A Star is Born: The Coming Dawn: Book I (21 page)

“It’s women who first pursue a man. They’re very skilled at seducing. Most women by their second maturity know everything there is to know about sex. From there on out, her sole purpose in life seems to revolve around sleeping with her chosen men, and fulfilling promises she made while they strive for children. Anything she promises him however, she must do.

“Usually she promises to return to him. If they’re united for life she may or may not promise faithfulness. Most don’t because they want several children. Though, some women promise to serve their partners. The best women are obedient and faithful.”

Ky scoffed. “I’ll promise you faithfulness Cobaaron, if that is what you are hinting at, but I’m not about to vow that while making love to you. It should be a given, really. I won’t promise to be obedient or serve you either. That is extremely sexist.”

“I don’t know what sexist is. That word is lost to me. It’s life here. It’s what men want women to do. Women are considered below men, except if you are a Star. You are royalty. What else could they promise a man?”

“Then this world has ignorant views about women. I don’t want to be below you; no woman
wants
that. I’ll be beside you or nothing else.”

“I can respect that, Ky. It’s attractive really, that you insist on it. I demand respect, so why shouldn’t you. In front of my men, I need a woman that reveres me, so my men will also.” He smiled. “Will you tell me now then, what else you’ll promise me, besides faithfulness? I want to know.”

He stared at her as he waited for another vow, while looking pleased she would promise him monogamy. “I’ll stand by your side forever, Cobaaron. I promise to trust you, or always try.”

“If you promised to stay by my side, then you’re not traveling with me just to go to another city? That was the promise I hoped for if that is what you mean.” Cobaaron inched closer to her, entreating a response.

“No, I...I’ve been thinking I’ll remain with you. I thought that is what we decided when you asked me to bond with you again.”

“Good. I wanted it clear, with no questions between us, that we both aren’t giving up on our bond.” Cobaaron clutched her dry hair, and lifted a strand from the water to watch it instantly warm and evaporate any moisture. He continued to watch her in fascination as he said, “I’ll change you to not feel depressed when traveling or seeing war. The darkness is thick of sadness. I don’t want you to feel it. I want you to like life with me.” He cupped her face with one hand, and the surge of bliss filled her. Unquestionably, she was where she belonged.

“I felt that depression when I first exited the cave outside Gem City. The black sky was gloomy.”

“I’ll change you to enjoy seeing new places. Hopefully, you’ll learn to love both the city and outside as I do. There is danger, yes, but also a lot of wonderful sights. I’ll protect you.”

“So that’s your promise to me?” Ky smiled.

“Yes. That and when we’re alone you’ll always know it’s you who I see as my one and only true ally; you are my equal.”

Ky smiled with satisfaction. “I’ll try not to argue with you in front your men, then.”

A small woman ran into the garden. She spied them when she saw the rain. She stopped and panted for breath. “There...you are. I’ve been...looking for you...
everywhere
. The council...is meeting in...the council chamber. You’re wanted.” She leaned over, putting her hands on her bent knees while gasping for air. “The pair of you,” she insisted as she pointed to them, and went right back to panting loudly.

“
Me
?” Ky asked surprised.

“You’re part of the council, Ky,” Cobaaron said. “You’re a Star, you will always be a part of any council to whatever city you live in, unless you publically choose not to be, or the quill of oath denies you, but that is unlikely since you’re a Star and uncorrupt. The magic quill decides the honesty of those who apply, and keeps only the pure of heart.”

“Yes, yes, yes. But it’s
about
the both of you. She must come!” The short woman held up her hand. “Here, give me your hand I’ll pull you out of the water.”

She seized Ky by her fingers and then heaved. Ky was hoisted from the water, and then fell to the ground hard. She instantly became very dizzy as the world seemed to spin around, but it lasted only a few seconds. Then Ky and the small woman heaved Cobaaron from the water. He fell onto Ky. His heavy body pressed against her. She felt the union’s magical touch, tugging at her desire. They smiled at each other.

“They are waiting. We must hurry,” the woman said, rushing them to the council chamber.

When they arrived, the meeting was already in session. The woman who had begged them to hurry to the council chamber had Ky sit in the bleachers. Meanwhile, Cobaaron sat in the throne facing everyone, and asked what discussion was on the table.

