Ashes of the Realm - Juliette's Dream (35 page)

Scotty turned to Michael, “Are you willing to stay here?”

Michael looked at Carrie and smiled, “Home is where the heart is, Your Majesty.”

Scotty smiled and hugged his lifelong friend, “It most certainly is. You know Vetah will miss you greatly.”

“He has a position here in the court to make sure our people can be trusted. He has not decided to start a family. We can use his help. Those Ultra crews will be the first task.”

“That’s your first good decision. Make many more.”

Carrie and Michael bowed, “We will, Your Majesty.”

Scotty smiled and said, “Anglo. Take us home.”

Jingo looked down on Bristone from Anglo’s bridge, “It seems our company is growing.”

“It’s a start. I’m pretty certain that Ashley Talben will be joining us before too long.”

Jingo thought a moment, “I kinda miss the Torg. They were so much easier.”

Scotty laughed out loud.

Scotty and Jingo arrived to a find Julie and Jesa running into the clearing at full speed. Julie slowed enough to grab Scotty, but Jesa took Jingo to the ground. Scotty kissed his wife and held her tight. That’s when Bleath turned off his color shifting. “Uh oh.”

Julie looked up at Bleath and said, “He’s been waiting for you.”

Scotty gave Julie a hug and walked over to the giant Zord, “Hello, Great Flyer. Is there something you need?”

The Human female has returned and is asking for her flight.”

“Yes, I know.”

“We are unable to carry out her sentence at this moment.”

“Why not?”

“In order for us to execute another being, there must be ten Elders present.”

“What about Talben?”

“We had ten at that moment.”

Scotty stared at Bleath and wondered what he was trying to communicate. “Where is the tenth Elder?”

“He had to go home to handle issues in his flock.”

“When do you anticipate he will return?”

“We are uncertain. However, we recommend that you bring the female here and make her work for the community until we can carry out her sentence.”

“What do you mean, work?”

“Are there not tasks that need to be done than many are unwilling to do?”

Scotty was just not certain what Bleath was doing. Then he saw Bleath staring at Samuel’s house. Samuel was out front, swearing at the teens that were cleaning his entrance. Even Scotty heard him, “Don’t you brats know anything? No, no, no; not that way! Give me that brush!”

Scotty looked at Bleath, but the huge Zord continued to stare at Samuel. “Bleath, is Samuel’s flyer anywhere around here?”

Bleath said, “As fate might have it, yes. He just arrived overhead to bring me a message.”

Scotty controlled his laughter while Julie wondered what was going on.

“What about Vring or Zreeg? Is either of them close by?”

“They are taking flying lessons overhead, Your Majesty.”

“Please ask them to come down.” Scotty took Julie’s hand and walked up to Samuel, “Sam, I need you to go with me to the Zord’s place of worship.”

“Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Samuel, your Emperor commands you to stop what you’re doing and come with him.”

Samuel looked up and saw Scotty was serious. “At once, Your Majesty. How are we going to get there?”

“We’re going to fly.”

“I’m sorry, but Blraet isn’t here.”

“Yes he is, Samuel. He’s waiting for us in the clearing. Let’s go.”

Julie looked at Scotty and he said, “I’ll be back. There’s an issue than must be handled. I’ll explain later.”

Julie reached up and kissed him, “Don’t take too long.”

Scotty and Samuel walked down to the clearing and mounted their Zord. Bleath lifted, and they flew toward the mountains.

Maranda was sitting with her head bowed when she heard the scream of the giant Zord leader. She kept her head bowed as she heard him land. She also heard two other Zord land. Good, the other Elder had arrived and she could receive her sentence. Then she heard the blond haired archer say, “You might as well stand up.”

Maranda looked up and saw two men standing over her. “Why?”

“Because the tenth Elder will not available for another moon. We are going to have to begin your punishment by making you work until he shows up.”

“What do you mean, ‘work’?”

“You are going to stay with Samuel until the Zord are ready.”

Samuel said, “She’s going to what?!? You know I live alone. She will not stay with me!”

Scotty looked at Samuel, “This is a prisoner of the Zord, who cannot implement their sentence. They have requested that she be made a worker for our leaders until they are ready. You are the leader of the Human community; she is Human. She will stay with you and you will make her work to better your community. Are you saying you do not respect our brothers’ wishes?”

“Well, no. But you know how hard I am to get along with.”

Bleath said, “That will be part of her punishment.”

Maranda watched Samuel swear and turn circles for ten minutes as Scotty and the Zord waited. Finally, he ran down.

“Sam, are you going to honor their request and accept it, or am I going to have to command you?”

“ALL RIGHT!” Samuel looked at Scotty, “I’ll do it.”

Samuel looked at Maranda and asked, “What’s your name, troublemaker?”

Scotty said, “Her name is June.”

Maranda looked at Scotty and felt her tears. He gave her that name to remind her of what she had to pay back. Samuel saw her tears and said, “Hey, hey, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

June looked at him and smiled, “I have a huge debt. Just tell me what you want done.”

“Can you clean an entrance?”

“I can learn.”

“Ok, come on. Let’s go.”

Samuel mounted Blraet and pulled June up behind him. “Hold on, this could be rough.”

June reached around Samuel’s waist and held him tight. Samuel was reminded of his wife that had died twenty years earlier by a charging Torg. Blraet lifted and they flew away.

Scotty looked up at Bleath and said, “When the next moon comes, will you have ten elders?”

“Possibly. You never know when one of us might be called away.”

