Alexander led the two outside the temple walls into one of the surrounding forests. No one spoke as they followed him, his pace was quickening as he headed through the forest. He turned to Teanne and smiled. Pulling aside an overhanging branch Alexander pointed to a small path carved into the red dirt, that lead up towards another forest. It seemed a lot more gloomy and foreboding than the one they had just left.
‘I’ve never been this far out before,’ Lin whispered to Alexander.
‘Very few have.’
Teanne looked around, she was so used to the red dirt of the plains, but the greenery felt comforting, ‘Where are we going, Alexander?’
He smiled, his eyes blazing even in the dim light.
‘I have someone I want you to meet.’
Teanne looked to the sky, and could see the moons; they brought her comfort, and felt like she could finally relax – well, except for the smile from Alexander that made her feel uneasy at times.
After walking for another hour, Alexander finally stopped at the summit of a hill. Teanne and Lin caught up with him, and saw him point down the other side, where another path led to a clearing. In its centre stood a small stone building, smoke curling from the chimney. There were no lights in any of the windows. Teanne looked at Alexander; he had his familiar glare firmly set. Without saying a word, he headed down the path towards the cottage.
Reaching the door, Alexander knocked. A shuffling noise and floor boards creaking could be heard. The door slowly opened, and light from the room made Teanne squint. Lin looked puzzled as she stepped back and looked at the windows, they remained dark though the cottage inside was lit brightly; she looked at Teanne and shrugged.
‘Alexander, my boy. How good to see you’.
The old man at the door grinned up at Alexander. He was missing all his teeth, his gummy smile pushing his cheeks up onto a wrinkly mass. ‘Who have you brought to visit this time?’
Alexander stepped aside and turned to the two women.
‘These are two friends Uncle, Lin and ... Kera.’
The old man’s smile faded as he looked at Teanne.
‘She be the Mother Sovereign’s daughter, what’s she doing here?’ His voice was unrepentantly harsh.
‘It’s all right uncle, they are friends.’
The man eyed her suspiciously then turned to Alexander; shaking his head as he pulled the door wide.
‘Well, you better come in then.’
The room was a light from the thin veins within the walls, similar to the ones in the temples and the below world. Teanne looked around the small room; it was warm and cosy. A small table sat next to a window, books stacked high one upon another, and they looked like they would topple at any moment. She looked at the bookshelves surrounding most of the small room, there were more books placed in no particular order.
Looking out a nearby window Teanne realised she could see the surrounding valley clearly; she turned to Lin who still had a look of confusion set on her face. Teanne moved toward two chairs that sat to either side of a large fireplace; above the roaring flames of which a kettle sat boiling
‘Em made some tea, must have known you be coming.’
Alexander gestured Teanne to the chair and helped the old man to the other, Lin slowly lowered herself onto a rug and leant up against Teanne. The old man shuffled in his chair; finally satisfied, he clasped his hands together and smiled. He eyed Teanne suspiciously, then Lin.
‘So… have those upstarts from Aelia left yet?’
Alexander chuckled and sat down on the rug next to his uncle, ‘Not yet, they are having a feast to bid them farewell tonight.’
The old man grinned then snorted. ‘Good they leave a foul stench in the air, never liked those Aelians, weird bunch’.
‘Enough, Robert.’
All eyes turned. Standing in the doorway, an older woman stooped forward carried teacups, Teanne promptly rose to make ready her chair, and the old woman simply waved her off,
‘Sit down child’ Teanne reluctantly obliged. She followed the older woman as she moved around the small room to the table and placed the tea cups down. Looking around she waved her hands and a burst of flames filled the void between the woman and the table, then another chair appeared. Teanne and Lin both stared mouths wide. Alexander laughed out loud.
She loudly dragged the chair over to the group and settled in the chair, and then the woman raspily spoke,
‘So‘ she looked around the four, settling on Teanne, her eyes black as night seem to burn into Teanne, she smiled a private smile as she let her gaze fall to Alexander and grinned, ‘So you found her then’.
Alexander glanced at Teanne sidelong ‘Yes, she was right under my nose.’
