Chapter III, Reading 9

Days later, Flindra looked across a vast, rock strewn plain.  As far as she could see, there were rocks, boulders, and massive monoliths.  She couldn't imagine what force of nature could produce such a collection of rock debris.  It was if some gigantic force had hurled the rocks together.  There was no order to the placement of the rocks.  It was a jumbled mess, which would make crossing difficult.

It was late afternoon and the shadows were long and blue against the ground.  The long shadows made the ground look as if there were gaping holes in the earth.  Flindra suppressed a shudder as she looked across the boulder field.  On an instinctive level, she felt uneasy.

"Guide my steps, Spirit," she prayed briefly.  "Keep me safe," she added in a whisper.

Flindra loosened the reins and let Deru pick his own way.  It wasn't long before he discovered a game trail winding through the rocks.  The path was in the general direction of the pass so she let him continue on his chosen way.

The deepening shadows turned the massive stones into bizarre shapes and forms.  Flindra was overcome by a nagging sense of danger.  "Well Deru, I'm being a silly, little girl letting a bunch of rocks make me afraid.  Leudh would laugh at me."  Talking to the horse made her feel better but the fear didn't go away.

She made camp by a spring that bubbled from beneath a boulder.  The water from the spring trickled into a depression in the underlying rock forming a natural basin.  It was clean and clear and tasted refreshing.  She had a long drink before she did anything else.

There was little grazing for Deru so Flindra slipped a feedbag over his nose.  "Short rations for you tonight, Deru.  Tomorrow should see us out of this and into the mountains.  Hopefully, the snow will be shallow enough that you can dig your way to grass."  She had enough grain to make it across the pass but she knew the horse preferred to graze.

After her austere dinner was eaten and the fire was only embers, Flindra spread her furs on the hard ground.  She stretched out on her bed and wiggled, trying to find a spot where a rock wasn't digging into her back.  She finally had to put her saddle blankets beneath her sleeping furs before the rocks no longer dug into her side.

Because her bed was so uncomfortable, she couldn't sleep right away.  With her head pillowed on her saddle she looked up and gazed into the night sky.  Tonight there was a new moon so the sky was bright with stars.  She looked at the stars and picked out the familiar constellations.  The Bear was still trying to catch the Horse as they raced through the stars.  The Traveler always looked so burdened with his huge sack thrown over his shoulder.  Flindra felt a certain degree of empathy for this stellar figure tonight.  Her burden was more emotional but it still weighed her down.

She laughed aloud as she realized how silly it was to compare her situation to an imaginary figure in the sky.  The laugh lightened her mood so she surrendered to her blankets and closed her eyes.

"Beloved Spirit," she whispered, "thank you for another day.  Bless my sleep tonight and guide my steps tomorrow.  Thank you."

Chapter III, Reading 6

By mid-afternoon, Flindra began to focus on her task of finding Kewero.  Leudh had given her some basic instructions on how to find the Northern Reaches.  She needed to travel along the western flanks of the Greyfell Mountains to a great boulder field and then make her way over an unnamed pass and thus through the mountains.  To the east of the great range was the barren area known as the Northern Reaches.

Flindra was well equipped for her journey.  She wore a dark green tunic that was lined with soft woolen fleece.  Her brown trousers were made of thick wool cloth that had been boiled before the garment was made.  Stout leather boots protected her feet and lower legs.  A fur-lined cloak in the same dark green as her tunic added more warmth.  In addition, the dark green blended well with the background of the forest.

Leudh had given her a fine yew bow and a quiver of arrows as a parting gift.  Both her father and Leudh had spent a great deal of time instructing her in the art of archery.  Over the years, she had developed an unerring accuracy with the weapon and was quite capable of defending herself with it.

They had taught her to use a knife effectively as well, both in a fight and as a throwing weapon.  Flindra had several daggers hidden in her clothing - one in her boot, another in a sheath suspended by a cord and hanging between her shoulder blades, and a third tucked into her belt.

Flindra stopped her gelding for a brief rest.  She still had about an hour of daylight left and she needed to find a place to camp.  Dismounting, she stroked the horse's neck as they both rested.

