12-10-03 @ 10:56 am EST

MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS! Please read only if that doesn't bother you!

This was written offline. Remember my two older "Plot Ideas" entries from a while back, when I practically gave away EVERYTHING that's going to happen in the Ameni Chronicles? (See Plot Ideas and Plot Ideas Cont.) I never finished them. Well, I felt like trying to continue that a bit.

Firstly, some corrections and additions to the original text. In "Plot Ideas"--I'm not sure if Resikh is on hand to witness Tefkha's lashing or not. Can't remember but I seem to think he was not present. Might just be me though. Second, the "little boy Kana" whom Djuta and the others meet at the destroyed tribe, name pending, has since been named Deden. The "former Kana," spelling to be decided later, of the destroyed tribe met by Mahakhi's men has been named Setaija. The character "Ra'rukha"'s real name is in fact Pai'akhen. In "Plot Ideas Cont.," I spelled "reins" wrong, SORRY! And I think that was about it.

To pick up where I left off...Khetai approaches Khanef with some news, and discovers that...she is with child! Their time together worked! She's nervous about this, of course, both because of the injuries she sustained and because she's never given birth before, but Khanef promises to guide her through it the best he can. She's also reluctant to tell Fe'kheru, as he is her master and may not be happy to hear that she's with child; but of course he's all right with the situation.

I'm not sure where, but somewhere in here, Fe'kheru's mate, Ikhi'et, will also end up pregnant. She is MUCH more uneasy about this than Khetai is, considering she lost her last two pups--a stillborn and a miscarriage--and her age is not convenient for childbirth. Khetai also promises to help her (Ikhi'et is equally reluctant to let Fe'kheru know of her situation), but privately, Fe'kheru tells Khetai that if Ikhi'et's life is ever in any danger, he wishes the pup to be dispatched promptly, in order to save her--he would rather his mate survive than the pup, if it comes time to choose. Khetai is uncomfortable with the request but reluctantly agrees.

Also in the River Tribe, Pai'akhen (he who was referred to as "Ra'rukha" in the older entries) seeks out Khetai's company more and more often, and she convinces him that even though his father Sut'khut was a callous brute, he was also an excellent warrior--rather than be ashamed of the bad aspect of his father, he should be proud of the good aspect, and emulate that instead. Pai'akhen is still insistent that he has no one to make proud of him, at which Khetai reminds him he has his uncle--Fe'kheru. At which Pai'akhen swallows his pride and goes to Fe'kheru to ask for his forgiveness and guidance. Fe'kheru is surprised by the gesture, but agrees to mentor the younger Kana. Pai'akhen is at some point put in charge of the Sut'khut itself, a sort of symbolic gesture, as he can attempt to make his remaining family proud of him with the use of his slain father's name.

Back in the Great Red Tribe...Resikh is trying to hold himself together as best he can, but Djuta's absence is wearing heavily on him. He remembers a time he had completely forgotten--the year Djuta spent as Tas'hukh's slave, and the agony he had felt with his best friend gone for so long. Back then, he had at least known where Djuta was--but not knowing where he is now, nor why he left, is driving him insane. He envisions Djuta and himself sparring as teenagers beside Djetef's pool, and finally breaks down sobbing in grief. Be'shen arrives to comfort him, but Resikh is insistent that there is no reason left for Djuta to return--he was never good enough to compare to him, so why should he come back to someone so inferior? He believes Djuta has a stronger chance of returning for Rithukh'het alone, but even Rithukh'het is growing more and more anxious.

Meanwhile, in the desert...Djuta and the others are STILL traveling! (They got a long way to go, I guess.) Somewhere in here Djuta presses I'enua for more information on his family--why exactly he was abandoned, what his father and mother were like, etc. He learns he had at least two Kana brothers, one of whom was killed in battle and the other of whom nothing more is known; and several Moru siblings, including a half-sister who General Djuta also abandoned. Why did he do such a thing? I'enua tells Djuta that upon the girl's birth, General Djuta could tell, just from the way she cried and reacted, that she would have a chance at being an excellent fighter...but not among the Kana, of course. He abandoned her not far from a tribe of free Apsiu, who took her in as one of their own...and Djuta realizes in surprise that Ze'thet is his half-sister. (Yeah, so this is soap-operaish! I never denied it.) When Ze'thet finds out, she's just as shocked as he is, though it does explain a few things. She reacts with disgust at being related to a Kana, but Djuta can tell it's just bluster. In Ze'thet's mind, if she has to be related to a Kana, she guesses they can't get any better than Djuta. Also somewhere in here, Djuta receives a vision of his family from Yekh'iet, who allows him to see his father and mother as they looked in life. When he asks, she tells him his mother is likely still alive, somewhere, but her whereabouts are unknown, as are those of his other, possibly surviving brother. Yekh'iet also continues to tend to She'hekha's wound; She'hekha refuses to lie still for long, and even rides Sha-back, but the others can tell his health is failing. Yekh'iet may be an excellent Seer, but her medicine skills are limited, and the lieutenant's wound is very bad.

