Chapter 23: Reunion

Yumi winced as she walked, each step stilted and awkward. Her legs ached with the strain of the saddle, and her bottom was as sore as a whore on payday. Tying her horse to a trunk in a dense stand of elm trees, Yumi fished out a bundle carefully wrapped in cloth from her saddlebags. The bundle in hand, she retired to the campsite. Hugo had built a fire, and was blowing life into the sparks as the flame spread its warm glow, chasing back the darkness and enveloping the circle of travelers in dancing shadows. She settled down beside the others, and sank to her side with a languorous, contented sigh.

Seven of them now sat around the fire, their faces glowing with the reddish orange cast of the flames. Chris had set a pot over the fire, and stirred tea leaves into the still cool water. Hugo had made a rounds of the Karayan trapping sites in the area and returned with two snared rabbits, but the beyond that meager meat, there would be little in the way of food until they reached Chisha the next evening. Chris eyed the bundle set over Yumi's knees with interest, but said nothing. Beside her, Lilly sat with legs akimbo and arms crossed, her hat riding her lap. Even when resting, a scowl soured the girl's face. Yumi couldn't imagine what stuck so far up the girl's craw that she'd never smile. Hugo sat to one side, tending the fire, with Caesar close beside him, attempting to stir up some small talk and to impart his earnest advice upon the Karayan boy. Apple hung back, near the edge of the flickering firelight, her nose buried in a thick leatherbound book. Yumi had settled down near Yun, who hugged her knees and smiled wistfully into the flame. The girl was enjoying their little adventure altogether too much in Yumi's opinion, but then she couldn't blame her, knowing all too well what fate awaited the precocious girl. She felt a stab of regret. She would miss her.

Hugo looked up from the fire. "I think it's time you told us what's going on," he said, fixing Yumi with a brief but knowing look.

"Yes," said Chris, "I too should like to know what brought you to the Wind Seekers' caravan. Why did you seek us out?"

It was Yun who answered. "We need you, Lady Chris," she said.

Chris frowned as she stirred the tea water. "Indeed. And you have yet to explain precisely why that is. What desperate need have you of me in the village of the Alma-Kinan?"

Hugo rose onto the balls of his feet, leaning in over his knees. "Yun, you can see things… right?"

Yun merely smiled. Yumi saw hesitation in the girl's eyes, so she cut. "Yun is an oracle who hears the voices of the spirits." She paused to let her words sink in. Hugo frowned. Chris gave a doubtful look. "The spirits tell her many things," Yumi added, "Some of which she needs to know, and others she would rather forget."

"The spirits say you'll soon be needed," Yun said, "It's important that you come to our village, but it's also important that you do not know too much too soon. That would… change things for the worse." The girl looked apologetic.

Chris let slip a frustrated sound. "Should that be enough to command my obedience? Earn my trust? You cannot give me a reason, and when I ask for one, you tell me that should I know the truth, I would make things worse? By such logic, why should I believe my presence will do any good in the first place?"

"I don't get what all the secrecy is about," Hugo said, "But for what it's worth, I think you can trust them."

Chris' frustration stood clear as day on her face. Yumi also saw uncertainty there, and vulnerability. It was easy to forget how far from home the Silver Maiden really was. Yumi felt for her. She had even argued for telling the young knight about her father, but Yun had insisted it would do more harm than good. Perhaps she was right. Who could tell what course of action Chris would launch into, should she know the truth? Instead, Yumi said, "It has to do with a group of people known as 'the Destroyers'."

"You know them," Yun said. "They are the ones responsible for this whole mess."

"The Chimera…" Chris breathed. "I know of one such person. You say they are a group?" Hugo had perked up now, listening attentively and with a frown.

"There are four of them. Three men and a woman… though one of them seems hardly human at all. They are trying to loose titanic forces of destruction upon the Grasslands." Yun frowned for once, rubbing at her temples and straining her eyes as if literally attempting to see farther into the future. "Our village has something they need. They'll make their move soon, and without you there, I think the Destroyers will win a great victory. Maybe too great a victory to recover from."

Chris nodded slowly, sliding a bent finger over her chin. "I have a score to settle with these 'Destroyers'. If you are right, these people are the worst threat the Grasslands have faced in our time. But, Chisha cannot wait. I must find Chief Lucia, and strike a truce."

Yumi smiled. "We can wait that long. But once you've met with Chief Lucia, you must come with us."

Chris raised a palm. "No more of this tonight. I will commit to no further action before knowing all the facts."

Yumi grimaced. True to her nature, the knight had proved to be stubborn. She had feared as much, but she now saw that their journey to the village of Alma-Kinan would be a long and arduous one. "When the time is right, we will tell you everything," she promised. But she knew her words would give little assurance.

