From: bwr@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (bruce.w.reisman)
Subject: STORY: Darkness Rising (part 55)
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 20:18:46 GMT

55.  LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!


Shortly after the successful foray which returned Smidge, War Chief of the
Idiyva and ten of her warriors to Knearn, the Queen, Companions and Idiyva
begin a series of pre-emptive strikes against the enemy deep within the
south beyond Knearn.  Queen Ariel cannot bring herself to strike against
the Idiyva males who oppose them, but over the next month she leads the
attack in all other battles against the minions of the Death Stalkers.


Eventually Jhere notices Ragnor's distress at Smidge's lack of interest in
him, and in the coming birth of their "cub", takes him aside and attempts
to comfort him suggesting perhaps it is simply hormonal as she knows she,
too, will at some point lose probably interest in ... physical closeness
... with Oliver ...

Ragnor does not believe this, but hopes she is right "about himself and
Smidge," he hastily adds, "not about she and Oliver."  Then breaks off,
embarrassed, "You know what I mean."


Jhere's own pregnancy is progressing nicely, if not exactly comfortably;
the baby has remained physically active, but beyond giggles she always
hears and occasionally Oliver or others about hear, he has not done
anything magical.


Janet continues to fume, silently in Jhere's presence and not so silently
in the presence of some of the other Companions and others who have come
to take service at the keep, about the Princess roaming about, *fighting*
for the Lords' sake, when she is so *very* pregnant and should be by her
Lord Duke's side peacefully awaiting her delivery.

Oliver, too, is not happy and continues to express his concern to her
privately.  It is sheer hell for him to watch her leave with the others
and be forced to stay behind, yet he can do nothing else.  As Duke, he
*must* remain behind and see to the ongoing fortifications.

They finally compromise.  They will continue to work out in the keep
yard with their staffs; when Jhere physically can no longer easily dodge
and deflect his blows and has trouble with her balance, she will remain
behind.  Oliver wishes that would happen soon; Jhere later.  She feels
she could not bear to be away from Ariel; she senses the queen's growing
acceptance of her coming death and is determined to prevent it if she can.
Were it not for her son's existence, she would gladly sacrifice herself
to save Ariel.


On the 22nd of Autumn, just after dawn, the intrepid group sets out again.
Word has come back from an Idiyva scout that a small war party of Idiyva
and Trolls is headed for Scurtee.

As soon as they leave Knearn's valley, the bad weather socks in and they
are reduced to trudging slowly single-file through the blowing wet snow.
Two miserable mornings later they are still fighting their way through the
intensifying snow storm.

Suddenly there are loud cat screams from ahead along with almost unearthly
baying and howling.  The Companions prepare to do battle as out of the
blowing snow a pack of frost wolves attack.  They are creatures of evil
and cold and are abnormally large being in excess of 6-feet long and
weighing several hundred pounds.

The Companions bunch up and use their weapons as the wolves dart in and
out.  Omerta casts a wall of flame to block off one approach and then
pulls his laen sword.  Jhere kills or severely damages each wolf that
attacks her; Ariel successfully uses her rapier against those that come
after her.  Vilim begins playing his laen lyre as Kidd prepares his
paraylzing spells.  Ragnor basically flattens whatever his hammer
connects with, so he, too, is *most* effective against the frost wolves.

After a couple of minutes, it becomes evident the increasing cold is *not*
natural.  Ariel pauses and calls out, "Come back!  We must go back!  A
Death Stalker approaches."

The group bunches up around her, as the Idiyva slowly move more close to
her.  The frost wolves continue to harry the group but they easily deal
with them as they begin backing away.

Ariel suddenly halts.  "There are more," she says to Jhere as the blizzard
intensifies.  "How many are there?" Jhere asks.

"Will not know until we see them," Ariel replies as she invokes Freya
becoming her avatar.  Jhere follows suit as Vilim begins to pray to his
ring.  Three Death Stalkers loom into view.

"Uh, do we want a conference in the ward?" Omerta nervously calls out.

