“What do these words mean?” Manchego had asked himself, deeply intrigued.
Behind these headstones were five others of the same size, perhaps those of the wives and companions of the great ranchers. They were decorated with creepers engraved on the stone. Their names and epitaphs had been erased by the rain. Manchego took the donkey’s reins and set off back home before his grandmother got impatient and started looking for him. He had not realized it, but he was holding the Teitú nut tightly in his hand.
Chapter VII – Natura Naturata
A raging bout of flu tormented the little shepherd. The strange thing was the period of sleep it brought on, which lasted three days. Luchy visited him several times, stroked his tightly clenched fist, tried to open it with all her strength, even with Lulita’s help. It was impossible. They had to give up when they noticed that it seemed to be causing the boy pain. Neither of them could imagine that in that tight fist he was holding the Teitú nut Ramancia had sold him.
The last evening of that long sleep, the Ranch had an unexpected visitor. Lulita had not noticed him come in, and neither had Rufus. He was like that: fleeting as smoke. Lula went to him when she saw him, too close to her grandson’s bed.
“We thought you were dead,” she said in a cold metallic voice.
“Obviously, you’re mistaken.”
“We believed you’d killed yourself after his death,” the woman said, remembering the moment when her beloved had died in her arms.
“It was very hard to heal the wounds his death caused me, but time heals all.”
“Why now?”
“Because he needs me,” said the visitor, and pointed at the boy. “Here. Take this. I’ve prepared this medicine with leaves I gathered in the woods myself. It’s ready to be applied.” He handed her a stone mortar with a green paste that smelt strongly. “He went looking for me, did you know? He needs me, I know. Mother told me.”
“I thought you didn’t care, either about him or the Ranch or the animals or anything at all. You’re bloody selfish! You left just like that!”
“I couldn’t imagine he’d turn into such a… special boy. There’s something in those eyes, curiosity maybe. His soul… has something.” The man paused and then changed the subject. “In those days, my loyalty was to your husband. You have to understand the reason I left. I couldn’t go on here, in the place where… it happened…”
“Hush. Don’t talk about that.” Lulita was holding the mortar with the green paste. She knew this Wild Man’s ointments and had no doubt that they would do the boy good.
“Let me stay a while,” the man begged.
“Absolutely not. You are not welcome here!”
The visitor raised his hands and said, “You have to apply the ointment today.” He turned around and walked away. Lulita stared as the Wild Man walked off into the night.
The old woman went inside her home and sat down on the edge of her grandson’s bed. With great delicacy she began to spread the green paste on the boy’s lips and chest.
***
He woke up suddenly and blinked several times until his sight cleared. He saw a field of grass. It was tall and swayed elegantly to the rhythm of the breeze. He was lying on the ground, looking up at a blue sky which distilled a clear warm light. He got up and realized he was not far from the Observatory, where the Great Pine waited for him to come and sit comfortably against its bark.
As he walked he noticed something around him, an entity which was alien to the idyllic landscape but which at the same time seemed very much a part of the soul of nature. He felt something hard in his clenched fist. He stretched out his hand: It was empty. Rufus was already waiting for him by the Great Pine, sitting on his haunches. Manchego sat down beside him, and together they gazed upon the beauty which spread before them.
The sky was turning different shades over the Devónica del Simrar range. The mountains were a deep purple.
Manchego and the dog looked at one another for a long moment. “A being reaches his maximum potential when he admits himself in his totality,” Rufus said serenely. “Establishing an intimate relationship with your inner flame allows it to come forth completely. It’s essential to know oneself, my dear. The time has come to look inwards, not outwards.”
“Why go deep into myself?”
“To reach your essence, to be complete. Nobody is complete without his essence.”
The dog’s gaze was lost in the horizon. “We are all made of the same thing. We are everything and we are nothing. We have been and we will be. You must search for the truth that dwells deep in you and fuse yourself with it. What is dynamic lives, what is static dies.”
