Chapter 46 - Mudohoon's Game

Flamekeeper Agog waited in the tunnel and led Raeyn and the new Chieftainess Ruha down into the depths and through a trapdoor, the very same mechanic that she had seen connecting the Great Mother’s room. As soon as they had passed through and dropped into a set of wonderfully clean tunnels it was clear that the warren had hidden paths that were not traversed normally. They headed to the depths and Raeyn started to cry from joy at the sight of dozens of Gobbos lining the chamber.

“Mudohoon had poisoned the food to weaken us, but the soldiers above did not act. We had enough time to open the escape routes and seal off the upper levels. We were saved by their delay.” Agog gestured to the recovering crowd, “Clover, Marn, Flint, many were gravely sickened. The Great Mother recognized the poisoned gruel and knew the antidote.”

“When I saw the smoke, we came to the warren in a rush. They were waiting for us, and we ran into a trap, but we did not fight. I heard they were planning to torch the warren, so we came to stop them and come for the return of their woman who we saved.” She looked down as she admitted the second truth, “They would not have torched the warren until they were sure I was out of it. The commander called me a demon and once I was imprisoned, they began their attack. I thought everyone was dead before I arrived… and then I believed I was the reason everyone would be killed.”

Ruha nodded as she looked at her, “We were rivals before. I am sorry. I have found my place now and I will try to make it right. You have your name restored, Vinaraeya. You are no longer a qued.”

“I did nothing.” She shook her head as she let herself be lead through the chambers and further into the depths, “If I had never left then this never would have happened.”

“No.” Agog dismissed it confidently, “That female Mahn was taken for barter, but for the tribe did not mean for the whole of the warren. Mudohoon seems to have taken her and slaughtered the Bura keepers, taking some of them with him as he fled. The Mahn were already over the warren, but he must have gotten away.”

“He was their agent.” She said through clenched teeth, “He is probably at the settlement. Leaf is also there and was caught stealing medicine.”

“For Rock.” Ruha nodded, “He survived the fall, but the wounds were severe. The Great Mother did all she could, and it likely has her most of the time she had left. Despite her efforts, Rock died and Agog made the funeral pyre. The Mahn showed up and Mudohoon decided to seal the warren and implement food rationing.”

“The poison was not lethal, but enough to weaken everyone. A handful could have actually died; the children took the worst of it.” Agog’s anger came through his voice despite his efforts, “It would have only been a matter of time before they attacked. Seeing how they did so once you were found, they had held off on the chance that that group you were with returned to the settlement. He couldn’t be bothered to look for you or inquire over a qued without raising questions.”

“To think my father was an agent this whole time… It makes sense now, the transition of power and his actions. Agog explained that he was also responsible for killing your parents and stripping you of your name. Why he kept you alive was always a mystery to me.” Ruha shook her head, “I thought it was because you were so young.”

“It was because I was needed. It is why I was allowed to survive.” She found her own fury growing, “My whole life was a miserable existence as punishment and it all ties back to those dreams…”

“Dreams?” Ruha asked, “What dreams?”

“For so many moons, I have been living a nightmare of killing a female Mahn known as Maelyn and being tortured for doing so. I am left with the same words telling me that I will suffer in this world for the crimes of a past life. Maelyn… and Belos are both powerful divine beings, but I have come to possess both of their blessings it seems.” She explained.

“You have two blessings?” Agog stopped for a moment to think over those words, “You must tell the Great Mother before it is too late! Such a thing surely has never happened. Why… you may not even be able to become the High Priestess or assume the title of Great Mother with such a thing. You serve two divine beings who hate one another! How is such a thing possible?”

“In another life…” She hated to say those words, “I was favored such that Maelyn herself ordered me to kill her. To save her. Belos and Maelyn have in a way blessed me, but all I know is that every Mahn may be my enemy and all those in the settlement may have to die for us to be at peace.”

“You are going to become a guardian…” Agog was dumbfounded, “You really are fit to take up the mantle. Belos burn me. You really were chosen by him.”

“Was she trying to get rid of me as well?” She had to ask, “The Great Mother… She sent me out without preparing me-”

“It is not like that. There was no time, no chance for warning. I know she did it to save you before the Dark Moon. Do not blame her. You came to us both too late. I swear on your mother’s name.”

“Say it.” She demanded, “Say it then.”

“By all that I am, as Flamekeeper and as an ugly broken wretch of a Gobbo who loved your mother, I swear it. As true as my love for Hawkeyes, I swear there was little either of us could do in but a single day. A frantic night would give way to a dreadful day, but you did not listen and instead of spending the day in the safety of the warren, rushed out and threw yourself at the enemy. Leaf was wrong to have abandoned you, but I know she thought she was right to tell-”

“Chief Mudohoon.” She realized it now, “I only hastened it by getting captured. You came to take me back… on his orders?”

“Of course! We had scouted but could not find you. They eventually found us and it came to a fight, but Mudohoon demanded your return. Only now it is clear why he would spend the effort on a qued. I am sorry, Vinaraeya.”

They stopped outside the room where the Great Mother lay dying, but pushing past the trapdoor and entering the chamber was difficult to do. The truth of the situation had been pieced out, bit by bit, leading to the conclusion that she lived for nothing more than to be turned over by their agent. That Mudohoon had killed her parents, and the new chief, and probably numerous others to keep his secrets. The Bura were seemingly essential to his plans as well.

The Great Mother had known enough to outmaneuver him, but because of her wasting existence and misery it came too late. She had waited until the last moment, never picking her place. The Great Mother sought to give her one more moon and make her a priestess by sending her out on a desperate mission having barely become aware of her power. As the High Priestess of Belos, of course she believed in him to protect her. Belos had. Cryptic and confusing, she put her trust in him, and she lives because of his protection. It was desperate, not some calculated plot. If not for that, she would have been doomed. Even if she were to accept Muck’s affection, she would have been on hand for when the Mahn showed up.

She knew before leaving the settlement that the soldiers had tracked down the woman and that woman had been hidden away for a time. Nothing she had ever done would have changed that timing. She owed everything to chance, fate and the faith of the Great Mother. Now on the other side of the rug, she would have to say her thanks and her goodbyes to the last guardian of this land. She was not ready to take up the responsibilities; how could she ever compare to a woman who has reared generations of Gobbos? Now that she had a purpose and a duty, the burden that was going to fall on her shoulders felt more crushing than hundreds of moons spent wallowing in her own misery. At least this time, it was a burden she would accept willingly.