"Well old friend, I'm afraid you won't see any more warm and dry barns for a while.  Your rations might be a little short, too.  I'm sorry to bring you with me, but I need you."

The horse turned his ears toward her as she talked.  He was a mountain horse, somewhat small as horses go but incredibly sure-footed.  He used to be all black, but now there was a sprinkling of gray in his coat.

Eghero had given him to her as a girl.  Flindra still remembered the day when he gave the gelding to her.  His familiar tones echoed in her mind as she recalled his words.

"Take care of this horse and he will always serve you well.  He is not the swiftest but he will never tire and his feet will always be sure."

She had named him Deru, which in the Old Tongue meant steadfast.

Deru enjoyed being patted beneath his forelock and she started to massage this favorite spot.  His head started to lower as he relaxed under her familiar touch.  Once she had discovered how much he loved being rubbed here, she had always tried to indulge him.  Deru liked being patted under his forelock almost as much as he liked carrots.  Almost.

Flindra gathered the reins and mounted.  Once in the saddle she pulled her cloak tighter around her body to afford protection from the wind.  It would be a chilly camp tonight.

Riding parallel to a small creek, Flindra found a suitable camp.  A large fallen tree wedged between two giant boulders would give good protection from the wind.  The ground was fairly level and soft with needles - it would provide a good bed.  Beyond the boulders was a grassy area where she could let Deru graze.

Flindra tended to Deru first.  She had always been taught to take care of her animal before she thought of herself.  After all, her life may depend on the horse.  She unsaddled him and then brushed him thoroughly.  She felt his back and the girth area to make sure he had no sore spots from being ridden all day.  She then picketed him in the grassy area.

Chapter II, Reading 8

Dakra leaned her back against the warm stones of the massive fireplace and rested her cup of tea on her knee.  "Kewero told us that Flindra needed to begin her life here.  She said little more even when Eghero questioned her.  All she would say was that the Spirit had chosen us to care for the Heir of King Meldh."

Flindra and Leudh looked at each other.  Thus prompted, she told Dakra and Brehwan of the evil presence she felt in the crystal and in her dreams.  No one spoke when she was finished with her story.  A worried glance passed between Leudh and Brehwan while Dakra simply closed her eyes.

"It would make sense to hide you with us if there was any evil hunting you," Dakra finally said.  "Maybe that's why Kewero brought you here and why she was so vague with her explanations.  I think it's time for you to try to find her.  She, alone, can tell you about your past and what you need to do for your future.  We can't provide you with any more help, my little one.  It's up to others to take our place."

Flindra dropped her head in mute agreement with her mother.  When she raised her eyes, she looked at her brother - silently seeking his advice.

Leudh understood her silent entreaty.  "It's not clear to me that you're actually in danger.  I'd be willing to guess that the evil you sense is only some strange effect of the crystal.  Even so, it's time for you to go.  You need to consider that winter comes swiftly in the Northern Reaches.  You have a race with winter in trying to reach the old woman."

Dakra shook her head in disagreement.  There was a look of genuine worry on her face.  "No Leudh, I feel in my heart that the evil searching the world for Flindra is quite real.  A mother can sense such things."

Brehwan looked at Flindra.  "It's not only time for you to go, but I think we should be prepared to deny any knowledge of your whereabouts, should anyone ask.  We'll have to tell the twins and swear them into secrecy."

"I feel as if I'm leaving all of you in great danger," moaned Flindra.

Brehwan shook her head and said, "I'm afraid, Flindra, that any danger will follow you.  We're not at risk."

Flindra took a swallow of her tea and looked into the fire.  "Will you help me get ready to leave tomorrow morning?  I don't want to risk your safety any longer than I have to."

"I have almost everything ready," Dakra said as she took Flindra's hand in her own.  "It gave me something to do while you wandered in the forest."

"You should stay in the house and we can get the rest done today," Leudh added.  "If any unfriendly eyes watch this clearing, we can hide the fact that you are leaving."

Flindra sighed.  "It's decided then.  I'll leave before dawn tomorrow."

