The Huntsman of Adamos (Quartet)- draft
THE HUNTSMAN RETURNS

CH THE HUNTSMAN RETURNS

Rieth met Brie and Siger at his shop. Brie frowned, “We have to hurry or we will miss the ferry.”

Rieth had sent a thought to him informing them of Vole’s arrival in Soldiers Cove. Brie had used the burst transmitter to send a message to Rheema to have Serapha meet them at the Academy on Meridian 4. They took a shortcut across country and as they were traveling Rieth noticed an old lumbermill he had never seen before, tucked into a box canyon and hidden by trees. It looked abandoned so he filed its location away for future reference and continued on. They took the Port Arbor to Brightwater Port Direct Ferry. It meant longer on the water, but it was far faster than crossing the islands between the shorter ferry trips. Both Rieth and Siger were violently ill when they arrived in Brightwater Port where Paulos was waiting with a group of Lumbermen going to Olympia. They were able to get off Oceania before Vole could issue a hold on Rieth’s travel file. From Olympia, they went to Meridian 4, where Serapha and Rheema waited.

Serapha had no more hugged and kissed her husband when she ordered them to quickly change. “The King is planning on visiting here. Tomorrow! You need to be Abrieth again, and Siger needs to be transformed back into Regis. I’m sorry, Regis but there won’t be time to grow out your braids, but I can get your hair shoulder length by then. Rheema has the potions to tint your skin back.”

Regis bowed and offered an alternative. “I can always shave my head. My braids matter not. Abe and I were supposed to be on Havila hunting in the desert, the last time it took months to get the sand out of my braids. It is not a hassle I would care to go through again. It would seem reasonable that I would shave them off.”

Serapha nodded, then glanced at Rheema who chewed her lip. “We also may have found a way for it to look like Yuri’s throat injury was an accident and get Asha to heal it. It will probably kill you, you might have to revive, but it involves letting one of Jenna’s spinosaurs mangle you.”

“No...” Yuri wheezed out. “Serapha just do what you can to partly restore it.”

“But Yuri...” Abe started.

“Brother, I can’t be healed just yet, I realized that Fleur would recognize my normal voice.” He whispered harshly. “Until she is healed, we can’t risk it.”

“I will have Oren come and we will do what we can.” Serapha nodded, then she handed him two bottles, “Wash your hair thrice, then leave this rinse in to restore your natural color. We’ll cut your hair and shave your beard off. I already had Cinna alter your normal uniforms to include a neck band that will hide your scar. It bears the crest of Yophriel, so moving your house crest from your right shoulder like the House of Adamos to the left side of your neck as traditional for Yophriel won’t seem unusual.”

Abe kissed her temple, “You think of everything.”

“Phsht, Oracles weren’t the only Royals to play the games. Now hurry, we still have to get you to the other side of the planet, where Regulus has a hunting camp set up. He and Kalen will say you have been with them for the last week, since your doppelgangers left Havilah, and I have to get back to Jura and Jenna before I’m missed. Karstien has all of us watched, trying to catch you, Yuri. He wants to talk.” Serapha looked at Yuri with soft pleading eyes.

“Unless he is willing to tell me where Daisy is, we have nothing to discuss,” Yuri whispered harshly and stomped out toward his rooms.

Regis shook his head as Abe groaned. “Pha, you didn’t see her, see them together...” He dug in his pack and pulled out two bottles. “Here, these are the things they are giving Daisy daily in combination with water of light eyedrops and pain sooth tincture. She is so much worse than we thought and nowhere near as safe as we were promised.” He went into the bathing room as Rheema and Regis left.

Serapha sniffed the medicines and sneezed, her eyes widened in horror. She would need Jenna’s lab to confirm all the ingredients, but she was certain that two of them were mild fungal toxins that cause memory loss as a side effect.

“Oh Asha... what are you doing?” She muttered under her breath as she tucked the bottles in her bag. Then she went to help Abrieth with his transformation back into himself.

The next morning, King Karstien arrived on Meridian 4 and Rheema had him flown to where Regis, Abrieth, Kalen, and Regulus were hunting. The king was shocked to see his Uncle Yurieth showing his half-brother Kalen how to throw the netting harpoons they used on Jura. Serapha and Oren had managed to partially restore Yurieth’s voice so when he greeted his nephew he sounded almost like he was growling in anger.

