Heirs

[Golondra Windrunner]

A silvery shuttle broke through the clouds and skirted the edge of Mt. Archer. The duranium hull polished to a mirror gloss winked in the sunlight, and the twin engine nacelles swung low and back, with their organic design, roared through the hills.

The shuttle skimmed the tops of the treetops before overshooting the Rafter-T Ranch. It circled over one of the hay fields and rumbled to a hovering halt over the yard. The engines kicking up a whirlwind cloud of dust as the small craft came to a rest between the house and barn. The penned horses snorted and trotted around their enclosures unable to get away from the terrifying machine the humanoids had brought.

Powering down a single hatch swung down from the back of the shuttle and six Narlin women in loose flowing white gowns stepped out. They all had pendants of the crescent moon around the necks, and the had pole arms in their hands.

The stood at attention three by three facing each other lining a short path from the hatch ramp. Two more figures emerged from the shuttle. The pair walked side-by-side. The gaurds didn't move.

The woman to the left stood rigid and her movements sure, and agile. She wore full plate armor, a long sword on her hip and sercoat with the banner of the 28th Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Colonel R'eah Sunriver.

The other woman was elderly. Her white hair was wispy, and ther back arched with age. She held a staff topped with a silver crescent moon, and stars. There was a simple knotted platinum torque around her neck. In the shape of a vine with diamonds, and sapphires there was a white gold crown upon her head.

[Golondra Windrunner]

A third Narlin woman emerged from the shuttle. She was wearing the robes of state, but she wasn't a member of the Narlin government. The badge of Kormel on her right shoulder which, marked her as one of Empress Kahlina Starbreeze's supporters and one of the many exiled to Terra Alpha.

"Are you certain this is true?" The elderly Narlin with staff asked.

"There are Narlin children here," Colonel Sunriver said, and it isn't like the Talons to keep something like that a secret."

"These are honorable people," Golondra said. "If they have the princess there is a good reason."

"The Princess should be with her people." the elder said.

"There are many enemy elements at play," Sunriver countered. "Not just Tamerale."

Golondra snarled at the mention of his name. She had been at the Battle of the False King where she watched her friend being murdered.

"Narla shall guide us," the Elder said softly as they stepped to the door and knocked as per the human custom.

[Trinity Talon]

Trinity was just tying a gauzy wrap over her very brief two piece bikini that left very little the imagination. She was going to take the Twins to the beach, her mother was constantly asking her to come over to the house in New Honolulu and she wanted to see the Narlin twins. Plus she figured that they could use a bit of fresh sea air. Simon and Lilith were in a stroller and already in little swimsuits themselves. Trinity was just about to call for a site to site transport when she heard the knock at the door.

"Seriously?" Trinity muttered under her breath as she looked down at herself. "Whatever... not the most exposed I've been to strangers." sliding into the nearest pair of shoes she had laying under the coffee table, she answered the door and cocked her head. "Uhm... hello there... not entirely what I was expecting." she said as she was a little shocked to see a trio of Narlins towering over her, a part of her was actually a little glad the shoes she put on were her platform wedge heeled sandals that gave her a couple extra inches of height, even though they still towered over her by a good foot and a half...

[Golondra Windrunner]

"Colonel," Sunriver greeted with a bow of her head. "May I introduce you to Lady Windrunner, formerly Countess of the Earldom of O'Granell. And this is High Priestess Megdeline Stormrage."

[Trinity Talon]

"A... pleasure." Trinity said and sighed heavily. "I take it this little visit is about the twins?" she glanced at the children. "Given what Kat and I went though getting them here, you'll understand if I feel that I'm entirely ready to give them up."

[Golondra Windrunner]

Golondra raised an eyebrow and glanced at the priestess, "Then the child is unlikely the princess, as she is not a twin."

"Still..." Stormrage said slowly, "The children require Narla's embrace, and no child should do without a name."

[Trinity Talon]

"The boy we named Simon and the girl, Lilith." Trinity said as she pulled off the wrap that covered her back and pointed to a fresh tattoo on one of her 'feathers'. "My Aunt Kirby already added it to the skin." she said with a slight smirk. "Lilith is the elder, the boy... was a surprise. I think the Queen was pregnant when Dominus tore him out of her, Kat saved him. Like I said, she and I risked our lives for them."

[Golondra Windrunner]

Golondra inclined her head, kneeled and pulled out a scanner. A holographic projection of blue and pink geometric shapes floated above Lilith who squealed in delight, her delicate fingers futilely trying to grasp the images, and giggling in mirth as her tiny pink fingers passed through the light show.

Standing Golondra returned the scanner to her belt, "The child is the heir."

Megdeline smiled weakly, "There was little doubt. I must prepare for the ceremony." She turned ans shuffled off. Two of the guards peeled off and entered the shuttle only to emerge several moments later carrying an ornate box between them and sans their weapons and armor.

Megdeline was surprisingly spry for her age and was already at the creek's edge, her staff burried into the soft earth, and was prostrate in the grass praying.

"Come," Golondra suggested, "This will take a while. The High Priestess' adjunct will summon us when she is ready for the ceremony."

