Warrior's Soul (Book 3 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 45

Three large bonfires lit the camp as drummers from the mud village played a lively beat. Sky people, Water people, Hayvani's and other tribe members; at first they danced their traditional steps, but soon youngsters were teaching each other, blending their moves into something new.

A new dance that belonged to the Protectorate, just like this day of celebration.

"Protector!" Malia called as she walked to where Leyla had been watching the revelry from a distance. Athiri lifted his head to sniff the air in the direction of the approaching woman, before nudging Leyla's arm for a stroke. "The parents of the newborn ask permission to approach."

Leyla's brows rose in surprise. Babies were barely seen in the Warrior Kingdom where orphan and royalty alike were raised together in the village by wet nurses. Only after a child took their first steps were they given back to their parents, or in Leyla's case, the orphanage. Since that was the way of it, Leyla had asked the Sage to take charge of the Naming ceremony...but the parents wanted to see her?

"If they like," she told Malia, who grinned and almost knocked into Gabriel in her rush to deliver the news.

"Apologies, Sage!"

"Malia seems excited," Gabriel commented, as he reached forward with his palm. Athiri touched the top of his head to his hand happily.

"Mmm," Leyla agreed, noting that the orange-yellow flower necklace the Water people had put around his neck matched his long coat perfectly. The peace loving tribe had worked tirelessly on decorating both the camp and its people with colourful Blom flowers. They had even made a special bed with shed bird feathers as a gift to the new baby. "Is Kaya alright?"

"Of course," Gabriel smiled. "She took her medicine and is back to playing with the other children."

Leyla looked around until she found Kaya playing drums by the furthest of the bonfires. Even from this distance, she could see the child's bright smile as she laughed at Tai's antics. Good. Tai's sword skills were developing well, but his sensitivity towards the girl who couldn't join in the dancing with her hurt leg was equally valuable. He was going to make a good leader.

"Are you alright, Protector?" the Sage asked suddenly, his face tipped in her direction. "You seem more tense than earlier. Did something happen?"

How did the man sense even the smallest change? "It's nothing, I'm just thinking."

The Sage nodded, then straightening his embroidered belt around his waist, continued: "Did you perhaps... get any news from the Land of Light?"

Leyla was surprised at the uncharacteristic hesitation in his voice. Was he worried about his brother? "Raphael is well."

"Of course he is," Gabriel laughed a little, as if at his own silliness. "I knew he would be, it's just... You know, Protector, I had resigned myself to never seeing him again. But, now that I have..."

Leyla thought about her recent encounter with Michael and thought she understood what he might be feeling. "You miss him more."

"Yes," the Sage sighed. "The mind works in strange ways. It's easier to bury feelings when those who stimulate them are not around."

Leyla knew what he meant. Even the descriptions of Raphael in the letter had intensified her desire to see him. She wanted to speak to him about everything that had happened. She wanted to make sure he was alright and ask him what he thought she should do about the escaped Bone Eater.

"It's true that I didn't return to the Land of Light, because I was ordered not to," Gabriel went on after a moment . "But, maybe I should have tried harder to let Raphael know that I didn't die. I didn't try, because I thought it would be better for him to forget about me." He took a slow breath, his brows drawing together with uncertainty. "In the end, no matter why, I decided for him..."

Deciding for someone...Raphael had done the same to her. He had lied to make it easier for her to leave, just like Gabriel had let his brother believe in his death to make his life in the Land of Light easier. Yes, she wished Raphael hadn't lied to her, but she understood that he was trying to protect her. 

"Don't worry," Leyla put her hand on Gabriel's shoulder, wanting to lend him comfort. "Raphael might have been upset, but he will understand your intentions."

The Sage smiled at her gratefully, "I appreciate you saying so, Protector."

"Leyla," she said softly. After everything she knew about his life, it felt unjust for him not to know her name. "My name is Leyla."

Gabriel's brows rose in surprise, then he laid his hand on hers and nodded, "Leyla."

"Protector?" Malia's voice drew their attention as she approached with the Hayvani couple and their baby behind her. "Ra-i and Lila have come to seek your counsel."

As the Hayvanis bowed low, the drumming around the bonfires stopped and Leyla could feel the entire camps eyes upon them.

"Ra a ook si Pro-tec-tor mo isim ki cho," Ra-i spoke with his head lowered. Then his wife lifted the crying baby from its basket and held the boy towards her.

"He asks that the Protector honour them by giving their son his name," Gabriel translated beside her.

"Me?" Leyla looked from the crying baby to the Sage, then around the expectant camp.

"Pl-ee-se," Pila spoke the Nolandic word and held the child even higher towards Leyla. His face had turned red from crying.

"Shouldn't she calm him?" Leyla whispered in Light language, but Gabriel just nudged her in response.

By Tevvuk's Beard, what was she meant to do? Straightening her back, Leyla reached for the boy with a worried look. As her fingers wrapped around his tiny torso, the little guy suddenly stopped crying. His tiny hands flailed as she watched him, his soft brown eyes blinking with surprise. Leyla couldn't believe how light he was. She brought him closer to her chest, mesmerised by his chubby cheeks and the scent of warm sunshine that seemed to emanate from his little body.

Suddenly, Athiri rose on his hind legs, putting his massive paws on Leyla's shoulders so he could sniff at the little bundle.

"Calm, Athiri," Leyla whispered. Then remembering that the entire camp was waiting for her to come up with a name, she frowned. What should he be called? The baby blinked at the Hayvan's sniffing nose, then at her with such calm it made her smile. 

"Ummut," the Aschian word left her lips and the baby giggled. Hope. Yes, that felt right. That was what the Protectorate was to those who came here. And this baby was the first Protectorate born.

Leaning down, Leyla whispered the name into the baby's ear, "You are Ummut. May you bring hope to us all."

Ummut reached out his chubby fingers to her cheek as if he had understood her words. Then Leyla turned him to face the camp and raised him gently.

"Ummut of the Protectorate. With a peaceful heart and strong mind, long may he live!"

"Ummut! Ummut! Ummut!" The camp repeated the boys name in one voice as Leyla handed the baby back to a crying Pila and a proud looking Ra-i. Hands rose in joy and the drums began to beat once more as the Protectorate celebrated the naming of the first born citizen.