The dog’s voice faded into echoes.
***
“An adventure?” Luchy scolded. “You’ve just been terribly ill, you silly thing!” The pretty girl’s eyes shone like emeralds. They had just been admiring the sunrise. Today Luchy had woken with the idea of skipping school so as to share the sunrise with her best friend, who was still recovering from that dreadful cold.
“Aren’t you gonna get in trouble for missing school?” asked Manchego.
“You know me, I can get away with anything,” said the lovely girl. And it was true.
Manchego laughed mirthfully and said, “That is very true.”
“So, why do you like sunrises so much?” Luchy wanted to know when they were back at the Ranch.
“Hmm… well now…” Manchego scratched his head. He was nervous; he had never known how to answer that. “I just like them… that’s all.”
“Don’t be silly and tell me the truth. Is it something to do with those strange dreams of yours? You were sick for three long days; we could tell you were having very strange dreams. Tell me!” pressed Luchy. She got closer to him and then stabbed him with a pointy finger on the ribs.
Manchego laughed, and Luchy continued to press him.
“Ok! Ok! I’ll tell you.”
“That’s more like it,” said Luchy, backing off.
Manchego remembered the dream in which Rufus appeared and the dog spoke deeply inspiring words. “I dreamt I was at the Observatory and that Rufus spoke to me.”
“There you go again, avoiding the subject. Oh well. Rufus? Now that is strange! What did he say?”
“Something about finding my inner essence.”
“What does that mean?” asked Luchy.
“I think it has something to do with finding my real name,” replied Manchego.
“Your what? You have a real name, even though it’s after a goat cheese,” said the girl and burst out laughing.
“Now that we’ve established that you’re going to avoid the question I’ve asked you so many times, we should move on to what we’re going to do for fun. What’s this adventure you’ve got in mind? You just want me to get involved in your tangles so we both pay the price if we’re caught. You’re a naughty boy,” she said teasingly.
“Not in the least!” The lanky boy blushed.
“I just like to tease you,” replied Luchy with a giggle.
“I met this vendor at the Central Market. He’s a funny sort of guy, with golden skin. He’s a Wild Man.”
“What? You met a Wild Man? There aren’t many in this village, and not many in the Empire for that matter. You didn’t tell me about that. You don’t tell me anything anymore,” said Luchy, crossing her arms on her chest.
Manchego lowered his gaze. “Oh… sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that we don’t see each other every day, like before, you know, the good days. I’ve… I’ve been so busy I just forget to tell you things. I mean… you must also admit you haven’t told me anything either.”
Luchy dropped her jaw, taking offense. “I’ve been busy at school and helping my parents with chores!”
“You’re full of excuses,” teased Manchego.
“Wait… you’re right. We have been growing distant. I mean… growing up is horrible. So many things to do now. I can’t even imagine how it will be when we’
re adults like our parents… your grandmother I mean. Sorry, didn’t mean to bring up the issue with your missing parents.”
Manchego brushed it off and said, “You’re right. We have been growing distant. I already feel I’m working as hard as an ass.”
“You are an ass!” giggled Luchy.
“No! Wait! That’s not what I meant!”
“Oh, silly. I just love giving you a hard time. You work as hard as most farmers do. Farming is difficult. Working the land must be one of the hardest things to do. Ever. I can’t even keep a tomato vine alive. Let alone a whole farm!”
Manchego felt downcast by being reminded about his work and about how far behind he was. He took a deep breath and decided not to think about work anymore. Instead, he brought Luchy up to date about his encounter with the Wild Man at Central Park. “… And then I found out that my grandfather had a companion in the farming business called Balthazar. He’s the one we have to go and look for in the village,” he said with enthusiasm.
“How did you find out?”
“My grandmother told me,” he lied. He did not want to mention the strange book and its mysterious contents. Luchy eyed him suspiciously.
