Chapter 7: 7: Tr’siana’hew

The tribal lands approached, the brown tents with their high peaks like cloths draped over nails began to dot the horizon, the trails of wispy smoke signifying that those who slept in them were awake and well. 

Leannan glanced over at Lyrica who had a cold expression on her face, lost in her own thoughts. None of them had talked on the way here and both of the former childhood friends had expression on their faces that made her scared of what thoughts lay underneath. She wasn't scared of Lara thoughts which were probably about her dying in many horrific and painful ways. Her thoughts were- or rather had been on the books Lyrica had bought when they first met. She was sure to have a good library supposed Leannan. She would have to ask if she could take some books with her from Lyrica's personal horde when they left. 

"Okay, be quiet. Wait until we get into the L'iia'cuns tent before any of you speak." Lyrica told them as they entered the range that the sentries of the camp. "Especially Deidei."

The sentries halted them as they approached, the male one approaching Lyrica, a stern and serious look on his face.

"Jin'tra've Sr'te Lyrica, what business do you and these poi'va have today."

"Jin'tra've, Free. Caves."

"Caves?"

"Yes, the caves."

"You came here for caves? I also assume you will be taking the poi'va to L'iia'cun Ys's tent?"

"It is a necessary part of what we are doing here."

"Very well, but be reminded the actions of guests reflect on those who brought them."

Lyrica motioned for them to follow. The grounds were full of tribal members, washing clothes, butchering meat, children playing. Lyrica walked with a practiced sense of motion, offering a few greetings to the stray tribes member who recognized them before they arrived at the third largest tent in the camp behind the medical tent and the kitchen tent (when not burned down by the hand of a certain chef who had gone to a fancy culinary school). A guard at Lyrica's approach opened the door and the four walked in.

The interior was decorated in paintings on leather and large candles gave off a smell of wild fruits and vegetables that was quite calming. In the middle of the room on the skin of a deer sat a slightly older looking man, his long braided black hair streaked with white and his almond shaped and colored face marked with wrinkles. He wore traditional native garb that was covered in paint stains. 

"Jin't'ra'cun St're Lyrica. What pleasure brings you to me to day with these poi'va."

"Jin't'ra'cun L'iia'cun Ys. Caves."

"Caves?"

"I'll have my guests explain themselves." Lyrica turned to the others, "You may speak now."

Deidre took first dibs on the offer and walked up to the L'iia'cun. "Oh great chief of this noble tribe of people, I am here on request of the Emperor to ask you about some caves of local legend."

"Lots of caves of local legend, doesn't take much to be a legend out here. Heard some tell over in Dry River someone heard the villagers  have a legend about a man with a really bad haircut."

Deidre was about to say something when Leannan jumped in: "I think it best if we have our nerd girl here say it."

Lara was pushed up front and after a few deep breathes said: The Caves of Keys?"

Ys stared blankly. "What."

Lara began to sweat. "The Cavern of Lost Hopes."

"No bells are ringing up here." Ys replied pointing to his noggin.

Lara was panicking the only other name the cave went by was: "Foe Labyrinth?"

Ys thought before replying, "I'm sorry, I don't know any of those. Cis'a Lyrica?"

Lyrica shook her head. "Tr'siana'hew."

"Tr'siama'hu?"

Lyrica shook her head again enunciating harder. "Tr'siana'hew."

Ys nodded, "Ah yes, Tr'siana'hew. The forbidden caves where everyone who has entered has never returned. All two of them."

Deidre drew quizzical. "Tr'siana'hew?"

"Yes, that's the name it was given in the myths. When Gen'tra the Kir'foy'ta of Hope grew to be abused by those who would use her kindness for their own wrong needs the Kir'foy'ta of Peace and the Kir'foy'ta of War agreed to seal her away in a deep sleep. However knowing that their sister's power may one day be needed for good they created... Lyrica?"

"Three keys, some sources say four but the thing only has three sides in the oldest versions."

