Comets Over Clarines
CHAPTER 1 Arrival
There was a whirl of wind at the door landing. In the dim lamplight there were suddenly two persons, holding each other closely, the wind briefly whipping their hair and clothing before dying out and leaving with a sigh. One was tall, thin, with long black hair, long bangs held out of his eyes with a dark blue bandana. He wore a long coat, belted and a sword by his side, soft leather boots, with a bag flung over his shoulder. The companion he was holding tightly was easier to see as they separated slightly, though he kept an arm around her protectively. Shorter by a head plus a little, medium-length brown hair, knee-length dress over leggings, shod with petite shoes that had seen plenty of wear, like his boots. She also had a bag slung over her shoulder. It was obvious they were travelers. Their method of travel was unique.
'We're awake...? And where?' Noriko asked along the internal link she and Izark shared. Normally when the World of Light sent them to their next task, in whatever universe it needed them in, they woke up sleeping in a protected place. This arrival had been unique for them, not just for this world.
Izark was already looking around warily. 'There are whispers on the wind. We've been seen arriving...though no one seems interested in attacking at the moment.' They both took a little longer to take stock. Izark turned to look at the door they were standing next to. 'Seems to be an eating establishment.'
Noriko looked up at him, interested. 'Shall we, then? Since we've been deposited so specifically?'
He frowned at her. 'We're probably not dressed right, you know.' Each world dressed a little differently. It might be bad if what they were in was too far off.
Noriko shrugged with a smile. 'The World of Light usually knows what it's doing, even with that, you know... It did give us a clothing merchant first thing, after all, as soon as I needed one in your world.'
Izark's grey-blue eyes widened and he smiled his small smile at her that spoke volumes to her but most people missed. 'True.'
Noriko looked at his eyes for a moment, now that her medium brown ones had adjusted to the dim light of the evening. 'Do you have access to your powers here, Izark? Your eyes are almost blue.'
Izark raised an eyebrow and considered. His eyes only went blue when he was fully using his powers. Normally they were darker. 'Somewhat, it seems. Not fully. I'll have to experiment. We do obviously have the ability to mind-speak.' He cut off.
They'd been standing in the one location too long and things in the night were starting to move. He turned to the door and opened it, taking just a second to process exactly what kind of door handle it was. He had to use his memories of being in Noriko's world since it was a latch handle that he pressed down on to pull the catch. He'd probably seen all the varieties of door handles by now. The World of Light, it seemed, hadn't wanted to give up on its one physical connection to the worlds - namely Izark. Izark was immortal - a demon in his world, an angel in Noriko's - with a direct physical connection to the world of light. Noriko wasn't. She'd come to his world as just a normal human girl and helped him find the angel inside the demon in him, to his uttermost relief. The last thing he wanted to be was a demon of destruction...as in last even after his own personal death...and probably not even then.
Noriko died in every world, well the first two anyway. The World of Light had let them live her full life-span in his world, then again in her world - he'd gotten old in that world as well since his powers had been mostly taken from him to live there. They'd both been utterly astounded to arrive in a third world, young again (early twenties) when they'd laid down what was probably their last night together as very old people in her world. It only took the intelligent Noriko about five minutes of hard thinking to come up with a plausible explanation. The World of Light wanted to use Izark for its own purposes since he was himself a physical part of it, knew he needed Noriko by his side, and was willing to grant that reward to get what it wanted from him.
They'd already gone through several other worlds now. Most of them they didn't stay all that long - just to resolve whatever issue the World of Light needed. That usually meant stopping a dark evil from taking over, or cleaning one out that the other residents of that world couldn't. Then they were moving on again. Several interesting things had come out of that. One: They always arrived in the clothing they wandered Izark's world in, including the bags of their camping out supplies with a few changes of clothing, water, a little food, and a little coin, though that didn't go far in some worlds where the money exchange was really different. Two: They were allowed by the World of Light a modified form of their mind-speech that worked like a two-way translation filter. That had been a blessing. Noriko had learned Izark's language quickly, becoming competent in only six months. Izark had been able to learn Noriko's in just a little over that, the connection to the World of Light being a little more 'distant' in that world (distance was determined by how many people were good at heart in the world, was there current theory). To have to relearn the languages in every world they weren't going to be in for long would have been a royal pain.
Izark closed the door behind them, after ushering Noriko into the room, his hand gently on her back. He'd been her protector so long it was without thought that he always kept her close to hand. She, for her part, automatically held on to the back of his jacket, letting him know she was close, with him, but out of the way of his sword hand so he could fight at a moment's notice. He'd gotten a little rusty on her world - swords weren't carried there. Only his daily practice had kept any of it going. It had been a restful life for him, in comparison to his world...once he got used to the fast pace of it. He'd spent a lot of time with her grandfather, learning how to be slow in that fast world as a means of self-defense. This place seemed to be more his speed, so far. No motor cars, trains, or other high technology sounds and bright lights. Even indoors it was oil lamps and candles. He relaxed slightly, just for that...until he scanned the room. Then he went into resigned alert.
