inhabit must be made one world for the sake of peace. I will tell you things now that you have never known-but you must know if you are to survive.”
The Dominus of Terah reached for the decanter upon the table and slowly poured frine into each of the three goblets. Then setting the decanter back in its place he said, “Tell us, Ilona. What must we know to make a difference?”
Ilona nodded. “This world you all inhabit floats in the skies as do many other worlds. It is naught but a speck of light in what we in the magic kingdoms call the Cosmos. The star you call Belmair is another populated world of great culture and prosperity. But eons ago they were much like this world of yours. Once their many clans and peoples came together as one, peace ensued, and only peace as you in Terah know can bring true happiness. But before this came about, there was much discord on Belmair until the good and the light overcame the greedy and their spiral into wickedness and evil,” Ilona explained. “While there must always be balance, that balance cannot be toward the dark. It must be toward the light, for the Cosmos is vast and there are many worlds floating within it. We who labor for the good are not always in the majority in every world. Sometimes the darkness is even too much for us. But we never give up trying to bring the light into every corner of the Cosmos.”
Magnus Hauk struggled to wrap his brain around her words.
“Do not attempt to understand it all,” Ilona advised him, seeing the look of puzzlement on his face, with his brow wrinkling in concentration. “Just know that you and my daughter have been chosen in this time to unite your worlds and it will not be an easy task, Magnus. Hetar is mired in the muck of its own creation. It will take a great effort to draw it out but together you can do it.”
“Will you in the magic realms help us?” the Dominus wanted to know.
Ilona nodded. “We will, but even our powers cannot always overcome hearts that have been turned to stone, as the heart of Hetar has. You will have to soften that heart by winning its people over to you. Right now their fear of Terah, of Lara, is very great. The people have been told over and over again that she is dangerous to them, to Hetar. It is the same tactic they used when they sought to conquer the Outlands. Then, with the help of magic, you were able to save the clan families of the Outlands. Now you must save yourselves for there is nowhere you can flee.”
“We will never flee!” Magnus Hauk said, his turquoise eyes blazing fire.
“Yet,” Lara said, speaking up at last, “Hetar will never allow itself to be called Terah, nor will the people of Terah permit themselves to be Hetar. With such a passion for one’s history as both lands possess, how will we be able to unite into a single nation?”
“The people of Belmair call the large bright star that your world appears to be to them
“There is time for names later,” the Dominus said impatiently. “Can we not attempt diplomacy before this situation degenerates into war, Ilona?”
“Diplomacy is a good beginning,” she agreed, “but you would have to win over Hetar’s High Council and right now only the Shadow Princes will support your cause. Squire Darah and fellow members from the Midlands Province, the Coastal Kings, the Forest Lords and the two new councilmen from the Outlands province will not.”
“But surely they know I am not dangerous,” Lara said.
“In their hearts they do, but to admit it would be to go against Gaius Prospero. And he holds the key to all the riches they plan to acquire when Hetar conquers Terah.”
“There are no women on the High Council,” Lara mused almost to herself. “Perhaps it is time women began to speak up. Perhaps it is time for women to become involved in the matters of government. These wars are never quite as simple as they are purported to be.
“The women of Hetar must be made aware of the bleak future they face without their men. And the High Council must understand that if they send their citizens into a battle with Terah, that a future generation will be lost. When that happens Hetar will become a hapless prey for Terah and their great history will be lost forever. The women will understand that. I must speak with Hetar’s women,” Lara said.
“If you go to Hetar,” Magnus Hauk said, “Gaius Prospero will take you captive. He has convinced everyone that if he has possession of you he can conquer Terah easily.”
Lara laughed softly. “Then you still love me, my lord husband?” she teased him, and her mother smiled. It was such a faerie gesture, Ilona thought.
“Of course I love you!” he shouted at her. “And I will not allow you to put yourself or Terah in danger. Let Gaius Prospero come. We will repel him and his Crusader Knights and his mercenaries.”
“What? Do you think I am foolish enough to make a great public show in Hetar, Magnus? Nay, I will use my magic. The hearts of those who are good, and there are many women in Hetar whose hearts are good, can be appealed to, my lord. The emperor will not send his forces against us until the late spring when the Sea of Sagitta is calm and easy to travel upon once again. We have the Icy Season in which to appeal to the women of Hetar. I must seek among them the bravest and the boldest, who will be the first to speak up among their friends. These will give the other women the courage to follow them. There is time, Magnus.”
“And meanwhile we will continue to enlarge our army,” the Dominus said.
“And I will place a thick fog bank off Terah’s shores,” Ilona told them. “If Gaius Prospero sends his fleet toward Terah before we are ready they will have a terrible time once they depart the shores of the Coastal Kingdom. Thanos, my mate, is most adept at storms. It is a talent your brother, Cirillo, has inherited.”
“You must be so proud of him, Mother,” Lara replied. “But I have not asked at all of your kingdom and its well- being. What of the forest? Is it still being cut back?”
“Nay, now that the Outlands are available for pillaging they have left the forest in peace. And they never got close to the deepest part of the wood where we reside,” Ilona responded. “We have caused new trees to spring up where the old were and the Foresters have cultivated more growth. They have become more ingrown if such a thing is possible. My mother’s curse still plagues those of them with pure Forester blood, but they are fewer now and the sons born of the new blood will have no difficulty in reproducing. The Forest Lords are as arrogant and small-minded as ever, but at least the women who give them sons now are not slaughtered. They are treated as concubines.”
“And the children?” Lara asked curiously.
“The children are taught to call their fathers’ formal wives
“At least the concubines are not killed any longer,” Lara remarked.
“Will you attempt to reach out to the forest women?” Ilona asked her daughter.
Lara shrugged. “I do not know,” she said. “I must think on it, but I believe the women of The City must be stirred to action first.”
“Then we are agreed on our plan of action for the next few months,” Magnus Hauk said quietly.
They nodded and then Ilona said, “I must go now, my children. I can just hear Thanos calling me. All these years now and he worries if I am not with him, the foolish faerie man.” Then with a smile she was gone in her cloud of mauve smoke.
Lara arose from the table where they had all been sitting. She held out her hand to her husband. “Come, my lord, it is time for us to take pleasures of each other,” she told him with a small smile.
He stood, taking her hand. “When will you give me a son, Lara? When will you give me an heir for Terah?” His turquoise eyes searched her face for the answer. “But months ago you said you would.”
“The time is not right now,” Lara told him. “We must settle this matter with Hetar first. Remember, my lord, that while my faerie powers have grown stronger over the years, I am still half-mortal. I cannot do all my mother can do. Carrying a child will drain me, and I need all of my strength for what lies ahead. Besides, women can rule, Magnus. Do not discount little Zagiri just yet.”
He took her in his arms, and kissed the top of her golden-gilt head. “After what you did to repel the curse of Usi and banish his shade from Terah, I really have no right to ask anything of you.”
“But Terah will have an heir,” Lara said. “I know it. I promise you, Magnus, that when we have finally settled this matter I will give you your son.” Reaching up she caressed his handsome face. “He must have your features
