CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE #4
Farel and most of his men had refused. Even without the Mists to bar their return, they would not step foot in the Fading Lands while they still bore their dahl’reisen scars.
They chose instead to settle in Orest and Dunelan, to serve as the guardians of the Fading Lands they had always been.
Many of the villagers had refused as well—like Sheyl, who would not leave her chosen mate and several non-dahl’reisen men who preferred to fight alongside their friends, fathers, and brothers.
The rest had made the woodland city of Elverial their home, though there was talk of resettling in Lissilin.
Thanks to Tealah’s tireless efforts to recover all the lost knowledge retained in the Mirror of Memory, Rain and Ellysetta now knew how to restore magic to the dead Source there. Life would bloom in the desert again.
“Sha vel’mei, Sheyl,” Ellysetta said. “Though I do wish for both your sakes that Farel had accepted Rain’s invitation. I would gladly restore his soul, Sheyl.”
“We both thank you, but he could never accept the pain it would cause you. Despite what some Fey may still think, he is too honorable a Fey to ever let you suffer on his behalf.” Sheyl forced a smile.
“Enough sad talk. This is a day of joy. And there is someone who would like to meet your father and sisters.” She gestured, and the woman standing in the shadows of the archway stepped out onto the terrace.
Lillis’s eyes widened briefly, but then a slow smile spread across her young face. “Your name is Bess.” She walked across the terrace and hugged the aunt she’d never met as if they were old friends. “Hello, I’m Lillis. Mama loved you very much, and so will I. I’m so very glad you’ve come.”
Ellysetta tilted her head to eye her young sister in amazement. “How did you know that, Lillis?”
But all Lillis would say was, “Mama told me.” Shock gave way to warm welcome as the other Baristanis stepped forward to greet Lauriana’s long-lost sister.
A handful of chimes later, a distant roar rumbled through the air and a triumphant, welcoming cheer rose up from the gathered crowds of Fey.
Silhouetted against the deepening twilight of the eastern skies, the Fey’Bahren pride soared across the sky towards Dharsa.
The whole pride had come—including the kitlings who had only recently learned to fly and were now gamboling across the sky like rambunctious kittens.
Now, at last, everyone was here. Now, at last, Dharsa could celebrate Ellysetta’s coronation and the first shei’tanitsa bonding ceremony to be held in over a thousand years.
In the golden Hall of Tairen, tairen, friends and family and countrymen had gathered.
Spirit masters positioned around the great hall began to weave as Ellysetta began her slow march down the center of the hall towards the dais, where Rain, Loris v’En Mahr, and two gleaming tairen thrones awaited.
The Spirit masters spun detailed images of each moment out to several locations in the sky over Dharsa, so that all the gathered throngs could watch the ceremonies.
Steli, blue eyes whirling with pride, stood behind the throne that would be Ellysetta’s.
Sybharukai lent the support of the tairen by standing behind Rain’s throne.
The four tairen kitlings sat with the rest of the pride off to one side, wide-eyed and taking everything in.
Their long tails curled in front of them, and the tips flicked with interest as they looked around.
An occasional furtive glance at Sybharukai made them straighten up and quit fidgeting.
Over her white, diamond-encrusted gown, Ellysetta had donned a long silver cape woven from the bloodsworn blades of her lu ‘tan. The cape trailed a full tairen length behind her, its gleaming length sewn with the thousands of Soul Quest crystals of the warriors who had fallen in her service. As she passed Shei’Kess, the great oracle began to glow with soft radiance, as if acknowledging and welcoming her.
Dorian XI, garbed in resplendent Celierian blue, nodded as she passed.
Next to him stood Illona Brighthand, and though Galad Hawksheart had been invited to attend, he had sent Fanor Farsight to represent the Deep Woods elves in his stead.
Queen Annoura, who had gone into seclusion to await the birth of her child, had not come.
But Gaspare Fellows, his eyes damp with happy tears, stood proudly beside his king.
Lord Teleos, Ellysetta’s distant cousin, stood beside Shan and Elfeya.
Tenn and Venarra had come as well. No longer serving on the Massan, they remained reluctant to embrace the many changes that Ellysetta, Rain, and now the Mirror of Knowledge had brought about, but Ellysetta was determined to put the past to rest. They had feared Ellysetta’s power, just as she had.
