The Fenimeldiyaan: Rogue Time - Chapter 14

Andreas had remained silent during Will’s and Iereth’s capers with the skeletal horse demon and the appearance of the young man named Ben, the one who carried the stench of death with him. However, he could not ignore the twin distress calls which forced themselves into his mind, all the way from Hindustan.

Using sorcery to amplify his voice and get everyone’s attention, he spoke rapidly. “Listen, pilgrims, I gotta go again. Back to Hindustan. Seems all ain’t running as smoothly as I’d hoped. There be another sorcerer in the palace and he be intent on taking control. How he managed to stay hidden from me, I’ve not yet worked out. Tis to me great shame that me other self failed to detect him and now tis up to me to put matters right. I be prepared to go alone, but if any of ye care about Gerald and Morgan, perhaps ye might consider joining me. Tis up to yerselves, no pressure, and I won’t think badly of ye if ye decline. Just give it some consideration”.

Dorrie was the first to reply. “I underestimated ye and yer kind, Carpathian. I’d long thought that all Carpathians were self-serving bigheads who had no time for anyone outside of the Movement. I’ll hold up me hand and admit that I were wrong. Ye seem to have taken on the role of protector for everyone. But I think tis a waste of yer time and powers trying to take on the might of the Hindustani Empire, whether by yerself or with us alongside ye. If I were ye, I’d pull me other self outa there and stick with this group”.

Andreas gave a dry chuckle and twisted his long tail of hair through his fingers. “Twould be a different matter if me friends were female, eh? Ye’d be falling over yerself to rush in and rescue them. Aye, Dorrie, I got the measure of ye. There be two words that will bring ye to yer knees, whether physically or metaphorically. D’ye want me to say them out loud?”

Still holding hands with her new friend, Callum, River edged closer to Andreas and Dorrie, displaying a fresh page in her book, on which she had written “What two words?”

“Tis nonsense, me dear” Dorrie said dismissively, patting River on the arm and smiling. “Just typical Carpathian bluffing. Y’see, he be wanting to take ye to that fancy Donovan Institute over on Malvania so that ye can train as a Vyrdigaan operative. He be trying to turn ye against me, especially since he knows that I’ve offered to train ye meself and have ye live with me on me island. Ye still want to come with me, don’t ye?”

River wavered, not knowing who to believe.

Andreas bowed low before her, much to her astonishment and that of all the others. Staying on his knees, he looked up at her, like a supplicant to a powerful ruler. “Queen River Meer, I would never force ye to do anything against yer will. Tis true that ye would learn a great deal of useful skills at the Donovan Institute, but only if tis what ye truly want. If ye’d prefer to go to Dorrie’s island and train with her, I wouldn’t stop ye. Ye have to decide for yerself. But not yet. There be much to do here. We have a war to prevent and I have to try to keep everyone safe. In doing that, I sometimes have to make unpopular and unwelcome choices. I hope ye can understand and not think too badly of me”.

Dorrie took up position beside him, not kneeling, but her posture was also one of humility. “I’ll tell ye the two words. Tis a name, and the mere thought of it sends shivers through me. Rayleen Shanahan. There, Carpathian, I’ve said it. The false debt which I demanded from her parents, Darien and Levene, when they trespassed on me island during their Iradh”.

“Honeymoon” Andreas translated for the benefit of the others.

Dorrie gave a nod of acknowledgment before continuing. “Aye, I sought to take Rayleen from her parents soon as she were born and raise her as me own. Twas afore I had me own daughter, Vanessa. She were the first who I planned to take by force. Since that time, there have been others. The Carpathian were right, much as it pains me to admit it. But being brought back from the Beyond has given me a different perspective. I only want ye if ye’ll come willingly”.

“Enough of this twaddle!” Elspeth interjected. “How does this have anything to do with rescuing Andreas’s friends from this sorcerer over in Hindustan?”

Tears formed in Andreas’s eyes. He stood up again, somewhat unsteadily. “Dorrie wanted me to give up on Gerald and Morgan. Tis something I can never do. Y’see, to her way of thinking, men be mostly worthless, only good for use as breeding stock. I were deeply hurt by her suggestion that I should concentrate on self-preservation and forget about two useless men. Thus I sought to expose her, show ye all where her priorities lie”.

