Whose Life Is It?: A Tale of the Navel/The Shadow Forest

On March 14, 2018, P.T. Wyant posted as her Wednesday Words prompt a knife, a marketplace, and a friend's betrayal.

This always makes me think of Julius Caesar. The denizens of Omphalos had other ideas of what to do with it. This story came into my imagination as a result.

Such an event might very well have happened in A Godling for Your Thoughts?, the third book of my Tales of the Navel/The Shadow Forest series.

Perhaps I'll rewrite this later and insert it in...you may recognize some of the characters in this, if you stopped by for my Blogging From AZ April Project: Character Goals. Yes, they're the same ones that appeared here and at inspirationcauldron.wordpress.com...

“You betrayed me.” ‘Lyssa pressed her knife against Map’s throat. “Did you think I’d ever forget?”

Leiwell swallowed his fear, willing a blade manifest in the air. Not an easy task, ripping through the reality of this marketplace, but he’d give up a little more of his life energy to make the impossible possible. 

“Don’t, Leiwell.” His mother’s command stopped him in his tracks. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing, but Mel has cause.” She rolled a dark eye toward the blade at her neck. “Dyvian and I did kill a part of her, long ago.” She moved her gaze from the blade to the slender girl with pointed ears holding it. “Assuming there’s any of the Mel I knew left in you.”

The crowd parted around the two women, allowed them plenty of space. Everyone stared at them. 

Melyssa ignored the mutters, the transfixed gazes, and pointing. 

“Mel…Melyssa?” Leiwell stared in shock at the slender, almost serpentine maiden holding the knife. Gone were the full cheeks and rounded arms which Juno’s daughter possessed. 

Her angry, rose purple eyes were exactly the same, reddening as if blood itself was rising into her head and coloring her irises. The small, pouting mouth, trying to scrunch into something less sweet and more sinster was definitely Melyssa’s. 

Melyssa ignored Leiwell, although she trembled, making the knife in her hand shake, nicking at Map’s neck. A trickle of blood ran down her bare skin in her tunic. 

“Are you going to taunt me for discarding my former self?” Melyssa lowered the blade, moving her face closer to Map’s. Her cheek almost lay against the older woman’s wrinkled face. “You, a shapechanger, whose human form is a lie?”

“Am I lying?” Map kept her voice calm, reasonable. “Have you seen me change at all while in Omphalos?”

“No.” Melyssa raised the blade. “You’re much too clever for that. I know how good you at tricking people into thinking you’re human.”

“I’m not tricking people into thinking I’m human, Mel.” Map heaved a huge sigh. “I’m trying to be human.”

“Trying to be human, that’s a good one.” Melyssa tightened her other hand on Map’s neck. “I can see you’re still the same master I remember from the Temple of Seraphix. Always with a plausuble excuse ready for anything deceitful you were up to.”

“No, my dear.” Map shook her head slightly, brushing her own weathered cheek against Meyssa’s. “I’m no longer master of anything.” 

“You say that, but I don’t believe you.” Melyssa shuddered, but she didn’t move away. “You haven’t changed. Not your way of speaking, or your manner. You’re still the master who betrayed me.”

“Are you sure of that?” Leiwell released his question, not sure if Melyssa would pay any attention to him. He had to try to distract her from Map if he could. “Just how well did you know your former master? How much of what you believed in was real?”

The question came out with a vehemence that startled him. 

“What are you talking about?” For the first time, Melyssa glanced at Leiwell. 

“Only that I know what it’s like to have your master betray your expectations.” Leiwell locked his own gaze with her started ruddy eyes. So like and unlike Damian’s. “How much of what you saw in Map was only in your own mind, Melyssa?”

Melyssa bit her lower lip. She released Map. 

Leiwell had guessed rightly. She couldn’t have called Map master with a voice choked up with unshed tears that made her tremble, unless Map had dashed all of Melyssa’s expectations of her. 

Melyssa dropped the knife. It fell, blade pointed downward to stab the earth of their feet. 

“My name is ‘Lyssa.” ‘Lyssa’s gaze flickered back to Map. “I won’t let you hurt Melyssa or Mel any longer, shapechanger.”

“Dropping the knife means you’ve guessed you no longer need it to prove that.” Map glanced at the hit, jutting upward from the ground. “You never did.” 

“I suppose Mel betrayed you first.” Melyssa, no, ‘Lyssa took a step back. “She thought you were human. You were the first human we ever loved, a connection to the human world, or so we thought.”

“Instead, I turned out to be no more human than you.” Map squared her shoulders, a tremour running through them. “Did you despise your own kind that much?”

“I…yes.” ‘Lyssa dropped her head. “Not that I have a kind or anyone that’s on my side. I thought you were until you changed.” She lifted her chin to fix blood rose eyes upon the older woman. “I thought you were a spy for my mother.”

“I wasn’t.” Map reached out to take ‘Lyssa’s hand. “I was there to hide, to find companionship among the Sisters, same as you.”

“Only Map didn’t find with those weak-willed girls.” 

