Arbiter (The Arbiter Chronicles Book 1) (7 page)

A warm glow had begun to spread over the area in which the wisp hovered. Cathel tensed, taking a step closer so that he was between Rae and it. As Rae watched, a figure stepped out of the trees, flanked by several glowing wisps of light. A soft white light preceded her, touching the stone of the ruins and making them glow faintly as she took a step towards them. Rae heard Cathel take in a sharp breath.

She was beautiful, but in an otherworldly, ethereal kind of way. Her hair was long and blond, and it was done up in an elaborate bun on top of her head, droplets of silver woven into it. The woman’s eyes were the palest gray that Rae had ever seen, so pale that they looked almost silver. She was tall and slender, and wore a string of silver beads around her neck that looked almost pearls, except they shimmered as she moved, light and shadow interspersing around them. She wore a white dress that brushed the ground lightly underneath her feet. It moved in a way that reminded her of water, the moonlight catching it and playing across the fabric like the moon over the ocean.

The woman was barefoot, strings of silver gracing her wrist, but somehow, despite her simple garb, something about her reminded Rae of a queen.

She was a queen, Rae realized, the fingers of one hand closing over her chest. She was a queen. And in that moment, Rae understood why the people of the Twilight Realm both feared and respected the Edgelands.

She stopped in front of them, regarding them coolly. Cathel moved so that he was standing in front of Rae, and slowly, cautiously, removed his hand from the hilt of his sword, bowing deeply from the waist. She could sense his tension, his nervousness, and his fear, but none of those feelings showed on his face.

“Hail, High Lord,” said Cathel. “...We mean you no harm.”

Her eyes moved towards Cathel, and Rae held her breath, suddenly aware of the gravity of the situation. The woman could accept Cathel’s words for what they were, or she could kill them here and now, and neither of them would be able to stop her. Her eyes moved from Cathel to Rae, and Rae felt the weight of her stare, resisting the urge to take a step back.

The silence was broken by the sound of a child’s laughter ringing through the air, bouncing off the stones of the ruins.

“Tarethan! Tarethan!”
called a young girl, emerging from the woods behind the High Lord. She was dressed similarly to the High Lord, but wore much simpler garb. She wore a dress that came up to her knees, and her long blond hair was unbound, silver flowers scattered through it in a delicate chain. Her eyes were a bright blue, and the light that surrounded her was tinged slightly with gold. Like the High Lord, she was barefoot. If she were human, Rae guessed that she would be about eight or nine years old, but she was Ivali, and there was no telling how old she was. 

The girl ran up to Cathel, a bright grin on her face. She spread her arms wide, launching herself at him. Cathel’s eyes widened, and he reflexively opened his arms to catch her, swinging around with her momentum as he caught her and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled in delight as he put her down, taking a half step back and looking up at him, with her hands clasped behind her back.

Cathel blinked in surprise, looking down at her. “You…” he began, his eyes widening in recognition.

The girl only giggled, tilting her head to the side as she looked at the High Lord.
“Atara, estali tarethan,”
she said.

Cathel looked away from the girl, understanding dawning on his face as he looked at the High Lord. “…
Atara
…” he repeated under his breath.

The High Lord’s expression softened, and she nodded once at the girl, a smile appearing on her face as she turned towards Cathel. “Neither do I mean you harm,
Tarethan
,” she said, her voice soft and musical. “For the kindness you have afforded my daughter, you are always welcome on my lands.” Her eyes moved towards Rae, her expression growing serious again.

“But I would speak with the Arbiter.”

Rae stared back at her, a look of surprise on her face.

Rae watched from the hillside overlooking the ruins as Cathel and the Ivali child played, the child laughing as she spoke with him. There was a bright grin on her face, and she occasionally rocked back and forth on her heels, as though she could barely contain her excitement. Cathel seemed a little confused by this current turn of events, but he laughed at her antics, going along with her games and saying things to her that Rae couldn't quite hear from where she was standing. They must have been amusing, because the child's grin only grew, and she would laugh and take him by the hand to show him something else. She spoke in broken Common, and it was obvious that she had only started learning the language, but occasionally she would point something out, and Cathel would give her the right word to describe it.

Rae folded her arms, the barest hint of a smile appearing on her face as she watched them. The High Lord came to stand next to her, watching the scene as well. There was a slight air of sadness in her silvery gray eyes, but she wore a smile on her face as she turned towards Rae.

"Ania has taken it upon herself to learn Common, in the hopes that she could see him again," said the High Lord. "She has managed so much in so short a time."

"How old is she?" asked Rae.

"She is just a little over one hundred and fifty years old.”

Rae stared at the child as she played with Cathel. "Really? That old?"

"Ania is my daughter," said the High Lord. "She is of the High Blood. Time flows differently for her. But despite all of that, the
tarethan
managed to attract her notice. It is a rare thing, to find a person like him."