"That would be wise," her brother agreed.

He stood and Brehwan joined him.  "We'll go outside and see to things," he said.

"All right," Flindra said with a nod.  "Thank you for the help."

Leudh smiled.  "Anytime, little sister."  He and Brehwan walked outside.

Chapter I, Reading 1

"Papa always loved this place," Flindra said quietly as she watched her brother dig the grave.

Leudh was a tall man and his strength was easily seen in his broad shoulders and muscular arms.  He'd taken off his tunic to work and his chest glistened with sweat.

"He did," Leudh answered as he worked.  "I think he would be pleased to know we chose this place for his grave.  This is one of the best spots overlooking Lake Eghero and I know he loved coming here to enjoy the view."

"I bet Papa was proud to have been named after the lake," she remarked.

"He wasn't named after the lake," Leudh corrected gently, but with the authority of an older sibling.  "There was once a king named Eghero and it is told that he was a wise and just man.  Grandpa chose a strong name from our history to name his son.  In fact, the lake was named after King Eghero."

"I never knew that."

"Papa told me the story once."

Flindra had just celebrated her nineteenth birthday this past summer.  She was five years younger than her brother and was tall like him.  That was where the similarities ended.  Leudh had inherited their mother's blue eyes and blond hair, while Flindra was crowned with strikingly beautiful auburn tresses.  She had expressive brown eyes, which seemed to mirror her emotions. 

It was autumn and the breeze blowing from the northwest felt cool on Flindra's face.  Raindrops from an earlier shower still clung to the grasses and leaves of the trees along the crown of the hill.  The sunlight shining though the droplets gave the impression of jeweled beads adorning the landscape.  The breeze toyed with the droplets, blowing them from the leaves and onto the ground.

The breeze rippled the surface of the lake, which softened the reflection of the surrounding landscape.  Great flocks of geese and ducks were resting along the shoreline as they paused on their migration south.  The air was filled with their raucous voices and the lake was busy with their presence. 

"I remember Papa and I came up here one afternoon before he fell ill," Flindra reminisced with a tender smile.  "He was so filled with the beauty of the day and this place.  He seemed to make the whole world so alive that I felt blessed to share the moment with him.  He told me that the beauty of the world is a mirror reflecting the grandeur and glory of the Spirit and that every day of life is a blessing from Him.  He said that to notice the beauty abounding in the world is to appreciate and do homage to our Beloved Spirit."

Leudh smiled as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.  His blond hair was dark with sweat and his mustache tasted salty as he licked his lips.  "Papa was a wise man."

Chapter XIV, Reading 7

When Kalmyk saw them approach he laughed and jokingly asked, "Did you two decide to take a bath in the mud?" Then he saw the look in Leitho's eyes and the humor fled his own. "What's out there?" he demanded.

"Those low-life-scum-eaters have crossed the entire area with thin threads dangling poisoned fish hooks!" Leitho blurted in anger. "A man could die in there before he even knew he was in trouble." He paused and took a deep breath. "We found one of the scouts, lying out there in the sun being buzzard bait! Whatever the poison is, it's strong enough to be killing the carrion feeders. I'd wager good money that the rest of our missing scouts are lying out there in that wicked web. If it hadn't of been for Flindra's sharp eyes we'd have joined 'em."

Kalmyk had given Flindra a concerned glance when his sergeant had mentioned the dead Ranger. He now spared her the pain of recalling the story. "How did it happen?" he asked as he looked back at Leitho.

"We were working our way through that abominable grass when some birds flew up somewhere in front of us. We both dropped to the ground. We didn't see or hear anything else. Just as I was about to kid Flindra for falling asleep, I could sense that something had really spooked her. I couldn't see anything but I've worked with her long enough to trust her instincts."

Leitho gave Flindra a quick glance of approval before he continued.

"She slowly started forward at a crawl. She'd pause to listen or see something, I don't know, and then she'd continue. Finally, she just stopped dead in her tracks. When I worked my way up to her she pointed out the traps and the dead body."

Lieutenant Kalmyk looked at Flindra and noticed the tight rein she was using to keep control of her emotions. "How did you know?"