The whispers on the air were here also, but he wasn't getting a translation. 'Noriko, do you hear the voices on the wind? I can't translate them.'
Noriko was also looking around the room...very much like the restaurants of her world, actually, with booths around the outside edge and tables in the center. 'No. I don't hear them, just the soft conversations of the patrons. They aren't talking to us, though, so I don't know yet about the translations. The clothing isn't too far off, either, at least for my world. It's a bit of a problem we've come dressed for yours. This looks like late middle ages to neo-modern. The women have dresses, except for that one in the middle.'
The people in the booths were likely town citizens, for the most part, quiet, one to three in a booth, relaxing, non-threatening. It was three tables-worth of people in the middle that had Izark concerned. Four uniformed men at one, all with swords, making his sword not too dramatic. One man could almost be Izark's cousin, with long black hair, except he was darker of skin. He looked like at least as good a fighter as Izark, his face composed into a court neutral. Next to him was a slightly shorter man, medium brown slightly wavy hair, good natured eyes though the face was also a bit closed warily, plenty fit enough to know how to use his sword as well. Across from them were two more, slightly younger men. One with straight hair and a bit of a scowl of distrust on his face, his back tight with tension. His partner was rather the opposite - a tangled mess of blonde hair, a genial look on his face, even a bit of a grin. The wariness was in his eyes. They both screamed thief, though their uniforms and swords belied it. It was an odd juxtaposition.
They weren't the ones Izark was most worried about though. The one he was most worried about sat by himself a little further to the right, three tables over, looking towards the four. He was in the same uniform, was older as if a commander, and was so relaxed that the aura of supreme readiness coming off of him was another extreme contrast. That contrast was accentuated by the fact that his hands and body said he'd kill at a moment's notice but his face said he'd love to be your most trustworthy friend - open, friendly, even now with strangers in strange clothing entering the room. He gave Izark a slight grin with one side of his mouth. Yeah, they were peas in a pod, weren't they - each of a kind recognizing each other, except Izark looked like on the outside what he was on the inside - mostly. The man glanced at the third table and the wind spoke again with a light baritone. Izark raised an eyebrow slightly, then turned to look at that table.
There was a couple at that table. Also in the same uniform, but looking like they were having a date, holding hands as they calmly ate. The wind spoke again, a little longer this time, with a clear bell-like woman's tones, though she didn't look up. He caught the tone, though. Calmly commanding. The man with her glanced at her with a bit of a concerned look, but he didn't comment - on the air or otherwise. She could also have been cousin to the first man and Izark to some degree - or siblings of that man. She had straight long black hair, pulled back in a thick braid that reached almost past her seat. Her features were royal, almost beautiful, but not in the Tazasheena way, more the beautiful of Duke Jeida, though that was an odd way to put it. It's just the Grand Duke was the most noble person Izark had had the distinct honor of calling a friend.
The man sitting with her looked also cousin - short black hair, though - with the same darker features. His face looked like it could go from hard and angry to jovial and kind in an instant. At the moment, he was calm and measuring, taking the same measure of the newcomers Izark was taking of all of them. 'Rather reminds me of a Yakuza-Mafia group,' Noriko commented. 'I wonder if that's who we're supposed to meet?'
'Hard to believe an evil group is who we'd meet first, particularly in a quiet place like this,' Izark commented back. 'It does have that feel, though. I definitely agree with that.'
"Welcome to the Scholars Tavern, travelers. Will you please come with me?" Both relaxed just a little more in relief. The translation was going to work, and they spoke normally, too, not just on the wind.
"Scholars?" Noriko asked with interest as they walked with the matron.
"Yes," she nodded in a friendly manner. "We opened this place in Wilant City to allow the transplants from Lyrias, the university city in the far northwest to have a place to gather where they could think, eat, and interact like they would have there."
"Oh, what a wonderful idea! I'll hope to come back, then, or perhaps visit Lyrias while we're here." Noriko loved to study and learn and teach. She'd run a department of a university, then been dean on Izark's world after they had helped it return to a peaceful world, doing experiments to see if she could modernize that world just a little - and she'd done a good job of it before they left. She'd been a doctor on her world. Both came in handy on their further adventures.
The matron led them right up to the table with the couple on their date. "Oh, do you enjoy the university environment, then?" the woman at the table's eyes lit up like Noriko's. Izark almost smiled to see the commonality. He glanced at the other seated man and the look in his eyes matched Izark's. The look they shared was the same as well, once the other man got over his initial brief shock to see kindred feelings in Izark.
"Yes, I do. I ran...was a teacher at one for a while," Noriko said happily.
"Really? I am also, though I can only go twice a year. They tell me I have to come be the next Dean," the black-haired woman laughed. "That's a dream down the road, though."
"That's a fun job to have," Noriko said. She knew.
"I'm looking forward to it," the woman smiled and looked between the two of them. "Please sit with us. We are just finishing, but we aren't in a hurry tonight."
