Secrets of the New World (Infini Calendar) (Volume 2) (16 page)

The entrance to the settlement, large gate, was guarded by two men, each wearing animal furs over a patchwork of other materials of various colors. Jeanne was hardly an expert on Piscataway culture, but she decided the imagery probably symbolized something and was spiritually important to these people.

As they approached, the two Piscataway men—who were very muscular and wore large feathers in their hair—motioned for them to stop. One of them said something in their language, and Edward replied, gesturing to Farahilde. The two men looked skeptical and made what Jeanne thought were further inquiries.

After a few moments, one of them went inside the settlement. Edward then turned his attention to Jeanne. “He went to ask the weroance if we can enter. The weroance is the highest authority here, so if he says no, there is nothing more we can do. Of course, I hope he says yes, because that will increase the help I give you.”

Jeanne was holding Farahilde’s upper body, and Frederick had her legs. The suspense was almost unbearable, and having to carry the young Austrian’s limp body only made it worse. Neither her patience nor her muscles would last much longer.

Within a few moments the guard came back and spoke to Edward. “What did he say?” she asked impatiently.

“He says the weroance has given us permission to enter.”

Thank the Lord
, Jeanne thought as she breathed a silent sigh of relief. However, she knew they had only been given permission to enter; they had not yet been given the cure, if one even existed.

One of the guards directed them to a house in the center of the settlement. In the center of this house was a circular fireplace on the floor. Behind the hearth sat an important-looking man who seemed to be in deep meditation. He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, and from his mouth came a sound like a hybrid of humming and mumbling.

Edward sat down opposite the weroance in front of the hearth, and he motioned for Jeanne and Frederick to do the same. Jeanne sat down to the right of Edward and Frederick sat to the right of her. Meanwhile, Farahilde was placed behind them on a mat of animal fur.

Edward leaned over to whisper in Jeanne’s ear. “The weroance is divining the secrets of the universe.”

Suddenly the weroance opened his eyes and spoke. Speaking as softly as she could, Jeanne asked Edward, “Is he talking to us?”

Edward nodded. “He says he wouldn’t ordinarily grant help to a white person, but the Spirits have told him your friend is to play a key role in determining the future of this land. Oh, it sounds like she’s going to be of great help to someone. I’m jealous!”

Jeanne didn’t understand. “The Spirits?”

“That is best translation I can come up with for the word they use to describe the entities they supposedly get their knowledge from.” At this point the weroance began speaking again. “He says you and Frederick will also be instrumental in deciding the outcome of a coming battle, along with one other person.”

The weroance said something to the two Piscataway men standing over Farahilde. They picked her up and brought her into a smaller room behind the weroance. The walls of this room were covered in strange symbols Jeanne had never seen before.

“What is this area?” Jeanne asked Edward. The two of them, along with Frederick, stood in the doorway. The weroance knelt between them and Farahilde who lay on the floor.

“The name of this room most closely translates to ‘Abode of the Earth’,” Edward explained. “It is said that this room is closest to the domain where their ancestors dwell.”

The weroance began chanting, and Jeanne was shocked to see a soft green glow appear beneath Farahilde. It looked as if the ground itself was becoming bathed in an ethereal light. “Is that…coralite?”

Edward motioned for her to lower her voice. “The weroance needs complete concentration. But yes, that is coralite. The Piscataway have a deep connection with the earth. They can bend its energy to their will. Or rather, the weroance can. Most Piscataway can’t control it to the extent he can.

“And this will reveal the treatment needed to save Farahilde?”

He shook his head. “You don’t understand. This
is
the treatment.”

Frederick gave to a realization. “The coralite sample in her pocket; the weroance is using it to heal her.”

Jeanne was fixated on the scene playing out in front of her. The glow had encompassed Farahilde completely. Within moments Jeanne had to shield her eyes from its brilliance. To thank that just a small amount of coralite could have this effect…

***

Her miniature doppelganger was sitting on the floor playing with a doll.

“What. The. Hell?” She said, stunned at the scene playing out before her.

None of them paid any attention to her. Antonia continued talking to Leopold about affairs of state. Farahilde was about to try and get their attention again when a fourth figure materialized right in front of her. More precisely, it walked right through her as it entered the room.

It was their mother, Maria Theresa. “It’s time for Farahilde’s nap,” she announced.

“Mama!” the child cried happily as Maria Theresa picked her up.

The adult Farahilde, dumbstruck, reached out to touch her long-dead mother, but the apparition walked right through her as it exited the room with its young charge. A tear streamed down her cheek at the lost opportunity. “Mother…” It had been a decade since she had last seen her mother, and now here she was, unable to hug her, to tell her how much she had missed her, to ask
Are you proud of me?

Nevertheless, Antonia and Leopold continued speaking as if nothing was amiss. “Mother really enjoys Farahilde,” he said.

