Nuworld: Claiming Tara (39 page)

Tara rode due North at high speed well into the night.
She mentally tried calculating how long, at this speed, it
would take to reach Gothman. Yes, she would go directly to
Gothman. Her children were there. She was sure of that.
Patha would not oppose Darius in raising his own children,
especially if Patha thought their mama was dead.

It had taken her a day and a half to reach the border
with much slower transportation. However, without her
landlink she didn’t know the best way to drive north. As
she tried to determine her route, Tara’s mind flickered to
her children, Patha, Reena, Hilda, Torgo and Syra. And
Darius.

She wondered if he’d claimed another woman. It was a
recurring thought she’d had ever since Gowsky had told
her how long she’d been unconscious. Or maybe he was
having sex with every woman in Gothman. He better get it
out of his system.

Tara imagined
Andru
and Ana walking.
Her
pudgy
infants would now have legs strong enough to stand on.
Which one had taken their first step? Tara guessed Ana
would have taken the first step—she was the one who
appeared more daring, more curious to check out new
things. But Andru would run first, because he had to be
fast to take everything from Ana and inspect it. Her heart
constricted with pain at how much she had missed in her
children’s lives. It was hard to breathe from the pain. With
a ragged sigh, she told herself she would see them in less
than a quarter-cycle. Then she would work to make them
know her again.

And what of Darius? If he had another woman in his life,
perhaps she had attempted to make the children her own.
Tara hated the thought. No one else would raise her
children. Not even Darius would be able to prevent her
from being with her children, no matter what happened
when she returned.

She set up a makeshift camp when she grew too tired to
drive safely, tore it down the next day, and continued north
without coming across anyone. Late that afternoon, she
was riding along a high prairie trying to remember if she
had been this way before. The hills and trees grew thicker
the farther north she drove, but after traveling for hours,
all hills and trees appeared the same. She worried she had
somehow altered course, although she still drove north.