Hugo eyed Yun with suspicion. "Wait… If you can see into the future, beyond what will happen to Chisha… Then you know what will happen to the village?" He half rose, as if to physically demand answers.

Yun shook her head from side to side. "I don't know. The things I've seen, they are confusing. The spirits do not know. It is not set in stone what will happen at Chisha. But you have a chance to change the outcome."

There was silence for a time. Hugo seemed lost in thought, overcome with worry for his people, perhaps. Yumi cleared her throat, and began to unlace the ribbons binding the bundle in her lap. She rose in one smooth-if a bit sore-motion, and pulled the contents of the bundle from the cloth. There were gasps all around the campfire as the firelight glinted on the silver details of the hilt, cross-guard, and scabbard. Yumi stepped forward and held the sword out.

Slowly, Hugo accepted his sword. He had a strange look on his face as he held the sword to his chest and cradled it, as if it were a newborn babe.

"It will be needed," Yun said mysteriously.

Apple stepped into the firelight and adjusted her glasses as she bent reverently down to inspect the blue-and-silver scabbard. "Hugo, might I ask how did you get this sword?"

Hugo shot the woman a defensive look, pulling the blade back slightly as if accused of stealing it. "It belonged to my father."

Apple's eyes went wide. Caesar gaped. "Hugo," Apple said tentatively, "You know what this is?" She could clearly see that he did not. "This is the sword of a Highland general…"

Chris bent in the woodland clearing by the bubbling brook, washing her hair in the clear rock-filtered water of the stream. It was hard to see by the moonlight, but she could imagine with some satisfaction the blonde dye washing out with each gentle stroke, pooling into the water and quickly dissolving as it ran downstream. The distinctive silver hair she had hated as a girl, that had set her apart, was a comfort to have back.

Thoughts tumbled through her head. Yun's claims of prophetic powers. The so-called 'Destroyers'. She struggled to put everything back together in her mind, building a coherent picture of recent events with the new information. Could she trust the Kinese women? Hugo seemed to think so, but Chris wasn't even sure she could trust the barbarian boy. Goddess, she wanted to. It would be so much easier. She wrung her damp hair almost painfully. The doubt and fear, the illusions… all of it had to be conquered. Zexen, clansman, Harmonian. Conflict brewed between their people, like storm clouds on the horizon. It had to be averted at all costs, else an uncontrollable storm of destruction would be unleashed upon the Grasslands. It would tear their land asunder. Chris's time in Huarn's captivity had shown her what really mattered. The bloodshed had to stop. Nothing else mattered.

Hair still damp, Chris made her way back through the dense underbrush. She hadn't strayed far from the campsite. The fire's light played on the few dozen tree trunks separating her from the fire. The others were laid out around the fire, sleeping on their blankets. Only Hugo remained awake, tending the fire and keeping watch. She had seen the boy pass through the underbrush without a sound, parting the dense vegetation as if it wasn't there. Chris felt clumsy by comparison, shoving through the shrubs like a charging boar. She realized how graceless she must seem to them, far from her comfortable pavilions and bath tubs.

She settled down beside Hugo, watching the fire. He glanced at her. "I thought we should talk," he said hesitantly. She looked up at him. He seemed to be weighing his words carefully, uncertain of their impact. His father's sword was tucked under his belt. The larger weapon looked ungainly on him, somehow. He held in one hand a small sack of burlap half concealed at his side, but filled with some number of sharp-cornered objects bulging against the cloth confines. She wondered at that, but said nothing.

Chris demurely buttoned her jacket where she had exposed her neck for washing her hair. She wrapped the damp tresses in a bundle of cotton cloth. She gave a nod, hoping too late that it wouldn't be interpreted as curt or unfriendly. Goddess, but she felt awkward around him sometimes. "I would… like that," she said. Truth to be told, there was much left unsaid between them that would be better said.

Hugo started to say something, his mouth working ineffectually. He scratched his head sheepishly and bent down on his knees, gentle fingers searching the damp grass. Then he looked up and grinned, saying, "You know, you could thank me for saving your ass back there."

Chris raised her eyebrows. "As I recall, it was I who, erm… rescued you."

