Cities of Power Ch. 02

Trix told herself it was gratitude at the tenuous link this man offered her to her brother that made her tremble in his arms the way she did, but he kissed her again, deeper and longer, and she felt the fluttering of her heart.

Opal called urgently, "Trix, your father is at the window checking on us, come back!"

"Wait, please!" Trix urged Talon, and darted the four or so steps to her mother's side and put her hand out to swing around her tree as she always did. Opal laughed and, satisfied with the sound, Spar moved back through the house.

Curious to see the mother of the elf like Trix and the hulking Mica, Talon moved a step closer, staying well in the shadows, his dark clothes disguising him. The older woman was wide hipped and large bosomed, unlike her daughter, but she was exactly as Mica had described, the image of matronly beauty.

As Trix swung around the tree slowly, Talon put out his hand to stop her, and Opal gasped, "Mother," Trix said softly, "This is Talon." He could see the indecision in the older woman's eyes, but just as suddenly he saw her look at her daughter and straighten, taking a deep breath.

"Thank you," she said, "My heart is a little less sore knowing my Mica is happy and has friends."

"You are as beautiful and kind hearted as he has told me so often," Talon responded with a smile. "Mica is an easy man to be friends with; he has made many friends in the city."

Opal put a hand on her heart, and her eyes misted, "Thank you," she said again.

"I will see you again," He smiled down into Trix's face and leant to kiss her cheek chastely as Opal watched. "I will make sure Mica gets your letters. Be well, both of you." With that, he moved back into the trees a little and watched them turn back into the yard. They had every reason to hate him, and yet they only thanked him, he shook his head and started when Trix turned and hurried back toward him.

She reached up and stroked his cheek, memorising his features, "I will see you again," she whispered, and kissed him softly, feeling his arms wind around her. Pulling back, she smiled, "I must go for now," she whispered and fled from his arms.

Opal realised at that moment that she would eventually lose her daughter to the city too, and hugged the girl close. She had seen the look in both their eyes and, although she might not realise it yet, Trix was about to get pulled into the emotional whirlwind of passionate, romantic love. Opal had grown up a peasant in the city of Pegasus. As a young woman she had gone with her mother and one of the ladies of the city to the Soloaks Markets. Twice that year at the markets she had seen the young blacksmith, but that was all it took to fall madly in love with him. With so little time spent together, they had planned her escape, or, as Spar liked to put it, his rescue of her and their subsequent flight through the foothills and forests.

It became the making of a family legend that they told their children during each spring feast as men and women walked to the tree together and ceremonially bound their names together with a ribbon. She let another tear fall, having no doubt Talon would return to take their daughter away.

*****

Talon had gone to the city of Justice, Gryphon, to fight for a woman he did not love nor want, but duty propelled him forward. He hoped that, in her shame, she would take her own life rather than return to her family. He knew that was a cruel and uncaring thought, but he also knew he would not marry her now, an image of Trix danced before his eyes, and he smiled sadly. While the majority of the council would not expect him to continue his betrothal to Clove, his family's tenuous hold on the power of the Air Clan seemed to seesaw on a knife edge, and they needed the support of Clove's family.

The fight for his honour had been short, Talon had not expected much, it was true, but he had expected more from the man who had turned his back on his clan to be with the spoilt bitch that lay on the floor screeching at him over the body of her dead lover. Talon had turned his back on her, moving toward Sirrus, "Take care of your sister!" he had spat.

Sirrus was horrified by his sister's behaviour. "You stupid bitch, do you think you can just flutter your eyes at any man and he will do your bidding? Trust me, Talon will do you no favours now. I doubt he will wish to continue your betrothal, even if you begged on your knees!" He had thought her innocent and gullible, taken in by the water warrior as his mother had told him. As he looked at her now, he could see that it was the water warrior that was the victim of his spoiled sister's wants and needs, and he shook his head, shamed by her actions.

Clove looked around the room, there was no sympathy in any of the eyes that watched her, and she immediately changed her demeanour. She became almost infantile as she looked around with wide eyes and pointed at the dead man, "He made me do it!" she wailed, "I didn't understand what I was doing!" She beseeched the crowd who were dispersing after the short battle of honour between the two men from Phoenix, disappointed in its brevity.

