Cities of Power Ch. 05

"I don't understand," Flint shook his head, even though the words had seemed plain enough as he spoke them.

"Tomorrow we will go to the library, and I will explain everything to you fully," Judah said. "For now, let Samael show you to your room for tonight, you must be exhausted from the long walk through the tunnels."

They stood and followed Samael to a room dominated by a large bed. Trix had been sleeping in the same bed as her brother for weeks now and was not concerned about not having her own space, but she was surprised that they would be expected to keep up the charade of being married after the talk with Judah.

"He is wrong," Flint said quietly into the darkness as they lay side by side looking up at the ceiling.

"Maybe, but he was right about some things," she sighed. "Do you think he will keep his word and keep us safe here?"

"Yeah, I do, but I think there will be a price, and we might not like what we have to pay." Flint turned his head to look at his sister. In some ways he wished that he could believe that it was him they were after instead of her, but he knew there was nothing special about him and there was so much that was special about Trix.

"Judah said it's not that uncommon for, you know, people like us to live as man and wife. Maybe we should just keep up appearances. We don't know who will be watching us here, or if Talon will come for you," he tried to broach the subject carefully. The man had bedded her and left. From what he knew of warriors he was unlikely to return and accept the consequences of his actions.

"He will come," Trix said with a catch in her voice, not wanting to believe he would give up on her, even though she and Flint had talked about other women who had been left after giving themselves to a passing warrior. There were no cases that anyone knew of where a warrior took a woman back to Phoenix. She clung to the small hope that her love and belief in Talon gave her. He wouldn't know where to look, but if she could just get a message to him, she knew he would come for her. She felt Flint's arms wrap around her, and the tears flowed as she buried her head in his chest. "He'll come if he knows where to look," she cried, making Flint feel guilty about his words.

*****

"Be off, old woman. Petition time ended weeks ago," one of the men who guarded the gates of Pegasus waved his spear in the direction the woman had approached from.

"It has been a long walk, will you not even offer me a cup of water and shelter under the eaves of the great city for the night?" The woman asked, pulling her hooded cloak tighter around her body.

"We owe you nothing. If you want to be judged for worthiness to join the great city then return at the changing of the seasons," the guard instructed coldly.

"What you owe me and any who approach this gate is human decency. You will do your duty according to the tenets of the great leader of this city, and you will allow me to pass unhindered," the woman fixed him with a cold stare and planted her instruction into his head. When he stepped back to allow her access, the second guard stepped forward to detain her.

"Halt!" he cried, but she turned to look at him, finally throwing back her hood.

"Let me help you remember who I am!" she hissed at him and waved her hand, sending him to sleep and dream of the laws of Pegasus and the woman who had helped to draft them. She watched as he slowly crumpled to the ground. "I trust we are not going to have a problem," she turned to the third man who was older and obviously in charge of the watch.

"My apologies, Lady Ayla, they are young, and we had not been expecting you," he fumbled with the heavy door to the Bailey.

"No need to warn them that I am here, I am sure they are aware by now," she said haughtily, and walked into the city.

Ayla made her way up to the castle and in the inner sanctum, knowing very well that Alethea and the leaders of the seven alcoves would be waiting for her. It had been some time since she had returned, and she was tired. She would take Jason in hand shortly and introduce him to his true purpose. Gaylen had done his best, but he lacked the true source of power and could only help the boy to find the path, not to walk it with any skill.

"I am here." She said, reaching psychically toward Judah and Gabriel, sending her message knowing that they would be watching over her this evening and boosting her power against those who had some small amount of their own magic.

"Your arrogance has doomed us all, Pegasus!" she announced in a magnified booming voice as she threw wide the doors and entered the sacred space. "Do you think the leaders of the other Cities of Power are but children to be treated with party tricks and revere you as the peasants in your gardens do?"

"They have no power to know what is almost upon us!" The black healer stood to argue, but under a withering glare from Ayla sat again.

