Daughters of the Land

III.| My Dears

"My child, are you to go to war? Your mother has not returned?", an elder woman approached Nukula as she made her way through the village. She turned to the sudden appearance of a familiar face and other's, who had surrounded her for a response.

"Dear Netrid...no, my mother has not and I shall take her place. I leave today", she replied to the old concerned. 

"Oh Yula! The Almighty knows what is best! How are you? And Talabashi?", the woman squealed in devastation. The crowd joined in and awaited her answer.

"The Almighty knows what is best", Nukula repeated the words quietly for the first time. "I am fine as is my father for now, but he is weak. My Dears, I ask of you to watch over him during my leave. I will ask Dear Reta too and be forever grateful to you all", Nukula placed her palms together and asked politely with sadness lingering her every word. Dear Netrid watched her emotional plea and let out a deep sigh.

"My child, when I watched the Baron and his Noblemen ride into our land earlier, do you know what I said? I said if the time has come for our child to leave her father and land to fight the rebellion, then we must fight too. I am old and so is your father but I did not become a Dear for no invaluable reason. I have because I have no children of my own. But why is that of value to me? Hmm It is because I feel though I have a thousand children, the greatest value coins cannot buy", she raised her fingers and continued as the Dear women around her nodded in agreement.

"I am a Mother of the land and one mother's pain is mine. One Father's loss is mine. One Child's journey is too, mine. Nukula you are my child and I will feel a great loss in your absence but nothing to what your father will. But he is my child too and as a Mother of the land, I will care for him as you did to him, death will not burden him any longer", she sighed. "We pray for you my child, bring your father some peace. We will fight together, we are with you my child".

The crowd of Dear women showed their support of Dear Netrid's words and shared encouraging messages to Nukula one by one, before heading back to their trade. Dear Netrid promised to visit her father later before she too then wandered off back to her pottery stall.

Nukula started for the next requirement of her journey. After moving through the busy market and down the three small alleys, she had arrived at Dear Reta's hut. The wooden doors stood open as usual, the lavender aroma filled the entrance and had leaked out into the alley. Nostalgic, Nukula stepped in immediately feeling at peace. The chimes of the metal hangings played together in the light breeze outside and the flickering of the candle lights displayed shadows on the walls of the dark smokey room. She smiled to herself as she watched with a longing to experience everything in the room again, like it was the first time, before landing her eyes on something small tucked into the cornered shelf.

"Yula and Talabashi adored this piece, did you know?", Dear Reta's voice whispered over the beautiful silence that awoke her from her trance.

"What is it?", Nukula smiled at the oddly dressed woman, who picked up the glass pin Nukula had acknowledged. The light caught the glass and glistened the northern lights. The room lit up with beautiful colours that danced over the candle shadows.

"Protection from evil, beautiful isn't it?", Dear Reta continued to rotate the pin with her fingertips to catch every light in the room.

"It is my Dear. My mother and father you say?", Nukula raised a brow with curiosity.

"Yes. They said it reminded them of our people. You see, only when you shine light on us you can see who we are. Yet give us no light and we are deemed worthless", Dear Reta hid the glass pin from the light simultaneously as she spoke. "But is that to say we are nothing? We are worthless? No. We all hold something beautiful and powerful inside that a sudden light from the Almighty and we will shine beyond belief", Dear Reta unravelled her parched hands and allowed the glass to absorb the light once again. Nukula watched her every word come to life.

"You are the glass pin my child. You are the magic inside waiting to be exposed. Let it be", The woman opened the girls hand and placed the glass pin into it. "It is yours", she smiled.

"But I have no coins my Dear-".

The woman laughed softly, "My child, it belongs to you as it should have to your mother and father. They found it in this clutter of madness I call home", she motioned to the exploding room of items laying on table tops and shelves. "My ancestors left all these wonderful things and only I discover what each piece is made for. Yet Yula and Talabashi already knew what I did not. The glass pin is you, Nukula Zicoto", she stepped back and allowed the candle lights to again find the pin. Nukula felt a great energy form within her as she watched the lights beam from beyond her palms. For the first time, Nukula had felt ready to begin her long journey into freedom and peace.

"Thank you my Dear", she paused in thought before continuing. "I take it you know why I have troubled you today?", she said as she closed her palms, leading the room back into darkness; a enchanting darkness.

"A Mother of the land knows all that is spoke, my child. The Almighty knows what is best. I prayed for your mother and pray for your father. And I pray for you", Dear Reta walked over to a table occupied by small stained glass bottles. She continued to speak as she poured essences from a few selection of bottles into a clay bowl and began mixing.

"I will watch over Talabashi as will the other Mother's I hear?", she questioned.

"Yes, Dear Netrid gave me her word amongst a few Mother's", Nukula replied recalling her encounter with the Dear's of the land from earlier.

"I see. What about yourself?", she turned as she questioned Nukula before turning back to the bowl.

"What do you mean? I will look after myself, I must strive, be brave, be-".

"You must not be naive. You may have been summoned to Emperor's Wall to fight the Utan's, but it does not mean you are ready", she finished before turning around to face Nukula. She walked over and handed her the clay bowl occupied by liquids. "Drink", she said calmly but swiftly.

Nukula questioned the woman of the midnight liquid still swirling from the mixing.

"It will keep away evil and diseases. Now drink up, drink up", she motioned Nukula to swallow the swirling blue, so she did.

"Ugh! thats revolting- like leaves and...and gobar!", Nukula wiped her tongue with the back of her hands as she spoke. Dear Reta laughed before taking back her bowl. "Forgive me, but it did".

"Nonsense, I know it taste like shit. What do you think it is made of eh? Berries?", Dear Reta laughed casually as she placed the bowl back to its rightful place. Nukula hesitated whether to regurgitate the blue liquid.

"Now would you like to get your blessings from our elders, my child?", Dear Reta stopped Nukula in her current thoughts.

"Yes, my Dear. Are they here, now?", Nukula asked, as she looked over to the door she knew led to the meeting chamber from previous visits with her parents.

Dear Netrid led Nukula through the door and down the concrete stairs into a well-lit room. Whispers filled the air and Nukula felt a great change in atmosphere. "What is that?", her voice shuddered.

"They know you are here my child, they speak of you", said Dear Netrid as she turned to face her, worry spread across her aged face. "You must not speak until they have finished my child, do you understand?", she asked.

The girl nodded without hesitation, before being taken down further into room with the distant bodies now becoming closer. Soon Nukula faced the owners of the whispers that filled the chamber. Seated behind a large dark table, eight old figures silenced themselves to watch her with high intrigue. Among them, three women and five men; faces Nukula had seen before but not often. She stood patiently as she waited her verdict.