by C. J. Haines
Amen and Henk walked the grounds below. Henk looked through her spectacles at the tiresome sight of Samana on the wall top. “Amen, she’s been sitting up there for over a week, now. I’m not sure if she’s even slept at all. We need to do something about her. She can’t just sit up there. The sands are at least a week’s journey, if her sister got as far as that.”
The silent one picked a ripe, round fruit from a passing tree, and tossed it up and down in his hand, gesturing with his other hand, pointing from the apple to Samana, atop the wall.
Henk smiled, and grabbed her friend’s arm. “Good idea, Amen, she must be starving. I’m not sure if she’s bothered to eat either.”
The two ran up the wooden stretches of steps and bridges, running from wall to wall, until reaching their destination at the outermost one.
Standing at the top of the wooden wall stairs, Henk and Amen approached the watchful girl, slowly and quietly, as not to startle her. Henk approached the saddened girl, watching as her green eyes were filled with sadness at the prospect of not seeing her sister again.
Henk reached her hand back for the apple, keeping her eyes fixed on Samana, and spoke in a very calm and soothing manner. “Samana, me and Amen…we got you this. You should eat it. It’s an apple. I know you’re sitting here waiting for them to come back, but they’re not going to be here any sooner by you standing there, wearing yourself out. I know Hoosun sure wouldn’t want that, and I bet your sister wouldn’t either. Come on now, eat up.” Henk reached out with the apple with an offering hand, but it was not accepted.
Samana paid no attention to the apple, and blinked tears out from her eyes. Her voice was sad and distraught. “I keep hoping I’m going to see them on the horizon…but I still haven’t…the last night I talked to Daimana I told her this is what father wanted us to do, that this was what he wanted for us…it seemed as though she believed me, and then we went back to sleep. I felt something was wrong when I woke up without her next to me…I thought maybe she just went to explore the grounds, but then I saw Hoosun flying outside the window. It seemed as though he too was searching for her. I ran down the tower, and Hoosun came to me, and said she was gone, that she had taken the horse and left…maybe I should’ve gone with her…at least we’d be together…”
Henk felt the pain that breathed from the girl’s heart. She too had lost someone, long ago. Henk put a caring hand on Samana’s shoulder, giving out some tears of her own as she began speaking, timidly. “I know what you mean…I’ve lost loved ones, too. My mother and father died in a storm, five years ago. I was only four years old. We lived out on an open plain, when the storm tore through our house, shredding it like a ravenous beast would flesh. My aunt, Cinda, had gone foraging for food only a few hours earlier, and upon coming back to the house, found me in the wreckage. She was a mute. She brought me here, and we lived here happily, but she wasn’t very healthy, and got sick, and died after we had only been here for two years. Since then, I’ve lived here without her. I’ve been made an outcast among the people here, because I guess you could say I have a rare skill. At times I can pick thoughts from peoples’ minds by touch. It happens only randomly though. People think I’m a freak because of it. The Mother says that it is not a freakish attribute, but a gift from Fate. I know the pain that you’re going through, Samana, losing loved ones is always hard. I’ve had to try desperately to cope, and I had only but Hoosun and the Mother to help me through it. I just want you to know that no matter how hard it is for you, you’ll have more than them. You’ll have me, and Amen, too. We’ll stand by you, Samana.” The brown-haired girl smiled, and wiped tears from her cheek.
Samana drooped her head, and pulled her hood back, letting loose the first smile she had shown for days, as she grasped Henk’s hand. “Thank you, Henk…it is so hard to lose those close to you…I hope I have not lost her. But if I have…if she is gone, then perhaps it is meant to be.”
Henk looked to Amen, as the silent one walked over to Samana’s side and threw his arm over her shoulder, in friendly gesture, he and Henk soon leading Samana down the wall steps, and through the inner wall bridges.