“Ye got me, Carpathian” Dorrie conceded. “But if ye’ll grant me a chance to redeem meself, I’ll help ye rescue yer worthless men-friends. Tis against all I believe in, but I be prepared to do it”.

Andreas bowed his head to her. “I accept. Tis a hard thing to admit yer mistakes, especially in front of those who ye be trying to impress. Thank ye, Dorrie”.

He turned his attention back to the others. “I ask again, who else be with me?”

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Andreas had been on his way back to Gerald’s cell when he had received the urgent transmission from his other self. He hurried to the cell, a plan already forming in his agile mind.

Not bothering with the lock, he translocated inside the cell and placed his hands on the sides of Gerald’s head, initiating a mind merge with his unconscious friend. It was not the usual kind of mind merge, for this time he used a healing technique which he had learned from the Master Healer, Emlyn Hawkins. He searched the blood vessels and other vital networks within Gerald’s body, seeking out and extracting all traces of the poison, absorbing them into himself.

“Ye’ll live, me friend” he muttered, unchaining Gerald and sending a transmission to his other self.

He felt weak already as he left the cell and translocated to the guest room where he had left Morgan.

He repeated the procedure with Morgan, again absorbing the poison into himself. When he was finished, he used the last of his energy to send another transmission to his other self. “May the Goddess preserve us all” he murmured, before oblivion claimed him.

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Ramsey thought for a moment. Did he want to join Andreas? Did he want to travel into the heart of Hindustani territory – the land of his sworn enemies – to rescue two people he barely knew? The old dragon frowned, scratching the course stubble on his chin. He glanced at his wife, and Elspeth stared right back at him as if she knew exactly what he would decide. ‘Don’t ye dare’, her eyes seemed to say.

“Count me in.” Ramsey smiled without emotion.

Elspeth’s mouth dropped open. “Ramsey, are ye mad?”

“Yes,” he answered simply. “I’m completely bonkers. An Albionite by blood and by allegiance, heading right into Hindustani territory. But think, Elspeth! The sights I’ll see!”

“They’ll be the last sights ye see!” Elspeth retorted.

“If I may…” Andreas cleared his throat, bringing an end to the couple’s argument. “Don’t mean to rush ye, but we be under a bit of a time constraint.”

Ramsey nodded, glancing around the clearing. What would the others choose to do? The ragtag group of young and old, sorcerer and thief, was being split up yet again. Some to Hindustan with Andreas, some to Albion with Rachel, and some… Ramsey supposed it would only be Elspeth who chose to stay and do nothing. It sounded just like her.

“The last few days have been eye-opening fer me,” Ramsey began softly. “I’ve met a few close friends – some with ideals quite similar to the ones I’d been brought up to hate. But I’ve learned that they’re not wrong. Just different. Seein' those guards and the way they looked at me – like an outsider, just fer fraternising with the lot of ye – made me rethink me upbringing. It’s made me realize that the Hindustanis and the Albionites are more alike than they think they are. Me own country just turned on me back there. An’ yet, this group of strangers worked together to save each other’s lives. Not once but many times now.”

Ramsey took a deep breath, waiting for Elspeth to interject. To his surprise, the only thing his ears picked up was the soft nicker of one of the skeletal horses who’d just shown up with the newcomer, Ben his name was. At least now they knew where that putrid scent of death had been coming from.

Ramsey shrugged. Dead horses didn’t scare him; he was a dragon, for Pete’s sake. They did seem to scare the purple-haired lad, though, and Ramsey could tell that Elspeth found this quite hilarious. Her lips curled as she watched Iereth shy away from one of the horses, the utmost fear written across his face.

“I agree, this be a group of friends worth fighting for,” Andreas said proudly, tapping his foot. He was hoping to get moving, but Ramsey didn’t seem finished yet.

