Cheilin Saga ~ 08

 Cheilin Saga ~ 08 Return to Sanctuary

By Len Morgan

Aldor approached the village with trepidation; he knew immediately there was something wrong.   A cursory mind scan revealed a general air of sadness and melancholy, uncharacteristic of the stoic Tylywoch.   Lomax met him, on the outskirts.

"Sanko is dying," he said, and without further comment led Aldor to the council meeting.   The council of elders was gathered, around a bed raised up, in the center of the chamber.

"He is here," Lomax called out as they cleared a path for Lomax and Aldor all the way to Sanko's bedside.

"I have communicated with the Emperor," Sanko began without preamble, "he knows I am dying and we are of one mind on my successor, we have chosen Aldor…" he delivered the message as planned, smiled, and was gone.   All eyes turned to Aldor.

"Nothing changes," he said.   Sanko has set the path, we have only to follow his directions, it needs but a few fine adjustments otherwise it is sound.   Does anyone wish to say anything?"   There was a skirmish and Torek forced his way through to the front.

"No!" he yelled, "No!  No no!   I cannot believe Sanko would be so stupid.   You have someway addled his feeble mind.   I am second in command and I invoke the leadership challenge, I will fight you to the death," Torek raged.

"That is ridiculous," Aldor replied, "sleep on it and reconsider.   Your family needs you, and so does the Clan.   By all means, fight me but we still need your knowledge and experience.   The Clan must always come before personal interests."

"The challenge has been issued and cannot be rescinded," said Lomax.   "It is his right!"

"So, we all have a right to die but not to change our minds?   That is very reassuring," Aldor shook his head sad faced.

"We fight at dawn, so you had better get your beauty sleep Aldor," Torek said, then turned and left the meeting.   Others began to drift away, and it became obvious the meeting was over.

"Walk with me Lomax," he said.

"Are you afraid of him?" Lomax asked.

"Of course I'm afraid of what he might do, therefore I am also afraid for him.  He is a good captain, a man we cannot afford to lose.   If he killed me, I would name him my successor without question.   I cannot, no I will not kill him," his face was set in a determined scowl.

"The time is set.   Sun up tomorrow," Lomax said formally.   "Take his good advice and get a good night's rest."   He entered the Kebu and went to his quarters, unsmiling.   Aldor was the new leader but his viewpoint was a little skewed on this matter, his attitude was sure to get him killed.

.-…-. 

   He’d fought to the death before, but killing sickened him.   "I will fight you, but I will not kill you," he said to Torek.

"This confirms you are not Tylywoch and are not man enough to lead us.   I hope you have named a successor," said Torek with a mirthless grin.  

"I have," said Aldor, "but, I will live to hear you eat your words.   You will discover I am everything you say I am not."

An arrow was fired into the air, when it landed the combat would begin.   A wide rope circle had been marked off, but there were no expectant faces lining the perimeter.   Aldor looked into Torek's eyes; they were calm and devoid of emotion, no hate and no fear.   This would be like no contest he’d ever had before; there were no watchers, no agreed weapons, and no rules.   Just faces at windows briefly, disappearing moments before the start.

"How do we proceed?" Aldor asked, turning towards Torek.   But, Torek was gone.   He backed up rapidly, until his back was against the nearest building, casting around, with his mind, as widely as possible to locate his adversary.   Hate, anger, and aggression act as beacons in his experience but, he could find nothing.

A stout fence post hit him in the throat.   He staggered to his knees choking, realising Torek was on the roof.   He looked up and a large rock hit him full in the face.   His head spun and his mind became fogged, reality becoming fantasy, he dropped to the ground and rolled.   His mind returned to the previous evening.  

"What are the rules of engagement" he'd asked.

Lomax had smiled and shaken his head in disbelief "stay alive and kill without being killed."

