had to get to the bottom of this. Something big was going on, and it all seemed to revolve around Lord Talbuth and his daughter.
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
Part 5
The day wore on, and Zan spent all that time thinking about everything that had happened, of all the events that had so far occurred. It was like the unravelling of some great... plan. He considered the problems that must have existed for such a plan to work. Then he turned his attention to the recording again. He had been playing it over and over. There was one part that he did not understand, and he felt that this was somehow at the heart of the problem.
"At Lord Servetrius' suggestion, his Seer was summoned. Blessed with the ability to read peoples memories, the Seer quickly determined that both Lord Talbuth and Lady Taysha were lying."
How could someone do that? He needed to know.
The Kalithen guards outside his chamber nearly jumped out of their skin when King Zan emerged through the door and asked them to bring him some food, and to fetch Lord Talbuth for him. One of the guards ran down the corridor, looking extremely pale. Meanwhile, Zan returned to his console to wait. When the buzzer went, he was not surprised to find that it was Rath.
"What are you doing, sire?" he demanded, angry that Zan had not changed.
"Rath, stop it!" Zan commanded, as if telling off some small child. "I don't know why you are acting like this, but whatever the reason, stop it right now, and be my friend. At least until we get back to Antar."
Rath looked at him fiercely, but then his shoulders dropped.
"All right," he said sullenly. "Then as a friend, why haven't you changed yet?"
"Because something big is going on, Rath," he said urgently. "I think there is more to this rebellion than just a group of Kalithens wanting to go home. I think there is a whole revolution about to strike Antar."
"Okay, Zan," Rath said, obviously thinking on this. "Give me one reason why you think this. Something that isn't some tenuous link to an ancient bed time story."
"The fact that I am a King now," he answered, "And that I survived an attempt on my life."
"How does this prove it?"
"You knew my father, Rath. He was a fit, strong man with no genetic illnesses. How could he have died so suddenly? What if he was assassinated? Who would take over?"
"You, of course."
"Exactly. What would have happened, if I had not decided to visit Earth? What if I had stayed on board the ship?" Rath contemplated this.
"You would probably be dead," he said quietly.
Rath sat down in Zan's chair, clearly considering the implications that Zan had already thought through. The whole thing had to have been very carefully planned and somehow, co-ordinated across whole galaxies. Just who would have been involved?
"There's nothing you can do out here, Zan." he stated, reaching no immediate solution himself. "Why haven't you changed?"
"Because I think that Lord Talbuth is being used. He doesn't know what is going on, but he is involved. And I think Taysha is also a puppet of some kind."
Zan explained what he had learned from Talbuth, concerning Prince Traznor, and Princess Isozilde. Rath was still sceptical, insisting they were just fables. Zan could see, though, that Rath was at least considering what he had learned.
"I asked her to marry me." Rath whispered quietly.
"Who?" Zan asked, but he knew the answer.
He remembered the conversation he had with Taysha, the one when she had asked if Rath had said anything to him. He knew now that she had been referring to this.
"Lady Taysha," Rath confirmed.
"What did she say?" Zan asked in a strangled voice, not really wanting to know.
"A lot of things, but the bottom line was no," he whispered. "The strangest thing though, Zan. When I asked her, it did not feel... right. Like I shouldn't really be asking her. It was kind of like I had asked... Ava."
"Why are you telling me this, Rath?"
"Because Lady Taysha is in love with you."
"No, not any more." he sadly sighed. "Not now that I am Zan."
But then Zan remembered the kiss that she had given him, and brought his fingertips to his cheek.
"I hated you for that," Rath continued. "I hated that she loved you. I hated that you were lying to her. I hated that she gave her love to you, and that you are betrothed to another. And I hated myself for hating you."
The guard returned with a tray of food for Zan, so Rath sat quietly, allowing him to eat. He could see that Zan was suffering, and that he could not concentrate enough to do two things at once. He knew that the pain had to be particularly bad for him, Perdreians were not as sturdy as Kalithens.
"So now you know." Rath said with a soft chuckle, when Zan had finished.
"Know what?" Zan asked, thinking Rath was continuing his explanation of why he had been behaving so strangely.
"How much it hurts. Of course, for you, it has to be worse."
"But only once, Rath." Zan smiled, though it was more like a grimace.
***
Lord Talbuth was equally surprised to see that King Zan had retained his normal shape. He showed genuine concern that he was in some way harming himself. Rath excused himself, leaving the two men to talk.
"How is Lady Taysha, Lord Talbuth? I know she does not like the pain. Is she all right?"
"She is still in her chambers." Talbuth chuckled. "I have not seen her."
"Talbuth," Zan said, cutting the pleasantries short. There were important issues to discuss. "Many people's lives are at risk, perhaps the very existence of a planet, and I need some answers."
"I will not give you any names, King Zan." He sighed.
"No, no." Zan added urgently. "It is just some simple information on Kalithens I need."
Talbuth considered this.
"Could Lord Rath not help you in this?" he inquired.
"No," Zan sighed, shaking his head. "Rath has enough worries of his own. I though you would probably know more."
"My daughter told me about your promise." he said after a moments thought. "About placing her with her mother. Thank you. What is it you wish to know."