Map and ‘Lyssa froze where they stood, still holding hands. 

“Mother,” Leiwell stammered, turning to face Ashleigh, his other mother. 

Silver blazed in her eyes, filling her eyesockets with furious light. She stood, hands on her hips and bared her white teeth at ‘Lyssa.

The crowd moved back, intimidated by her shimmering rage. 

Leiwell didn’t blame them. Tayel sometimes got the same unearthly light in his eyes. It was frightening, even if a slight boy half your size. It was even more terrifying in a grown woman. 

“Mother, it’s not what it looks like.” Actually Leiwell had no idea what it was, but he had to calm her down. “This appears to be someone Map knew.”

“Oh, it definitely someone she knew. Someone who attacked her once.” Ashleigh pointed a finger at ‘Lyssa’s face. “Someone who was about to attack her again.”

“Ashleigh, it’s all right.” Map released ‘Lyssa’s hand and took a step in front of the younger woman. 

“It is not.” Ashleigh lowered her finger in the direction of the knife. “A Follower of Seraphix disturbed the peace of our very first Omphalos market, disturbing our fragile community.”

“Please let it go, Mother.” Leiwell wasn’t sure why he was defending ‘Lyssa. She was an outsider, not even a member of his family. “As you said, it’s our very first market. We’re still only learning how to behave.”

Murmurs ran through the crowd. People glanced at each other, at Leiwell, Map, and at ‘Lyssa. 

The mutters grew a little louder as more people stared at ‘Lyssa. 

‘Lyssa didn’t even bother to reassure anyone. She threw her shoulders back and looked down her nose with unconcealed disdain at the crowd. 

Making friends didn’t appear to be one of ‘Lyssa’s talents. 

Time to try and use his own magic. 

Leiwell lowered his eyelashes, while keeping his gaze fixed on the crowd. He lifted a hand to play with the coin hidden beneath his green scarf and smiled. 

More than one person blushed. A few people looked away, clapping their hands to their cheeks. 

“We apologize for disturbing the peace of the market, Mother.” Leiwell made his best courtly half bow. “None of us are used to having so many people around, including ‘Lyssa.” He lowered his head to study the grass at Ashleigh’s booted feet. “Please forgive her.”

“You’re not the one who should be apologizing, my son.” Ashleigh lowered her finger. “We’re only just starting to become a part of the world here in Omphalos. The last thing we want to do is convince that world we’re a threat to it.”

“Why not?” 

‘Lyssa’s challenge didn’t have a hint of remorse in it. 

Leiwell swallowed a groan. No, making friends was definitely not one of ‘Lyssa’s talents. 

“We are the Followers of Seraphix, protected by God of Balance Herself.” ‘Lyssa strode forward to confront Ashleigh. “This makes us powerful. Powerful people can be dangerous, yes, but why should we hide it?”

Leiwell stood up, lifting his head to see Ashleigh move closer to ‘Lyssa, too close. Their faces were inches apart. The two of them could have kissed. 

“There’s a time and a place to reveal your strength, little girl.” Ashleigh’s pupils returned, darkened with purple, although they still shimmered with silver. “You need to learn as a Follower and a woman to learn better timing.”

For a moment, Ashleigh and ‘Lyssa just stared at each other. 

“Stop this.”

Map’s rough voice cut through the tension like a knife. 

The two women started and backed away from each other a little. 

‘Lyssa turned her head to look back over her shoulder. 

Ashleigh gazed as Map, the silver in her eyes dying into something soft and muted. 

“This conflict concerned me. I am not a Follower of Seraphix, nor do I intend to become one again.” Map flickered her olive black gaze from Ashleigh to ‘Lyssa. “Don’t make a personal quarrel about the Followers.” 

“How can you say that?” ‘Lyssa opened her mouth and shut it again. “You were my master at the Temple of Seraphix!”

“That was a different life. I was a different person.” Map knotted her hairy eyebrows together. “Omphalos is supposed to be about second chances, isn’t it? Being able to live a new life without being haunted by the mistakes of the old.”

“Map, you and I cannot outrun our mistakes of old.” Ashleigh crossed her arms. “We’ve both learned this again and again.” She gave ‘Lyssa a meaningful look. 

‘Lyssa flushed in response. 

“All the more reason not to make any more.” Map folded her own arms over her ample chest. “No matter what creature born of my pain chooses to do, I plan to live my own life.”

“It’s not yours to live.”

The words escaped from Leiwell before he could recall them. 

Ashleigh and ‘Lyssa’s jaws both dropped. They stared at him as if he’d sprouted a second head. 

“Everyone who’s a part of your life shares in it.” Memories of Danyel and Tayel’s hurt expressions came back to haunt him. “You cannot cut them out or deny their share, even if you hope to spare them by doing so.” He lowered his voice, tried to soften the harshness of his words. “Haven’t we found this out the hard way?”

Map’s brow smoothed. She unknitted her eyebrows and allowed a tiny smile to play at the corner of her mouth. 

“It’s impossible to live like that.” ‘Lyssa closed her mouth and shut her eyes. “Everyone else will swallow you if you do.”

