Rook Read online

  Rook

  Robin Roseau

  Cast of Characters

  Yahamala: The Goddess of Alteara.

  Yallameenara’s Immediate Family

  Yallameenara (Yalla): Formerly a young girl of the Arrlotta, the horse people, now foster daughter to Queen Ralalta and High Priestess to the Goddess Yahamala.

  Juleena: Crown Princess of Framara, wife of Yallameenara and Lásenalta.

  Lásenalta (Alta): Princess of Alteara, wife of Yallameenara and Juleena.

  Ralalta: Queen of Framara, Juleena’s mother, Yalla’s foster mother.

  Whitarmandi (Mandi): Born of Yallameenara, conceived of Juleena. Her name is from White Mane due to her pure white hair. She is age 7 at the start of Rook.

  Darnisom (Nissi): Born of Yallameenara, conceived of Alta. Her name is from Dark as a Night Blossom due to her black hair and very light complexion. Age 6 at the start of Rook.

  Dawnastaria (Ria): Born of Julleena, conceived of Yalla. Age 3.

  Kissagoddessia (Dessa): Born of Alta, conceived of Yalla. Kissed by the Goddess, the only child (so far) born in the presence of The Goddess. Age 2.

  Yallameenara’s Closest Friends and Advisors

  Larien: Priestess. Larien and Terél together are Yalla’s closest advisors and friends.

  Terél (Terélmarestra): Priestess.

  Vérundia: Leader of the order in Yalla’s absence.

  Hastiá: Vérundia’s lover.

  Naddí (Naddíqualestra): a maid/spy/bodyguard devoted to Yalla

  Féla (Resaírelteena): a maid/spy/bodyguard devoted to Yalla

  Other Major Characters

  Lady Malta: Chatelaine of Ralalta’s palace, Yalla’s close friend and former lover

  Lady Parmeed: Yalla’s former lover

  Lady Reese: Parmeed’s mother

  Lieutenant Keelara: A lieutenant in the royal guard

  King Tradódid: King of Alteara, Alta’s father

  Queen Mesenorié: Queen of Alteara, Alta’s mother

  Prince Prodótar: Crown Prince of Alteara, Alta’s brother. Wife Felésartinda, Son Sincólateed

  Minor Characters

  Tremíeshalarta: Yalla’s mother.

  Muranna: Yalla’s former friend, now estranged.

  Lady Griffen: Muranna’s former host in Marport.

  Rustaleen: Sr. Scribe Guild Master, Marport

  Mellara: Yalla's primary maid when she arrived in Marport, now a friend. Daughter: Lamarta, Husband: Daygan

  Nealand: a stone builder

  Varmateed: a builder -- builds the temple

  Andro: a cousin of Juleena’s. Wife: Valara. Children: Yearie and Rolent

  Jorald and Feerie Westwater (sister Liessa), 50s or 60s, friends of Lady Malta’s.

  Captain Evestía: Captain of the Altearan guard typically assigned to Yalla

  Captain Wellna: Captain of the Altearan guard typically assigned to Juleena

  Riesa: nanny for Yalla’s daughters.

  Maráestára (Está), Peralianíta (Níta): maids borrowed from Queen Mesenorié

  Janella: A friend of Jorald and Feerie. Ex-lover Tarmorleen, Daughter: Tessella

  Tríaperiláti (Láti): Member of Prodótar’s guard.

  Priestesses and Acolytes

  Ullaméistra (language teacher)

  Reshlórtain

  Thuralayteen

  Daraminesha: Acolyte in Bishop, a young priestess later

  Talíahmarteen (Líah): Acolyte in Bishop, a young priestess later, becomes the girls’ tutor

  Kenámarteená (Martí)

