Light in the dark (AU,CC,ADULT) Pt 11 - 07/14/04 [WIP]

[katyana]

Title: Light in the dark






first cover by hazel und second by lyn. Thanks a lot.

Author: katyana/thalia

Category: AU with aliens

Rating: ADULT

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters of Roswell.

Summary: Liz lives and works on Earth in Boston, but on her holiday in
Heavenport she finds a circlet, which takes her through a leap of time to
Lanarcá. There she arrives and finds a war and gets to know Zan...

Author's note: The story is originally written in German and it is the
first of my stories that has been translated to English. It takes place on Earth and Lanarcá.

Leika translates this story for me, because my English isn't that good to
do it myself. kay_b did the beta work for us and Tinkerbell is helping me with the storyline. There are descriptions for most important animal, people, etc. but it isn't necessary to read it. The story can be understood without it.


Light in the dark

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Alendíl = creature, similar to a falcon, black with a white stomach, big
eyes grey beak. Nourishment: snakes, mousse or alike, can be reared

Antariér = inhabitants of the country Antariér

Antarián = original language of Antariér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Carmás = creature, similar to a horse, from the semi-desert Gildaér of
Antariér

Danaéren = inhabitants of the country Danaéren

Danaérian = original language of Danaéren, not spoken by everyone, rarely used

Flajonás = creature, similar to a bird, coloured

Gildaér, semi-desert= semi-desert because of the many oases in Antariér

Gulán = biggest river in the country Antarier, source in Antarier but also
flows to the country Danaéren, dry in the summer

Kildaér= inhabitants of the country Kildaér

Kilderián = original language of Kildaér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Lanarcá = alien planet cut in three countries with three different folks

Legán See = biggest lake in Antariér, close of the castle

Lenú = light mountains in the east of Antariér, the frontier to the country
Kildaér

Lineá: small ladybird (Zan uses it as pet name for Mailyín)

Menús = creature, similar to a rabbit, red-gold colored (adapted to the
environment), little dainty ears, fast runner. Natural enemies: human and
birds of prey

Nairás = mystery circlet with jewels

Nalén = biggest river in the country Kildaér

Qindarcás = currency in metal, in all three countries, in rhombus form,
descends from the noble metal Qindarciúm

Ranís = creature, similar to a snowy owl, big, white feather, wide eyes.
Nourishment: mice and alike

Remantjás = creature, similar to a ox, dark red (adapted to the
environment), little, brawny

Thelín = small river in the country Danaéren

Xilós= creature, similar to a fish, coloured, gleaming

Zeratón = boar

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Most important persons:

Zan (Max) & Rath (Michael) of the gender of Saraleén= half brothers,
monarchs of the royal gender of Saraleèn in the country Antariér (double
monarchy)

Mailyín (Maria)= Rath's wife and queen of Antariér (but without any power),

Khivar of the gender of Nedalín= original from the circle of council,
monarch of the royal gender of Nedalín in the country Danaéren, who
established himself as king

Kenilá of the gender of Laéris= monarch of the royal gender of Laéris in
the country Kildaér

Akildaére, friend of Zan, commander of the Antarian militaries

Ranjá: of the gender of Antariér, second cousin


Liz Parker = human, anthropologist

Zoe Parker = Liz Parker's little sister

Nancy Parker = Mother of Liz and Zoe, Jeff Parker's wife

Jeff Parker = father of Liz and Zoe, Nancy Parker's husband

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


USA, Earth

Liz took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Her legs started to hurt and
Liz stood up. It felt good to actually feel her legs again. Liz looked the
clock. It was late. Too late. She wouldn't catch the last bus anymore. But
she didn't need to feel guilty that anyone was waiting for her at home. She
didn't have a boyfriend or a pet, nobody. It was a little bit sad. She
wouldn't mind having a boyfriend or pet, but one, she thought she wasn't
attractive enough, after several disasters and second, she just didn't have
the time.

Liz put back the bone test and turned off the microscope. It was enough for today. She checked her material and instruments one last time then she put on her coat, took her bag and left the building. She buttoned up her coat and looked into the sky. The night sky in Boston was clear and the stars were bright.

On her way home she felt more and more hungry. It was past 1 am and she hadn't eaten anything for about 10 hours. With her job as an anthropologist, Liz often forgot to eat regularly and every time she was visiting her parents they reminded her how thin and pale she looked. She decided to get a pizza and eat it on her couch with a nice black and white movie with Cary Grant. She had to get up early the next morning but she didn't have much except for her work and so she thought she deserved a break sometimes.
Apart from that she didn't need much sleep anyway. She was looking forward to the next morning, when she would examine the skeleton, which seemed to have waited all these centuries only to be examined by her.

"Tomorrow" she said to herself, "tomorrow it is still here." She walked down the street to the 24/7 Italian restaurant and opened the door.


Antariér, Lanarcá


The dawn was breaking, mist rose above the Legán Lake while the ship was moving with the wind and sometimes you could get a look at the land behind it. The land was prolific and the grass lush and ruby colored. Some Remantjás were having their breakfast and didn't mind the troops of horses, who were coming nearer. The Flajonás didn't care either, and you could hear their chants from the adjoining forest.

There was a happiness and calmness everywhere, but the troops didn't share it. The two suns were shining and brought a warm, bright turquoise light, but it didn't reach their hearts.

The country Antariér was in riots and despite their efforts, mostly of the two brothers, peace was far away.


The half brothers - Zan and Rath - of the gender Saraleén, the monarchs of the country Antariér, were from their appearance and their nature as different as they could be. But both were similar from their figure, both were tall, but Rath had short brown hair and Zan had long dark hair. Both had elegant proportions and features, and you could say that they were both handsome. Rath had a strong tempter and seemed to act before he thought, especially when he was younger, but with the coming war and the riots, it faded. Zan whereas was known for his calm behavior. Sometimes the people even described him as cold and emotionless. However the few who knew him knew that he only hid his emotions successfully.

Rath was the first born son and after the right of succession he should be the only monarch, but Rath only wanted to be what was expected of him if Zan would share this title with him. That was what he said to his father at his deathbed.

It was said that what Rath had done was irresponsible and that Zan must have blackmailed him. Zan had protested hard, that he wasn't even interested in the monarchy. But finally Rath had convinced Zan, that they would only be stronger together. After a few years, no one doubted that it was right.

But there were civil commotions for some time now. It wasn't among the Antariér, but among the Danaéren, whose country adjoined to Antariér. Kivar of the Nedalín, one of the royals, was obsessed with war from childhood onwards. After the king line died out, he took over the power through his powerful aura, blackmailing and corruption. It wasn't that difficult to get the folks to war because of the hunger and homicides against the other countries.

Kivar came nearer and nearer to the frontier of Antariér and dealt out fear and terror despite many emissaries who wanted to gain peace. But they returned headless with a note, which demanded unconditional surrender. Even Zan started to doubt after the third attempt to agree peacefully and he and Rath announced the war versus the Danaéren with the agreement of the crown council.

All this happened about two months ago and Zan sallied to mobilize the militaries and to demand the loyalty of the Kildaéren, whose country was in adjoining Antariér in the east. Since then Rath hadn't heard anything from him and he felt responsible that he let Zan go to his death. They should have gone together but Zan had thought that it was irresponsible for two reasons. If Zan died trying to get militaries in the interior and further outside, then there would still be a monarch, who could fight versus the Danaéren. The second reason was Rath's wife Mailyín, who was pregnant. Zan loved his sister-in-law and she didn't ask him for that, but she was scared of the coming war and the death that would probably come. Zan wanted to support her and went without her husband. Rath wasn't happy about it and he wouldn't have listened to his wife if he hadn't been hurt recently at the last hung in Zeratón and wasn't still weak. Even the healing of his medical attendant could not do everything.

Rath now rode home discontent after another failed search with his men. They were on the last few miles to the castle in the capital city Leglién. They passed the city wall but Rath's thoughts were still with his missing brother. The inhabitants happily waved at them but face after face fell down when they noticed their sad expressions. Rath has returned without Zan.

It got hillier. The castle was located on a little mountainside and it overhang between two grey rocks. The sand colored terrain attracted attention and in the sunlight it shined majestically and it seemed as if the
castle was bigger than it actually was. The flag on the watch tower
waved in the light wind and was showing the emblem of Antarier, a white
wriggly symbol, the symbol of the gender of Saraleén.

Rath tried to remember that it wouldn't help if he lost control now and
closed his eyes. He saw in fast motion the future, which he, his family, his
friends and his nation could have had. He didn't want the war but between
the reality and his wishes was a big difference. Kivar was addicted to war
and he goads the people. His answers to the emissaries had been more
than clear.

After all, he and Zan were responsible for the survival of their people and
they had to take all precautions to insure it. There would be war. It was
as sure as the sun rising every morning and there was no point to think
about something that couldn't be. Rath thought it was best to just accept
this but sometimes he just couldn't resist imagining what could have been.

He opened his eyes again and stretches himself on the saddle to full size.
Maybe he did doubt within himself, but not in front of the eyes of his men - never.

Mailyín approached him in the courtyard. Her face seemed older through
the worry and the tiredness. Rath dismounted off his Carmá, took his
wife's hand and entwined his fingers with hers.

"Anything?" she asked. It was just a word but it stood for the same
frustration Rath was feeling. He just shook his head and walked with her
through the decorated entrance. They passed the guards and stepped
inside the castle.

TBC

[katyana]

thank you roswellluver for the fb.

here comes the next part:



In the semi-desert Gíldaér:

Zan was more dead than alive. His body had countless wounds. His leather
clothes were now only burnt down frazzles. He did neither know how long he was riding through the area on his Carmá nor where it was taking him. In his fever he couldn't even recognize the region anymore. He wasn't feeling the hunger for a long time anymore and the pain was just a light feeling. He couldn't even remember what was exactly wrong with his situation; he just knew something was wrong. However he finally had luck. His loyal Carmá had found the right way home. They had left the semi-desert a few hours ago and the region became friendlier. They weren't far away from the castle when Zan fell to the ground in front of the first inhabitants, who brought him immediately to the castle.

Rath was walking around in the armory. What else could he do?

"Rath, your brother, he is alive. He is in the hall."

Mailyín stood breathless at the door. She had run to give him the good
news.

Rath took her in his arms, kissed her quick on the mouth and ran down the stairs to the hall. When he arrived he saw Zan lying on a stretcher and the servants hastily brought dresses and salves. The royal medical attendant was with him. Zan was unconscious. Rath could smell the mix of blood, leather, burnt flesh and dirt. Rath started to feel sick by it. What he saw and what he smelled proved what he already thought. Zan was captured by their enemies. His wounds were fresh and looked like he fought hard and was tortured. His pale face lay on the pillows. Blood was everywhere even in his eyes and it was crusted as well as a part of his black long hair. There was no movement from him.