Then she saw it. Ahead in the distance, several trails of
smoke filtered slowly up to the sky.
Tara slowed her bike, her senses alert to an oncoming
situation. Her muscles tensed as she readied herself for a
possible altercation. The smells around her became more
apparent. Any movement to the right or left caught her eye
immediately. She heard every bird sing, every rock pop
under the wheels of her bike.
Tara wasn’t familiar with people living this far south of
Gothman in Freelander territory. This land had always
been uninhabited. There was no reason she would be
considered an enemy unless whoever she was approaching
feared Runners. Still, caution was in order. Tara veered out
of the prairie and decided to approach the camp through
the trees bordering nearby hills.
She was ecstatic when she spotted trailers and parked
motorcycles. The black outfits of the men and women
walking through camp were a welcome sight.
Several Runners noticed her approach and pulled their
lasers. Their equipment wouldn’t acknowledge her as a
Runner without her landlink.
“Hold it right there,” the closest Runner approached her
motorcycle as she slowed within yards of them.
Tara stopped her bike and held her hands out to show
she came in peace but did not speak until questioned. She
knew the routine.
“Runner, where is your landlink?”
“I’ve been to Southland. It was stolen. I’m lucky to be
alive.” She dismounted to show her non-warrior intentions
as was customary. “I’m glad to see a Runner clan.”
“You’re welcome to hear the stories at the fire.” This was
the usual greeting offered to a visiting Runner, and Tara
smiled her appreciation.
“I’ve got much to catch up on. I’ve been traveling for
awhile.”
“Come back for the test, have you?” They were walking
now, and the two Runners led.
Tara pushed her bike. “The test?”
“Well, you have been out of circulation for awhile. No
landlink, too. You navigate well.”
“I wasn’t sure I was, to be honest. What test?”
“The Test of Wills.”
Tara stopped walking and stared at the Runner who had
just spoken. The Test of Wills was given when the leader of
a clan died or stepped down and had no heir.
“We will be continuing north in the morning. Most clans
are headed that way. You’re more than welcome to travel
with us. We’ll take you to Rolko, but I’m sure he’ll give
consent.”
As Tara walked, her mind raced with questions. Why
was the Test of Wills being offered? What happened to
Patha? She remained silent. If she made her presence
known after a Test of Wills had been issued, it would stir
up commotion among the clans. Tara hoped she would
learn more when she listened to the stories around the fire,
without having to ask questions.
Rolko permitted her into the Four-Circle clan as a
traveling warrior. This meant she could sleep by the main
fire, use their water supplies, be fed during the main daily
meal, and if she still had her landlink, use their main
board to transmit. To refuse their acceptance as a traveling
warrior would dishonor the clan, especially since they were
going in the same direction. So even though she would
have arrived in Gothman much sooner if she traveled
alone, Tara graciously thanked Rolko for allowing her to
share her stories.
Tara was left alone to move through the campsite after
leaving Rolko’s trailer. She immediately walked to the main
fire, hoping for food and, if she was lucky, details of Patha’s
death. She bit down on the bitter taste of fury. Patha
wouldn’t be dead if she had been with him. If he hadn’t
denied her leaving with her clan, Tara never would have
gone south. As well, if she hadn’t been kidnapped by
Gowsky, and had been able to stay in touch with Patha,
she would have known if there was trouble. One thing she
knew for certain, Patha didn’t die of natural causes. He had
been in his prime.
“Hey, wait up!” The voice came from behind Tara. “I’m
Male, Rolko’s daughter.” A girl several winters younger
than Tara hurried to join her. “Papa asked me to come get
you and offer my hospitality. My trailer’s over here if you’d
like to clean up or anything.”
Male’s trailer was simple. The floors were bare; a wooden
tile covered the eating and living area. The countertops
were spotless, and two overstuffed matching chairs with a
rectangular wooden table between them, provided all the
furniture for the small living area. A folding table extended
from the wall of the kitchen and a shelf mounted on the
free wall of the living area housed her landlink.
Male pulled a ceramic pitcher out of the small cold box
in the wall. Handing a chilled grape drink to Tara, she sat
in the one chair at the eating table. She gestured with her
cup to the matching chairs. “Sit. Share your stories.” She
smiled and pulled off her head cloth, revealing dark curls.
“I hear you have no landlink. And that you’ve come all the
way from Southland. Where are you going?”
“North, for the test,” Tara lied.
“What were you doing in Southland? My papa will
probably report you, you know.”
“Report me, why?”
“Why? Because it’s forbidden, that’s why.”
Tara wasn’t sure what to say. What was forbidden? Male
saw the confused look in her eyes and squinted at her.
“How long have you been without a landlink? You do know
Runners are forbidden to enter Southland, don’t you?
Patha of the Blood Circle Clan passed the law himself.
That’s why we’re having the Test of Wills. His daughter died
down there.”
Patha was alive! At least, it sounded like he was. If he
had officially announced her death, she guessed her login
number would be deleted. Tara would need a new number
in order to access a landlink, any landlink. How would she
explain no login number without revealing who she was?
“Would you like to contact your family?” Male asked.
“Would it be all right if I took a shower first?”
Male jumped up and walked down the six-foot hallway,
