Villainess From the Stars

23. Settling In

The Secret Garden was what Vienna came to call the place where she found herself.

Aelius would inform her later that it was a rough translation of what they called the place, Širdkryp-Gardinōs.

It was flush with life and the forests were thick with Elemširdis all sorts. Most had wings but a few seemed to burrow themselves within the glittering sides of the rock face that surrounded the garden, their whole bodies glittering as well. Occasionally Viennawould see a petite head of a rare river Sea Folk peek from a nearby lake or the occasional river.

The garden was far larger than Vienna expected when she first stepped inside at first. It was like its own little world with small valleys, rivers, lakes, and high glittering rock cliffs protecting the whole of it stretching further than she could see at its entrance.

Those first days or perhaps weeks were the hardest. Night and day still existed but they seemed shorter than the days she had gotten used to on Terra. Time passing quicker than on Terra. The friendly pair that guided her informed her that time ran differently in theŠirdkryp-Gardinōs.

The two Elemširdis were so welcoming and kind showing her where the best foraging spots were as well where a communal fire pit was set up when some wished for something warm. However, the ache that started when she felt the familiar warmth would not fade away. Vienna would hug her arms and look around at the beautiful surroundings and feel very small.

Aelius and Eirlys were close friends who had been together since they were young. They immediately took Vienna under their wings. They made a small home by a brook that led to fresh spring. It was simple and for a little while Vienna was distracted with helping them and watching as the interesting design came to fruition. They had received the plans when visiting the Citadel that guarded the Širdkryp-Gardinōs. There wasn't anything in her past world that was quite like it. They used the fallen limbs of trees only and foliage very carefully, much of the time was spent finding the supplies as they journeyed across the Secret Garden. It reminded Vienna of how frugal Pop would use nature's elements when building anything.

The Elemširdis was very similar to her father in that way, careful when disturbing nature. It wasn't until Vienna hadTKmultidaytriptogetsupplies journeyed with them for some time that she came to realize that it wasn't just that though, it wasn't just respect. Their whole culture was based on keeping the balance.

This was shown when Vienna met again the strange Mapmaker who seemed to take care of the Citadel.

Viennawatched Aelius and Eirlys curiously as they performed a formal greeting. Their hands formed a circle in front of their chests where their hearts most likely were, <<Nōs retōur kyklos>>.

TheMapmaker returned their greeting with his bow with the same gesture, <<Nōs retōur kyklos>>.

Vienna'seyebrows wrinkled and she could hear Aelius chuckling before he leaned over, "It is our traditional greeting here upon the Continent."

Vienna brought her hands up to her chest with the circle, "What's the circle supposed to represent if I may ask?"

"Everything has a balance, a cycle. We the Elemširdis know this perhaps the most." He nods towards his best friend who was still speaking to the Mapmaker, "When we greet one another we recognize this, the greeting means we have come full circle or met in the circle."

Viennalooked over to Eirlys whose ice blue light seemed to sparkle asEirlys spoke animatedly to the Mapmaker who nodded occasionally. Vienna watched as he pulled out a small bound book and made a few notes as his fellow Elemširdis spoke to him. As if he could sense her gaze he glanced up, his dark eyes glinting underneath his spectacles and his lips lifted with a smirk. He nodded both hers and Aelius's way before all three Elemširdis ended up speaking a parting phrase.

<<Nōsm'ōccursum ad širdis.>> All Elemširdis bowed as they spoke their hands flat over their chests before the Mapmaker departed without another word.

Already the brown-haired girl was looking expectantly at the being of sunlight who immediately opened his mouth to explain.

"It our traditional parting phrase, 'We will meet at the...'"

He stopped with a jolt as Eirlys playfully swatted him with her wing before standing before Vienna.

"She'll never learn if you tell her all." Tucking a stray snowy wisp of hair behind her ear Eiryls spoke up, "It's time, Bhelfl'ōr, you learned how to speak our language."

Later on, Vienna would learn through her lessons with the two Elemširdisthat the parting greeting meant "We will meet at the heart".There was so much about the Elemširdis that remained a mystery even as she learned their language; there were cultural references that seemed to be kept from her.

Aelius often translated for her. Eirlys was determined to teach Vienna theElemširdis language and refused to translate anything.

The ache inside Vienna would be subdued whenever they searched for fallen branches in the woods, the surge of assurance she'd feel there stronger than she'd ever felt in the Wilds.