"Do you want to go to your room, Mailyín?" Rath asked.

"Rath, I'm not that breakable as I seem to be in your eyes. When the doctor is finished with him I will take care of him."

"No, you are pregnant. You shouldn't overstrain yourself."

"I'm not overstraining myself when I sit beside him" she protested. She
couldn't understand why Rath made it such a big deal. She was fine and she was worried about her brother-in-law.

"Okay, but promise me, you will rest when you feel exhausted."

She nodded a little bit, upset but content to have what she wanted.

The doctor Astarán examined Zan, laid his hands on the deep wounds, closed his eyes and spoke words in a quiet, monotonous recitative. Words in the old Antarian language Antariér, which wasn't spoken anymore for years and only a few could speak it. The power of healing was bequeathed at random and that meant that there were as many healers among the poor people as among the rich. Rath's medical attendant owned it but he only used it when there was no other way, because every treatment had temporary adverse effects in different intensities and it costs the healer a lot of power. During the mysterious procedure, of which Rath and Maria didn't know much, Zan still didn't move at all. From the palms of the healer glinted warmth and a blue glittering light that the wound absorbed and they closed immediately. Blood
stopped running but the wounds didn't disappear completely.

Afterwards the healer put one of the salves on the wounds and bandaged
them.He turned around to his king, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Will he survive?" The tautness in his voice was audible.

"The most of his external wounds are painful but not that serious. I'm more worried about the wound on his head and another from an arrow on his back. But he is tough and so I think he will survive but we have to wait the next 24 hours, before I can say it for sure." Astarán always said the truth no matter how bad it was. Rath appreciate the truth and nodded with hope in his heart and anger in his stomach for his enemies.

The healer nodded lightly and left his two kings and Rath's wife alone.
Mailyín sat on a chair and rolled up the dresses. She often did the things
servants normally do, but Mailyín did exactly that what came into her mind.

Her husband sat down beside his brother and took his weak hand. Zan still
looked pale and nearly dead, only the light breathing was a sign that he
was still alive. Mailyín came behind him and laid her hand on Rath's shoulder.

"He will survive!"

"I hope so" Rath looked into her sad face.

"He has to. He wanted to hold his niece in his arms, he told me. And he
wanted to give you his revenge in chess." She smiled at him encouragingly.

"It will be a nephew and not a niece. It was your entire fault. You
distracted me" Rath joked lightly with her.

"I distracted you?? Are you crazy? Typical men. This would never happen to a woman." She laid her arm around her husband and her head leant against his chest. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. They needed each other even if Rath sometimes had the feeling to be butter in Mailyín's arms and he cursed the woman, who has to know everything but he knew he was helpless without her. He didn't like to let her go, but he had to think about his kingdom now and decide with the crown council what to do.

"If anything happens, tell me. The guard is standing in front of the door.
I'll send in a servant in one hour to bring the food and she can take over
for you."

The look in his eyes told her to accept this. He just didn't want that she
did more than she was able to. He didn't say that she should leave the room and she wouldn't do it. Rath was secretly happy that she would be with Zan.
There weren't a lot Antariér who he trusted completely. One was nearly dead and the other one was his wife.


On earth:

Liz took a deep breath. The salty scent of the sea reminded her of her
childhood, of the years she spent here in Heavenport and of all the nice
memories. She had had a nice uncomplicated childhood with her sister and her lovely parents. Nevertheless she didn't miss it. Her self-reliance was too important to her. One last time she turned around on the footbridge and looked over the open sea, the gulls flew in circles in the blue sky and were creeching about every piece of bread thrown to them by the tourists. Far away she could make out a few boats that were moving slightly with the water, which reminded Liz that she should get back to her parents' home.
Her little sister Zoe should arrive soon and the compulsive sailing trip would be soon too. Liz wasn't really a fan of the traditional sailing trips, but
that didn't mean that she got seasick. It just wasn't important to her as
it was to her sister and her parents. She'd rather swim in the water instead of being on it in a boat. The sailing gene seemed to have skipped one generation. However her family was always trying to get Liz to enthuse, to show her how beautiful it was and that she shouldn't miss it.

She turned back to the beach and walked slowly down the main street. The wind blew through her hair and blew her white dress through her legs. She didn't make it far. A twister named Zoe ran into her and hugged her strongly.

"Liz! It's so nice to see you. Finally we're all together again."

"I had to take my holiday from last year." Liz returned the hug of her
sister.

They were complete opposites. Liz was a quiet and calm person and Zoe was always full of excitement. She was always in a good mood and got most of the people to be the same. Liz was the older one, she was reasonable, the one who had gone to university and her life had structure, the one who hadn't had a steady relationship, but longed for it. Zoe had tried her luck as an actress after high school, but till now, she hadn't found the big success, but she thought that it was going to come sooner or later. She changed her relationships almost as often as her underwear, that Liz never knew the names of her boyfriends.

"You're working too much. We missed you last year." Zoe took her sister's
arm and they walked on together.

"We had a lot to do. We had a big finding and so I couldn't just go."

"Eventually you will marry one of your dusty skeletons. Look for someone
better, please."

They both laughed.

"We should see each other more often."

"I know. I'll try to be better if you promise that I don't have to go on
that boat."

"Oh no, not a chance. We still aren't convinced that you won't like the
sailing eventually."

"That's hopeless. I will never ever like it. Who is your present boyfriend?
Tell me something of him. What does he look like?"

Zoe had nothing against the topic change. It was nice to be home again. It
was a home, a steady place in life. She wouldn't change her living style
and could never live like her sister, but she loved coming home to Heavenport. Nobody could stop her from it.

"You know, since this morning I don't have a boyfriend anymore. I broke up with Darryl. He was good in bed, I have to admit, but ..."

Their voices reached to the adjoining beach, forest and were overruled by
the birds.

TBC

[katyana]

thank you so much for the feedback.

here is the next part:




A few hours later in a quiet bay near Heavenport

The water was fresh in the heat and Liz couldn't stop to drift in the sea.
The boat of her parents lay a few meters away on anchor. It was quiet except
for the gulls and the Elvis Presley music from the radio.
The sun was shining on her and her thoughts drifted away with the waves. She
really enjoyed not being at the lab at 7 am and she liked not knowing what
she would do tomorrow. She was content with the life she had but she noticed
how sapped she was and how much she needed a break from everything.

Water came over her face and interrupted her thoughts. Gasping for breath
and with her arms rowing, she looked around for the evildoer - Zoe, who
else?

"You..." Liz swam angrily to her and she tried not to laugh as she saw Zoe's
frightened face.

"It's dangerous to sleep in the water, dearest sister!" Zoe loved to tease
her sister. When the two of them were together they did it a lot.

"And I thought you were scared of me!" She pretended to be disappointed and
grimaced. "But okay the disrespect from a youth... what did I expect?" Liz
grinned and looked at her sister, who swam next to her now.

"Disrespect? What is that supposed to mean? I have respect for everyone who
deserves respect." Zoe protested and turned around. She knew that Liz
wouldn't take it and she would get a little swimming contest.

And she was right; Liz started to swim faster as well as Zoe. They swam to
the first buoy and back to the boat. At first they swam next to each other
but in the end Liz got ahead of Zoe and reached the ladder first.

"What do you say now?" Liz said triumphantly.

"Okay, okay, you won, but only because you have already spent a day here and
you are more relaxed."

Before Liz could counter something, their father came.

"You will get fish scales if you stay longer in the water" Geoffrey Parker
joked. "Lunch is ready."

He didn't need to say it twice. Both were hungry and exhausted.


Lanarcá

The maelstrom in his nightmare pulled him hard down. It came to him in waves
and he felt like he choked. He had to retch and the thirst was killing him.
His throat got more and more narrower, he coughed and spit and didn't notice
that someone was talking to him and gave him water. Zan was shortly
satisfied and rolled over. He relived the scenes over and over. Pictures
that would be forever in his mind: the blood of his men that were shed for
nothing, his own - screaming and moaning - the death. He wouldn't forget
anything if he survived. It would make him harder, but it wouldn't kill him.

He tried to get to the surface, to get his consciousness back. Finally he
opened his eyes and when he looked in Mailyín's worried face he suddenly saw
a picture of a girl, no, a woman with dark hair in front of his eyes. She
seemed ordinary, pretty, but he had already seen prettier women. He didn't
know at first, what made her this extraordinary, but then he saw it. Her
eyes. They were glowing and seemed to burn him.

He screamed and reared up. His eyes were wide open. Marilyn put her hands on
his shoulders and pushed him slowly back on the bed, when he recognized it
was his sister-in-law and not a foreign woman who wanted to burn him.

"Zan, it's okay. You're home. You're safe." She gently caressed his sweaty
hair and smiled at him.

"Water?" His voice croaked because his vocal cords felt like they had dried
out because of the loss of ullage.

"Here" She held him a beaker with water, which she took from the servant
Leanna, to his lips and she supported his head with her other hand. He
sipped slowly in order to keep from throwing up.

"Are you in pain?" Mailyín asked after she put the beaker away and laid his
head back on his pillow.

"It's okay. How long have I been here?" While he spoke his eyes were closed
and a great tiredness came over him. It exhausted him to listen to his
sister-in-law.

"Not so long. Sleep. It will be good for you." Zan fell asleep even before
she finished the sentence, but this time without nightmares. She gave the
servant a sign and told her to let Rath know that his brother was shortly
awake and he was okay under the circumstances. Relieved, Mailyín sat down
beside Zan's bed.


Earth

After lunch Liz lay down in her berth and took a little nap. Her sister and
her parents did the same, but for some unknown reason Liz couldn't fall
asleep. She was tired, but she just could sleep. After half an hour she
finally stood up and left the cabin, from which she could hear the breath
and the snore of her father.

The afternoon sun was still shining in the blue sky and Liz didn't need long
to decide what to do. The water attracted her. She took off her clothes
until she just wore her bikini and walked to the rail. She jumped in the
water with a header. She swam a few hundred meter away from the boat and saw
a few adolescents on a jet ski. They had a lot of speed, but they were far
enough that she shouldn't have to worry about them. The sun sparkled on the
sea, so Liz first thought she was wrong, but below her was something that
sparkled in different colours. Her rational mind told her that she was just
imagining things and it was only the reflection of the sun on the small
stones underwater. However her instinct and her curiosity told her something
completely different and finally the two won. Liz took a deep breath and
plunged in.

It wasn't difficult to see though, because the sun gave light and the water
was clean and not too deep. She swam directly to the thing and reached for
it. She discovered that it was a circlet. With her other hand she removed
the stone that lay on parts of it and swam back to the surface. She held it
firmly in her hand while she swam faster and faster to the light. She had
hardly air left and was relieved as she reached the surface and could take a
deep breath.

