Voice of the Lost : Medair Part 2 (25 page)

His eyes shifted to grey.  "Sharing our life is something we talked of, returning to shore.  We cannot suppress each other, would not choose to do so, but Ieskar has no wish for a public face."  Illukar looked toward the horses, as a jingle of harness warned that the riders had overcome their initial shock and were hurrying toward them.  "Just you," he added, quite seriously.

She touched the mouth which was Ieskar's.  It made her ache, suddenly, that she would never really be kissing Illukar's lips again.  Just as they would never really return to Finrathlar, but something almost the same.  Would he think she loved him only as Ieskar's shadow?

She lifted his left hand, the unscarred one, and pressed it to her cheek.  "Can
you
do this?" she asked, anxiously.  "You know, don't you, that it's not just–  That you and I–?" 

But Illukar smiled at her with unimpaired joy.  "I know how you looked, when I woke beside you just yesterday," he said.  "That had little to do with Ieskar."

"It is still–"  She watched his eyes flicker.  "I don't want to give you less than everything."

"I infinitely prefer you loving him than hating too much to let us keep what we found together."  With perfect formality, he pressed his lips to her forehead.  Butterfly light, the kiss still carried a world of reassurance.  For, despite everything, they
were
his lips.  "I think we're going to be happy, Medair."

She stared up at Illukar's face, with those subtle shifts which also made it Ieskar's.  His eyes were grey as he glanced out over the bright expanse of the Shimmerlan, at the blank stretch of water which was almost the fate of all Farakkan.  As he looked back down at her, they flicked to blue-grey, and briefly grey as he squeezed her hands.  Then they turned to blue again.

Slowly, as if venturing into unfamiliar territory, he smiled.

--ooOoo--

Thank you for reading

"Voice of the Lost"

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Andrea K Höst

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GLOSSARY

AlKier
- The god of the Ibisians, ruler of 'everything' and considered able to manifest as anything, but most commonly depicted as a transparent, idealised hermaphroditic figure visible among clouds.

an
- A Farakkian naming custom designating the maternal line.  'an Rynstar' means that Medair's mother was of the Rynstar line.

ar
- A Farakkian naming custom designating the paternal line.  'ar Corleaux' means that Medair's father was of the Corleaux line.  However, since she was not an acknowledged child of her father, granted heir rights, she should not use the name.

das-Kend
- The Kend's second in command.

decem
- A Farakkian unit of time a little more than 70 Earth minutes.  A single day is divided into twenty decems.

Ekarrel
- The form of address given to the Ibisian Kier.

Farak
- The incarnation of the continent of Farakkan, believed to have actively created the people who dwell there.  Usually depicted as a generous female shape fashioned of fruits and flowers.

Farakkan
- A large continent, fashioned into a single Empire known as the Palladian Empire by the Corminevar rulers of Palladium.

Farakkian/Farak-lar
- People native to the continent of Farakkan.

Ibisians/Ibis-lar
- The People of the Land of the Ibis.  Uniformly tall, pale-skinned and white hair, Ibisians believe that they are by inherent nature 'cold-blooded' (self-controlled).  Although they do have a blue line marking their spine, their blood temperature is the same as humans.  Their culture is extremely mannered and rigid, with a strong emphasis on following laws and controlling impulse.

Kel
- An Ibisian courtesy title for anyone not of the nobility.

Kend
- The Commander of the Ibisian armies.

Keridahl
- An Ibisian title (translating roughly to 'High Lord of the Cold Blood').  Keridahl command large regions known as dahleins (including Ibsa, Holt Harra, Laskia and Iskand, which maintain a different national identity to Palladium).  They often have a particular 'seat' which a Kerikal manages in day-to-day matters, but are expected to spend their time advising the Kier and settling regional disputes.

Keridahl Alar/Keridahl Avec
- Two Keridahl are designated to sit at the right (Alar) and left (Avec) hand of the Kier, to act as particularly trusted advisors.  In the event of the Kier's sudden death, the Keridahl Alar would assume control of Palladium as regent until the Kierash was of age.

Keriden
- An Ibisian title.  Keriden are an exalted level of Kerikal, controlling the larger cities.

Keriel
- An Ibisian title.  Keriel control a small area of land (an elein) which may constitute nothing more than a large farm and a single village.  [Best equivalent: "Lord of the Manor".]  Serves either a Kerivor or a Kerikath.

Kerikal
- An Ibisian title.  Kerikal rule large towns (somewhat equivalent to mayors).  They commonly also hold the title of Kerikath.  They owe service to either Keriden or Keridahl, depending on the region they are in.

Kerikath
- An Ibisian title.  Kerikath command any Keriel and Kerivor which fall within their 'kathilein'.  The holders of the title Kerikath usually also hold the title Kerivor, and have their own area of land to manage.

Kerin
- An Ibisian courtesy title for male members of the nobility who do not hold a specific title.

Keris
- An Ibisian courtesy title for female members of the nobility who do not hold a specific title.

Kerivor
- An Ibisian title.  Kerivor control a moderate area of land (a vorlein) up to several villages and small towns.  May command one or two Keriel.  Serves a Kerikath.

Kier
- Ruler of the kiereddas.  Formerly the Kier went through a binding ceremony to ensure the health of the land, but since the fall of Sar-Ibis this has not occurred.

Kierash
- The only title given to an heir, the Kierash is the Kier's designated successor (usually the first-born child, unless the Kier has specified otherwise for reasons of incapacity).

Kiereddas
- Previously Sar-Ibis, which was a large, narrow island with no near neighbours.  'Kiereddas' translates to 'the land' and did not originally envisage that there be other lands.  The Kiereddas of the Ibisians now encompasses Palladium, Ibsa, Holt Harra, Laskia and Iskand.

las
- An Ibisian naming custom indicating the 'clan' the person belongs to.  Members of the Cor-Ibis 'clan' are referred to as 'las Cor-Ibis'.  The only exception is the current head of the clan, who is referred to simply as 'Cor-Ibis'.

Niadril
- A word used to refer to Kier Ieskar after his death.  It combines a meaning of 'great', 'eternal' and 'doomed'.

Sar-Ibis
- The Land of the Ibis.  A large, narrow island with no near neighbours, it was mountainous and fertile, with relatively mild winters.  It was consumed completely by a combination of the Blight and earthquakes.