"Four keys which they had planned to have appear only at times of need to those who held a deep and true desire to change the world. However Ci'sgo'tte took the keys before those runes could be etched and instead devised a dangerous cave for each of the keys- allowing only one person to take each. The brothers furious at this tried to go through the caves themselves but they found them impossible to enter thanks to a barrier Ci'sgo'tte had placed around them so that Kir'foy'ta like them and him would not be able to enter and retrieve the keys. Does that sound like what you're looking for?"

Deidre stood silent while Leannan tried to figure out why the trickster god's name sounded familiar. Was it something Deidre or Brio had mentioned? Maybe Lara had nerded out about it during history class. As she thought that Lara took some initiative and nodded in affirmation.

"Well, we can take you to those easy. In a couple days. The caves now are still full of hibernating bears. They should be out by tomorrow. And before the ones with swords ask, they're Ryland's Bears. Not ones you want to be messing with. Maybe if St're Lyrica had a caster."

"Encouraging suicide isn't cool. It would take sizable caster to break a Ryland's hide."

Ys laughed, "That is true. Now you, compatriot of Lyrica's strife. Go tell the guard outside I want some tents set up for St're Lyrica and her guests. And go help out."

Lara nodded before exiting the tent. 

"And now I want to get to know you two strangers. What business does that cur Heinrich have with the Tr'siana'hew?"

Deidre felt her stomach cramp. "What do you mean?"

Ys laughed, "That imperialist blue blood would only send you out to our land and into the Tr'siana'hew if he had a reason. What are you doing?"

"Collecting the keys."

"And beyond that?"

"What are you asking?"

"I've heard the tales, the Empire always has a secondary mission in each one. Perhaps one of my people is going to be killed by you, Daughter of the Sword Plague."

Deidre clenched her fist. "Shut up about my mother."

"Why? During the war did she not slaughter tribes? Am I not allowed to talk about the demoness in human flesh?"

"I am not my mother, and we have no other mission here but the keys."

"We? That doesn't mean you don't have one."

"I have none. I swear on the twins."

"Swearing in the names of the gods of another land doesn't hold much weight, Daughter of the Sword Plague."

"They are the gods of this land as well now."

"To colonizers like you."

Deidre rolled her eyes. "If all you wish to do is insult me, I will be leaving."

"Ah, forgive me. It's just your mother has caused pain for half to maybe three fourths of the people in the room here you know. Now, the other girl. She's a Rune Writer, no?"

Deidre and Leannan flinched. "How did you?"

"I can see the Rune Inker."

Deidre's eyes moved to the bottle attached to Leannan's side. "Yes. That is classified information however."

Lyrica scrunched her face. "Really? Cause if it was it would make sense to just have her carry a few normal casters then."

"Yes, that would now seem to be the better plan, but to be honest we didn't have a plan to begin with to hide her. Most people pay no mind to what people wear on their lower halves anyhow."

"Well, I must not be most people." Ys gave a slight smile to the two that gave them both a sinking feeling in their guts. "Discuss your own problems, Lyrica. I wish to judge them more."

Lyrica nodded. "Got it. Just answer simply please. Now, um, how are things in the Empire proper. Err, the capital I guess."

"As well as ever, better than when you left us even." Replied Deidre a hint of poison in her words.

"I see you're not harboring any feelings of resentment for me abandoning the capital, but you know as well as I that I couldn't stay. Or you did."

"I know not why you left, you never told me."

"In my memories I recall telling you. You did seem drunk though."

"When isn't she drunk?" Leannan asked before being socked in the arm by Deidre.

"And how is my asshole of a brother. Auntie can't speak much on him, in the last year he apparently never left his office."

Ys looked quizzical at Leannan and Deidre: "Seems weird, is her brother sick?"

"Oh, no. He's just busy with his job. He barely has human interaction most weeks. Wonder he isn't mad." Deidre replied.

