Victor of Tucson

7 – Gifts

As they descended toward the Shadeni settlement, Victor had to make some mental adjustments; his expectations and memory of the nomadic tribe had him looking for something far less permanent. He saw cobbled roads, tall, artful stone structures, and even a park near what had to be a market square. He saw roladii and carts in great numbers, indicating a bustling, thriving local economy.

As he and Tes swooped in from the northwest, he steered toward the park, sure they were drawing a lot of attention thanks to his flaming wings; they were hard to miss, even in the bright sunlit sky. As he’d suspected, when they made their final descent, Victor’s wings crackling in the wind and Tes gliding far more gracefully, a crowd of Shadeni were already running toward the park.

Victor extinguished his wings as his feet neared the ground. He’d already dropped some magma into the grass, creating little blackened circles, and he didn’t want to do any further damage. His feet thudded down, and he ran a dozen steps or so to kill his momentum. Tes, meanwhile, landed smoothly, her wings fading away as she lightly touched down.

Well aware that he no doubt looked like a threat soaring into the settlement on fiery wings, Victor lifted a hand and waved toward the approaching Shadeni. He could see Tellen among them, so he called out his name, “Tellen!”

He heard several whoops and Tellen laugh as his jog broke into a run. “Victor!”

As they closed the distance with each other, Victor spread his arms, and Tellen charged into him, whooping as he squeezed him around the ribs and lifted him off the ground—Victor had reduced his size significantly—laughing as Victor pounded him on the back. “Brother! You can fly?”

“I can!” Victor laughed. “Now, put me down before I start squeezing you back.” He hadn’t seen Thayla or the girls among the welcoming party, but Victor recognized many of the Shadeni hunters. He waved and grasped hands with any who reached out to him, and then he took a step back and pointed to Tes. “This is my friend, Tes. I’ve known her a while, and she was eager to see what our home was like.” He pointed to Tellen. “This is Tellen, the Ban-tok of the Shadeni tribe living here.”

Tes, of course, curtseyed elegantly, her smile bright enough to endear even indifferent strangers to her. “Ban-tok, I am honored.”

“They’re all together?”

“Yes! Thayla’s teaching some advanced tracking techniques.” He turned toward the hills to the south, shading his eyes with his hand. “They’ll be up that holbyis track in the meadow just past the first hill.”

Victor looked at Tes. “Shall we?”

“Oh yes! I’m eager to meet your charge and also Deyni.” She turned to Tellen. “When I first met Victor, he couldn’t stop talking about Thayla and Deyni.”

“Hah! A more beloved ‘uncle’ you’ll be hard-pressed to find.” Tellen thumped Victor on the shoulder. “You’ll be staying for dinner, yes?”

“For dinner? Hell yes—wouldn’t miss it.”

“Come on, then. I’ll guide you to her. Let’s walk through the park and pass through the market; you can see at least part of the settlement and the hard work we’ve put into Brighthome.”

“Brighthome? Is that the name of your town, then?” Victor felt a little stupid asking the question before so many witnesses; shouldn’t he know the names of the towns and villages springing up on his lands and borders?

“It is, Victor, and it’s with thanks to you that we have such a bright, hopeful future. Some of the veterans from the war wanted to name the village after you—”

“Yes!” one of the burlier nearby Shadeni shouted. “Victorhome!”

Victor laughed, shaking his head. “I’m glad you chose Brighthome, Tellen.”

“Well, come on, then.” Tellen walked back toward the street on the park's edge, and Victor and Tes followed. The rest of the crowd did, too, though Victor thought most would go back to whatever had occupied them before he and Tes had fallen from the sky. As they walked, Tellen looked at Victor, grinning as he asked, “Was I supposed to know you were coming today? Thayla doesn’t always tell me everything.”

“No.” Victor shook his head and glanced at Tes. “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I only have a few days before we have to leave.”

Tellen nodded, glancing at Tes, who happened to be looking about and taking in the scenery. Victor could tell he wanted to ask why she was with him, but the Shadeni leader just nodded and moved past it. “Last I heard, you were on another world—not Sojourn. Hmm, something like helping a queen to regain her throne?”

“Not exactly. She still has her throne, but we’re trying to, uh, conquer the world now.” Victor chuckled. “That’s one of the reasons Tes is with me. She’s sort of…training me.”

“Ah, I see, I see. Well, that’s certainly ambitious, though nothing I’d put past you.” His nearly wincing expression said he knew he was pushing his luck when he asked, “Any word from Valla?” Of course, Tellen knew they weren’t together; Victor had written to Thayla about it. Even so, he nodded, smiling to reassure his old friend.

“Yeah. She’s on some world that’s covered in water. There are powerful creatures there, and one of them took her on as a student.”

