The Cat Who Knew How to Cry

10. HIS HIGHNESS AND HER HOLINESS (part 4)

Evidently, Anar was not meant to discover the way to the heart of Al Emenayit: the vision faded, the image of Timela dissolved into the green sea of foliage.

"So she departed for the Tree, the greatest secret of the GreatForest, whose branches resemble roots for it derives its strength and wisdom from the entire Infinite," Aniallu said ceremoniously. "Don't speak out loud. We've reached the halls of the Gloom of Timelessness. Complete silence must be kept here."

Anar looked around. Darkness reigned, thick and even enough to sharpen one's claws on. He couldn't even see Alu's eyes, though she was walking beside him, holding his hand.

"And... what happened next?"

"Timela didn't come back from the Tree, and the telepaths didn't come back from Cahnerali. While they were trying to figure out what's what, the king's brother and the younger princes organized a revolt. A lot of people died, including the heir to the throne. The king was deposed, and then his second son ascended the throne. He apologized to Briaellar... And that was when the worst began – dragons arrived in Cahnerali. Faithful servants of the Nae of Death. They accused our telepaths of staging the coup and took them to their home in the Silver Cliffs, where the seven Eale remain to this day. We have no idea what happened to them, don't know how Veindor is going to investigate the events in Cahnerali, or whether he's going to at all. No word from my sister Etalianna either. She had arrived in Silver Cliffs before all this madness began... and vanished into thin air."

"Why didn't you try to free them? How could Alasais allow someone to judge her children?"

"She couldn't do anything to help them. It's pointless to contest Veindor and impossible to fight him."

"What would he have done, fly in and burn down the GreatForest?"

"Burn? With fire?" Aniallu gave a dry laugh, although there was no mirth in her voice. "No, Anar. Veindor is Death. As the Nae of Crossing Over, he decides who dies, when they die and what they're reborn as. He can kill without weapons. He, and any one of his dragons, could simply fly through the woods on their phantom wings, through trees, birds, beasts and Eale, reaping the souls of the latter. And the woods... the woods and their non-intelligent inhabitants wouldn't notice a thing. Veindor does not punish the innocent. In the past he never punished anyone, never presumed to judge worldly matters, never meddled in politics."

"That cannot be!" Anar half-whispered, half-hissed, his ears drooping instinctively. "If a race with such powers existed in Enhiarg, it would have been dictating its terms to the rest of us for millennia. Or, perhaps they already are?"

"No, no, of course not," Aniallu laughed nervously. "Dragons have no other motives except promoting harmony and goodness in the Infinite, albeit in a form that's misunderstood by most creatures. They are like their master in every way, and he is not interested in power or wealth. They have no ambition, no fear, no attachments... In short, no private life. Anyway, this past year has been rather eventful. Before, whenever I found myself in a dangerous situation, I used to say that we're up dog pee creek without a paddle, but in this case dragon pee is more appropriate. More honor, sure, but a hell of a lot less fun. And now that you've relinquished the rare opportunity rule over the safe and stable Rual, these will soon be your problems as well."

"I can't wait," Anar announced with candor and out loud.

Aniallu hushed him, but it was too late. A purple-crimson flame flared off to the right. Anar fell to the ground and for a brief moment had the impression that he now knew how an egg felt when a cook knocked it against the side of a pot and began pulling both sides of the shell apart. Thank Alasais, her Shadow destroyed the "cook" in time. The spell's icy fingers let up, and Anar was once more able to breath.