Balen had the tendency to lose track of time and memory of tasks he had to do.
"We were meeting for lunch," said Aly. Her voice stern, but the corner of her mouth twitched into a smile.
"Then let us get some lunch now," he said.
"Or we could go and have the evening meal they are now serving," Aly said.
"We could do that," said Balen and he linked his arm with hers and they walked to the food court where steam and smoke rose out of chimney's in the roof, letting out the smells of roasting meats and baked bread. Balen's stomach growled and he had not realised how hungry he had become.
"What were you reading about today?" Aly asked.
"The war of the ascended," said Balen.
"Again?" Aly shook her head. "How many times can you read a book?"
"Until I know the history word for word. It is a fascinating record of what happened and how life was back then. So much has changed in the past three hundred years," Balen said with a smile.
They arrived at the food court and entered. Already most of the tables were full and they moved over to the tables then began to fill their plates with the hot and steamy food. Balen piled the plate full of the various meats and vegetables covered in various herbs and spices to give them differing tastes until he had a small mountain in front of him and with a big grin he followed Aly to some spaces at a table. Sitting next to them was Jeremy, the new elected elder of Unity. He was young but had shown great skill at leading people, innovating new processes that had improved their farming and allowing for the surplus of food they now feasted upon.
"Good day," Balen said to Jeremy who swallowed his mouthful and turned to them.
"Good evening Balen, Aly. How are the both of you?" Jeremy asked.
"We are both well and enjoying the company of your fine people," Balen replied and picked up a mug of ale and toasted.
"You are here enough to be part of Unity," Jeremy jested and winked at him.
Balen smiled, he had spoken to Jeremy already about the ceremony and the elder had been eager for the idea.
"What are you two scheming?" Aly asked them.
"Oh, no scheming," said Balen. "Just talking about this wonderful food"
Aly did not look convinced and there was something else in her eyes that he noticed.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Balen asked her.
"I have just been tired recently, the foraging has been tough and many strength parties have been scouting close by," she replied.
The path of strength was a path of warriors that chose fighting, plundering, kidnapping and rape of women to reproduce. Balen as a cleric found their practices disdainful and they had been on the other side of the fighting back at the last war trying to wipe out all elven kind. They had lost great numbers and their leader during the final battle and had been quiet since but as the years passed they were becoming bolder once again.
"You need to be careful, we should send guards out with you," said Balen.
"They never see us. We stay in the trees until they are gone," replied Aly.
"Still, I do not feel comfortable with you being out there defenceless"
Aly's eyebrows narrowed and a look of anger passed over her face. "I am not defenceless," she shouted and then stood from the table then stormed off without touching her food.
"What was that about?" Jeremy asked him.
Balen was aware of everybody watching him and he shrugged. "I don't know," he replied.
"You should go after her. She seems upset," said Jeremy.
Balen looked at his still full plate of food and then sighed as he stood up from the table and followed Aly out. He could see her walking towards the lake and then sat down with her feet in the water as he approached.
"Go away," she said to him.
"Whatever is wrong?" Balen asked and he sat down beside her.
"There is something that I have to tell you," said Aly.
"Are you not happy here?" Balen asked.
"I am ever so happy here with you," she replied and turned to look at him, he saw a tear run down her cheek.
"Good because there is a question that I need to ask you," said Balen. He began to root around for the band of metal sitting within his pocket.
"Balen, listen to me," said Aly.
"Just a moment," he said and then pulled out the ring and took her hand. "Will you perform the ceremony of marriage with me?"
Aly's mouth slacked open in surprise and she then buried her face within her hands and sobbed.
"Is it a no?" Balen asked.
"It's not a no, but you must know something. There is a reason that I am so tired and sick in the mornings. I am carrying your child."
It was Balen's turn for surprise and he stood up. Aly stood up as well.
"You are pregnant?" Balen asked. Trying to make sense of it.
Aly nodded.
"That is fantastic," said Balen and joy filled him.
"I was worried about what you were going to say," said Aly and more tears fell down her face. This time in obvious relief at his reaction.
"How could I ever be upset about that?" said Balen. "This gives us even more cause to perform the ceremony"
"There is something else," said Aly.
Balen's excitement faded.
"I love you with all my heart, but the path of nature is so important, the work we do is crucial to the world, almost as much as the elves"
"What are you saying?" Balen asked.
"I want to raise the child back at Nature's Paradise, with my mother. You too are important to your path. As much as I love you and Unity, I think it is best that we go back"
Balen did not want to admit his importance to the path of God, as a journeyman he was tasked with discovering the faith within the world. Divine Gods will from the land and to learn from the other paths to ensure the safety and prosperity of the path. This is why he was able to leave so often without question. He understood why Aly wanted to go back to her path and her family, this is why he would accept her wish.
