<< Back to Ch. 19 --- Continue to Ch. 21 >>
20: The Comforter
"I thought for sure they were gonna catch us." Constance said, relieved, "How'd you learn to run that fast?" she asked, addressing Desslok, who somewhere along their fast-paced journey today had picked her up and carried her when she could run no further.
"From many years of practice – too many," said the young man with a steely look in his eyes. "They'll not be catching anyone while I'm with you."
"Thanks." she said, hugging her rescuer's neck. For this show of affection she was immediately set down to walk on her own two feet again which had long since recovered from their earlier exertion. "So where are we going?" she asked the teenager.
"North." came the one-word answer.
"Yeah, I can see that," said the child, "I meant where specifically."
"To see the prince." he replied.
"I know that too," Constance rolled her eyes, "Don't you know where he is?"
"I do."
"So where is he?" she asked.
"Close." he said with annoying ambiguity.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"No."
"Yep, you're a teenager." she nodded, a funny look on her face.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.
"He speaks in sentences!" she feigned shock.
"Go find something to do." the prince dismissed the child, but she did not leave, instead she continued with her mini-interrogation.
"So why were you in Eliora's house?"
The prince was silent for so long that Constance thought he would never answer her. She was about to repeat the question when he said, "She... was a good friend of someone I knew many years ago."
"And that's about as specific as the rest of what you've said so far."
"Can you not simply accept that there are some things that you do not need to know yet?" Desslok said.
The girl thought about this for a second as she walked with the taller youth. "I suppose." she finally sighed. "So what can you tell me?"
The prince glanced back at Garen and Dara, following a little ways back, then looked at Constance again. "Tell me what you want to know about and I will tell you what you need to know about it."
Constance shrugged, "I guess that's the best I'm getting out of you." she said in child-like candor, "So where are we going and who is this 'prince' everyone's making such a fuss about?"
Desslok fastened his gaze to the path ahead of them, sifting through the things he could and couldn't tell this child. "We are going to see the rightful heir to the throne of Gamilon. That is all I can safely tell you."
"Okaaay..." the girl thoughtfully tapped her lip with her index finger, "Is there anyone else with him?"
There was more silence from Desslok for a moment. "He is among... friends."
"You are so precise, you know that."
"Thank you." came the equally sarcastic answer.
"So basically, you can't tell me anything."
"That would be an accurate statement."
At this, Constance had had enough, "Now look here you – you – confusing, obstinate – boy! I'm not talking to you anymore until you decide to tell me something."
"Thank you." came the infuriating response, followed by a moment of openness so shocking, Constance wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. "Though if you knew me, you would know that my childhood ended a long time ago..."
The sadness reflected in the last half of what the teenager said made Constance instantly regret her words, but it was too late to take them back. The only mercy she could be thankful for now was that her mother and the Lieutenant hadn't heard that little exchange.
For a long while, the only conversation that took place was between the two adults, and they spoke in hushed tones that could not be accurately overheard by Desslok and Constance who were still walking a bit in front of their other two companions.
They walked until the teenager called a halt in a secluded area that would do for a descent campsite for the night.
No one questioned the choice, not even Garen, who also had considerable experience in such things. It was obvious that Constance at least, needed some rest. They had all been traveling at quite a pace these past two days to out-distance the few enemies who had attempted to track them upon their departure from Rapha'owr.
Desslok was not the least bit worried about most of their pursuers, whom they had lost quickly, but he had reason to believe that the most deadly one was still following their trail – a lone time-delver who somehow continued to dog them despite the prince's skill at covering their tracks.
It was this one pursuer the prince was thinking about during the entire campsite set-up process, the light meal they all shared, and on into the night-time hours.
To his relief the nocturnal animals and insects still made their chitterings, howlings, clickings, and other normal sounds of life. If an intruder were near, they would have hidden in silence instead. Their continued boldness gave him a measure of comfort for the moment.
He had volunteered for the first watch of the night and had promised to wake Garen to cover the second watch, though he had no intention of doing so. He would not be sleeping tonight – there were still too many things to think about – too many things to forget or to avoid remembering.
The rest of the camp was sound asleep by now, and Desslok sat alone, staring into the darkness. They had not dared leave a fire lit, in case their pursuer, or any other unwanted company might see it and find them.
After a while he withdrew Mintra'el. Zimring's cabin would be close by now and he didn't want any surprises before they got there.
