The Realm's Mystics [Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book 3] (86 page)

As she left, Sume'n'tinel'ti'non looked at her sister, “You are surrounded in your life by those who care for you deeply. I am most envious."

"You are not going also to lecture Me on my inability with relationships, are you?"

"No. But perhaps I should. You become tense in your mood. Why is this?"

"I have been told by many this turn that I should be more patient with you, and to recall that I have never had any successful long-term relationships."

"So? Is this not truth?"

"It is truth."

"What did you think of these journals?"

"I will wait to see what it is you desire to show Me. These journals mean little to Me at this moment. Obviously, we are well aware that they came and made their home upon this realm."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non nodded, “They make for a good story, but tell us nothing we need to know. But I know they come. I will show you next turn. Then you will see for yourself. How do you plan to halt them from coming? They will take over The Realm."

"It will be done. But we could use your assistance. You are part of the collective."

"The three sisters and Sele', then. Is that how it is to be? Is that why the Spirit Mothers formed us?"

"Apparently."

"So. You are correct. We are slaves to The Realm."

San'lr'in’ remained silent, thinking of what she might say.

"Why do you not speak?"

San'lr'in’ looked at her, “What did our Spirit Mothers tell you of Me that gave you such hate of Me?"

"They lied to both of us, so what does it now matter? We will have to sort through what we believed was truth, and what we now know as truth."

She thought about it for a moment, and then asked, “Did they treat you well?"

"I thought so then. Now I see that it was to use me, and you, and our youngest."

"It would seem they yet do."

"Leave me now. I am tired."

San'lr'in’ gave her a sleeping spell, then left. She went back to her own room, finding Ann'wn waiting for her.

"High Queen."

"Rise, Force Leader. Tell Me of your need."

"We have found fourteen more traitors, Highness."

"You have questioned them to your satisfaction?"

"Yes, my Queen. They have all told the same story."

"The town is secure?"

"It is now, my Queen."

"What is it you would like from Me, Force Leader?"

"I would like your leave to kill them as traitors, my Queen."

"You have My leave to do so."

"It will not be a pretty sight, Highness. We wish to make an example of them, and hang them from their stakes."

"I have given you My leave. I trust that what you now do is for the benefit of the town, the High Priestess, and The Realm."

"Yes, my Queen."

The High Queen began to turn away, but turned back, studying her Force Leader. She placed her hand on Ann'wn's cheek, “You serve The Realm and Me well, Force Leader. I know not what I would do without you, Treasured One. At most moments, your tasks are more than terrible."

Ann'wn blushed with embarrassment, delighted in the attention, but merely asked, “My Queen?"

She nodded.

"What are your plans for our length of remain?"

"I know not. At least two more turns. I will keep you informed."

"Thank you, my Queen. Rest well. You are well guarded."

As she walked into her room, she saw her Elf studying the spells from her staff, “I hope you are looking for something that might add interest to this relationship, Half-Elf, as I am told that My lover demands a relationship with interest in it."

In the morn, San'lr'in’ met her Healer in her sister's room. Sume'n'tinel'ti'non reported that she had slept well and was feeling improved, even prior to the removal of her pain. It had cost The Healer and The High Queen much of their healing energies, but The Healer had sensed that it was important for The High Queen that this be done for her sister.

When they were completed with their healings, San'lr'in’ closed her eyes for a few moments, resting from that which was depleting many of her smaller powers. She felt The Healer enter her mind, helping her through her first three meditations, and then back out again; back out into The Realm.

She looked at her sister, seeing that she looked improved and looked in less pain, “Shall we help you try to stand and walk?"

"You would like me to remain in this bed so that you can take over control of my town. But yes, help me. Someone has to tend to all the poor decisions you have made for my town."

"I like you better when you are in great pain."

"Or given overly of a sleeping spell. Is that not the truth of it?"

San'lr'in’ was becoming frustrated, not knowing what to think, “No. But I should have. You are like two separate sisters. One trying to understand, the other just bitter and angry."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non looked at her sister, “Be not such a bore. Come. It is the moment that you see why I have had to allow you here. Are the others ready?"