Scotty smiled and knew the Zord had seen something in Maranda that was redeeming. He watched as Samuel and June grew smaller in the distance, wondering what the Zord had seen that made them pick Samuel. Well, time will answer that question. “Vring, please take me back.” They lifted over the forest and Scotty could see Julie’s smiling face as they headed home. The stars were coming out, and somehow they didn’t look quite so far away.

As Scotty flew away, Bleath knew his family was blessed by a leader with wisdom. He had his Grang. Now his people had their June. Both were better for the act of forgiveness. Bleath looked up at the sky and saw the stars. Usually he just saw the air currents and never noticed the bright points of light. Now they filled his vision.

Two years later, Michael and Carrie came to visit. Julie and Scotty welcomed them and there were hugs for everyone. As they walked toward Michael’s former house, Carrie froze. Scotty saw her and looked to find June coming out of Samuel’s house.

“What’s she doing still alive?!?”

Scotty walked up beside her as they watched June being rushed by eight children that had been waiting for her to come out. “The Zord say that they cannot execute anyone without ten Elders being present on a full moon.” Carrie looked at Scotty. “She has gone to the Zord every full moon since she arrived to have her sentence carried out. They have been unable to have ten Elders present.”

“So why is she here?”

“The Zord remanded her to the leader of the Human community to force her to do hard labor until they could carry out her sentence.”

Carrie looked back and saw a middle-aged man come out and shoo the children away. He leaned down, kissed Maranda, and gave her a hug. He then left toward the forest. Carrie looked at Scotty, “Samuel lost his wife more than twenty years ago to a wild animal attack. He has been suffering ever since.”

Carrie said coldly, “It appears he is no longer suffering.”

“I think you’re right.”

Carrie ran away from the group toward Maranda. Michael started to follow, but Scotty held out his arm and said, “Let her go.”

Carrie ran up to Maranda just as a young woman with a three year old walked up. She stopped as the child held her arms out to Carrie’s nemesis. Maranda turned and saw Carrie. The young woman said, “Hello, I haven’t seen you before. Are you new here?”

Carrie tore her gaze from Maranda and said “No, I’m just visiting.”

“Well, welcome to our community. Come on Carrie, it’s time to go.”

Carrie furrowed her brow, “What’s your little girl’s name?”

The young woman smiled and said, ‘We tried to name her after June here, but she insisted that she knew a name that was as beautiful and strong as the woman that used it. She named her Carrie. It was June that saved my life during a very hard labor. I’d have died, and little Carrie as well, without her help.”

The woman walked away and the eight children came running up to hug June’s legs. Carrie saw Maranda hang her head, and noticed tears falling to the ground. She looked up and said, “I have tried so hard to die, Carrie.”

Carrie looked at her and said, “I think my Mother would be proud of you to use her name. I can see Maranda died two years ago. She is no longer here.”

June grabbed Carrie and hugged her, “I am so sorry.”

“I know.”

The children looked up and wondered what had June upset. June released Carrie, wiped her eyes, forced a smile, and said, “All right, it’s time to go and pick-a-pod or two. Who’s with me?”

The children screamed and started skipping along beside June as she relieved their parents from the high energy of their children, Carrie watched her go as Michael came up and put his arm on her shoulder. Carrie looked up at Michael and said, “I was wrong. That’s not Maranda.”

Michael looked at his wife and said, “No, she isn’t.”

G
rang, Jingo and Scotty were lying on a hill looking up at a sky full of stars. “Reminds me of old times.”

“I know, Jingo.”

Jingo said, “I wonder what that hill looks like now?”

Grang said, “I wonder how Bravo is doing?”

Scotty said, “I wonder if the Realm’s defense complex is going to allow us entry?”

Grang and Jingo both rolled over and looked at Scotty. “I thought you had given up on that?”

“No, Jingo. Anglo is just not enough to handle the things we need to do with three kingdoms to defend. We need to get Anglo, BC, and Jessica updated.”

“Didn’t BC say that complex had some rather deadly defenses?”

“Yes, he did.”

The three stared up at the stars and after five minutes Jingo said, “Ok, I’m in. When do we leave?”

Scotty looked at Jingo and said, “War gland blues, huh?”

“I do miss the feeling.”

“What about you Grang?”

“Anything beats this boredom.”

Scotty continued to watch the stars and said, “I believe that one day you’ll beg for boredom.”

Grang smiled, “Probably, but not today.”

“I understand you’re going to talk with an old defense installation.”

Scotty looked at Julie and smiled, “I hear they are very talkative.”

“They are also very dangerous. BC tells me the installation’s weapons can penetrate a Gamma Ship’s screens. I don’t want to lose you.”

“We’ll be careful. BC tells me he knows the master computer and I think it will talk before it fires on a former ship of the Realm.”

“The word that scares me in your statement is ‘think’. You really don’t know what it will do. I don’t want you taking any chances.”

“I’ll be careful, Julie, but we need to make the effort. Anglo is overloaded, and we need to get BC and Jessica modernized.”

“I know! But this is risky. Just promise me you’ll be careful. We can’t afford to lose both of you.”

“I will.”

“Promise?”

Scotty took a deep breath, “I promise.”

“Good. When are you leaving?”

“In about an hour; we’re going alone. Anglo will teleport us to the system and we’ll move in slowly from the jump limit.”

Julie reached up and kissed Scotty and shook her head, “My life would be over without you. Is Jingo or Grang going with you?”