Chapter 14 - Waiting

The sky above Escorath was starting to blush with the coming of dawn, the faintest of peach-stained tones encroaching on the black, already banishing the faintest of stars from the heavens. The heat of the coming day was already creeping across the sands and dunes beyond the reach of Escorath, the first hints of its warmth starting to invade the depths of the sanctum. A stocky form was pacing back and forth, stopping occasionally to look up at the opening above.

“Thain, are you trying to wear your boots out?” Antrandis asked quietly, not bothering to follow his friend’s movements.

“I’ll wear them out on your head, stomping some sense into you is what I’ll do, Randis.” Rhuthain shot back under his breath.

Antrandis chuckled to himself, his stormy blue eyes watching the space at the centre of the pillars, at the valkyrie that stood there peacefully with tucked wings.

“You let those kids just go off an…”

“Go off, you say? Thain, they have been in battles and scouring the ruins of ancient times for a number of years now.” Antrandis said, cutting the dwarf off, “They are not children any more.”

“But they shouldn’t have gone off without assistance or a guard.”

Antrandis just smiled and shook his head slowly, “Kit is very possessive of her time and prefers to be alone in the wilderness with Rhy. I am not going to have someone spy on them.”

Rhuthain stared at him from across the way, “But…”

“But what? They are near to thirty. What’s eating at you, Thain?” Antrandis asked, glancing at the dwarf with mild interest, “Even with Rhyker injured, do not discredit Kit. She will move mountains for her brother.”

“Aye, that’s what’s worrying me. When I was catching up with you lot. Came across these beasties, strange looking monsters they were. Just a couple aren’t much of an issue, but a whole lot could make a mess.” Rhuthain said, screwing up his face, “Those kids aren’t like us.”

“Immortal?”

“Aye, immortal. Blessed with eternity.”

“Some see it as a curse, Thain.” Antrandis said quietly, looking up at the sky again, “As you once did.”

Rhuthain shook his head, “Aye, I once did. You told me to think carefully, to…” he grimaced, “That’s not the point. I know you have the power to offer it to them.”

Antrandis glanced at Rhuthain in mild interest, “Having the power does not mean I should use it.”

“You an your code, you put the rest of us to shame an you know it. That damnable restraint you have. I am sure you are running a direct conduit to your Ma, Lumos an your aunts Auryl an Aisling.” he gave Antrandis a dark look, “An Toth… he’s a lot closer than you let on, ain’t he? Even my own Ma goes silent as the grave with the slightest mention of him. Told me that I may have earned the right to speak his name, but to always be wary of how I utter it.”

He looked at Antrandis carefully, “She knows who he really is, don’t she?”

Antrandis met his eyes and did not say a word.

“Aye, I know that look too. It’s telling me to stop pressing.” Rhuthain said, “It’s as far as I’m going, don’t you worry about that. I’m just frustrated is all. I just don’t know how you can keep to your word like you do.”

Antrandis let an eyebrow rise, “It is harder than you realise, Thain. But it is that restraint that rewards with a passionate appreciation for life and for those that live it.”

Rhuthain walked over to him, resting a foot on a step, “Aye, you say that time and again. But watching those you love die…I just, I just don’t know how…”

“It is the natural order of things. Immortality does not fix death, it perverts it, Thain. It steals from fate and disrupts destiny.”

“Aye, but what if it is destiny to become one of…” Rhuthain asked, letting his words taper off as he read Antrandis’s expression.

“Then time will lead us to that conclusion, I will not bring it about sooner than it needs be. The lesson will not be learned, the necessary wounds of grief will not be healed. The scars will not be ready to tell their story, a reminder of the rise to walking among the gods.” Antrandis said, glancing back to the middle of the pillars, “What makes a life fulfilling for those who experience it is the journey, the decisions they make and live with and what they do with the time they have available to them. Tell me Thain, what makes immortality so interesting, the long stretches of emptiness between each distant starburst of conflict, attraction or love before we descend back into waiting for the next, if it comes?”

Rhuthain gave a sigh and sat nearby, “Aye, you got me there. It’s pretty boring isn’t it? I suppose if we had nothing to do, we’d do as some others have, make something to do, make a mess just so we can play in it for a while.”

