The Anialwch Connection
Chapter 24
Donte finished the report and slid it into the desk drawer. He would deliver it to the cabinet in the morning during their meeting. It had been almost a month since the joint operation in Nyumbani and things had been quiet. Celyn would be joining the service soon. That reminded him of the fact that she would be nineteen in only three years. It was amazing how much a girl could mature in only two years. When she came to live with them, almost fourteen had seemed like a child. At almost sixteen, he had to remind himself that she was still a child. She hadn’t said anything about the vision in a long time. Hopefully she had decided it was merely the interpretation of a child’s mind. For a girl who professed to believe she was going to exchange vows with Donte, she certainly appeared to be attracted to Kenyon. He didn’t know how he felt about that. The difference in their ages wasn’t nearly as concerning as her youth. Of course, Mascots matured early and often exchanged vows at sixteen. He had exchanged vows with Liana when she was sixteen and he only seventeen. They were barely into their twenties when she was murdered. If they had waited until they were older, she would probably still be alive.
He pushed the thought from his mind. Not only was it too painful to reflect on, but there was nothing that could be done about it now.
He stood and stepped around the desk. A vision flashed across his mind. It was so brief that he wasn’t certain that it was actually a vision. Below him the desert was empty except for two camelus with riders. One of those riders was Celyn and the other was a man he couldn’t identify.
He closed his eyes, inviting a continuation, but nothing happened. Who was the other rider? Was Celyn in trouble? He walked out of his office and Rianne glanced up from a shawl she was making. Her gaze met his and she set the shawl aside.
“What’s wrong, Donte?”
“I don’t know. I had a vision…I think it was a vision. Celyn was on a camelus and a man on another camelus was leading it. That was it. No more.”
“Do you think she needs help?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
She thought about it a moment. “Why don’t you take a walk outside? Maybe that will help.”
He nodded. “I could use the exercise. I’ll be back in a little while.”
He put his coat on and left the Groot Thuis. It was snowing when he left the building, but he walked down to the pond. He brushed the snow off a bench and sat down, head in his hands. Maybe it was nothing, but he had a feeling of foreboding.
He focused on a few birds without success. He sighed. “Celyn, if something is wrong, let me know where you are.”
Of course, she couldn’t hear him. He stood. She would have tried again if something was wrong. He turned back toward the Groot Thuis and that was when the second vision came. He closed his eyes and floated over them slowly. He had missed it the first time. Celyn’s hands were bound behind her back.
Donte refocused and flew over them. The man looked up at him. He didn’t recognize the man, but he had green eyes and red hair. Celyn was trying to give him all the information she could. He flew higher, until more of the area was visible. He couldn’t identify the terrain other than the fact that it appeared to be in Anialwch. There were mountains in the distance, but he didn’t know whether they were the mountains between Anialwch and Nyumbani or Lochfowk.
“Monomi, are you all right?”
The interruption of the voice broke the vision. He opened his eyes to find Beier watching him with a concerned expression.
Donte shook his head. “Celyn is in trouble. Someone has taken her captive.”
Beier studied his face. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. In Anialwch, I think. There were mountains.” Donte shook his head again and his voice lifted in frustration. “I don’t know where.”
Beier put a hand on his shoulder. “Take it easy. We’ll figure it out.”
We? Beier was assuming that they would work together. They had worked together many times. Always before it had been his life that might be put at risk. It was his choice about whom he trusted. Now Celyn would pay the price if his choice was wrong. Where Celyn was concerned, surely Beier could be trusted. And yet, he had accepted Beier’s word that Celyn was his daughter. No one else knew that. Beier had known about Niall. Maybe there was a connection.
“I need to contact Kenyon. I know I can trust him.” He didn’t realize he said the words out loud until Beier frowned at him.
“Surely you know you can trust me. Have I ever given you reason to doubt my loyalty?”
Actually, Beier had never done anything to suggest he was anything but completely loyal. Only circumstances had made him doubt Beier – and the concern of others.
Beier eyed Donte with suspicion. “You have not asked me on any mission. You hide your messages from me. You only trust me to gather the cabinet for you. What have I done?”
Of course Beier would have noticed he was being excluded. If Beier was guilty, it needed to be brought out in the open. If he wasn’t, he deserved better than he was getting. Beier had a right to know why he was under suspicion so that he could speak in his own defense. Donte kept his voice calm.
