SPREADING DARKNESS
Chapter Two
Latara roused herself from the long sleep. The journey home had proved to be much shorter, but no less tiring, than the trip to Greece. Sleeping for a week had sounded like a grand idea, and much to her own astonishment, that is exactly what she did. Now was the time to catch up with her charges, and of course, learn careful control of her new gifts. As she moved about her small home, she tested the powers that she was already familiar with. Scanning the vicinity, touching the minds of those with whom she had previous contact, scenting the earth, air and animals nearby. Those, and other gifts, were most definitely stronger than what she had before. It would take time to learn her new limits, although, she strongly suspected that she had few, if any, limitations now. Done with her ablutions and feeling as if she was ready to face the world outside her door, she set out on foot, to the village at the base of the hill.
It was just before sunset, and the village was alive with the laughter of children, and the business of adults. Latara smiled as one of the children bounded up to her. "Lady Latara! I've missed you!!" the young girl squealed and launched herself into Latara's arms.
"Oh, Penelope! How I've missed you as well!" Latara gave the girl a hug. "Are your father and mother home this evening?"
"Yes, yes, they rose just a bit ago--I beat them awake today!" The little girl fairly bubbled with mischief. Penelope's bouncy black curls and twinkling green eyes never failed to convey her personality-- a child who, if left to her own devices would find the most dangerous, and exciting thing she could, and somehow make it through without a scratch while scaring the living essence out of any adult nearby.
"And what did you do, young lady, with your few moments of alone time?" Latara wondered if anyone was in need of healing or help with repairs.
"I practiced what you showed me! You know, how to work with the soil... can you come and see how I did.. I only worked with my own sleeping chamber, just in case I did something wrong... please come and look, please?"
"First, let me go speak with your father and mother, csitri, and then I will be delighted to see how well you did." Taking Penelope's hand, Latara started walking toward Penelope's home. "I hope you used the meditation and the chant, like I showed you. The use of only your own power will tire you much faster. By concentrating and calming yourself first, you will be able to channel only what you need to use, and not everything else, into the healing of the soil."
"Yes, Latara, I did, really!! And I chanted like you taught me too. It really did feel like I was talking to the Earth Spirits. Can anyone do it? Talk to the Spirits, I mean." Penelope was very intent on that question, her little face scrunched up in concentration.
"Every being in our world has their own gifts, Penelope. Some can talk to Spirits, and others only to people. Some people will understand growing things, and others will understand how to make tools. No one's gift is any better than anyone else's. It is the balance of the gifts that make our village a peaceful and bountiful place to live." Latara knelt down to look into Penelope's eyes. "Do you understand, csitri?"
Penelope looked around their village. Her gaze paused on the Human's homes, watching as they drew their day to a close as the sun began its descent. Her gaze moved to the fields beyond, where the crops were growing, and the livestock dwelled. Looking over the homes of her Carpathian kin, she seemed to reach some sort of decision. "I think so, Lady Latara. Our Human friends live differently than we do, and so they need the soil and animals in a different way. We help take care of their animals and crops at night--enriching the water and soil, healing and guarding the animals, so that our friends don't have to work as hard for what they need. They also get to work more land, because we don't need to till the fields for our food. They help us, in return, by keeping us aware of what is going on during the day, allowing for some feeding as needed, watching for us children if we are more daytime oriented, or need minding. So we all work together and no one goes without, right?"
"Exactly little one, exactly." Standing up, Latara ruffled the girl's hair. "Now on to your home, eh? Would you like to race?" Penelope took off running, and Latara followed her, both of them laughing gaily. Many people looked up from what they were doing to look at the sight, and shake their head and laugh as well.
Both lady and girl arrived at the home of Tavian and Hajna, out of breath and laughing almost hysterically. The door opened before they could get up the front path, and Hajna poked her head out the door. "The whole village is talking about the two of you," she accused on a laugh. Opening the door wider, "Please be welcome in our home, Lady Latara."
"Mama, Lady Latara wants to talk with you and Papa, but afterwards she is going to come and see if I healed the soil in my chamber!" Penelope announced. "So I am going to go read and do my lessons, and stay out of the way, and not listen." A very decisive nod followed that little statement and Penelope walked down the hallway and into her room, closing the door with a slight bang.
Tavian came in the back door. The mud on his boots showing clearly that he had been out in a field, attending to some dirty business or other. Seeing Latara he stopped short, and took a moment to re clothe himself in a cleaner outfit. "My Lady, a pleasure it is to be seeing you again." He bowed rather formally. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence amongst us this rising?"
"Sir Tavian, Lady Hajna, it is good to see you again. I have just recovered my strength from my long voyage into Greece, and the news I bring is most disturbing. Since, my good friends, I know that Hajna has the gift of foresight, I thought to ask her for her assistance in learning to manage a new aspect of a gift of mine. Also, I need to counsel you, Tavian, in changes in the world that are happening now, and will in the future."
Tavian indicated that they should all sit down. "Of course, Latara, let us sit, and discuss the world."
Latara made herself comfortable. "My friends, it would take too long to tell you everything. I am willing to exchange blood, with one or both of you, so that you can see what I have learned."