Hugo looked hurt. "Only because I came for you. You should know I went through a damn lot of trouble for you. I had to-"

Chris interrupted him with an outstretched hand. "Thank you." She found she was smiling quite involuntarily. Hugo had been about to launch into a further defense of his actions when she spoke, and now his previous agitation drained from his face. He looked taken aback, unsure of what to say. Chris marveled at the effect of those simple words. She thought suddenly that such moments of humility and gratitude might come all too seldom from her. But how could she afford to act in like manner when her position as captain of the knights was constantly in question? Perhaps that was why her heart had taken to fluttering in Hugo's presence. The Karayan boy had no thought to her position in Zexen or her suitability as a knight and a captain. Among her peers, any vulnerability might be exploited even inadvertently. Any friendship or far worse, a romantic entanglement, would be used against her to prove her inferior nature. By contrast, even Hugo's anger at her for killing his friend was a relief in its unsubtle straightforwardness. She was starting to feel she could be herself with him. If only she could remember who Chris Lightfellow really was.

Hugo brought out the burlap pouch at his side and emptied the contents onto the grass. A few dozen panels carved from wood into geometric shapes spilled out from the bag. Each one was about the size to fit comfortably hidden in a closed fist. By the firelight, Chris could just make out the graven images of stylized animals and flowery borders. "I found this with Caesar's belongings. He knew the game as 'Streets of Gregminster', but among the Karaya it's called 'Last Hunt.' I'll teach you how to play."

Chris eyed him suspiciously. "Are you trying to fleece me of my potch?"

Hugo laughed as he plopped down across from her so that they looked down on the unclaimed wooden tiles. "Shut up and grab your nine tiles. Let's talk about the Destroyers."

While teaching her the remarkably simple but surprisingly clever and strategic game of 'Last Hunt', Hugo told Chris the whole story of how things had transpired from the moment he set out from Karaya to deliver the truce message to the Council. Chris was spellbound. She hung on his every word, and many times had to coax the boy into elaborating or expounding further on some topic when Hugo's frustratingly curt way of storytelling failed him. For Chris, hearing the whole tale from the other side was an exercise in contradictions and absurdities that would have seemed implausible or even impossible, had she not herself seen the Chimera and what the woman could accomplish with her crafty illusions. There were also moments of sadness, and moments of anger, especially when Hugo told the story of his capture at Alron's hand.

When he had finished, they sat trading wooden tiles for long moments, while Chris swallowed and mulled over all the new information. Finally, just as she won her first round of Last Hunt, she began telling Hugo her side of things. She found that many of the memories were painful to relive, but tried her best to remain as naked and truthful as possible before him. Hugo followed her story attentively with a slight frown of concentration on his brow. The boy lived with the story, eyes going wide in critical moments and grunting and groaning when she told the dramatic parts he hadn't been there for. She told the whole story as it had come to pass, omitting only Borus' role in the Karaya massacre. She wasn't entirely sure why she held this knowledge back. Perhaps she felt that the knight's culpability in the matter would change nothing. He was dead now, and Chris had to accept responsibility for every deed performed by the knights. Even Alron's crimes.

Finally, their watch was nearing its end and the tiles had been played one time too many. They were both weary, but Chris felt they had come to an understanding. The Chimera had tried to destroy the Grasslands by tearing the fragile relationship between Zexen and the clans asunder. Together, the son of Chief Lucia and the Captain of the Zexen Knights now stood a chance at restoring the peace and saving the Grasslands. There was, however, one great looming matter that still stood between them, like a snowy mountain peak between two towns in separate valleys.

"About your friend…" Chris said hesitantly. Hugo's eyes grew harder, but there was a softness there too, something of sadness and something of regret. "Once I believed that a knight's honor hinged merely on her actions. If the act was right and pure, then the outcome would be pure." Chris shuffled the wooden tiles and they made soft clicking noises in her hands. "Yesterday, I realized something. Yesterday, I was determined to stab a man in the back, if it would save his doomed soldiers. Now I have seen that even when my actions are impure, the intent can be true. Now I have seen that even when my actions are pure, my sword can become a reaper of sorrow. Now I see that it is the intention that makes a knight's honor. Not the act."

Chris searched Hugo's eyes for a reaction. Despite her epiphany, she felt as if she were spinning, lurching, falling. She needed something to hold onto. She needed desperately for him to grasp her meaning. Finally he nodded slowly and said, "I think I understand." Chris felt an almost absurd amount of relief. Still there was one more thing that must be asked.

"Do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me? For swinging the sword that took your friend's life?"

Hugo stared into the low-burning fire. His eyes took on a distant quality for a time, and he was quiet for a long moment before turning back to her. Finally, he cleared his throat, but when he spoke, he did not do so to answer her question.

"My people tell a story," Hugo began. "About a great hunter who stalked a giant cave bear called Doomclaw. The bear, Doomclaw, had terrorized the village for years, striking always at dusk, just far enough out into the woods or ranging wide on the savanna, that his victims were hunters and gatherers ranging alone or returning home." Now Hugo's voice and mannerism took on that of a tribal storyteller, embellishing his tale with hand gestures and rising and falling of his tone and timbre in ways he had not when telling the matter-of-factly story of his own misadventures. Despite the tension between them, the anticipation of his answer, Chris found herself drawn into the tale.

