Kriki's Gift, Chapter 29, Reading 10

The excitement builds as the release of 

Kriki's Gift, Book Two of the Geometry of Power 

draws near.

Darrine had unconsciously sunk into a state of gray depression. Her mind was filled with doubts, feelings that she was too old to have any use or purpose remaining in life. It didn't matter that she'd been placed in a position where she was likely to meet her doom. She was expendable and everyone knew it - that was everybody except for herself. She was an old and foolish woman who had deceived herself into believing that she still had value.

Darrine heard the voices at the rear of the column rising in a shouted repetition of the Queen's chant and felt the strange sense of apathy lift from her mind. In an instant, her thoughts cleared and she understood that the unfamiliar lethargy was not of her own making. Anger replaced the doubt for she was outraged that she'd succumbed so easily to the Valkea's illusions. The bitch wasn't going to be able to do that again!

Turning, she looked at Trooper Kulm and finally realized that he'd long ago stopped singing his romantic ballads to the decoy Lady Carra in the wagon. She watched him shake himself like a wet dog. "What in the name of the Spirit was I thinking?" he muttered in disgust.

Darrine started to speak to him to let him know that he wasn't alone in being victimized by the Valkea's deception, but her horse staggered as three arrows pierced deeply into the mare's flesh, one severing an artery in her neck. Darrine barely got her feet free of the stirrups before the bay collapsed to the ground.

Chapter VII, Reading 5

"I'm overwhelmed," she admitted in a tiny voice. "I have to confess that I feel unequal to the responsibility fate has allotted to me. I feel very ordinary and I definitely don't feel like the hero I will need to become to defeat the Ansu."

"You will come into your power, Flindra. Don't worry about that. You might be surprised to feel the energy you already exude. You will have come into your full inheritance before you leave the cavern and return to the world. You will be equal to your fate."

Flindra breathed in deeply. "I hope so."

"Trust me, my child, I know you will be ready. The Spirit will see to that."

"I hope so," she repeated.

Kewero smiled briefly before she returned to her story. "Before I left on my quest, the King and Queen both selected a gift which I was supposed to give to you when you came of age. Look at the golden comb you are wearing."

Flindra slipped the golden swan from her hair and looked first at it and then at Kewero.

"The Queen wished for you to remember her and all the women who came before her. Queen Kwenth's mother gave her this comb, and her mother, in turn, received it from hers. It is her gift to the child of her line. She reaches across time to give a mother's gift to a daughter."

Tears welled up in Flindra's eyes and she fingered the comb gently, almost caressing the graceful swan. "I am honored to have it and I will remember her always."

"That will please her memory."

"I'm honored that she thought of me."

"The King also gave you a gift which had been in his family's possession for generations, in truth from the beginning of his dynasty. His gift was Rigga."

Flindra looked down at the amethyst ring on her finger. "He told me in my dream that Rigga was his gift. How old is it?"

"Rigga is actually older than the line of King Meldh and dates from the time of the Ancients. It has been infused with their magic and powers."

"Oh."

"His Majesty also gave me the hereditary symbols of the King: the crown; the scepter; and a neck chain made from interlocking links of white and yellow gold. He told me I was responsible for their safe keeping for I needed to keep them for the future king of our world. I will give them to you, Flindra, when you leave. You will have to give them to your King when he claims you. He will have need of them."

"I will see that he gets them."

"Upon the conclusion of my meeting with the King and Queen, I immediately set out to search for the knowledge which would help our world in some distant time, but would not aid my beloved King and Queen in the present I shared with them. I was led here, to these caverns, and it has been here that the Spirit has shared much of the knowledge we need to defeat the Kwetwer and the Ansu armies."

"Did you ever see King Meldh or Queen Kwenth again?"

"No." Kewero shook her head sadly. "I spent several years in this cave complex, all the time absorbing the knowledge our world needs to survive."

Kewero's face grew deeply troubled and there was unmistakable pain in her eyes.

"When I finally returned to the world I knelt and wept, for all around me was destruction. The lush green of life had been supplanted by the dismal brown of naked soil and barren rock. I traveled for days through this wasteland until I came to the place, which had once been the proud estates and castle of King Meldh.

"The devastation was indescribable. Before me stretched a burned area which was roughly circular in shape and many leagues in diameter. Whatever it was that had caused the area to ignite had incinerated the soil, leaving only the bare rock beneath. The rock itself had been baked in the intense heat to the point that metamorphism of the minerals had begun. As I looked around in shock, I knew that what I looked upon was evidence of the power of one Kwetwer and I knew I still had much to learn before I could direct my future champion to stand fast against all of them.

