Myriad: The Ways Chapter 3

3 Alahni

         One such meeting, ended somewhat differently… “Now to other matters my friends. That of your grandchild Elah.” At this she looked up sharply, voice tense.

         “What of her?” She asked.

         “She was conceived by means of Atul which means that she should have been born with a twin.” Said Etahne

         “But…”

         “Look, we all understand the meaning of this. Even at her young age she has shown signs of being Shi na'meh, mage born.”

         “I know that she is Shi na'meh, but I'll not let them take her now, barely born!” The obvious belligerence in her normally calm demeanour gave this all the more force.

         “Ay, Elah! They'll not take her until she's at least reached her tenth year.” Etahne assured her. “Before that, around her fifth year, her sponsor will come and test her here in the tahn. After that, if she's deemed acceptable, she'll be taught here until her sponsor thinks that she is of a level to begin her studies in Telahn Shi .” Elah sighed. “So as you see, you'll all have plenty of time to prepare yourselves.”

         “We’ll be havin’ that at least.” She said to him, subdued. “As for what will happen to her after that, none but the Shi may know.”


         Etahne looked up as their friend Enahn walked into the room “Ben ay, Enahn.” He said, welcome. Enahn, somewhat absentmindedly replied to his greeting.

         “Onra ay, my friend.” I come with honour. Elah turned and hugged her young friend.

         “Ben ay.” She said to him quietly. As she released him from the embrace Enahn took her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

         “What ails you Elah? Is there something that I have missed?”

         “My daughter, Enahn, it be Ylahn.” He looked at her, not understanding. “She was selected by lot to undergo Atul.”

         “I did not know… how…?” Tears of grief welled up in his eyes, his young strong face crumpling from the strength of his emotions. He turned and fled the room, a moment after the clatter of hooves could be heard leaving the gate and heading towards the outskirts of the tahn.

         “It seems,” said Elah “that I dint know either.” She looked at Etahne and turned to the door.

         As they left Etahne touched her arm and said, “Perhaps…perhaps we will take our time in getting to your house. If we've read him right then that is surely were he has gone.”

         “Aye we have, it is and so we shall, old friend.” She replied with a small smile.

         “Ha! Almost cryptic that, Elah!” Offering her his arm they continued slowly across the square. Arriving at the small thatched cottage Enahn leaped from his horse and ran to the door. On entering he saw a small rocking cradle and lying within, staring at him intently, a child. With bright eyes as yellow as the sun the child gazed at him. His breath caught in his throat.

         “So this is your child Ylahn.” He said. From a low curtained doorway came a voice,

         “Enahn, is that you?” He walked through doorway moving the woollen curtain aside and entered the chamber beyond. In the middle of a bed made for two lay Ylahn. As he entered she tried to rise to greet him but was unable. Once more laying down she smiled at him, a flush of emotions colouring her cheeks.

         “I’m sorry,” she said “Atul takes a lot out of you, you know!”

         He looked at her, and in an exasperated voice, “Ay! Will you never change?” He shook his head. “Always joking and smiling!”

         “Never! Not till my dying day will I be losing the will to laugh and smile!” She looked then and saw the sadness in his eyes. “You don’t be knowin’ does you?”

         “Know what?” He asked.

         “That any Nea that do undergo Atul and her child is Shi na’meh (mage born) will live to see another day! That be the gift of the mage born!” she looked at him smiling. “Why do you think she don't be havin’ a twin as is normal with Nea Atul?” He looked into her eyes, tears welling up in his own.

         “Then…” He was unable to continue, emotion choked the words in his throat.

         “Enahn, I be fine, I’s goin’ to be fine!” He collapsed onto the bed at her side and enclosed her in an embrace.

         “My love, can it be true that I will not lose you after all?” His tears came then, the strength of them surprising her.

         “Shhh… my love.” She said softly. “You don't be thinkin’ that you be getting rid of me that easy does you?!” Her laughter, tinkling like little bells, brought his head up from her shoulder.

         “Shame on you! And you bein’ of high blood!” she winked at him to take the harshness out of her words. “How’s it possible that you don't know ‘bout the mage born?” she said.

         “I must have been taught this, probably in one of those interminably long lessons from Arca Lahnin.” He gave her a wry smile. “I never did listen much to the boring old fart, but he like all Arca has a tremendous passion for history.”

         “Help me to sit up love, I need to feed Alahni.” When she was upright she asked, “Would you bring her to me, Enahn?”

         “Of course!” he said, jumping up from the bed and falling straight over the chair at the side of it. The chimes of her laughter followed him into the other room. Smiling with embarrassment he approached the cradle. “She will not cry?” he called.

         “Not unless you drop her on her head, my love.” Came the laughing reply.

         “I always leave myself open for it.” he muttered to himself as he took the child in his arms. Returning to the inner room he sat down on the bed and looked at the little girl he was cradling. As he looked into her eyes he shuddered and said softly to her, “Yim ve Shili yi mor.” I will see you when I die. Ylahn, who had been loosening her clothing preparing to feed Alahni, looked up.

         “Sorry, I wasn’t lisnin.” No need to ruin a happy day, he thought.

         “Oh nothing, I was just making noises.” Alahni gave a contented gurgling coo and grabbed a lock of his long black hair tugging as if to part it from the scalp, then stopped and looked at the shiny, healthy strands in her tiny hands with great interest.

         Ylahn laughed, “I think that she just be noticing your hair, she don’t know the High Born dye their hair to mark their status yet!”

         Enahn smiled ruefully, “You know that I think it is a ridiculous custom, love.”

         “I’s not poking fun, my prince!” she said, leaning forward to kiss him softly. As she settled back onto the pillows they heard the front door of the cottage open and were joined by Etahne and her mother.