"The people lived in terror of Doomclaw, believing the bear to be a demon who struck down the proud, the envious, and the guilty. But Doomclaw carried off the humble, the content, and the innocent, too. Finally, a young hunter swore an oath to find and bring Doomclaw back to the village to show all that the bear was just a beast, and not a demon. He wanted to end their fears. For this hunter himself had come away from an encounter with the great bear with nothing but a few scars and the stories to tell. He alone had survived an encounter with Doomclaw."

"The women begged the hunter not to go, believing that he went to his doom. The men taunted him, calling him a fool, but secretly wanted to save him from a fool's errand. And still the hunter left. For months he wandered the wilds, tracking Doomclaw and narrowing in on his prey. Three times he encountered the great bear and three times he nearly perished in battle with Doomclaw, each time earning new scars to prove his courage."

"Finally, the great hunter faced Doomclaw on the great savanna and with bow and javelin brought the great beast to its knees. The monster was defeated. Now, the hunter knew that the villagers would only believe themselves freed from the demon if they saw it slain before their eyes. So instead of killing and skinning and gutting the beast where it lay, the hunter trussed it up with strong rope and dragged it back towards the village."

"The hunter entered the village green at dawn, dragging the unconscious bear behind him. The villagers gathered around him as he came. They were reverent, awestruck. The hunter presented the beast and proclaimed Doomclaw's reign of terror ended. But just as he reached down to open the bear's throat, the beast gathered it strength and sprang to life, snapping its bonds with its great teeth."

"Before anyone could react, Doomclaw hurled himself at the assembled villagers and in the chaos and shouting, the beast tore the throat out from a dozen men and a dozen women. Finally the hunter was able to put an arrow through the beast's eye, ending its rampage and killing it. The terror was over, but many in his village were dead or maimed. The hunter fell to despair. He left the village, journeyed into the wild seeking the guidance of the seven nature gods worshipped by his tribe. He journeyed far and wide and sought the counsel of each, hoping that their wisdom would grant him peace or a path to forgiveness. Each time, he found only disappointment and regret."

"Finally the hunter returned home anew. Years had passed. Elders had been buried. Children had been born, others grown into adulthood. The hunter abased himself before the elders and begged forgiveness for his crime."

"The elders took the hunter's face in their hands one by one, smiling and embracing their lost son. They told him: 'We cannot forgive you for what you did. You acted with kindness and compassion for your people. It is you who must forgive yourself.'"

Chris stared into the flames as Hugo finished the story. There was silence between them for a time, then Chris blinked away tears and bravely met his eyes. "You are telling me forgiveness is not yours to give?"

Hugo shrugged. "I should've kept this story in my heart, long ago. It's meant to temper one's hunger for revenge. But I was too angry. That's how it goes, I suppose." He shook his head, stirring the embers ringing the dying flames with a crooked stick. "Yes, you'll have to forgive yourself. But, I don't blame you anymore. I still feel guilty about not being able to avenge Lu… But here's what I've realized. I could choose to see Lu as an innocent child cut down in cold blood, or as a warrior who died in battle, trying to protect his friends, his people. There's no shame in dying in defense of one's family."

Chris felt drained, as if she were a washcloth wrung of its water. She sank back on her palms, leaning her head back to stare up at the exposed stars in the night sky. Hugo didn't blame her. She would have liked to hear him say those words, 'I forgive you,' but she knew he was right to speak as he did. She would have to find it in her own heart to forgive herself. And yet, there was one more person she had to ask forgiveness of. The one who had loved the young warrior more than anyone.

They sat in silence for a time, and then Chris worked up the nerve to ask, "You said, 'She is mine' while we were caught up in the illusion. What did you mean by that?" She glanced at him sideways, feeling shy. She didn't know what to make of it. In a way, it made her warm to think that he thought of her so.

Hugo wouldn't meet her eyes, suddenly. "I think there's something wrong with your ears," he said, poking at the fire's embers with a stick.

"I see. Yes, it must have been nothing. After all, you would rather burn your own arm than kiss the hated Silver Maiden…" She said it coyly, but still felt a stab of sadness at that. Forgiveness or no, she was still the woman who killed his best friend.

"I didn't mean it like that," Hugo said. "I wouldn't mind kissing- Ah, I mean…"

Chris threw her head back and laughed. She flushed, hoping that the sound hadn't woken the others. Goddess, but it felt nice to laugh.