Chapter II, Reading 2

Leudh followed Flindra’s tracks into the forest.  He was a skilled hunter so it was easy for him to see where she’d traveled.  Her path rambled about aimlessly.  He knew in his heart that she was troubled and wasn’t paying much attention to where she was going.  After several miles of meandering, her tracks finally led him to a quiet grove of aspen.

The aspen leaves had long since turned gold and were falling to the ground to form a soft carpet.  The afternoon sun filtered through the branches, giving the forest floor a patchwork appearance.  It was a charming scene and he knew his sister would enjoy it.  It came as no surprise to him when he caught of glimpse of her sitting on a fallen log.

Flindra smiled when she heard him and rose to greet him.  "Looking for me, Leudh," she called before he came into view.

He chuckled in a pleased manner.  "How did you know it was me?"

"I know you and know your step," she explained with a small smile.  "You’re my brother."  She looked at him and tears welled up in her eyes.  She quickly turned away to hide her feelings.

Leudh closed the distance to her and touched her gently on the shoulder.  "I’ll always be your brother.  No one can take that away from us."  His tone was gentle and sympathetic.  He pulled her into an embrace.  "Your fate and your duty may separate us but we’re family."

She sobbed in answer but could say nothing more for several minutes.  Tears ran down her cheeks as she pressed her face against his chest.

"Momma asked me to find you," he continued in a low voice.  "She's worried about you, little sister.  You've been in the forest most of the day.  Please, don't turn away from us.  We’re here to help and listen.  Will you share your feelings with me?  I think you'll find it'll help just by sharing your pain with a sympathetic ear."

Flindra gave a small snort of impatience.  "At this point, I don't even know what to think!"

"Well, why don’t you just start by emptying your heart.  I can listen for as long as it takes and talking might help you focus your thoughts."

"All right," she agreed hesitantly.

Chapter I, Reading 2

Flindra handed her brother a waterskin for she knew he was tired from his labors.  Digging was always difficult work and this task was made harder with the knowledge of the purpose of this effort.

Leudh put down his shovel and drank his fill.  "Thank you."  He returned the water to her.

"You're welcome."

"I think this is deep enough," he remarked sadly.  "I'll widen it a little at the bottom and then it’ll be ready."

Flindra nodded in understanding and her eyes suddenly flooded with tears.  She looked away to hide her sorrow for she had promised her father she wouldn't cry.  In spite of her efforts to force back her tears, she sobbed audibly.

Leudh dug out one last shovelful of dirt, threw the spade into the heap of dirt piled to the side of the grave, and climbed out of the hole.

Flindra felt strong arms surrounded her as Leudh embraced her.  "Don't be ashamed to cry, little sister.  Death is always hard."  His voice was husky with emotion.

"I told him I wouldn't cry, though," she protested.  "I know he's finally free of pain and has returned to the Spirit, but I miss him so very much."

"We’ll always miss him, but I'd like to hope he is somewhere in the Beyond and is looking back at us with a kind smile."

Flindra smiled through her tears, "Thanks, Leudh.  That helps."

"Let's go home and get Momma, Brehwan and the boys.  It's time to send Papa home."

"All right."

 They stood.  Leudh retrieved his tunic and slipped it on for the breeze blowing on his sweat-dampened body felt cold.  They turned and started down the wooded slope towards home.

Chapter VII, Reading 6

"You will come into your power, Flindra. Don't worry about that. You might be surprised to feel the energy you already exude. You will have come into your full inheritance before you leave the cavern and return to the world. You will be equal to your fate."

Flindra breathed in deeply. "I hope so."

"Trust me, my child, I know you will be ready. The Spirit will see to that."
"I hope so," she repeated.

Kewero smiled briefly before she returned to her story. "Before I left on my quest, the King and Queen both selected a gift which I was supposed to give to you when you came of age. Look at the golden comb you are wearing."

Flindra slipped the golden swan from her hair and looked first at it and then at Kewero.

"The Queen wished for you to remember her and all the women who came before her. Queen Kwenth's mother gave her this comb, and her mother, in turn, received it from hers. It is her gift to the child of her line. She reaches across time to give a mother's gift to a daughter."

Tears welled up in Flindra's eyes and she fingered the comb gently, almost caressing the graceful swan. "I am honored to have it and I will remember her always."
"That will please her memory."

"I'm honored that she thought of me."

"The King also gave you a gift which had been in his family's possession for generations, in truth from the beginning of his dynasty. His gift was Rigga."
Flindra looked down at the amethyst ring on her finger. "He told me in my dream that Rigga was his gift. How old is it?"

