Rook

by Robin Roseau

  “Then call the ones closest to you,” she said. “Invite them here.”

  And so I cocked my head and called for Larien and Terél, Naddí and Féla, and then, after just a moment, Vérundia and Hastía. I felt all of them, first coming together, and then descending as a group. They streamed into the Heart of the Heart, and then they circled us before coming to the side of the altar, the six of them nearly surrounding us, each of them pausing so I could offer a small touch.

  Then Yahamala spoke, a few fresh words for each. “Féla, Naddí,” she said. “These two may speak no words other than mine.” She gestured to Mandi and Nissi. She cupped a chin of each. “My darlings, did you understand me?”

  “Yes, Prestainamatta,” Mandi said.

  “I did, too,” Nissi replied. “Forever?”

  “Until the solstice ceremony is complete,” clarified the Goddess. “And then we will see. Do you require incentive?”

  I was repeating the words. It was Terél who helped them understand that question.

  “No,” replied Nissi.

  “I don’t know,” replied Mandi.

  “Each day,” declared the Goddess, “If you have spoken no words other than mine, no other words at all, then we will go riding, and you will ride beside me.”

  Both girls grinned and then made promises.

  I was so proud of them.

  The Goddess turned to me. “I wish them with us as much as possible.”

  “They’re a little young for some of the things we’ll discuss.”

  “They are,” she agreed. “I leave that to your judgment and will not gainsay their mother.”

  “As much as possible,” I said. I looked at the girls. “Do you understand?”

  “I think so,” said Nissi.

  “You want us with you,” Mandi added.

  “I do very much,” said Yahamala with a smile.

  Mandi looked over at me and waited. “You will see what it is to be the High Priestess,” I said. “Some of it you will find boring. Much of it you won’t understand.”

  “They must have time to play,” the Goddess said. “Young girls need lots of exercise.” She smiled again. “We will find time for fun.” She looked back up at me. “They will stand at the altar.”

  “Of course,” I said. “Do you care to pick where?”

  “No. They may stand together, or they may take their own places.”

  “Girls, do you understand?”

  “No, Mama,” Nissi said.

  “For the solstice celebration, you will stand with us, and you will have your own parts.” I said that in the words of the Goddess, speaking very carefully. “Do you need Terél to translate what I said?”

  Nissi scrunched her face then smoothed it. “We get to help?”

  “You get to help.”

  She smiled broadly then hugged Yahamala. “Thank you, Prestainamatta!”

  * * * *

  We made our way back upstairs to find dinner was waiting for us. Yahamala knelt down before the girls. “For dinner, you will sit with the acolytes. Remember: you may only speak my words.”

  “We remember,” Mandi said.

  “Some of the girls speak my words better than either of you,” Yahamala continued. “Some do not. You are all still learning and you will all help each other.”

  “Do they only speak your words?” Nissi asked.

  “No. This is the rule for you. But come.” She took their hands, and she led them to the end of the table where the acolytes waited to sit. “Mandi, repeat my words, as carefully as you are able.” Mandi nodded, and so the Goddess continued. “Our Prestainamatta wants Darnisom and me to only speak her words.” She helped Mandi repeat it properly. “The older girls should help the younger girls understand. It is good practice for all of you.” The older girls nodded at that.

  Then Yahamala looked at each girl and tapped her nose. “You will some day both be high priestesses, but you are not high priestesses yet.”

  I don’t think either girl realized why the Goddess said such a thing, but they nodded and accepted more hugs. Then Nissi asked, “Where do we sit?”

  “Ask the older girls,” the Goddess said. She kissed each forehead and then straightened before walking to me, smiling. She sat down in the open space beside me and slipped an arm around my waist. We smiled at each other.

  “I love you so much,” I told her.

  Her smiled broadened. “And I love you. Thank you for arriving early. I’ve missed you so much, Yalla. What you’re doing in Framara is important, or I’d beg you to stay.”