"Get up before you humiliate our family any further, and be thankful that Talon is not a vengeful man!" Sirrus derided her.

"I will return you to mother, because that is the task I have been sent for, but believe that I will tell father all that has happened here. Now get up!" Sirrus roared.

Clove flew at him, her nails raking his cheek before the water warriors stepped forward to restrain her. They cuffed and collared her before Eddy picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. "Perhaps we should transport her home to your clan," Bay suggested, indicating himself and Eddy.

Turning to the Gryphon Council, Sirrus addressed them, "My sincerest apologies for this nasty business today," Ever the statesman, he spoke clearly with a strong, powerful voice. "My family is indebted to you for your strict adherence to the laws of our lands," then he turned, following the water warriors from the room.

They left the city immediately and headed back toward Phoenix. Clove remained restrained and travelled on the back of the water warrior's bikes during the long rides from dawn till dusk. Talon ignored her completely. Sirrus made sure she was fed and watered, but her sobs and begging for forgiveness fell on deaf ears as the two men stoically turned their backs on her.

The morning before they rode into the city, Sirrus made sure his sister was restrained and asked the other three warriors to walk several meters away with him. He spoke softly, "She will no doubt make outrageous claims when we return, and mother will call for an investigation. May I apologise to you now for the inconvenience this will cause in your lives?"

"It is of no moment," the quiet Bay spoke, "We will accompany you to your council on arrival and put all minds at rest as to the circumstances of this event. Just as I am sure you will both accompany us to our council and remit a similar account of the details."

Within hours they had walked into the air council chamber, throwing the still restrained Clove to the floor before them, "Mother!" Clove had cried, "Make them release me!"

Wisp stood to demand her daughter's release, but Sirrus stepped forward, "No, Mother, you must hear the full report first. Do you think I would have her restrained without reason?" Clove hissed and spat at her brother.

"Go ahead," Gale put a restraining hand on his wife's arm and looked pitifully at his daughter before returning his attention to his son.

Bay stepped forward, introducing himself and Eddy, naming their families as high born Water Clan. "If I may," he said softly, placing a recording device on the table before the parents of the girl so they could see the small picture, but amplified the sound of the voices for the room to hear. "We have not returned to our clan, nor did we stay longer than necessary in the city, the device is, regardless, tamper proof," he hit the play button.

The council heard and saw the entire encounter at Gryphon, as most had moved to view the small screen. Wisp had wailed that it must be a conspiracy, a fake to ruin them as one of the founding families, but the humiliation was too much for Gale, who silenced his wife with a slap across her face. "She is the spoiled creature of your making, and I let it happen! Shut up, woman, before you share her fate!" Gale pointed at his daughter without looking at her.

"With your permission," Gale looked at Boreas, the clan leader, as he stood, "I am proud of you, my son, you acted with dignity in the face of such humiliation," He smiled at Sirrus. Formally he turned to Talon, "You are released from your betrothal to the wretch, Clove, she will not be seen again within polite circles." Talon nodded his head in thanks, and Gale sat a defeated man as his wife sobbed quietly beside him.

"We will need a copy of the report, please," Boreas spoke directly to Bay before addressing all four of the men who had returned with Clove. "I expect the water clan is waiting patiently for their report. You may go attend to that while we discuss events."

The four men made their way through the city to make a similar report to the Water Clan, assuring the leaders that the recording was not disputed by the leaders of the Air Clan before they were finally released from their duty. Bay and Eddy walked the other two men to the vortex at the centre of the four clans before clasping hands. "I would not be surprised if Tide's family claim Clove as retribution," Eddy warned.

Sirrus nodded his understanding, "It is such with founding families and bloodlines. Even as a slave she is worth something." Sirrus knew they would impregnate Clove and claim bloodline to the firsts. The four men separated and, as they walked, Sirrus turned to Talon, "You have honour, I am sorry to have doubted you, not that you knew that I suspect, but I am sorry, regardless. I must go seek out my father. Will you join me for a drink later? At Sirocco?"