She paused, considering this as she watched Cathel. “What did he do?”

"…He defied the traditions and customs of his people in order to do what he believed was right. In doing so, he saved Ania from a terrible curse. There are many among the Ivali who would not have done such a thing. And such a thing was not believed possible from the humans beyond the Borderlands, nor was it believed possible from the mages of the Five Towers. It was Ania who marked him as 
tarethan, 
friend of the High Court, and it is a mark rightly deserved. It shines bright against him, Arbiter, a blinding light. There are none of us who would fail to see it.”

"Cathel did that…?" asked Rae, watching him. Ania ran up to him, grabbing him by the hands, and spinning him around. He awkwardly followed, but gave her something that sounded much like a reproach. She only smiled in return, giving him a mischievous grin before grabbing one of the wisps out of the air and presenting it to him. The mage sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then reached out and patted her lightly on the head.

"You give him too little credit, Arbiter," said the High Lord, turning towards her. "The two of you are much alike. Like him, you hide your kindness inside, instead putting on the guise of indifference. But true light cannot be hidden."

"Why do you call me that?" Rae folded her arms tightly against her chest. "Arbiter?"

"You bear a mark," said the High Lord, turning towards her.

Her thoughts traveled to the black mark that Cathel had drawn forth from her arm, the geis that the Reaper had placed on her. "I know," she said. "Cathel told me."

"I do not speak of the Reaper's mark, though you bear that as well," said the High Lord
. “
I do not even speak of a mark like the
tarethan's
. I speak of deeper marks, deeper magic, of marks in your blood and in your breath and in your being. You have been marked as Arbiter, and that is something that none of the High Lords of the Ivali can fail to see."

"I don't even know what that's supposed to mean. What am I supposed to do as Arbiter, exactly?"

"You are meant to decide," said the High Lord. "Come. Walk with me a moment."

She turned away, heading down a path into the forest. Rae was fairly certain the path had not been there before, but it appeared as soon as the High Lord began to walk into the woods, the forest parting for her like water on both sides. She cast a last look at Cathel and Ania before following the High Lord into the woods, walking just slightly behind her and to her right.

"…In ancient times," said the High Lord as they walked, "the Arbiter was one who decided. They were the ultimate judge of matters between the High Court and its counterpart, the Dark Court. The Arbiter traditionally lived under the protection of both Queens, and was acknowledged in equal parts by the High Court and the Dark Court. In order for an Arbiter to be appointed to their station, they had to gain the support of half of the High Court and half of the Dark Court—ten Lords in total.”

Rae brushed aside a branch with her hand, following the High Lord through the twisting path. "The Dark Court too?” she asked.

The woman gave her a small smile. "The Arbiter must be fair," she said. "There are some of the Dark Court who object to the ruling of a human. Though none would ever openly defy an Arbiter's Ruling, there are a few who would secretly plot an Arbiter's—especially a fledgeling Arbiter's—harm. But there are also some who would support you, or at least give you your fair chance. I will give you their names, if you pass my test."

"…And if I don't pass?" asked Rae, raising an eyebrow.

"Then I will not, and I will send you on your way to meet your fate.”

Something in the matter of fact way the High Lord said that chilled her. Rae f the High Lord as the path beneath them began to slope downward, heading away from them.

"…So you called me out here to…what? To test me?" asked Rae.

"I will test you, Arbiter," said the High Lord, holding her hand up. "But in due time. Tonight, I came only to speak with you. Tomorrow, I will begin your test."

"Hold on a second," said Rae, stopping in her tracks. The High Lord turned to face her, a questioning look on her face. "You're taking a lot of things for granted here," said Rae. "I can't be the Arbiter. I'm not the sort of person you want deciding important things like that. And I can't stay here. I have to go back to my realm."

"Do you?" asked the woman, raising an eyebrow. "Or is that simply something that you perceive as your responsibility?"

Rae's eyes widened, and she fell silent, her mouth snapping shut. In this, the High Lord was right. There was nothing for her in her own world. No friends, no family, and no reason why she would ever have to go back. The High Lord sighed, turning away from her and continuing to walk. Rae hesitated, before following.

"…In the Daylight Realm, there is something called university," said the High Lord. "You were a student at such an institution. What were you studying?"

"…Pre-law," Rae admitted, her voice soft.

"So even then, it seems like you were bound by your own destiny," said the High Lord.

Rae said nothing in response to that, instead changing the subject. "How did you know that about me?" she asked.

"I am the moon," said the High Lord. "I see all that must be seen, in this world and in yours."

"I can't be the Arbiter," said Rae again, her voice softer as she turned towards the High Lord. "I don't…I don't know how."

"That is why you must be tested," said the High Lord. "The test of an Arbiter is also their training. But the training is only a small part of who you are. You would not bear the mark of Arbiter, if you did not bear the necessary abilities as well. The ability to choose your fate, and the fates placed in your hands."

