Time of Healing

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Talia holds Terra close to her, her arms are wrapped around her.

„Of course not, Terra. You miss your Mommy and that hurts. But tomorrow it will hurt a tiny little less than today and there will come a time where you can think at your Mommy with joy in your heart, though a little sadness will always remain.“

She holds Terra tight for quite a while, but thinking what the next day might bring she decides that it will be better to go to bed. So she leads Terra back to their camp and after another small meal the Brownies urge them to have they slip in their bedrolls. The night is clear and warm and so they are able to sleep under the open sky.

But the night is short, for Bluesky and aikirana are waking them before sunrise. They are asked to relieve themselves, drink some water and then they are asked to go to the river. Softhands and Gentlesmile wait there for them and soon Primerose joins them to explain to them what will happen today:

„ Today and the next two days you will be brought into contact with the element of water.  You will just lie there, held by a device specially constructed for this purpose. Your skin however is not suited to be in contact with the water so long, so we will have to cover you with an ointment which will protect you. Please take off all your clothes again and rum this salve into your skin as far as you hands can reach it. We will finally cover your back with it. Please don‘t speak anymore as soon as you are totally emerged in the water. Don‘t speak for the next three days as long as this part of the healing lasts, the silence is a part of the healing. Cover your skin every morning with the ointment again. You will need this time to be able to hear the voice of the water.“

Talia hesitates a bit, but follows Primrose instructions, what else can they do? They are here to get the help they have asked for. The ointment smells nice, but is very sticky and not easy to apply. Finally she is done. As she signals that she and Terra are ready, Gentlesmile comes to her and Softhands goes to Terra.  They start to sing and  run their hands over the back of the two women drawing a strange pattern while they are rubbing in the fat. This is very comfortable and Talia wishes it would last forever (or at least a bit longer). But the song comes to an end and Talia and Terra are finally asked to climb into the water.

While waiting for the sleep to come Talia has pondered over how they will manage to stay in the cold water the whole day long,  now she has got the answer. The water is warm, agreeable warm. The river cascades down the mountain in steps, forming pools in regular intervals, nearly running horizontal for a few peds before again cascading down its way. Talia and Terra are now ask to step in one of these warm pools and to lie on their back. Their head is put on a kind of floating cushion, but the rest of their body is totally emerged in the water.  A thin rope under their armpits permit any floating away. A soft last touch from a tiny hand and a what seems to be a short prayer from Gentlesmile and their next healing day starts as the Injèrá rises over the horizon.

[Terra Artemos]

As before, Terra has trouble with not talking at first, occassionaly complaining about being bored and wanting to get out, though eventually she succumbs to soft sobbing as it seems her mothers death is all she is lef to think about to pass the time. In her moments of calm between sobbing she finds herself thinking about Ta'las, wondering what he is doing, and if he found some one to play with while she is away. As the day goes on she finds that she feels funny when she thinks about him, but it is a good funny feeling and so she tries to hold on to her thoughts of him, and she sobs less. The day though is a struggle, she bounces between happy and sad thoughts, finding new happy memories and new sad ones.

Within Terra sits with the child in her mind by the bank of the river. She tries to calm the child as she cries, Terra feels heart broken to at hearing the childs mother had just died. Though aware that the actual even must have happened some time ago, she knows it seem real to the child, and feels all the more real to her somehow. The child had never told Terra her name, then as the child seems to calm from a fit of crying, her teary eyes look up at her, and Terra's back at the child. She could not shake the feeling that the girl was femilior to her, was she the daughter of some one she had failed to protect? They look into each others equally pained eyes for a long moment before either dared test their voice, it was the child that spoke innocently first, "Do you feel the pain to?". Terra nods at first still uncertain of her voice then brings herself to ask, "What is your name child?", to which the girl sniffs and replies "Terra." in a slightly drawn out answer. Terra's eyes go wide with realization of they the child was so femilior, it was not a girl she had met, but one she had seen in the mirror when she was the girls age, the girl was her. Terra is not sure how much her younger self knew nor did it seem the right time to ask questions that my not have answers, sadness gripped them both as the childs memories of her mothers death became her own.

