I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my latest novel, entitled "LADIRAE". As a stand-alone installment in the Vias Aves Heros Trilogy, Ladirae tells the story of a group of arctic terns who, following a devastating attack against their home, embark on an across-the-globe journey to save their culture. Meeting friends along the way, the protagonist, Ladirae finds himself in a fight against the worldly Dag-Shahor, a sinister villian who was responsible for the destruction of their home! I can't tell you how much of a joy it was to write this book. I hope that you will find it to be as much of a joy and blessing to read as it was for me in creating it. Please, consider supporting my work!
https://www.amazon.ca/LADIRAE-Novel-Jonathan-Jehanne-Elias-Wamback/dp/0991676181/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KQ5W41WCHDAR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Weg-20ME7l4t8QQ9mnHqAw.GdlsCmKmOGzUBYlJ_IvB7tFj_eL6_uoMDxnYr1iv7Hw&dib_tag=se&keywords=ladirae&qid=1722878609&sprefix=ladirae%2Caps%2C254&sr=8-1
Here is a free chapter from the book!
Chapter 17
“What a great night for a party!” said Staccato.
“I just can’t wait to see this fish!” Wader stammered.
“I’ve never been to a party,” conjectured Billow. “Will there be Lion’s Mane Fungus? Will there be spirits?”
Ladirae answered Billow, “I don’t know. Even if there is, you are not allowed to have these things, mister.”
Billow protested, “But, I am practically two months old! I have been flying all by myself for nearly two weeks now. What makes an adult an adult?”
Ladirae ignored the chick.
“Eh’?” Billow cried. “Ladirae. . . Ladirae!”
“I said no,” Ladirae simply responded.
Billow hung his head and pouted.
Erne said carefully, licking the edges of his beak hungrily, “I bet there’ll be caviar! Oh, how I love caviar.”
They were marching across the central field to the meeting hall. The darkness crept over the plants that grew around them. There was a little beaten down path through the tall weeds that surrounded them. The weeds lay crumpled at the root, along this trodden path, beaten down from claw steps. The starlight above was exceptionally visible. There were a few crisp clouds here and there, illuminated by a strong moonlight. Through and around these clouds, the sky was painted across by a carpet of stars. A bulbous group of stars above shone brighter than the rest. It stretched out across the sky like a reaching arm. The sound of a number of engines hummed in the distance. Suddenly, the sound of a deep and prolonged honk filled the environment.
The meeting hall was on the horizon. The lights that emanated from the meeting hall illuminated everything around it. As they approached, it became apparent that the meeting hall was simply a canopy of canvas held up by a number of heavy sticks. The light was actually not coming from the tent but from a large bonfire some ways away from it.
Approaching, Ladirae noticed a couple of terns with sticks roasting fish over the fire. Ladirae nodded to them in passing and continued. At the tent entrance, Ladirae and the rest were welcomed by a group of chicks, young common ternlings. The chicks jumped up and placed a string of flowers over each of the bird’s necks.
Ladirae assessed the place. It was quite big. More long than wide. In the middle there was a long table, upon which, was truly the biggest fish he had ever seen.
Staccato and Wader both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw it. Ladirae sensed their reaction and turned to look at them amusedly. They looked at Ladirae with joy. Ladirae set his gaze forward and proceeded. There was an array of tables set up all around this center table. In a corner, there was a dance floor. There was already music playing. The little terns were adjusting their instruments: little horns from animals that no longer needed them, as well as their feathers. And there were stringed instruments made from refuse the human creatures had left. Their music was a little disorganized, like they were simply practicing and tuning their instruments. When they did start playing music it was a beautiful and melancholy tone. The organization and style of the band, the quality of the instruments were significantly more excellent than those of the musicians within his own colony. He lowered his head quickly and said a brief prayer.
When he gazed up, the common terns were filing into the tent from the other end. They all mutually appeared very sharp in their black and white feather suits. Their beaks, in the thin light, appeared to possess no color at all. Once they had all entered, they each scurried to a seat, leaving Ladirae and his friends still standing. A few of the commons chuckled audibly.
Sensing their distress, a waiter approached and escorted them to seats. Erne, Perry and Mews had been given the seats of honor. They were seated in the middle of the tent on three very sturdy tree stumps. There was no table before them. They seemed not to mind. Ladirae watched in delight as the workers rushed about to make a good amount of space for these gargantuan birds. He laughed out loud when he heard one of the wait staff say audibly to Mews, “Try not to move that much.”
Ladirae glanced around to the others at his table. They were all strangers. Except one. His eyes drifted across the group until they rested on another pair, staring back at him. “Chara Bethany!” Ladirae said. He could not contain his excitement.
