Time of Healing

[Terra Artemos]

Terra shakes her head against Ta'las's shoulder in response to his question. Her head seeming heavier on his shoulder though her trembling eases, her body against him to seeming heavier. Her words of reply coming more softly and slowly.

"No, not like that. It always seemed windy or drafty around me when I was upset. No where else just around me. I don't know why. Everyone seemed to think that at times my mind was making things up because I was upset. They did not blame me to making things up, I missed my mother alot, they guessed it was sort of my way of expressing the grief I tried so hard not to show."

Her arms wrap drowsily around him, her breathing becoming more shallow, her eyes drooping as sleep tries to take her.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las smiles as Terra nearly falls asleep on him, and lies her down on his blanket, and covers her up with her own blanket.  He brushes the hair from her face and watches her sleep for a minute.  It is good to see such strength in her, he thinks.  We will have need of it before the end of this.

Then he looks up into the night sky, which is clear and star-filled.  The Shendar lays back next to Terra, and drifts into sleep.

***

The ar'pun grass is still tonight, and the water-mirror is just that - a flat disc, the colour of obsidian, which reflects the stars above.  Ta'las walks toward his mother-sister, who stands just before the water-mirror with her back to him. 

"What do you see tonight, mother-sister?" 

He is surprised by how 'real' everything seems.  It all looks - even sounds and smells - as if he is physically here with her.  Curious as to why she doesn't respond, he reaches out and touches his mother-sister's shoulder.  She turns, but where her face should have been is simply darkness, and he is overcome by a stench like brimstone.

***

A chill races up his back and Ta'las jolts awake.  A sheen of sweat covers his face and his heart hammers in his chest.  The Shendar looks around, but he is back in the Vale, with Terra lying beside him.  Talia and Primrose are not yet back with them, but he thinks he can hear their voices in the distance.

Ta'las shakes his head, and tries to convince himself that what he had experienced was nothing more than a bad dream.  He lies down falls into a light, fitful sleep.

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Tiny hands pluck at Talia's sleeve and she awakes slowly from a dream where she is riding on her aj'nuvic  Swing over golden sanddunes....   She doesn't want to leave that place she calls home, but now a low voice is asking to get up and so the golden dunes fade and Talia looks in a small, blue face.

„Ah, Aikirana, it is you, I'm coming,“ Talia murmurers and wraps herself slowly out of her blankets. It is short before Injera peeks over the tops of the mountains, still dark, but getting lighter with every blink.

A look to Terra's blankets shows Talia, that Brownies are about to wake her as well. Talia wants to go over and say hello, wants to speak a last time to her before they climb their tree and have no one to talk to, but  Aikirana points to the river and makes signs which tell Talia that she should wash herself and she obeys. A few fruits and a mug of water is all what she gets for breakfast, then the Brownies lead her to her tree. Primrose is waiting at the trunk and she is the only one who actually the only one who speaks to Talia this morning:


„Talia,
The spirits are with you!

The spirits of fire have cleansed your soul
succeeded in making you whole.
The spirits of water were ointment to heal
your wounds -  so come now and feel:
The spirits of earth have strengthend your mind
now come and see the future unwind:
The spirits of air will make your soul  fly
and lift you readily up in the sky.

The spirits are with you!
“

Talia is quite surprised,  she has not expected to get such a greeting - or was it a prayer – from the Brownie leader. So she has not much words, but just says a „Thankyou“ before starting to climb on the tree.

And then she is suddenly alone, alone with the tree, the wind in the leaves – and possible the rain, if the weather doesn't get drastically better! Arrived at the platform with the hammock the first thing she does is to try out said hammock. Luckily she has been allowed to take her blankets with her and so she lies down, wrapped in her blankets and ... thinks.

Three full days or even seven? And all alone with herself and her thoughts ?  She cannot remember, that she was ever in such a situation, where she had nothing to do, just spend the time with herself! No work around, just a tree to climb up and down and maybe a lookout on top. She would start slowly, not climb up the tree to the top in the very first hour and then having discovered all what might be to discover in this tree. No, she would stay now in this hammock and try to get some more sleep!