From the screaming around her, she knew that something had to be wrong. She
held the circlet firmer. Even before the jet ski hit her head she felt that
she was being pulled down, she was spinning, no the water spun around her.
She felt dizzy and lost consciousness. Her unconscious body drifted further
down in the spinning water and finally disappeared.

[katyana]

thank you very much for the feedback. i´m really happy.
Liz won't be in this and the next part, but then in the next. she will be on lanarcá.

happy reading.

Part 4

Lanarcá

Zan was feeling well or at least better than in the last two days. He felt
the warm sunshine on his skin and no nameable pain. The sun, which came
through the open window, dazzled him when he opened his eyes. Mailyín came
through the door and walked towards him with a big smile on her face.

"You're finally awake! I brought a bowl of soup for you. I will feed you."
She said happily but Zan saw the dark circlets under her eyes.

"You don't need to feed me, Mailyín. I can use my hands." His voice felt
raspy in his throat, his tongue was furry and still heavy. He tried
painfully to sit up.

"Really? Not so long ago, you were half dead and now you sound as you feel
ready to take on anything." Mailyín shook her hear a little bit amused and
helped him to sit up. Men, they were all the same. She gave him the bowl and
watched Zan, when he suddenly stagnated.

"How is Nalín?" Zan looked as lost as a little boy.

She squeezed his hand. "Your ugly poultry is here, don't worry. He looked as
hackly as you, half famished and thinner, but he is alright, he just doesn't
eat enough, I think he misses his lord ling."

Zan relaxed again and swept over his beard, which had grown during his
absence. "I don't know when I last saw him, but I'm relieved that he is
okay. Can you bring him here?"

"Sure, but only if you eat something. Finally I get away from this
insubordinate something. You really should teach him manners especially that
he doesn't piss in all corners."

"I don't know what your problem is. My alendíl is low-maintenance and very
intelligent. He comes after his lord ling." He grinned and still hold
Mailyíns hand. He was happy to be back home, but he worried about the
developing he probably missed and was eager for news.

That's how Rath found his wife and his half-brother.

"If I didn't know that I'm related to you, that you are scared of me, and
that you know that I am stronger than you, I would assume that you're having
a go at my wife." He came into the room and closed the door. Both heads
turned to him. Mailyín was half amused and half angry, while Zan was only
amused.

"Dear brother, if you hadn't been first, she would lay in my bed and warm me
instead of you. Aside from that you are only stronger than me, because I am
injured. As soon as I am back on my legs we can meet on the drill ground and
fight over your wife." He blinked at his brother.

"It's nice how you talk about me and decide about me. I seem to be really
important to you, my dear husband and brother-in-law." Mailyín straightened
her ruby coloured dress. Rath stepped to Zan's bed and laid a hand of Zan's
shoulder. Rath's face was full of worry and marked by the sleepless nights.
The last weeks had also been hard for him. Their eyes locked just for a few
seconds but for Rath it felt like ages and Rath thought he saw the horrible
days of death and pain, which Zan had experienced, in Zan's eyes. The moment
was over when Zan turned to Mailyín.

"Mailyín, could you bring me something else to eat?" He asked and smiled,
but in his thoughts he was already at the conversation that he and Rath
would have to have.

"Zan, your methods to get rid of me should get better and more imaginative.
I also want to hear what happened." Mailyín challenged them both with a
stare. While Zan kept silent, Rath turned to his wife.

"I will tell you later, Mailyín." She could see from his face that it was
serious for him. Her presence was not wanted.

"It also affects my life and the life of my child and I have the right to
know what's going on." She didn't move. Zan avoided her eyes, laid back on
the pillow and gazed in the air. He always did that when his brother had a
baleful discussion with his wife.

"Yes, but you are still my wife and it is also my child and therefore I
decide what you will hear and what not."

Silence.

"I'm sorry." It was in Rath's face and in his voice, a sharpness which
provoked Mailyín to contradict. Only the look in Zan's eyes, which warned
her this time, held her off. She turned around without another word and
disappeared behind the door.

"Are you sure it's worth the problems you now have?" In Zan's words were a
little bit of humor but his eyes were dark and serious.

"They are probably not, but I want to spare her the details."

"That's my opinion but she won't give up until she has you. Women have their
ways, I had been told."

Rath didn't say anything else about Mailyín. He would deal with Mailyín
later, but this moment wasn't the right time.

"What happened?" It was only one question, but Zan heard also the unspoken
questions. Why are you injured? What happened to our men? What is with
Kenilá?

TBC

[katyana]

thank you for the fb.

here it comes:


Part 5

"After I left with the men, we soon reached the first few villages. I let
the head of every village community call together. I described the situation
and successfully demanded the loyalty to the kingdom and informed them of
the time of the meeting, till there everything was fine." Zan stopped to
breathe in and out. His face showed pain for a few seconds.

"I called Astarán." Rath stood up, but Zan stopped him with a wave of his
hand.

"It's okay. The effect of the herbs decreases so I feel alive at least and
not as if I'm floating and the herbs thing make me tired. When we are
finished you can get the old sorcerer." Rath's lips showed a little smile,
because of Zan's appellation of the healer. Zan didn't trust the healer.
Probably because he was foreign with his mysterious ways, which were a
little bit weird. Zan shared this feeling with most of the inhabitants of
the country; that was also the reason why the healer kept to himself. It
wasn't that he was hated, after all his powers were really useful, but the
healing was not normal.

Rath sat down again and offered Zan his beaker. Zan took it gratefully and
drank while his brother waited patiently. Secretly Rath couldn't wait for
the news.

"It started near the frontier to Kildaér. The Danaéren flocked over us and
started to attack us. Despite of our resistance we lost half of the 40 men
and the rest had been blasted in every direction. Tilumín and I found each
other and we rode to the next village to heal Tilumín's injuries. The
village, which was located near the frontier to Kildaér, was completely
destroyed and we met a injured woman who told us what had happened. She was
so terribly hurt that she..." Zan breathed faster and the past returned
powerfully. "Rath... I am used to a lot and I am not gingerly, even if it is
about murder, but it was terrible. According to the woman, they arrested the
men and boys in the big cabin and burned them. The women and girls had to
watch how their husbands, sons and fathers were burned alive. After that
they raped and killed them without even considering their age. She was the
only one who survived. They thought she was already dead. She died a few
minutes after she told us everything."

Rath didn't say anything but his face showed enough...

"We didn't have the time to bury the dead bodies. There were too many. In
addition, Khivar's men hunted us and found us. We came over the frontier,
but Kenilá had already waited for us. We didn't count on that ... Rath, we
were friends."

Zan's eyes showed his desperations, which depressed Rath even more, aside
from the fact that their former ally would deceive them. But he couldn't
even imagine how far the betrayal went.

"Kenilá received us with her sword in her hand. We didn't know what was
happening. She didn't even give us time to take a breath and attracted us. I
screamed between the sword exchanges that I wanted to talk to her and that
we had an alliance, but she ignored it and fought.... I didn't understand it
then." Zan shook his head.

"What didn't you understand?"

"Well, it was more than hundred men versus two. You couldn't really call it
a fight, so we gave up. At this point we still thought it was a
misunderstanding, but Kenilá had to be held off from cutting my coving and
Tilumín had been seriously injured during the fight, what they had only vet
provisorily. I suppose Kenilá herself ordered to treat us like trash. Tied
up like a package they brought us to Daurín, but Tilumín didn't make it. He
died on the way."

Rath got more and more afflicted. Tilumín had been one of their most capable
and most battle-scarred. And aside from that a good friend of Zan from his
childhood. With a wave of his hand, he closed eyes and requested Zan to go
on.

"I can't remember exactly what happened after my arrival in Daurín. Kenilá
had ordered to torture me and ..."

"What did you say? I can't believe it!" Rath jumped up. "Damn, why? I
thought Khivar did that! God, we saved her life once... I can't believe it.
I mean, not that we don't know torture but we never practice it, when there
wasn't a better possibility and least of all to our friends." Rath walked
around in the room. He hadn't been this angry and furious for a long time.
"If I get my hands on her, I'll kill her. I should have let her die that
time." Rath meant an event a few years ago. Kenilá had been attacked by wild
Genilás, after she fell off of her Carmá in the frontier area. Zan and Rath
had found her severely injured and they had taken her and had cared for her.

"We can't change what happened." Zan's voice sounded quiet and faint, his
strength obviously weakened. The conversation took a lot of him.

Rath looked at his brother. He seemed so lost how he sat there and stared at
a fictive point on the wall. Only the imagination of what had happened to
him... Rath felt like he would break. But he tried to pull himself together
so that Zan could continue and he could call the healer soon.

"Let's get to the end. How did you escape?" Rath sat down again and tried to
get his calmness back.

"As I was in jail, I don't know how long anymore, Kenilá visited me and just
looked at me for days without a word." He shook his head. "She only laughed.
Later I discovered why I was there." A sad and dry smile came over him. Rath
held his breath.

"Rath, you won't believe it. She blames us for the murder of her children
and her husband."

Rath griped flabbergasted at his head. "How did she get such a stupid idea?"

"Rinár and her children, along with their accompanists, had been in the
frontier area to visit relatives. For some reason they did a detour through
our area. Finally they had been found in a cave, each one of them in a
horrible way. They didn't even spare the children."

Rath felt a little bit regret and pity for her, but also lack of
understanding. "She could have come to us. We would have caught the
murderers. Why does she think that it was you? You weren't even there at the
time."

"We both know that, but apparently someone deposited proofs that convinced
her of the contrary."

"Which proves?"

"That some of the dead bodies had been carved bearing the emblem of Antar.
Apart from that, my ring with the sign of a falcon had been found by a
servant. She held it in her hand. You remember that after I took it off when
I broke my hand, it disappeared? Someone must have taken it. That was what
convinced Kenilá that I was the one who did that. She is so hateful, she
doesn't even think about anything else. Rath, she embattles for a war versus
us and they allied with the Danaéren, with Khivar. A woman helped me to
escape, but I don't know her. I think they will be here soon, Rath, really
soon." His voice became low and he held his eyes barely open.

Rath's blood ran cold, but he hadn't been dormant during Zan's absence, so
he said rapidly, "Then we will await them. Except for a commander, the royal
army is complete. Every head had been informed, so that we can expect the
men in the next few days." He turned to Zan again and laid his arm
soothingly on his shoulder. "Try to sleep, Zan. I will inform you later
about all the precautions. Astaran should come any moment and he will take
care of you."

Zan nodded only half conscious and closed his eyes. Rath stood up, gave the
guards a sign and left the room. He stopped in front of the door and tried
to work out the storm of information and feelings. Who had he wanted to calm
down? Zan or himself? Though all precautions for the war have been made
successfully during Zan's disappearance, they always assumed that the war
was only against the Danaéren. But now the Danaéren also had the powerful
Kildaér with their abilities on their side. Do they even stand a chance in a
war versus the alliance of these two countries?



