Between Darkness and Light Trilogy (14 page)

“Well, you certainly are good at getting
into trouble!” She takes me into her arms and hugs me! Strength
pours into me as my mind fills with music – in a way I never want
her to let go. She pulls gently away, “There, that should feel
better; you did well, child. I understand, though, that you lost
your transport crystal.”

Again I hang my head. “Yes, I did. We feared
that the power remaining within Aurora’s crystal had drained. We
had no idea how much power it had lost, so we hoped to reduce what
was needed by leaving our possessions behind.”

“Except for one very important crystal and
some life saving food…”

“Well, you never know when the next meal
will come.”

She laughs, “Indeed. Here’s to being
prepared.” Somehow I find myself holding a snifter of… something.
She holds her glass up. “To a job well done!” We each drain our
glasses, and instantaneously they are gone. I have no idea what it
was, besides really, really good. Her voice becomes more
serious.

“As I said, however, you are rather good at
getting into trouble. I can’t have that…” She walks over to
something that looks like a vault. With a wave of her hand and a
rush of beautiful music, it opens and she reaches inside. “Ah, such
a beauty. I knew I’d have a use for her one day.” She returns with
an exquisite deep violet jewel in her hands. “Your previous
transport crystal wasn’t good enough anyway, perhaps it was fated
that you were forced to leave it behind.” The jewel she holds
before me isn’t shaped like my last transport crystal – where it
had been long and thin like a natural crystal, this is an
astoundingly cut gem. It doesn't have any large flat surfaces, but
instead it must have hundreds of facets on both sides, and is
fairly shallow, as though it is intended to be set into a piece of
jewelry that would lie close to the skin.

“It’s… remarkable!”

“Yes, she is; the Eye of Setanta. A favorite
of mine… but now she is yours.”

I can hardly believe my ears, “What? Why
would you give me such an amazing gem?”

“Because you need her… and she's perfect for
you. However, Shi'ahn, you really should understand something. Gems
are for jewelry, while crystals are for power collection and
control. Especially carefully grown and nurtured crystals such as I
specialize in. Take the Eye of Setanta here, she is a very special
crystal of pure Luminite - the very same element I used to create
the Staircase of Enlightenment. Luminite is also, you may be
interested in knowing, the same mineral that your moons of Shiral
are composed of, as well as the core of Shiral itself. It is a very
special mineral, for it can be made into the most dense and
powerful crystals in the Universe. That is privileged information,
by the way, do not share it with anyone, and do not brandish her
about. Keep her in this.” She holds out a small pouch the exact
color of my skin. “It will attach within your bodice, just over the
solar plexus. Exceedingly few will be able to detect her as long as
you keep her in this. Here.” She waves her hand toward me, and the
crystal disappears. No, that isn’t right – it settles within my
bodice as she stated. Something about its feel is reassuring. “Now
you need rest, child. Food and rest. You will find a tray in your
rooms.”

“But, Cailli, I have questions for you.” She
does not respond, so I forge on. “Why are the books in my library
so different from William's? Mine are filled with baby physics,
while his are astoundingly detailed.”

“Yours are simpler because you don't need
that level of knowledge. In fact, delving too deeply into physics
may be detrimental for you. You have a different, more unique way
of interacting with the Universe. The
sounds
you hear that
no one else can, the
songs
underlying everything - Novanus
was correct; that is Harmony. He was also correct to council you
not to speak of it directly, not yet. I recommend you continue
referring to
harmonies
as
songs
, for the time being.
In public, of course. Between us, speak correctly.”

“But, if I am to study Harmony, as you call
it, why aren't there any books on it in my Library?”

“Because there are no such books. I will
guide you when I think it's appropriate, but Harmony is a highly
individualized power, you must, for the most part, learn it on your
own. I'm sorry, child. Yours is not an easy path, but it should
prove… fantastic.”

Words begin to burst from me, but I am
surrounded by sparkles of light, and am returned to my rooms.
That's not fair! Does Cailli have Harmony? Am I no longer alone?
“Cailli, please, bring me back!” Nothing. “Cailli, please! You
can't just leave me like this!”