"When you originally made the accusation, against me, and your daughter... you know..."
Zan still found it painful to talk about it. How must Taysha feel?
"As we have found out, King Zan." Talbuth interrupted. "My daughter was mistaken. She genuinely thought it was Prince Zan who had attacked her, but we now know it was not."
"But when you made the accusation, Lord Servetrius sent for a Seer. He read your memory, and said you were both lying."
"Yes, that's right, sire." Talbuth agreed. "He did."
"How could he do that?" Zan asked.
Talbuth looked up suddenly, his eyes mirroring some inner turmoil.
"I don't know." He sighed. "At that point, King Zan, I had realised that it did not matter what proof or evidence I had. King Xandor was not going to accept the word of a Kalithen over that of his own son. I was defeated the moment my anger allowed me to face him in the first place. The Seer gave Xandor an acceptable excuse to exonerate his son."
"So it seems I simply have a doppelganger, then," Zan sighed, "One who preys on young women in my name."
***
Zan sat alone in his room, while the minutes ticked away. He really should think about changing, but not yet. He had to think. What was gained, he asked himself? Lord Talbuth and his family lost their titles, and were no longer influential in the political arena. Clearly, they had everything to lose by making such a false allegation with no solid proof to back it up. Lord Servetrius was immediately raised to become the new leader of the Kalithens, but he had been his father's friend for decades. If Servetrius were behind this plot, it was after all, his palace, why had he waited for so long before engineering some plot to overthrow Talbuth? What else was gained?
He was convinced the answer was in front of him, something to do with those words from the transcript. Zan called for the ship's Holy Seer, Hefesys. He seemed surprisingly unconcerned of the fact that Zan had not changed, unlike his Chamberlain, Denbers, who had become extremely agitated. Zan knew that if Denbers were to become the chamberlain permanently, he would be no better than Ava.
"Hefesys, do you know anything about the ability to read peoples memories?"
"Yes sire, of course." he stated. "Some Kalithens are blessed with it."
"So it's not an ability limited to the Seers?" Zan asked, surprised.
"King Zan," Hefesys started, "the Seers do not posses any ability that is not possessed by a non-Seer, with the exception that we are able to 'sense' the will of the Universe."
"Tell me about this ability, of reading memories."
"It's a rare gift," Hefesys began. "The possessor of such a gift can place his hand on the head of someone, and extract their memories. We call it memory walking."
"Can this be resisted?"
"Oh yes, but only by someone with a will stronger than the memory walker. But the harder one resists, the more painful it is." He paused, considering whether to continue or not. "We would call that a Mind Rape."
Zan flinched with distaste.
"At the trial of Lord Talbuth, a Seer said both he and his daughter were lying. When Lady Taysha told me of her ordeal, she did not seem like she was lying to me. So why didn't the Seer... see the memory?"
Hefesys seemed to be considering this. Zan could see that the Seer wanted to suggest that Taysha was in fact truly lying, but that Zan did not want to see the truth.
"I don't know," he said simply.
Zan took this in, and concentrated on what he had learned. A sudden inspiration struck him.
"Can it be reversed?"
"What?" Hefesys asked.
"This memory thing. Can a false memory be given to someone? Can you make someone think something happened?"
"Not in that way, no," Hefesys said, thinking of something.
Zan's shoulders dropped, he felt so close.
"But an even rarer gift, is the Mind Warp."
"What? What's that?"
"Someone with this ability can make you see something that isn't there. They can make you feel something that didn't happen. There are some whose ability is so strong, they can expand the image to make those around you see the same thing happening. What you see, and feel is so real, you will never believe that it is false. But it would still be in your memory, King Zan. A Memory Walker would still see it."
Zan collapsed into his chair. That was an amazing power to have. How dangerous that would be. And how was it that the Seer saw nothing? Were the memories placed in Taysha's mind only after the accusation had been made?
"I'm not surprised that Lord Talbuth chose not to mention that particular ability, King Zan."
"Why do you say that?" he asked, confused.
"The power of Mind Warp runs strong in his line." he stated. "His daughter will almost certainly posses it."
***
The day wore on, and Zan spent all that time thinking about everything that had happened, of all the events that had so far occurred. It was like the unravelling of some great... plan. He considered the problems that must have existed for such a plan to work. Then he turned his attention to the recording again. He had been playing it over and over. There was one part that he did not understand, and he felt that this was somehow at the heart of the problem.
"At Lord Servetrius' suggestion, his Seer was summoned. Blessed with the ability to read peoples memories, the Seer quickly determined that both Lord Talbuth and Lady Taysha were lying."
How could someone do that? He needed to know.
The Kalithen guards outside his chamber nearly jumped out of their skin when King Zan emerged through the door and asked them to bring him some food, and to fetch Lord Talbuth for him. One of the guards ran down the corridor, looking extremely pale. Meanwhile, Zan returned to his console to wait. When the buzzer went, he was not surprised to find that it was Rath.
"What are you doing, sire?" he demanded, angry that Zan had not changed.
"Rath, stop it!" Zan commanded, as if telling off some small child. "I don't know why you are acting like this, but whatever the reason, stop it right now, and be my friend. At least until we get back to Antar."
Rath looked at him fiercely, but then his shoulders dropped.