"Okay, but I expect my friends to follow me. Perhaps we can talk better tomorrow if you have things that must be said," Talon grunted.

"I would like to be counted among your friends," Sirrus said tentatively, unsure of the young Hawk man.

Talon grinned, showing the softer side of his nature for the first time to Sirrus, "Wait until you meet the ones I already have before you volunteer for that!" He laughed, feeling the weight of Clove and his duty to her lift from him. "I need to go see Mica. Meet you at Sirocco's later then." Talon jogged away in search of Mica, feeling the need to share with him his meeting with Trix.

Mica almost dropped the piece of metal he was pulling from the furnace as he saw Talon walk in. Placing it gently over a wooden mould, he called to an apprentice, "Hammer the lumps out of that while I hammer some lumps into him." He nodded his head toward Talon, who put up his hands in surrender.

Mica pulled off his heavy leather apron and grabbed up Talon in a tight embrace, "Shit, don't leave me alone with those two warriors again, talk about whining, about being left behind. I feel sorry for you and what they will do to you when they find out you're back."

"Let's head back to your place, I have something for you," Talon said quietly and touched his groin suggestively, and Mica gave him a brilliant smile.

"You're such a fag. You're lucky I like you," Talon joked with the burly man and pulled the rolled soft leather case from his pants. "Plus," Talon grinned like a schoolboy, "I kissed your sister." He laughed and ran ahead of the big man, making sure he was out of his reach. "Read your letters. I have to make my report. Tell Venn and Edge I will meet them at Sirocco's, later."

Talon went to meet with his family. He knew what he wanted as his reward, but he also knew it was a near impossible request. The image of Trix in his arms floated in his mind, and wanting to make not only her, but the matronly Opal smile, he walked into the meeting determined.

*****

Opal had watched her daughter carefully over the days following the meeting with Talon. It was just like Mica had said; she was innately good. They had protected her from the world that would never truly hurt her. While the boys had gone to school, Trix had been homeschooled in their desire to protect her. Opal realised that, in their efforts to protect her, they had also allowed her no friends, no childish enjoyment of silly things, no real childhood except what Mica had given her. Opal regretted her actions and set about making amends, taking the time every day to take Trix out to meet the women of their village and their daughters.

Opal and Trix had visited the Sanctum together the day after Talon had left. They had decided together not to reveal their letters from Mica, allowing Spar to feel the importance of being head of their household and Mica's respect of sending a family letter to him alone. They had concocted a story of meeting with a priest-like pilgrim who had slept in the sanctum that night and brought the letter from another town, planning on leaving it to be found, and left just as quickly that morning.

Within the envelope had come a large package of seeds for trees that could be grown long term into an orchard, as well as garden crops. Mica had advised his father that if they followed the curve of the foot hills and studied it, they would find an underground spring to feed the orchard. He hoped they would plant, rather than trade the seeds for short lived stores. His letter had sent greetings to them all and did not mention the other two letters as Opal and Trix had hoped, and they breathed a sigh of relief.

Over the following weeks, Spar brought water diviners from neighbouring villages who all pointed to the same spot, and the digging of a well was begun. Knowing that it was guided by Mica's legendary letter, Mason was at the forefront offering his skills with stone to create the needed well. He and a few others of Mica's friends had continued to dig, when all others had given up, and finally had hit the spring Mica had assured them was there. As Mason climbed from the narrow pit, exhausted after days of digging, Opal and Trix both had greeted him with warm embraces, softly whispering, "Mica loved you, he would be so proud."

After the well had been finished and the stone work was done, Trix invited Mason to supper at their house and asked her father if Opal could chaperone them as they sat on the back porch. Spar granted the request; he had always liked the boy since he had approached him after Mica had gone and asking to walk with Trix and talk about him. "Mica loved you more than any of us," Trix said softly as they sat together shoulder to shoulder. Mason shook his head, but Trix stopped him, "He told me so."