  Taratartalia

  Rastari

  Hálameenisha

  Hallámierté

  Radímaroosh: a new acolyte in Rook

  Masimalatarda (Masi): scribe assistant recruited by Yalla

  Jaynásíarté (Arté): scribe assistant recruited by Yalla

  Esquetelímarzí: Acolyte

  Mensálessí: Acolyte

  Yee-Yee

  Istímalishá (Lishá): Middle daughter of a spice merchant

  Jayla: daughter of a seamstress

  Jakla: 12, affinity horses, goes to Framara. Horse: Sharsint

  Moyíta: 8, Jakla’s sister, affinity to birds

  Talímarishyá (Tahya): Mother to Jakla and Moyíta

  Melíshta: orphan, becomes companion to the girls

  Temíliaterstía (Terstí): 16, orphan

  Thessa: Former lady of the night

  Neshí: Thessa’s daughter

  Glíenmurtalá (Tally): Acolyte

  Résalienárti (Ti-ti): Abbess of Manásuéla, in the mountains near Framara.

  Gontílorseema (Gontí): Abbess of Besquelálamárta, south of Lopéna.

  Palmoínardi (Moí): Abbess of Velvíienta: on the coast north of Hergenseé.

  A Gift

  From my seat in the conversation area, I gazed across the temple, past the statue to the Goddess, and into the learning center on the other side. I watched my four daughters for a minute as Dawnastaria answered the tutor’s question while Darnisom, Kissagoddessia, and Whitarmandi looked on.

  Their names? Well...

  Altearan names are always descriptive, although sometimes the description is subtle, a string of words together, but sometimes with portions of the words removed or other sounds added. Juleena, Alta, and I had decided we would follow this example, in honor of our Altearan heritage, while using Framaran for the words themselves. Said completely they were Dawn Star, Dark as a Night Blossom, Kissed by the Goddess, and White Mane. To make it more confusing, we typically used their shortened forms: Ria, Nissi, Dessa, and Mandi.

  Confusing indeed.

  Mandi was our oldest, born of my body and conceived with my wife, Princess Juleena of Framara. How does that happen? When a goddess is involved, anything can happen. She was born with hair as white as white can be, and the color remained pure white even as she grew older. Of course, I loved her to pieces.

  Nissi was second, also born of my body but conceived with my other wife, Princess Lásenalta of Alteara, who we called Alta. Her hair was as dark as night, although her skin was fair like that of both her mothers. She was beyond precious.

  Ria was born of Juleena but conceived by me. She is named from the dawn star, visible outside the window just as I set our daughter into Juleena’s arms, moments after emerging from her mother.

  Dessa, our youngest, was the only child born in the presence of the Goddess, and one can guess how her name came to be. She is born of Alta’s body, conceived of me.

  I didn’t think the Goddess was done, but perhaps she was waiting for us to ask her assistance. It’s not like we could have had these four without her, after all. Alta would like one more, I think, and Ralalta has pressured Juleena to produce another. But Juleena hated being pregnant, and so I may ask the Goddess to give us one more of my body, but to be granted a secular life.

  I didn’t mind being pregnant. I rather enjoyed it, actually, especially as the Goddess has a sense of humor. She didn’t do this to me when Juleena or Alta were pregnant, but for my first child, Juleena experienced nearly everything I did. She and I were sick in the mornings, oftentimes side by side. Juleena gained every pound I did, the weight a woman carries past a birth. We turned up our noses at the same foods. And our breasts filled out. We were both able to nurse our new daughter.

  Juleena hated the lack of control over her body, but when she nursed Mandi the first time, her face was filled with such awe, and she never complained.

  Through all this, Alta was our rock, seeing not to just one pregnant wife, but both of us, and we couldn’t have made it without her, or so I felt.

  And then she shared my second pregnancy, and it was Juleena’s turn to care for two wives both showing all the symptoms of pregnancy. Alta already guessed what would happen, and she was prepared. She
loved it.

  Much to my amusement, I wasn’t forced to experience everything when Juleena and Alta carried our daughters, although the Goddess blessed my breasts, and I was able to nurse them, just as I had the first two.

  The miracle of life, when the Goddess is involved.

  * * * *

  “They’re beautiful.”

  I turned my attention back to my guest, Queen Ralalta.

  “They are,” I agreed. “And they have an amazing grandmother.” She smiled, something she did easily. She really had been amazing with our daughters. She considered all of them her granddaughters, not just Ria, the daughter of Juleena’s body, or Mandi, born of me but conceived of Juleena. “You are my daughter,” she’d said more than once. “And they are all my granddaughters.” And I loved her all the more for it.

