Legend Of Védelmi

Chapter 3

The deepness of the forest always raised in Harron Yuith a fire that only burned with fuel of the mind. It had been hard for him to leave his woods, his shadows that longed to follow and hide him from harm. If his father had not been so insistent on him visiting the Valley, he would have remained here, close to the Limbs. The Üres were getting eager for the blood letting, but Harron knew better. The plan went beyond striking fear into the hearts of man.

The tall man stopped walking, turning his face toward the south. A cry rose from the trees above him, echoed by another behind. It was the call of the cringing bird. Harron smiled.

It was good to be back.

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Rise like all magnificent,

Fall as to the sea.

Mirrored mirrors salient,

but never seen Védelmi.

--- Lady Foiry,( Lady Sky Lark)

Ember read the words off the old, wispy pages of the book of Védelmian History. He had been forced to read the book since he was a wee one, so as to "learn from our past mistakes and triumphs, and gain a better understanding of the world we live in."

He could hear his mother's soft voice reading the songs to him, all the while she stroked his white hair. It was deepened to a clear silver, only slightly brighter than his mother's tresses.

He glanced across at Okele, small fingers floating over the strings of the frail, old harp she held in her lap. It was made of twisted oak, and had designs cut by dozens of owners before Okele was even born. Ever since their trainer, Dorind, had given her leave to play it, Okele had memorized every mark, every nick. She had ample time. It was common, whilst Ember was studying, for her to accompany him with music. Because she could not read, Ember read aloud to her; if the book was important or interesting enough. Okele had already heard the tales from Védelmian History more times than she could count and had no interest in just hearing it again, especially from Ember's uninterested voice. Instead she honed in on her musical abilities, setting the words off in a melody beautifully whimsical and ethereal; the council believed it to be a great gift, sent to make up for her lack of sight.

Okele sang almost as rarely as she spoke in front of strangers; with Ember, she was free with her words and often shared her opinions. As soon as she was taken from him her words became stuck in her throat, no music was in her ears;and the Darkness turned full force on her.

Okele had nightmares, ghosts of people; she felt them not only when she was sleeping, but when she was awake, as she had yesterday before the Mulas had come.

Okele sighed, remembering the way everything had looked, how Ember had looked. She turned her head in his direction, trying to picture him sitting, head in hands busily reading.

She knew because she had felt his movemenfs. They had grown together since infancy. But all the fourteen years that she had known him, she had never seen his face until Cedros had touched her hand. Now, his face could not be gotten out of her head.

Ember's voice burst into her reverie, and Okele realized she had stopped playing and Ember was saying something.

"What?" He asked her staring back at her blank eyes.

Okele looked surprised for a second but then blushed slightly, "Oh, nothing."

Ember narrowed his eyes and cocked his head, "Whatever, El. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this. Let's go!"

"But Ember, we aren't allowed to go until our Tutor comes back. And with your vocabulary, we may be here a long time." Okele argued half heartedly. She stroked the strings once more.