"Ah, well that makes sense. He was like that, after that."

Leannan stared at her friend's friend: "After what?"

"Well, Leannan, that's not at your clearance. It is at Deidre's however."

"I have no inkling of to what you are referring, Lyrica."

Lyrica laughed, "Like you could say if you were."

Deidre shook her head, "Why are you trying to shake me?"

"Oh, just making sure I should go through with this." Lyrica nodded at Ys.

"I see you can't hold emotions where Lyrica is involved at the least. Now again, you have no other missions while here, correct?"

Deidre nodded. She and Ys stared into each other's faces, trying to find a sign of weakness that would lead either to guilt or freedom. But for Ys, nothing was there. He could see no truth, no lie. Even when asked to speak the answer, all the words did was to register as nothing on her face, no twitch of a muscle, no contraction of a pupil.  There was no way to tell if Deidre was speaking truth or lies. And that frankly made the L'iia'cun nervous.

"Well, I guess I'll have to believe you. You are both excused. Dinner should be ready if you would care to eat it."

The two bowed before leaving the tent and Ys turned to Lyrica.

"Y'da?" He asked

"Y'dia, Y'dia."

"Ah, and then she is?"

"Listening, of course."

"Good, then. Why take them to the caves. You know what the empire would do. You know what they do."

"Well they'll only get one." Lyrica smiled before standing up. "Ah, yes, don't send a guide. I'd rather not endanger any of your tribe."

"I may be the L'iia'cun, but I fear the elders may not take kindly to that."

"I'm me, trust me- I know from the wanderer what will happen."

"I shall try. Ah, and happy birthday to your father, may he rest in peace."

Lyrica face dimmed, "Ah, is that today? I forgot how close it was to his..."

Ys dismissed the girl before leaning onto a rug. The shadows on the top of the tent danced as his mind filled with worry. Was it stupid to do this? Yes. But it was all predestined. They needed a key. To survive. Even if a few friends had to die.

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Mors and Rabo had made sure to keep the targets out of view, out of fear of being spotted but not so far that they could lose their trail. They had carefully navigated the same path as they had, making sure to not leave any trails themselves if the group ahead returned quicker than they expected them to. Eventually they started to catch up and had to slink through trees and behind rocks to avoid detection. After the campgrounds came into view it was clear where they were heading and so they ran ahead to hide and watch as the new woman managed to gain access with no trouble whatsoever. They watched as the four went inside and disappeared into the myriad of tents.

"Well, I guess that confirms that. The keys must be on their land."

"Oh, really, what told you of that?"

"The fact they went in to the camp."

"I was not being serious in my words."

"So, what do you say we do? Go around and look for the keys ourselves?"

"No, let's not be doing that. They will be leading us to the keys anyways."

"So, do we camp nearer the exit towards the land or back in the woods?"

"I would expect Deidre would be leaving from the side with the caves near it, so let's camp nearer there."

"As you wish."

Deidre swallowed the deer meat and congratulated it by giving a loud belch after. She was red in the face and a few empty mugs surrounded her, the only things that surrounded her as most everyone else was trying to avoid contact with the girl.

Leannan had cozied up next to the fire, watching it glow among the darkness. She breathed in and out. In and out. The tribe's people chatted around her, a guest that no one cared to view as special. In fact from what she could tell the only one they seemed to be talking about was Deidre, and by the tone it seemed to be mostly jokes made at her. Lara was drinking and asking the storytellers about some tales she had read as a child. Lyrica had eaten and left a while ago, "to take a walk and a piss" and had yet to even be seen in the distance. The night had a nice chill, that was too warm to make one want to dress warmer and yet too cold to think about wearing less that long sleeved clothing. Leannan lazily sketch runes in to the dirt, trying to draw each faster and faster until the point they became unrecognizable. Brio could draw them way faster and without any loss of structure. Sure he had had more time to practice, but still. She shook her head and continued to practice.