“You haven’t done anything as far as I know. I have questioned why you were in Lochfowk during the assassination attempt. I question who convinced Pieter and Chait that I was inciting the colonists against the Mascots and I question how the Nyumbani raiders knew I wouldn’t be able to detect them behind the rock formations.”
Beier’s lips thinned and his eyes flashed, but he said nothing for a minute. When he spoke, his voice was cold. “Thank you for letting me know how you feel. At least now I know.” He turned and stalked away.
Donte watched him go. He had not solved anything. He still didn’t know. All he had done was offend Beier.
Beier stopped and turned. He walked back and stopped in front of Donte, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.
Donte steeled himself for the lecture he expected to get. He probably deserved it.
Beier met Donte’s gaze. “I was in Lochfowk because I was sent there to watch over you, your family and your guests. I won’t tell you by whom. I can only tell you that I was waiting at the tram station in Lochfowk when I received a message from Pieter. I rode two equines to the ground getting to you and I was scared half to death that I wouldn’t make it in time.” He drew a deep breath. “Pieter and I never discussed the idea that you were inciting the colonists. If we had, I would have told him he was wrong. I suspect Pieter was the one who told Chait. He was losing his mind, Donte. Chait is a fool. I don’t like him and I won’t pretend I do.” His gaze became reflective. “That last one bothers me. How did the Nyumbani know?” His gaze came back to Donte. “More importantly, whoever it was, do they know how you and Celyn work together?” He dropped his hand. “I’m annoyed that you suspected me and never said anything, but I think I can understand. It doesn’t matter if you think I’m trustworthy or not, though. Right now, we have to help Celyn. That’s all I care about.”
He was right, of course. They could settle their differences later. If something was happening with Celyn, she needed all the help she could get.
Donte looked at Beier. “What is the connection? Lochfowk and Nyumbani – what do they have in common?”
Beier shook his head. “Forget about that. Concentrate on Celyn. You can do this. Where is she?”
“If I knew the connection, I might be able to figure out where she is being taken.”
“You have a better chance of figuring that out with a connection to Celyn. Focus, Donte.”
“I’m trying.” He sank to the bench and closed his eyes. “Celyn, contact me.”
Beier fell silent as Donte waited. Was Celyn even trying to contact him?
The vision started again without warning. He soared above them. Celyn looked up at him. She had been crying and she had a bruise on her jaw. Her hair was loose, falling down her back and her robe was dirty and torn.”
“Where are you, Celyn?” His voice was a whisper.
Once again, he floated up and away from her. He began describing every landmark he could see. There were trees now – lots of them, and lakes. They were in or near Lochfowk, but where? They were near mountains, but the mountains ran the length of the border between Anialwch and Lochfowk. He described everything in detail, hoping something would give Beier a clue. Donte was not familiar with that area, but Beier might be.
“There is a mountain, taller than the others. It has two peaks, one capped with snow and the other not. The terrain is rocky – with yellow cliffs.”
The vision left him as suddenly as it began. He looked up at Beier. “I don’t know where it is.”
“I do. It’s near Bree, where I was held captive.”
Donte stood. “We’re wasting time with this. We need to get to Lochfowk as fast as we can. It will take us at least two days to get in that area.”
“Maybe not. We’re closer to the airfield than we are to Lochfowk.”
Donte frowned. “What good will that do us? It’s the wrong direction.”
“Contact Adriaan. He brought a shuttle down to Nyumbani, why wouldn’t he give you permission to use a shuttle.”
Donte shook his head. “We couldn’t take an airship into Lochfowk without their permission. That would be an act of war.”
“No, but we could take it into Anialwch.”
“Without permission?”
Beier’s smile was wry. “We would have Adriaan’s permission. You used that to negotiate with Queen Halisi, didn’t you?”
Donte frowned. Beier hadn’t seen that message. Donte knew because he was the one who picked it up…or had Beier seen it? “How did you know about that?”
“It doesn’t matter. I knew and I did nothing. We are straying from the point here.”
Donte walked past Beier. He would contact Adriaan, but he doubted if Adriaan would interfere. Of course, Adriaan would want to know what was happening.
Donte sent a message to Adriaan before he opened the urgent message from Kenyon. The message was brief, but it lifted the hair on the back of Donte’s neck.
“Donte, are you receiving visions from Celyn?”
Donte sent an immediate response. Kenyon was probably sitting at the station waiting for it. He told Kenyon that he had been receiving visions from Celyn and that he thought she was being held captive. He was contacting Adriaan and they might be going to the airfield.
