Divine War: The Lancasterian Chronicles

Its the fifth night since the giant's arrival.

Heated discussions continue inside the cylindrical chamber of the contemplations temple, located on top of the flat face of the mountain, a natural monument that protects the tribe from the sun with its shade and guards from the fierce west wind. The temple bears a vague similarity with a decapitated bird, both for its thick wings spread diagonally, and for its jagged, circular mouth just at the edge. Rock chimneys on the mountain's sides spit steam skyward.

(Will the wings of the temple and the counsel of the wise elders guide you, father?) thinks Princess Nadjela, looking out the bedroom window, her pretty big eyes set on the peak, her hands clasping the carved bone beads of the necklace gifted by her mother -with whom she shares a name.

Nadjela leaves the window and crawls like a puma on the beast-skin bed. Sinks the face into the sheets and huffs worriedly.

(I know it's wrong to antagonize you and hesitate. But if the opportunity to end months of cruel lands presents for us, we must take it!)

These were hard years for the La Cuna tribe. From 500 inhabitants a decade ago, there were now less than 200 left. The people struggled, fought for hope, remained faithful.... But the scourge of disease, hunger, and other demons, gave no respite. Only the giant reflected a possible improvement. So why, when everything pointed to a brighter future, did her father Neddin look like a body being ripped from life?

(Dad, do you know something about the giant that others don't, a secret impossible to reveal, even to your daughters?)

Nadjela kicks and twitches, the unknowns keeping her from falling asleep. She rolls onto her side on the bed, but not working. She rolls onto her back, but the dreams keep shying away from her. After five minutes of meditation, decides that she's waited too long for answers that don't promise to come on their own. She gets out of bed and leaves the room.

She walks down the stairs, mute and on tiptoe, aware that Zell, her father's most trusted warrior, will be patrolling the house.

Nadjela takes the exit. She circles the ostrich pen. Her bare feet leave footprints on the dirt road. Reaching the servant's home, she pulls aside the beaded curtain of a window to enter.

Arrives at the bedroom where, suspended in hammocks, her family's servant girls sleep. She gently shakes the tanned shoulders of one: Majani. Young like her, but with short hair, and beautiful features accompanied by pearl earrings that she never took off even to sleep, treasures that Nadjela gifted her when children.

Majani opens the eyes first slowly, then wide as she recognizes her majesty's profile.

"Princess?" She asks quietly, nervous to meet her mistress and friend at this time of night and without warning. "What are you doing wandering around? If your father catches you, he'll scold me. He'll scold us all"

"There's no time to lose" The princess reciprocates the whispers. "Tonight I will go down into the crevice, and find out what good or evil the giant hides. I trust you to guide me. You carried water these days, and know the best way to reach the fountain and the fallen one"

"What about your father's prohibition? The chief doesn't want to see you or your sisters in the crevice. If he finds out I took you, he may punish me, or worse, exile me"

The princess with one hand encircles Majani's fingers, and with the other she quiets her trembling lips. The gesture and the closeness with someone she adores and admires, calms Majani's inner turbulence.

"I know, but this is necessary," says Nadjela. "Maybe I will get an answer that might dissipate my father's anxieties. He is a strong man... But even the most strong need support. Yesterday I found him staring for long minutes into the campfire, unblinking, looking forlorn... I fear he will collapse"

To Majani that last sounds like fantasy. Neddin, the one who shares a name with the village's founder, is an unquestionable and indestructible pillar just like his predecessors. But because Majani appreciates Nadjela and doesn't want to see her sad, she eventually nods and gives in.

"I will take you. But if the chief knows and asks... Please don't reveal to him that I did it"

"A thousand thanks, Majani"

They exchange smiles.

Throwing leafy black hoods of Tasmanian devil fur over their shoulders and acting like night shadows, Nadjela and Majani start to walk. They leap across the meter-high clay walls that enclose the residential area. They mingle in the plantings of El-nido-de-todas-las-plantas, plants with tall stems like people and multiple qualities.

They walk along the bank of the dry river, which Nadjela watches sadly. The drought this year promises no end, and the memories of swimming with her sisters seem to belong to a lost era. Majani senses her friend's discomfort and asks her about. Nadjela sighs and shakes her head.

"I don't know if I can get back everything we lost, Majani. How to make the sun kinder to the old people and the children? How to make a river flow? It seems impossible even for a giant"

"Maybe it's impossible to get all those blessings back, but... As Zakary says, the sky and life never cease to offer opportunities, and we can always aspire to new blessings"

"Do you really believe that...?"

"Zakary is old and wise. She may have a point"

Majani's words bring a shy smile back to Nadjela's lips.

"You speak wisely too"

"Just don't tell Zakary that I called her old, my ass won't take any more spankings..." Majani says while stroking her backside.

"Promise. Let's move on, before anyone notices we're gone"

"If you talk about Zell, your sister will be distracting him"

"Saying that is very disrespectful, Majani" Despite the complaint, the smile does not leave the princess's lips. Nadjela and Majani sometimes gossip about Gaita amorous conquests, the senior princess.

Both stop holding back and laugh.

Ahead they glimpse a dozen glass peaks, reflecting in their right angles the moving and colorful glare of the stars. The peaks mark the beginning of the opening where the giant landed. The crack is a kilometer long and irregular cut, as if produced by a rusty scimitar of impossible grandeur. The entrance intimidates, first with its tall crystals and then with its dark mouth.

Nadjela takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and gathers momentum to overcome her fear. Before diving in, she touches one of the hard-angled panes, her fingertips freezing. Majani drops a tip.

"Days ago the entrance was hotter than the mountain hot springs. It was some time before we could approach and check it out. No doubt it is a divine power such as we have never seen before"

"And maybe it's the new blessing we need" says Nadjela.

They descend.