“Ah! That’s exciting. I’ll have to ask Rellia for more detail next time I visit the capital.”

Victor grunted in assent, glad that he wouldn’t keep pressing the subject. “I like the style of your buildings; they’re graceful.” It was true; the shops and homes near the square were tall and slender with rounded corners, and the bricks or stones they’d used to construct them were covered with pale mortar-like stuff that reminded Victor of stucco. He especially liked the windows, which had a hand-blown look with bubbles in the glass that sparkled in the sunlight.

“This is a traditional Shadeni building type. You’ll find some neighborhoods in cities like Persi Gables with this sort of construction, but not many entire towns any longer; the Ardeni prefer right angles, and the Ghelli use more living material. Don’t get me started about the Bogoli and Cadwalli.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I prefer doors I don’t have to crawl through.”

“Hah, right.” Victor gripped Tellen’s shoulder, jostling him. “It’s so good to see you, old friend. It’s strange to think of the time we’ve spent apart now that I stand beside you; it feels like only a few days.”

“That’s what friendship does, Victor. You’ll always be comfortable in my presence, and I yours, because we know we can be ourselves among friends.” He looked past Victor to Tes, and when he caught her eye, he said, “I hope you know that I’ve heard your name in a tale or ten, Tes. Victor spoke highly of you.”

“Well, he’d better!”

They all laughed and spent the rest of the walk making small talk. Tellen pointed out features in the town as they went by—shops and their wares, a well, a watchtower and barracks, and then, as they passed it, a holbyis farm. The sheep-like animals were far from the track, bunched together, busily munching on the blue-green grass. When the trio crested the hill, Victor immediately saw Thayla in the distance.

She was kneeling in the grass, pointing something out to her five young students. Before they moved closer, Tellen slowed and said, “I’ll let you say hello. If you don’t mind, I’ll go finish a bit of clan business so I can meet you back at the house without any burdensome thoughts on my mind.”

“Yeah, of course, that’s fine.” Victor smiled and shook Tellen’s proffered hand, smiling broadly. “See you soon, right?”

“Yes, just an hour or so.” With a smile and nod at Tes, the Ban-tok turned and retraced their steps.

Victor looked at Tes. “Ready?”

“Of course! I wasn’t lying when I said I was eager to meet these people.”

Looking into her eyes, Victor could see she meant it. He gave a quick nod, then started toward Thayla. Her back was to them, but the children saw them approach, and, of course, Deyni immediately shrieked, “Victor!” She charged toward him, leaving the others behind, her turquoise braids bouncing off her back with each stride. Victor laughed, squatted, and held out his arms. When she slammed into him, he grunted and stood tall, squeezing her to his chest.

“You’re getting big! Sheesh! I think you grew a foot since I was last home!”

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“Really?” She leaned back, her big teal eyes wide.

“Yep.” Victor squeezed her tight; he wasn’t exaggerating; Deyni had hit a growth spurt. Over her shoulder, he saw Thayla and the other children approaching, including his ward, Cora. Her thick brown curls were also pulled back into braids, giving her a very different look than when he’d left. On top of that, she was dressed like a Shadeni hunter—as were all the children—in leathers and furs. As they approached, Victor set Deyni down, surprised, yet again, by her size compared to Cora, who was a few years older.

He was smiling, about to call out a greeting to the orphaned girl, but Chala charged forward and grabbed him in a hug. “Victor! You’re smaller than last time!” she laughed.

He grunted, surprised by the strength in the girl’s wiry arms. “Someday, maybe I’ll teach you how to do that.”

Thayla stepped close and took ahold of Chala’s arm. “Let him loose, Chala. He hasn’t even said hello to his ward.”

“Okay, but don’t go away, Victor! We have a new pet for you to meet!”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Victor looked at Cora, flanked by two older boys whom he’d never met, or, if he had, he couldn’t recall their faces or names. “Hello, Cora. I’ve read many reports from Thayla and Efanie—” He paused, frowning, and looked at Thayla. “Where’s Efanie?”

“She’s back at our home; it’s her turn to feed these brats lunch, so she’s working on that.”

“Brats?” Chala howled, whirling on Thayla. Deyni, too, was outraged by the label, and they both expressed their displeasure while Victor squatted before Cora, speaking more softly now that the attention was off the two of them.

“I’ve heard good things. It seems you’re making lots of friends. Are you well?”

She nodded, a tiny dimple forming on her right cheek as she smiled tentatively. “Yes, milord.” She folded her hands in front of her, nervously entwining her fingers.

“You’ll have to do better than that! What’s your favorite thing to do these days?”

“Swim!” Deyni answered for her. “We swim near your house all the time when Miss Efanie is teaching us.”

“Oh?” Victor knew the girls often spent time at his home with Efanie, but not the details of their every activity. “Is that right, Cora?”

