34
(Terraday, cont.)
“It’s so difficult at times to get everyone together, that I do like doing everything at once when we can,” Cyanus began later, standing on a small dais in the middle of the Triangle between the Refuge, Complex and Greenhouses. “First of all, I want to introduce our latest recruit. He comes to us half trained and is one of the best shaze fighters I’ve seen. Elíaz, please stand next to me.”
The young man joined Cyanus.
“Elíaz Kalvåg, do you swear to do your best to learn A’mara skills, abide by A’mara tradition, and to serve your planet every day, by being A’mara?”
“I do,” Elíaz replied.
Cyanus pulled out a new forest-green Towani cloak and placed it around Elíaz, affixing it with a purply clasp. “I wish that you wear this cloak with pride as you embark on your training.”
“I will, Abári,” Elíaz said, bowing his head slightly. “Thank you for this opportunity.”
“Please remain on the dais, Elíaz,” Cyanus said. “I also wish to bestow some mastery badges at this time. Firstly, the battle yesterday ended with the death of one of our enemies, but also a couple of our cholas receiving injuries of their own. Yet, as I watched the footage of the battle, I realized that both Artem and Ory held their own as much as anyone could possibly expect. As such, I invite them both to the dais to receive shaze pins for the injuries sustained in battle along with their bronze shaze mastery badges.”
The two made their way to the dais, Artem with a limp and Ory with his arm in a sling. Cyanus affixed the pins and badges to their cloaks.
“I also award Ory with a badge for invention. He created a special filter that allowed us to overcome the leya-dampeners used by Zilan and Iyva in order to confirm that they had been here. This Ory Filter (as I propose it be called) has huge potential and could save lives in the future. Ory is granted the bronze badge for invention.” Cyanus affixed the badge to Ory’s cloak.
“The other day, we had some excitement in the sparring room when Elíaz joined us. I needed to see where he was ability wise. So, I pitted him against D’zani, the best shaze we have. What these two gave us was a spectacular performance, beyond what most of us will be privileged to see outside the big tournaments. As a result, I have awarded each of them the gold shaze mastery badge!”
D’zani went up and joined Elíaz as Cyanus affixed the badges to each of their cloaks.
“Do you want me to do your ceremony today as well?” Cyanus asked quietly.
Elíaz looked at D’zani. She smiled and nodded. “If you’re ready, Elíaz,” she said.
“Is anyone ever ready?” Cyanus asked. “It’s okay to be nervous.”
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Elíaz replied.
“Now, the extra-fun part! As much as I love awarding mastery badges, that happens more frequently than weddings do – and we have at three of these to perform for you today. Please come to the dais: Emeric Jalairs, Zara Vine, Catalia Vendar and Murin Colí.”
The four joined the others on the dais, everyone wearing their finest.
“Bear with me, I do have to say the words for it to be legally binding, so you’re going to hear them six times!”
“I’ll start with you, Catalia and Murin, since you have been waiting the longest.”
“Catalia Vendar. Do you take Murin Colí to be your life partner with all the rights and responsibilities thereof?”
“Yes,” Catalia replied.
Cyanus asked the same of Murin who replied in kind.
“Then I declare you to be lawfully wedded under A’mara tradition and Terrenden law. You may share a token of affection.”
They kissed to the cheers of the crowd.
“Next, Emeric and Zara. Emeric, you’ve barely been here a week, and have already bagged probably the most eligible female we had hiding here! Zara is a successful chef and well-loved by everyone here. She’s even turned our head gardener into her personal sous-chef! I wouldn’t have believed it myself had I not watched,” Cyanus said, shaking his head. “So, Zara Vine. Do you take Emeric Jalairs to be your life partner with all the rights and responsibilities thereof?”
“I do,” Zara replied smiling through her tears.
Cyanus repeated the question for Emeric who replied in kind.
“Then I declare you to be lawfully wedded under A’mara tradition and Terrenden law. You may share a token of affection.”
Their passionate kiss was cheered by the onlookers which included Zukie, Akeld and the children.
“I love you, Uncle Emeric,” a small voice said just loudly enough, eliciting a tender response from the audience.