“Hi Ladirae,” she said, “I’m very happy that you have come. . . and that you have been seated at my table.”
A couple of the commons, seated between the two, stood and made space for Ladirae to sit next to Chara Bethany. Ladirae acknowledged them with a pleasant smile. Ladirae sat gingerly next to the beautiful tern. She stared at him for another couple of seconds before snapping her head away and looking at the tern on the other side of her. “This is my father, Ladirae. His name is Hyen.”
Ladirae smiled at Hyen and said, “Good day to you, sir.”
“And a good day to you, Ladirae,” Hyen said, “What brings you to our fair colony?”
“This is a long story, sir.”
Hyen responded, “Well, it is a party. And we have all night. If you would like to entertain an old bird.”
“Sir,” Ladirae said, “the colony in which I grew up was devastated after it was attacked by a vicious skulk of arctic fox. I have come here, on my way to the southern climes. I have been sent by the chief of my colony in order to help my family, or. . . what remains of it. There is hope for it even if there was only one of us left.”
Hyen looked carefully at Ladirae and then returned his eyes to Chara Bethany. With an indiscernible nod, he said patiently, “Well, this is not a very long story. But, sir, it is a noble one. How many of you are there left?”
Ladirae deliberated and said, “When I left, there was a number of us remaining, including the chief and council. The fox trampled our nesting fields and destroyed every egg in the colony. There was a miracle though. A single chick that survived. He is with us here today.” Ladirae glanced around proudly to see if he could find Billow. When he returned his gaze, he saw that the two were still looking at him intently. Then he caught sight of Billow across the room. “Hopefully, I will have the chance to introduce you to him!”
Ladirae’s pride was beaming over the chick. His pride was apparently evident because Chara Bethany blushed and turned her face away.
Hyen asked him, “What is it that keeps you busy at your colony?. . . before. . . well, you know. . .”
Ladirae responded, “There were a lot of jobs in my colony. I was always very good with my wings. You know, maintenance, restoration, carpentry. I found an awful lot of joy in this work. I was also employed as a gardener and chores man in the brief summers.” Hyen looked at Ladirae with interest but allowed him to continue. Ladirae said, “I was aspiring for leadership of the council at some point. I myself did not really feel up to it. But others seemed to think I was a good choice. If leadership were required of me, I would accept. But it was never something I would seek out. I always felt such pride and love working simple projects. I had a mate. Years ago. She was taken from me. We never had the opportunity to raise chicks together. I hope one day to raise a family of my own. To see my offspring and mate happy and provided for would be my greatest dream.”
Here Ladirae stopped and allowed a moment for Chara Bethany to say something about herself. Hyen instead said, “You are a distinguished tern who values love and family over power and authority. It seems like these are qualities in any bird that are rare in these turbulent times. Hyen turned and nodded to his daughter before turning his back on the two with a smile. He started up a conversation with the bird to his left.
Chara Bethany looked at Ladirae softly, smiled and started to speak. As she was beginning to speak, Ladirae also stammered. They paused for each other to speak and when neither of them did, they both broke out into laughter. Ladirae smiled again and said, “Your father seems wonderful. Thank you for introducing me to him.” He paused and said, “Now you know what I do. What do you do with your free time?”
Chara Bethany said, “I am an artist. My creativity is my most cherished possession. For the glory of Adwa,”
After a moment, she asked, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” said Ladirae.
“What was your first mate like?” she asked and after a pause, she stammered, “If that is too personal, you don’t have to answer.”
Ladirae thought for a moment more and then lowered his beak and said, “Her name was Eliana. She was a wonderful bird. She was the reason I had for living. . . thriving. . . for a long time. Before I met her, I was just doing that, surviving. After she came into my life, my life developed a meaning. . . a passion. She made me want to be – and encouraged me to be – a better bird. She was everything a bird could want in a mate. Adwa saw fit to take her from me before we had chicks.”
“How was she taken from you?” she asked.
Ladirae closed his eyes and thought before a tear came to his eye. She shook her head and put her wing on his shoulder. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.” Another moment of silence ensued. “Can I ask you another question?”
“Yes,” said Ladirae.
“What is the weirdest dream you have ever had that has come true?” she asked.
“Ah, I’d have to think about this question,” Ladirae responded, looking at her in delight from the corner of his eye.
“Can I tell you mine?”
“Yes,” Ladirae said.
“I have had this dream since I was a chick. . . every detail. Down to every detail,” she stumbled and pondered.
Ladirae encouraged her by nodding curiously.