“Decades of spying on the Hindustanis and what do I learn? Not a bloody thing. I saw the bad, but I also saw the good. Who are we to stand by idly as a war ensues, one that we can prevent? Rachel,” Ramsey says, turning towards the girl. “I wish ye well in yer efforts to dissuade King Randolph. An’ Andreas…”

Andreas gave Ramsey a sombre nod. The dragon ignored the others, who had begun to fidget as they waited for Ramsey’s untimely speech to come to an end.

“I’m all fer savin' me new friends and doin' the most I can to stop this war on both sides. Ye better know what ye’re doing, mind ye. But if anything happens, Andreas, just know that ye’ve got a dragon on yer side.”

“Make that two,” Elspeth added, her eyes shining. She wasn’t about to let her husband have all the fun.

"Three. Make it three," Lias said. He couldn't leave the dragons. he had so many things to ask the great reptilian beings. Maybe he could show them how great he could be in battle beside biting a few ankles.

Andreas nodded, eyes gleaming. "Three then. What about the rest of ye?"

The man called Iereth squirmed uncomfortably. He kept his eyes on those skeletal creatures that once were horses. Then the man controlling those horses, Ben, piped in. "I have no business with any of you."

"Come on, Ben. There will be plenty of fighting," Will said.

Ben tilted his head, maroon hair falling to his shoulder in a curtain. "Fighting? Well... hmm." He dropped his chin on his hand and lifted his eyes to the sky. "I suppose it would be wrong to miss the fight in case someone were to die."

"He's in. Although I'm not sure how helpful he will be," Will said to Andreas.

"Every hand be helpful," Andreas said although he looked somewhat doubtful. Lias agreed with the doubtfulness. A man with a bunch of skeletons and cursed magic didn't seem like good company. Not that he was much better.

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"I will stay in Albion," Iereth said quietly. "Rachel may need my help."

With that, he walked over to Rachel and found her fixing her blonde locks. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "I may not be the greatest sorcerer, but I've had my share of being in the throne room. I've got your back in case anything goes wrong."

Rachel looked at Iereth, a little wide-eyed. She hadn't been counting on his aid. "Th-thank you, Reth," she said. Maybe he wasn't a particularly good sorcerer, but she knew he was more than good with a sword. The only other person she wished would change their mind was Will. How could she do it without her best friend?

To her surprise, he came over to her, the ultimate picture of rejection. "We're not far from Albion," Will said. "We may as well get started if we're to reach there before nightfall."

"You're coming?" Rachel stared at him.

"Rachel, if you think I'm willing to let you walk into dangerous territory by yourself, you must think I'm a terrible friend," Will answered. "Besides ... somebody's got to make sure Iereth doesn't send you to who-knows-where again."

She threw her arms around him in an uncharacteristic moment of emotion. Then she pulled back and told them a little aloofly to start getting ready. Rachel went to Ramsey and embraced him briefly, whispering a quick word of thanks to him for helping her escape the Hindustanis and the Albionites.

As Rachel was saying her farewells, Elaine went over to Andreas. "I'm coming," she said. "I've left Morgan and Gerald in prison for too long already."

"L-let me come as well," Callum put in. "I want to repay the debt I owe you for saving me from the Hindustani prison."

With a little smile, River held up her book for the others to see. "I want to go too."

Relieved to see that only Iereth and Will would be accompanying her, Rachel grabbed some food before going to the two young men. Will was suggesting they take the skeletal horses. "It would be so much faster!" he said with a sly grin.

"No horses," Rachel said, grabbing Will's arm and towing him away. Iereth followed, grateful to be away from the horses. "It's only about two hours' walking to Albion anyway."

"Oh joy," Will replied. "I love destroying my feet by walking miles away."

"Better than horses," was Iereth's take on the matter.

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Morgan could barely muster the effort to open his eyes. Something was wrong, weighing on him, but he couldn't remember for the life of him what it was. Finally gathering his energy about him, he pushed himself off the floor a little bit.

"Andreas?" he asked, seeing the small Carpathian on the floor beside him. There was no reply. "Andreas, wake up. Please wake up!" With great effort, Morgan shoved Andreas onto his back and laid his ear against the man's chest. There was a heartbeat, very faint. "What have you done?" he whispered to Andreas.