“That is why I abstain from using my gifts.” Antrandis said calmly.

“Aye, it’s your own form of selfishness.”

“In a sense, Thain. Selfish it may be, but it is better than seeing the deaths of thousands or more just for the sake of ‘sport’. We are all selfish in our own ways.”

Rhuthain glanced over at him and nodded, “A good point an well made, can’t say I don’t have my vices. But damn it Randis, what’s taking the girls so long?!”

Antrandis concentrated for a moment with eyes closed. Chasing down Jesse’s thoughts despite her leaving the sanctum only a quarter of an hour earlier. He frowned, considering the silence for a moment before opening his eyes. He slowly stood and dusted off his pants.

“Come.” he said, jerking his head toward the pillars.

Rhuthain stared at him, “They on their way?”

Antrandis did not bother to answer. Instead he watched the valkyrie, Brensladine as she laid a small item on the floor where she stood and backed away beyond the surrounding pillars to stand beside him.

“My Lord?” she offered quietly.

“Antrandis will do, Brensladine.”

She smiled quickly, embarrassed at his correction, “Jesse should be here at any moment. I could feel the charge building in the pendant.”

“They coming?” Rhuthain asked.

“Jesse has both Rhyker and Kitaraiya…My Lord.” she nodded and let her words drift off as Antrandis made a small motion with a hand.

“Thain, Rhuthain, short stumpy bastard… Any will do, Brensladine. Just for the life of me, not ‘Me Lord’.” Rhuthain said as he stared at the pendant, “Makes my little toes twitch uncontrollably when I hear it. Also gives me indigestion, makes my skin itch an…” he met Antrandis’s glare, “What? It gives me…”

“I heard that one before, it works in the drinking halls among your clan, but not here.”

“Sometimes you’re no fun, Randis.” Rhuthain muttered, stomping his feet.

A sudden flare of blue crystal shone from the pendant laying on the floor, a dull throbbing quickly filling the air within the pit, concussive in its successive beats. Antrandis, gestured for Rhuthain to wait and shook his head as a tearing sound split the atmosphere of the pit. Rhuthain nodded and stuck his fingers in his ears in the split second before a large crystal blue orb of blinding light appeared with a deafening clap of thunder. Immediately Antrandis walked out toward it, ignoring the wildly arcing light and energy as it licked off the nearest pillars, crackling and burning the air, leaving the scent of ozone in its wake.

Standing just beyond the opaque ball of crackling energy he waited, watching as its walls surrendered and became transparent. He frowned, looking beyond its spherical walls to see Jesse with her wings tucked in tight, cradling Rhyker and Kitaraiya kneeling and gripping her arm in panic with her eyes tightly closed. Finally, the glowing transparent shell dispersed, both the matching pendants on the floor and Jesse’s neck letting out small wisps of grey smoke while a deafening silence filled the pit of Escorath.

Antrandis shared a swift glance with Jesse with a raised brow before stepping forward and crouching before Kitaraiya.

“Kit?” he said softly, “We have you.”

He carefully reached up and pried her hand loose from Jesse’s arm, “Kit, I know you are not fond of the… But it was the quickest way, you are safe now.” he said, grasping her shoulders and nodding to Brensladine as she retrieved the twin’s pack.

Kitaraiya gasped like she was coming up for air after a long dive, “It was my fault, Rhy…” she whispered, “Papa, I attacked him again.”

Antrandis silently pulled her into an embrace, wrapping his strong arms around her shoulders and pressing her head into the crook of his neck while they knelt together.

He smiled slightly, “Nothing that can’t be remedied. I am sure…”

“Papa, I know he gave to keep me alive, but it doesn’t stop me seeing myself almost tearing him apart.” she whispered, “Or wanting to tear him limb from limb and drain him until he can give no more.”

“What happened out there, Kit?”

“We almost died…Maybe it would have been best if I did.” she whispered.

Antrandis tightened his embrace, giving her a reassuring squeeze, “No Kit, it is best you did not.” he whispered in her ear, gently stroking her fur of her neck, “If you were to die you would leave a void in our hearts that could never be filled, my beautiful daughter.”