And indeed, Talia falls in a light slumber. She awakes some time later from the music of tiny drums: Light rain falls and it sounds like music in Talia's ears. No water is penetrating through the dense canopy though and she rests comfortably in her hammock. She is a little bit astonished though, that she finds it  not boring to just stay in her „bed“ . Hasn't she spend a whole night sleeping in her soft blankets and not much done since she has climbed the tree? Was their stay in the cave so exhausting, that her body needs the rest?

 But it takes not a long time, till she gets restless and jumps out of the hammock, with the sudden decision to climb the tree now! And so she does. The rain has stopped by now and Talia is rewarded with a splendid view, once she has settled in the highest crotch which she is certain will carry her weight. The Diamond Falls catch her eyes first. It appears to Talia as if the mountain spills out milk to feed the inhabitants of the vale , but only till the Injera who was covered till now by a cloud hits the falling waters with her rays. Suddenly the milky white turns to a sparkling range of many shiny  colours. Talia is fascinated and just stares for a while in the direction of the Life Mountain and its waterfalls. Maybe the seven days will not be as long as she has feared till now.
From the waterfalls a faint noise like a steady murmuring is heard, but it is not the only noise in the vale. Plenty of birds are inhabiting the trees and are busy talking to each other. Talia wonders why she has never noticed before, that birds not only sing in the early morning or evening twilight. That will be a true concert then at those times! Carefully she turns around to have a better view of the „rest“ of the valley. To the right of the Life Mountain she sees the rocky Deathbringer. what has given this mountain its name, she wanders. Its rocky appearance or something which happened in the far past? The sorcerers peak and the Mountain of chieftan are on the other side, divided by the Snake river which has built this magnificent gorge they came through on their way into the vale. Talia wonders for a brief time, what the Brownies will or can do about their broken connection to the outside world, but she puts the thought away. She can't do anything about it right now and don't want herself burden with it.

Injera has past the highest point in her path for quite some time when Talia climbs down to her hammock. What now? Her limbs a re aching slightly from the unused positionthey had been in for some hours and so Talia stretches them a little, but is not in the mood to do more exercise. She fears, that she will not sleep well this night, if she uses the hammock already now again, and so she sits down on the branch and leaves floor, thinking about what she could do next. But nothing comes to her mind. She calls memories back from past times to entertain herself, but even this is nothing for her alert and fresh mind. And so she discovers – boredom.

Somehow the day passes nevertheless and Talia lies down in her hammock to sleep for the night. But sleep won't come easily, so she tries to live through her recent experiences again, the three healing stages. Now, with some days and other experience in between, she even can look at the night near the fire. Finally sleep comes to her. She awakes at Firstflame and is greeted by a true concert. Not only the birds are giving their best, but their are other animal noises as well. Another day follows with sitting in one or another crotch, with admiring the landscape and observing the colourchanges which come with the passing of the day, with remembering past events and with just daydreaming. Another day comes and goes and the only difference is, that she tries to remember events in her life which lie far more in the past. She recalls her time in the Rahaz-Dath, her fight with the Ráhaz-Éstar, in which she had been blessed with so much luck, the  nightly fires around which the whole dome inhabitants were sitting and listening to a tale. Sometimes she wishes she would be back there and had never left her new home. And thinking at her past, she drifts off
to daydream  much more often than the day before.

Later Talia can't say, when in these days she started to have strange visions. These were no dreams, more a kind of daydreaming, pictures and scenes coming before her eyes. With every passing day, these visions are more numerous and clearer and with every day she is more convinced, that they have to do with her past, with her youth, with her childhood – though some of these visions are so unbelievable that she still doubts, that they can be true.

   
A little girl hears a soft voice whispering in her ear and a warm hand is carressing her hair. It huddles in a lap, one thump in the mouth and falls asleep.