And as Illona Brighthand had pointed out, without Tenn’s stubborn refusal to join the war, there would not have been enough warriors in Dharsa to repel the Elden invasion.
The gods had woven as they would, and Ellysetta chose to make the best of it.
She smiled at her family, her quintet, Kieran and Kiel, the other familiar, now-dear faces of those gathered here.
And as she swore her oath and accepted the responsibilities of becoming Ellysetta Feyreisa, Queen and Defender of the Fading Lands, she imagined that Mama and the many beloved friends who had perished were watching her, too, and smiling with approval.
Nalia, Loris’s shei’tani, carried Ellysetta’s crown, and Rain placed it on her head. A six-pointed crown of platinum, topped with six clear crystals from Lissalukai’s kiyr. As the crown touched her head, the crystals began to glow, circling her head in an aura of radiant light.
Finally, before the assemblage, Rain and Ellysetta, truemates and Tairen Souls of the Fey, pledged the fullness of their immortal lives to one another.
With great dignity, Loris v’En Mahr, the newly instated leader of the Massan, called forth Tealah, the Keeper of the Hall of Scrolls, who delivered to him a large and ornately wrought golden scroll.
“By the grace and Light of the gods, Rainier vel’En Daris, son of Rajahl and Kiaria vel’En Daris, and Ellysetta Baristani vol Celay, daughter of Shannisorran and Elfeya v’En Celay, adopted daughter of Sol and Lauriana Baristani of Celieria, have joined their souls as one in shei’tanitsa.
Henceforth and forevermore shall they be known as Rainier and Ellysetta v’En Daris, truemates of the Fey, Feyreisen and Feyreisa of the Fading Lands.
So let it be written in the Scroll of Life.
May your Light always shine, and joy be your constant companion.
” Magic flashed at the bottom of the scroll, and the words Loris had just spoken appeared in gleaming golden letters.
When Rain and Ellysetta turned to the crowd, cheers arose in a great, joyous roar.
“Mioralas! Rainier v’En Daris! Ellysetta v’En Daris!
Feyreisa! Feyreisen! Miora felah ti’vos!
” Air masters spun and showers of fragrant petals rained down in the Hall and across the city as Fey voices rose in joyous song.
Outside, the tairen leapt into the air and circled the city, roaring and filling the sky with celebratory flame.
The city’s celebration continued into the night, Fey and Elves and Celierians dancing and singing and feasting together as they had not done in a thousand years.
As the star the elves called Erimea rose into the night sky, the tairen gathered on the golden rooftops of the restored palace crowning Dharsa’s central mount.
?It is time, Ellysetta,? Steli called.
Rain turned and held out his hand to his truemate. “Are you ready, shei’tani?”
Ellysetta took his hand. “Aiyah.” Rich, vibrant music played in her mind: the pride song of the tairen.
An answering song rose up within her, filling her soul with soaring joy.
Her steps quickened as she and Rain ran up the hill to the courtyard outside the Hall of Tairen, where the pride was waiting.
The kitlings were perched on the golden eaves, while the adults had alighted on the grassy expanse of the courtyard and formed a loose circle.
“This is a great honor, you know,” Rain whispered, as they entered. “By bringing the pride here, rather than having you to come to Su’Reisu, Sybharukai acknowledges you a queen and makai in your own right.”
Steli huffed and nudged Ellysetta with her head. ?You are all surprises, kitling.?
Ellysetta laughed ruefully and rubbed the great cat’s silky white jaw. “To myself also, Steli.” A tingling spread through her limbs.
A growl rumbled in Sybharukai’s throat, and her tail lashed at Steli’s haunches.
?Sybharukai-makai says time to sing, not talk. Go, kitling. Find your wings so we can fly and hunt together.? Steli pressed her furry white nose to Ellysetta’s back and nudged her into the center of the tairen ring.
?We hear your song, Ellysetta-Azreisa.? Sybharukai opened her mouth and deposited three very large crystals on the ground near Ellysetta’s feet.
One was a clear, colorless crystal that shone with a bright, silvery white glow, as if the light of a star had been captured in stone.
The second was a deep, dark red sparkling with a kaleidoscope of rainbowed lights.
And the third, though obviously Tairen’s Eye, didn’t shine with the inner radiance of normal crystals.
It was dark, lifeless, looking more like selkahr than Tairen’s Eye.
“Sybharukai?” Rain frowned. “What is the meaning of this? Where is her Soul Quest crystal?”