The Anialwch Connection
Chapter 19
Akira left Nyumbani with Quade as soon as ships were permitted back at the dock. Kenyon stayed with them; his attention obviously consumed with making sure they were not being threatened. It was a somber group that boarded the tram in Playa. Donte was going to recover, but the future was uncertain. Akira believed that Adriaan knew or suspected something. Donte could have been transferred to Bergen as easily as he had been transferred to the Moeder. Donte, Donica, Celyn and Rianne had been under guard since Adriaan talked to Donte. Adriaan had said his commanders were all in Nyambani. Were Donte and Quade the only leaders that he considered his commanders? Where did Kenyon fit into it?
Akira wondered if Adriaan suspect her of being an informant. Someone in Lochfowk had tried to assassinate Donte. Of that there was no denying. Ness had been behind that attempt, but was there someone else? Chait was the first one who came to Akira’s mind. Was that why they took Donica with them?
The next morning, Kenyon took the tram to Bergen. He came back that evening and said he had taken Saskia, Tavin and Petra to the Moeder. He didn’t know why, but Adriaan had instructed him to do so. Whatever the reason, Donte would rest better. He must have been worried about them. Kenyon said that they would all return when Donte was strong enough to protect them. That could only mean one thing. Adriaan didn’t trust someone in Bergen. Maybe he didn’t know who he could trust in Bergen, but they certainly had enough men to guard Donte and his family. Donte was the ruler, but Beier was running things in his absence. What did Chait think of Donica and Tavin being taken to the Moeder – or did he even know? How did King Neirin feel about his daughter being on the Moeder?
Of all the things she heard in Nyumbani, perhaps the most frightening was Adriaan’s comment about the air strike being his decision, not the decision of the leaders. How did one person get that much power? Who had given it to him; The Parliament? If The Parliament or The Fontalo returned, whose side would Adriaan be on?
Perhaps those questions nagged at Quade and Kenyon as well. Certainly, they were both quiet and reflective. After a week had gone by and neither had mentioned the situation, she finally approached Quade while they were working on a puzzle.
“Do you feel that you can’t trust me?”
He looked up; his expression surprised. “No. Why would you think that?”
“You haven’t said a thing about the situation with Adriaan.”
He put a piece in the puzzle. “There is nothing to discuss. When Donte is well, they will return. Until then, they are all safe.”
“Who does Adriaan think he needs to protect them from?”
His gaze returned to hers. “If he knew that, he wouldn’t have to hide them.”
It was a stupid question. She frowned. “I keep thinking about something Adriaan said…actually, two things. He said all his commanders were in Nyumbani.”
Quade nodded. “Donte and I are the only leaders who were commanders on the Moeder. Chait served on the Baigh, but he was never a commander. Damian, Sima, Isis and Neirin have never served. Rianne isn’t a leader, but she served on the Baigh and she was an officer.” He studied her a moment. “What was the second thing he said that bothered you?”
“He said that Andras looked like Donte. He’s the only man who has said that. He looked pleased.”
Quade continued to watch her, probably waiting for more. He shrugged. “Adriaan likes Donte. It’s possible that he was thinking he might have better luck with a second-generation Donte.” He shrugged. “Or maybe he simply made him think of Donte.”
When she said nothing more, he continued to search for a puzzle piece. He was concentrating on a piece when she asked the next question. For a moment he stared at the piece.”
“How do you know you can trust Adriaan?”
Quade abandoned the piece and slowly turned to her. “I’ve known Adriaan a long time. I trust him.”
Warmth invaded her face. “I just thought…well, Donte said Niall was the one who gave the vials to everyone so that they would get the plague. The Parliament or The Fontalo decided who the commanders of the spaceships would be. If they returned, could we trust them not to aid The Parliament?”