"All right," he said sullenly. "Then as a friend, why haven't you changed yet?"
"Because something big is going on, Rath," he said urgently. "I think there is more to this rebellion than just a group of Kalithens wanting to go home. I think there is a whole revolution about to strike Antar."
"Okay, Zan," Rath said, obviously thinking on this. "Give me one reason why you think this. Something that isn't some tenuous link to an ancient bed time story."
"The fact that I am a King now," he answered, "And that I survived an attempt on my life."
"How does this prove it?"
"You knew my father, Rath. He was a fit, strong man with no genetic illnesses. How could he have died so suddenly? What if he was assassinated? Who would take over?"
"You, of course."
"Exactly. What would have happened, if I had not decided to visit Earth? What if I had stayed on board the ship?" Rath contemplated this.
"You would probably be dead," he said quietly.
Rath sat down in Zan's chair, clearly considering the implications that Zan had already thought through. The whole thing had to have been very carefully planned and somehow, co-ordinated across whole galaxies. Just who would have been involved?
"There's nothing you can do out here, Zan." he stated, reaching no immediate solution himself. "Why haven't you changed?"
"Because I think that Lord Talbuth is being used. He doesn't know what is going on, but he is involved. And I think Taysha is also a puppet of some kind."
Zan explained what he had learned from Talbuth, concerning Prince Traznor, and Princess Isozilde. Rath was still sceptical, insisting they were just fables. Zan could see, though, that Rath was at least considering what he had learned.
"I asked her to marry me." Rath whispered quietly.
"Who?" Zan asked, but he knew the answer.
He remembered the conversation he had with Taysha, the one when she had asked if Rath had said anything to him. He knew now that she had been referring to this.
"Lady Taysha," Rath confirmed.
"What did she say?" Zan asked in a strangled voice, not really wanting to know.
"A lot of things, but the bottom line was no," he whispered. "The strangest thing though, Zan. When I asked her, it did not feel... right. Like I shouldn't really be asking her. It was kind of like I had asked... Ava."
"Why are you telling me this, Rath?"
"Because Lady Taysha is in love with you."
"No, not any more." he sadly sighed. "Not now that I am Zan."
But then Zan remembered the kiss that she had given him, and brought his fingertips to his cheek.
"I hated you for that," Rath continued. "I hated that she loved you. I hated that you were lying to her. I hated that she gave her love to you, and that you are betrothed to another. And I hated myself for hating you."
The guard returned with a tray of food for Zan, so Rath sat quietly, allowing him to eat. He could see that Zan was suffering, and that he could not concentrate enough to do two things at once. He knew that the pain had to be particularly bad for him, Perdreians were not as sturdy as Kalithens.
"So now you know." Rath said with a soft chuckle, when Zan had finished.
"Know what?" Zan asked, thinking Rath was continuing his explanation of why he had been behaving so strangely.
"How much it hurts. Of course, for you, it has to be worse."
"But only once, Rath." Zan smiled, though it was more like a grimace.
***
Lord Talbuth was equally surprised to see that King Zan had retained his normal shape. He showed genuine concern that he was in some way harming himself. Rath excused himself, leaving the two men to talk.
"How is Lady Taysha, Lord Talbuth? I know she does not like the pain. Is she all right?"
"She is still in her chambers." Talbuth chuckled. "I have not seen her."
"Talbuth," Zan said, cutting the pleasantries short. There were important issues to discuss. "Many people's lives are at risk, perhaps the very existence of a planet, and I need some answers."
"I will not give you any names, King Zan." He sighed.
"No, no." Zan added urgently. "It is just some simple information on Kalithens I need."
Talbuth considered this.
"Could Lord Rath not help you in this?" he inquired.
"No," Zan sighed, shaking his head. "Rath has enough worries of his own. I though you would probably know more."
"My daughter told me about your promise." he said after a moments thought. "About placing her with her mother. Thank you. What is it you wish to know."
"When you originally made the accusation, against me, and your daughter... you know..."
Zan still found it painful to talk about it. How must Taysha feel?
"As we have found out, King Zan." Talbuth interrupted. "My daughter was mistaken. She genuinely thought it was Prince Zan who had attacked her, but we now know it was not."
"But when you made the accusation, Lord Servetrius sent for a Seer. He read your memory, and said you were both lying."
"Yes, that's right, sire." Talbuth agreed. "He did."
"How could he do that?" Zan asked.
Talbuth looked up suddenly, his eyes mirroring some inner turmoil.
"I don't know." He sighed. "At that point, King Zan, I had realised that it did not matter what proof or evidence I had. King Xandor was not going to accept the word of a Kalithen over that of his own son. I was defeated the moment my anger allowed me to face him in the first place. The Seer gave Xandor an acceptable excuse to exonerate his son."
"So it seems I simply have a doppelganger, then," Zan sighed, "One who preys on young women in my name."
***
Zan sat alone in his room, while the minutes ticked away. He really should think about changing, but not yet. He had to think. What was gained, he asked himself? Lord Talbuth and his family lost their titles, and were no longer influential in the political arena. Clearly, they had everything to lose by making such a false allegation with no solid proof to back it up. Lord Servetrius was immediately raised to become the new leader of the Kalithens, but he had been his father's friend for decades. If Servetrius were behind this plot, it was after all, his palace, why had he waited for so long before engineering some plot to overthrow Talbuth? What else was gained?