“Finally. We have Elíaz Kalvåg and D’zani Yortse. Elíaz has a Death Edict hanging over his head due to defying Balan orders and defending D’zani’s honor. When I first met him, he was defending her against an attack. At the time, he didn’t know her shaze abilities. Then, with their gold badge shaze duel, he stunned everyone by asking her to marry him at the end! We do have the duel recorded if anyone wants to watch – it was a stunning piece of work, as well as a stunningly romantic ending,” Cyanus said. “D’zani Yortse, do you take Elíaz Kalvåg to be your life partner with all the rights and responsibilities thereof?”
“Yes, I do,” D’zani said, rocking with nervous excitement.
“Elíaz Kalvåg, do you take D’zani Yortse to be your life partner with all the rights and responsibilities thereof?”
“Yes, I do,” Elíaz said solemnly, staring into her eyes. “This is worth having a Death Edict!”
“Then I declare you to be lawfully wedded under A’mara tradition and Terrenden law. You may share a token of affection.”
Elíaz and D’zani shared a deeply passionate kiss which was cheered. Elíaz kept kissing her, as if for the crowd. D’zani kept her end going too and just when it looked like they were done, they kept going.
“That is all I have for you today,” Cyanus announced, leaving the kissing couple at it. “There are refreshments in the Wind Rose – though these two may have to – uh – be excused for awhile.”
There was laughter and Elíaz finally pulled away from D’zani and looked at the audience and pointed at themselves with a question. People laughed even more at that. Elíaz smiled and laughed, taking D’zani’s hand and walking with her toward the Wind Rose.
Elið wiped a tear from his eye, as he gazed through a telescope from the rooftop of the City Hall.
“He looks so happy,” Elið said. “I never made him that happy.”
“That’s his wife’s job – to make him that happy. She seems to be doing a great job so far,” Tasp said.
“I don’t want my son to die,” Elið said.
“I can’t take away the Edict,” Tasp replied. “But as a wedding gift, I can give him two weeks.”
“I appreciate that, my friend,” Elið said weakly. “Tasp, I can’t be #2 anymore. Not like this.”
“We have no #3 in Towani now, not after Breckan’s death. Don’t leave me with no #2 as well,” Tasp pled.
“I’m sure Belmara would be delighted to send you replacements for me – and for Elíaz and Breckan.”
“Stop talking like that. You have many years of life left in you,” Tasp said. “We’ll get you training again, make you strong and fit. You could even teach again if you wanted. I need your help forming new strategies for our cell.”
Elið nodded numbly, watching his son and daughter-in-law go into the Wind Rose.
Vissia had watched the whole ceremony with a mixture of emotions. She was so happy for her former roommate, D’zani. But Elíaz reminded her constantly of Breckan. She wished that the young man had been honorable, but instead he’d used her, attacked D’zani several times and ended up dying at her hand. Seryan had told her the whole story that morning when she came down for breakfast.
Vissia rubbed her tummy. She wouldn’t doom the developing child just because the sperm donor was using her as a vessel. She would raise this A’mara to know the evils of the Balan.
She felt Kinokei join her. “You were right about karma,” she said.
“Oh?” Kinokei asked.
“D’zani told me right after Breckan disappeared on me. She told me about your conversation about karma biting in the end. He got his all right.
“I’m confused,” Kinokei said. “I’ve been off looking for creeping fire, so I’ve been out of the loop a bit. I only came home last night.”
“The guy who did this to me,” she said patting her tummy. “He died the other night after he tried the same thing on D’zani, even though she was with Elíaz at the time.” Despite her training, the tears still filled her eyes.
Kinokei nodded and took the girl’s hand. “You are strong enough for this. You will be a good mother too.”
“I plan to be,” Vissia replied.
She looked up at the sky and begged Vasana to bring her a good partner – in time.
As she gazed, she saw a hawk making lazy circles in the sky. She wondered what it thought of all this.
The black hawk rode the updrafts, enjoying the heat of the sun. It had noticed the strange congregation below, but had never pretended to understand the affairs of humans. Occasionally, the hawk was privileged to observe a coupling, but the creatures tended to keep their mating rituals private.
Noticing a disturbance in the water far below, the hawk glided lower to get a better look. Moments later, it dove headlong into the water, emerging moments later with a large fish in its talons, flapping its powerful wings slowly, water streaming off its body as it flew away to eat its meal in a place where no human would spy.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 2 - Chapter 10
Spice of Strength - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them! |
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Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. |
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Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara. |
| COMING SOON | TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!! |
| Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví? |
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Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
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