“Eat, then sleep.” Her voice resounds within
my rooms, and I'm nearly struck by the wonderful smell of the meal
that awaits me.

Where Cailli is involved, I suspect I had
better get used to doing as I'm told. At least this time my meal is
not interrupted by any space-folding. When I disrobe the crystal
and its concealing pouch cling to me, so that I need do nothing to
keep it with me as I dress for bed. I lie down and place my hands
as to cup the crystal, wondering what wonders I will discover with
it. In my dreams, it sings to me, and in it’s song it is as though
I tour the connections stored within it. So many faces… many I have
read about in my personal library, but others… I don’t know who
they are. There are places as well, including Shiral! Still
dreaming, I let myself sink into the image of my island home, it
becomes so real to me that I can even hear the wind sighing through
the trees, the waves upon the shore of my beloved Wilderness Bay.
Birds, singing in the early morn’…

I awake on the beach.

Chapter 9

Returning to Shiral

Can it be? Am I truly home? I
listen
,

carefully now, and everything
sounds
right – almost exactly as it has always
sounded
to me, yet
now more… vivid. Overcome with joy, I pull off my nightgown and run
out into the water, diving down into it. I revel in the joyous feel
of the waters of my home. Shiral! I surface and draw my hand
through the water around me, it whispers back my name;
Shi…..Aahnnn. The sound echoes around the bay, building like
rolling thunder. I feel the stirring of a presence that had been
growing recently deep within the Shir; the soul of Shiral awakened,
Gaea. I hear her voice in my mind.

‘Shi'ahn, is it you? Have you finally
returned?’

‘I only left days ago.’

‘Nearly a Trinity.’

‘What?!’

‘Go speak with the people.’

I leave her beautiful waters, pick up my
nightgown and walk up to my home. Mathair’s cottage. Everything in
my room is just as I left it, as though it was only yesterday that
Zah-Ha’Gor and Puff carried us away to that far mountain. I dress
quickly and head to the kitchen to grab some food, and… my favorite
foods almost spill out of the room, arranged as if they are
offerings. Fruits and vegetables galore, spices, and chocolates. I
nibble a bit from several of the plates, then step into the back
rooms to see if they also seem undisturbed. Soon I hear a
voice.

“Sacrilege! Who would dare to defile this
place?” I step out to reassure her, she freezes when she sees me,
then falls to her knees.

“My Lady! Blessed Shi'ahn! I’m sorry, I
didn’t know it was you!” I step up and take her hands, bringing her
to her feet.

“It’s all right, Freyda, relax. How long
have I been gone?”

“It has been eight greater triads since you
and William were last seen, my Lady. Where have you been?”

“I hardly know where to begin – but for me,
it has only been just six days or so.” And an undetermined amount
of that time was spent in a place that ran much faster than Lumina.
What is the true differential I wonder?

“My Lady, you must go to the Council
chambers, please. Your people need you.”

“What has happened, is the council in
session?”

“No, they haven't met fully in a very long
time. The council, essentially, is no more.”

“Then you are right, but first I must choose
more appropriate clothes.” I return to my bedroom and don my most
impressive state attire. When I come back out her smile is radiant,
filled with joy and a great deal of relief. “Come with me, Freyda.
Escort me to the Council Chambers.”

“Yes, My Lady!”

We leave my peninsula, walking into the
interior of the Island that had become the seat of government on
Shiral. All who see us fall to their knees. Once we enter the
chamber I can see that it has not been used in a long time. It
isn't abandoned, the room has been well maintained, but it
sounds
… neglected. Empty. Walls that should have been
reflecting great deals of sound have been left in silence. It
reminds me of the feel of a nursery that has stood empty for far,
far too long. It's wrong – sad. Lonely. I can't summon the council
members to a place that feels dead; it would give off entirely the
wrong impression. Instead, I decide to sing to the room, to bring
some life back into it before the people return. Freyda looks
confused, but looks more understanding as I continue.

