The Saga of Nowy Poland
Book 3:
The Spirit of Poland

By Invid Fan
(c)2014

Chapter 1

	The ship slowly rose in the lock.
	Felek stood at the rail, watching the stone bricks slide downward. It was still magic, no matter how many times the teen had traveled up and down the Anne River. To see the small stretch of water between the two pairs of wooden doors raise and lower almost defied belief. Was there any greater proof in this world of the wisdom of King James? His Grace had brought not only peace and prosperity to the Polish people, but wonders like this.
	Once again, Felek swore he would serve the man who had made his sister a Queen until his dying day.
	"Keep those lines taut!"
	The Captain's cry sent a shiver of guilt through the teen. All around him men and boys, some even younger than him, worked to keep the ship centered in the lock. Lines were fastened to the lock walls, sailors such as the boy beside him pulling in the slack as the vessel rose. The young seaman was shirtless, his muscles straining under skin tanned enough to almost resemble Shanna's brown coloring. His feet, too, were bare, gripping the wooden deck as he hauled in more line. Felek's finery stood out, marking him as... special. He did not feel special. Felek felt...
	"Cast off the lines!"
	Felek found himself moving towards the bow of the ship. The doors before them were opening, oxen turning two giant wheels on either shore. As the seam parted, the upper river was revealed, stretching ahead south towards the capital. He could see the mountains on either side start to fade away. He saw the green of home.
	"Unfurl the sails! Lockmaster, thank you for your time!" Felek saw the hulking man on shore wave back. Above, the sound of canvas filling with wind. Slowly, fighting the slight current, the ship began to move.

****

	Nowy Warsaw.
	Red brick buildings rose all around the lake. Nowy Kiev had been a city of stone, of morbid grey blocks rising from the joining of two rivers. Nowy Warsaw was a city of color. Of life. Even many of the wooden buildings were painted, blues and oranges almost seeming to shout out to those who passed by. And green! So much green, even among the buildings! Parks, unheard of in the city of his youth, set aside by the King for the use of everyone. Even the main avenue leading from the Palace Hill down to the lake had islands of grass and trees dividing its two sides.
	Felek's eyes followed the avenue to its end. The Royal Palace rose above the city, unfinished but still beautiful. Behind thick, smooth stone walls, his home for the last four years beckoned. He was servant to the King. He. Felek. Orphan. Son of a common laborer. Now on the verge of manhood. Of... 
	Of what?
	Colorful movement interrupted his introspection. New flags were being raised up the pole atop the communication tower inside the Palace walls. Raising a hand to shield his eyes, Felek tried to decode them. He was reasonably good at that, having spent long hours studying charts in the King's study. Without a spyglass, though, some of the more unusual flags could be hard to interpret correctly. The top flag was solid green, indicating it was meant for the Kikker port of Visvang. The second flag had a diagonal line splitting it into green and yellow halves. So, the message was for Chief Ajani. A second batch of flags rose up the other pole on the tower.
	Felek shook his head. Again, the King was brilliant. Messages could be passed instantly across the island. Across the strait, to the mainland, to the farthest Polish outpost! There had been nothing like this in Nowy Kiev. There was nothing like it in the Kikker city of Saribit! For all that city had impressed Felek in his week there, he had seen nothing to match the creativity which now flowed from this Polish isle. There had been energy, yes. Life. But it had been static. Content. Content with its people's lot in life.
	It looked to the past, not the future.
	The wind shifted as the ship turned. The harbor was busy. A Gritic ship, its spiderish crab-like crew skittering over its rigging, passed them, two oar powered tugs assisting them against the wind until they were in the river current. From its tallest mast flew an orange flag, telling the lock to prepare for its coming. A boxy barge sat beside the largest wharf, oxen powered cranes lifting large crates from its hold. Felek had seen that same ship in Saribit, or its twin. Traders went everywhere.
	Maybe he could become a trader. Travel. That was what this voyage for the King had awakened in the teen. He wanted to see more of the world. More of its people. The Poles could not stay within their walls and borders, the King said, as they had in the past. They had to reach out. Talk to their neighbors. Trade. Make alliances. They were too weak to stand alone. Felek could help. Had helped. Maybe, if the King was pleased with what he had done...

****

	"Felek!"
	He had barely stepped off the gangplank when Ruta threw herself at him. He held his two canvas bags out, feeling incredibly silly as she wrapped her bare arms around him, head on his chest. He also could not help the grin which threatened to split his face. He could feel her thin body beneath soft fabric, her heat so different from the ocean breeze. There were stares from those around them, but none disapproving. Dropping the bags to the stone, he wrapped his own arms around her.
	"Hi."
	"I missed you!"
	Felek, wisely, replied by hugging tighter. The trip had been too exciting for any homesickness to raise itself in him. He had thought of her, though. Often. Every new sight awakened a desire to tell his friend about it, a wish that she could be there beside him to experience it with him.
	His arms loosened as she pushed herself back a bit, looking up into his face.
Those big blue eyes sparkled.
	"You smell salty."
	"I am now a seasoned traveler."
	Her fist hit his chest, the best indication of a joke well received. As her head moved, he noticed something. Felek cocked his head.
	"Is that a new braid?"
	"Do you like it?" Stepping back, Ruta spun. Her blonde hair was twisted in a complicated pattern. "Gizela tried it out on me. The girls in Fredrick are all doing it now."
	"I thought fashion was supposed to travel from here to those backwards commoners on the continent, not the other way around."
	"We are very inclusive here," she giggled. Bending, she grabbed the smaller of his two bags. "Let's go home."

****

	They walked through the stone paved streets, hand in hand. The pace was slow. There was never any hurry when they were together.
	"It went well?" Ruta asked. Her eyes were on a window display of blown glass. Felek shrugged.
	"I'm not sure what His Grace expected, so can't say. I did what I was told. Have some messages for him. There were no problems, at least."
	"Good." Her hand squeezed his. "Shanna was here just after you left. She's pregnant again."
	"Everyone's pregnant."
	"I know." Her thumb slid over the back of his hand, eyes meeting his. "Mom is starting to ask when I'm going to get married."
	"Hmm."
	"Someone will have to ask first, naturally."
	"Is there a long list of suitors?"
	"Very long. Each with something in their favor."
	"That's good. You deserve the best."
	"Yes. I do."

****

	Felek sensed a change as they entered the Palace.
	The change seemed to be with him, he thought. The sights and sounds around him were the same as they had always been, but after a week's absence his mind saw them differently. There was a sense of separation, of being an outsider. Or, maybe, just an acceptance that there is more to his world now than this maze of hallways and chambers. He had walked streets which had been old before the first Pole had entered this world. How could that not change him?
	Two young pages ran past, message slates in their hands. Felek didn't recognize them, but then the runners tended to be where the newest young servants started. Where you could prove yourself before moving up to less exhausting service. More than one son of a former Noble had not made the cut.
	"His Grace wants to see you after the Council meeting," Ruta said. Her hand had left his, this part of the seat of government not the place for such displays. Felek let out a snort.
	"Council meetings..."
	They turned a corner. The hall before them was filled with young men, from boys to full adults, loitering as those waiting for their master's pleasure. Most sat, backs against the dark wooden panel walls. A few formed circles, conversing softly. All looked bored. Bored, at least, until notice was taken of Ruta. As the two walked down the middle of the hall, conversations stopped, only to continue in a whisper once they had passed. Stepping closer to Felek, Ruta took his arm possessively. Her body also began to sway a bit more.
	"Tease," he whispered from the corner of his mouth. She simply smiled.
	"Ruta!"
	The smile vanished. She stopped, grip on Felek tightening as the two turned. A young man approached, well dressed yet perhaps in the midst of a final growth spurt. The sleeves on his tunic were a tad short, wrists visible. His brown hair was cut short, apart from a swooping mass covering his forehead. Ignoring Felek, he bowed to the blonde beauty.
	"Ruta. It's an honor. I have not seen you in weeks."
	"Achym." Ruta did not offer her hand. Felek understood her reluctance, even approved, but the poor guy WAS trying his best with her. It wasn't his fault he was an idiot. Felek put his own hand out.
	"Haven't seen you either, Achym." The teen was startled. He truly hadn't noticed Felek. His hand limply took Felek's.
	"Felek. I thought you were away."
	"I was until I wasn't." Fingernails dug into his arm. "I have to report, though. It was good seeing you." He released his hand as Ruta began pulling him away. Felek frowned as he turned to her. "That wasn't very..."
	"Hey, you silly Pole!"
	Felek stopped, eyes widening in joy as a brown splotchy creature rose from the left hand wall.
	"Issa!"
	The Kikker strolled forward, arms outstretched. Felek grasped them, his friend gripping his own forearms in reply. Issa's grinning mouth seemed to take up his entire squat face, the entire top half of his head seemingly in danger of detaching and sliding off. Felek had yet to see such a thing happen to one of the frog-like creatures, so assumed it was not, in fact, possible. The yellow eyes on Issa's head turned to Ruta.
	"Greetings, My Lady!"
	"Greetings." Her voice seemed to laugh, but with the teen, not at him. Her eyes dropped to his waist. "Is that a new toga?"
	"Yes!" Issa stepped back, looking down at his clothing himself. Blue ropes were braided and woven in a complicated pattern, falling from his right shoulder down to a skirt which did not quite reach his bowed knees. "A gift from the Chief, so I am better dressed for Royal meetings!"
	"I like it."
	"Blue is your color," Felek added. He actually didn't know if it was or not, but that seemed to be the thing to say when the conversation drifted off into fashion. A brown fist suddenly hit his shoulder.
	"You went to Saribit without me! Why? Your Kikker is horrible! You needed me!"
	"I did," Felek admitted. "I'm sorry, Issa. It just came up so fast, there was no time to ask anyone, or even think about it."
	"He could have brought me, too," Ruta added, eyes glaring at him. "My Kikker is better than his."
	"Your Polish is better than his, too!"
	Felek knew better than to put up too much of a fight when the two started to gang up on him. Releasing Issa's arms, he put one hand on his shoulder.
	"I really have to report. You staying?"
	"I don't know. It depends on whether His Grace invites Chief Ajani to stay for dinner." Issa's eyes turned to the closed doors. "Nothing was said when we arrived."
	"Well, we'll see you later, regardless."
	"Good! You can tell me what you thought of those degenerate city dwellers!"

****

	"Uncle!"
	He had barely dropped his bags onto the floor of the Royal Chambers when a short ball of energy shot out of an adjacent room. The creature threw itself at him, strong arms grabbing his waist.
	"Uncle!" Five year old Marik looked up with whirling eyes. "You're home!"
	"Yup.!"
	"Uncle!" Two more youngsters barreled across the polished floor. Fred got to him first, grabbing a spot not taken by his older adopted brother. Anne didn't bother with such things, grabbing onto Marik as if he was an extension of Felek. She looked up at him with wide brown eyes.
	"Wanna play!"
	"Yeah! Let's play!" The two boys started jumping up and down, still holding him. Laughter came from behind them.
	"Don't kill him!"
	Ewa stood in the doorway, month old Bryda in her arms happily sucking away at a breast. Anne immediately abandoned the boys, running over to grab her mother's leg.
	"Mommy! Can I hold her?"
	"After she's eaten." With practiced ease, the Queen slowly walked forward, child still attached to her leg like a barnacle. Anne giggled at the ride. "Have a good trip?"
	"Not bad," Felek said, hands on the heads of his two nephews. "I think I didn't start any wars or anything."
	"James will be glad to hear that." Reaching him, Ewa leaned forward, giving his cheek a kiss. That he was now as tall as his sister still amazed Felek. She turned to Ruta, who stood away from the mass of children. "James sent word he'll be late. Would you tell the kitchen to send up the children's meals?"
	"Of course, Lady." Ruta curtsied before turning to leave. Felek's eyes followed her out the door. As his attention returned to his sister, he saw her smirking.
	"What did you get her?"
	"Necklace."
	"I'm sure she'll love it."
	"Uncle!" Felek looked down at Marik. "What did you get us?"

****

	The King sat behind his desk, hands flipping through the stack of paper before him. Felek tried not to lean over, peek at which page was currently being read. He had not looked at the documents himself, his loyalty far outweighing his curiosity. He was curious, though. Not enough to ASK to look, but..
	"Look, Daddy, she's flying!" Anne ran into the room wearing her nightgown, holding a porcelain Kikker doll above her head with one hand. Bare feet moving swiftly, she zipped behind the King's chair, around the desk, and back out of the room, long black hair flapping behind her like a cape. Felek heard the King chuckle.
	"A breakable gift may not have been the wisest choice," James said. Felek nodded.	"Storekeeper talked me into it. Those merchants are persistent."
	"All part of the job." James leaned back in his chair. Felek could see how tired his King was. He had heard no gossip about the meeting, but both the merchants and shipwrights had been pressing matters. Either could have come to a head that day. "Was this it?" James asked. "No other messages?"
	"Just her personal thanks, Your Grace."
	"Hmm." James sat back up, ruffling through the papers. "Well, that figures. We'll have to try again later. This is all useful, though. Thank you."
	"Anytime, Your Grace. I enjoyed it."
	Felek realized his voice gave away a bit too much. The King chuckled.
	"I'm sure you did. Ewa had reservations about your safety, but you did well. There's danger everywhere, but that can't keep us locked inside these walls."
	"I agree, Your Grace."
	The King pushed back his chair, standing.
	"Now, if you'll excuse me, there are some princes and princesses who need to be tucked in."

****

	Felek sat on the stone bench, looking up at the night sky. The sky had looked the same in Saribit. He had not traveled far enough to see different stars. Even the ruins of Nowy Kiev, from what his memory told him, had the same stars as their new home. The sailors had said, though, that if you traveled far enough north, new objects fill the sky. New constellations appeared as darkness fell. He tried to imagine that. Imagine a sky which was different from what he had always known, different than the changes between the seasons. King James had come from such a place. Shanna, too. To see different stars...
	Soft footsteps brought his eyes to a star closer to home. Ruta was walking towards him, the hem of her dress swishing against the flowers edging the garden path. Felek slid over on the bench, making room. She sat beside him, hip touching his, hands folded in her lap. Reaching over, he took the closest, intertwining their fingers as he drew it towards him. Her body leaned against him.
	"I missed you," she said.
	"I thought of you every day." Raising their joined hands, he kissed her fingers. "every night."
	"Where's my dolly?" Her eyes sparked. Felek chuckled.
	"You're too old for dollies."
	"Maybe not."
	"Well, I'm in trouble, then, because I got you this." Releasing her hand, he reached into his pocket. Eyes locked with hers, he pulled out the necklace.
	"Oh!" Her voice seemed to catch in her throat as Felek raised his hand, letting the charm dangle from its chain. It was a bird, about the size of his thumb, its wings stretched upward in flight. Ruta reached out, gently touching the small creature. "Oh, Felek, it's beautiful."
	"I saw it, and thought of you. It's pure silver, but that's all I know."
	"It's so life-like! So much detail." She cupped her hands under it, Felek releasing the chain as she took it. "Oh, Felek... I don't know what to say..."
	"Marry me."
	"I will." The words came from her lips without pause for thought. His eyes widened. She, too, suddenly realized what her heart had allowed her to say. Her head came up, startled. He saw her swallow.
	"Ruta..."
	"I'll marry no one else, Felek. No one else but you." Dropping the necklace into her lap, her hands came up to cup his cheeks. His eyes closed as her lips found his. The world and its stars vanished in their kiss.
	He was home.

Chapter 2

	Anelie knelt beside the dead Elven soldier.
	The uniform was a new one to her. The thin leather tunic had been dyed a dark blue, its accompanying kilt an equally dark red. Both were unadorned apart from the fasteners needed to keep them on the creature's wiry body. It did not match either side of the still continuing civil war. A new unit, serving those who now controlled the former Nowy Kiev? Or a third side?
	She frowned. Anelie did not like any of the options. Especially one which lead to the war spreading to this side of the Orlan River. The Watu and Kikker had been good about providing an unintentional buffer between the Poles and their enemy. If that was changing...
	"Lewy." The soldier dropped down beside her, bow still in hand. "Mean anything to you?"
	He gave the body a long look, hand feeling the armor. The mustached Pole frowned.
	"It's cheaply made. A step up from decorative, but I wouldn't want to go to battle in it. No army would issue this to foot soldiers."
	"That would fit with rebels, or the like."
	"Someone who couldn't afford better," he nodded, "and hasn't won enough to have been able to strip the dead for their armor."
	Anelie stood. The forest this far from the fort was never to be considered truly safe, but to those on their guard had not been dangerous of late. She now felt uneasy. Patrols would have to be stepped up. Shanna would, rightly, insist.
	She glanced around at her troops. They were dismounted, eyes on the trees while Anelie did her thing. Only the three recruits were focused on her instead of their job. Although, she admitted, paying attention to her WAS their job for now. Damned girls had to learn if they wanted to play with the boys.
	"Klocia." The black armored girl stepped forward, remembering to hand her reins to the soldier beside her. She was thin. Too thin. No muscle. You needed strength to fight. Some bulk. That Anelie had not been much different when Shanna took her under her wing almost angered Anelie more. None of the handful of girls who had tried to follow in her footsteps had proven themselves worthy. Proven they could live up to the standards of the army, of the King.
	Of Shanna.
	"Klocia, how did he die?"
	The girl stopped where she was. Anelie had expected her to go kneel down beside the body. Had, in fact, been ready to yell at her for doing so. Lewy stood and moved away, giving the recruit a clear look. Klocia cocked her head, right hand going to the blonde braid draped over her shoulder. Anelie let out a growl.
	"Stop that!" The girl jerked her hand away. She straightened, almost at attention. Anelie sighed. "Now, what killed him?"
	"It wasn't an animal," Klocia replied. voice steady. Anelie nodded slightly. "Without being able to turn him over, to see if there are more wounds, I would say he was killed by a blade."
	Not bad. Anelie looked closer at the girl. She was tall for her age, almost five and a half feet. The face below that blonde hair was soft, almost delicate, but there was steel in her large blue eyes. Her black breastplate was flat, without the slight breast bumps both Shanna and Anelie had in their armor. Such feminine touches did lessen the protective quality of the steel, but Shanna considered it a badge of honor in this world of men. Anelie agreed. If any other females lasted over a month in the Dark Hussar's 1st Cavalry...
	"Good." The girl did not smile in reply. That also was good. Death, even for one considered an enemy, was not something to smile over. Anelie looked at the other two recruits. "None of you have seen a dead body before, have you?"
	They shook their heads. Cyla, family now in Fredrick, had probably never seen an Elf even from a distance. Anelie nodded.
	"I want you three to strip his body. We'll take his armor back to the Fort." She turned to Lewy. "Send a rider back ahead of us. Get another patrol out here while there's light."

****

	Anelie rode out of the trees, into the warm afternoon sun.
	For a moment, just a moment, she let her emotional armor fall away. The young woman took a deep breath, body relaxing in the saddle. This was why she still did this. Why she still played the part of a soldier. The beauty of the world. Of nature.
	Of Shanna.
	Green pasture and farmland spread out before her, log fences or stone walls breaking up the plots. They filled the land between the forest edge and the Orlan river, most of which had been, itself, lightly forested before the coming of the Poles. A road followed the river, connecting the distant walled northern Watu town of Daraja to the southern Kikker town of Fren. On the bank of the river, a dozen buildings formed the Kikker village of Puln. Two docks poked out into the slow moving Orlan, a Polish sailing ship and two Kikker oar boats currently berthed. A road branched off eastward from the center of the town, making its way to the forest south of where Anelie stood. On a slight rise beside the road, a half mile from the town, sat the farthest northern edge of the Polish Kingdom: Fort Buffalo.
	It was beautiful, to Anelie's eyes at least. Thick wooden posts ran around the perimeter, fifteen feet high, each corner topped by a square roofed guard tower. A dry moat, filled with sharpened stakes, ringed the fort. Inside the compound, four main buildings housed a hundred Hussar, one hundred soldiers, and thirty servants. Other locals from the town also worked in the fort, helping the community grow from its original six families to over twenty. Rising in the center of the fort, a skeletal wooden tower, topped by a one hundred foot flagpole. From the highest point, the red and while flag of Poland.
	Out of habit, Anelie's eyes flicked south. On a good day, you could see the first of the string of communication towers without a spyglass, particularly if your eyes were as sharp as hers. She saw no flags. Which was good. No emergencies. No orders from the King. They could do what they wished.
	Not wishing to anger their neighbors, Anelie led her soldiers along the edge of the forest, skirting the fields. Kikker women and children paused in their work, the youngsters waving. Anelie waved back, unable to help herself. Shanna may have ordered the men to be nice to the locals, but that had not been necessary. Who could NOT be friendly with people such as these? Those in the Kikker village were among the nicest people she knew, always the first to help even before you knew you needed it. And the kids! Kikker children were SO adorable! Not as adorable as Bogdi and Adanya's, but...
	Her eyes went to the Fort. The doctor was going to look at James today. He had not come yet when they had left on patrol. Little Zuza was also not well, although not as sick as James. Anelie pushed it from her mind. They would be well. They had to be.
	Reaching the road they turned towards the fort. Anelie found herself assessing it as if she were an attacker. It was not designed to withstand a siege, naturally. Nothing here was worth a suicidal last stand. A raid by a few hundred soldiers, though, would be nothing to them. The garrison could hold out long enough to send warning to the rest of the Kingdom, before saddling up and carving a swath through the enemy on the way home. The defenses had yet to be tested in actual combat, which was probably a good thing. What fighting there had been occurred in the woods, on the long trail back to Fredrick, far from Polish strongpoints. Another fort was being built half way between Fort Buffalo and the coast, which hopefully would drive the bandits even further afield. Anelie had seen maps which proposed an arc of forts spreading inland from the river. Claiming even more land. The population would have to grow first. Her fellow soldiers were spread thin.
	The fort gate faced the town and river, its walls there to protect against others, not the townsfolk. Shanna had told Anelie of a fort she knew of where all the walls and defenses faced the city surrounding it, built by outsiders to subdue and control. Poles would never do that. It was not their way. The Polish simply wanted to be left in peace.
	Anelie nodded to the guards as she and her men rode through the open gate. They were awake, which was good. Guard duty could be boring. As she entered the parade ground, Anelie noticed the increased activity. Her messenger had obviously stirred things up. Another patrol was already saddled, Wojciech leading. She rode to him.
	"Lady Anelie." Wojciech nodded in greeting. "What are we looking for?"
	"Anything that shouldn't be there," she laughed. "Where there's one dead Elf, there may be live ones. Poke a stick into any place that might be harboring sleeping visitors."
	"Someone bring a lance," he told his men, grinning.
	"A long one," Anelie suggested. His eyebrows raised.
	"What other kind would we have?"
	She groaned. What was it with males and penis jokes? She turned her mount away, letting them laugh at the attempted humor. They were just being soldiers.

****

	Anelie watched Shanna turn the armor over in her hands.
	"I don't like it."
	Piotr laughed from his seat a few feet away. Shanna's head came up, brown eyes flashing behind her glasses. One black eyebrow went up.
	"Yes?"
	"You don't like anything." He bounced his left leg, the three year old boy straddling it letting out a giggle.  His left leg bounced, the three year old girl adding her giggles as she put her hands down to grab his thigh for support. Shanna let out a growl.
	"You look at it, then."
	She threw the leather tunic at the blond haired man, high so it few over their children. His right arm shot up, hand grabbing the armor easily. The stump of his left also rose uselessly. The twins cheered at the catch.
	Anelie stayed quiet. She was better, now, at controlling her feelings. At keeping the jealousy subdued. The twins helped, of course. One could not help but love them, and would they exist if Shanna was not still with Piotr? No, they would not. If Anelie had pushed her love, pushed herself between the two as she had before that fateful night...
	Shanna was looking at her. God, she was still so beautiful. Dark brown skin unlike any this world had ever seen, covering a body so muscular yet feminine. And she had not sent Anelie away when she made her final choice. Had not treated the younger redhead any differently. They were as they had always been. Friends. And...
	... and that was enough.
	"Any theories?" Shanna asked. She leaned forward on the stained wooden chair, hands clasped together between her knees. That she kept her pants covered legs spread like a man amused Anelie. Excited her.
	"I doubt he was alone," Anelie said. "Nobody would be stupid enough to travel alone."
	"If he was on foot," Piotr said, eyes on the armor in his lap, "it may be he lost his companions, and mount, long before."
	"Or they were captured, or driven off." Anelie shrugged. "We have no way of telling."
	"You have another patrol out?" Shanna asked. Anelie nodded. "Good. I'll probably take a swing out tomorrow. Make a wide sweep."
	"Daddy! What that?" Anelie saw Betty pointing at something on the armor. Her brother Chris leaned in.
	"I see it! What is it?"
	Piotr frowned.
	"Hmm. Betty, hold that. Tighter. Chris, hold that for me..." He reached his right hand into the armor. Shanna rose, walking across the wooden floor to stand beside them. Piotr pulled his hand out. "Got it! Thank you, kids."
	"We helped!"
	"Yes you did." He handed something a dirty whitish color to Shanna. Anelie stepped closer as well.
	"What is it, Lady Shanna?"
	"A message. In..." She squinted, stretching out the page. "Elvish?"
	"I don't know why it would be in anything else," Piotr said. "Can you make any of it out?"
	"Hell no. I'm not Mr. King."
	Anelie thought for a moment, feet taking her towards the window. Looking out the second floor opening, she let her eyes sweep the fort. They landed on Klocia near the stable.
	"Klocia!" Her shout must have startled the girl, not a good reaction for a soldier. She jumped back a good three feet, head swinging up to try and find the source of the sound. Anelie let some exasperation come through as she yelled again. "Klocia! Come up to Lady Shanna's quarters!"
	"Yes, Lady Anelie!"
	Shaking her head, Anelie turned from the window. Shanna and Piotr seemed amused. The kids were busy going over the armor, trying to find even more secrets. Anelie shrugged.
	"Her father's a trader. Taught her some Elvish and Watu. Even knows a few words of Gritic."
	"Is she the black haired one?" Piotr asked, pulling the armor away from the twins. Anelie shook her head.
	"Blonde, with blue eyes."
	Shanna smiled for some reason, taking the Elven tunic from her mate. She tossed it at Anelie.
	"We need translators, so try not to flunk her out too soon."
	"It's not my fault these girls can't cut it," Anelie muttered. Again, Shanna's reaction was just to smile. There was a knock at the door.
	"Come in, Klocia." Shanna turned as the girl entered. Her armor gone, she was dressed instead in the dark blue shirt and pants which had become the uniform of Shanna's 1st Cavalry. It was bare of adornment, apart from one gold stripe just below her shoulder. She saluted, hand going to her forehead.
	"Lady."
	"Translate this," Shanna said, holding the message out. "It's contents are probably secret. You know the consequences for treason, correct?"
	The poor girl's eyes almost doubled in size. Anelie herself winced. She had seen one of their men hung, a man she had respected. Liked. For some things there could be no forgiveness. Klocia nodded, swallowing hard.
	"Yes, Lady Shanna." She took note, then closed the door behind her. Anelie approved of that. The girl was smart, no question. Looking the message over, Klocia frowned.
	"It's a hard script to read. Fancy. All the lines are close together."
	"Can you read it?" Shanna asked. The girl nodded.
	"It starts out...'To Her Royal Elven Majesty'..."

****

	Anelie watched another set of message flags rise up the pole. They were the coded ones. The ones which meant something serious was in the works. Anelie saw others around her also looking up. Veteran soldiers talking softly among themselves.
	Those flags could mean war.
	They didn't, this time. Maybe. The message, from the little Klocia had translated, was from some group of Elves claiming to be loyal to the Queen. It could be fake. A trap. Or...
	Anelie took a deep breath. She didn't know what it could mean. Politics was not something she was fluent in. More, Shanna often left her back at the Fort when she visited with His Grace, leaving her in charge of the entire garrison. Gone was the time when she heard what the two most powerful Poles talked about.
	Did she miss it?
	Didn't matter. The here and now mattered. Letting out her breath, she continued across the parade ground.

****

	The door opened on the second knock, little Zuza peeking out from behind the door. Anelie saw her green eyes widen as she recognized her, the half human girl flinging the door open and throwing her arms around Anelie a moment later. Anelie wrapped her own arms around her.
	"Hi."
	"Hi," came the muffled reply. Tall for her age, at least by human standards, the five year old's head buried itself just below Anelie's shirt covered breasts. Anelie brought a hand up to caress her head. The hair was the main sign of the girl's humanity, red silky strands falling down to her shoulders. It refused to grow longer, but the existence of hair itself was a wonder. So, too, the girl's eyes. They were as human as could be, as green as Anelie's. Her brother had joked she seemed to be the mother more than he was the father. Adanya's part in her birth was not in doubt, however. Zuza's brown splotchy skin matched hers exactly, the rest of her body Kikker in almost every way. Oh, here and there you could see another human trait, a mixing of the races, but they were subtle.
	And... seemingly fatal.
	"How's your brother?" Anelie asked, stroking her hair. The girl looked up, grip still tight around her waist.
	"Doctor came. He didn't do anything." She sniffled. "He's asleep."
	Anelie looked over her into the four room apartment. Two. Only two of her brother Bogdi's and Adanya's children still lived. Two out of fourteen who hatched. And now, James, named after the King who had done all he could to protect them...
	"Is your Dad home?"
	"No," Zuza said, shaking her head. "He went with the Doctor to the village. Mom is with James."
	"Well, let's go see them."

****

	The boy was awake, sitting up in his bed, back propped up on two pillows. Bogdi's influence could definitely be seen, shaggy brown hair sprouting untamed from his head. His eyes, too, were the same dark blue. The boy's body was starting to take on the hulking build of his father. In a few years, he would be the biggest, strongest Kikker the world had ever seen.
	A few years...
	"Mom! Aunt Anelie is here!" Zuza ran to Adanya, sitting on a chair beside the bed, giving her mother the same hug she had shared with Anelie. Anelie slowly entered the room, smiling.
	"So how's the man of the house today?"
	"I'm fine," James said, voice tired, bitter. "They won't let me go out and play."
	"Tomorrow," Adanya said, hand reaching over to touch his cheek. "Tomorrow you'll be a bit stronger."
	"But I'm bored."
	"Can we play on the floor?" Zuza asked, looking between the two adults. "He can sit on the floor, can't he? So we can play?"
	Anelie didn't know how Bogdi and Adanya ever said 'no' to that girl. She knew she lacked that willpower. Perhaps her brother drew on his experience with his little sister, but given how often she had gotten what she wanted Anelie wasn't sure that would be a help. Adanya let out a sigh, eyes on her only son.
	"Stay on the rug. Don't tire yourself."
	His eyes widened. Gone was the sullen boy. Her brother was even more evident in him as James grinned.
	"Thanks, Mom!"
	"I'll get the board!" Zuza ran to a shelf overflowing with toys. Adanya stood, motioning Anelie back into the main room.
	"Let me get you something to drink."

****

	"It's the same thing as Ajani. As the others. His body is just... giving up."
	Adanya took a long sip from her cup. Anelie did the same. Both their eyes went to the closed bedroom door.
	"The doctor can't do anything?"
	"No. He can't find anything wrong. We have some herbs, to give James some strength, or to help him sleep, but..." She sighed, eyes turning to Anelie. "I sent word to Father. See if he can ask the King or the Elf Queen if there's anything they can do. Some magic."
	"Her magic does not heal," Anelie said, shaking her head. "If it did..."
	"I know. But, what else can we do? Bogdi..." She took another swig. "Bogdi wants us to try again. It is summer, the pond is warm enough..."
	"But."
	"But if we are going to lose them all again... Anelie, I can't do that again. I can't! And this is killing Bogdi! You know that!"
	She did. Her brother, for all his fierce appearance, was as sweet and tender as a puppy. The eggs, the young half human babies who had come from them, had been the center of his life from the moment he had mated with the Kikker Chief's daughter. He had died a little with the loss of each child. To lose these two, and then go through all that AGAIN! Anelie shook her head.
	"I wish I could do something. I'd give anything to do something."
	Adanya looked over at the far wall. Half turning in her chair, Anelie saw the cross hanging beside the window.
	"Maybe," the Kikker woman said, "your god Jesus just hates us."

Chapter 3

	"Let us pray."
	Felek closed his eyes as Brother Ofim began the prayer. He rarely actually prayed when asked to like this. Truth be told, what you were supposed to do while the Monk droned on wasn't exactly clear. Should Felek focus on his words? Mentally repeat them? He didn't know.
	So, Felek let his mind wander.
	He liked Mass. Liked the sense of oneness before God. The sense of one congregation basking under the love of Jesus. He also liked the new, shorter sermons. His Grace's influence, no doubt. Felek had heard the King talk with the various Brothers regarding services. There were more, now, allowing more of those in the small lakeside city to attend. Most went, although it was by no means compulsory. To fit those extra sermons in, they had to be shortened. Felek kind of suspected that was His Grace's whole goal. He also thought those services not attended by the King were longer, but that was just a feeling he had from the few times he had gone to one of those. It wasn't like you could keep track of time while sitting there.
	Ruta's image floated before his closed eyes. She had worn his necklace that Sunday morning, replacing the silver cross which usually hung between her breasts. It was almost like wearing his ring. They were... promised to each other, now. She was his, he was hers. Yes, they had been friends since forever, together every day, yet... yet, he felt like singing. Like standing up before the Kingdom, before God and Jesus, telling all of their love.
	Well, wasn't that what a wedding was?
	When would be the question. They were old enough, yes. Felek did not yet have an official position with the Palace beyond servant to the King, but James would assign him something. His Grace had certainly been grooming him for some position, tutors and scholars pounding knowledge into the boy's head. He would serve the Kingdom, buy some home, move in with Ruta...
	"In the name of the Father, the Mother, and the Son. Amen."
	Felek raised his head. He had managed to ignore the entire prayer. That was talent.

****

	"Mother asked me to ask you if you would join our family for dinner."
	Felek could not help but chuckle as he and Ruta walked among the throng exiting the cathedral. That the woman had not made the request in person did not surprise him. Felek had been near His Grace, for one. While Ruta's mother fawned over the King in ways both amusing and irritating, there obviously was not much love between the two. Hell, she did not like Felek much, either. Only his position as brother to the Queen made him an acceptable match for her daughter. Which was fine with him. His years with the King had taught him much about diplomacy, so handling a grumpy in-law should not be too much of a problem. It wasn't like she would be living with them.
	He'd see to that.
	"Sure. Unless His Grace suddenly needs me, I don't see why not."
	"Good." She took his arm as they reached the bottom steps. "Does he need you now?"
	"No." His eyes flicked to his left. His Grace and his sister had stopped, talking with Commander Kosciuszko and his wife. "No, I'm free today."
	"Felek!"
	The cry came from off to the side, away from the milling worshipers. Issa stood in the grass beside a pine tree near the edge of the church grounds, right arm raised. Ruta squeezed his arm.
	"He wasn't in church, was he?" Her voice was skeptical. Felek chuckled.
	"Doubt it." He raised his own arm in reply, steering the two of them off the path towards their friend. "This may mean," he added, "that I will be needed. If Issa is here, Chief Ajani probably is as well."
	"Felek, my friend!" The Kikker teen grabbed both his arms, squeezing tight. "And Ruta!" Releasing Felek, he took the girl's right hand, lifting it to his mouth. His large tongue flicked out, lightly touching her fingers. Giggling, Ruta curtsied.
	"And a pleasant Sunday to you, too, Issa."
	"Come to convert?" Felek asked. "You missed mass, but I'm sure Brother Ofim has a few minutes to spare if you'd like to be baptized."
	It was a joke, of course. Converting others was not something that was done. Never had been. At first, because the beastly races surrounding the Poles were not fit to mingle with, let alone serve the Lord God. As ties had grown closer between those Kikker living near the Poles, however, His Grace had gone the extra step of forbidding it. Something about a bad history of such practices. As Felek watched his friend, he was startled to see embarrassment at his words. Issa bowed his head, hands clenched together by his waist. Felek reached out, clasping his shoulder.
	"Hey. What is it?"
	"Felek. Ruta. Does the Polish God Jesus... heal?"
	The two teens looked at each other. Ruta placed her hand on the Kikker's other shoulder.
	"In the stories, yes. Jesus healed the sick in his time among us."
	"So..." Issa licked his large lips, eyes raising to look between the two humans. "If I prayed to this Jesus, joined his temple, would he heal someone?"
	"Who?" Ruta asked.
	"Adanya's young." Issa looked down at the ground again. "Word from her arrived by ship yesterday. Her son is sick again. He will not live. Chief Ajani cried all night." His gaze again met theirs. "If betraying the spirits of our people will save the boy and girl, I will gladly follow your Gods. Just tell me how."
	"Oh, Issa!" Ruta stepped forward, wrapping her slender arms around the splotchy brown teen. Felek just shook his head.
	"It... I'm sorry, Issa. It doesn't really work like that."
	"It doesn't?" His yellow eyes blinked. "You said your God healed."
	"In the stories, yes," Ruta said, pulling back a bit. "And we pray for God and Mother Mary and Jesus to heal those in need. But... praying does not make it happen. God does not work that way."
	"But..." Felek saw tears pool in the corner of his friend's eyes. "There is no other help for them! No medicine, no magic. Your Gods are their only hope!"
	Felek caught Ruta's gaze. She looked devastated. He felt like shit himself. Jesus did not work like that, yet... why didn't he? Why wouldn't Jesus come down and heal the sick, as he had done in the holy books? He had met Bogdi's children countless times. Played with them. Word of each death had hurt him in ways he could not express.
	Ruta's hand suddenly caught his, her other taking Issa's. She backed up, pulling them.
	"Come on. Let's try."