Where was Masterson, anyway? He should have long since met them, but they had seen no sign of him. And if that wasn't enough, what had made the trip even more troubling to him was that Eliora had not come with them. She had insisted that staying in the capitol was the best thing for her to do and that she would find a way to contact them again if the need arose.
It surprised him how unnerving it was not to have Masterson with him. Then it dawned on him that this was the first time – ever – that he had been away from the other young man this long before. Talan had become a constant part of his existence and to not have him there was a difficult change to get used to. He would be glad to have his good – though somewhat eccentric at times – friend back with him again.
The prince held Mintra'el in the palm of his right hand for moment, then laid the device in his lap and pulled off not just one, but both of the gloves he wore. He hadn't realized how warm they had become until he saw the sweat on his hands. Draping the gloves over one leg, he picked up the A.I. once again and whispered, "How far are we from Zimring's cabin?"
The computer answered at her lowest volume setting, "We are a mere two miles away."
This confused the prince and instead of asking further questions of her, he picked up his gloves, stuffing them in a pocket and took several steps away from the sleeping three before pointing the device away from him and ordering, "Light."
Mintra'el obediently shone a dull light beam out in front of her master.
Some minutes later, after completely circling the camp multiple times, he ventured out further, first making sure that Garen and Dara were soundly asleep, then taking particular care to ensure that Constance slept safely.
Extinguishing Mintra'el's light, he seemed to silently melt through the darkness; not even his footsteps disturbed the night. He forged through the brush and trees towards the place Mintra'el had said Zimring's cabin should be.
Finally, he came to the top of a hill, from which he should be able to see the location in question, but as soon as he had crested the hill he dropped instantly to the ground with a quiet thud.
Peaking over the top of the hill he could see what looked like a ship, but he couldn't be sure. He held Mintra'el just below his chin and whispered, "Sight."
The little device projected a pair of night-vision enhancing lenses over his eyes so that he could see what lay before him.
To his horror, he saw, not only one ship, but two, and off in the distance he could just make out the remains of what could only have been Zimring's cabin. All that remained of the now-gutted structure were a few support beams and a piece of one scarred wall.
His heart began to pound in his chest as he ran through the implications of this discovery.
Unable to stand the sight before him and not daring to remain any longer, he scooted back down the hill so as to be out of sight of anyone who was in or around those two ships. Though they bore no insignia, the prince had seen the like of them often enough before to know that they were in the employ of the zealots – if they were not indeed crewed by zealots themselves.
"Talan..."he thought, in partial shock as he almost flew back the way he'd come, hoping that none of his companions had awoken during his absence and trying to reconcile what he had seen and what he had expected to see.
No sooner had he gotten back to the campsite – all three of his charges were still mercifully oblivious – than he began to feel the anguished pangs of loss. All of them... Dommel, Elisa, David, Frakken, even Deror... and Masterson... gone... in one instant he had lost them.
"I should have been there..."he thought, feeling as though he would at any moment lose whatever he had in his stomach. "It cannot end like this!"
Slowly, he sank back down onto the cold, hard rock he had been sitting on before he had ventured out. He pocketed Mintra'el, then bent over, his head between his knees, fighting off the sick feeling still rising in his throat.
But, try as he might, he couldn't fend it off; the heat began to rise in his face; hot tears welled up in his eyes and he lost his battle. He did his best to hide the sickening sound.
Suddenly a cold hand gripped the back of his neck.
He almost swung around to tackle whoever had touched him and – worse – had violated his privacy, an unpardonable offense. But before he could do that, the intruder's other hand reached out and offered him a wet rag.
Embarrassed at being heard, he quickly snatched the rag and held it over his face for a moment before washing away the remnants of whatever had stuck to his mouth. Then he used his boots to scuff at the dirt, covering the mess on the ground in front of him, all the while pretending not to acknowledge the intruder's continued presence.
He draped one arm over each leg and continued to lean forward a bit, his hair now hiding his eyes.
Then the intruder committed a second unpardonable sin. They picked up his left hand.
In horror, he realized that both of his gloves were still in his pocket.
A finger ran along the dividing line between the white and blue skin on his hand, starting at his middle finger and running all the way up to his wrist, where the marking tapered off.
Then the other person set his hand back where it had been.
Finally, they invaded his personal space one more time.
Silently, a body snuggled up against him, wrapping his left arm in theirs. Then they laid their head on his shoulder.
He tensed, entirely uncomfortable with this, and he would have moved away if it hadn't been for the quiet words that met his ears next.
