Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 2 – Enchanter

“Faraday —”

“I walk a strange road ahead,” Faraday continued. “But I do not want to lose the friendship that I have made here today. Azhure, you and I will meet again over the next months.”

Azhure frowned. “How – ?” she started to ask, but Faraday hushed her.

“We will find a way, you and I. And perhaps, if I find the opportunity, I shall take you to the Sacred Grove. Icarii Enchanters are rarely welcome in the Sacred Grove, but for you I think the Mother and the Horned Ones, as Raum, would be delighted to make an exception. There are wonders there beyond imagining, Azhure, and I would like to show them to you. But, wherever, however, we will visit from time to time, perhaps you can bring your children occasionally.”

Azhure looked at the beautiful woman sitting beside her, and felt totally insignificant. “Faraday,” she said. “Thank you.”

Faraday touched Azhure’s cheek gently, briefly. “I am glad to have found friendship with you, Azhure. Now,” her tone became brisk. “Lie down and sleep a while. You will need to rest a good deal over the next few weeks and months, I think. Perhaps until your children are born. Sleep.”

Azhure lay down and closed her eyes.

Faraday sat with her for a long time, looking at the woman, occasionally stroking her hair as she slept.

You have a long and amazing journey before you, she thought, as has Axis, as have I. Pray, that after all the pain behind us and before us, at least some of us survive it.

Finally Faraday stood up, smoothing her gown over her knees. She walked to where Axis and Caelum slept, both sprawled out in the chair.

“Axis,” she said softly, kneeling down by the side of the chair.

He awoke with a start. “Azhure?” His eyes darted to the bed.

“She sleeps. She is well. Axis.” His eyes shifted back to Faraday, “I think I will leave you to your Lover.”

“Faraday,” he muttered and reached out his hand for her face.

“Axis,” she smiled brightly, but Axis could see the tears deep in her eyes, could see the pain. “Axis, we fell in love, you and I, when I was but Faraday, daughter of Earl Isend of Skarabost, and you were but Axis, BatdeAxe of the Seneschal. Now we are completely different people. So different. We cannot be what once we were. And perhaps we both needed Borneheld alive to be able to love each other.” She paused, and Axis could see the bitterness deep within her. “How he would have smiled to know that his death meant, eventually, the destruction of our love.”

“Faraday,” he said again, but Faraday hushed him.

“No, Axis. It is too late for you to say anything to me. Nothing you say now would heal the hurt you have caused me. Axis, I still love you, but I will leave you so that Azhure can be your wife — and make sure that you do marry her, Axis. She is a jewel that you can ill-afford to lose.”

She smiled, her eyes hard, finally letting her bitterness show. “I will still fulfil my part of the Prophecy, Axis. Never fear. Now, listen to me. Axis, I formally break the vows that we made together in Gorkentown, I retract my promise to marry you. I release you to Azhure. I do this for Azhure,” she said harshly, “not for you. What we once had between us, Axis, is gone. No more. You are free.” But am ? she diought. Ami?

She stared at him a moment longer, trying desperately to imprint his face in her memory, then she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the mouth.

“Goodbye, Axis.”

She stood and hurried towards the door. Axis made to go after her but his movement woke Caelum and the baby began to cry. By the time Axis had soothed his son, Faraday had gone.

Faraday paused in the open doorway only long enough to let the largest of the Alaunt through, then she closed it with a sharp click.

The ante chamber was now distinctly crowded with concerned faces, all staring at her.

She smiled, although she thought her own face would crack with the effort. “They are well. Give them an hour, perhaps two, then go in. They will need to talk to you, and you to them.” She glanced atYsgryff, then smiled more naturally at Rivkah, noticing how Magariz had sat beside her and clasped her hand. “Rivkah? Can I talk with you?”

Rivkah nodded and the two women walked into the corridor for some privacy.

“Rivkah. I am leaving. I cannot come between those two. Ah, Rivkah, this Prophecy is a cruel thing,” she said, her voice breaking.

Rivkah held her close, rocking her a little and soothing her. Finally Faraday stood back and sniffed, wiping away her tears. “I must go and speak to the Sentinels, Rivkah, but then I must leave on a journey. I do not know if I will ever see you again.”

Rivkah’s own eyes filled with tears. Faraday was right. This Prophecy was a cruel thing. As she regarded Azhure as a daughter, so also she regarded Faraday, especially because Faraday had been a Duchess of Ichtar too. Poor Faraday. She deserved to find happiness as much as Azhure did.

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” Faraday smiled. “Sometime. Somewhere. But, Rivkah, did I see you hold Prince Magariz’s hand in there? Should I assume…?”

Rivkah actually blushed and Faraday laughed. “Rivkah,” she said. “I would give you a gift before I leave.”

Abruptly she leaned forward and kissed Rivkah hard on the mouth. Rivkah shuddered as a bolt of pure energy raced through her. She stared open-mouthed at Faraday as the woman leaned back; she felt…well, revitalised. Warm. Alive.

“A gift from the Mother,” Faraday whispered. “Use it well.”

Then she turned and was gone, leaving behind her a farewell gift that would, in years to come, cause Axis even more sorrow and heartache than Gorgrael would.

It was Faraday’s parting gift for the man who had betrayed her.

EnchantressThree hours later Axis convened a meeting of his senior commanders, the Sentinels, and his closest friends in the chamber. There were some things that needed to be said, and Axis was tired of having secrets. If WolfStar sat disguised among them, plotting and planning, then so be it. He, his parents and MorningStar had kept the secret of WolfStar close, suspecting all those about them. In the end their secrecy had almost killed Azhure.

Axis still found it hard to believe that Azhure had smiled and forgiven him so easily when she’d finally woken. He felt as if he would spend the rest of his life atoning for the pain he had caused her.

Now Azhure sat in the chair by the fire as the group waiting outside slowly filed in. She was wan and obviously weak, but she smiled at her friends and family, her heart easy. Rivkah, looking radiant, and Magariz; Belial, Cazna quiet and pale by his side; the Sentinels, all looking somewhat subdued; Ho’Demi and Sa’Kuya; the House of SunSoar — FreeFall, EvenSong, and StarDrifter, who, like his son before him, fell to his knees beside Azhure, crying for her forgiveness; Ysgryff, who, still grim with concern for her, touched Azhure lightly on the top of her head and glared at StarDrifter before he sat next to Rivkah and Magariz; FarSight CutSpur and several of his Crest-Leaders, together with SpikeFeather; Arne, even more dour than usual, and several of Azhure’s unit commanders from the archers; and the remaining fourteen of the Alaunt who lolled between chairs and legs and made the chamber, once spacious, appear crowded and inadequate.

“Look,” Axis said quietly, when all had seated themselves, whether on chairs or benches or on the floor. “Look. I want you to witness what I witnessed this morning. I want you to see where Azhure has come from.”

The Song of Recall filtered through the room. As the circle of ghastly crosses had appeared before Arcen, now the interior of Plough-Keeper Hagen’s home in Smyrton appeared before the assembled group.

All witnessed the dreadful events of Azhure’s childhood. They witnessed the death of her mother – and Ysgryff cried out in horror when he saw the face of the woman who had been Azhure s mother. They witnessed Azhure’s mutilation at the hands of her stepfather. They felt with Azhure the torment, both physical and emotional, that Hagen inflicted on her as she grew up. They realised why Azhure had buried her heritage so deep that not even she, eventually, realised what and who she was – if she had ever let the truth through then she would have died a death as appalling as her mother’s had been.

StarDrifter eventually had to avert his head. As he did so he caught Axis’ gaze. The child will turn her head and cry — revealing ancient arts.