Young Writers Society

Ah, Anae. I love her to death. :D

There's not much to say about this chapter, except to say -- I'm sorry about dumping Tsuunai in your lap. I felt as if I'd given enough clues along the way for you to at least guess ... so there. :P

~*~

It took two days for Tsuunai to find the safe house, for it resided snug between two of the largest mountains. It was nearly impossible to get to, but it was a veritable paradise. A large lake took up much of the flattest land, and exceptionally green forests flourished on either side. On the western edge of the lake stood a castle, old and worn but still standing, empty of all life.

“Well done, Tsuunai,” Daeun whispered, patting his faithful friend’s shoulder as he dismounted. He left Tsuunai and the rest behind, entering the outer wall of the castle to peer inside. It had been largely overtaken by the vegetation, but the throne room was largely clean, and would serve them well.

The other rooms were dark and dank, the only remaining furniture was made of stone and exceptionally hard to move. As the days passed, Daeun explored the forgotten castle, and at length found a hidden passage, one that led to what appeared to be a library. The passage had been sufficiently sealed so that many of the scrolls were still intact, and beyond them, the walls themselves had been written upon, a hasty, last-ditch effort to ensure their words would live on.

Excited, he called Ianna down, pulling her by the hand to the wall, where she stood and stared up at it, eyes wide. “It’s written in the language of the gods,” she whispered reverently. “There are a few writings such as these in the temples—but nothing so elaborate, nor so old—His Majesty can read it.”

Daeun grinned compulsively. “Can you get him down here?”

She returned his smile tenfold. “He’ll be happy to be acting scholarly again—he dearly loves to read.”

She was right; Aedaan was pleased. Immensely so. He made small exclamations of joy as he moved from panel to panel, eyes moving over the runes so quickly that they became a blur. Daeun and Ianna stood watching, hands clasped behind their back, happy to have pleased him. Aedaan had not been happy, being at their mercy, and had liked it even less when he heard of his people’s woes and knowing he was unable to come to their rescue.

“Do you know what you have found?” Aedaan demanded, after much muttering. “Do you?—I can hardly believe it! And in Talon lands!” Seeing their blank faces, he took in a calming breath. “Our ancestors left us word of their histories in the stone and upon scrolls, but many of these are too old to be recognizable. The lack of water in J’engar made it suitable for preserving such things, but even the heat could not save a great many of these treasures. And as for Talon—my father told me, once, of a rabid Talon king who went about destroying the world’s histories, and tried to rewrite them in his favor.

“We thought he succeeded in destroying them all—but clearly not! Amazing. This is the most incredible …” His eyes scanned the ancient words yet again, his cheeks flushed. “Look here. It is a warning …” He hummed quietly. “It speaks of the royal bloodline being secreted away after the imposter took the throne. I must assume the bit about the ‘imposter’ is referring to dear Anull’s family line; I find it quite unlikely that both he and his brother would be quite so despicable otherwise.”

“I’ve never heard anything of this sort,” Daeun said doubtfully. “The Talon line has reigned supreme since the outlaw prince was banished.”

“Not an outlaw,” Aedaan corrected. “This account of our history speaks very determinedly on the subject. If we are to believe these runes, the prince and his most loyal men were banished to the sands in the hope that they would not survive to retake the throne.”

“None of this will have any credence with Anull,” Daeun said flatly. “We need specifics.”

“Then leave me,” Aedaan ordered, “and allow me to find specifics.”

“M’lord,” Anae said, later that night, as she sat between he and Ianna, “where did you find Tsuunai?”

“Why?” Daeun asked, knocking her playfully on the nose.

“I want a Tsuunai,” Anae replied, baring her teeth in a wide grin.

“Well,” Daeun said mildly, “I don’t know if you can have a Tsuunai—I think he’s the only Tsuunai around.”

“But where?” Anae insisted, with a hint of desperation.

Daeun leaned secretively forward. “I went down into the fields, to escape my father and my brother and my mother, when I was just a boy—and lo, there stood a colt, who stood nearly as tall as myself, and when I turned away, he followed me home. He hasn’t been from me since.”

“That’s it?” Anae demanded. “But horses don’t live on the plains! They live in Senvar, and Eevar!”

“Well, that’s the mystery of it, isn’t it?” Daeun laughed, looking over to where Tsuunai was tied. “Where do you come from, Tsuunai?”

Tsuunai’s ears flicked towards Daeun, shortly followed by his head, his dark eyes looking at him balefully. After a brief moment, Tsuunai gave a heaving sigh and shook his head.

“He doesn’t know?” Anae cried sadly.

“He knows—he just isn’t telling.” Daeun handed her a bit of meat. “Come now, eat some dinner before you get as thin as Hal.”

Ianna waited until Anae had gone to sleep on her cot by the fire before speaking, leaning close so that the others would not hear. “He is no horse, Daeun. Why do you let her believe he is what he appears?”

“She’s just a child,” Daeun shrugged. “She will learn in time.”

“Have you learnt?” Ianna challenged. “Do you know what he is?”

“I’ve guesses, but no more,” Daeun said in reply. “Do you know, dinsatas?”

“Of course I know,” Ianna said contemptuously, but her smile was kind. “In J’engar, few people possess such familiars, and those familiars are often unrecognizable, for they are small—desert lizards, insects, mice. There are few large animals in the desert.” She leaned farther forward, so that her lips just barely brushed his ear. “Tsuunai is not a horse, my lord. He is your familiar.”

Daeun gazed at her, blue eyes dancing with bright color in the light of the fire, as she pulled away. “I’m afraid I do not understand.”

“A familiar,” Ianna explained, “is a—spirit-beast, if you will. A being which takes the form of your spirit. They are always in the shape of animals, but they are never what they appear. They are only as powerful as the spirits they represent. You have an enormously powerful reserve within you, or Tsuunai would be only a horse, perhaps a little faster than most, but just a horse. But he is so very powerful, immensely powerful—it speaks of your own power.”

Daeun looked over at Tsuunai as if startled. “Really—and why don’t you have one?”

“I’m sure I do,” Ianna shrugged. “All people have familiars. It is simply a matter of who reaches the correct place, at the correct time, with the correct motivation to accept a familiar.”

“You must want them to come,” Daeun said slowly. “Yes, well, I was wishing dearly for a friend when I descended into that field.”

“You are a favorite of the gods, and you possess a familiar of great power—I am only waiting for what you may pull out of your sleeves next.” She grinned at him, eyes a mesmerizing amber. “Isn’t there a throne room around here somewhere?”

“Does Her Majesty wish a tour?” Daeun asked mischievously.

“Not of the throne room,” Ianna whispered in return, and laughed.