  But then her eyes flicked to the end of the table where two of my daughters were settling with the other acolytes, and I knew we’d be talking about them. But I reached over and caressed her cheek, then pulled her in for a kiss.

  Oh, I did love kissing the Goddess.

  “That is so strange to watch,” Parmeed said from across the table. We’d made room for our guests, but already, the table was near to full, so I knew we’d be expanding to the additional tables within a day or two.

  “Me kissing someone who isn’t one of my wives?” I asked after the small pause Terél needed to quietly translate to Yahamala.

  “Well, yes,” she said, “but that’s not what I meant, and I think you knew it.”

  “Maybe I did,” I agreed. “This hasn’t come up, so you wouldn’t know, but when speaking any language other than hers, if she is here, please pause slightly for the translation.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said quickly. Then she covered her mouth. “You just told me to pause, and I rushed.”

  “You’ll grow accustomed,” I said. I switched back to the language of the Goddess. “Who has news from home?”

  * * * *

  We had a lovely meal. Yahamala listened to the conversation for a while, but then she began speaking, and so I became absorbed largely in repeating her words so everyone else could hear. But Terél and Larien handled translation for our guests, and perhaps for a few of the priestesses who weren’t as comfortable in Her words yet.

  But then I noticed the younger girls were beginning to fidget. I wasn’t the only one to notice. It was Yahamala who announced, “We should clean and then have a game before it is time to tuck little ones into bed.” Then she looked closely at me. “And I believe it isn’t only the little ones who are ready.”

  “I’m sorry,” I told her.

  “Do not be sorry, Yalla,” she said. She squeezed me tightly for a moment. “Thank you for coming.”

  Cleanup took no time. Some of the priestesses thought the idea of a game was only for the children, but Yahamala said, “We will all play. It should be a soothing game, and then we will tell a few stories before tucking the sleepiest into their warm beds. Perhaps a guessing game.”

  Yahamala told us what she wanted, then sent everyone off to retrieve what we would need. We all sat in a large circle on the floor, even the eldest of us. And then Yahamala picked five of us to start: Mandi and Esquetelímarzí from the acolytes, Hastía, and Ulla, my language teacher from years ago, and, much to her surprise, Captain Evestía. The five of them moved to the center of the circle and sat down, and then I collected cloth blindfolds from Naddí and tied one around the eyes of each of our original contestants.

  And then Yahamala knelt down in front of Nissi. “Do not speak it out loud, Darling, but show us what you brought.”

  Nissi pulled back the cloak from her contribution to the game. She had a book from the library. Yahamala smiled. “Put it in the bag, Darling.” Naddí had a large cloth bag. Nissi stood and set the book inside and then Yahamala said, “Give the bag to Ullaméistra.”

  Ulla accepted the bag, felt it carefully, and then announced, “It is a book.”

  Nissi clapped happily for the correct guess. Yahamala told her, “Untie Ulla’s blindfold and help her stand.” Once that was done, she said, “Now tell her to pick who is to replace her.”

  I had to help with some of the words, but Ulla smiled and tapped Nissi on the nose. �
�You are.” And so Nissi turned around and let Ulla tie the scarf into place, but it was Yahamala who helped her find her place on the floor.

  It was a simple game, but once we got going, we were able to play efficiently. If someone guessed incorrectly, then she remained in the center, and the bag was passed to the next person. Otherwise we had several bags, so we were constantly ready with the next item to guess.

  There was no spoken agreement, but some of the adults made sure that everyone got her turn, looking around and selecting someone who hadn’t gone yet. Then I realized some of the acolytes were doing the same thing, and I was proud of them. On the other hand, the acolytes were also getting their turns at about twice the rate of the adults.

  No one was immune. Keelara, Malta, Parmeed, and Evestía each went. I didn’t take more than my share of turns, but I seemed to take more than my share of guesses. Few of the items were as easy to guess as a book, after all.

  We exhausted the supply of items, but as the guessers were blindfolded, we could reuse items.

