Excessica Anthology BOX SET Winter (106 page)

“It
does not tear, burn, or mark, Princess, and it never yellows or crinkles. It
seems to be a living substance of some kind which the rest of the book was
constructed around.”

Kestra
got an image in her head of perhaps thousands of years ago when some
black-skinned lizard man had handed this cursed page to the primitive
inhabitants of her world. Had the alien told them then why he would return and
the knowledge was lost through the years? Had they worshipped the beast as a
god until it left them? Kestra didn’t know, nor would she, but it suddenly
seemed all too clear the prophecy could not be simply discounted or ignored.

Kestra
was resigned, but she thanked Neval. “I see, Neval, and thank you for opening
my eyes.” The Princess was nearing a point where her mind could not accept more
information. She was struggling with this incredible revelation which had
changed her view of her world too quickly, but there was one more question she
needed answered and only her father could give her the answer.

“One
last question, Father, why am I learning of this now, why today?”

King
Valla’s face had never looked older to his daughter despite his relatively
young age. “Time, my dear, I thought I had plenty of it, but no more. Neval
tells me I have but a few months to live so I had to give you time to make your
decision. Your choice is simple; decide to rule despite this prophecy and you
shall, or you may abdicate your throne and the Council will choose a new King
and a new bloodline to rule Sarcon. I will accept whatever your decision is and
no shame or disgrace will be attached to your decision, but you must decide
soon.”

* *
* *

The
full weight of her decision didn’t fall on Kestra until she was hurrying down
the corridor to exit the Council chambers with Taylar, Zenna, and Dowena by her
side. Her companions could all see she was upset, almost shocked, but so far
she had not told them anything of what had transpired in the chambers. As she
walked, her mind was going over all the factors involved in her decision.

I’ve
grown up expecting to be Queen someday. It was not a moment I looked forward to
particularly, for it would mean father was gone, but there’s no question I have
always felt I would be Queen.
For a moment Kestra burned with anguish about
her future and heritage being snatched away from her by an alien passage she
didn’t know existed a day ago.

Who
can they be, these Tarsus, and where are they?
Neval seemed sure these
Tarsus were nowhere on Sarcon which left her to contemplate the heavens.
Sarconian science was not advanced and the idea that another life form could
come from the sky was frightening to Kestra, but she had to accept it could be.

Kestra
forced her mind to concentrate on what she was rapidly seeing as the key issue
in her decision. If her people had been planted here on this world by the
Tarsus, as it now seemed they were, wouldn’t the return of the Tarsus be
inevitable? Despite Neval’s conclusions and her natural repugnance of the
alien’s appearance there was no proof the Tarsus meant her people harm. Kestra
understood beauty did not necessarily indicate good intentions just as ugliness
did not indicate evil so she clung to the possibility that a meeting with the
Tarsus might benefit Sarcon in some way.

However
Kestra did understand all she had were guesses and she would have to make her
decision based on her belief. The real question was would she give up her
destiny and her family’s heritage, to cower under a pretend male king.
If I
take the throne am I ending my people’s existence or am I ushering in a golden
age?

* *
* *

Kestra
decided to speak to two people, Taylar and Dowena, before she spoke to her
father to tell him her decision. She went to Taylar first and looking at the
dark-haired soldier she realized she did indeed love him.

“The
news from the Council chamber was not good, my love. There is great danger by
way of a prophecy about when a Queen first rules Sarcon. It portends the return
of an alien race who may destroy our world or benefit it.” Kestra paused and
watched Taylar’s brow furrow with confusion. He didn’t understand.
How could
he? This morning I was blissfully ignorant of these damnable facts.

“What
is the danger, my Princess? I will fight, I will challenge whatever . . .”
Taylar’s words were stopped as Kestra put her finger to his lips.

“You
cannot fight this. To do so would be folly.” She knew this instinctively. The
Tarsus could either be welcomed or delayed by her abdication. “What I need to
know right now is will you join with me, give me a child, and stand beside me
as my consort when I’m crowned. I need your promise, your loyalty, and your
strength.” Kestra was surprised by how clearly she saw this, how she knew what
she wanted to do.