****

	Ruta led them around the side of the cathedral, down one of the irregular stone paths. Felek knew where she was taking Issa. He should have thought of it himself. The trio walked among the flower beds and fruit trees, the two males flanking the blonde. Felek could still hear the murmur of people from the front steps, but slowly it faded. The sound of wind in the trees, of birds, replaced it. The sounds of... well, God.
	The statue was carved from wood, set on a flat rock in the center of a small pool. Bright paint, freshly applied that spring, almost seemed to shine in the noon sun. Ruta brought them to a stop.
	"This is Mary," she told Issa. "Through her, God created his only Son. After Jesus died for our sins, Mary was carried up into heaven to sit beside Father and Son. I often pray to her."
	"She looks... sad."
	Felek looked closer at the statue, trying to see her as Issa did. It was the eyes. There was something about those blue and white eyes which spoke of sorrow. Of loss. Ruta took a half step towards the pool.
	"She saw her son tortured. Nailed to a cross and left to die. You'd be sad, too." Turning to Issa, she took his hand again. "Kneel down."
	Ruta knelt down on the smooth stone, gently pulling Issa. Awkwardly, he got down beside her, knees not quite built for that position. Felek knelt on the other side of her, letting his Love take the lead. She was more religious than he, more... spiritual. Perhaps even more loving, because of it. Certainly, it was part of what made him love her. Looking up into the face of the Mother of the Messiah, Ruta spoke.
	"Oh, Lady Mary, most holy of all women. Our friend comes to you in his hour of need. Not his need, for he is not selfish, or self-centered. Issa comes because the children of our friends are sick. Are dying. Lady Mary, please help them. Help little James and Zuza get well. Help them to grow up healthy, and strong. We beg you. In the name of the Father, The Mother, and The Son, Amen."
	Felek crossed himself, hands making the motion over his chest without his mind even aware of the action. He saw Issa make the same gestures. Closing his eyes, Felek sent his own prayer up to the heavens.
	"God, please help them. Amen."

****

	There was a knock at the door.
	Felek sat up in his bed. He had not yet been asleep. Hell, he had not even gotten around to his evening rubbing of his cock, without which a good sleep was never even really possible. The knock was not one of emergency. The door would have immediately opened, the Kingdom's problems much more important than privacy or politeness. 
	Another knock. A bit louder, yet seemingly still soft enough not to get the attention of others. Interesting. Tossing off the light sheet, not bothering with a light, Felek bent down to grab his pants from their home on the floor. He stood, pulling them up, working the buttons as he started towards the door. He grabbed the handle just as a third knock started.
	Ruta's face appeared as he pulled the door open. Startled, he opened it wider. She stood in the hall dressed in just a light nightgown, body tantalizingly visible as the dim lamp behind her shone through the fabric. Her eyes were wide, hair mussed as if she, too, had been in bed. The bird necklace still hung between her breasts.
	"Felek! I saw her!"
	He blinked, eyes adjusting to both the dim light and her presence. One hand reached up to unconsciously run through his hair.
	"Saw who? Is there something wrong?" He saw a guard standing behind her. He was amused, not worried. Probably believed this was going to be some sort of romantic meeting. Felek could tell that was not the case, as much as his cock was interpreting things otherwise.
	"Mary!" Ruta slid past him, body brushing his as he quickly opened the door further to give her room. His eyes met those of the guard, hoping his confusion at all this was evident to the man. Light burst into being behind him. Turning, Felek saw Ruta had lit the lamp on his nightstand. Guard forgotten, he closed the door.
	"What's going on?"
	"I had a vision! A holy vision! Oh, Felek, I saw her! I saw the Mother Mary! She came to me! Told me we could save the children!"
	He blinked.
	"What?"
	She moved to him, arms wrapping around his bare upper body, head resting on his shoulder. Thinking became even harder as he could feel her bare body under fabric which might as well not be there. He swore he could even feel two points which had to be her nipples.
	"Oh, Felek... we can do it! We can save them!"
	Talk of God was not conductive to sexual activity, at least not for Felek. Hands going to her shoulders, he gently pushed her away. Not far enough that her breasts lost contact with his skin, as he wasn't an idiot. Her eyes rose to meet his. Felek tried to gather his thoughts.
	"OK. Tell me. Was this some kind of dream?"
	"No!" she said, shaking her head. Her blonde hair was loose, braid disassembled for the night. "I was laying on my bed, thinking about Bogdi's poor kids, praying to God and Mary. I grabbed the cross I always wear, and I suddenly felt Her! I felt the Mother Mary come down to me! Then I saw Her! I SAW Her, Felek! She was right there, at the foot of the bed! She was so BEAUTIFUL! I mean, like a goddess! She had blonde hair, like the sun! Her gown was blue, flowing to the floor! It bared both her shoulders and breasts, but she was not nude! No, she was clothed in the Holy Spirit! I could feel the cross in my hands getting warm! Vibrating!"
	Something clicked in his mind. Felek looked down between them. Between her breasts. Looking back into her eyes, he raised one finger, placing it gently on her lips. She paused, eyes questioning.
	"Ruta... you're not wearing your cross."
	Now confusion flowed across her face.
	"Yes I am. I wore it to Mass. I always wear it to Mass. And I didn't take it off." Both of them looked down.
	The silver bird hung from her neck.
	"But..." Her eyes came back to his. "But, I felt it! Felt HER! It was Mary! Mary, and this was her symbol! Her symbol the cross! Felek, I swear, I saw her!"
	He pulled her to him, arms wrapping around her body. She trembled against him.
	"You saw someone, Ruta. I believe you."
	"I did see her!"
	"I know. But it may not have been Mary." He blinked. "You said she was topless?"
	"Yes..." Her trembling stopped.
	"Mother Mary. Wife of God. Topless."
	"... yes." He felt her take a deep breath. "No. No, Mary wouldn't have her boobs out like that."
	"I don't think Mary has boobs. Breasts, yes, but not boobs."
	Her body shook in laughter. They pulled apart.
	"Yes," Ruta said, grinning, "no son of God would drink from mere boobs!" Her expression fell. "But, then, who did I see?"

****

	"I AM sorry, Your Grace. I just felt this could not wait."
	Felek tried to read his King's mood as he sat before his desk, Ruta beside him. King James was annoyed, yes. That much was painfully obvious. Felek even had the horrible thought that he had interrupted His Grace in the middle of being intimate with Ewa. His sister had mentioned, jokingly, about wanting to stay far ahead of Shanna in the baby department. There were some things a King should not have interrupted if you wanted to stay in his good graces.
	James let out a sigh, turning the silver bird over in his hands. He held it up, letting the lamp light catch on its wings.
	"I believe you, Felek. Don't worry. I'm glad you didn't wait." Closing his eyes, he put a hand to his forehead. "OK, not glad, no. I'm just not completely pissed."
	"I'll take it," Felek said. James chuckled. He turned to Ruta.
	"You saw a woman at the foot of your bed. Was she transparent? Like a ghost?"
	"I... don't know. She glowed. Sort of. The room was dark." Ruta took Felek's hand. "I know it sounds crazy..."
	"I am well used to crazy, my Lady." There was a knock at the office door. "Ah, good."
	The door opened. Queen Catty, last of the Elven royal line, slowly entered the room. She was nude. Felek was not shocked at this, the green skinned Elf not seeming to share Human concepts of modesty. Still, he found his eyes dropping to the patch of red hair above her sex, before swiftly rising to the Queen's face. She, too, was annoyed, those black eyes with their white pupils focused squarely on the two teens, sensing they were responsible for her summoning. James rose behind the desk.
	"Thank you for coming, Your Majesty."
	"I knew you would not wake me unless it was serious." Felek winced. He quickly stood, rushing to the side of the room, grabbing another of the finely carved chairs. He brought it over, placing it on the same side of the desk as His Grace. James nodded his thanks, taking hold of the seat back.
	"Sit, Catty. We still have two more to wait for."
	"Is this more about that letter?" she asked, taking her place on the blue cushioned chair. "If so, please send for Far. I did not wish to wake him, but..."
	"No, I don't think so. But..."
	The door opened again. Chief Ajani strolled in. He, too, was nude, brown blotchy skin not at all attractive to Felek. Behind him came Brother Ofim, thankfully fully clothed in the brown robes of a man of God. Felek set up chairs for them as greetings were exchanged. He then returned to his seat, Ruta taking his hand immediately. The King, seated again, leaned forward, hands clasped on the desk.
	"My friends. I have woken you this evening as something has happened. Something which I think we should take seriously. Ruta?"
	Felek squeezed Ruta's hand. She stood, drawing him up with her, stepping away from her chair to face the assembled. Felek was glad they had taken the time to put real clothes on, as this was probably nerve-wracking enough for her without being in an all but transparent gown. She took a deep breath.
	"Tonight, while praying for Adanya's and Bogdi's children, I saw the Lady Mary appear before me."
	The only one who reacted was the Monk. He rose, slowly, hand going to his bald head, scratching as he looked to the King.
	"Your Grace, if you have dragged me out of my cell for this..." His eyes flicked to Ruta. "Hallucination..."
	"It is no such thing," Ruta interrupted. She stepped forward, releasing Felek's hand. "I saw her. A blonde woman with a flowing blue gown. She told me she heard my prayers, and that she could save the children."
	"Whatever it was," Queen Catty said, "it obviously wasn't one of your Gods."
	"Was it one of yours?" Ajani asked, yellow eyes blinking. She scoffed.
	"Our Gods are no more in this world than theirs are."
	Felek blinked. No more than... Brother Ofim was looking down at the Elf with naked contempt, fists clenched.
	"Lady." He spoke the word as if it was the most vile insult. "I ask you to not speak of matters you do not know."
	King James held up his hand, silencing him.
	"What do you mean, Catty?"
	"I mean," she said, voice confused, "when we came to this world, our Gods stayed behind with our people. So it was for us, and so it was for you. For the Gods to abandon the rest of their followers to be with a handful of Elves or Poles would be silly." She blinked, looking up at the Monk. "You actually thought your Gods were here?"
	"Of course they're here!" Brother Ofim whirled to face the King. "I have had enough of this. Excuse me, Your Grace!"
	Felek thought the King would stop him. Would, at the very least, demand an apology. James just let him storm out.
	"He knows," the Queen said, shaking her head. "He knows, but does not believe."
	"But..." Ruta looked lost. Felek took her hand again. "But we pray to God all the time! To God, to Jesus, to Mary..."
	"There is no Mary."
	Ruta whirled to the King.
	"Your Grace!"
	"OK," he qualified, motioning her to sit, "there was a Mary, mother of Jesus. But..." He paused. Sensing what the King wanted, Felek sat, pulling Ruta down beside him. "Ruta. The Church, where I am from, where your ancestors came from, does not worship Mary as a God. As a Saint, yes, some sects of Christians do. One Saint among thousands, humans elevated for their service to God. But, not AS a God. Not as someone sitting with Jesus beside the Holy Throne."
	"But..."
	"Then what did she see?" Ajani asked. "Not an Elvish god, obviously. Not one of our Spirits. She said she could help my Grandchildren?"
	"...Yes." Ruta slowly nodded. "Yes. She said that if we had faith, true faith, she would heal them."
	"How?" King James asked.
	"We have to bring the children to her. To a place called Lake Bled."

Chapter 4

	Anelie's big brother made a good horse.
	She knew this from past experience. It had been a while since she had ridden on Bogdi's back, not since before he had joined the army. Him on all fours, trying, yet not trying, to buck her off as she held on to his long hair as he took her around the room. Her laughing gleefully, even psychotically, urging her horsey on.
	Now his daughter did the same thing.
	Anelie sat next to Adanya on a wooden bench near the river. A park, of all things. A space of greenery in the midst of a land of green, set aside just for Poles and Kikker to sit, play, or even do nothing. Another of the King's strange, wonderful ideas. The flat field, upwind of the docks, even had swings, children of both races taking turns flying through the air. Her niece and nephew, though, preferred the ride which was their Dad. Bogdi crawled past them, daughter astride her mount. As the two women watched, Zuza pulled back on on Bogdi's brown locks.
	"Whoa!"
	The hulking soldier came to a stop in the grass, shaking his head and snorting. Zuza hopped off, hand holding a clump of hair out as if it was a rein.
	"James! Your turn!"
	The boy sat in a patch of grass, carved toy soldiers arranged around him. He shook his head.
	"Not now."
	Bogdi sat up, startling Zuza into releasing her grip on his flowing mane. He looked at his son, concern obvious.
	"Tired, Boy?"
	"A bit. But I don't want to go home!" he quickly added. "I just don't feel like riding."
	Bogdi nodded, pushing himself to his feet. Zuza swiftly went and plopped herself beside her remaining sibling. Adanya patted the empty seat beside her.
	"You need a rest anyway, Love. You patrolled today."
	"As if playing with my children is work." Anelie noticed he was taking deep breaths as he sat. Leaning down, she dipped a cup in the bucket of water beside the bench. She offered it to Bogdi.
	"A good horse needs watering after he's been ridden."
	"Very true." He reached over his wife, taking the drink. "Thank you, little sis."
	"You'll need your energy for when I ride you."
	Adanya's expression told Anelie that probably wasn't the kind of thing she could say about her brother anymore, at least not in places more public. Bogdi just chuckled, arm going around his wife. He handed the empty cup back to Anelie. She dutifully refilled it.
	"Dad!"
	All three adults looked at James. He was pointing back towards the town. Anelie saw Shanna coming, dressed in her dark blue uniform. Exactly WHY the non-armor uniforms of the 1st Cavalry were blue, and not the red and white of the rest of Poland's army, had never been exactly clear to Anelie. It did look good, she had to admit, and the shields had red and white markings on them so it wasn't like tradition was being flouted. Waddling behind Shanna were her two children, a light folding stool held between them. Anelie smiled. Bringing her own seat. That was Shanna.
	"Sit," Shanna told them, forestalling either Anelie or Bogdi from rising in greeting. Stopping, she turned to her twins. "Thank you. You did good! Now go play!"
	"Yay!" Shanna grabbed the stool as they dropped it, Betty and Chris racing through the grass to the older twins. Making her way to the bench, she set the stool up beside Anelie, looking down the bench.
	"Mind if I join you?" she asked, sitting. Anelie smiled.
	"Not at all, Lady Shanna."
	"Good." She glanced at the four children now giggling fiercely. "He's doing better?"
	"Today," Adanya said. The exhaustion was clear in her voice. "This episode seems to be over. Until the next one."
	Shanna let out a long sigh. Anelie looked at her. She knew that sigh. It was a sign Shanna did not want to deal with something, yet was going to. Unable to help herself, she reached out, touching her commander's knee.
	"What is it, Lady?"
	Shanna's eyes flicked to her, moving away before Anelie could interpret them. She did remove her hand, cursing. That had been the wrong thing. Damn it, why couldn't she stop...
	"Adanya," Shanna said, hand going up to adjust her glasses. "Word came from the Palace. Your father received your letter."
	"And?" Adanya asked, taking and letting out a deep breath. Shanna shook her head.
	"And you should have asked me to send the message via flag. No need to send it by ship."
	"I, we, didn't want to bother you."
	"Jesus Christ, Adanya, we're almost family." Anelie felt herself blushing at her words. If things had worked out differently, she would have been family. Been Anelie's husband. It was better this way, though. Yes. Better. Better for all...
	"Anyway, there apparently has been some chaos back there, relating to this. James sent orders today." Shanna took a deep breath. Bogdi leaned towards her, large hand grasping his wife's bare knee.
	"And, My Lady?"
	"And there may be a way to save your children."
	Anelie's heart stopped. A way... Her hand shot back to Shanna's knee, squeezing. Bogdi and Adanya were on their feet, Adanya's hand fumbling to grasp his. Shanna thrust her palm out, face grimacing.
	"Sit! Please! This is stupid and complicated!"
	The two sat. Anelie kept her hand where it was, eyes never leaving Shanna's face. The brown skinned woman licked her lips.
	"OK. Here's the deal. Do you remember Ruta, Queen Ewa's serving girl?" Anelie did, but Shanna must have seen something on the other's faces. "She's the annoyingly cute blonde who's been throwing herself at the Queen's brother."
	"Ah," Adanya said. "Yes. She has watched the children."
	"Well," Shanna went on, "it seems she had some sort of... vision."
	Anelie blinked.
	"Vision?"
	"Apparently," Shanna said, dryly. "Long and the short of it, something mystical happened and the girl thinks the kids can be healed if they go to someplace called Lake Bled."
	"How far?" Adanya asked, voice no more than a whisper. Shanna shook her head.
	"No idea. James can't find it on any map, nor can your Father. The girl thinks she can locate it, though. Lead you there. Something magical- flags can only give you so much detail when it comes to this kind of thing." She snorted. "We have to see if we can re-invent the telegraph. We really need it."
	"I'll take them," Bogdi said, standing. Anelie looked up at her brother. Gone was the veil of grief, hopelessness, which had tinged every other emotion for the past three years. He stood tall, strong. The brother she had always known. Loved. Worshiped. Only the eyes worried her. Despair had been replaced by... what? She didn't know. Fanatical optimism, perhaps. Anelie wondered if her eyes were the same. She knew what she would do. Had to do. There would be no question of taking another path.
	Adanya rose.
	"I, too, will go."
	"Adanya..." Bogdi started. She cut him off.
	"We both go. We both save them. The three of you gone into the unknown will kill me. We stay together. Always."
	He took her in his arms, her inhuman body molding to his. Anelie looked away. It always made her uncomfortable. Not because of who her sister-in-law was, no. Not that. Definitely not that. She looked at Shanna.
	"I'm going, too. May I take my men?"
	Shanna did not look surprised at her request. She placed a hand on Anelie's shoulder.
	"Ask for volunteers. No one with a family." Anelie winced. That would exclude Lewy. As if reading her mind, Shanna chuckled. "Unless the wife comes. I'd hate to see her leave the kitchen, but Jaromira is a hardy woman." She looked at all three of them. "James is sending a small group from the Palace to join you. They'll be here in two days. Take what you need. I'll give you a couple light wagons, spare horses. Travel light and fast." Her eyes flicked to the playing children. "And, whatever happens... come home."

****

	"You shouldn't be doing this," Ewa said.
	Felek sighed, shoving another shirt into his bag. He loved his sister, but her attempts to mother him were never welcome. He was an adult, after all.
	"Yes I should." His eyes flicked around his room. He should pack light, yet they could be gone weeks. Months. They could probably buy what they needed, but...
	"You just came back, Felek. It's not fair."
	OK, that was a shitty argument. He looked at Ewa. Her expression seemed to show even she knew it.
	"And I'm supposed to let Ruta go without me? No."
	"Give the necklace to someone else. Give it to Adanya."
	"Ruta won't do that." He paused, grimacing a bit. "I already asked."
	"Oh." His sister's shoulders sagged. Putting his packing aside for the moment, Felek moved to Ewa, giving her a quick hug. Her arms wrapped around him, trapping him into a much longer embrace than intended. Resigning himself, he let out a sigh.
	"I don't WANT to go, but I have to. There's no other way. I'll come back. We all will. I promise."
	He saw the door open behind her. His Grace entered the room. A bit abruptly, Felek freed himself from his sister, stepping away as he straightened. The King smiled.
	"Just for that, you shall be punished. Ewa, give him another hug."
	"I should say so." She grabbed him again, squeezing hard. "I'll hug you as long as I want, little brother," she whispered into his ear. Then she was gone.
	  Felek stood by his bed, embarrassed. He watched as the King closed the door.
	"I'm sorry, Your Grace."
	"I'm the one who has to deal with her until you come back." He looked at Felek, seeming to consider something. Felek noticed a bundle in his right hand. Shrugging, the King approached. "Mind if I sit?"
	"Of course not, Your Grace."
	He grabbed the chair by the desk, the room's only other real piece of furniture. James motioned for Felek to sit on the bed.
	"For the record, or perhaps off the record, I don't want you to go either. The whole thing is probably a dangerous waste of time."
	Felek's eyes widened.
	"But..."
	"A strange vision is no reason to send loved ones into danger. At least not without waiting, testing, seeing what the hell is actually going on. No, this is foolish."
	"Then..."
	"Then why?" His Grace let out a sigh, hand running through his short brown hair. "Because of Chief Ajani. He wants this, and the cost is low enough that I can't deny him. We owe his people too much."
	The King paused. Felek tried to understand his words. The cost... what cost? The cost of the people going? The cost of them not returning?
	A shiver of understanding went through him. His Grace nodded.
	"What is best for the Kingdom is not always best for any particular person, especially the King. Your life, to me and your sister, is not a fair exchange for the life of Ajani's grandkids. It is, however, when it comes to keeping this alliance strong."
	Felek no longer felt so eager to begin this adventure. The King chuckled.
	"That said, I have faith in you. In your intelligence, your ability. If this can be done, if there is in fact something TO be done, you can do it."
	"Thank you, Your Grace." He now felt a little better.
	"I just wanted to make it clear that, for me, the fate of the children is not the important thing. They are not why I'm sending you. I have a much more vital mission in mind." He tossed the bundle at Felek. He caught it, startled. The rectangular canvas package held what felt like documents.
	"That," the King said, "is to be kept with you at all times. It is not more important than your lives, no, but it is worth risking trained soldiers who know their duty." Felek swallowed. "They are letters of introduction. Invitations. As you travel, I want you to keep your eye out for those who might be friends to the Polish Kingdom. Contacts, allies. Be they simple traders, or government officials, of any race or social standing. Any who expresses interest, and you trust, should be given one of those documents. It is an invitation to Nowy Warsaw, a promise of both an audience with me, and of a reward. Be judicious with them, yet generous when you truly feel it is right. I trust you."
	"Yes, Your Grace." He looked down at the package. The... well, the responsibility. This was not meeting with some Kikker woman who had gathered some information. No. It was actual diplomacy. First contact. His eyes came up again, saw the King looking at him. "Yes. I understand."
	"Good. While you are wandering the world, I also want you to keep a record of all you see, all you hear. Rumors. Legends." He pulled a second wrapped parcel from his pocket. "And, especially, anything regarding this."
	He tossed it to Felek. It was a thin letter, sealed with wax.
	"Keep that on your person at all times."
	"What is it, Your Grace?"
	The King stood. Hands clasped behind him, he paced around the room.
	"A few days ago, we found a dead elf with a message on him. It was addressed to the Elven Queen, claiming to be from some group still loyal to her." Felek let out a gasp. "Yes. Our reaction, too. Queen Catty, naturally, wants to make contact with them as soon as possible. I am a little more... wary. We will not have an Elven colony here on our borders, let alone within them. Nor am I willing to support any attempt to bring the Queen back to her throne. We are nowhere near strong enough to meddle in their civil war. But." He stopped, facing Felek. "We must find out what is going on. Who these Elves are. Where they are. That is a letter from the Queen. It will serve as your introduction should you make contact." He paused. "Mind you, show it to any other Elf and your lives will be endangered. As will be your homeland."
	"I... understand."
	"I hope so, Felek. This is a lot to put on you. I truly wanted you to have more training, but life rarely gives us such luxuries." He sighed. "Anelie is a good soldier, trusted by Shanna. I want you to rely on her. Trust her judgment. She knows about the Elven letter, is the one who found it in fact. The children will, naturally, be her first priority. I understand. If it becomes clear, though, that this is a wild goose chase..."
	"I'll bring Ruta home."
	"Try to bring everyone home, but... yes. Come home."

****

	"I'm scared."
	Felek stood against the closed door as Ruta paced back and forth before her bed. She had not changed for bed yet, her blue dress showing the wear from a frantic day's activities. Her right hand clutched the bird hanging from her neck.
	"I mean," she said, "I haven't heard anything more. Haven't seen... whoever that was. What if it was nothing? What if I can't tell you where to go?"
	"Then we come home." He forced a smile. "It will be OK, Ruta. I'll keep you safe."
	"I know." She moved to him, blue eyes wide. "I always feel safe with you."
	"Good. I can't have my future wife scared of me."
	She leaned forward, forehead touching his chin, hands pressed against his chest.
	"I talked to Brother Ofim. I... I'm so confused, Felek. I believe the King, when he speaks, yet when I hear the words of Brother Ofim..."
	"We will find the truth. Have faith." His own faith was with the King. With his sister. With Ruta. All else was immaterial.
	She looked up at him.
	"Stay with me tonight."
	His breath caught in his throat. Felek's senses suddenly became acutely aware of every point of contact between them. Of every point there COULD be contact. He swallowed.
	"Ruta... I..." He shook his head. He had to stay rational. For the King. For the Kingdom. "Ruta, I love you, but we don't know how long we will be gone. I..." Her hands moved against his chest. "I won't have you with child as we travel."
	"That... that will not happen. I am safe." Something in her voice called out to him. Demanded he question her. It was drowned out by the action of her palms sliding down his chest. Of her fingers coming to the buttons of his trousers, nimbly undoing them.
	"Ruta..."
	His pants and undergarments fell to the floor. Her fingers touched him. Wrapped around him. Felek felt faint as a wave of pleasure rushed through him, Ruta letting out a surprised cry.
	"Oh!"
	His cock let go another spurt, joining the first on her dress. Embarrassment he had not felt since his first erection in front of his sister mixed with his orgasm, fogging his mind even more. Ruta's hand kept pumping, drawing out more of his seed. Her eyes were wide.
	"Wow..."
	"God, I'm so sorry, Ruta! I didn't mean...!"
	"I guess I'm not taking this dress with me!" She released him, his cock done soiling her. She stepped back. "I can't wear it now, can I?"
	Even as Felek tried to gather his thoughts, her hands went behind her. He saw fabric loosen.
	Her dress fell to the floor.
	A Goddess. No other word could describe her. His mind could not even focus on the parts of her, on the smooth skin, firm breasts, or patch of blonde hair above her sex. All he saw was the whole, the beauty which was Ruta.
	His Ruta.
	"Stay with me," she whispered, approaching again, taking the hem of his shirt. "Love me." Ruta lifted his shirt up, Felek unknowingly raising his arms to assist. A moment later it fell to the floor.
	She took his hand.

****

	They lay on the narrow bed, limbs intertwined, hands caressing. All was new, exciting. Overwhelming. Felek did not notice the shift in her body under him. Did not know her legs had parted, guiding him down between them. Not until a hot wetness engulfed his cock, her body stiffening as she let out a cry.
	He was in her.
	He felt her fingers dig into his back. Felt what had to be her legs wrap around him, holding him inside. Felt her mouth kissing all over his face.
	He felt what it meant to be loved by a woman.

****

	"Stay," she said.
	"Forever."

Chapter 5

	Anelie watched as the Polish ship slowly approached the dock.
	The waiting. She hated the waiting. Yesterday had been OK. There had been things to do, supplies to scrounge. Soldiers to prepare. That ten of her men, including Lewy (and his ornery wife), had agreed to come on this possibly suicidal mission had been expected. For all FOUR of the female recruits to do the same...
	"You'll take them," Shanna had told her. "Train them as you go. I know you can make them into soldiers."
	So, she would make them soldiers. If Shanna said it could be done, she would do it.
	Even if it killed them.
	That had been yesterday. Today, it had been just waiting. Waiting for the ship to make its way up river. Waiting for the three teens who would accompany them on this trip. She didn't know them well. Not any more, and truth be told the one she wasn't sure she had ever met. The last few years had been spent well away from the Palace. With luck they could handle themselves on the road. Worst case... Anelie would stick them with Bogdi's kids in the wagons.
	She looked to her right. The two wagons were loaded, ready to go. They were light, fast. Especially with four horses on each. Worst case they could ditch the wagons and just use the horses.
	Anelie shook her head. She had to stop dwelling on the worst case. Focus on the positive. They were moments away from heading on a quest to save her niece and nephew. From actually DOING something! That was what she had wanted, and by God, He had delivered.
	A large hand grabbed her shoulder. She looked up beside her. Bogdi looked down, smiling.
	"At ease, Little Sis. We'll be off soon enough."
	"I know," she said, smiling. "Give them an hour to get their stuff together and on the wagons..."
	"GRANDPA!"
	Two small forms shot past her legs, hands in the air as they ran onto the dock. Anelie's eyes shot back to the ship. There, leaning against the rail, was Adanya's father. His hands were out, wide mouth in an incredible grin. Adanya pulled to a stop next to her, chase of the children abandoned.
	"Father!"
	"I had hoped Dad would come," Bogdi said, calmly. "He hasn't seen the kids since Christmas." He looked down at Anelie, smiling. "I don't think we'll be leaving today."
	"I should hope not!" Adanya said.
	Anelie let out another sigh. She understood, of course. She would have been the first to give the order to leave at first light tomorrow. That was still a half day lost, though. A half day they might not be able to afford. Who knew how long this journey would take. Who knew how little James would handle the trip. Who knew...
	"GRANDMA!"
	Her eyes whipped to the ship. Her mother. Mother was next to the Kikker Chief.
	"Mom..." she whispered. Her left hand fumbled beside her, not finding her brother's because it was still on her shoulder. Chuckling, he lowered it, engulfing her hand in his.
	"Of all the things we've put her through," he said, softly, "this may be the hardest. Let her have her say."
	"I know." As if she were still a little girl, not a woman verging on her twentieth year, Anelie raised her right hand and waved to Mommy.

****

	Felek chuckled as he looked down at the family reunion on the dock. They would not, he suspected, be leaving that day. Or the next. That had been the plan, though, from the look of the wagons, as well as the Hussars standing with their mounts. Get on the road, get moving. He could understand that.
	"Are we staying on the ship?" Issa asked. Felek turned to his friend, smiling. Like him, Issa had a large satchel at his feet, filled with all he thought he'd need. Unlike Felek, most of it probably wasn't clothing. Kikker needs in that department were rather minimal. His dress today was a red rope kilt.
	"No, we're getting off. Let's give them a few moments, though. No need to interrupt." Felek looked down again. Both half human children were leading the two grandparents off by the hand, their chatter drowning out most other sound. The kids looked OK, at least to him. That was good. Dragging a dying boy half way across the world would not be fun.
	Having to bury him somewhere along the way, even less so.
	"Where's Ruta?" he asked, looking around. Issa shrugged.
	"Below, I assume. Probably doing human female stuff." He pointed at the dismounted soldiers. "I thought all Polish soldiers wore white and red."
	"Not Shanna's," Felek laughed. His Grace had explained the origin of the uniforms to him. The King had been amused, and thus so too was Felek. "The dark blue is from an old army back where she and the King came from, a century or two ago. The black breastplate, naturally, is because she's the Black Hussar."
	"You Poles and your clothing," Issa said, shaking his head. "I don't blame you for hiding those bodies, but still..." He paused, leaning forward. "Hey, are some of those soldiers female?"
	Felek looked again, leaning out beside his friend. Some of the Hussars had their helmets off.
	"Huh. You're right. Must be the new batch of recruits."
	"Maybe they're coming with us!"
	Felek laughed, punching Issa in the shoulder.
	"Dream on!"
	Turning his back to the dock, Felek looked around the ship. Still no sign of Ruta. Not good. He nudged Issa's arm.
	"I'm gonna look for Ruta. She should be up here by now."
	"I'll go with y-"
	Issa stopped as Ruta rose into view. She was climbing the stairs slowly, emerging from the hatch as if in a daze. Her hands were held cupped before her chest, eyes captivated by whatever was in them. Felek rushed to her side, Issa a moment behind.
	"Ruta! You OK?" Felek stopped beside her, hand going to her arm. Ruta stopped as she stepped onto the deck.
	"Do you see it?" she asked, softly. "Do you see it, Felek? I see it..."
	He looked in her hands. She held the small silver bird, its chain stretched taut around her neck. Felek stared at it for a moment, eyes going back to her face. He squeezed her bare arm.
	"What do you see, Ruta?"
	"It's... it's glowing. Glowing! And..." She turned, slowly facing the fishing town. "This way." She stopped where she was. "We have to go this way."
	Felek followed the invisible line outward. The Eastern road. He nodded.
	"Well, I guess it works. That's good."
	Ruta blinked, shaking her head. Her eyes widened in surprise.
	"Oh! The glow stopped!" She turned to him. "Did you see it?"
	"No," he said. "I think this is all you." He leaned in, giving her a quick kiss. Issa's eyes swept between them.
	"She can do it, then? She can find this place?"
	"Yes," Ruta said, letting the bird go, the charm finding its natural home between her breasts. "Yes I can."

****

	Anelie leaned back against a tree as she watched the kids show off for their family.
	Mother. Her mother was here. Well, there, standing in the grass beside Bogdi as James and Zuza sang a song they had memorized. How long had it been since she had seen her mother? When had that been? Over a year ago. Had to be. She had accompanied Bogdi's family back to Nowy Warsaw that one time. Her brother hadn't told her they were stopping that day at Mom's new home, nor told Mom they were coming. All had been surprised, unsurprisingly.
	Anelie let out a sigh. She loved Mom. Loved her. Why did she not go back and visit? Shanna would let her. That wasn't the problem. Shanna was good about things like that, understanding the needs of families. Understanding HER needs. So, what was it?
	The singing stopped, the four adults applauding vigorously. Unable to help herself, Anelie added her own clapping. The kids WERE good, voices mixing together to make something unique.
	That the chorus had them "ribbiting" was just too cute.
	She glanced over at her men, now milling around off duty. The three teens from the boat were talking to the four recruits. Well, they were about the same age, so that made sense. They might even know each other. It was a small Kingdom, after all.
	Anelie heard footsteps in the grass. Mother was coming towards her. Her dress was a light green, matching her eyes. Her red hair was pinned up on her head, just a few strands falling down on either side of her face. Anelie found herself coming almost to attention.
	"Mind if I join you?" her Mom asked. Anelie shook her head.
	"Do you need to sit?" She glanced around. "There's a bench over there."
	"I think sitting on the grass in the shade will be good enough." She lowered herself, gracefully. Anelie did the same, very self-conscious of wearing pants in front of her Mother. They faced each other.
	"You look good, Mom." And she did. Even better than before, if that was possible. "Still working at that shop?"
	"Yes, although now I'm helping paint the plates before they're baked. You know I've always liked that kind of thing."
	Anelie nodded. Her mother had always had a bit of an artistic side. She wasn't a particularly GOOD artist, if Anelie had to be honest about it, but then neither were she nor Bogdi. Didn't mean she wasn't good enough for some kinds of work.
	"I didn't expect to see you here."
	"And I didn't expect to come." Her Mother chuckled. "There was a knock on the door, and when I opened it, the King was there! Can you believe it? His Grace, surrounded by guards, standing in my doorway! I almost fainted! He asked to come in, and told me about what you and Bogdi were going to do. How... dangerous it was." Anelie dropped her eyes into her lap, unable to meet her Mom's gaze. "He said I could come see you off if I wanted. That Adanya's father was coming as well."
	She paused, eyes going back to the others.
	"I'm actually starting to like him. Horrible to say, after all this time, but he was incredibly nice to me on the trip over." She shrugged, looking back at Anelie. "Anyway, of course I wanted to come, so here I am."
	"I'm glad you're here. And so are the kids."
	"They are so..." Her mother shook her head. "Well, they're like you two. Really. There's no doubt Bogdi's the father."
	Left unsaid was the desire for that not to have been the case, but that fight was long over. Anelie was just glad Mom was coming around on some things, doing more than putting up a good face for her Grandkids. A scream to look at her caused both women to glance back. Zuza was doing a somersault.
	"How are you doing?"
	Anelie felt herself blushing at the question.
	"OK. Good."
	Her mother looked at the grass beside her, picking an unusually long blade.
	"You still have your own... soldiers?"
	"I command my own squad, yes. I'm taking them with us, well most of them. The ones with children are staying behind, Shanna's orders."
	"That's good." The blade was tossed away, another one picked. "Are you... with someone?"
	"Mom!"
	"I am just asking!" Her Mother's face looked as red as Anelie's felt. "You should be with someone. I know..." Mom paused, gathering her thoughts. "I mean, I know I won't be having any grandchildren, but... I just want you to be happy."
	"I am happy, Mom."
	The two women stared at each other for a long moment.
	"I'm happy, Mom. Really. I love being here. I love being a soldier. I love being with Bogdi, with his family. I don't want any of it to change."
	"Your brother asked me... well, asked me if I'd consider moving out here. When you get back."
	Anelie blinked.
	"He... what?"
	"He has mentioned it before, when they've visited. His wife seems to also be in favor."
	"Bogdi never... I mean, what would you do?"
	"Live with them. They have the room. Help with the kids. Maybe work in a shop in the village. There are a couple, right? It looks big enough."
	Her Mother. Living here. That would be good, right? Had to be. Having her Mom there every time she went to be with Bogdi. Just like she was still a little girl...
	"I don't know if I'll do it," she went on. "I'll be going home after you leave, so we'll have to see how things are when you get back."
	"I... I'd like it, if you were here," Anelie said. "Really." Her Mother reached over, touching her knee.
	"I'd give you space, don't worry. I know how much you want to be yourself, how much of a home you've made for yourself here. I can see it all around me. This is where you belong."
	"Thank you."
	"Grandma!"
	James was running over, his brown hair an unruly mess. His sister was dragging their Grandfather by the hand as she trailed behind him.
	"Grandma! Grandpa said he'd buy us cookies! Want some?"
	"Cookies would be good," she said, pushing herself to her feet. She reached a hand down to Anelie. "Coming?"
	Anelie smiled, reaching up to take her hand.
	"For cookies? Of course!"