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

The times passes, but Talia isn‘t aware of it. The water has a soothing quality, rushing past her limbs, as if it carries away all sorrow and pain. At first her thoughts are wandering, tackling with their current events, but then they are drifting backwards. When Talia thoughts are turning towards the Quallian, she gets more conscious. Though she likes to think at the elves, she tries to avoid thinking at the fire demon. She forces her thoughts just to skip the events and go farther back. First all of her voyage with Capher, Terra, Teri and all the other companions they had comes to her in vivid pictures. The day passes and the following night sees her recalling her time with her shendar family. Then suddenly there is a barrier, as if her thoughts are reflected she relives her live now again, this time forwards till she is back at the ent she desperately tried to avoid: Her encounter of Faerhorál. she again tries to avoid these memories, but in vain. But once her focus is on him, she can‘t stop recalling the scene again and again. But to her astonishment it is easier each time, as if the water carries away the fear, the tightness in her bosom. And when Injèrá rises again she awakes fully from her half conscious state of mind. And the Brownies are already waiting for them on the shore.

Talia climbs smiling out of the river. She feels so light weighted today, as if a great burden she had carried on her shoulders for quite a while is gone. And refreshed as if she has slept well for days, and she is hungry! But the Brownies seem to know it and welcome them and lead them to a magnificent breakfast. The birds are singing and Injèrá‘s rays search their way through the fir trees which are guarding the clearing.

Looking at Terra who seems still very sad Talia feels a bit guilty, that she has so happy feelings and tries to be quite moderate though she would like to sing loudly to tell the world that she feels better. Maybe her healing is already complete? She asks Primrose, who has joined them eating to see how their big guests are doing.

Primrose, I feel well, is my healing already now complete?“

But to Talia‘s disappointment, it is not so. Primrose tells her.

“No, my dear, you might feel well now, your burden might have gone for a while, but this feeling needs to be strengthened, and that will do earth. We will go down in the valley again today, taking another longer path, for you should not use the one you came here with your burden. Tomorrow you will face the element earth, for three segments of time, two days and one night. You will receive a threefold treatment and after that you will be nearly yourself again. I hope so. But let‘s move on, you need to go down in the valley again to our old camp. There you will spend the night, but you have to get up early to be in time at the new location where the earth healing will take place.„

The little resolute Brownie doesn‘t wait for an answer, but gets up and beckons a bird to transport her back to the camp. Several other Brownies tidy up the place and Terra and Talia are asked again to carry their bedrolls down the mountain. Quickfoot takes place on Talia‘s shoulder to show them the path, a deer pass, for there are no ways human feet have made. They take another, longer one then when they climbed up to the waterfall. Quickfoot explains, that this has to be done for they should not use an old path where they still carried their old sorrows. Talia is content with walking, the day is nice and the air clear. She is on the way to find her old self back.

It is nearly dark when they arrive in their old camp. Another gorgeous meal is served and soon they settle down to sleep.

[Terra Artemos]

Terra no longer sits closely to Talia as she once had, no longer seems to seek her for shelter, even her movements seems older, but not yet those of an adult. Her movements bare there own awkwardness, not that of a child, but a young woman feeling out the changes in her body that occur in that stage of her life. Her sadness though still potent is more distant and brooding as if many years have passed, as quickly as it comes upon her it vanishes with a dreamy to herself taking the place of the sad frown, even her cheeks seem to warm and blush at the thoughts silently moving though her mind. She is silent for a time in her brooding joy but this to does not last, worry seems to find a way to etch itself onto her features, she look to Talia finally and speaks.

"Talia, can I ask you a question?"

After a short pause she continues.

"I am worried about my sister. She's training to be a guard but all she seems to thing about it fighting and making money. I try to explain that being a guard should not be about fighting or making money by fighting, and she seems to listen only to fall back into the same way of thinking. I am afraid that it is the money and power she is after, and not the duty of protecting people, and that she may end up corrupt or worse yet a criminal. I don't want that for her, it would break my heart to see her hunted, in jail or even dead. What can I do?"

Terra waits eagerly for Talia's answer though her eyes show that her thoughts would drift towards those that had brought a smile to her face if she were not so worried about this new trouble.

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Talia is a bit set of by Terra‘s question. What should she say to that  for her more theoretical question, for she doesn‘t know Terra‘s sister. So she waits a bit till she answers, pondering what might be wrong to say and what not - in Terra‘s current state. Talia is not sure if she may ask where the sister is now, perhaps she is dead already and Terra doesn‘t realise it? For now she seems to be a slightly older Terra than before, she knows about her mother‘s death, what else?