opening the first door and turning on the light. She entered
her room and returned immediately with a thick towel.
The shower felt incredible. Male had left her alone in the
trailer. The landlink was turned off. Somehow Tara needed
on that network. Tara decided to walk around the camp. As
she approached the
main fire, she
saw ten to fifteen
Runners surrounding it, sipping ale and chatting among
themselves. A large woman dipped wooden mugs into a
barrel
and
handed
them
out.
Tara
slipped
in
inconspicuously and accepted the mug of ale offered to her.
She tried to remember the last time she’d enjoyed this
Runner tradition. Gatherings around the evening fire at the
end of a day, listening to the old Runners tell their tales of
victories and places traveled—these were good memories.
She recalled hearing the news from travelers of other clans,
enjoying the screams and chatters of the younger children
as they ran and played on the outer edge of the circle.
These were the parts of her childhood of which she was
most fond. This clan made her feel right at home.
The stories she heard that night shocked her. It was
Rolko, himself, who explained the latest conflicts between
the Gothman and Runners. Lord Darius wanted to be part
of the judging for the Test of Wills. Rumors also circulated
that several Gothman wanted to partake in the test. Many
Runners had complained loudly to Patha. The test was for
Runners only. Rolko assured everyone around the fire that
Patha would not allow Gothman participation.
Tara wanted to say this was true. She knew her papa,
and he would want a Runner to succeed him. They had an
alliance with Gothman, but she knew he wasn’t ready to
integrate the two nations that quickly. Chaos would result
if they did.
Tara was called upon to tell her stories of Southland.
She found herself telling the Runners about Crator. She
explained that the Southlanders believed that Crator made
the
planet
and all races on it.
She
told
about
the
Guardians, saying that
they brought
messages to
the
people from Crator and could take the form of animals. The
Runners loved her stories and applauded as they refilled
her mug.
She sat at the fire well into the evening, sipping the ale
and catching up on the tales of the Runners. She felt
relaxed, at peace and very much at home as she walked
slowly back to the trailer later that evening. In a few days,
she would have her children in her arms again. Then there
was Darius. Would
she
make
peace
with him?
She
wondered once again if he’d found another woman. What
would she do if he had? Probably kill her. Tara giggled to
herself and realized the ale had hit her.
No other woman would be able to prevent her from
returning to her life. She hadn’t asked to be gone for six
cycles, and she never intended to be separated from Andru
and Ana. It tore into her like a jagged warrior’s knife that
her
children might not recognize
her. Every time
she
thought of how the twins might react to her, the pain from
missing them grew even stronger.
Male was sitting at her landlink when Tara pulled open
the door to the trailer. “Did you catch up on all the latest
gossip?” Male didn’t turn around as Tara entered.
“It was great to sit at a fire once again and hear all the
stories.” Tara sat in one of the stuffed chairs and glanced
at the monitor.
She leaned forward when she noticed Male had logged
onto the Blood Circle Clan site. Tara scanned the screen,
trying to see what the clan was broadcasting. She tried to
sound nonchalant as she looked over Male’s shoulder.
“What are you looking for?”
“I’m going to submit the written part of the Test of Wills.”
Male glanced up at Tara and smiled meekly. “I don’t expect
to
win
or
anything.
Papa
thinks it
would
be
good
experience. You’d have to understand what it’s like to be
the daughter of the clan leader, I guess.”
Tara understood more than she could say. “Why don’t
you print one off for me too?” she suggested. “There’s no
harm in trying, right?”
“Sure, as long as we don’t get killed in the confrontation
part.” Male groaned. “I can handle the first part of the test,
I think. But, I don’t know about the second portion. Papa
has never been too satisfied with my warrior skills.”
“Maybe I can help you.”
“If you want to take the time. It couldn’t hurt.”
Male printed two tests and handed one to Tara. She
clicked through the information on the Blood Circle Clan
and stopped on an article with a large color picture of
Darius.
Tara’s heart skipped a beat.
“Isn’t he handsome?” Male leaned back and breathed
deeply. “I hear he’s an incredible warrior. He was able to
defeat Patha’s daughter, Tara.”
“When did he do that?” Tara asked the question without
thinking.
Male turned to stare. “I guess not everyone follows this
news as closely as I do. That’s how he claimed her as his
wife. She wasn’t able to tame him, though. So she left.”
Tara smiled and felt a longing as she stared at Darius’s
picture. “Has he found another woman?”
“No. I hope to see him in person when we arrive at the
Blood Circle Clan,” Male said. “I wonder if he’s as good-
looking in person.”
Tara wanted to say that he was much more handsome.
She gazed at the picture of Darius on the monitor. Her
body warmed as she studied the blond curls and deep gray
eyes. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until
that moment.
She wondered if she could trust him again. But then,
only Darius could answer that. He would have to earn her
trust through his actions. And that would take time. The
longing inside her turned to sexual need and she knew she
would offer him that time.
Darius definitely had his work cut out for him. That is, if
he still wanted her as his claim. She decided she might not
give him the option.
At least now she knew she wouldn’t have to kill anyone.