The Realm's Mystics [Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book 3] (85 page)

"I suppose you are the one to know each of us the best. You were the lover of one, the only one the other trusts from My realm, and you are now My lover.” She looked at her with a raised eyebrow, trying to look serious, “You are not planning on casting Me off for my elder sister, are you, so that you can know each of us in this fashion?"

Recognizing the look, Sle'nel’ laughed again, “It would depend, my Queen."

San'lr'in’ tried to look surprised, watching, as the Elf moved closer to her, “Depend? On what?"

Sle'nel’ moved into her, backing her slowly across the room toward the bed, teasing her, “On how interesting this relationship remains."

"Interesting? But you are an Elf and could never leave the union."

She moved her Queen into the corner, beginning to touch her, “But I am only half-Elf. Your elder sister pointed this fact out to me."

The High Queen saw that she was teasing only, beginning to enjoy Sle'nel's advances, “What would help to keep this union interesting, My Half-Elf?"

Sle'nel’ had taken hold of The High Queen's gown with her fingers, at the seams that just covered the private parts of her breast. She moved her fingers up and down the seam slowly, touching her lover's breasts lightly as she did so, finally removing the gown from her breasts. Just as she was placing her lips to San'lr'in's most tender spot on her breast, Sle'nel’ said, “I can think of a couple of things that would keep it interesting, my Love."

The eve meal was readied just for the travelers, as the High Priestess couldn't yet attend. Sele’ was eating with the sorcerers at the other end of the long table, yet tired from their long journey. The High Queen thought the meal unusual but delicious, having decided she was hungry. Sle'nel’ watched with great interest that her Queen ate well after their moments together. She laughed lightly to herself.

"What amuses you so, My Desire?"

"You. Your ways make me laugh."

"Me? Why is this?"

"You now eat your eve meal. You seldom do. Yet, there are particular moments you will do so."

"I am hungry. Should I not eat?"

"Of course, my Queen. And you should eat more, and more often. You are getting way overly thin. But you seldom eat an eve meal."

"I do if I am hungry. And I am hungry."

She saw that Ann'wn was laughing, as were Meera, Caitha, Sam, Uthrn, and even her Healer and Mil'der'in.

"Why does everyone laugh?"

Sam was laughing so hard that tears flowed down her face.

Sle'nel’ was also laughing out of control, so Caitha responded, “My Queen. You always seem to be hungry after certain physical exertions."

Everyone was now laughing hysterically, while San'lr'in’ just stared at Caitha, her brows frowning. She thought about what Caitha had said for a moment, looked down at her food, and then also began to laugh, “So much for privacy."

After their meal, San'lr'in’ announced to her close companions, “The High Priestess would like us to entertain her this eve. Bring your sweets, and let us reconvene in her room. My Storyteller, she has requested your service specifically this eve. And Highest, bring the journals with you."

As they entered her room, The High Queen saw that her Healer had returned. While everyone else settled in the sitting area, San'lr'in’ went over to her sister and Healer.

"Does My Healer torture you as she does Me?"

"I tried to take her from you, but she seems to like your evil temper."

San'lr'in’ saw a look of kindness escape from her sister's eyes, to her own Healer.

"You have removed her pain for the eve?"

"No. Just some, while they visit with her. When they leave, I will need your assistance."

San'lr'in’ nodded, “I am willing.” She looked down at her sister, “Have you yet eaten?"

"Your Healer was kind enough to feed me and keep me company."

San'lr'in’ was curious over the relationship forming between them, but said nothing of it, “I have brought My Storyteller, as you wished."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non sat up slightly, “Good. Storyteller. Come to me. Sit next to me. Tell me the stories of the First Ones’ arrival."

While Caitha began her story, The Healer motioned with her head to the side of the room, hoping her Queen would understand. Slowly, The High Queen moved across the room toward her Healer, interested in the story Caitha was telling, but more curious as to what The Healer wanted.

They stood next to each other as if listening to Caitha, while The Healer whispered, “She is in great pain, but begins to endure it better, so some of it must be leaving."