It is screaming with laughter, when strong hands throw it in the air and safely catch it again. It wraps it little arms around a brown neck and giggles when a dark beard is tickling her.

This feeling of being cared of and being safe is very strong in the little girl and so it is not too concerned in the beginning, when at a later time she misses the soft voice and the strong arms.

Hunger and thirst, loneliness and desperation are only coming later. And the pressure of heat which is not bearable.  Instinctively the child knows, that it cannot life any longer in this surrounding.

Strange noises, a even stranger smell are penetrating the fantasies, the girl has meanwhile. Then suddenly it is lifted from the ground, held and carried away. It has the impression that it flies, but the child is burying its head in soft feathers. Water and food and a strange caring touch restore her again.

An older girl is standing on a high tower. The sky in the South has strange colours, for the Void is not far away. It observes tall flying creatures, some are coming near and wave towards her. She is familiar with them, she even loves some of them.

The young woman feels desperate, she doesn't want to leave her family. She doesn't care, that all the members of her family do not belong to her own race. But finally her hands grip the hilt of the sword which is given to her. And then the pain sets in....

Night follows day as day follows night. Talia sits in the top of the tree, observing the landscape, or seeing pictures of a very much different landscape as it is here, time is nothing she bothers with. One evening, when the Injera is about to set and she has just settled in her hammock, she has a visitor. Primrose has come to tell her, that her seven days and nights are over. She say much to Talia and Talia is thankful for that, for she is not yet ready to join the world outside her tree again. she asks primrose, if she could stay the coming night in her tree, and Primrose agrees.

So Talia spends her last night in the tree, more thinking than sleeping, preparing herself to go back to her friends in the morning and to join life in the world again, to face dangers, but to laugh with friends as well. Only now she realises, what the visions she had in the tree might have been – some glimpse on her lost past. But these visions were so strange  - on the other side, she knows Artemis and knows therefore, that the strangers in her visions do exist.

When Injera pours her light over the mountaintops, Talia is nearly ready to leave her tree. On the lowest branch she stops, sits and observes like the world around her awakes. She wonders, where her friends are now, if they are still sleeping in their blankets, if Terra has joined them already last night. Watching, she enjoys the last quiets minutes she has till the bustle of normal life will take its toll from her now peaceful soul again.

[Terra Artemos]

Terra is woken shortly after Talia by little hands tugging at her, she awakes with a dreamy smile still on her face, her head rolling to look at Ta'las a small frown taking to her face some how she knows he has not slept as well as she or had as pleasant dreams. Raising she washes her self as they direct, taking her brown armor with her not sure why she chose her armor, perhaps with the sense of fear she carries at the task before her bringing with it a sense of danger though she tries to tell herself it's only imagined. Clad in her brown leather and mail armor she returns to the camp and the meal of fruits and water that would be her last for a while, she focus on eating and on Ta'las.

[Talas Anthavin]

The rest of Ta'las sleep is uninterrupted, and he wakes some time after Terra returns.  Though disturbed by those dreams, he dismisses them.  Ta'las is happy to see her, and spending time with her here in the Vale brings him a great measure of peace.  He rises to a sitting position and rubs the back of his neck.  "Good morning, Lady Terra," he greets her with a smile. 

He looks around, noting that his Shendar-sister has already left.  "Talia has already started, I expect.  I see you are ready for the next stage of your healing."  He looks curiously at her armour.  To the Shendar, wearing armour has become second-nature, so normally he would not question it.  "I did not realise the healing process required you to confront an enemy in combat.  Or is there some other reason?"

[Terra Artemos]

Terra smiles as Ta'las awakens and raises.

"Fair morning Ta'las. Was you sleep troubled?"

Her attention distracted from her meal, a piece of fruit part way to her mouth.

"No Ta'las, I do not believe I will confront any enemy. It is just comforting for me right now, feels safer. I do not like what I will have to do Ta'las, but I know I must do it, I must confront my fear and at least try to free myself of it. It will not be easy Ta'las, I don't know if I can free myself from it, but I must try."

