Pieces before the Trial

"As I was saying, Governor Qrom," said the stately man. "I am most interested in the local flora and fauna...especially the human variety."

"Aaaah," said the portly Governor. "The Clansmen of the Blue Snake are an interesting breed, are they not? You will learn more of them as your stay here continues."

"And what of the others....the Jademen?"

At this the Governor crinkled his nose. "They are cousins to the Bluemen. They come from the south and southeast, they run from the Aqualarians. We have much to discuss on this point, you and I, tonight after supper. We need to stabilize this land if we are to bend it to Allarian dignity. The Aqualarians are...an intersting friend to have. As for the Jademen, they are savages in the worst sense, they cannot read or write, they are foul-mouthed, and they piss on any tree or street corner. Even the Bluemen hold their noses when a Jademan walks by."

"And are there not others still? More tribes?"

"Aye," answered the Governor. "They are called the Vandaele, the clansmen of the Red Snake. They live to the west of us, in the Scaul region where dry grass grows on tumbling hills and volcanoes grumble at the passage of Man. They do not come here, and we do not go there. For the present there is mutual disdain. I prefer it that way."

The man looked upon the Governor. "You are right," he said. "We have much to discuss."

"And now Sir Carlito," said the Governor. "Would you and Lady Taj like to return to the main citadel?"

"That would be nice," said the man, even as his wife sighed in relief.

In a high room overlooking the city of Mal'Temiscal and with a view of distant Lake Crystal the Serifi was quietly meditating. She was remembering actually. Bits and pieces of her whole life —its surges, its retreats— came to her inner scrutiny. She had seen two hundred and twelve years pass since her initiation; there was a lot to remember.

Alryssa couldn't keep the recent reports of the Shedayphin out of her mind. She wondered of Zerm and Myrrdin, their whereabouts were still unknown, and she was not happy that the rangers had not found them. She wondered about the Shedayphin; she almost envied their relative freedom- they had been part of the Pact from the beginning. Yet their 'free spirit' was too close to anarchy for this military-woman's sensibilities. Turning back to her desk, she grabbed a quill and began to write a note. She knew it was past time for this, and now the situation was more critical. The Queen would not leave for Themyscira on the coast until the problem of the Bearer was resolved. As long as she remained in Mal'Temiscal the capital was not whole, and this was not good. She carefully melted her seal on the newly-written scroll and slipped it into a satchel. It would take time to get to Irysopolis-on-the-hill, yet once it reached its destination Alryssa knew the answer would be swift. The Queen's Woman knew that the capture of Zerm and Myrrdin was too important. If the Shedayphin couldn't do it on their own, then help they would get. And if anyone could do it then it was the soldier Wilma Dearing and Alya Clystestra also known as 'the Knife'.

Meanwhile, a group of women prepared to initiate Fred into the mysteries of the Elementals. One of these was a Neophyte, that is, she was a mortal woman who was herself in preparation. Her training had been ongoing since puberty; there were daily exercises, rituals of varying duration, prayer, meditation, Teaching, and waiting...much waiting. Being the 'Bearer of the So-called Bearer' was only the most recent of tasks placed before her by many, including the Serifi and Virgelii, the Queen, and even the Shedayphin. The Shedayphin spooked her the most, they were so...wild. The Queen frightened her the most, she was so....demanding. It was the Virgelli who brought her the most calm. These Women of the Temples were few in number yet strong in spirit. The Neophyte secretly hoped that one day she would join the ranks of the Virgelli, but that was for another time, another initiation. As for today, there was the man to deal with.

"Where's the Queen?!!?" he screamed. "Kill me here, if you will, but I won't go until you tell me something more about all this!!!"

The Neophyte looked at the man, he was so troublesome. She had never dreamed in a million years that she would one day be asked by the Serifi to care for a man! How strange life could be. "Listen," she said. "I am part of this, you are part of this, we are part of this. So if you know yourself then you know something useful!"

The man looked at her, and the Neophyte was sure he was going to yell again. Instead, he surprised her. "What is your name?"

"Wha—excuse me?!?" she responded.

"I am Frederigo D'Honaire of Allaria, born in Suffex to a noble man and a goodly women. If I am to die here then I want you to know who I am, and I want to know at least your name."

The Neophyte looked at Fred. She couldn't help but pity this strange man who seemed to fall out of the sky only days ago. Yet it was an easy request. "My name is Diamantina Mat'tiemstra. I am the daughter of Tiemtina, daughter of Lorissa, daughter of Cybil." Then she eyed the man and, with a smile on her lips, said: "Now, are you ready to fight for your life?"

Fred looked at her and answered: "With every bone in my body."

1. And so it begins

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