Failira, the Tahlet Vahllah (The Beautiful Whisper of the Goddess Saga) Read online

  - Prologue-

  1 month after separation

  "She wakes."

  Arizira groaned and attempted to open her eyes. Her body felt weak and heavy. Her breaths were more difficult to take and her head was a tumultuous riot of distorted images. Where was she? What had happened? As her eyes slowly opened, she realized that her vision was extremely blurred. The face above her own was hazy and without vivid definition. She noticed dark hair and dark skin.

  Her heart raced.

  "Tah-li..." she croaked in a broken voice that was foreign to her ears.

  "Her mind is still fevered," another voice, more familiar, spoke.

  "What is the cause of this affliction? Her body is whole," the first voice asked. The voice was raspy and low and unfamiliar.

  Arizira allowed her eyes to close, the effort required to keep them open too much for her weakened state. She could not place her location. The last thing she remembered was Talliea in the arms of a powerfully built Esu man. She had run away at Talliea's request.

  Had she been captured? Was Talliea safe?

  Wait. There were other images. Memories.

  She recalled several nights spent in the cover of the forest as she tracked the men who had taken Talliea from her. They had moved quickly and efficiently as a group, even with their injured clanspeople. The man, Markahn, had stayed close to Talliea.

  Arizira remembered.

  They had not stopped to rest or make camp. They had moved as one on their short journey back to their camp. Arizira remembered her feelings of frustration. She had waited for an opportunity to rescue Talliea, but such a thing had never presented itself.

  A week after her separation from Talliea, Arizira had noticed the change in her body and mind. She recalled restless nights, fatigue and lethargy, delusions and pain. She had walked through the forest without direction, her mind too fevered with its loss to be of any use to her.

  Other images came to her. Distorted. Askew. There were voices. Conversations. She could not recall everything. The last thing she remembered was falling to the melting snow as her heart finally cried completely for its loss. She had never experienced so much pain in all her life. Her mind and her body had refused to work together and so she had finally given in to the desire to give up.

  "Yet, her spirit is not. A month has waned since she was parted from her love. Her spirit cries."

  The voice was so familiar. Arizira knew the voice.

  "Will she recover?" the second voice asked. "Is there nothing to be done for such a sickness?"

  Sickness? She was ill? That would explain her inability to think clearly.

  "No. Unless she is reunited with the one of whom she shares her essence, she will die. I can offer her comfort and alleviation, but that is all."

  No...

  No...

  She could not die. She had to save Talliea. She had to rescue her before Lao'dahn or Markahn brought her harm. She had to see her again. Everything would be okay if they were together. Her mission was not yet complete. She could not pass to Aitla knowing her love was confined and oppressed.

  She could not.

  "This is not what we saw," the first voice said in a raspy whisper.

  Arizira felt a hand, warm and soft, caress her forehead. She tried to open her eyes again. Her vision was still unfocused, but she could easily make out silver hair.

  An Arnira. The face drew closer.

  There was a dull flash of purple eyes.

  “All will be as it ought to be, child. Aitla watches you. She guides you."

  Arizira licked her dry lips and tried to clear her vision. The strength required to speak seemed enormous to her, but she attempted the act anyway.

  "C-Cyn...ra."

  Cynra smiled and ran a hand through Arizira's silvery-blonde hair.

  "Rest. Your body shall have renewed vigor soon."

  As Arizira closed her eyes again, she caught sight of the other person she had heard speaking -- the woman with the dark hair and skin. Her vision blurred as her lids began to close. She smiled softly and, as her mind lost its battle to stay aware and active, she whispered a single word.

  "Failira..."

  Chapter 1: Malady

  "It has been a month"

  "I am aware of how much time has passed."

  Lao'dahn paused at the venom in Markahn's voice before looking down at the prone woman lying on the bed before him.