"Rigga is actually older than the line of King Meldh and dates from the time of the Ancients. It has been infused with their magic and powers."

"Oh."

"His Majesty also gave me the hereditary symbols of the King: the crown; the scepter; and a neck chain made from interlocking links of white and yellow gold. He told me I was responsible for their safe keeping for I needed to keep them for the future king of our world. I will give them to you, Flindra, when you leave. You will have to give them to your King when he claims you. He will have need of them."

"I will see that he gets them."

Chapter VI, Reading 3

The old woman laughed. "The short answer is that we passed through a gap in the fabric of life to arrive here. We are now in one of the places inhabited by the Spirit when He created our world. Words cannot accurately portray this place, but an analogy might help you understand. This is the seed pod where our world began within the consciousness of the Spirit."

Flindra looked terribly confused.

Kewero smiled. "There will be time enough for you to understand and to master the knowledge you need to fight your enemies. There is no point in rushing your lessons."

"As you wish, Kewero." She smiled and realized her face was chapped from the cold and was slightly windburn.

"You may put your horse in there," Kewero said as she pointed toward an opening of a smaller cave. "When you are through, come back here and then I will see to your needs."

Flindra led Deru into the smaller cave. Her nose gave her evidence that this small cave had sheltered horses before. It was spotlessly clean, but there was a lingering scent of horses. It was a pleasant odor and reminded her of the barn back home. Fresh hay had already been placed in a recess in the wall. There was fresh water pooling around a spring in a natural basin towards the back of the cave. The overflow from the spring trickled down a crack and disappeared behind the cave wall. This kept the floor from becoming wet.

She slipped the bridle off so Deru could start eating the hay. Then she removed the saddle and placed the tack on a wooden rack several feet above the floor. She left her bow, quiver of arrows, hatchet, and bedroll under the rack. While the horse stood contentedly and ate, she brushed him to remove the sweat and dirt lingering in his coat. When she was through, she sighed and leaned against him.

"We made it, Deru," she whispered while she slipped her hand beneath his mane and patted his neck. "I feel like I've been traveling for an eternity. It seems so long ago that I left home."

Deru turned and looked at her. His mouth was full of hay, which he rubbed against her face as he tried to nuzzle her. Flindra couldn't help but laugh. He smelled her face and hair and then returned to his hay.

She gave him a parting pat and stood back. With another sigh - this one more tired than the first - she picked up her saddlebags and went out to Kewero.

"Are you warming up, my dear?" Kewero asked when she saw Flindra approach.

"My toes are still a bit cold, but I'll be fine."

"I suspect that you're being too stoic and aren't quite telling me the truth, Flindra. You still look cold, but I'll fix that. Follow me."

Kewero led her through a winding passage in the cave complex. As they walked, Flindra could sense the air around her was getting warmer. They finally stood before a pool of water. Steam was rising from the surface. She grinned happily for nothing could be better than a hot bath after being cold for so long.

"Take off your clothes and bathe. I will find you something clean to wear," Kewero said and left Flindra alone.

Chapter III, Reading 10

Days later, Flindra looked across a vast, rock strewn plain. As far as she could see, there were rocks, boulders, and massive monoliths. She couldn't imagine what force of nature could produce such a collection of rock debris. It was if some gigantic force had hurled the rocks together. There was no order to the placement of the rocks. It was a jumbled mess, which would make crossing difficult.

It was late afternoon and the shadows were long and blue against the ground. The long shadows made the ground look as if there were gaping holes in the earth. Flindra suppressed a shudder as she looked across the boulder field. On an instinctive level, she felt uneasy.

"Guide my steps, Spirit," she prayed briefly. "Keep me safe," she added in a whisper.

Flindra loosened the reins and let Deru pick his own way. It wasn't long before he discovered a game trail winding through the rocks. The path was in the general direction of the pass so she let him continue on his chosen way.

The deepening shadows turned the massive stones into bizarre shapes and forms. Flindra was overcome by a nagging sense of danger. "Well Deru, I'm being a silly, little girl letting a bunch of rocks make me afraid. Leudh would laugh at me." Talking to the horse made her feel better but the fear didn't go away.

She made camp by a spring that bubbled from beneath a boulder. The water from the spring trickled into a depression in the underlying rock forming a natural basin. It was clean and clear and tasted refreshing. She had a long drink before she did anything else.

There was little grazing for Deru so Flindra slipped a feedbag over his nose. "Short rations for you tonight, Deru. Tomorrow should see us out of this and into the mountains. Hopefully, the snow will be shallow enough that you can dig your way to grass." She had enough grain to make it across the pass but she knew the horse preferred to graze.