He was convinced the answer was in front of him, something to do with those words from the transcript. Zan called for the ship's Holy Seer, Hefesys. He seemed surprisingly unconcerned of the fact that Zan had not changed, unlike his Chamberlain, Denbers, who had become extremely agitated. Zan knew that if Denbers were to become the chamberlain permanently, he would be no better than Ava.
"Hefesys, do you know anything about the ability to read peoples memories?"
"Yes sire, of course." he stated. "Some Kalithens are blessed with it."
"So it's not an ability limited to the Seers?" Zan asked, surprised.
"King Zan," Hefesys started, "the Seers do not posses any ability that is not possessed by a non-Seer, with the exception that we are able to 'sense' the will of the Universe."
"Tell me about this ability, of reading memories."
"It's a rare gift," Hefesys began. "The possessor of such a gift can place his hand on the head of someone, and extract their memories. We call it memory walking."
"Can this be resisted?"
"Oh yes, but only by someone with a will stronger than the memory walker. But the harder one resists, the more painful it is." He paused, considering whether to continue or not. "We would call that a Mind Rape."
Zan flinched with distaste.
"At the trial of Lord Talbuth, a Seer said both he and his daughter were lying. When Lady Taysha told me of her ordeal, she did not seem like she was lying to me. So why didn't the Seer... see the memory?"
Hefesys seemed to be considering this. Zan could see that the Seer wanted to suggest that Taysha was in fact truly lying, but that Zan did not want to see the truth.
"I don't know," he said simply.
Zan took this in, and concentrated on what he had learned. A sudden inspiration struck him.
"Can it be reversed?"
"What?" Hefesys asked.
"This memory thing. Can a false memory be given to someone? Can you make someone think something happened?"
"Not in that way, no," Hefesys said, thinking of something.
Zan's shoulders dropped, he felt so close.
"But an even rarer gift, is the Mind Warp."
"What? What's that?"
"Someone with this ability can make you see something that isn't there. They can make you feel something that didn't happen. There are some whose ability is so strong, they can expand the image to make those around you see the same thing happening. What you see, and feel is so real, you will never believe that it is false. But it would still be in your memory, King Zan. A Memory Walker would still see it."
Zan collapsed into his chair. That was an amazing power to have. How dangerous that would be. And how was it that the Seer saw nothing? Were the memories placed in Taysha's mind only after the accusation had been made?
"I'm not surprised that Lord Talbuth chose not to mention that particular ability, King Zan."
"Why do you say that?" he asked, confused.
"The power of Mind Warp runs strong in his line." he stated. "His daughter will almost certainly posses it."
***
-
WR
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:22 am
- Location: Somewhere over England
The Importance of Being Elizabeth - Book 3
Part 6
Zan spent the next few hours using the console in his room to display the names of the players involved in the demotion of Lord Talbuth. The first two names he put up were Talbuth and Taysha. Servetrius, Xandor, Rath and Zan all followed. He added Ava and Vilondra, with question marks. The harder he looked, the more it seemed that all of these names were but mere puppets in a play, the strings of which were being pulled by someone that was hiding in the wings. He tried hard to remember names from the time he spent with his father. He had not generally paid attention to the people his father met; he thought he would have time to prepare to be a King later. Only two names kept coming to him, Traznor and Isozilde. Was Taysha Isozilde reborn? He just knew that Talbuth believed she was. A part of Zan did too.
Zan turned his mind to considering the scenario that would have occurred had the rebellion on the ship been successful, and he himself had been slain. With both his father and himself dead, who would benefit from such an action? He had no brothers, so his sister, Vilondra, would take the throne. Was she involved? No, he knew she loved him, as much as he loved her. She would never betray him. Was there perhaps a male relative somewhere unaccounted, with a spurious claim to the throne?
"Databanks, open." he again commanded.
"Databanks open, King Zan."
"King Xandor's line. Genealogy. Display."
"How many generations, King Zan?" queried the voice of the Databanks.
"Calculate as far back as we have data. Display last five." he said, after careful thought.
As the family tree appeared before Zan, he was struck by how singular it appeared. Until the line reached his father, each Perdreian King produced only one child, a son in every case. His father was the first King in the five generations displayed to have produced a second offspring, a daughter. When he paged beyond the first five levels, he found that the line stopped at the sixth generation, with King Trevnan.
"Explain break in line." he commanded the Databanks.
"King Trevnan was distant cousin to King Dorshan. King Dorshan died with no heir. No data held for ancestors of King Trevnan."
"King Dorshan's line. Genealogy. Display." he intoned.
As the royal line continued from King Dorshan, back through the generations, again each King produced only a son. One name suddenly leapt out at Zan. It was a name that made him go cold. King Shadoral. So much for legend, he thought. There was, however, no mention of a son, Prince Traznor, only a Prince Slodar.
"Prince Traznor. Details. Read." he whispered, almost knowing the response.
"Data record does not exist, King Zan."
