by Robin Roseau
“No. I know that.”
“There is definite interest. That does not mean devotion will grow with remotely the same speed.”
“I guess I understood that, but it’s best to have it said.”
“It is my guess,” Ralalta said, “that interest will be the new fad of the season. In short, everyone who is anyone will show interest. And that tends to filter down.”
“I don’t think that’s fair, Mother,” Juleena said. “Yalla has been quite egalitarian in her friendships. There are pockets of Yalla-admirers all over the city. That is going to generate interest from multiple directions.”
“Ah,” Ralalta said. “Quite right, Juleena. Can we agree that interest centered in Marport is significant and growing, and in time, it will spread?”
“That is the sense I have,” Juleena agreed.
“Devotion will be slower,” Malta said. “Our Prestainamatta is still considered a goddess of Alteara.”
I snapped my head to her. “Our Prestainamatta, Malta?”
“Have I offended you, Yalla?”
“No. But I wanted to know if you meant it that way.” She knew the words more than well enough to understand what I was asking her.
“Yes, Yalla,” she replied with a small smile while inclining her head. “I did.”
At that, my heart swelled for a moment, and I pressed my hands to my chest and offered a small bow to her. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“There is no reason to thank me,” she replied.
There was a pause, and then Ralalta said, “So we are agreed there is interest, and calling it significant might be appropriate.” There were nods at that. “And so, you wish to discuss what to do about it, Yalla?”
“Yes. In Alteara, it seems everyone already knows about our Prestainamatta, and the elders teach the children. The priestesses are too few to see to this directly, and so largely they travel as a reminder.”
“That’s not all we do,” Hastiá interjected.
“I understand,” I replied. “But my point is that in Alteara, we do not rely on the priestesses as the only teachers, but here in Framara, we don’t really have anyone else, and very few priestesses.”
“Well on that, you’re quite correct,” Hastiá agreed.
“So we can’t model what happens in Alteara,” I continued. “We need a new pattern. But there may be ideas we can borrow.”
“Did you have specific plans, Yalla?” Ralalta asked.
“I have ideas, but I wanted to hear what everyone had to say.”
It took a few seconds, but then Alta said, “I don’t think it’s coincidence that our two journeywomen scribes were invited.” At that, gazes settled on Alta, me, or the two said scribes.
There was a pause, and then Tyreen said, “We don’t even speak her language yet, and we can’t translate any of the books.”
“And yet, the high priestess invited you,” Alta said. “Why is that, Yalla? It seems like they represent future solutions.”
I turned to gaze at Alta. She was watching me with a gentle, easy expression. “We can’t be everywhere,” I said. “But we can have books printed, right?”
“We could,” Ralalta said slowly. “What sort of books?”
“I thought maybe...” I trailed off. “It’s stupid,” I admitted eventually.
“Just tell us,” Larien said.
“Maybe I could... Um. Write a book. I know. That’s a stupid idea.”
“What sort of book?” Terél asked immediately.
“A short one,” I said with a laugh. “It wouldn’t be long. It would be just an introduction. But we could print it, right? We could print copies, a lot of copies.” Then I turned to the scribes. “I don’t even know how that works.”
They glanced at each other, and then Tyreen said, “That’s why you have us.”
“Will you let us illuminate it?” Gressa asked.
“Please,” Tyreen added.
“Yes,” I said. “But not too much.”
“Not too much,” Tyreen agreed. “Just enough.”
“Will you sell these books, Yalla?”
“I want to give them away,” I said. “The Goddess wants everyone to know about her, not only those who can afford the price of a book.”
“In Alteara,” Hastiá said, “We ask for donations for books. Some people donate, and some of those donate heavily to supplement those who cannot.”
I considered her before asking slowly, “Is that what we should do here?”
There was brief discussion before Ralalta said, “It seems like a fine plan.” Everyone turned to her, and then I looked around to see people nodding.
“Will this be expensive?” I asked. “Can I afford it?”
“Depending upon how many you print,” Ralalta said, “Yes, you can afford it.”
“If the pattern here follows the pattern in Alteara,” Vérundia said, “then you will about make from donations what it costs to print them.”
“We shouldn’t expect that,” I said. “In Alteara, Yahamala is revered. Here she is unknown. People may not wish to give us money to learn about her.” I looked around. “But are we agreed? This is a good idea?” Looking around further, I saw people either smiling or nodding. “All right then.”
“What else did you have in mind?” Juleena asked.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “I hoped some of you would have ideas.”
I looked around the room. At first, no one spoke, but then I set my gaze on Larien. She met my gaze but said, “High Priestess, my duty is to support you.”
“Larien, do you really have no ideas at all?”
She dropped her gaze but then slowly lifted again. “Only small ideas.”
“Larien, I depend on you, and Terél, too.”
“I know,” she said. “You must be more visible.” But then she gestured. “But perhaps the rest of us also need to be more visible.”
“I like that so far. Please keep going.”
“This is only my opinion.” I nodded, and so she continued. “I do not believe the high priestess should host frequent celebrations at our new temple.”