Flindra shook her head slightly. "I don't know. Things just didn't feel right. It's hard to explain."

"I see. Just a gut feeling?"

"More like a premonition."

Chapter XIV, Reading 6

Leitho had again slipped up next to her. One look at her face told him that there was something horribly wrong. She pointed out the trap in front of them. Then she pointed in the direction of the dead Ranger. Anger reflected in his eyes as he looked at the delicate webbing, which had been the death of the scout. He abruptly motioned Flindra to retreat.

They crawled out of the area on their bellies, being careful to retrace their steps. Leitho finally judged it safe to stand and reached a helping hand down to his scout. She stood up and shook her head to clear the sight of the dead man from her thoughts.

He moved close and held her by the shoulders, looking at the horror in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Flindra. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"You've nothing to be sorry about," she answered in a voice thick with emotion. "I knew what I was getting myself into when I became your scout. It's just that...just that...no one deserves to die like that." She quickly looked down at the ground to hide her tears.

Leitho gently cupped her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. "Don't be ashamed to cry, Flindra. It shows that you still are alive enough to feel empathy with another's pain. Only be ashamed if you reach the point where you get too hard to feel. That is your, our, greatest risk."

"I know," she replied in a tiny voice. "Thanks for not ridiculing my sorrow."

Leitho smiled briefly. "No need for thanks, Flindra. It took all of us time to be able to look at senseless death without reacting. Remember that we're all in this together. Comrades."

"Thank you."

"Now, let's get going. We have to report to the lieutenant." They then walked back to the area where the rest of the Rangers were hiding.

Chapter XIV, Reading 5

The crystal orb was obviously sensing some danger. If Leitho hadn't been there, she would have pulled the sphere from her tunic to see if she could project her mind to the danger. Since she didn't have that option, she instead concentrated on directing Rigga's power shield in front of her, being careful not to overlap her sergeant in the aura. She needed to find out who or what was out there.

Rigga's aura didn't encounter anything but a few small animals hiding in the grass. Flindra still couldn't explain the warning. There must be something out there she simply wasn't picking up with the power shield.

Flindra started to move, inching forward on her stomach. The short hair on her back stood up with a wave of nervous fear that passed through her. She breathed deeply to calm herself and she was using every ounce of awareness she could muster.

The early morning sun was just high enough in the sky to start shining in the grass. Flindra saw a momentary reflection off something shiny. She froze again and forced her eyes to see - to see something, anything. A ray of sun broke through the grass and the object reflected again.

Before her, were strands of nearly invisible threads tied to the grass. Fishhooks were suspended from the lines at an interval of every few inches. The sunlight was reflecting off a drop of liquid on the tip of every hook. She guessed the hooks had been poisoned. This human spider web was everywhere - at different heights in the grass. Some lines were tied at knee level, others at eye level, and still others hung diagonally across the grass.

A slight breeze picked up. Then she smelled it, the sickening smell of rotting flesh. She looked around trying to locate the source of the smell. Obscured in the grass far to her right, lay a man dressed in the garb of the King's Rangers. There were struggle marks around his body and she guessed that the poison brought a painful death. Dead bodies of a few carrion eaters, mostly ravens, lay around the man. The poison had been so deadly that it was even killing the birds. Flindra forced down the vomit which had rushed to her throat.

Chapter XIV, Reading 2

During the next few months, the success of Kalmyk's troop of Rangers caught the attention of the High Command. They needed to rely on skilled and competent commanders so he and his troop were given increasingly important and critical assignments. Flindra was a part of his success but she never tried to steal the credit from her officers and comrades. She was a silent member of the team and needed no praise to continue with her job.

In all of his communications with the High Command, Kalmyk had never mentioned Flindra by name. He had given a short report that he had recruited a new scout but he was careful to avoid any reference to her gender. He had done this to both protect her reputation and to avoid potential problems with the High Command. It had been an unorthodox decision on his part to make her his scout. He appreciated her talents too much to take the risk of losing her because of some bureaucratic decision in Deodar.