  “Do you think Nissi’s hair will change tomorrow?” It was the day she would turn six years old.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “The Goddess refuses to comment. I was sure she’d change Mandi’s hair last year, or even the year before.” I shrugged. “Who can guess the will of a Goddess?”

  “Are you worried?”

  “No.” I paused. “Are you worried she’ll take all four, leaving the line of succession a muddle?”

  She paused before answering. “A little. Juleena and I have discussed that possibility. She is maddeningly calm about the prospect.”

  “I know,” I said. I smiled, a little dreamily, thinking about my steadfast wife. Then I shook myself a little. “Are you going to tell me what that is?” I gestured to the small box on her lap.

  “I wanted to talk to the High Priestess about something.”

  “Of course,” I said. “What is it, Queen Ralalta?”

  I didn’t often use her title, except when making a point.

  “I have invited the Goddess to visit, but she has not come.”

  “I know.”

  “I haven’t yet met her.”

  “I know.”

  “I’ve had this for a while.” She tapped the box. “I saw it some time ago, not long after you made this space and explained these shelves.” She paused. “Yalla, I’m not sure this is the right choice. I haven’t met her. I don’t know what she’s like. I only know through you and the others.”

  “Ralalta, what is it?”

  She opened the box and lifted out a small sculpture, carefully handing it to me. It was of a woman and child, although stylized and simple.

  “It’s beautiful,” I said, looking this way and that at it.

  “It’s a woman with her child,” she said. “But somehow, when I see it, that’s not what I see.”

  “What do you see?”

  “It’s not literal.” Then she paused.

  “What do you see?”

  “You and the Goddess.”

  “Oh, Ralalta.”

  “They’re sort of floating here,” she said. “I know that’s not what the artist intended, but that’s what I see. I see you and the goddess, floating in the air the way Juleena described when you came back from that first winter solstice. But I don’t know if anyone else will see what I see.”

  “I do,” I whispered. “Is this for our temple?”

  “I wrote a note,” she said while nodding.

  “Good. Where will you put it?”

  “Your shelves are full.”

  They were, too, in part because everyone who came to visit the temple brought something with her. I had long taken to cycling things into a sort of museum we’d made from a room across the hall. I kept the gifts from those who visited frequently, but I had things from every one of my priestesses and untold personages of Framara and Alteara.

  “Larien,” I said. The priestess looked up from her book. She and Terél were seated together a short distance away, playing footsie while they each read. She saw the statue and smiled.

  “Terél,” she said. “Let us make room for Ralalta’s gift to the temple.”

  The two rose, and then I watched as they sorted through the shelves, picking this item and that one. I handed the sculpture back to Ralalta and joined my priestesses, moving other gifts around, this child’s toy, a gift from Ulla, over one shelf to rejoin gifts from Vérundia and Hastiá. I moved a piece of driftwood down two shelves, propping a spyglass against it. I swapped this and cycled that, and when I was done, there was an empty shelf.

  Ralalta stepped over and placed the sculpture on the shelf, and then she added her note. It said only what she’d already told me and then she had signed her name.

  “It’s beautiful, Ralalta,” Larien said as she and Terél stopped to admire it.

  “I see it,” said Terél. She brushed fingers across the sculpture. “Yalla and our Prestainamatta.”

  We stood in a line, and then my hands reached out to collect Terél’s on one side and Ralalta’s on the other. We all looked at the small sculpture for a while.

  Finally I said, “Thank you Ralalta.”

  “Juleena can’t join you for the summer trip to Alteara this year.”

  I thought it was an odd time to bring it up, and surprising besides, as she’d assured me last night she would be traveling.

  “Oh. All right. Did something come up?”

  “Yes. She needs to stay here, as I hope to travel during that time, if I am welcome.”

  “If you’re welcome where?”

  “The Heart of the Goddess, of course. If she cannot come to me, it is long past time I went to her.”

  I started crying immediately, and we pulled each other into a tight hug. “Of course you’re welcome,” I whispered. “She’s anxious to meet you.”