Lin looked at Teanne then back at the older lady, then rose to her knees, ‘I’m Lin and this is Kera’
‘Nice to meet you Lin, I’m Empe, but you can call me Em’ she slowly turned to Teanne, casually looking her over, ‘But you my dear, you are not Kera.’
The stone was suddenly burning against Teannes side; she stared at the woman in disbelief. Dismissing the sudden tension Empe looked at Alexander. ‘Where’s your manners boy, pour us some tea’.
The crackling of the fire was hypnotising. Teanne was staring at the flames as the old woman sipped on her tea. An awkward silence had ensued and nothing had been spoken since Alexander had poured the hot drink. Empe finally lowered her cup and placed it on a nearby table as she stared at Teanne.
‘So do you have the Estrus?’ Teanne cowered back a little then eyed the woman suspiciously. Empe continued ‘I do not want it child, I merely asked a question.’
Lin was eyeing the two waiting for the next move. Teanne decided to change the subject.
‘Why is it you think I am not Kera?’ she tried to steady her voice.
The older women curtly replied ‘Because you are not.’
Teanne thought she saw a flash of anger cross the old woman’s features, she gulped and continued ‘and if I am not Kera, then who am I?’
The old woman lifted her gaze; the firelight seemed to dance in her eyes as she astutely studied Teannes face.
‘Someone visiting’ Empe said more to herself. Teanne rose from her chair and glared at Alexander.
“I tell you something so secret that it is killing my soul, and you bring me here to be mocked’ Alexander raised his hand to protest but before he could respond Empe interrupted.
‘Sit down child, I am only playing with you’. Teanne refused, she tapped Lin on the shoulder to rise.
‘Sit down Teanne!’ stunned Teanne lowered herself into the chair. Empe sat forward her eyes sparkling as she looked at Teanne intently. The fire spat a flame that made Teanne jump,
‘Do you have the Estrus?’
Teanne looked away trying to read the stone – waiting for it to warm – it did – she turned back to Empe and nodded. The old woman relaxed in her chair bringing her hands together and stretched out her wrinkled fingers.
‘Well well, so it has decided to reveal itself’ Empe slowly looked at Robert, he nodded and rose leaving.
‘Teanne - it is Teanne?’ still dumbfounded she nodded ‘does the Mother Sovereign know you have the stone’ Teanne nodded again, the confusion welling inside her ‘and what did she ask of you?’
Slowly drawing breath Teanne tried to find her voice. ‘She has not asked for anything yet, I have been given the duty to carry the stone until they can work out how to harness its power.’
Empe's voice took on a sudden angry tone, ‘Stupid women, their fear rules their minds’, settling herself Empe continued ‘and did you make a promise to return the Estrus to its rightful owner?’
Teanne was hesitant to respond, this woman, this stranger seemed to know too much, she simply nodded her head ‘and are you a patient woman?’ she added. Teanne felt a wave of grief flow over her. She wanted to return home, to return to Jacob. She lowered her head in acceptance. Teanne knew she would not be returning home anytime soon.
‘I promised.’
Empe focused on Lin ‘And you, Lin, are you willing to sacrifice everything you believe to help her’
Lin raised her head ‘I have no idea what is going on Empe, but my duty is to Luia above all else’
Empe sat back, she turned and smiled at Alexander who stood and bowed.
‘Praise be to the Mother’ he said as he started to leave the room.
Teanne and Lin looked at both Empe and Alexander as they seemed to share something private; he left the room joining Robert.
Empe watched the two women sitting in her home, they were shrouded in so much confusion, but she did not know if they were ready to learn the truth yet – they were so young, so tainted by false teachings.
The life force emanating from Teanne had surprised her. The glow surrounding the woman was so bright she found it hard to look upon her, even trapped within another’s body, her aura radiated. She looked down at the small pouch peering only slightly above her bodice; the Estrus had chosen a home. After years of communication and searching, the Head Elder Elite had revealed to her that she had found the one – Empe hoped Lin was right. Was this woman or rather girl the true carrier?
Robert and Alexander re-entered the room, both carrying large wooden boxes. They placed them on the floor before her. Empe smiled and gazed down at the boxes; she thought to herself -it was now or never.
Aelia – Dusk