Hugo studied her for a long moment. Then he said, "You shouldn't have washed the dye out. It might come in handy. You'll be in trouble if people recognize you in Chisha."

Chris felt weary all of a sudden. "It won't matter," she said noncommittally.

Hugo looked worried. "When we get to Chisha, you should hide your face."

Chris sagged where she sat. She felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. All the lies, all the hiding, all the pretending; it all weighed down on her. She'd hidden from Jena. She'd hidden from Huarn. Goddess! Even her role as the Silver Maiden was an illusion. She was sick of it. "No more lies," she said emphatically. "I will not sneak into Chisha like a thief in the night. I will go as I am." He opened his mouth to protest, but she raised a hand to forestall him. "If I cannot stand up for who I am, then how will your people ever trust me?" No more lies. No more illusions. Let them take her for what she was. The people of the clans would respect a mortal foe, but not a coward hiding her face behind a clever disguise.

"This won't go over well," Hugo said, his voice pleading. "It's too risky. A lot of my people will get twitchy when they see you. It'd be better if you at least got to speak with my mother before everyone knew you're there."

Chris hesitated. She knew Hugo was right. The Karayans, the Saraak, they were a proud people. What if someone, just one warrior, decided to take his or her revenge against the hated Captain of the Knights? She did not relish throwing her life away, but her fears did not matter. Her heart could not beat its way out of her chest, no matter how hard it tried. As long as Zexen and the clans stood apart, there could be no defense against the Harmonians. Chris couldn't afford to antagonize Chief Lucia any further. Let them skewer her if need be. She had to come as the Captain of the Knights, as the Silver Maiden, or else there would be no truce. She met Hugo's eyes straight on and leaned in for effect. "You must take me as I am. Or not at all. For our alliance to survive, there must be no more illusions. No more pretense."

Hugo grunted. Perhaps he could read the determination in her face. He was silent for a while. When he turned back to her, he had a sullen look on his face that she recognized as playful. "So, you don't want to be my wife anymore?"

Chris had to cover her mouth as she laughed, knowing for a certainty that this time the sound would wake the lighter sleepers if she didn't muffle it. For what seemed like a long time, their eyes met and they both smiled. Finally, Chris reluctantly broke eye contact, a warm feeling spreading in her chest. "It is time to sleep," she said, stifling a yawn and hoping that the flush on her cheeks would be mistaken for the glare of the dying embers.

Hugo grinned at her. He rose on feet and extended a hand for her. She reached out a hand to grip his arm. She felt a sudden flutter of her heart. He was alive. And he'd come for her. She wanted to say more, but her mouth was dry. The things she wanted to say seemed so hard to express now. Impossible.

Hugo took her arm and yanked her onto her feet. She misjudged his strength and overbalanced, fell into his arms. His hands found her shoulders protectively, and she looked shyly up into his eyes, face much too near for comfort. She let the moment linger, neither saying anything. Then she pulled away. Goddess, but the boy made her weak-kneed at times! She felt foolish suddenly.

Hugo shuffled about the campfire for a moment, as if to burn away nervous energy. He seemed a bit lost, as if he couldn't decide on what to do. Finally he reached for the scabbard set into his belt and pulled the Highland sword and its sheath from its lodgings. He handed it over to her. "Here. You should wield it."

Chris gaped. She made a warding motion. "It belonged to your father. I could not."

"The sword you carry now, the Harmonian weapon… It's too heavy for your fighting style. This will suit you better. Whatever happens tomorrow, I don't want you to go into it at a disadvantage if I can help it. You... That is important to me." He averted his gaze, still holding the sword out for her.

Chris took the scabbard and gently pulled the sword from its ornate sheath. She felt its weight. Hugo was right. It suited her. "I have more to teach you about swordplay..." she offered lamely.

Hugo smiled, half turned away, and said, "I don't think the sword is the weapon for me." He left Chris there, testing the weight of his gift, as he walked over to wake Yumi for her watch.

Chris stood watching the approach of the barbarian raiding party as they crossed the narrow canyon below the ridge. Seeing all those grim and faceless warriors, heads wrapped in dark scarves leaving only eyes revealed, she keenly wished for Hugo at her side.

Two miles west of Chisha, where the windswept rolling hills began overlooking the Chishan farmlands, the traveling companions had separated into two groups. With the setting sun at their backs and time fast running out, Hugo and the Kinese girls had galloped for Chisha, hoping to head off the raiders before they left the village. Chris, meanwhile, accompanied by Lilly, Caesar, and Apple, had veered off southeast on a likely intercept course, following Caesar's sure instincts on where to halt the raiding party should Hugo be too late to stop them. And here they were, marching through the loose scree of the shallow river winding through the canyon below. Two Harmonian scouts lay at Chris's feet, deep and bloody sword wounds at their necks. Chris's own instincts had told her that the Harmonians would be watching from this vantage point. Beyond the canyon, the Harmonians would lie in ambush. It was now or never.