After her austere dinner was eaten and the fire was only embers, Flindra spread her furs on the hard ground. She stretched out on her bed and wiggled, trying to find a spot where a rock wasn't digging into her back. She finally had to put her saddle blankets beneath her sleeping furs before the rocks no longer dug into her side.

Because her bed was so uncomfortable, she couldn't sleep right away. With her head pillowed on her saddle she looked up and gazed into the night sky. Tonight there was a new moon so the sky was bright with stars. She looked at the stars and picked out the familiar constellations. The Bear was still trying to catch the Horse as they raced through the stars. The Traveler always looked so burdened with his huge sack thrown over his shoulder. Flindra felt a certain degree of empathy for this stellar figure tonight. Her burden was more emotional but it still weighed her down.

She laughed aloud as she realized how silly it was to compare her situation to an imaginary figure in the sky. The laugh lightened her mood so she surrendered to her blankets and closed her eyes.

"Beloved Spirit," she whispered, "thank you for another day. Bless my sleep tonight and guide my steps tomorrow. Thank you."

Chapter III, Reading 9

The days passed with everyday a repetition of the last. Under different circumstances she would have relished seeing the beauty of the great forest as she traveled north. Instead, Flindra was concentrating on avoiding people and leaving as little evidence of her passage as possible in case there was an enemy following.

There weren't many travelers abroad in this part of the land. Flindra was north of the great trade routes between the two Kingdoms. However, she had seen several troops of the King's Rangers patrolling the roads. They were riding in the distance and she had been able to avoid them easily. All the same, she wondered why the Rangers were out patrolling this far north. She hoped there weren't bandit gangs hiding in the area. She could have trouble avoiding large groups of Rangers or those they were hunting.

Worry visited Flindra nightly as she sat gazing into her fire. She had been increasingly disturbed by bad dreams. Most of the time she couldn't even recall her dreams - they just left her uneasy. Flindra desperately wanted someone to talk to, someone to confide in. She longed for her mother and Leudh for the two had the ability to always give her comfort when she was worried.

Her only comfort came from her nightly prayers for she remembered the familiar words her parents used when they had prayed together as a family. The routine made her feel deeply loved and she cherished her memories. Praying regularly also brought its own comforts so she never skipped the practice.

Chapter III, Reading 6

Saying good-bye to Dakra was going to be the hardest of all. Flindra knew it and kept this for the last. She left Leudh's arms and turned to face her.

"Momma," she said with tears running down her cheeks.

Dakra held open her arms and Flindra rushed into the embrace. For a moment longer she could be a child in her mother's loving arms.

"Oh Flindra, I love you," Dakra sobbed. She trembled in agony as she tried to suppress her tears.

"I love you too, Momma." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "If there is any possible way, I promise to stay in touch. There has to be some way which won't endanger you."

"Don't worry about us, my child. No one pays attention to simple people like us. We'll be safe."

"I pray so."

"Please be careful, Flindra. It is your destiny to accomplish great things. You will always be with us in our thoughts and prayers. Always remember that we love you."

"I'll remember, Momma."

Dakra held on to her daughter a little longer before she stepped back. "It's time, my child. The sun is nearly up and you need to be on your way."

She nodded. "Be well, Momma. I love you."

"Good journey, Flindra, and may the Spirit watch over you and protect you."

Flindra patted the trio of dogs, which were waiting by her horse. They had been her companions on many an adventure, but they needed to stay behind this day.

She took the reins from Leudh and mounted the waiting horse. "I love all of you," she said once she was settled into the saddle. She looked once more into the faces of her family.

"We love you, too," Leudh said in a choked voice. He had finally succumbed to his tears.

She held up her hand in parting. "Until we meet again, be well and may the Spirit bless you."
"Good luck, Flindra," Dakra answered.

She reined the horse around and headed out of the clearing. She turned in the saddle so she could wave as she went.

"I love you," Flindra whispered when the gelding carried her from the view of the cottage. She wept in loss and grief and merely allowed the horse to travel down the familiar trail to the lake while she sank into her sorrow.

Chapter III, Reading 5

Flindra chose to say her first farewells to the twins. She went to the boys and hugged them both. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered. "Please take care of all the animals and help your Grandma. I'm not going to be here to help her anymore. It's up to you two."

"We will," Arek sobbed. He hugged her even harder.

"We love you," Alek said.