Flindra's knowledge of the land was invaluable and Kalmyk drew upon her experience frequently. She knew the surrounding areas intimately. She also had an unnerving sense of knowing where the enemy was moving. In addition to helping complete their assigned missions, she had managed to save the troop from several potentially fatal ambushes.

Kalmyk once questioned her on her ability to perceive what was around them. She explained that it was a simple case of observing what nature had to tell. The movements of birds and animals could yield much information if one knew what to look for. A creature seen out of its normal habitat was a good sign that it had been disturbed. The absence of the bird songs could mean an enemy was about. It was the nature of the forest to record the movements of all those in its midst. A broken twig, a torn leaf spoke volumes of information.

What Flindra didn't tell him was that she also used the tools, which were available only to the Heir of King Meldh. She used the heightened awareness of Rigga's power shield to feel and probe around herself. She found that in her heightened awareness, she was even capable of sensing the presence of those who had recently passed through the area. It was almost like seeing their trails, the imprints of their footprints, left on the fabric of life.

Chapter XIII, Reading 9

"Well, that explains her ability. The people of the forest, at least in these parts, excel in woodcraft - tracking and hunting. I'd wager she is pretty good with the bow that was hanging from her saddle."

Kalmyk shook his head. "Is it normal practice for these skills to be taught to girls? I would guess that household chores would be their proper domain."

"I don't know. It might be that Flindra's an only child. If that's the case, I could understand her growing up rather like a boy."

Kalmyk refilled their goblets with wine before he continued. "I don't know. There is something about her that puzzles me. There's a quiet strength about her and she's very confident for a rustic. She didn't hesitate at all to look me in the eyes."

"You might be confusing her sorrow for strength, Kalmyk. Did you see the pain flash through her eyes when she talked about her parents?"

"I did. You could be right, Leitho, but I don't know. I've a gut feeling that there's more to her than meets the eye. Too bad she's not a lad. I could use someone of her skills. We still need to replace our last scout."

"What's the problem with her being a girl? She could be our scout and not be in much danger."

"I don't know. I just feel it isn't right to have a young and pretty maid riding with a bunch of hardened soldiers."

"I don't think you have much to worry about there. They're already treating her like some long lost sister. Did you notice that Gwher is guarding her tent like some old wolfhound? I would hate to be the man to try to cross him. She'll be safe enough with us, safer than with her family. They didn't stand a chance against Bhrag's renegades."

"Speaking of which, did you notice the way Bassus stared at her. If looks could kill I'm afraid Flindra would only be a memory," Kalmyk noted.

"He thought his hole-in-the-wall was safe from discovery. She punctured his delusion without much problem."

"She did at that." Kalmyk smiled and rubbed his chin. "Do you think she would consider staying and becoming our scout?"

"It couldn't hurt to ask. She might consider it better than begging food and lodging from some distant relative in Deodar. She's proud and I don't think the prospect of begging suits her. I wouldn't care much for it, myself, if I were in her position."

"Possibly." Kalmyk leaned back in his chair and took a sip of wine. "I guess I'll ask her in the morning. In the worst case she'll say no."

"I think she will probably say yes. At least I hope so. I'm getting tired of spending days crisscrossing the forest looking for signs of the renegades. A skilled tracker is a must with this kind of duty and the High Command hasn't seen fit to replace our last scout."

Lieutenant Kalmyk smiled. "Well, if the High Command won't give us another scout we will just have to find our own."

"I can't argue with that."

Chapter IX, Reading 4

She also knew in her heart of hearts that she must probe this contact further, that here was the source of knowledge she needed to fulfill her destiny. She needed to push through the pain, which was, in a sense, a barrier to the knowledge.

Gathering her courage, she pressed her mind against the barrier. For the briefest moment, there was nothing; then her mind was totally overwhelmed and pain erupted like countless exploding suns. She drew back and hesitated. She didn't doubt the Absolute Benevolence of the Spirit, but she grew afraid of the incomprehensible magnitude of the Presence and doubted her worthiness to continue.

She hesitated but knew she had been called. She must proceed.