“We received a message boat from Gem City. It’s clear to us now that there is more going on than you’re telling us,” a councilman addressed Cobaaron.

“Explain, Tisek,” Cobaaron said, looking confused.

“We received a boat in our pools from Airia, the Star of Gem City. According to her, there is an archive of a warrior and a Star uniting. The archive should be read.” Tisek looked at another councilman. It was Quintin. He immediately stood and held up a small scroll that had water stains on the ink.

Quintin cleared his throat and then spoke loudly, “It’s written:

‘Pass the days of light to dark, the Stars will rain;

And one, She, will unite with him…

A man with a double-edged sword, being a warrior and king.

Together they bring the light to surpass the darkness.’”

Quintin sat when he finished reading.

“Is this all that was in the archive?” Cobaaron asked. Quintin nodded.

“And
it’s her
,” Nep testified, while pointing to Ky. “She made the light fall like rain the other night. We danced in her rain. It’s her!”

Cobaaron ignored Nep, and continued to address Quintin. “I won’t debate what is clearly a partial archive about its meaning, but this
is
interesting. There is only one thing to do. The original must be tracked down, and read. Only then can any decision be made.”

“So you think it’s you and her?” Everyone stared at Ky after the question was proposed.

“It’s possible,” Cobaaron supposed with uncertainty, but then hastily added, “But nothing should be assumed. I’ll have to find this archive. We leave tomorrow. I’ll need one hundred willing townswomen to accompany my men for our travels as a distraction for my men. If there is such an archive, the three kings are aware of it. And we would no longer be keeping you safe by lingering. All I ask is you keep this meeting private and tell no one. Further communication with Airia isn’t necessary unless it’s to warn her not to speak on this subject until I find the original.”

Everyone concurred, by nodding and mumbling approval.

Cobaaron looked at Ky. His mouth didn’t move, but he spoke to her in thought. “If there is
any
truth to this Ky, I can’t leave you alone. The kings have many spies. Wait for me after this meeting. Don’t leave this room without me.”

“But what about the Star?” Nep asked.

“What about Ky?” Cobaaron asked, narrowing his eyes on Nep.

“Well, we’ve heard the bond is broken. Then we hear a rumor it isn’t. Wouldn’t that mean it’s not her if you two broke the union?” Nep asked. Council members began to babble. Clearly, it was on everyone’s mind. In harmony, the council members demanded proof.

“Would you like to see my hand?” Cobaaron asked them. He exposed his palm for all to see, and Ky’s name was unmistakably visible. “This is proof of our bond, but don’t assume anything more until the archive is read. This could be nothing.”

“But Cobaaron doesn’t hold a weapon. The greatest warrior doesn’t carry weapons,” someone shouted from the bleachers, and again there was an uproar.

“It’s all symbolic. And there is no point arguing about it until the true archive is read. The original
must
be found so we can read the uncorrupted version. Only then can it be understood,” Cobaaron stated, and then stood. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do, and so do you because I need women to accompany us for the safety of this city’s newest Star.” He hurried down the few steps of the stage, and as he left he took Ky with him.

Cobaaron led Ky through the back tunnels. For a moment she thought he was taking her up to the room she had been staying in, but he rounded a corner and they began marching up a very steep slope. “We’re going up to the barracks,” he explained to her as if he read her mind. “I need to assemble the men. I regret sending my warriors out to sweep the forest, but they’ll be easy to find. I hope we meet up with them soon because, now, we’re trying to bring women with us. And I need as many warriors as I can get to protect the women.”

“Why can’t we wait until they return? We’ve been here a long time as it is.”

“Because ever since that night we sparred in the courtyard, I sensed something stalking us. I’ve been checking and unnatural creatures gather. I think it’s night squawkers. Hopefully, they’re gone. No amount of warriors will make any difference getting passed them. Our only hope is to pass silently and unnoticed. Going through the mountain would only make our death worse. Pray it’s not night squawkers. The women will be so afraid, and we’ll all surely die.”

“You know you’re talking to one, right?” Ky asked.