Quade leaned back in his chair, watching her. “First, Niall didn’t give the vials to people so they would get the plague. At that point no one knew it would cause a plague. The scientists frequently gave the mascots nutrients to keep them healthy. Second, when he realized that it would harm the people, he stopped giving it to them and even warned them not to take it. Don’t forget that he drank a vial to make sure it was safe.” He looked at her a moment. “You realize, of course, that The Parliament had much to do with my being president. Do you think I would aid them?”
He had a point. She couldn’t imagine any of the current leaders aiding them, but what about Chait? Surely there would be people intimidated by The Parliament to the point of betrayal.
Quade continued watching her, waiting for an answer. She smiled. “Of course I don’t think you would aid them. I guess it was the fact that Adriaan has so much power. Is it wise to give one person that kind of power?”
“It’s hard to say. Sometimes having one person to make the final decision prevents conflict. The spaceship commanders are supposed to protect the colonies. I case of chaos; they can take command. It did surprise me that Adriaan was getting involved in something that was already being addressed by leaders on Purlieu. Finding out that Pieter decided on a different second was enough to make him start asking questions. I can imagine how distressed he was when he discovered someone tried to assassinate Donte. He doesn’t see Donte as anything near normal. He believes in The Prophesy and he thinks Donte is the best commander he ever had. Then to discover he was near death and no one had informed him….” Quade lifted his brows and shook his head.
“Then you think he overreacted?”
He sat up in his chair and looked at the puzzle. "I think he took it personally.”
“You don’t think there is still someone trying to assassinate Donte?”
He was silent a moment and then looked at her. "The closer we get to the fulfillment of The Prophesy; the more Donte will be in danger from the non-believers."
It was a dangerous position. Did Donte realize that? Not that it mattered. He was the chosen one, so there was no way out for him. She sighed.
“When we escaped from the Nyumbani and Donte realized some of Farasi’s raiders were after us, he thought they had regained control of Nyumbani. He said that as soon as I was safe, he was going back because his children were in danger.” She gave Quade a level look. “He’s going to go right back and get those raiders out of there as soon as he is capable. He will want to protect the women and children from a possible air strike. You know that, don’t you?”
Quade fit a piece in the puzzle. “Probably, but he will be more cautious and bring more help. Adriaan will discover the same thing Pieter did – you can’t intimidate Donte. He won’t back down. When Adriaan was his commander, Donte was his subordinate. He did everything in his power to achieve what Adriaan asked him to do, but there was no civilian conflict. Adriaan is going to find a completely different person if he puts civilians in danger.”
Quade knew his son very well. He also understood the danger. She wasn’t telling him anything new. She was simply reminding him that he was powerless to help Donte. Quade needed support, not negative feedback.
“I’m sorry. You know all this better than I do. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
He smiled. “I like to hear your perspective. Don’t ever feel you can’t talk to me about something. When we start thinking we have all the answers; that’s when we get into trouble.”
She sighed. “You’re the best mate ever.”
He grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”
***
Nieke was cleaning out the barn when Anouk and Bram arrived. They had barely exchanged greetings when Anouk delivered the bad news.
“Have you heard about Donte?”
She looked up at them. “I assume he has been confirmed as Ruler of Bergen.”
Anouk shook her head. “He went to Nyumbani with Kenyon and Celyn to help them find some raiders. He got shot with an arrow and he’s in the hospital in Nyumbani. They don’t know if he’s going to live. Quade, Akira, Donica and Rianne left for Nyumbani.”
Nieke stared at Anouk. Donte was going to die? He couldn’t die. What about The Prophesy? He was destined to lead them to freedom. Who would rule Bergen, Beier? It simply couldn’t be. “Are you sure?”
Anouk nodded. “Are you all right?”
In fact, she wasn’t sure she was all right. She felt faint and a little nauseated. After the assassination attempt, she had decided she would be there for Donte. She had no idea what to expect. Donte could hop from one mess of trouble to the next like a flea on a hot skillet. She looked at Anouk. “I’m all right, but we’ve got to help him.”
Anouk and Bram looked at each other. “How?”