Light passed through the green archways, as one after another they were walked through by the silent trio, as Henk and Amen led their new friend to the center of the Order. Whatever lay ahead, Samana felt she could deal with it, even if she did not fit in well, as Henk and Amen did not fit in either. Now she had her new friends to help her through the hard times, and to the sorrowful girl, that meant quite a great deal. As the three walked together through the ancient stone structure, they did not quite know it yet, but they would remain together, for their lives would be tied forever from this day forth.
-Chapter 6-
Present
Another week had passed by. Through it Samana had spent her time well. She had spent all but sleeping hours with the duo of Amen and Henk. They showed her everywhere at the Order, from innermost to outermost wall, in and out, and all through the high tower. She had seen everything. Her favorite place was that of Hoosun’s dwelling, which was built around a great tree branch that sat protruding from the side of the great, towering, ancient tree that which centered the Order, as the walls stood around it silently. The usual happenings went on about the green, stone temple. Fruit was picked, kids were chased, and some sat basking in the wonder of the bright and clear day. Shafts of serene light beamed down between the only two clouds in sight that stood in view of the sun, attempting, and failing at blocking the light of its might from reaching the ground below.
Samana, Amen, and Henk sat in Hoosun’s square room. Amen was sitting with his legs folded together, in a silent gesture, as Samana and Henk stood at the window, looking out upon the glorious day outside. “It is quite beautiful outside, today. We should go for a walk, right, Amen?” Henk pulled on her brown ponytail that hung tied from the back of her hair as she awaited response from her silent friend.
Amen looked at her, and nodded slowly, and then returned to his silent stance on the bed. His eyes closed as he breathed in and out, deeply, as if in meditation.
Samana looked at Amen, and noted his peculiarity, as he sat with his arms stretched out at his sides, straight. “He’s meditating, what for?”
Henk watched through her glass fixations at the silent boy, and answered Samana’s question. “I told him it would help him to concentrate. Maybe if he could concentrate hard enough, he might remember what happened to him, before he was found.”
Samana nodded in agreement and turned back to the window, looking far out. She saw something in the distance, but she couldn’t make it out quite clear, not yet. It was but a small speck on the horizon…and then, in a few moments, it was visible.
Able to see bobbing wings in the distance, Samana pointed outwards, and spoke excitedly. “There, look there!!! It looks like Hoosun’s come back! Let’s go, hurry!!!”
Samana ran, flinging the door open, and then charging down the stone stairs to meet the owl. Henk looked out the window worriedly, hoping Samana did not get her hopes up to highly as to be disappointed.
Samana left the mouth of the stairs, and looked up from the surrounding, fruit bearing trees, and brought her hand to head, blocking the beaming light of the sun from her eyes.
Hoosun flapped his wings, tiredly. Below he saw Samana, and felt his sorrow within growing even greater with each flap of his great, white wings. How could he face the young girl? He so longed not to disappoint her, but it seemed it was impossible not to.
The owl landed before the young girl as Amen and Henk appeared from the tower steps.
Tears slipped from the streaky-haired girl’s eyes as she bit her lip knowing that the great owl had not returned with her sister in possession. The owl stooped lowly, his wings frayed, and worn out from his long and constant flight, to and from the sands.
He spoke sadly, feeling great disappointment in himself for not being able to bring the child back to her twin, even if it was to the request of Daimana that she was to stay w
ith her father. “I’m sorry, young one…I could not bring her back. The sands have taken her, your father, the Dawn Bringers, the Elushu…all of them…I failed.”
Though sorrow gripped her heart steadfastly, Samana wiped her tears aside, and looked back at Henk, and then back to the great, white owl standing above her. “I know you tried…she wanted to be there, with father. In a way, I kind of did too, but I didn’t go, and now I’m here to make the best of it. Things have happened this way for a reason. Perhaps it is fate that she was there while I stood here. It is what she wanted, and I will not regret her decision.”
Samana smiled and looked at the sorry owl, and ran her fingers through his torn arm feathers. “I do not fault you.”