“That one day a brave tern would arrive in our colony with a group of friends. . . with a very important purpose. He was different from me but similar in so many ways. He was a skilled tern with his wings, very simple. Along with his friends, this brave tern takes on the responsibility for the care of a distressed chick. This tern alone has a purpose ordained by Adwa Himself to change the course, not only of the church but of the world. He needs and craves love. But is scared to accept it because he doesn’t want to be hurt again.” She said softly. She looked at him. He returned the look. “I thought it was simply a fairytale dream that I was conjuring up in my chick imagination. Something to pacify my hunger for love, myself.”
“How does the dream end?” Ladirae asked.
She hesitated before saying quickly, “I think that I am part of your story. I am unsure how but I think that Adwa ordained this meeting.”
At that moment, dishes of fine cuts of pike were placed in front of each person at the table. Ladirae continued to watch her, undisturbed by the wait staff. She lowered her head, looked at Ladirae once more. Smiling, she started eating. Ladirae followed her lead. There were tall glasses at the table, which the wait staff began filling. They were pouring spirits.
Ladirae stopped suddenly, reached out and said to Chara Bethany, “Will you excuse me for a moment? I have to make sure that Billow does not drink the spirits.”
“Who is Billow?” she smiled waveringly.
“Billow is the young chick that I am taking care of,” Ladirae responded.
“Can I meet him?” she asked.
“I don’t see why not,” Ladirae said.
As they maneuvered through a couple of tables, they were forced together by a bird who pushed out his chair getting up. Ladirae and Chara Bethany locked eyes as they drew close. Turning their heads forward again, she reached out her wing and wrapped it around his wing. His heart began to race again.
Ladirae caught glimpse of Billow then. Billow saw him as well. He stood and approached. “Hi, I am Billow,” he said.
“Hi Billow, I am Chara Bethany.”
Billow glanced down and noticed her holding Ladirae’s wing. “What a beautiful name!” he said. And to Ladirae, he asked, “What’s up?”
Ladirae responded, “I just wanted to make sure that you were not drinking spirits.”
Billow glanced at him and said respectfully, “You told me not to.” He looked again to Chara Bethany.
“But I thought that you might. . .”
Billow cut him off, “When you give me an instruction, I listen to it. I may joke around. But you raised me well, Ladirae. . . now go. Don’t worry about me. Have fun! It’s a party in honor of us!”
Ladirae was pleased as he walked back to his seat. Chara Bethany stroked his wing with hers. Ladirae pulled out the seat for her and waited for her to sit before seating himself. As he was sitting, he caught sight of Billow again across the room. He was laughing out loud and having a great time. When he saw Ladirae looking at him, he indicated to Chara Bethany and smiled.
The meals concluded and the lights dimmed. The band began to play energetic music. Chara Bethany looked at Ladirae timidly. Ladirae laughed a little in anxiety and lowered his head. Quickly, summoning courage, he asked her, “Will you dance with me, Chara Bethany?”
“I would be delighted,” she responded.
She grabbed his wing and he chased her out onto the dance floor. She was a very good dancer. Ladirae, on the other hand, did not know what he was doing. She danced around him in circles while he fumbled around, struggling to move his feet. In spite of his inadequacy, he was having a great time.
Then, the music slowed significantly and the birds all drew close together. Chara Bethany watched Ladirae. He hesitated but deliberately moved toward her. She drew close to him and wrapped her wings around him. His heart began to race again. She placed her beak of his shoulder and allowed it to rest there. She sighed a breath of relaxation and comfort.
“Tell me, what is your favorite gift you have ever received?” Ladirae asked.
“Well,” she said into his neck feathers, “I received a painted stone from my mentor a couple of months ago. I always have this with me.”
“Do you like to travel?” Ladirae asked.
“I have never left the colony. I have never had the ambition to leave. But if there were reason enough to leave, I would certainly be ready. . . My turn,” Chara Bethany said, “If you were to live in the Aretz, as any creature or thing other than a tern, what would it be?”
Ladirae pondered a moment before answering, “I would have to say a blue whale.”
She squeezed Ladirae closer to her own body as she asked, “Why? What is special about a blue whale?”
Ladirae thought again and answered, “Well, they are very common where I grew up. They are a noble, stately and yet extremely humble creature of Adwa. Their existence, in a sense, is Adwa telling us that just because you are big and powerful does not mean that you have to become corrupted by darkness.”
She pondered for a second and breathed into his shoulder. Ladirae swooned, before asking her, “What is the quality you most like in a male tern?”
Without a thought, she responded, “Courage.”
He could feel a gentle tremor developing in her body. She asked quickly, “What is the purpose of suffering? Your colony. . . your mate, they all were taken from you. What does it mean? Why does Adwa allow it to happen?” She asked as though she already knew the answer but only wanted to hear him say it.
“I’m not really sure what to say,” Ladirae responded.
At that moment, the music transitioned into a quicker tune. They grew silent and simply held each other while everyone started to dance around them.