Flip back to the Great Red Tribe! For some reason Dja'mui leaves the security of the camp and wanders into the desert. By some means I'm not sure of yet (attempted suicide?) he ends up wounded himself, and collapses. Several shadows appear around him and he opens his eyes to see...a female face, wearing the lappets of a Kana, peering down at him. He loses consciousness. When he comes to he is being cared for by Yekh'iet and the others, who form a rather odd group. "You are female," he exclaims in surprise, but that's about as far as his disbelief goes. He doesn't really care that the one tending to him is a Moru. Dja'mui recognizes Djuta's name from overhearing much angry talk among Mahakhi's men, and informs him of the location of the Great Red Tribe. They are not too far away, in fact, and can easily be reached before daybreak. The two tribes prepare to depart, but before they do, Dja'mui gratefully clasps Yekh'iet's hand...and she is startled by a vision so intense it almost makes her collapse. To sum it up, she sees herself, in a future with Dja'mui as her master--and even envisions herself giving birth to their son, in full detail. She's never received a future vision in such a manner before, and it leaves her feeling shaken and uneasy.

Somewhere in here, at least part of the River Tribe catches up with the Great Red Tribe and accompanies them, Khetai among them. I'm not sure exactly how it goes but Pai'akhen and/or Fe'kheru may be in a separate division which is still sailing the river. *shrug*

At the perimeter of the Great Red Tribe (this part is hazy and uncertain and might be flipped to a different scene), Tefkha is grudgingly standing guard. He isn't paying the best attention to his duties, however, and it's only when a vast number of Sha are practically upon them that he finally scrambles to raise an alert. He doesn't manage to before Djuta reaches him, and Tefkha confronts him in disbelief. When Djuta makes a move to return to the tribe, Tefkha warns him that he is not welcome there any longer--Mahakhi has put a price on his head. Djuta ignores the warning, and he and the other two tribes, plus Dja'mui, approach the camp.

I had envisioned a "gate," but as they're in camp, I don't see how that could happen unless they are staying with another, uninvolved tribe. (And somewhere in here they ARE supposed to meet one, which refuses to either leave their city or join in their fight.) Anyway, Djuta and the others arrive but are denied admittance to the tribe by...Rik'hia. Still simmering with hatred for Djuta, he gloats over the chance to deny him entry. The lieutenants standing guard all protest so vehemently that Rik'hia is nearly shouted down--until another voice declares that Djuta should be allowed to pass through. Ahen appears, and informs them that Mahakhi himself has ordered this to be so...as Nehef learns, he's lying, but Rik'hia doesn't need to know that. She'hekha and Dja'mui are admitted immediately to be tended to--as She'hekha's condition has only grown worse, so he can no longer even ride--and Djuta is directed straight to Mahakhi's quarters. Mahakhi argues furiously with...someone (Ahen?), not wishing to see Djuta, but loses the argument and the lieutenant is admitted. The sight of him in his feathered headdress and general's lappets strikes Mahakhi as ludicrous, and he commences giving him the tongue thrashing of all tongue thrashings. Djuta bears it all in silence, but stands by his original plan of ending the warfare between the tribes. Although Mahakhi comes across as SUPREMELY pissed off...it turns out he was more worried and disappointed than anything, as he has always considered Djuta one of his best warriors, and the lieutenant's desertion pained him almost as badly as it pained Resikh. Of course, with as blustery as he is, he denied all of this, but he finally admits to Djuta that he was worried about him. In resignation he dismisses Djuta with no current punishment, though the future is uncertain, and their relationship is obviously wavering. Djuta leaves the general's quarters and goes to face the rest of the tribe. One of the first people he meets is...Resikh. They stop and stare at each other in silence, then Djuta removes his general's lappets. They share a very, VERY awkward silence before Resikh approaches and hugs him tight. The awkwardness between them melts, and even Djuta is reduced to tears. Resikh manages to hold himself together and says, "There's someone who needs to see you more than me," and leads Djuta to another tent. Here he meets Rithukh'het, who greets him with tears of joy. Resikh smiles and leaves them alone. Although he badly wants to know why Djuta left and what's been going on, at least he knows he's back and he's safe, and he can live without talking to him for a little bit longer.