"This could not be the reason you ask Me here."

"How well do you know her, Highness?"

"Not well. I know only that she hates Me and wishes Me dead."

"Have patience with her, Highness. She is deeply troubled by all that has occurred. Learning that her Spirit Mothers lied to her has harmed her greatly, yet she will not speak of this to you."

"She yet hates Me and wishes Me dead."

"No, my Queen. This is not so. You sound like a child in this regard. She just knows not what to do with all her long-prior feelings. She has never felt much kindness prior, and you confuse her. She has spent her entire lifespan trying to get even with you, only to discover that you have perhaps had a worse upbringing than even her, yet you remain caring and kind to her."

"So? Even a Mungardies can show kindness."

"You were raised to trust no one, Highness. It took me many cycles to earn your trust, and even then, it was only after we were lovers that this trust occurred."

"So? What of this?"

"Neither of you know how to trust, Highness. She was raised as a R'kin'dles. They are taught to be suspicious. And then her Spirit Mother reinforced her suspicions of you. It is not easy, my Queen, to finally learn that all you have known in your life as truth, is now false."

"It would seem that all are tending to My lack of abilities with relationships, this turn. I will keep it in mind, Healer. Is there something I should know that now occurs between you and her?"

The Healer laughed lightly, “No, High One. I am not becoming her lover. I am vowed to your service, and to the service of Healers. But if you happen to find me a good lover, the—"

"Go find your own lover, Healer. I have all I can do with My own relationships, it would seem."

San'lr'in’ moved back to Sle'nel', who was now sitting on the large bed, eating her sweet. When she saw her Queen return to her, she gave her bite of it and began listening to Caitha once again.

When the story was done, the High Priestess looked to Sam, “Youngest sister. Read from the first journal entries. I have never prior pieced this tale together, and it is now the moment."

Sam opened the first journal and read the heading:

Journal #2—In Space—2449—May 19th—Entry #1 (05192449)

She looked up, “Where is the first journal?"

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non looked puzzled, “First journal? This one speaks of their landing, does it not?"

Sam read a little to herself, then nodded, “Yes. But there must be a first one that tells of their departure from wherever they came. This says it is Journal 2."

"I know not of this journal. You now have all we have recovered."

"These were the buried ones?"

"Yes. They were found many cycles prior, and this was all of them. But I understand that Woden has all the final ones."

"Of their departure from here."

"Read. This first one must be lost to us, or yet buried somewhere."

Sam, slightly disappointed, sat back in her seat and began to read:

I've been woken from my space-sleep. All seems to be well with me and with all the others who've also been awakened. Just as we were placed under, just before departure, I had a sinking feeling that I would never wake up again. Yet, here I am, and we arrive soon. I can't see our new world yet through our lookout stations, but can see it through the internal telescope.

The ship is still under its own guidance system, but will shift over in the next few days or so, as everyone awakens. I'm in charge of making sure that our surface equipment is readied, so my next days prior to landing will be busy.

I know we've been gone for years now, but it feels like yesterday. I met all these others prior to leaving, and we were made to do bonding activities (I abhor bonding activities) together so that we would learn of each other's need, and so on. B-o-r-i-n-g. Yet, as I awaken and see them again, I feel like I've never met them before. My mother would tell me that it's my anti-social behavior coming through, again.

A new world. I can hardly believe it. Here we are light-years away from home, building a new world. It's uninhabited, from what information we've gathered on it, so we'll be solely on our own.

Our captain hasn't yet been awakened, but our site-leader has, and he seems nervous. Perhaps it's just the time warp he's experiencing, as I feel a little nervous myself, for no good reason. And he seems amazingly distant and aloof. But I recall that he was selected as site-leader for his outgoing and open personality. I'm sure it's just the space time warp he's feeling.

"That's the end of the first entry."

"It tells us not much, does it?"

"Why did they think The Realm was uninhabited?"

"Read another."

Journal #2—In Space—2449—May 28th—Entry #2 (05282449)

We land in two days. I'm so excited that I'm about ready to burst. I've checked all the surface-going equipment three times already, just trying to keep myself busy. There's little to do except wait now, as all our things are packed and ready for the final landing.

