The Chronicles of Heaven's War: Burning Phoenix (29 page)

Anna walked close beside and slightly behind
on Mihai’s left. Anna could always be depended on to give her
unwavering support to her new king. Anna had always been close to
Mihai, especially since the Rebellion when she risked her own life
to sound the alarm at seeing Asotos’ attack on her little sister.
On so many lonely nights, she comforted Mihai’s soul with love’s
warm embrace, singing sweet, enchanting songs far into the chill of
morning. Mihai nearly swooned, remembering last eves’ witching
hours spent in the arms of this most loving sister.

Mihai gave little heed to the others walking
near other than Eutychus and that Garlock fellow. Eutychus followed
Planetee, a little to her side. He was a gentle giant, his helpful
assistance greatly appreciated. He and Planetee had been nearly
inseparable over the last several days, the man doting on her,
seeing to even her smallest desires. Mihai smiled to think she had
such a stalwart ally with her this day.

Mihai glanced Jebbson’s way. The man walked
- or better described – ‘swaggered’ some eight paces to her left,
appearing more like a dandy-dressed, Wildcatter frigate captain
than a well-groomed officer of the court. Jebbson was an anomaly,
to say the least. Brilliant scientist, musician, a man able to wax
poetic with the deepest heartfelt emotion, passionately caring one
moment while becoming ruthlessly remorseless the next, this Garlock
was predictably
unpredictable
.

Jebbson loyal? Yes, in the absolute - but a
loyalty to the cause that was measured upon
his
scales of
fealty. When she had once asked him about his view of the
Children’s current policy when dealing with the enemy, Jebbson’s
answer had been both cryptic and chilling. ‘I balance all, I
balance one. The chips fall where they may when I am done.’

Mihai frowned. Where
was
this man’s
loyalty? He had struck up a warm relationship with Planetee over
the past few days, casual but warm, none the less. He had also been
seen in the field marshal’s company on several occasions.

The man’s outward confidence betrayed hidden
knowledge, but of what? Had Planetee confided in him the events of
this preceding morn? Was he now taken in as their ally? Or, Mihai
shuddered, had this man planned some secret mischief of his own?
She would not put it past him, but dared not ponder such a
possibility at the moment. But that did bother her a bit.

Not many days ago when Mihai was reviewing
the manifest requesting certain heavy ordnance that Jebbson wanted
to be taken on this sojourn, this man had rather tersely replied to
her questions, ‘Peaceful negotiation is successful only amongst
friends and allies. Enemies only use it to advance their position
of power. Power is all your brother understands and respects. You
fear his reprisal by showing strength and might. I fear it because
you show your weakness.’

It had been a stinging rebuff for Mihai,
especially after having gotten used to all the ongoing adoration
and respect she was receiving since taking the crown, but that was
Jebbson’s way, the way he was raised in the land that he grew up
in. ‘All men and gods are created equal...’ He had been heard to
say on more than one occasion. ‘a God-given right!’

Still, Garlock was loyal to the Children’s
Empire and to its cause, and he respected Mihai to a fault.
Besides, it was Mother who gave Mihai the crown. Jebbson would do
nothing offensive against Mother. Smiling, Mihai sighed. Jebbson
was
safe
. Whatever he was up to would bring no harm to
Mother and her purpose. Mihai was Mother’s king – weapon - to bring
success this day. Jebbson was not a person of concern.

At that instant, Trisha stepped into a sand
hole, stumbling, she grasping Mihai’s arm to prevent a fall. Mihai
cursed under her breath as she shook herself free of Trisha’s hold.
“Pity you didn’t find the bottom of the pit.” Mihai hissed.
“Urchins of despair and foolish chatterers have no place at such
a grand council! Go away while time still shines its favor on
you...”

Regaining her balance, Trisha looked up into
Mihai’s face, her orbs hiding any emotion. “My Lord...” She replied
as she again took up station beside her king.

Lowenah sadly shook her head as she listened
to her child’s caustic rebuff of Trisha. “Mere oppression alone can
make the wise sage act like a crazy one. Oh my. Oh my...” Lowenah
muttered under her breath.