"Inijinn Joshi!" Morgan looked up, brushing the tears from his cheeks when he saw one of the advisers there. "You, boy! What have you done to Inijinn Joshi?!"

"I ... I didn't do anything!" Morgan cried, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that his friend was dying. "Please, wake up!"

"Enough of this," the man spat. "Since in Inijinn Joshi's absence, I, Rhami, am in charge, I am imprisoning you and setting your date of execution for three hours from now! On the charge of murdering the Inijinn. Lay Joshi in that bed, see that he is comfortable and never alone. I am going to bring the lame prisoner to be executed. Do not let the sorcerer out of your sight!"

Unable to resist in the face of Andreas's dying, Morgan could do nothing as they once again chained him up and led him from the room. A mantra repeated in his mind over and over again. Please don't die, please don't die.

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Gerald was unaware of anything until someone roughly dragged him to his feet, chaining his wrists and ankles together before leading him out of the cell. "What's goin' on?" Gerald muttered through dried and bloodied lips.

"You have been charged with the murder of Inijinn Joshi," a somewhat familiar voice said. "And you are going to be executed in two and a half hours."

Gerald didn't even hear his time of execution. Inijinn Joshi was the fake name of ... no. It couldn't be. "Ye're lying," Gerald spat out. "Joshi ain't dead. How did he die?"

"Poisoned," was the man's reply.

Poisoned. Andreas? Poisoned? His head was spinning. Andreas ... dead. Murdered. Killed.

Gerald didn't even react as he was dragged from his cell towards his execution. His friend, the man who understood him best, who never was cruel or harsh to him, was dead.

How could it be?

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King Randolph smiled at the assorted men and women in the hall, feasting. Even though he'd been forced to keep his army at the capital for another day--for some inexplicable reason, they'd decided to turn back because he was in "danger"--he was in a wonderful mood. Finally, his engagement to Lady Rachel Andric would be made known.

One of his servants approached. "Sire, Lady Rachel Andric wishes to see you," he whispered to him.

Standing beside him, "Rachel" turned with a smile. "That's impossible," she said. "I'm right here."

"Probably some lunatic," Randolph assured her. "My guards will take care of it."

Once the servant was gone, Randolph tapped on his wine glass. The crowd turned to him, watching. "I bring you great news!" he exclaimed. "Today, I make known my engagement to be married, to the lovely Rachel Andric."

The doors slammed open, and Randolph's eyes went wide. A beautiful blonde young woman was marching down the dining hall towards him, flanked by a red haired youth and a purple-haired man. It was ... Rachel. "What is this nonsense?" she shouted. Then she stopped, the gangling red-head running into her. "Who is that? Randolph, what are you thinking?"

Will's mouth was hanging open, and Rachel felt her cheeks burn with fury. It couldn't be the Chronomage. Surely she couldn't take Rachel's place! And surely she wouldn't have given her consent to be ... married?

A strange sound interrupted the silence. Iereth was laughing uncontrollably.

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Andreas wiped away tears. He had not expected this many people to volunteer for the mission to Hindustan. His voice was croaky with emotion when he spoke. “Thank ye, all of ye. Quickest way of getting there be translocation, but to translocate this many will be a drain on me powers. Back in the Fenian Galaxy, me powers be far stronger than this and I’d be able to manage it easily. Tis all to do with the symbiotic connection betwixt we Fenians and our planets of origin. So I’ll need to draw on yer powers to help with the translocation. Twill feel a bit strange, like an itch that be just outa yer reach. Ye ready?”

Various murmurs and nods of consent came from those who had agreed to go with him. He closed his eyes and concentrated, drawing the necessary power to supplement his own. “Now, all hold hands in a chain and we’ll get going” he instructed.

It took them a few minutes to get organised. The two Andarsens linked hands, then Elaine took Elspeth’s hand. Callum was next, holding hands with River. As expected, Dorrie took River’s other hand. Andreas went the other side of her, holding hands with Lias. Ben was last, knowing that most people would not wish to hold hands with him. Andreas effected the translocation, taking them to a disused guard hut behind the palace prison.

