The Long Lost

by Rebecca Woods

  I looked at her in fear and she stopped talking.

  “What is it?”

  I opened my mouth to say so much, yet felt myself resist the urge to give in to my fear.

  “It is nothing. I apologise for my rudeness”.

  “Not at all”, she said. “Your life here will be much…different from your life on the Blue Planet I daresay”.

  I nodded, that was an understatement indeed.

  I was struck by a sudden idea, something that would keep me occupied while I acclimatised myself to this new world.

  “Can I, if you please, make my own clothes?” I said, “I have always done this”.

  She looked at me strangely.

  “Women sew on your world?”

  I nodded.

  “I’ll see what I can do”.

  She looked amused, she then smiled and handed me the key to the room.

  “Make yourself comfortable. Your friend has been shown to a room on the same wing”.

  She turned to leave and then turned around again quickly.

  “The rest of your living area is behind that door”, she pointed to the door beside the dresser I had not explored yet.

  “Call me if you need anything, I am also in the same wing”.

  Her eyes met mine; like I had felt when she was looking after me before the trial, I felt a strange connection between us. I felt there was something unexplained behind her eyes.

  She turned again and left the room, closing the door behind her.

  I turned and walked towards the door by the dresser. It had an elaborate gold coloured handle. I pushed it down, hearing it creak, and pulled the door open. In front of me were two rooms. One was a privy and the other was a room, which had another large window and three comfortable looking armchairs. In the middle of these armchairs was a small table with two wooden chairs.

  I went and sat on one of the chairs, feeling myself sink into it. It felt good against my bruised and battered body.

  A knock sounded at the main door. I got up, walked through and answered it. In front of me was a smiling young man. His black hair was long and lustrous and his green eyes glittered happily. His skin was slightly darker than the other Falaira. I recognised him vaguely as the man who had been tending the flowers earlier. He held a tray covered with a wooden dome that was engraved with strange symbols.

  A jug of water nestled next to the dome and I felt myself craving a drink.

  “I am Geebani” he said. “I am here to make sure you have everything you need”.

  “May I enter?” I nodded and stood aside so that he could get past.

  He walked through to the room with the chairs and set the tray onto the table.

  We walked back through to the main bedroom.

  “I have been looking forward to meeting you” Geebani said. “You’ve been the subject of legends for thousands of years, the Falaira that travelled across the stars for a better life – and here you are”.

  “Well, yes” I began, struggling to answer him properly. This was going to take some getting used to. I was so used to viewing men with suspicion and fear that I was disarmed by this smiling stranger.

  “So, what’s the Blue Planet like?” He said. “No, please ignore that. I ask too many questions. I’ll leave you to eat”.

  Before I could find the words to tell him I’d rather he stayed he was out of the door.

  Once it was safely closed I went and investigated the contents of my tray. Upon lifting the wooden dome I saw a bowl of fragrant smelling soup and two large chunks of bread and cheese. The jug of water came with a wooden cup which I took advantage of first.

  It was strange how this was a completely different world in what appeared to be another universe entirely and yet they were like humans in their appearance, drank water and had things like trees and bread. Yes, the bread was made of a grain that tasted like nothing I had ever tasted before but it was still bread. The water had a metallic tang to it but it was perfectly palatable. I felt my immense thirst quenched quickly. I then attended to the food.

  When I had eaten I went and explored the bedroom area. I spotted something outside the window on the left hand wall and opened it to investigate. I saw that the window was in actual fact a set of double doors that opened up onto a balcony, which had lots of wild flowers growing on and around it.

  I stepped outside and leaned over the edge of the balcony. The air was slightly chilly but bearable.

  I was on the ground floor, from the view I could see that I was on a different side of the house than I had been in my last room. This side faced onto a vast garden complete with winding paths, various dividing walls and thousands of bright, lush flowers.

  In the distance, at the far end of the garden, I saw what looked like a graveyard. It was in the middle of the most beautiful garden and had tall dropping trees standing guard over it like the warriors that had captured us.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Please enter” I said. Khalashaya walked in looking pleased.

  “Well, we’re certainly being treated well now!” he said.

  “What you did in the courtroom Auriana, it was so brave.”

  I let his statement hang in the air and went back to my position on the balcony. Night was drawing in and slight flecks of moonlight pierced through the clouds.

  “The burial of Gleema Nikka will take place tomorrow morning; like clockwork in this part of the world” said Khalashaya. I noticed his tone grew sharper and glanced at him.

  “They dislike any variation from the prescribed norm; their way of disposing of their dead is no different”.

  “What about her friends, does she have family?” I do not know why this mattered but it did.

  “Friends and family usually say goodbye and then take part in the burial in the morning. They dug the grave earlier, I watched them”.

  “Women get sent to the pyre after death” I said. “Every morning a horse and cart goes round collecting any that might have passed away in the night. Burial is forbidden”.

  “Why?”

  “Because we’re women, we have no souls and go to Oblivion when we die”.

  “Just when I thought your world could not get any worse”. He said.