****

	Felek watched Issa's attempted flirting with the soldiers with amusement.
	He was never really sure if it was serious or not, if the Kikker teen was actually attracted to Polish girls, or if it was just a game to him. He suspected a game. The flirting with Ruta was, he knew, as were her responses. She also seemed to encourage Issa's attempts to make other girls blush and swoon. If nothing else, Issa did seem to understand much of the laughing and giggling was AT his attempts, at how funny he looked imitating Polish romantic rituals. Actually, maybe that's what he was doing: mocking the strange Poles to their faces.
	Whatever the case, the four females before them were enjoying it.
	 "I truly did not know there were more beautiful soldiers in the King's army," Issa said, his usual grin splitting his face. "Not that many male soldiers are not pretty, in their own way, mind you." The girls giggled. Soldiers giggling was not a sight Felek saw often. Certainly, neither Shanna nor Anelie giggled. He spoke up.
	"How long have you been serving?"
	"A month," the dark haired girl answered. She reached up, moving a few strands of hair off her face. "It's harder than I thought it would be. Lady Anelie works us so hard!"
	"She has to!" The blue eyed blond shot her a harsh look. "We have to be as good as the men. Better!"
	"Still! Why do we have to chop wood for hours? That's not soldiering!"
	"What do you think we're going to have to do on this mission, Cyla? We'll be getting wood for the fire, standing watch every night. It won't be easy."
	"Well," Issa said, "You're all better soldiers than me. Look better in armor, too."
	"Going to cower behind us if there's a fight?" The blonde asked. He nodded happily.
	"I've been trained as a politician, trader, not a fighter. You don't want me fighting."
	The girl looked at Felek.
	"How about you?"
	"I can handle a sword well enough. Shield, too. The King saw to my training there. Ruta isn't bad with a bow." He looked at his love. She returned his gaze with a raised eyebrow.
	"Am too bad with a bow! I'm just better than you!"
	"That's what I said."
	He saw one of the girls giving the two of them a funny look. He frowned.
	"What?"
	"Um... are you two a... couple?"
	"Yes," Ruta said, quickly, taking Felek's arm. "We're to be wed."
	"You are?!" Issa turned to them, shock on his face. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
	"We haven't told anyone yet," Felek apologized. "And things are happening so fast. I'm sorry, my friend."
	"Well," Issa sighed, "that means I will have to marry one of these ladies. Would anyone like to volunteer?"
	The blonde drew her sword. Issa backed up.
	"That's a 'maybe'?"

****

	Anelie stood on the parapet, looking over the wall towards the eastern forest.
	East, Ruta, the girl with the magical necklace, had said. So, east they would go. She knew the eastern forest well for perhaps two days ride, maybe three. After that...
	Footsteps. She felt calm flow over her as Shanna's dark form stopped beside her. Anelie lifted her eyes from the trees, looking into the sky.
	"A beautiful night, Lady."
	"You'll have good weather tomorrow. That's something." Shanna turned, leaning back against the wall. That was so Shanna, Anelie thought. Unafraid to show her back to an unseen enemy. She did the same, turning to look back into the fort. The gate was closed, the sentries set. All looked well.
	"I went over James's super secret orders," Shanna said, arms folded over her chest. Anelie's arms took the same position out of habit. "You're in command. I trust you."
	"Thank you, Lady."
	"Listen to Felek, though. He knows more than you about quite a bit. Book learning, which outside of a fight is damned useful."
	Anelie nodded. She did wish she could spend more time reading. The fort library was small, and her days occupied with so many things. When she was retired. Yes. She could read then...
	"Anelie..."
	The redhead looked at her friend. Shanna's eyes were distant, elsewhere.
	"Anelie... I want you to come back."
	She blinked.
	"Um... Of course, Lady Shanna. We're going to come back."
	"Yes, I know," Shanna said, turning to her. "But, I mean... I want YOU to come back. I need you here. With me. I know I don't always seem like I do, and there's Piotr, but..." Anelie felt tears in her eyes. "I do love you, Anelie. Not the way you want, not the way you deserve, but I love you. Come back to me."
	"I... I will, Shanna." Hesitantly, she reached out, touching Shanna's face. Shanna's hand touched her cheek a moment later. They stood there, together, Anelie lost in her eyes.
	Shanna suddenly grinned.
	"Oh, and just so you know, that blonde Klocia has the hots for you." She turned, walking away.
	Anelie stared after her, mind a confused mess. She shook her head.
	"Wait, what?"

Chapter 6

	Anelie sat impatiently at the head of the column, Fort Buffalo's parade ground still shrouded in the pre-morning twilight.
	She had, she knew, no reason to be impatient. The goodbyes between young James, Zuza, and their Grandpa, could very well be their last. Who was she to try to rush them? Certainly she had been raised better than that. Adanya, too, was hugging her Father as if this really were goodbye. In spite of herself, Anelie felt tears in her eyes. It was all on her. Whether those two kids came back, whether ANY of them came back to family and friends, was on her.
	The sooner they moved out, the sooner her mind could push those thoughts aside. Focus on what she was good at.
	Anelie gave her arrangement of the column another appraisal. The two wagons were simple affairs, low sided rectangular boxes with thin wooden rods arching over the cargo area which could support a canvas roof. She had placed both in the middle of their group, the better to protect them. The Kikker teen Issa drove the first, Ruta with him. Anelie would have preferred to have the girl on horseback beside her, constantly checking to keep on course, but Shanna's advice to keep the magical necklace close to the kids was a good one. They, and their mother Adanya, were in the second wagon, along with Lewy's wife Jaromira. The stocky woman drove, Anelie pitying anything that got in her team's way. Issa had better not dawdle.
	Around the wagons, her four recruits formed the inner screen. She had put Bogdi in charge of them, much to his amusement. Hers, too. Her brother had never been under her command. He probably wasn't now, if they were honest about it. He knew more, was more experienced. Bogdi should, in fact, be their leader. It might even come to that. If he yelled a command, Anelie for sure would be the first to obey it.
	She glanced beside her. Felek sat on a grey stallion, silver armor polished and new. Whether she took an order from him or not when given remained to be seen. He did have the King's trust, though, and Shanna's. As much as Anelie still thought of him as the small serving boy, he did match her in size.
	He noticed her attention on him.
	"Don't worry," he smiled, "I plan on being quiet and letting you do your thing."
	"Good." She said it with humor. At least, she hoped so. Felek glanced back behind them.
	"Besides, if I'm up here Ruta won't have evil jealous thoughts regarding those girls."
	Anelie glanced back as well, past the six Hussars she had picked to lead the column (the other four pulling rearguard). Her eyes found themselves, almost against her will, on the blonde Klocia. What had Shanna said? That this one was attracted to her? As she watched, Klocia straightened in the saddle, form almost perfect.
	Whatever.
	"Goodbye, Grandpa!"
	The kids were now in the wagon, waving. Adanya climbed up as well, taking her place next to Jaromira. She caught Anelie's eye.
	"I think we're ready, Lady Anelie!"
	"Good!" Anelie looked to Shanna, standing beside the Kikker Chief. She saluted. "Lady Shanna! Permission to depart!"
	"Do it," Shanna replied, her own salute crisp, sharp.
	Movement caught Anelie's eye. Her mother, goodbyes given the night before, stood back from the others.
	"She sees what I am", Anelie thought. "She sees the soldier that I truly am." Did she finally understand, now? Accept? Well, that was a question for the future. Anelie looked towards the open gate, arm raised.
	"Move out!"

****

	The road was well traveled, the dirt well packed and relatively rut-free. It cut a wide path through the forest, trees and brush cut back a few yards on either side. This, Felek felt, created an illusion of safety if not the reality. Ambush would still certainly be possible, but you'd see them a half second earlier.
	Not that there would be thieves here, and certainly not this early in the morning. Felek had always paid close attention to the reports from Shanna's outpost, fascinated by what she was doing. Expanding on an emergency fort put up during the Refugee Crisis, she had created a protected safe zone, patrolling in an ever widening arc. Kikker settlers had slowly moved into this land, as had a few of the furry Watu. King James had not laid claim to the land, nor had he made himself ruler of these people. It was all very strange. The town of Puln DID send a delegate to the Council, though. Whether they represented all those living in this area, or just the Kikker residing beside Fort Buffalo, was an open question. Most likely, the majority of residents didn't even know about the Council.
	To be fair, most on the Council probably didn't know about them.
	They passed a trail, heading off north into the trees. Felek nodded his head towards it.
	"What's down there?"
	"Couple Watu huts," Anelie said, eyes staying on the road ahead. "It was a robbers den, but we cleared them out as soon as the Fort walls were up."
	Felek nodded.
	"I assume we'll be relatively safe for at least a couple days."
	"Longer, if we stay on well traveled roads. We're too well armed to be bothered by the smarter breed of bandit, and we've killed the stupid ones."
	"Should have gotten the smart ones first."
	Anelie shot him a glance. She shrugged as her attention went back to the road.
	"A thief who doesn't bother anyone is not a thief I'm worried about."
	He nodded again. Felek could hear Shanna in her voice. Ewa had told him once that he was becoming more and more like King James. The same seemed to have happened to Anelie. You became your idols.
	He glanced behind him. Luckily, Ruta did not seem to idolize his sister in the slightest. She waved to him from her seat next to Issa, cheerful and bubbly. They'd see how long that mood lasted, wagon springs being what they were.
	Anelie's voice brought his attention back to her.
	"Has Ruta traveled before?"
	Felek shook his head.
	"Not much. My sister stays around the Palace, so Ruta does the same. This may be her first time in a wagon since the Exodus."
	"Great." She let out a long sigh. Part of Felek wanted to defend his wife to be. The other wanted to be honest. Honesty won out.
	"We just have to ease her, and Issa, into things. And me," he admitted. Anelie looked at him, eyebrow raised. "I may have trained, but it's not like I've slept on the ground since then either. Palace beds are very soft and comfy."
	Anelie let out a snort. Felek grinned.
	"I promise no bitching. From me, at least. Feel free to smack down Issa when he complains."

****

	The village was small, a half-dozen homes scattered randomly on the left side of the road. They were not on the road itself, but rather set a dozen or two yards away. Almost, Felek thought, as if the forest was trusted more than travelers. A trading post did sit beside the roadway, its wood frame long and squat. Anelie raised her arm.
	"We'll stop here. Lewy, put some pickets out. Klocia!" The girl almost jumped in her saddle.
	"Lady!"
	"See that all the horses are watered."
	"Yes, Lady!"
	Felek chuckled. It was like deja vu. All he could see as he looked at those two was Shanna with young Anelie. It was too bad he did not have a young boy to serve him, to mirror his first months with His Grace. Ah, well. Maybe Ruta would serve him. That's what a good wife did, after all, wasn't it?
	He chuckled again. Probably best not to mention that to her.
	Felek dismounted, eyes staying on the buildings. He did not see anyone. They could be off working, doing whatever the residents did to survive. The silence itself was not suspicious. Handing his reins to one of the soldiers, he walked back to the first wagon.
	"Ow." Ruta let out a groan as she stood up from her seat, hands going to her bottom. Felek put his arms out to her. Bending down, she let him help her onto the ground. She took the opportunity to give him a quick kiss.
	"Thank you, Sir," she said, grinning.
	"Thank YOU, Lady. Should I kiss your bum to make it better?"
	"Can I watch?" Issa said, jumping down beside them. Ruta wrinkled her nose in disgust.
	"Ew, no."
	Felek saw Anelie waiting, amusement warring with annoyance. Figuring, if she was like Shanna, annoyed amusement was the likely outcome, he took Ruta's arm.
	"Come on," he said. "We won't be stopping here long."
	"This isn't our camp?" Felek hoped she was joking. From her tone, he did guess she at least wished it was true. He contented himself with chuckling.
	"I think not."
	Anelie led them to the long building's door. It was well built, sturdy. The windows, now open, had thick shutters. A small fort, trusting in the fact no attackers who wanted its contents would set the place ablaze. Or have axes. A painted sign hung over the door, a red lily pad. What name that would translate to, he didn't know. It did identify the race of the owners.
	Felek's eyes swept the shop as they entered. Food, mostly, it looked like. Insects, dried and smoked, pickled or preserved. Some fruits and vegetables. Farming and hunting tools as well. A counter spanned the length of the store to the left, dividing the building in half. The wall behind it probably concealed storage space, or the more... special goods. A male Kikker stood behind the counter.
	"Greetings," he said, the accent on his Polish very bad. His eyes seemed wary. Anelie nodded to him.
	"Good morning to you, Shopkeeper." She spoke Kikker, her accent almost nonexistent. She took off her helmet, a hand going up to run through what red hair was not constrained by her braid. "We are just passing through. Any problems?"
	"No, Lady," he said, again in Polish. "No... problems." His mouth broke into a wide grin. "Buy. Please. Low price!"
	Felek could not help but scoff at that. This was the type of place to have one price for locals, another for travelers. Given they had not yet touched their supplies, he suspected this was mostly just a friendly stop. Remind the locals that...
	"What are THOSE!?" The Kikker shouted the words, forgetting to use Polish. Shaking, he pointed past Felek. The teen turned.
	James and Zuza stood in the doorway, sunlight shining in on their brown and red hair.
	Fuck. Fuck, fuck fuck. Felek unconsciously put a hand on his sword, moving in front of Ruta. Adanya, standing behind her children, let out a growl. Felek had not even considered this. Had not even thought of how the children would be seen outside of the world His Grace had created for them. Damn it all, how the hell...
	Anelie put a hand on his shoulder. She was smiling at the shopkeeper. A dangerous smile.
	"They are with us," she said, voice sweet. "We will be leaving once we have tended to our mounts, stretched our legs. I suggest you just ignore them."
	Felek looked back, past Ruta's frightened face. The kids were gone, replaced by the hulking form of Bogdi in the doorway. Hand leaving his sword pommel, Felek grabbed Ruta's arm.
	"Let's go."

****

	"We can't just hide them. Not for the entire trip."
	That, Anelie thought, was fucking obvious. Why did people insist on saying the obvious? It did nobody any good. She glared at Issa. The teen just shrugged.
	"Well, we can't," he said. "I'm just saying."
	She shook her head, glancing around. They stood in a circle off away from the others. The kids were back in the wagon, upset. Anelie was upset, too. Not at the idiots here. No. It was the Kikker around the fort who now pissed her off. For almost five years those children had lived next to them. Played on the river's shore. Played, at times, with the other Kikker children, although to be sure not that often. Apparently, at no time in all those years had any who traveled spread the word of these half Polish children. Had not told of how they were happy, loving, as good as any full Kikker child. They had kept them secret. Ashamed. That had not been the King's wish. Not been Shanna's wish.
	Damn them.
	"We could," Bogdi said, voice heavy with emotion, "shave their heads. Despite their eyes, most will not give them a second look."
	"No," Adanya said, arms crossed over her bare chest. "I will not give them the satisfaction. Our children are who they are. I will not force them to be something else."
	"Hair grows back, My Love. Tell the children it's a game. I'll shave mine, too."
	Anelie raised her eyebrows at that. Bogdi, bald? That would be worth seeing!
	"Does it matter?" Ruta asked. Anelie glanced at her. She was playing with her bird necklace. "I mean, so some of the Kikker get upset. So what? We're moving on. Who cares what those behind us think?"
	"You tell us how long we'll be in Kikker lands," Anelie said, "and I'll tell you how important this is."
	Ruta dropped her head, cheeks reddening.
	"We can't upset the locals," Felek said.
	"Why not?" Adanya asked. "Who cares what some narrow-minded freaks think of my children?"
	The teen ran a hand through his hair.
	"The King."
	Anelie blinked. Felek looked at Adanya, crossing his own arms.
	"Look. Here's the deal. We are here to save your children. Yes. That's the whole point. But I'm also charged by His Grace with trying to find friends in the places we travel through. Make allies. Now, those who would hate your children for being what they are probably aren't the sort His Grace wants for allies, but we still have to tread softly. Not make enemies of those right on our border."
	"We are not cutting their hair. Or hiding them under blankets."
	"OK," Felek nodded. "But neither are we going to give the evil eye to every fool who sees them and reacts. Rumor can outrace us, Adanya. If we are forced to abandon the roads because the villages before us are wary of our... well, half-breeds..."
	"It's not going to come to that," Issa protested. "We're not that bad."
	"Yes," Adanya said, "we are." She let her arms fall to her side. "We're no better than the Polish, Issa. Or the Elves."
	"Like hell we're not."
	Anelie turned to look at Issa. She hoped he was joking. He had better be joking. She was developing a strong urge to give the guy a good slap. Felek, though seemed to be ignoring him. Probably a good idea. She made a mental note to ignore the Kikker for the rest of the trip.

****

	They passed two groups of wagons heading west, back towards Fort Buffalo. Each gave the Polish soldiers a wide berth. Neither group seemed to react to the children. Felek prayed it stayed that way.
	It was not even the evening of the first day, and they were already in crisis mode. Should they turn back? No. What good would that do? His Grace surely had considered this. Trusted them enough to deal with whatever they encountered. This was just a... complication. The first of many. What was it His Grace said? No plan survives contact with reality? Felek definitely agreed with that.
	The road forked ahead of them. Anelie moved her mount a little closer to his.
	"I'm betting we're taking the northern road. South would take us back towards the sea, meaning our journey will be a short one." She glanced at him. "And we know that's not happening."
	"Oh, I agree." Moving his mount off to the side, he reined in, letting the soldiers ride past. He matched his speed to the wagon as it moved beside him.
	"Ruta. We need to know which road to take."
	She nodded. He watched as she took the necklace in her hand. Saw her lips silently speak. Of all the necklaces he had looked at while in Saribit, what were the odds that he would find one filled with magic? The Watu merchant had treated it like any other piece of jewelry. She had even tried to get him to buy something more expensive. He now understood what the King had meant. They should have tracked the merchant down before going on this mission. Discovered all they could about the necklace, it's origin. But, no. There was no time. No time...
	"That way."
	He followed Ruta's outstretched finger.
	"I can't tell which way you're pointing from this angle. North or south, Ruta?"
	"Oh. North! Sorry!"
	"No problem." He smiled at her, giving a sloppy salute. Kicking his heels into his mount, he moved back up to Anelie.
	"North, she said."
	"Told you."
	"Didn't doubt you."
	"North it is then."

Chapter 7

	A town.
	Not a village, hamlet, or small collection of dwellings. As the road exited the forest, Felek could see the low stone wall up ahead. Behind it, two and three-story buildings rose, Kikker in design (which, truth be told, was so similar to Polish structures as to be suspicious). Looking north and south, he saw a stream, either running behind or through the town. Farms and fly ranches filled the surrounding land.
	Anelie held up her hand. The column stopped. Ahead, Felek could see at least two guards where the road entered the town. He turned to look behind him.
	"Ruta," he said, loudly, "do we go across the stream, or do we follow it?"
	"Through the town," Anelie guessed. Felek could only grin. Her pessimistic guesses had been right so far. Some day they would be wrong. Until then...
	"Through, I think," came Ruta's reply. His grin turned into a frown. Swinging his horse around, he rode back to the first wagon. He reined in beside it.
	"You think?"
	Ruta looked at him, expression clearly confused, necklace held in her hand.
	"I think. It's..." She looked into her hands. "I don't know." Ruta moved her hand a bit, pointing it north, then south. She looked up at the town. "I almost think we have to turn north once we're over the stream, and the town is confusing it."
	"The town is confusing it." Ruta shrugged. Felek could not help but chuckle. "OK, then. I'm not surprised, somehow."
	Anelie rode up beside him.
	"Figure it out, yet?"
	"Through, it looks like." He turned to look west, the sun already behind the trees. "They probably won't like us camping just outside their walls. Should we stay in the town tonight?"
	Ruta's eyes lit up. She had not complained about the previous week's camping. Issa, yes, of course he had, if only in jest, but Ruta had transitioned to this new life quite easily. But, obviously, a change would be welcome. Felek looked at Anelie. She, too, was looking at the setting sun, then over towards the town.
	Bogdi rode up to the impromptu gathering.
	"Something going on?"
	"We're considering splurging on a night in the town," Anelie told him. "It's money we don't need to spend, but..."
	"I think," he interrupted softly, turning to look back at the second wagon, "it's a good idea." Felek followed his gaze. Adanya was looking back into the now covered wagon, obviously saying something to the kids. He nodded.
	"We could use the break. Kikker beds aren't that bad."
	"Topping off our supplies whenever we can is also probably a good idea," Anelie admitted. She nodded, as if she had just talked herself into it. "OK, let's go."

****

	"Halt."
	Felek reined in before the two Kikker guards. They stood in the center of the road, about ten feet ahead of where it passed through the stone wall. The wall was only about eight feet high, augmented a bit by the ditch dug before it. There was no drawbridge, the entrance protected by a simple wooden gate, now open. Wild animals were obviously the main enemy here. The guards wore blue rope tunics, falling down past their knees. The rope was thick, woven in such a way it probably did provide protection from at least the initial blow from a blade. They held their spears with both hands, eyes wary. One took a step forward.
	"Interesting party. What is your intent, Polocks?"
	The accent was a bit different from Issa and Adanya's, which in turn was different from the Kikker spoken in the port city of Saribit. It was easy enough to understand, though. Felek took a moment to gather his thoughts, do the mental translation.
	"We are passing through, Sir Guard. Our business is much father along. However, we wish to lodge in your town, rather than set up camp beyond your walls."
	The guard stepped to his left, looking down past the horses.
	"You travel with two fellow Kikker?"
	"Yes. They are friends." Felek hoped Issa stayed quiet. They did not need any attempted jokes just then.
	"Do you have a recommendation for a good inn?" Anelie asked. Felek turned to her, surprised and impressed. That was probably as good as a bribe, if the guards were being paid to steer travelers to one of the local hostels. The two guards glanced at each other, smiles touching their large lips.
	"The Croaking Fly is very nice," the first one said, nodding. "Very reasonable. Tell them Coujoe sent you."
	"Oh, we will," Felek said, smiling. "Thank you."
	The guards stood aside.
	"Take the second turn to the left, follow it to almost the northern wall."
	"Thank you again." Kicking into his mount's sides, Felek led them into the town.

****

	Felek, perhaps more than any other Pole, saw the world the way King James did. As Shanna, perhaps, did. He had listened, eagerly, as the King told countless stories to the boy. Tales of his old world, of its wondrous machines, its incredible history. More, he had told Felek what it was like to live in a world filled with Humans. Not Poles. Humans. Humans of many colors, many cultures. Humans who had come to see the world in many different ways, yet were still at their core the same.
	And why he found parts of this world so strange.
	Kikker dwelling were one such strangeness. They were human. That was the problem, as His Grace saw it. The buildings were constructed exactly as humans would do so. Exactly, in fact, as the Polish built them. No special flourishes which indicated some aspect of their culture, no design which would cause a Pole to give a home a second look if it was transported back to Nowy Warsaw. It was as if, one day, the Kikker had gone from living in the ponds and rivers to living in human homes. As they rode down the central street, Felek saw it was no different here. Rectangular wood frame structures, with roofs of either thatch or shingles. Saribit at least had the distinction of having apparently been built directly on top of another race's city, the square frames rising from curved stone foundations with no attempt at architectural harmony. This, though...
	He shook his head as they passed a rope weaver's shop. Would things be different, once they traveled far from the borders of his homeland? Would they find, in their travels, a truly Kikker city? Or WAS this their culture? Did they build like this before humans came, and it was all some kind of coincidence the two people were similar in this way?
	It was a mystery.
	He liked mysteries.
	The locals were watching as he led the band of Poles past them. He felt no real wariness, no fear. It seemed to be more a case of curiosity. In fact, he suspected the horses drew more attention than their riders. Humans were just weird, ugly, hairy Kikker. Horses were strange, almost mythic creatures. Most Polish trading was done close to home, letting Kikker and Watu merchants spread the goods throughout the world. That would change, once things were more secure, but even then it would be the ports where Polish merchants set up shop. Few would travel by horse to a place like this.
	They came to the intersection. A half dozen adolescents stood on the corner, gawking. Despite himself, Felek found his eyes dropping to the exposed breasts of the girls. Only for a moment, though, and mostly out of... well, it wouldn't be right if he DIDN'T look. He had been trained to be diplomatic. Raising his arm as he reined in, Felek smiled as he looked at Anelie.
	"Should we head towards the recommended inn? We might only be charged twice what we should."
	"We could at least take a look."
	There was a murmur among the onlookers. Polish, it seemed, was a strange and exotic language. Or, at least strange and unintelligible. They were certainly providing at least some entertainment.
	A girl stepped from the crowd, her brown skin mostly free of the blotches which characterized Kikkers. She stopped, eyes flicking from Felek and Anelie to the first wagon. Anelie frowned.
	"Yes, Girl?"
	The Kikker jumped back, back hitting her companions. They pushed her back into the street, her large eyes widening even more.
	"You... you speak..."
	"Yes, we speak Kikker." Anelie's voice wavered between amusement and annoyance. "It's not that hard. What can we do for you?"
	"Um..." She looked at the wagon again. Felek followed her gaze.
	Issa.
	Laughter began bubbling up in Felek. Issa! The girl wanted Issa! God above, the look she was sending his friend transcended race like nothing he had ever seen! And he didn't see it! Issa's face was full of confusion. Had his friend ever been with a Kikker girl? Felek didn't think so. Certainly, he had not told Felek of any romantic encounters, nor of any interest in the girls at his village. Mind you, there were not that many of age, but, still...
	Holding in his mirth, Felek moved his horse around Anelie's. The girl looked up at him uncertainly. He smiled.
	"I'm Felek. What's your name?"
	"O-Ofure."
	"Well, Ofure, we are just passing through, but need lodging for the night. Do you know someplace good, reasonably priced, that can house us?" Her eyes went again to Issa. "That's Issa, my good friend. If you know a place, you can ride with him and give us directions."
	Felek didn't know which was funnier, the look on her face or on Issa's. The girl ran to the wagon, pulling herself up into the driver's seat. Ruta slid over slowly, face as amused as his probably was as Ofure pressed herself against Issa. Issa tried to move away, only to find Ruta's body halting further retreat. Ofure, eyes glued to his face, pointed down the street.
	"I know a place! It's good! Go straight, then turn south when you see the green building!"
	Felek let out a chuckle, moving his mount back beside Anelie. She was grinning.
	"So," she asked, "we doing this?"
	"Yup. And we'd better move quickly, before she rapes him."
	"Slower it is, then."

****

	The inn was a three-story structure, large glass-free windows cut into the wooden walls. There were shutters, Felek assumed for non-Kikker guests who did NOT want free food flying into their rooms in the night. The building sat on the side of the road, but the road itself ended at the entrance to the stable. The gate open, they rode right in, breaking formation as the Hussars spread out in the yard. Not surprisingly, Felek did not see an actual building for housing their mounts. There were three Perds tied up to a post next to a storage shed, the slimy four-legged beasts laying on the muddy ground. A tarp covered Kikker wagon sat near them, next to the city wall which formed the back of the stable.
	The door at the side of the inn opened, a head peeking out. It vanished. Chuckling, Felek dismounted. He walked towards the first wagon as Issa brought it to a stop in the middle of the yard.
	"My mother worked here as a girl," Ofure was saying, eyes still drinking in Issa. "I did, too, for a bit, when I was little. I may do it again, but right now I have to help Mother. What do you do, Issa?"
	"Um... not much." His eyes shot to Felek, pleading. This served him right, after all the flirting he had inflicted on Polish girls. Ruta, eyes sparkling, elbowed him.
	"You're too modest! Ofure, Issa here serves the chief of the village of Visvang. He is known and trusted by the Polish King. He has a VERY bright future."
	"You... exaggerate." Purple spots broke out on his brown face, his own eyes avoiding contact with Ofure.
	"Ruta," Felek said, stopping beside the wagon and raising his arms. She pushed herself away from Issa, opening his escape path as she let Felek help her to the ground. Issa didn't move for a moment, side still pressed against the girl. Ruta gave Felek a grinning kiss. She would have much to tell him later, he suspected.
	"Easy there, Boy. Let me help," Bogdi's words came from behind them. Felek looked towards the other wagon. The hulking soldier had little James held by his armpits, lifting him up and off of the wagon. Zuza was already on the ground, red hair blowing in the slight breeze. She was looking around, eyes wide.
	Someone finally came out of the tavern. Two people, a man and a boy, skin a splotchy dark green. Both wore light purple rope tunics, the weaving well done but not particularly fancy. That encourage Felek regarding prices. These people were not getting obscenely rich off of travelers.
	"Greetings, Innkeeper," Felek said, moving towards the pair, Ruta holding his arm. "We wish lodgings for the night."
	"We..." the Innkeeper looked around the yard, "are not used to... Polish? Are you what are called Polacks?"
	"We are Poles, yes." He stopped before the man, giving his best Kikker friendly smile. The border was close enough there should have been some travelers, even before the exodus. Maybe they had all gone to the other inn. "We are used to dealing with our Kikker friends, so we should not be too much of a problem."
	"I do not have feed for your beasts, and not for so many!"
	"I brought them, Uncle!" Ofure ran past Felek, grabbing the man by the arm. She leaned close, raising up on her webbed toes to speak into his ear. "There's a cute boy with them!"
	Felek and Ruta exchanged a glance. If that had been an attempt at a whisper, it had been a poor one.
	"We will use what we need to from our own supplies," Felek said, "for us and our beasts. We should, though, be able to purchase much from your neighbors. With your help." Looking back, he waved Jaromia over. "If you show our cook to your kitchen, she can assist your cooks in preparing our meals."
	"I can do that," he said, breaking into a wide grin. "And here my son and I thought we would be empty tonight!"
	The expressions of all three Kikker changed. Felek straightened, knowing what they were seeing.
	"We do not wish to cause any problems, or have any ourselves." He cocked his head. "Will there be any problems?"
	"Um... no..."
	The Innkeeper had barely spoken when Ofure suddenly bolted off. She ran, breasts bouncing, past the humans towards the gate, making a wide swing to stay away from Adanya and the two children. Felek kept his eyes on the remaining two. The boy looked more fascinated than upset. His father just shook his head.
	"Silly girl." He blinked, then shrugged. "They're not as ugly as you Polish, at least."
	"Few are," Felek agreed. "Now, the price."

****

	Jaromira was not attractive. Nor a particularly pleasant woman to be around. She was, however, the best cook Felek had ever experienced. No wonder Lewy had married her. Hell, Felek was starting to have thoughts about the older woman. The meals he had eaten at the Palace had always been good, verging on orgasmic at times.
	Hers were better.
	The Poles dominated the common room, occupying the long central table as well as a few smaller ones. Empty dishes from the evening meal were piled high, the change from a week of campfire cooking well appreciated. Many of the soldiers now stood, conversing loudly as a group of five Kikker travelers huddled in the corner trying not to be noticed. Ale had been permitted by Anelie, its effects now starting to kick in. Even the four recruits were clearly well on their way to becoming full soldiers in that regard. One of the two brown haired girls had slapped one of the men on his ass as she walked by with a freshly filled mug. She was rewarded by being assigned guard duty out by the horses.
	"That's a little severe," Felek told Anelie, taking a sip of his own drink. The redhead scoffed.
	"My solders are not going to be rutting like Elves. If the men can contain their lusts, so can the women."
	"Makes sense," he admitted.
	"I haven't been fighting for more women solders all this time to have it undone over something as stupid as sex." She took a swig of her own drink. Light flared outside a window. Felek saw a torch was now lit, illuminating the street. Another flared up on the other side. He put his drink down.
	"I want to look around the town before it gets too late."
	Anelie nodded.
	"I'll send two guards."
	"That's not needed."
	"Yes it is." She looked around. "Kazik! Cyla!"
	The two came from separate sides of the room. Kazik was a tall, thin blond soldier who barely looked twenty. His mustache was impressive, though, curling up on both sides. Cyla came up to his shoulder, and lacked his mustache. She did look more sober, a plus in Felek's eyes.
	"Gear up," Anelie told them. "Felek, and I assume Ruta?" She looked at him. Felek nodded. "You're to escort them as they take a quick look around town."
	"Yes, Lady!" Both saluted, swiftly moving off.
	Anelie regarded her half empty mug.
	"If you find anyone selling this stuff, buy a few barrels."

****

	The merchants were still open, much to Felek's relief. Every town and village had its own rhythm. Visvang shut down what little commerce there was when evening fell. Saribit saw a few merchants close down for dinner, only to open again an hour later. That seemed to be the case here. The streets were almost as crowded as they had been earlier. Louder, certainly. Roving bands of younger Kikker moved up and down the streets, yelling to each other. Most of it was sexual, or at least could be taken that way. He imagined a number must have come in from the countryside. Either that, or the families here were huge.
	That thought sobered him. Bogdi's family had been huge, to start with.
	Ruta squeezed his arm.
	"If we see her again, I'm going to kill her."
	"Who?" His mind answered the question before he was even done asking. Felek shook his head. "Don't worry about it. It's not worth it."
	"But she hurt Issa! Did you see him at dinner?"
	"He wasn't harassing Cyla here like he usually is, but apart from that..."
	"I know!"
	Felek shook his head. Cyla was staying quiet. Whether because she was playing her part as a guard, or for other reasons, he couldn't say. He could ask, naturally. Get the information from her. He didn't think it was that important, though.
	"Felek!" Ruta's fingernails dug into his arm. She pointed with her free hand.
	Ofure stood with a dozen others across the street. As if sensing them, her head turned. Even from there Felek could see her eyes widen. Ruta pulled against him, stepping off the walk onto the street. He held his ground, hand going to her arm.
	"Ruta, no."
	"But why?" She looked at him, a half dozen emotions playing across her face. He pulled her back up from the street.
	"It doesn't matter. We'll be gone tomorrow. Even if they fell in love we wouldn't be taking her with us, or leaving him here. Just forget it."
	Her shoulders sagging, Ruta nodded. Giving her a hug, he kissed her forehead.
	"It's her problem, not ours. Come on." He took her hand, moving forward. "Maybe they have a good rope skirt I can buy you."
	She burst out laughing, mood swinging completely.
	"Oh, Mother would love that!"
	"We can get her one, too!"

Chapter 8

	Anelie woke in darkness.
	She blinked, getting her bearings. The inn. She was in her room at the inn. Nude, on top of her blankets.
	With her hand between her legs.
	Well, that confirmed the fleeting images she still had from her last dream. Allowing herself a sad chuckle, Anelie spread her thighs a bit, removing her hand. She wiped the two wet fingers on the fabric as she sat up.
	The dream had not been about Shanna.
	She knew that. There might have been other dreams that night, now forgotten, involving the brown skinned goddess, but the last had featured a trim, light skinned beauty. Who, she couldn't say. She couldn't picture her face, at least not now that she was awake. The girl's touch had been gentle. Loving...
	Anelie shook her head. There was no point torturing herself like this. Not now. She had a job. A mission. Feeling sorry about her lack of companionship was not going to make it any easier, so she had to stop. Accept. Woman up.
	Be who she was.
	Anelie slipped off the bed, not bothering with a light. That day's clothing, only worn once so far on their journey, sat on a stool. Grabbing the panties from on top, she slipped them on. Then slipped them back off, remembering she was surrounded by at least some luxuries that morning. Walking to the open window, she saw the water basin outlined in the pre-dawn light, a sponge beside it. A sigh of feminine pleasure escaping from her lips, she wet the sponge and began to wash.