„Terra, that is a difficult question. For one, I don‘t know your sister and so I can not say, if you perceive her right. Maybe it is not as bad as you think. People have to earn money to be able to sustain themselves. So your sister needs to earn money and she choose to combine that, earning money by protecting people, guarding them with her sword. That is a noble task,  nothing bad, but you could say she earns her money by fighting. You can‘t live from „duty“ alone. Of course she has power over the people she protects, at least to a certain amount, but that has not to be something bad either if you don‘t misuse it. That your sister loves fighting and earning her money, even that she likes the power to be able to do so makes her  good in her job.

But that depends of course all on your sisters personality, if she will  perform her job well or if she misuses it. All you can do is to talk to her about your problems and fear - or to pray to the gods to show her the right path.“

After a while, she adds:

“ Don‘t know, if that has helped you, Terra.“

Talia doubts very much, that she has been a help for Terra. That was quite a wishy-washy answer, though she thinks it is true, what she has said. Terra  has not yet arrived at the state of consolidation as she has obviously, but has to unravel more of her past and that will be probably very hard.

“ Let‘s go to bed, I heard we have to get up early tomorrow to arrive at our new destination before Firstflame, what do you agree?“

[Terra Artemos]

Terra broods on Talia's word for quite some time, before she finally responds.

"I guess you are right Talia. Thank you. This is really something I should talk to her about."

Terra get's up and goes to her bedroll where she seems to brood for a good time more before finally falling into a restful but not peaceful sleep.

Terra awakes in her mind to find the little girl not close to her as she was when she had fallen asleep. Instead she found a teen sitting against a tree, seemingly watching her and yet lost in her own thoughts. Terra sits up, yet the teen girl does not seem to react right away, instead dreamily looking up from her day dream, and uneasy smile gracing her lips. Terra studies the teen again finding something femilor, but it take she a few moments to realize her younger self is now much older and the teen before her. The teen though burdened by her thoughts does not seem to be as burdened as the small girl, perhaps it was only the passage of time that had eased the pain of loss.

Finally Terra decides to talk to her younger self, "Whats, troubling you?".

Her younger self take a moment to respond, "I am worried about my sister.".

Terra is rather surprised, "Your sister?".

Her younger self only nods in her brooding, so Terra decider to change the topic.

"What do you know about this area?", she asks hoping to gauge her younger selves awareness.

"Oh, it's nice here. Good for thinking.", the younger Terra replies as if not really paying attention to the question.

"Wher are we? I seem to be lost.", she tries to be more specific but not seem to direct.

"I guess you are very lost then Terra. This is your mind.", the teen replies with a small giggle to herself.

Terra's mind is reeling from the apparent awareness of you teen self, but gathers herself and asks about their sister, but leaves further questions about what was going on to herself. It is clear to her that her past is her way back to her present and so becomes and eager student, growing more intune with her younger selves. With her childhood self now gone she remembers the joys and great sorrows of that time, it is now time to learn of the burdens of her teen self.

Terra awakes from her sleep in the Brownie camp only a few hours after having fallen asleep. The thoughts of Ta'las being potent enough to bring her out of her sleep, and the desires of her crush on him embolden her to do what is forbidden, to leave the healing area to see him. Reason seemed of little value and whatever warning the brownies gave of them interacting with the others seemed of no harm to her. Like any teen she thinks herself indestructible, sitting up deliberately making a little noise as possible she lets her eyes adjust, before sneeking out of the camp , then finding her own way back towards the hut the others were staying in, often times she feels that she is being watch, as if she would be caught at any moment. A bow presses softly back on her arm as she takes one path, her heart leaps imagining a hand around her arm, she looks back expecting the stern look of her father, and yet it was only a figment of her imagination. Calming herself, she proceed along her forbidden path, determined to share the moonlight with Ta'las, all the while being watched over by Brownies that know in her present state of mind and with there stature they could not dissuade her from her path.

[Talas Anthavin]

Above him, the night sky is a clear slate of black lit only by the pale glow of Silarná.  Ta'las scans the heavens for the constellations, but can see nothing of them.  Ahead of him, his mother-sister stands in a thicket of chest-high ar'pun, before the still water of one of Baveras' jewels.  He walks up beside her, and looks into the water, but this time he can see nothing - the water is still and black as the sky above him.

"Mother-sister, what is wrong?  Why is your water-mirror blank?"

His mother-sister looks at him and cocks and eyebrow.  "Nothing is wrong my child.  The water-mirror will show you nothing tonight."

Ta'las crosses his arms.  "Then why am I here?"

His mother-sister chuckles a little.  "Ta'las, this place is of your doing.  I have no true power here, other than what your mind can devise.  This is your dream - or your reality...whichever you wish."

