The Son of Thunder

Part Three: The Age of Magpie

Chapter Thirty-One

In case you don't know what a magpie is, above is a magpie. I don't own the rights to the pic, I just stole it off the internet.

A great exodus had occurred in Thundonia. A sea of white robes, like gulls migrating, moved toward the horizon and their great home inside the crater of a dormant volcano. Jennis and Halgan, Annadam's keepers, spoke of nothing else. It gave Magpie a headache.

All of Magpie's family were crammed into this tiny dwelling on the outskirts of the Middlelands. A new tribe was being formed. The Thundonians and Star Children who had decided to couple had made this little grassy spit of land their new village and Dark and Annadam had been eager to join the group.

Dark had built their cabin in the time of one moon. Magpie studied it, tried to find flaw, but it was sound. Dark showed Magpie the garden and his bag of seeds. He was anxious for the planting season. Fall was upon them. He'd have a long wait.

Lorid had given them an old bed and dresser, table, chairs and two rockers. Every spring a few rooms in the inn needed refurnished. Lorid said it was just as well to give them the old pieces now.

Magie was glad the war was over, but she didn't want Dark and Annadam to go off on their own so soon after Flower was born. "Can you not give it some time?" she said to Annadam. It was still easier for Magpie to talk to her than to Dark.

"Don't fret, Magpie," Annadam said. "It doesn't become you."

Dark was showing Annadam the cushions he'd purchased for the rockers. He helped her lower herself into the seat, supporting Flower's head as she sat.

Magpie never thought the inn would be so empty from their absence. She wandered mindlessly through the lobby, the kitchen, the lonely hallways. She ached over Annadam so content in her seat with her husband and child. She wished her happiness as they left. But that night Magpie cried in her bed.

* * * * *

"Will you marry again?" Warrior asked.

Lightening's head was stopped with cotton balls. He needed exercise and the Pit needed dealt with, but he could not tolerate these questions. He chose to ignore Warrior.

He shifted his staff, blocking Warrior's strike. He was going easy on him. Lightening didn't think that he would miss Beast, but he did. When Warrior tried, his style challenged his abilities and increased his skill, but he missed Beast's infantile strikes. Just batting each other with a couple of sticks with the full force of energy and thoughtlessness behind each blow. Beast never asked him questions. Beast never made him think. Beast never reached down into his soul and stirred his anguish like this.

"You will love again, Lightening," Warrior said.

"I don't want to love again," he said.

He thought about stabbing Warrior back, reminding him of his years of pining for Shawna. Warrior was a liar and a hypocrite. He hated him. He hated Rhysya for leaving him. He hated Shela for lying. He hated Shawna because she was there. Eternity deserved it, so he hated her too.

The Star Children were all buzzing about the anticipated birth of the succeeding Priestess, their presence a permanent part of Thundonia now. The war was long forgotten to them.

"Lightening, you need to address your damaged heart."

He needed to do no such thing. "I will do as Shawna has done. I will lead a life of celibacy."

"Shawna is no longer celibate."

Lightening stiffened. He wanted Warrior to stop sharing with him. Discussion was futile. He refused to emote. He didn't want to know why Shawna was being more peaceable.