As he lay fighting for breath, blood gushing from both a pulped nose and a crushed larynx, he wondered why he had expected the Tylywoch to fight by some arcane code of chivalry.   He cursed, he had been mad to even consider subduing Torek, he would be lucky to escape with his life…   He squeezed his larynx back into some shape, coughed and spat out blood, shook his head, spraying blood in all directions, he lay still as if dead.   But, even as he did so he knew his body was on the mend, repairing itself, a thousand times faster than any normal body would.   Torek had dealt him two potentially mortal wounds within seconds of each other.   He would know the power of his blows and would not expect Aldor to recover.   That would create Aldor’s only opportunity to fight back.   Torek would never expect any man to recover from such multiple trauma.   He would relax, believing his opponent either dead or dying.   Aldor lay patiently still.   He would need to move with the speed of lightning.   Already his beauty had been marred by the efficiency of the man.   Suddenly, Torek was there, towering over him.   He slowly raised the blood-drenched post, to finish the job, to despatch his opponent efficiently and painlessly.   Aldor remained cool and unemotional, anchored his shoulders on the hard-packed earth, uncoiling like a snake.   His kick struck at Torek's groin.   He made contact and heard the big man grunt with pain.   Saw him double forwards and kicked him clinically in the head to complete the job.   Torek raised a cloud of dust and shook the earth as he fell beside Aldor.   Aldor stood up and dragged himself to the well.   Filling a leather bucket with water he emptied it over the still unconscious Torek.   "Get up big man, the fight is over, and you are still alive, but there is work to be done.   Though I admit that was fun!   We must do it again sometime" he said grinning from ear to ear.   "Now, tell me you will give me a chance to prove I am worthy of Sanko's trust."

"What if I refuse?" Torek groaned.  

"That would be for the council to decide but, you are family, we need you.   It is in the best interest of the Tylywoch," he offered Torek his hand.

Accepting Torek said, "what role could I fill after being deputy to Sanko for five years?"  

"I'm sure we could find you something."

"Such as?"

"Well, deputy to me if you care to continue in that role."

"But, I have and always will voice my opinion on any decisions I think are not in the best interest of the Clan."

"That is a perfect description of the role of a Deputy leader," said Aldor.

"But, you said you'd named a successor in the event of your death today, would he not be the better choice?"

Aldor considered, "Yes I suppose you are right."

"Then…"

"I named you!   You oaf,” Aldor slapped him on the back.   "You could fill the role of leader as well as I, probably better.   Why you have effectively been doing the job these past three months and I hope you will continue to do so, because I will be away, for some considerable time, organising the next phase.   Come, man, what do you say?"

Sanko nodded ascent.

"Good man, we are all in your debt" Aldor gave him a squeeze, an uncharacteristic burst of emotion, causing others to look away in embarrassment.  

"Put me down you overgrown bear cub," said Torek with a wry grin, holding out his hand.   “I’m your man.”

Aldor took it and with a deft twist of the wrist, Torek had him in his power.   He had an arm around Aldor's neck, from the rear, Aldor flicked up his heel making contact with Torek's groin for the second time in minutes.

"Ooh Ya!" he stifled back a curse.

"Sorry," said Aldor "I know you could have broken my neck had you wanted to but I had to know you could be trusted.   I am not so naïve as I might appear."

"Then you can't read minds?" said Torek.

Aldor smiled "Now that would make life so much easier would it not?"

"I'm hungry," Torek changed the subject, "let's breakfast, this chill air is getting into my bones.   You need to do something about your face, it looks a mess…"

"And thank you for the workout," said Aldor as they walked side by side towards Torek’s home.   His wife met them, offering Aldor a full washbowl and towels.   When they had eaten, she dressed their wounds, scolding Torek critically for his poor workmanship.

"I suppose you will use these few scratches as an excuse to avoid your manly duties" she chided Torek playfully, more in relief that he had survived than anything.

Aldor smiled, and winced with genuine pain, as she dressed his wounds, but a day later, the wounds on his face were practically healed.   However, he kept the coverings on, for a further week, for the sake of appearances.   He would have done so anyway just to see that smug look of satisfaction on Torek’s face.   His was the moral victory; as Aldor had always intended.

   The coverings were still in place when he left for his first meeting, with the Emperor, as leader of the Tylywoch.   The Emperor resided in the Emerald Palace, which was at the center of the Eternal City.   It could be approached through four gates, set at the cardinal points of the city; he would enter by the East gate,    along the Central highway which he would have to join far outside the normal Clan clock zones.   It means taking a circuitous route but the highway came directly under the jurisdiction of the Emperor.   He would therefore be allowed access without let or hindrance or petty parochial bureaucracy.

 

(to be continued)

 

Copyright Len Morgan