The fruit continues it's path to her mouth, her hand trembling slightly, after chewing and swallowing the piece of fruit she looks fearfully at Ta'las.

"I can't do it alone Ta'las. I will need help starting this, as much as the brownies have done for me I just don't have the strength to climb the tree without help. I need some one to help sooth my fear and keep my mind from the hight."

Her eyes grow pleading, showing the deep feeling she has for him, and her desperate need for his aid in beginning this phase of her healing.

[Talas Anthavin]

"I will," he says and moves closer, and holds out one of his hands to take hers.  "I will stay with you until you ask me to leave."  For a moment, he just looks at her, amazed at how well Seyella has blessed him.  Then, he grins.  "If you like, I can begin reciting more Shendar myths as I did with Talia in the Quallian - I've been told my retellings are a good cure for fear.  And insomnia..."

When Terra is ready, he follows.  "Would you like me to climb up first?"

[Terra Artemos]

Terra take his hands, the trembling in hers easing, though scared of what she must do she feels easier knowing he will be at her side at least to start. She holds his hands for as long as she is aloud, but the brownies get impatient and wish her to make her way to her tree. Holding Ta'las's hands still she rises, then releases them to bend down to take her blanket as she speaks.

"Ta'las, you are more than worthy to know all about me I can tell. Perhaps when this is all over we will have time to spend together and I can tell you, maybe we can even sit with Capher and he can tell us about my people from long before I was born."

She returns to her feet the brownies anxiously wishing her to follow.

"But for now Ta'las, I must focus on the task before me and face that which I must face."

She sets out at the brownies impatient urging Ta'las close behind her, reaching the tree she looks around for the tree she must climb unconsciously discarding the largest of them till she spots Primrose at its base, her knees nearly buckling at the terrifying reality of the size of the tree. Ta'las's words words distract her a little from the fear allowing her to gather some of her composure.

"Ta'las, can we climb it together at the same time? I will need you to watch and guide me, I have not done such a thing before."

She turns to Primrose.

"Primrose, I thank you for all you have done for me so far. I have asked Ta'las to climb with me as I know I must undertake this task, but can not embark on it alone. If he must he can leave me there till you believe I am ready to return."

[Talas Anthavin]

Though Ta'las wishes he could remain with Terra through the entire he process, he reluctantly agrees that he will leave when she is safe up in the tree.  For now, however, he will enjoy whatever time he has to spend with her, even if it means climbing this very large tree before them.  "I will climb with you, Lady Terra, and make sure that you make it up safely." 

He then looks at Primrose, who looks a little irritated, and says to the brownie, "it would not help the healing if Lady Terra is unable to reach her place up there.  Would it?" 

The little brownie scowls at Ta'las, but she considers it, and then acquiesces.  "Very well, Desert-man, climb with your friend.  When I say down, though, you leave and stay down.  Healing requires her full mind's attention."

"Agreed."

Then he winks at Terra.  "Ready?"

[Terra Artemos]

Terra watches, trying to keep her attention from the tree as Talas goes about getting consent from Primrose to climb the tree with her, deeply relieved that he is finally granted permission to aid her.

"Thanks you Primrose for your understanding in this, as I to understand it is needed to propperly complete the healing process you have started. I will not forget the wisdom and generosity you and your people."

She turns to Ta'las, a worried smile on her face, but none the less seems much easier about the terrifying task ahead of her, and nods quickly.

"I am ready as I can be Ta'las. Thank you for helping me face this."

With all spoken she can bring to her lips she slowly, nerviously, uncertainly approaches the tree with Ta'las at her side and with slow deliborate placement of her tembling hands begins to climb, fighting fear with every movement.

[Talas Anthavin]

"You are doing well, Lady Terra," he says, and begins scaling the tree once she is a short way up.  "Just remember to choose branches that do not require you to fully extend your arms when you reach up, and continue pushing upward with your feet as you go."