"Can we take them?" Jhere says to Ariel.

Ariel does not answer as she is slowly approaching the closest and largest
of the three.  Jhere hurries after her.  The Death Stalker does not turn
away from Ariel and Jhere pauses as it speaks.

"I am not turned as easily as my little brother."

"But there are *two* of us," Jhere answers.

It laughs the most evil, cruel sound Jhere's ever heard.  Ariel stops
moving, quietly praying to Freya.  Jhere tries to befriend it, but is
unsurprised when it doesn't work.

A "hot" crossbow bolt is shot by Omerta at the creature with Vilim's help
in targeting; there is no apparent effect or reaction, though the bolt
sticks out of its chest.  The Death Stalkers are about 15 feet away from
the rest of the Companions.

The one nearest Ariel continues its conversation, "Don't you think it's
time you stopped this foolishness and came with me?  Together we could
rule the world."

Omerta focuses inward, gathering his magical strength, as Ariel is not
impressed with the Death Stalker's logic.  The Death Stalker now begins
muttering and makes arcane gestures; a palpable aura of power builds
around it.

Vilim and Kidd also prepare various magical bolts.

Jhere, on seeing Ariel has seemingly faltered, motions to the others to
move closer as she prepares to take them all into the ward.

Another magic crossbow bolt and a lightning bolt hit the Death Stalker as
it casts its spell and Jhere hears Ariel speak to her, "Take the broach!"
Jhere pauses stunned.  What does she mean?  Why would she tell her to take
her holy symbol?  She does not know the broach in fact is not Ariel's holy
symbol.

Aloud Ariel says, "By Freya's power!" and holds her hand out toward the
Death Stalker.

Jhere leans forward.  Clearly something has been cast by the Death Stalker
and simultaneously something by Ariel.

Ragnor has to look away from the dazzle.  The others see what looks like
a powerful beam of bluish light leaping forward from Ariel's hand, a beam
of black leaping from the Death Stalker's hand and, where they meet in
the middle, there's a continuous explosion.  The two forces seem equally
potent.

Jhere moves beside Ariel to try and determine what she should do.  Vilim
begins singing again.  Both beams seem to be intensifying.

Omerta yells to Vilim to do a time displacement on the creature, not
knowing Vilim had attempted this the time before they met a Death Stalker
and it was totally ineffective.  Vilim simply ignores him, concentrating
on his playing.  Omerta prepares another fire spell.

Jhere is praying to Freya and watching Ariel as Ragnor regains his vision.
Jhere begins channeling additional strength to Ariel.  Ragnor takes one of
his exploding beans and slings it at the feet at one of Death Stalkers --
it explodes causing negligible damage.  The evil creature grins horribly.

At this point, the turbulent area has expanded to a point where in moments
it seems it will encompass both figures.  Jhere is still channeling and
asks Ariel, "What can I do to help you!"  There's no response.  It becomes
clear even to Jhere that Ariel is so focused she's unaware of anything
else.  Jhere reaches for the broach and takes it.

Ariel is suddenly enveloped in darkness and seems to melt and Jhere
screams, "NO!" and reaches back with the broach.  The Death Stalker is
finally struck by whatever it was that Ariel was directing toward it.
There is an enormous flux of blue light around Ariel which pours onto
the Death Stalker.  Still laughing, the Death Stalker dissipates into
smoke and ash and other indescribable substances.  Where Ariel stood, a
puddle of blood, other bodily remains congeals within her ruined dress.

Ragnor, Vilim, Jhere, and Smidge stagger, drained of all their channeling
power.  The remaining two Death Stalkers shudder as well, then turn and
ramble off into the storm.  The area quickly warms up to near freezing as
Vilim and Ragnor fire off futile parting shots.

Jhere has fallen to her knees beside Ariel's remains, and with tears
running down her cheeks, motions the others to move closer so she can
invoke her ward.  But she can't!  She is distraught as she realizes she
has been totally drained of power.  She leans forward and places the
broach on Ariel's dress.  Nothing happens.  She leans forward and tries
kissing Ariel's bloody remains.  Nothing.

