Chapter Seven
Abandoned Mine
Brock woke to the smell of breakfast. Exhaustion and the knowledge that they had reached their destination had helped the elf to sleep soundly that night. There was something comforting in the close proximity of the grand old tree, a feeling of protection and of being one with nature. He had placed his sleeping mat on a bed of leaves to give greater softness and comfort to his bed. The place didn't seem so bad in the morning light, and especially after he was refreshed by sleep. The horses were grazing peacefully amongst the brown, dried grass. Zebulon had put a spell around an area from where they were camping so that the horses could run free and feed, but not run away.
Zebulon had risen at the first light of dawn and walked over the area where miners of yesteryear had dreamed their dreams and held hope of finding valuable opals. He could almost feel the distant expectation, the dismay, the excitement, of the lone miner who laboured with his pick and shovel to discover the opal dirt which gave promise to rich rewards. They would follow the seam, and if fortune smiled on them it would take on the qualities of gem opal. Their care and patience would be rewarded if they were able to delicately extract any opal.
The wizard cared little for any other opal that may have been left, he cared only for three precious opals, long ago extracted with that same fine precision and care. He had already checked with his devices and felt sure that he would find the first opal relatively quickly. It would still require hard work but he was impatient to begin. The sooner he was out of this wretched place the better. It would work out well with he and Brock working together with one picking while the other shoveled the dirt out of the way.
A week passed and Zebulon found he had been mistaken in his judgement. The sort after gems were elusive. He concluded that it was time to have a rest from digging because their supplies were running low. Before making the journey, he had determined that there was a village about half a day's ride from the mine.
"Tomorrow we will ride into Kotonia and purchase more supplies. According to this map it will take about half a day to get there so we could make it back here by nightfall. But we will rest the night at the inn and be refreshed for the return trip," he said.
"I like that idea." Brock had been very despondent since they arrived. He was lonely. He was not sorry to have put distance between himself and Clinton and his friends but he missed Amelia even more as the days went past. He even missed the maidens who had cooked their meals, and even the rough workmen. Zebulon, whom he had hoped would share more conversation now that they had a longer, better relationship, was distant. It was as if Brock had imagined their greater friendship, because the wizard was still reluctant to share much of value with him.
As they approached Kotonia, they were surprised and delighted to find it like a green oasis in the middle of barren land. The village was small and neat. An even bigger surprise awaited them at the Four Star Inn where they planned to spend the night. The inn keeper was an old friend of Zebulon's, an elf called Uri.
Uri was married to a human woman to whom Brock took an instant liking. He saw her as an older Amelia but that was probably because, not having much familiarity with the humans, Amelia became an example of what a good human girl or woman should be. In the village there were both elf and humans, living in harmony, and for the most part a friendly and contented people. Brock's mood lifted as he walked about the township, meeting with the people and looking in all the shops. Zebulon spent the afternoon talking with Uri about familiar subjects.
It was gratifying to bathe and then dress in dust free clothes, to sit on a chair at a table and enjoy a good meal with friendly people. Their pleasure was greater because as yet their old miner cottage was still in a primitive state. They had cleared out some of the cottage so they would have shelter from the elements and although they now slept in the cottage, they found it preferable to eat outside where there was more light and room. They used a large boulder as a table and sat on the dusty ground.
Next morning, after collecting their supplies they set off for the mine. As Brock looked back with regret at leaving Kotonia, Zebulon observed that the young elf was having a difficult time with the hard work and the solitude.
"Next time you can come here by yourself and stay a few days," said Zebulon. This remark was greeted with a smile from Brock.
Zebulon and Brock were energised for a few days after their journey to Kotonia. Zebulon was motivated into making their little cottage more pleasant. He took some fallen trees and with the use of his magic, fashioned them into humble but serviceable furniture.
At the village Zebulon had purchased some spheres, hollow balls, used for decoration, and energised them with his power so that within the dark interior of the cottage they now had light. By the touch of the hand they would glow, bringing forth generous light, enough to brighten every corner of the room. Its magic luminance seemed to awaken the dreams of the cottage's past occupants, giving suggestions of the feminine touch in creating the structure into a home. In this light even the intruding tree roots took on special qualities as if they had been part of the furnishings.
At the end of that week they were rewarded with finding the first opal. Brock resented the tedious task of digging with caution so that the precious gem would not be damaged, but when his eyes beheld the splendour of the jet black gem, all negative feeling was forgotten.
Zebulon, after cleaning the gem, had placed it in Brock's hand, all the while observing the young elf's reaction to the gem. The dark body tone gave the red within the opal a greater vibrancy of colour. It had been cut into a teardrop shape by the one who first found the gem, to maximise the size of the stone. Brock could see nature's magic within the manifold opulence of the opal and his own face radiated a responding glow. As he gazed into the depth of its fiery centre, its playfulness with light mesmerised him with its continually changing display of colour. He felt drawn into its world of magical possibilities.
After Zebulon had tucked the gem into his pouch, Brock had a feeling of loss and dismay. The elf didn't understand these feelings. On observing the contrasting moods of his apprentice he suggested that Brock might like to go to Kotonia by himself in a few days time for supplies. Brock was pleased with this arrangement.
