“The Five will leave the Eight. Heed these words well Cerah Grendalis, the future depends on it. The Five will leave the eight, The Five will leave the eight, THE FIVE WILL LEAVE THE EIGHT!!!”
Cerah woke in a cold sweat. The old Minmatar woman Seenan was still haunting her dreams. It had been 20 years since that night. Twenty years since the birth of a child out of love. To this day those haunting words had some hidden meaning to her, but nothing had come of that ‘divine omen’.
As she laid there in her bed, she savored finally being able to feel warm again. Feeling the setting sun warm her through the window was a blessing that had been absent for far too long.
She had been ill for years, her body wasting away from the sickness within her body. Many doctors had visited her over the years, none able to cure her. She was dying and no one could save her.
“Tanitel,” she whispered, “O my Tanitel, I do still love you. Watch over her.”
Soon her pains would be over. Soon she will linger in anguish no longer. She will be free from all this torment. Soon death will take her with but one question still unanswered.
“The Five will leave the Eight,” she repeated aloud.
Sleep again crept up and silently took her to a dreaming journey. It was here that she could find some freedom from her sins and yet the torment of her life continued to haunt her. As she fell deeper into sleep, her words heavy with sleep caught her husband’s ears.
“What happened,…..what happened to my daughter…..Tanitel, please tel me….”
A few hours later, deep within the forest…
The ancient trees towered high. Their strong branches spread wide, weaving a lush green fabric of leaves leaving only small glimpses of the sky above. Veiled in the amber light that reflected from the Emperor Family Academy station in high orbit, Leainati and Galen were making their way through the dark woods. Silently they moved, flowing through the underbrush like a fast but calm stream. They were heading further into the forest and after they had traveled a few kilometers, they stopped to rest.
“Where are you taking me?”, asked Galen.
“I am taking you to see Seenan first and then to flee this place.”, replied Leaianti.
“Leaianti, I was only going to be whipped. I can survive that well enough,” Galen’s Amarr pride was gleaming through his eyes.
“Seenan told me that I had to free you, that you have a destiny to fulfill and she insisted that you had to leave this place,” she patted him on the shoulder.
Galen’s face becomes filled with worry, “Leave? Where will I go? How will I live?”
“Relax, Seenan will explain everything. Now, we must hurry.”
Making their way past the old ruins where Galen would spend his time writing. Further on they came to a clearing where a single campfire is burning. Nearby is a tent with it’s flaps open. Seenan is near the fire, sitting on a stool, stirring her drink with a spoon absently. She looks up and the worry on her face is replaced with her familiar smile.
“Ah, my children, you have made it here safely. Thank goodness. Come, sit by the fire and eat something. I have much to tell you.”
As they sat down by the fire, Galen spoke.
“Seenan, I am grateful that you sent help to save me from yet another beating by my father, but please do explain, what do you expect me to do now?” worry covers Galen’s face, “I have fled my home and my father will now hunt me down and I expect, kill me.”
Calmingly Seenan speaks to Galen, “Child, I must tell you. You have been wanting to leave this place, I suspect, for some time now. Tell me, why do you wander about this forest? Why you spend so much time among the ‘Old Stones’?”
Galen looks at Seenan. How did she know about my travels in the old forrest? “So, tell me, how long have you been my shadow? How long have you been watching my every move?”
Seenan smiled, “Well, to be complexly honest with you, ever since your half-sister Leaianti was born.”
Her smile widened as her two guests stared at her. Their eyes wide, their jaws open in total shock.
“Nanna, what are you saying? Do you mean to say that this Amarr is my kin? I share blood with an Amarr?,” Leaianti looked horrified, “The tribe will kill me!!!”
Galen was still in total shock. He knew of his father’s sins, how he had taken ‘Minnie lovers’ but there had never been any children or at least he had never heard of any.
“Seenan, Leaianti is my half sister? Who did my father make her mother?”
“Galen my child. Cerah is Leainati’s mother. Your father could not bring a child of love into this world, save possibly for you. My children, I think it’s time you met someone,” Seenan motions to the shadows beyond the light of the fire, “Tanitel, come here. Come see your daughter, your family.”