****

	The common room was empty. That was to be expected. Anelie was usually the first one up, mental clock insisting she wake early. Unless it was a rest day. Somehow, her body knew to adjust its schedule, for which she was grateful. One of the many reasons she liked her body.
	Noise came from the inn's lit kitchen. Adjusting her uniform, Anelie made her way across the room. Through the doorway she saw Jaromira cross her view. Lewy's wife wore a simple purple dress, a full white apron tied across her front. Her black hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, functional, giving her face a somewhat severe look. Reaching the doorway, Anelie stopped, a hand on the frame.
	"Morning, Jaromira."
	"Good morning, Lady." Jaromira gave her a brief nod, hands in a large glass bowl. A wave of incredible scents came to Anelie. She straightened, eyes wide.
	"This can't be breakfast!"
	"No, Lady." Her voice was harsh yet amused. "As long as we had access to a kitchen, I figured I'd bake a couple days worth of bread. That Felek lad found a shop that sold rye flour and other goods while he was out, and it was delivered after you retired." Anelie now saw the trays of round bread cooling. Jaromira must have started the dough rising hours ago. She also realized what Jaromira was mixing.
	"Cookies? You're making cookies?"
	"I have time, and they bake quickly. They'll last longer than the bread on the road, not that stale bread dipped in stew isn't still good enough for soldiers."
	"I've just decided to promote Lewy."
	"Good." Jaromira began forming the sticky dough into balls, placing them on an empty tray. "Now, if you'll forgive me..."

****

	Anelie walked out into the yard, warm cookie in hand. The morning air was cool, almost cold compared to the kitchen. She shivered, enjoying the change.
	Klocia pushed herself away from the wagon, coming to attention as Anelie approached the horses. They were milling around, peacefully. As Anelie watched, one let out a stream of piss. It was a good thing horses were beautiful and useful, or few would tolerate them. She let her hand run down the side of Bogdi's mount as she passed.
	"Lady," Klocia said, saluting. Anelie returned it, smiling. Noticing the girl's eyes on the cookie still in her hand, she lowered it.
	"Want some? Fresh made." She broke it in half, handing the smaller piece over. Klocia looked at it, uncertain.
	"Um... thanks, My Lady." She took it, fingers brushing Anelie. Anelie lifted hers up, taking a bite. She closed her eyes.
	"Mmmm... cookies for breakfast. I could get used to that."
	"I've seen Lady Jaromira moving around through the kitchen windows for hours. I don't think she went to sleep."
	"That's the kind of dedication I like." Anelie put the rest of the cookie in her mouth, licking her fingers. "I wish her luck trying to sleep once we're on our way, though."
	Klocia shot her gaze away as Anelie looked at her. Knowing, or at least having heard rumor, of the girl's feelings made Anelie... excited. She shouldn't be. Her own "crush" had been, was, no laughing matter, and neither should the girl's. Shrugging, she leaned back against the wagon, eyes on the far gate and the town beyond. After a few moments, Klocia leaned back beside her.
	"You doing OK?" Anelie asked. She wiped her hands on her pants.
	"Um... Yes. Yes, Lady Anelie. I'm doing well."
	"We've hardly given you any training yet."
	"That's OK, My Lady. You've taught us a lot!"
	"Not as much as I would have liked." She looked at the blonde teen. "It's not like I can send you home if one of you can't cut it. It would be a long walk."
	"We'll be fine, My Lady. We'll do our jobs."
	"It's me doing mine I'm worried about." She looked up into the sky, the stars no longer visible. "I wish Shanna was leading this."
	"I... I think you're a great commander, Lady Anelie."
	She heard herself in that voice. Heard countless conversations with Shanna over the years. Was this how Shanna had felt? Had her endless praising, worshiping... Anelie mentally shook her head to clear it. What was done was done. Shanna had not chosen her. She had to move on.
	"I need you, all of you, to be honest with me, Klocia. Tell me when you have problems. Obey me without question, of course," she added, grinning, getting the same in return, "but I want to know where you think you're weak. Where we need to build you up."
	"We will, Lady."
	"Good." She looked off into the distance. "I know I'm hard on you. Harder than I am on the men, really. Probably why the other girls couldn't hack it. But I want you to succeed. I want women warriors. An army of Dark Hussars worthy of Shanna."
	Klocia stiffened beside her at the same moment Anelie noticed the movement. Someone was approaching the gate. She leaned forward, eyes focusing. It was a female Kikker. In fact, it was...
	"It's the girl who brought us here," Klocia said. Yes, Anelie saw. It was. She grinned at her companion.
	"Your eyes are as good as mine. Let's see what the she wants."
	The Kikker girl stopped a few feet from the gate, obviously seeing the two Poles approaching. Anelie tried to remember her name. Olay? Ofay? She hadn't really been paying attention. As Shanna had said many times, if as Commander you're not sure, fake it.
	"Hello again," she said, stopping two paces from the gate. Klocia set herself beside her, hand on her sword pommel. Unnecessary, but Anelie liked the instinctive-ness of the action. The Kikker stepped back another half pace. "What can we do for you, this early in the morning?"
	"I..." The girl licked her lips. "I need to talk to Issa."
	"He's asleep, if he knows what's good for him. Who knows when we'll sleep in real beds again. What do you need?"
	"P-please." She bowed her head. "Please, take me with you."
	"What?" Anelie shook her head. "No. Of course not."
	"I have to go with you!" The girl grabbed the gate, webbed hands wrapping around the wooden struts. "Please! Take me!"
	Klocia stepped forward, drawing her sword. The Kikker jumped back, as if struck. Anelie folded her arms across her chest.
	"We are not some escort service for runaways. Go on! Scat!"
	Klocia raised her sword. The girl turned and ran.
	"That was a little much, Klocia," Anelie said, eyes following the retreating teen. The soldier shrugged as she re-sheathed her sword.
	"If she was that serious about it, she wouldn't have run."
	"True." The door to the inn opened, Lewy pausing in the doorway to say something to someone still inside. Anelie put her hand on Klocia's shoulder. "Come on. The day is starting."

****

	They rode through the eastern gate just as the bottom of the sun rose above the horizon. There was no gawking crowd to see them off, the town just on the verge of waking. Neither were there teen girls. Anelie had kept an eye out for her, certain she would try again as they set out. Again, if it had been important, if she had been serious...
	Felek let out a contented sigh beside her.
	"I honestly don't know which I enjoy more," he said. "stopping for a well deserved rest, or setting out again."
	"Staying there was a good idea," she agreed. "The civilians needed it." Anelie caught one of his eyebrows raising. She ignored it. "I don't know how often we'll be able to do it."
	"We'll play it by ear. The longer we go, the less we'll be able to do it. We got a good price for the rooms, but what silver and gold we have is better spent on food."
	"Do I want to know what those eggs came from?"
	"Probably not. They were good, if a little greener than chicken eggs." Felek looked around as they crossed a wooden bridge over a small stream, tributary to the slightly larger one running through the town behind them. "Any predictions as to our course?"
	Anelie scoffed.
	"The road only goes east, so that had better be the way. If we're turning around, I'll be pissed."
	"There's always cross country," Felek said happily. She growled as he looked behind them. "Ruta! Direction check!"
	"Straight ahead!"
	Anelie let out a relieved sigh. Sooner or later the path would turn difficult. Later would be better.

****

	"Stop!"
	Anelie reined in sharply at Ruta's cry. Felek's response was even faster, his mount turned and heading back towards her almost before her shout had ended. Anelie followed down the other side of the column, frowning as the startled Issa brought the wagon to a stop. Her eyes swept the countryside.
	"What is it?" Felek asked, hand on his sword. Behind the wagon, Bogdi was ordering the recruits off to either side of the column. Ruta just shook her head.
	"It's..."
	"What?" Exasperation came through Anelie's voice. Ruta shook her head harder, as if to clear it, both hands clutching her necklace.
	"North."
	"North what?"
	"We have to head north. From here."
	Anelie blinked. Turning, she looked at the roadside. Tall grasses filled the wide field.
	"Here."
	"Yes. We must go north."
	"There's no road, Ruta." She turned to the blonde. "Not even a trail."
	"Are you sure, Ruta?" Felek asked. "I mean... maybe we're to turn north at the next fork."
	"It has to be here. I can feel it, Felek. She wants us to turn here!"
	Exactly who, or what, was guiding them was still unclear to Anelie. She was not the most religious or spiritual of people. That this magical necklace was the entire point of this quest did not make its silly demands any easier to swallow. She looked around again. Maybe, somewhere...
	"Lady!" Cyla's cry brought her head around. The recruit was off her mount in the field, eyes on the ground.
	"What is it?" Tapping her heels into Toria, Anelie rode over.
	"It's a wagon trail." Cyla pointed down. "Overgrown, but it's here."
	That almost made it worse. They might have to actually do this. Now that she knew it was there, Anelie could make out the two ruts. They were deep. Old. Unused in who knew how long. She followed the trail north. Yes. She could see where it entered the distant forest.
	"You're SURE about this, Ruta?"
	"Yes." Her voice came from beside her. Anelie looked down, surprised to see Ruta standing there. "She wants us to go this way to find her."
	"Has she seen fit to tell us how far away she is?"
	"No." There was definitely annoyance in the girl's voice. As well there should be. Anelie dismounted.
	"OK. Short break, then we head down the trail. Lewy, take a patrol up to the tree line. Make sure this thing actually goes somewhere."

****

	The trail, once they were a ways along it, was better than Anelie had feared. Not much, but a little. A single wagon width wide, it meandered on level ground past various low hills and other obstacles. It was not totally unused, from what her experienced eye could tell, but most traffic seemed to have been unmounted.
	As noon approached, Anelie let herself drift back along the column, drawing even with her sister-in-law's wagon. Adanya held the reins, the kids sitting on either side of her. Anelie peered into the back of the covered wagon.
	"I still don't understand how Jaromira can sleep with this bouncing."
	"I assumed it was some Polish trait," Adanya said, smiling. Zuza leaned forward in her seat, looking around her mother.
	"She was up all night! She's tired!"
	"I know!" Anelie grinned at the girl. "I've eaten the cookies to prove it!" Both kids giggled. The wagon hit a bump, James grabbing his mom's arm. He looked at Anelie.
	"Can we stop soon?"
	"In a little bit. I don't like this spot." She glanced up the hillside on her right. They were between two hills, with no visibility. The tree line closed in on them from both sides.
	"You feeling OK, Honey?" Adanya transferred the reins to one hand, putting an arm around him. He shrugged.
	"I'm OK."
	The bang of wood cracking rang through the air. The wagon jolted to the left, both kids screaming as their hands flew to their mother. Adanya pulled back on the reins hard, trying to both hold her son while bringing her second hand over to give her a better grip on the leather reins. Anelie moved her own mount forward, reaching out to grab the harness of the lead pair of horses. It wasn't really necessary, all four horses experienced enough to know something was wrong. The wagon stopped.
	"Halt!" Anelie yelled, looking up at the other wagon. "We have a problem!"
	"Adanya!" Bogdi was there, reaching out to take James from her side. The boy transferred his grip to him. "You OK?"
	"I'm fine." She tried to look over her daughter. "What is it?"
	"Wheel broke," Klocia said, dismounting beside the wagon.
	"Wheel or axle?" Lewy asked, dropping down beside her. They both knelt.
	"Just the wheel, I think, Sir."
	"Wonderful. Well, at least we can fix that." Lewy stood, looking over at Anelie. "Shouldn't take too long."
	"Good." She let her gaze take in the wooded hills again. "Klocia, you girls do a quick sweep around us, then get back here and set a perimeter. I'll take the kids, Bogdi. We'll visit with Ruta."
	"Sounds good. Dismount!" His command rang out up and down the trail. Anelie took James once she was on the ground herself, depositing him on his feet before helping Adanya and Zuza off the wagon. Jaromira apparently exited off the back, not a word of complaint said. She came to stand before the family.
	"Well, that was a good alarm. Should we do lunch, Lady?"
	"Cold sandwiches. I'm not happy here."

****

	Anelie and Felek held the now removed wheel between them. They had come with spare wheels, naturally. Two, one per wagon. To need one so early was disheartening.
	"I THINK we can fix it," Felek said, dropping to one knee, hand running along one of the broken spokes. "It will give us something to fuss over for the next few nights."
	"Why didn't we bring four?" She watched as a four of the stronger soldiers lifted the corner of the wagon up, Lewy rolling over the new wheel.
	"It would have meant fewer supplies. Everything is a trade off." He stood. "Worst case, we go down to one wagon and use that team for pack animals."
	"I don't want to think about that."
	"Me either."
	"We're being watched."
	Felek nodded. She raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged.
	"It feels like it, at least. Someone's here, and any large armed band is going to attract attention from those who don't want trouble with such a group." He looked up the hillside. "We won't be bothered."
	"I don't like it."
	"Good. It's your job not to like it." He smiled as he said it, but Anelie heard Shanna in his voice. "A worried solder is a watchful soldier."
	She let out a dismissive sound, eyes again sweeping the woods. Felek stood.
	"I'd be more worried, frankly, about our magical guide."
	Anelie looked at him, shocked. Her eyes flicked to Ruta, sitting on the side of the road with Adanya and the two kids. He shook his head.
	"No. Not her. Whatever's talking to her."
	"What IS it, exactly?" she asked, lowering her voice. "Shanna didn't say."
	"We don't know. It's not what Ruta thinks, but she's not really talking about it any more. At least not to me."
	"Then how do you know..."
	"It's not the Virgin Mary."
	Anelie blinked.
	"She thinks..."
	"Vision of a beautiful woman appears before you in the middle of the night after you've prayed to Mother Mary, what do you think she's going to think? That was her first guess, and she really doesn't want to be talked out of it."
	"That..." She glanced at the blonde girl. "Mary. Mother Mary. I..." She suddenly had more confidence in all this. This wasn't magic. It was God. The difference between the two was huge. Anelie looked at Felek. "Why haven't you said? Told everyone?"
	"Because we don't know. His Grace..." Felek shook his head. "Let's just say there is a lot going on here, and we're not sure what is coincidence and what is related." He paused, looking at those working on the wagon. The wheel was being man-handled into place. "For example," he said softly, "I'm to look out for those Elves who sent that message to the Queen."
	"We're heading farther away from Elven territory."
	"We've turned north. We're still closer to the Orlan River than I'd want to be if I were Elven refugees. Where did you find the body?"
	Her mood darkened.
	"Northeast of the Fort."
	He nodded. "Exactly."
	"Fuck."
	"Welcome to my world."
	"HELP!"
	The female scream came from behind them, back down the trail. It was faint. Distant. Kikker.
	Not their problem.
	Anelie was up and on Toria before she even knew she was doing it, the grey stallion rearing up as it felt her energy. She grabbed her helmet from its hook on her saddle.
	"Rearguard, with me! Bogdi, I want the wagons moving, now!" Shoving the cone shaped helmet on her head, she kicked into Toria's sides. The stallion bolted forward. She reached the trail at the same time her men did, six Hussars forming up around her. Reaching down, she loosened the strap on her sword.
	It had been ages since she had allowed her mount to show what he could do. She grinned in spite of herself. They tore down the trail, any worry of rocks or holes in the ill-kept roadway forgotten. She tried to remember the terrain they had passed. Was this bandits? Or...
	Coming over a small rise as the trail curved, she saw them. A half dozen spear armed Watu encircled a Kikker girl. She was on her knees in the tall grass, brown arms held behind her back, bare breasts thrust forward.
	Anelie drew her sword without even pausing.
	"FOR POLAND!" She charged down the road, the cries of her men mixing with hers. The bandits, short black furred bodies clad in leather, scattered. "Let them go!" She ordered. She saw no bowmen, nothing that could endanger them now that the creatures were on the run. She was almost disappointed. The idea of running them down anyway crossed her mind, but left just as quickly. They had to get back to the wagons.
	Anelie reined in beside the quivering teen. The girl looked up, yellow eyes blinking swiftly.
	"Thank you! Thank you!"
	Anelie blinked herself. It... it was the girl from that morning. She looked back down the trail, then at the teen, frowning.
	"What the hell are you doing here?"
	"I have to come with you!" Ofure staggered to her feet, grabbing Anelie's leg. "Please! You have to let me!"
	"Why?"
	"The Polish woman in my dreams told me to!"

Chapter 9

	Felek watched the riders approach.
	There were seven horses with riders. This was good. No casualties. One horse had two riders. That was bad. Whatever was going on, they had more important things to do than to get involved. He walked past the last wagon, Ruta and Issa taking their place on the driver's bench. He had switched Adanya and the kids to the undamaged wagon, just in case. The wagons would change positions once they got going. He stopped as Anelie reined in.
	"Who's our guest?"
	The Kikker leaned out from behind the Hussar. Felek blinked.
	"You!"
	"Yes," Anelie said, dismounting. "Her. I thought I said to get moving."
	"Hurried soldiers don't put wheels on correctly the first time, it seems. We're all set now." He watched as the Kikker girl carefully dismounted, unsure of the entire procedure. She dropped to the ground without falling over. "What's the story?"
	"Ofure!" Anelie called to the Kikker. She ran over, brown breasts jiggling slightly.
	"I'm here! Thank you!"
	"Don't thank us yet. Tell Felek why you're here."
	Her large yellow eyes widened slightly. Felek looked behind him. Ruta and Issa were standing beside the wagon. He sighed.
	"Yes, tell us. Why did you follow us for half a day?"
	"I had a dream," she blurted out. "A nightmare! I saw a Polish woman! Without clothing! She spoke to me! Said I had to go back to you! To travel with you! She said it was important!"
	Felek turned to Ruta. His love's mouth was open, eyes wide in shock. Both hands clutched her necklace against her chest. This was either confirmation of all she was going through, or crazy coincidence. Anelie let out a sigh.
	"We have to get moving. She was being molested by Watu bandits. We can talk about this later."
	"One question now," Felek said, eyes on Ofure. "You haven't seen many Poles, have you?"
	"No!" She shook her head, shaking. "Only once, and from a distance!"
	"OK. You said this woman was nude. What did she look like between her legs?"
	The look on Anelie's face was priceless, but he ignored it. What this girl did next was what was important. She frowned, thinking. Felek crossed his arms over his chest.
	"She..." Her head cocked, eyes seeming to turn inward. "Fur. She had dark fur between her legs. Almost a triangle."
	He nodded. Ruta's magic woman had been a topless blonde, but Ofure had at least seen an actual Pole and wasn't making things up. He looked at Anelie.
	"I say we keep her riding double with one of your men. Don't trust her on the wagons yet."
	She nodded. turning to remount her stallion.
	"Agreed. Let's move out."

****

	The delusional girl was quiet as the afternoon wore on, the talkative stalker of the day before gone. Felek liked that change. Traveling off the well used trails was bad enough, without having to deal with questions he might not like the answers to. Later, though. Tonight, they would find out what the hell was going on.
	"I'm not impressed with these bandits," Anelie told him, her eyes again sweeping the roadsides. "They're not even trying to stay hidden."
	"Well, they know we know they're there. I think they're just trying to encourage us to keep moving, not settle down in their territory for the night."
	"I'm tempted to do that, just to spite them."
	"But you're too smart for that," Felek added, smiling. She let out a rude noise.
	"Doesn't mean I don't want to. I'm afraid they'll try a hit and run, go for one of the wagons. Pursuit through the woods would be difficult."
	"Dangerous and risky."
	"But are they smart enough to know that? Again, I like my bandits smart enough to not cause trouble."
	That seemed to not make them bandits anymore, but he let it go. Names were often fluid things.
	"Lady!" Klocia rode up, blonde braid flapping behind her. Felek turned in his saddle. He saw commotion back by the second wagon.
	"Halt the column!" He yelled, arm up. Klocia reined in.
	"Lady! The boy is ill!"
	"Fuck!" Anelie reared her mount around, storming back. Felek motioned to the Hussars behind him.
	"You two, ride ahead and see if there's a defensible camp we can use! Lewy, set up a perimeter!"
	"Yes, Sir!"
	Felek saw Ruta jump from the wagon, running back. He held up a hand to Issa.
	"No, stay with the wagon! We may have to move quickly!" Kicking his mount, he rode back.
	James lay on the grass, trembling, brown blotchy skin now more of a dark orange. Ruta threw herself down beside him, Adanya and Jaromira already there. Bogdi stood over them, arms wrapped around the crying Zuza. His face was blank.
	"You're going to be OK, James!" his mother was saying, hand caressing his sweating face. "Just stay calm. It'll be OK!" Her head swung up. "I need the basket!"
	Zuza shoved herself away from her father, leaping up into the covered wagon. She was out the back a moment later, tan woven basket in her hand. She sprinted to them, almost throwing her burden to Adanya as she too dropped to her knees. Her mother caught it instinctively, opening the lid as she brought it down to the grass.
	"Water. I need a cup of water." Jaromira held one out, producing it seemingly from nowhere. Adanya took it. "Thank you!" Placing the wooden cup between her knees, she pulled a folded leaf from the basket. Opening it, she removed a single dried red flower with an orange center. Carefully, she dipped it in the cup, swirling it once. James' breathing came faster. Zuza grabbed his hands.
	"It'll be OK! It'll be OK!"
	"What... what's wrong?" Ofure's voice broke the hypnotic spell which had overtaken Felek. He looked at the girl, now standing uncertainly away from the others. Everyone was speaking Polish, so obviously she'd be confused. He moved to her.
	"He's sick. Both kids. That's why we're traveling. We have to find a cure."
	"Drink this." Adanya gently lifted her son's head up, cup pressed to his lips. The water dribbled into his mouth, down his chin. He swallowed. Adanya looked up, eyes fierce.
	"We need more flowers. I'm down to two. Don't care where you find them, or how much they cost."
	The boy's trembling lessened. Pulling his hands free from his sister, he took the cup himself, lifting himself up on one elbow. He took a longer swig, swallowing hard.
	"I'm sorry, Mom," he said, tears in his eyes. "I didn't mean to do this!"
	"It's OK, it's not your fault. You have to tell me when it starts, right? Just tell me when you start to feel ill, and we'll use your medicine."
	"It was just a twinge before. I didn't think..."
	"It's OK, Honey! Just lay back down! We'll rest for a few minutes then we'll get back on the wagon."
	Felek moved over to Bogdi. Ofure came with him.
	"You couldn't stock up more before we left?" he asked, softly. Bogdi shook his head.
	"We brought what we had. The shaking is rare. It..." His voice lost all emotion. "There usually are only a few attacks before the end. The flowers are from Ajani."
	Felek grimaced. That meant they now had a deadline.
	"How long?" he asked. Bogdi let out a sigh.
	"A month, maybe. If we have enough flowers."

****

	They traveled another six hours, pushing past their normal stopping time. What good that would do, when they did not know how close their destination was, Felek couldn't say. They just had to make up time. The boy seemed OK, for now. At least, no more news had come from the wagon. That was probably the best he could hope for as the shadows lengthened around them.
	The Kikker girl had not spoken since they had moved on. Even during rests, she kept to herself, eyes taking all of them in. He was starting to believe her, for all she had not given more proof. Surely she was among them despite the children, despite all the Polish around her. Something strong had compelled her to race along through wilderness to find them.
	He hoped it wasn't evil.
	Two riders appeared up ahead, coming around a bend in the barely marked trail. They were not hurrying, which was good. Hurrying scouts were the prelude to danger. Anelie raised her arm beside him, bringing the column to a halt. Looking behind, Felek saw all eyes on the forest around them, wary.
	"There's a rise just around the bend, Lady Anelie," Kazik told them, reining in. "It will make a good defensible camp."
	"Good. Lead the way." She turned to address the column. "We make camp ahead! I want fortifications thrown up, and we double the guard!"
	"Yes, Lady!" Bogdi yelled back. She turned to Felek.
	"While they're breaking their backs, I think we have some talking to do with Ruta and our guest."
	"Agreed."

****

	The low hill was about fifty yards long, its southern end about half that distance wide. While the slope from the road was gentle, the eastern face was somewhat steep, providing an annoyance if not a barrier to intruders. Felek nodded to himself in approval as he walked the edge. Comfort wise, it would be better to be at the bottom of the hillside, protected from the now increasing winds from the west, but it was bandits they needed shelter from.
	The sound of axes biting into wood filled the air. As the four female Hussars alternated between standing watch and tending the horses, most of the men cut down the smaller trees around them. They could not do much, with so few men, but even the act of fortifying could keep away trouble. Perception was as important as reality when it came to war.
	With leadership, too, and Felek not taking part in the physical labor around them could possibly come back to bite him. He would help later. Take a watch that night. Now, though...
	Anelie was waiting, sitting on a folding stool beside a wagon. Ruta sat beside her, hands fiddling with her necklace. Felek took the empty stool across from them, eyes glancing at Adanya, Issa  and Jaromira setting up the kitchen fire. Both kids sat in the grass nearby.
	"Ofure." Anelie's call brought the girl to them. She stood in the empty space between Felek and Ruta, almost as if it was the redhead she was most frightened of. Anelie's eyes swept over the three of them. "OK. We need to figure this the hell out. Ofure, tell us, exactly, what happened."
	"OK." Her eyes were on her feet, hands clutched before her. Felek caught Issa glancing over, out of her sightline. "Well... you see, after I left you yesterday... and I'm sorry about that!" She looked at them, eyes pleading. "I mean it! I had just never seen children like that! It scared me!"
	"Just tell us what happened," Felek said. He wanted her story before they told her theirs.
	"Well, I know you saw me after that. I tried to just pretend I didn't see anything. Be with my friends. But... I couldn't. So, I went home. Went to bed." She sat down on the grass, legs folded under her.
	"I had a dream. A... yes, a dream. Vision. I saw a Polish woman standing on an island. Water all around. There... there was a tower behind her. White stone. Beautiful. I... I was flying over the water towards her. Even as far away as I was, I could hear her. In my mind, all around me. She... she said she was a spirit. A spirit of Healing. Rebirth. Life, and Death."
	Felek felt a chill go through him. That... did not sound good.
	"She wore no rope skirt, nor the fabric you all wear. Her skin was light, smooth, bare. I honestly couldn't tell if her hair was black or brown. I think black. She stood in the grass before the tower, bare to the world. A... a bird of some kind landed on her shoulder, then flew off. As I came closer, her voice came again. She..." The girl closed her eyes. "She said, 'I have watched you, my child. Watched you, and loved you. You will serve me. Help me bring healing to this world, which so sorely needs it. Others I have called to me. Those who have served me in the past, and so shall serve me again. You must go to them. Join them. Help them to come to me.'" Ofure's yellow eyes opened. "I knew she was talking about you. That all of you were going to her. So, when I woke, I ran to my Uncle's inn, but she sent me away!" She pointed to Anelie. Felek flicked his eyes to her. Anelie scoffed.
	"Crazy lovesick girl comes up to me before dawn wanting to join us. What else would I do?"
	He nodded. That couldn't be blamed on her, and now it mattered not anyway. He looked at Ruta.
	"Tell us your dream again, Ruta."
	Anelie leaned forward. Felek wasn't sure she had heard it before. Ruta shook her head.
	"It... it's fading. I honestly think it may be a dream now. It was real THEN, though!" she protested, seeing his reaction. "I know what I thought it was, but the details keep changing! Like... I don't know." Her shoulders sagged.
	Felek took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
	"Ruta had a vision in her room," he told the others, his memory of her words clear. "A vision, as she prayed to Mother Mary, of a woman at the foot of her bed. She was blonde, clad in blue." He looked at Ruta for confirmation, going on as she nodded. "Her dress bared her breasts." Anelie's eyebrows went up. Felek shrugged. "One reason I suspect it wasn't the Virgin Mary. Anyway, the vision told Ruta she would guide the children to her, to an island on a lake, and that she would save them."
	"She said nothing about serving her," Ruta said, gaze focused on Ofure. "There was no price given."
	"It would be foolish to think there was none, though," Anelie said. Behind her, Felek saw Adanya pause in her work. "I mean, Jesus asks that we pray to him."
	"We have no reason to think they are the same woman," Ruta said. "I saw a beautiful blonde. She saw some dark-haired slut. It could have been... Satan. A temptress. We don't know."
	"Mary was dark haired," Anelie told her.
	"In one of the books," Felek added, mind recalling some of his more unauthorized reading, "Jesus appeared to people differently. As a child to one, or a woman to another. If this IS Mary, or someone similar, it could be the same thing."
	"Queen Catty said it can't be Mary," Ruta said, bitterly. "That neither our gods, nor hers, had followed our peoples into this world."
	Anelie blinked. Jaromira's head shot up from behind Adanya. Felek waved that aside.
	"That's for later. Let Brother Ofim and the Elf Queen battle about that. We just need to decide if Ofure here had the same vision as you. If she really should accompany us."
	"Did she tell you where we had to go?" Ruta asked. "How far away we are?"
	"No," Ofure said, shaking her head. "Nor how to get there."
	"Wonderful."
	"Ask your magic necklace," Anelie said, just a touch of sarcasm coming to Felek's ears. "You're our guide."
	"It doesn't work like that." There was a hint of anguish in Ruta's voice. "I wish to Mother Mary above it did, but all it does is point. That's all."
	Felek could read the expression on Anelie's face. There wasn't much difference between the two stories, at least as far as silliness went. They had no proof Ruta was leading them in the right direction... except, perhaps, for her having led them to this girl. And, Ofure HAD seen the spirit on an island. That had to mean something.
	He stood.
	"You can come with us, Ofure." She jumped up, Felek raising a hand to calm her. "Just make yourself useful. Help with the meals, the kids, whatever you can."
	"I will! Thank you!" She practically jumped over Ruta, plopping down next to the now lit cooking fire. Whether Ruta's expression was because of the leap, or because she had seen directly between the Kikker's legs, he wasn't sure. He rotated a shoulder.
	"I'm going to see if the men need any help."
	"I'll come, too," Anelie said, standing. "I've sat enough for one day."

****

	A firm shake woke him.
	"It's our watch."
	Felek blinked, raising up onto his elbows. Cyla knelt on one knee beside him, already dressed and armored. On the other side of the fire, he saw two soldiers getting under thin blankets.
	"I'm up," he said, as if words would make it so. He sat up, to prove the point.
	The night was quiet as he dressed. The other two soldiers on watch were already at the far end of the hill, watching the forest and the road ahead. Strapping on his sword, Felek picked his way among the sleepers, following Cyla. She pointed to a good spot on the eastern side of the hill, the hardest approach. She made her way to the more likely avenue of attack.
	He sat on a not quite flat rock, eyes taking in the night. Some said the Watu were nocturnal, that so many of their kind became bandits because of this, Poles and Kikker all the more vulnerable at night. Felek thought this was likely Elfshit. Those who came to Nowy Warsaw were as active under the sun as any other, and it was only because the Watu tended to exile criminals that a large collection had gathered on the borders. Certainly King James had dealing with such a situation as one of his goals. The forts, like Shanna's, were part of this.
	The King. His sister. He missed her. Missed the kids. His niece Anne had a birthday coming up. He'd miss it. He'd have to find something for her. For all the kids.
	There was movement in the shadows of the trees. Felek stood. Yes, he was exposed, silver armor reflecting what moonlight there was. He did not think they would attack, though, if they saw preparations. While the angle from ground level could not show the minimal extent of the log walls laid down, they could see they were there. They could see him watching them, compare his steel armor and weapons to their more ineffective gear. If they were smart...
	The Watu stepped out of the shadows, looking upward at him. After a moment, he turned, vanishing again into the trees. Felek sat.
	They would not be bothered this night.

Chapter 10

	"She has me all confused."
	Felek could not help but chuckle as he sat beside Issa on the wagon. His friend gave him a brief glare.
	"I'm serious," Issa said. "I have no idea what the hell she's doing. Hell, I don't know if SHE knows what she's doing. She certainly can't know what it's doing to ME."
	"Oh, she knows," Felek said. He leaned back on the wooden bench, enjoying the change from riding horseback as he watched Ruta ride Horse. It was not an imaginative name for his mount, true, but it amused him as much as it seemed to annoy Anelie. So, he was amused twice with one name. Three times when he remembered she had given her stallion the female name Toria. That was being efficient.
	"Then why is she doing it?" Issa looked back through the wagon. Felek let his own head roll that way. He could see Ofure sitting next to Jaromira in the wagon behind them, the Kikker girl seemingly quiet. From his angle he briefly saw Adanya come into view, riding double with Bogdi. Their heads were together. Felek looked away, blushing a bit at the intimacy of the moment. Ruta was looking back at him, smiling. He'd have to suggest her riding double with him. There had been little time for such things between them.
	Issa hit his arm. Felek chuckled.
	"Sorry."
	"So?"
	"So she's a woman." He shrugged. "I don't know Kikker women, but it seems to me she's doing the same thing you try to do to Polish girls, except she actually means it."
	"I do mean it." There was hurt in his voice. He paused as the wagon went over some obstacle, the two trying to mitigate the damage to their tender buttock's. "I mean, I mostly do." He turned to Felek. "You mean they think I don't?"
	"I think most of them think you're just teasing. You do come on a bit thick. Almost like you're mocking Polish guys."
	"I am, a little," he admitted. "It is all rather silly. I still think your women are beautiful, though." He paused, considering. "It's the hair, I think. I... I just really like hair. If Zuza was my age, I'd be in heaven!"
	"Because Bogdi would have sent you there."
	"True. Don't tell him I said that."
	"I won't."
	Anelie's mount drifted back down the line towards them. Felek leaned forward, giving her his full attention.
	"You notice?" she asked, motioning towards the trees around them. He gave a nod.
	"Awhile ago."
	"I don't like it."
	He glanced again, seeing the brief flash of sunlight hitting metal. The leather clad bandits watching them had been replaced by copper armored soldiers, pikes the length of a human held in their clawed hand. This... was bad. Not for them, perhaps. It meant, after all, the overgrown wagon trail was taking them closer to whatever Watu civilization looked like. No, it was his homeland for which this could mean trouble. Were the bandits NOT the rogue criminals they had thought? Were they, in fact, acting on the orders of one or more of the Watu city-states? If the raids around the border were actually acts of war... Felek frowned. His Grace had to be told. Even if it meant detaching two of their soldiers to go back with the news. The information could not wait on the uncertainty of this mission's success.
	"I haven't seen armor like that before," Anelie said. Felek nodded. From the glimpses he had managed, the Watu seemed to wear coats of copper squares, fastened together with what looked like leather ties. Very different from the steel plate or chain the Polish wore.
	"I have, a couple times. A merchant who came to Court had guards wearing the stuff." He laughed. "His Grace for some reason found it funny that he was named 'Wicket'. He wouldn't tell me why, though. He just muttered something about 'fucking Ewoks' and moved on."
	"Shanna can be the same way," Anelie snorted. "She'll find some word hilarious, and not say why. Some sort of in-joke only those two can understand, I guess."
	They shared a glance, a twinkle in the redhead's eyes. Felek had never really noticed her eyes before. They were... pretty. She looked away, gaze again taking in their surroundings.
	"Another break in half an hour. Switching back to your mount?"
	"I think so. This was a nice change, but I'll be back up front with you."
	"Good. Your girlfriend is boring."