"Thank you," Izark said in his normally quiet voice. "We're sorry to intrude upon your date." He held out a chair for Noriko next to the woman and pushed her in, then slung his bag on the back of the fourth chair and sat between her and the man. He wasn't fooled. To be invited to their table directly meant the whispers originated from or to here and they had power here in this place.
The man he sat next to waved a hand. "No problem. You're interesting, and we're curious. My name is Obi Melick, this is my wife Ilena Polov Wisteria."
Izark nodded at both of them. "Pleasure. I'm Izark kia Tarj, this is my wife Noriko Taichiki."
'Interesting. A world where, like yours, family names don't necessarily carry to spouses.' Noriko commented.
Ilena laced her fingers together and rested them in front of her chin, her elbows on the table. "Izark," she waited for him to look at her, then paused just a little longer, her eyes lit with extreme curiosity. It seemed she changed her mind and said something different. "We'll pay for your meals."
Noriko's eyebrows went up high and Izark froze for just a moment. "Thank you?" he said cautiously.
"...As payment for visiting with us," she finished, answering his unspoken question. Izark's sudden tension had the whole group alert, though. Ilena paused, then waved a hand at the man seated by himself.
He rose smoothly and walked over. Quietly, the same sort of quiet Izark used in his speaking, he asked, "Yes, Mistress Ilena?"
"I think we need to introduce you so that he can relax enough to actually eat." There was a bit of a bubble of humor in her voice. "Izark kia Tarj, this is Liam Melick, Obi's older brother, and my shield. He sits alone because I overwork him and the Children are a bit high strung for him when he wants to relax. I would greatly appreciate it if the two of you could tone down your worries about each other." She looked between Izark and Noriko, then looked closely at Noriko, as if looking into her. She came back to herself, then nodded. "I see." She pointed a hand towards Noriko. "Liam, see, it's here. Look." Liam turned his gaze to Noriko, who was a bit worried, but tried to smile politely. As they looked into each other's eyes, Liam did finally relax and bow. "You said your name is Nori-ko Tai-chi-ki?" Ilena said they syllables carefully.
Noriko nodded. "That's done very well, and even in your own tongue." She paused, holding her breath slightly, having given them away if that slip was caught. Eyebrows were raised. These people were sharp and had caught it. Izark sighed to himself. This job wasn't going to be easy, it looked like. They were going to be discovered already. They generally tried not to be, since it often meant power hungry people wanted to keep them against their will.
"Thank you," Ilena said smoothly, but in a noble way, not an evil cover-up. She looked up over her shoulder at Liam. "Do you see it?" she asked him.
Liam bowed to Noriko slightly. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Noriko. I'm sure Mistress Ilena could talk all night with you on many university topics. She doesn't often have the chance with the rest of us, save Mistress Shirayuki and Mister Ryuu on occasion. I'm sure your dinner conversation will not be lacking." He had a hint of a genuine smile on his face that surprised Izark.
Izark leaned back slightly, looking between Liam and Noriko. "Thank you, Mister Liam," Noriko said a little shyly.
'Noriko. Does he 'see'? Can he see your light?' Izark was burning with curiosity. Noriko carried the World of Light in her eyes.
'I think, a little. She does.' The second was definite.
Izark turned to the other man - Obi. He was looking at Liam's reaction as well, then looked at Noriko with a look of consideration. When he noticed Izark's attention turned to him, he glanced at him, then turned to his wife, resting his chin on his hand, his elbow on the table. "She reminds me very much of Mistress," he commented mildly.
"I was thinking the same," Ilena said with a soft smile.
Izark leaned back and relaxed. That was enough for him. Ilena's eyes flickered to him, lit with humor and openness. That was interesting. This Ilena seemed to know exactly how to manipulate people in very minor ways. She was definitely the head of this group. Izark had seen her light, though, just enough to know that for the time of this meal, at least, they were safe. If they served someone like Noriko, who was all light, they were likely good, especially with that reaction when they talked of her.
Liam bowed and made his way back to his table. There was a voice on the wind again, male and a bit complainey. The people at this table didn't move, but Izark flicked an eye to the table of four. The sour expression of the one man who already hadn't liked their entrance made it pretty obvious who had spoken. A lilting of the clear female voice made Izark's eyes snap back to the woman, though he felt the tenseness of that other man's shoulders give way to resignation.
Oh, so you can hear it. Izark blinked. That time it came translated. He looked her in the eyes as she slowly raised them to look into his. If you can't speak at this level, don't answer. It's a secret. He nodded slightly. She relaxed again. That was odd and made him very curious. He was actually glad that the food arrived in front of him and Noriko at that point to distract him.
Obi leaned forward, a hand raised cautionarily. "Ah, Ma, what did you bring her to drink?"
The matron looked at him, then at Noriko with a smile. "Juice, of course. I know the Children who can't tolerate the alcohol, Father."
Obi grinned at her. "Even the ones who aren't Children...yet. You're very good. Thanks."
"This one, though," the matron pointed at Izark, "is like you. I could give you both the entire cabinet and the both of you would just slosh your way out the door."