Across the way, Ys was chatting with his advisor, a woman with short black hair and eyes that seemed to be wholly uninterested in the world around them. 

She spoke: "Are you sure they are trustworthy?"

"Of course, not. I know the Bloody Knight is not. But this is merely a means to an end."

"And Sr'te Lyrica?"

"Ah, I've already confirmed whatever she is after isn't what we are."

"And you think you can trust her?"

"I think I can trust the daughter of the man who was a friend of this tribe, yes."

"Just a parent's vices don't reflect on a child neither do the virtues."

"I am your L'iia'cun, am I not?"

"Yes, sir."

"And then you should trust me. With this we can return her to us."

"I know that. It's just... never mind. I will still make sure they don't do anything in the interim."

"That is fine."

"And Sr'te Lyrica?"

"Help or hinder?"

"Help, I suppose."

"Not necessary, if things go wrong I don't doubt I will see her again."

"Very well. I will see you in the morning for your briefing." His assistant bowed and walked towards her own tent.

Ys stared up at the stars and whistled. The dreamer would soon be awake and the dreams that would change this worthless world into one of worth would be realized. All would change, and he would make sure the paths of fate would lead to the happiness of his people, no matter what the dreams of others may come.

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Lyrica walked through the sparse woods around the camp, nowhere in particular to be and no place in particular to head. As she walked she could hear rustling in the woods around her, the animals trying hard to avoid the noisy woman as she trampled in their home. And of course in those woods a nervous Rabo and bored Mors watched in some undergrowth as Lyrica walked past them.

"Why is she walking here?" Mors complained as they watched as Lyrica casually strolled on.

"Because this is a nice place for a walk, my lady."

"So would be anywhere else."

"Yeah, but a nice walk in the woods just feels better."

"It would be being better for us if it wasn't."

"I suppose." 

"Poor girl, getting dragged into this."

"I wouldn't be assuming that. She seems fine."

"Not what I meant."

Mors swatted at the bugs that flew around her head, "How long do you think they will be taking?"

"Lady Doch, I am not an oracle."

Lyrica reached a nearby clearing and sat down on a stump, staring at the trees. Mors stared back at her in the undergrowth, not wanting to risk this unknown messing with their plans. She strained her ears as the girl began to talk to herself:

"Yep, same as before. Been how long since I saw her and it's the same as it ever was. Of course, it's the same, what the hell have I done to change that? Even now with the chance of being with them I still keep think that I'll just let this play out like before, they'll leave, and I'll be alone. I know I am going to be stabbed in the back eventually, why wait? And that poor replacement, one day she might be more than a body extra for the gods who puppet us as well." Lyrica slid down on the stump until she could look at the sky, the large moon illuminating the tops of the trees, so they shone like a halo.

"You know, even if this life is temporary, do I really want to go along with this next time? They'd get their way no matter what- that's the type of person my friends are, ain't they. No way the war doesn't start from this- even with the efforts made to ease the tensions. Ruskalyka already is ready for it, and the native people are more than likely at a boiling point now. Of course likely is lying. I know they're ready. Ys is really bad at keeping quiet. My brother and him would get along, well the Brio before that."

She stood up and shook her head, "I really need to stop talking to myself like this. I guess I had gotten used to having someone to rant to with Lea." She stretched and began to walk back to the camp, stopping to casually glance towards the direction the two were hiding, each holding their breath until they realized she was just watching a bird behind them,

"Brio has a sister?" Mors scrunched her nose. She tried to remember seeing the girl before, but she couldn't place her. It would help if her brain would cooperate with her for once, but alas.

From behind her crawled over Rabo, who stood up and asked, "Well? Anything important?"

"That's Brio's sister."

"Brio doesn't have a sister. I've seen the documents. He doesn't have any siblings."

"Well, she called him her brother."

"Are you sure you didn't mishear her?"

"She wasn't being so quiet as to make my ears have a misunderstanding."

"Sure, my lady."

"You are not believing me, are you?"