At every turn, he was running into brick walls. Clearly, someone did not want him to know the facts. Perhaps this was the action of a past king, his father? After all, the prophecy said that a Kalithen Queen would destroy the Perdreians. But surely, the more information held would help the Perdreians to prevent such a thing. For evil to triumph it is only necessary for good men to do nothing. But who was good, and who was evil here?
He thought for a moment.
"Do we hold any records at all concerning Princess Isozilde?"
"Search prohibited at King Trevnan's command."
Interesting, thought Zan. No one had checked this record in generations.
"Sanction search on my authority." He commanded, and then added "Lock record, and prohibit search except by me, on my authority."
"Confirmed, King Zan." The databanks intoned. "Birth star-chart of Princess Isozilde is held in databanks."
Zan wondered why the birth star-chart of a mythical legend might be held.
"Compare birth star-chart against all females at court." He commanded, and then added, "And include Lady Taysha. Is there a match?"
"Confirmed, King Zan." The databanks responded. "There is one match."
"Details, read!" he urgently commanded.
Who was it? Lady Taysha? It had to be! A birth star-chart was as individual as a DNA structure.
"Birth star-chart compiled 5 minutes after her birth, match belongs to Lady Ava, daughter of Lord Servetrius."
His mind reacted violently, losing the control he was exerting on his body. His thoughts all screamed. NO! This could not be. Zan collapsed with the sudden overload of pain, quickly causing his rational thoughts to return. When he finally calmed his mind, and adjusted himself to the pain, he considered what he had learned. In his mind he knew the truth. His parents had known of this, and it was the reason why he was constantly being pushed to Lord Servetrius' daughter. It was as Geltar had said, their only chance lay in his marriage to Lady Ava.
"Compare birth star-chart of Prince Traznor against all males at court."
"Star-Chart does not exist, King Zan. But data previously input indicates that you are Prince Traznor."
Whether he liked it or not, Lady Ava was his destiny. His heart, however, refused to believe it.
"Who was the originator of the data?"
"Your Father."
"Could the data have been incorrect?"
"Data has no corroboration, King Zan."
A sudden though occurred to him.
"Lock birth star-chart of King Zan, and prohibit search except by me, on my authority."
"Star-Chart does not exist, King Zan."
Zan knew that this was not true. He had seen his star-chart himself, on any number of occasions. Someone must have deleted it.
"Check history. Search for deletion of King Zan's birth star-chart."
"History record found, King Zan."
"Who authorised its deletion?"
"Your father, King Zan."
His father again. What had he been playing at? It made no sense. Why would his father remove real evidence that might proclaim him the saviour of Antar, and replace it with possibly fabricated data that suggested the same thing? Perhaps he was not who he thought he was! Perhaps his birth star-chart proved that he was not Prince Traznor.
Was he Prince Traznor re-born? He certainly felt like he had some important task to do. He firmly believed that somehow, that task was bound with Princess Isozilde, and with Lady Taysha. A sudden thought struck him.
"King Kador of Kalitha. Genealogy. Display"
There it was. King Kador produced a son, Prince Isobahn, and a Daughter, Princess Isozilde. However, as with the Perdreian line, each of King Kador's line, produced only a single male heir, until it reached... Lord Servetrius. There it changed. Unlike all his ancestors, with the exception of Kador, Lord Servetrius had two issues, Lord Rath, and Lady Ava. He sighed at the inevitability of it all.
***
Lady Taysha was not feeling very well. She hated the pain caused by the Star Drive, and by the constant whistle she heard in her ears. She was more fortunate than most Kalithens, for she only existed in two time zones. The pain for her was not as bad, but that did not mean it hurt her any less. Now she had another reason to dislike it. It had taken Zan from her. It was a strange thought that the man she had hated for so many years was now a part of her heart. She would never get used to the Perdreian metabolism in their changed state. A single day for them was the same as fifty-two of their days. She had seen a Perdreian in that state once, it was like looking at a statue. To them, the Kalithens would be invisible; their voices like the high pitched buzzing made by a fly. She wondered if she spent the day sitting still in his room, would he see her, if only for a moment?
Finding that she actually liked Zan was strange to her. True, she liked him first as Jervad, but it was the same thing, in the end. The best thing was, her father did not disapprove of that friendship, not now that he too knew the truth. Sadly, though, it was all for nothing. She had betrayed him. The fact that she was an unwilling participant would mean nothing. Even if she told him, he would never forgive her. Anyway, she would never see him again. By the time Zan would return to his normal state when they reached Antar, she would have been taken away to where ever she would be imprisoned. She felt sad, and lonely.
She opened her door, and waited for the guard to check her progress, but was surprised when neither guard moved.
"Could you ask Lord Rath if I might have permission to visit my father, please?" she asked.
One of the guards looked at her.
"Lady Taysha," he greeted her. "King Zan left instructions that you have leave to go where you wish. The only condition is that a guard accompanies you at all times. I have been asked to assure you that this is for your protection, and not as a punishment of any kind."
"He did?" she asked in surprise. "Why should he do that?"
The two guards looked at each other and smiled, shaking their heads.
"Okay," she said, "Can I go to my father's chambers, please."
"If that is your wish, Lady Taysha."
She found her father in his seat, staring at the ceiling. Her guard allowed her to enter the room on her own.
"I'm lonely father," she said quietly. "May I spend some time with you?"