He didn’t want to wait for a message to be transferred to the Groot Thuis. That worked well for Pieter because he couldn’t get around well. Donte could.
“I need to tell Rianne what is happening. I’ll be right back.”
Donte ran up the stairs instead of waiting for the lift. Rianne looked up when he came in.
“You received more visions?”
He nodded. “She’s a captive and she needs our help. I’m waiting for a response from Adriaan, giving us permission to use a shuttle to get to Anialwch.” He hesitated. “Did you request Beier to watch over us when we all went to Lochfowk – when I received the warning about the assassination attempt?”
She shook her head.
Saskia looked at Donte. “I did. I was concerned about you. Donica’s message made me wonder if it was safe. I knew Pieter worked with him and that Beier had worked with you on the ursidae hunt.”
Donte looked at Rianne. “Did you know?”
She nodded. Not at the time, but later.”
“Did either of you tell Beier that Adriaan had given me permission to remove Queen Halisi if she refused to cooperate?”
They looked at each other and shook their heads. Someone else was feeding Beier information. Who?
He started for the door. “We’re going over to the station to wait for a reply.” He stopped and turned. “I think Kenyon is receiving visions from Celyn too.” He went to their room, picking up a clean uniform. He needed to start carrying one with him at all times.
Donte hurried to the station with Beier. They had an information leak. Was it at the Groot Thuis?
Moments after they arrived, a message arrived from Adriaan. Donte tore it off the machine and read it. They had permission to use a shuttle.
Donte located the station manager and told him that when the tram from Libertad arrived, he wanted it re-directed to the airfield non-stop.
The man looked at Beier, as if searching for confirmation and Beier nodded.
Donte looked at the two of them. “What was that all about?”
Beier shrugged. “Pieter had given orders that anything you requested would be approved by me.”
It was one thing to know that Pieter didn’t agree with him, but quite another to realize his trust was questioned to the degree that he had been stripped of authority. In any case, why was it still happening?
Donte turned to the station master. “Let me make one thing clear right now. Pieter is no longer the ruler. I am. When I tell you something, I don’t want you to check with Beier to see if you should do it.”
The man nodded. “Yes Monomi.”
Something else occurred to Donte at that point. “And from now on my messages are to be private unless I tell you that someone else can read them.”
The man’s gaze briefly touched Beier before coming back to Donte. “Yes Monomi.”
Donte stalked away, furious that he had not noticed what was happening before now. This was his fault. There were times when a leader needed to be firm so that there was no question about who was in control. Pieter knew that. No doubt Quade knew that. The problem here wasn’t the colonists or the Mascots. The problem was his attempt to be their friend. With his children, he knew he had to be a parent first and a friend second. Sometimes the two were not compatible. As a ruler, he had to make that distinction as well. He wasn’t one of them. They looked to him for leadership. If he continually gave the decisions to them, they would no longer see him as the leader. This was why Pieter wanted him to wear the uniform. When Quade walked into a room, people instantly knew he was a leader. Donte lacked the experience to make that happen.
Beier joined him. “I didn’t mean to undermine your authority, Monomi.”
Donte looked at him. “You aren’t the problem, Beier…or him. You were both still functioning the way Pieter ordered you to. You did that because you were getting no direction from me.”
Beier nodded. “Perhaps I simply liked feeling important.”
“You are important, Beier. You don’t need menial tasks to prove it. In my absence, you functioned well without my direction. The fact that the people chose me to be their leader doesn’t mean you aren’t equally qualified.” He clamped a hand on Beier’s shoulder. “You’ve always been there for me every time I needed you. I’m sorry I doubted you.”
Beier said nothing more. There was nothing more to say. They had a problem and they had solved it. They were ready for the next problem, and it was a monster.
The first tram into the station was from Vlaktes. Among those who arrived was Nieke. She joined them.
“Why the long faces? Is something wrong?”
Beier looked at Donte for direction. Donte explained the situation.
“I’ll go with you,” she said.
Donte frowned. “That isn’t necessary.”
“I was on my way to Anialwch anyway.” She shrugged. “She might need a woman to talk to.”
Beier watched them in a way that led Donte to think he wanted to say something. He was being careful not to interfere, though. Donte looked at him.
“What do you think, Beier?”
Beier glanced at Donte and returned his gaze to Nieke. “Why were you going to Anialwch?”
Nieke blushed. “I was going to visit King Neirin.”