****

	Anelie sat against a rock, watching the sunset as camp was set up around her. They had the system down by now, even with the changes this cross-country detour had thrown at them. Fortifications were minimal, unless the terrain was really open. This evening found them on another hilltop, so they contented themselves with a stake filled ditch across the most accessible ways up. With regular army tracking them, they were either in no danger, or about to be overwhelmed.
	Not, she thought, that her men couldn't handle a good number of Watu. Sure, these were better armed, but she had never seen a Watu with a bow, and the little fur balls would be no match physically. The tallest would probably barely come up to her breasts, unless they grew them taller here. Which, she had to admit, was possible. It would not do to be too cocky, this far from home.
	High pitched giggling drew her gaze towards the wagons. Bogdi held Zuza upside down by her ankles, her hands barely touching the long grass. Her skirt had fallen down, white panties exposed. How often had her brother done that to Anelie? Never in front of other kids, though. Bogdi would never have embarrassed Anelie like that. Zuza probably didn't even think to be embarrassed in front of all these soldiers. Actually, would Anelie have been embarrassed? She didn't know. She may not have been, back then. Certainly she hadn't seen herself as much different than her brother and his friends, apart from the size thing. Given how proud of her body she was now, the embarrassment would probably come from having let Bogdi catch her unaware.
	She bit her lip, taking another look at the pair. Maybe he'd try it, if she just casually walked by...
	"Aunt Anelie?"
	James stood beside her, holding a book. She smiled, patting the grass beside her.
	"Sit. What's up?" She resisted asking how he was, if he felt OK. That had to get annoying for the poor boy. He plopped down beside her.
	"I have something for you." Opening the book, whose title she couldn't read but which seemed to have a few pictures, he pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Laying the book on the grass beside him, he unfolded it. She leaned over.
	"What is it?"
	"A map." His voice was proud. She gave an appreciative sound. Yes. She could see it was a map. Alternating between shaking and smooth lines, probably depending on if the marks were made when the wagon was moving or still, he had traced out their path. Each camp was marked with a little drawing of a campfire and tent. He had obviously misjudged how long they would be traveling, as the distance between camps became shorter as their eastward path took them towards the edge of the page. Overcompensating, the northward trek had only an inch or so between camps.
	"I like it." Anelie placed a finger on the page, tracing the route. "You did this yourself?"
	"Zuza drew the trees, and that bird, but I told her where to put them."
	"Very nice. Felek is doing his own map, but if we lose that we can use this."
	His cheeks colored a bit as he folded it back up, placing it in the book. She now saw it was a children's biography of King James, purporting to tell of his childhood. She wondered if there were any actual facts besides his name in it.
	"How long until we get there?" There was a tiredness in his voice. Reaching for him, she mussed his brown hair.
	"We don't know. We should, if we are where we think we are, hit another east-west road sometimes tomorrow. Then we'll find out what our new direction is."
	"I'm tired."
	"I know." She lowered her arm, hugging him against her. She was glad she had removed her breastplate. His slender body felt good against her, his arms wrapping around her body as his head fell onto her breasts."
	"You're soft," he said. "Softer than Mommy."
	"Thank you." She mussed his hair again. He was not as softly cuddly as Shanna's fully human twins, but naturally she loved him more. Anelie kissed the top of his head.
	"Lady."
	Anelie looked up. Klocia stood before them, body casting a long shadow in the setting sun.
	"Yes?"
	"The mounts are all tended to, Lady. Kazik's is favoring one leg a bit, but it looks like it was just a stone and we got that out. The foot seems OK."
	"Keep an eye on it," she said, nodding in approval. "We are going to lose horses, but let's put that off as long as possible." She adjusted her position a bit, James moving against her to keep in full contact. "Anything else?"
	"No, Lady. Camp is all set up. Dinner will be ready soon."
	"Good. We'll be there in a bit."
	Klocia nodded. Anelie looked down at James. His eyes were closed, breathing subtly different.
	"I think he fell asleep on me."
	"You must make a good pillow."
	It took a moment for Anelie to recognize the other way that statement could be taken. By the time she looked up, Klocia had all her attention focused back on the  grazing horses, her face a dark shade of red. She felt her own cheeks heat.
	"As long as he doesn't try to fluff me," she found herself saying. Her heart was beating faster. Klocia's eyes widened, Anelie swearing she saw the girl bite her lower lip. Damn, she was cute. No. Not cute.
	Sexy.
	James moved, relaxing his hold on her. Anelie gently moved his arms, freeing herself. She raised up, slowly, laying his head on the grass. Klocia squatted down beside her.
	"He's OK?" she asked, concern fully replacing any other emotions. "This is normal?"
	"I don't think napping is possible in the wagons on this road." Anelie stood. "Come on. We'll see if his mother wants to wake him or let him sleep."

****

	For the first time in four days, they were no longer surrounded by forest.
	The wagon trail ran before them through a wide meadow, not much different from where they had discovered it. If Felek had been a suspicious man, he would almost suspect some sort of design. However, given there was not much which could be bordering a forest beside some sort of grassland (or a barrier such as a river or cliff), he didn't give it much though.
	The army before them commanded more of his attention.
	They stood along a straight east-west embankment, most likely the road he had guessed they were near. Like the others they had seen, for the past day, they wore copper armor, sunlight on the tiles creating a mosaic of patterns. Rounded helmets, also copper, lay snug against their heads. Very impressive. Their exact numbers were hard to guess, with at least fifty in the first rank visible. More could be behind them, or on the other side of the road out of view. He saw no mounted units. They could outrun them... if not for the wagons. Throwing another wheel traveling across unknown ground would be a disaster.
	"Lewy!" Anelie raised her arm, halting them. "Bring out the banner!"
	This was Felek's gamble, discussed with Anelie and Adanya long into the night. Lewy rode forward, a long pike in his right hand. He raised it, the red and white banner of Poland flying from its tip as he took his place on the right of Felek. If this failed, if using the King's banner hindered rather than helped...
	Felek took a deep breath. It would work. Why had His Grace sent him, if not for this moment? Nodding to Anelie, he kicked his mount forward.

****

	Anelie wished to Jesus and Mary above Shanna was with her.
	As they approached the road, she revised her opinion of the forces facing her. There were sling bearers, over two dozen, arrayed behind the pikemen. Swordsmen held either end of the line. The Watu looked steady. Experienced. Expecting them to break due to a charge would be foolish.
	One of their number appeared, walking along the road's edge before the soldiers. His fur was a bit grayer, armor more ornate. Unlike the others he wore no helmet, furry head bare. A sword hung from a thick belt.
	"Klocia!" The girl rode up at her command. Anelie smiled at her, unexpectedly feeling more at ease. "Ready to do some translating?"
	"Yes, Lady!"
	"If it's needed," Felek said. He raised his arm, halting the column. "Bogdi, you're in command if we have problems. Feel free to come rescue us."
	Anelie's attempt to stifle a laugh came out as a snort. Felek grinned at her.
	"Let's go."
	The four riders moved forward. The apparent Watu commander stopped in the middle of the formation, watching. The roadway was high enough Anelie was able to look him in the eye. She saw intelligence there. Cunning.
	Danger.
	Felek stopped them four yards from the road. Straightening in his saddle, he nodded his head.
	"Greetings."
	"Salam," Klocia translated, bowing her own head. Her voice was calm, firm. Everything Anelie was not. Her hands tightened on her reins.
	The Watu slowly moved his gaze over them, eyes settling on Felek.
	"Salam, Air Gair."
	Klocia stiffened slightly, as if insulted. That couldn't be good. She translated.
	"Greetings, Foreigner."
	Felek chuckled. At least he was having fun. He suddenly switched to Kikker.
	"Do you, by any chance, speak Kikker? Or Polish? If we can find a common language, much... misunderstanding can be avoided."
	The officer considered, one hand resting on the pommel of his sword. Anelie kept her eyes on the sling men. She'd lead Klocia and Lewy against those on the right, hoping to sow confusion while Bogdi got the others moving. Avoid the pikemen. Buy time...
	"I speak Kikker," the Watu said. His voice had a high pitched growly quality to it. "They are our neighbors, a proud people." His brow furrowed. "Who are you?"
	"I am Felek, son of Marik, brother to Queen Ewa, servant of His Grace King James the First of Poland." Felek bowed his head again.
	"And why," the Watu continued, "do you travel into our lands with armed troops?"
	"We ride in escort of two wagons of civilians, traveling through unfamiliar lands. Already one of our party was accosted by bandits, before your well-trained troops drove them off."
	Anelie had to admire the half true bullshit Felek was saying. He had paid attention at court, it seemed. She would never have thought to appear ignorant of the connection between the bandits and soldiers.
	"What is your destination, Felek, son of Marik?"
	Anelie shot a glance at Klocia. The girl, eyes coming back from the first wagon, lowered her right hand to stroke her mount's neck. Not looking at Felek, Anelie transferred her reins to her right hand.
	"East," Felek said. "Once we are on your fine road. I can not be more specific than that, apart from saying we shall be gone from your area of responsibility very soon."
	The officer stared at them, silently. Anelie started to fidget more. She'd leave the rearguard with the wagons. The rest would attack, scatter the furry critters. Have the girls strike the left side, for that looked weaker, the rest going right, acting as a screen until the wagons managed to get on the road. She wished she had some lances. Shanna hated the things, but a good Hussar lance attack on these creatures...
	"May I ask your name and rank?" Felek suddenly asked. "I know it is a minor thing, but the introductions have been a bit one sided." Anelie's mind seemed to give a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice. Had she really been considering throwing her few troops against this army? Madness. Stupid madness. They'd be slaughtered, and then what? What good would that do James and Zuza? She sighed, a slight gust of wind rushing past her cheek.
	"Gurtaj." The officer seemed to get taller. "Kaptan Sahib Gurtaj."
	"We are well met, Kaptan Sahib Gurtaj." Felek slowly dismounted. Handing his reins to Lewy, he walked forward. "Kaptan, I will be honest. We travel in search of healing for some of our own, be it herbal, magical, or spiritual. Time is fleeing before us. Will you let us pass?"
	"No."

****

	Felek stood in the grass, blood turning to ice. He had failed. He looked back at Anelie. The warrior woman had her hand on the pommel of her sword. The other was making signs, signaling her men. They could NOT be delayed. Could not spend days in some garrison while runners contacted those who might have some sense. A gust of wind blew past. Then another.
	"Why?" he asked. He knew of no other question he could pose. He took another step forward, a cloud passing before the sun. "Why will you not let us go on our way?"
	Any answer was lost as the sky flashed. Instinctively, Felek counted as he looked up. The blue sky was now black, dark billowing clouds moving southward over them. Five breaths later thunder rolled through the air. Another flash. He saw it, striking the ground not a mile away to the north. The soldiers on the road were fidgeting nervously, glancing around. Another flash, followed instantly by the thunderclap from the last bolt. Some of the Watu began to break ranks, walking, not yet running, towards the west. Felek ran back to his mount, the poor beast not liking any of this.
	Another bolt, hitting a tree not three hundred yards on the other side of the road. It's clap was like no other Felek had ever heard. He tried to yell, unsure if his voice could be heard by Anelie, let alone those behind them.
	"To the road!" He pointed east, beyond the scattering Watu. Even as his arm made the gesture, a bolt came down almost on top of them, the air itself seeming to flash.
	The Watu army broke. Pikemen threw their weapons away, as if they themselves were drawing the heavenly fire. As one they fled westward, their leader among them. Felek kicked Horse in the side, startling him into motion. There was no shelter to be had. They simply had to outrun it. As Horse started to climb the embankment, another flash and clap of thunder. This one, a bit westward. Away from him and his friends. Reaching the top, he found the road paved with stone, flat, level. He turned to see the wagons almost there, Issa and Jaromira not having to urge their teams to move quickly. Anelie came up beside him, Klocia at her side.
	"What the HELL!" She yelled. The wind was now blowing due east, as if trying to push them down the road.
	"Don't know, don't care! See to the wagons!" The first was moving up the embankment, Issa doing his best to keep it from tipping over as the horses sprinted up the steep slope. Another bolt, westward. More distant. As Issa and Ruta's wagon made it to the top, the wind started to lessen. The sky lightened. By the time Bogdi escorted Adanya and Jaromira's wagon onto the road, the sun was again visible through vanishing clouds.
	Unable to help himself, Felek felt himself slipping off of his mount. As his feet hit the stones, he dropped to his knees. He felt others do the same around him. Hands clasped, tears in his eyes, he looked up into the heavens.
	"Thank you, God..."

Chapter 11

	A miracle.
	Anelie rode at the head of the column half in a daze. She... they, had seen the hand of God. Witnessed God himself bend nature to his will.
	Her will.
	Someone's will.
	Why did it frighten her? Her parents had been right! The Monks had been right! Hell, even Ruta had been right! God was on their side!
	Yet...
	"Can we keep this pace?" Felek asked. She glanced at him. His gaze was back, not at the wagons and riders, but the empty road behind. Anelie put her other thoughts aside. He was right. They had to focus on the here and now.
	"Another quarter hour," she said, considering the condition of her mount. "We went so slow through the forest, the horses won't be too tired. We'll take a break, then go back to a normal pace."
	He nodded, swinging his head back towards the road ahead.
	"They're going to get word ahead of us. You know that."
	"I know," she groaned. "Why? Why were they trying to stop us?"
	"Maybe they just wanted an inspection. Maybe a bribe was expected. Who knows. We'll never find out now." He let out an exasperated sound. "And we don't even know where they were from! Who they represented! They ran west, at least. We can be thankful for that."
	They fell into silence. The sound of hoof-beats on stone, of wooden wagons creaking, filled the gap. She could hear conversation behind them. Soft, whispered.
	Awed.
	"What do you think it means, Felek?" She looked at him. "I mean..." She waved a hand indecisively. "What was it?"
	"No idea," he said.
	Her eyes narrowed. He should know. Felek grew up in the Palace. Was well read. Had good teachers. Hell, probably even paid attention to them. If he didn't know, who among them would?
	"We can't worry about that, anyway," he went on. "Can't let it change what we're doing. I mean, it COULD have been coincidence." His voice was skeptical even as he said it, much to Anelie's relief. Nobody could be that stupid. "At least, we can't count on it happening again. It could have been a one time thing. Next time, we might have to fight. Pay a bribe. Whatever. Divine intervention isn't a reliable plan of action."
	Anelie laughed, one of her many talks with Shanna coming to mind.
	"Shanna once said God is on the side with the best army."
	"His Grace said something similar," Felek nodded. "He said the side with the most cannons, though, then spent a half hour telling me about gunpowder and guns. Fascinating."
	"Did he tell you about their wars?"
	His eyes came up to meet hers. Yes, she saw. The King had. She sighed, looking away, not wanting to talk about such things. The world of His Grace and Shanna was so... beyond what she could understand. Beautiful, yes. It had created Shanna, after all. Yet, there was much evil and destruction there as well, things Shanna was not telling Anelie. Much she was holding back. Protecting her.
	Another reason for Anelie to love Shanna.
	Empty fields changed to farmland. Short furry creatures knelt in the dirt between rows of plants, eyes all focusing on the Poles as they swiftly rode by. There would be no question of others being able to track them. Still... it wasn't like they had RESISTED those soldiers. They had simply fled the sudden storm in a different direction. They had done nothing wrong.
	Anelie found herself urging Toria to go a little faster.

****

	Felek watched as the wagons came closer.
	Seeing them answered at least one of his questions. No traveler would leave a town this late in the day, starting a journey which would require sleeping under the stars mere hours later. Thus, it was likely there was no town, let alone city, reachable that day down this road. They would be camping, resupply once again delayed. Not that they were bad off, but if the locals were going to be trouble he wanted full wagons to start any prolonged hiding. Anelie let out a sigh beside him.
	"Klocia!" she yelled. Felek could not help but smile. It was like no other soldier existed to her. Klocia this, Klocia that. Lewy was going to be replaced if he wasn't careful. Probably had been. The girl was competent, at least. She rode up the column, bringing her mount beside Anelie. Her body was at full attention in the saddle.
	"Lady?"
	"Might need your translation." Anelie jerked her head towards the approaching travelers. She then seemed to squint, leaning forward. "Or not. They look like Kikker."
	Felek took another look. The beasts pulling the wagons were Perds, the slimy four legged beasts of burden used by the Kikker. That meant nothing, though, any more than horses necessarily meant Poles. Felek knew of at least one Gritic trader who had taken a stallion and three mares with him the year before. What the spiderish crab creature intended to DO with them was an open question, one His Grace had not seemed to be concerned with. Perhaps they were to be bred for food. As he continued to watch, though, it became clear the travelers were dark green Kikker. Three wagons, fully loaded with tarp covered goods, each pulled by six of the slow Perds. Two male Kikker rode at the front of each.
	"Greetings!" Felek said loudly, raising an arm as they came closer. He brought his group to a stop. The lead Kikker wagoner reined in his beasts, slowly coming to a stop on the left side of the roadway. Felek rode forward a bit, coming up beside him. "I'm Felek, from Nowy Warsaw."
	"Cheikh, from everywhere." The Kikker grinned at him. "This is not an invasion, I hope. That is bad for trade."
	"We are good," Felek laughed, "but it would take twice this number to take one of these cities." He motioned up the road with his head. "How far is it to the next settlement?"
	"We could reach it by just past nightfall," Cheikh said, transferring his reins to one hand so he could scratch under a bare armpit with the other. "I'm sure your beasts could get there sooner."
	Felek blinked, surprised.
	"What drove you out this late in the day?"
	The two Kikker glanced at each other. Glancing into the back of the wagon, Felek noticed the cargo seemed to be arranged a bit haphazardly under a tarp which was not even tied down fully. He chuckled.
	"Don't need details, my friend. However," he added, glancing back down the road he had just traveled, "you may like to know we ran into some Watu soldiers a ways back, over a hundred strong. You most likely won't reach them today, but..."
	"Ah." Cheikh looked down the road, frowning. "Yes. Thank you for that information."
	"What can we expect up ahead?"
	"Small city, maybe ten thousand Watu. Didn't catch its name. Not that bad. Expensive, though. At least for those like us."
	Felek nodded. Ten thousand was not that small, at least compared to what he was used to. He thought, glancing around the countryside.
	"Do you know of any watering holes off the road up ahead?"
	The Kikker pointed back over his wagon.
	"There's a stream they had to bridge over a little ways back. The ground on this side looks passable, at least up to the tree line." He gestured north.
	Felek looked at Anelie. She nodded. He turned back to the wangoner, smiling.
	"Thank you, my friend." Felek paused, looking closer at the 'trader'. Something about him stood out. Seemed... trustworthy. His Grace had not been too specific on who Felek should contact. They just had to be... useful. Felek dismounted. "Friend Cheikh," he said, reaching into his saddlebag, "may I speak to you off on the side of the road, just for a moment? It will be well worth your time."
	The Kikker regarded him for a long moment. Yes. Under his rather casual attitude was some steel. Handing the reins to his companion, Cheikh stepped down from the wagon. Felek almost got a good look under the rope kilt, but thankfully the blue and red weave covered just enough. Felek walked off the embankment, stopping when he was just out of sight of the others. Cheikh came down beside him. Felek help up a sheet of folded paper.
	"This, friend Cheikh, is a letter of introduction to the royal court of King James, ruler of Nowy Poland." The Kikker's yellow eyes widened. "His Grace is looking for those who might, in some way, help our people, and those who ally with us. Or, at least, honorably work to both our benefit. With suitable rewards, naturally."
	Cheikh stood for a moment, silent. He looked up the bank, towards the unseen travelers.
	"My current companions are not... reliable. I must dispose of my cargo before going on."
	"Do you work for anyone?" Felek had the sudden feeling he had chosen much better than he had any right to expect. Cheikh shook his head.
	"No. I am Master-less."
	"Do you know of my people?"
	"I know they are not who they were." Their eyes met. Slowly, Cheikh nodded. "I will consider it."
	"Thank you." Felek held out his right arm. Cheikh clasped it, hand grasping his forearm. Felek returned the gesture. "Travel to Fort Buffalo on the Orlan River, south of Daraja, next to the village of Puln. Show the document to Commander Shanna, the brown-skinned one. Tell her where you met us, and that... all is well." He resisted the urge to give more detail, or delay enough to write a letter. There was no need to send news which would be weeks out of date by the time it was received. "Also tell her Felek thinks the Watu bandits are, in fact, working in part with the army." Cheikh nodded again, not looking surprised. Releasing his grip, Felek handed him the paper. Cheikh pulled out the waist of his kilt slightly, slipping the paper into the pocket Felek knew many such garments had. Both made their way back to the roadway.
	"We were quiet enough, I hope," Felek mumbled to Anelie as he climbed back into his saddle. She grinned.
	"Didn't hear a word. You'll have to fill me in later." He saw Cheikh's companion whispering to his new ally. Potential ally. Doubt now filled him. Well, nothing he could do now. He would have to trust His Grace not to fully trust Felek's choices. 
	"Good luck on your journey," Felek said, loudly, starting Horse forward as Anelie motioned the column to follow. Cheikh grinned.
	"And good day to you, Polock!" He shook his reins, the slothful beasts letting out moans of complaint. "Move it, you stupid beasts!" As if that had been needed, the six animals jerked the wagon forward. The two groups slid past each other. Felek settled into his saddle.
	This day had become way too interesting.

****

	They came to the stream an hour before sundown, the golden ball still up above the trees. Anelie continued forward, slowly, even as Felek stopped the others. The Kikker had been wrong about a bridge crossing the narrow flow of water. The road continued forward, the earthen berm it lay on as straight and level as ever. The stream, however, somehow ran THROUGH this mass of dirt. Unable to help herself, she moved to the edge, leaning over.
	A pipe. A round pipe. She blinked, not quite believing it. The stream was funneled into some sort of culvert and guided under the roadway, allowed to continue on its merry way on the other side. She shook her head.
	"Why?"
	Felek came up beside her, horse traveling down the slope a bit for an unobstructed view. He shrugged.
	"It's creative. Nobody can burn this bridge, not that the stream isn't easily forded. If it fails, you just get flooding on one side, leaving the road unaffected."
	"I like bridges you can burn," Anelie said. "They're... comforting."
	"And they keep the engineers employed." Felek looked north. "Tree line is maybe a half mile away. Set up camp there? Or see if we can make that city?"
	Anelie let out a long sigh. Choices with no obvious winner were not her favorite thing.
	"Well," she said, looking down the road towards the unseen distant city, "if we show up in front of the gate at dawn, there may be questions. On the other hand..."
	"On the other hand, I do like the idea of keeping watch here tonight, seeing if a messenger passes by."
	Anelie nodded, happy to see his thoughts mirrored hers.
	"On the third hand, camping where that shady stranger told us to might not be wise." She slid her glance over to Felek. The boy didn't look happy. "I'm just saying."
	"I know. It's a good point."
	"We could ask Ruta." Felek's surprised look surprised her. "What? I mean, it just makes sense, now that we know it's real. We should be checking on everything."
	"I'm just now afraid of annoying God," Felek told her, looking back at the wagons. "We don't want to..." He frowned. Anelie followed his gaze. Ruta was stumbling away from the wagon, looking as if she was in anguish. Ofure, too, had left the second wagon, was running up to the blonde.
	"This isn't good," Anelie muttered. Felek was already riding back. She followed.

****

	"Felek!" Ruta threw herself into the teen's arms the moment he dismounted. He stood as still as he could, her hands clutching at him painfully. Her face pushed itself against his breastplate, as if it could get to the soft, comforting person beneath. She was trembling. Crying. Ruta didn't cry. Not for no reason. He saw Ofure standing behind her. The Kikker girl, too, looked distressed. Sensing he might be able to get more sense out of her for the moment, he caught her gaze as his arms went around his love.
	"What the hell's going on?"
	"I..." Ofure shook her head, as if to clear it. "I can't hear her anymore."
	"Hear? Who? Ruta?"
	"No! The Polish woman! She..."
	"She's gone!" Ruta looked up, eyes red. "Mother Mary is GONE, Felek! Gone! It's just a necklace! I can't feel anything anymore! Not now!"
	Felek tried to take a deep breath, made more difficult by Ruta squeezing him. This wasn't making any sense. Not that it had ever made any sense. Grabbing her shoulders, he tried to gently, yet forcefully, push Ruta away a bit. She squeezed tighter.
	"What am I going to DO, Felek?"
	Damned if he knew. He looked at Anelie. She let out a long sigh.
	"Bogdi! Let's take the wagons into those trees, out of sight from the road. We're done for the day."

****

	The soldiers were not even pretending to set up camp.
	They stood in a circle, all eyes on the two teen girls now sitting on unfolded stools. Anelie glanced at her brother. Bogdi stood tall, his two remaining children clinging to his legs. Adanya stood beside him, one slender hand on the brown-haired head of James. Anelie looked away. What could she say? What could she do?
	She could find out what the fuck was going on, that's what she could do.
	"It doesn't make any sense," Issa was saying. He knelt beside Ofure, the drink he had handed her clutched in her hands. "Your god helped us. Saved us. Now she's gone? What the hell?"
	"I don't know," Ruta whispered. She, too, clutched a mug. Felek had given her something strong, Anelie hoped. It would calm her down. Reaching for her chest, Felek touched the silver bird hanging from its chain.
	"You feel nothing?"
	"Nothing. Nothing at all." Eyes closed, she took a long drink. Felek lifted the bird in his hand, as if weighing it.
	"There's nothing in the Bible about God using magic necklaces. Maybe..."
	"Maybe she's tired."
	Anelie looked at Zuza. The red haired Kikker girl was looking up at her mother, green eyes wide. Adanya knelt down.
	"What, Honey?"
	"Maybe she's tired, Mommy. She made all that lightning! That was scary! Maybe Goddess Mary just needs to rest, and she'll talk to us tomorrow!"
	Anelie glanced at Felek. He let out a tired laugh.
	"It's as good a theory as any."
	"God doesn't rest," the dark haired solder Kazik said. He looked at the men around him. "God created the world. He's strong."
	"But this is supposed to be Mary," Bach replied from across the circle. "She would be weaker." Jaromira shot him a look, one eyebrow raised. "Not," he quickly continued, "that wives are weak. No. Of course not."
	"You get to eat tonight, then," Jaromira told him, not a hint of humor in her voice.
	Anelie let her gaze go from soldier to soldier. She saw no panic. No... well, yes, worry, but there was still confidence. If this had happened any time before that day, it would be different. There would be doubt. They had seen a miracle, though. A true, holy miracle, God's hand coming down to save them. Surely, such a God would not abandon them mere hours later. No. This was just...
	"We'll make camp," Felek said, standing. "Worry about this in the morning. Bogdi, Adanya..." Anelie glanced at them again, biting her lip as Adanya stood. "Anything you want to add?"
	"No," Bogdi said. He put an arm around his wife. "Except..." He looked around the circle. "Thank you."
	The men murmured their response. She'd have to open up a keg that night, Anelie thought. The men deserved it. The girls, too. Klocia and the other three stood mixed among the other soldiers, no longer separated by gender or experience. Anelie smiled. That... was good.
	"Mommy."
	James was no longer beside his parents. He had moved closer to Ruta, but seemed to be paying her no mind. His eyes were up in the trees. Adanya walked up behind him, hands going to his bare shoulders.
	"What?"
	"That bird." He pointed into a tree. Anelie looked. The sun barely shone through the green leaves as it dropped to the horizon. On one of the lower branches, a bird sat, regarding them. It looked to be about a foot long, from beak to tail. The head and chest were a light blue, the color of a clear summer sky. It's back was a dark orange, almost like the setting sun. The bird looked down at the assembled land bound creatures with no apparent fear. Adanya knelt down behind her son.
	"What about it?"
	"It's watching us."
	"Yes it is." Anelie smiled at her sister-in-law's tone. It was humor mixed with exasperation, the sound of most mothers. "We probably look strange to it."
	"It looks like Ruta's necklace."
	Anelie found herself taking steps towards the bird. So too did all gathered there, Ruta and Ofure standing. As if on cue, it spread its wings. They were actually blue and black, like a strip of sky over the dark ground. Yes, Anelie thought. Wings spread like that, it did...
	"Zywie."
	Both Ruta and Ofure said the word together. The solders before them parted as the two moved slowly forward, Kikker and Pole holding hands. Felek and Issa stayed a step behind them, a frowning glance exchanged between the two males. Anelie moved to her brother's side. He was holding Zuza to him, keeping her from joining the others.
	"Ruta," Felek started to ask. She stopped, eyes never leaving the bird.
	"Zywie," she said again. "It's a servant of Zywie."
	"Oh God!"
	Jaromira's cry startled all, except the bird. It stared down at them, unblinking. The woman had fallen to her knees. Anelie was at her side a moment later, kneeling down with Lewy before her.
	"What is it, Jaromira? Tell us!"
	"The name," she whispered. "That name. I know that name... I know..."
	"What is it?" Anelie squeezed her hand. Jaromira squeezed it back, eyes never leaving the bird.
	"She's a Goddess of Poland!"

Chapter 12

	Her Mother told Jaromira the day she first bled.
	"Our family has a secret," she had said, moving a warm, wet cloth over Jaromira's smooth skin, removing those first traces of womanhood. "Your Great Grandmother told your Grandma, Grandma told me, and now I will tell you. So, too, will you tell your daughters as each reaches the age of bleeding. It is not a thing for men."
	Jaromira blushed as her thighs were pushed father apart, the wash cloth moving to the source of the red flow.
	"There were Gods in Poland, my little Flower Blossom. Before we came to this world. Before the Cross came to our homeland. Gods and Goddesses lived among us. We worshiped them. Served them, as they served us. They made the trees grow, the crops flourish, our babies grow up healthy and strong."
	She put the cloth back in the ceramic basin of water resting on the floor, the clear water slowly turning red. Gently, her mother closed Jaromira's legs, restoring her modesty.
	"The most honored of all was... Zywie."

****

	Felek moved his hand away as the kindling finally caught, the carefully placed tinder having done its job. He looked up from the hastily built fire pit. The sun was now just below the horizon, shadows becoming darkness. A few of the men worked, tending the horses their lives depended on. The rest...
	"It makes no sense," Kazik was saying, his head moving back and forth as he leaned against a tree. Felek agreed with him. "Why would your mother say this?"
	"Because her mother did." Jaromira was no longer the stern, humorless woman Felek had come to know. She sat on the ground, Lewy's arm around her, eyes distant.
	"That's not an answer."
	"It's the only one I have." The dark haired woman gave a dry laugh. "I asked her. Believe me, I did. She didn't know. Mother told me because her mother had, and her mother's mother before her. It's... just something we had to do."
	"And none of you others heard this?" The soldier looked around at the other women. Ruta shook her head. Felek saw the others do the same. Cyla, though, hesitated. Felek pushed himself to his feet.
	"Cyla?"
	The soldier took a deep breath, hands in the process of unstrapping her breastplate. She cast a worried glance towards Anelie. Closing her eyes, she breathed out.
	"Mother... passed something different down to me. Not about this god." Her fingers finished with the straps. Felek watched as she removed the armor, the padded under armor now visible.
	"About what, then?" Felek asked. Bach moved to the girl's side. She smiled as he took the metal armor from her. Her gaze returned to Felek.
	"I... I'm Jewish."
	Felek blinked.
	"What's that?" The term was familiar. He had read something about it, but could not for the life of him place the word. She shrugged.
	"Don't know. Mother wasn't sure, either. She just said that we were part of a special people, but only those born to Jewish mothers were, in fact, Jewish. So, while both I and my brothers and sister are Jewish, only my children and Kasia's will be. That's why she was only telling us, and not the boys. So we could tell our daughters."
	"That makes no sense," Issa scoffed. Felek let out his own laugh.
	"Which is more than the rest of this is doing. Jaromira, you don't know anything more?"
	"No." She leaned against her husband. "No. I hadn't even thought of it in years. May have even forgotten, until I heard that name." She looked down, ashamed. "I may not have even passed it on, if we ever have children."
	"Knowing your mother," Lewy said, chuckling, "she would have been more than happy to remind you."
	"True." With a sigh, Jaromira rose to her feet, Lewy doing the same. "OK, enough of this. Ruta, Ofure, let's get dinner started."

****

	The bird was still there.
	Felek contemplated the creature as he sat near the fire, a mug of ale in his hand. It took a good drink to understand all of this. Sober, it made no sense. As he watched, the blue and orange bird moved a bit on its branch, head seeming to sweep the campsite. Felek took a long drink. Nope, still made no sense.
	He wasn't sure the keg had been a good idea. Oh, he understood why Anelie had ordered it tapped, and the soldiers certainly needed the distraction. But...
	Felek sighed, taking another small sip. What was done was done. Nobody seemed to be overdoing it, at least. There was no singing. The men just sat with their thoughts, a few groups conversing softy.
	Ruta sat beside him on the log. Without even thinking, he moved his mug to his other hand, snaking his arm around her body. She leaned against him, shifting closer. She smelled of sweat, of smoke, of that strange spice that had been added to the roasted potatoes. He wished they were alone. Just the two of them, free of all responsibility. Free to just be with each other.
	"I'm sorry," she said, quietly. Felek squeezed her.
	"For what?"
	"Tricking you."
	He looked at her, surprised.
	"How?"
	"Our night together. At the palace." She didn't meet his gaze. "I lied to you."
	"About what?" He had no idea where this was going.
	"I... I told you it was safe. I lied."
	Safe? Felek tried to think back. The alcohol was not helping. Neither were the events of that night. All he remembered was the feel of her skin against his, of being inside her. Of the love in every touch and sound. Not caring if the others saw, he moved his hand up, gently cupping her breast.
	"What are you talking about?"
	"I wanted to have your baby."
	His hand slid back down to her belly of its own accord. She stiffened.
	"What?" he asked.
	"It was the worst time for us to be together, which is why I wanted you with me. In me. I was so selfish."
	"Why are you telling me now?" The thoughts that ran through his mind were very confused. Thanks to his sister, Felek had a pretty good idea how the whole making babies thing worked. Surely this was something which would not affect them for months yet...
	"I bled today. It didn't work." She turned to him, eyes wet with tears. "I realized how stupid I had been. How... childish. I was like a silly girl trying to catch a boy with a wandering eye. I didn't think..."
	Felek silenced her with a kiss. Putting his drink on the log beside him, he let his hand caress her face. Breaking the kiss, he slid a finger to wipe away a tear.
	"We would have been back before you showed, my love. It's... OK." He smiled. "This means we just have to keep trying." Felek saw Issa regarding him from ten feet away, a grin on the Kikker's brown splotchy face. "Not now, though," he added. Issa's expression turned to mock disappointment.
	"I know," Ruta said, missing the exchange. "It's not the time for that, anyway."
	Felek nodded, pretending he understood. Women were still a mystery.
	As, he thought, eyes going again to the bird above, were so many things.

****

	Anelie took her time as she walked through the field, retracing their wagon tracks back towards the road. The night was still warm, the day's heat not yet sucked out of the air. It was not quiet. She could clearly hear the stream, darkness seeming to amplify the sound of water flowing over and around rocks. Insects fought to be heard over the babble, succeeding greatly. Leaving the camp, Anelie had entertained the thought the nightly noise would hide any movement by intruders. The sound of her own footsteps through the tall grass dispelled that worry.
	Exactly why she was out here, she wasn't sure. Anelie did not have a watch that night, having drawn it the previous evening. True, she could not sleep, her mind a swirl of ideas she did not want to deal with, but one did not fight insomnia by leaving your bedroll and wandering the world. She would not suddenly find sleep hidden out here under the stars.
	Anelie saw a dark shape rise where the roadway began crossing the stream. It was slender, a swell at the hips proving it was not Bach. A smile came to Anelie's face, even as she felt a tug at her heart. Had she ever thought any other than Shanna would bring out that feeling, however bittersweet?
	The thought of Shanna was a cold splash of reality. Anelie... was bad at this. Whatever this was. It could be nothing. Couldn't it? It probably would be best if it were nothing.
	What did Klocia think it was?
	"Lady?" Klocia's voice was quiet, yet alert. Anelie had not awakened her from a nap. Bach would be on the other side of the raised roadway, the two both invisible from the road yet able to spy any east/west travelers. Unnecessary, perhaps, but better the unneeded precaution than an unwanted surprise.
	"Shh," Anelie whispered as she approached. Coming to a stop before the teen, their heads well below the top of the roadway, she smiled. "Just thought I'd get some air."
	Klocia nodded silently, Anelie unable to read her expression in the starlight. Anelie looked around.
	"Anything going on?"
	"No, Lady." She shook her head, long braid swinging out from behind her back. Anelie nodded.
	"Good." Moving so her feet were on some sort of small outcrop, she let herself fall back onto the grassy hill. It felt weird, gravity telling her she was almost standing, yet she was almost supine. It reminded her of draping herself off of various furnishings around their home, viewing the world while upside down or sideways. She would occasionally use Bogdi for such games, body splayed over his blanket covered form while he slept. She felt more than saw Klocia do the same beside her. The girl then removed her helmet, firmly shoving it into the angled ground beside her. It poked out like a metal breast.
	They were quiet. Anelie shot glances down the embankment every now and then, doing her part to keep watch. They would not see anything from this angle, but travelers on the road would be heard long before they became visible.
	"Lady Anelie." Klocia's voice was calmer now, less formal. "May I ask you something?"
	"Sure." She closed her eyes. Anelie felt so... calm, now. Why was that?
	"Why did you join the army?"
	Anelie opened her eyes as she looked at Klocia. The blonde regarded her with friendly curiosity, their heads two feet apart. She felt herself shrugging against the packed earth.
	"A few reasons. Why?"
	"I'm just curious. We..." Her smile became sheepish. "The others talk. Lots of stories about... well, you."
	"Soldiers are worse than old women," Anelie laughed.
	"With just as much swearing!" Anelie was happy to see Klocia was not giggling, the sound more of a laughing chuckle. She didn't like gigglers. Shanna didn't giggle.
	Shanna. Anelie let out a sigh. It always came down to Shanna. She turned away from her friend, eyes finding the pattern of stars her Brother had named for her. Four bright stars in a rough square, beside a much larger six star Bogdi Box.
	"I joined because of Shanna." She felt Klocia's eyes. "I mean... I didn't see it, we were already over the river, but Bogdi fought with her at the Battle of the Bridge. He found us in the wagon train the next morning, all excited. He had seen the most incredible woman, he told me and Mom. Beautiful brown skin! Brave as a bear! Leaping here, there, everywhere, to destroy that raft! She was like a Polish demon, he said."
	Anelie closed her eyes, remembering.
	"That evening, after the wagons stopped for the night, I left camp. I just wandered down the river bank, watching the women bathe. I... I just wanted to find her. I didn't even know why. Well, maybe I did. She just sounded so..." Anelie felt something touch her hand. Her eyes opened again, locating the five stars near hers she had named after the woman.
	"I found her. She was nude, just coming out of the river. Her body... It was strong. Beautiful. Water dripping off of her, seeming to catch and highlight every curve, every muscle. I... I had to be with her. Had to be LIKE her. I had never wanted to be like the other girls. I had always enjoyed playing with my brother, his friends. Here was the most perfect woman in the world..."
	"I joined because of you." Anelie turned to Klocia, startled, as the girl's hand took hers. "You probably don't remember. Three years ago. The Orlan river was flooding, flowing so fast travel up it was impossible. My father thought there was money to be made traveling along the banks by wagon up to Daraja with a load of those smoked shellfish the Watu like so much. It was raining, our wagon barely moving through the muddy road..."
	"The wolves," Anelie said, an image flashing before her. Klocia squeezed her hand.
	"You remember! They came out of the woods, jumped our horses. We couldn't run away. Father grabbed an ax, ready to take the first one to try and jump into the wagon. I found a short knife. Then... we saw you. Saw black armored saviors riding towards us, your red braid flapping behind you."
	"They just ran. We did nothing." Anelie whispered the words. Klocia's face seemed now mere inches away.
	"You saved us. More, you showed me. I had felt so helpless, unable to help Father fend off the beasts. But, you... I did not have to be helpless. I could be strong. Strong, and still a woman. I could defend my family, my people. I could make a difference."
	Anelie, body not waiting for her command, leaned forward those few inches. Her lips touched Klocia's.
	Anelie had only kissed one person before that night. One person who her heart told her she loved. That kiss, and the few which had followed, had been sweet, yet... The love which had flowed back to her had been more subdued. Uncertain.
	Klocia's lips told of the purest love.
	Anelie drew back. Her heart beat so fast, she was sure it would have caused any armor worn to ring out in alarm. Her mind, too, was sending out warnings. What the fuck was she doing?! The soldier was on DUTY, for fuck's sake! She knew better! Would be damned tempted to have any of her own men whipped if she caught them doing the same! The rules applied to HER as much as they did to any man! Forget everything else about this, her feelings, the taste of the girl's lips. She had just...
	Anelie sat up, trying to think. Her feet slid off their perch, body moving downward on the grass. As she felt level ground, Anelie pushed herself off the causeway, standing. A moment later, Klocia stood beside her. The teen was at attention, helmet in hand.
	"I'm sorry, Lady," she said, a tremble in her voice. "That... please forgive me. That was unprofessional. I will accept any punishment." Klocia bowed her head.
	Anelie took a deep breath, slowly letting it out. She could still feel the touch of Klocia's hand on hers.
	"It's my fault, Klocia. Don't worry about it." She smiled, hesitantly. "Some things should be left to those off duty."
	The two women stared at each other for a long moment. There was a flicker at the corner of Klocia's mouth. Slowly, a smile formed. Her body seemed to both relax and straighten, strength and maturity flowing from her. She placed her helmet back on her head.
	"Will you be awake when I get off watch?"
	"Probably not," Anelie said. "I... wake early, though."
	"I know." Klocia saluted. Anelie returned it. She'd head back to camp. Maybe check the other sentries...
	Anelie grimaced.
	"Bach?" She said, loudly. Even in the darkness, she saw Klocia's face redden.
	"Lady?" came the reply from the other side of the berm. There was not the trace of sleep in his voice.
	"See or hear anything this evening?"
	"No Lady." No hesitation. She nodded, more to herself than to Klocia or the unseen man.
	"Good. Good night to you both, then."
	Smiling again to Klocia, she made her way back towards camp. How she would sleep after this, she had no idea. She glanced south west, at the stars back over their distant homes. What was Shanna doing, that night?

