Chapter 21 Conquest of Chimera

Chapter 21

Conquest of Chimera

  Even though Lucius did not hear Kress’ expression of worship, he could see the same sentiment rippling through the crowd. It was something he was not about to encourage…

   “Dark words are for dark days, my people. Today is not a dark day. Kian is our brother and Kia is our sister, nothing more nothing less, is that not true?” He waited for a response-silence, “All different all the same, all the same.” Lucius’ tone was stern.

  The crowd stirred and exchanged nervous glances as Carlos and Kress withdrew from the newcomers and reclaimed their place in the crowd.  

   Phoebe, the rat woman in the blue dress broke from the crowd passing Carlos and Kress as she rushed toward Kian and Kian. “No,” she said as she ran up and took Kia’s right hand and Kian’s left, “not brother and sister, son and daughter.”

  Lucius sucked in a deep breath as a smile lifted his entire countenance, “Even better Phoebe, even better. They have much to tell us. It will all be strange to our ears. We will listen. We will learn. We will teach.  We will embrace, but we will not bow. That is my proclamation. Are we all in agreement?”

  There was no hesitation. Only cheers of affirmation.  

   After a celebratory feast of fruit, sweet cakes and red berry juice, held at Wayferra’s banquet hall built at the rear of the Common’s open deck. Carlos and Kress volunteered to take Kia and Kian on a guided tour of Wayferra. Captain Marks satisfied his charges were happy and well, returned to his ship, but not before reminding Kian and Kia, they would always be a part of his crew and assuring them he would visit often.

   He and they both knew that their true place was in Wayferra. Lucius and the other elders of the city had far more to offer them than he. The elders like the Narrows held deep secrets, deep secrets the Captain had just as soon others plumb…

   A vast network of sturdy bridgework hung from the trees like a massive wooden spider web. It linked hundreds of neat acorn shaped trees house most of which were nothing more than giant upside down baskets meticulously woven from pine straw, grape vines and reinforced with perfectly seasoned carefully shaped sapling wood for strength and flexibility. The result was a comfortable compact dwelling with windows pressed from amber, doors, floors and framework hewn from sturdy redwood.  

   Of course, there was no fireplace in any of the dwellings. There was no need. Winters were unheard of in this part of Chimera; food was fruit and vegetable, best washed clean and eaten raw. Bread came from below where the waterways flowed and the mill wheels turned. Light, well every household had its resident brook sprites. They glowed morning noon and night and were delighted to chase darkness from every shadowed corner they found.

  Bakers, the centaurs, had their own stone mill houses built by the many rivers and brooks that snaked between the great redwoods like veins in arm. “Fruit for bread, bread for fruit, wood workings and plait work for grain and so on,” The residents of Wayferra cried as they went about their productive daily affairs. It was an idyllic picture of community and common care; a fragile paradise at best as all perfection is…