  He was lost in thought for a second and then seemed to shake himself out of it.

  “We are to go and speak to the council. They have some ideas on how we can deal with the Eurikaya”.

  “Let’s go”. I said quickly.

  We were accompanied by Geebani on our way to the council.

  “I’m to show you the way” he said in the cheerful manner I was beginning to think was his usual way. I watched his long dark hair move as he walked quickly, noting again the darkness of his skin. I had never ever seen skin darker than mine before. Everyone was white skinned at home. I had never questioned it; not realising for many years that darker skinned people lived on the earth. His skin was beautiful and his eyes a luxurious dark green that contrasted with his black hair.

  One evening, on one of my illegal excursions, I had walked by the international port.

  Looking at the big ships did something strange to my head. For a fleeting second I imagined stowing away on one, killing rats for food and taking my chances on a far off island where the rain didn’t burn and I could show my face outside.

  Then I saw some dark skinned men coming off the ship nearest to me. They carried trunks, no doubt containing things to be sold at the market. I marvelled at their even dark skin and straight black hair, hair as dark as mine. I had laughed inwardly at my ignorance of the world and walked back home pleased I had deviated from my usual selection of routes home from the library.

  “Where are you from?” popped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

  Geebani gave me a slight bow of the head.

  “I am from Seniveri, it’s a land far far away from here. We call it the land of the waterfalls and sharp rocks – because you are never far away from either when you are there”.

  �
�Do the Gleema live there as well?” I asked.

  “Yes, they have ruled that part of the world for thousands of years. We were a little more resistant to The Dream than people here though; took a long time for the two peoples to get along. I’m not the only Seniveri here; Gleema Lee’s mother was from my part of the world”.

  He took a breath and smiled again.

  “It is an honour to meet a Falaira who is descended from the Long-Lost. I am going to enjoy serving you”.

  We stopped outside the council doors, which opened on our approach. Khalashaya and I looked at each other before entering.

  Gleema Lee came and took one of my hands. I was not sure but I thought she might have squeezed it slightly in reassurance.

  “Come Auriana, Khalashaya”. We were led, not to the big hall where I had revealed my scars but to a small side room where ten or so Gleema sat around a large wooden table. There were three vacant seats. Gleema Leeh took one and motioned for Khalashaya and myself to sit down. We did.

  Geebani had followed us in. Gleema Leeh looked at him and smiled.

  “You may go Geebani”. He turned to leave, “In fact, bring us some herb tea”.

  “Yes Gleema Leeh” he said, far more reverently than he had spoken to me. It made me uncomfortable to watch.

  He left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

  A black haired Gleema with a thin face stood up.

  “I apologise for the delay in calling this emergency council”.

  I realised she was apologising to me.

  I nodded and gave what I hoped was a polite “It is of no consequence” smile.

  “Right”, she sat down again, “I am Gleema Neena, I am, or was, chief advisor to our much missed head of the council. I will be assuming leadership here for the foreseeable future or until a better replacement is suggested.”

  She looked at Gleema Leeh.

  "Gleema Dan is extremely concerned about what has happened. She may pay us a visit before the week is out".

  She looked around the table. This made me do so as well, I noticed that everyone looked as though they had not slept or eaten properly. No one looked ecstatic about the prospect of a visit from the aforementioned Gleema Dan either.

  As if addressing my thoughts, Gleema Neena continued:

  “We have suffered a devastating loss. One that was unexpected and violent. I am giving this council the time of Gleema Nikka’s exposure and burial to rest and recharge before we carry out what we will plan here tonight”.

  “I understand (she looked at Khalashaya suddenly) you are a member of a renegade group known as the Free Falaira, a group that resisted The Dream and also resisted the many attempts of your rehabilitation facility to socialise and normalise you so that you could function in Falaira society”.

  Khalashaya had looked more and more enraged as she said this and seemed to be trying to contain himself.

  “Rehabilitation facility?” He was cut off.

  “This is of little importance at this moment in time Khalashaya”. Gleema Leeh said calmly.

  Gleema Leeh carried on, “What we need…”.

  She stopped and took a breath.

  “What we need is your help Khalashaya”. Khalashaya looked dumbfounded as if Gleema Neena had just asked for one of his eyes.

  “We need your magic”.

  The room went silent. All I could hear was breathing as everyone looked at Khalashaya. I tried to read his expression and then his mind but he was closed to me.

  He stood there, his face looking more like a stone cold marble wall than it had done in the time I had known him. I felt ribbons of pain emanating from him softly, he was trying to keep them from me, I could tell. I glanced at Gleema Neena and then back at Khalashaya; they were eyeing each other with equal ferocity, Khalashaya’s was cold and restrained, hers was hot and angry, she would find a way to bend him to her will but he would not make it easy for her.

  “You need my help” he said, emotionlessly. “You need my magic, the magic you killed us for refusing to suppress”.

  He looked at me.

  "They did things to us that I will never forgive them for, and they need our magic."

  Gleema Neena kept calm and looked him in the eye.

  “We do. Will you help us Khalashaya?”