From behind the trees, just past the light of the fire, a tall Minmatar man stepped forward. Galen immediately recognized him. He was one of the slaves that had served his mother for years. He was the one who went to the market for her or saw to her errands. He was a trusted salve of the manor.
“Greeting my children. It is good to see you both safe.”
He sat down near the fire. Everyone was very quiet for a long time, just staring into the fire, glancing up and looking at each other every now and again. After what seemed like hours, Galen spoke.
“As an Amarr, I should have you killed for raping an Amarr woman, but I know my mother well. She would have killed anyone who attacked her. My mother was always sympathetic to the Minmatar people. I can only guess what happened between you two. After all, you have served her for years.”
“Galen, if I may call you friend? I do have something for you, the both of you. Your mother wrote you both letters a few years ago, in the hopes that you two would find each other. She does not know who you are Leaianti. She has never known your name nor your face. It was for your safety. Please, read these letters, they will explain everything.”
Both Galen and Leainati’s hands were shaking as they took their letters. Galen recognized the writing as his mothers. As they both read their letters, Tanitel told them some of what had happened.
“Cerah was…is a very beautiful woman. She was always very curious about our people. Her parents were kind masters, they never abused the Minmatar people, but they knew the dangers to their own if they were too kind. Your mother spent a great deal of time sneaking out of the house, much like you do now Galen.
She wanted to learn as much about our people as she could. Many times, I would catch her following me around, watching what I was doing. One day she worked up the courage to speak to me. She ordered me to carry some parcels from the market for her and I had been at her side ever since.”
Galen stopped reading his letter and look at Tanitel. “She loved you very much. She says here that she wished that you were my father, that I would have someone noble to learn from.”
Leaianti was sobbing softly. “Is not Cerah very ill now? I finally learn who my mother and father are, that I am not an orphan and now I am going to loose her.”
“Leaianti my child, “Tanitel spoke softly, “She is ill because her heart aches. She can not know who you are as it would put you in danger. She will be free soon, death is just another doorway of existence. Know that you will always be in her heart.”
Seenan opened her satchel and produced a data pad.
“I believe Galen that this is yours. I ‘borrowed’ it from you when you helped me earlier today. I had hoped to capture a picture of Leaianti and place it back in your satchel with a message to show the picture to your mother. Perhaps this still can be done?”
Galen looked at his sister and smiled.
“I think I can do better. Do any of you know how I have snuck out of the manor? There is a drainage outlet on the south slope. The guards stay away from there, the stench of the Fedos in the holding pit is rather strong on that side of the manor. We can sneak in from there and visit our mother, then sneak down to the pads, take a shuttle and leave this place.”
“It is too dangerous. You can not risk being caught again. By now, they will know you have escape the chapel. Besides, we already have a ship for you.”
Tanitel removed a data pad from his pocket, pressed a few buttons and a shuttle hidden in the trees began to power up.
Seenan held Galen’s data pad in front of her, motioning for all of them to stand together. She took a captured a few photos, wrote a message into the data pad and handed it to Tanitel.
“My children, you must go. In the shuttle is everything you will need to make it to Emrayur. Galen, your father has no authority there, you will be safe. Go and find your destinies.”
Galen and Leaianti picked themselves up and began to follow Tanitel toward the shuttle.
“Seenan, one thing before we go. Leainati told me I should ask you, what does the name Ga’len mean?”
She smiled and hugged him gently, whispering into his ear, “You offered me kindness when I hurt my ankle. I offered you a kindness in turn. Ga’len has many meanings in the history of mankind, but names have a freedom about them. It will mean what you want it to mean. It’s your name, it’s your life. That’s what it means to be free.”
They sat down in the shuttle. Leaianti went through their provisions, Galen looked over the controls and set a course for Emrayur. Tanitel hugged them both and closed the door to the shuttle behind him. A few moments later the shuttle, Blade of Truth, was climbing fast into the night sky.
“Nanna, I will deliver this to Cerah at once. I should think I will not return once they learn of what is stored on this data pad.”
Seenan looked up into his eyes, “Do not worry, whatever happens you will be free, Cerah will be free and now, Galen and Leaianti will be free.”
Continued….
More of The Bleeding Rose