“This would be a good exercise for the militia – getting those raiders out of there.”
Anouk looked uncertain. “But that’s in another colony. We can’t go to Nyumbani.”
Of course, they would have to get permission. “We could offer to help. Let’s talk to Damian.”
Bram held up a hand. “Slow down. We don’t even know if the militia would want to go. If Donte was unsuccessful, how could we expect to succeed?”
“Good point,” Anouk said. “I didn’t think anyone could sneak up on Donte.”
“Donte and Celyn,” Bram said. “I heard they were an unstoppable team.”
Anouk sighed. “Obviously not.”
“I don’t believe it,” Nieke said.
Anouk blinked in surprise. “You don’t believe what?”
“That Donte will die. Maybe he’s badly injured, but he will survive. He has to. He has to fulfill The Prophesy. I’m going to talk to the militia and see if they’re interested in helping. If not, I’ll see what I can do. In any case, I’m going. We can’t let him down. We promised to help him and the minute he’s in trouble, what do we do? We stand here saying we can’t do anything.”
Anouk looked at Bram and lifted her brows. He shrugged. “She’s right, but we don’t even know what we’re getting into.”
Nieke lifted her chin. “Then we will find out. We aren’t the only colony with a militia. If we all get together, we could get those raiders.”
It was a plan – maybe not a good one, but a plan all the same. They talked to the militia members first. Some were willing and others were not. Their next move was to talk to Damian.
There was so much to do during the day that it kept Nieke’s mind too occupied to think much about Donte’s situation. That night she had nothing to do but think about it. She tried to read, but she couldn’t stay focused on the book. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if things were as they appeared. Was it a simple matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was it another planned attempt on his life? Had they succeeded, or was he still alive? Anouk said that Rianne, Donica, Akira and Quade had all hurried off to Nyumbani. That sounded like they didn’t expect him to live.
Donte was the ruler of Bergen now. He had a family and a colony to consider. He shouldn’t be running all over the place addressing every little thing that presented a danger. He had people willing and capable of helping him. Why didn’t he ask for their assistance? Some people thought that the only way they could get things done right was to do it themselves. She had never thought Donte was that way, but maybe he was.
She stayed up late, wide awake. When she finally went to bed, she still couldn’t sleep. All she could think of was Donte. Instead of thinking of him near death, she finally resorted to thinking of him very much alive. She was romping with him, his warm hand on her waist as he looked down at her. She wanted to kiss his lips, and when she fell asleep, she dreamed she did.
The next morning, she rode to Kliffen with Anouk and Bram to see Damian. They expected resistance, but he actually thought they had a good idea. To their delight, Damian told them that Donte was recovering on the Moeder. He suggested they talk to Kenyon, as he had been with Donte during the attack. He sent a message to Quade and arranged for them to talk to Kenyon.
The next day Kenyon met Nieke, Anouk and Bram at the station in Libertad. It was the first time any of them had been to Libertad. Kenyon took them to a private room in the station and they all sat down at a table facing each other.
“How is Donte?” Nieke spoke as soon as they entered the room.
“He’s doing better.” Kenyon’s smile was wry. “He is determined to get back into condition so he can resolve this issue. Adriaan is pulling his hair out over that prospect. That might work in our favor.” He leaned back in his chair. “I want to thank all of you for offering to help. I’m not sure what we can do, or if the Nyumbani will accept help, but it certainly can’t hurt to offer.”
Nieke liked the way he approached it – our favor. She looked at the others. “We thought maybe other colonies could send militia members as well – if they have militias.”
Kenyon nodded. “Bergen does, as you know, and so does Bosvrouwen. So does Libertad. The colony most likely to help is the one that would probably be the most beneficial – Anialwch. They have an experienced militia and they know the area. The big problem is going to be getting Nyumbani to permit militia from other colonies in their territory. It can be difficult to talk to or negotiate with Queen Halisi.”