Tavian leaned forward defensiveness etched into his face. "I will gladly exchange blood with you, and share the information with my lifemate."
Hajna poked him in the ribs. "After all the time we have been alive, and known the Lady Latara, you would think she would do harm to me?! I too, will be exchanging blood with her, after all, having a back up is the better way of being prepared." Hajna's voice conveyed how annoyed she was with her lifemate.
Latara offered each of them one of her wrists. Each leaned down simultaneously to bite, gently, into her wrists. Each of them were startled by the richness of her blood. Neither of them had imbibed of anything this ancient, or enriched before. Closing the wounds to her wrists, they lifted their heads to look at her face. Latara nodded. "Now you each know something more than any of your Carpathian brethren; you know more of what I am, than any other Carpathian has ever known."
Tavian recovered from his surprise first. "My Lady," his awed voice barely made it above a whisper. "How do you, umm.." Hajna took over for him, by extending her own wrist to Latara. Latara with no more than a thought of her mind opened a small cut, painlessly, above the artery that was exposed. Bending her head, she daintily lapped a few times at the blood that flowed. When she lifted her head, the cut was healed. Tavian presented his own wrist, and the ritual was repeated.
When Latara sat completely upright again, she met their gazes unflinchingly. "Some things are not meant to be shared lightly, or carelessly. What you know of me now, and what I am about to show you are some of those things." The images and thoughts that spate from her mind to their own were a vivid reminder that life did go on outside their own region of the world. The memories, sights and sounds covered the rise and fall of Atlantis; the creation and destruction of the Apollites; the Greek pantheon's desire for power--and their willingness to do whatever it took to get that power, including killing any who they thought were in their paths. Latara grimly revealed how many Guardians were left on the continents and islands of Europa and Asia, a mere scattered five. Troubled times were starting, with only worse times to come.
Latara emerged from the mind merge emotionally drained. Slumping in her seat she watched her friends regain some of their own composure. Watching them as Hajna leaned into Tavian for comfort and support, she felt a pang of envy. To have someone to lean on in troubled times would be a blessing indeed, and to have that person be the other half of her soul, would be a miracle beyond thought or feeling, and beyond mere words.
Hajna looked at Latara and asked simply, "What are we to do?" Latara knew, from that one question that the mind merge had given Hajna a good idea of what was to come.
Latara looked at both of them and shrugged. "We do what we must. The Atlanteans were a safeguard for the world. Without them, alive or awake, we all must do what we can. We have thousands of years to do what we can to keep the ancient peoples alive, surviving. To humans, that is too long to even think about. To Carpathians, it can be the difference between a child and it's grand-parents. Wars will come. The wars of men, the wars of gods. The earth will be soiled. Disease and poison decimate the world. Without pure blood, pure water, pure soil, what will happen to the Carpathians, Werewolves, Jaguars and Humans alike? Without trees where will the animals live? Who will speak and listen to the Spirits? The world as we know it will end, and something great and terrible will take its place. We must create a place, high within the mountains. It must be secret, sacred, safe. We must find a way to lure only those who are ready, willing, and in great need to it. We must be self-sufficient, but yet able to keep up with what happens in the world. So that when the time is right, we are prepared to help those that come to us." Latara paused. "Will you be my friends? My helpers? Leaders of all peoples who come our way?"
Tavian and Hajna nodded in unison. "We would be honored, Latara." Tavian answered.
"Now, I do believe I promised to your daughter to see if she was able to rejuvenate the soil in her sleeping chambers." Latara smiled, and seemed to shake off the pall that had fallen over her.
"She is too young to be able to direct her power in such a defined, elegant manner!" Tavian protested.
"She is more than capable. As a matter of fact, she informed me that she rose before you both, and did it while you were still resting. I think, perhaps, Hajna, a school for all the village youth would be beneficial?"
Hajna laughed at her mate's stupefied expression. "I do believe you are correct, Latara. I think I know just the pair of people for the job. With classes in the early morning and late evening, the children will all be able to attend."
Latara nodded. "Please excuse me. I am quite interested in seeing how well Penny has progressed with this lesson."
Tavian and Hajna both followed her down the hall to Penelope's room. Latara knocked on Penelope's door. It flew open before she finished knocking and Latara found her hand grasped by a smaller one. With a sharp tug, Penelope pulled Latara by the hand into her room. Already a patch of bare earth was showing, where the rest of the world had a stone floor and colorful rugs.
" 'Tara, I tried it in a spot where I don't normally rest, because, if I made a mistake I didn't want to not be able to sleep in one of my comfy spots." Penelope gushed on. "I meditated and became pure healing energy, just like you said, and I started chanting the words. I heard the Earth Spirit whispering to me what it needed and wanted, in order to make the soil better. I just hope I did it right!"
Latara knelt next to the exposed earth, ignoring the bemused groans of Penelope's parents for her temerity in nicknaming her. Chanting softly, she held her hand out over
the earth. The Earth spoke to her, gently telling her of the small child's attempt, and how grateful that small patch was for all that had been done for it. Latara smiled at Penelope. "You did very well. This small patch is now a much more desirable place to rest, or to plant in."