Obi's face lit up even more and he laughed. Izark immediately liked him. His laugh was kind and genuine, and the light in his face now was as well, his wariness at newcomers erased for this moment. "You also don't become drunk?" Izark asked him.
Obi shook his head, then pointed a finger at Ilena. "Don't test her, either. She's got more tolerance than I do, and I don't even know what that is yet."
Izark smiled shyly at both of them. "I prefer not to test mine over what is needful for a meal."
Ilena lit up. "Ah, my kind of man, then. Obi would go until he's only got empty bottles around him, or a full stomach." The gentle tease was evident.
Obi nodded. "It means we split the bottle, two for her, four for me, and we've had enough."
Izark lifted his cup. "That must be nice. I have to drink the whole thing." He looked over at Noriko, a teasing twinkle in his eye. She grimaced at him as she ate her second bite of the food. If she was okay, then he'd be okay with the food. He tasted the wine. It wasn't too bad, actually. "This is nice," he said as he set it back down.
Obi nodded. "That's one of the nice things about this place. Nice enough to have decent drinks, not so overly ostentatious that we can't afford to even walk in for smells."
Izark took up his fork. "The best places are like that."
Ilena was an excellent hostess, taking up intellectual interests with Noriko as the two of them tried to find common ground in that arena. Izark had spent enough time in politics on his world to know. Slowly he came to draw a picture of her and what she possibly was. Her nobility, that came out like a sun from behind clouds, was what spoke to him most. For all nothing had been said about titles, he was pretty certain she was titled, if this world had them. With her being called 'mistress', it surely did. Obi had been called 'master' and they were spouses, so he carried title as well, but Izark thought he might have married to it. He was more...'rougish' seemed the only word that came to mind, really. His thoughts flicked to Liam, as did his eyes briefly. She'd called him her 'shield' and he felt like Izark himself. That didn't make him 'demon', but it did make him definitely 'strong protector'. Strong enough she was likely placed fairly high in the strata of this world's nobility. And with four more along with them...
"Ah, Izark," Noriko turned to him, "she says she studied herbs at the university."
Izark looked up interested. "That was my first study as well, though never formal," he said to her. Both Obi and Noriko took notice of that. He smiled a little sadly. "It was of necessity so that I could heal the injured around me. When I was young there was much war and bloodshed in my...country and the surrounding ones. I taught it to Noriko, but she took it much farther in her usual excitement to learn new things and became a doctor, along with all the other things she did."
They nodded sympathetically. "We haven't had that problem here, yet. Regent Zen and King Izana are very good at keeping the country stable, and we've managed to get treaties of peace with all the surrounding nations." Ilena paused, glanced at Obi, then added, "Except one." She kept her tone light, as if to say it didn't matter, but the worry was still there.
Izark and Noriko looked at each other, in complete agreement along their line of emotional connection. They'd been brought to help with that, almost surely.
"Oh, I know," Ilena sat up, as if a child suddenly come up with an idea. Izark raised an eyebrow, not believing it for an instant. Obi, seeing his reaction, hid a smile behind his hand, turning away. "Why don't you come with us. We've got a room you can stay in and tomorrow we'll show you the green houses. I'd love to know what herbs you know about that we might not, and I'd bet you'd love to see what we have, too. I don't know if Mistress Shirayuki would be available, but Ryuu would be. If there are things you could share with him, I know he'd be ecstatic." She smiled a wistful smile. "Herbs and plants are his life. He's been a Court Pharmacist since he was ten. He is the first child prodigy recognized by the crown."
Noriko blinked. "A child?" Noriko and Obi both nodded.
"Well, he isn't any more," Obi modified. "He's come into his own, and even has a girlfriend now." Obi and Ilena looked mischievously at each other, but didn't elaborate.
"In my...land we also have a few child prodigies. They always receive high recognition," Noriko said kindly.
"I always thought Noriko was one," Izark said softly, putting his hand on her shoulder as he leaned back from his empty plate.
Noriko shook her head. "No, not really. I just work hard."
Ilena pinned Noriko with a look. "Prodigies have to work hard, too. It is just their minds are nimble from a young age."
Noriko paused, then retracted. "Well, yes, I suppose you're right. I guess I can't compare really."
Obi interjected kindly, "In our world, the prodigies were only just being recognized at the time Ryuu was found by the Head Court Pharmacist of Wistal Castle. Ilena was missed because she was born just a little too soon. I'm afraid it's still a little sore point for her. She had four dissertations by the time they finally graduated her at twenty five. The first one was completed when she was about nine. She just had to wait a long time, is all."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Noriko said, meaning it. "I'm glad they finally did recognize you though." She blushed a little. "But...in my world I'm not that good." Izark tightened his hand on Noriko's shoulder in warning too late. He'd heard Obi's use of the word, but hadn't expected it to rebound off Noriko. He sighed to himself. He didn't need to look at the two others at the table to know they'd caught it...and all the pauses before when they'd tried hard to not say it before. They were definitely nobles and the two of them were almost as definitely in trouble.