Omerta moves up beside her and asks Vilim if he can give Jhere time to
meditate for additional channeling power.

"M'lady, meditate a bit and perhaps you can regain enough strength to
summon a ward?" Jhere looks up at him and nods.  She'll try.  As the
others stand around silently, starting to grieve for the Queen, she
regains only a tiny fraction of her power.  Not enough, she finds, to
do anything meaningful.

Still crying silently, she gets up and clearly defeated, turns to the
others. "We must go back to Knearn."

Janet has fallen on her knees and says, "The Queen is dead!  Long live
the Queen!" as Smidge and her warriors gather more closely.

Omerta salutes the new Queen as Kidd nods, "Your Majesty!"

"We must take back what we can of her Majesty's remains."  Jhere looks
around for a cloth or skin.  Omerta moves forward to reverently wrap
together the Queen's now frozen remains.  It weighs about 50 pounds.

Ragnor moves over to Omerta. "I will carry her."

Jhere looks around and asks if anyone is wounded.  A number have minor
injuries, but no one is seriously hurt.

Omerta tearfully looks up at Ragnor, "She was a great Queen.  She went
out with style."  Ragnor nods agreement.

Jhere discusses returning to Knearn with the Companions, as Smidge and
the other Idiyva talk quietly among themselves.

It becomes clear they could instanteously move eight people back to
Knearn, so it would take a two days to get everyone back.  Since they're
only a couple of days out from Knearn, however, it's not that big of a
problem.

"Some of us with the Queen's remains should be moved back to Knearn now
and the rest of you tomorrow," Jhere says.

"M'lady, forgive me for disagreeing," Omerta interrupts.  "This is
difficult, but her remains will stay preserved best in the cold.  If
there is anything we can do for her tomorrow, I think keeping them
frozen would be best until that time.  The choice is yours."

Jhere stops to think for a moment and realizes he may be correct as she
knows of no one in Knearn with sufficient power to preserve Ariel's
remains.  Vilim chimes in, "Regretably, I think he may be right."

Jhere asks Vilim and Kidd, "Then just send some of us back now, and the
rest tomorrow and the following day."

They discuss how long this would take and decide how they will do it.
Omerta turns to Vilim, "You and I can do one each as Kidd does six others,
so I'd say send back six or seven of Smidge's people.  Or, would the Queen
want us to go on?  The battle is not over."

Janet firmly comments, "The *Queen* is here with us *now*!"

"The battle is over for now," Jhere flatly states.

Omerta gulps and apologizes, "I'm sorry, m'lady, I hope you know what I
meant!"

She nods.  "Omerta, if you don't send yourself back, you can send one
other person?" she asks him.

"Yes."

"So you and Vilim will stay.  Ragnor, Janet, Karen, Slither, Smidge if
she wants to go, two of the other Idiyva and I will go back."

"I think, personally m'lady," Omerta comments, "since we have worked as
a team so much together that I'm inclined to send mostly Idiyva back."

Vilim whispers to Omerta, "Would you have talked this way to the previous
Queen?"  Omerta blanches.

Before Jhere can tell him why she does not agree with this, Smidge moves
up to Jhere.  It's always hard to read Smidge's expressions but she is
clearly distressed.  She bows to Jhere, "Your Majesty, Ariel was a very
special friend."  Jhere's tears begin to flow again.  "For her, I was
willing to leave my battle behind and come to Knearn.  I will not return."

Jhere is upset, but unsurprised.  "War Chief, I had hoped that we, too,
could become friends.  I would like you and your followers to come back
and continue this battle, but I understand why you would not wish to at
this point.  I do ask you to consider you are carrying a cub that is half
human and perhaps what we can offer your child is of equal value to what
you can offer it given what has happened to your society.  So I would like
you to reconsider."

Smidge nods. "I will consider."

"That's all I can ask," Jhere sadly answers and looks around, "If someone
can carry her Majesty's remains, we can all return to Knearn now.  Smidge
and her people can decide later whether to rejoin us."