“Yes, you screamed practically the entire way from Gem City,” he said with a smile. “It’s not night squawkers. It’s probably a group of banshees. Maybe a witch. If the kings are watching us, it could be both.” They walked up to a door at the top of the slope. “This is it.”

He opened the door. Hundreds of warriors were in a massive chamber almost as large as the city dome, but with a low ceiling. The closest warriors stood when Cobaaron entered the room, and saluted with a bow. Soon the entire brigade bowed, and waited for him to speak.

Partially dressed women were also in the barracks, wearing only short, belted white chemises and looking windswept. One woman’s neckline hung over her shoulder while she clung to a particularly muscular warrior. It bothered Ky that women lost all sense of morals to have children; she felt sorry for them. Pity that society encouraged lewd behavior in hopes that more women would get pregnant. Ky simply couldn’t understand it, even if women rarely conceived.

Cobaaron acted as if he didn’t noticed them. He simply told his men of their departure the following morning, and how they were taking Ky and a hundred other women.

“I’m asking for volunteers to go out and get our men. We will travel the edges of the forest and across the swampland on the way to Elder.” Willing men approached Cobaaron; he accepted the first fifty as scouts. “Get some sleep. We leave after breakfast,” he told the remaining men but they didn’t go to sleep; they returned to the women, drank more ale, or continued gaming and conversations. The fifty volunteers packed on their weapons and thanked Cobaaron before hurrying out.

Cobaaron turned to Ky. “Well, let’s find your cat. Whoever that woman was who gave you Huntra was right. He will be
very
useful.”

A few minutes later they found Huntra in Ky’s room, sleeping on her hammock of woven feathers and snoring loudly. She walked over and patted his head, saying, “Wake up, Huntra. We leave in the morning and Cobaaron needs you to leave with him right now.”

At Cobaaron’s request, Ky retrieved her new clothes Oella made her. She’d forgotten all about the never-ending water flask, until she saw on top of the clothes. “Should I put them in my room?” she asked Cobaaron; Huntra began to swell.

Cobaaron didn’t hear her. He was looking at the small decanter. “Oh, that.” She picked it up. “My never-ending water.” He searched her face, undoubtedly reading her memories.

“Your handmaiden is a witch?” Cobaaron asked, looking unhappy with the news. “You can’t accept that. Leave it here.” He slapped it out her hand, letting it clink to the floor, rolling in a small circle before coming to a stop. Ky stared at the harmless looking decanter. “Don’t touch it again, Ky.”

“You think it’s dangerous?”

“She’s a
witch
,” Cobaaron asserted as if being magical settled the matter. “In fact, give me all your clothes and everything she made. There are ways of testing these objects for evil witchcraft. The healer will check them. They’re very knowledgeable in combating witchcraft. Even if there is a spell on them, sometimes they can be healed. You’re clothes may be salvageable.”

Ky got on Huntra’s back and asked him to make the room appear. She emptied it of all the contents, and then handed everything to Cobaaron. “You really don’t need all this stuff do you?”

“If I want to sleep well, yes.” With another glance at the small flask, Ky said, “If there is anything like a never-ending fruit bowl, or never-ending water jug I can take with me, by all means
tell me
.” She then added in a mocking tone to sound like Airia, “I’m a Star, a queen, of very high rank. I need to be pampered while on the road, or I may die from depression.”

“Well, Princess, you won’t be sleeping alone anymore. And I’ll see what I can do about the other things. The healer most likely stocks such magical effects.” Cobaaron spoke to Huntra who was much smaller again: “Come to my room. I have food for Huntra, and you can sleep with Ky and me tonight.” He looked at Ky searchingly. “Are you okay sleeping with me? I assumed…I won’t have sex with you. We could sleep up in the barracks if you don’t trust us alone, but women do go up there. Now that we’re leaving, there will probably be many women staying…actually, that is a terrible idea; it’s not an option.”

“Your room is fine, Cobaaron.” Ky smiled. “Let’s go Huntra,” she called her pet. Huntra licked his paw for a moment, not at all in a hurry, and then he hopped off the bed and strolled leisurely toward the door.

“Well, looks like someone is slower than you, Ky.” Cobaaron smiled. Ky grinned, because once again he was flirting by teasing her.