Cataindar

CHAPTER FORTY THREE

Luisa woke to the sounds of birds as the sun warmed her face at her Grandmother's house. She padded to the bathroom catching sight of the rough red bruise around her throat.

That doesn't look good.

She immediately began applying make-up to hide it. She realized with a cold chill that tomorrow she was to start at Ruthin School.

Oh No.

The thought cascaded inside her, like a dark waterfall of dread.

She ambled downstairs. On the dining room table was a stack of books wrapped in brown paper; pre-term reading of which she had done none.

Her grandmother was watching her from the other room. She walked in and spoke to Luisa slowly, and although her tone was gentle and sympathetic, her words were anything but.

"Luisa, when you start tomorrow, you will find that you are already behind, the awful school your mother let you attend in London will have harmed your education and manners. But, you are a Wynn, Luisa. We are an old family of impeccable breeding and we Wynns learn fast. One evening I shall take you through our family tree."

Luisa snorted and turned the first page of Advanced Science; there was a lot of writing.

Her grandmother gave a small cough.

"That is not all, Luisa. I wanted to let you know that your mother's operation is tomorrow, they hope to remove the tumour, but you should know her recovery may be short, long, or... not at all."

Luisa paused mid-page. She had to be there. "I want to see her Grandmother, I want to go and see her right now."

"Impossible. Luisa I am sorry. I really am, but she is too weak for visitors. She must save every ounce of energy for the operation and subsequent recovery."

Luisa put her head in her hands and slowly leant down until her head rested on the table.

She waited until her Grandmother was out the room before she phoned the hospital.

"Dr. Ward, it's Luisa. You are operating on my Mum tomorrow are you?"

His voice crackled through, "Oh hello, yes, well, it is not just me Luisa, we have the a great team here."

"Will she..." Luisa couldn't speak. A lump had replaced the place where her throat used to be.

There was a silence. Dr. Ward took a deep breath, "I... can't make any promises, but, but I will say this Luisa. I think we have one of the best surgical teams in the country here. If anyone can help your Mum, it is us."

"You have to, because, I, without her I can't do it anymore Doctor, I can't. Do you understand?"

"Luisa..."

Luisa hung up. She closed her eyes for a moment she could feel her eyes filling up with tears.

She must be alright.

Who could she speak to that would understand, of course; Matthew.

She dialled Matthew's aunt's house. His aunt sounded hesitant to pass the phone along to him, but she did.

"Hello?" Matthew's earnest voice was in her ear.

"Matthew, its my Mum's operation tomorrow."

"Oh god... How are you feeling?"

"Like shit" Luisa bit her lip, fighting tears.

"She is going to be OK Luisa. Honestly I don't know why I know, but I am so sure she will be. "

Luisa smiled a little and rubbed her teary eye, she gave a shaky sigh.

"She isn't Matthew and neither am I. But thank you for saying that. I'm so glad that you... well, just thank-you."

* * *

Darcius strode through the corridor. His armour tight and his dagger gently clinking against his side. It was like someone had gripped his heart, every breath felt sharp in his chest.

He was betraying his people. He was saving them. It was both. Nothing. Everything. They fell for his lies, lies he constructed with the help of their sworn enemy. He was in league with the King of the Ratains! And now he had beheaded his friend. But there could not be birth without death. His thoughts swam. He saw his sword go through dear Greaves' neck. The blood pumping over the Princess. No! She was no princess to him, a stumbling relic of...

"Darcius!"

Darcius spun in a blur pulling the long sword from his back, his hackles standing on end.

It was a runner, he stopped in his tracks paws up in the air. "I didn't mean to startle you sir.... I, I heard you saved the princess' life, I... Thank you, from all of us, we are lucky to have you to protect us Darcius."

Darcius, was nearly shaking. He managed a nod and turned walking quickly away, sheathing his sword as he did.

He jerked a door open and ducked into another corridor, locking the door behind him.

He had to see it through.

He took a deep breath, why did each one seem to sting his soul?

"Darcius?" A soft voice in the dark.

"Chopland?" Darcius' eyes quickly adjusted and he saw her curvy figure approach him, slowly, confidently.

She embraced him, he buried his face in her fur, inhaling the smell of perfume, sky, and steam from the kitchens.

"It has begun Chopland, all is set."

Chopland pulled away and held his face in her paws,

"You have doubts?"

Darcius held his breath. He could stand it no longer, he felt like each breath was stabbing his heart.

Chopland's grip on his face tightened, and her voice dropped.

"Kill them Darcius. Take your sword and destroy your doubts. You are our saviour. Free the ratain king, and we will be free of this prison. I will be free of the kitchens and you will free of scourging the land like a thief in the night. We will free the catains. The ratain king has sworn it. He will not break his word."

Darcius nodded. "Many will die."

"True. The princess, the abbot, his readers, Finn and his men must be part of the sacrifice. But if the Ratains find us, which they will one day. We will all die. Darcius, you saw this. You dreamt it, and I believe in you. I don't want my kitain's torn to death by Ratains."

Darcius nodded.

Chopland's loosened her grip on his features, one paw, dropped behind his neck. "Our kitains. When I am the Queen of a new Cataindar. One in which we are free of being hunted by the Ratains and free of the whim of every ridiculous human that arrives, a Cataindar free of traditions, where we can rule ourselves. A new beginning. With you as our King."

Darcius breathed, the pain was gone.

"Greaves gave his life for this Darcius, he knew the risks, he was prepared to die for you."

"He was a noble catain."

"Then honour him. Surely it is no fate that we were brought together, the one catain that knew the secret of an unguarded way to the land above, and the one that has the bravery, the intelligence and the strength to save us?"

Darcius nodded.

It was true.

"I brought you something." She pressed a huge vial of sky into his belt.

Darcius reached down and pulled Chopland close to him,

"I think I may need something else,"

Chopland pushed back into him her tailed curled around him stroking down his thigh, "Well, you must take what you want my King... for tomorrow you will free Cataindar in a river of blood... Just as it begun."