"Will you still perform the ceremony with me?" he asked and reached for her hand once more.
Aly nodded and they embraced each other, both laughing and crying.
Two weeks passed by and the preparations for the ceremony were complete. A big deal was being made of it as this was the first time those not a part of Unity would join together and from different paths. A feast planned after the ceremony that would take place as the sun was hanging low in the sky.
Balen stood upon the mainland in clothes made especially for him. The trousers and shirt he wore were white and a white cloak covered his shoulders. Aly stood next to him in a dress made of thin fabric and a similar cloak adorned her shoulders. They took each other's hand and began to walk down the small bridge towards the elder's hall accompanied by music that seemed to be echoing across the whole lake. Following them was most of the community to celebrate the day. Though most would not fit upon the small island they came anyway to be as close to the event as they could.
When the pair reached the island it had been transformed by bunting and flowers that had been collected from the meadows around the hills that protected Unity. In front of the hall and standing between the statues was Jeremy in a flowing black robe. As the elder of Unity he would perform the ceremony and say the sacred words that would join the two together.
They stood in front of him, the music died down and the whispering crowd fell silent.
"Welcome to this auspicious day in which these two people, from the paths of Nature and God, are coming together to pledge their love for each other and eternity," said Jeremy.
The crowd whispered and Jeremy signalled them to fall silent. "Put your arms together please," Jeremy instructed them.
They held their arms next to each other and Jeremy tied a piece of cloth around them.
"You have both chosen to devote yourselves to each other. To love and protect each other and to be there to the end of your days with honesty and a commitment that goes beyo
nd even the will of the guardians," said Jeremy. "Are you both willing to join together"
"Yes," said Balen.
"Yes," said Aly.
"Turn to each other," Jeremy said with a smile. They turned and looked at each other, Aly had a tear running down her cheek and Balen was trying his best to not let one trickle out of his. "I pronounce that you are both joined in marriage. You may kiss each other"
Balen leaned forward and met with Aly's lips. It was a kiss like any other they had shared, but it felt like their first and with a big cheer from the crowd they came together as a couple holding each other for what seemed like an eternity.
Chapter one
"Danion, Danion where are you?" Balen called out into the fields.
It had been seven years since he had returned to the monastery from Unity. Aly had the child at Nature's Paradise and for the first five years his son Danion had lived with his mother. They had met up often and whilst Aly's mother had looked after the child, Balen and Aly had escaped into the forests to spend time with each other.
After his son's fifth birthday, Danion had come to live at the monastery taking up the path of God and beginning his path as a cleric. The boy was willful and often in trouble with his teachers for skipping classes. Often found in the grand library where he would lose himself like his father within the books that dwell there.
Today, Danion had been seen leaving the monastery with his red-haired friend Anton. Balen had come to find them, but the boys were hiding for fun. The first bells announcing evening meal had sounded and he had to get the boys back in before the gates closed.
"Danion, Anton. Where are you?" he shouted again.
He could hear giggling from nearby, within the tall grasses that would feed the livestock. "Come on lads, it is time for a meal and I am not in the mood for games," Balen shouted and began to walk towards the laughing. He found the boys sitting upon some trampled grass reading from a book.
"Did you take that out of the library?" Balen demanded to know.
"Yes," Danion said as he looked up at his father.
"You know the rules. Books are not to leave the library and they could become damaged or dirty."
The boys both stood up and looked at him. Balen took the book from him. "Now come with me before you get in more trouble. Anton, I will be speaking to your father about this."
"Please don't," Anton pleaded.
"Father, please don't say anything. It was my idea not Anton's," said Danion.
"Be that as it may, Anton had the choice to go with you in your trouble making!" said Balen. He grabbed Danion's hand and near enough dragged the boy along with a quiet Anton trailing behind them.
Once they reached the gates the guards gave him a look of sympathy.
"We are just about to close up. You made it in time," one of them said to him.
"Well I should have left these boys out here to teach them a lesson," Balen said in reply and the guards laughed then began to close the gates and lock them. Although the need for security was minimal, it was a tradition to lock the gates every night. One that had been around for longer than anyone could remember. The yard they entered was empty and the bells tolled again calling all the clerics and masters to their meal. Balen was close to becoming a master of the journeymen though Danion's mischief was distracting him. He wondered if it was time for Danion to spend a year with the naturists and learn the valuable skills that his mother could teach him. The time would give him the chance to finish his journey, record his findings and record what he had learnt. He will then take his place among the masters to then pass on his knowledge.
