[Prologue]    [Chapter 1]   [Chapter 2]    [Chapter 3]    [Chapter 4]    [Chapter 5]    [Chapter 6]    [Chapter 7]    [Chapter 8]    [Chapter 9]    [Chapter 10]    [Chapter 11]    [Chapter 12]    [Chapter 13]    [Chapter 14]    [Chapter 15]    [Chapter 16]    [Chapter 17]    [Chapter 18]    [Chapter 19]    [Chapter 20]    [Chapter 21]    [Chapter 22]    [Chapter 23]    [Chapter 24]    [Chapter 26]    [Chapter 27]    [Chapter 28]    [Chapter 29]    [Chapter 30]    [Epilogue]
   

Chapter 25

Corina and Yanthro were in a dark prison, somewhere at the bottom of Catlan Imperial. The only light they had was the light through the door window, which wasn’t that much light at all. They were sitting on benches, their arms were chained to the wall.
    “I’m hungry,” said Corina. Yanthro didn’t say anything. “What’ll happen to us?”
    “You might get whipped, or turned into a slave, or put up for ransom,” Yanthro told her. “They will kill me.”
    Corina started to cry. “You don’t deserve that.”
    Yanthro sighed. “It wasn’t always like this.”
    “It...wasn’t?” asked Corina.
    Yanthro shook his head, but Corina couldn’t see properly so she couldn’t quite tell what he did. “The Catlans’ view on us, is because of something that happened 3000 years ago, during the Ancient Days. Back then, all people thought themselves rich. Everyone was equal. It was a good time. There were beautiful shrines every few miles. Every house was made of marble, even the poor people lived in marble group houses. The Kings and Queens were usually Catlans, but that didn’t matter. The rulers thought it important to be of their people, so they did parades 5 times a year and walked around the towns often. There was no city then. In the Ancient Days, money and power didn’t matter.
    “But then something bad happened. An outlaw group of Catlan nomads called themselves the 'Priests of Reason’. They were secretly killing Doglans and preached in the streets how superior 'pure’ Catlans were. They talked about the grand cities of other Kingdoms and said Doglans stopped Catlans from building their own. The security force arrested lots of them, but more kept joining them. No one knew that Prince Rurin had joined them.
    “When Rurin became King, he made sure that the priests could preach and kill as much as they 'need’ to. Doglans could not have good jobs anymore, but most of the Catlans felt sorry and didn’t like Rurin and the two peoples did protests together. Rurin was only King for 5 years before he died from poison snake bites. His wife, Queen Kayla, was more strict.”
“Kayla?” asked Corina.
“Ingree’s wife named after her,” told Yanthro. “People doing protests were killed and Doglans were not allowed any money or power. There was confusion and really mad people destroyed stuff and more people tried to kill security forces and Kayla. Some Doglans, desperate for money, stole the gold from the shrines. Kayla’s family were worried about the new ideas and chaos, they didn’t think she was a good Queen. Her son, Siran, became King at 13. He was more orderly, but his Chief Advisor was Priest Chief Xeran.”
    “Xeran’s Balka-Rae’s ancestor isn’t he?” asked Corina.
    Yanthro nodded. “He is Balka-Rae’s ancestor. He used King Siran to rule the country. Xeran is the one who made the Catlans forget the ways of Fera, turn more greedy and leave their instincts for the growing city. He told them everything the outlaw nomads said and said that Catlans were stronger because they led Doglans.”
    “I can’t believe anyone fell for his lies,” said Corina.
    “Non-believers were killed,” Yanthro told her.
    The light coming through the door window lit up, they could see each other better. The Tellen and Doglan also heard doors opening and alarms going off. They could hear people shouting.
    “Right you lousy pieces of trash! It’s work time!”
    “Must be morning,” said Corina. She saw Yanthro looking sad. “Bad memories?” He nodded.
    They could then hear machines turned on and whips cracking. They could also hear some people walking down the prison corridor. The door opened and 3 guards came in.
    “Time for punishment,” a guard said meanly.
    “No! Let me LIVE!” Yanthro shouted and kicked one of them. A guard punched him and unchained him.
    “No, no don’t take him there,” Corina begged. Yanthro tried to get away but they pulled him back. “No!” He was punched in the stomach. “No don’t kill him!” He got dragged off. “YOU CAN’T HURT HIM! YOU RATS!”

