It probably would make things a lot easier.
What is it about Aracia that makes her start to go to pieces at the end of every cycle? Zelana demanded. I was thinking back, and as closely as I can remember, Aracias never once gone off to sleep without fighting it every step of the way. Why does she do that?
Dahlaine shrugged. Inferiority, most likely. When you include our alternates, there are eight of us altogether, and as closely as Ive been able to determine, our alternates trade off authority in the same way that we do. That suggests that Aracias the dominant one for only twenty-five thousand years. Then she has to wait for a hundred and seventy-five eons for dominance to return. For some reason, she just cant stand that. She yearns to be at the center of the entire universe. If I remember correctly and I usually do the last time she was dominant, she literally wallowed in her position. Of course there werent any developed humans around back then, so she was the only one around who could adore her, but as I remember, her self-adoration was more than a little extreme.
Zelana smiled. Maybe you and I should join Veltan when our next waking cycle rolls around. Im sure he was just trying to make a joke of it we all know how much Veltan enjoys jokes but he told me on one occasion that he might just go back and camp out on the moon when Aracias next cycle of dominance comes along, and I think he was about half-serious when he said it.
Thats our baby brother for you. Any time responsibility comes along, Veltan runs away. Dahlaine scratched his cheek. It probably wouldnt have made much difference in eons past, but there are humans in our various Domains now. I dont know about you, dear sister, but I will not permit Aracia to run roughshod over the people of my Domain.
You almost sound like youre thinking about declaring war on our sister.
Id hardly call it a war, Zelana. Aracias people are supposed to spend every waking moment adoring her, so they wouldnt pose much of a threat.
Youre putting our sister in the same category as holy but crazy Azakan of the Atazak Nation of your own Domain, big brother, Zelana said. Then she frowned. There are quite a few similarities, though, arent there?
Except that Aracia actually has the power to make things happen. Poor Azakan spent most of his time ordering the earth and sky to obey him, but I dont think they paid very much attention. Aracia, however, has a certain amount of power, so she can make things happen if she feels the need.
Maybe so, but none of us are permitted to use that power if killing things is going to be involved. If Aracia steps over that line, shell probably vanish right then and there, Zelana suggested. And if Aracia vanishes, will we still be here? Theres a linkage between the four of us, Dahlaine, and if one of us ceases to exist, isnt it quite possible that well all just vanish?
Youre starting to give me a headache, Zelana.
At least its still there to ache, mighty brother.
I think weve had one stroke of good luck, Zelana. Your pirate chief has persuaded Commander Narasan not to just pack up and go home. Were going to need forts in Long-Pass, and when someone says forts, hes usually talking about Trogites. Did you have anything to do with Sorgans little scheme?
No, big brother. As closely as I can determine, Hook-Beak came up with that all by himself. Of course, the likelihood that hell be able to swindle a lot of gold out of Aracia probably played a large part in his decision, but right up beside his greed is his friendship for Narasan. Hell keep Aracia so flustered that she probably wont even remember that Narasan exists. Hell go on down to Aracias absurdly overdone temple and persuade our none too bright sister that hell be more than happy to defend her if shell give him enough gold.
Whats he going to defend her against? Dahlaine asked. The servants of the Vlagh will be coming down Long-Pass, so they wont be anywhere near Aracias temple.
Zelana smiled. If I know Sorgan and I do hell come up with ways to keep Aracia and her clergy so terrified that they wont even think about sending anybody up Long-Pass to pester Narasan while hes building forts.
It wasnt much later when the door to Dahlaines map room opened slightly, and Eleria looked in. Ah, there you are, Beloved, she said to Zelana. We should have guessed that youd be in here conferring with dear old Grey-Beard.
Mind your manners, Eleria, Zelana chided her Dreamer.
Im sorry, Old Grey-Beard, Eleria said with one of her mischievous grins. Weve been looking for you and the Beloved for hours now.
We? Dahlaine asked curiously.
Big-Me and I. Mother wants us to talk with you.
Mother? Zelana asked, feeling suddenly baffled.
We all have a mother, you know, Beloved. Big-Me can explain it much better than I can, Im sure. Then Eleria came on inside the large room, and immediately behind her was an extremely beautiful lady.
Dahlaine gasped. What are you doing, Balacenia? he demanded. Youre not supposed to be awake yet.
Grow up, Dahlaine, the lady replied. Your little game almost tore the world apart. Weve had a lot of trouble smoothing things over, and were not even supposed to be awake yet.
Zelana was staring at the lady. Are you really she almost choked at that point.
Yes, Beloved, I am your alternate. Our Domain is still under your control, however. I promise that I wont tamper unless Mother tells me us to. She put her hand on Elerias shoulder.
This can be terribly confusing sometimes. This is Little-Me. You know her as Eleria, which is sort of all right, I suppose. She makes me laugh quite often, and laughters good for the soul or so Ive been told. There is something Ive been curious about, though. Where in the world did she come up with her hugs and kisses ploy? She has poor Vash so confused that he doesnt know exactly what to do.
Zelana suddenly smiled. The idea came to Eleria back in the pink grotto when she was very, very young. She can kiss a pink dolphin into submission in no time at all. Then she looked rather closely at Balacenia, her alternate. The resemblances are definitely there, Balacenia. You are, in fact, a grown-up version of Eleria the Dreamer. How is it that the two of you can both be in the same place at the same time?
Its just a little complex, Beloved. Actually, were not here at the same time. Actually, Im not even really here. Im still sound asleep, and what were all seeing right now is my Dream.
Thats not possible! Dahlaine protested.
Why and how am I here, then? Balacenia demanded. Your little game was very clever, Dahlaine, but it got away from you almost right at the beginning. You thought that you could step around us with your infant hoax, but it started to come apart when Eleria had her first Dream. That was the one when she saw the very beginning of this world. Then, a little later in the Land of Maag she had a variety of Dream that you didnt even anticipate. She had what we call a warning dream, and it was that Dream that saved Longbow and his friends from the intentions of the Maag called Kajak. You might not have been aware of what that Dream suggested to us. Dreams can be warnings as well as predictions.