Happy reading!
The Feri Circle
Chapter 6
It was late in the evening when Charlie arrived. He wasn't alone. Commander Nicodemus, Linda, Nick and two other men I recognized from Nico's troop were with him. Helen offered them food but they declined. They'd already had their evening meal at camp.
Whispers were sent. Charlie had called for a meeting.
One by one, my friends filed into the common hall adjacent the kitchen. The place was large enough to accommodate more than twenty people. Unlike the kitchen which looked homey, the common hall looked bare and foreign. To make it more strange, everyone was in small bands talking in hushed tones.
Wren and I sat Next to Nick at the table set in the middle of the room. Eric gave Charlie a peck on the lips before sitting across from us. The others did the same. Take a seat at the table, that is.
`What's going on Nick?' Wren asked curious as to why we had been summoned.
`I'm as clueless as you are. Char, my dad and his seconds in command spent all day talking in my dad's quarters. They said they didn't want to be disturbed.'
I gave Nick the once-over. He had a bruised lip and a red angry welt at the side of his neck.
`I gather training had been intense?' I said to him.
He licked and touched his bruised lip. `You have no idea. I'm so exhausted that I can barely keep my eyes open.'
`You should head on to bed then. Char will understand,' I said. Wren shook his head agreeing with me.
`That's okay. I'm curious to know what my dad and Char have been concocting since this morning.'
I looked over at Charlie. He had his face pressed against Nico's ear. `As do I.' I said.
`Settle down everyone,' Charlie said after some time. A great silence fell over the room as all eyes focused on him. All, except mine. I was making sure everyone was accounted for. Rhett was sitting close to Wain. They were so close that their shoulders were brushing against each other. Jan was at the table close to River. The pale faced Bron was also sitting at the table and next to him was none other than a solemn looking Reed. I wondered why he chose to sit near Bron when he clearly hated the guy. If he was trying to make Bron uncomfortable, it was working.
The others, Linda and Nico's men were standing next to Nico on Charlie's right and on the left Helen stood close to Farren.
I've called you all here because we're a family. Like every family I want to make sure everyone is aware of what's going to happen in the next couple of days.' At the mentioned of family, I saw Linda lean against her bond-mate. Nico flashed her a candid smile before turning his attention back to Charlie. Nico and I had a discussion earlier about how to get the rest of the witches' community on our side. Time is of the essence. Helledon is already free of Sandridon and I'm pretty sure he'll start rallying supporters soon.
`Anyway, in two days Nico and a band of his own men will leave for the city of Rocia. There they will meet up with Commander Stryder and his men. Since Nico hasn't been in touch with the Guild for quite some time now, Stryker has agreed to take him under his banner to the Warrior Guild meeting, which will be held outside of Sea Port town a week from now. At the meeting Nico will use whatever diplomatic skills he has to sway the Guild to join us. That's another reason we need Stryder. He is a respected warrior and an influential man within the Guild as well.
`Eric, Jan and I will also be leaving tomorrow. We are heading back to the witches' Capital, Pixan. My sister Terra and her mate will join us as well since Malick is a Lord Marshal and a member of The High Council of Mages. We are going to try our luck again at persuading those buffoons.'
Everyone laughed but trepidation was in the air. The High Council of Mages rejected me once; I'll bet they'll do it again.
`In our absence I'm leaving Commander Eston in charge of the High Guard Camp. Helen, you'll be in charge of the Citadel.'
`And what about us? What are we going to do?' River asked. I get that he wanted to be part of the grand scheme of things.
Charlie looked at me. And I knew why. He's asking me permission to share the knowledge of my mission with the others. I nodded and he smiled.
`River, for some reason, you father had chosen you and your twin to be his ambassadors. You'll keep doing just that. Feed him whatever lies you can but keep it close to the truth. The rest of you, you'll follow Rye's lead. Rye has a quest to fulfill. There are four more Feri out there and he needs to find them.'
Actually there are five,' I said. Everyone looked at me expectedly. Charlie nodded. Before I find the others I have to search for one of my father's sisters. She along with Helledon was of my father's generation. She alone can help me find the others. But the problem now is how to find her because I'm pretty sure she'll be hiding from Helledon as well.'
Don't worry too much about it, Rye,' Linda said. Fate has a way of taking care of such matters.'
That's just what I need; a theological answer. Urg!
`I didn't know there are other Feri out there,' Rhett said looking amazed.
There has always been five Feri alive at a time. Everyone knows that, nitwit,' Wain said. Oh, I forgot. When we all were learning our history you were learning how to choke on a cock,' Wren teased. Everybody laughed and Rhett punched his best friend as he reddened with embarrassment.
`That's not very nice, Wain,' Eric scolded him.
That's enough boys,' Charlie said in a harsh tone. When the teasing and laughter ceased, he continued. Now, let us discuss LaDem. This morning I received a disturbing whisper from Amilia, the Alpha of the Brownwood Clan. Apparently her city is being ravaged by some unknown phenomena. For the past week fifteen young women between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five have been reported missing from their homes. Rumor has it that this is the work of a Nightwalker. Amilia's men have not been able to recover a single victim because the supposed Nightwalker is leaving no trail. Amilia is concerned because the families of the victims are starting to take the law in their own hands. Three male witches turned up dead yesterday and we all know that more will meet the same unjust end if nothing is done.'