"Of course, daughter," he smiled. "How are you Taysha?"
He rose as she approached him. He gave her a fatherly kiss, and held her.
"Is the pain bad?" he asked.
Taysha suddenly realised that she no longer felt the pain. Thinking back, it disappeared when...
"Father," she whispered with awe. "Father, I feel no pain. At all. I started thinking about King Zan, and it... it went away father."
Talbuth stared at his daughter, and laughed.
"Knowing King Zan, he has probably found some way to take your pain upon himself."
"What do you mean, Father?" she asked, leaning back from his embrace.
"Well, it's obvious, to me at least, that our King has strong feelings for you."
"It's not obvious to me," she sighed.
"There he was, contorted with pain, and he asks me if you are all right." he laughed.
"What do you mean? Is he all right?" Taysha asked in a panic. "Has something happened to him?"
"No, Taysha. Calm down." her father laughed gently, "He has not changed yet. He is trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle when he has only half the pieces. And those he has don't fit the puzzle he is working on."
"He hasn't changed? He must be in agony."
"I believe he is, Taysha," he answered. "But it is of his own choosing."
He sat down in the chair again, and started to think. He was clearly a man with much to think about.
"You should have asked him for a console." she said. "He has one in his chambers, you know."
"Yes, I've seen it. But I don't need one. I have all my knowledge," he tapped his forehead, "up here. The things I am thinking on at the moment are best kept there."
"He has an image of the Earth on it," she said softly. "Did he say anything about his time down there?"
"Not to me," he answered. "We talked about us Kalithens, mainly."
"What did he want to know?" she asked, starting to pace the room.
"First, he wanted to know about Princess Isozilde. How do you suppose he knew about her?"
"I don't know, father, but I told you he was smarter than you thought."
"Yes, you did, Taysha. Anyway, then he started asking me about memory walking. I told him I knew nothing about it. Watch him, Taysha. I know you are growing fond of him, but remember that he is Perdreian. It might even be that he is smarter than you yourself think."
"Father, do you really think that the spirit of Princess Isozilde lies within me?"
Talbuth stared at her cautiously.
"Your birth star-chart was identical to that of Isozilde. I saw it when your betrothed had it cast. When you and he marry, it will be the end of Perdreian rule, and Kalitha shall rule the cosmos," he said gently.
"How can I marry him if I am a prisoner?" she asked. "I still have no right to marry."
"Can you not see, daughter?" he said to her in amazement. "The prophecy is guiding our steps, protecting you. It has seen fit to make Zan fall in love with you. He will not lock you up, and he will return your right to choose your own husband. You will see. It is such a pity that Zan has to be so... likeable. Who would have thought Xandor could turn out such a son. If it were not the time prophesied, he would make an excellent King. As it is, it shall be you, and your betrothed who shall rule."
"Zan does not love me, father. He hardly even knows me," she told him.
But why was her heart pounding so hard? Why did her father's words fill her with such joy, and the reminder that she was secretly betrothed to another dismay her?
"He does, Taysha," he replied, looking at her carefully. "But how do you feel about him?"
"I like him, father," she confessed, sadly, "a lot."
"I like him too, Taysha. But there is too much at stake here" he whispered cautiously. "Do not let your feelings run away with you. You must be strong, for all our sakes. Have you told him anything?"
"No, father, but I want to." she said, as she crossed the room to the door. "Maybe he can think of a way around this. I hate my destiny."
"I agree that it was easier to deal with, when we thought that it was Prince Zan who had tried to rape you. The fact that we are aware of the truth only complicates things. This doesn't effect just you, you know."
"I know." she sighed, as she waved the door open. "It effects Zan and his family too."
"That's not who I meant," he sighed. "Where are you going daughter?"
"To see Zan, of course." She smiled over her shoulder.
"Remember, Lady Taysha," he warned, in his statesman voice. "If you tell him any of this, he will be forced to ignore those feelings he has. He will renege on the agreements he has made, and execute us all. He will have no choice. No matter how likeable he is, he still has responsibilities."
***
Zan spent the next few hours using the console in his room to display the names of the players involved in the demotion of Lord Talbuth. The first two names he put up were Talbuth and Taysha. Servetrius, Xandor, Rath and Zan all followed. He added Ava and Vilondra, with question marks. The harder he looked, the more it seemed that all of these names were but mere puppets in a play, the strings of which were being pulled by someone that was hiding in the wings. He tried hard to remember names from the time he spent with his father. He had not generally paid attention to the people his father met; he thought he would have time to prepare to be a King later. Only two names kept coming to him, Traznor and Isozilde. Was Taysha Isozilde reborn? He just knew that Talbuth believed she was. A part of Zan did too.
Zan turned his mind to considering the scenario that would have occurred had the rebellion on the ship been successful, and he himself had been slain. With both his father and himself dead, who would benefit from such an action? He had no brothers, so his sister, Vilondra, would take the throne. Was she involved? No, he knew she loved him, as much as he loved her. She would never betray him. Was there perhaps a male relative somewhere unaccounted, with a spurious claim to the throne?
"Databanks, open." he again commanded.
"Databanks open, King Zan."
"King Xandor's line. Genealogy. Display."