The owl breathed in, and looked at the young girl. She was of a unique kind, and had a forgiving and understanding heart, a rarity in this world.
Samana hugged the owl’s arm, and then her attention was brought to his shoulder. A great iron shaft was stuck through it, reaching outwards through his back.
Henk came over to investigate the wound, and felt the dry blood on her fingertips as she looked it over. “Hoosun, this looks bad, but I think it could’ve been far worse. You’re lucky it dodged through anything too important, and just took a chunk of flesh and not your lung. We should get it removed though.”
The owl swayed from Henk’s hand, and shook his head, explaining to the children who stood before him, Samana, Amen, and Henk. “I will keep it in my shoulder, young one. It shall stay as a memory, to remind me of this time of hardship.”
Samana nodded her head in agreement at her friend’s proposition, and patted his feathers. Henk enjoyed the idea of the notation coming from the wound. In a way, it sat as a remembrance of Daimana herself. Amen stood silently as usual, even if he could speak, he probably wouldn’t have known quite what to say, so he bowed his head to the owl.
Hoosun took his spectacles from a pocket on the breast of his cloak, and mounted them on his beak, clearing his throat as he saw the Mother produce herself from the tower stairwell. “Mother Dhahn…I have come back. The child is lost to the sands, along with the Dawn Bringers and Elushu. It was her wish to be with them in battle.”
The Mother looked at Samana with an eye of acceptance. “It was fate, my friend, Hoosun. Nobody could take that from her which she so longed to do, not even I could have.”
The owl bowed before the Mother as she looked upon his torn and worn wears. “As you say, Mother Dhahn, as you say.”
Samana patted the owl on the back, and looked at the Mother, as she and Henk grabbed the owl, hand in hand. “I accept her decision, Mother. We are twins, and two halves of one whole. Though, I wish dearly she was here now, sometimes the pieces have to lay separate before they can be put together again. I’ll see her again someday. Like our father said before he left us, here, we will see each other again, and I do truly believe that.”
The Mother smiled upon the young girl who was wise and strong beyond her years. “You are right, young one, now fulfill a duty for me, and take Hoosun inside, and have him fixed up by Maela, the healer. Those wings are looking rather tethered, and that wound has to be treated before it infects.”
Samana and Henk accepted the duty, and led Hoosun off to be fixed up.
The Mother watched them as they walked away, standing amongst glorious trees of lush fruit. Amen stood next to her, and looked up at the sun, beaming down brightly from above.
The future was unsure. None knew what was to become of the sole twin leading the owl off to be patched up. The Mother looked up at the great tree of the Order, and smiled in anticipation. The future, though unsure as it was, was to be one of great interest.
-Chapter 7-
Present
Close to seven years had passed since the tragedy, and Samana had grown quite a bit. Hoosun had given her his room as her own. Since he did not need the space, and slept on his perch outside, it worked very well.
Samana smiled in a framed mirror that was left leaning on the wall. Samana had slept rather well today, and it was a rather special day, too.
Over the passing years, Samana did not just get taller, but how she dressed had also changed in her growing age. She wore her usual Dawn Bringer jacket, gold with runic designs drawn upon it, but in her growing it now ended at her waist, as the sleeves met their ends at her elbows. Samana wore a many fastened belts strapped about her arms, waist, and legs. She wore black boots that went up the height of her knees, with more belts wrapped about her hips. She wore tattered gloves that had their fingers cut off, and had a black skirt made of tough canvas around her waist, which the length of ended at her knees. Samana’s hair was done up in her usual fashion with braids on the left side of her head, now six instead of five. She had her hair done up in a knot at the back, with three black sticks protruding from the bunch, holding her hair in place. A few hairs dangled down across her brow, with the rest of her hair, particularly, that of the right side of her head, flowing down to a shoulder’s length. Once Samana approved her appearance, she went out the door.
Outside the weather was beautiful and fresh. The sun was hung high above as birds sang and children chased each other about. Samana looked at them as she stepped out from the mouth of the great tower’s entrance. It seemed like it was just yesterday that she was doing the same with Amen and Henk, in the years that had passed.