Bram spoke for the first time. “Exactly what is the situation, with regard to the raiders?”
They all listened as Kenyon explained the problem, the mission and how Donte was injured. In conclusion, he described the territory.
“I don’t understand,” Nieke said when he finished. “How did they sneak up on Donte? I thought that was impossible.”
Kenyon shrugged. “He said he was having trouble detecting them. He thought it might be due to the rock formations. He could feel the presence of the raiders, but couldn’t determine their exact location.”
Anouk frowned. “It infuriates me that they shot him. He wasn’t doing anything to them.”
Kenyon’s smile was sardonic. “He was trying to find their camp so the Nyumbani could attack them. The mission itself was actually a success. Donte knew it was dangerous. I know that if anyone was injured, he’d rather it was he than anyone else. No one else in our party was injured. We were fortunate. I don’t think that will be the case if militia members go in there without him.”
Bram leaned his elbows on the table and looked at Kenyon. “I’m willing to take that chance.”
“Me too,” Anouk chimed in.
Kenyon looked at Nieke and lifted his brows. “How about you?”
“Definitely,” she said. “I’m the one who suggested this and I’m certainly not going to back out because it might be dangerous.”
“It will be dangerous – no doubt about it,” Kenyon said. “The raiders are stealthy and excellent marksmen.” He stood. “I need to talk to Dad about this. If he approves, I’ll talk to King Neirin. If anyone is interested in going with me to see him, hang around here. I’ll try to return before the tram to Vlaktes arrives.”
Kenyon was gone for a while and when he returned, he was smiling. “We’ve got permission to talk to King Neirin. The tram to Playa should be here in a few minutes. We could be there tonight. We’ll be gone about five days. Who is traveling with me?”
They all decided to go. It wasn’t every day that a person had the opportunity to talk with a king, especially one from a colony they had never seen.
When the tram arrived in Playa, they spent the night there. If a ship didn’t arrive in the morning, they intended to ride equines overland. They were in luck, though. In the fog of pre-dawn, an Anialwch ship tied up at the dock. They quickly unloaded trade goods, took on their passengers and returned to the dock at Anialwch. From there, a carriage took them to the palace.
King Neirin was both professional and personable and treated them all with equal respect. Nieke expected him to treat Anouk and Kenyon that way because they were Mascots, but King Neirin didn’t appear to make a distinction. He wore a long white robe like all the men and women of Anialwch. Nieke had never seen a man with long hair before. His was a beautiful golden color with a soft curl to it, like Celyn’s. His eyes were a deep blue with purple in them, much darker than Celyn’s. He was a good-looking man who looked to be in his early forties. He wasn’t though. Mascots were like that. He was probably closer to Quade’s age. Kenyon looked like he couldn’t possibly be a day over thirty, but he was at least fifty-five. She was glad she wasn’t a Mascot. She couldn’t imagine living 350 to 400 years. What would Purlieu be like by then? Then again, maybe having leaders who lived centuries was one reason why Purlieu had stayed so close to its original plan of keeping it pristine.
King Neirin took them to his office and listened to their plan. To Nieke’s surprise, his greatest concern was their lack of experience. He was only mildly impressed with the fact that they had served with Donte. But then, Donte was absent because he had been outsmarted by the raiders. King Neirin wasn’t saying no, and that was definitely a plus.
Neirin listened to the group from Vlaktes. Their militia wasn’t even a year old and they had never actually seen action. The only thing they had going for them was that they had served with Donte on the Moeder. The enthusiasm of the youngest girl, Nieke, reminded him of Celyn. The way she talked about Donte made him suspect that her interest in him went much deeper than professional. What was it about Donte that attracted so many beautiful women? Donte was good looking, but so was Kenyon. He pushed it from his mind and looked at Nieke.
“Do you understand how dangerous this mission would be?”
Nieke met his steady gaze. “I understand that I and many others could be injured or killed. I also understand that if we do nothing, others may be injured or killed.”