“My King.”

“Uncle Yuri. I’m so glad you’re back, we’ve missed you,” Karstien responded cautiously.

Yuri’s jaw ticked slightly, in a low menacing voice he reminded quietly, “I have never missed Kalen or Jenna’s birth anniversaries. Just because you and Asha haven’t seen me, doesn’t mean I wasn’t there.”

Regulus spoke next, “My King, what brings you to visit the Academy?”

“I came to visit my uncles and my brother,” Karstien answered. ”I would like to invite you all to my sons’ 200th Birth Anniversary. It is time to end our feud.” His tone made it clear is wasn’t a request but their duty.

Kalen surprised everyone with his harsh retort. “It isn’t a feud, brother, it’s a game like our father and grandfather used to play. You lied to us and we found out. You stole my mother and younger sibling from me, and Uncle Yuri’s sealed one and only child from him. We have searched everywhere there is a colony, soon I will be 200 and you can’t stop me from searching the places Uncle Yuri can’t go. I will be the Guardian and the Space Fleet, my mother’s fleet, will be mine to command and I will find her.” Then Kalen turned and walked away.

Yurieth looked at Karstien calmly and then followed his nephew.

Karstien stood there with his fists clenched and yelled after them, “Then you’ll be the one to kill her and not me!”

“Easy, Karstien... He’s still young, and he has spent almost half his life without his beloved mother. His last memory is of her saying she loved him before she vanished through time, and the note to him saying she went to save his father. A man he never met.” Abe reminded.

Karstien glared at his uncle, “I was thirty years younger than Kalen when I lost my mother.”

“Yes, but your mother was forever dead. His mother is alive and raising a sibling he has never met. He still can hear her singing sometimes,” Abe retorted.

Regulus held up his hand, trying to be the peacemaker. “I know you think what you and Lady Asha did was right, my king, and maybe it was at the time, but they can still feel her and hear her, and it has been slowly driving your brother and uncle insane. They need to see her.”

“They can’t, Regulus, none of us can. Uncle Abe, Daisy isn’t well, but she is happy. Leaving her to spend what little time she has left in peace is the only gift we can give her.” Karstien seemed to slump, “Our family used her, twisted her fate, and then your brother hurt her, it was all too much for her to overcome. She fears him, Uncle Abe, what little she remembers of the Huntsman of Adamos she fears.”

“Karstien, he was that person for less than a year. What about the century and a two decades he spent as her friend and confidant? Doesn’t she remember anything good about him?” Abe demanded.

Karstien shook his head, “She remembers that person as a dear friend and the father of her child but she believes that he died in the war. She still believes she was a concubine of our house and she hides because she wants her son to grow up a free citizen.”

“Son?” Abrieth and Regulus said at the same time.

Karstien almost groaned, he had not meant to reveal the gender of the cousin he had never met.

“By the Light, Karstien, he needs to be with his father! Yurieth’s magic started revealing itself after his eightieth birth anniversary,” Abrieth pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Yurieth’s Huntsmen’s magic was the strongest in generations. His first born will be even stronger with the Blind Oracle as his mother, he needs training,” Regulus argued.

“What would you have me do, Uncle Abe, Guardian Regulus? Take the only child she knows away from her. When Daisy goes into the Light, I will personally bring him here. Until then, tell my brother and yours that I will have them thrown in the dungeons if they risk her life. And I will do the same to you, First Protector.” Karstien turned and walked back toward the flyer that brought him.

A week later, Abrieth had resumed his duties on Aetheria looking rested and bringing a surprise. The Huntsman Lord Yurieth and the next Guardian, Lord Kalen had come from Meridian 4 for the Royal Princes’ 200th birthday. While Kalen visited with Adami and Arturi, he told Queen Allura that Yuri did not want to see Asha or anyone else. He was just there for his nephews’ birthday then he was going back to his academy. Allura asked if Kalen knew if Yuri had had any success and Kalen had answered that Yuri had searched everywhere that a Huntsman could travel to and not found her. Adami and Arturi were split on whether Karstien or Yurieth were right. It was one of the few things they disagreed on, but their father was king and they would not openly argue on any decision he had made. Adami claimed his father’s side, while Arturi thought Aunt Serapha and her Xelusian magic should be given a chance. When Kalen revealed he had a brother he would not know until after his mother’s death, the twins both expressed deep sympathy for him. Allura shed a tear for Kalen’s sorrow. That night she and Karstien had a huge disagreement. Allura wanted to try her magic to heal Daisy and raged when Karstien told her no.

