TGR Chapter 57
Chapter 57.
A Setback
“I will never, ever forgive you! Not you, not anyone in this city! Not ever! And just to show you-”
Dar wheeled around and grabbed a bow from one of his nieces, nocked and arrow, and let fly at the leader of the City of Em. The ancient meyyeh, wisest in the town and revered by all, shrieked and stared... looked down at the shaft in his breast... wobbled a bit... “I will see you burn!” he mumbled. He took a couple of steps toward Dar... and then he died.
Both Dar’s company and the citizens of Em stood in stunned silence. Dar’s people dared not question anything their leader did. The citizens of Em could not believe that anyone could, by any means, kill someone from so far away.
For hearing that Dar was coming to Em, they had all taken council together. They heard about the nightmares, the long and senseless trek, the way Aurrigne, “the beautiful son” of whom legends were told, had been left behind to die. Runners, another species, not bound by oaths of secrecy, told what they’d heard, and these stories had circulated as fast as the runners themselves. The people of Em would not allow Dar in their city, nor within its territory, nor on its roads.
As far as Dar was concerned, the people of Em might think whatever they pleased of him. But roads, no matter who maintained them, or to which city they led, were free passage, and no one on a road might be hindered. Where they were going and why they might be going there were irrelevant. The roads were free, and protecting them unthinkable.
So now they stood here, staring each other down, neither side believing what they were seeing.
Very slowly, two or three of the citizens of the town crept up on their leader and examined carefully. One of them pulled out the arrow, and study it closely, and there they all stood, and looked from the arrow to the bow which had shot it.
All at once, in a fury which overrode any reasonable thought, the citizens of Em began to run toward Dar and his companions, shrieking as they ran.
In a flash, Dar realized what he had done. He dared not fight; they already had an arrow to study, it would be treasonous in the extreme to allow all bow to fall into their hands.
“Follow me! Everyone! Now!” Dar grabbed the people nearest him and ran off down the road, southward, as fast as he could possibly go. The rest of the group followed him, running for their lives.
The citizens of Em ran after them for quite a way; but eventually they seem to feel that they had chased chased their targets far enough, or else they themselves didn’t want to get too far away from their home.
Whatever it was that made them stop was good enough for Dar. He stopped and ran to a clear spot off the road, signaling his family to gather ‘round him. They did, though not as quickly as he wished. He hushed them with a flick of his crest.
“My family, my friends, we have done too much today.”
He saw some of them glance at one another.
“We must give no one any further opportunity to learn our secret. From here, we go straight to Perinc. No more stopping in cities. No more runners. We will walk and trot each day.”
“And Haneiwep?” said a youngster, strong but still so immature and impetuous.
Then something happened that Dar had never before experienced. Someone else said, “Yes, Vio is right.” And three other people flashed their crests in agreement!
Haneiwep was supposed to be meeting them in Opa, or Jmych.
Dar ruffled his feathers. “If I recall the laws of our kind...” he began. But then he reconsidered. “I’m sure he will understand. Go now and hunt whatever food you may. No one will be feeding us anymore.”
Dar turned and began to walk away.
He had never before killed another shimeyu.
No matter what the midwives said.
If he could kill them...
Dar began to tremble. But he would not let the others see. He pondered how much more slowly they would travel, but how much safer their knowledge, the knowledge that would save his failing line, would be. It was a very comforting thought, that he was doing his best to guarantee his family’s continuance.
But he did not sleep well that night.
And neither did anyone else.
When Dar awoke the next day, it seemed two of his number were unaccounted for.
Sky lions, someone explained. Yes, that must have been it.
(c) Fara Shimbo, 2008
To be continued...