The Legend of Tafari

Chapter 18 White Past

The following day Tafari shook me away as I looked to see that her face showed she got little rest as I rose from the bed. "Quickly Deola we must bathe that we can learn about Celine," her tone determined. The servant under Yohance walked in front of us the silence engulfed us beside the shuffle of her raiment on the ground. She must have felt nervous, for as she scrubbed Tafari's skin her hands shook. Tafari's face was emotionless as she submerged herself beneath the water coming up as she wiped her face with her hands. The nervous servant ushered Tafari towards the edge of the pool as a towel was wrapped immediately around her as her feet hit the first step.

"Cleanse her quickly," Tafari said referring to me as the girl stripped me and took me into the pool. It was painful how she scrubbed me down, but I endured it. Tafari seemed not herself as she stood there water dripping onto the paved area around the pool. She grabbed a pitcher pouring it over my head as she gently pulled her fingers through my now curly hair. She dumped small bottles of oils in my hair a she massaged it and the scent of rosemary and flame tree filling the space as she ushered me out the pool and I felt Tafari pull me out wrapping me as she dragged me alone into the raiment room where another servant quickly made apparel for Tafari and myself.

It amazed me that Yohance did so many jobs when it came to Tafari. It made me admire her more. For unlike me she, though she had every right to be bitter, her love for Tafari made her sweet.

"Deola," Tafari said as I quickly turned my head as she held her hands up for me to walk besides her. I hurried as I adjusted the clothes. We walked through the floating garden to find that Celine and the little one named Fleur sat in the midst observing the butterflies.

"Look Mama, the princesses!" Fleur shouted as Celine quickly rose holding a pad of some kind as she bowed.

"Good morning," Celine said her French a bit more proper and precise with which words she used. Seeing her smile with the greeting caused Tafari and myself to step back in awe for though her skin was fair her smile was glistening.

"Who escorted you out of the room Celine?" Tafari asked her face confused, as Celine looked bewildered.

"I apologize but Fleur ran out of the room this morning and gave me a fright and I found her here. The flowers remind her of our meadows back home in France." Celine said her face hiding her fear very well under humbleness.

"Hello," Fleur said as she patted Tafari's knee. I saw as Tafari's demeanor changed and she bent down as the little girl handed her a flower.

"Why thank you." She said smiling at Fleur and at the instant I saw the mother within her.

"You know I have a son about your age and I am sure you would enjoy having someone to play with huh?" Tafari said as the little yellow haired girl's face lite up with excitement.

"A friend," she exclaimed as she turned to her mother who smiled nodding.

"Celine there is no need to worry. You are a guest of my house and no harm will come to you or your daughter," Tafari said as she stood smiling as I saw Celine relax.

We all left the floating gardens as we headed to Prince Dumian's wing as his nanny greeted us at the door bowing as she moved aside as I heard Dumian's voice. It was as angelic as Tafari's.

"Celine this is my son Prince Dumian," Tafari said as Dumi looked at her as he hid behind Tafari.

"Hello little prince," Celine said her dull pale blue eyes smiling as she held Fleur's hand.

"Say hello Fleur." She said as Fleur waved, and smiled and Dumian could not help but smile back.

"Dumi, why don't you go and show Fleur your paintings," Tafari said staring at Dumi, who for such small little boy understood and immediately grabbed Fleur's hand and ran towards his inner room. Both Celine and Tafari watched until they could no longer see both of the children.

"To the matter at hand," Tafari said as she knelt on a large pillow within the rotunda of entrance of Dumi's wing. I knelt down beside her as Celine hesitated before doing the same. Her raiment was strange and thicker than our own, and it draped over her frame till you could not see her silhouette. Her hair did not flow as the yellow haired child but it stayed in one place on the side of her head. She wore something that covered her feet. Beads of sweat collected on her brow as Tafari continued to talk.

"Why have you come to our great country?" Tafari said as Celine looked at her intently before she began to speak.

"Our King seeks riches as most of the kings of Europe. And he has sent many explorers to go and explore the known world to seek trading partners for these riches. The man who calls himself Cavalier is one of our countries head generals and he must bring back word as soon as he can." Tafari showed no response as she heard her words.

"I am only here because my brother would have it no other way," Celine said her face showing a sadness, that made her look old.

"Do you have no husband?" Tafari asked slightly intrigued by her.

"My husband died when Fleur was an infant, from a sickness. That was when my brother promised that he would watch over us," she said smiling softly as she went back to her sad face.

"Fleur looks like my husband and her openness reminds me of him in every way. We were childhood friends before we were even interested in each other as lovers. And when he passed living on the land he owned became too much seeing all the work it took. And so I decided to sell the land for a fair price and Fleur and I will be well off until she herself is grown and finds a husband of her own." Celine said as her eyes drifted off into an almost hidden place that neither Tafari nor I could see.

The sound of children filled the space as we heard the light squeals of Dumi and Fleur go back and forth. I could not help but smile for Dumian's voice would cause any heart to flutter with a maternal love and adoration.

"What do you write on that?" Tafari pointed at the pad as Celine smiled.

"Queen, I am an artist and I draw many things," she answered as she laid the pad flat showing us pictures drawn with a type of charcoal. It stained her fingers till they were black, but what her eyes caught and placed upon that pad were incredible. One piece of the pad she had drawn the silhouette of Tafari. I could tell for I too had been mesmerized with how my eyes caught every detail of her frame. Tafari gave off a different feeling as she sat there far too silent as she occasionally stared at what Celine had drawn. Her mind was in another place and it made me feel uneasy.

" Mommy!" we heard Fleur scream as all three of us rushed into the inner part of Dumian's room to see him unconscious on the ground Fleur showed fear on her face as she held his hand kneeling beside him as her pale skin turned a tint of red as she cried.

"Fleur what happened?" Celine exclaimed as she knelt beside Fleur and Tafari gently lifted Dumian from the ground. She was calm and pushed the little Prince's hair from his face.

"Do not fear Fleur, he is only exhausted and is asleep," she assured the little girl who still held Dumi's hand. Her innocence almost addicting because of the genuity behind it. Tafari called the nanny as she told her to escort Celine and Fleur to the dining area so that they could eat. As they left she stood laying Dumi in his bed as she kissed his forehead.

"Deola it is beginning to happen," she said as I looked confused to what she said. "He is going through the cycle of the Oracle." Her eyes were sad, as she spoke it.

"I began to have these sleeping spells, as my mother would call them around his age and sometime I would sleep for days, and sometimes only hours. Hopefully they are shorter for him."

"We must go to the meeting with the advisors later on. It seems to have been a very long debate about what to do about our visitors, but I do not trust them, though Celine is truthful in her words," she said as I nodded.

I had no idea what the urgency within her voice was, but the uneasiness was so thick, I quietly took deep breaths. Unsure of her thoughts and what she had seen from Jengi.