Saddened she was, but not surprised. Indeed!
Mihai’s actions this day were expected by Lowenah, actually
anticipated. She was depending on them. After all, a major part of
Lowenah’s little surprise for her rebellious son hinged on the
crazy actions
of her daughter-child. Not that she desired to
see her child suffer such torment, but since it was going to happen
anyway, why not take advantage of it, especially if it might save a
few lives while bringing humiliation to those deserving it?

She turned her gaze to Darla, another part
of her little surprise prepared for her rebellious child this day.
Oh, how beautiful the woman looked, all dressed up in the alluring
raiment of a long-forgotten Canaanite temple dancer!
Schiel’ahh
... yes...that was the dancer’s name. Lowenah
nodded, closing her eyes. Schiel’ahh,
heaven’s gift
, was the
name bestowed upon this girl by an appreciative father who had
cried out in his prayers to this strange Hebrew God to grant him a
gift of but one child in his old age, for no children did he
have.

To the elderly man, Lowenah listened,
finding more faith in him than in any of those living at that time
professing her name. A girl, divinely beautiful, was born to him -
a girl who looked very much like the woman leading Lowenah’s horse
this day. Whether it had been by subconscious design or by
accident, Lowenah was not sure, but truth be said, Darla, with her
deeply tanned skin, and Schiel’ahh could have been mistaken for
twins of sorts.

Lowenah frowned, sad. Her rebellious son
soon discovered the child and stole the maiden away from her father
and mother to train the girl up in all the ways of the Canaanite
religious order, forcing her to prostitute her flesh for the
well-being of the temple priests, he, all the while, attempting a
coup against nature’s laws so as to bring the girl’s flesh into his
world for his sole prurient pleasure. As he searched for success,
Asotos would take possession of the men paying to have intercourse
with Schiel’ahh so that he might in some way feel the love he so
passionately desired.

At length, in the course of time, Lowenah
tired of Asotos’ evil, delivering a sword of retribution against
the people of that city, burning it with fire while snuffing out
the lives of its inhabitants including Schiel’ahh, thus freeing the
girl from the constant rape and torture she so long endured. Asotos
swore an oath of eternal vengeance against the people who carried
out the deed, his inflamed hatred for them not subsiding down to
that very hour. That was so many millennia ago now.

Would her son remember? Yes... Lowenah sadly
sighed. Yes, he would, he never forgetting any slight or insult,
real or imagined, and the girl’s destruction was personal to him,
but not only for that reason alone.

Darla was dressed the part of Schiel’ahh,
attired as the girl so often was when dancing in the temple, right
down to her hair styling, painted lips, eyes and face, and even the
tattoo of a pentagram and runes upon her forehead, which read, when
translated into the language of the Canaanites, ‘Prince of Light’.
Still that was not all.

Darla’s breasts were round, firm and full.
When unbridled, they roamed free, rebelling against the body,
seeking their own careless direction of desired escape. Few were
the daughters of Lowenah who had the grace to rein in such wild
mares prancing about, and Darla was never known for any such
harmonic prowess. Even should the man find disgust in the beauty of
a woman, his heart would be forced to notice the hypnotic song that
Darla’s breasts played as she struggled to keep her balance in this
tricksy sand. Then, just in case this was not enough distraction,
Lowenah pressed into service the very winds to force a coup against
her rebellious son.

Darla was fond of piercing her flesh, from
toe to forehead, for the pleasure of appearance or for the delight
of the sensual - either or both. So it was that intricate,
bejeweled ornaments were often found dangling from the woman’s
nipples. The girl could not see the effect such baubles had on her
brothers, so few men daring the girl’s
sickness
to reveal
their lust for her. But Mother noticed - noticed how the
animal
would cry out for satisfaction while the human pulled
its glance away, forcing its growing passion down. It was the
animal
, the untamed wild beast lurking in every man’s heart
that Mother was in search of this day, and she possessed the weapon
able to capture it.

Today Lowenah had endowed her child with a
wondrous present of dozens of tinkling bells hanging upon one long,
golden chain fastened to the nipples of her little Rachel’s
bouncing spheres, their music already having created so much
commotion at this morning’s breakfast. Their ever sensual refrains,
heard by the heart but not the ear, could drive any man to
distraction. But should the melodious rhapsody be tuned
specifically to some certain man’s heart? Ah…then there would be no
hope for him to hold his concentration against it.