Kidd looks at Jhere, "I can transport someone carrying the Queen's
remains, but I do not believe Omerta can return himself *and* her
remains."  Jhere nods.

After the details of who will transport whom are resolved, Ariel is
returned to Knearn and is reverently watched over in the chapel as Jhere
tells Oliver what has happened and goes to bed with him to privately
grieve and gather her strength.  Ragnor and Omerta head the honor guard
watching over the Queen.


At dawn, Jhere and Oliver appear in the chapel.  Jhere is dressed in
her white priestess' gown and crown.  The Companions gather around as
she takes everyone into the ward.  She prays to Freya asking for the
restoration of her High Priestess and Queen, the magnificent Ariel.  She
offers her largest remaining opal first into the water; it scintillates,
glows and vanishes.  She reverently slides the package of Ariel's remains
into the water and places the broach on top.  The remains scintillate and
glow and vanish also, but the broach remains floating on top of the water.

A tinkling of bells, much like distant wind chimes is heard but no speech.
Jhere bows her head her tears begin to flow.  She wanted Ariel back; she
does *not* want to be Queen.

The others within the ward feel a wave of soothing pass over their
spirits; Ariel has traveled to a resting place with Freya and it is
well, not that the sadness has completely passed.

Jhere feels a presence by her and the underlying message/feeling is she
will be allowed the space and time to deal with her feelings of grief and
emotions and expectations over her entire relationship with the departed
Queen, in her own time and that Freya will not tamper with Jhere's inner
feelings.

Jhere thanks Freya aloud and says she will always love Ariel and kneels
by the edge of the stone and picks up the still floating broach.  She
feels its power and she quietly asks if it will stay with her.  There's
no obvious reply, so she pins the broach to her dress.  She cancels the
ward and thanks everyone for being there.

They begin sending out the appropriate notifications that the Queen has
died.


That night Jhere has a dream in which Ariel appears and she says, "I will
be there when you need me."  In the dream, Jhere begins to cry again, but
when she awakens she's not sure whether or not it was a dream.


A few days later a Hira brings a message from King Thiokol.  He states he
is on the march to Gan and implies now that she's queen he expects her to
join him in Trun.

She talks it over with Oliver and sends back a carefully neutral reply
stating her expectations that he will continue to lead the battle from
the mundane side as she will continue to hold the south as long as she
can against the evil magical forces until Princess Leia and party can
return with their ultimate salvation and then they will all be able to
meet once again in Trun.  She closes that she trusts he will continue to
properly rule his realm as she will rule hers.

There is no immediate answer from the king.


Several days later, Smidge seeks an audience with Queen Jhere.  She is
immediately brought to Jhere and Oliver.  She holds out a bundle and says
she wishes to leave her cub in Jhere's safekeeping.  Jhere glances at
Oliver as Smidge places the bundle in her arms.  He shrugs.

Jhere looks at the tiny furball and asks how old is the baby?  Smidge says
he is four days.  "I cannot feed him yet.  Will you stay?" Jhere asks.

"I'm sure you can find a wet nurse in the city," Smidge replies.  Jhere
nods, "We will care for him, you need not worry."  Smidge nods back and
departs.

Jhere sends for Ragnor and shows him his son, and she also has word sent
to the city for a wet nurse.  Fortunately one of the returning women has
recently given birth and gladly moves into the keep to care for Ragnor's
son, along with her own child.  The keep's new nursery now has two
inhabitants and awaits the third.

Ragnor, after consulting with Jhere, names his son Raja, and spends some
time with him every day.  The nurse assures him he will become proficient
at holding the baby and the baby seems *far* sturdier than human babies
and so will not break.  However, given that the infant Raja is barely
larger than Ragnor's outstretched two hands, his doubt is understandable
and so he is *very* careful.

Jhere, too, spends much of her time now in the nursery, learning to care
for the two infants in preparation for her own delivery.  She finds she
does not wish to *do* much except stay warm and comfortable and make baby
clothes from the supplies brought from Trun, much to Janet and Oliver's
great relief.  The nurse teaches her much and helps her prepare for the
coming birth.