She nodded, her dimple deepening as her smile reached her brown eyes. “Yes! I love the sea!”

While she spoke, Thayla took the two boys aside, and Victor heard her say, “Sorry, lads, we’ll cut the lesson short today. Don’t worry; I’ll pick up where I left off tomorrow. Run along now, and tell your mother that we’re spending time with visiting family.” As their footsteps thumped away on the grass, Victor felt his heartbeat quicken, and his eyes fill with moisture. Could he really be so emotional at just the idea that Thayla thought of him as family?

Blinking rapidly and clearing his throat, he stood and pointed to Tes. “I want you all to meet a dear friend. This is Tes, and she’s saved my life more than once.”

“Tes!” Thayla exclaimed. “I never thought we’d meet you, but I’ve heard so much! Valla and Victor both sang your praises when they returned from…” She trailed off, wrinkling her nose.

“Zaafor,” Victor finished for her.

“Well, I’ve heard no end of good things about you, Lady Thayla.” Tes put her hands on her knees, leaning closer to Deyni and the other two girls. “And very much about all three of you. I even brought you gifts!”

“Gifts?” Chala repeated, eyes flying wide. “For me, too?”

“Of course, Chala, sister of Chandri, fierce huntress of the Shadeni. How could I leave you out, especially when you’ve helped so much with these other two?” Tes smiled brightly as she nodded toward Deyni and Cora. “In fact, I’ll present you with your gift first.”

Victor cleared his throat, feeling a little uneasy. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Kids loved getting little presents, and he didn’t see them very often. He should bring them something every time he came home! Now Tes was rescuing him once again. He almost laughed at the silliness of the thought but only smiled, shaking his head ruefully. Thayla caught his eye, and her arched eyebrow said she knew what he was thinking.

“Now, as I understand it,” Tes said, glancing at Thayla. “Chala is allowed to hunt on her own. Is that right?”

Thayla nodded. “She is.”

“Would it be appropriate, Lady Thayla, for me to gift her a weapon?”

“A weapon!” Chala howled.

Thayla only smiled and nodded, once again displaying her trust in Victor; he’d told her Tes was a friend, and she knew how much she’d helped him and Valla. “If you think it’s appropriate for a young huntress, I’ll trust your judgment, Lady Tes.”

Tes’s face grew solemn as she held out her hands. A moment later, she held a sleek, silvery bow with a golden bowstring that reminded Victor of a piano wire. It was short—woefully undersized for someone like him—but in Chala’s hands, it would be perfect. “This was a weapon I used to hunt for food when I made a pilgrimage through the forests of Wan’lo—a world where my mother’s ancestors lived for many millennia. It served me well, but I’ve since found other ways I prefer to hunt. Will you put it to good use, Chala?”

“It’s beautiful,” Thayla said as Chala nodded vigorously.

“I will! This is perfect! I’ve been using the spear, but my bow skill is close to improved; I’m sure of it!”

“Practice with this a while, and you’ll be improved in no time; if your skill hasn’t ranked up to advanced by next summer, I’ll be shocked.” Tes handed the bow to Chala, and the Shadeni girl practically wept with excitement as she stepped back, her eyes tracing every line and curve of the elegant weapon. Tes turned to Cora and smiled, a gesture immediately mirrored on the young girl’s face. “I’m very pleased to hear you enjoy swimming.”

“You are?”

“Yes! It means the gift I chose is just right.” She held out her hand, and a silvery bracelet dangling with polished seashells appeared on her palm. “This is a magical bracelet. If you wear it in the sun until the shells begin to glow, it will allow you to breathe underwater for as many minutes as there are shells.” She held it up, and Victor watched Cora count the shells. There were twelve.

“I can swim underwater for twelve minutes?”

“Yes! When you come up for air, just hold the bracelet in the sunlight until it starts to glow again. It only takes a minute or so—Look!” She twisted the dangling bracelet so everyone could see how the shells were beginning to glow with a faint silvery light. “It’s working already.”

Thayla cleared her throat, a note of worry in her voice as she asked, “And if she’s deep underwater, when the magic wears off?”

Tes nodded knowingly. “Let me see your wrist, Cora.” Cora held out her arm, and Tes secured the bracelet around it. As soon as she fastened the latch, it shrank to fit perfectly around her narrow bones. “This enchantment is two-fold, Lady Thayla. As soon as the magic fades, it will become incredibly buoyant. If Cora is deep underwater, the bracelet will rapidly pull her to the surface.”

“Ah…” Thayla sighed, nodding.

Tes looked up at her and winked. “She’ll be safer than ever.”

Cora was staring at her wrist in wonder, and Thayla, reminding Victor of his failings as a steward, nudged her. “What do you say, sweet girl?”