****

	"FIRE!"
	Shanna dropped her right arm, the archers beside her letting loose a volley of death into the small valley before them. The Elven riders looked up, even as arrows found their mark among their number. Five, six of the green monsters fell from the stout, furry beasts they rode. Two more were thrown when their mounts stumbled, arrows penetrating that thick hide. Shanna drew her sword.
	"For Poland!"
	As the archers fired again, Black Beauty leapt out from the shadows, Shanna's left hand white as she clutched the reins. Twenty other Hussars burst out beside her, riding down on the Elven raiders and their exhausted, stumbling prey. She angled Black Beauty to put herself just behind that thin running form, trusting her men to deal with the few soldiers still able to put up a fight. It was the Elven boy who was important.
	It had been pure luck the afternoon patrol had picked up his back trail, marking his likely path before returning to report. He was already south of Fort Buffalo, having somehow slipped across the well-traveled road, avoiding civilians and soldiers alike. Resourceful, this boy. A report of Elven riders just as she was setting out turned a potential diplomatic mission into a full military expedition. It was her border, damn it. Nothing was getting past her.
	Shanna could see him better now. Definitely Elven, dark skin which in daylight would probably be green. He ran swiftly if erratically, dodging between sparsely spaced trees, long black hair trailing behind. He wore a leather tunic, flaring out like a kilt at his waist as it fell to his knees. Closing the distance, she saw no weapon. Slowing, Shanna looked towards the sound of fighting. Her men were engaged with the Elves. She only saw one still mounted. He fell as she watched. Nodding, Shanna sheathed her sword.
	"Boy!" Shanna shouted the Polish word as if it would have some meaning to him. Her Elvish was worse than her Latin. The Elf looked back at her, shock clear on his ugly face. Shock turned to surprise and pain as he stumbled, body flying onto the ground so hard Shanna could not help but wince. As she reined in, she saw his left hand had landed right on a nasty looking rock, its surface jagged.
	"Czcibor!" She yelled for the Lieutenant as she dismounted, hand reaching into a satchel for the first aid kit. She was at the boy's side as he pushed himself up on to all fours. "It's OK," she said, knowing the words were meaningless but hoping the tone was not, "you're safe."
	He pushed off forward, trying to stumble to his feet like a bad sprinter. His bare foot slipped on moss, body crashing to the ground again. Dark blood dripped from his hand.
	"Easy there," Shanna said. She put her hands on either side of his head, forcing him to look at her. His black eyes with their white pupils were wide with fear. "It's OK. You're safe." Again she turned towards where she knew the others were. "Czcibor!"
	"I'm here," the lean soldier said, running up. Shanna saw a large dent in his breastplate, which had not been there earlier. "All dead, no captives."
	"Good." A prisoner would have been nice, but she thought they'd get all they needed from their target. "Help me with him."
	The Elf stared at the two as they helped him to his feet. It was just Shanna's luck Anelie had her only half decent Elven-speaker with her. She handed the medic pack to Czcibor, indicating his hand.
	"Do you speak Polish, Boy?" Obviously not. "Do you speak Kikker?" That, really, was the extent of her knowledge of Kikker, a pitiful state of affairs. Language just wasn't her thing. She was lucky Polish had come so quickly to her. Seeming to relax, he shook his head again. He tensed as more riders approached. Shanna looked up at her men.
	"Good work. I want the bodies stripped, disposed of. Nicefor, ride into the village. I want that trader family woken, whoever speaks the best Elven brought to the fort. Tell them we'll pay for their services, naturally."
	Two more of her men dismounted, she motioned them over to take charge of the boy.
	"Then, we'll see if this is another messenger for the Elven Queen."

Chapter 13

	Felek groggily sat up, the smell of breakfast filling his nose.
	Or, rather, he tried to sit up. Something was on his chest. Not something heavy, or really restraining, but it was just enough to require more effort than he was willing to put into moving at that moment. He opened his eyes. Branches, leaves, a lightening but still dark sky. He'd have to lift his head to find out the problem.
	God, he really didn't want to move.
	"Morning." Anelie's voice helped cut through his fog. Rolling his head to the left a bit, he saw her leaning against a tree, mug in hand. Her bedroll was already tied up, ready to be tied to her saddle. Klocia was beside her, the two obviously in the middle of some conversation. Both were sort of smirking at him. Why...?
	A groan came from his right. Ah. He knew that groan. With greater effort, he formed himself up into a sitting position, hands moving to grab the feminine arm thrown over his chest. He placed it beside the sleeping form of Ruta. This was not the first time he had found her beside him, despite her having bedded down over near the other women. She must have come over late, for him not to have noticed earlier. Chuckling, Felek found the energy to disengage completely, standing.
	"And good morning to you two, ladies," he said to the two soldiers. Klocia moved to a kettle beside the fire. Staying out of Jaromira's way as the woman stirred a large pot of porridge, she filled a mug with hot coffee. Felek accepted the drink gratefully. "Thank you."
	"I want to get an early start," Anelie told him. "We've lost too much time."
	"An actual destination would be nice." Felek took a sip. It was more warm than hot. "Maybe now that we have an actual representative of our patron Saint." He looked up in the tree. The bird was still there. "Shit. Has it moved at all?"
	"Only enough to prove it's alive."
	Ruta sat up with a groan, blonde braid looking more like a twisted mess.
	"Morning."
	"Any dreams from our friend Zywie?" Felek asked. She shook her head, blinking.
	"No. Not that I still remember." She looked up into the tree. "Hello, Zywie. Good morning to you."
	The bird didn't answer. Felek didn't know what he would have done if it had.
	"Mom?"
	There was something in James' voice which caught Felek's attention. His eyes found the boy, nude, standing next to his sister. She, too, looked worried. Zuza was grabbing his right hand with both of hers, as if she could pour all her strength into him, or hold him back from whatever fate awaited. Adanya rose from the cooking fire, swiftly coming to his aid.
	"What's the matter, Baby?" She knelt down on one knee before him, eyes level with his.
	"I hurt."
	Felek found himself walking over, feet moving quickly. Both Anelie and Ruta were with him.
	"Where do you hurt?" Adanya ran her hands over her son's flat chest. He grabbed them, moving her hands between his ribs.
	"Inside."
	Panic flashed across her face, quickly replaced by motherly calm. She smiled.
	"It's going to be OK. It's good you told me. We'll make you better. Zuza, could you get the basket, Honey?" Her daughter was off instantly, bare feet ignoring the rocks and twigs as she went to the wagon. Anelie knelt down beside them.
	"Can I do anything?"
	"Do you know where Bogdi is?" There was worry in Adanya's voice.
	"He'll be back in a few minutes. I think he wanted to check to see if one of the plants you might need grew down by the stream before we moved on."
	"Ah, yes. We don't need that one now, but..."
	Zuza was back, basket in hand. Standing beside her brother, shoulder touching his, she handed it to her mother.
	"Can I do anything else? Anything?"
	"Not now, Honey." Adanya set the basket on the ground, opening the lid. Anelie reached out, touching the young girl.
	"Give your brother a hug."
	She did so. Felek felt a twinge of... wrongness at the sight, the two children embracing while nude. He shoved it aside. His Grace had taught him better than that. These were children. More, they were half Kikker, and their mother's people did not feel about nudity as the Polish did. There was nothing immoral, nor sexual. Did he not want these surviving siblings to comfort each other?Embarrassment at his own stupidity flowed through him. Felek cleared his throat, hoping no one noticed.
	"What do you need, Adanya? Should we head into the city?"
	"I need..." She rooted through the various packets of flowers and leaves. She pulled one out, considering. Carefully written words labeled the white cloth packet.
	Felek saw fluttering movement from the corner of his eye.
	The blue bird fluttered down from its branch, the black of its under-wings mixing with the brownish orange of their tops in a strange blur. It flew past him, Felek reflexively stepping to his left.
	Adanya sat back, startled, as the bird landed gently on the edge of the basket. It looked between her and her son, black eyes regarding the pair. James wet his large lips, face uncertain.
	"M-mom?"
	The bird fixed its gaze on him. Its head cocked, dark blue beak opening and closing. The boy cocked his own head, as if to keep their eyes locked. Felek saw his face calm.
	"Zywie?" Adanya's voice was soft. Almost pleading. The blue bird turned its head to her. "Please. Help him. Help both of them." Its head cocked again.
	With a hop, the bird dropped into the basket. Felek stepped closer, as did Ruta and Anelie. A moment later it jumped up, wings extending briefly as it hovered before landing once again on the basket edge. In its mouth, a purple flower.
	"Really?" Adanya frowned.
	"What is it?" Anelie asked. Adanya shook her head.
	"It helps you breathe. Opens the lungs... oh!" Her eyes widened. "Oh! Of course! I never would have thought of that!" She slowly extended her hand towards the bird, palm up. The small flower dropped onto her fingers. "Thank you, Zywie." She bowed. The bird bowed back. "Zuza, bring James a cup of water."
	The girl leapt into action. Ruta dropped down onto one knee beside Adanya.
	"Thank you, Zywie."
	Its head cocked, regarding her. It then seemed to look over at Ofure near the fire. Its gaze swung between the two girls.
	"Mom! Here!" Zuza slid to a stop beside her brother, holding a cup. Adanya stood, smiling.
	"Thank you, Zuza. Hold it out." Adanya crumbled the dried flower into the cup. "James, drink this down. All of it."
	"Yes, Mom." Zuza had the cup at his lips before he could even get his hands on it. "Thanks." Letting her do the work, he closed his eyes as Zuza slowly tipped the cup, its contents flowing into him.
	"Will he need anything else?" Adanya asked their benefactor. "I mean, right now? Is he well enough to travel?"
	With a flap of its wings, the bird leapt into the sky. Felek's eyes followed it. It landed on a branch at the northern edge of their camp, the tree sitting beside a stretch of flat ground heading north. Anelie let out a groan.
	"So much for our nice, flat road."

****

	The bird had settled itself on top of the second wagon, yellow talons digging into the wooden support arching over the now uncovered cargo section. Anelie found herself constantly glancing back.
	A bird. A bird-god. Or, perhaps, a God-Bird. She wasn't worshiping a bird. No. No way. That was silly.
	She looked away. Whatever the hell their feathered friend was, thinking bad thoughts about it probably wasn't a good idea. They needed its help. Needed this Zywie's help. Her eyes looked back. James was sitting under the bird, looking up, his sister behind him. Her arms were wrapped around the boy as he leaned back against her. The bird had picked out medicine. Had set them on this path.
	That was all that mattered.
	The trail before them was unmarked by any wheel or hoof. It was simply flat, lightly grassed dry land heading northward through the trees. Anelie frowned. It wasn't... natural. Wagon trails, dirt paths, those she expected in the world. This was something else. Was there a road under them, long buried? Or had the forest just... created this?
	"This is weird," Felek said as he rode beside her. Anelie nodded.
	"I was just thinking that."
	"I mean... it FEELS different. You get that? It's like we entered some kind of magical forest."
	"Yeah." She could see it, now that he pointed it out. There was an unreality around them. The trees were the same, the plants, the grass. Yet...
	"I wonder if we're still in the same place," he said. She looked at him. "I mean, if we turned around, would we end up back at the road? Or did we pass through some magical gate back there?"
	"It must have been after we broke camp, if that happened. It would be helpful if we skipped weeks of travel. Don't know how we'd get back, though."
	The road curved to the east. Through the trees, Anelie thought she saw the banks of the stream they had camped near.
	"It's a magical stream," Felek said, laughing. "That's it."
	"Sounds good to me."

****

	It was noon when they found themselves in a small clearing. The road had swung yet again towards the stream, fresh water only a minute's walk away. Almost as if it was a planned campsite. Anelie did not know if this made her happy, or wary.  She looked again at the bird, now up in a tree branch. Wary it was.
	"Sis." She paused before dismounting, her brother riding up. His expression was serious. She straightened in her saddle.
	"What is it?"
	"Come with me, while they get settled." He turned to Felek. "Both of you."
	They rode back past the wagons. Anelie noticed those soldiers who had been in the rearguard seemed a bit more wary than they should be. Her eyes swept the woods. The danger could not be imminent, or Bogdi would have sounded the alarm. Following the grassy road, the three re-entered the forest.
	The road vanished.
	Anelie reined in, startled. Her mount, too, reared up a bit, a tree suddenly before him. She looked back. The others were there, preparing lunch in a sun drenched circle of greenery. The path continued on, heading northward.
	"What...?"
	"She's creating it," Felek said, awe in his voice. "The bird. Zywie. She's making the path. Letting us through."
	"Is that good or bad?" Anelie asked.
	"Better than a God trying to stop us. Obviously, we can't turn around and go home now."
	"I would not let you, Sir." Bogdi's voice was more serious than Anelie had ever heard it. He wasn't even looking at Felek. Felek nodded, seeming to not take offense.
	"I understand. And so long as there is hope, we go forward." He gave his mount a quick kick, pulling its head to the left. "Come on, let's join the others."

****

	Felek wished the King was there.
	He sat on the grass, Ruta beside him, her soft body leaning against his. A half eaten apple and a few cheese crumbs lay in his lap.
	He was out of his depth.
	His Grace would have known what to do. Known how to deal with this... this magical bird. With a quest which was quickly becoming far beyond what Felek could understand.
	Felek took a deep breath. He had to think like King James. What would he do?
	Not panic, for one. His Grace never panicked. He thought. He considered. The man he almost thought of now as a father, despite him only being around a decade older, would not rush into judgment. So, too, Felek must wait and see. Wait and observe their new guardian. Be prepared to flee, to fight, if need be, but also to accept this unknown being as an ally. A friend.
	Issa plopped down on the grass beside Felek, a large beetle in his hand. He tossed it into his mouth, crunching into his lunch. The teen grimaced.
	"When are we getting some FRESH food?"
	"Got me," Felek shrugged. "If we're too long on this road, we may have to pause and do a day of hunting. Maybe you and Ofure can find some good bugs."
	"Ofure." Issa scoffed, swallowing. "She's ignoring me now. Have you noticed?"
	"No." Truth was, Felek hadn't paid much attention to the girl.
	"One minute she's throwing herself at me, thanks to a certain long-haired blond." He gave Ruta a hard stare. The gaze she returned was just tired. Issa shook his head. "The next, she's as silent as a worm." He pulled another beetle out from somewhere, contemplating the food. It was long dead, Felek saw, dried and preserved. Probably with some seasoning. "At least Cyla's still talking to me. That's something."
	Felek glanced over at the female soldiers. They were settled in a small group, with two of the older male guards. Not seeing Klocia, he shifted his gaze. She was with Anelie and the two kids, playing some sort of game it looked like. He was tempted to go over and join them.
	"She's saving herself." Ruta's voice was as tired as her face. Felek put an arm around her as Issa frowned.
	"What do you mean?"
	"Ofure told me that Kikker who serve the spirits must be pure. Virgin. She feels now that she was called to serve Zywie, she can't be... tempted by you." Ruta's voice became livelier as she said that, lips curling up in a smile. "You're too much of a male for her to resist, Issa."
	Issa let out a scoff, tossing the beetle into his mouth. He spoke as he chewed.
	"That's a stupid rule."
	"I don't recall any, well, monks or nuns in Visvang," Felek said, trying to think. Issa nodded.
	"Nope. There are no holy places on the island, so no need for any of those. Good thing, too. Spirits bring trouble. Stronger clans gather around them, vying for their influence. Chief Ajani keeps us free because there is nothing there that would bring others."
	Felek nodded. That made sense.
	"Besides," Issa went on, grabbing the flask of water resting between him and Felek, "we can't afford to have females keeping themselves 'pure' due to some spirit. There are few enough pretty ones in the village as it is."
	Again, Felek understood. The small Kikker community had grown in the five years since King James had settled the Poles on Nowy Poland, tadpoles seeming to fill more breeding pools every year, but their numbers were still small. The oceans took an annual toll on the brave fishermen. A trickle of Kikker immigrants had started to appear, word of the prosperity the alliance between His Grace and Chief Ajani had created spreading, but that brought its own problems.
	Everything, His Grace had told James, seemed to bring problems.
	Felek suddenly realized something. He looked at Ruta.
	"You can't serve Zywie, can you?'
	"Why do you say that?" Her voice was surprised, angry. She freed herself from his arm, turning her body to face him. Years of experience with her coming into play, Felek chose his words carefully.
	"Well, if you have to be a virgin to serve Zywie, then..."
	"Oh!" He saw her blush. The first he had seen in days. "Well, that doesn't matter for me. Probably doesn't matter for Ofure. She's just being silly. I could still hear her with the necklace after we, you know..." Her eyes made Felek suddenly grow a bit inside his pants. He vowed then and there to find a time and place for the two of them to be alone. "So, I don't think that matters."
	"Mind you," Issa quickly said, "I don't mind her leaving me alone. I kind of like it. I just like to know what's going on, that's all."
	Felek let out a tired chuckle.
	"Don't we all."

Chapter 14

	Anelie was beginning to think she had lost her mind.
	They had been traveling three days up this magical path. Or so her memory told her. She was unsure. Anelie remembered stopping twice to sleep, setting up camp near a stream very like the one where they had started. They woke. They traveled. They rested. Conversations became rarer.
	It was like she was in a dream.
	Maybe she was dreaming. It would explain what she thought she was now sensing. Anelie glanced to the left again. While their mounts and wagons were traveling at a quick, but normal, gait, far from the road the trees seemed to blur. Almost as if...
	"Do you see it?" Felek's question caused her to release a breath Anelie hadn't known she was holding. She nodded.
	"Yes."
	"I... I almost think it has been doing it from the beginning. That I've seen it, but NOT seen it. I can't explain."
	She nodded again. Relief was flowing through her.
	"I know. Me too. What's going on?"
	"It's almost as if..." He paused. Anelie looked at him. The fuzz of new whiskers sprouted from his chin. Her own thoughts crystallized.
	"As if the ROAD is moving through the forest."
	"Yes!" He looked at her, excited. She heard the men riding behind them whispering to themselves. "It's like we're walking on a boat while it travels swiftly down a river!"
	"A boat that keeps losing its stern and getting more room at the bow." Anelie looked back along the column. "That almost makes less sense than the other thing."
	"None of it makes sense." Felek just shook his head. "Why haven't we seen it before?" Anelie glanced up at the bird, perched as it always seemed to be on the second wagon. Felek followed her gaze. "Ah, yes," he chuckled. "There is that."
	"And we dare not question too much."
	He glanced at her.
	"For now."

****

	It was approaching noon. Felek knew that, even as the forest canopy hid the exact position of the sun. Soon they would come to a clearing, an open space almost identical to the others. The stream would still be nearby. Another day, exactly like the one before.
	His mind was clearer, at least. The mental fog came and went, like waking from a dream to find the dream was reality. Felek was now back in reality.
	Maybe.
	Anelie shifted in her saddle beside him. He glanced at the girl. If he wasn't with Ruta, and if the redhead had any interest in, well, males, Felek thought he might be falling for her. Certainly, he now thought of her as a friend. She was smarter than Ruta. More...
	Felek laughed to himself. Best not to go down that road.
	"Do you feel it?" Anelie asked. She looked at him, green eyes serious. Felek looked around, straightening in his saddle. What had she...
	Something had changed.
	The trees.
	"The trees are different." He looked at her. She was now looking around as he had, slowly nodding.
	"You're right." They both swept their gazes over the surrounding forest. The trees were older. Darker. Their branches spread over the travelers blocking out more of the sun. Even as Felek comprehended that, the world darkened. As if noticing the cause created the effect. The path, too, had changed. Gone was the grassy road that should not be. In its place lay a trail like any other, ground flattened by animals and intelligent beings alike. He frowned. "Should we stop?"
	"Look up ahead."
	Felek focused. The trail was leading towards a patch of light. A break in the trees.
	"Finally." More of the mental fog lifted away, replaced by wariness. Anelie, too, seemed to share it. She looked behind them.
	"Klocia! Cyla! Scout up ahead!"
	"Yes, Lady!" Felek felt a chuckle rising up in him as the two rode past, long braids flapping behind them. At the start of all this, he would have thought Anelie considered the girls the most expendable. Now it was almost as if it was they who were the most trusted, and the men who were to be battle fodder. Well, most of them. Lewy would never be risked stupidly.
	That would annoy his wife.
	For a brief moment the two riders were framed by the gateway of light. They then vanished, moving into the world beyond. Felek looked behind, to the wagons. Ruta still seemed to be in a fog, her eyes even from here glazed over. Issa, however, was alert. His hands gripped the reins tightly, large eyes flicking around them. The solders riding between Felek and the wagons were wary as well. They were also excited. Felek thought he saw relief that, finally, something was happening. He lifted his eyes, looking through the first uncovered wagon to the one beyond.
	The bird was gone.
	"Halt!" He raised his arm, fist closed. Pulling hard on his reins, he set his mount running back down the column. He pulled up hard next to the second wagon, Jaromira pulling back on the reins as Adanya and Ofure regarded him with surprise.
	"What's the matter?" Adanya asked. Bogdi appeared on the opposite side of the wagon, his hulking figure frowning on his mount. Felek pointed above her head.
	"Where is Zywie?"
	They all looked up. Both kids appeared behind their mother, hands grabbing her shoulders. Anelie brought her eyes back down to meet his, shocked.
	"She's gone!" Anelie turned to her kids. "Did you two see her leave?"
	"No!" Zuza shook her head violently. James just sat there, dazed. Felek sent his gaze at the surrounding forest, scanning the tree branches.
	"Fuck."
	"I agree," Anelie said, riding up beside him. "Looks like we've been abandoned."
	"Should we..." Felek stopped himself. Both scouts were coming back. He raised an arm, signaling. "What news?" he yelled.
	"A valley!"

****

	Anelie looked at the world spread out before them.
	The valley was long, a gouge cut out of the Earth. The ground dropped off sharply before her, falling downward towards a distant ribbon of blue and green. The river which cut through the valley floor was meandering, seemingly slow moving. She saw no white between its banks, no sign of rapids. Lush grasslands flanked it, the sparse trees looking to her like those that gave apples, pears. Her mouth watered.
	"It's beautiful," Zuza said beside her. Anelie nodded, hand going to her niece's shoulder. It was. Not quite a paradise, but after weeks of travel...
	Her eyes drifted north-west, following the river towards its unseen source. She sensed, somehow, that was their destination. The lake. The tower. Hope.
	The sky above was clear, only the faintest wisp of clouds. Anelie raised her hand, shading her eyes as she looked up. She suddenly felt the heat, sweat bursting from her body. Days of cool forest travel must be making her body react to the now glaring sun. She grimaced, feeling the sweat trickle down her back under her armor. Things were going to get uncomfortable. It looked cool down by the river, though. She lowered her gaze, contemplating. They had to get down there...
	"Sis."
	Her brother's voice was unsure. She looked at Bogdi. He stood beside his wife, son James before him. Lifting a hand from his son's shoulder, Bogdi pointed upward.
	"Look at the sun."
	She looked up again. Yes. The sun. It was high, the shadows short. Noon. They'd take a break before going on.
	Anelie heard Felek gasp.
	Quickly turning to him, she saw her friend looking up, wide eyes. She frowned.
	"What?"
	"It's too high!"
	"What do you mean?" She looked up again. The sun looked as it always did. Not that she paid much attention to the glowing yellow-orange ball, usually just using the shadows to tell the time...
	Her gaze shot down to a nearby rock. Its shadow was short. TOO short, even for noon. Confusion flowed over her. She shook her head.
	"What the hell?"
	"How far did we travel?" Felek almost whispered. She shot him a look. The eyes that met hers were filled with wonder. "The farther north you go, the higher the sun is! Look at how HIGH it is! That's not three day's travel! It's not even three WEEKS! Where the hell are we?!" His gaze swung around them. Hers, too. She shook her head again.
	"I don't understand. How can the sun be higher?"
	"The world is a ball", Adanya said. She moved her hands to cup the sides of James' head, as if it was round. He giggled as her pinkies tickled his cheeks. "We live near the bottom. To those living around the middle, the sun looks to be right overhead, so the closer we get to there..."
	Anelie raised a hand to her forehead. She understood, but understanding did not bring comprehension. Whatever.
	"So," she said, "we magically traveled far ahead. We kind of already knew that. So, nothing's changed."
	"There's a way to tell where you are using the sun," Felek said. "His Grace told me about it. You can tell how far north or south you are. You need a chart and a special device. I wish we had one."
	"Why don't we?" Issa asked. Felek chuckled.
	"It doesn't exist yet. His Grace has it on his list of things our smartest people have to re-create from his memory." His shoulders slumped a bit. "It's an incredibly long list."
	Anelie caught his eye. She understood. Shanna had her own list, probably just as long. Much of what her love had told her over the years had just gone over Anelie's head. She should have listened. Paid more attention. Maybe if she had focused more on Shanna's old life...
	Felek came up beside her. He had removed his helmet, hair already damp with sweat. Ruta held the discarded steel cap, free hand clutching his arm possessively. He nodded towards the wagons.
	"It's too steep to get them down here. We have to find a path into the valley."
	"Agreed." She looked again northwestward. "We should look upstream. I think that's the way we should go." Anelie then blinked, remembering. She looked at Ruta. "Is your necklace working again?"
	"No." The blonde shook her head. "I still feel her, though. She's close."
	"North?"
	Ruta nodded.
	"North."

****

	They found a path a half mile up the valley. Felek stood at its start, eyes tracing the not quite gently sloping ground. You could not tell if the trail did, in fact, descend all the way to the valley floor. Nor could he accurately judge its steepness. He took a few steps onto it, the path descending parallel to the hillside. He almost thought it was a constructed road, eroded away from disuse. Anelie frowned beside him.
	"Steep."
	"Don't know if the wagons can do it." He looked back. The wagons were light, the four horses pulling each strong, but they would be holding the wagon back more than pulling it as they headed downward. "Could be dangerous."
	"I don't want to give up the wagons." Anelie frowned in thought. Felek looked to the soldiers standing in small groups around them.
	"Maybe we can detach the teams, have your men bring the wagons down. They'd have more control of the things."
	"Hmm." Anelie looked down the trail again. "It's an idea."
	"Let's scout it out first, though."
	"Agreed."

****

	The two slowly walked down the earthen ramp. It would have been better to send soldiers down, or even those who had driven the wagons for the past few weeks. They would have had a better feel for what the horses could handle. Felek wanted to do it himself. Just wanted to... well, spend some time away from the others. Even just for an hour. It was silly, he knew, but as soon as the wagons were out of sight he let out a content sigh. He'd enjoy the illusion of privacy while he could.
	That Anelie walked beside him did not change his mood. If anything, it enhanced it. They had talked, often, but always with the knowledge that every word would be heard by all. Not that Felek had any secrets with regard to the woman. But, he could be more himself. Not consider the effect of his words on those around them before speaking.
	"Be careful!" Ruta's voice drifted down to them. Anelie grinned at Felek.
	"No!" She yelled back. He laughed.
	"Now you've done it. She'll try and come down."
	"Naw. Bogdi won't let her."
	Felek glanced up. Ruta was leaning over the hillside, waving. He waved back. Having seen his acknowledgment, she disappeared from view.
	"I'm starting to get worried about this road," Anelie said. She stopped. Felek could not help but nod. It was getting steeper. Worse, this part was narrower than was probably safe. Moving to the edge, he paced off the width.
	"We have a whole two feet extra. I don't see why you're worried."
	"You're right. That's more than enough." She smiled. "Let's go on."

****

	"What do you think she's going to want from us?" Felek asked. "When we get to her, I mean."
	Anelie shrugged, eyes going again to the point where the river appeared from behind a distant hillside.
	"Don't know. I'm afraid Adanya's going to pay it, though. Whatever it is. Bogdi, too."
	"I have orders from the King." She glanced at him. He nodded. "There is a... limit to what he will do, to save the kids. I'm supposed to prevent promises from being made he would have to honor."
	"I think my brother knows that." She kicked a stone. It bounced down earthen ramp. "I... there's limits to what I'll let him do, too." She felt a hand on her shoulder. Anelie wished she had no armor, that mere fabric and not metal stood between their contact. Reaching up, she put her hand on his. "I love James. Loved all the children. But my brother is more important to me. To lose him..."
	"I know."
	They both separated their hands at the same moment. Anelie felt herself blush. She put her hand on the hilt of her sword, needing to do something with it. She sought a change of subject.
	"What will you do after this?"
	"Whatever His Grace asks." She glanced at him. Felek's expression was serious. "I owe my sister's life to him. I will follow him forever."
	"Will you serve at the palace?"
	"For a while, probably. He'll give me a position once Ruta and I are wed." He looked into the sky, towards the sun. "I want to travel. See more of the world. Maybe His Grace will make me an Envoy. From the training he has given me, I think it's likely." His gaze returned to her. "You?"
	"I'm a soldier." She shrugged. "I will do whatever Shanna asks."
	"What if..." Felek paused, stopping. Anelie jerked herself to a stop as well.
	"What?"
	"Damn."
	"What if damn?"
	"Look." He pointed ahead. She looked. A groan escaped her.
	"Damn."
	"Exactly."
	The path doubled back on itself, continuing down parallel to what they had just traveled. The turn was abrupt, impossible to make at any speed. Neither would it be possible for a horse drawn wagon to maneuver onto the new path. Anelie leaned over the edge where they stood, looking at what she could now recognize as roadway.
	"At least it does continue. If we came upon a cliff, the entire trail would be useless."
	"We're about, what, not quite half way down?" Felek looked down, then up. He nodded.
	"Two fifths, maybe. Should we continue on?"
	"Do you want to?"
	"Nope," Felek said. She nodded.
	"Yeah. There's no point. The slope down towards the valley floor looks gentler, so as long as the trail gets that far we'll be OK. Now that we won't have the wagons hitched up, at least." She let out a sigh. "Ah, well. My men need their exercise."

****

	The wagons were stripped of all the goods which could be transferred to horseback. Boxes were broken open, their contents wrapped in blankets and thrown over the mounts. Abandoning the wagons had always been a possibility, the packing done with that in mind. Only the large casks bought in Ofure's home town were too large to carry any distance. A few were only half full, but there was nothing to transfer the contents into.
	Anelie held her mount Toria's reins. Her soldiers were dismounted as well. There would be no risking an overburdened beast.
	"I still don't think," Felek said, "we need to leave guards with the wagons. I don't like dividing us."
	"We can handle ourselves, Sir," Cyla said, hand on her sword hilt. The other three women nodded. Anelie felt proud of them. Felek chuckled.
	"Oh, I'm sure you can. Just remember you are more important than the wagons."
	"Once we're at the bottom setting up camp," Anelie said, looking at Klocia, "I'll send Lewy and a team up to help you bring these guys down."
	"Yes, Lady." Klocia saluted. Anelie returned it. Felek turned to the others.
	"OK, let's move out."

****

	The going was slow. While the valley was not all that deep, the path down turned a twenty minute walk into an hour trudge. Anelie kept them single file, not quite trusting the edge of the trail. As they descended, the air cooled. It also got louder. The sound of insects began to fill their ears. Anelie could see a small inlet beside the river, ducks swimming in the calm water. Maybe they could do some hunting. Get some fresh meat for dinner.
	First things first. As they neared the valley floor, Anelie looked over the area. The trail ended in a large patch of grassland, perhaps a hundred yards from the river. The river itself was not that wide, perhaps fifty yards across at the closest point. It widened farther down stream, where a patch of trees closed in on its banks.
	"Mommy! Can I eat it?" Anelie looked back at Zuza. She was pointing to something on a bush beside the path. Adanya shook her head, smiling as she took Zuza's arm and lowered it.
	"No, Honey. See that yellow band on its tail? Never eat anything with that band. It will make your tummy hurt. Yellow is bad. Remember that."
	"Is orange OK?" James pointed to a different bush. Issa's eyes lit up.
	"Oh, yes! How many wings does it have?"
	"Four!"
	"Oh, those are GOOD eating, James! If I was over there, you'd have to fight me for it!"
	The boy's hand darted out. His sister jumped up and down.
	"You got it!"
	"Here. I'll split it with you." Anelie saw him snap something with his hands, giving a piece to Zuza. The two started walking again.
	Anelie could not help but smile. They were good kids.
	They all had been.

****

	The path ended.
	Felek let out a sigh of relief. They were on the valley floor. One step closer to their goal. More immediately, one step closer to a good hot meal and some sleep. He had re-learned that aspect of travel: you took your pleasure where you could.
	"I want the animals unloaded!" Anelie commanded, starting on her own beast. "Leave them saddled for now! Lewy, get some food and drink in your men then head back up!"
	"Are seven plus the four girls going to be enough?" Felek asked. She shrugged. "Worse comes to worst, they bring one wagon down at a time. There's time enough before nightfall for us to make two trips. We're not going anywhere else today."
	He nodded. She looked around them.
	"Plus, if you didn't like leaving just four up there, I like leaving us down here with fewer troops even less."
	"Same here."
	He walked over to Ruta. She sat on a rock, dress raised above her knees. She bent herself over, rubbing her calf muscles.
	"Here, let me do that." Felek knelt down, taking her bare leg in his hands. She let out a groan of pleasure.
	"Oh, god. Thank you."
	"You've had it too easy, riding all this time."
	"I've walked as much as you have."
	He didn't argue the point. Felek dug his fingers into her muscles, extracting another groan. He'd have to remember this for later. Not, he felt, that after this adventure was over his love would be up for more travel.
	That sobered him. He looked up at Ruta. She was not soft. Had never, seriously, complained. Maybe... maybe she would accompany him on his travels. He did not want to marry, then leave his wife for weeks, months at a time. He knew of some who did that. It just did not seem... right.
	"Ruta." She opened her eyes, expression one of contentment.
	They then shot open.
	Felek whirled, rising to his feet.
	A half-dozen green-skinned creatures were coming out of the trees, spears in hand.
	Elves.