Donte looked away, suppressing a smile. Who would have guessed that King Neirin and Nieke would be romantically attracted to each other? They had spent most of the time during the celebration together, though. He turned back to Nieke.
“Have you heard anything about this capture?”
She shook her head. “No, but I have heard of more unrest in Lochfowk, near Bree. Some Mascots are forming some sort of Cabal.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a secret political group. I don’t know what they intend to accomplish. I gather they don’t agree with Chait. I don’t know. The word is that the colonists are trying to revolt in that area.”
“What does that have to do with Celyn?”
She shrugged. “She has ties to you, I guess. I don’t know. Maybe they’re afraid you’re going to interfere.”
Beier’s attention shot to Donte. “Or maybe they want you to interfere.”
It was possible. They might know how they worked together; in fact, they might have been feeding information to the Nyumbani raiders.
“Was Ness part of this group?” He directed his question to Nieke, but Beier was the one who answered.
“He could have been. He was from Bree. That’s where Chait met him.”
Donte looked at Beier. “Could you send a message to Chait warning him of a possible attempt on his life or his family?”
Beier looked startled. “Yes Monomi.” He hurried off to send the message.
Nieke stared at him. “Chait could be involved.”
“It’s possible, but I don’t think so.”
He didn’t want to reveal his ideas at the moment. He might be wrong, but he didn’t think so. Beier probably understood why he was concerned. At the time Chait had expressed his anger about Donte making him look bad, but it might have been based on fear. If Ness had been elected as vice-president, it would have been a simple thing to assassinate Chait and come into legal power. They would have to eliminate any opposition, though, and that was where Donte came in. Ness had been replaced, but Donte knew nothing about his replacement. He could easily be another member of the Cabal.
Beier returned as the tram from Libertad came into the station. It had few passengers, but one of them was Kenyon. Donte joined him and explained their plan to Kenyon. The Tram was transferred to another track, where the additional cars were removed and the tram was turned around. When the tram stopped at the loading zone, they all boarded. The tram left the station and circled back to the Bosvrouwen rail. From there it shot off toward the mountains. When they reached the next station, the tram to Bergen was sitting on a spur beside the tracks, waiting for them to pass. They continued to the airfield without stopping. There, a shuttle waited for them.
Donte was greeted at the airfield with the same honors Quade would have received.
“Monomi, your shuttle is ready, but we received a message from Adriaan requesting that you wait for an airship to arrive with assistance. It is approaching as we speak.”
Donte nodded. Much of the mission was going to rely on communication between him and Celyn. Apparently, she was having a certain amount of success communicating with Kenyon. He couldn’t explain that, but it certainly was welcome. Until they located Celyn, only Beier would be of much use. He knew the terrain. Surely Adriaan knew an airship wouldn’t be able to carry enough men to make a difference.
The airship made a wide circle, leaving a widening trail of white vapor. It descended to the runway and approached, coasting to a stop. When only two men emerged, Nieke looked at Donte.
“Monomi, how can only two men help?”
Donte kept his attention on the two young men. “It is two more than we had.”
Like most of the people of Lochfowk, the two men were short and slight of build. They approached Donte and offered a palm.
“Monomi,” one said, “I am Dour and this is Paden. We are serving on the Baigh. We were chosen to assist you because we are familiar with the area you indicated.”
Donte exchanged greetings with them “How long have you served on the Baigh?”
“Two years, Monomi.”
“Are you familiar with the Cabal?”
They looked at each other, obviously confused. “No, Monomi.”
Donte smiled. “Actually, that’s a good thing. We’ll fill you in. Do you speak any language besides Lochfowk?”
“I speak some Anialwch,” Paden said.”
Donte nodded. “Let’s get in the air.”
“Monomi, Adriaan instructed me to give you these.” He handed a pouch to Donte.
Donte opened the pouch and grinned. “These will come in handy.” He pulled out two laser weapons and handed one each to Nieke and Beier. Everyone on the mission had served and knew how to use them. He looked at Dour and Paden. “I assume you are armed as well?”
“Yes, Monomi.”
Donte pulled the last items from the pouch. “Each of you needs to wear one of these.”
They were communication medallions. It had taken four years, but Adriaan was finally beginning to understand the need for communication and transportation beyond what they currently had on Purlieu. Donte still believed that when The Fontalo returned, those two issues would be their greatest weakness unless they made improvements. Lack of technology, in general, was a weakness.
Soft Science Fiction