When he didn't react otherwise right then, though he wanted to rise and make their excuses and leave, Ilena smoothly took up her turn to answer. "Thank you. I do have to keep forgiving them. The new dean there now knew of my earliest works and apologized. Actually, to some degree it was my own fault. I kept hiding from them when they wanted to give me the diplomas earlier. It took the Regent pinning me down so I couldn't run away again for them to be able to do it." Izark was surprised when Ilena blushed just a little. "Then I could have kicked my younger self. I've really enjoyed being a professor for real since then." Her voice was wistful.
Noriko looked at her for a moment. "We can't change the past, only move forward daily doing our best. I hope you continue to enjoy the times you can get to Lyrias."
Ilena's eyes rose to meet Noriko's and there was a moment of the world pausing - holding it's breath. Ilena bowed her head slightly to Noriko. "Thank you," she said very seriously. She took the initiative and rose. She looked solemnly between Izark and Noriko. "Please, come with us, to the castle."
Noriko's breath caught, surprised by the location. Izark rose smoothly to look Ilena in the eyes. "Will you tell us your rank first?"
"Second Princess of Clarines. Regent Zen is my younger brother, King Izana is my older brother."
Izark pulled Noriko's chair out for her and she stood, as did Obi. Izark looked at Noriko soberly. She looked back. 'Yes, Izark, I think we should.'
He looked back at Ilena and bowed his head slightly. "We would be honored, Your Highness." They might be able to run for it, but it wouldn't look pretty, and so far, things looked promising.
The men at the other tables rose as well and moved, two to head towards the door, two who fell in behind Liam who fell in behind Izark and Noriko and their hosts. Izark took it in. It meant that in this world, protection was expected for royalty, at least, and possibly necessary, for all they had said there was peace. But only five for the two, who looked capable enough on their own, also said it wasn't terrible.
"That's Henry - the one who doesn't want to trust you just yet - and Marcus his partner. They are my guards," Ilena waved at the two who had headed to the door and were both holding it open for them and were scanning the streets to make sure they were safe enough to enter. "The other two are Petroi and Thayne. Petroi's the one who stood behind me from childhood so comes from my home country. I've put him behind Obi now, and Obi asked specifically for Thayne."
Princess Ilena was very good at knowing how to put Izark at ease, and he looked at her from the side of his eyes, his curiosity rising again, though not quite as bad as before. He wondered just how much they would let him and Noriko know when they were in private.
"You're native country? But I thought you said the King and Regent of this country were your brothers?" Noriko asked. "Ah, I'm sorry, for asking." She immediately rescinded her curiosity.
Ilena looked at her tolerantly. "No. It is confusing. My mother and their mother were sisters. Because I am now an orphan, they have adopted me as their sister. By blood we are cousins." Before Noriko could be sympathetic, Ilena continued breezily on, "I was born in Selicia, a country to the north west, on the other side of tall mountains. Petroi was also born there. Obi and I are second cousins, sharing a great-grandfather, but he was born here in Wilant, the northern region of Clarines. The line of kings of Selicia runs in his blood, as does the ancient blood of the kings of Wilant, before it formed the alliance with Clarines and became a fief for the sake of being protected against its enemies. My mother was the Second Princess of Clarines and my father the Third Prince of Selicia before the coup there. I'm just as happy to only be the princess of one kingdom now. The new king there is doing rather well, now that we've settled the third kingdom well enough - which is now a Grand Duchy of Clarines."
"Which she's the Grand Duchess of," Henry growled from in front of them, still a bit put out.
"That's rather a lot of responsibility," Noriko looked at Ilena with wide eyes.
"Do they have such things where you come from?" Ilena asked politely.
"Well...yes and no. Some countries do, but not my own, but where Izark is from we worked with the nobility and kings of a number of countries. Grand Duke Jeida was a good friend of ours, as was his wife, so we are familiar with the level of effort that title brings." Noriko said in a friendly way.
The tenor of the whole group changed. The four guards relaxed after a surprised pause. Ilena and Obi just stayed surprised. Izark decided that Liam never let anything show, so he must be just as surprised. He understood that very well. He was also surprised, actually, but not at the titles. He looked around one more time, then said, "I'm sorry to not understand the customs here, but do all nobility walk, particularly the city streets at night?"
That brought back the group with a bit of a jolt. Humor lit everyone. Obi smiled at Izark, "No. Just us. We enjoy the walk as it's a bit of freedom from the castle walls. Neither of us grew up in the castle walls so occasionally we have to get out to breathe. Walking is a good excuse to take longer to get back."
Izark and Noriko both nodded. "Walking is very freeing," Noriko sighed. "It's been a while, actually. We used to walk, or ride, quite a bit in the early years."
"Ride?" Ilena was on that immediately, enough to make Izark draw back just a bit. "So you ride also?"
Obi tugged at Ilena, chuckling. "I doubt in that way, Ilena." He looked at his guests. "She rides competitively, or to escape, or to just sleep."