She nodded slightly, drawing shaky breaths before pushing away slightly and looking into his eyes, “Papa…”

“You bear the love of everyone here and more, child.”

Kitaraiya shook and took a deep, steadying breath, “I love you too, Papa.”

Antrandis nodded.

She suddenly looked up in a panic, “Rhy! Rhy is…”

“He is fine, Kit.” he quickly glanced up, “Jesse?”

“He is a little worse for wear, thought his soul is going nowhere yet. His tether to life and will to live is strong. Rest and a restorative should speed his recovery, at least enough for him to be wakeful.” the valkyrie said softly, giving Kitaraiya a reassuring smile, “Do not fear, Kit. Several days is all it has cost him. Sleep, food and company will suffice… And maybe a little assistance could help.” she finished, glancing at Antrandis and his nod.

“Papa… But Rhy.” she said with uncertainty.

Antrandis smiled knowingly, “Kit, every time he does this is because he could not bear losing you, because it is within his power to save you. Do not doubt his love and dedication to you as family.” he glanced at Rhyker’s form in Jesse’s arms, “Do not undermine how strongly he cares for you. Do not believe that he does this out of a warped sense of responsibility. Instead, look inside yourself Kit, you and he are of the same flesh and blood from birth, he will never abandon you.”

“As I will never him.” she said softly.

Antrandis nodded, “What matters most is that you both survived to tell the tale.” he finished, giving her furred shoulder a reassuring squeeze before standing and offering her his hand.

“Aye, touching to be sure.” Rhuthain grumbled sarcastically as he reached them, “Almost brought a tear to my eye.”

“Think nothing of Thain’s words, Kit. Only moments before you arrived he…” Antrandis said, ignoring Rhuthain’s glare, “…was crying about why I had let you venture off alone, without a guard.”

“Shut it, Randis. Was concerned is all.” he said under his breath, “You in one piece, Kit? Can’t tell for certain with all that bloodied fur an all. Is it your blood or beastie blood?”

She frowned, her eyes cold, matching the sudden drop of temperature in the air around them, “It is my brother’s blood, Thain. Only his blood, does that satisfy your curiosity? How many more reasons do you need to label me as a monster?” she growled.

Rhuthain held his hands out wide in supplication, “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to…”

“He is the only one that can bring me back from that hell, Thain. If we have a guard, he has to focus on their life and not his own. Why do you think he carries the knife I gave him?”

“Kit, now I didn’t…”

“No, I am stuck like this now. I’m like a fucking Were and I can’t shift back. I’m one monster or another, one worse than the other.”

“Kit, calm down, you know…”

Kitaraiya stared at the dwarf, “Did you just suggest I calm down? Less than six hours ago we almost died. Half dead and somehow, my brother carried me out of that place and then made me drink his blood. That thing came back, not me. It fed off him and it tore Calasylara to shreds when she tried to buy him time before it turned on him again. It was sheer luck that he could stop it and bring me back to my senses. Then we were attacked by those… Things, out on the dunes.” she snarled, physically shaking, her wild eyes boring into Rhuthain’s angrily, “I am a monster and I don’t need to be reminded every chance you get, Thain. And I will fucking calm down when I am ready to, not when you suggest it.”

Without looking away she spoke to Antrandis, “Papa… I need to report to Silvast.”

“That can be done later, Kit. She is indisposed at the moment.”

She glanced at Antrandis in mild confusion.

“You go with Jesse and settle yourself, stay by your brother’s side. We will not be moving from Escorath for three, maybe four days. Get some rest and clear your mind, Kit.” he said reassuringly, “We will talk of what happened later, after you have rested and Rhyker has recovered a little, what’s most important is…” he stalled as he saw the look on her face.

“I need you to check his scars, Papa. It is worse than before…I-I hurt him badly. Can you help him, please Papa…Please?” she said, her voice falling to a whisper as she grasped at his arm.

He glanced at Jesse and nodded, ignoring the thundering sound that was building outside the sanctum with the return of the other two valkyrie.

“I will check, but do not expect more if he is well enough to heal on his own with the aid of restoratives.” he said quietly, leading her and Jesse over to a stone bench beyond the pillars.