"How many generations, King Zan?" queried the voice of the Databanks.
"Calculate as far back as we have data. Display last five." he said, after careful thought.
As the family tree appeared before Zan, he was struck by how singular it appeared. Until the line reached his father, each Perdreian King produced only one child, a son in every case. His father was the first King in the five generations displayed to have produced a second offspring, a daughter. When he paged beyond the first five levels, he found that the line stopped at the sixth generation, with King Trevnan.
"Explain break in line." he commanded the Databanks.
"King Trevnan was distant cousin to King Dorshan. King Dorshan died with no heir. No data held for ancestors of King Trevnan."
"King Dorshan's line. Genealogy. Display." he intoned.
As the royal line continued from King Dorshan, back through the generations, again each King produced only a son. One name suddenly leapt out at Zan. It was a name that made him go cold. King Shadoral. So much for legend, he thought. There was, however, no mention of a son, Prince Traznor, only a Prince Slodar.
"Prince Traznor. Details. Read." he whispered, almost knowing the response.
"Data record does not exist, King Zan."
At every turn, he was running into brick walls. Clearly, someone did not want him to know the facts. Perhaps this was the action of a past king, his father? After all, the prophecy said that a Kalithen Queen would destroy the Perdreians. But surely, the more information held would help the Perdreians to prevent such a thing. For evil to triumph it is only necessary for good men to do nothing. But who was good, and who was evil here?
He thought for a moment.
"Do we hold any records at all concerning Princess Isozilde?"
"Search prohibited at King Trevnan's command."
Interesting, thought Zan. No one had checked this record in generations.
"Sanction search on my authority." He commanded, and then added "Lock record, and prohibit search except by me, on my authority."
"Confirmed, King Zan." The databanks intoned. "Birth star-chart of Princess Isozilde is held in databanks."
Zan wondered why the birth star-chart of a mythical legend might be held.
"Compare birth star-chart against all females at court." He commanded, and then added, "And include Lady Taysha. Is there a match?"
"Confirmed, King Zan." The databanks responded. "There is one match."
"Details, read!" he urgently commanded.
Who was it? Lady Taysha? It had to be! A birth star-chart was as individual as a DNA structure.
"Birth star-chart compiled 5 minutes after her birth, match belongs to Lady Ava, daughter of Lord Servetrius."
His mind reacted violently, losing the control he was exerting on his body. His thoughts all screamed. NO! This could not be. Zan collapsed with the sudden overload of pain, quickly causing his rational thoughts to return. When he finally calmed his mind, and adjusted himself to the pain, he considered what he had learned. In his mind he knew the truth. His parents had known of this, and it was the reason why he was constantly being pushed to Lord Servetrius' daughter. It was as Geltar had said, their only chance lay in his marriage to Lady Ava.
"Compare birth star-chart of Prince Traznor against all males at court."
"Star-Chart does not exist, King Zan. But data previously input indicates that you are Prince Traznor."
Whether he liked it or not, Lady Ava was his destiny. His heart, however, refused to believe it.
"Who was the originator of the data?"
"Your Father."
"Could the data have been incorrect?"
"Data has no corroboration, King Zan."
A sudden though occurred to him.
"Lock birth star-chart of King Zan, and prohibit search except by me, on my authority."
"Star-Chart does not exist, King Zan."
Zan knew that this was not true. He had seen his star-chart himself, on any number of occasions. Someone must have deleted it.
"Check history. Search for deletion of King Zan's birth star-chart."
"History record found, King Zan."
"Who authorised its deletion?"
"Your father, King Zan."
His father again. What had he been playing at? It made no sense. Why would his father remove real evidence that might proclaim him the saviour of Antar, and replace it with possibly fabricated data that suggested the same thing? Perhaps he was not who he thought he was! Perhaps his birth star-chart proved that he was not Prince Traznor.
Was he Prince Traznor re-born? He certainly felt like he had some important task to do. He firmly believed that somehow, that task was bound with Princess Isozilde, and with Lady Taysha. A sudden thought struck him.
"King Kador of Kalitha. Genealogy. Display"
There it was. King Kador produced a son, Prince Isobahn, and a Daughter, Princess Isozilde. However, as with the Perdreian line, each of King Kador's line, produced only a single male heir, until it reached... Lord Servetrius. There it changed. Unlike all his ancestors, with the exception of Kador, Lord Servetrius had two issues, Lord Rath, and Lady Ava. He sighed at the inevitability of it all.
***
Lady Taysha was not feeling very well. She hated the pain caused by the Star Drive, and by the constant whistle she heard in her ears. She was more fortunate than most Kalithens, for she only existed in two time zones. The pain for her was not as bad, but that did not mean it hurt her any less. Now she had another reason to dislike it. It had taken Zan from her. It was a strange thought that the man she had hated for so many years was now a part of her heart. She would never get used to the Perdreian metabolism in their changed state. A single day for them was the same as fifty-two of their days. She had seen a Perdreian in that state once, it was like looking at a statue. To them, the Kalithens would be invisible; their voices like the high pitched buzzing made by a fly. She wondered if she spent the day sitting still in his room, would he see her, if only for a moment?