"Sleep?" Noriko asked a bit blankly, then shook her head. "No, I just learned enough to stay on and move forward. I actually prefer walking, to be honest."
"Oh," Ilena was a bit disappointed, but then smiled. "That's okay. As long as you know how. Master Zen and his aides," she paused to scowl at Obi, "wouldn't let Mistress Shirayuki learn to ride for herself until I came along and forced it."
"Ah...I'm sorry," Noriko said, "may I ask another question out of ignorance?"
Ilena gave her a look. "Miss Noriko. You do not come from here. Ask away without apology. I will not be offended. I am a teacher, remember?"
Noriko gave her a look back. Izark could see she was fighting a smile. She did finally settle for just a nod. "Of course. Thank you. If you are a Second Princess and a Grand Duchess, why do you have a master and a mistress?"
Grins all around at that one, Izark noticed. This group was as relaxed as the group of friends they'd had in his world, made up of common animal keepers all the way up to the Grand Duke. His stride relaxed a little more. "That is rather a long story, actually," Ilena answered. "I will tell you it is because Obi started it and I continued it. From the beginning, when Zen took Obi's reins, Obi has called him 'Master' and Shirayuki 'Mistress'. When I came, I needed to learn to follow, not just lead, and Obi taught me. Also, I already wanted to serve Zen and walk beside Obi behind Shirayuki, so in order to remind myself that was where I wanted to be, I called Shirayuki 'Mistress Shirayuki', and when Zen made me his Head of Intelligence, I wanted to make sure he understood his own place, so took to calling him Master Zen. It has rather stuck, even though he is my brother and she was a commoner from the beginning." Ilena shrugged. "We still follow behind Mistress Shirayuki when necessary, and Master Zen still commands us, so it is also still appropriate, though they do occasionally complain that time has certainly overcome the titles. Many find it odd that a Prince and Princess of the realm call another Prince and Princess of the realm by that way."
Noriko nodded. "In my country, we call each other by the titles often. I call my older brother by that title of 'Older Brother' more often than not, and he calls me 'Little Sister'." Izark tightened his hold on her hand. To think of such things still made her sad. She squeezed back and looked at him with a smile to say she was okay.
"Oh, that's how I do it, too!" Obi said expressively. "I call the King, 'King Brother', and their mother, 'Queen Mother' - though most people do now that she has stepped down, and the King's wife is 'Queen Sister'."
Noriko smiled her light smile at Obi, matching him. "That sounds familiar. I like it, though ...do they?"
Obi thought about that. "Well, it doesn't matter to me if they do or not, really. If it teases them that's just as good."
Izark rolled his eyes, then noticed he wasn't the only one and he had to hide a grin. "This...is rather like...coming home," he said quietly.
Noriko looked up at him in surprise, then nodded as a slow smile spread across her face. "It is, isn't it," she answered.
There was silence for a moment, then Ilena said quietly, "If we can be that for you, then I am glad."
"Ah...Mother's heart's been touched." Marcus looked over at Izark from his position diagonally in front of them. "I think you've just been adopted, too." Izark looked at him confused but only got a smile back.
After a bit of quiet walking, Ilena asked, "Izark, what do you do?"
Izark looked up at the sky. "That answer is probably as long as your's that you're waiting to tell us. Will it suffice to tell you that I began as a wandering swordsman for hire?"
Ilena thought about it, then asked, "Who is your current employer?"
Izark looked at Noriko. She gave him her look of complete trust. He smiled at her. "Probably you. ...But it's whoever the World of Light wants me to work for, really." He put out the last a little concerned, wanting to know how far this world had come, but knowing it might get them into trouble.
The reaction of the guards said they didn't know about the world of light and Noriko sagged just a little, but Obi surprised them with a soft musing comment. "I always wondered if there was something behind the light I see."
Noriko looked at Izark, then cautiously asked, "Where do you see the light, Lord Obi?"
He looked at her quickly. "Just Obi, please." Noriko nodded in surprise. He went back to his musing. "Master and Mistress are suns, bright lights in the sky, though Master can get dark if he wants to. Mistress never does - just stern. I thought Ilena was a sun, too, at first, but her dark side is as dark as mine. We are moons. Sometimes very light, sometimes partial light, occasionally dark." He waved a hand around at their guards. "The Children are lesser moons. Ilena is the brightest of the moons." He looked over at Noriko closely. "You are probably a sun, but your man Izark...," Obi looked at him and the glint was a little challenging. "Was almost no light at all, until you came to show it to him. Now, he is a moon, that reflects your sun, the same as I reflect the suns who surround me. Without the suns, or my bright moon," Obi looked at his wife tenderly, "he and I..., we would be only darkness."
Izark's hand involuntarily held Noriko's more tightly and warmly. Noriko put her other hand on his arm and rubbed it gently. "You have a good grasp of it, I think, Obi," Izark said quietly. "In my world, I was to become the bringer of darkness to the entire world. Noriko was sent to help me reach the light so that my world would be spared. The World of Light has used us since then to bring light to other worlds in danger of darkness overtaking them. We don't know why we're here, but we were brought directly to you." He looked over to the royals, who had turned to look at him with wide eyes. Soberly he said, "If you haven't see darkness yet, then we are likely here to prevent it from overtaking this world before it can begin."