“Thank you, Papa.” Kitaraiya said softly, following close behind.

Assisting Jesse, they laid Rhyker out and Kitaraiya quickly opened his cloak and shirt, exposing the scarred wreckage of his shoulder. Antrandis winced at the fresh and pinked scars, the flesh puckered and angry from being torn.

“His back, Papa… It is – It is worse on his back.”

Jesse exchanged a quick look with Antrandis and gently rolled Rhyker toward her, holding him in place. Bending, he checked.

“Oh Kit…” he whispered, giving Jesse a quick nod before glancing at Kitaraiya and her pained expression.

“Papa, I – I didn’t mean to, I – I just…” she stammered softly, her normally proud form uncharacteristically small before him, “Can I speak to Mama? You haven’t told her yet, have you?”

Antrandis looked at her softly, “No, not yet. Winter is abroad at the moment, but she should be among us this evening.”

Kitaraiya met his eyes and he gave her a knowing smile.

“Sian will come after you have had some rest, and no, she does not know what has happened... Yet. But do not expect me to keep it from her.”

She nodded, her eyes straying to Rhyker as Jesse rearranged his clothing, “Papa, is there…?”

“After he has slept, had a restorative and got some food into him. Then I will aid his recovery to a degree.” he said softly, exchanging another glance with Jesse.

Kitaraiya quickly looked back and forth between them, “Papa?”

“Jesse will take him to your quarters and will assist, if needed.” he replied, “Go, I will come and check up on you both at midday.”

He gave Jesse a small nod of affirmation and the valkyrie carefully lifted Rhyker.

“But Papa, I need to explain what…” she calmed, seeing his eyes shift.

“We can discuss it then.” he said quietly, “Tend to your brother and still your thoughts. Rest if you can.”

Antrandis watched her slight nod before she moved alongside Jeese, walking past Rhuthain dismissively. Rhuthain watched them go, his mouth tight as he strode up to Antrandis.

“Why didn’t you just heal him? It’s not like you can’t.”

Antrandis watched Jesse and Kitaraiya as they mounted the first set of stairs, “Tell me Thain, what would be experienced from it?”

The dwarf grimaced, “Aye, I know, but you took them in as your own. You should...”

“All the more reason for me not to, life is fragile Thain. A healthy respect for that fragility helps those that dance on its edge understanding their limits and the limits of others.”

“You and your rules.”

“Yes, rules.” Antrandis quietly returned.

“Aye, but could you not…”

Antrandis shook his head, “No. What would they learn? Where are the lessons of struggle, pain and respect if I were just to heal them after every hurt and wound? Those things hone a mortal warrior’s blade and keeps them closer to life and respecting death.” he said, his eyes straying to the iris above and the rumbling scream of the returning valkyries.

“You must respect mortality before you have no more need for it.” he whispered under his breath, “Go and check on the girls, and find something to do that avoids antagonising Kit. I feel that they came across what we are looking for and her fear for Rhy will cloud her thoughts. A little distance and quiet will be remedy enough.”

Rhuthain stared at Antrandis, “You are a sick bastard, letting them hurt.”

“Hurt? Rhyker is already healing himself. No Thain, it is precisely what they need. A reminder before what is to come. Kit needs fear to respect and control that darkness within her, Rhy needs knowledge of his limits.” Antrandis calmly replied, his eyes flashing in the low light, “A sick bastard does not care for their survival, Thain. A sick bastard would rob them of their respect for mortality and leave them without knowledge of their limits. A sick bastard would take this from them and let them throw themselves into the unknown, unprepared and be entertained with the outcome.”

“The greatest lessons to be learned come from the master stepping back and letting the cards of destiny fall as they may. When a parent steps back and watches their child stand on two feet, attempting to run before they can walk and failing. There to lend a hand if asked for, but only a hand to steady them for the moment before they try again, to either fail or succeed.”

Rhuthain grimaced knowing what was to come as Antrandis turned away.

“Your words are still those of one who has never sired a child or truly taken one as an infant into your personal care. It would do you an eternity of good, Thain.”

“You know why I cannot, Randis.”

“A convenient excuse to be sure.” Antrandis said quietly and turned, disappearing into the passage.