  And so we played for an hour, an hour of silly fun. But everyone laughed, the Goddess included. But then Yahamala declared, “It is time for a story. Let us all move closer.”

  Yahamala told a story, beginning by saying, “This happened in the time of Yallameenara’s mother’s mother’s…” she began counting on her fingers, keeping track. It was a little odd to realize she knew my family history so well, at least on my mother’s side. The story had everyone laughing.

  She asked me to tell the story how I became a Princess of Framara. Many of the people already knew how Juleena had collected me from The Hippa, but not all did. My story calmed everyone down. But then Naddí said, in very careful words of the Goddess, “If that hadn’t happened, many of us wouldn’t be here today.”

  “Twice Yallameenara has been taken from her home,” Yahamala said. “And so, even from upheaval can come something good.” Then she hugged and kissed me. “I would like a teaching story, and then perhaps we can sing a lullaby together.”

  Everyone turned to look at Vérundia, who immediately said, “No, no. That is for Naddíqualestra or Resaírelteena.”

  Féla glanced at her partner, then both of them looked at me, but I inclined my head back to them, ceding authority. And so Féla turned to one of the older acolytes and prompted her to tell a particular story. Mensálessí gave a fine telling.

  And then we sang a lullaby, and I realized I was as sleepy as the girls.

  * * * *

  The Goddess held me as around us, other members of my household settled in. “I’ve missed this,” Naddí announced.

  * * * *

  Naddí and Féla gave us the report, including an overview of the notes from the three abbeys in Alteara. Vérundia then filled them in about events in Framara. Yahamala listened intently. Once Vérundia was finished, she said, “I am so pleased. Vérundia, Hastía, do you find joy?”

  “Yes, Prestainamatta,” Hastía answered for them. “It has been a long time since I have been so happy.” She reached over and collected Vérundia’s hand. “Thank you.”

  “I wish I could have let you be together sooner,” Yahamala said.

  “We’re together now,” Vérundia said.

  “Merkel’s School for Girls,” Yahamala said. “That is the name, yes?”

  “It is, Prestainamatta.”

  “The model you showed me was so big,” she said.

  “There are several buildings,” I said. “But they are homes for many of the girls and classrooms besides.”

  She nodded. “The top floors are where the girls live.”

  “Yes.”

  “How many more of our acolytes could the school accept?”

  “The school is full now,” Vérundia answered. “But of course, some girls will graduate each year.”

  Yahamala frowned then turned to look at me. “It is too soon to ask you to build another place, but I want more acolytes in Framara.”

  “How many more?”

  “Many, Yallameenara. But you do not have sufficient priestesses to teach them, and you should take no more from Alteara.”

  I bowed my head and nodded. But she lifted her hand to my chin and brought my eyes back to hers.

  “I am suddenly impatient, but this is no one’s fault. It is only something we must solve over time.”

  “We can solve this,” Vérundia said. “But it would help if we had a goal.”

  “I want to double our order in Alteara,” I said. “And at least as many in Framara.”

  “That is exactly what we must do,” Yahamala agreed.

  We talked for another hour and would continue to hold discussions during my visit. At the end, Yahamala turned to my daughters. “Did you understand the conversation?”

  Mandi nodded. Nissi didn’t look as sure of herself and finally admitted, “Not everything.”

  “These are issues of adults,” Yahamala said. “And you are very young children. Life as my high priestesses is not always games and fun.”

  “We study hard,” Mandi said.

  Yahamala hugged her. “I know you do. Do you watch your mother? Even now, she repeats my words so the others may hear what I say.” Both girls looked at me then nodded. “You are not ready yet,” Yahamala continued. “But we’re going to begin practicing when we play our games with the other girls.” The girls smiled and nodded again.

  I was so proud of them.

  * * * *

  We planned the solstice celebration. Naddí and Féla kept our guests busy, but Yahamala spent time with them.

  And then the solstice arrived.

  * * * *

  I knelt down in front of Mandi. I checked her appearance, and then Nissi’s. They both fidgeted, and then Mandi said, “Where is our Prestainamatta?”

