I have been working on a story, writing it out by hand in this little rough-edged journal, and when I have a little time I add to it. I am continuing to share some more chapters. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts as they sink into the story.
Read the Prelude HERE.
Read Chapter I HERE.
Read Chapter 2 HERE.
Read Chapter 3 HERE.
Read Chapter 4 HERE.
Read Chapter 5 HERE.
Read Chapter 6 HERE.
Chapter VII
As summer waned, the scents floating in the air changed. Blooms begot visual and scent pleasures that were unknown to Nella before. The white blooms, starlight, were densely packed layers of petals that opened with such simple beauty, Nella frequently foraged and had vases and tables well stocked with natural beauty. She even brough a bunch to the library to give to Lady Kira, who burst into smiles.
"You bring light wherever you go, Nella."
From their height in the trees, the sounds of many waters was very dim, almost like a wind coming through the forest, but they all knew when it happened. Everyday around the late afternoon hour before they all go home, the swift waves rush beneath them, claiming anything at ground level, and causing a sea to envelope the forest through the night. Often Nella would stand outside on a walkway, listening to the water rush through the trees. A melancholy would fill her as she thought about the intentions of the one who shifted a world with words, forcing the people to retreat and be contained. They were suppressed here, and yet, they were happy and content with what they had. She mused.
By morning, the flood drains away, somehow, and all seems normal. In Nella's research, she had detected words and phrases that indicate underground caverns, and perhaps sub-terranian tunnels that lead the water elsewhere. It was intentionally written in, as someone shaped the landscape. Perhaps it was a repair that later writers tried.
She asked Master Nolan the next day.
"Yes, Nella, and very good deductive skills. A later writer wanted to prevent severe flooding that would never go away, so he had some drainage added. It is carefully written so that the ground is still able to support the trees and root systems. The water by-passes those essentials and is led away."
"Where does it go?"
"I haven't figured that out." He answered. "The words used in the passages indicate an origin, so we always assumed that meant a great sea somewhere. How it might be originally intended."
Nella had her doubts, but she kept silent. In all her research the word meaning 'origin' meant something more specific to the cause of the beginning. That would mean it could be leading back to the place from which the waters came, and thus feeding back into the issue. She wanted to be sure of that before letting Master Nolan know her theory. She needed to study some phrases and words that could be written to correct that attempt to fix part of the issue.
Each evening as she walked home, she let the sweet, misty air sink into her skin. A breeze was normal at that time of day, and sometimes a light rain would fall. This was her time to think in a solitude-steeped walk. She left the library later than most everyone else who would leave their duties for the day, so she didn't often run into other people, as it was the time for the evening meal.
As soon as she walked through her door, Miriam would pour her a glass of a refreshing drink, orgeat, made from almonds and orange flower. She would enjoy that drink on the balcony, and very shortly after, Miriam would bring her meal to her outside.
By this time, she felt close to Miriam and knew what life here meant to her. She had grown accustomed to her hurried way of cleaning up after her, and never letting Nella do any of it. She felt so strongly the duty she had and embraced it as the most important work. With no children or husband, she was dedicated, and had passion in what she did.
Nella was thankful for her consistency and her company. She learned a lot about Selador through Miriam, and every evening she would ask more questions.
On one particular evening, the rain fell heavily outside, starting right after Nella got home. It was the kind of rain that fell thickly from dense, low clouds. A chill filled the atmosphere and it no longer felt like summer. A new season was upon them. Nella stayed inside for her meal and when she was done, she asked Miriam to make tea and to join her at the table to enjoy a cup.
Nella remembered that Miriam had a brother who left Selador, and she wanted to know more of that. Nella learned it was about 20 years ago that he left. A risky venture with many waters.
"How did he leave with the floods? Isn't that risky? And why did he leave?" Nella always had questions.
Miriam folded her hands around the steaming cup of tea, "He knew the pattern of many waters, so his timing was carefully prepared, but he was always a big thinker, wishing to bring great change to this realm. He wanted to make it bigger and more affluent. Master Louver and he had many disagreements, and that eventually turned into a situation where my brother, Tive, became rebellious and opposed the qualities of this realm that make it so special. That, of course, had many dangers. I am not sure if he was asked to leave, but he did leave quite abruptly." Miriam looked into her tea.
"Were you two close?"
"We were, yes, but he and I saw things so differently, and he had a lust for power and control that caused him to only care for doing what would be best for himself, so he hurt a lot of people."
They were quiet for a moment as Nella reflected on what she heard and Miriam was reliving some of her past in her mind. She wondered why it would be so dangerous to rebel here and have disagreements with Master Louver. Surely the leaders here would be open to good ideas, but not ones that would shake the core of the realm. The only ones who would be able to be so dangerous and literally change the shape of their lives would be an entry-writer, she concluded.
"Tive was an entry-writer, wasn't he?" Nella broke the silence.
Miriam nodded.
Nella knew then that the entries in which she researched and found grave phrasings were written by Tive, in rebellion of the leadership. Her suspected doubts of the added entries to drain the waters in the best way were warranted, and now she knew that is where the flaws would be so carefully woven in. If Tive was to leave in anger, he would have likely desired to leave his mark on this realm that opposed his expansion ideas and wealth-possessed desires. Perhaps his intention was to keep the people here, unable to follow him? But where did he go? Where else can the tunnel take you?
"Do you know much about the tunnel?" She asked Miriam, pouring some more tea.
"Only that it brings people here who have purposes to fulfill. Since Tive wanted to get there, I suspect he wanted to go to another realm where he could pursue his ideas of power."
Nella mused upon this conversation for days. While it provided some more detail, it did not explain how she got there from the tunnel. However, it awakened in her a new vigilance as she looked for ill intent in word selection of the entries. Words have great power. It is like wielding a sword, by which you can protect what is good, or slash away at what is good. Sometimes it is not so obvious when the slashing is deeply woven in.
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