Flindra forced her mind back into the searing pain and was carried away by the torrent of overwhelming sensation. She again had to retreat.

How was she to succeed at this trial?

"Dear Spirit," she prayed. "You have brought me here and I feel a deep understanding that I need to push forward. How can I do this? Please guide me."

She quieted her mind in hopes of receiving some answer.

In the stillness, the memory of King Meldh's voice seemed to speak to her. "Do not fight the pain. The more you resist the hurt, the greater it becomes. Breathe in the pain. Become one with it and you will reach your goal."

"But it is so overwhelming," she protested.

Her protest disturbed the flow of the memory and her thoughts were empty again. Flindra knew what she had done and with practiced discipline, she forced herself to relax.

Finally, the memory continued.

"You have the tools you need to pass through this barrier. You have the memories of all who were before you. You are one with those memories and therefore one with the strength of all. Use it. Draw upon its power. Remember and become one."

King Meldh's words had come to her touched with a sense of love and tenderness - a father's caress for a beloved child.

Chapter IX, Reading 3

Back in time she went and her sense of kinship grew to include those far beyond the history she had known. She shared life with them and felt a growing relationship with all humankind.

She saw the lives of the ones called the Ancients and she looked upon the history of their empire. Flindra glimpsed their wisdom, which had disappeared from the world when the empire collapsed. There was much good here, but there was a streak of black, of evil, discoloring their wisdom. This was the clue she needed to understand the demise of their civilization.

The Ancients' thirst for knowledge had caused them to seek sources of power that brought them closer and closer to the Ansu and away from the benevolence of the Spirit. They had not understood the gravity of their actions for the Darkness lied to them and seduced them into thinking they had discovered the source of life. Their quest for everlasting life brought them to the realm of the Void. The Darkness had consumed them and had brought about their destruction.

Nomads ruled the world before the time of the Ancients. Extended family groups competed against each other for power and territory. The chaos gave Flindra a better understanding of why a strong central government was a vast improvement over the tribal system, which wasted valuable life to the feud.

The review of history brought her ever closer to the beginning of her world and the glorious moment when the Spirit had breathed Order into the Chaos. It was here that she finally brushed against the Presence of the Spirit. The sensation was so overwhelming it was almost painful and she withdrew.

Flindra realized the pain wasn't hurtful in the sense of a wound. It was a pain brought on from the magnitude, the overwhelming, awesome, closeness to the Spirit. It was similar to looking at sunshine reflected on a snowy landscape, without protecting her eyes a person could end up snow-blind. There was just too much sensation to cope with.

Chapter VII, Reading 7

Kewero's eyes became distant when she returned to her memories and her story. "My Lady Queen told me she had a dream just before she gave birth to her daughter and only child. In her dream, the Spirit warned her that she needed to hide her baby to keep the child safe from the Ansu. King Meldh made plans to hide her as soon as the Queen told him of this warning.
"The King and Queen used a contraction of their names to name the new princess. Her name would always honor her parents for she would never know them and the name would become a reminder of her heritage." Tears appeared in Kewero's eyes. "Princess Melenth was a beautiful babe and had her mother's auburn hair. I didn't get to see much of her, no one did. The King and Queen didn't want to risk her life by keeping her too long. Melenth needed to be hidden where she could survive and where she would be safe to continue the dynasty. They grieved at her loss but they understood it was the only way to keep her alive.
"They decided to hide her among the simple people of the forest. This was the safest place they could think of for they believed that the Ansu wouldn't bother to hunt down the scattered woodsmen." Kewero smiled through her tears. "When the Spirit chose Dakra and Eghero to be your family it brought the line of King Meldh full circle. The first and last children to be hidden from the Ansu grew up in the homes of woodsmen."
"I, for one, am very glad of that. I could not have had a happier home."
"Which pleases me. I have served you well and by doing so have served my beloved Queen and the Spirit. She asked me to become the hidden guardian of Princess Melenth and to find safe places for all the children who would follow. We both knew that eventually the Ansu would discover our survival and would hunt down the children of her line to prevent the birth of our prophesied champion. The Spirit has guided me in my selections of homes to hide your ancestors in. I have placed them with many different types of people so no one group would be singled out in the Enemy's hunt. The Spirit's strategy was most wise for the line continued to you. You were born and have reached me. It is time for you to begin your destiny."
"I'm overwhelmed," she admitted in a tiny voice. "I have to confess that I feel unequal to the responsibility fate has allotted to me. I feel very ordinary and I definitely don't feel like the hero I will need to become to defeat the Ansu."
"You will come into your power, Flindra. Don't worry about that. You might be surprised to feel the energy you already exude. You will have come into your full inheritance before you leave the cavern and return to the world. You will be equal to your fate."
Flindra breathed in deeply. "I hope so."
"Trust me, my child, I know you will be ready. The Spirit will see to that."
"I hope so," she repeated.