"I love you, too," she replied. "Our love will continue. I may be leaving, but I will always love you." She sniffed as she smiled. "Icy loves to sleep under the blankets. She'll be happy if you let her come to your house to sleep with you."

Both smiled through their tears.

She kissed both boys and stood. "Take care."

Brehwan intercepted her with a hug. "Be careful, Flindra." She wouldn't give a more specific warning while the boys were here.

"I will." She bit her lip. "Take care of the family, Brehwan."

"I will, sister."

They hugged again and then Flindra turned to her brother. Unable to give voice to the feelings of her heart, she only hugged him.

"Take care, Flin," he said in a low voice. "Keep to the forest as long as possible and avoid well used trails. It's best that no one sees you."

"All right."

"Trust your instincts and remember the lessons of our childhood. There aren't many who can match your woodcraft." There was pride in his tone.

She smiled at him. "You make it sound easy."

"It will be easy, once you start on the trail. It's saying farewell that's so hard."

"Then don't say it."

He looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Say something else."

Leudh smiled. "Good journey, little sister."

"That was nice." She kissed him on his cheek.

"We love you, Flin," he murmured as he hugged her fiercely.
She smiled through her tears as they separated. "I love you, too."

Chapter III, Reading 3

Leudh rubbed his fingers through his son's hair and then gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Everything will work out for the best. Flindra will find her answers and begin her journey through life."

"You are part of my life," Flindra continued. "I will continue to be part of yours."

"I hope so."

"All this talking has made me hungry," Leudh said in a light tone to change the subject. "I think it's time to enjoy your Grandma's cooking."

"May I have two pieces of ham?" Arek asked.

"I think so," Dakra said with a smile, "but only after you've finished the first."

"Let's eat by the fire," Flindra suggested. "It's nice and warm here."

"All right," Dakra agreed.

Brehwan and Flindra helped Dakra serve the food and then all grew quiet.

Dakra bowed her head in reverence. "Beloved Spirit," she said softly. "Bless this food and all those gathered here today."

"Let it be so," Leudh responded.

Dakra pressed several helpings on Flindra's plate to ensure she would be leaving well fed. A hot meal under the ribs did much to stave off the cold.

When Flindra could eat no more she put her plate aside. Icy immediately made herself at home on her lap. She patted the kitty as she sipped her cider. "That was wonderful, Momma. Thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"You're cooking has always been wonderful," Leudh said as he stacked his plate on top of the one Flindra had set on the hearth. "Your cooking is wonderful, too, Brehwan," he quickly added as he looked at his wife.

She smiled at him with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Who do you think taught me to cook your favorites?"

Leudh glanced at his mother and laughed.

Chapter II, Reading 9

It wasn't until the next day that Flindra and Leudh had a chance to speak with Dakra without the twins listening. The boys were outside tending to the barn chores. The task would keep them busy for at least an hour so the adults were reasonably safe from interruption. Brehwan wasn't needed to watch over the twins so she joined the gathering.

The four adults sat in front of Dakra's hearth and sipped some freshly brewed rosehip tea, which was sweetened with a touch of honey.

Leudh looked out the door to make sure his sons were out of earshot. He glanced at his mother with a concerned look. "Were you told anything when Flindra was left here? Any reasons why she was taken from her family?"

Dakra leaned her back against the warm stones of the massive fireplace and rested her cup of tea on her knee. "Kewero told us that Flindra needed to begin her life here. She said little more even when Eghero questioned her. All she would say was that the Spirit had chosen us to care for the Heir of King Meldh."

Flindra and Leudh looked at each other. Thus prompted, she told Dakra and Brehwan of the evil presence she felt in the crystal and in her dreams. No one spoke when she was finished with her story. A worried glance passed between Leudh and Brehwan while Dakra simply closed her eyes.

"It would make sense to hide you with us if there was any evil hunting you," Dakra finally said. "Maybe that's why Kewero brought you here and why she was so vague with her explanations. I think it's time for you to try to find her. She, alone, can tell you about your past and what you need to do for your future. We can't provide you with any more help, my little one. It's up to others to take our place."

Flindra dropped her head in mute agreement with her mother. When she raised her eyes, she looked at her brother - silently seeking his advice.

Leudh understood her silent entreaty. "It's not clear to me that you're actually in danger. I'd be willing to guess that the evil you sense is only some strange effect of the crystal. Even so, it's time for you to go. You need to consider that winter comes swiftly in the Northern Reaches. You have a race with winter in trying to reach the old woman."

Dakra shook her head in disagreement. There was a look of genuine worry on her face. "No Leudh, I feel in my heart that the evil searching the world for Flindra is quite real. A mother can sense such things."