Cora’s fingers trembled with hesitant excitement as she gently touched the bracelet. At Thayla’s prompting, her eyes jumped to Tes, and she blurted, “I love it! How can I thank you, Lady Tes?”

Tes grabbed her into a hug, pulling her tight. “Oh dear. It’s nothing! Just a plaything from a different world. I hope you enjoy it.” When Tes released her, Cora’s eyes were moist, but she looked happy, and that’s all Victor wanted for her. Thayla looked at him, and her eyes said the same thing—it was good to see the girl openly happy.

“Isn’t it too much?” She asked, again glancing at Chala and her beautiful bow. Victor knew she meant the value of the two gifts. Before he could answer, Tes did:

“Nonsense. These are trinkets, nothing more. I’ve gathered many such treasures over the years, and it gives me far more joy to see them used well than stored away forever in my storage containers!” She looked at Deyni. “Now, you, young lady, are something of a beast tamer, is that right?”

“Well, we all are!” Deyni pointed to Cora and Chala.

Chala shook her head and poked her smaller step-sister. “We all have many pets, but Deyni makes bonds with them. She can feel their thoughts!”

Tes smiled and reached out to grip Deyni’s wrist, turning her hand so her palm was facing up. Deyni’s skin was deep purple-red, but her palm was different—a pale shade of violet. Victor had noticed that before, but the stark contrast caught his eye. When she opened her fingers, it was almost like a flower unfolding, revealing softer, more delicate petals. “I have a gift for you that might be something very special or might just be a lot of work ending in some heartache and frustration. Do you want a challenge, or should I find something simpler?”

“I want a challenge!” Deyni answered immediately.

Tes grinned. “I thought you might say that.” She still gripped Deyni’s wrist, but now she held out her other hand, and a small, gray egg, speckled with yellow dots, appeared there. It was maybe a little larger than a chicken’s egg. “This is a spire drake’s egg. It’s dormant and will never hatch in its current state. Spire drakes are special creatures from my homeland. They’re friends to my people and very intelligent, though they’re still beasts.”

Deyni stared at the egg, eyes wide with wonder. In fact, everyone had gotten silent, leaning closer to the two, trying to see the egg more clearly. Chala asked, “It won’t ever hatch?”

Tes shook her head. “Not if left alone like this. In order for it to hatch, the little drake inside has to feel a bond with someone outside. In nature, that would be its mother. Now that it’s been taken from its home, it will have to be someone else.”

Deyni caught her breath, and the look of hopeful excitement she gave Tes brought tears to Victor’s eyes again. He blinked them away, smiling as she asked, “Could I do that?”

“That’s what I’m hoping, Deyni. If you can keep this egg nice and warm and spend lots of time with it—talking to it, singing to it, rolling it very gently in your palms, the little seed of a drake in there might feel the connection with you and start to grow. It will take a long time, and it might be very frustrating. Are you sure you want this, or would you rather I gave you something you could use right away, like Chala’s and Cora’s gifts?”

“N-no! I want the egg, Lady Tes, please!”

“Okay then, young Tamer Deyni. I pass this responsibility on to you. I hope you have luck.” She placed the egg in Deyni’s hand, and the girl gently cupped her fingers around it, pulling it close to her chest. “It’s warm!”

“Just a little. That’s from my touch. You should make a bed of coals for it each night. Don’t worry about burning the unborn drake; it would take something like a smithy’s forge to hurt it.” Tes straightened up, smiling, and then she produced a small blue scale. Victor immediately recognized it as one of hers. She held it out to Thayla. “Lady Thayla, should Deyni succeed in getting this egg to hatch, please channel some Energy into this scale. I will feel it and visit as quickly as possible to help Deyni get started training her newborn companion.”

Thayla took the scale delicately, smiling and chuckling as she nearly dropped it. “It’s heavier than I expected.” She tucked it into a small beaded pouch on her belt and then looked up. “Thank you, Lady Tes. Now, if you’re done spoiling these rascals, would you like to see our home?”

Victor laughed and stepped forward, grabbing Thayla into a hug. “Not before I collect a proper hello from you!” He squeezed her and buried his face into the crook of her neck.

Thayla laughed at first, but then she began to kick her feet. “Your whiskers are scratching me! Oof! Too tight!”

Victor put her down, smiling ear-to-ear, then he whistled for show and summoned Guapo in a swirl of glittering, golden, glory-attuned Energy. The stallion, massive compared to a roladii—the most commonly used mounts on Fanwath—reared and whinnied. When he settled, Victor laughed and grabbed Deyni, hoisting her up. Then, he reached for Cora. “Deyni, hold his mane; Cora, hold Deyni, and—” Victor laughed as Chala leaped atop the enormous stallion, vaulting onto her belly behind Cora and sliding a leg over. “Good! He’ll take you three ahead. Hold on tight!”