    “He keeps crying,” Jaron told Zana. They were watching Balka-Rae, who was still in bed even though he was a lot better. He was crying.
    “Why won’t you come?” Balka quietly asked.
    “I think you should leave us for a moment Jaron,” Zana told the Tyron King. Jaron walked off and Zana looked at his right. “Why don’t you go to him?”
    Riga appeared as a young woman, still holding the yellow rose he gave her. “If he sees me again, he would never want me to leave him.”
    “He knows he needs to go,” told Zana. “He knows you’re here and he wants to see you. He misses you.”
    Riga smiled and laughed a little. “You’re so full of wisdom. I saw you grow up...I’m so proud of you.”
    Zana looked down. “I know Mum.”
    Riga slowly walked to the man she loved and Balka-Rae was a little surprised to see her.

Kwar-Di was enjoying his bout with Loria. He enjoyed the challenge of fighting a skilled fighter.
    Loria punched him and got blocked. He span round to kick  her, she ducked. She did a low kick, he jumped over it. He punched her, she spun out of the way. The fight wasn’t very exciting to look at, no wonder Texa got bored.
    She spoke. “A Tyron and Tellen squad have arrived at the entrance.”
    The fight stopped.
    “I should welcome them then,” said Loria. “Come along Texa.” She kicked Kwar-Di in the knee. “Betcha Gaderan never told you about that.”
    Loria walked off grinning, Texa followed her. Kwar-Di was left behind rubbing his knee.

Corina felt terribly sad. She was crying. She could hear Yanthro’s scream. The door suddenly opened and a guard came in. She was holding a bowl.
    “Breakfast if you want it,” she said. The guard kneeled down next to Corina and stirred the apple porridge with a spoon. “Open wide.” Corina opened her mouth and the spoon went in. The porridge was quite tasty. She heard Yanthro scream again.

It had been a few hours. Once again, the prison was dark and quiet, but she heard screams of other Doglans being tortured. Machines were heard. A child was crying in another prison.
    The door of the prison opened and the guards pushed Yanthro in. He fell to the floor. The guards closed the door.
    “Yanthro...you’re hurt,” Corina said in a scared and confused way.
    Yanthro was shaking and was only just able to crawl. Corina could hear him sniffing.
    “You know where I am, don’t you?” asked Corina. “You can’t even talk to me. Okay Yanthro, listen, we can talk to each other by me giving you my thoughts...and-and I read yours.” “Don’t worry Yanthro, you can lie on my lap.”
    Yanthro had climbed up her legs and lay his head on her lap. He grabbed hold with his hands. She felt something wet.
    “Ew! Ew! Blood! Oh! Sorry Yanthro! Didn’t mean to scare ya! You can lie on my lap, just, don’t bleed too much.” “Corina that was a stupid thing to say! Okay, he’s hurt, he’s scared, he wants rest, give him a peaceful image. What do you remember that’s nice? I know! The Raspa Mountains of North Telleria!”
    She put in Yanthro’s mind a picture of huge, silver mountains with lots of white snow trees at the bottom with a violet sky. She felt Yanthro smile on her leg. He shook a lot less now.

There was a cave, it was a sphere shape (or a ball shape if it makes it any easier). The 3 Tyrons flew around it quite fast, playing chase games and joking with each other. The yells and laughter could be heard in most of the sanctuary.
    “Man I’m glad for this. My wings were starting to get cramps!” shouted Rida.
    “I always thought my wings would turn to stone and that the desert would melt them off!” shouted Jaron.
    “Even after cramps, I’m still the fastest Tyron in the world!” shouted Zana. The blonde brothers chased after him as he sped all over the place.
    Balka-Rae walked in. He walked simply, as if nothing was happening. He looked as if he’d never smiled. Zana saw him.
    “Time to live an old memory Dad,” thought Zana and flew to Balka.
    The Catlan was surprised to find his son had picked him up and was carrying him while speeding round the cave. He smiled.

©Ruth Amy Louise Hüneke 2008