TBC

[katyana]

thank you for your fb.



Warning: In this part a person is raped.


Lineá: small ladybird (Zan uses it as pet name for Mailyín)

Ranjá: of the gender of Antariér, second cousin


Part 6

Earth/Lanarcá:

Liz' body was spinning like in a maelstrom and pictures of a past time
rushed through her. Pictures of the happy and sad days of a man, but Liz
didn't apprehend it consciously because she was in a deep blackout. The
speed deccelerated abruptly before Liz arose from the ground, it
deccelerated enough that she wasn't injured. Nevertheless, it took hours
before Liz opened her eyes again.

The first change she noticed was the furry taste on her tongue as if she
drank too much alcohol or ate too much garlic. She tried to remember what
happened while she was still dazed and with her eyes closed. Her memory
worked very slowly. But before she thought longer about it, she came to the
conclusion that nothing was wrong with her memory. The smell of earth and
flesh came in her nose and she believed that a part of her body was lying on
an iron rod. Her arms and legs hurt and she felt smashed. She lay on her
stomach in an uncomfortable position. She opened her eyes slowly. It was
dark and so she couldn't see very well, but she guessed that she was in a
closed building. She couldn't say if it was night or day outside the
building because there were no windows or doors.

"Where am I?" she whispered. She thought about the last moment of her
consciousness. She had been in the water and an accident was going to
happen. A notion came to her mind: "Was that supposed to be hell?" She
didn't believe in heaven or hell and in God or the devil, she was thoroughly
a rational person, she believed in the research and science.

She scanned herself to see if she was okay. Her hands went along her upper
body. She discovered unbelievingly that she still wore her bikini and the
rest of it.

"What else should I wear?" she asked herself quietly, incapacitated to
realise what had happened to her.

When she reached her legs, she felt with her hands along the strange,
uncomfortable iron rod. She swept along the structure of the surface of the
assumed iron rod. The structure felt plain and on some spots porous. It
lasted a few seconds in which she swept further and realised that she felt a
creamy almost leathery skin. Liz jumped up and screamed of horror and
disgust. In her panic she ran without any kind of orientation against a war
and blacked out again.


When she woke up again she found herself in a little barn because she
recognized small moulded hay bales in the nooks. Above her was a window. It
had been dark before but slowly, dawn was breaking and so she could discover
more of her environment. She was confused. How did she get here? She did
neither know how she had gotten here nor where she was nor how she could get
back home. Further she lay in a hall with half decayed dead bodies which
silhouettes she could make out now. It wasn't the dead bodies itself that
discomfit her, after all she had been working with bones and found corpses
for a few years, but the fact that these dead bodies were "fresh" was a
small but important difference.


She took a few deep breaths and crept to the corpse. It had such deep cuts
in the face, that Liz couldn't see any facial features. However the long
blond hair let her to the conclusion that this was a woman. She asked
herself what had happened to this woman, it couldn't have been a simple
death. She was only half apparelled and of the rest material, Liz could
conclude that it had been a rough-textured light linen material, which had a
lot of dry blood. On the basis of the size of the ankles Liz was convinced
that it must be a girl around 18. The next thing she did arose from her
scientific curiosity. She looked at the wounds in the face as well as the
wounds on the upper body, where it still was fresh. There were small but
deep cuts. Whoever killed the girl must have been brutal. The cuts were
absolutely unequally distributed. Her clothes had been torn and the girl had
been probably raped before her death.


The hands of the girl clanged to the ground and Liz felt the need to cross
her hands on her breast. Liz didn't know why she felt such a strong need and
it cost her effort to touch the dead body, but perhaps it would help to have
the girl not only in a horrible way in her memory. The skin was leathery,
which was probably connected to the dryness in the barn. How long the girl
has been laying there was hard to tell, but the decay had already begun. It
wasn't difficult to move her arms, as the rigor mortis was long gone. Just
as Liz wanted to let go of the girl, she felt a sickness. It started to
gleam in front of her eyes and she could neither discern her environment nor
move herself. The only thing she saw were pictures, which she saw in slow
motion. Everything else, even her feelings, the coldness, the shock, the
fear were eliminated. The images showed a young girl in a brown dress. She
held a young boy in her arms and laughed with him. She sat with her family,
as Liz assumed, at the table and talked vividly with them when her eyes
widened in shock. The door opened and men came in, men with horrible faces
that spread pure fear.


The family couldn't protect themselves and they cried out of fear. Liz
couldn't hear anything, but the images had their own power, so she had the
feeling to be right beside the events. She wanted to close her eyes, and
convince herself that this wasn't happening, but the power that held her was
so strong that she couldn't free herself of it, as desperate as she was
trying. She was forced to watch what she detested and what shattered her.
They killed the men, no matter how old, with swords, while the women were
forced to watch it. Only the girl in the brown dress could free herself and
ran out of the house, but she was too slow. Half a dozen men had fun hunting
her. She fled into the barn, because she had no alternative and stopped in
the middle. She knew how hopeless her situation was. Tears were running over
her cheeks. Her hair was dishevelled and stood apart. She held her hand
protectively in front of her breasts. The men came in and took her dress off
brutally. They brought her to the ground and held her firmly. They took off
the girl what they wanted and what the girl tried desperately to prevent.
Her defense wasn't possible anymore, but the screaming didn't stop. Not
until a man, the leader, didn't want to hear the screaming anymore. He took
his knife and jabbed uncontrollably at the girl, her cries hushed. Lifeless
eyes stared at Liz and she thought she heard the echoes of the cries. Then
the image faded and with a wheeze Liz broke down.


Antarier, Capital Leglién

Zan stood enraged beside a small stool on which a new leathery shirt laid
for him. He already wore his trousers. His wounds were more or less healed,
but he could still feel an uncomfortable pulse at some wounds. The wound on
his head caused him headaches and if he put his arms up, his arrow wound
would hurt. It was annoying and at least the headache wouldn't be there if
he would stay in bed but he couldn't lie there anymore after he spent three
days in bed and he just got information about a missing commandant, which
forced him to act or rather he forced himself to act. Beside his bed was a
pretty young redhead, whom he, despite of her looks, didn't want to marry
though she was desperately trying to. He didn't feel guilty because he
thought she was cold hearted. He wasn't easy either. He wanted to have a
woman that didn't make plans behind his back to get her advantage and that
was exactly what he thought of Ranjá, a second cousin of the gender of
Antarier. He buttoned up his shirt and Ranjá laid her hand on his shoulder.
He turned around.



"Why do you reject me? Don't you like me anymore? For years, you liked me
very much."

She let the sheet sink down seductively a little more and Zan could see her
nipples. Her nakedness got him off his bed. This and the fact that a good
friend and commander of him was missing, Akildaér.

"Ranjá, it was a long time ago. I can hardly remember... your pout isn't
going to help. If you don't pull something on you will get a cold."

That was so clear, that she couldn't even repeat her ambiguous offer to
share the bed with her. She took the sheet haughtily, got on the bed and
dressed herself. She showed him intentionally her backside thinking that he
would look at her, but he ignored her. He regretted that he had mistakenly
laid in her bed years ago while he had been drunk. Since then she always
tried to get to him.

He took his belt, closed it around him and checked if his knife and his
sword were in the right place. Then he went to his Alendíl, who flapped its
wings excitingly. The Alendíl longed obviously for fresh air, free air to
fly and to hunt prey. Zan stroked him passively along its feathering and
talked calmly to him. He had forgotten Ranjá completely, which made her even
angrier. Mailyín also came in the room angrily. She didn't even notice
Ranjá. Zan didn't turn around until Mailyín started to talk.

"You shouldn't stand up" She had a little distance to Zan but she could
still see that underneath Zans precise motion was a lot of fury. She was
sure that the fury wasn't because of Ranjá, she didn't matter enough to him.

"So you also want me lie down again? I won't. Why? Do you have any reasons?"
Zan said harsh.

She looked on the ground. Since she was pregnant she often fought the tears.
This was a moment, where she lost this fight and Zan regretted his word
immediately.

"I'm sorry Lineá!" He walked towards her and laid his head against her
forehead. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would have gotten upset and neither Rath nor I would have
wanted that. You were too weak. How do you know that Akildaére didn't come
back?" She sniffled very unladylike and stepped away from him. The little
crisis was over.

"I lay long enough in bed and was bored, I could easily ask the servants.
They weren't very willing but I could get through to some. When did you get
the last messages from Akildaére?" He held on her arm and forced her with it
to tell him the truth.

"The last one came shortly after you left us. He was near the frontier to
the Danaéren. We don't know what happened to him." She shook her head sadly
and won this time against the tears.

Zan took a deep breath. Akildaére was longer missing than he had thought.

"Get someone to saddle my Carmá and to prepare me a packet meal. I will
leave in an hour." He caressed her cheek one last time and left the room. He
had to speak to Rath before he left. He knew his brother wouldn't like it,
but he would give his approval.

[katyana]

thank you for your feedback, roswelluver.

every site i post the descriptipns for most important people and animals.


Alendíl = creature, similar to a falcon, black with a white stomach, big
eyes grey beak. Nourishment: snakes, mousse or alike, can be reared

Antariér = inhabitants of the country Antariér

Antarián = original language of Antariér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Carmás = creature, similar to a horse, from the semi-desert Gildaér of
Antariér

Danaéren = inhabitants of the country Danaéren

Danaérian = original language of Danaéren, not spoken by everyone, rarely used

Flajonás = creature, similar to a bird, coloured

Gildaér, semi-desert= semi-desert because of the many oases in Antariér

Gulán = biggest river in the country Antarier, source in Antarier but also
flows to the country Danaéren, dry in the summer

Kildaér= inhabitants of the country Kildaér

Kilderián = original language of Kildaér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Lanarcá = alien planet cut in three countries with three different folks

Legán See = biggest lake in Antariér, close of the castle

Lenú = light mountains in the east of Antariér, the frontier to the country
Kildaér

Lineá: small ladybird (Zan uses it as pet name for Mailyín)

Menús = creature, similar to a rabbit, red-gold colored (adapted to the
environment), little dainty ears, fast runner. Natural enemies: human and
birds of prey

Nairás = mystery circlet with jewels

Nalén = biggest river in the country Kildaér

Qindarcás = currency in metal, in all three countries, in rhombus form,
descends from the noble metal Qindarciúm

Ranís = creature, similar to a snowy owl, big, white feather, wide eyes.
Nourishment: mice and alike

Remantjás = creature, similar to a ox, dark red (adapted to the
environment), little, brawny

Thelín = small river in the country Danaéren

Xilós= creature, similar to a fish, coloured, gleaming

Zeratón = boar

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Most important persons:

Zan (Max) & Rath (Michael) of the gender of Saraleén= half brothers,
monarchs of the royal gender of Saraleèn in the country Antariér (double
monarchy)

Mailyín (Maria)= Rath's wife and queen of Antariér (but without any power),

Khivar of the gender of Nedalín= original from the circle of council,
monarch of the royal gender of Nedalín in the country Danaéren, who
established himself as king

Kenilá of the gender of Laéris= monarch of the royal gender of Laéris in
the country Kildaér

Akildaére, friend of Zan, commander of the Antarian militaries

Ranjá: of the gender of Antariér, second cousin


Liz Parker = human, anthropologist

Zoe Parker = Liz Parker's little sister

Nancy Parker = Mother of Liz and Zoe, Jeff Parker's wife

Jeff Parker = father of Liz and Zoe, Nancy Parker's husband



here comes the next part, happy reading for you:


Antariér, Leglién

Zan rode out of the castle. He didn't need to turn around to see the worried
glances of his brother and his sister-in-law, he felt them. The conversation
with Zan had been short. Rath had given him all the details of Alkidaere's
whereabouts, which hadn't been much. Rath had wished him luck and Zan knew
his brother would rather come with him, but he knew someone had to stay.
Rath also knew that he couldn't put Zan off searching for Alkidaére and Rath
wouldn't do anything different if it were him. His friendship with Alkidaére
was deep and loyal even if it only existed for a few years. The only thing
Rath demanded was that Zan would return within a month, with or without
Alkidaére. When the war started, he didn't want Zan to be anywhere near the
frontier.

