Queen's Daughter
About five years ago, the battle of Endingfire was fought by the Valedwellers and the Scouts of Halla against the wyverns and their king, Lynex. The Valedwellers won their land back, and continue to live there peacefully, visiting occasionally with the Plainsdwellers.
"Aiony, I said no!" Tek said firmly to the young mare. "But why can't I go with Father and Dhatter to visit Calydor?" "Because you are the princess, and you have to go with the unpaired warriors to the Summer Sea. One of the heirs must accompany them, since Jan is on the Plain," Tek replied.
"Fine. I'll go."
That night, the full moon, the Moondance was held. Just before, Ryhenna, Priestess of Fire, struck flame to the pile of deadwood. The flames ate away eagerly at the dry tinder, lighting up the Ring. Troubles forgotten, Aiony plunged into the dance with a fervor, lifting and stamping her feet in rhythm. Round and round the flow of unicorns charged, increasing in speed. Aiony found herself dancing next to Culu, the dappled son of Ryhenna and Dagg. She glanced at him, and sprang away, out of the Ring, out of the firelight. She panted, breathless, at the sidelines, her sides heaving.
Teki, the healer, stepped into the near-center of the Ring as the unicorns lay down, weary from their dancing. "Ho, the unicorns. Tonight we danced the Moondance, to honor the Goddess Alma. Tonight I will sing to you of the Mare of the World, Great Álm'harat disguised as a unicorn mare," Teki said.
The pied healer launched into the tale with great vigor. As he sang, he turned a bit with each cant, until he had come full Circle. When he had finished the tale, many were already asleep, but for the unpaired warriors that were to travel to the Summer Sea. Looking around to be assured that the young warriors were awake, Aiony and the colts and fillies slipped away from the Ring on silent hooves.
Aiony raced down the beach, golden sand crunching beneath her hooves. Dhatter ran beside her, having arrived at the Sea only a few days after the rest. Aiony charged ahead of her brother and their shoulder-friend, Kilahr, the daughter of a Plainsdweller mare, Crimson, and her mate Goldenhair. The mare whinnied, threw her head up, and surged ahead of Dha. Dhatter was left behind on the beach, still running. Aiony pulled up, and laughed, "Dha is that the best you can do? A newborn gryphon runs faster than you!"
"Really? Well, you run slower than a wyvern with half a head!" Dhatter shouted back. Aiony giggled, and then turned when she heard a raucous screeching.
"Greetings, Queen Creel! How fare the herons this year?" Aiony called up. The dust-blue creature settled on a stone in front of Aiony and fluffed her feathers. "Greetings, pied princess of the unicorns. We fare well this year. No heavy storms blew in, and our Mother-the-Sea yields a great deal of fish. Our mates are chose and eggs are laid. My own brood numbers four!" the heron shrieked. "And how is the former Queen Tlat?" Aiony asked.
"My mother is fine. No more eggs does she set, but she is well."
"Good."
As summer wore on, Aiony noticed Dha was drifting off more and more with the gold-colored Kilahr, disappearing for hours at a time. Aiony herself was becoming drawn to Culu, running along the beachsand next to him.
His odd pelt, golden yellow dappling into salmon-pink, glowed in the moonlight as they took watch together; storms had become more frequent, and the unicorns now posted a storm-watcher to alert them to go to shelter. He stood close to her, for the nights were growing chilled; equinox was not far off. Wind blew chilled across her face, lifting her forelock.
The breeze picked up speed, whistling as it whipped past her horn. Her mane now and her tail were blown back. She squinted her eyes, and looked to the sky. Deadly-looking clouds crested the horizon, blowing nearer each second. Lightning lit up the Singing Cliffs, and thunder reverberated in her hooves up through her bones. She pressed against Culu.
"Ho, the unicorns! Make way to shelter! Hist, a storm blows from the sea!" he cried. Facing away from the wind as he was, it carried his words to the unicorns. Aiony and Culu sprang away from the stone they had been standing on. The two unicorns were evenly matched in speed, and in three heartbeats were in sight of the camp.
Culu repeated the warning, crying it loud and clear. Rain had come upon them now, lashing their backs. With the rain came hail, leaving bruises where it struck. Thunder crashed again, this time closer- and painful.
The unicorns flew to the caves in the wood, and took shelter. The caves were small, could barely hold six unicorns, but they provided adequate shelter.
Aiony and Culu were pressed in the middle, and could behold the sea. Aiony watched in horror as a Serpent-cloud, a tornado, stretched its long way down to touch the ocean. The roaring monster did not leave the sea, but the noise it made shrieked in her ears.
Around dawn, the storm broke. The unicorns stepped cautiously from their shelters. When all was clear, Aiony stretched her neck and snorted. "That had to be the longest night of my life."
"I know. And it was stuffy in there," Culu sighed.
"Very."
Aiony sighed and leaned on Culu as they walked through the camp. Even though the Serpent-cloud hadn't touched land, the winds had thrown a few trees to the ground; mostly small saplings, but enough to bear cleaning. She was uninjured—as were they all—but she felt battered and bruised to pieces.
She, Dha, Culu, Kilahr, and the rest were soon taking the saplings in their teeth, and dragging them out of the clearing. The largest one took four unicorns to move, and still it took a while to move it from the clearing.
