Tales of Emoria: Past Echoes

The wagon stopped as Seeran forgot to urge the patient pony forward. Both she and Gelder, as if captured in a spell, gaped at the majesty of the outer wall of the city of Emor. Only the scant whisper of rumor spoke of Emor as being a city of stone, which was often dismissed as wild exaggeration. As had happened many times on this journey, the impartial recorder of places and events was abandoned as a dreamlike haze settled over the historian.

Without a word, Argis tugged on the bridle of the horse and led the wagon down the well-maintained road, anxious for this journey to be over.

Still atop Gessen, Jame looked around Tigh’s arm at the place she called home. Stricken with another bout of apprehension, she fought the urge to beg Tigh to stop. The only thing that kept her going was how it would look if she showed anything but joy at returning to her home.

Tigh was almost as spellbound as Seeran and Gelder at the sight of the tenable wall of stone. Her military mind admired the details of it, down to the positioning of the entrance tunnel tucked to one side rather than dead center. It forced the enemy to be cornered with high walls on two sides. Glancing up at the outer bluff wall next to the entrance, Tigh nodded her approval at the pockets of hiding places, most likely permanently equipped with arrows and throwing stones.

Observing the number of women on the wall, Argis stopped the wagon and returned the reins to Seeran, signaling her to wait. She caught Tigh’s eye, and the warrior walked Gessen over to the Emoran.

"Please do your people honor and let them see you." Argis raised proud eyes to her princess. "Give them a tale to pass on to future generations."

Jame looked down at her old friend, puzzled and confused. "Why is this different from any other time I’ve visited home?"

"Your presence gives us more than hope. It gives us the confidence we need to survive this latest threat to our existence," Argis stated with a sincere conviction.

Flabbergasted, Jame would have been speechless if she hadn’t been sharing a horse with Tigh. "I’m not the one they should be greeting as their savior."

"Argis is right," a gentle voice interjected.

"No, Tigh. Don’t try to rationalize this," Jame protested.

"If we succeed in beating down these rogue Guards, future generations will sing songs of the youthful exploits of a legendary Queen." Tigh’s soft, steady voice had its usual effect on Jame’s protests.

"Just one of many ordinary Queens." Jame shook her head.

"I don’t think so." Tigh twisted around to face her partner. "It’s your uniqueness that will distinguish you from the other Queens."

Knowing that it was not the time and place for a discussion, the arbiter took a deep breath and placed a hand on Tigh’s arm. "They’ll remember both of us-if we succeed."

"Fair enough." Tigh swung her leg over Gessen’s neck and landed next to a puzzled Argis. Just when the Emoran thought she had their relationship figured out, they always added a new layer to it.

Handing Jame the reins, Tigh gave her a dazzling smile. The Emoran princess, unable to resist, grinned back. It was Tigh’s way of telling her to relax and enjoy the ride. Raising her eyes to the walls lined with as many Emorans as possible, she was suddenly possessed by the wild jolt of freedom she always felt when she rode her pony across that valley as a child.

"Give them something to cheer about." Tigh’s proud voice tickled that child within her and she beamed at her partner. The long dormant Emoran princess burst through with all the joyous memories of magical summer days.

Jame danced the pale horse off the road into the shallow grasses as cheers filled the hollow with endlessly cascading echoes. Hundreds of swords flashed in the amber fingers of the dying sun. Resisting the impulse to gallop the restless horse to the city wall,

Jame took the time to etch the images and sounds into her memory. She knew that this elation would quickly fade back to a mundane reality. All the more reason to treasure this rare bit of joy. Her feelings of apprehension gone, the Emoran princess, atop a proud war-horse, cantered forward to the endless cheers of her people.