It was not to be. The day before he was to go into the village, dark storm clouds gathered and by nightfall had already begun to empty their contents with vehemence. It was to rain for many days, halting any work at the mine. Supplies had to be used with care so that they would last until it was clear enough to travel to Kotonia. It was also likely that the normally dry rivers that separated them from the village would be flooding.
The days spent crouching dismally in the hut added to Brock's isolation and loneliness. He found very little to do with himself. Zebulon, meanwhile had the ability to remove himself from his surroundings and spent his time either reading or going into a trance-like state. Even Brock's endless pacing did not disturb him.
Noting that Brock was wasting time in his frustrated state, he suggested Brock use the time to strengthen his magic skill. Brock made a half-hearted attempt but the exercise had little value for him now that the reason for his first interest had been removed.
"When are you going to teach me some new magic?" Brock asked.
Zebulon laughed. "What would be the point of that when you won't practice and develop what I have taught you? Besides, if you really wanted to do it you would be reading some of my magic books."
"They are too hard," responded Brock.
"Precisely!" Zebulon returned to his own studies.
"Can I hold the opal?"
Zebulon handed him the pouch. Brock did not have an interest in the diamonds. They had been placed into one of Zebulon's magic devices so they were never offered to Brock, but that did not matter to the elf. Brock loved the opal and he could sit for a long time gazing at the gem. The opal's black, intense body colour displayed the colours with great vibrancy. Its iridescence granted the viewer vision of the brilliant rich red
and spectacular interplay of colour. All that it offered was in direct contrast to his life. He did not know anything of the composition of the gem or of its therapeutic or magical qualities, he just knew he felt possessed by its nobleness, that it transported him to places beyond his own experience.
The driving rain eventually abated but all was too wet and boggy to do more than allow the two imprisoned within the cottage to bask in the brief period of sunshine as its rays burst through the lingering darkened clouds.
The rivers between the mine and village dropped quickly, allowing passage over them. Zebulon decided to accompany Brock after all because he could not work in the mine until the ground dried out. He looked forward to visiting with Uri and his delightful wife Elvira.
They found Kotonia sparkling and refreshed from the recent rain and the inhabitants happy in their occupations. Uri placed a bowl of steaming food before his guests and stood back in satisfaction as he watched Zebulon and Brock eating. Elvira had learned to cook many elvan dishes and the results were pleasing.
"Why don't you come and live in the village and forget this mining business?" said Uri. He knew nothing of Zebulon's true quest and he also knew that a village such as this would not hold Zebulon for long, but he enjoyed teasing a little.
Zebulon smiled. He really liked Uri and knew he was content with a simple lifestyle that would not be conducive to happiness for himself.
"So what about you Brock, would you like that?" asked Uri.
"Huh, what?" answered Brock who had been so busy savouring the food to follow the conversation.
Zebulon and Uri laughed. "I think you would have a winner if he can eat Elvira's cooking every day," said Zebulon.
"Well we can arrange something like that. I have a lovely daughter who is learning to cook as well as her mother. She and Brock could marry in a few years time, " said Uri.
"The young lad has a lot of growing up to do before then," stated Zebulon as he ruffled Brock's hair.
The evening passed in a relaxed and pleasant manner. Uri and Elvira were glad to have new visitors to entertain. They introduced to them, their daughter Minerva, a sweet half-elf about Brock's age. Zebulon was more light-hearted than Brock had ever seen him, laughing often with a warm infectious laugh. Brock talked mainly with Elvira and Minerva telling them of his adventures and sharing food secrets.
"If Zebulon doesn't need you for some of the day, you can come and help me cook tomorrow," Elvira invited.
Brock looked expectantly at Zebulon.
"You can have him tomorrow, I'll be glad to have him out of my way for a while," said Zebulon with a benevolent smile."
The only thing that marred the time in the village is that Brock fancied he saw Orville in one of the streets as they were leaving. He said nothing to Zebulon, convincing himself that his imagination was playing an unkind trick as he contemplated the trip back to the mine.
On their return to the mine, work continued in earnest. Eventually they were rewarded with another opal. This one was also black with a predominantly blue centre. Brock thought it beautiful but it did not hold the same fascination for him as the one with the red centre.
"The last one we are to find is very similar to this one. It also has blue within the black," said Zebulon.
Zebulon was keen to continue working so he allowed Brock to go alone to the village. Brock's horse was reluctant to be caught because it liked roaming free. When it saw Brock it would shake its head in defiance, flicking its mane in contempt, and gallop off. After fruitless attempts to bring the horse in, it annoyed the elf to have to rely on Zebulon to catch it for him. He wasn't sure what spell Zebulon used but Brock decided it would be a useful one to learn.
Away from the mine, Brock's mood once more lightened. He was greeted by Uri and his family as warmly as when Zebulon was with him. There was little for him to do for the rest of the day so he decided to walk around the village enjoying the attractiveness of the trees and gardens. He had just begun to retrace his steps to the Four Star Inn when a voice called his name, and he froze.