For
Taylar the shock was deep, especially to be told he couldn’t fight to defend
his love, but he accepted her words because he did love her. “I have loved you
since our binding ceremony, Kestra, and so it is easy to say yes to joining
you. I promise you my loyalty forever as your consort.”

Kestra
kissed him with a renewed passion, but in the back of her mind there was now a
clock ticking and she knew the next step was to speak to Dowena. She would take
Taylar to her bed tonight and every night until he gave her a child and pray
her father lived long enough for the child to be born before she was crowned.
She understood her child would be crucially important to the future of Sarcon.

When
summoned into her lady’s presence about an hour later, Dowena seemed quiet and
resigned, almost upset. From her knees she greeted Kestra. “Have I not pleased
you, Princess? Am I to be punished?”

Kestra
thought this question odd. “Not at all, but why do you think that?”

An
almost pouty look came over Dowena’s pretty face. “Zenna told me of your
conversation and her promise to you. I do not understand why I was not asked to
stand with you.”

Kestra
winced at how she must have hurt Dowena by speaking to Zenna first for her two
handmaidens were like sisters and they kept no secrets between each other.

Dowena
began to cry feeling like she’d failed her lady, but Kestra reached down and
helped her stand. “I’m sorry, Dowena, I should have known to speak to both of
you together, but I summoned you to ask the same promise from you. Will you
stay at my side no matter what happens?”

Dowena’s
face immediately brightened and her tears stopped. “Yes, Mistress, I may not be
as dependable as Zenna, but I too will die at your side if need be.”

* *
* *

After
making love with all three of her companions that night, Kestra had breakfast
with her father the next morning. Not particularly hungry, she sat next to him
she watched him eat for a long time contemplating how he would soon be gone and
she would not have his strength to lean on. It seemed incomprehensible to her
she would soon be the rock all of Sarcon leaned upon.

Kestra
mused about how all the decisions of her young life had been her father’s. It
would be a role reversal for them to have her tell him of her decision, but it
could not be helped. The days she could live blissfully in his shadow were gone
forever.

“Father,
I’ve set in motion a joining ceremony for Captain Taylar and I as soon as we
return to the palace. Also, I would like you to return to the palace with me so
Zenna and Dowena can look after you. I plan to be with child as soon as possible
and I would like to see the child born before . . .” Kestra stumbled over
mentioning his impending death, but her father looked up and smiled at her. At
first she didn’t understand the reason for his smile, but then she realized she
had made her decision apparent to him before she actually announced it.

“If
you wish to have a child, then you’ve decided as I hoped and Queen Kestra will
rule this land. As I saw it, there was no other decision possible, for a wise
ruler embraces the future because you cannot stop it. I won’t be there with you
when the Tarsus comes, but I know you’ll do what’s best for Sarcon.” Valla
embraced his daughter making Kestra feel his love stronger than ever.

My
first decision was the right one and it feels good, but how long will the good
feeling last?

* *
* *

Months
passed but Kestra did not forget the Tarsus. As she, Zenna, and Dowena nursed
her father’s failing heath, her belly grew with the child Taylar had given her
after their joining. With their Queen-to-be close to giving birth, all of
Sarcon was ready to celebrate.

By
now all of Sarcon knew of the danger of the Tarsus as Kestra had convinced her
father the people deserved to know. Rather than fear and panic, Kestra’s people
had displayed the courage she knew they had, especially the women.

Perhaps
it was fate playing a cruel joke to Kestra for on the same day her child was
born she became Queen, as her father slipped away only moments after his
granddaughter was born. With the baby in her arms and Taylar beside her, Kestra
wept as the royal minister placed the crown of Sarcon on her head. Taylar was
also crowned with the title King Consort of Sarcon, but there was no covering
up Sarcon had a ruling Queen for the first time.

After
the long day, Kestra and Taylar retired to the royal bedchambers for the
evening. Kestra was nursing her newborn daughter, Dania, when there was a
tremendous noise from outside the palace.

