The Chronicles of Heaven's War: Burning Phoenix (92 page)

Gabrielle suddenly came into view,
accompanied by some officers from Navy Command. She quickly made
her way over to SarahCnidus, who stood near a serving table. Sarah
reached out taking Gabrielle’s hand, smiling sheepishly. Gabrielle
drew Sarah close in a sensual embrace. Chasileah could see from
their body language that Gabrielle was more than casually
affectionate with Sarah. ‘Strange.’ She thought, knowing that
Gabrielle’s amorous exhibitions toward most of Lowenah’s children
were pleasantly distant at best.

A sudden commotion drew Chasileah’s
attention to the Theater entrance. Everyone stopped what they were
doing, focusing their attention on the new arrivals. Chasileah
leaned forward, straining her neck to see. In the doorway stood
three people, a tall giant of a man, and another fellow named
‘Treston’, as she recalled. Between them stood a woman of rather
delicate stature who appeared somewhat unsteady on her feet.
Squinting to get a better look, Chasileah finally recognized the
woman to be the heroine of EremiaPikros, Sirion.

Those who were sitting stood while several
others hurried from the dining hall, followed by applause and
cheers as the people welcomed their courageous comrade. Sirion
grinned shyly, her stature shrinking in embarrassment. At length,
the girl slowly waved a hand, quietly thanking everyone for such
undue attention. Finally she took a seat on the far side of the
room, her two
bodyguards
sitting down on each side of
her.

A sick aching gradually grew in the pit of
Chasileah’s stomach as she watched the Theater fill. Here were the
great leaders of the Empire - at least those who had survived down
to this day, their names and actions burned into the minds and
hearts of Lowenah’s loyal children. Chasileah felt so small and
unworthy. What was she doing here in the presence of these gods and
sorcerers - a washed up officer, the
Judas of Lagandow
,
selling out her people for a few fleeting nights wrapped in soft
satin? How she loathed her very being...

Wiggling in an attempt to get up, she jolted
Darla from a fitful sleep. Darla cried out, clutching her head in
agony. Chasileah surrendered to the moment, settling down while
stroking her companion’s face. “I’m sorry, dear. Sorry...” She
whispered, promising to be still. Too many she had betrayed in the
past. Darla was her charge now, by her own volition. For good or
ill, she was fated to the hour. She would not abandon her little
sister now.

Chasileah looked up in time to see Trisha
and Jonathan enter from the dining room into the Theater. Jonathan
pointed toward the shadows where she and Darla were. As the field
marshal stepped in that direction, someone called out her. Stopping
up quickly, she spoke something to Jonathan who, nodding, hurried
off toward Chasileah.

Squeezing through the milling crowd,
Jonathan made his way into the shadows, sitting down beside
Chasileah. Leaning close, he whispered so as not to disturb Darla,
“Commander Trisha regrets the delay. She had attempted to contact
you earlier, but was held up in a protracted meeting, and now must
attend to other duties. She wanted me to assure you that it was not
her intention to put you on the spot.” He looked down at Darla. “If
you wish to leave, I can help tending to our girl here.”

“No, thank you.” Chasileah refused his
offer. She then reached over and took his hand. “Would you stay
here and tend to me? Please?”

Jonathan watched tears trickle down
Chasileah’s cheeks. He promised he would stay, squeezing her hand.
“Should the world end this hour, what better place would there be
than here?”

Chasileah leaned against Jonathan’s arm,
resting her head on his shoulder, and began to quietly cry, feeling
the weight of the universe slowly lifting from off her. Today the
Fates were revealing to her a different road, a possible rebirth,
but into what? This room’s magic was contagious. Long had it been
since she walked these chambers, a maiden dressed in all her virgin
finery, her world changing that day, delivering her into womanhood.
Now she walked these halls again, like that maiden child, wondering
what tomorrow the Fates would deliver to her.

After Euroaquilo finished up with the
business of the moment, he gradually made his way over, being
waylaid several times by fellow Navy officers and counselors
seeking his opinions, eventually taking a seat beside Darla. Gently
rubbing the woman’s back while she rested her head on Chasileah’s
lap, he explained to Chasileah and Jonathan, “I begged her to stay
abed, but she would have none of it, even if it was to kill
her.”