They all walked together to the long building, Caitha holding Sele's hand, as the High Priestess had insisted that Sele’ be present, “You should all see this."

When they arrived, the High Priestess waved her hand at the door, opening it easily, “Now you will see for yourselves. I have kept this safe from all for many cycles. Only just recently did many of these lights light up. This is how I know that they come. It has begun to vibrate with their life."

The room was filled with odd-looking things that seemed to speak in low constant hums. From a few of them, San'lr'in’ could see parts that were lit, displaying some type of code, or words, or language. She walked around, examining each, trying to probe into their workings, but having no luck. Sam also walked around, intrigued, wondering what all the units were.

Sele’ placed her arms up, asking Caitha, “Up? Please place me in the seat."

Once in a seat behind one of the panels, Sele’ began playing with the knobs, moving them to see if she could figure any of them out. San'lr'in’ watched, amused that Sele’ would go directly to the units and begin to manipulate them. She watched over Sele's shoulder as some of the words and numbers changed with each of Sele's twist of the knobs.

Sle'nel’ did the same as her Birth-daughter at one of the other units, completely uncertain as to what she was doing, but sensing that the panels would supply information to them, if they could just get the correct combination of dials turned.

"Departure: 03032636. This tells us nothing."

What does that one say, Sam?"

"Date: 07122671. What do they mean?"

Sele’ spoke, “I have found something. It says: Arrival: 08242672."

Now that she heard the moment of their arrival, having recognized it from the numbers Sam had read from the diaries, San'lr'in’ walked around, looking at all the displays, wondering what as to their purpose. She saw one display that showed a direction being given, but could make nothing of it. She saw another with a display of the stars, seeing that it wasn't their sky patterns, but then saw another such display next to it that did give their eve sky patterns. She studied them for a moment, examining their travel path, but couldn't locate which star they were coming from.

Sele’ looked at her mother, “I know these numbers mean something, but I cannot figure it out. Mother? Can you?"

Sam looked at her, shaking her head, “They seem familiar to me, though."

Sume'n'tinel'ti'non poked The High Queen on her head, “Think, Slow One. You are supposed to be the bright one. You are the one with all the training."

San'lr'in’ looked at her, yet frustrated by her, “Moon. Turn. Cycle."

Sle'nel’ looked at her, stunned, “You knew this?"

"It is obvious. They count their cycles, giving them numbers. This turn is 07122671. Meaning that this turn is in the seventh moon, twelfth turn, of their 2,671st cycle. I know not what it means in specific, but it seems clear that they arrive in one cycle, one moon, and twelve turns from now."

"Aunt High Queen. You are brilliant. I should have seen this. You are correct. It is obvious."

Sam was looking back at her panel, “This display has a button that says send. What is it that can be sent?"

"Is there one that says receive?"

"This one has even more numbers, but they are continually moving."

They all went to Caitha's display, watching the last two numbers move, 2671071221:03; 2671071221:04; 2671071221:05; 2671071221:06."

San'lr'in’ nodded, “It appears they mark a passage of moments, or something in this regard."

"Why would they do as such? Isn't the passage of the sun enough?"

"Apparently not."

"They sound most exacting."

"Small minds require tasks such as these."

"Small minds? Look what they have created. They can fly across the skies from far distant. And they can build, what did they call it, technogy, that has lasted all these cycles."

"Technology."

"If they are as smart as this, then why did they not know that this realm is already inhabited?"

San'lr'in’ had been listening to their conversations, but saying nothing, amused by their thoughts, “Whatever they used to determine if life was here, it apparently could not sense Mystic life."

She went to the display where Sam was, looking at the send command. She studied it for a moment, then looked at the display next to it. She knew what she was looking for, but was uncertain what these humans would have used to designate it. Then she saw it. A series of dots on the screen.

She said softly, “So, they do send a message."

"Where is this? What are you looking at?"