"You have wasted the opportunity you had to bring the cities together to battle the coming storm and survive, but you have doomed yourselves and those that follow you because you do not listen to your elders?" Ayla laughed mockingly. "Gryphon has fanatics who will tell you that their visions come from the source, but their journeys in the mists are just as powerful as yours. Pegasus have powerful elementals who also have the gift of sight. How else do you think you can communicate over such a distance? Do you believe you did it alone as both transmitter and receiver? Does your arrogance know no bounds?"

"Alethea, my sister, how did your children become so misguided?" Ayla sent some of her energy to the older woman, realising that she had long since passed the time of leading and was little more than a figurehead now. She sadly turned back to the leaders of the healing alcoves.

"Who is it that interpreted the prophecy in its most current form?" she demanded of the men and women who watched her warily. "I can do this the hard way, if you would prefer, or you can tell me willingly who has ascended the ranks without a brain in their head and save me the witch hunt."

"You have no right to come in here demanding anything of us. Your time has passed, witch," the man in black stood again, expecting to be backed up by his fellow leaders.

"Sleep," she waved her hand at the belligerent man and watched him crumple back into his chair.

"I guess we will do this the hard way then, and I will tell the new council of colour the missing pieces to the prophecy puzzle that you should have sought out without my assistance. What happens tonight is of your own doing because you made a mistake. Pegasus will probably never recover from a blunder this big. I will save a few of you; most will perish in the coming storm. Those few that survive will see the other cities flourish and the dawn of a new era and wonder how the mighty Pegasus had fallen. You will have none to blame but you're own arrogant leaders," she pointed to the sleeping man in black, who was obviously the idiot in charge due to Alethea's waning health, "And none to care for your cries of anguish."

"Bring all of the senior Mystics to me," she instructed the purple leader. "And alert the next in black to attend us here."

The night wore on, and Ayla searched the minds of the leaders and gathered the information needed about the factions in each alcove, choosing carefully new leaders that she believed could put down any challenge to the new order of things when she left. It was within the green alcove that she found a self-effacing woman who had great power and could have, if she had chosen to, joined any of the other clans. This was the woman who would rise to be the next leader of Pegasus after the storms had passed.

"The Hawk and the unicorn are the catalysts to war, they and their unborn child pose no threat to the future other than the war they will bring to this city if you continue in the misguided belief they are the hammer and jewel. Believe me when I say they are not. Should you try to imprison them again, the waring, goring beasts of the other two cities will fall upon you, and the prophecy will only come to fruition quicker for your demise!" Ayla explained impatiently.

"We could ask the fanatics of Gryphon, they often see passages we cannot," the new leader of the Mystics said as he considered the prophecy which had been rolled out before them, including the partial and undeciphered passages.

"Do you think they will speak to you now after coming here with the Phoenix to retrieve their Hawk. The Hawk is a prince in the city of Technology," the yellow keeper of the history sighed. "We imprisoned their prince and both Phoenix and Gryphon know that we cannot be trusted now."

"Perhaps we could send apologies with news of our change of leadership to Gryphon first," Orange said diplomatically. "They, too, have a witch, or Prophet, I believe they call him, that their hierarchy answers to," she mused. "They would be more amenable to our apologies and willingness to work together and share information than Pegasus would be at this time."

"Why can't you just speak plainly and tell us who the Hammer and Jewel are and where we will find the son?" Red spoke up.

"Because some of you are still under the mistaken belief that he will do you and the future harm. The harm done to the future has already been done, and your meddling did it. Now is the time to protect yourselves, arm yourself with real knowledge, not guesses that will bring this great city undone. Take the time to reflect on how your arrogance brought you to this point and strive not to let it get out of hand again. There are men and women in the other cities who can wield your skills just as easily; you are not so special that they could not survive the coming storm without you. Can you say the same for yourselves? Is there a great warrior amongst you who could stand in a physical fight? Or do you rely on mind controllers that are easily thwarted, like him?" she pointed to the still sleeping black on the floor.