Chapter 15

	King James dismounted before the mountainside door.
	The rain was coming down hard, hitting his covered head painfully. He could have taken a covered carriage out to fortress. Even enjoyed a nice boat ride down the Anne river. But, no. He had insisted on traveling by horse, the light misty rain at the start of their journey refreshing in the hot afternoon.
	Silly King.
	Still, it had kept this meeting a bit more secret. Few had seen them leave the palace. With their hooded rain ponchos, fewer still would have recognized the King, nor that one of his companions was an Elf. That was certainly worth an hour's discomfort.
	Far dismounted beside him. The Elves under Polish protection had taken to horses rather quickly, the somewhat shorter stature of the males not a handicap when it came to controlling the beasts. Not that riding was new to the green skinned race: the wolf-like creatures they rode into battle were quite fierce. According to Far, though, horses were much better for actual transportation, more versatile. Only cultural pride had kept the Elves from breeding their own herds.
	That had sobered the King. After the fall of Nowy Kiev, there would certainly have been enough horses roaming free for any who wished to gain some breeding stock, but perhaps he should do more to protect one of the few advantages humans had here.
	He approached the steel door. The dark slab of metal was set into the rock face, free of ornamentation. Two guards stood on either side, steel helmets offering little protection from the rain. As they came to attention, James could not help but chuckle.
	"A guardhouse is probably needed here, I see."
	"It's just rain, Your Grace."
	"If you insist," he told the guard. The look on the man's face told him he was already regretting his words. "Let them know I'm here."
	The guard took out his knife, banging the hilt on the door in a well recognized pattern. James could not help but silently sing along.
	"Shave and a hair cut..."
	The door swung inward. light spilling out into the darkened afternoon. An officer stood in the stone passage, bowing.
	"Welcome, Your Grace. This way."

****

	Of all his projects, this had been the most long-term. Probably also the most important, for all James hoped it would never be needed. He walked down the passage, stone floor smooth but both walls and ceiling still as rough as when they had been first carved out. As he always did, James compared the amount of work which had been done to the amount still required. To the work elsewhere which could provide a more immediate benefit.
	He still wanted this fort.
	The island of Nowy Poland was surrounded, for most of its coastline, by mountains. Not impassible mountains, by any means, although much was cliff sides. They did, however, serve to funnel invaders towards certain approaches. Any would-be attacker would be inclined to try for the southern harbor, or the Kikker village of Chief Ajani on the western tip of the island. Defenses for each were planned, stone walls already rising around the southern inlet. That left the Anne river, with its canal and lock providing access to the capital itself.
	James and his companions entered the first room. It wasn't that large, yet. Most of the walls had not been touched, the natural cave it had been still clearly evident. Work had been done, though. The original mountainside opening had been altered, shaped. Fortified. Two large ballistas pointed out, their deadly bolts aimed at the river below. Their crews stood at attention, both the uniforms and unit badges brand new. He nodded to them.
	"At ease, men." They relaxed, a bit. "How are the accommodations?"
	"Good, Your Grace." The sergeant looked at his men, who nodded in agreement. "Nothing we can't adapt to."
	"Good. We don't want to make it TOO cozy," James said, smiling. This elicited a chuckle from both the soldiers and his guards. "But, let us know what you need. We're still designing this place, and there's still time to make changes."
	"Yes, Your Grace."
	Nodding to them again, James walked to another partly carved passage.
	Gunpowder.
	That's what they needed. Gunpowder. Explosives to hurry the construction of this fort. To help in mining. And, yes, to give them cannons.
	For most of his time in this world, James had been worried about introducing such things. An arms race upsetting the balance of power, caused by him and him alone, just seemed wrong. However, time and experience had changed his mood. For all he knew, explosives DID exist in this world. It was vast, it's people varied. Nations kept secrets. To find his people facing guns and cannons unprepared, when he himself had the ability to arm them himself... well, he could not face that possibility.
	The fact he did not, himself, know how to make gunpowder had in its own way made the choice easier. James had recently told those much smarter than him the concept, the ingredients needed. Warned them of the dangers in gunpowder's creation. Then set them to work. Having his people develop it on their own, rather than receiving it as an unearned gift, somehow eased his conscience. This was not something they couldn't have done without him, if they had wanted to. If they had thought of it. He was just... inspiring them.
	They had already managed to accidentally blow up a table top. Work had become more cautious, yet productive, after that.
	Another steel door.
	James stopped, readying himself. Beside him, Far took a deep breath. James regarded the Elf.
	"You ready for this?"
	"You realize Catty is going to kill me when she finds out we kept her from this meeting." The Elf gave him a serious look. James just laughed.
	"Tell her it's both my fault, and you wanted to protect her. Besides," he added, "I think marriage vows have something in them saying you're not to kill your mate."
	"Not Elven ones."
	"You didn't negotiate with the Queen enough, then." James nodded to the guard at the door. "OK. Open it."
	The room was large, damp. Rock formations dropped down from the ceiling, whether stalagmites or stalactites he wasn't sure. The Poles had no name for them, so James was free to invent his own. He was considering "George". The floor had been smoothed, but that was, so far, the extent of the construction.
	Seated on a chair in the middle of the floor, lit by hanging lamps, sat an Elf.
	James regarded the stranger. Like Far, he was muscular, yet scrawny, a wiry strength hidden under dark green skin. His face was ugly, as if large scabs lay under his flesh. Pointed ears stuck up from his long black hair. The Elf was clad in thin brown leather armor, leather tunic becoming a kilt which barely covered his knees as he sat. James was glad the lamps left what was between his legs in shadow. The Elf's black eyes almost growled at the King. Smiling, James nodded his head slightly.
	"Good day to you."
	The stranger's eyes widened, his body straightening. A Pole speaking Elvish was obviously not expected. A guard placed a cushioned chair about ten feet in front of the Elf. Another placed an un-cushioned wooden chair to its left and slightly behind. James settled himself in the more royal seat, eyes staying on the not-quite prisoner. Far took the other.
	"My name is James," the King said, inclining his head again. "My companion is Far. And you are?"
	"I must speak to the Queen."
	That had been the only thing Shanna had been able to get out of him, since his "rescue" days earlier. No message had been found on his person, despite a close search of his clothing. No indication this was related in any way to the dead Elf from some unknown supporters of the Elven Queen. Yet...
	"You must speak to us first," Far said. His hands were on his knees, body leaning forward. "Her Majesty is not on good terms with her former countrymen."
	"I MUST speak to her!" The Elf mirrored Far's stance. "It is vital!"
	"I'm sure it is," James said, leaning back. "So is our desire to protect her."
	The look the Elf shot him was full of condescending hate. Ah, racism. It had given him so much joy to discover it had not just been humans who enjoyed that trait. James locked his fingers together in his lap, for something to do with them as much as for effect.
	"So." James smiled. "Tell us, at least, who you represent. Lots of different Elven groups out there, now, what with the civil war and all."
	The Elf took a deep breath. He let it out, appearance now calm. Almost, James thought, as if he was readying himself to give a prepared speech. Which, really, would probably be the case whatever his story. One did not head into the lion's den without some idea of what you would say to the hungry beast when you got there.
	"I am one of Her Majesty's supporters," the Elf said. "One of many who are tired of this endless war. Of the Generals who have destroyed our great nation. We need our Queen back, to lead us out of this darkness."
	"She would need an army," Far said. "There is not one here."
	The Elf shot a glance at James. He just smiled, saying nothing. The Elf looked back at Far.
	"The people would rise up! Overthrow the Generals! The Queen need only appear, call for their aid!"
	"They did nothing five years ago."
	"And they regret that! We had no idea what was happening until it was done! We need Queen Jaka to come back to us!"
	James did not react.
	The Elf didn't know only the younger daughter of the old Queen lived.
	What did that mean?
	First, it was another clear sign he did not represent the same group as the dead messenger. The hidden note had not named the Queen. In fact, the reading James had pulled from the text was a desperate hope that Catty's mother still lived. That those behind the letter knew nothing of her torture. The letter had also indicated the breakaway Elves had fled their homeland, finding sanctuary as far away as they could. They were not keeping low in the cities, just waiting for a Royal Messiah to come to them.
	That did not mean this Elf was lying. There could well be a rebellious group separate from the refugees. But why did they not know about Catty? Certainly, while the Poles were not telling Elves anything, neither was the identity of the Queen any kind of great secret. Some trader at some point most certainly heard the information. Was this a test for him? Was this Elf lying to see if he was corrected? Maybe there was doubt that the Queen was in fact alive and here.
	"Who were the ones pursuing you?" Far's question startled James from his contemplation. That had been a detail which had bothered both of them from the moment Shanna's message had reached the Palace. The odds that the Dark Hussar had arrived in time to see the mounted warriors chasing the Elf in front of them were slim, given no Elf could outrun those wolf-like creatures for long. Even through the forest, the Elven steeds were quick and nimble. Would the Elves sacrifice some of their own to get someone to the Queen? Perhaps. James doubted the soldiers in question had been informed of that part of the plan.
	"I do not know," the Elf shrugged. "Border guards, I assume."
	"You were far from the border, my friend."
	The door behind them opened. James turned, frowning. He had left instructions they were not to be disturbed. A messenger, poncho dripping water onto the stone floor, bowed.
	"Your Grace, I am..."
	Even as James tried not to wince at the use of his title in front of their mystery Elf, he heard the sound of two chairs clattering to the ground. Instinctively, he pushed himself backwards, not caring about appearances. Twisting his body, his right shoulder hit the stone floor. He rolled, turning as he did, bring himself up to his knees behind his now alert guards.
	Far stood, back to the King, his belt knife embedded in the chest of the now standing unknown Elf. Dark blood dripped to the floor. With a shove, Far pushed the twitching body away as he withdrew the knife. The Elf fell the floor with a thud.
	"That," said James, standing, "answers a few questions." Far nodded, eyes still on his fallen countryman. Pulling a cloth from somewhere in his uniform, he wiped his knife.
	"We will get no more answers, though."
	"And answers we need." Turning his back to the body, James walked past the incredulous messenger back into the bunker. Ignoring the ballista crews, he moved between the two mounted weapons. Putting his hands on the sill of the opening, he looked out into the rainy afternoon.
	Were there really supporters of Queen Catty out there?

****

	The two groups looked at each other across the grassy field.
	The six Elves at the forest edge were not a threat. Anelie had no doubt about that. Half her men now held bows, more than enough to drive off mere spearmen. It was what they represented which worried her.
	Felek came up beside her. Looking back, Anelie saw Ruta was now with the other women and children. And Issa, although he now held a sword. She had never seen the Kikker even practice with a blade. He'd be more of a danger to the civilians than the Elves.
	"Is there any place," Felek asked, tired disgust in his voice, "without Elves?"
	"They're like vermin," Anelie said. She let out a sigh, glancing up the steep hillside. "And our only Elvish speaker is up there."
	"Not your fault," Felek said. "I do agree, though, that we should try talking to them, first."
	"I don't necessarily agree with that." She sighed again, focusing on the intruders. "They do seem to be hunters rather than soldiers, though."
	"They're also talking to each other."
	True enough, the distant Elves had grouped together, seemingly in conversation. Frustration grew in her. Why had she insisted Klocia and the others stay with the wagons? Anelie needed her HERE, damn it! To call her down would require using the horn. That would alert everyone around them, and possibly be miss-interpreted. She clenched her fist.
	"What do you suggest, Felek?"
	"Probably," he said, pointing, "talking to the one walking towards us."

****

	Felek took a deep breath. And another. He had to relax.
	It was only Ruta's life, and everyone else's, that were in his hands.
	The Elven male came closer. He wore a leather tunic, dyed dark blue. His kilt was red, as dark as blood. A strange combination. Certainly, not one he associated with Elf  fashion. The Elf had left his spear behind, no belt knife or sword visible. His hair was cut short, pointed ears looking longer than those of the Elf Queen's companions. His expression was...
	Nervous.
	Anelie leaned her head in next to Felek's ear.
	"The uniform," she whispered. "It looks like..."
	"I know." It looked like the uniform of the dead messenger. His Grace had shown it to Felek, just before they had set off on this quest. Made him memorize it, so he could identify the Elf's companions. Not that it guaranteed that these where those. Uniforms meant nothing. Felek stepped forward, Anelie staying by his side. Her soldiers arranged themselves behind them, forming a wall around Ruta and the kids. As the Elf came closer, Felek spoke.
	"Hello."
	The Elf stopped. Felek had started off with Kikker, a good universal language so far. He knew a couple words of Elven, just enough to be meaningless in actual use. Mostly the swear words (Tae had found it far too amusing to teach Felek these even as he practiced his Polish with the boy). The Elf blinked, eyes unfocused, as if remembering.
	"Kikker..." His voice was deep, yet soothing. His eyes suddenly seemed to notice the non-Polish before him. "Kikker! And Polocks!"
	His words were Polish. Felek shot Anelie a startled glance. Her expression was incredulous.
	"You speak Polish?"
	"Yes. It is why I came to you." He looked around, unsure. "Why are Kikker and Polocks here? This is far from your lands."
	"Yours, too."
	"Yes." The Elf looked over his shoulder. Only four Elves now stood near the trees. The other must have been sent as a messenger. Felek didn't like this.
	"We are just passing through," he said, gesturing north west up the valley. "We wish no trouble."
	"We wish not to be troubled."
	"Did you send a messenger to our King?" Anelie's words made Felek wince. That was... too blunt. At least she had said "King", though.
	The Elf stepped back, as if slapped. His black eyes darted between the two Poles, breathing labored.
	"There... there is not time! They could not have gotten there and back this soon! What magic... is it HER magic?" He stepped forward, eyes gleaming. "Is she HERE? Is Her Majesty HERE?!"
	"No," Felek said, exchanging another glance with Anelie. "She is not here. We do not even know where 'here' is. Your messenger was killed on our border."
	"They... are dead?" His expression fell. Unable to help it, Felek reached out, clasped his shoulder.
	"Only one Elven male, dressed as you are, reached our border. We found him dead, with a note hidden in his clothing."
	The Elf closed his eyes.
	"My sister was one of those sent. I offered to go in her place, but she..."
	"I'm sorry." Felek began loosening the straps on the right side of his armor. Anelie frowned at him.
	"What are you doing?"
	"His Grace told me to keep this on me at all times. I think it's time to deliver it." Twisting his arm at a somewhat awkward angle, he reached under his breastplate. He found the flat envelope, attached with glue. Figuring only the contents mattered, he just ripped it out. The dirty white parcel came out, torn and worn. Widening the rip, Felek pulled out the sheets of paper. He held them out. "These are for you."
	"What are they?" the Elf asked, not touching them. Felek smiled.
	"A message from your Queen."

Chapter 16

	Felek looked up the hillside.
	The second wagon had reached the first turn of the trail, the half-dozen soldiers manhandling it around that tight bend. The other wagon was beside him, supplies already being re-loaded by Issa and Ofure.
	He hated this.
	The Elves had not been seen in two hours. Not since they had vanished with the note from their Queen. What did the note say? Felek had no idea. Nor did he know what their reaction would be. He DID know he didn't like not knowing. Were the Elves friendly? Were they safe here? They could not throw up defenses for their evening camp. There were no trees close, nor the manpower to bring the wagons, set pickets, AND construct even the most basic fortifications. And he wanted pickets. At least they had the slope behind them. That offered sort of a barrier, protecting one flank. The trail up also re-assured him, even if logically he had no idea how to get home from there once they retreated back to the top of the valley.
	Not that retreating was an option.
	"Felek."
	His eyes focused on Ruta. She came up to him, a steaming mug in hand. He took it, smiling.
	"Thanks."
	She maneuvered beside him, slipping his free arm around her, holding it against her chest like some sort of wrap. He squeezed her.
	"Mmmm," she purred. Ruta squirmed a bit, her arm pulling back between them, then wrapping around his waist. Felek took a long sip, then laughed.
	"I should take the armor off more often."
	"Yes. I don't like you in armor." She placed his hand over a breast. He squeezed. Only once had he touched it without the barrier of cloth. Maybe he SHOULD have bought her one of those Kikker outfits. The Kikker had it right: female breasts are far too beautiful to cover.
	He looked towards the fire. Jaromira and Adanya were just starting dinner, the kids helping. Ruta's hand squeezed his around her breast, then lifted his hand off.
	"I know," she said. "I have to help, too. I just wanted to bring you your drink."
	"Thank you." He leaned into her, lips touching hers. Both her arms grabbed Felek, who shot the hand holding his drink out as far away as possible as Ruta kissed him back. He closed his eyes, feeling her entire body pressed against his.
	Then she was gone. He opened his eyes, watching Ruta walk towards the fire. Her hips swayed beneath her blue dress. He took a deep breath, slowly releasing it.
	Who needed goddesses, when he had Ruta?

****

	Felek sat on a large rock protruding from the hillside. It put him about man high above the ground, giving the view before him a different perspective. He could half way convincingly say he was on watch, but truth be told he just wanted to sit. Think. Or, not think. There was too much to think about. Too many choices, while at the same time too few. Things were going too fast, yet too slow.
	Or he was just tired.
	The second wagon sat beside the first, the soldiers who had brought it down resting in the grass. Dinner was being prepared. The horses were grazing. There were no immediate problems.
	"So, you think you're above us, now, do you?"
	Anelie's voice made him smile. He looked down, raising his mug to her.
	"Just getting a new perspective on things."
	"Anything useful?" She began walking up the hillside. Felek scooted over on the rock. With an athletic move, she swung herself into the vacated spot.
	"Nope."
	"Darn."
	The wind shifted. Felek smelled dinner. He looked towards the river.
	"Should we stay here a day? Do some hunting and fishing? Fresh food would do us good."
	"No." He looked at Anelie. She shook her head, red braid swinging behind her. "We can suffer through dried and smoked food for a while longer. No delays." He nodded.
	"OK. I can live with that. I think we're close, anyway."
	"I know."
	They sat silently. Felek saw the two kids move away from the fire, plates in hand. Not needing any dinner bell, soldiers began making their way over. Anelie let out a sigh beside him.
	"I wish I knew what I was doing."
	"Same here."
	"What does the Queen's note say?"
	"No idea. His Grace didn't say."
	"Great." After a moment's pause, she groaned. "Oh, fuck."
	"What?"
	She pointed. From the patch of trees downstream, figures came into view. Felek climbed to his feet, Anelie rising beside him. He let out his own groan.
	"Couldn't they wait until after dinner?"
	Felek counted at least two dozen Elves, maybe even thirty. A bit over half were female. He could tell that, even from this distance, from the hair color. While males only had black hair, female Elves could have red, blue, green, or any other color so far as Felek knew. Princess Catty was the only female Elf Felek had seen, although he knew from soldiers who had seen her that the late older Princess, Jaka, had hair as blue as the sea. There even seemed to be children among the group. Not many, but a few. He had never seen Elven kids. Three wagons were being pulled by male Elves, as the group slowly headed towards them.
	"Well," Felek said, tossing his mostly empty mug down onto the grass below, "let's go see what they want." He carefully stepped from the rock onto the grassy slope, half stumbling down to the valley floor. Anelie's trip was much more graceful. Ruta, eyes worried, ran up to him with his armor in her hands. He shook his head.
	"Don't think I'll need it."
	"He can hide behind me." Anelie was tightening her breastplate, not having removed it. Her soldiers, too, were gearing up. "Let's meet them as far from camp as we can."
	"Agreed." Belting on the sword belt Ruta handed him, Felek gave Ruta a quick kiss. She turned away as soon as their lips parted, hurrying back to Issa and Ofure. He took a deep breath. "OK. Let's do this."

****

	The Elves stopped in the middle of the meadow, huddled together. They looked less imposing like that, resembling refugees more than a dangerous enemy. Felek and Anelie walked towards them, Klocia a few steps behind. There would be no secret talk in Elvish behind their backs if Anelie could help it.
	Three Elves began walking towards them. The male was the one who had talked to them earlier. Anelie recognized him, although she was not all that good telling Elves apart (she still got Det and Wan confused on the rare times she saw the Queen's companions). Flanking him were two women. Like Queen Catty, their skin was a light green, smooth, beautiful. Their faces were like porcelain dolls, eyes large, black, alien. They stood a bit taller than the male, long hair a light blue. Both wore simple white dresses, clean but worn. Anelie had the distinct feeling they were the leaders of this group.
	Both parties stopped a few yards apart. The Elven male bowed low.
	"Greetings. I am Qui." Qui motioned to the woman on his left. "This is Ves, our Tribe Mother. And this," he said, motioning to the other, "is Tre, her daughter and our Mystic." Both women nodded slightly. Anelie stayed as she was while Felek bowed his head.
	"I am Felek," he said, smiling. "Brother to the Queen of King James the First. This is Lady Anelie, Commander of our expedition." She nodded, slightly, as the three looked at her. The two women, especially, seemed interested. Female soldiers were... well, to hear Lady Shanna bitch about the Elf Queen, women such as they were obscene in Elven eyes. Some Polish eyes, too, but that just made every victory even sweeter.
	Felek paused, not introducing Klocia. She was just a soldier, after all. The three Elves seemed to be waiting. Anelie let out what she hoped would not be translated as an exasperated sigh. Felek chuckled beside her.
	"So," he said, casing a mirthful glance as Anelie before returning his attention to the Elves, "What can we do for you?"
	"We..." Qui bowed his head again. The women did not. "We wish to thank you for delivering to us the words of our Beloved Queen. We have read her message. Grieved for her Mother and Sister. Again, thank you."
	That was some pretty quick grieving. Anelie glanced behind them. All the Elves, male, female, child, stood with head bowed.
	"You are welcome," Felek said. "However, while I carried that message on the chance that our paths might cross, it is not why we travel. We have our own urgent quest, which we will be on again at first light." Anelie glanced westward. The sun had almost vanished below the valley ridge.
	"Our Beloved Queen has told us of your quest, although not what you seek. She has told us to assist you in any way. Thus, we shall travel with you."
	"No." The words were out of Anelie's mouth instantly. She shook her head, ignoring the raised eyebrow from Felek. "No. No way. I am not slowing us down by bringing hand pulled carts with us. We travel mounted. Time is of the essence. No, I'm sorry."
	Qui looked lost, her answer obviously unexpected. Now Anelie really wanted to know what that message had contained. What promises had been made. The two female Elves were giving her death stares, Anelie's hand going to her sword hilt instinctively. At their prodding, Qui quietly spoke in Elvish, probably translating her reply. The women spoke to him, tone commanding. He straightened.
	"May I ask," he said, "what your quest is?"
	"We seek a tower on an island on a lake," Felek said.
	Qui took a step back, horror on his face. He spoke sharply to his companions, their expressions mirroring his as comprehension came. Qui raised his right hand, thumb, middle, and pinky extended, like some ward against evil.
	"Why?" he gasped. "Why do you seek such an evil place?"
	"So you know it," Anelie said, dryly. All three nodded, not even needing the translation. "How far?"
	"Not... not even half a day's travel!"
	"Upstream?"
	"Y-yes!"
	Excitement surged through Anelie. Half a day! She wanted to break camp then and there, head off through the night! They were almost there! James and Zuza would live!
	"Thank you," Felek said, voice calmer than Anelie would have thought possible. "Your debt has been repaid."
	"No." Qui shook his head, the women speaking swiftly beside him. "No, we can not let you go into danger. Our Queen commanded us to protect you. This we MUST do! To prove our loyalty to Her!"
	"Our King, His Grace James the First, has commanded us to go to this place, to save the lives of those we hold dear. Our journey is for nothing if we do not continue." Felek crossed his arms over his chest. "We will not be stopped by creature, spirit... or Elf."
	"But a spirit you will find on Lake Bled! An evil spirit!"
	"What is evil to Elves, who cast us from our lands, may not be to us." Felek paused, letting out a laugh. "Not that we are sure of all this ourselves." He shook his head. "We're not getting anywhere. It is getting late. You came on us as we were about to eat. Make your camp where you stand. We will discuss this more across the evening fire."

****

	Anelie looked away as Bogdi held his sobbing wife.
	"What's wrong, Mommy?" The two children were at her side, tugging on her arms, eyes wide with fear. Adanya reached out, grabbing the nearest, Zuza, pulling her against her breasts. Bogdi, face composed but eyes wet, opened an arm to his son. James threw himself into his embrace.
	"Nothing's wrong," Bogdi said, hand caressing his son's back. "Mom's happy, that's all. I'm happy. We're almost there. You're going to be OK, James. We're going to make you well. Maybe even tomorrow."
	"Tomorrow?" Both kids looked up, startled. He nodded.
	"We could be at the tower tomorrow. After that," Bogdi said, pausing to kiss James on the forehead, "we make both of you well."
	Anelie wished she had the same confidence. They were there, yes, with only the problem of a bunch of Elves camped before them. But... what was in the tower? God? Spirit? Witch? Monster?
	Hope?
	"Little Sis." Anelie met Bogdi's eyes. He was trying to blink them dry, hands too occupied to wipe them. "I want to leave at first light. Before, even. Arrive as early as we can."
	"We can do that." She nodded, eyes glancing down at Adanya. "Few of us will be sleeping well tonight, anyways."
	"Yes."
	Anelie sighed, getting to her feet. Her brother needed some alone time with his family. She needed... well, there would be time for that later. Figuring it was now unneeded, she loosened her armor, lifting off the breastplate. She placed it in a safe spot on an empty canvas bag.
	Her eyes roamed the camp. Consciously, she was looking for Klocia. She was not on watch. Maybe they could spend some time together. Talk. Her eyes fell on Felek, though. He sat again on that rock, alone, eyes far away. Ruta, Issa and Ofure were nearby, talking quietly. Not able to help herself, she walked across the camp to him.
	"You like that seat," She said. He smiled at her through the dimming light. Patting the stone behind him, he slide aside.
	"It is comfy."
	Feeling Ruta's eyes on her, Anelie climbed up onto the rock. Almost as soon as she settled beside him, Anelie felt at ease. She ran her hand along the stone between them.
	"You're right. It is nice."
	"Told you."
	The three teens below went back to talking, their soft words drifting up. She tried not to listen, catching her name, Bogdi's. She closed her eyes, leaning back.
	"Tomorrow," she said.
	"Tomorrow." Felek's voice was as tired as hers.
	"We're leaving early. Bogdi would leave now. So would I."
	"I know."
	Her eyes opened, looking towards the river. The Elven camp had one fire, tents set up around it. She wasn't sure if she heard distant voices.
	"I'd have thought they'd have come over again," she said. Felek shrugged.
	"Maybe they're talking it over. I just hope," Felek said, voice becoming pained, "Queen Catty didn't promise them a home. That's my number one order regarding them: no Elvish towns in Nowy Poland. No way, no how."
	"Why?"
	"Because, eventually, they'll want to be independent. Do their own thing. His Grace does not want our island homeland divided up like that. It's ours. And the Kikker's," he added, "but that's different. Plus, he's not too keen on tons of foreign Kikker coming to live there either."
	"I would hate to be King," Anelie said, stretching her legs. She saw Felek glancing at the pant covered limbs.
	"It does have its downside," Felek agreed. Then he laughed. "My sister does love being Queen, though."
	Anelie tried to remember the woman. She had not seen her in ages, certainly not the last time she was in the capital. She was pretty, yes. Perhaps beautiful, if not the kind of beauty Anelie liked. She was soft.
	Klocia was walking through camp, armor still on. That was her type of woman. Strong. Confident.
	Didn't giggle.
	She glanced down at Ruta. She was a giggler. Frankly, Anelie didn't know what Felek saw in her. Sure, her breasts were nice, if you liked them soft like that, but she was so flighty. Not at all athletic. No, scratch that. She could use a bow. That was something. And, truth be told, she'd probably make a good wife, pumping out babies.
	Babies. Anelie glanced at Klocia again, the soldier now beside the fire with four other soldiers. They'd have no babies, her and Klocia. Not unless what her brother had told her was completely wrong.
	There was movement below. Issa and Ofure were walking off together, close, but hands not touching. Still not a couple, she saw. Probably just as well. Cyla had confided that she kind of liked the attention the Kikker male had been giving her. Jealousy this late in their journey would not help. Ruta she did not see at all.
	"I have a question for you," Felek said, suddenly. There was a nervousness in his voice. Anelie looked at him questioningly.
	"What?"
	"You've said you're going to keep serving Shanna, after this."
	"Yes." She blinked, wondering where he was going with this. His gaze was away from her.
	"Well... I was wondering... if His Grace gives me a post which requires it, would you serve me?"
	"Serve you?" She cocked her head, wondering what the hell had gotten into him. He just nodded, still not meeting her eyes.
	"Yes."
	"How?"
	He laughed, finally looking at her. The gleam in his eyes could not help but make her smile.
	"Damned if I know. Head of my guards? Captain of my Royal Marines? No idea. I don't even know where His Grace will post me. But, I know two things. One, I want Ruta by my side, and two, I want you with me."
	She felt her cheeks flush. Reaching out, he placed a hand on her shoulder.
	"I trust you, Anelie. Respect you. You complement me. You'll do well out there on the frontier, yes, maybe one day command your own fort. Make Shanna proud. But, I think you can be more."
	She took a deep breath. It felt as if he was proposing marriage. A marriage she had never considered, yet suddenly found herself excited by. To leave Shanna...
	"Shanna..."
	Felek squeezed her shoulder.
	"I'm asking you, not her."
	"That's not what I mean." Anelie gave a tired chuckle. She liked the feel of his hand. "You said you hoped to travel."
	"Yes," he nodded. "In the service of the King, with luck, on my own if not. You would travel with me."
	She nodded slowly, eyes glancing at the valley around them.
	"My men?"
	"Yours to pick. Male or female, so long as they meet your standards."
	To travel. To command. To keep doing what she had done these past few weeks. Had she missed the routine patrols? The drills?
	No.
	Felek shifted beside her. She looked at him. His eyes were on the stars.
	""Look," he whispered. She glanced up.
	"What?"
	"They're different."
	"No they're not." She frowned. "I recognize them. They're higher than they should be, but..."
	"Exactly," he said, softly. "Just like the sun, the stars are different. See that cross over there? That would be too low in the northern sky to see back home. If we kept going north, it would keep rising. I've always wanted to see new stars..." His voice was full of wonder. She gazed at his face in the starlight. Reaching over, she placed her hand on his shoulder.
	"I will serve you."

Chapter 17

	Felek did not so much wake, as stop trying to sleep.
	Movement had started throughout the camp, some unknown signal starting the morning process despite the darkness. Trying not to let out a groan, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Ruta rose beside him, arm falling away from his chest without protest. Someday, he thought, he'd actually get to be with her in bed again, not just have her cuddle his clothed form. She blinked, hand going to her eyes.
	"They're crusty," she said. Felek just grunted. Anelie was nearby, rolling her blankets. Inspired to not look lazy, he forced himself to his feet.
	"Come on," he said, reaching down to help Ruta up. "You can not sleep on the wagon."
	"True." He pulled Ruta to her feet. She fell against him, Felek sensing her sleep had been as restless as his own. He held her for a moment. The temptation to lay back down with her was great. But, if they were to meet a Goddess, resisting temptation would probably be a good way to start the day. Giving her forehead a quick kiss, he disengaged from her. Wisely, he decided not to mention her skin tasted of dirt.
	The glowing coals from the night before flared up, metal pots positioned over the renewed flames. He looked to the north. An answering flare seemed to come from the Elven camp. There would be no sneaking away from the pointy eared creatures. Klocia came over, four steaming cups held in her two hands. She held two out.
	"Here. Careful."
	"I'm never careful this early," Felek said, yawning. He reached out to take them, tightening his grip as Klocia freed her fingers from the mug handles. Anelie came to stand beside him, accepting her cup from the soldier. Felek took a sip. "Thank you, Klocia."
	The girl nodded, face serious. Anelie tipped her cup back, seeming to gulp the hot drink down. Swallowing with a content sigh, she motioned with the cup towards the Elves.
	"I would have bet they'd come over to talk again."
	Felek nodded, his own opinion seconded.
	"You may have scared them off." Anelie scoffed as Ruta gave a soft giggle beside him. "Or, more likely, they've decided forgiveness is easier to get than permission and they're just going to follow us."
	"Yeah, that's what I figured." Anelie took another gulp. "I don't think it's worth stopping them. I just want to get going, see if we can get there. We'll worry about the Elves when there's something to worry about."
	"Well," Felek said, downing the rest of his drink, "let's get going then."

****

	The sky was just lightening as Anelie ordered the wagons to start moving.
	The Elves followed.
	The pointy eared barbarians matched the horse's speed, without much apparent discomfort. The children, five in all from what Anelie could tell, were in the three wagons, small heads looking with awe at the tail of the Polish column. Or, she assumed it was awe. She could not actually tell at this distance, nor in this light. Maybe they were laughing at the strange horse riding strangers.
	It did not take long for the valley to close in on the river. The wide meadow where they had camped gave way to a thin strip of shore barely twenty yards wide. As light from the rising sun broke above the valley rim, she could see the ground become rockier the farther she looked upstream. Where was their magical road now?
	"You would almost," Felek said, eyeing the path ahead, "think we were being deliberately kept to a slower pace. I really don't want to have to replace another wagon wheel, or listen to Ruta bitch about the bouncing."
	"She doesn't like bouncing?" Anelie could not help the comment. She glanced at him, wondering how he'd take it. Felek just grinned at her.
	"Not sure yet. We'll have to try it tonight. You can be the judge."
	"Um, no." She hoped her face was not turning red. Felek's turned serious.
	"I don't know why, but I don't really like this. How about sending a pair of scouts ahead? Get an idea of what's around each turn."
	"Don't think it does us any good." She looked around, considering the valley. "It's not like we can go anywhere BUT forward, no matter what they find. Plus," her eyes flicked to him, "I really want us at full strength around the Elves."
	"I'm going to go talk to them," Felek said abruptly. He moved his shoulders and neck, as if working out a kink. Care to join me?"
	"I think I'll stay up here." She paused. "Take Klocia with you."
	He nodded.
	"I'll be back soon."

****

	Felek contemplated dismounting beside Qui, talking to the walking Elf on more even footing. He decided against it. On foot he could be overwhelmed, even with his armed escort. Trust was not a given yet. Instead, he simply matched Qui's pace, keeping enough distance between them that Qui would not feel like he was being looked down upon. Felek could feel the eyes of the others on him.
	"I have to ask," Felek said, keeping his voice light and hopefully inoffensive, "if this lake tower is so evil, why were you camped so close?" Qui glanced up at him, expression neutral. Felek shrugged. "I mean, if nothing else I'd rather be upstream from Evil than downstream."
	The Elf cocked his head, the humor obviously losing something in his internal translation. Qui shrugged.
	"We were here when Tribe Mother Ves sent people on quest to contact Queen Catty. If we moved, they would never be able to find us again. Thus, we settled."
	Felek nodded. That made sense. He glanced again at the rising sun, now to his right.
	"You are far from the Elven lands. What drove you here?"
	Qui was silent. Felek chuckled. That would remain a mystery for a bit longer, it seemed.
	"Well," he said, regarding the Elf, "it's not like us Poles didn't go on our own exodus."
	"We are sorry." Qui bowed his head. Felek smiled.
	"It was not you who attacked. Nor was it Queen Catty. No, it is the rest of your kind who we have... disagreement with."
	Felek could not help but look at the marching Elves. All he had known of their people were the Queen and her four men. His Grace had impressed on the boy that one should never assume all of their people were like those five, that preconceptions must be put aside when meeting new groups of a race. Yet, he thought these Elves WERE like Queen Catty, her mate Far. Felek had come to understand Elves as no different than Poles, no better, no worse. The Elves before him were so similar to people he had seen on the exodus from Nowy Kiev, refugees far from home, he was at a loss for words. He looked at the kids. One, a purple haired girl with amazing black eyes, was peeking at him over the side of the wagon. He smiled to her, her head immediately ducking down. As he kept watching, it slowly rose. He smiled again as her eyes cleared the wagon, her head vanishing again instantly.
	Looking at the Polish wagon before them, he saw both James and Zuza peeking out at the Elves, just their eyes and hair visible. They suddenly ducked down, as if someone had noticed them.
	Kids.