Among the warriors below, Chris could not tell any individual from another. She scanned their postures, their clothes, their position and demeanor, but nothing betrayed Chief Lucia. Steeling herself with a deep breath, Chris dragged the Harmonian corpses over the edge of the cliff. The bodies slid over loose dirt and tumbled down, striking the river with a splash and sending loose stones skirling around.

"Chief Lucia!" Chris called. "Halt!"

A hundred faces turned to regard her position on the ridge above. Warriors pulled bows or javelins from their backs, taking aim. Others broke off from the group and set off at a sprint, circling around the ridge to find a path up to Chris's position. She knew it would be minutes before they reached her, but the bowmen worried her. Seeing the glint of arrowheads bared in her direction gave her a moment of pause in her decision to say what she was about to say. But the time for subterfuge and lies was past.

"I am Chris Lightfellow of the Zexen Knights. I come to warn you of a Harmonian trap!"

For a moment, the silence was broken only by the echoes of her voice bouncing off the canyon walls. Then, scattered cries of 'She-Devil!' and 'Silver Maiden' echoed back up the canyon walls. Far harder to ignore were the bowstrings pulled back. Chris ducked down just in time for several arrows to flit through the air and hit the trees behind her with sturdy thwacks. Chris glanced back to motion her companions further into the shadows, then peered over the ridge again.

"Wait!" a voice called, stentorian in its strident echoes. "Let her speak." Chief Lucia strode from a crowd of warriors ringing her protectively, as if to shield her from arrows with their unarmored bodies. Lucia yanked down her scarf to reveal her bronzed face in the twilight. "What do you want, Chris Lightfellow? Why have you come here? And where are your knights hiding?"

"No knights go with me today," Chris called back. "Call off your warriors. You are walking into a trap set by the Harmonian general, the strategist Albert Silverberg."

Lucia clearly needed time to think, for she did not reply for long moments. Long enough to send Chris' heart pounding with the anticipation. Dozens of bows were now trained on her, each but awaiting a gesture or a word from the Karayan chief, to pin Chris's body like a pincushion.

"Why should I trust you, Silver Maiden? Why should I believe it is not your own knights who are even now cutting off our retreat, hoping to catch us on the return and cut us down as you cut down the elderly and the young of Karaya?"

"You have no reason to trust my word, I know. But I pray you will listen to me long enough to make a difference. Your son approaches, and his word I know you will trust."

Scattered murmurs filtered through the assembled warriors. Some bows were lowered—not by much—while others seemed to draw their strings taut with rage. Chris looked behind her at the sun as it slowly sank into the horizon. The fading sunlight washed the hills and farmlands in a crimson glare, casting deep shadows over the ridge where Chris stood. She turned to Chief Lucia and said, "Stay your warriors's hands until the sun sets. If your son does not arrive before the night, then I will gladly submit to your archers."

Hugo's reached the canyon just after sunset, with the moonlight casting a fey glow over the fissure in the craggy hillside. His horse was lathered and near to deadly exhaustion from the mad gallop from Chisha when he first spied the gathering of warriors crowded around the mouth of the narrow canyon. In Chisha, he had learned that his mother had left an hour ahead of him. Yumi and Yun had remained in the village, allowing him to push his stolen Harmonian horse to the limit.

Torchlight loomed high and lurid against the canyon wall and spilled from within, a moving light source that cast overlarge and animated shadows of the agitated movements within the canyon. Voices mixed together, echoing out from the narrow passage. It was clear that his people had halted before springing the Harmonian trap, but what of Chris and the others?

Hugo leapt from the horse and set off in a sprint. He gained the canyon at a mad dash, nearly skewering himself on the raised javelins of two Karayan warriors set to guard the entrance against rear attacks. The men raised their spears to throw, but at sight of Hugo's raised arm in greeting, and the face that appeared in the pool of shadow when they produced a torch, the men gasped and stepped aside, making no motion to stop him.

The sight that greeted Hugo within the canyon was one of anger and confusion. A hundred handpicked raiders in dark garments lined the passage, forming a loose and extended oval around the outlanders in the middle. There stood his mother, Chief Lucia of the Karaya. She had her back to him, but he could read from her stiff posture, her arms folded before her, that she was preparing to render her judgment on those she loomed over. Forced to kneel before her were four people. Two figures pleaded with his mother, asking for mercy. Caesar and Apple. Lilly, meanwhile, held her own against no less than three warriors whose strong hands were needed to hold her down and keep her on her knees. The emissary of the Tinto Republic spat and hurled curses, jostling and shrugging to escape the warriors' clutches. Beside her, Chris bent with quiet dignity, head lowered respectfully and almost eagerly, as if awaiting the blade that would sever it from her body. Lucia was about to speak when Hugo broke into the canyon.