“Perhaps, but you become a part of them if they do.” Leiwell glanced over at Ashleigh. “They have to share their life with you as much as you do with them.” 

This made ‘Lyssa blink. 

“You’re quite the speaker, Leiwell.” Map didn’t even try to hide the pride in her voice. “You’re quite right.” She raised her chin. “This doesn’t mean you can share everything, nor should you.” 

Ashleigh flinched. Leiwell felt her shudder, almost as if it ran through his body as well.

“Is this why you won’t join the Followers of Seraphix?” The question came out hushed and low. “Unlike everyone else, you haven’t accepted a talisman.”

“No, and I don’t intend to.” Map planted her feet in the ground and gazed at Ashleigh.

It was the First Position of the Dance. Map half expected Ashleigh to attack her over this. 

Leiwell tensed, unsure what Ashleigh would do. 

His mother didn’t attack. 

“Why, Map?” She dropped her arms, allowing them to dangle at her sides. “This is our home, the home you and I always dreamed of returning to. Seraphix is the key to creating that home.”

“No, It’s not.” Map relaxed her stance slightly, yet remained poised, ready to move. “Don’t assume our ideals of home are the same, Ashleigh.” 

“Yet you’re the one who started this.” It was ‘Lyssa’s turn to raise her finger, only she didn’t point it at Ashleigh. She aimed it at Map. “I was there, remember? I died at the moment you found the Voice of Seraphix.”

A vision filled Leiwell’s mind, overlaying the market like a blood stained ghost. A vision of a dark sky with a full moon, the air filled with the savage screams of enraged women. 

“Halfling! Freak! Monster!” 

They hunted through the Shadow Forest, torches in hand, pursuing their prey. Until the moment that prey turned, releasing a red rage which melted and dissolved the pursuers. The rage laughed with a seductive male voice. 

Leiwell shuddered, recognizing the laugh. It was Dyvian’s, devoid of any mercy, mingling with Map’s, their two voices becoming one. 

Did anyone else hear it? 

“Only those who’ve accepted Seraphix’s token can hear his Voice.” The murmur caressed his ears, whispering only to him. “Not every Follower has an ear to listen.”

“The Followers wouldn’t exist if not for you.” ‘Lyssa pressed a hand to her breast, eyes swimming with unshed tears.

“Map, don’t you see?” Ashleigh took a step toward Map. “Things have changed because of you. Yes, I mistrusted the way the Voice established himself as a lord in this world, but by doing so, he created a haven for all of our kind.”

Dyvian. They were speaking of Dyvian. 

Map had created him? The way Dyvian had created Leiwell himself? From whatever remained of the Sisters of Seraphix?

Did that mean they were a part of him the way Damian was of him? 

Did that mean he was a part of Map?

The thought made his head hurt. The idea that his mother, the woman that raised him might have created his master, his lover. 

Human notions, these ideas of guilt attached to such things. Halflings and shadows were supposed to be better than that. 

Many things were supposed to be, but defied reality in being so. Leiwell would think he’d learn that by now. 

“Don’t judge us or yourself by some ridiculous human standard.” Ashleigh’s eyes flashed once more. “We are halfings. We are Followers of Seraphix.”

“We rise from the ashes of what we were and recreate ourselves.” ‘Lyssa’s voice had a fanatic’s zeal. 

“We create our own bonds, familal or otherwise.” Ashleigh waved a finger at Map. “Don’t judge us by the past or what we once were. Be part of the future.”

“That’s right.” Swift as an adder, ‘Lyssa stooped to claim to knife stabbing the ground. She pulled it out, dirty and dull. “Why should we cling to past roles, past notions?” She shot a scornful glance at Map before darting it toward Ashleigh. “Who put you in charge? Why is Map yours and yours alone?”

“Now see here!” Map bristled at the younger woman’s words. “What gives that idea? Haven’t you been listening?” 

“Yes, Map belongs to Ashleigh, but she also belongs to you and me.” Leiwell made his own voice as soothing as possible. “She belongs to every person she shares her life with.”

Map smiled a bit at this, but it was a sad smile. She fixed her gaze upon his chest, almost seeming to see the talisman beneath. 

“I suppose you’ll be a very devout Follower.” It was unclear whom she was speaking to. “I was never very good at following.”

“Is it so very hard?” A pleading note entered Ashleigh’s voice. “Must you always be the master?”

Map flinched at this. “You know that’s not true.”

Leiwell looked down, anywhere than at the women present. He could feel their anger, loyalty sizzling through the air, sending a charge through the coin around his neck. 

We’re connected; Ashleigh, ‘Lyssa, and I. Connected through our talismans in a way Map never will be. 

She won’t join us. She’ll close her mind and ears, pick up her knitting, stir her cauldron, or dig in the garden. Again. 

Sorrow made his throat and temples throb. Unlike Ashleigh and ‘Lyssa, he wasn’t sure if Map was wrong, to disassociate herself from the Followers.

It was too late to regret his choice, their choice. He was on the path to change. 

There was no turning back now.