"So then you have no words of advice for me?  No-"

"Ta'las!  This is your dreamscape.  You see and hear whatever is foremost in your mind.  I am not your mother-sister, this is not a water-mirror, and we are not standing together in the ar'pun."  His mother-sister shakes her head and begins to walk away.

The Shendar reaches for his mother-sister, but grabs only empty air.  Then he hears something nearly at the edge of his field of hearing, like the scuffing of shoes on the ground and he whirls around...

***

Ta'las suddenly comes awake and sits up.  He can vaguely make out the sleeping forms of the others, and hear them gently snoring.  The Shendar sighs and lays back down - in moments he is in a light, restless sleep.

[Terra Artemos]

Terra stands hidden in a stand of trees her eyes barely able to make out the hut in the moon light, she can feel the bark of a tree against her palm, and hear her heart pounding in her ears with both exhilaration of being so close and worry of being caught in the final moments before she could reach Ta'las. Finally she takes a deep breath, determined to finish the forbidden task before her, stepping out of the trees, holding the hem of her white dress high so as not to trip as she tries to quickly rush to the hut. Encountering the door Terra agonizes over every sound it makes even if it were so silent only she could hear it, none the less the door gives way without waking anyone. She scans the small single room hut, picking out Capher and Ta'las easily, at first fear of being caught grips her at the sight of Capher, but then as she tares her eyes from him to Ta'las her faltering resolve is strengthened all the more. She goes to Ta'las, kneeling at his side and whispers into his ear trying to rouse him from his sleep.

"Ta'las, please wake up. I came to see you."

She waits a few hopeful moments then brushes a hand across his cheek in case words did not reach him in his sleep, with every passing moment till he wakes, worry of being caught creeps back into her. Her goal is so close, but now it all hinges on him waking and them getting away without being caught.

Within her mind Terra sits with her teen self beneath a tree in the moonlight, her younger self having a dreamy look on her face, though one that does not betray anything but that the thoughts are pleasant. Terra can not remember the years this self reprisents, but like her early childhood, she is sure this too will pass as will the self next to her. Her teen self finally looks to her, a dreamy smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye, then speaks, "You like him don't you?". "Who?", She replies to her younger self who responds at first with a teen giggle as if Terra were mearly shy of admitting her desires. "Ta'las of course!", her younger self continues to giggle even as Terra looks slightly embarrassed and considers her words. "I do like him, but I am not sure he is right for me.", she finally admits not wanting to say more, her younger self taking her hands as one girl about to give another girl some serious advice then replies finally "Dare to dream Terra. Dream of all the happiness you can have. Only then can you catch me and be a little more whole.". Silence falls between them as her teen self allows the advice to sink in. Finally Terra musters a reply to herself, "You have worries to.", her younger self laughs and replies "But I don't let them stop me from dreaming.". For a long time they sit silently, both now seeming to brood on their thoughts, each dreaming their day dreams, or perhaps havign the same one.

[Talas Anthavin]

Though it takes him a few seconds to wake, Ta'las knows immediately who has woken him from his sleep.  "Lady Terra?" he murmurs quietly, and then he sits up in alarm.  It is dark in here, but by what little light filters into the hut, Ta'las sees the look in her eyes and guesses that nothing is wrong.  Something about Terra is different now, but he isn't completely sure.

The Shendar looks around at the others, and not wanting to wake them, he grabs her hand and motions toward the door.  Once they are outside and far enough away from the hut that Ta'las hopes they will not be heard, he stops and turns to Terra.  It has been a few days now, that Terra has been in the care of the brownies, and she no longer sounds or acts like the little girl she was when they first entered the Vale.  "Lady Terra."  His voice is filled with wonder as he looks upon her.  The way she stands, and the way she carries herself, she looks more confident than when she had first left to be healed.  Her long, red hair cascades down over her shoulders, reflecting the moonlight; the white dress accentuates her figure, which stirs the Shendar's blood; but mostly he finds himself lost in her eyes. 

He starts to imagine how it might feel to take her in his arms, but he stops himself.   Terra is more than an object and worthy of more than such treatment, and despite the changes about her, she is not yet a woman.  Ta'las takes a step back, and smiles wistfully.  "How are you, Lady Terra?"  He reaches out and dares to touch her hand.  "I have missed you."