The ride through the town was easier. The people also watched him worriedly
but he had no personal relation to them like Rath and Mailyín. He noticed
that beside the worried glances more and more people came to the town. They
flew from the towns and villages near the frontier, but there came also many
men who wanted to join the army of the kingdom. Even when he left the
capital there were still many deposits. He questioned himself how they could
quarter and nourish them all. If everything went wrong a part of them had to
go into the mountains. First the women and children, then older men and a
few young men to accompany them. The rest had to defend the town and the
fort or die. There wasn't another alternative.


Zan stood up in the saddle and looked for Nalín. He whistled shrilly and saw
that his Alendíl flew to him. He enjoyed his freedom. Zan held his hand up
and Nalín flew on his arm. If Zan hadn't worn leather wristband his claws
would have hurt him seriously. He put a hood on Nalín so he could rest.


People who passed him went to Leglién. Zan passed deserted villages, the
fugitives took as much of their possessions as they could carry with them
and left their houses to save the lives of their families. Zan could
understand them and would have loved to do the same. But firstly it didn't
solve the main problem, Khivar, and secondly when he took the throne with
his brother he had sworn to protect his nation, to act for the nation's well
being. Surely you could define it differently but if they would refuse to do
anything they would all end up as slaves and in bondage. The imagination of
it seemed crueler than death to Zan.

He pushed the thoughts of the coming war and his disgust of it back and
turned to another thought, which bothered him.

"What happens afterwards? If there is an afterwards."

He had already been disquietingly at the threat of war, on the contrary to
Rath, who had rather left the drill ground and spent his time with his
newlywed wife in bed. The result of this was in her stomach. Until then Zan
had also accomplished this, but without the desire of marriage and without
offspring. He had thought of it as a handicap. But the satisfaction in
Rath's marriage, which he saw everyday got him to rethink his opinion. He
thought of getting a wife after the war and to have half a dozen children.
There were enough willing women, but he wanted to have the same harmony in
his marriage, which Rath had in his, not only the feeling of duty, he would
have towards his wife if he didn't love her. He hadn't even been in love
yet.


Dawn was breaking but he decided to continue his journey for now. He only
took a short break for his Carmá to eat and drink, as well as for Nalín.
Zan's dinner was a little bit meat and bread. His appetite was limited and
he didn't eat much before he packed it away again. He waited until his
animals were ready to continue. He wanted to ride into the night and then he
wanted to take a longer break to sleep a little...if he could sleep. The
dark woman with the gleaming eyes haunted him in his dreams. Every time he
thought of her, he clenched. Something was strange with her, but at the same
time he desired her. He couldn't decide which feeling was stronger.


Antariér

When Liz returned in the present, she got scared. She turned around in fear
that somebody was already behind her with a knife. A few minutes later she
calmed down and tried not to go insane. This could only be a nightmare. She
pinched herself to wake up again, but nothing happened. She still sat at the
same spot beside the dead girl. She glanced pitifully one last time at the
girl and stood up. She had to get out of there. Slowly she walked to the
door and carefully opened it a little bit to have a look on the outside.
Nobody was there. Her heart jumped in relief. She looked carefully in every
direction but couldn't see any movement. Slowly she left the barn and walked
towards the old and scruffy farmhouse, which she had seen in her assumed
dream sequence. It could have looked like a painting with the sun behind the
house, which gave it a romantic touch, but the fear was still there and she
assumed what was behind the deceptive surroundings. Even before she reached
the house something else got her attention.

She held her breath in shock.

"It's impossible. It can't be." There she stood in front of the farmhouse
and looked from one sun to another. Incredulity came upon her face. She
started slowly to shake her head. She couldn't believe what she saw through
her own eyes, when she saw something else extraordinary. The rest of the dry
grass in front of the house was ruby coloured. Fascinated she walked to it
and touched it.

"It feels normal!" She thought amazed.

The fear returned that she had gone crazy but she pushed it back after she
reminded herself of her clothing and walked back to the entrance of the
farmhouse. She hesitated. Normally she would have knocked, but what if the
men were still there? Due to the decay of the corpses, she knew that the
aggression was at least two days ago so that it was unlikely that the men
were still here. But despite of her rational thoughts the fear stayed and so
Liz decided not to draw any attention to her. Quietly she pushed the door
open. She was so nervous and as the door gave out a creaky sound, her heart
stood still for a moment. She waited a few minutes to see if there was any
reaction, but the house stayed silent. Liz relaxed a little bit.

There was a kitchen which she recognized from her dream. It was a mess.
Overthrown chairs, destroyed chattels, dried blood and the smell of corpses
made her conclude of violence and death. She didn't stay long and walked
through the house searching for something to wear.

On the first floor was a similar picture and confirmed her earlier guess.
The bodies lay scattered in the room and Liz recognized the little boy, who
had been held by the girl. She tried to repress the images; she tried to
look away because she could hardly stand it.

In a cupboard she finally found a dress, which was neither disrupted nor
dirty. It was grey and of rough cotton. She didn't find anything similar to
underwear so she put the dress over her bikini. It didn't feel right to take
the clothes, but it seemed that none of the occupants would need them again
and she needed them urgently. She couldn't just walk around half-naked,
nightmare or not.

She hadn't seen any mirror but in the situation it was even less important
than normal. Still she had no idea what she could look like in this dress.
Normally she wore trousers, but she hadn't found any that fit her. The
clothes of the inhabitants seemed to be like their lifestyle, simple and
very limited.

Back downstairs she noticed how hungry she was. The hunger got her to look
in every cupboard to find something to eat but there wasn't anything left.
The
murderers must have taken everything that was half edible.

She had to get at least something to drink she thought and could almost feel
how her body was drying out. She looked again, but couldn't find anything
liquid. Finally she gave up the search in the house. Next to the house she
found a well. At the edge was a pail with a cord and she let it fall down
and prayed that there was still water in it, which importance she just had
discovered.

Both of the orange suns were shinning with intensity on her even if it
couldn't be already noon. The cord cut in her fingers and her sweat ran as
she pulled the pail back up. At least it was heavier so it should be full of
water. With her last power she got the pail on the edge. Liz froze. In the
pail was a clear, viscous something. It looked like jelly. She smelled at it
and couldn't make out any smell. Then she pushed her finger in it and the
cold enclosed it. She sighed and pushed her whole hand in it. It was a
wonderful feeling. She knew it was a risk to drink it without to examine it
first but her thirst won. She scooped it in her hand and took it into her
mouth. It tasted like water even if it didn't feel like it. After she drank
enough, she walked into the house and got the empty water skins she found
earlier and filled three.

She debated what to do. Should she go? Should she stay there? She didn't
know. She tried not to yield her despair. In the last moment she pulled
herself together again. She decided to explore the nearer surrounding area.

"Maybe, I'll find something to eat" she hoped. She turned the corner as her
eyes widened in shock. She saw a big cloud of dust coming near created by
the hooves of an animal. They came fast and when she released herself out of
her numbness and started running, it was already too late. The rider grapped
her waist and pulled her on his Carmá. Liz screamed and tried to fend until
a punch hit her hard. The last she noticed were the two cold hands which had
grabbed her, and then she got lost in the world of unconsciousness again.

TBC

[katyana]

thank you for the feedback. every site i post the descriptipns for most important people and animals.

here comes the next part an i hope you will still like the story.

happy reading!!!



Alendíl = creature, similar to a falcon, black with a white stomach, big
eyes grey beak. Nourishment: snakes, mousse or alike, can be reared

Antariér = inhabitants of the country Antariér

Antarián = original language of Antariér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Carmás = creature, similar to a horse, from the semi-desert Gildaér of
Antariér

Danaéren = inhabitants of the country Danaéren

Danaérian = original language of Danaéren, not spoken by everyone, rarely used

Flajonás = creature, similar to a bird, coloured

Gildaér, semi-desert= semi-desert because of the many oases in Antariér

Gulán = biggest river in the country Antarier, source in Antarier but also
flows to the country Danaéren, dry in the summer

Kildaér= inhabitants of the country Kildaér

Kilderián = original language of Kildaér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Lanarcá = alien planet cut in three countries with three different folks

Legán See = biggest lake in Antariér, close of the castle

Lenú = light mountains in the east of Antariér, the frontier to the country
Kildaér

Lineá: small ladybird (Zan uses it as pet name for Mailyín)

Menalíth = river between Danaéren and Antarier, it is the frontier between
the two countries.