"What? Nooooo."

Mors scoffed and began to walk away. Rabo followed quickly, to find a safe place to rest. From the distance he could hear a strangely familiar voice singing:

"Burn it all away, the fading light of day- and all the world shall be reborn, bathing in the flames. History will twist and turn and destiny destroyed, take up the torch and burn it all away."

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Brio sipped on his tea as he watched his uncle pace around his room. Brio had been called here to discuss some issues, and yet neither had spoken a word yet. Brio looked at the portrait of his uncle, dressed in full regalia, eyes boring a hole into the painter and whoever looked at him. Brio couldn't decide if the overly large size lessened or worsened the gaze. 

He assumed Lord Galahad had needed one of those people for the conversation, though for what Brio couldn't tell. They should trust them not to discuss anything out of line and out of time by now, but he supposed it was the standard procedure.

When discussing ideas relating to issues they were given to do by Cysgod, one of those men whose faces couldn't be placed had to be in the room, since ears were everywhere. Or so they said. Even at this point, with all he had seen and done, he still thought the level of paranoia of those types was quite overblown. If someone did overhear, that did what exactly? The moment they tried to tell anyone they'd be called insane and made a fool. One does not listen to zealots ranting on the cobbled streets.

"Uncle, are you sure you asked for one of them to come?"

"Of course, I asked for it quite a damn while ago. It's been two whole meals since I asked."

"You asked at breakfast?"

Lord Galahad nodded. Brio began to trace the patterns in the ugly wallpaper that his uncle had personally chosen. It was a disgusting greenish yellow with outlines of what one assumed to be a vine with flowers etched across it in a worn parchment color. There seems in the paper were hidden behind fake trim that had been an expense that the Expenses Council had somehow argued over for a month before Lord Galahad decided to just pay for the useless decorations out of his own purse. 

Brio wondered how Deidre was doing on her mission, hopefully she could find the key and return soon, it was getting hard to wait for her. Not that her coming back would matter, they would still need to wait for all of those necessary to arrive, which could be before they came back or after, depending on how hard it was to find.

A knock rapped on the door, and Lord Galahad walked over to it and after a few seconds fiddling with locks, opened the door and let a man in who wore a bag over his head. He hung his hat and coat on the rack. They shook Lord Galahad's hand and then spoke:

"You may converse now."

His uncle turned to him and said: "Are you aware of the dream we wish to bring to reality?"

"Of course, I know of the dream."

"And your wish, have you learned it?"

"I don't have one. At least none that I can think."

"Then keep it that way. For that which slumbers does not need to grant a dream such as our singular selfish hearts do desire." Lord Galahad stood up and went to the singular window and looked out it. "Now, I want you to make sure you understand your role. As soon as the dreamer dreams, you will be sent with the Prince of Transafa to get things in order before the plan moves forward."

"Where to, Lord Uncle."

"Transafa, where else?"

"A country we plan to invade and not a puppet state with a puppet prince."

"I wouldn't call the only Rune Mage to be able to cast at a level faster than yours a puppet. Besides he's technically in line for our throne, and with how his uncle is... ah I better not finish that thought." Lord Galahad shook his head. "I am worried though. Not only for my precious Leannan finish her and Kaga's missions but the chance of other dreams being granted."

"Shouldn't we get all four keys?"

"Spies from Ruskalyka, the Natives, we'll likely have only two at most."

"Shouldn't we worry more about that?"

"With our dreams granted, I doubt whatever weak wishes those groups have will change the flow of our dominating fate."

"Well, I will be seeing you then." Brio began to walk towards the door."

"One last thing, there's been some reports out of some villages nearby. Ask Lord Kaga to send the investigative teams over to them. Some stranger has been causing trouble with our outposts in them."

"Aye. Good night, uncle."

Lord Galahad walked over to his desk and sat down. 

Soon, the Empire would achieve it's dream, and he would be the one who would dream it.

 

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