“All right,” I said slowly.
“But you have several other priestesses, and the rest of us could hold weekly observances.” She turned to Terél, then shifted her gaze to Vérundia. “Couldn’t we?”
All my priestesses looked from one to another before turning their gaze back to me. I realized I would feel weird if they held prayers and I wasn’t there. I lowered my gaze. “Why don’t you feel I should be there.”
“I didn’t say that,” she said. “I think...” She trailed off.
“Say it,” I prompted, but it was Terél that did it for her.
“The people must grow accustomed to all of us,” she said. “Not only you.”
My eyes widened with the implications. “They see me as the high priestess.”
“And the rest as hangers on, in a way,” Lady Malta said.
“You’re not hangers on!” I said firmly. “All of you know that.”
“But the people don’t,” Malta said.
“What do you propose, Larien?”
“I do not think we should hold a public celebration every day, but perhaps every week. And maybe we could have public study groups another day. Perhaps those can be closer than the temple so more could readily come.”
“Here in the palace?” I asked. I saw Ralalta frown, but she waited.
“Somewhere in town,” Níta said. “Maybe...” she trailed off.
“A book club,” Juleena said.
“What?”
“A book club,” she repeated.
“Yes,” Alta agreed. “Oh, I like that.” She turned to me. “This is popular in Lopéna, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were also popular here.”
“It is,” Malta said. “I wonder if it is done the same here as north of our border.”
“There are different ways. It really is up to the members of each little club. But the basic idea is simple. The gro
up selects a book. How they select can vary. Some have a leader who selects all the books. Others decide more democratically.” I nodded understanding. “Then the members obtain the book and read it. They then get together to talk about it. In some ways, it’s an excuse for a party.”
“It can be quite a serious party,” Malta said. “I have been asked to talk a few times.”
“As have I,” Ralalta said. “When I can make it fit my schedule, I always agree.”
“And readings,” Alta said.
“Readings?”
“That is when an author visits a book store and reads from her latest work,” Malta said.
“But it’s not always a book store,” Alta said. “In Lopéna, it is frequently at one of our markets, perhaps at a food court but just as likely one of the small stages or even just a street corner.”
“I’m not sure I wish to read my book at a street corner,” I said. “And I haven’t even written it.” I looked around. “Maybe I’m not the only one who should write a book.”
“Maybe not,” Larien said. “But on this, you should lead. But we can lead book clubs and readings of the existing books.”
“We’ve been doing translations,” Terél said. “We could do readings of our translations.”
The ideas began to flow, faster and faster, and coming from all directions. Finally I leaned back and smiled.
* * * *
I stared. On the table before me were two books. One was large, thick, and bound in leather. The other was simple, small enough it could easily fit into a pocket, and far more in keeping with the title: Nine Simple Words. And at the bottom was just my name with no titles: Yallameenara.
I was alone on my side of the table. Arrayed across from me were Larien and Terél, Alta, Gressa, and Tyreen. Larien held the middle seat with the two scribes beside her and Terél and Alta as bookends.
“I told them to do this,” Larien said.
I pulled the simple book to me. “This is what we decided.”
Larien pushed the ornate book to me, but it was Alta who said, “And the noble houses will pay a pretty penny for a copy in this style.”
“I want my words read, Alta,” I said.
“Yalla,” she replied. “Open it. Trust us for five minutes.”
Of course I trusted them. I trusted all of them. And so I set the simple book aside and pulled the much larger volume into place before me, opening it carefully. The first page was actually far simpler than the cover. There was a fresh take on the title: The Nine Simple Words of the Goddess Yahamala. And below that, my name again, but this time with my complete list of titles in the order that Queen Ralalta typically called them.
I turned the page, and there was the introduction I had written, explaining how there were nine simple words that could describe our entire faith. But instead of the simple page I had expected, this page was brightly illuminated. This one page was a work of art. I stared for a minute then turned the next page.
I found an illustration. I had helped with this. It was a portrait of Yahamala. Gressa had done it, with help from Tiera. The two had spent hours before the statue in our temple and more time with me to work on the colors. I whispered, “I love you, Yahamala.”
For a moment, she filled me, and I could feel her love, and then her presence faded, but she left the touch of her love behind.
I turned the page. It was, of course, illuminated, and I would discover that all the pages, except those that carried illustrations, were illuminated in a similar fashion. And in the middle of the page sat one word: Prestainamatta.
I turned the page, and I found the words I had written, that page and one more, explaining the word.
And then another illustration: Yahamala and me, clearly floating in the air. And then a word, and then my explanation. And that was the pattern for the rest of the book.
I looked through the entire volume. It was beautiful, a work of art from cover to cover. I brushed away a tear and looked up, closing the book and turning it right side up again.
I didn’t say a word, but I took the simpler book and looked through it. I was surprised to see this book, too, was illuminated, but far, far more simply, only in black instead of the bright colors of the first book. And the illustrations were also there, but also only in black. I paged the entire book and then set it down. I paused, my hands on the book and then looked up to stare my wife in the eyes.