The next three weeks are relatively quiet.  Dispatches continue to flow
back and forth from Trun, Roore and other northern cities, although Oliver
grows concerned over the lack of news from the King.

Jhere, Vilim and Kidd spend some time trying to determine exactly how
powerful and to what realm the baby will be.  They determine the baby
is definitely above average in powers for a human infant but exactly how
this will manifest itself is indeterminate at this time.  Kidd, when Jhere
permits, continues to mentally talk to him.

Oliver meets with Omerta and the Companions and they plan a New Year's Eve
celebration for everyone, although one not as extensive as is traditional
as they are still in mourning for Queen Ariel.  Jhere approves and says
she will enjoy watching the festivities.


Jhere awakens the first morning of Year End's Day feeling unusually
invigorated and healthy.  And for the first time since Ariel's death,
she feels her loss a little less deeply.  She slips quietly out of bed,
letting Oliver sleep, dresses and goes to check on the babies.  She
cuddles Nurse Sue's daughter as Raja is fed, then she takes him with
her as she goes down to the keep's kitchen to check on the morning
preparations for the feasting later.  She's mildly hungry but more,
wants to make sure everything goes well.

Nurse Sue goes looking for Duke Oliver.  When she finds him, she begs a
moment and tells him she believes the Queen's time will be sometime today
or tomorrow.  Oliver is startled and asks why -- is Her Majesty in labor?
Where *is* she? he demands.  She answers, no, her Majesty is simply
exhibiting the restless energy women often experience just before their
water breaks and simply tis best to keep a close eye on her but let her
be.  Oliver nods.

Janet meanwhile, has found Jhere in the kitchen.  When Ragnor comes in to
eat, Jhere greets him and when he's through eating she gives him Raja and
then she goes off to the Great Hall to find Oliver.

Oliver hugs her and asks her how she's feeling.  She replies better than
ever and he gravely says Nurse Sue believes her time is near.  Jhere
laughs and says nonsense, the baby is not due for at least two more weeks.
Oliver hugs her gently again and says he hopes she's right and glances at
Janet, his look clearly warning Janet to stay close this day.  Janet nods.

That afternoon as she's resting Jhere's water breaks, much to her great
surprise.  She changes and goes and tells Nurse Sue.  Janet is clearly
alarmed and urges her to bed.  She laughs again and declines saying she
is having no pains yet and will not spoil the feasting that night and
they are *not* to say anything to Oliver or any of the others.

Her contractions do not begin until early that evening during the feast.
She gasps as the first strong contraction ripples clearly across her
belly.  Oliver leaps up startling the revelers into silence.

Jhere is most embarrassed and struggles to her feet with Oliver's help.
"I'm only having a baby," she scolds.  "The feasting will continue.  Do
*not* stop on my account!"  She waves to the musicians to resume playing.

Oliver regains his composure enough to be concerned that the celebration
not be unduly interrupted.  After all, it *is* the last and first holiday
of the year and the first celebrated in the new dukedom.  The feast must
go on, if only for everyone's morale.  He addresses his steward, "Lord
Omerta, please take the head of the table and lead the festivities in my
absence."

As Omerta clears his throat, the Duke sweeps Jhere up in his arms and
fiercely whispers, "Why didn't you *tell* me!  We're going upstairs!"

Omerta leads the festivities in the Queen and Duke's absence, trying
to keep the mood light.  The other Companions also remain at the feast,
though everyone's thoughts and much of the conversation are concerned
with Jhere and the royal birth.


"No, Oliver," she protests as he starts out the Hall, "We must make the
sacrifice to Kuan Yin first!"  He pauses then takes her into the chapel
and seats her carefully upon a bench.  Janet hovers right behind.  He
then runs to their quarters and brings back the pouch with the jade.

The two of them approach the altar and together offer the jade to Kuan
Yin, goddess of mercy and childbearing and beg her help and support in
her coming labor.