Menús = creature, similar to a rabbit, red-gold colored (adapted to the
environment), little dainty ears, fast runner. Natural enemies: human and
birds of prey

Nairás = mystery circlet with jewels

Nalén = biggest river in the country Kildaér

Qindarcás = currency in metal, in all three countries, in rhombus form,
descends from the noble metal Qindarciúm

Ranís = creature, similar to a snowy owl, big, white feather, wide eyes.
Nourishment: mice and alike

Remantjás = creature, similar to a ox, dark red (adapted to the
environment), little, brawny

Thelín = small river in the country Danaéren

Xilós= creature, similar to a fish, coloured, gleaming

Zeratón = boar

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Most important persons:

Zan (Max) & Rath (Michael) of the gender of Saraleén= half brothers,
monarchs of the royal gender of Saraleèn in the country Antariér (double
monarchy)

Mailyín (Maria)= Rath's wife and queen of Antariér (but without any power),

Khivar of the gender of Nedalín= original from the circle of council,
monarch of the royal gender of Nedalín in the country Danaéren, who
established himself as king

Kenilá of the gender of Laéris= monarch of the royal gender of Laéris in
the country Kildaér

Akildaére, friend of Zan, commander of the Antarian militaries

Ranjá: of the gender of Antariér, second cousin


Liz Parker = human, anthropologist

Zoe Parker = Liz Parker's little sister

Nancy Parker = Mother of Liz and Zoe, Jeff Parker's wife

Jeff Parker = father of Liz and Zoe, Nancy Parker's husband




Part 8

The sky was full of stars and the air smelled fresh of flavorsome flowers
and grass. The summer has finally fully arrived. The Carmá of Zan, Akós,
browsed calm and peaceful while Nalín dozed a bit. The only one who didn't
relax was Zan. He looked up to the stars in the sky, he saw sporadic falling
stars and wished he would fall asleep. Given the coming turmoil, the
urgently needed sleep and peace wouldn't come.

Zan had hidden himself well in the last three days on his way to the
frontier. He didn't want to meet possible scouts of Kivar. He was still 70
miles away from the daraerian frontier but he was sure that his enemies
already had scouts everywhere in his country. That meant for him to keep
himself hidden and his actions were limited, but this brought a bigger
problem. The Antariér, who passed him, could be Kivar's spies, but they
could also have important news about Alkidaéres whereabouts. There weren't
any traces to follow them, for that it had been already too long. He knew
that if he asked a spy questions about Alkidaére he would arouse suspicion
and the spy would report it, which would be only a matter of time until Zan
would get company. Therefore he had to rely completely on his instincts and
on the similar thinking between him and his friends. He worked through the
different possibilities of what could have happened to Alkidaére and
pondered on how to act.

Yesterday had been one time where he had shown himself. A little group had
crossed his way. The group had consisted mostly of women and children, only
accompanied by a cripple and a young man. They had been poor farmers who had
carried with them everything they had. But they had been despite of their
looking well fed, the land seemed to provide them well. Zan had questioned
them carefully but he only got disappointing answers. Nobody had seen a man
that matched Alkidaéres' description. But Zan had neither lost his courage
nor his hope.

Their ways had parted with best wishes for both sides, whereby they gave Zan
pitiful glances. They obviously had thought it was a bad idea to go in the
wrong direction, a direction from which fear, horror, and terror came and in
which he directly rode.

He lay now under the starry sky without being able to enjoy it. He sighed
and stood up to see after Akós. His Carmá stood still with closed eyes. Zan
went beside him and rubbed his nostrils. The carmá opened lethargically one
eye, he sniffed and closed it again.

"Okay, okay, I'll let you sleep." Zan turned away amused and with another
sigh. He knew that he should do the same. He needed his power but he just
couldn't rest. Secretly he knew it wasn't only the coming war and the
worries about Alkidaére. He feared to dream again of the dark woman, not
that he still felt fear like in the beginning. He had had the time in the
last few days to define his feelings and thoughts. The dreams of her
disturbed him, because it seemed inappropriate in his situation. His county,
his nation was threatened, his best friend was missing, his world, his life
was falling and he dreamed of some woman, a woman who didn't even exist. Oh
how he wished she would exist, that she would be real and not only a
creation of his fantasy. One thing he knew for sure after analysing his
feelings, he desired her. Even more than that, when he closed his eyes, he
saw her, he felt what he would like to do with her...He definitely hadn't
had a woman for too long and regretted his decision to reject Ranja. Perhaps
he wouldn't reject next time only to forget her, because he couldn't afford
such a distraction at the moment. He decided to suppress his feelings for
now until he had the time to devote to them. But dreams couldn't be
controlled.

He actually managed to sleep for a few hours, even when he didn't really
feel relaxed. Every time he seemed to drift deeper in his sleep, a hand
seemed to touch him. Of course it hadn't been real, nevertheless he thought
to feel the light contact on his cheek, which startled him every time. After
the third time he stood up, cursed, wiped the sweat from his forehead and
hoped for her touch.

Akós was already eating and Nalín cheeped. Zan took off the black leather
cap and gave him a dried meat strip, which Nalín instantly gobbled. After he
ate a little bit of bread and meat, he took morosely the saddle and put it
on his Carmá. He wiped out the traces of his stay, which didn't take long
before he arose.

From time to time he felt his old injuries at the movement he made by
riding, but he tried to ignore them.

The first sunbeams came from the west, while dawn broke through the land. He
rode in a quick trot and the fresh wind banished his bad mood.

In the afternoon, he came near the frontier to Danaéren. The river Menalíth
was an invisible frontier and there were neither guards nor a form of
barrier. Before Kivar had gained power everybody accepted the frontier like
that. Beside the river were a few houses and little villages who lived off
the fishing. He stayed away from the villages and only dared to go as near
as he had to, to see that they were deserted.

When he suddenly discovered fresh traces of carmás, his zest for action
awoke. He followed the traces which led him to a lonely farm house. From the
ruins were only the beams left. In the shadows of the trees, which stood
closely and not far away from the house, he followed the event.

The carmás browsed untied near the river. The group camped next to the
barracks. They were mostly men, about 40, who wore the traditional shawls of
the Danaéren. Closely together he saw a few woman and children, who seemed
to be captives. They were surrounded by wild looking men. A few of them had
fun mocking them. The following raucous bawling was deafening. They seemed
to feel very secure, because they didn't have any guards or something else
to keep the surroundings safe.

When one of the man pulled up a captive, Zan thought his heard would stop.

"The dark woman!" He whispered unbelievingly. His mouth dried out, his
stomach seemed to sin and he had the feeling his legs would crack. He
blinked twice, but it was still her. There was no doubt even from his
distance. He turned around for a few seconds and leant his back against the
tree.

"Breathe, take deep breaths." He whispered with the back of his head hitting
against the tree. His dream or nightmare became a reality. If and how he
could cope with that he didn't know. He couldn't think about it now, he had
to see what was happening.

When he turned back to the events, he observed how the men argued over the
woman. She stood behind, the fear was clearly written on her face, her eyes
were wide open and her hands tied up. His brain told him that he had no
chance against such a high superiority, but he didn't want to see a
potential rape, not again. But before he could struggle with himself, the
decision was taken out of his hand.

At the end of the group stood a tall blond man and interfered. Zan couldn't
hear his voice, but he didn't need to. One look on the person and he knew
who it was. That was the second time his heard nearly gave up.

Akildaére, his friend, was with the enemy. Zan thought it was a bad joke.
Under shock, he leant heavily breathing against the tree.



Liz

There she was, squashed in a pack that spoke a strange language and acted
like animals. The blond man, who had pulled her up at the horse-like
creature and had knocked her out, seemed to be the leader. He sat aside from
his group. He didn't pay her any attention, instead he sat there and ate his
meat. He didn't care for the other captives either, who sat scared close
together and who tried to be silent and not to get the attention of the men.
She reacted similarly and tried not to draw attention to herself. She was
more scared and confused than ever, because the nightmare didn't seem to end
and she got deeper in the events than she liked to be. It was insane, at the
beginning she thought it couldn't get worse, but it did. She didn't get
anything to eat although the men had enough, but she refused to ask. Liz
doubted that they could even understand her, because she didn't understand
any of their language. Therefore her stomach was growling and she tried to
think about something else instead of danger, fear and food.

Terrified, she noticed that one of the guards heard her growling stomach. He
had observed her for some time now. He jumped up and his big hands grabbed
her sharply on her arms and pulled her up. He grabbed her so sharply that
Liz moaned of pain. He laughed and talked again in this foreign
language. His breath smelled like rotten eggs and the few teeth he still
possessed were stumps. One of his arms entwined around her waist and pulled
her nearer to him, the other arm grabbed her chin. Liz shivered but didn't
resist at first. He pulled her head to the side and pressed his mouth
sharply against her neck. With all her power Liz stemmed her tied up hands
against him, but that didn't keep the man from grabbing her breast. He
grabbed it painfully and Liz could feel his rough hand through the sharp
material of her dress. She pulled her hand up and hit his face. He
staggered shortly and didn't let her go as she had hoped. He cursed in his
language and grabbed her hair. He pulled her head painfully back and tears
from the pain came into her eyes. She didn't scream, even if it felt like
her heart had to break of fear. Nobody helped her. The other
captives didn't show any feelings. They had too much fear for themselves and
the other men enjoyed the scene and licked their lips.

When a low but full of authority voice resounded, the sleazebag let her go.
Liz glided as far away from him as she could, which wasn't far enough for
her opinion and she was glad not to be in the center anymore. Her body was
still trembling of fear.

The blond man, who seemed really to be the leader as Liz had guessed, came
slowly to his inferior, who already waited for him. They talked shortly but
insistently with each other. The man didn't seem to like what his leader was
saying but he kept himself in control. The leader took one last glance to
the man and turned around. He walked a few steps as he heard a panting sound
from behind and turned around. In the last moment he saw a man attacking
him. He reacted with a evasion maneuver or else the knife would have stabbed
him in the chest. As fast as lightning and full of anger the man started a
second attack, but he didn't count on the quickness of his victim, who
rapidly let the knife go along the throat of the attacker. While he fell
down his eyes went glassy. The end happened that fast that he didn't even
noticed how he fell onto the grass. His buddies turned away from him without
a sound of revolt, nobody dared to speak up against the leader. The leader
hadn't even lost a breath. He calmly wiped his knife clean on the dead one
and walked back to where he sat before.

Liz mouth stood open, she trembled and wished for nothing else but to go
home.