  "It was that...woman, that creature. She must have done something. "

  After Arizira had knocked him unconscious and Markahn and three other Lat'sa'val had come upon the trio, Lao'dahn and Talliea had both been escorted back to the Esu settlement. The trek had been one of haste. Talliea had barely spoken. Her feet had moved sluggishly while her eyes had scanned the trees for her love.

  She had felt her presence, but had not been able to pinpoint Arizira's location. As she had walked, her heart had felt heavy. It had nearly been a burden to her, much like her thoughts. With every step, she had hoped to awake from her nightmare of a dream.

  Such had never happened. Her reality had settled over her and the weight of it had been painful.

  Arizira was gone. Talliea would never get to hear her laughter again. She would never get to listen to the melodic quality of her voice or hear a whispered exhalation of failira. Never again would she watch the glow of Arizira's eyes intensify as the moon came up. She would never again see her smile or feel her fingers upon her skin.

  The knowledge that the taste of her kiss would now only live in her memories had nearly suffocated Talliea. Arizira would never say 'I love you' again. Talliea would never hear 'Tah-li' from her lips or fall asleep in her arms.

  Their time together was over.

  The only small amount of comfort that Talliea could take away from the whole ordeal was that she had spared Arizira a most horrifying experience. She had allowed her to escape so that she might live.

  One the second day after their return to camp, as the settlement had come into view, Talliea had taken notice of a most unpleasant sensation. She could not describe it. It was as if she was...stretched. Her footsteps had felt heavier and her thoughts became harder to organize. Once she and the others had made it into camp, the curious ailments increased tenfold and she had blacked-out not two steps from Markahn's dug-out.

  The time following the incident was a blur. She found herself in a fevered delirium. Conversations came and went, but none of them were important to her.

  "I will find out what has happened from Talliea. Not you, Lao'dahn." Markahn sneered at the other man's earlier words.

  Lao'dahn, when his wounds had been healed and he had returned to consciousness, had regaled the other men on his tale of heroism. He had told the entire clan how he had attempted to rescue Talliea from the hands of a savage and heathen woman, the likes of which he had never seen.

  According to him, Talliea had been held a prisoner and, as her wounds corroborated, been subject to abuse and pain. He had failed to mention that Talliea's wounds had been by his own hands, and so the clan had come to believe that the mysterious woman -- the savage, had inflicted them.

  Without Talliea being able to explain her version of events, the other Esu had begun preparing for the possibility of war. They did not know what manner of creature Lao'dahn had seen. The other Lat'sa'val that had seen her, including Markahn, had been unable to speak truly on what she could be. All of them, however, had said one same thing: The woman, whoever she was, was skilled in the art of combat. She was not to be underestimated.

  One week passed, then two, and bef
ore long a month was behind the Esu people. Healers had come and gone, all leaving in vain as they were unable to have any impact on Talliea's condition. With her being so ill, the right of claim had been suspended. Neither Markahn nor Lao'dahn would be able to claim her until she was named fit to bear children.

  Lao'dahn looked over at Markahn and noted the stress upon his face. "She will tell you nothing. Her words are lost inside her mind."

  "We shall see, friend."

  Lao'dahn stood and turned to leave. As he got to the oiled flap that marked the exit to the healers' dugout, he asked, "Why did you come looking for me? You never believed her to be alive. Why, then, did you risk the winter in search of me?"

  Markahn ran a cool cloth over Talliea's heated forehead. Keeping his eyes on her face, he replied, "I could not be responsible for another senseless death. Too many of us, at the time, were lost to the forest."

  Lao'dahn thought upon the words for a moment. Finally, he spoke up with a change of topic. "The healers say whatever afflicts Talliea is not of bone and blood. They say her soul, her spirit, holds some malady."

  Without looking at Lao'dahn, Markahn responded in cold and hard words. "Then, perhaps, you should not have been so eager to send Taetylona away. The Sage woman would be of use now. You are responsible for this. Your actions brought this event into being."