Walking through the bountiful trees of fruit, Samana pushed on across the grassy ground, heading for the entrance into the innermost walls ahead.
As Samana grabbed the door handle, a voice rang out from behind, a very noisy one at that. “Oh Samana, what’re you doing now, huh? Going to go and cause some more trouble? Paint the walls with rotten fruit or something?”
Samana turned to the sight of two rather skinny females, each wearing the green color of the Order about them, one with their jacket tied about their waist, and the other with their jacket sleeves cut off, making their jacket into the similarity of a vest. “No, I’m not, actually. But if you keep bugging me as you are, I think I might just paint the walls with you.” The two girls stood in shock for a moment at what Samana had said, and then were to engage a response, but Samana had already opened the wall door, and slammed it, leaving the duo with their unspoken words.
Samana walked through the hall, and ran her finger across the wall. It was smooth as it had always been. The thought of her sister Daimana popped into her head. They had walked these halls together with Hoosun, years ago.
Samana smiled at the thought of her beloved sister. She missed her very much. They had so many memories together.
Having reached her destination, Samana removed her hand from the wall, and took grip of a door handle. Pulling hard, she opened herself to a room of shining walls as lantern light caressed the furniture within with a warm touch.
Samana closed the door behind her, upon entering, and went over to a bench seating, next to a table, and tossed herself onto the table. Stretching herself out, she put her arms behind her head as cushioning, and closed her eyes, hearing the flicker of the lantern flames that dangled above.
It was calming and quiet in the room.
Footsteps made their presence known outside the door, and had stolen Samana’s attention as she sat up in response. The door swung open, and two familiar faces stood with greeting gestures before Samana.
The figure on the left was Henk, her hair was still long and brown, as it had been over the years, and she still wore her spectacles to enhance the vision of her brown eyes. Her hair was still in ponytail fashion, but over the years she had grown a likening to having her green cloak hood up, as she did so today. About her waist was a green cloth, wrapped and tied at her front in a knot. A black line of string clung around her neck, with an object tied to it, falling down beneath her clothing, and out of view.
The other figure was Amen, he was still quiet as usual, unable to show emotion or speak. His hair was longer and spiky brown, his eyes blue like a clear sky. He wore a tan scarf around his n
eck, and had it tucked into the collar of his green coat, which was buttoned up most often. Around his neck hung a small bag, containing many different kerchiefs of colors and expressions. Amen wore different kerchiefs wrapped around the bottom of his face with different expressions drawn in low detail on them, so that he could, in a way, show his inner emotion by wearing them at what he felt was the appropriate time. He currently wore a kerchief that was red, with a dipping line drawn on it with charcoal, meant to resemble a smile.
Samana smiled at her two best friends, and put her hands to knees, questioning the two as they closed the door behind them. “There you guys are…where’ve you been? I thought you were going to be here when I got here?”
Henk pushed her spectacles up, and smiled, laughing comically as she tried to explain what had happened. “Well, we kind of ran into some minor annoyance outside the walls before we came in.”
Samana laughed and leaned back onto the table, stretching out and replying. “Minor annoyances…you mean, Theira and Dred? Those two are the exact opposite of minor in the instance of annoyance.” Curling with trivial laughter, Samana sat on the table.
Henk laughed agreeably, and tried to get her words out, without mincing them with laughter. “Yeah…haha...those two…haha…are the epitome…haha…of it.”
Amen watched the two laughing and switched his kerchief out for one with a bigger smile on it, also drawn with charcoal.
After the laughing stopped, Samana regained her breathe, and hopped from her position on the table. “Well, let’s get going then, aye?”
Henk and Amen stepped out the door, and locked arms with Samana as she closed the door behind them. Walking down the corridor, Samana and Henk made more jokes involving the duo of Theira and Dred, while Amen just stood silently among them, nodding in agreement.