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Tag: Tzina

Diplomacy and Death

 
Secret Meetings
“I don’t like it,” says her elder advisor.
“There’s no way we can protect you tomorrow when you visit the emperor on his ship.”

“At the moment, they mean us no harm, elder,” says Keela.
“Besides, Berek will be there with me.”

“They are heavily armed, and we don’t know how many guards are on each ship.”
“Berek’s fighting skills are unmatched, but without the web, how can he defend you against hundreds of enemies?!”
“One energy blast is all it takes to kill you!”

Message

 
A Call for Help
The tower is quiet without Shazira.
She sits most of the day at her parent’s house, holding Tzina’s hand, and wonders where hope has gone.
Tzina slips toward death, already empty, her spirit gone.

Shazira’s parents are silent around me.
They disliked the old Yagrin, and they like me even less.
No time now to change that.

Many healers have already come, but I call for more.
“Why, Yagrin?” asks Shazira.
“What can any healer do?”
“They can prolong Tzina’s life,” I tell her.

“Her spirit is already dead!” shouts Shazira.
“Who cares about the … Read more

A Quiet Storm

 
Silence
Tzina and I approach the Blue Room, the room of art, music, and story.
She stops and turns to me.
“Ina, your tests are in a few hours.”
“Shouldn’t you be practicing?”

“I’m done with practice, Tzina.”
“Tell me about your friend Berek.”

“Ina,” she says, “I shouldn’t have mentioned him to you.”
“Oodah will be furious if I bring you to him.”
“She doesn’t want you to meet him before the tests.”

“I’ve been curious about Berek since you told me that he loves the storms.”
“Then I met his parents, who acted strange and angry around … Read more

Hungry for Lightning

 
Storms
Breakfast in the kitchen with Tzina.
She delights in watching me as I eat food I’ve never tasted before.
So I let her choose my food for me.

I look out the large windows at the sky, wondering if another great storm will come today.
It’s lightning season.

At night, everyone fears the Krale attacking, even with the Watchtower to protect us.
The great danger in the day is lightstorms.
Each storm with thousands of lightning strikes, and torrential rains.
No one wants to be caught outside in the storms.

Here, on top of the mountain, on an … Read more

Sweet Music

 
Clear Morning
A voice pulls me out of sleep.
“Wake up, Yagrin.”
“It’s almost time for the greeting.”

The world feels thick and dull as I try to rise.
Why am I so tired?

I’m alone a few minutes later when I finally get out of bed, but I hear Shazira and Tzina on the deck.
I remember holding Tzina, after the attack, as she went to sleep.
That was late afternoon.

I change into fresh clothes and wash up.
Then I join my family on the deck, by the railing, facing west, where the sun rises.
The sun … Read more