26
(Majanday)
Zley Falls Pueblo - Kri’enden
Kivana marveled once again at the flats above the Zley canyon. From where she parked the hoverbil, there was nearly no sign of life. Everything was flat, still and lifeless… except for a dark-colored head that suddenly popped up out of a crevice.
“Who are you and what do you want?” the watchman demanded in the Zley dialect.
“I’m Kivana, the Kri’enden abári. I need to speak with Chief Andac. It is a matter of urgency!” she said to the young man.
“Apologies, Abári. I did not remember you. Come with me.”
Even with the urgency, Kivana’s breath caught as she descended the stairs with the watchman who shouted an order to someone below. The stunning view of Zley Falls thundering over an ancient canyon wall always took her breath away. From above there had been no sound, no hint of the bustling community below.
Ushered into their meeting room, Kivana took the offered seat next to where she knew the chieftain would be expected to sit in a few minutes. She tried to catch the man’s attention, but he was gone again. These people were casual, but still very busy, she had often noticed.
“Abári! To what do we owe this honor?” Chief Andac said coming into the room with two of his guards.
Kivana stood so that he could hug her in greeting.
“Please have your daughter join us,” Kivana replied curtly as she sat again. “I have some news which may affect you, your daughter and maybe even all of Kri’enden.”
The man nodded grimly as he waved away one of his guards to carry out the assignment.
“I see you have stepped up your personal guard,” the abári observed.
“Yes… these days… you cannot be too careful,” the chieftain said with a strained smile.
The young woman Kivana assumed was the heir appeared a few minutes later with a tall young man, darker than the Zley tended to be. She wondered about this young man who had clearly bonded with the girl. The guard resumed his position behind the chieftain.
“Please sit with us,” Chief Andac said to the young people. “Soala, Vonjy, please meet the abári of the Kri’enden A’mara, Kivana N’jia. My eldest daughter, Soala and her betrothed, Vonjy. You don’t mind if Vonjy sits with us, Abári?”
Kivana tried to avoid the surprise showing on her face. Was this the missing Yeziling heir?
“Not at all,” she began. “This message might be for him as well. I have grave news for the peace of our country. Do you realize that the Yeziling are declaring war on you?”
“I’m unaware, but unsurprised. We are harboring Yth’n’s son here, after all,” Chief Andac replied with a slight grin as if he’d stolen a prize possession from his rivals.
“I had wondered if this was the missing heir,” Kivana said, looking at Vonjy, then back to the others. “I am guessing then that you are not aware that Chief Yth’n has died from the injuries he sustained in the hoverbil accident. He was buried today.”
Vonjy shook his head somberly.
Next to him, Soala put her arm around him tenderly. Kivana couldn’t help smiling. Maybe these two would be the ones to cement peace, if they could just manage to get through the current crisis.
She resumed her more serious composure as appropriate to the greater picture. “You need to understand, Vonjy. With you gone, Sidjin has claimed the right of Chieftain. Because of your involvement in the accident, Andac, Sidjin has accused you of killing Chief Yth’n and his missing son. Last I heard, they are unaware that Vonjy is with you. I think it would be wise to try to put the record straight on that one,” Kivana advised.
“The Yeziling knowing the situation with Vonjy is unlikely to acquit us,” Chief Andac replied. “I can’t imagine them accepting the fact that their heir has decided to bond with ours.”
“I fear you may be correct, but maybe it would open a door to negotiating with them,” Kivana said. “There are many Yeziling descendants in the government in Yezi’tra. They are far from a ‘minor’ tribe.”
“Neither are we a ‘minor’ tribe, Abári,” Chief Andac said, sitting up straighter.
“Which is the reason why we must try to settle this conflict together,” Kivana said. “I would be willing to help negotiate via PCS. Do you have a unit here?”
“Yes, but we rarely use it,” Soala volunteered.
“May we use it, Chief?” Kivana asked, looking at Andac.
He nodded reluctantly. “I have little to say to the Yeziling,” he insisted.
“Except that your daughter has bonded to them. They may find this an important factor.”
“A reason to raid and kill us more,” Andac replied.