  Birthday Surprise

  “Mama Yalla! Mama Yalla!” I recognized the voice of our eldest, Mandi. Dragging a confused and rapidly growing upset Nissi by the wrist, the two burst into our bedroom. “Mama Yalla! Look at Nissi’s hair! It changed! It changed, Mama!”

  “Oh, Darlings,” I said. But then I blinked, and I began smiling broadly. “But eldest daughter, have you stood in front of a mirror this morning?” I held my arms out, and both girls moved to me. I hugged a daughter in each arm, and then pointed. “Both of you go look in the mirror.”

  Together, they ran the fifteen steps to the floor length mirror in the corner.

  “Mama!” Mandi screeched. She began jumping up and down. “I’m a priestess, too! I’m a priestess, too, Mama!”

  Overnight, the Goddess had claimed my eldest two daughters, changing Mandi’s white hair to white and black, and Nissi’s black hair to black and white.

  “Yes, my darlings,” I said, on the edge of tears myself. I crossed the room, knelt down, and pulled first Mandi into my arms, hugging her tightly, and then her sister Nissi. “I am so proud of both of you,” I whispered. “Your mothers and grandmother will be so excited.”

  “Can we go show them, Mama Yalla?”

  “I think we should have an unveiling,” I said. “We can surprise all of them at once. Won’t that be grand?” I clapped my hands in my own excitement. I’d long learned my two eldest responded well to suggestions if they were accompanied by a little excitement and pomp. They both immediately began clapping with me.

  “Run to your room,” I said. “Don’t let anyone else see. I’ll make sure your grandmother is ready for us.”

  They ran off, squealing happily.

  I moved to the door leading into the corridor. When I’d first returned to Marport from Alteara, the queen had given me a quarter of the floor, half of this wing. At first, it had seemed overmuch, but in the intervening years, my needs had grown, and now we consumed the available space. My wives and children had filled out the suite assigned to us. Besides ours was a small meeting room, and the temple consumed the remaining space further down the hall on this side. Our mini museum was directly across the hall. Terél and Larien used one of the remaining rooms; Féla and Naddí, my maids, held a second room, and the remaining rooms rotated based on which priestesses were visiting from Alteara.

  What all this meant
was simple: there were always people about who could carry messages for me.

  I’d grown spoiled.

  At the moment, there were two pages posted near the door leading from my portion of this wing and towards the castle’s central staircase. I knew on the other side of the doors would also be a pair of guards, loyal to the queen but also sworn to my protection. Of course, I would never send a guard to deliver a message, but the pages were there for a reason.

  “You two,” I called out in my accented Framara. I crooked my finger, and the two hurried to me. They were both girls, as were any pages assigned to this wing. They hurried to me and curtsied with far more grace than I had ever mastered.

  “Yes, High Priestess Yallameenara?”

  “I need you both to deliver messages for me,” I announced. “Ladareen, I need you to find the queen and beg an audience in her chambers at her soonest convenience. Farterra, go with her. Once you have an answer, I need you to find both my wives and ask them to meet me there. Tell them to not be late. Then come back here and tell me how soon I may see the queen. Go.”

  They ran. I stepped back into my suite, closing the door.

  “Féla!” I called out. “Naddí. I need you both.”

  The door to their chambers opened, and they both poked out. “Yalla?” Féla said. They crossed the corridor to me.

  “I just sent messengers off to request an immediate audience with the queen.” I gestured to suite door. “I want this door locked and no one, not even my wives, are to enter, although the pages are invited to return. Grab a guard. I need to be made ready. I wish my best vestments.”

  “High Priestess?” Naddí said. “What happened?”

  I looked at them. “Not a word. Go take a peek at my two eldest daughters. They’re in their rooms, probably standing in front of a mirror.”

  I put some urgency in my tone, so they both hurried off to look, and then a moment later I heard additional squealing.

  Neither of my maids were given to squealing, but they both knew joy and weren’t afraid to express it. It was another minute or two before they returned, grinning broadly. “Congratulations, Yalla,” Féla said. “Are you pleased?”