"Tell me, Red, what would be your first action should I divulge my belief in where the Hammer and Jewel lie?" Ayla asked. "Would you seek them out and imprison them here? Would you take their sons, should they have any? Why is it important that you know? When I have told you they bring no harm to you and this city beyond what you have brought upon yourselves? No, I will not tell you where to find the prophecised son, because you would only harm the one real chance we have to bring life back to this dead world through your misguided deeds."

"I think perhaps it is time for us to return to our alcoves and discuss what has happened here tonight while you rest, Lady Ayla." The sweet smiling woman of the Blue suggested. "Perhaps I could send you one of our healers to help you rest."

"That is thoughtful, thank you," Ayla nodded, feeling as if she had spent the evening lecturing small children who had not listened to her at all. "I would also like Verdani, of the Green, to attend me, if you would be so kind. Please ask her to bring her daughter with her," Ayla looked at the Green leader.

"Of course, Lady, I will send her directly," Green said, bowing her head in acknowledgement. The most spiritual of the clans, the Green believed in the power of the witch to guide them into the future.

Ayla went to her room and sat in a comfortable chair. She waited until the three women arrived and instructed them to allow no one to enter or disturb her while she meditated. She then ordered a bath be drawn and food brought to the room. With that, she closed her eyes and stepped onto the misty path.

"I may have arrived too late to save them from their foolishness, but I have found the one I searched for here. She will travel with me to the hidden village," Ayla spoke as she sat on a stone in the circle facing the two men she thought of as brothers. "The fate of Pegasus remains unknown, but from what I have seen they will be their destruction. There is one that could be the leader to bring them back together, but fate, I fear, may have other plans for this city."

"I have found Jason, and we travel with the twin to the hidden village," Gabriel said, and looked to his left as Jason stood close, but just outside the circle as if trying to see within but unable to penetrate their small safe zone in the mists. "He will learn or he won't," Gabriel said gruffly.

"I have the unicorn and the brother protector," Judah nodded. "I will send for the Hawk and the youngest brother when you are close to arriving. Did you meet the eldest?"

"No, but I have searched the mind of the twin and find nothing there that would distinguish the eldest as more remarkable than himself or his twin. If I had to choose at this point, I would say the one with his sister is the one prophesied," Gabriel speculated.

"He, too, is wholly unremarkable and uninspiring, but perhaps situations can change with a small prod," Judah twisted his mouth as he considered the idea. "We do not want to leave this to chance and probability."

"Be careful, brother; meddling is what will end the days of Pegasus," Ayla warned. "We seek only to protect the prophecy and bring it to fulfilment, not to bend it to our will."

"As always, you are right, sister," Judah looked contrite and smiled benignly.

"You don't fool me, be careful what you do, Judah," Gabriel frowned. "We may abide your egocentricities, but I will not have you disturb the balance unduly."

"Me? Egocentric? I prefer the term capricious," Judah asked in mock indignation. "As if I would ever disturb anything," he chuckled. "Hurry to the hidden city, my friends, I am eager to meet another son."

*****

Flint allowed Trix to take his hand and lead him into the walled garden. She giggled with excitement, and she had never looked more beautiful, the sun made the natural highlights in her brown hair shine like gold, and she smiled happily. He followed her urgings to where the fountain flowed with cool, crisp water and spilt out into a small pool.

He watched as she began to peel off her clothes, as he had done so often in the last week as they readied for bed. No matter how hard he willed himself to look away, he couldn't, and the sight of her naked body both disturbed and titillated him. She beckoned him to her and helped him to remove his clothes, pulling him into the fountain with her. They kissed under the spraying water, and his hands ran over her skin as he groaned heavily, finally giving into the illicit desire that had all but consumed him since arriving in this place. He cupped her face and looked into her dancing eyes before kissing her again.