"Mother, wait!"

Lucia spun around, quick as a serpent. Her mouth gaped open, and her eyes bulged at the sight of him. In five long strides she reached him and gathered him up in her arms. The embrace nearly forced the breath from his lungs. "By the spirits, it is you!"

A dead quiet had settled over the canyon. The torchlight still played over the gathering, but the quiet warriors lining the passage now seemed like solemn observers to the reunion taking place therein. Over his mother's shoulder, as Hugo squeezed her back, he saw the stunned relief on the faces of Lilly, Caesar, and Apple. And beside them, Chris slowly raised her head, hair spilling aside to reveal a tight smile on her lips. Her violet eyes seemed to glint at him, lambent torchlight reflecting in those deep and dark pools. She caught Hugo's eyes and seemed… calm.

Some time later, in the small hours of the night, Lucia pushed past the flap of the command tent and gestured for the attendants to quickly abandon their half-finished preparations. The young Chishans ducked out of the tent in time to admit the Council of Elders. Dupa, stooping low to fit through the opening, came stomping in like a charging alligator. Behind him, Sana limped inside, one hand on her cane, the other steadied by Rina's arm. The Chishan elder had been stirred from sleep, and she looked pale and exhausted. Yumi entered in her wake, representing the Alma-Kinan. Last came Sergeant Joe, waddling in and stepping tentatively to one side of the trestle table beneath the brazier, as if unsure of his presence at the council. Lucia gave an encouraging nod at the Gani-Bara warrior. She was glad for his presence.

Only then, the Silver Maiden entered, flanked by Hugo. He stuck close to her, as if guiding a blind woman along a treacherous, rocky trail. The Captain of the Knights bowed her head to each of the assembled elders and representatives as she did so. Most returned the gesture with a nod, though Dupa narrowed his eyes and emphatically folded his arms with a great heave. Hugo broke off to squeeze Sergeant Joe in a brief but warm embrace. No words were spoken between the two, but Lucia could sense the strength of the bond between the two men. Hugo came to stand beside the Silver Maiden. He was giving the ironhead woman a strange look that made Lucia wonder what had passed between them.

The Silver Maiden made a deep bow before she spoke. "I come seeking to mend the truce between our peoples, in the hopes that we can prevent disaster."

Dupa snarled. "Chief Zepon trusted your calls for peace, and it cost him his life. Why should we bare our throats to you again?"

"Chief Lucia," the Silver Maiden said, "You can attest to the fact that I was with you the moment Chief Zepon was slain."

Lucia hesitated. What Chris Lightfellow said was true, and yet many among the Saraak had sworn the Silver Maiden had appeared in the Great Hollow that day, that it was her sword that cut down the lizard clan's chieftain. "I will attest to this," she said cautiously. "But I do not know how this can be."

"We are the victims of a great falsehood," the Silver Maiden said. "A mysterious group of outlanders, perhaps working in concert with the Harmonians, seek to destroy us. They have used illusion to break our truce, to set the Zexen and the Clans against each other."

Lucia stared at the Captain of the Knights. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. Had the woman gone mad? She could see a look of seething fury on Dupa's scaled face. She was about to say some angry words when Hugo stepped forward. Her son clasped his hand to his heart sincerely. "Mother. Elders. I know it's hard to believe, but I swear that what Chris—er, the Silver Maiden—says is all true. She did not murder Chief Zepon."

Confused mutters filled the tent's interior. Lucia tried to read her son's eyes. She saw nothing but earnest conviction in them. She clenched her jaw. Did Hugo now speak for the ironheads? Spirits! What had happened to her son that he would run off on a quest for vengeance, only to return to speak in defense of the very person who killed the friend he had sought to avenge? She shot a dark look at Hugo. This brought a flinch to his face, but he stood his ground and if anything looked even more determined now. Lucia turned to the Silver Maiden and said, "And what of Karaya? What of our people?"

The Silver Maiden lowered her head. "I must take responsibility for that. It was my knights who carried out the raid on Karaya, and this is a debt I can never repay. We struck out in desperation, believing that the Clans had broken the truce to trap and destroy us."

"Illusion or not," Dupa growled, "The ironheads have much to answer for. The blood you've spilled must be repaid."

