Epilogue
(Three years later)
Much had happened in the time since Fralii and Luminor had married. There had been many interracial marriages, and it was a very encouraging sign that an increasing number of babies were being born.
No one had been surprised when Simban and Rihann’s wedding happened quickly during the first spring of the Alliance. They now lived on Simban’s prosperous samblar-farm in the outskirts of Splendo, and aware they might never have children of their own, had happily adopted Ana, who had taken to riding samblars like a swan to water. Altor, following his older brother’s example, had also found a human bride named Lissel, and that wedding would be in the following spring.
Luminor had overseen many projects with the councils in the Capital and in Splendo, liaising with Aleana in her new diplomatic position there. He had become an eminent and well-respected member of the council. Some whispered they would not be surprised if that popularity saw him elected to the position of governor, when Rand retired in a couple of years. Progress could be seen everywhere, with surprisingly fewer challenges than Luminor had originally expected. It was a source of learning for all, the profound and organic effect of Perception and the transparency it produced, particularly for the human population, how it inherently demanded the development of honesty and respect and many other virtues that seemed interconnected.
Luminor and Fralii had made a special visit to Calder village soon after their wedding, to the innkeeper and his wife, staying one night. At first, recognising them and now welcoming the couple as celebrities, they were still unaware they had been fleeced. When the newlyweds left the following morning, Luminor admitted the subterfuge and paid them handsomely, leaving the old couple well-compensated, forgiving, and quite amused.
It had been particularly inspiring when the small group of warriors led by Xandor had set off over the border, on their quest to find other Gaians who wanted to join the Alliance, offering them a better life in Baram. Luminor had received a missive from Xandor every two months at first, which had been very encouraging, but many more months had passed without any word at all. Two warriors had been sent to track them a month ago and not been heard from since, and this was cause for concern. Luminor was going to have to deal with the problem immediately, but he hoped his strong intuition served him true when it told him that Xandor’s quest would ultimately be successful. What it failed to tell him was what challenges would arise before that success could be achieved. He did not relish the thought of telling Fralii that he might have to attend personally to the matter, that it might mean he would need to leave for a while, so until he had decided what was to be done, he would let her blissful contentment continue. No one expected the establishment of this Alliance to happen without difficulty, and though it was proceeding quite well here in Baram, there were other Gaians spread far and wide that needed its protection. The process of finding them would be a lengthy one, perhaps years.
In their new married life here, with minor challenges and projects for Luminor still to finish, the couple had already experienced great happiness together; Fralii had a permanently contented glow, and the Link had strengthened even more with the passing of time, never more so than when into their life had emerged another wonder, with the birth of their baby girl. They had named her Espira, from an ancient colloquialism meaning hope, mystical in origin but universal in use, across many dialects and countries in the known world.
Sitting on a picnic blanket on this warm sunny afternoon, the vermillion butterflies flitting playfully amongst the flowering shrubs which bordered their favourite clearing in the trees, they were proudly watching their little daughter playing on the grass. Already walking well at six months, and running unnaturally fast at not yet two years old, she was also very advanced in her ability to speak and question incessantly in two languages, and was showing signs of other special talents.
They now observed in fascination, as she appeared to be orchestrating a completely innocent and gentle game with the butterflies. She would first purposely stir the flowering shrubs with a breeze, causing the little beauties to flutter up, seeking refuge on her shoulders and head, where they seemed happy to remain for long moments, until she stood up and skipped a few steps, setting them to flight back to the bushes. And so, again and again, they were attracted to her like moths to a flame. This was not the first time they had witnessed her empathy with the forces of Nature. Last week, down at the stream, they had seen her repeatedly flick a tiny droplet of water with her mind, at a dragonfly, which responded by playfully swooping and diving around her head, tickling her cheek instead of flying away, delighting her to laughter. There was no doubt she was developing much more quickly than any Gaian child had ever done! And all this without training. The exciting question now posed itself: What would she be capable of with the proper education?
Recently one afternoon, the couple had some private moments while their daughter was napping, after they had spent the morning being entertained by many of her magical antics. They had been watching a group of majestic jet-black obsidian swans flying in formation overhead on their migration north for the summer. It was from the feathers collected in the moulting grounds of these beautiful birds, that Luminor’s own ceremonial cloak had been fashioned.
With that in mind, he had whispered to Fralii, ‘Think you it might soon be time for Espira to have a little cloak of her own?’ As he fondly observed his daughter sleeping, in her most vulnerable and receptive state, just before waking, remembering all the times during the first weeks of her life when his calming skill had saved them from sleepless nights, or given them time just for each other, he pulled Fralii back into his arms, placing a kiss on her neck and nuzzling her ear provocatively. ‘And should I calm her… just enough so she sleeps a little longer this afternoon?’
Fralii had agreed wholeheartedly, to both questions.
Simultaneously thinking of that very same thing, Luminor and Fralii exchanged a knowing smile, and the little golden-haired girl, sensing their silent communication, looked over her shoulder at them, seeking approval for her recent achievements. They met her gaze, familiar by now with what would happen, as the strange rainbow-coloured eyes twinkled intensely even in the afternoon sunlight, demanding and receiving instant approval, the way one might expect with any charming toddler. But, this was certainly not just any toddler! Even at this young age, Espira exhibited love and respect, perception and power far beyond her years, or anything that might have been possible in the human or Gaian realms alone. In the blending of the two, she embodied the promise of a glorious future for both races, under the hard-won Alliance, which had been forged by Fire, in all its forms.
THE END
Table of Contents
Lord of Fire
Copyright
Contents
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter
Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Chapter Forty-five
Chapter Forty-six
Chapter Forty-seven
Chapter Forty-eight
Chapter Forty-nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-one
Chapter Fifty-two
Chapter Fifty-three
Chapter Fifty-four
Epilogue