Antonia nodded. “She is Mother’s youngest. Mother simply wants to baby her while she can. It was the same with each of us.”

“I suppose you’re right.” There was something different about his demeanor, Farahilde observed. He seemed a lot more laid-back, a far cry from the strict bastard she knew.

Suddenly Antonia said, “Brother, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Anything, my sister. You have but to ask.”

Antonia looked around to make sure there was no one eavesdropping on their conversation. When she was satisfied, she said, “I sense something in Farahilde. Something wonderful. She has the potential to be the greatest of the Hapsburgs. But that potential must be carefully nurtured. As I am in France most of the year, it will be up to you to raise her should anything happen to our parents. Will you promise to do that?”

“Of course. I will make sure she grows into a strong Hapsburg.”

“You must not go easy on her,” Antonia added. “You must be firm.”

He said, “You may rest easy knowing Farahilde will become a fine person. I shall teach her everything she will need to know for the day she eventually becomes ruler of the Hapsburg house.”

“Thank you, dear brother. However, there is one more promise I want you to make me.”

“What is it?”

“Promise me you’ll never give up on her.”

“I promise.”

She embraced him. “You’ll never know how much this means to me. Now I can return to France without any worries.”

“
I’ll
still worry about you,” he said. “The French people are such vulgar louts. Rest assured if they hurt you in any way—”

She cut him off. “No! You must not do anything rash. You have an entire country to think about.”

“But—”

“A ruler must not put one person over the lives of his people. Only a petulant child would do such a thing.”

He seemed to think this over for a moment, and then said, “You are right. Even if they end up holding you prisoner, I will not retaliate. However, if it is
they
who declare war, I will have to respond.”

“That is acceptable,” she said, “Do what you must to protect Austria, but do not be the aggressor.”

He smiled. “It is agreed, then. I have made you two promises, and we have come to terms on an important foreign policy.”

He was a liar, Farahilde thought as she watched them. Leopold never had any intention of keeping his promises, at least the ones concerning her. He was a lying piece of filth, no better than the French worms he had just decried.

Someone appeared next to Farahilde. It was Antonia. Farahilde’s eyes darted between the two Antonias. The one across the room continued to talk with Leopold. The Antonia standing next to her looked at Leopold and said, “Two promises made. One promise kept.”

Farahilde was thoroughly confused. “Huh?”

“Leopold kept his promise to try and raise you right. But along the way he must have forgotten why he was doing it. His attempts to mold you into a strong Hapsburg eventually became of a dogmatic nature. His frustration at your refusal to conform to his ideals increased over time. He has never understood what you are or the person you were meant to be.

“You believe him to be little more than a liar. The truth is not so simple. He meant well, but he is only human. People easily stray from their original intentions.”

Farahilde rolled her eyes. “So you’re saying he’s complicated. Well, that’s just great.”

“I’m not saying he hasn’t wronged you,” Antonia replied. “He should truly apologize for trying to force you to be someone you’re not. However, don’t you think there are valuable lessons you could learn from him?”

“Well, I…guess so,” Farahilde said reluctantly.

“Good. If the two of you work harder to understand one another, things will not be so difficult between you.”

Farahilde was very embarrassed at the words she had to utter. “I’ll…try, I guess. But only because it’s you asking me. I wouldn’t do it for anyone else. I—”

Her words were cut off by a sudden rumbling. The room began shaking violently. “Oh, dear,” Antonia said.

Farahilde became aware of an aching pain in her head. “What’s going on?”

Pieces of the ceiling began raining down. Sharp cracks began running one by one up the walls. “You are dying,” Antonia said. “You’ve got to get out of here. This space is collapsing. If you don’t wake up before you are crushed, you’ll be stuck with me for all eternity.”

As she choked back a sob, Farahilde asked, “Would that really be so bad?”

A tear ran down Antonia’s cheek. “You must
live
, my sister. You have people waiting for you.”

Farahilde ran forward to embrace her older sister one last time. However, a section of the ceiling fell on her, burying her in debris. Antonia’s face shone down upon her, and then everything faded out of existence.

***

The glow suddenly went out, and they were left in the dark of the room once again. The weroance then said something. “He has done all he can,” Edward said.

Several moments went by in silence. There was no movement from Farahilde. Was that it, then? Had all their effort been for naught?

Jeanne felt a supreme coldness in her heart. Once again she had been powerless to save someone close to her. She fell to her knees and balled her hands into fists.

Frederick, for his part, was more subdued. “Why did this happen? I thought—”

He was unable to finish his oral melancholy, as Farahilde’s eyes suddenly burst open. Her arm shot up into the air as if grasping for something, and her mouth opened for a very audible intake of air.

“Farahilde!” Jeanne yelled. “You’re alive!”