Rae said nothing to that, watching as the path beneath their feet evened out, becoming rockier. The trees were thinner in this area too, and in front of her, they seemed to be composed entirely of willows. If she listened, she thought she could hear the sound of water.

"…You seek Kaeltharin," said the High Lord after a while.

"I do.”

"And what do you intend to do with it once you find it?"

She didn't respond, looking away. The High Lord turned towards her, her expression solemn. "That is another thing you must decide. But you are not the first Arbiter to seek the Shard of the Star. My test, and my training, will aid you in your search."

She walked through a curtain of willow, and Rae followed, stopping in her tracks as she reached the other side. The forest around her had been completely transformed. She and the High Lord stood at the edge of a small pool of water, the moonlight reflecting off of its surface. Several small spirits played in the beams of moonlight that drifted over the water's surface, laughing with each other as they appeared and disappeared in the shifting light, vague shapes in the water. Up ahead, near the bank, a group of small, human-like faces poked out from above the water's surface, watching the two of them curiously. Some smooth stones had been laid out around the pool of water, paths leading deeper into the forest and lit by vague lights. Here and there, she saw delicate arches made of white stone, supporting lamps that shone with a soft light. In a few places, the grass grew thick, almost like a carpet over the areas that were not underwater.

The arches reminded her of a palace, and the more Rae stared, the more she realized that that was what it was. In some way, this was the High Lord's palace, and of this place, she was queen.

The sound of laughter drew her attention to one of the paths leading to the place, and as she watched, Ania came into view, dragging a confused Cathel by the hand. He looked up at her from across the pond as he emerged, understanding dawning on his face as he glanced at the child beside him.

The High Lord stepped forward, turning so that she was facing Cathel as well.
"Tarethan,
Arbiter," she said. "You will retire here tonight, as my honored guests." She turned toward Rae. "Tomorrow night, we will speak more," she promised.

Rae shook her head. "You're assuming I'm going to stay," she said. "What if I don't want to be Arbiter?"

"That is also a decision you must make," said the High Lord, smiling at her. She raised her hand, touching her finger lightly to the area above Rae's heart. "You are Arbiter," she said. "In here. That, you cannot change. But if you wish not to take on the station, than you must simply decide not to. Your Ruling cannot be overturned." Her expression grew serious, and her hand fell away. "But understand that when you accepted the Reaper's deal, you accepted the weight of this decision. These events have already been set into motion. What task you have started, you must complete."

"You may decide not to stay for your training," said the High Lord. "But know this. Should you leave, our paths will not cross again."

Rae looked the High Lord in the eye, as if trying to gauge how serious she truly was. There was no anger in the High Lord's expression, but there was a definite sense of finality there. In that instant, Rae knew that the woman was telling the truth. If she left, she would get no other chance to meet with this High Lord.

"I can give you the things you need to survive," said the High Lord. "I can equip you with knowledge that will help you in your search for the Shard. But in the end, it is your choice. You can walk away, but know that if you do, you will have no other chance to train with me, and no other High Lord will acknowledge you if it is revealed that you walked away from me. So I ask you, will you stay until tomorrow night?"

Rae stared at the High Lord, taking a deep breath. She didn't want to stay. Staying would mean that on some level, she acknowledged that there was truth in the High Lord's words. But the High Lord was right. She could, in theory, decide to walk away, but that would be a stupid decision to make. In a world like this, who else would help her? Who else would acknowledge her?

If all she had to do as Arbiter was make this one choice…well, she was going to do that anyway, wasn't she?

She glanced over at Cathel to see if he had heard the High Lord's words and saw that he was watching her, his expression expectant. He gave no indication what decision he wanted her to make, and she understood in that moment why. This was her journey. He was only meant to be her guide. He would leave her to make this choice herself.

She took a deep breath, clenching her fist against her own fear and apprehension as she nodded at the High Lord. "…I'll stay," she said.

"Then I will let you rest," said the High Lord. "And I will return at moonrise tomorrow. You may wander this place of your own free will. None will harm you while you are under my protection. Whatever you need while you are here, I will provide."

"Mm," said Rae, nodding once.

Ania stepped forward, a serious expression on her face as she faced her mother. She shouted something in her language. It sounded very much like a request. Rae glanced over at the High Lord as she replied, saying something good-naturedly in the same language. Ania nodded, turning towards Cathel and Rae. She took a deep breath, as if fighting to find the words.

"
Sarivien," 
said Cathel towards her, an encouraging smile on his face.

Ania nodded, glancing from Rae and back to Cathel. "I…stay here?" she asked slowly. "Tonight?"

Cathel exchanged glances with Rae. Rae blinked, realizing that Ania was looking at her expectantly. She resisted the urge to comment about another Ivali asking her to make a decision. The look of childish hope on Ania's face was something she just didn't have the heart to crush. She looked back at Cathel, then shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me," she said.