“We will print far more of the simpler version,” Alta said. “But the great houses will clamor for a copy of the other one.”
“As art.”
“It will sit on a table. Guests will come. Tell me, Yalla. Can you see that book sitting somewhere and not open it? Can you see the drawings and not run fingers across them?”
I stared, not sure how to respond.
“They’ll pay for that book,” Alta said. “They’ll pay heavily, and that will help us to print the others.”
“When I read,” I said, “I will read from this copy.” I touched the simpler version. I looked to the two scribes. “This is truly beautiful.”
“All the girls helped,” Tyreen said. “Gressa and I designed it, but all the girls helped to produce it.”
I thought about it and then I smiled. “I wish to send a copy to Master Henrid.” And across from me, the five returned my smile.
* * * *
We introduced my book quite easily. Malta arranged an invitation to the home of Jorald and Feerie Westwater, whom I had met on my first date with Lady Malta, so many years ago. Juleena and Alta “had other duties”, and so my escorts were Andro and Valara. There were five of us in the carriage, as Lady Malta brought Lady Parmeed as her date for the evening.
“So, the two of you?” I asked. They were cute together, holding hands and giving each other looks.
Parmeed smiled. “I have asked Malta to marry me, and she has agreed.”
“Congratulations!” I said. “Both of you. Please tell me Ralalta knows.”
Malta smiled. “I told her last night but asked her to keep it to herself. Yalla, you are responsible for bringing us together.”
“Two of my original suitors found each other,” I said. “I wouldn’t say I anticipated that. What took you so long?”
“Life and duties,” Malta said.
“By that, she means she’s always so busy, and I felt I didn’t measure up.”
“Ridiculous,” I said. “Is there to be a celebration?” I nearly asked for an invitation. It turned out, that part wouldn’t be necessary.
“Yes,” Malta said. “Yalla, do you believe the goddess would allow us to hold our wedding at her temple?”
My eyes widened, and my mouth dropped. “Seriously?”
“A small ceremony,” Parmeed added. “But we want you to conduct it.”
“Me?”
“Who else?” Malta asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. The queen, perhaps?”
She shook her head. “We’d have to invite too many people.”
“She’s going to be offended.”
“The conversation was simple, Yalla,” Malta said. “I believe her words were, ‘I’ll conduct your ceremony if you want, but the high priestess is a better choice. Or did you have another plan?’”
“I bet you would rather it were her than me,” I said.
“Yalla,” said Parmeed. “Don’t you want to marry us?”
“Of course I do, but-”
“But?” she asked. “You aren’t going to conduct weddings?”
“Is that even legal?” I asked. “I don’t know the laws about this.”
“In Framara,” Malta said, “Anyone can be granted the right to conduct a marriage ceremony. I’ll do the paperwork for you, and Ralalta will sign it. Yalla, will you officiate our marriage?”
“Oh, I’d be so honored.”
After that, there were hugs and a few kissed cheeks and more congratulations, and then we arrived at our destination.
I didn’t know what to expect. The only other time I’d been to this
home, it had been an intimate affair. It wasn’t this time.
There must have been forty people in attendance. We were barely inside the door before Feerie took possession of me, although she whispered, “I wouldn’t dream of doing anything you can’t tell Her Highness.”
I laughed.
Feerie introduced me around. Some of her guests I knew, but most I did not. I did my best to avoid being the center of attention, and with help from Malta, Parmeed, Andro, and Valara, conversation flowed well. It was over dinner that Feerie said, “I enjoyed reading your book, Yallameenara.”
“You wrote a book?” asked Bermish, the gentleman seated across the table from me. “What sort of book?”
“It’s called Nine Little Words,” Feelie answered for me. “Yallameenara, do you really live your life by those nine words?”
“As much as I am able,” I replied. “Clearly, when one is the mother of young girls, words like ‘no’ and ‘eat your vegetables’ must be a portion of ones vocabulary.”
Several people laughed at that, then Bermish asked, “What nine words?”
“You know,” Feelie said, “You’re spoiling it.”
“Spoiling what?”
“I was going to ask Yallameenara to read her book to us later. Oh, I can’t imagine everyone will be interested, but those who are could gather in the parlor.” She turned to her husband. “We can enjoy a little touch to drink while High Priestess Lady Yallameenara reads her book to us.”
“She’s going to read the entire book?” Lady Yeppardine asked.
“It’s not a long book,” I explained.
“Only nine words,” she asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Perhaps a few more than that,” I said.
“Why would you read your book to us?” Bermish asked. “Don’t you want us to all buy it?”
“I didn’t write the book to make money,” I said. “I wrote the book to share the nine words. Now, if you wish to buy copies, I am more than happy to sell them to you.”
And then Malta changed the topic.
* * * *
Not everyone from Feelie’s party joined us in the parlor, but there were perhaps twenty people, which I felt was perfect. Jorald took requests for drinks while the rest of us settled into our places. My book was sitting prominently on a table in front of the main sofa, and so I took a place immediately in front of it, but I left the book where it was until everyone had settled.