“They have already killed an elderly couple in Anialwch and burned their farm. They are desperate, I think, and desperation makes for a dangerous adversary. My militia is experienced, but even the country these raiders live in is hostile. There are many places to hide, and opportunities for an ambush are everywhere. These people have learned to live off a land that provides almost nothing.”
Kenyon looked at him. “Not entirely. It sounds like they are raiding to supplement their supplies.”
Nieke looked at Kenyon for a moment before turning to Neirin. “If we had several militias and came in from different directions, we could push them back to where we wanted them, making the battle location our choice.”
Bram laughed. “You sound like Donte.”
Nieke smiled and shrugged. “I must have learned something from him in three years.”
They were joking with each other, but there was clearly no disrespect involved. Determining their battle location was good strategy, but unless they had experience and knew the country, they could wind up in their own trap. As much as he hated to admit it, their chances of success would be much better if Donte and Celyn were with them.
Neirin looked at Kenyon. “Do you think it is possible that Queen Halisi would agree to such a plan and allow foreign militia in Nyumbani territory?”
Kenyon shrugged. “Considering the fact that Adriaan suggested an air strike, it’s possible.”
Neirin sat up straight. “What?”
Kenyon looked uncomfortable. “I thought you knew. When Adriaan came to Nyumbani to get Donte, he said he was considering an air strike. I think Donte talked him out of it. I haven’t heard anything more about it, anyway.”
Neirin shook his head. “Why would he do that? This is something the colonies can handle. Granted, it’s going to be dangerous and difficult…but an air strike? That’s overkill.”
“I agree,” Kenyon said.
Neirin rubbed his jaw. “Maybe he’s hoping Donte will reconsider his offer. In any case, Donte must have impressed him or he wouldn’t have asked him to be his second in command on the Moeder. I can imagine how Pieter would have reacted. He’d have taken lasers in there and leveled the place.”
Kenyon nodded. “He wouldn’t have tolerated it. But I don’t think Donte is going to either. I don’t know what he has planned, but I wouldn’t want to be in those raider’s sandals. We weren’t there to fight. We were supposed to get information and get out. We got the information, but I suspect next time Donte goes in there, he will clean it out.”
Neirin lifted his brows. “Do you think Donte will go back there after what happened?”
Kenyon’s laugh lacked humor. “I know he will, unless we get them out of there first. He’s already talking about it.”
Neirin said nothing more about it. Celyn would want to go with Donte and he would say no, but she would go. He was proud of her and frustrated by her at the same time.
He glanced up to find Nieke watching him. Her cheeks picked up some color, but she held his gaze. Like many of the people from Vlaktes, instead of having light blue eyes, they were a soft gray. At the moment they held a spark of fire that he liked. Her hair was almost white and it was braided and wrapped around her head. It was attractive that way and probably much easier to manage in the field. She was young, but given more experience, she was going to take her place in history.
Neirin turned to Kenyon. “I don’t know how many people you have in the militia, but they probably need to come here and train first. Would that be possible?”
Kenyon nodded at Nieke. “You’d have to ask Nieke that. She’s their commander.”
Neirin’s brows shot up as he turned back to Nieke. “I’ve never met a woman commander before.”
Nieke looked uncomfortable. “It’s only a militia.”
He shrugged. “Today a militia, tomorrow a colony; you never know. I’m impressed, all the same.” He waited for her to answer his question.
“It is a small militia and most of them are family men and women – mostly colonists. I would have to ask them. How long do you think the training would take?”
“A few weeks, probably, and then the campaign in Nyumbani – probably a month total. It’s hard to say exactly.”
“I don’t know how many could get someone to take care of their farms, but I suspect most could. Almost all of them think we should get involved for the good of all the colonies.”
“Almost, but not all?”
She gave him a mischievous smile. “Would you believe me if I told you it was 100%?”
He laughed. “I would believe you if you told me it was 125%.”
Soft Science Fiction