As soon as they arrived, he began instructing them. “Ben, I’d like ye to keep an eye on me other self, in case the worst happens. If he passes, I can absorb his energy back into meself, but I’d like ye to do the honours with the shell that remains”.

Ben nodded and moved off.

“Ramsey, Elspeth and Lias, I’d like ye to sniff out this sorcerer. Don’t make any moves against him. Just covert surveillance, using the invisibility spell like I showed ye. If he discovers ye, go all reptilian on him. I’ll be along to add me strength if needed. He be the main target. Tis possible that he might be working with the Chronomage, although she still be over in Albion, far as I can tell. Could be they’ve teamed up to provoke an already volatile situation, then seize power in both lands for themselves”.

Ramsey smiled.

“Wipe that grin off yer face!” Elspeth admonished. “Ye look like a prize idiot. Now, let’s get going!” She was the first to move, tugging her husband by the arm.

Lias suppressed a serpentine snigger and followed them.

“The rest of ye, with me. We be going to rescue Gerald and Morgan, but I may have to go and help with the sorcerer at any time. Ye ready?”

He had omitted to tell them of the latest development, knowing that it would make little difference to their mission. Gerald and Morgan had already been accused of spying, plus there was the fact that Morgan had committed murder. They could only be executed once, no matter how many murders or other crimes they were charged with.

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Jaek gasped and clutched at Randolph for support. Her reaction was genuine, for she had not expected the real Rachel Andric to return to Albion. Quickly regaining her composure, she let out a dainty girlish giggle. “Oh, Dolphy, how sweet! Actors! Putting on a play for our entertainment. Tell me, where did you find the lookalike? She really is very good. If you don’t look too closely, you could easily mistake her for me. How very clever of you!” At the same time, she projected the idea of suspicion in the King’s mind, exactly as she had before, when she had manipulated him into starting the war against Hindustan.

“But … I didn’t …” Randolph spluttered, getting to his feet. “There is no play, no actors! My love, you don’t understand. She’s an impostor and all three of them are sorcerers, come to stop our wedding. She was hoping to get here before you did and trick me into marrying her. Sadly, not everyone is in favour of our two families being united by marriage. Guards! Arrest them!”

The guards rushed towards the three gatecrashers, bristling with weapons. They were hopelessly outnumbered. In desperation, Iereth tried to remember the immobilising spell which he had seen Andreas using. He visualised the spell-form equations in his mind and began chanting, softly at first, then becoming louder.

At first, nothing happened, then a peculiar braying noise could be heard. Instead of immobilising the guards and the guests at the feast, he had turned them all into donkeys, the King included. The only guest who remained in her original form was the other Rachel, who hastily moved away from the donkey King.

“Whatever works” Rachel said, trying not to laugh, despite the seriousness of the situation. “We need to get that Chronomage. Kill her if you have to!”

The three of them broke away from the herd of donkeys and charged for the top table, trying to remember which of the donkeys was the King. It was difficult, for they all looked alike.

Jaek smiled and raised a hand, freezing them before they could reach her. “Nicely done, little plum-head. Iereth, I believe your name is. Rather fitting for a room of braying idiots. Now they have the fur and long ears to match their intellects. You and I need to have a little talk, Rethy, but that can wait”.

Iereth promptly vanished.

“As for you, Willie, you’d have been better off staying in the forest with your Merry Men. Perhaps you ought to go back there”.

She waved a hand and Will disappeared.

“And now for you, Rachie. Brave of you to come here, trying to spoil my fun. Did you really think that you could persuade the King of Albion to stop the war? No-one can stop this war. It will rage until both sides have annihilated each other. Such fun, don’t you agree? Shall we leave this braying mob behind? They were kind of cute to begin with, but even cuteness gets old very quickly”.

She moved her hand upwards and Rachel began to rise towards the ceiling. “Come to me, little dove!” she called. At the mention of the word “dove”, Rachel turned into one and flew towards the cage which had appeared in Jaek’s hand.