“Hey, come on!” Manchego cried. “How long is it since we went to the village like we used to? Steal some tortillas… throw rocks at horses or steal some fresh milk.”
The girl smiled. She was already imagining herself sharing another adventure with her best friend.
“Do you remember the day we stole corn patties from Doña Pamala?” Manchego asked.
“Yes! That was funny! And the day we threw eggs at the carrot vendor?”
“That’s right! We were a couple of real bandits!” the boy said, and they both laughed.
“Come on, Luchy! It’ll be a grand adventure, I swear. Besides, we might learn a lot from this Balthazar. And you know how much everything to do with my grandfather means to me.”
***
Getting to the Central Park was not easy, but it made an exciting start for the adventure. They had climbed as stowaways onto the cart of a rancher called Lombardo. Riding his horse Marlo, he was singing a song the two kids thought pretty corny.
The coffee-brown horse of the stable,
whose name’s always on my lips,
he’s always so strong and so able,
as down the street he trips.
The coffee-brown horse of the stable,
He’s Marlo, they say as I ride,
he gallops, so gallant and able,
carrying seed in the bags by his side.
Coffee-brown horse of the Zapotillo,
you were born a foal fair and fine.
Now you reach your destination with brio,
my little horse, you’re divine.
“He always sings his little song,” said Luchy, giggling as she spoke in hushed tones.
“I know. It’s always the same song! So corny,” said Manchego with a smile. As he lay there hiding in Lombardo’s cart, he could not help but stare at the bright blue sky and wonder at how life was giving him a breath of fresh air.
Luchy’s eyes darted to his ear. “What happened?” she asked with worried glare. “They did it again, didn’t they?”
Manchego told her about his unfortunate encounter with Mowriz, Hogue, and Findus.
“How did you escape? I mean… you didn’t get beat up all the way. They just left you alone?”
“I… I don’t know,” answered Manchego.
“C’mon, you can tell me.”
“I promise I don’t know. It just seems like they… like they stopped chasing me,” he answered.
“I don’t know why you hide things from me. It’s not like I’m gonna tell on you,” she said.
“I swear I don’t know,” said Manchego, feeling like he did know but somehow the memories were not accessible at this time. They both shrugged.
The cart passed through the gate after a short exchange with the guard. Lombardo was from a famous farm, and most people, including the guards, knew him well. He had no trouble passing through.
As they crossed the Poor Sector and reached the Middle Sector, the cart stopped suddenly. Manchego and Luchy looked at each other, surprised.
Lombardo’s face appeared. “Why hello, friends! We are here. You may come down from your hiding place.”
“What! You always knew we were in there!” yelled a confused Luchy as she fixed up her cotton clothing.
“Why of course. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you kids sneaking up on me like that. I must admit I missed it,” said Lombardo, a handsome young man likely five or six years older than Manchego. He was of fair skin and dark eyes. Manchego felt a flair of jealousy upon seeing Lombardo notice Luchy’s beauty. But most did anyways. It was difficult to miss a beauty like Luchy and not stare at her for at least a moment.
“Why thanks, Lombardo,” interrupted Manchego, trying to call off the attention from Luchy.
Lombardo looked at him and said, “Manchego, right? I really like your grandmother. Send her my regards. Next time, just ask. I’ll be more than glad to give you a ride into town. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve some delicious coffee cherries I have to sell. Bu-bye!”
The two friends jumped off the cart onto the cobblestone street. Lombardo boarded the cart and went on his way.
“I wish our farm was doing as well as his,” said Manchego, staring after Lombardo.
“You will, silly. He’s much older than you. Once you reach his age, you’ll be more successful and stronger. Plus… he’s got his parents and many workers doing much of the labor. You have… Tomasa. So I think you’re being unfair to yourself and your farm. Don’t compare yourself, silly. Now stop whining and let’s meet this wildborn!”
Manchego smiled and darted off after Luchy.
