The Heir of King Meldh, Chapter I, Reading 5

Dakra smiled through her tears.  "I remember everything as if it were yesterday.  You brought me joy, such a deep happiness to my heart that I can't describe it.  My cheeks grew sore during those first few weeks for there was always a smile on my face.  At last, I had the daughter I'd always longed for.  You were such a sweet little baby and you took to us so quickly.  The joy of having you has lasted all these years.  You've always been so kind, helpful and loving."

She laughed softly in celebration of her memories.  "At first Eghero and I were a little afraid of the responsibility we’d been given.  Kewero told us that you will take your place among the great."

"Kewero?"

"That's the name of the old woman who left you here.  She made several visits to see how you fared during the first few years you were with us."

"I don't remember her."

"I think that's why she stopped coming.  I think she wanted to remain unknown to you.  At least until the time you had to begin your destiny."

"Oh."

Dakra reached over and took her daughter's hand in her own.  "We tried to teach you things that would help you fulfill your fate.  We decided to teach you the wisdom of nature, so you could always survive within her bounty.  You should always remember that nature provides not only subsistence, but is a vast source of wisdom and knowledge as well.  Nature is one way to gaze upon the face of the Spirit.  The Spirit is reflected in our mortal realm in the world around us."

"Papa always was pointing that out to me.  He said that knowledge would always bring me peace and strength."

"It will, dear Flindra.  Hold that wisdom close to your heart.  Remember, too, as you search out your destiny, that there is always purpose behind the surface of things.  Search for the hidden meanings in what you see and hear for they are the hidden and sturdy warp threads that support the weft, which fills out the tapestry of our lives.  Listen and look for the rhythms and patterns of life in the world and know that you will be right if you are balanced within them.  This wisdom will guide you if you let it.  It's just following the warp of Spirit's weavings."

Flindra sighed sadly.  "I will try my best."

"Kewero never really explained why you were destined to live with us.  Maybe the closeness that a woodsman and his family have with nature is one of the reasons.  Many people in our world have forgotten the old ways of honoring the Spirit, but we live too close to nature to forget."  Dakra smiled to herself.  "I think the wisdom of holding the Presence of the Spirit close to your heart will be the greatest gift we have bestowed upon you."

Flindra nodded in silence.

"We were also able to teach you something else that most simple folk are ignorant of."

"What’s that, Momma?"

"Your letters and numbers.  Haven't you ever wondered how all of us can write and figure?"

"I guess I never really thought about it," Flindra admitted.

"Eghero's uncle was injured as a child in an accident.  Ayer was left lame for life.  The man responsible for the accident felt badly about things and arranged for him to receive a clerk's training.  Ayer eventually became a clerk for a merchant in Deodar.  He shared his knowledge with the rest of the family when he would come visit."

"I see."

"It was a fortuitous accident which benefited the entire family.  Once you were placed with us I began to believe that the Will of the Spirit was behind it."

Chapter I, Reading 6

Dakra then walked away, leaving her to search for any clues to be found within the package.

Flindra looked at the bundle through tear-fogged eyes.  It was a crudely made leather bag.  The seams were stitched with a heavy leather lace and the leather itself was stiff and cracked with age.  She opened the bag and dropped its contents in her lap.  There were three leather pouches of different sizes, all with drawstrings around the tops.

She opened the smaller of these bags and discovered an unusual silver ring.  The silver had oxidized with age to such an extent that it was nearly black.  The outstretched wings of a great bird, possibly an eagle, formed the circle of the ring.  An oddly shaped amethyst was held in place by the beak and talons of the eagle.  Flindra looked into the depths of the gem and saw that it wasn’t entirely clear.  At the center of the stone, there was an opaque shape that suggested something to her deepest memories.  She struggled to remember the meaning of the shape, but the thought faded before she could grasp it.  Flindra placed the ring on her finger.  It fit on her finger as if it had been made for her.  It was odd for the band had appeared larger when she first looked at it.  She shook her head in wonder.

The second pouch contained a golden hair comb.  The back of the comb was carved into the shape of the spread wings of a swan with the bird's head gracefully folded over the right wing.  The fine teeth of the comb were closely spaced so it would stay securely in a woman's hair.  The only part of the comb that would be visible in her hair would be the swan.  It would make a pretty ornament.

There were fine strands of auburn hair in the comb, which she pulled free and fingered gently.  Could these delicate strands possibly have belonged to her mother?  She tried to imagine what her birth mother must have been like.

She couldn't help but wonder why she had been given away as a baby.  It was hard enough to accept the fact that she wasn't the daughter of the kind and loving couple who had raised her, but why had her parents, her mother, given her to Kewero to be given away again?