Lowenah glanced around and then looked back
at Darla, smiling sadly. “So many crows, so many crows...” She
mumbled to herself. “all of them dressed in their finery of silks
and burnished armor, each seeking to impress upon the other his or
her importance, to show just how seriously they view this event.
Foolish children! Oh, how little they realize their true purpose
for circling the carcass is not to consume the disease and rot, but
to selfishly satisfy a hungry belly… to be venerated and respected
by their fellow man.” She sadly nodded. “The crow revels in its
self-glory.”

While looking at Darla, she thought of
Trisha, Jebbson and a few of the other, more
troublesome
children hidden in the crowd, smiling. “There do reside the eagles
among us. ‘
Damn the earth and sky!’
they cry out to all
living flesh.
‘We care not for counsel or for petty rules of
law. We take what we will, when we wish, and how we want! Should
all the world be ruined if it stands in our way! We bide no creed
nor stand any oath, for we are the Children of the Bloodwind,
rulers over Heaven, Men, and Hell!’
” Lowenah remembered well
those words spoken so many long years ago in a world grim and
pitiless, during a time filled with hopeless despair.

Darla slipped in the sand, all the tiny
bells jangling violently. Lowenah felt it, smiling. She could tell
by the very harmonics that all the others around felt it, affecting
them ever so slightly. She looked far ahead at the nattily dressed
officer, the prince of his people. Yes...yes, he had felt it, too,
his face clouding with uncertainty.

Thinking how Darla must look the clown in
this ocean of finely attired dignitaries, Lowenah laughed to
herself, ‘Fools! The clown’s appearance hides the talons of a
fighting eagle that will soon rip apart this people’s little world.
And down the Great Dragon will be hurled!
This day my
eagles
shall tear him from his throne and cast all that is
his into the dark abyss. The hooks are already in my hand. Now for
my darling eagles to set them…’

The party was drawing close now, less than
thirty rods separating the opposing forces. Mihai’s heart began to
ache as she studied closely the leaders standing out in front of
the others. Most prominent among them was Asotos… Chrusion! She
must remember to use ‘Chrusion’ when addressing him... No! Use
‘Adelphos’- brother - ‘Adelphos’. There he stood, a true leader
among men, tall, majestic and powerful, filled with confidence - a
leader to be so adored.

Mihai silently cursed, frowning. Why must
her heart fawn so over this beast, he the very man who destroyed
her, her world, and oh, oh so many other beautiful things? To him,
her heart beckoned, for him to hold her and make the darkness go
away. Why, oh why did she have to feel this way, at this very time,
this very moment?

With each advancing step, Mihai found her
body shrinking before the looming giant awaiting her presence.
Chrusion… Adelphos… grew in his imposing stature, brimming with
dignity and self-confidence.

Beads of sweat broke out on Mihai’s
forehead, her growing despair driving all hope from the woman’s
heart. She silently cried out to her mother, ‘I cannot do this
thing alone! Lowenah! Oh Lowenah! Do give me strength, or your
little child will fade away into nothingness!’

Trisha stumbled again, as if being pushed,
slamming hard into Mihai’s side.

“Bitch! Stupid little bitch worm!” Mihai
angrily snarled into Trisha’s ear. “Go back to forgotten places and
leave this world to itself! Be off with you,
maggot!
”

Trisha’s heart was breaking as with the pain
of a mother losing her child in birth, but she said not a word. If
death and humiliation were the weapons needed to win this day, then
so be it.

Red may the field of honor become,

Before the sun sets upon the victory won.

And the heroes forcing that battle line,

Live not to drink the victory wine.

So Trisha would weather the storm to deliver
victory from certain defeat, no matter the cost or the shame
endured to attain it.

* * *

Asotos smiled. Although no word had yet
reached him concerning the fate of the Chisamore and the resulting
troubling effects on Gabrielle, the harmonics of the universe
delivered its sweet discord to his ears. ‘No help from that
witch
for her
little darling
this day.’ He mused with
quiet laughter, ‘How hopeless it must be to stand the field alone
when the heart ever wavers in fear and doubt.’