The End is Near

Chapter 6

July 10th, 2045 – Ozarks

They hurried through the night. The urgent summons of their respective rulers made it imperative that there be no delay. Over hills, through mountains and valleys they sought their hidden kinsmen.

Under normal circumstances, if they had sighted each other, there would have been bared teeth and much posturing over who should have the right of way. Even though trade continued amongst them in specific market spaces, they kept away from each other as much as they could. Now, however, they stared coldly in a simple reminder that the old resentment still lingered, before bending their head with a shrug of the shoulders and moving on.

Nimble, the blacksmith, paused as they entered his neat little yard.

"The king summons ye" they motioned. His little hammer was placed neatly to one side as he pulled off his apron.

As he moved to follow them, they motioned for him to wait.

"Do ye have any kin livin' wit' ye?" they asked.

He nodded.

"You are to bring 'em. They will either join ye or be sent to a protected place."

He nodded again. Three short shrill whistles were enough to bring his wife and the two boys running outside.

"One more thing," they said, "whatever treasures you have stored away is no' important. But if you have anything that can be used as a weapon, bring it...and all the food ye can carry."

Not far away, in a cave just over the next rise, a similar scenario was being enacted with a jeweler, the humble subject of Lord Lilon.

Slowly the clearing filled.

Banff in Canada

King Mullac, Ruler of the Wood and Keeper of the Peace, had chosen the location. It was his right as sovereignty was his right. It was a narrow thing though. Lord Lilon, Ruler of the Deeps and Keeper of Secrets had as much power as the King did.

It was why the King had chosen a place in the forest close to one of Lilon's cave-clans. It was a balancing of sorts and a measure of respect. Too close to the heart of Lilon's power and he risked too much, too far away from any of his clan-keeps and he risked Lilon's displeasure and possible refusal. Too far into the old forests and he risked Lilon seeing it as a possible ambush.

And he still did. Have respect for Lilon that is.

It was really too bad their peoples had no respect for each other. Over the long years, a choice of a way of life had degenerated into something petty, almost resembling a feud of sorts. His people were the forest dwellers and the ones who chose the high mountains to live. Lilon's were those who had chosen the caves and the hidden places.

It had been a choice, just as leaving had been the choice of some. He wondered if the humans and their pettiness had so infused the Earth and the air that even they of the Rae-dόc had become infected with the need to make superficial differences more than they needed to be. He silenced the little voice that said he and Lilon had contributed to the decay of those relationships. He had lived with the guilt for a long time and had practice with quieting that voice.

The unfortunate decision to banish the last of his people brave enough to love one of Lilon's people had not been something he could have changed.

No matter now. What was done was done.

His three Seers had agreed unanimously, as had the three of Lilon's. It was a thing unheard of – this agreement. As was the Gathering and the Council. It was a good thing he and Lilon yet ruled. He had full trust in his offspring, as he was sure Lilon did in his. Yet this Gathering was something the younger ones had a hard time understanding and accepting. They were not yet born when the Pact was made and the three groups went their separate ways. They tried, but they could not fully understand what it meant that they had all been One People once.