Mason looked up with wide eyes, "You can't tell anyone what I am about to show you." Trix warned, and passed him the letter that Mica had written to her. "I would have told you sooner, but you wouldn't come out of that hole, you just kept digging and digging until you found the spring."

Trix leant into Mason and let him pull her close with an arm around her shoulder as he sobbed loudly, "I love him still." Opal wanted to diffuse any concern that might come from the front of the house and went to sit beside Mason, pulling his other arm around her as he cried.

"We know, and he still loves you," Opal reassured the boy, "He would be so proud of that well."

Trix had found in her mother a true friend. They worked together to bring everything Mica had wanted to fruition. The town had found with their new found well and several families from poorer areas petitioned to become part of the community and village. Spar resided over the councils of admittance, claiming he was protecting the village, until one day an old crone turned to him and said, "You are no better than the cities, you judge and discard at your leisure. What are you afraid of?"

Spar had taken the words to heart, and he called a village council meeting. "We are no longer a village," he said proudly, "We are a self-sufficient town." He let that settle on the gathered crowd of people. "The question now arises, do we continue as we always have, or do we start to build defences to repel those who want to take and abuse the life we have built here."

From the rear, a small man stood. "I am Thatcher, my son is Reed," he indicated to the young man beside him who also stood, towering over his father. "The reason this village flourishes is that everybody gives something, no matter how little or how much, even if they are absent for a time," he nodded his head in the direction of Spar, acknowledging the information and seeds Mica had sent. "I believe, to keep our town the way we want, it is time to build some walls against those who would denigrate it or adversely influence our children."

Rock stood with him, "I agree." He looked out over the gathering, "It is time to build walls."

The chant was taken up, and a map was brought forth, boundaries were agreed upon, and workers were appointed in teams to quarry the stone needed from the rocky outcrop to the west of the town. Mason was the first to volunteer alongside his father, Rock.

Trix stood outside the village hall and felt tears sting her eyes. How would she see Talon again if walls of stone surrounded her now? She thought. Trix had been holding to the knowledge that Talon would return to see her again, the thought that he may not come once there were walls in his way made her feel sick. Opal gathered her daughter by the arm around her waist, "It will take time to build a wall," she murmured, "and I bet he could find a way around it, regardless."

Looking up at her mother, Trix was stunned by her insight into her feelings. "I was young once too, or do I have to tell you the story again," Opal laughed, "I could see the way you looked at him and how he looked at you. I am not blind, Katrix," Opal said in mock sternness. No one ever used her full name, she thought it had been banned from the family vernacular, and she turned to look at her mother. "What? I know what I saw." Opal said with a small laugh.

Trix blushed, "I know, but you called me Katrix," she said in a hushed tone, and looked around making sure they were alone.

Opal stopped and turned to look at her daughter. She looked so small and frail, so unlike many of the village women, and so much like Opal's own mother, for whom she was named, "Katrix," Opal enunciated, "You are named for my mother, it is a name you should wear proudly, not be embarrassed about it."

Knowing the issues raised at the village council meeting would, in all probability, rage all night, Trix stole into the back yard and sat by her tree thinking of Talon, wondering if the letters he delivered were truly a good thing for their village. With a sigh, she sagged back against her tree and heard it. A quiet murmur amongst the movement of leaves in the small breeze, "So your real name is Katrix," the voice of her dreams said.

Talon stepped forward into the mottled moonlit shadows, extending his hand to her. Taking a last look at the house, she took his hand and stepped into his embrace. He kissed her deeply and smiled as he pulled back, "There is nothing as delicious as kissing your lips." He leant down and kissed her again.

"What are you doing here?" Trix whispered, looking back at the house.

"I said I would be back. If I remember right, you asked me to come back." He said looking injured.

Trix smiled shyly, "You came back for me?"

Talon wasn't sure how to answer and hesitated, the hesitation was too much for Trix, who, with her new friendships, had heard tales about travellers who ruined the reputations of nice girls. She turned to look at the house. "Father will be home soon," she said into the silence. She pressed her lips against his one last time and fled back into the house, tears streaming down her face.