  Lao'dahn opened his mouth to retort, but wisely chose to ignore the comment. Instead, he pulled the oiled skin away from the exit and quickly departed. Markahn dipped the cloth in his hand into the small clay bowl at his side. Wetting the material, he brought it back up to Talliea's forehead.

  As the cloth met her warm skin, he was surprised to notice her eyes opening. "Talliea?" he asked, hopefully. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Their dark depths scanned the room she was in as she licked her dry lips.

  "W-where...is s-she?" she asked groggily. Markahn looked confused and turned around to look about the room. "Who?" he asked softly. "Who do you need, Talliea?"

  Her eyes met his and she startled at realizing with whom she was speaking. "Markahn?"

  "Yes. You are safe now. We rescued you."

  He watched tears spring up in her dark eyes as her face contorted to one of sorrow. "No...n-no," she cried. Markahn tossed the cloth he still gripped into the clay bowl beside him and leaned over her to comfort her. His hands were gentle as they landed on her shoulders.

  "Tell me what happened, Talliea. Who did this to you? Was it that creature we found with you? Is she the one who plagues you so?"

  Talliea shook her head. Her mind was so cluttered and hazy. She could not remember so much. Did her people blame Arizira for her state? No! They could not! Arizira had saved her -- in more ways than one. Lao'dahn had been the one who had struck her and meant her harm. Not Arizira. Never Arizira. She did not know what was wrong with her. She could not understand her condition.

  All she knew was that Arizira would never bring her any pain. No, Talliea's suffering, whatever that suffering was, was the product of Lao'dahn's hatred, not Arizira's love. The others had to know that, but Talliea could not tell them. How could she explain to Markahn, the man who had claimed her and waited for her for five years, that she had fallen completely and wholly in love with a woman?

  And, not just any woman, an Arniran. A woman of legend and fantasy and myth. A woman her people believed to be mythological faeries. How could she explain to Markahn that Arizira was the person she loved, not him. How could she tell him that she had given her innocence to Arizira, that the two of them had joined and bonded and made love and every other variation name of the act.

  No, he would not be able to understand. Her connection with Arizira transcended everything she had ever believed about the world. She could barely understand it herself, let alone try to explain it to someone like Markahn.

  Yet, could she deny the truth? Could she have her people believing Arizira had brought about her sickness? What if they sought to find her? What if they declared war on the Arnira? Could Talliea keep quiet when she held information that could be useful?

  "Talliea? Stay with me. Tell me what you know. I know lies and deceit color the tale Lao'dahn has sung around the campfire. I need the truth. You possess it. Did that woman hurt you?"

  No. There was too much. Too much. She was away from Arizira. Her body was in pain. Her heart ached. Her spirit cried. Now, Markahn was asking for the truth. He wanted to know if Arizira had harmed her. What tale had Lao'dahn told the others? Had he made himself out to be the hero? Had he spread lies about Arizira? About Talliea?

  Had he told the others about the two of them? Talliea felt her heart begin to beat faster in her chest. Her vision clouded over. It was too much. She vaguely heard Markahn begging her to stay awake, but she was unable to comply.

  Blackness took her and, with it, she hoped to be reunited with Arizira.

  * * * * *

  "Welcome back, Child of Whispers."

  Arizira stirred. Her mind was more clear, her thoughts more vivid. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times to strengthen her sight. "Cynra?" she asked and her voice was stronger.

  "Yes. Always you were a heavy sleeper, but this marks a new stage even for you."

  Arizira sat up and looked around her surroundings. She was in a wooded enclosure. It almost looked like an Arniran home, but the wood used was not alive. She was not in a tree, but somewhere else. Various animal hides and dried meats hung about the area. The smell of sage and herbs burning came to her nostrils. A bedroll was along one side of the structure she was in. She turned her head curiously at it. Arnira used Ophe'las leaves for their bedding. Who slept upon that bedroll?

  Cynra watched her take in everything and smiled to herself. Arizira always was attentive and perceptive.