TBC

[katyana]

thank you, precious, for your feedback. "Love of my life" is still in progress.

here comes the next part.

greetings,

katyana


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Alendíl = creature, similar to a falcon, black with a white stomach, big
eyes grey beak. Nourishment: snakes, mousse or alike, can be reared

Antariér = inhabitants of the country Antariér

Antarián = original language of Antariér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Carmás = creature, similar to a horse, from the semi-desert Gildaér of
Antariér

Danaéren = inhabitants of the country Danaéren

Danaérian = original language of Danaéren, not spoken by everyone, rarely used

Flajonás = creature, similar to a bird, coloured

Gildaér, semi-desert= semi-desert because of the many oases in Antariér

Gulán = biggest river in the country Antarier, source in Antarier but also
flows to the country Danaéren, dry in the summer

Kildaér= inhabitants of the country Kildaér

Kilderián = original language of Kildaér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Lanarcá = alien planet cut in three countries with three different folks

Legán See = biggest lake in Antariér, close of the castle

Lenú = light mountains in the east of Antariér, the frontier to the country
Kildaér

Lineá: small ladybird (Zan uses it as pet name for Mailyín)

Menús = creature, similar to a rabbit, red-gold colored (adapted to the
environment), little dainty ears, fast runner. Natural enemies: human and
birds of prey

Nairás = mystery circlet with jewels

Nalén = biggest river in the country Kildaér

Qindarcás = currency in metal, in all three countries, in rhombus form,
descends from the noble metal Qindarciúm

Ranís = creature, similar to a snowy owl, big, white feather, wide eyes.
Nourishment: mice and alike

Remantjás = creature, similar to a ox, dark red (adapted to the
environment), little, brawny

Thelín = small river in the country Danaéren

Xilós= creature, similar to a fish, coloured, gleaming

Zeratón = boar

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Most important persons:

Zan (Max) & Rath (Michael) of the gender of Saraleén= half brothers,
monarchs of the royal gender of Saraleèn in the country Antariér (double
monarchy)

Mailyín (Maria)= Rath's wife and queen of Antariér (but without any power),

Khivar of the gender of Nedalín= original from the circle of council,
monarch of the royal gender of Nedalín in the country Danaéren, who
established himself as king

Kenilá of the gender of Laéris= monarch of the royal gender of Laéris in
the country Kildaér

Akildaére, friend of Zan, commander of the Antarian militaries

Ranjá: of the gender of Antariér, second cousin


Liz Parker = human, anthropologist

Zoe Parker = Liz Parker's little sister

Nancy Parker = Mother of Liz and Zoe, Jeff Parker's wife

Jeff Parker = father of Liz and Zoe, Nancy Parker's husband

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 9

After the leader freed himself from his attacker and Liz was rescued for now
from the rapist, she calmed down a bit. It seemed as if the leader showed
that nobody was allowed to touch her with the death of the man. She didn't
know why he did it, but she didn't have hopes either that the leader had
good intentions for her. She thought she knew his name by now. The men
called him Aklidaére if she had understood it right.

The language, she had heard until now, didn't seem similar to any language
she knew, which confused her even more and scared her a little bit more. She
was in a foreign country with a foreign people, who spoke a foreign
language. The fact that the language was completely unknown made her
insecure, because she had come in touch with a lot of languages in her job
as anthropologist. But the language which was spoken here, did neither show
any similarities to the old European languages Latin or Greek nor to the
languages of Asia or Africa, which all came to the same central question in
Liz head: Where was she?

It became evening and the men finally threw the rest of their meal to them.
Everyone ate greedily as much as they could and as fast as they could. After
at least the greatest hunger was stilled Liz decided to take a look at her
environment. Perhaps if she could discover something, it would give her a
clue of her whereabouts. The area looked similar to the farm house before,
but these buildings looked as if they were abandoned a long time ago. The
branches of the trees had accreted the house. A river must be nearby as Liz
could hear its hushed rush. It was copious land and an idyllic area. She
thought about why the inhabitants could have vanished. Although when she
looked around and saw the faces of her kidnappers she knew for sure why.
Nobody would have stayed here; nobody sane would have stayed here even with
this copious land. The men were terrifying with their grim faces and their
unwashed bodies, which ceased a smell that was hard to withstand. Obviously
nobody had the sense of smell given that nobody else wrinkled his nose
except for Liz. They were all dressed like soldiers, most of them in chain
mails or in their ropes, on which was a golden Dragon. It was a small ugly
animal with green eyes. Her gaze met the other captures. They looked
beleaguered. They probably were already longer in capture than Liz. Their
clothes were disrupted and as dirty as the ones of the soldiers and they
didn't smell any better, which could be the reason why Liz was the only one
who seemed to smell it. Liz wished, beside going home, nothing more than to
take a bath. She felt dirty and draggled like never before. She still
thought to feel the hands of the dead soldier on her body. She sighed and
looked in the eyes of a little girl. She sat beside her and her hands were
tied up.

"What can a little girl do? Attack them?" Her heart screamed in indignation,
but in the moment she was powerless.

The girl couldn't be older than eight years. She had big dark eyes and blond
curly hair. Washed and bathed she would be beautiful, but now she looked
haggard, pale, scrubby and dirty, like a shadow. She didn't say anything,
there wasn't anything to say. It was forbidden to say anything as a capture,
even to the other captures.

She pulled her thin arm up and touched Liz' hair. A tear was running down
her sooty cheek and Liz felt how tears came in her eyes and she needed to
swallow. She was unsure what the girl wanted, but she assumed that she just
needed comfort. She smiled at her and caressed her cheek. The girl leant
her head into her hand. Liz pulled her to her and rocked her softly until
she was asleep.


The night came and the girl laid now with a relative as Liz assumed. She
still wondered that the girl came to her after all she was a complete
stranger.

Liz didn't find sleep. Her dreams were clouded and not understandable. Her
parents and her sister appeared as well as the soldiers, the sleazebag, who
had threatened her and the countryside. Everything was incoherent and she
felt unrested as one of the men kicked her to wake her up. Despite the harsh
act she didn't complain. The unwanted attention she had had yesterday was
enough for now. She stood up as well as the other captures while one of
their guards checked their handcuffs and gave them shackles to be sure that
nobody could make any attempts to escape. When he reached Liz, she spoke to
him hesitantly. The face of the men showed his reluctance to be interrupted
at his assignment.

"I have to go to the toilette, please." When he didn't show any signs to do
something she repeated her plea. The other captures looked to the ground.
"Do you understand me? I have to pee, please."

He only laughed and tied her up more firmly. Tears came into her eyes.

"Damn bastard." She forgot in her anger that she was absolutely helpless and
hit him desperately. The man cursed and held her hands firmly. He raised his
hand to hit her as another hand held it off.

Akildaére. Before Liz knew what was happening, he took her by the hands and
commanded to free her from the shackles. The guard protested quietly but did
what Akildaére said. The leader spoke to his men in the foreign language and
went with her into the forest. Liz hadn't thought that he was going to grant
her her wish; on the contrary that he would attack her in the cover of the
trees. In her panic she tried to resist. When they reached the trees he
pulled her towards him and took his knife. Liz' eyes widened in shock and
she tried to defend herself. He pulled her nearer to him and growled into
her face.

"Damn hussy, keep still. I want to free you from the handcuffs that you
can... do what you have to do. I am not going to hurt you." He glared at her
angry and pulled her away from him. He cut the handcuffs while observing her
the whole time. Liz was stunned. It wasn't the fact that she had estimated
the situation wrong and that he actually wanted to help her, but more the
fact, that he obviously spoke her language.

"You...you understand me." She starred at him surprised, her fear forgotten
for the moment. He laughed in her face and she guessed she could have liked
it, it sounded nicely and mischievously, if she hadn't seen how he killed
another man without showing any emotion.

"Of course I understand you, why shouldn't I?" He thought she was a little
bit weird after the question, wording and her sudden fearlessness. "I have
freed you, so get in action. I tie you this cord around your neck, so don't
even think about fleeing. I count until 50, then you come out of the bush or
I come and get you, finished or not. Understood?"

She nodded, still amazed by the fact that they spoke the same language.
Akildaére looked after her when she disappeared behind the bush, turned
around and started to count. He felt secure because of the cord. Liz on the
contrary found the situation as her probably only chance to flee from the
capture. While she heard him count she tried hastily to get rid of the cord.
She remembered the sailor in her hometown and how they told her once about
the dissolving of knots. Sweat came on her forehead.

"Come on. Open up!" She hoped desperately and then the knot actually
loosened as she heard the fourteen, so that she could put it over her head
at 16. She tied the cord on a part of the bush and went slowly and carefully
away.

Akildaére watched his men, who got ready to leave and because of that he
didn't discover Liz' disappearance at first. When he reached 45 he called to
her.

"Girl, are you ready? Or I am coming." When he didn't get a reply he ran
straight to the bush. He found it empty and saw the cord at the bush. He
cursed silently. But he knew she couldn't be far and followed her traces.

Liz turned around all the time while running. She could sense that Akildaére
was near and shuddered to think about what he would do to her if he caught
her. Hastily she continued running and used the trees and bushes for cover.
Once she saw a piece of his rope and doubled her effort. By now she knew,
that she probably wouldn't escape. Her breath came heavily out of her lung
and she was covered in sweat. He just needed to continue this and she would
give up without any resistance.

"Just breathe for a moment!" She thought in panic. "Just a moment!" She
closed her eyes, secretly prepared to see Akildaére in front of her. When
she opened her eyes again she saw a hand, which covered her mouth. It
smelled strong of leather, man and somehow like a horse.

"Not again. I am fed up with getting kidnapped." She thought angrily, but
she didn't defend herself. Her power was gone so that it was easy for Zan to
hold her waist firmly as well as her mouth. He pulled her deeper into the
forest and told her to be quiet. She couldn't see the man, who held her,
which she feared even more. She could hardly breathe because he pressed her
firmly against him. He pulled them down and she noticed that Akildaére stood
in front of the bush. The branches hid them, but it was only a matter of
time until he would find them. After cowering for a time Liz legs were
hurting so she leant willingly against the stranger, which he didn't even
seem to notice. He continued to peek through the branches and breathed a
sigh of relief as Akildaére wasn't in sight anymore.

He crawled through the bush to look in every direction for him and pulled
her painfully with him. The man didn't seem to notice anything until she
started hurting his leg. He let go of her mouth and one of her hand and
turned around.

"That's enough. I rescue you from that mob and you thank me with hurting my
leg. Thank you very much." He glared at her angrily. A shaft of light fell
through the bush but before she could react, she snapped for air and he
braced. In his back he felt clearly a knife and behind him on the same level
a light air draft at his ear.

"Friend, not so long ago you were much better in covering your tracks as
well as hide yourself. What's wrong with you? Bad day? What do you think I
should do with you?"

TBC

[katyana]

thank you roswellluver and kittens for your feedback.