  “She’ll join us inside,” I said. “Do you remember your parts?” They both nodded. “If you forget, we’ll help you.”

  “We won’t forget,” Mandi said.

  I nodded, patted one cheek each, and then stood and turned for the Heart. I paused for a moment, and then I lifted my voice and began to sing.

  I entered the Heart of the Heart alone. The others were already inside, and only my daughters remained to follow after me. I entered alone, singing, then came to a stop, filled with the same awe I always felt.

  Ahead of me, Yahamala hovered over the altar, smiling at me. And so I continued to sing and stepped forward, traveling the circle. Mandi and Nissi entered after me.

  I passed along the priestesses, offering touches as I went, and touches for our guests as well. And for some, I collected them to step into line.

  We circled the altar, coming closer, and then finally making the last step before circling one last time. I came to a stop at Change. Mandi had asked for Trust. Nissi hadn’t known which to pick, but then she surprised us and said she wished for Serenity.

  We surprised a few people. Vérundia and Hastía did not climb to the altar with us. Instead, they collected Jaynásíarté, one of our scribe acolytes, and led her to Life, the place opposite mine. She had known it was to happen, but nearly no one else did.

  Larien and Terél each took a space, while Naddí and Féla shared. Ullaméistra took the final place.

  We held the ceremony, and then I invited vows.

  * * * *

  “Good morning, my lovely high priestess.”

  I opened my eyes. Yahamala floated above me, nose to nose. I smiled and reached up to hold her head. She came closer and kissed me, a long, slow, sweet kiss, and then we smiled again. “I wish to speak to you and our closest advisors. It is to be an adult conversation.”

  I was sure I knew what she wished to discuss. “Of course,” I said. “Right away?”

  “After breakfast,” she said. “This afternoon we will speak with the ladies Malta and Parmeed.”

  “I’ll tell them,” I said.

  “I am anxious,” she said. “Please, do you require more sleep?”

  “No, no,” I said. I nudged those close
st to me. I was sure they were awake. “Breakfast,” I said. “Then we need our advisors. The girls need duties.” I offered a little more direction then added, “I will wear my casual vestments.”

  They took care of me so well, all of them did, and it was an hour later that we gathered in the library: Yahamala, me, Vérundia and Hastía, Féla and Naddí, Larien and Terél. “Yallameenara,” said my Prestainamatta. “This is a conversation between you and me, but I thought you would want advice.”

  “The day we met,” I replied, “You prevented war between two countries. Two sides were both ready to spill blood. You prevented war. You prevented deaths. You saved the life of someone I love. And you declared there must be téhrasúmarla, compromise.”

  “I did,” she agreed.

  “Is this what you wished to discuss?”

  She paused only a moment and then said, “Yes.” I nodded and bowed my head. She floated away from me, literally actually, but then settled to her feet and prowled the room for a minute. “I have never had to ask this before.”

  “You don’t have to ask,” I said quietly. “I have spoken to Juleena and Lásenalta.”

  She moved back in front of me and knelt down, taken my hands and looking up into my eyes. “I’m so lonely when you’re gone, Yallameenara. I would go with you if I could, and we’re going to continue to work on that.”

  “I know,” I whispered.

  “The country needs my guidance,” she said.

  “I know.”

  “I take so many girls from their families, but I have never taken a daughter from the high priestess before.”

  “It would be hypocritical of me to complain,” I said.

  “I need you to continue doing what you are doing in Framara.”

  “I know.”

  “There are now four people who can see me, who can hear my words,” she said. “One is…” And she turned to look at the wall, then bowed her head. “She is so very far away. Three are within my Heart.” I nodded understanding. “If they were older, I wouldn’t say what I am about to say.”

  That part didn't make sense, but I nodded anyway.

  “At least until they are older, of those who see and hear me, I wish at least two of you to remain available to me. They are too young for this responsibility, but they are not the youngest who have held it.”