  I looked at him. From what I could see, we had little choice. The Eurikaya were creatures beyond physical restraint. We need non-physical means to destroy them. Many more would die if the magical population of Deloran did not help.

  From the way that they were looking at each other, and of course the way in which we had both been imprisoned and put on trial for our magic, it was clear that there was a long and bloody history between the Gleema and the magical people that had hidden themselves away. Had I not sensed great pain and loss from him when I touched him, straight after we first met and I had woken up in his house?

  It all rested on him. I had no magic, at least no magic I could call up at will.

  He looked at me, his green eyes narrowed and bored into mine as if trying to read me. He then looked back at Gleema Neena, who also had a very severe expression on her face.

  “I will help. We must contact the others, the hidden ones”. He said this slowly, as if it pained him. He would have to give up their secret location. I knew he would not do that in the way the Gleema would want. He looked at me then and I felt something move in my stomach along with the shock I felt at hearing him agree to help these people.

  “I can get round this” he said in my head. Good, I thought.

  “Good” said Gleema Neena, echoing my thought. “We leave after the burial. You should know that warriors will accompany us, for precautionary purposes of course”.

  Khalashaya nodded respectfully.

  “Of course,” he said. His face was as marble like as before but I could sense that he wanted to smile.

  Silence, the Gleema around the table looked at each other and then back at us.

  “It is decided then,” said Gleema Neena, “We leave at midday. Have a rest, explore the grounds and get some sleep.”

  With a flick of her hand the council was dismissed and Khalashaya and I found ourselves alone.

  “Shall we go and explore?” said Khalashaya suddenly.

  I realised that, apart from my sojourn on the balcony, I had not left the building since we had been captured by the warriors. I had no idea how big this house was or what was in any of the other houses surrounding the large garden. I was reminded of my excursions around the city of Zafiya by night and felt a small thrill of excitement at the possibility of being able to explore with someone else and not be afraid of capture.

  I nodded my assent, keeping my face neutral and we walked to my living area so that I could grab my cloak.

  Darkness had fallen quickly and I noticed bright moonlight shining in through the windows we passed, I spotted the lights from the garden twinkling through the glass and looked forward to exploring it properly. We reached my bedroom in no time. I popped in and then back out with my cloak and we exited into the garden through a side door we discovered a minute or two later.

  Moonlight hit me, along with the warm, temperate night air, piercing my eyes. I looked up at the sky and was as astounded by it as I had been on the first night we arrived. I was in a different world, I was not on New Earth. I did not imagine I would ever get used to the feeling.

  I looked up at the moons and the large stars and just stood there gazing at them.

  My slippered feet made the dry grass crunch underneath, all I could hear were our footsteps, Khalashaya’s breathing and birds in the distance calling to each other.

  “It’s so beautiful, I cannot imagine how anyone gets any work done here” I said.

  Khalashaya looked straight ahead and did not answer. I tried again to draw him into conversation. After the sudden change in our treatment by the Gleema, I needed to talk, to learn more about this world.

  “What do they do here?” I said.

  Khalashaya gav
e a wry grin.

  “This is presumably their central government area now, I've not been amongst the Gleema for a long time. I’m surprised we were brought here and not to one of the prisons on the other side of the city; still, I think they must have sensed you were not what you seemed”.

  I thought back to the journey to this city and the words of the warrior as she guarded me “you are something strange”. Gleema Leeh came into my head and I once again felt that strange sense that plagued me whenever she was near. She was different from the others and yet different from me. Yet, something drew me to her, something under the skin that connected us.

  Our enquiring feet discovered some stone steps towards a lake and I put Gleema Leeh out of my thoughts while I took in this beautiful sight. I was so excited to be outside. I was walking without fear in the moonlight with this strange man who had rescued me in so many ways.

  I had never explored without potential repercussions before, had never felt that tingle of anticipation inside my stomach legally. I looked behind and saw that we had come a good distance from the house. Khalashaya visibly relaxed and started telling me what certain flowers were, pointing out varieties that grew in orderly patches beside the lake.

  I was not sure how or when it had started but I really liked Khalashaya, and not just because he was the man who had saved my life. As he chatted animatedly, I noted that he had a dry sense of humour and was in awe of our luminescent surroundings as I was. For some reason I did not think of him as a man as I would have done in my world. He was a man of course, however he didn’t fill me with the fear and disgust men on my world did.

  We sat down on the grass by the lake, I enjoyed the feel of the grass through my cloak and the rich scent of earth and life that mingled with intense perfume from the flowers. Reflections of the stars above glittered on the water like disjointed twins and glowing flies skimmed the surface, creating a stunning tableau. I felt a sudden urge to remove my slippers and connect with the splendour around me, so I did.

  Khalashaya followed suit but went further and dipped his toes into the water, the ripples he created turned the tableau into an even lovelier sight.

  I could not do the same, water for me was a source of death and corrosion. The scars on my feet were testament to this. Khalashaya relaxed even more and leaned back on his hands, his face upturned and his eyes closed.