Tenderly brushing her fingers through
Darla’s dark, luxuriant locks, Chasileah looked about the room and
back down at the woman resting there. “Mother’s up to something,
making this day, this meeting, special. Our girl knew it, could
feel it.” She looked up, pondering. “Lords and Ladies, great and
small, famous and unknown - never have I witnessed such a vast
mixed company at a gathering such as this.”

She turned her attention to Euroaquilo.
“Never, in all my days since the Rebellion began, have I seen such
an assemblage. There is little rhyme or reason to it. And the
Cherubs? Long it has been since I’ve seen them gathered in such
numbers, and serving us this day? No... Something special is up. I
dread and fear it, yet my heart burns for understanding, it wishing
to stay, while my feet cry out for flight.”

Curious, Euroaquilo asked, “So these fellows
are
Cherubs
? I didn’t know what to think of them, maybe
Ancients long departed and since returned to us, or possibly the
sentinels who drive Mother’s ships, but Cherubs? I believed the
Cherubs to be the flames of fire burning upon the dessert plain at
the Prisoner Exchange, yet you say these are the Cherubs, and you
are an Ancient. Can you tell me more?”

Chasileah looked about the room. Some of the
Cherubs she recognized, remembering them from days long, long ago.
She then turned to Euroaquilo, answering in a hush. “Little more is
there to say. They are Cherubs.”

The lights were dimming in the dining hall,
encouraging people to gather to the Theater, when a sudden
commotion was heard at the main doorway. Drorli rushed in, pulling
on Eurawha’s hand, Zadar, breathless, following up close behind. As
the three stood there, panting for breath, none appearing pleased,
Zadar fumed,
“Should have whomped her when I had the chance!
Little brat! Miserable, troubling creature!”

He spied Symeon as they made their way to
some seats, calling out to him, “Hanna’s got her hands full with
that one! A real pill! Stowed away in the boot… a wanting to go see
God, she did… didn’t know until we were miles away from the
village. Had to take the screaming brattling back and tie her to a
chair ‘til we left again. Cursed us something fierce, she did, for
us doing it. Poor Hanna’s got her hands full, I tell you...”

Drorli harrumphed. “Trouble that one is, and
is going to be even more so. Punched me a good one when I dragged
her from the boot. Threatened her with Treston’s company if she
didn’t behave. The girl said she’d stick him if she got the chance.
I hope Hanna can handle her.”

Those privy to goings on with Ishtar began
to chuckle. Good-natured, chiding comments regarding the men’s
bravery were bantered about while others made light of leaving poor
Hanna to tend to their responsibilities. Zadar defended his valor
only as Zadar could, filling the room with laughter from his verbal
antics. Soon they found their seats, their grumbling stopped, the
lights dimmed and the room became quiet.

Now was come the hour everyone had anxiously
anticipated. The doors of the Theater slowly closed while darkness
filled the room, leaving a single beam of golden light cast down
from the ceiling and spreading across the center floor of the
Theater. Silent - all was silent, the crowd waiting with halted
breath for what was to come next.

* * *

“
Let me out! You let me out now or…!”
Ishtar hammered on the bedroom door with her fists, screaming out
one insult after another.
“All I wanted was to see God! Let me
out now!”

Apollonius, just newly arrived to assist
Hanna, leaned close to the door, calling back, “When you learn to
behave, little lady, I might think to let you out. If you don’t,
then I’ll be coming in and you won’t like it.”

There was sudden silence on the other side
of the door. Ishtar had not realized Apollonius had arrived. She
liked the man, but feared him, always had. The man was good-natured
but no nonsense. If he said something, he meant it. Long ago she
had learned not to get on his bad side. Finally, after the girl had
shed a sufficient amount of crocodile tears, there came a whining
reply to Apollonius’ rude threats, Ishtar complaining about the
brutish ways she had been treated, so ungentlemanly and improper.
Then she went on about the injuries received when hauled from the
machine and unceremoniously ‘returned to this prison’.

Apollonius was bemused, the tone reflected
in his reply. Ishtar swore in anger and flung herself on the bed,
wailing in childish grief. At hearing this, Apollonius called
through the door, “We could have let you run away and stay with
those moon monkeys. It would have suited me fine.”