Finding that she actually liked Zan was strange to her. True, she liked him first as Jervad, but it was the same thing, in the end. The best thing was, her father did not disapprove of that friendship, not now that he too knew the truth. Sadly, though, it was all for nothing. She had betrayed him. The fact that she was an unwilling participant would mean nothing. Even if she told him, he would never forgive her. Anyway, she would never see him again. By the time Zan would return to his normal state when they reached Antar, she would have been taken away to where ever she would be imprisoned. She felt sad, and lonely.
She opened her door, and waited for the guard to check her progress, but was surprised when neither guard moved.
"Could you ask Lord Rath if I might have permission to visit my father, please?" she asked.
One of the guards looked at her.
"Lady Taysha," he greeted her. "King Zan left instructions that you have leave to go where you wish. The only condition is that a guard accompanies you at all times. I have been asked to assure you that this is for your protection, and not as a punishment of any kind."
"He did?" she asked in surprise. "Why should he do that?"
The two guards looked at each other and smiled, shaking their heads.
"Okay," she said, "Can I go to my father's chambers, please."
"If that is your wish, Lady Taysha."
She found her father in his seat, staring at the ceiling. Her guard allowed her to enter the room on her own.
"I'm lonely father," she said quietly. "May I spend some time with you?"
"Of course, daughter," he smiled. "How are you Taysha?"
He rose as she approached him. He gave her a fatherly kiss, and held her.
"Is the pain bad?" he asked.
Taysha suddenly realised that she no longer felt the pain. Thinking back, it disappeared when...
"Father," she whispered with awe. "Father, I feel no pain. At all. I started thinking about King Zan, and it... it went away father."
Talbuth stared at his daughter, and laughed.
"Knowing King Zan, he has probably found some way to take your pain upon himself."
"What do you mean, Father?" she asked, leaning back from his embrace.
"Well, it's obvious, to me at least, that our King has strong feelings for you."
"It's not obvious to me," she sighed.
"There he was, contorted with pain, and he asks me if you are all right." he laughed.
"What do you mean? Is he all right?" Taysha asked in a panic. "Has something happened to him?"
"No, Taysha. Calm down." her father laughed gently, "He has not changed yet. He is trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle when he has only half the pieces. And those he has don't fit the puzzle he is working on."
"He hasn't changed? He must be in agony."
"I believe he is, Taysha," he answered. "But it is of his own choosing."
He sat down in the chair again, and started to think. He was clearly a man with much to think about.
"You should have asked him for a console." she said. "He has one in his chambers, you know."
"Yes, I've seen it. But I don't need one. I have all my knowledge," he tapped his forehead, "up here. The things I am thinking on at the moment are best kept there."
"He has an image of the Earth on it," she said softly. "Did he say anything about his time down there?"
"Not to me," he answered. "We talked about us Kalithens, mainly."
"What did he want to know?" she asked, starting to pace the room.
"First, he wanted to know about Princess Isozilde. How do you suppose he knew about her?"
"I don't know, father, but I told you he was smarter than you thought."
"Yes, you did, Taysha. Anyway, then he started asking me about memory walking. I told him I knew nothing about it. Watch him, Taysha. I know you are growing fond of him, but remember that he is Perdreian. It might even be that he is smarter than you yourself think."
"Father, do you really think that the spirit of Princess Isozilde lies within me?"
Talbuth stared at her cautiously.
"Your birth star-chart was identical to that of Isozilde. I saw it when your betrothed had it cast. When you and he marry, it will be the end of Perdreian rule, and Kalitha shall rule the cosmos," he said gently.
"How can I marry him if I am a prisoner?" she asked. "I still have no right to marry."
"Can you not see, daughter?" he said to her in amazement. "The prophecy is guiding our steps, protecting you. It has seen fit to make Zan fall in love with you. He will not lock you up, and he will return your right to choose your own husband. You will see. It is such a pity that Zan has to be so... likeable. Who would have thought Xandor could turn out such a son. If it were not the time prophesied, he would make an excellent King. As it is, it shall be you, and your betrothed who shall rule."
"Zan does not love me, father. He hardly even knows me," she told him.
But why was her heart pounding so hard? Why did her father's words fill her with such joy, and the reminder that she was secretly betrothed to another dismay her?
"He does, Taysha," he replied, looking at her carefully. "But how do you feel about him?"
"I like him, father," she confessed, sadly, "a lot."
"I like him too, Taysha. But there is too much at stake here" he whispered cautiously. "Do not let your feelings run away with you. You must be strong, for all our sakes. Have you told him anything?"
"No, father, but I want to." she said, as she crossed the room to the door. "Maybe he can think of a way around this. I hate my destiny."
"I agree that it was easier to deal with, when we thought that it was Prince Zan who had tried to rape you. The fact that we are aware of the truth only complicates things. This doesn't effect just you, you know."
"I know." she sighed, as she waved the door open. "It effects Zan and his family too."
"That's not who I meant," he sighed. "Where are you going daughter?"
"To see Zan, of course." She smiled over her shoulder.
"Remember, Lady Taysha," he warned, in his statesman voice. "If you tell him any of this, he will be forced to ignore those feelings he has. He will renege on the agreements he has made, and execute us all. He will have no choice. No matter how likeable he is, he still has responsibilities."
***