****

	The tower.
	It was a sliver of white, shining against a background of green and blue. Anelie pulled back on the reins, hand unconsciously going up. Whether the others stopped or not was the farthest thought from her mind.
	The tower.
	The lake was still in the distance, trees and the form of the land still hiding most of it. A flat expanse of blue. They would be there by noon.
	"Anelie?" Felek's voice seemed to wake her. She took a deep, shuddering breath.
	"I see it. Let's go!"

****

	Felek slid off his horse onto the rocky shore.
	They had made it.
	The lake looked to be a mile wide, the far shore perhaps not quite that far away. Thick woodlands covered the shore, interrupted now and then by what looked like small streams feeding its waters.
	In the middle, lay an island.
	It was small. Tree covered. In its center, a gleaming white tower rose. It looked round, no windows visible. Maybe they all faced north, towards the sun. Felek let out a breath he felt he had been holding since the day they had left Fort Buffalo.
	Ruta had not been crazy.
	Despite all that had happened, there still had been that doubt in his head. That small voice telling him there was no way any of this could be true. That the woman he loved was crazy, that he and all the others were just humoring her. Felek now felt ashamed for those thoughts. Forcing his eyes away from the lake, he looked back. Ruta was staggering forward, eyes wide, body trembling. He moved to her, taking her in his arms.
	"You did it," he whispered, cheek pressed against hers. "You did it."
	"We did it," she corrected, rubbing her cheek against his. Pulling back, he gently kissed her.
	"Whatever happens now," he said, "at least we made it."
	A greenish brown hand touched Ruta's shoulder. Releasing her, Felek watched as Adanya grabbed the girl in a fierce hug. Bogdi stood behind her, eyes wet with tears.
	"Thank you, thank you!" Adanya's voice was sobbing. Felek moved over to Bogdi. Female tears were... upsetting.
	"Sir." Bogdi held out his large hand. Felek took it. They shook, silently.
	"Now what?" Issa asked. He came up beside them, one of the few not really showing much emotion. He felt them, though. Felek could see it in his eyes. He was just not going to be all wimpy about it.
	"Now," Anelie said, standing on the shore, "we find some way over there."
	Felek looked around. There was no boat dock. No craft pulled up on the shore. There could be boats elsewhere around the lake. On the other side, for example, if as he suspected it was, in fact, northward it faced. The shoreline did not look easy to traverse.
	"We could build rafts," Lewy suggested. He stood with Jaromira and Ofure, the Kikker girl just looking at the island in awe. Felek looked at her.
	"Is it like what was in your dream?"
	"I think so," she said. "Close. I... I mean, it was a dream..."
	The Elves had gathered behind the wagons, just watching the Poles standing by the shore. Felek had no idea what they had planned. Nor did he want to find out. He went over to Anelie.
	"Rafts, you think?"
	She shook her head, as if to clear it.
	"I... I don't know. We could try it." She looked around. "I'll send scouts around the shore, though. See if there are some kind of boats. There must be a way to get to the tower."
	"Zuza! Get back here!"
	The girl ran up beside Felek and Anelie, her mother ignored. James was a step behind, his skin looking a bit pale. They stopped at the water's edge, looking down.
	"Wow!" Zuza moved her bare foot forward, as if testing the water.
	Her foot stopped as it touched the water's surface.
	"James! Look!" She slid her foot forward, keeping it on the surface. Felek chuckled. Trust kids to make a game out of this.
	Zuza lifted her other leg, the foot on the water holding her up. She shifted forward, placing her second foot in front of the first.
	She stood on top of the water.
	"Oh, Mother Mary," Anelie whispered beside him. Felek just shook his head as the girl took another step forward. And another. Behind her, James took a tentative step onto the surface. Felek could see the water moving, breeze sending ripples though the lake, yet the boy placed his full weight on the surface as if it was a sheet of glass. His face breaking into a grin, James ran forward, passing his sister. He spun around, facing the shore, arms outstretched.
	"Dad! I'm like Jesus!"
	Bogdi and Adanya ran to the shore, stopping at the water's edge. Felek went to them, Anelie at his side.
	"Is it just them?" Adanya asked, voice full of both wonder and terror. Felek looked at the lake.
	"Only one way to find out." Taking a deep breath, he stepped out onto the water.
	There was a disorientation as his foot came down onto the solid surface of the water, as if one forgot there were no more steps on the stairs and instead came down on solid ground. It was not slippery, like ice or glass. He could slide his boot covered foot, but there was traction. He brought his other foot forward. His weight still held. He turned.
	"Bring the horses and wagons. Let's go."

****

	They walked their mounts across Lake Bled, moving as quickly as they dared. Anelie was not sure if this was a permanent bridge, or if it would vanish when its creator willed it so. Felek had tossed a rock off to the side, its splash proving the entire lake was not magically solid. It was another mystic trail, like the one through the forest.
	Anelie was becoming too used to such things.
	"The Elves seem to be following," Felek said. Anelie looked behind them. The green creatures had stepped out onto the lake, bringing their wagons. Either the magic did not discriminate, or their benefactor wanted the Elves to come with them. Neither answer comforted her. She shrugged.
	"Nothing we can do about it. At least we can probably be sure they won't try anything with their women and children right there on the island with us. They'll have no way to shield them."
	"And they probably think us Poles are the type to attack civilians." His voice was light, but she heard the mild reproach in it. Shanna had stripped all rank from the officer who had ordered that raid, and most of the Watu had managed to flee. Still, some things lingered in the mind long after they should have been forgotten.
	The island grew before them. It was small, perhaps not even three hundred feet wide, the tip they were approaching closer to half that. The ground rose quickly, forming a hill easily a hundred feet tall, the tower rising from its apex. She saw no windows, no entrance. She did hear birds. Saw them flittering from the trees. One flew out towards them. It was light blue, with orange wings, similar to their former guide. It closed to within a few feet of her, then banked away, heading off across the lake.
	She wasn't sure if that was good, or bad.

****

	Felek's first step onto solid ground came with an audible sigh of relief. He heard Anelie do the same, relieving him of any self-consciousness. They both moved further inland quickly, giving the others room. Leading his mount a third of the way up the hillside, he turned to look at his fellow travelers. All were accounted for. The Elves were moving quicker now, as if they were afraid the path would vanish the moment the last Pole stepped off it. Perhaps it would. Magic was strange. The leading Elves were but a step behind the last Hussar, spreading out along the shoreline even as the Poles led their mounts and wagons up the hill. Anelie motioned to Felek, pointing up. Nodding, he followed her to the top.
	The island, he now saw, was about twice as long as it was wide, almost tear shaped. The top of the hill was flat, trees sparsely ringing the summit. The tower rose from the center, blocks of white stone fitted with great skill and care. The curved walls rose at least six stories, its top either flat or a shallow dome to let water flow off.
	There was no door.
	"It has to be on the other side," he said. Anelie shook her head, chuckling.
	"You are very optimistic." She turned to the others. They stood in a half circle, awaiting orders. Bogdi and his family stood in the center, Ruta and Ofure beside them. "I think we should go slow, Bogdi. No sense doing anything stupid when we're so close."
	"Agreed, Little Sis." He pulled Adanya closer to him, her body molding to his. The kids were looking around curiously.
	Felek returned his attention to the tower. There probably was an entrance on the other side. No reason there wouldn't be. Yet... He stepped forward, hand reaching out. Felek touched the stone. It was cold, the day's sun not hitting it directly. It was also smooth. This had been built by craftsmen of great skill. He ran his hand over it.
	His hand vanished into the stone.
	He pulled his arm back, shocked.
	"Anelie!" She was at his side in an instant. "Look." He placed his fingers back where he had first touched the tower, running them along the stone. Again, they vanished. "A magic door."
	"Incredible." She put her hand beside his. Felek slid his fingers to the right, buried in the stone up to his knuckles. Anelie moved her hand to replace his.
	Her fingers stayed on the surface of the wall.
	"What the fuck?" She pressed her entire palm against the wall. The stone reacted as stone tended to. Felek frowned. Removing his hand, he placed it above hers.
	It slid inside, up to his wrist.
	Anelie stepped back, anger on her face. Felek moved before her, hands on her shoulders. He held tight as she tried to shake him off.
	"Let go! Am I not good enough? Is that it?"
	"You're good enough! More than good enough! To me, anyway." Her eyes widened a bit. He shook her. "Zywie just wants only a few of us to enter. That's all."
	"I'm their AUNT! You're just..." She stopped, grimacing. Felek smiled.
	"I don't disagree with you, Anelie. But..."
	"But," she said, shoulders sagging. Anelie took a deep breath. Slowly, she nodded. "OK. We'll do it this way. Bogdi!" She turned to her brother, straightening. The four of them were already approaching. "Go inside. I... I'll wait here with the others."
	Felek turned back to the tower, somehow not feeling right watching her family comfort her. It wasn't right that she be denied entrance. The soldiers, yes. Felek would have insisted they stay outside regardless, especially with the Elves down below. But, Anelie? She was the reason they were here! If anyone was disposable, it was him.
	That thought led to another. This could be dangerous. The children should not be the first to go through. Without warning the others, he stepped through the wall.

****

	Shafts of colored light lit the circular room. High stained glass windows were set into the walls, invisible from the outside. Felek looked up. There did not seem to be any upper floors. Instead, he saw a distant circle of blue, whether the sky or a painted ceiling he could not say. Given the door and windows, it could be both.
	Ruta appeared beside him, her momentum taking her a few steps further into the room. She had to have been running as she hit the doorway. She whirled as soon as she managed to stop.
	"Felek!" She threw herself at him, head burying itself in his chest. "Don't do that!"
	Bogdi appeared. Taking a quick look around, he reached back through the door. He pulled Adanya through, both children holding onto her skirt. The awe in their young eyes mirrored how Felek felt. Gently, he moved himself and Ruta farther into the room. Ofure appeared. So, too, did Issa. Felek looked at his friend in surprise. Issa shrugged.
	"I know. I didn't think it would work."
	"Welcome"
	Felek spun, his grip on Ruta now protective. She turned in his arms, facing the center of the tower. She gasped.
	The statue of a woman now dominated the center of the room. It was simple, abstract, light brown wood carved into feminine curves. The head was a smooth oval, with no hair or features, yet suggesting incredible beauty. Her body had the suggestion of bare breasts, some sort of skirt seeming to fall from her waist. Her hands were cupped before her, a light blue bird standing in the wooden nest, calmly watching.
	"Welcome," the feminine voice repeated. "I am Zywie."

Chapter 18

	A Goddess spoke to them.
	Well, a disembodied female voice which seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. It might not be a Goddess. It could be... well, a God who just sounded female.
	Felek realized he obviously wasn't thinking clearly.
	His grip on Ruta tightened, arms wrapping around her waist as she leaned back against him. All eyes in the tower room were on the wooden statue. Felek sensed they, too, were too shocked to speak. Well, someone had to say something. He cleared his throat.
	"I... I am Felek, son of Marik, servant of His Grace King James the First. We have come to..." He looked at Bogdi. The soldier nodded, his own wife pressed against him, eyes wide in shock. "We come in search of a cure for the two surviving children of Bogdi and Adanya." He motioned to the kids. Standing before their parents, they looked more enchanted than scared. "Can you help us?"
	He bowed his head slightly, not sure proper protocol. After all, this was not a being they worshiped.
	Yet.
	 The statue seemed to shiver. The bird in its hands cast its gaze around the tower, as if following some insect, as a ghostly being stepped forward through it. It was female, nude, Polish. Felek's mind recorded its impressions in that order. Bare feet stepping off the stone dais, the being towered over the gathered, easily ten feet tall. Her hair was long, unbraided, with flowers woven into a crown. Her breasts were not large, but seemed swollen, as if full of milk. Her eyes were the softest blue, full of love, compassion. Felek felt no desire at her nudity, but rather... peace.
	"Who ARE you?" he found himself saying, as if needing to fill the silence. "Why are you here?"
	Her eyes turned to him. Ruta pressed her body back against him even more. The being smiled.
	"I am Zywie, Goddess of your ancestors. Spirit of your people. It is I who made them happy. I who made them prosper. I who kept the evils of the world at bay, who brought the crops, made mother's milk flow."
	"Why did you leave us?" Ruta whispered. She was now leaning forward in Felek's arms, as if drawn to the spirit. Sadness clouded Zywie's face.
	"The God called Jealous, he of the Cross, came to my people. Warned my Poles of wickedness which did not exist. Promised them salvation. They... abandoned me." Felek winced, her words making him ashamed of his people. "Under his cross they tore down my temples. Destroyed my groves. They..." Her head bowed, grief flowing from her. "They destroyed my tower, stone by stone. Built there a shrine to a mere mother of a babe, to trick my people into worshiping her in my stead."
	"Please, Lady Zywie." Adanya's voice was pleading. She stood tall beside her husband, hands on the shoulders of James and Zuza. "Please, help our children. I will do anything you ask to save them. Please."
	"The cries of a Mother I have always heard." Zywie held out her right hand. "Come to me, my children."
	The two half Pole, half Kikker children slowly walked forward, holding hands. Felek had often, on this journey, found himself forgetting they were not "normal". As they came to a stop before this Polish spirit, however, their otherness shouted itself to him. He found himself muttering a prayer that she accept them. To whom his prayer was directed, he was not sure.
	"Are you going to heal us?" Zuza asked. She turned to her brother, taking his right hand in both of hers. "He's really sick. I will be, too."
	"Make her well," James said, eyes not leaving Zywie. "Please."
	Zywie's hand hovered over their heads. Specs of light seemed to float through her body.
	"I can heal you," the Goddess said, voice strong. "But there will be a cost."
	Felek winced. Not at her pronouncement, but at the knowledge it would be paid no matter what. Adanya took a step forward.
	"Anything! I will pay anything!"
	"Will you pay with your motherhood?"
	Adanya stepped back, as if slapped. Bogdi stepped forward, one arm going around his wife, his other hand gripping the axe slung from his belt. His voice was like steel.
	"What do you mean by that?"
	"Your offspring are ill because blood has mixed which should not mix. The way to save your children is to... un-mix it."
	Felek felt himself go numb. Make them... Polish? Remove any trace of their mother? That... that was...
	"NO!"
	James' scream echoed through the tower. He ran to his mother, throwing his arms around her.
	"No! I won't let you! You can't do that to me! Mommy, don't let her!"
	"You are MEAN!" Zuza told the Goddess, hands on her hips. She tossed her head, short red hair not having the dramatic effect she probably intended. "She's our Mom! He's our Dad! You can't take one of them from us!"
	"She will still live," Zywie said, voice calm. "She will still be like your mother."
	"But I won't look like her! I won't look like Grandpa! No, you can't do it! I won't let you!"
	"Zuza!" Adanya stared at her daughter in disbelief, her son clutching her waist. "If it will heal you...!"
	"No, Mom!" James raised his head, face red. "I won't let her do it! I'd rather see my brothers and sisters again in heaven than not BE their brother any more! You can't let her, Mommy! It's WRONG!"
	The final word hung in the air. Felek swallowed hard. He had never felt this terrified, nor proud. These children... His Grace had said they were not worth the life of Felek.
	Felek now disagreed.
	Issa stepped forward. He bowed towards the towering spirit, face as severe as Felek had ever seen it.
	"Lady. Surely, there is some other way. Some way to repair what needs to be repaired, to make them whole yet stay who they are."
	"Will you pay the price?"
	"If it is in my power to, yes."
	"What IS the price?" Felek asked. He moved Ruta to his side, taking her hand. Her fingers locked with his. "To worship you?"
	"I am not like the Jealous God, who forces all to bow to him and no other. I do not demand. Those who honor me, I bless. Those who do not, I ignore."
	"How do we honor you?" Ruta asked. Zywie smiled, the room seeming to brighten.
	"With prayer, with songs. With dancing and love. Praise me on the solstices, when planting and harvesting, and I will reward you."
	Felek looked around at the others. That... did not sound like a bad deal. It wasn't like she was asking for blood sacrifices or anything like that. But...
	"What price to save them, as they are? Surely there is more, or you would not..." His voice trailed off. Her gaze was on him.
	"I am not familiar with their mother's people," Zywie said. "Do not know their kind, for all I have watched how your new King has dealt with them in your new home. I thought them to be... not worthy." She turned to Adanya. "I see now I was wrong. Your children are strong. Honest. As are you."
	"We will worship you," Bogdi said. "Not blindly, but in gratitude, for as long as we live."
	"One who is moral can ask for no more." Zywie held out a hand. "Come to me, James. Join your sister before me."
	James gave his parents a quick look. Adanya kissed his cheek, Bogdi ruffling his brown hair. Giving his mom a final hug, he ran to Zuza. She hugged him tightly, cheek rubbing against his. As one, they looked up at the giant spirit.
	"You'd better not be tricking us," James said, voice hard.
	"What do we do?" Zuza asked. James suddenly let out a gasp, his sister following a moment later. James ran to Felek, grabbing his right hand. He pulled him towards Issa, grabbing the surprised Kikker's hand as well. Felek saw Zuza gathering Ruta and Ofure. The two children pulled the four teens towards the Goddess. They stood before her, holding each other's hands. Felek wanted to reach for Ruta, joining the two groups, but somehow that felt wrong. He kept his hand at his side.
	"Now what?" James asked.
	Zywie started to glow.
	Felek felt his body tingle. Looking down, he saw points of light under his skin. They moved through his body, as if searching. Or... mapping. Issa had the same light under his brown skin, had more, in fact. They would come to a place and gather, glowing brightly. Felek would then feel the same part of his body heat, see the same glow on him, visible even under clothing. His arm pulsed, as if something was being sent down it and into the boy James. Glancing at the girls, he saw the same points of light, as if the universe lived just under their skin.
	"Bogdi!" Adanya let out a cry. Her belly was glowing.
	Raising her arms up to the heavens, Zywie suddenly exploded into light.

****

	Anelie looked at the invisible door for the hundredth time.
	It wasn't fair.
	On the other hand, it was, if she was honest with herself, the lot of a soldier. Her kind were not allowed into the halls of the powerful. They were left outside, with the pack animals, forgotten until once again needed.
	It still wasn't fair.
	"The Elves aren't moving," Klocia said, eyes on the bottom of the hill as she stood beside Anelie. The redhead scoffed.
	"Are they moving at all, or just frozen in place?"
	"Don't think they're frozen."
	Anelie was almost disappointed. That would have given her some mystery to solve out here, something to do. Now she was free to keep focusing on whatever was going on inside those stone walls.
	No. She wasn't going to do that. Shaking her head, she took in her men. They, too, were just looking at the tower. A few kept their attention on the Elves. She marked those for possible promotion.
	"Lady!" Kazik's cry drew her attention. He stood a few yards down the hillside, pointing outward towards the lake. Her eyes focused on the water.
	Fog rose from its surface.
	Even from where she stood she could hear the Elves, worry evident in their voices as they backed away from the shore. It was not a natural fog. Couldn't be. For one, it rose too quickly. Already it came close the her eye level, blocking out the view of the world beyond. More, it was not the whole lake. Only the water just beyond the island shore gave rise to the white mist. The expanse beyond, before it vanished from view, had been blue, calm.
	"I don't like this," Lewy said, grabbing the reins of his mount. Anelie nodded.
	"I don't think we can fight it, nor flee it." She turned, an order on her lips, before she saw Cyla and Bach running around the tower to check conditions on the other side. If it WAS just here, maybe...
	The world flashed around them.

****

	King James sat at the small table, looking down at his cards.
	He did not like his chances.
	"Do you have any... trees?" He looked up at Fred, hopefully. His first-born grinned back evilly, shaking his head.
	"Go fish!"
	James let out a mock growl, reaching for the stacked cards. Lifting off the top one, he glanced at the hand painted design.
	A duck.
	"OK, Anne, your turn." He looked at his daughter. She was a bit young for cards, but seemed to be handling it OK. She was no longer trying to eat them, at least, even if the idea of not showing everyone her cards was not yet fully grasped. Anne smiled at him.
	"Do you have trees, Daddy?"
	OK, he was mistaken. She was a manipulative card shark. Silently, he handed over the card. With a cry of glee, she placed it and her own tree card on the table. Waving her remaining four cards around, she looked away from the table.
	"Mommy! I made a match!"
	"Good for you!" Ewa looked up from the flower bed, hands covered in dirt. As James watched, she wiped her brow, a brown streak now decorating her face. He decided not to mention it.
	James glanced around the patio. The third floor private garden attached to the Royal Quarters had been worth the trouble. Probably not the extra cost, as it was a late addition to the Palace and retrofitted into the design, but in a hundred years future kings would not care about such things. You had to think long-term in his job.
	"My turn!" Marik said. "Anne, do you have..."
	A bell began ringing an alarm.
	James stood, cards forgotten. The sound was coming from the harbor, not the palace grounds. Moving quickly, he strolled to the northern wall. More bells began ringing.
	"Dad!" Marik was right beside him, jumping up on a stone bench to look over the low wall. James put a hand on his back for support as he leaned out himself, trying to spot the problem.
	There was now an island in the middle of the lake.
	James blinked. His adopted son pointed, eyes wide.
	"Dad! Look! An island with a tower!"
	"I see it." He turned at the sound of Chamberlain Ola entering the garden, royal guards at his side. He sighed. "Ewa, you'll have to have lunch with the kids without me."

Chapter 19

	Felek blinked, trying to get his bearings.
	He was not in the tower.
	Why he was not in the tower, or even what had happened there, was unclear. His head was a foggy mess. The brightness of the day was not helping. He brought his hand up, forefinger and thumb rubbing his eyes.
	"Felek!"
	Anelie's voice startled his eyes back open. She stood before him, shock on her face. For a brief moment, he thought she was going to hug him. Her bearing seemed to show she was considering it, but Felek fully realized he was in no shape to make judgments like that. He did find himself disappointed when she just grabbed both his shoulders.
	"What the hell happened in there?" she asked. Damned if he knew. Before he could communicate that helpful information, her eyes shifted to his left. "Bogdi!"
	She left him, going to her brother. His family looked like Felek felt, confused, uncertain. That was somewhat comforting.
	"Felek!"
	This time the owner of the voice did hug him, Ruta's slender form crushing his. He tried to free his arms, but she kept them pinned to his side. The mild pain did serve to wake him more. Shifting his body, as well as hers as she stuck to him like a leach, he glanced around the hilltop.
	A familiar city lined the lake shore.
	Felek's mind came fully awake. He peeled Ruta's arms from him, as gently as he could.
	"Anelie!" She looked at him, one hand on little James' head. "What the hell happened out here? Are we home?"
	"No idea!" She shook her head. "There was fog, a flash, then you guys just appeared!"
	The sound of bells registered in his mind. He had heard them all this time, only now recognizing what they were. He stepped towards the lake.
	"The capital is on alert! Soldiers will be coming!" He glanced down the hill. "And we have Elves with us." He shook his head. This wasn't how he wanted to come home, if home they in fact were. "Anelie, get the Royal Banner! Raise it on the shore down there!" He turned. The tower was still there. Part of him had not expected that. Moving to the wall, he placed his hand where the door had been.
	It was solid stone.
	"Bach! Kazik!" Anelie's voice rang out. "Get to the other side of the island. Meet anyone who lands there! Klocia, tell those blasted Elves to disarm completely! Armor, too! Get them away from the shore!"
	Felek saw two patrol boats coming towards them, the oar-men on the long, low craft propelling them swiftly. He made his way down the hill, Lewy and Klocia already halfway down, the girl yelling out orders in Elvish. Lewy planted the flag at the base of the hill. Then, thinking better of it, Lewy raised the pike on which it flew upward, waving the banner back and forth.
	"They're not yet in hailing distance," Issa said, joining Felek on the shore. "They're making good time, though."
	"Must have been out training or something." Felek shook his head. "What the hell happened, Issa? Did we... did she help the kids?"
	"Don't know. We may not know until they don't get sick again."
	"The King is going to love having to explain all this to the people."
	Issa laughed.
	"He has a good selection of people he can blame it on. I'll take some, if it will help. Everyone loves Chief Ajani, so if he forgives my 'crime' of bringing the island here the matter will be settled."
	"Heh. I'll recommend it to His Grace." A soldier stood in one of the boats, his hail almost coherent. Felek readied himself. "OK, let's see if anyone buys our story."

****

	Anelie was worried most about the horses.
	They had been left on the island. With no dock, nor any way to get large vessels close enough to the shore to use a ramp, there had been no choice. Men of the local garrison had agreed to stay with them, see to their needs. Well, that, and keep curious locals from invading the place. She sighed. Her poor Toria, in the hands of strangers. It wasn't right.
	A Kikker cargo ship which had been passing nearby had been commandeered for the short trip from the island to the dock. Issa apparently knew the captain, easing matters. All her men were aboard, as were the Elves. A dozen of His Grace's finest stood watch over them. Anelie thought the green creatures were having second and third thoughts about following the Poles to the island now. As well they should.
	Soldiers lined the dock as they approached, keeping the crowds back. Glancing up, she saw archers on two rooftops. What they were expecting, she didn't know, but given that magic was obviously involved here, the idea that she and Felek were not who they appeared to be must have occurred to His Grace. They would, rightly, be treated with suspicion.
	It was going to be a long day.
	"We're going to keep the Elves down below," Felek said, coming up to stand beside her. "Bring them out at night. It may take that long to figure out a good place to put them."
	She glanced up at the Royal Hill, flags flying above the Palace.
	"You've managed to get some messages out already?"
	"Nope. Didn't think to bring signal flags in the wagons. His Grace will know it's us when we land."
	"I'm sure he likes surprises."
	"Loves them." He paused. Anelie felt his hand take her shoulder. "This didn't turn out like we expected, did it?"
	"Nope," she replied, laughing. "I don't even know what happened. You actually saw a God?"
	"Well, something I can believe was one. It's not like I've seen many I could compare her to."
	"Why couldn't I see her?" Some of her anger entered her voice. Felek's hand tightened on her shoulder.
	"Ruta, Issa, Ofure and I were needed to heal the kids, apparently. One from each gender and race. You could have replaced Ruta, but given she had the vision..."
	"Stupid logic."
	"If you want to see her, maybe later..."
	"Naw. I'm just being bitchy." The seamen called out, lines tossed to those on the dock. The ship rocked as it was brought to a stop. The gangplank was run out, a soldier running up before it could even be secured. Anelie straightened, Felek doing the same.
	"Sargeant!" The man whirled at her call. A half dozen other soldiers were now coming onto the ship. Anelie saluted. "Anelie of the Black Hussars. This is Felek, brother to Her Grace." The soldier's expression was priceless. He came to instant attention.
	"Sir!"
	"Send a runner to the Palace," Felek ordered. He held out a rolled sheet of paper. "Deliver this to Chamberlain Ola, for King James' eyes only. We will then need an escort to the Palace."

****

	The journey had not even taken a month, yet Felek felt he had been away for a year.
	They marched down the wood paneled hall, travel stained clothing out of place among the relative finery of the Palace staff. Anelie's soldiers had been left behind, sent to some barracks or other. He hoped there would not be much of a problem regarding the four women. Yes, all here knew Shanna, but there was a reason all girls who volunteered were sent to her distant outpost. Many in Nowy Warsaw were still not that... enlightened.
	"Wow!" Zuza exclaimed, stopping beside a tapestry. "Who's that?"
	"Something to look at later," her mother said, getting the girl moving again. Felek chuckled. He wasn't sure the kids had ever been to the Palace, let alone seen some of the more interesting art His Grace had commissioned. Lady Liberty had always fascinated him as well. In fact... he glanced back. Remove the robe, and it could easily be the Goddess Zywie. More of her influence? Could be.
	The doors to the King's office opened. His Grace stood as they entered, smiling.
	"This is more than unexpected!" He came around the desk. Felek stopped where he was, bowing.
	"Your Grace."
	The others stopped and bowed or curtsied as well. Felek heard the doors close and latch behind them.
	"Bogdi. Adanya." The King went to the two, eyes on their children. "Did it go well?"
	"We... do not know, Your Grace," Bogdi said, bowing again. "Something happened, but..."
	"Only time will tell," Adanya said. "But, we thank you with all our heart." She bowed low. "We are forever in your debt."
	"As we are to your Father. Friends help friends." His eyes looked at Ofure. The Kikker girl was looking around in awe. "And who is this?"
	"Ofure, Your Grace," Ruta said, taking the girl's hand. "She had a vision like mine, joining us as we passed through her town. Zywie could not have helped us without her!"
	King James gave the two a long look. With a sigh, he retreated to his desk, leaning back against it.
	"OK. Tell me what the hell happened."

****

	"Goddesses... Elves... magic roads and towers..."
	Anelie could not help but smile at the King's comment. It sounded silly, when you told the tale. What made perfect sense in the moment became a child's tale when given serious thought. If any but Felek had been telling the story, she was not sure His Grace would have believed it.
	"Zywie was pretty!" Zuza said, helpfully. "Huge! And nude!"
	"So I understand," King James replied, amused. He looked beyond them. "Duda, please inform Her Grace that Lady Adanya and her family are here. The kids look like they could use some food, and playmates."
	"Playmates?" Young James looked up, hopefully. The King smiled.
	"My sons and daughters. You can meet them out in the garden playground."
	"Yeah!" Both kids jumped up and down. The King went to Bogdi, hand outstretched.
	"Nowak will show you to the garden. If you and your family need anything, let the staff know."
	"Thank you, Your Grace." The soldier turned to the two Kikker teens. "I think you two should come with us as well."
	"Agreed," Issa said, taking the hint. "Come on, Ofure." He took her hand. For the first time in days, Anelie saw the girl blush. Bowing again to the King, the others left. When the door closed, only Felek, Ruta, and herself stood before the King.
	"Sit," James said, motioning to chairs. He grabbed one himself, settling into it in front of his desk. "So. Let's list the problems you've dumped in my lap."
	"It wasn't his fault!" Ruta said. He raised an eyebrow at her, the girl's face turning red at the silent rebuke. "Well, it wasn't!"
	"Never said it was. We still have to deal with it, though." The fingers of his right hand went to his temple. "First, the Elves. I told you..."
	"We didn't expect to come home today, Your Grace." Anelie felt she had to defend her friend in this. "I would have stopped them from following us on the way home, by force if need be!"
	"I'm sure you would have. But, they are here. Families, too, correct?"
	"Yes, Your Grace," Felek said. "Around half are women, with five kids."
	"Catty will insist they be settled somewhere. I'm open to ideas. Then, we now have an island in the middle of our lake." The King let out a humorless chuckle. "A coincidence that, isn't it? We settle someplace perfectly suited for her temple island?" He shook his head. "I'm not sure if I want to delve too far into what this Zywie has been doing all this time."
	"She's not evil," Ruta said, forcefully.
	"Few are," the King said. "But, her goals might not be ours." He thought for a moment. Anelie glanced at Felek, then spoke.
	"The island needs a dock, Your Grace. So we can get our mounts off and bring them home, if nothing else." A thought came to her. "It would also be a good place for a battery of ballistas and catapults."
	"I'm not sure its current occupant would like that," Felek said. Anelie shrugged.
	"She bitched her old tower was torn down. Maybe fortifications would have prevented that."
	"That's for later," the King said. "Let's focus on short term problems. Ruta. If we... ignore this Zywie, what will she do?"
	"Ignore her?" The girl blinked. The King nodded.
	"Yes. Ignore her. I'm not going to have this nation split over religious matters, especially when I'm not the type to blindly change faiths just because some spirit will get pissed if I don't."
	"She said she's not like that. Zywie said she rewards those who come to her, but doesn't punish those that don't."
	His expression showed His Grace was not convinced. Anelie shook her head.
	"My men are going to talk. There will be no keeping this secret."
	"I know. But apart from keeping Brother Ofim from declaring a crusade on the tower, I want to put this off. See how things develop." He rubbed his forehead again. "At least, that's my plan after the first hour. It may change after dinner." He shook his head. "OK, back to the first problem. The Elves are still on the ship?"

****

	His Grace watched as the Elves knelt down before their Queen.
	Catty, seated on a chair in the hold of the Kikker ship, looked over at him. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. Never before had she, really, had to face up to the responsibilities of her position. A Queen without a nation is not a Queen (four soldiers, one whom is your mate, does not a nation make). Now...
	"Rise, Ves."
	The light blue haired Tribal Mother raised her head. She stayed on her knees.
	"Your Highness. You... you honor us with your presence. Never did we think to once again serve the true descendant of Zea and Ger. Command us." She bowed her head again.
	"Ves... did you not read my message?"
	The woman's head shot up, as did that of her daughter beside her.
	"I... we DID, Your Highness!"
	"Then why are you here?" Ves turned to look at James. Catty frowned. "Yes, the King of the Poles is with us. Yes, I am under his protection. Is that reason to disobey me?"
	"No!" Ves and her daughter pressed their foreheads to the floor. "We... we thought only that what you wrote under the eyes of these people, and what you..."
	"You thought wrong." Catty's eyes seemed to flash. She stood. "I have spent five years exiled from our people. Have had five years to look at the world, at my place in it. I have no desire to rule. Not my former countrymen. Not you. You were not to come. You were not to place my hosts in danger by your presence."
	"They did not choose to come here," James said. He could see the shock on their faces, not just of his defense of them in the face of Catty's anger, but at his perfect Elvish. He never got tired of that. "If there is blame, it is with my people and their inability to not be followed."
	"Be that as it may. They can not stay here."
	"Agreed." He shook his head. "Neither, however, can we just set them free on the mainland. We must find a safe home for them."
	"We want to be with you!" Ves stood, her daughter Tre rising as well. So, too, did the rest of the Elves.
	"Please!" Tre said, motioning behind her. "Our children need a Queen!"
	"They need a home," Catty said, softly. Her eyes again met those of James. "For now, until we find another...?"
	He groaned. Any temporary camp had the chance to become permanent. To give them homes here...
	"Your Grace." James turned. The Kikker Captain stood in the doorway. He bowed his head slightly. "I am sorry. I understand some Elvish, although I do not speak it. You need someplace for them to stay?"
	"Yes, if only for a short time. Long term would be better." His eyes narrowed. "Why?"
	"There is a small island I call home, two days east of here as the currents now flow."
	James tried to recall the charts from his office. The island in question showed itself.
	"Ah. I know it. It is just a small village, yes?"
	"Yes, with docks to repair our ships to avoid city harbor fees. However, there is land we do not use. For a reduction in Nowy Warsaw fees, perhaps prime dock space..." He left the offer hanging.
	"Hmm. We will talk tomorrow." It was a possibility. He'd want to leave some soldiers there, though. Not just to watch the Elves, but to make sure this didn't turn into some sort of slaver operation. Always look your gift horse in the mouth. James turned to Catty. "Your Highness, if you would like to stay here with your people for awhile..."
	"Yes." She walked up to Ves. The older woman seemed to flinch back. "Yes. I think we should talk."

****

 	The four teens stood on the palace wall, looking out over the lamp lit city. Felek pulled Ruta closer to him, his arm tightening around her waist. Her own arm squeezed him back. Anelie and Klocia stood beside him. They looked different without armor, dressed still in the dark blue of their uniforms. Both less, yet more feminine. He thought they were holding hands, but wasn't sure.
	"How long are you going to stay?" he asked. Anelie shrugged, eyes distant.
	"Don't know. I have to get the men back home. Report to Shanna." She turned to him, smiling. "I will be back, though. When you need me."
	"If you need help with Shanna, just say so. I have rather good connections."
	"So do I." Anelie raised her right hand, Felek now seeing it was indeed intertwined with Klocia's. Bringing them to her lips, she kissed the blond girl's fingers. "I think she'll understand."
	"Maybe we can have a double wedding," Ruta said, smirking. Anelie's face seemed to go white.
	"Wedding?"
	"Of course! If you two are going to be a couple, it's only right! I'll have Lady Ewa arrange for you to see the best seamstress in the city. You'll look beautiful in white!"
	"It's too early for that," Klocia said. Her face told a different story. Felek laughed.
	"It's nothing we have to worry about tonight."
	"Aww..." Felek gave Ruta a quick kiss to stop her fake pout. She snuggled closer to him. Anelie laughed.
	"Get a room, you two!"
	"We already both have one." He cocked his head. "Are you two staying in the barracks, or...?"
	"There's a room next to Bogdi's," Anelie said, face turning as red as her hair. Felek chuckled.
	"It's getting a bit chilly. Maybe we should head in."
	"Yes," Klocia said, eyes on Anelie's face. "Let's."

****

	Anelie woke to pounding on the door.
	She pushed herself up, limbs untangling from Klocia. Her lover, too, was awake, her attempts to free her limbs conflicting momentarily with Anelie's movements. The door burst open, hallway light illuminating the two nude women half covered by a thin blanket. Anelie raised her hand to shield her eyes.
	"Who...?"
	Bogdi took a step into the room, his hairy body nude. He held a water filled cauldron before him, steam rising from its surface. His eyes were wide.
	"Anelie! I'm going to be a daddy again!"

****

The End

Completed September 10, 2014

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Edited by Packrat

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Comments more than welcome.

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