They
all ran to the balcony and looked up. The noise, a great roar like a thundering
furnace, seemed to be coming from some distant lights in the night sky. They
were nothing more than indistinct lights from far away, but as Kestra watched
them she grew uneasy as she was certain they were moving closer to the palace.
Taylar sensed her uneasiness and wrapped his arms around her.

Kestra
knew she should feel safe in his arms, but she didn’t and she began to realize
neither her life nor Taylar’s mattered. The only thing which mattered was Dania
and the survival of Sarcon. Everything else could be sacrificed if need be.

Kestra
took her lover’s hand and led him to their bed. “Make love to me tonight as if
you might never do it again.” If this was to be their last night together she
wanted to remember it forever.

* *
* *

The
morning brought with it all the cruel reality Kestra had imagined. Hovering
over the palace casting a huge shadow over the entire grounds was an enormous
flying ship. On Sarcon only birds flew, so Kestra and the entire palace were
stunned to see the gigantic alien craft high above them. To Kestra, this reaffirmed
her feeling the Tarsus could not be fought, they must be welcomed. Ominously,
the aliens simply hovered there in the bright blue-green sky all day long while
Kestra and her advisors debated what to do.

Yet
Kestra knew the harsh truth. There was nothing they could do until the Tarsus
decided to make their presence known. Kestra summoned the entire palace to
assemble in the throne room after the sun went down as in her mind she felt
perhaps the Tarsus were waiting to make a grand entrance. Her instinct proved
correct for as soon as she entered the hall there was a sudden blinding flash
of light. After the flash, they were all shocked to see just one tall reptilian
creature standing in the center of the room. As everyone drew back away from
the hideous beast, the guards drew their swords but Kestra stopped them.

“Sheath
your swords, men. We will welcome the Tarsus as friends.” Kestra noticed that
as soon as she spoke the red eyes of the creature fixed upon her. She took a
good look at this beast who was perhaps three heads taller than the tallest
Sarconian. The small but glowing red eyes seemed to bulge out of its head and
its skin looked not only scaly but it seemed to be covered in a gelatinous
slime which oozed from various pustules on the surface of its skin.

Kestra
took a step forward toward the beast who was still eyeing her ominously. As
soon as she moved it did, and Kestra got a chance to see its long, thick
whip-like tail bob in the air behind the creature as it walked. Clearly the
tail was useful to it, yet it did have long arms which had sharp claws at the
end of them.

Very
slowly, Kestra continued to move closer to the creature until it made a
frightening hissing sound and a long black tongue slithered out of its mouth.
When the mouth opened Kestra saw the creature had neat rows of long sharp teeth
indicating its species was most definitely predatory, yet what Kestra wanted
was to communicate with it.

For
a few subtle moments, both Tarsus and Sarconian Queen stood evaluating each
other. Kestra was waiting for the creature to speak, but she did not know if it
could so she decided to break the ice.

“I
am Queen Kestra of Sarcon. I welcome the Tarsus to my world on behalf of my
people. May I ask what the Tarsus desire of us?” It was as polite as she could
be to this repulsive alien, but as soon as she stopped speaking she noted how
the ends of the Tarsus’ mouth turned upwards.
Is he smiling at me?
Initially
Kestra interpreted the gesture as friendly and it gave her hope the Tarsus were
not there to destroy Sarcon.

There
was a hissing noise and then words came from the Tarsus. “You have fulfilled
the prophecy. Remove your coverings and kneel before me.” The hiss continued
for a few seconds after the Tarsus’ words ended.

Kestra
was uncertain, yet she felt the right thing to do was to obey. Despite her
fear, she slipped off her royal silk and stood naked before the hideous
reptile. She was about to go to her knees when she felt Taylar’s hand on her
arm.

“You’re
not seriously going to kneel before this beast, my love?” Taylar’s face told
Kestra he was in disbelief of her actions.

“What
else is there to do, Taylar? We cannot fight them.” Kestra realized her knees
were shaking with fear as she went to the ground a mere few paces in front of
the Tarsus.