"I love you," he simply said.

"I love Talon," came her reply, and his hand came up to curl tightly around her throat, making her cry out as tears came to her eyes.

"Why can't you love me? Why can't you see that I am the only one who can love you and keep you safe? Why do you continue to hope for a man who used you for his pleasure and discarded you?" he growled. He stepped from the fountain pool and pushed her down on the grass, laying over her as she cried and looked up at him with tears in her eyes. The thought that it was him that was using her, hurting her, making her cry was so wrong, so very wrong. He yelled in frustration and rolled off her.

Flint woke with a gasp as his dream turned from loving to aggressive, and he looked at Trix who lay beside him in the large bed. He wasn't sure how or why, but he knew someone, maybe the mystics, were tampering with his dreams and his feelings. He would never have hurt her that way, he would never even voice his feelings to her, let alone act on them, and yet the dream had seemed so real. He knew that he was destined to live a life alone, loving her as a brother only. Truthfully, as much as he had always admired her, his feelings toward her had only turned to serious desire once he knew of Talon's visits to the village.

"Had someone been tampering with his dreams and feelings even then? Heightening his protective brotherly love to thoughts of desire and finally into the overwhelming need for her that fed his dreams?" he asked himself. They couldn't stay here; he couldn't stay here, he had to get a message to Mica with one of the warriors who entered the village. Mica would know how to find them and rescue him from this hellish imprisonment.

Trix woke suddenly, gasping and clutching her throat. She looked up at him with fearful eyes and pushed him away. At that moment Flint knew that whoever was messing with his dreams had to be doing the same to her.

"Shush," he soothed, "It was just a dream. I would never harm you," he said softly, leaving the space between them as she woke properly and realised it was just a dream, even though it had felt very real.

"How did you know I dreamt about you?" she asked, accusation in her voice.

"I had a similar dream. Someone is influencing our dreams, and we need to be careful to guard our minds and keep the truth of why we are here in our hearts," Flint said resolutely.

"The mystics?" she asked.

"Or Judah himself. We knew there would be a price to pay for being here. Maybe he is trying to manipulate us through our dreams. I had thought he was pushing us together, but perhaps he wants to drive a wedge between us now. We are stronger together than apart," Flint reasoned.

"I love you, Flint, but not in any way other than as my brother," Trix said, acknowledging that it was she that had led him into the fountain and a lovers embrace in the dream.

"I know, I love you too, and I will help you to find Talon once we are released from this nightmare," he promised her. He told himself that his desire for her and the heart ache he felt at making that promise was all designed by someone with the power to influence his mind. "How long have your dreams been of me?" he asked, wondering if they had indeed been pushed together at the beginning of their journey to ensure he went with her.

"I have had growing feelings toward you that a sister shouldn't have since we turned back toward this village," Trix admitted. "Talon usually enters my dreams though; this was the first time that it... well... you know how it went."

They lay quietly, coming to terms with the dream and what it meant for them that someone had been influencing their minds. When they rose and went to breakfast, Trix surprised Flint by confronting Judah about what they had discussed.

"Someone has been messing with our dreams and the feelings they arouse. If it is you, stop it!" She demanded. "If it isn't, you can you make us a dream catcher to stop whoever is doing it or I will not sleep again."

"I don't think even the source can hold back sleep," Judah chuckled. "I can give you a talisman to guard you while you sleep. The dreams are about living as husband and wife, I suppose?"

"I've been having them since the night Mother told us Trix would have to leave home," Flint said, believing that Judah was innocent of this particular crime. "Trix, only since we turned from Gryphon back toward this village."

"About the same time the Hawk left Pegasus and guarded his mind, no doubt," Judah nodded. "I can help you with this, but you will do a favour for me," he said to Flint.

"There is always a bargain to me made and a price to be paid," Flint quoted Spar dourly.

*****