We're going to be jettisoning from our main station tomorrow, and will then maneuver into landing orbit. I can hardly wait. It seems like Christmas to me. I've just been awake for a few days, yet I'm ready to go nuts in this small container, and everyone is so noisy. I want out of here.

I wonder what it will be like.

"That one was short. I will continue with the next one."

"What is a day, or tomorrow? I know not these terms."

No one answered the question, so Sam continued:

Journal #2—Landed—2449—June 2nd—Entry #3 (06022449)

We've landed successfully, and all is well! I'm glad to be off our spaceship. I love it here. It's outrageously beautiful. It's always what I've imagined that Earth was so many eons ago, prior to all human life, except that there are no dinosaurs here. And thankfully, no cities. I'm tired of cities.

We have already constructed our Greenhouse and are using it to live in temporarily until we have another structure built, then we'll move all the plants into it after we've charged it up. Burn seems to be doing okay as the site-leader, but he still seems a little edgy. Just this morning, he asked all of us if we could begin the day with a prayer. Ruth objected, saying that he should do his own praying, and that he should remember the charter—that there is to be no overtly practiced religion.

He became angry, or so I thought, but then calmed down and let it go. I hope it's not a sign of things to come between all of us, as already we've had our first argument. It's to be expected, I suppose, but we should just try to remember our mission. This is an experiment, afterall, and we're not slated to remain here alone forever, at any rate. Get a grip.

I wonder if Earth remembers us. We're still setting up our long building that will house all our technology, but that'll still take us a while longer. When that's done, we can begin sending messages back home.

P.S. I didn't mean to snoop, but I saw that we're already taking partners. Hank went off into the woods, and Sophie followed along right after. They came back in a while, both smiling, and walking together. I guess we're going to have children right away, unless someone's unpacked the anti-birth meds.

Sam looked up, “More?” All the others began to talk.

"No. It is enough.

"I was hoping the journals would tell us why they came. But it appears that they did build something so as to communicate with whoever and wherever they came from."

San'lr'in’ said nothing, but was now wondering what was in the long building.

"Where did they come from?"

"The stars. Sam says they came from the stars."

San'lr'in’ looked at Meera, then at Sam, “You knew this not?"

Sam nodded, “We did, but not. It seems rather unbelievable. Think about it. That all the humans in The Realm are relocated from somewhere far distant than here, and that they flew here in some type of flying ... I know not what to call it."

"They called it a space ship."

"I wonder if it looked like Oisin's ships."

"I wish there were drawings in these journals."

San'lr'in’ looked over to Sume'n'tinel'ti'non, “Is this enough?"

She nodded, looking like she had great pain. San'lr'in’ nodded to her Healer, who chased everyone out of the room.

Sle'nel’ came up to the High Priestess, “I will also take my leave now, High Priestess, but I hope they manage to make you feel improved. Rest well. Sele’ would like to visit with you when you feel up to it."

Unknown to The High Queen, Sume'n'tinel'ti'non had formed a slight bond with the Young One upon their first meeting, so was glad to hear the report. Taking great energy to do so, because of the pain, she quietly responded, “Next turn, Elf."

Sle'nel’ began to leave, giving her Queen a knowing look, speaking softly to her as she left, “I will be hoping for an interesting relationship this eve, my Queen."

The Healer and The High Queen once again instilled their anti-pain spells into the High Priestess, taking more moments than either had energy for. When they were finally done, San'lr'in’ sat upon the bed, looking at her sister, “Improved?"

She nodded, feeling like she could breathe freely again, “Much."

"Do you have need of anything prior to our departure?"

"Healer. Thank you. Now, leave."

The Healer smiled at her, “Yes, High Priestess. Have your attendant summon me if you have further pain. Otherwise, I will return in the morn. After our morn session, you will begin to feel much improved. Even now, your pain is leaving, but slightly so. High Queen. Please give her a sleeping spell prior to your departure."