The Shendar follows up, watching Terra as she goes, and smiles in admiration of her courage.  Free climbing solo is difficult for most, requires great concentration and agility.  "Oh yes, do not try to 'hug' the tree.  Let your legs push you up and your arms guide you."

[Terra Artemos]

Terra begins to feel her fear waver to pride as she climbs, unaware of the distance she has put between her and the ground. Without thinking she looks back to Ta'las at first smiling proudly at his praise, but the smile quickly vanishes, her head spins at the realization of her hight. She clings tightly to the tree, trembling fearfully, her muscles ceasing and holding on as if for her very life.

"Ta'las!", She cries.

It's all she could manage, fear binding her to that spot, and a deep hope that Ta'las would come to save her from the nightmarish hight.

[Talas Anthavin]

Seeing Terra is in trouble, Ta'las begins to climb up as close to her as possible.  "It is all right, Lady Terra.  I will be up in a moment."  He actually climbs around her and roughly a fore below the crotch of a large branch, which crosses one another branch.

He smiles at Terra and briefly rubs her shoulder.  "You have done well, Lady Terra, and you are not far from a spot where we can take a rest.  For the moment, just concentrate on breathing and regaining your balance."  He pauses a moment to catch his breath, and then continues, "You are quite good at this you know."  Then, the Shendar pats the large branch just above them.  "Once you manage to push yourself up from that branch, I will guide your hand to these up here, and we will be able to stop for a few minutes."

"Just let me know when you are ready to continue," he adds.

[Terra Artemos]

Terra breathing shallow huffily, gradually they grow a little deeper, but remain shallow and filled with fear. As her mind begins to steady she is able to look up at Ta'las from where her face had been pressed against the bark, seeing his face, hearing the caring in his encouraging words helps her draw the strength to move on. Trembling her hand raises higher up the tree, followed by the other, she inches higher, slowly but determinedly, her body staying against the tree. It take her a long few minutes to reach where Ta'las guides her.

She rests only a short minute, with Ta'las to steady her, her eyes closed, focusing, trying to still her breathing and takes long deep breaths to clear the haze that had fallen over her mind. Inwardly she wonders why such a thing did not bother her earlier, why not when they scaled the ship? With renewed steadiness and determination she takes to the tree again, keeping her gaze up, focusing on what lies ahead of her and not behind. With is thoughts of her questions earlier in journey are left behind only to be filled with those that lay ahead and how she will tell Ta'las how she feels for him.

She climbs steadily suddenly jared by the realization she had reached what she though was the top, where Primrose also meets them and explains to Terra what she had explained to Talia earlier. As Primrose talks Terra gets and impression from her little feature that she had already taken a huge first step in her healing, yet will still need to face the rest alone, but is grateful for the short time she is allowed to have with Ta'las while she becomes more comfortable with what will be her tree home.

"Ta'las, when I am done. Would you please come for me. I am not certian my fear will be gone when this is over and may need your help returning to the ground."

[Talas Anthavin]

When they finally reach the place where the last stage of the healing will occur, Ta'las stops to catch his breath as he listens to Primrose explain things to Terra.  He briefly wonders how his Shendar-sister is faring, and turns his attention back to Terra when she is finished speaking with Primrose.  He smiles at her and nods when she asks if he will return for her.  "I will Lady Terra," he starts.  He then looks down at Primrose who is scowling again.  "And I promise to wait until the healing is finished."

He looks back at Terra.  "You have faced much in a short time Lady Terra, and though you still carry some of those fears, you are stronger than before we entered the Vale.  For a person to do such a thing shows great courage, and for that I respect and admire you.  When you look inside yourself, as Primrose has instructed, I think you will find a warrior's soul."  Then he reaches out to hold her hands.  "And of course there is this between us, which for now grows and remains unspoken, but is still there."

"I will return when you are finished, Lady Terra.  May Seyella guide and bless you."  Ta'las kisses Terra quickly on the cheek, and then goes to the edge of the little platform-like area.  He looks at Terra one last time and smiles at her before scaling down the tree.

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