@kittens:you will see, not all are two-faced and against antar.

happy reading

katyana


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Alendíl = creature, similar to a falcon, black with a white stomach, big
eyes grey beak. Nourishment: snakes, mousse or alike, can be reared

Antariér = inhabitants of the country Antariér

Antarián = original language of Antariér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Carmás = creature, similar to a horse, from the semi-desert Gildaér of
Antariér

Danaéren = inhabitants of the country Danaéren

Danaérian = original language of Danaéren, not spoken by everyone, rarely used

Flajonás = creature, similar to a bird, coloured

Gildaér, semi-desert= semi-desert because of the many oases in Antariér

Gulán = biggest river in the country Antarier, source in Antarier but also
flows to the country Danaéren, dry in the summer

Kildaér= inhabitants of the country Kildaér

Kilderián = original language of Kildaér, not spoken by everyone, rarely
used

Lanarcá = alien planet cut in three countries with three different folks

Legán See = biggest lake in Antariér, close of the castle

Lenú = light mountains in the east of Antariér, the frontier to the country
Kildaér

Lineá: small ladybird (Zan uses it as pet name for Mailyín)

Menús = creature, similar to a rabbit, red-gold colored (adapted to the
environment), little dainty ears, fast runner. Natural enemies: human and
birds of prey

Nairás = mystery circlet with jewels

Nalén = biggest river in the country Kildaér

Qindarcás = currency in metal, in all three countries, in rhombus form,
descends from the noble metal Qindarciúm

Ranís = creature, similar to a snowy owl, big, white feather, wide eyes.
Nourishment: mice and alike

Remantjás = creature, similar to a ox, dark red (adapted to the
environment), little, brawny

Thelín = small river in the country Danaéren

Xilós= creature, similar to a fish, coloured, gleaming

Zeratón = boar

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Most important persons:

Zan (Max) & Rath (Michael) of the gender of Saraleén= half brothers,
monarchs of the royal gender of Saraleèn in the country Antariér (double
monarchy)

Mailyín (Maria)= Rath's wife and queen of Antariér (but without any power),

Khivar of the gender of Nedalín= original from the circle of council,
monarch of the royal gender of Nedalín in the country Danaéren, who
established himself as king

Kenilá of the gender of Laéris= monarch of the royal gender of Laéris in
the country Kildaér

Akildaére, friend of Zan, commander of the Antarian militaries

Ranjá: of the gender of Antariér, second cousin


Liz Parker = human, anthropologist

Zoe Parker = Liz Parker's little sister

Nancy Parker = Mother of Liz and Zoe, Jeff Parker's wife

Jeff Parker = father of Liz and Zoe, Nancy Parker's husband

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Part 10

"I can tell you what to do. How about you die?" Within seconds Zan pushed
Liz urgently out of the way, so that she wasn't in direct danger anymore and
that he had both hands free. He spun around, threw the knife away and did
what he had wanted to do since he saw his friends as leader of the group
Danaéren. He hit with full power weight in his face, from which he sank to
the ground. Liz thought to hear something crack and awaked of her trance.
Everything had gone so fast, that she didn't even adapt the new situation.
Both men were concentrated on the other. It seemed like a good moment to get
away unnoticed. Zan guessed her thought and held her up. He caught hold of
her ankles and stopped her from going anywhere.

"You're staying!" He roared. Liz had stopped as a result to his dominant
voice. He had intimidated her. The last impressions, she had made, had
definitely stamped her. Zan stood straight and listened to the wind. Nothing
- it had been an imagination. But from the corner of his eye he saw that
Akildaére stirred. He rubbed his chin slightly dazed, which had become a
little bit blue in the meantime.

"You don't move. I'm watching you." Zan said to Liz and turned to Akildaére
to put the knife to his throat. Liz didn't move. She just couldn't defend
herself anymore and let herself fell backwards in the grass. She needed a
break. The last hours had been too exhausting. She had a light headache
probably because of the fainting and the knock out of Akildaére. The
knowledge that Akildaére himself got a hard punch satisfied her somehow. She
didn't know that she was that resentful.

"I am asking the question just once and if I don't like the answer I will
knife you. What do you do in the camp of the Danaéren?"

Akildaére surely knew that Zan wasn't bluffing. His friend always did what
he said. Because of this he thought about his answer before giving it. The
knife pushed in his throat and he had the hand up as sign of give-up.

"I am still your friend. I play this game for me - for us." The sparkle in
his blue eyes showed Zan that he told the truth but he still wasn't
convinced that easily. His "friend" was either honest or a good actor, who
tricked with his cards.

"Tell me more!" He requested harshly and pushed the knife deeper in his
throat for a moment. Blood flooded from the light cut, but Akildaére didn't
show any pain.

"If you could....!" He glanced to his groin, where Zan's knee gave him a lot
of pain. It made him more worries than the cut. But Zan didn't even think
about making him more comfortable and to spare him pain. He negated with a
cynical smile. "Boy, if I cut your throat you don't have to worry anymore
about your balls.

"Okay." He growled. "But you will feel guilty, when I tell you why I am on
the side of the enemy." He took a deep breath and began to describe the
events.

"I was away to get men in the furthest borderland. THAT was the official
version." He glanced to Zan meaningfully. "The unofficial version is that I
joined Khivar like you assumed. But my intentions are different that you
thought. I want to kill him and if I can't then I want to seek out his
precise plans. Furthermore I heard in the Palast that he is looking for a
woman. The woman is supposed to have something important with her. A weapon
what could be from great importance and which would help him to lead the
skills his way. In addition she is supposed to have the power of prophecy."
He glanced significative to Liz, who listened again to the unknown language.
When Zan's glance followed her she panicked but was too afraid to flee. She
felt completely powerless.

Zan tried to absorb the new information about Liz and to concentrate on
Akildaére again. "Why do you want to kill Khivar? What reason do you have
despite of the fact that it wasn't your assignment? And how do you know that
she is the wanted woman?" Zan asked distrustfully.

"The thing with Khivar is none of your business, Zan!" Akildaére's eyes had
turned dark. He wasn't willing to give Zan the reason, but Zan wasn't
satisfied with the answer and intensified the pressure on Akildaére's
throat. Akildaére understood that he couldn't win Zan's trust back without
revealing his secret. Thus he forced himself for the truth, which was deep
buried in him.

"If you want to know it Zan, Khivar killed my family. I demand my revenge."
Angered and enraged he stared at his friend.

Zan tried to hide his surprise and unsecureness. "Why your family? I always
thought you couldn't remember your parents or your siblings?" Zan sounded
factually but on the inside his feelings and thoughts were confused. Was he
wrong or did Akildaére's answer imply that his friend....- before he
finished the thought, he heard the answer to the question after his family
and also to the unspoken question for Zan.

"I've always remembered. I lied then. I remember everything.... it was a
long time ago, but as I came to you shabby and half-starved, I was on the
run from Khivar. I managed to flee, but my family didn't. I decided to
forget about it and not to tell anybody until my time would come. And now it
has arrived. By the way, I don't know if she is the right woman. All dark
women are delivered to him. The description fits her."



Zan knew for some reason immediately that she was the woman. He didn't know
what it would have for consequences but for now he remembered an idea he had
had a long time ago, which seemed to prove itself now.

"You are a Danaér." He realised. For a moment both were silence, before Zan
began to talk again. "When you came to us at the beginning, I considered it
lightly but never seriously thought it. You should have told us." He shook
his head. "Now I can't believe you anymore. You are one of them!"

"Damn Zan. I hate the danaéren. My blood may be danaérian but my mind and my
heart are antarian. I got the same education and breeding like you and Rath.
Of course I wasn't equal to you, but your mother always embraced me like a
foster son. She cared for me. You really think that I would disgrace her
memory by betraying her sons with what would surely be their death?"

Zan hesitated and Akildaére continued talking at him.

"Is it important that I come from the country of Danaéren? What would you
have done if I told you? It would have destroyed my plans to have my
revenge! I wouldn't have become commander and you wouldn't have greeted me
with open arms. I couldn't afford to tell you. No, I wouldn't change it even
now. I want to prevent the war and to protect our country and the royal
family, who did so much for me, as much as you do. If I can get Khivars head
by doing it, it would be even better. So if you want to knife me, do it. But
hurry up. When my men will come looking for me, you better be long gone."

Akildaére was as troubled as Zan by now. His eyes mirrored his inner
struggle, his voice was harsh and he didn't succeed in keeping a neutral
face. It annoyed him, that Zan knew how important it was for him that his
friend understood him. If it were only about Zan's understanding, it would
be okay, but he didn't want the pity his friend was going to feel for him
and this bothered him.

Zan could assume the feelings, which Akildaére tried to hide. But the most
important thing was that he believed him. He hadn't dared to hope anymore
before after the previous events but his instinct told him that he could
trust his friend and that he was loyal. His instinct betrayed him seldom. If
it would be right about it this time, he would discover later.

He took the knife away from the throat of his friend and stood up.
Akildaére breathed a sigh of relief and also stood up. The tautness was
still shown clearly in his face.

Liz had remained unaffected at the whole scene. She hadn't understood what
it was about and felt excluded and curious at the same time, because she had
registered the facial expressions and the body language. They had talked
about her, she noticed it because of the glances in her direction, but that
was all, what she could say about the topic of the conversation. It got her
down, everything depressed her and normally she didn't tend to have
depressions. She was tired, exhausted, hungry, thirsty and felt lonely and
abandoned and she was a in a foreign country with foreign people and a
foreign language. If this wasn't a nightmare, what else would be one? She
watched as the men debated and believed to detect them talking about her.
They probably discussed what they should
do to her. She thought about a new attempt to escape but realised cynically
that she was swampt with one adversary but two would be impossible.

Therefore she decided to concentrate on the two men again. They were very
different from their appearance. Akildaére was tall and blond. Zan, she
assumed that was his name, was also tall, but as dark as the other was fair.
On the contrary to his friend, who had his long blond hair in a braid, was
Zan's hair open and reached his chin. His facial features were hard and
striking. It seems like he was constantly concentrating. Neither his face
nor his body . nothing seemed to be soft at him. His body or his muscles,
from what Liz could see, were well trained. The perfect man to be lean
against and to feel protected, if she hadn't felt the slight danger, which
came from him. It wasn't the danger in generally, which worried her but the
feeling that he seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember from where and
that annoyed her, her feelings made her powerless. But his eyes were
special. She already had noticed them immediately, as she had seen him for
the first time.

Finally they seemed to agree what to do about her. But Akildaére looked
slightly unhappy.

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"I didn't say that it is a good idea but you don't want to deliver the woman
to Khivar, do you? If she is the one, who he is looking for and who has the
weapon, then she isn't safe there." Zan looked at Liz, who returned his
glance crabbily. He felt her unease and smirked amused.

"That wasn't my intention. I wanted to bring her near him, but just until I
found out, who she really is. Who knows, maybe it isn't her and we're
wasting our time."

"I tell you, it is her!" Zan assured him and Akildaére looked at him
wonderingly.

"No, don't tell me. I don't want to know, where you believe to know it from.
Perhaps we should kill her. Then the problem would be solved and we could be
sure, that she didn't fall into Khivars hands." Akildaére said pitifully,
but the war was horrible and he was forced to do things, he didn't like to
do, but which needed to be done. He regarded it as waste of life and even if
he hardly knew her he felt something like sympathy for her.

Zan kept silent and Akildaére saw that his friend was thinking about the
advantages and disadvantages for his folk. When he came to a conclusion he
turned around to Liz. He bended down with his gaze threatening and Liz
flinched fearfully. With a fast move he held her wrist and pressed it
firmly. Liz assumed it would break if he pressed any firmer, in any case
bruises would remain. But she didn't want to give in, that was one of her
strengths but her chances were miserable like so often in the last couple of
hours. She swallowed but didn't turn her head to the side. If he wanted to
kill her, then she wanted to see in his face. He raised his hand....