The next day, only an hour before the Princes’ birth anniversary celebration began, Shadz was taking a request to Abrieth’s office. He had just returned from Oceania and had not been told Yurieth was in the Crown City. Shadz was surprised to find Yurieth leaving his brother’s office.

The tall Huntsman glared down at the Mage, whose hard expression telegraphed his hatred in return. Shadz’s eyes flicked over the change in Yurieth uniform and the crest of Yophriel at his throat in place of the crest of Adamos that once rested on his right shoulder.

“Welcome home, Lord Yurieth.” Shadz spoke in his usual deep monotone.

“Lord Shadz.” Yuri’s voice was gravelly with violence. Yuri looked at his brother, his eyes glowed slightly as they spoke to each other’s minds, then the Huntsman walked out without another word.

The Protector Lord Abrieth sighed and shook his head. “I have never seen my brother hate anyone the way he hates you, nephew.”

Shadz shrugged. “It matters not if he hates me, I do what I must as is my duty, while he only does what he feels.”

“Daisy is alive and has borne his son, and you would still deny him his hope?” Abe asked in quiet judgement.

“Daisy is lost to us. We must all accept that. Perhaps someday, after she goes into the Light, his son will take his place among us but until then, it must be as if she died then,” Shadz answered coldly.

Shaking his head, Abe declared, “I can see how you blended in so seamlessly with the court of the old Kingdom, you play the game well.”

“Thank you, uncle.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.” Abe grated out, “What do you want, Shadz?”

Shadz’s jaw ticked slightly and Abe wondered if the Mage would ever realize just how similar he and Yurieth were. Shadz held out a document. “The Master Healer has received a report from one of her healers on Oceania. There is a group of brigands using cursed weapons, two men have died, many people have been wounded. They are supposed to have a festival in a few months celebrating the opening of a portal station and the beginning of exotic lumber exports.”

Abe scanned the document, nodding. “I have already made the deployment assignment. I received a letter from a swordsmith I know about the brigands. His brother was one of the victims, he is still recovering. I checked it against the reports I am supposed to be receiving from the three protectors there, one spot is vacant and the other two appear to be trying to hide their incompetence. I have no intel on the islands as they are listed as uninhabited. Any idea why?”

Shadz gave him a bland look, and lied, “No. The Healer’s Hall has been gathering medicinals from those islands for decades, the unique soil allows for the healing properties of the plants to be much stronger than anywhere except the Meridian system. And since your brother has banned all healers except Lord Oren and Healer Milo, and all mages from his system, Asha sends her healers there.”

Abe nodded, then said, “I will send a half group, and a few huntsman, in addition then. Now, that they have a portal station, maybe Yuri could go.”

Shadz narrowed his eyes at him. “He won’t find her there either.”

Abe returned his cold look, “Then there is no harm in him going there to help seek out these murderers.”

They stood in silence for a few moments then Abe advised, “Shadz, stay clear of Yuri. He blames himself and you for the loss of his sealed one. The only reason he hasn’t ended you is because he loves Asha.”

Shadz smirked as if the thought of Yuri trying to kill him was amusing, “He couldn’t kill me is he wanted to, and he should blame himself, it is his fault we lost her... Send those guardsmen, Lord Abrieth, send your brother if you wish, he won’t find her.” He turned on his heel and walked out. Abe shook his head, Shadz had no idea just how powerful and dangerous Yurieth really was.

King Karstien announced the ten-day long celebration in his sons’ honor. Kalen stood proudly to the left of his nephews, wearing the uniform of a guardian for the first time in public, deep green accented the brown and white of Adamos. Jenna stood beside Kalen dressed in the same colors but with dark blue accents denoting her as a healer of animals. Asha stood behind them in the light blue of the Master Healer, with Shadz behind her just behind and on her right; she put her hands on both her siblings’ shoulders.

Kalen would have shrugged it off if they had not been standing in front of ten thousand citizens. Jenna reached over and squeezed his hand. Their uncles both stood on the right side of the balcony along with Lady Serapha. As soon as the ceremony was over Kalen pulled away from his eldest sister and went over to embrace Arturi and Adami, before going inside the King’s Palace. Asha followed him, and Jenna followed her.

