Stories From Terra

An Oman!!

Once upon a time, there were four sisters. Lilium, Magnoliaceae, Crocus, and little Alstroemeria. Lilium's sapphire eyes and caramel colored hair made her as pretty as the flower she was named for. Magnoliaceae had a voice as clear as a trickling brook and as sweet as honey. Crocus was as smart as any scholar at university, and could argue her way out of any situation. And little Alstroemeria had a disposition so kind and generous that it was impossible to not like her. She was the only one of her family with a talent for growing flowers, despite all of her sisters being named for them, which she did often. The townspeople often congratulated their father on his wonderful raising of them, telling him that they would go on into history. But looks are not always as it seems. In reality the four girls had grown under the watchful eye of their Aunt Jasione, their father had very little to do with them, and even less if he could help it. The girls lived in a small shipping village called Etres. And so it might have remained, except for the small details that seem to prevail in such tales, the ones that make the story begin and keep it going.

It happens, in the court of Lee-Vinae, that the lords and ladies were sitting around their round table discussing matters of import. To these, this is quite normal. And yet, things might have still remained, that is, if the baron hadn't spilled his tea on the map they were discussing. His mug landed in the ocean to the west of the country. To the surprise of all present, it flowed up the slight incline on the table that was irking Lord Kumpsa so badly. The stream of hot tea ran down a thin looking stream on the map, causing the ink to run. The tea stopped at a small village called Etres.

The high bishop of Lithrue stood up suddenly and shouted "An Oman! An Oman!"

The people around the table agreed. A duke, by the name of Brax, yelled, "We should declare war on them!!"

The table argued for quite some time, and eventually they came to the conclusion that Etres did not need to be destroyed, small as it was.

As they sat around the table, wondering what it was they were to do about this small village that only made an appearance on a map as it was a reputable port, a young courier had made it to the castle after riding hard and fast for five whole days. He raced past the guards, yelling "Important news!! Important news!!" He raced up the stairs to the room bearing the table so many noblemen were seated at. He barged into the room and shouted "Her Ladyship Veronicastrum Zephyranthes Tradescantia of Alcia is dead!!!"

The high bishop stood up once more and shouted "It's an Oman!!"

And so, after much deliberation, and the courier's assurances that she had named no heirs, and had no children, they came to the conclusion that the young prince would be sent to Etres to find a young woman to replace Veronicastrum Zephyranthes Tradescantia of Alcea.