Ilena and Obi breathed finally and Ilena looked at Obi soberly, a very sad look on her face. "It's hard to believe that we would need help."
The guards around her nodded. "Mother is very strong," Petroi said, his light voice strong and calm, almost soothing, surprising Izark.
Thayne added, "And with Master Zen working with her, together they represent a very strong front. It's a worrisome thing to think that isn't enough."
Ilena was looking up into the sky. She was gone for a long time, Obi being her eyes for the walking. When she returned, she shook her head. "We will have to wait and see. I can't see it yet."
"Are you a seer?" Noriko asked tentatively, but she had been given permission to ask her questions.
"A 'seer'?" Ilena asked.
"Ah...someone who can see the future."
Ilena shook her head. "There is no fortune telling here. My 'seeing' is the seeing of kings. In my head, I have a 'board', like a chess board. On it is all the people who I direct and know, and all of the people that will affect Wilant and the lands and people I need to protect. I am the Minister of Intelligence for Wilant and Tarc, the Duchy, because I need as much information as possible to have a correct board and be able to correctly predict the effect of actions taken in the present. The board of the king is greater, as he has to maintain it for all of Clarines to protect it. He can see out many tens of years, even perhaps to over one hundred. I see out tens, but perhaps really only forty reliably and fifty to sixty hazily."
She paused. Izark was impressed, though Noriko was nodding. She ran her own life like that, Izark knew from experience. "I wonder...," Ilena mused. She turned a sideways look on Obi. "I think it's time to communicate with Izana. He has a piece I need but have missed."
Izark felt on the wind, or rather heard, the whispers again and all the heads around them paused to listen to it. Ilena sent words back, then sighed. "Well...things will move again before I am ready." Obi patted her hand consolingly. She looked back at Izark. "I think I will hire you. The king is already on his way here. He will arrive at Wilant Castle in two days. If I don't hire you first, he will. You came to me, I'd like to keep you."
Izark nodded philosophically. "We only need housing, proper clothing, food, enough to purchase necessary items while we are here. Once we leave, it won't go with us."
Ilena nodded as if it was expected. "Well, then consider yourselves adopted. We'll cram you in somewhere."
There was a bit of silence, then Noriko giggled. They looked at her a bit aghast. "Sorry," she giggled. "You made it sound like you are taking us to a house full of orphan children you've adopted. All I could see were children of a wide range of ages running around, climbing the furniture and walls."
The surprised looks turned to soft smiles on Obi and Ilena and wide grins on the guards. "Well...you wouldn't be wrong, really," Ilena said softly, the light shining from her.
Marcus shook his head. "You'd be pretty much on the mark...except some of them are their own, really, and therefore don't qualify as orphans. ...The 'new' Regent's Wing still wasn't big enough."
Obi sighed. "No, it wasn't."
Liam chuckled slightly behind them. "Really, all of the northern countries are her home, you know. I'm not sure even the three countries are big enough for all of her Children."
Ilena looked up at the sky again and Noriko and Izark could both see it. She glowed, and when they looked at her heart, the door at the nexus to the world of light was open and the light spilled out from it, like it did for Noriko. "No...it isn't big enough...but that's because there are so many more Children than the ones in the three countries. Tanbarn, Altherly, even out towards Espanole...and who knows how far." She sighed sadly, "...and the ones in Brulac."
Noriko and Izark were surprised by the shadow that covered her. Her door was still open. Obi reached up a hand and brushed her hair, then held the back of his hand against her cheek. She turned and hid her eyes in it for a few breaths, then made them all stop while he wrapped his arms around her and held her. Noriko looked up at Izark, worried, then stepped over and put her hand on Ilena's arm gently.
"Ilena," Noriko called her. "You are feeling the sorrow of the World of Light and those in it who are calling out to have light restored so that they can be free of the darkness."
Obi nodded at her. "She often feels this. That's why we call her Mother. She is Mother to all who seek the light, and her calling has always been to bring them into the light, to help them come out of the darkness. She lived in darkness herself for a very long time so she understands."
Izark straightened in surprise. "She has learned empathy, then."
Obi nodded soberly again. "In great measure, I would think."
Izark walked to the other side of the two. "Ilena, empathy opens the door to the world of light. It is already opened in you. Use the strength of the world of light to recover." He frowned. It wasn't right, but he didn't know how to say it.
"Mmm...I think you might think this way," Noriko said thoughtfully. "All creatures, people, things exist in the world of light already, and it exists in them. Each one who is connected to it desires the light and the peace and joy it brings. Because the strength of 'family' exists there, the family made up of all creation, you can be sure that the desires of all that seek the light will help you and support you. You can trust that the outcome will be the outcome that the light desires and seeks. All that is dark tears itself apart. It may appear strong, but it is illusion. In the end, it must fall. The creatures of light require it so they can live. When you rely on the people and things around you that want to live, to have light, you have strength, and therefore hope, unmeasured. We all must do our part, whatever it is, but when we each have done it, then we know all will be well in the end, even if we have to walk through very painful things before then." Izark and Noriko both hurt, remembering their own dark times, but they stood calmly, trying to help Ilena and Obi.
