The Oracles of Mer

Chapter 18: Lunar Festival

Essa rolled over, her mouth was dry and she was suddenly worried. "Bau, my Oracle is worried about something."

"I love how you word it that way," he yawned and nuzzled her "however you are the Oracle, stop treating it like it's a separate entity living inside you." He reached over her and pulled out a water from the beside cabinet. "Here, now tell me what's worrying you."

     "I promised your mom I would heal your world... I don't know where to go from here... what next?" She sighed and took a long drink "there is so much different from the vision, it's not even recognizable anymore..."

     "What's on the list Cor had you write... what isn't recognizable?"

     "Reality, versus the vision. The difference isn't..."

      "Ah, I see what you're trying to say," he took a deep breath "well, what is the one thing about the vision that you, not the spirits want to change or make sure never happens."

      "The spirits, the Oracle Energies would get angry if I said it aloud."

    "Okay, so how can I help you without knowing, without being told what I'm not privy to?" He watched her think and loved the feel of how brilliant she was. She never mocked him, they would lay in bed and talk about what everyone else seems useless facts.

     "What is the next important thing, the water, the planetary core, the budget... you had problems with it."

    "No, we're doing fine. What's different between that and now to make it this way."

    "The council took control completely, you and your brother were merely puppets or the image of what the council commanded." She took a breath "oh, Ki's Uncle somehow convinced you he was her father, he was the head of the council."

    "What!" He sat up "what did you do to solve the budget problems?" He was trying to quickly get control of his thoughts, they were racing and so was the Oracle energy within him. "My brothers and I will look into the council and Ki's Uncle."

     "Small crafts sold at market, there's a weed that grows here in spite of the mess the planet was in that can be made into a valuable fabric I can teach people how I did it in the vision. Maybe I could start with Ki, she would know how to get the rest of the women of the palace to listen and try it."

     "That's a good idea." He smiled down at her as she yawned "any more major changes to the planet I should worry about?"

     "Yes the other planets housing living Oracle stones showed up just before the Lunar Festival." That's when she remembered what the spirits had set up in the vision, something she didn't like then and doesn't want to happen now.

     "When might they be coming, how many were there?"

    "With my planet becoming a moon for yours and our moons circling around..." she looked at him hoping he wouldn't put it together, he noticed her worry but misinterpreted it "there will be seven moons around your planet."

     "Uncle Byrese's prophecy, does the fact that you helped Ki get pregnant have something to do with that." He saw her worry and back peddled knowing he might have just figured out what the spirits forbid her to speak of. "Because they prophecy is not really about that." He leaned down and kissed her "that is just what we tell everyone, even most of the spirits aren't privy to the real prophecy. That is between us and the great spirit."

      He pulled her into his arms and she quickly fell asleep. Silently he realized why she hadn't gotten pregnant yet, the spirits had forced something on her to save the planet and his people. He had to figure it out before they did it again.