When at last the clearing was free of fallen trees, night had fallen. Aiony took a few dried branches and dragged them to the center of the clearing, where she struck flame to them. She bowed to Kilahr, and the golden mare bowed in the Plainsdweller's fashion, down on one knee, and walked to the center of the Ring with Aiony. The princess stepped down, to lounge beside Culu. Kilahr cleared her throat, and began to sing the lay of the Mare and the Pard.
Her clear, high voice lulled the unicorns to sleep, and just before drifting off, Aiony glimpsed the dusk-blue herons perched in the trees, listening to the lay. With a sigh, she lay her head down, and fell asleep.
Wet sunlight glimmered through the leaves, casting a green shadow to everything. Aiony stirred, and stretched. Culu beside her did the same, and woke.
Aiony looked upward, and the branches were empty. She shook her mane, and stood up. Culu nickered, and nipped her flank. She cavaled1, and nipped him back. He clambered to his hooves, and nipped her again.
She whinnied and nipped him again. As he stretched out his neck to nip her back, she sprang away, into a full gallop. He laughed and ran after her. He caught up, and then Aiony put on another burst of speed and outran him again. Laughing once more, Culu ran harder, but had to slow down as she darted in and out of the trees.
Aiony's laughter danced back behind her, light and dreamy like the stars. When they reached the beach, Aiony darted into the sea. Culu jumped in after her, up to his knees. The water slowed the stallion considerably, and Aiony jumped back onto the sand.
Snorting, Culu followed her again. When he finally saw that Aiony had stopped running, Culu dropped down to a canter, then a trot. By the time he caught up to her, he had dropped down to a walk.
He tiredly nipped her flank, and looked at her through his gray forelock. His eyes held laughter that he was too tired to voice. Aiony shook her head, and nuzzled his neck.
When they regained their breath, the two unicorns walked down the beach, back into the grove. There they foraged among the leaves and berries, always close together.
The next day dawned equinox. Aiony and Culu saw little of anyone else, as they wandered along the beachsand. Aiony pressed against Culu's side. The chill fall wind blew under her coat.
Culu snorted and lipped her mane. She shook her head. "So…" Culu said.
"'So…' what?" Aiony asked.
"So, tonight's the night we dance?" he queried.
"Yes. I can hardly wait."
The night rose clear of cloudshadow, with Alma's Eyes twinkling down. The unicorns assembled in the grove, tread bare of foliage by countless dances. Aiony looked for Culu in the throng of unicorns, but the band sprang into the dance with great zeal.
Aiony spotted Culu behind her, pounding his feet with his eyes on her. She flicked her tail, and sprang ahead, faster. Culu was suddenly beside her, then gone, swept away by the flow of the unicorns.
Slowly, the flow dissipated, and Aiony found Culu again. They looked at each other, and Aiony leapt off into the night. She heard Culu's breathing behind her. She turned, and they pledged their vows, marrying their fates, and became mates, a bond unshakable in Alma's eyes.
Aiony woke lying next to Culu. His gold-and-rose pelt was streaked with sweat. She gently nudged him awake, and they went to the sea to bathe and bid farewell to the herons.
As Aiony clambered, soaked, out of the salt water, Queen Creel swept down from the skies, with four tiny fledglings following.
"Greetings, Queen Creel!" Aiony cried.
"Greetings, princess! How did your own courting go?" the heron shrieked back.
"It went well! I found a mate to suit me, this trek!" Aiony cried.
"And would this be him? He's a fine choice! Strange, how unicorns mate for life. These are my hatchlings!" she cried, gesturing awkwardly to the fledglings.
Aiony bowed to the queen. "They are beautiful, Queen Creel. May their wings grow strong. We take your leave, now, and return to the Hallow Hills."
The heron queen sighed. "Yes, I suppose you must go. Tell your golden singer she tells a most excellent tale," the queen said, and laboriously lifted into the air.
As the five sea-birds grew distant, Aiony turned to find the band gathered on the beach. She whistled, and they sprang away, headed toward the Hills.
When they arrived, the whole herd had gathered to greet them. Foremost were Tek and Jan, along with Ses, Calydor, Dagg and Ryhenna, and Leerah and Tas. Tek whistled to the herd when they saw them approaching. Aiony and Culu, who were heading the bunch, sprang into a run. They skidded to a halt when they met up with the greater band; Aiony and Culu stopped only a few inches from Tek and Jan.
"Hello, Mother, Father," she said.
"Hail, Daughter. How was the Sea?" Tek said.
"Stormy. There was even a Serpent-cloud, but it stayed on the sea," Aiony said.
"Ah. So, will I be having a grandchild come spring?" Tek said merrily.
"Aye, Mother. You probably will."
Tek's eyes filled with joy, and Jan snorted.
"You'll have to have your own grotto now. Tell me," Tek said, leading Aiony away, "who is the lucky stallion?"
"Culu," Aiony said, following her mother and father. She whistled to Culu, and Dagg and Ryhenna followed as well.
Aiony and Culu chose a cave near the Mirror of the Moon, with a beautiful view of the Hills. The grotto had a cave-pool at the back, with glowing lichens on the walls. The exterior was carpeted with browning grass, and the milkwood trees framed the exterior. Their heady scent permeated the cave, but not strongly.
Aiony breathed their scent deeply, tingling at the fragrance. Culu cantered up to her side, followed by his parents. She shook herself, and stepped forward, into a new life.
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