In another tent, Khetai tends to first Dja'mui, whose wound is not as serious as it seemed, then, leaving him in Yekh'iet's care, she tends to She'hekha. She'hekha remembers her from their encounter with Rik'hia, and questions her about Djuta's abandonment of her. At first Khetai is reluctant to talk, but finally she blurts out that everything Djuta did for her, he did with her best interests in mind. She'hekha is skeptical, and even Khetai can't believe she really said that, but with more arguing from him she defends her position, and Djuta, insisting that he is a better Kana than he appears. She'hekha still feels the sting of his own betrayal by Djuta, but grudgingly listens to Khetai's arguments. With some surprise he learns how deeply she still feels for her former master, and wonders if he judged him too quickly.

In other related news...Resikh and Djuta converse several times, also arguing themselves over Djuta's decisions--to paraphrase Resikh, "I would have followed you anywhere, done anything you wanted me to. What makes you think I would have wanted to live without you?"...Ri'hus's skills have evolved so that Tas'hukh recommends him for promotion, and Mahakhi agrees, promoting the young Kana to the rank of sergeant third class. Although not as skilled with the sword as most Kana are, Ri'hus is an expert archer, and archery is one skill most Kana tribes do not possess in great numbers--he is sent out with Tefkha as a scout and outrider to guard the perimeter, what to Tefkha is a drudge job but to Ri'hus is an incredible honor...Dja'mui's only surviving son, Intaka, grows close to Kha'kaat (she was among the faction of the River Tribe that met up with the Great Red Tribe, I guess, unless this happens later), and even though she is old enough to be his mother, he asks Dja'mui for permission to purchase her as his mate. Dja'mui is stunned speechless by the odd request--Kha'kaat is not likely to ever bear children again--but Intaka vows to take another mate just to bear children--he simply wants Kha'kaat to be with him. Confused, Dja'mui nonetheless grants the request, and Intaka buys Kha'kaat from Fe'kheru...Tefkha finally receives his original rank of barracks lieutenant back, but the promotion doesn't elate him as he had expected it to...rather, he finds himself numbed and conflicted as his torture and murder of Shenkh'a finally hits home. Be'shen is there to stand beside him as he deals with it, and Tefkha at last breaks down, releasing all the rage and guilt and shame he's been feeling the entire time...and due to Khetai's treatment, She'hekha grows stronger until he can finally walk around unaided, and his opinion of the female is greatly heightened. These and various other things happen at some point in the story.

Also at some point, Djuta is approached by Dja'mui, who asks that he be allowed to purchase Yekh'iet. It turns out that he's developed feelings for her, and she, after seeing her vision of him, feels the same way. Djuta looks to her to make certain the decision is also hers; on verifying this, he gives her to Dja'mui, at no charge--as she was never his to sell anyway. Dja'mui gratefully accepts, and takes Yekh'iet with him--and Djuta can tell from the look on her face that she is grateful as well. He's relieved that she is at last in good hands, but her departure from his company still stings as it reminds him of Khetai.

Meanwhile, as the tribes are all reunited with each other, General Nehara's freedom is demanded lest there be more warfare between the Great Red and the Yellow Sands. He's put back in command of the Yellow Sands Tribe, and immediately calls Lieutenant Fa'rukha before him. Djuta and She'hekha are witness as Fa'rukha appears before Nehara, at which point Nehara reaches out and...

Ah-ah! You really didn't think I'd finish it all up in just one more entry, did you?? Crazies! Isn't it obvious I have almost completely lost track of where I'm going?? Give me time to think!! o_o;;

(Not proofread!)