They all crowded around, watching the series of changing dots.

San'lr'in’ quietly said, “It is a repeating pattern. They send the same message continually."

"What does it say?"

San'lr'in’ studied the dots for many moments, studying their pattern, seeing where the repeating letters were.

Suddenly, she looked up at the rest of them, “If the language remains the same as we know it, and as the humans speak these turns, then it says, “Sansthera One. Sansthera Two comes. Respond."

"Should we send a response, High Queen?"

"I need to think on this."

The High Priestess had enough, “Come. I am hungry. Let me take you to our morn meal now that I am feeling improved."

As they left the building, the High Priestess waved her hand, locking the door. She looked at both her sisters, “What do you think now? Am I not correct in this?"

Sam nodded, “I think that you are most correct."

San'lr'in’ stared back at the building, and softly acknowledged her fear, “You are correct. Perhaps we should allow the scholars to see this."

San'lr'in’ turned, watching the others begin to head back to the main dwelling, seeing Sle'nel’ remain behind, also staring at the building.

"Are you troubled by this?"

Sle'nel’ just looked at her, not knowing how to tell her the thoughts in her mind. After a moment, she said, “I just need a few moments to think through all this."

"Come. Walk down to the sea's shore with Me. I must also think and go through My meditations. I have ignored their need overly, of late.” She saw Ann'wn wait for them, “We go to the shore, Force Leader."

Ann'wn quickly motioned to another guard their need for weapons, knowing to allow her The High Queen the moments she needed to regain her powers to her.

They walked to the shore in silence, passing through the main part of the town. The High Queen acknowledged her sister's subjects as they knelt and bowed their heads to her, but otherwise remained quiet. Both of them were filled with thoughts they couldn't yet form into words. San'lr'in’ moved away from the path, selecting to go toward the yet wild shore rather than down to the docks. They walked across a meadow that finally led down to the shoreline.

"It is beautiful here. They selected their site well."

Sle'nel’ looked around, seeing what her Queen meant. The shoreline was ruggedly beautiful, but accessible in parts, containing picturesque rock formations, but with much soft sand to provide a walking beach. The most stunning features of the entire shoreline were the water-carved massive rocks jutting out from the great sea, standing many stories high, some with holes or arches at the waterline.

Ann'wn had run up to them when she had retrieved the needed weapons, and quietly waited.

"I will do My meditations here, My Desire."

Sle'nel’ nodded to her, saying nothing, and continued to walk toward the water, “Elf. Please take your bow and arrows."

Ann'wn handed them to her, then left her to her needs, guarding her from the meadow as she remained close to The High Queen.

Throughout the morn, The High Queen stood looking out onto the great sea, going slowly through her meditations, restoring her powers fully to her. She had been troubled by what they had seen in the long building, and now needed to consider her next actions. As she had longed fear, when it came to the final moments of decision-making, it would all come onto her shoulders. And she wasn't certain that she wanted to make any more of these decisions. Just prior to entering her meditations, one thought kept disturbing her:
Should we send a message to them?

Sle'nel’ walked along the shore, thinking to herself. Wondering about the humans, and wondering about the Elves. All of it seemed overly certain. So sure and without question.

How can we know the Elves should return? Is it overly soon?

How can we know for so certain that these humans should not be here?

Who tells us this?

She stood by the water's edge for many long moments, just staring out at the rock formations and the great sea, seeing nothing but large expanses. A large sea creature appeared, coming as near as it could to the shore, making a sound to her that sounded much like crying. She walked into the water, going out to it, guessing that the water wasn't overly deep.

When she arrived to it, it rolled its large but mournful eyes at her while squirting a great spurt of water in its delight. She placed her arms on it and hugged it the best she could, given that it was many, many sizes larger than even D'klr'dil. She could feel its love and was surprised at its great gentleness, especially for its size. She held onto it for a long while, feeling its peace, and finally discovering that it was a she. Without words, Sle'nel’ could feel the thoughts of love this great wonderful creature sent to her, giving her much needed assurance.