Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world, it belongs to Trudi Canavan
Choices
It would happen tonight. The dream will come again. Sonea didn't know why she felt this, but the feeling was so strong, she knew she must be right. So much time had passed since she and Akkarin had started working on her ability to be awake and aware in her dreams, that it seemed almost unbelievable that the dream would ever return. There had been too many attempts which ended in failure, and too few of those with some sort of success, however small. But now, at last, she was able to remain aware in all her dreams, able to hear clearly and, above all, able to see without the veil over her sight which had troubled her for so long.
She didn't bother to tell Akkarin about her conviction that the dream would come tonight. She had no proper evidence and she was sure he would think her strong feelings simply an emotional reaction to all the work they had been doing. But there was one thing she did want him to do and that was to enter her mind so he could see what was going to happen. Her only problem was to convince him to do so.
It had been many weeks since he had been a presence in her mind. She smiled ruefully to herself. For so long she had resisted his attempts to monitor her dreams, afraid that he would find out things about her that would alter his feelings. Eventually she had given in to his demand and laid bare her defences. He had spent a few nights in her mind, before deciding that his actual presence was interfering with her ability to remain alert and made the decision to stop. Now she had to persuade him to occupy her mind once more.
The day seemed to crawl by. Sonea was increasingly impatient as time passed, becoming rather snappish when Justen complained about his work, and staring at Akkarin as he seemed to linger over meals. She watched the sun slowly set, willing it to be gone and for night to fall so that she could find her bed and prepare for the dream. But time, as always when she was waiting for an important event, trundled on unhurried.
At last, it was time. Justen was put to bed and Takan took himself off to his scullery. Akkarin had a last glass of wine, before following her to their bed chamber. Although Sonea had been worried that Akkarin would want to discuss her desire to have his presence in her dream, in the event, apart from sending one of his sharp penetrating glances in her direction, he made no comment when she asked, merely nodding his agreement.
By now they had devised a series of steps to ensure Sonea was relaxed and ready for sleep. She drifted off as Akkarin caressed her gently. Almost immediately, she was awake, sitting on a bench in a large room. She had been there before, but couldn't remember when. She looked around. In a corner, she glimpsed the still figure of Akkarin. He made no movement in her direction, but remained facing the open door at the other end of the room. She could see a dark shadowy figure not far away and realised that the Other was dream-walking again.
The room was silent so she waited for what seemed like a very long time. After a while, she heard the faint familiar chime from earlier dreams and steeled herself to meet whatever was coming. Other sounds she had heard before sounded, the rushing of wings, the loud footsteps coming nearer. Then silence, just as Akkarin had experienced when he had met the creature.
Sonea wondered what form the creature would take with her – the huge shape with wings and talons like the carving, or the regal queen-like figure Akkarin had met. A shiver ran down her back. She was afraid she would not be able to face the creature, but at the same time, she was eager to see it.
A shadow formed in the doorway. It was here! Sonea could not tear her eyes away from it as it swirled and fluttered just outside the room. The silence was thick and Sonea found her throat tighten. Then the creature entered the room.
To Sonea's surprise, the figure which began to walk towards her was that of a young girl, barely in her teens. She wore blue robes, similar in colour and style to those worn by the Guild Administrators, but made of a much softer fabric which fluttered around her as she walked. Here and there, Sonea saw the gleam of crystals. Her hair, which was the bright colour of silver, streamed down her back in gentle waves. There was a soft smile on her face, which apart from the jewelled eyes, seemed perfectly human.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sonea could see Akkarin who had his gaze trained on the creature. His face showed none of the surprise she was sure he was feeling. They both watched as the girl approached. When she was almost within touching distance of Sonea, she stopped and waited.
Sonea didn't know what she was expected to say. The thought came to her to make a formal bow, novice to high-ranking magician, but she resisted the urge. The silence stretched between them, then the girl laughed, a tinkling, brittle laugh which sent shivers down Sonea's spine.
"No welcome, Sonea?"
Her voice was silvery, as Sonea had imagined it, but beneath the pleasant tones, she could hear something harder, something powerful, with a thread of impatience woven through it.
"I am pleased to meet you," Sonea replied carefully. "It has been a long time."
The creature nodded, before glancing over towards Akkarin. "You have brought your guardian. Are you so afraid that you would not come alone?"
"Yes, I am afraid. I am unused to creatures like you."
Sonea had decided that wherever possible, she would be honest in her answers, no matter what that might bring. For a moment, there was silence and as it continued, Sonea feared she had angered the girl. Then her laugh sounded again, creating more shivers along Sonea's spine.
"A creature! Is that how you think of me, and I had gone to the trouble of appearing as one of your own. We need to talk, but what we say is not for the ears of others."
The creature made no gestures, nor appeared to murmur an incantation, but in an instant, Sonea found herself on a hillside filled with the sweet scent of wild flowers. There was no sign of Akkarin or the Other. The girl was sitting on the grass, the skirts of her robe spread around her, idly weaving flowers into a coronet.
"Sit next to me," she commanded, not bothering to look up from her work.
As Sonea sat down carefully, making sure she did not touch the robes or brush against any part of the girl, she felt the coronet firmly placed on her head.
"A crown would suit you, Sonea. Do you wish for one?"
Completely thrown by the question, Sonea scrabbled for an answer that would not offend the creature, nor encourage her to believe Sonea desired to rule.