The Silver Maiden shot the Saraak chieftain a defiant look. "Nevertheless," she said emphatically, "While the raid on Karaya was inexcusable, the counter raid carried out by the Clans on the farming village of Iksay proved just as atrocious." There was silence among the elders at this. Lucia felt her blood run hot at the Silver Maiden's accusations, but she held her tongue. As much as she hated to admit it, she found it hard to refute the knight's words.

"True peace," the Silver Maiden continued, "Cannot be achieved before the wounds of Karaya are healed. Before the wounds of Iksay are healed. However. I come before you elders now because I seek to save not only Zexen but also the Clans. The Destroyers would weave illusion to tear us apart. The Harmonians would trample us beneath their steel toes. Before we can discuss true peace between our peoples, we must first repel the outlanders."

"Illusion…" Dupa spat. "A convenient excuse for the faithlessness of the ironheads."

"I've seen it myself," Hugo challenged, "Many times. Faceless soldiers who disappear into thin air. Women whose faces change in disguise or to impersonate others. Illusion is being wielded against us, like a weapon." He spun around to meet the faces of the assembled chiefs, agitation in his eyes. "Tell me, have you seen nothing like this? Have you remained ignorant of all that's gone on these past few months?"

Lucia stared in shock at her son's tirade. She saw steel in his eyes, his spine. Her boy had grown into a warrior, it seemed. Even so, she could not stand for such insolence. "Enough," she said. "Show respect for the council."

Hugo fumed, but he had the sense to hang his head in shame. "Forgive me, Chieftain."

Sergeant Joe stepped forward to put a feathered arm on the boy's shoulder. "Elders, hear me out. There is truth in what Hugo says. I too have seen strange things on our journey. Things that are hard to explain, unless magic were involved. I believe there may be merit to the Silver Maiden's claims."

Lucia's thoughts raced. The Gani-Bara warrior's words weighed heavily on the scales of truth. That much, she had to admit. Still, she shook her head. "Hugo, how can you know that these illusions were not tricks designed to turn you against your own people? These conspiracies seem so far-fetched. How can you be sure that the Silver Maiden is not at the very heart of it all?"

"I do not ask you to trust me," the Silver Maiden said. "I only ask that you search your hearts for answers to this question: who gains from seeing our truce shattered? The people of Zexen are exhausted with war. They long for peace. The Clans too were ready to sign the truce, this I know. Only Harmonia wants to see our conflict drag on. And ask yourselves too; the timing of the Harmonian invasion, at the moment when our truce falls apart? Do you truly believe this to be a coincidence?"

Lucia felt as if she were treading up a slope of soft clay that fell away beneath her feet. Looking into the Silver Maiden's eyes, she felt her conviction faltering.

Rina shrugged. "It does stink of Harmonian intrigue."

Silence filled the tent for a time. Even Dupa, whose snarls had regularly cut into the Silver Maiden's speech, now stood silent and contemplative, though every muscle on his body appeared taut to Lucia. Finally, it was the Kinese girl, Yumi, who broke the silence. She stepped forward, bowing low to honor the assembled elders.

"I will say something too. It is the belief of the Alma-Kinan that this woman, Chris Lightfellow, is important. Visions have shown us that her aid is important if the Grasslands are to be saved."

Sana sighed, a deep and ragged sound. "I'm inclined to believe her."

Lucia was silent for a time, as she wrestled with the choice. No one spoke. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she nodded. "So be it. We will listen to you. For the sake of the Clans, and our future." The Silver Maiden seemed to shrink where she stood, as if she had held her breath all this time, and only now could exhale. She looked equal parts exhausted and relieved. Hugo clasped her arm, a small grin spreading on his face.

The Silver Maiden was about to speak when an anguished roar cut in from outside the tent. A moment later, the flap was ripped aside as a huge dark form thundered inside. There stood Bazba, his features contorted with rage. He fixed the Silver Maiden with a look of absolute venom, and pointed one clawed hand squarely at the knight. "The She-Devil! Here, in the council of elders!"

Chris had backed up a step towards the table, hand going to where her sword would normally be. She tensed, ready to pounce if the lizard clan warrior made a move. Lucia pushed past her, interposing herself between the knight and Bazba. "By what right do you intrude upon the Council of Elders, warrior?"

Bazba fell to his knees, and laid his arms at Lucia's feet. His claws dug into tufts of grass and dirt. "I demand vengeance for Chief Zepon. For my humiliation. I demand the right to sharikee against the She-Devil."

A collective gasp went through those assembled in the tent. Lucia saw the Silver Maiden turn in confusion, casting about for an understanding of the shocked faces surrounding her. She turned to Lucia and said, "Please explain. What is sharikee?"

"A duel," Lucia said hesitantly. "To the death."

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter. Even just a few words of encouragement would mean a lot to me.