Sacred Water, Book 2, The Time Before

by Charles Kaluza

Chapter 16

  As they neared the site of the Council, they were met by one of the priesthood who said, “Our elder priest has suggested shelter at our monastery for your priest and the stranger who accompanies you.”

  Heather rested a moment to fully catch her breath before replying, “A good suggestion. I would expect the Council will need a report from our young priest. It would be good not to stress our new companion with too much exposure.”

  As they set off again Heather announced to her companions, “I would the location of the pass and the sacred library remain uncertain. We know not if those of the Red Ambassador may have even penetrated into the Forest.”

  Jeremy spoke up saying, “I smell ale."

  Their already harsh pace seemed to pick up even a little more as the end of their journey drew close. They made straight for the tavern and room was made for them all. The warmth of a real fire, full stomachs and a few pitchers of ale were all a fitting end to their journey. Storytelling began quickly.

  As the evening wore on, an elderly man offered Daniel and Heather his cottage saying, "I would you stay in my humble abode. It is the least I can do for you who have done so much for us."

  Daniel was going to object but Heather spoke up saying, "I would accept your gracious offer but where will you stay?"

  "I will stay with my daughter; she has a small room which will be adequate. I have heated water, the bath is simple but I hope provides you some comfort."

  The thought of a real bath after all the days and weeks of hard travel was enough to bring tears to Heather's eyes. The elderly man looked embarrassed and began to protest that he had not meant to insult them.

  Heather's face broke into a huge smile as she explained how joyous she was to receive his gift. She gave the elderly man a kiss on the cheek and now it was his turn for tears of happiness.

  They left the storytelling for Jeremy and followed the elderly gentleman across the village. His cottage was not unlike Daniel's only smaller with but a single room. The bath and sleeping area were separated only by curtains. After weeks of having lived in their small travel tent it seemed as luxurious as her father's palace. Soaking in the small tub of hot water was almost decadent. She washed and brushed her again long blond hair as Daniel took his turn soaking in the tub. Tonight they were at peace, safe in the Forest, and together. They let the future wait while enjoying their love of each other.

  Morning brought the call to the Forest Council. Heather was concerned about having to wear her well-used travel clothes. The women of the village had taken care and a basket of clean clothes was delivered to them as they broke fast together. The clothes were the simple design of the Forest but the tunic had a small patch with a golden color. As Heather examined it she realized it was made of hair the color of her own. She tried to ask Daniel how they did that but he just shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat.

  The Council opened with the normal formalities of the Forest. Compared to the intricate protocols of the Northern Kingdom it was a most informal meeting. Some routine business was completed and then a request was made for a report on the recently completed trip. The traders’ guild reported first and described the amount of supplies distributed. A very senior member of the hunters’ guild summarized the journey itself. Heather was uncertain how he had obtained such detailed information. Next the old priest reported on the findings within the library of the ancients. He had obviously spent most of the night with their young priest learning as much as he could for this meeting. His report was fairly lengthy, especially in regards to the initial invasion of the lands of the ancients by those of the Red Ambassador. He closed his report with an apology for his limited understanding of this new knowledge. Many questions were asked and the old priest answered those he could.

  A midday break was taken and a light meal was served. When everyone had reassembled and some semblance of order had been restored, the Chair turned towards Heather and said, "Heather of the Northern Kingdom, we would hear your report and of the stranger you brought."

  Heather stood and felt her knees shaking. Daniel reached up and put his hand on her shoulder; his simple touch was enough to allow her to begin. She started, "Our story is really the story of our stranger. He is one of the people who call themselves, "Those Left Behind". They chose to remain in the mountains of their homeland after our ancestors risked survival in crossing the ice field." Her strength of voice improved and she related the destruction of his village by the army unit as they proceeded to the pass. As she began to speak of the military challenges in moving an army across the ice field her voice became one of true authority. Without her knowing it, the rest of the day passed while she gave her report.

  When she had finished speaking the chair stood and said, "Heather of the Northern Kingdom, a report well spoken. We of the Forest are much in debt to you again. It would seem the invasion is imminent and our preparations must be urgently begun. I adjourn this Council until after the midday meal on the morrow. All must begin planning for what the future may bring."

  Darkness had fallen by the time Daniel and Heather had finished with the Council. Daniel said, "For someone who wishes not to speak, you speak very well."

  Heather squeezed his hand and replied, "I appreciated your support but now a glass of ale would be nice."

  They walked through the snow to the tavern, which looked as if I could not possibly hold another person. Daniel opened the door anyway and people made a little room for him and Heather. They had no sooner sat down than two glasses of ale appeared along with bowls of potato chowder. The chowder lacked the spiciness of the Southern Kingdom but had a richness of flavor from the potatoes used. Storytelling had already commenced and they sat back and enjoyed the camaraderie.

  Morning seemed to arrive somewhat later, possibly because the evening stretched long into the night. Jeremy arrived to break fast with them, bringing a loaf of fresh bread and some dried meat for the meal. As always, he was wide awake and full of energy despite the late night. A priest arrived and asked if Heather would accompany him to the monastery for a meeting.

  Heather looked at Daniel who said, "I will meet you at the Council."

  Heather dressed in her travel cape and boots and followed the silent priest back to the monastery. They entered the stone building and the priest just disappeared, leaving Heather in the entryway by herself. Not knowing what else to do, she shook the snow from her cape and looked for a place to hang it. The small room had two other doorways but no furniture. She noticed the hooks on the back of the main door and chose one of them to hang her cloak. The room was not quite cold but not quite warm enough for comfort.