"No, I am not worthy nor capable of wearing the crown. Besides, we have a King, Merin, who has been kind to me."
Her response was ignored.
"My name is Siryru, say it!"
Sonea found the abrupt changes of direction in their conversation quite disturbing, but she suspected that was the intention. For the moment, she was content to follow whatever direction the creature wanted.
"Siryru."
"That was not very difficult was it? Do you know who I am?"
"Siryru is a protecting deity of the Ichani."
If the girl noticed the subtle difference in Sonea's answer, she made no mention of it. She began to weave another coronet. Sonea barely supressed a sigh of frustration. She had waited weeks for the dream after the creature had demanded her presence, and yet now she was here, all she did was ask idle questions and make coronets.
"Patience, Sonea." Siryru murmured.
Sonea felt fear gnawing at her belly. The creature was able to read her mind. Nothing could be hidden from her. Sonea had no defences and no Akkarin to help her.
A faint echo of the creature's laughter sounded as she read Sonea's reaction. "You need my help, Sonea and I am willing to give it."
This time, the girl placed the floral coronet on her own head and turned, smiling towards Sonea, inviting a comment. Sonea smiled in response, but said nothing.
Siryru sighed. "I have made a lot of effort to organise this meeting and yet you do nothing to encourage a belief that you are willing to participate in conversation."
"You must forgive me. I am a mere mortal unused to such company and I do not know what you want of me."
Again, the silvery laugh rang out, much louder this time, "Such modesty from a powerful magician who has bested many of my own talented magicians. You are different, Sonea and I know that you know it."
"The only difference is that I am not nobly born, but a slum dweller from the city, otherwise I am the same as other magicians in this land."
"Your blood flows with the essence of my people. You are mine and your magic is mine."
Both the words and the tone in which they were uttered chilled Sonea. The creature's power swirled around her and she could see that her own magic was insignificant in comparison. She was completely at the mercy of the creature and both of them knew it.
"What do you want of me?"
"Isn't it more what you need from me?" Siryru stared at her, her sparkling gaze boring deep into Sonea. "You have two beings in the body of your son, Justen and another. You do not want Ashjiko to drive out Justen but you cannot stop him without my help."
"Ashjiko?"
"Yes, the one you call the Other has a name,"
Sonea found she was not surprised that the Other had a name, yet she had never considered it before. It was an Ichani name and that too did not surprise her.
"How did he get this name? Did you name him?"
Siryru smiled, "He named himself. He has plans for Justen, and plans for you and your companion."
"I know he wishes to take my son's body and I will do anything in my power to prevent him."
"His plans are much bigger than that! See, I will show you."
The area around them darkened and gradually everything disappeared from Sonea's sight. Then like a series of pictures, she began to see images of Imardin, but not her city as she knew it, but a much different place. People were walking quietly, dressed in drab garments, their heads bowed, not looking at others as they passed. The Guild came into view, soldiers guarding its gates. Not the King's Guards, but Ichani soldiers. Magicians no longer wore the robes of their Disciplines, but all were dressed in muddy brown garments, as if they had all been reduced to the status of novices. There was no sound with the images, but Sonea had the impression that people walked in silence, that the sounds of normal life had been removed.
The images changed to scenes of destruction. It was almost as if she were a bird, flying high over the land. Looking down, she saw ruined buildings and dead animals. Fire had taken hold in places, destroying buildings and forests, leaving scorched and burned ground behind it. Sonea glimpsed bodies among the ruins and beggars shuffling along, their hands held out for things that would never come.
A new image showed prisoners, chains around their wrists and waists, linking them into a great column marching along a road. They wore cloth around their waists but little else. When they arrived at a large open space, they were forced to their knees. On a raised dais, Sonea saw the Other, with a number of Ichani magicians behind him. As each rank of prisoners knelt before him, he sent powerful forcestrikes against them, only pausing for the guards to drag the bodies away, before killing the next group.
A final image showed Akkarin, dressed, like others in drab garments, chains about his wrists and ankles, kneeling by the Other's side, once more an Ichani slave. Sonea was there too, dressed in servant's garb, serving food and drink to the Other and his friends.
"This is the future Ashjiko dreams of. All the Allied Lands subject to his will, any who oppose him will be killed."
The images faded and Sonea was once again on the hillside with Siryru.
"He will never be able to do all that," Sonea whispered, still affected by the shocking images she had seen.
Siryru laughed, "Of course he will, his magic grows stronger day by day and soon Justen will be lost within him. I can stop this. None of what you have seen will ever happen."
Sonea considered the creature's offer. There would be a price to pay, she was sure and it would be a high price. Was she prepared to offer herself to save Justen and save the Allied Lands? Of course, but what if Siryru wanted something else? What if she wanted Akkarin too?
"What must I do in exchange?" she asked softly.
Siryru stared at her, the jewelled eyes growing larger and brighter until Sonea had to look away. The creature smiled, "My price is simple. I will take Ashjiko now and at a time of my choosing, I will take the life of your son."
Sonea felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of her. An involuntary moan escaped her, despite her hands covering her mouth. The creature couldn't mean it! But Sonea was no fool. This was the price and Siryru would expect it delivered in full.
"I…I need time to think, I must speak with Akkarin…."
"No!" The creature's voice was loud and hard. "There will be no consultation with others. There will be no time given for thought. You will decide now. I will not come to you again. You must decide, life for your son, or life for the Allied Lands. It is a simple enough choice. Choose!"