[Terra Artemos]

Terra does not protest Ta'las taking her hand and leading her from the hut, she had been about to do the same, she only follows eagerly, fear of being caught drowned away by the joy of being with Ta'las. She smiles at him as lost in his eyes as he in hers, when he touches her hand she ceases it and gently draws him closer bringing their hands over her fluttering heart. For a long moment she does not answer his question, only looking deep in his eyes as if wanting to think about anything else, not the healing, and certainly not the memories that were returning during her healing process. Finally she sighs a deep reluctant sigh letting their hands drop away from her heart.

"I have missed you to. We are not supposed to see each other, but I could not stay away any longer. It's hard Ta'las, the healing, they are making me remeber things..."

Tears well in her eyes as she reaches out for him to take her into his arms and sooth away the bad memories. She had hoped her time with him would be filled with joy, but instead she feels all her sorrows suddenly crushing in on her. She is not sure if she can bare the weight of them but hopes that with Ta'las she can.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las holds Terra in a gentle embrace for a few moments, his thoughts now turning to concern and compassion.  He is vividly aware of the light scent of  her hair mingling with the aroma of cedar and pine.  The air is still, with just a faint breeze.  "You are strong, Lady Terra," he says as he absently strokes her hair.  "Strong, brave and steadfast, but I think your past was hidden away from you - a past that, though dark and full of sorrow, you must face.  Capher says it is just this that the brownies are trying to help you face so that you can come to terms with what happened to you."

He carefully brushes a stray lock of hair from her cheek.  "I do not know your past, but I do know that the elven seer, Siroled, told us that whatever happened was enough to injure your soul.”  Ta’las pauses to gauge the effect of his words, wondering if he has spoken out of turn, but decides to continue on when he remembers two of the lines she said to Terra:

No fear though needs to chase your soul
for friends will guard your path

“I am with you, Terra.  For as long as you wish.”  Ta’las smiles and holds her close.

[Terra Artemos]

Terra sobs on Ta'las's shoulder for a long while before she can begin to compose herself, though she keeps her head against his shoulder. Slowly her sobbing comes under control and she cuddles lovingly against his body, though the joy she had imagined still evades her, she finds the presence of her crush soothing, and carries the hopes that their love will last and they will become more in time. For now though she feels bare, naked, vulnerable against the pains of the life she is now beginning to remember, and Ta'las feels like her protector against them. Above all, she begins to feel an uneasy contentment in his arms, it feels safe, and she does not want to leave those safe arms.

"Thank you, for being with me."

[Talas Anthavin]

"You are most welcome, Lady Terra, but I also should thank you," he says quizically.  "For the past few days, I have been worrying over you and your healing, and though I wished to come see you, I was told that I should not interrupt the brownies' magic.  Had I known -"   Ta'las frowns a little when he looks at the expression on Terra's face, and realises that he has not been paying attention.

"You're not supposed to be here, are you?"  He waits a moment for a response, but Terra has already admitted as much when she said that they were not supposed to see one another.  Ta'las is about to berate Terra, but the look in her eyes, and his happiness at having her here hold him back.  "But I am still glad you are here, Lady Terra."  He holds her close again, for how long he is unsure.  What he is sure of, is that if the brownies felt their seeing one another could interrupt the healing process, the brownies would have stopped them by now.

[Terra Artemos]

Terra's body relaxes as she takes in the comfort of Ta'las's arms, her head laying against him, her mind dreaming little wishes of what he may do next, but over the moments her mind starts to slide toward sleep. Without lifting her head from it's place of comfort she replies softly.

"I'm glad you are here to. I feel safe."

She falls quite, savoring every moment till she settles into sleep in his arms, entering her sleep her body slacken, any tension that had been there while she was awake seems to vanish, a dreamy smile shining through her dreams to show on her face. Her sleap and dreams seem peaceful, happy, and content.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las is a little surprised when Terra falls asleep in his arms, but, he knows she has had an exhausting day, and it is quite late.  The Shendar adjusts her weight and picks her up in both of his arms, and begins walking down the path toward...where?

Where should I bring her? Ta'las wonders as he comes to a stop.  He smiles to himself and shakes his head - perhaps it is because it is late, or perhaps some other reason, but he is not thinking rationally.  After a couple of moments, he decides to go toward the Vale Tree, and hopes that he will find someone who can help.  Then he looks at Terra's peaceful face - she seems to be sleeping well, and perhaps will be better off if he does not try to move her too far.  So, instead of bringing her to the brownies' home, where he might run into a horde of brownies and disturb her sleep, he carries her through the wooded path to a quiet, moonlit glade.  The Shendar sets her down on his aka'pis blanket, and sits down beside her.

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