They had entered the monastery as he thought about his own future and then entered the food hall. Rows of tables and benches were lined up and full of clerics that were talking enough that the noise distracted him with his thoughts. They took some space on one of the benches and Anton ran off to sit with his father
"Are you going to speak to his father?" Danion asked him.
"You two together are trouble and I know that your studies have been affected. I will speak to him about whether you should be separated," replied Balen.
"You can't do that," said Danion with anger.
"I must do what I think is appropriate for your future on the path of God," he said.
Danion fell silent. He knew better than to argue with Balen, the food was brought to them and they ate in silence. The masters entered the hall and the clerics fell silent in respect, as they passed Fahru stopped by him for a word.
"Balen," Fahru nodded to him. "How goes your day?"
Fahru and Balen had been friends since childhood, his friend had become master many years ago and was well on his way to becoming a grand master.
"Hunting down my troublesome offspring," replied Balen.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I remember what we were like at that age," said Fahru. Someone called his name and he bid his farewell and left.
"What were you like at my age father?" Danion asked.
"Less problematic than you are and a lot further on with my studies," he replied.
They finished their meal in silence once more and afterwards they walked through the monastery until they reached the library.
"Now, you will go in there and explain to the grand librarian about why one of his books found its way outside," he said to his son.
"Why do I have to do it?" Danion asked. "Can't I just take it back in and leave it upon a desk?"
"No! You must accept responsibility for your wrongdoings," Balen replied.
Danion grumbled as he pushed open the door to the library. The smell of old books washed over Balen and he remembered the day in which he had proposed marriage to Aly. That lazy evening was a fond memory of his and he missed the community of Unity, he had not been back since they had left there after the ceremony.
Chapter two
Danion walked into the library carrying the book that he had managed to sneak out of there. The grand librarian came over to him.
"Back so soon young Danion?" asked the aged librarian. One of the oldest clerics on the path of God.
"I came to return this book," said Danion.
"You know that books are not to be removed from here," said Jed sounding annoyed though there was always a soft twinkle hidden under heavy lidded eyes.
"I know," said Danion. "But it was sunny out and we wanted to read it out in the fields"
"You and Anton I assume," Jed said. Danion nodded. "These books are precious, many of them only exist in this library and a lot of them are written by past masters. Centuries of history, work and lives went into the tomes that live here. To take them out of the library risks losing their precious knowledge forever."
Danion sighed as he listened to the lecture.
"You may not like what I am saying, but it is important," said Jed.
"I am sorry," said Danion. The library was his home. He loved books and reading to the point that he was often in trouble though he never understood why as he was still learning.
"I think that I have a punishment in mind that will suit your skills. It will appease your father's wishes for you to accept the consequences," said Jed.
Danion looked at him feeling worried. There were some tasks within the monastery that none of the clerics wished to do, including clearing out the waste pipes which Danion had been tasked with more often than he liked to think about.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I want you to help me in the library during your spare time. You will help me sort and organise the books. Then I will teach you how to restore the books that become faded with age," said Jed with a smile.
Danion breathed a sigh of relief. It was the best possible outcome for him and to actually work in the library felt like a dream come true.
"But you must do the work. Otherwise we can find other duties for you to perform," said Jed.
Danion nodded.
"Now go and put the book back before you leave, we will begin your punishment tomorrow afte
r the noon lessons," said the grand librarian.
Danion still held the book and began to walk through the large library. It had once been another great hall where meals were served and ceremonies performed but as the library had grown the need for space was important and the clerics converted it many generations ago.
Now it was filled with tall shelves with dust piles that rose just as high with books that had been around as long as the monastery had stood.
Danion was always finding books about the past that fascinated him, they took him back to a time when the paths were first created and everyone worked towards bettering their skills associated with the path and craft they had chosen. But life had been different back then. Leading all the way up to several centuries before. When elves or ascended as they had been called back then, had first appeared they were scorned and hunted down.
Danion knew that it was completely different now. Now each of the paths strived to reach ascension and every man, woman and child followed their path in the pursuit of becoming an elve, unlocking the powers deep within them and travelling to the elven islands where peace and prosperity were in abundance.
He was not as driven to become an elve. More than content to live within the monastery and the chance to work in the library with Jed could set him on a path to becoming the grand librarian himself, then he would be in charge of the books.
As he passed the shelves he could see a few acolytes, the first step of a cleric, pouring through books and studying for the various tests that would promote them.
He continued walking. The book he had taken out of the library lived near the back where few clerics went and where the dust was thick and the air heavy.
Danion often wondered where he got his love of books from, he knew that his mother did not read much, preferring to read the words of nature within the forests to the dead books. His father, on the other hand, did read but only the books he needed to advance himself upon the path. Danion had never seen Balen set foot within the library.
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