I sing an old nursery song about a great
castle that used to be always filled with beautiful music, but
after the people quit singing and playing within it, it falls to
ruins. For generations solo musicians come to prove their skills by
performing at the sight, hoping to raise the castle, but no one
ever succeeds. Finally, while one musician sang a well known,
ancient song, another joined in quietly with a harmony. It sounded
very nice, and the singers gained confidence. Other voices joined
in, adding to the beauty of the piece, until hundreds of voices
rose up together. Nothing like it had been heard for ages, and when
the song was done, the people discovered that the castle had
reformed around them.

As I near the end of the song I try to imbue
the council chambers with the joy of that ancient castle, raised
from the rubble to be a place of beauty once again. When my song is
done, the room doesn't feel dead anymore, instead it feels like
anticipation, as though it now awaits being brought back to life.
It is time; I pick up the mallet of state and strike the summoning
bell. All over Shiral the summoning bells ring, I can feel their
vibrations throughout the Shir. Within minutes a few council
members appear, first in confusion, then when they see me, their
faces light up with almost ecstatic relief.

A young mans voice cries out, “The Shi'ahn!”
I involuntarily wince at his words and he hastily adds, Blessed
Lady Shi'ahn, is it truly you?”

“Please, I am not a religious figure.”

An older, familiar gentleman responds, “Of
course you are not, my Lady.”

I turn to him and realize, “Cathbadh!”

“Indeed, my Lady.” A woman steps up beside
him.

“Nessa?”

“Yes, my Lady.”

“It is good to see you again, both of you.”
I turn to the first one to speak, “You were not a member of the
council, Segda, where is your father?”

“Pryderi passed beyond the veil soon after
your disappearance, my Lady. I have taken up his seat on the
council. That is, I did before it ceased to be.”

“I am so sorry, Segda. Your father was a
good man, a true servant of the land and people.” I turn to
Cathbadh, “Tell me what has happened.”

“You and Lord William have been gone for so
long. I know that you don't care to take such credit, but these
last eight triads have proven my point – without you there is no
council.”

“That will not do. I need to go and find
William, he is a far better statesman than I.”

Cathbadh looks surprised, “That isn't true
at all! It is you, not William, who brought all the regions
together and ended the strife that had raged between us. It is you
who created the Great Council. You just don't like acknowledging
your true value to us.”

I find myself remembering my educational
years, Cathbadh the relentless instructor of political sciences as
well as many other wisdoms. I smile in defeat, “All right, I
surrender. Perhaps I should have said that William enjoys such
things far more than I do. Be that as it may, there is a great deal
of work ahead of us, and I think it would be best accomplished by
both William and I.” Cathbadh nods in acceptance, making me feel
like a student that has finally provided the correct answer.

Segda, his voice filled with concern, asks,
“Where have you been, Lady? You were gone for so terribly
long.”

“In my experience, I was only away for six
days.” It is astoundingly difficult to explain life outside Shiral
to those who have never suspected intelligence existed outside our
home. And time differentials… it is too much. “The Universe, Segda,
is a far more amazing and complicated place than we ever experience
on Shiral.” I meet each one's gaze, willing them all to understand
how much I value their loyalty, “I do not know exactly how long I
will be gone, but when I return I expect far more to answer the
summoning. Please do what you can to prepare the people for our
return.”

With that I take my leave. Although it feels
good to see a few of my dear people, there is in truth a great deal
to accomplish, and I want to get started as soon as possible.

Returning finally to my own shoreline, I
turn my mind to my new crystal, but a not particularly gentle thump
breaks my concentration. A roar shatters the silence.

“Shi'ah'i! Where have you been?” There is a
second thump and more dragon speech.

“And where is William?”

“He is where I was. A strange place called
Lumina. I have only returned by accident – honestly I didn't know
how to return.”

“You have been gone so long!”

“Ah yes, well, you see, we have only
experienced… it's hard to explain. I've lived through six days, I
think, and William has probably only experienced four. It's really
difficult to judge these things lately.”