Unbeknownst to the royal couple, Janet sees a green shimmering veil drop
between herself and the one she has sworn to protect.  Too late, she leaps
forward.  The veil is gone, and so are the Queen and Duke.  Undoubtedly,
they've been taken under the protection of the Lords of Light, but that
doesn't stop Janet's impotent fuming.


The jade glows from within.  The glow expands, encompassing them within
its embrace, soothing their spirits, as the jade itself vanishes.  Jhere
then offers her three tiny opals from her bracelet -- one for herself, one
for Oliver and one for Zebediah -- to Freya, giving thanks for permitting
her to have this wonderous baby and asking that she watch over her and
Oliver this night.

Then as another strong contraction begins, Jhere and Oliver suddenly find
themselves within Freya's ward.  Jhere is dazed, she murmurs she didn't
think she had done that.  A glowing figure approaches them over the water,
Jhere cannot focus enough to see if it is Freya, or Kuan Yin or perhaps
Ariel?  Oh she hopes so.  A cool hand rests upon her brow.

As the next contraction begins, she finds herself watching herself, Oliver,
the water, the sky, the pain simultaneously distant and near.  For the rest
of her labor, Oliver paces back and forth frustratedly over the stepping
stones, unable to assist in any meaningful way.  Jhere continues to
experience this peculiar double vision, both participant and observer.
With the pain thus diminished, she is mostly terribly annoyed at how *long*
it seems to be taking.  To Oliver she seems present, but not totally.  Part
of her is "away" somehow; he hopes on another plane of Freya's where she
escapes the obvious discomfort of her body.

At long last she can feel, and they can see, that the baby is crowning,
but he doesn't want to be born and she is near exhaustion, though the
distant part of her remains fascinated to watch her own son's birth.  A
lovely, quiet voice tells Oliver to place Jhere in the water and lie on
his stomach on the stone supporting her in his arms.  He does so and
gently washes the sweat off her face as she experiences another strong
contraction.  The figure seems to kneel between Jhere's legs in the water
and runs her hands over Jhere's heaving belly and Jhere relaxes and
seemingly effortlessly now the baby emerges to float quietly in the water.
The figure washes the baby off without disturbing the umbilical cord and
when the baby has begun to breathe on his own without effort the cord is
suddenly gone and Oliver suddenly finds himself kneeling in the center of
the stone holding a clean, dry and apparently healed Jhere who's cradling
their son.  Moments later they are back in the chapel, as the dawning rays
of the sun shine through the upper windows.


When it became clear that they would not soon return, Janet had gone for
Nurse Sue, certain that she would be needed upon Jhere's reappearance.
They rush over as the green radiance fades from around the altar and
Jhere, Oliver and their newborn son appear.

Nurse Sue declares that the miraculous birth, right as the the dawn of
the new year is just breaking into the room, is a wonderful omen.  And
a clear, sunny, sharp winter day it is!  She turns back to the Duke and
Queen and it is evident that whatever miracle took them away and brought
them back with the baby had also very nearly healed the Queen and
refreshed both of them although they were falling deeply asleep with the
little one in the Queen's arms even as she looked at them.  With Janet's
help, she bustles them up to their chamber, and quietly arranges the furs
around them and leaves.

Janet is all for rushing out and waking everyone but Nurse Sue, dragging
Janet along to the nursery, convinces her *everyone*, but most especially
the Queen and Duke, needed to sleep.  Janet finally agrees and confines
her celebratory announcement to just the Companions.  Then she, herself,
falls into a deep sleep and does not wake until early evening.


+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|       Copyright 1992, 1991, 1990 by B. W. Reisman & E. E. Wolfe.        |
|                           All rights reserved.                          |
| No part of this tale may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,   |
| or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying,  |
| recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the     |
| authors.                                                                |
|                                                                         |
| Permission is hereby granted, in so far as no fee or charge is made for |
| such publication, and that this notice is retained.                     |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Note: the last episodes of "Darkness Rising" will be posted by year's end;
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