  "Where am I?"

  "With me, child," Cynra answered and there was a note of humor in her voice. Memories and events were more available to Arizira and she closed her eyes as they played behind her lids.

  Lao'dahn.

  He attacked Talliea. Talliea was hurt and Arizira had fought Lao'dahn.

  Others…

  Others. There were others. Other men. They had separated the two of them. Talliea had begged Arizira to run. To live.

  Nights. Cold nights. There was a blur. She was sick. Unable to think clearly. She had felt torn, ripped in two.

  Next, there was Cynra. She recalled her face and her voice. There was another voice. Low and raspy. It had belonged to a dark skinned woman. An Esu...

  Arizira sat up completely. "Tah-li, where is she? I need to see her." Her voice was rushed and frantic.

  Cynra placed old hands on her shoulders. "Shh, do not exert yourself. I have eased your suffering, but I have not healed it."

  "I found her, Honored One. My Doira'Liim. She is real and the connection...the sensations -- I need to see her, please."

  Cynra smiled sadly and eased Arizira back down. "I know, child. I know. There is much we have need to discuss...so much you do not know." Arizira wrinkled her brow. Cynra's hands were smoothing through her hair again, almost maternal-like. Her eyes were sad, more sad than Arizira had ever seen them. She was about to question what Cynra meant when a noise alerted her to a newcomer.

  "Your wolf likes to pretend that I enjoy long walks through the snow."

  The voice…

  It was the voice from before.

  "Stop complaining. There is hardly any snow left to complain about with this strange weather! Your old legs brought you to the Northlands. A walk in the woods to bring back breakfast is hardly anything to gripe about," Cynra argued.

  Arizira closed her eyes. Both women's words were known to her. The other woman, the newcomer, was speaking in Esulan while Cynra was speaking in Arniran. Somehow, both women understood the other. The exchange left Arizira's head more jumbled. It was disconcerting.

  "I'll complain if I want to. It makes me happy."

  Arizira opened her eyes again and looked toward the voice. The woman on the far side of the room
was sitting a brace of conies down on the floor. She was tall and stout with a mess of grayish-black hair. Her eyes were almond shaped and the color of tan.

  Taetylona. Arizira knew her from Talliea's memories.

  "Sage woman," she whispered, not aware she had spoken the words aloud.

  Taetylona turned to look in her direction. Her gaze was sharp and focused. She walked over to Arizira and squatted to the floor. "Cynra was right."

  "Of course I was," Cynra retorted. "I told you she would know who you are. It's her connection with your clanswoman."

  Before anymore words could be spoken, a large, white wolf came up to Arizira's other side. The great animal lowered itself to a seated position and looked down at Arizira. Blue eyes met blue eyes. Arizira recalled having seen the creature once before, but being so close to it now confirmed what she had only felt so long ago.

  "The wolf is happy to see you awake," Taetylona said. Arizira's eyes were wide as she continued to stare into the wolf's icy stare.

  "This creature is no wolf," she said in a low and awed voice.

  Chapter 2: Before the Storm

  "I can not believe you are so willing to lead your sisters into battle for the pain of a broken heart."

  Bela'luin continued fletching the arrows in front of her without any indication that she had heard Talyn's words. After the ruling of the other Elders over a month past, relations between Bela and the Nai'iris had become strained. The other Elders had agreed with Bela'luin's assessment of the situation and rethought their original decision to be cautious. Like Bela, they believed allowing the Esu time to grow stronger could only prove to harm them in the long run.

  With the snows melting early and winter soon to give way to spring, the first battle between the Esu and the Arnira was near. It was only a matter of days before the two peoples would clash.

  "I do this for the protection of the tribe."

  Talyn scoffed and walked around the look at Bela'luin. "Are you so certain? I know you loved Arizira. You still love her, but it is not our way to hold such feelings inside ourselves when they are not returned. She hurt you, Bela-"