  Some time passed before she heard the shuffling gait of the old priest. He appeared through the smaller doorway on the right. He greeted her, saying, "I give thanks to the God of the Sacred Water for allowing me to live long enough to share the gifts you have brought us."

  Heather responded, "I would the God of the Sacred Water bless you with continued good health, for I fear we will desperately need your knowledge and understanding."

  "We have been pushing your young priest hard, trying to learn all that he has remembered. He remembers well but there's so much yet to learn from what he has stored in his mind. I would you grant to us his presence for at least a few months. We would make copies of the scrolls he has remembered and share them with your people."

  Heather nodded somewhat absently saying, "As you wish, it would be best to share the knowledge. I would he be with me when time for battle comes because of the knowledge he has."

  "Of course. Knowledge of the past may be our best weapon in the future and his knowledge exceeds all others."

  Heather objected saying, "It would seem that your many years of study would give you the position of most knowledgeable."

  The old priest smiled saying, "I have been blessed by God of the Sacred Water with good health and a memory which has not failed too badly. I have never travele
d from the Forest nor seen the wonders you have seen. No, your young priest is a true blessing and I would he stay here forever so we could all learn from him. Your need of his services in the coming hard times must take priority but when the hard times are over I would he return to us."

  "And so he shall. What are your thoughts of the stranger?"

  A look of sadness swept across the old priest’s wrinkled face as he replied, "His story is one of great sadness but matches well the tale told in the scrolls. Almost certainly those you refer to as the people of the Red Ambassador are the same as the people he calls the Red. Their treatment of our ancestors as told in the scrolls is similar to the story of your stranger and of your fisherman. Our enemy is a harsh one."

  Heather asked, "Will those of the Forest rise up?"

  For several minutes the old priest sat with his eyes closed and Heather began to wonder if he had fallen asleep. He opened his eyes and spoke, "Those of the Forest will do as they have always done. Many of the hunters would join with you in actively resisting the invasion. The remainder will support you and the hunters but mostly we of the Forest will work to make the spirits of the Forest come alive."

  Heather without waiting said, "I would know more of these spirits of the Forest?"

  The old priest rocked back in his chair and smiled and then while nodding his head said, "Before you can learn of the spirits I think it is best if you learn how our peoples originally divided themselves." He then proceeded to explain how the original settlers, who had survived the crossing of the ice field, represented two philosophical camps. The one group felt as if their suffering and loss of their homeland was because the people had lost contact with the essence of nature. The other group wished to pursue development of another great city such as they had been driven from. The latter group emigrated from the Forest and established what we now call the northern and Southern Kingdoms. Those who remained continued to concentrate their efforts on reconnecting with the essence of nature. "We have learned much but yet know so little about how nature itself works. The spirits of the Forest are really nothing more than the people's ability to sense what the world around them is saying. Many of those of the other kingdoms ascribe a magical character to the spirits, but to us they are nothing more than the message of nature itself."

  "And how would I plan to utilize this ability?"

  "Heather of the Northern Kingdom, you are the warrior. I can but say that the spirits will be there to help. They control not the weather or the volcanoes but they allow us to know the mood of the ground below us and the sky above. All creatures respond to the spirits and to a greater or lesser extent we can control that response. In the past this has allowed us to know the location of our enemies and control the availability of game for food. With the harshness of our winter this has insured our independence and survival."

  "Who of the Forest is most connected with the spirits?"

  The old priest responded, "All have some ability, and perhaps you've noticed that the hunters seem especially blessed. But it is the womenfolk who have developed the skill to the highest level."

  Heather was quiet while the picture was forming in her mind, she then replied, "I fear that the enemy we now face is so ruthless that the Forest itself will be destroyed."

  The old priest looked upward and developed the same affect of the young priest when he was reading the ancient scrolls stored in his mind. After about a minute the old priest replied, "The scrolls in the cave of knowledge would seem to indicate that the only effective defense against those of the Red was by those who worked with the spirits. The invaders overwhelmed all of the sophisticated defenses but were unable to overcome nature itself. Those who used the protection of nature were spared, but in the end they to were driven from their homes and survived only by crossing the ice field. Only a small remnant remained in the wild lands of our ancestral home." He then added, "I fear not for the Forest, but for the people of the Forest I fear greatly. Without the help of the God of the Sacred Water and the emissaries he has sent us, it is likely we will become like those left behind."

  Heather looked puzzled at this last comment and the old priest reached out and lightly touched her arm said, "I believe you are an emissary of the God of the Sacred Water that has been sent to us in our time of need. I am but an old man, but I pledge my loyalty to your efforts and offer my prayers and whatever knowledge I have retained to assist you in the task you have been given by the God of the Sacred Water."

  Heather had many other questions forming in her mind but the old priest said, "It is time for the midday breaking of bread, come join us before you must return to the Council." Heather followed the old priest into the dining hall, which reminded her most of the military dining hall at her father's castle. Simple wooden tables were set with large bowls, each with a single spoon and without any other adornments. The young priest and Stan, the stranger from across the ice field, were already seated and Heather joined them.

  Stan greeted her saying, "A blessing upon you." The clarity of his speech was impressive and this showed on Heather's face, which brought a large smile from both Stan and the young priest.

  Heather responded, "Well said. I hope you are being treated well." Stan was obviously working hard to translate Heather's words and responded by simply smiling and nodding his head in the affirmative. The simple meal was begun by a prayer of one of the priest and the meal was taken in silence. Only after everyone had finished and a closing prayer given was conversation allowed. So many comments and questions seemed to arise simultaneously that Heather's mind had difficulty keeping up. It was almost a relief when the old priest announced that it was time for Heather to return to the consul.