"I get it." the little voice said, "You're different. Kinda like me."
The prince finally looked over at the person who had so boldly invaded his world. Constance's innocent face looked up at him in sad understanding, somehow making the moment of loss and humiliation just a tiny bit bearable and atoning for her earlier harsh words.
Deun stood at one of the great windows in the room set on top of the palace, surveying his domain. Then he lifted a vengeful face towards the beautiful, blue planet hanging in the sky above, "You were a fool, Alexander. I had no choice." he hissed. "You've no concept of what leadership entails. Giving subjects a choice is like sealing your own doom."
The thought of Starsha rose unbidden in his mind, "And your daughter will suffer the consequences of your stupidity." He released a string of curses directed at his sister-world. "You'll all be dead before three years have elapsed. Not even the youngest of you will live to tell the tale." he smiled evilly, "First the old ones." his face darkened in perverse pleasure, "then the younger adults," he laughed, "then you, my dear Starsha will perish along with the rest of the adolescents, and you will be summarily followed the youngest of your race, some of whom will already have died for lack of care."
The young Leader left the window to pace the room, "You cannot fight it – cannot defend against it. There are no soldiers to kill, no weapons to destroy. You've no other course of action except to give in," he sneered.
"Admit it!" he bellowed at the sphere, "I've won!"
There was only silence, because, of course, the planet could not answer him.
"Your Adonai did not save you. He cannot save you!" Deun continued to shout, "You believe in nothing! And you will all die because of a king who holds on to his childish faith!" If he had had something in his hand, he would have thrown it at the window.
Suddenly a memory – entirely unbidden, and thoroughly disturbing – appeared, almost tangibly, before his mind's eye.
"Adonai is not a man that he should lie." said Talonka to her elder son.
"But how can He not be lying?" young Deun asked, "He says outrageous things – makes claims that no one can make..."
"He is not a mere mortal as you and I are, Deun." the queen replied, "Adonai is King of Creation. Just because we do not understand how He can fulfill a promise He has made does not mean that He is lying."
"But what about the rest of our people? If Adonai does not lie, then why has He not brought us all back together as He promised?" the boy asked.
Talonka smiled sadly at her son, "It is not yet time for that promise to be fulfilled, my son. In His own timing, He will gather us together again."
"But You have not." Deun hissed accusingly towards Heaven, returning from that moment almost eight years in the past. "You have done nothing for us!" he bellowed. "You can't even save them," he thrust a finger towards Iscandar, "from me! What kind of a God are You if You cannot even do that?!"
At this another memory materialized.
"Just because Adonai can do something does not mean that He will, my son." the Queen laid a hand on her child's shoulder, "He is not bound by our mortal minds. His ways are so far above ours that we cannot even comprehend them."
Coming back out of the past, Deun fumed, letting out a loud roar of anger, "I don't care what You say! You are not my Master, a I will never submit to You!" he turned his gaze back to the blue world and seethed, "Never."
Then he summoned the attendant he had stationed outside the door, "I have an announcement to make."
"Yes, Sire." the servant bowed, "Whom shall I send it to?"
"It is to go to every media source on the planet," Deun replied, "Tell them..." he thought for a moment, then carefully hid a smirk, "That something terrible has happened. Iscandar has fallen plague to a mysterious virus. No one is to visit them – for their own safety's sake. Communication with them will be strictly through me for now, until we can... assess the threat."
The attendant nodded, eyes wide. This news was obviously surprising to him, which stoked Deun's evil glee all the more.
No one would ever know why Iscandar had been wiped clean of its people. No one would ever find out who had started it all. Because everyone who could bear witness against him would either be dead, or mentally questionable.
"Go." Deun dismissed the attendant who scurried away without a second look.
Once the minion was gone, Deun suddenly remembered the one loose end he still had to deal with. Then, checking to make sure his weapon was in place, he stole down through the levels of the palace and into the sub-levels.
He finally came to the door he had been looking for. Unlocking it, the young man entered the lab. It smelled of dirt, sweat, and unwashed flesh. The place was a mess. Not that Deun cared, the place's usefulness had come to an end when Alexander had called him to notify him of the death of the "representative."
"Sire." the drafted scientist suddenly appeared, shaking in fear before the Leader, "I – I am glad you have come." he grovelled, "Please. I have done what you've asked of me. Let me go back to my family. I'll never speak a word of this to anyone – even under torture I'll never betray you. Please!"
The intolerable whimpering went on and on until Deun ended it with a single bolt of red light.