Lifting her head from the pillow Ishtar
screamed,
“Oh, shut up!”

Hanna called through the door, “I’m so sorry
about your dress, dear. Drorli said that had you not resisted him
so, you wouldn’t have been dumped onto the stony roadway as you
were. He also said that in your struggle to get away, you tore out
of your clothes, becoming half-naked.”

Ishtar screamed back, “He wanted to hurt me!
Him and that ruffian Zadar… they enjoyed beating on me!” She then
cried, “I wasn’t hurt’n nobody! Just wanted to look around a bit...
You all said I was free… could go where I pleased. You got no right
to keep me here against my will!”

When no one replied, she shouted out, “What
are you afraid of me findin’ out, anyway? Who are you trying to
protect me from? It ain’t Treston, ‘cause I already know about him.
Who? I got a right to know.”

Apollonius laughed. “We’re not trying to
protect you from anybody, couldn’t if we wished. We’re protected
these fine people from you!”

Ishtar’s temper flared. “You just wait ‘til
my uncle hears about this. He’ll defend my honor. I’m gonna tell
Darla, too! She won’t be pleased at all.”

The humor left Apollonius’ voice. “They
should have found out about now, and I’m pretty sure neither will
be pleased to hear about your rude and infantile behavior.” Another
scream rent the air, and then the sounds of sobs coming from beyond
the door.

Apollonius whispered to Hanna, “Let it go
for now. She’s not in any mood to listen. Merna’s going to be here
soon. Let’s give it a rest. The child’s going nowhere. Let her work
it out of her system. Then she might listen a bit.”

Hanna and Apollonius retired to the porch
and sat down in some chairs, waiting for Merna to arrive. Hanna
reached over, taking Apollonius’ hand. “She’s really a good child,
a little spirited, but her heart’s in the right place.”

The smile faded from Apollonius’ face. “All
that might be true, but it matters little at the moment. The child
has to grow up, and soon. There are forces that none of us can
control that have gathered the Fates together for what will come in
future days - days that will arrive whether we are ready or not. If
Ishtar doesn’t gain mastery over her emotions, then disaster awaits
this world. That girl has a destiny to fulfill, even if it should
cost all of us everything.”

“But she is so young...” Hanna countered,
attempting to defend Ishtar’s actions.

“Young?” Apollonius asked, sarcastically.
“
Young?!
When you were that child’s age, you were nursing a
little one with another on the way. You got up before sun’s light
to prepare your family for the day, then labored long hours
preparing the meals and tending to family needs. I, for my part,
worked on my father’s fishing boat night after long laborious
night. I had been married, watched my wife die in labor, and saw my
son pass away with a fever.”

He shook a finger. “Ishtar must grow up, and
very soon! Her recent behavior has revealed a very serious flaw in
the girl’s personality. If she can’t expunge it, then she must
learn to control it, or it will be our doom if she does not. Drorli
confessed to me these very facts only just yesterday eve. He said
there’s nothing else for it.”

Hanna did not like the way Ishtar was being
rushed. “You and I had at least little time to enjoy the world
around us after arriving here. Why shouldn’t the girl be given the
same? Weren’t we promised refreshment from our labors if we
attained this world?”

Apollonius did not mince matters. “No, my
dear… that is not what we were promised! Our lives of sacrifice,
our works, were to go with us into these Realms. Our gift was to be
given the weapons needed to smash our enemy, our refreshment to see
our enemy slain across the universe. We - you and me - and that
child in there have been delivered here to finish what has already
been started, to rid this world of its satanic host.”

He pointed toward the doorway. “As for that
child in there, it was told me by Drorli that Ishtar fulfilled some
prophecy or other that Lowenah uttered long ago…well, long ago now,
for us at least, back on the day Ishtar was murdered in the arena.
I was informed that Lowenah and Legion had a faceoff somewhere in
the Middle Realms, and that she said the child he murdered then
would awake and bring him all sorts of trouble. Apparently Ishtar
waked right during the Exchange, and Sirion told Legion as much.
From what I learned, that Prisoner Exchange was a trigger used to
set this world ablaze, no more resting for anyone.”