The Six

Chapter Thirty Four- Promotion

"So, I'm sleeping and this tornado just springs up inside my hut- scared me stupid!" One of the Warriors said.

Eboni was sitting outside the tower next to the moat, lounging on the grass with the Warriors early in the morning waiting for the King to wake so they could add the Sher Wood Warriors to the battle plan.

"We thought your wife's water had broken what with all the high-pitched screaming, Chief!" Another warrior added.

Laughter roared from the others and Eboni felt her heart lighten at the sound.

"It wasn't funny to me!" The warrior telling the story said, scowling as the men and women from his home land continued to laugh.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to frighten you. It was the only way I could think of to alert you once I knew that we would be needing an army." Atu replied, sorrow in his voice a smile playing on his lips.

The Warriors rolled his eyes at his Chiefs apology.

"Then what?" Eboni asked, steering the conversation back to the original story.

"Well, I knew it was Atu speaking to me so I rounded up the Warriors and we spent a few days building rafts to sail across the ocean."

"How did you know what to do?" Kimi asked.

"The tornado was spinning by the shore, I knew once we were on the rafts that the tornado would bring us to where we needed to be." The warrior said, finishing his story.

"How are your people?" Eboni asked turning to Kas who was seated close to her side.

"Atu's wife Dena is ok. Her baby is not due for another few weeks. Atu is hoping that everything will have come to an end by then so he can return home. Doli is quite the little chief apparently, helping Dena now that-" his voice broke coughing to disguise it "-mother is gone."

Eboni laid a comforting hand over his own, smiling as he took her hand in his, squeezing it.

"And what of God's Land? I know that you don't wish to speak of it but I want you to know you can confine in me."

Eboni took a deep breath. She knew the conversation had been coming.

"You know that the High Priestess was killed during the fight?" She began, Kas nodding, not wanting to stop her from talking.

"Elena, the High Priestess, is. Was. Like a mother to me. She died fighting an enemy I fled." Holding her head in her hands her hair fell across her face, covering her tear-filled eyes from Kas.

He reached over, tucking the hair behind her ear so he could look into her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault Eboni." He said softly.

Looking back into his eyes the chatter of the group around her disappeared. Knowing it was unfair to keep the rest from him, she continued.

"Kas, there is something else. When a High Priestess is anointed they write down the name of who she feels would make a good replacement in the time of her natural or untimely death."

"Arianna, yes I know. I saw her robes were different to the others the Brothers and Sisters are wearing."

"Yes, and no. Arianna is only acting High Priestess because the next true High Priestess wasn't there to be anointed." She waited for him to understand.

"I don't- what are you saying? His voice barely a whisper.

"It's me Kas. If I accept the position it's mine." Her own voice matching his whisper.