Over the mountain's mist

That First Cold Morning

There was a cold morning. The sun rises were entry in the room through the window, without being stopped by the curtains. Rhea turn in her bed and pulled her blanket. It was pretty cold in there. Her head was hurting like it hadn t hurted before. Or this is what she supposed.
She opened her eyes. The room wasn t look familiar. But were was she? That wasn t home. But what was home? She couldn't remember how her room looked like. And, trying to remember was more painful than she expected.
She sat up of the bed and tried to keep her balance. The floor was cold and the wood was dull. She walks to the window with insecure steps. The sun barely risen above the horizon. But the skyline wasn't straight. Actually, the view was really wonderful. The line of some mountains was getting lost in the distance. From their base was not a long way to the haouse she was in. Her room was at the second floor, and it had a long balcony in front of the window.
Maybe she would be impressed by that view, but she was not feeling very good, and was not completely sure about what was happening. She turned around and get over something that fell and made a great sound that made her head ache more un supportable. And than she realised there was a littl a chifferobe. On the top of it there were some books. One of them fell down and made that noise. Rhea bended and raised the book. A Bible? She putted it beside the others. They all was religious.
She looked around again, but this time she played more atention. The room was realy small. Nothing beside the bed and the chifferobe. There was a wood cross on the wall above the bed that made her fill realy unfit. There was just one door, the one that opened into the long balcony.
Than she looked at her. She was dressed with a white nightdress and her hair was braided but messy.
She pressed the door handle and walked out.
       The balcony was common for all rooms, as she could see. Rhea get closer to the balcony railing. The sun rises touched her white skin, warming her. But then the clouds get away the only light of the day and, in that moment, Rhea saw for the first time the mountains in their  grace. The mist was rising between the white peaks, like a milky veil. They war a great range, making her feel little and more then uncomfortable. She didn't remember where she had lived before, but she had the feeling that she never saw something like that.
         And that she saw somebody get closer. She turned around and let the beautiful view behind. And something in her gad a great surprise. There was a nun, that stopped close to her. But she didn't said anything. She stared at the girl that was wearing just the white dress, and then made her a sign whit her hand to follow her.
       Once she turned around Rhea looked at her living the balcony and enter in the house to the last door. She was wearing that black clothes, like every nun. Rhea looked one more time at the view and than get following the strange women.
      The last door opened to a small hall that ends with stairs. The air was the same cold, but more heavy, like something very strange was flowing around.
      She went downstairs quickly, so she could catch up with the women in black. At the ground floor was also a long hall, with a some large windows on the left and six doors on the right. The first door was bigger than the others, and it was just a little open, just for one rise of light to entry the hall. She get cliser and opened it with  careful.
       There was a library, on the left, bookcases with shelves up to the ceiling. All of them  had black legs covers and were carefully placed. Ahead and on the right, there were some tables with some chairs. But, as the light of the candles was spread the light in them, the dust was very obvious. It was clear that nobidy in there was study hard.
        But the room wasn't empty. There were 5 nuns, forming a lune, behind the main table, in the middle of the library. One of them was very ild and was sitting on a chair, as the girl approached. On the table were some sheets of paper and a sealed white envelope. The chair the old nun was sitting on was off the table, but on the left and on the right parts of the table there were two other chairs that was, obviously put there for the one that should read the letter.
    One of the younger nuns showed her one chair, and si set without hesitation. Rhea looked at the envelope. Its paper was pretty old, because it started to catch some yellow dots on the corners. The seal was made on a red wax an it had simple symbol of a cross. She looked then back to the nuns, but they all were quite, looking at the door, like they were waiting for something. Or for somebody.
      She waited there maybe a few minutes, but it seemed to be an hour under the nun's eyes. In the end the door opened again and a man entered. He was wearing something like a pijama, made from the same white material. He was tall and had dark eyes. His hair was a light brown and a little messy. Rhea looked at him with an unjustified surprise. She didn't recognise him. But she couldn't recognise anybody. And in that moment she thought, probably he knews her. But he get closer and his face obviously showed that he was as confused as she.
       Once he set on the other chair, the old nun raised her hand and pointed the envelope.
 

   The guy took it before Rhea and broke the seal and opened it. Then he looked at her. His eyes showed a very familiar safety. He get out the letter amd put the envelope back to the table. Then he unfolded the paper and placed it so they could both read.

         Dear Rhea, dear Noah,
Welcome to our monestry. My name is Priest Andrew, and I'm the ruler of this place of worship. We are very glad to have you among us.
      You already met the nuns that will be your hosts as long as you will stay with us. Ask them for anything but don't wait for an answer. They made the oath of silence, so they can not talk to you. I will be your friend to talk with. I am very sorry you can't see me in person, but the rules are  rules. And I am sure that you will respect them.
       I know that you are pretty confused right now, but you have no reason. This can be just a temporal home for you. So I know you will leave as soon as it will be possible.
     You se, the only way to find civilisation is to cross the mountains. I think it is a hard think to do, but it became impossible in winter. As today is the 14th of December, I tend to believe that you will wait for the first days of spring.
      So, as there is so many time that we have, I propose to focus on the present. You will find the rules of the monestry on the same table. Also, if you have anything to told me, please write me a letter, and I will answer.
               

                                  Under His always 
                                    open eye,
                                         Priest Andrew