“Kalen, please.” Asha pleaded.

“What do you want?” Kalen demanded.

“I just wondered if you would like to come down to the School for Healing and Magery for a day or two.”

“Why? So, you can make me forget too?” Kalen snapped.

“I did what I had to do to save our mother’s life. Why don’t you listen when I explain?” Asha retorted angrily.

“Asha, leave him,” Jenna snapped. “There’s nothing more to talk about.”

“No, Jenna. Let Asha talk. Let her explain why she won’t let Aunt Serapha try to heal mom, let her tell us our brother’s name. Tell me, big sister... Is he nice, is he brave, does he miss us like we miss him?” Kalen’s eyes had the same angry hardness that she had seen in her mother’s when Daisy had made up her mind something was unforgivable. “Does he even know we exist? Or is he watching our mother weaken and die alone? How is he going to feel when she dies and Karstien finally brings him home to a family he never knew existed? Is he going to resent us the way we resent you?”

Asha flinched, she glanced at Jenna and saw the same questions in her younger sister’s eyes that their brother had spoken. “Kalen, Mom is still at risk. My healers are doing the best they can, but we haven’t found a way to heal her... and no...” She held up her hand when Kalen opened his mouth to retort, “No, Aunt Serapha’s magic won’t work.”

“So, you won’t even let her try? Why? Because it’s Xelusian Magic and not Aetherian Magic?” Jenna accused coldly. “During the war, we would have tried anything to save another, we did try anything. You just don’t want her healed because you can’t heal her yourself. The great and prophesied Master Healer, High Lady Asha of the Houses of Adamos and Odini can’t even heal her own mother so she had her exiled.” Jenna turned away from Asha’s outraged expression and before her eldest sister could speak. Jenna grabbed her brother’s hand to drag him away. “Come on, Kalen, I want to go home.”

“Aetheria is your home,” Karstien interrupted, “And you need to show your sister respect. She outranks both of you, and she has tried everything to save your mother.”

“You’re ranking us!” Kalen started to retort but Jenna’s soft voice carried all the cold bitterness of a winter wind. “Forgive us, my king. Our father taught us that rankings were not as important as one’s heart and honor, we won’t forget your preference again.” Jenna bowed properly, then stomped away with Kalen following.

Karstien started to call after them but seeing Yurieth following them, changed his mind. “Uncle Yuri.” Yurieth stopped and turned toward Karstien and Asha, he bowed formally but said nothing.

“I need to you send a huntsman with a group of guardsmen to Port Brightwater on Oceania. He won’t have to sail, the Wanderer will be their transport and mobile base of operations.”

“It will be done,” Yurieth answered so quietly it was barely above a whisper, then he walked away.

Asha stared after their uncle, her eyes glowed with her magic. “Uncle Yuri has lost over an eighth of his weight since the last time I saw him, almost like he is ill.” She turned to her brother, “Does he really resent us so much he wouldn’t come to me for healing?”

“It appears so.” Karstien breathed out slowly, “I’m sorry I put this burden on you, Asha.”

She squeezed his hand. “I did what we had to do.”

Shadz came up behind them, “My King, Lord Yurieth just told Lord Abrieth that he is going to the Southern Star. Lord Kalen is accompanying him.”

Asha rested her hands on her baby bump, drumming her fingers as her eyes shined with a calculated look. “Inform Vole if he can’t take them to sea, then we move them off-world. The portals are open, we can take them to Healer’s Hall farm on Arborea, it was built after her injury, she will not know that place.” Shadz bowed and walked away.

“Would it be so bad if he found her?” Karstien asked.

Asha’s lips pursed, her eyes held fear and grief. “Karstien, she is having more seizures with each new memory, her resistance to the magic and medicine grows every year. Someday she won’t survive one and I fear that day is not far away. I am just trying to give her as much time with her son as I can.”

“And what about the son and daughter here? What about Kalen and Jenna? If she dies, they will never forgive us,” Karstien observed, his guilt and pain edged into his voice.

“I know, I’ll find a way” Asha answered softly, then she smiled at him. “Go celebrate with your sons, big brother. Shadz and I will handle this.”

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