`Oh! How Awful!' Linda exclaimed.
How awful indeed! The Brownwood is my mother's clan. I will do anything I can to help them.
`Are we going to help?' I asked.
Yes we are. Wain!' Wain perked up when he heard his name. I'm sending you to LaDem to investigate the abductions and to help Amilia contain the populace. You'll have a contingent of fifty of our best trained fighter at your disposal. You'll be running under the High-King's banner. Don't disappoint us.'
Wain composure changed instantly. With pride he pushed his chest out and with self-esteem his face became immediately serious. He was a good fighter. I even heard Nico tell Eric that he has the making of a leader of men.
`Alright bro,' an elated Reed shouted.
The rest of the meeting was partially a briefing for Wain. Nick, a few others chose to turn in early but many chose to stay, including Wren. I stayed too but then I started yawning. I could barely keep my eyes open.
`Go to bed. I'll be there in a minute,' Wren told me. I reluctantly got up and left. When I got to the chambers Nick wasn't there. I wasn't surprised because he said he was tired. Also despite the pact we made, he was still divided. He came to our bed often but he still kept his own chamber. Wren said to give him time and to let the guy sort out his priorities. I hoped he is right for I hate the thought of history repeating itself.
That night I dreamt of LaDem, the lost girls and mostly my mom. I wanted to be with her so much that I found her sitting by the window reading a book in a room of an old castle which lay on a cliff by the seaside.
"Who are you?" She asked when she noticed me staring at her. I must have spooked her because she dropped her book and grabbed a candle holder with a lit candle from a nearby table. She held it at arm's length like a weapon. "Tell me who you are and want you want with me?"
I smiled at her. "Sorry to have freighted you. I mean you no harm. My name is Riley. But you can called me Rye like my friends do."
Slowly she composed herself. When she held the lit candle close to her I saw her more clearly. She was a tad shorter than my five foot nine. Her eyes, those magnificent beautiful green eyes, reminded me so much of my own. She also had long dark hair that cascaded onto a purple dress that covered her legs to her feet. She resembled a fairy princess.
I thought I best be careful of what I say to her because I'm obviously dealing with a younger version of my mother. I didn't want to spook her more.
"Where are we?" I asked. I kept my voice leveled and calm.
"Tell me how you got here first," she said. I love the quality of her voice. It reminded me of grandma Moira's. Way to go Rye, comparing a girl to her dead mother-in-law.
"I have no idea how I got here. I guess it was because I was thinking of you."
She frowned, and then replaced the candle on the table. I guess she sensed I was telling the truth because she sat back down and picked up her book.
What now? I hadn't a clue what to say to her.
"Do you like reading?" She said out of the blue.
I was an avid reader in the human realm but since I arrived in Targeten I haven't had time to touch a book.
"Yes."
"So you know a few good stories then? Can you tell me one? I like stories." I inwardly laughed. She looked so innocent, like a child thirsty for knowledge.
"Yes. I know many stories. What kind of stories would you like to hear?"
"Tell me a true story. Of a witch Prince, if you know any."
That's very specific. Well, I know no real stories with witch princes. Hell, for her I'll invent one. I thought of Nick for inspiration. He looked like a prince. At least to me he did.
So I sat beside her on the bench and started telling her of an exiled prince that returned to his homeland to get rid of an evil sorcerer who had taken over his kingdom.
"Is there a princess? Does he fall in love with her?"
"Yes. Her name was Cinderella and she lived alone in a tower." I said without much thought.
"Oh I love her name. It sounds so much like mine."
"What is your name?" I asked curiously.
"Elle. My name is Elle. Do you think my name is beautiful?"
"Yes. Very beautiful." I didn't understand. My mother's name was Mira.
"I love your princess. She sounds so much like me. I live here alone too, although I live in a castle not a tower."
Oh! I was more puzzled than before.
"Tell me more of the story, please. Tell me more."
I laughed at her enthusiasm.
I continued telling her the story of brave Prince Nickolas who went to fight his uncle's dragon and wild beasts to save his love, the Princess Cinderella. Elle, as she called herself, kept me awake all night with the story. She asked me question after question and I had no choice but to answer. It was a strange dream, I know. But I didn't mind staying in the dream world because I was spending it with my mother.
The story ended just at dawn when the sun began to show itself. By then I learnt a few things about Elle, aka my mother. She lives alone in this castle. She wakes up to find everything is done for her without seeing anyone. She likes to read like me. She hates the darkness and she would love so much to be rescued by a prince one day.
"Rye, look! You're fading away."
Huh! I must be waking up.
"That's okay Elle. I'm just returning where I came from."
She looked sad.
"Will you visit me again tomorrow?"
"Sure," I said. But can someone really have the same dream twice. I doubt it. Elle stood there staring at me with her book clutched to her chest. Her sad face was the only thing I saw before I vanished completely from her chamber.
...
End of chapter 6