There was a nearly audible *click*. Obi reacted with an almost violent jump, though he kept his arms around his wife, and gave a light gasp. "Ilena. Ilena. Are you okay?" he asked quietly, urgently.
She looked up at him puzzled. "Why wouldn't I be, Obi? Those were very nice words."
"You clicked again," he said, almost hurt.
Ilena paused and looked inside again, then shook her head. "I think we all just got put on someone else's board. That's what it feels like, anyway." She looked at Noriko with a small smile. "Maybe, it was the World of Light's board."
Noriko looked at her, blinking, then she smiled. "That...is the best board to be on."
Ilena looked back and her face was soft. "Yes, it is. We've been there before, when we took Tarc peaceably so that we could have as few deaths as possible, though some were still required, sadly. I don't have the same position this time, though. I was in a strong position to help them."
Noriko looked between Ilena and Obi to Izark. "Then perhaps that's why we're here this time. Izark...is physically connected to the world of light. Because he chose light in his world, he is...of the light...his strength to defend and protect comes directly from the World of Light. Where there is a great need, we are sent to help those of the light who cry out for the help. Also, hopefully with the least casualties. We have learned the light wishes for all to return to it, even to the point of calling to the most dark of it's children at the very end, and beyond, but it is better for it to happen before too many children are lost in the dark. And the more that can live, and return to the light, the stronger the light is, the more peace and joy in the world there is."
Ilena let go of Obi and immediately embraced Noriko, who was startled, though eventually she took Ilena in an awkward embrace. She wasn't much for hugs. As Izark watched, Ilena's light recovered slowly until she was calm and there wasn't a shadow. He relaxed and noticed Obi did also. He was surprised when the guards did as well. They were all affected by her. He found it interesting. He turned to Obi. "Noriko, too, had children around her as if she were the mother of the orphanage."
Obi gave him a quiet smile. "So...does that make you Father in your world, the same as it does me in mine?"
Izark took a mental step back and blinked. Then he drew in a breath and sighed. "I suppose it does, though I hadn't considered it."
Obi nodded sagely. "Mother taught me to be Father first. But it was still an adjustment. Coming to suddenly understand that you are a parent of thousands when you aren't even married is rather...disconcerting."
Izark nodded. "Even after you're married for many years, it is..."
"Did you ever have your own?" Obi asked.
Izark shook his head. Sadly, for Noriko's sake, he said, "No. But always, always we were adopted."
Obi's smile was full of the soft light he carried. "And you've been so again. I would guess she's going to name you Aunt and Uncle." He tipped his head at Ilena questioningly, now that she was mostly recovered.
"How old are you two?" Ilena asked. "You look younger than us, but close."
Izark and Noriko looked at each other and smiled. "We get to pick. We're just past the middle of our third lifetime, I think." Izark answered.
The others looked like they'd been hit in the gut. Ilena recovered first. "Then, Big Brother and Big Sister, otherwise I'll get weird looks for calling you Great Grandparents."
Noriko and Izark both waved hands of rejection. "Please, not that," Noriko begged. "At any age, we all stop aging at the early twenties. We'll take Big Sister and Big Brother."
They got walking again. "Have you been world travelling the whole time?" Ilena asked, her professor's mind caught.
"No," Noriko answered. "We spent the first lifetime in Izark's world, and the second in mine, as our gift for the things we did in the first one. Since then it's only been for as long as necessary to restore light to whatever world we're in."
"Oh," Ilena was a bit disappointed. Obi looked it also. "Well, before you leave us, tell the World of Light it has to let us have the obligatory celebration." Noriko looked at Ilena, confused, and she elaborated. "When we're all done, we return home and Obi and Mistress Shirayuki and Petroi and Justinian go to the kitchen and make all of our favorite foods and we gather as a family and sit and just enjoy being together again as just family, no hats, no titles, no responsibilities. It helps us heal and be able to move on. I'd not be able to do that without you, really, since you're going to start with us. We can have it be your farewell party, though I'll already miss you terribly."
Noriko laughed lightly. "Don't miss us yet. We just got here. ...but I think if that is your typical reward, it will reward you with that again. The world of light is very kind and loving. We have been blessed many times for our small efforts, and Izark's slightly larger ones."
"Well, it's had its costs, too," Izark said dryly. "Though they haven't been as bad as the first time's costs, for which I am grateful."
Noriko nodded agreement. "It wasn't fun watching Izark nearly die."
"Same for you," he said to her softly.
"That does sound rather extreme," Obi shuddered.
"Though we've gone through the same here," Ilena pointed out.
"True," Obi said quietly.
They completed the walk to the castle in quiet companionship, though Izark found it odd to so suddenly be accepted.