[Kat Donovan]

The sun was low on the western horizon when the gangly adjunct, who happened to be an adolescent apprentice knocked softly on the kitchen door.

Mrs. Ackers set the plate she was washing down and dried her hands with her apron. "Yes dear?" she said to the young Narlin.

"The High Priestess is ready my lady," she said reverently.

Kat sighed, and glanced from Ethan and then to Trinity. The trio were sitting around the kitchen table sipping coffee while the babies lay in the arms of the two women.

Ethan nodded without saying a word he pushed himself from the table, and started for the door where his hat was hung on a hook below his rifle.

"No sir," the Narlin pleaded, "The naming is no place for a man. You mustn't be there."

Ethan chuckled good naturedly, "My bad." He removed his Stetson and hung it back up and took Lilith from Trinity and helped her to her feet. Handing the child back to his wife he kissed her on the forehead, "Have fun my love. I'll be here when you are done."

Kat was making mock sick sounds, "So bloody sweet me teeth are rotten clean out to be sure!"

Ethan glared at her, and she laughed as she wrapped a shall around her and Simon and followed the Narlin youth out the door and into the twilight.

A bon fire near the creek blazed invitingly as they were led to the bank. Golondra and R'eah were already there and they simply nodded an acknowledgment of their arrival.

Megdeline stood next to one of the male Narlins that had come on the shuttle. The only male aside from Simon. Both he and Megdeline were naked as the day they were born. A skull mask with an impressive set of horns covered his face.

Megdeline herself wore a headdress of raven black feathers that covered her wispy strands of white hair. In her hand was an ornate gold dagger.

She started singing, that sounded more like a chant:

Wiohpeyata etunwan yo
Nitunkasila ahitunwan yankelo
Cekiya yo, cekiya yo!
Ahitunwan yankelo!

Waziyatakiya etunwan yo
Nitunkasila ahitunwan yankelo
Cekiya yo, cekiya yo!
Ahitunwan yankelo!

Wiohinhpayata etunwan yo
Nitunkasila ahitunwan yankelo
Cekiya yo, cekiya yo!
Ahitunwan yankelo!

Itokagata etunwan yo
Nitunkasila ahitunwan yankelo
Cekiya yo, cekiya yo!
Ahitunwan yankelo!

"In the beginning Narlins had no names. We were not unlike the animals. We knew not the ways of civilization. We fought amongst ourselves, for food, and mates.

"Then one day Narla came to our people, and gave us the first name: Hemled. Hemled was so greatful to Narla that she gave our people the name Narlin. And we prospered.

"A Narlin has no name until blessed bt Narla. A Narlin cannnot arrive into Narla's embrace at death without a name."

The priestess cocked her head at Trinity, indicating she was to step forward. Taking Lilith from Trinity's arms the child started to fuss, which caused her brother to start crying as well.

At the alter beside her Megdeline dipped her thumb into a bowl and drew a line of purple between Lilith's brows with some sort of face paint. A smoldering sprig of something that looked a lot like sage was passed over the child as the priestess started singing again.

Hey ya!
Hey yo'a!
Hey'ya he'ya!
Hey ya!
Hey yo'a!

Hoka te ya
Hokoka me yo'a
Tey'a m'tey'a
Tio ho kay'a

Ka'teo
Ma ley teo
Re'la me'o
Re'la me'o

Hey ya!
Hey yo'a!
Hey'ya he'ya!
Hey ya!
Hey yo'a!

Megdeline raised the child into the air with both hands grasping it under the arms, "Narla the Goddess of the moon, the Feathered Goddess I beseech you and your consort the Sun Lord, the Horned Lord Cernunnus to bless this child. Lilith Stormtalon of the the House Stormtalon, our true heir to the throne. Empress of the realms!"

Some thing settled in on thr onlookers, as if something supernatural was occurring. There was electricity in the air, and the children's cries had silenced, and the whole ceremony fell silent, with only the cracking of the fire and the soft chuckling of the stream.

A breeze came in from the west carrying upon it the scents of the high peaks, and chill from the early fall snows.

"Narla speaks," Megdeline announced, "I present Lilith of the Wolf sept, our Empress."

[Trinity Talon]

Trinity watched the whole ceremony as she gently rocked Simon and mused to herself, this was something she never quite thought she would see. It was pretty rare for Terrans to be invited to such Narlin ceremonies. Of course, the fact that Megdeline was pretty much entirely naked, all seven feet of her and she was an impressive sight. Glancing at Kat, she silently vowed that no matter what, the two of them would be these children's protectors for as long as they needed them, even though she already knew she was carrying children of her own, Simon and Lilith would be like siblings to her own. She didn't know for sure, but she got the distinct impression she was carrying twins. A slight smirk crossed her lips when the thought of one of her own children possibly dating one of the two Narlin heirs crossed her mind, and the resulting controversy that would no doubt erupt. Which would make them even more committed, but it would also ensure that even if something happened to her or to Kat, the vow would remain. They would be taken care of.

"I'm glad we're here to see this." Trinity whispered to Kat