When they reached the Central Park, the first thing Manchego did was to kneel before the deity of light, Alac Arc Ángelo. Luchy followed his example. And like them, others began to pray to the God. In spite of the rumors, many still showed respect for him and offered prayers to the Goddess of Night, D’Santhes Nathor, so that Alac Arc might be safe. “It’s so strange, praying to a dead God,” Luchy said.
“Don’t say that. You know it’s a sin to speak like that,” Manchego shot back.
“It’s not a sin to say your thoughts, silly. And if that’s a sin, ever, then I won’t believe in the Gods who think saying your mind is wrong.”
Manchego shut his mouth and said no more. Arguing with Luchy was difficult. She had a way with words. Her words could be heartfelt and warming, but also terrifying and hurtful.
“But you can’t deny the fact that it’s weird to pray to a God when nobody knows where he is, or even if he’s still alive,” insisted Luchy after a long period of silence.
“Don’t be so literal-minded. The important thing is to pray to him. We pray to the Gods of Earth, Water, Night, and Fire, too.”
The conversation ended abruptly. Several deputies of Mayor Feliel’s government were handing out leaflets. Manchego took one angrily, and the deputy glared at him. It was to publicize the social reform the mayor was planning. “Always promising everything,” said Luchy. “Only so as to stay in power and manage politics the way he wants. I’ve never quite trusted Feliel.”
“I agree. My grandmother says the monarchy of the Empire is good for nothing, that it’s all for show.” He tore up the leaflet and dropped the pieces on the ground.
The smells of the market invaded the children’s senses. Fresh and rotten meat, fish past its prime, mint, cumin, a range of spices. The variety of goods, including swords, shields, axes, and coats of mail, caught Manchego’s gaze, and once again he felt the temptation to enlist in the militia and get away from the village. For a moment he dreamt he was welcome in the House of Thorén and that he met the nobleman’s beautiful daughters. But Manchego was aware it was just a dream.
“It could be that there are more Gods, but we don’t believe in them,” he said, touching a dead octopus’s ten
tacle.
“You gonna buy the octopus!?” yelled a pig-nosed vendor.
“No…”
“Then don’t touch it! Scram!”
Manchego ducked as a broom almost hit him in the head. “Pigface!” yelled the young man and continued on his way.
“You know very well that in the Empire we believe in the five deities, and they’re the most important ones. Or at least that’s what my grandmother says. She goes to the Décamon for mass. She knows about deities more than anybody I’ve met.”
“Yeah… but I like to think there are other Gods. Only five is so little. There are more than just five things. How about the Goddess of Beauty!” Luchy snatched and wrapped a fine silk magenta scarf around her head.
“Five crowns or nothing!” the vendor shouted at her. “Little rascal! Give it back!”
Luchy tossed it back at the vendor, hitting him on the face. The children ran away giggling, happy to be together the way they had been before. Soon they reached Balthazar’s shop. Inside was the old man with golden skin and sky-blue eyes, sitting on a wooden stool, his gaze distant.
“Hello!” Luchy greeted him.
The Wild Man started and pulled an axe with a gleaming blade out of his waistband. He opened his eyes wide and clenched his jaw. Luchy hid behind Manchego, who raised his arms in front of him protectively. “No! No! We’re sorry! We didn’t mean to drag you out of your… thoughts.”
The Wild Man relaxed and returned his weapon to his waist. “That was reckless of you. I’ve killed deserters and thieves who were trying to catch me unawares. Don’t be stupid,” he snorted. His sky-blue eyes studied Manchego; he seemed to be able to read him to perfection. “What do you want?”
The young shepherd began to be nervous. “I want you to show me how to be a great farmer,” he stammered.
“Farmer?”
“Yes! Lulita said you were a farmer and that you worked with Eromes!” Luchy shouted, and took shelter once again behind Manchego. The Wild Man started again, this time with sadness. “Then Doña Lulita has mentioned my name again, after so many years of hatred…”
Shepherd’s Awakening (Books 1-3) Page 5