“The Yeziling lost warriors as well as their chieftain in the accident. You lost a hoverbil. They are mourning, but you won that battle. You also have their heir,” Kivana said. “You might use that to your advantage if you’re clever about it. Maybe even spin it that you took Vonjy hostage. They would respect that.”
“How is lying honorable?!” Vonjy demanded.
“Is it worse than having more people die?” Kivana challenged him.
“The Zley found you first, Vonjy. Despite your attachment to my daughter, the only reason you are not my hostage is because I did not choose that,” Chief Andac reminded Vonjy. “Do you deny this?”
Vonjy lowered his head. “No, I don’t deny it.”
“I do not mean to insult you by it, Son,” Chief Andac said affectionately. “I can see that my daughter has chosen well. Yet, it might be advantageous to put it to your people that way.”
“I have a better idea,” Soala said. Everyone looked at her. “I captured him to be my husband. Speaking their language.”
“It would make me look weak,” Vonjy said with concern.
“Yet, I think it might work,” Kivana said. “If Yeziling captured a man would he be wearing a tunic?”
“No,” Vonjy said, obediently removing his tunic.
“I have a pair of magna-cuffs to complete the picture,” Kivana said handing them to Soala who grinned as she put them on her fiancé’s wrists.
“I’m sure I can word it so that you don’t look too bad, Son,” Chief Andac said. “It just looks like we’ve turned the tables on the Yeziling.”
“I hope it works,” Vonjy said.
“I have Oberti, the Yezi’im abári already with the Yeziling elders, awaiting our communication,” Kivana said. She was glad she had been preemptive about this meeting before she left Joton that morning.
“I think we’re as ready as we’ll ever be,” Soala said tentatively.
Kivana placed the connection.
“This is Oberti,” came the reply, the man’s image visible. “You have some Zley elders, Kivana?”
“I do. It is our hope that we might find some common ground today,” Kivana said.
“I as well. Please meet Elders Sidjin, Arzewt and Meknes,” Oberti introduced.
“Some of my younger brothers,” Vonjy whispered to Soala.
“May I present Chief Andac Zley and his daughter and heir, Soala Zley,” Kivana introduced in turn.
“You hope to bring peace to the table with a pretty girl?” Sidjin asked disparagingly. “You do know how we like to treat your pretty girls...”
“I feared you might say something like that,” Chief Andac said. “Well, did you know that we can do the same thing when we choose?”
He turned the PCS camera to show Vonjy, bare-chested and in magna-cuffs.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Sidjin demanded.
“My daughter captured herself a husband as a result of your attempted raid on our lands,” Chief Andac said with a shrug.
“There is no way Vonjy would have submitted himself to you like that!” Sidjin shouted.
“Oh, he put up a fuss, you can be sure of that. But my daughter is fierce too and did not allow him the chance to leave her,” the Chief replied.
“I cannot talk to this man!” Sidjin shouted to Oberti. “He insults my intelligence and our abilities. Maybe he’s fabricated the whole thing!”
The communication was lost.
Soala and Vonjy lost their composure about then, laughing hysterically, Soala leaning against her lover.
“You’re going to take the magna-cuffs off now, right?” Vonjy asked.
Soala smiled mischievously. “I think you’re staying in the cuffs a little longer – I kind of like you there!”
Kivana joined in with the laughter. “I expect they will contact us again. We took them by surprise, that’s for sure. Good idea, Soala!”
♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on Goodreads for me.
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
Acting the Part, part 3 - Chapter 19
Sands of Survival - 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
|
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! |
|
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. Book 1 in the Rise of the Neví series. |
|
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 in Rebound of Power; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past in Friendship on Fire; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness in Courage to Trust; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara in Elect to Change; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara in Ocean of Empathy. |
|
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; in Acting the Part Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; in Building on Promise Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; and D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; in Spice of Strength Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; and Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart in Sands of Survival. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
| COMING SOON | TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!! |
|
Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. In this series, 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? Titles to include: Name of the Neví, Head of the Neví... |
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2019 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
find me on Twitter
also on: Whaleshares, WeKu
Join us in the Official Whaleshares server in the text channel "the-phoenix-project"