Chapter VII, Reading 6

"The Queen then spoke to me. I still remember her words for they were spoken with such intense sorrow." The tone of Kewero's voice changed. There was boundless respect and tremendous sorrow in her accent as she recalled the words of the long-dead Queen. "She told me that it had been foretold at her birth that she would live to see her world destroyed, her child taken from her and that she would know the suffering of all the children of her line - the suffering only a mother can understand and endure. She was named for the suffering she would know for Kwenth in the Old Tongue means suffering."
Kewero paused and lowered her eyes. It was obvious her memories brought pain into her heart.
Flindra reached over and grasped her arm in a gentle and supportive touch. "You loved her, didn't you?"
"Very much." With a sigh, she looked at her pupil. "I told you once that you looked like your mother. You also look a great deal like Queen Kwenth. You could be her daughter."
She smiled. "You take after her in many ways, Flindra. Her auburn hair has marked all the children born of her line. It is a stamp of royalty. You share some personality traits with her, too. My Lady Queen was much loved by my people for she was so kind and good. I think you will match her kindness when you become Queen."
"Thank you," she answered with a shy smile.
"Having you here has done much to ease my sorrow. You remind me of her and it makes it seem that it wasn't so long ago when I shared deep discussions with my Queen."
Kewero patted Flindra's hand, which was still resting on her arm. "The Spirit has extended my days so I can be the connection between you and the King and Queen."
"Are you immortal?" Flindra asked in an awed tone.
"No, not at all. I have aged over the years, just more slowly and I'm sure I will know death when my purpose here is ended." The old woman sighed. "I have no wish to be immortal, Flindra. It is the natural order of things to die and rejoin the Spirit."

Chapter VII, Reading 5

Kewero reached over and took her hand. "You will be the catalyst who will coalesce our resistance. I understand you had no choice in this, but you are not alone. There are other men and women whose talents and experience will aid your fight. You will draw many to you. Others you will have to seek. You also have been given some valuable tools to use in your fight. The memories of all your ancestors are with you. When there is need, their knowledge, their experience will become yours. And everything I have learned through the years is yours."
"How many years, Kewero?" Flindra finally grew bold enough to ask. "You serve the Spirit, but how do you know all this? How does the Spirit speak to you?"
"I guess I never did explain my comment about how long I've been waiting for you. Forgive me. I guess I should tell you a little more of my history so you can understand me better.
"I was a counselor at the court of King Meldh. I was one of a group of five who advised the King. It became apparent early in the conflict with the Ansu that we were hopelessly outmatched. One day, the King summoned us and revealed a dream he'd had the night before. He'd been told in his dream that one of his counselors needed to seek out the wisdom and guidance of the Spirit to learn what we needed to do. King Meldh gave us a choice as to which one of us would go on this quest. In fairness, the five of us drew lots. It fell upon me to search for the information we needed.
"Once the selection had been made, the King and Queen called me to them for a private conference. The King now confessed the rest of his dream. He knew that he would die in the conflict, as would the Queen and most of his nobles. The knowledge I would discover was needed to aid his descendant in a future conflict and would give him no assistance in the present fight. My whole purpose was to provide protection and guidance for the future champion of his line. Only the Queen knew the full story of his dream. He had no wish to demoralize his people so he had kept his dream a secret. He asked me to do the same.