She felt isolated and a little frightened.  Things were too confused.  She retreated from the confusion by closing her eyes and drawing forth a memory of pleasant times.

It was the summer before Leudh's marriage and things couldn't have been happier.  As always, there had been much work to do, but work was pleasure when it assured the health and security of her family.  It hadn't been all work, there had been plenty of time for play, too.  Leudh took her on hunting trips and taught her even more about the ways of the animals and of the forest itself.

The pleasant memories touched her heart with love and hope.  She knew her family would want her to face her fate with courage.  She would try to be brave and face her future without hesitation to live up to that expectation.  She knew it was going to be a challenging effort for she simply couldn't imagine living anywhere else and being someone else.  This was the only home she knew.  Eghero, Dakra, and Leudh the only family she could imagine.  The idea of her being a princess seemed so unreal.  She was a woodsman's daughter - at home in the trees and with the animals.  How could she possibly feel at home in some palace?  She would probably only embarrass herself with some clumsy comment or inappropriate action.

With a sigh of resignation, she went back to the task of examining the objects on her lap.  The last bag was both the largest and the heaviest.  Flindra opened it and found a crystal sphere, which fit neatly in the palm of her hand.  The surface of the crystal was perfectly smooth and pleasurable to touch.  As Flindra moved the sphere about, she saw colored light reflecting throughout the crystal.

Chapter I, Reading 3

"Good-bye, Papa," Flindra whispered as Leudh finished the job of burying him.  "May the Spirit always be with you."

"Eghero is Home," Dakra said quietly as she slipped her arm around Flindra's shoulder and pulled her close.  "He is safe and surrounded by peace and love."

"Yes," Flindra agreed.  She buried her face against her mother's cloak.

Dakra was a strong woman and could take much pain, but there was now gray mixed with the blond in her hair and her blue eyes were swollen and rimmed with red from her ready tears.  Eghero's illness and death had been hard on her and she had aged in the last few weeks.  Even so, she put aside her own pain to give support to the family.  That’s what mothers do.

She looked over to Leudh to see how he fared.  He had gathered his family close and was comforting them.  The twins could be miniatures of their father, which reminded Dakra that no matter how sad or hard things became, life continued.  She was proud of her son as she watched him spread comfort to his children.

Leudh looked down at his wife.  The summer sun had left Brehwan's face tanned, but he knew during the course of the winter her complexion would fade to a beautiful cameo ivory.  Leudh loved the way her green eyes would subtly change shades with a shift of her emotions.  He looked at her now and smiled at the motherly concern in her eyes as she comforted their sons.  He stroked her brown hair tenderly.  She leaned against his chest and drew comfort from his nearness.

"I think it is time to go home," Dakra finally announced.  "I'm sure Eghero wouldn't want us moping around his grave."

"Let's go home and remember all the happy times we shared with him," Leudh agreed.  "He would want us to do that."

"He would.  I think I want to walk home," Dakra continued.  "Flindra would you join me while Leudh and Brehwan take the boys home in the cart?"

Flindra brushed away her tears.  "Of course, Momma."

"I'll get supper started," Brehwan offered.

"Thank you," Dakra answered.

Leudh looked pointedly at his mother and she gave him a brief nod.  He knew his mother wanted to talk with Flindra alone and guessed they might be late in returning home.  Flindra missed the exchange, but Brehwan's observant eyes caught the silent communication.

"What was that all about?" she asked in a whisper, while Leudh helped her in the cart.  "What secrets are you sharing with your mother?"

"Tonight when the twins are asleep I'll tell you," he whispered briefly.

Brehwan nodded in understanding and helped settle the boys in the cart.

"Flindra, let's take the lake path home," Dakra said after the others had gone.  "There’s something I need to tell you and the long walk will make it easier."

"What troubles your heart so?"

Dakra sighed.  "Eghero and I wanted to delay this time but we both knew we couldn't keep our secret much longer."  She shrugged her shoulders.  "I guess we were just being selfish for we hoped to keep you with us for as long as we could."

"What do you mean, keep me?  I'll never leave my home.  Why would I ever go?" Flindra asked in a puzzled voice.

"I want you to know this, Flindra, my child, I love you and I always will."  She looked away to hide her tears.  "You’ve brought so much joy into my life, into our lives.  I’d always hoped for a daughter but I knew that I could never have another child after I gave birth to Leudh."  Her voice dropped in volume.  "There were complications after he was born, an infection that left me barren."

"Momma what are you saying?" Flindra asked with obvious confusion.

"I love you, Flindra, but you are not the daughter of my body, but the child of my heart."