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“The story of Orestes runs through so many different prides. It runs across the worlds and people look to it for hope. This story is the only thing that people have to hold onto, especially Ava’s people. They are worried about their future and their home. Their world is dying and we are their only hope.” As I spoke my voice became strained with emotion. I could see all their eyes as they gazed up to the heavens with hope, as they listened to the story of Orestes with the idea that one day they might walk through the fields of Orestes and know that they were home.
“Just because they left a long time ago it doesn’t mean that this place is no longer their home,” I added. I noticed that Mom gave me a look of pride.
“They did not leave. They were shown away because they were criminals,” Naaro said.
“And our ancestors were conquerors, but instead of rampaging into other worlds we decided to send diplomats and explorers rather than soldiers. We did not invade other worlds. It was my grandparents who decided this new course of action. Were they wrong to change our traditions? After you die should I lead our pride to war?”
“Nobody is saying that Mika,” Emilia said.
“The fact is that Orestes is not the only option she has, is it? She can walk between worlds. She has multiple possibilities. Orestes may be their home, but they do not need to be here. If they are too dangerous then they can find another home. We should not allow their sentiment for Orestes to cloud our judgment,” Divad says.
“So, we should just abandon the love they have for their history? Should we try to ruin their feelings for their entire ancestry? Is that the legacy you want to leave behind? If you’re afraid of being invaded then you’re going to end up with an army coming for you, because you’re going to have them angry with you, and their stories are going to keep growing and instead of seeing Orestes as a place to run to, a place to hope for, they’re going to see it as a place that turned them away. They’re going to see it as the enemy and when the time comes, they’re going to send an army, and they going to be fueled with the fury of that woman who pushed you to the limit today.” I flung my hand by my side and glared at Naaro. He pursed his lips, clearly considering the matter.
But I wasn’t finished. “There’s something else that you need to know. The stories of Orestes have already been twisted. They saw the world walkers as cursed, as monsters. When her father discovered that she possessed this ability she was forced to wear a bracelet that canceled her abilities. From what I learned it was not an easy thing, or a willing thing. When she came into the world her arm was bleeding. She said she felt like a prisoner. She has not had the chance to learn how to use her powers. She came here by instinct, by thinking about all she learned about Orestes. She does not know how to travel the world.”
The words lingered around the chamber. Naaro and Divad were always thoughtful men, and the decisions they made were always considered. They were so close that they could often communicate without speaking, their thoughts of one mind. It was Naaro who spoke.
“I understand your concerns. But we need to think about the safety of Orestes before anything else. If this is a threat then we need to prepare. We cannot make a rash decision,” Naaro said.
I was about to protest again, but before I could do so, Mom spoke.
“Perhaps this would be a good way for Mika to learn about the burdens of leadership. This could be a good opportunity for him to learn, especially beyond the realm of Orestes,” she said.
“What are you suggesting?” Divad asked.
“Well, he is going to be the future leader of Orestes. Any problems that arise in the future are ones that he will have to deal with. Perhaps it is unfair of us to make this decision for him. I suggest that he return to Ava’s home and meet the people for himself. He can make a judgment as to whether they are a threat or not, and then he can decide whether to allow them into Orestes. I trust his judgment in this. I think he is a good judge of character.”
“And if they should try to take him captive?” Divad asked, a trace of concern in his voice.
“Then we shall run after him with all the might of Orestes, and we will not fail to show them how ruthless we can be,” Naaro said. They nodded one by one, and then it was decided. I was about to have to make a decision that might well guide the future of Orestes. If I was wrong then I would be leading an enemy right up to our gates, but if I was right then I would be saving a pride who were being killed by their own world.
But that wasn’t the biggest challenge. Ava was going to have to agree to take me.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ava
I awoke with a groan. My entire body ached. My eyes were cracked, my mouth dry. I opened my lips to speak, but the words were rasping and nothing would come out. Then I felt something cool against my lips. Water trickled into my throat, delicious, wondrous water that was life giving and refreshing and all kinds of wonderful. I gulped it down so fiercely that I began to cough, doubling over and forcing myself into a sitting position. The blurry world came into focus and I licked my lips, trying to get the remnants of the water into my system. I cringed and groaned and as soon as the rest of it came into focus all the pain came flooding through my body. It was as though it had all been absent while I had been unconscious, and it had been waiting until I regained consciousness again before it rampaged through my body, flowing like a torrent.
I gasped in pain and coughed, trying to brace myself to refuse to show any weakness, but it was only Lanas there.
I smiled weakly at him. He offered me some food, but my jaw ached and I didn’t think I was able to eat. I pushed it away and just sank back to a horizontal position.
“I’m alive,” I said, as though I needed to utter the words to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming, or that I wasn’t in the great plains of Orestes. But given that only Lanas was here and not my ancestors I was sure that this was still the real world.
“Yes, you are. Do you remember anything?” he asked.
I laughed a little, and immediately regretted it as it hurt. “I remember being hit. I remember the pain.”
“You went through a lot. It was a hell of a fight.”
“Why didn’t he kill me?” I asked, furrowing my brow. The rules were clear. I scowled. The last thing I needed was his pity.
“He said that killing you would serve no purpose, that it would not have defeated you. So, he left you alive.”
I nodded. I suppose I could accept that. It was respectful of him at least, and perhaps I wasn’t ready to lose my life just yet.
I nodded. “And what about our plight?”
