Elsewhere

Word spread like a summer grass fire on a windy day. Endid took Gwaynn and Zarina Monde to the large veranda on the riverside of the Great Hall to wait for the Council’s summons and for High Tar Kostek to return from Euter.

“He’s been expecting you,” Tar Endid explained as they all sipped on lemon ice. The drink was a favorite of Gwaynn’s and half of his attention was caught up trying to remember the last time he’d enjoyed a glass.

‘Several years,’ he thought and suddenly wished that Samantha were with him to enjoy the treat.

“Why aren’t you with your students?” Monde asked Tar Endid and Gwaynn snapped out of his dreamy thoughts.

Endid laughed and the sound reminded Gwaynn of Tar Nev. “Oh, I’ve got them running. Running near fifteen miles today. Someone from Mneme quarter will beat the Lady Vio in this year’s run at the Competitions. If we don’t it won’t be from lack of training.”

“Vio,” was all Gwaynn said and smiled. He found himself very anxious to see her again.

“Yes,” Endid said with a slight frown. “My bet is on the Lady Bethany. She’s a third year now and has become very driven in her studies.”

The name tugged at Gwaynn’s mind. “Lady Bethany,” he said absently.

Endid was grinning again. “Yes, she’s Massi and one of your biggest fans,” he added. “She’s likely to want to join you once she hears of the petitio…..”

“That’s enough Tar Endid,” a woman’s voice said from behind them. Gwaynn turned and watched as three Tars walked out on to the veranda.

Endid stopped talking but seemed nonplussed by the interruption. “Tarina Ethelridge…you remember Prince Gwaynn Massi.”

“Of course,” the Tarina said and offered a hand to Gwaynn who was now standing in greeting. Gwaynn took her hand and placed a brief kiss on the white of her knuckles then he straightened up to his full height.

“You’ve grown,” the Tarina commented, thinking back to that crucial council meeting a year…no two years ago. Time was getting out of hand.

Gwaynn did not reply to her comment just turned to the others. Tarina Ethelridge followed his gaze.

“May I introduce Tar Piros and Tar Eichmann, both of the Council.”

“Yes, we all were privileged enough to see you fight in the Grand Hall…extraordinary,” Tar Piros commented while taking Gwaynn’s hand.

Both men were old, well past their prime and the Tarina, though still handsome and much younger than her male counterparts, was still well old enough to be Gwaynn’s mother.

“High Zarina,” Piros added, greeting the Traveler as well, and minutes later after all the various greetings they all sat down, though the atmosphere on the veranda was now distinctly less casual.

“It’s being said all over Herra that you’ve come to petition the Council,” the Tarina Ethelridge finally said.

Gwaynn nodded. “Yes that’s true.”

The Tarina shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid then you’ve have come all this way for nothing.”

“Tarina Eth….” Tar Endid began but fell silent as she gave him a commanding look.

“You see Prince Gwaynn, you are not the recognized ruler of Massi and therefore are not in a position to petition for aid,” the Tarina continued.

Gwaynn was about to protest when he caught a whisper of a movement flutter by his consciousness. ‘Zebo,’ he thought, but could not have said why. He glanced over at the Traveler Monde, who sat frozen, expression blank.

“I am the heir and ruler of Massi,” Gwaynn spoke up quickly, not truly caring what the Tarina Ethelridge thought. He would still make his petition to Noble Island.

She smiled a blandly at him. “Of course you may try, but do not be too disappointed if your words go unheeded.”

Gwaynn was only half-listening; part of his attention was still riveted on Zarina Monde. Zebo making contact could only mean one thing; the Temple Knights had arrived in Massi.

“I will still offer my petition,” Gwaynn added, his heart hammering in his chest, worry for Samantha and the unborn baby rampaging about in his mind.

“And you should,” a familiar voice said from the door. Gwaynn looked up and saw Kostek, his old teacher and new High Tar, standing in the doorway.

Tarina Ethelridge frowned. “That will be for the Council to decide,” she said briskly.

Tar Kostek smiled, though to Gwaynn it seemed more than a little sad. “As High Tar I am head of the Council,” he informed the Tarina.

“Yes, but may I remind you High Tar, that you are not The Council.”

Kostek nodded. “And may I remind you Tarina Ethelridge that neither are you.”

The Tarina sat silent in her chair for a moment glaring at High Tar Kostek. He ignored her.

“Prince Gwaynn, High Zarina Monde, might I have a word with you…” he glanced around briefly, “in private,” he added and motioned for the two to join him.

They rose immediately and began following him from the veranda. “Tar Endid,” Kostek said and the young Tar vaulted from his seat, a wide smile on his face.

“The Knights have landed south of Drake and are moving on Cape,” Monde whispered quietly to Gwaynn once they were in the hall. Gwaynn bent low to hear her words. “The Rhondono are challenging the Toranado at the Gap.”

Gwaynn straightened back up and continued to follow along behind Tar Kostek. He wasn’t surprised by the news, just dismayed. It was all coming too fast; they needed more time to make preparations.  As they moved toward the High Tar’s private quarters he wondered if his General was having better luck persuading the Cassinni.

?

Lonogan Bock was kissing Traveler Jess na Gall, and in his mind kissing her well, at least until she suddenly jumped back from him like a shot. She stood less than a foot from him, her eyes wide and passionate; her cheeks were flushed and tinged a bright pink which momentarily confused Bock, after all she was no longer a young lass.

“Monde,” she whispered in explanation then she closed her eyes and her face went slightly blank, after a moment a dim haze appeared in center of the gazebo where moments before the two of them were sitting and talking, then standing and kissing. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, hadn’t even considered it an option. Oh, she was attractive enough, too attractive by far. But he was not so foolish as to believe that someone like na Gall would entertain the idea of kissing him back. Even now he was having a hard time believing it, though moments before she seemed enthusiastic enough.

‘I must be a fool,’ he thought, trying to pry his eyes from her moistened lips. When he finally succeeded in forcing them away, they went right back like disobedient children hunting candy.

“Hello High Zarina,” na Gall finally said as she completed the connection.

“na Gall,” Monde answered. “Is General Bock with you?”

Jess looked quickly into Lonogan’s eyes and had to fight down the urge to giggle.

‘Get a grip,’ she thought to herself. “Yes, he’s here.”

“Lonogan,” the voice of Gwaynn Massi said through the mist. “How goes it on your end?”

Bock’s smile faded slightly and he was finally able to tear his mind from the thought of kissing the beautiful Traveler before him, nevertheless he licked his lips absently.

“Slowly,” na Gall answered. “We have an audience with King Marc this evening. My father is returning to Parma later this afternoon and will escort us.”

There was a pause then Gwaynn’s disembodied voice asked. “Zarina na Gall, how soon will you be able to Travel?”

“Travel?” na Gall replied momentarily confused and saddened. She was enjoying her time with her family, and her relative alone time with Lonogan. She was surprised by her powerful emotions when she was near the man,