The Shards (30 page)

They spoke to each other in a language that neither of the sisters could understand. Shortly, they all walked up to the women and formed a circle around them. There was no threat implied by this action, and the sisters stood quite still while they waited for the Drue to introduce themselves. A moment later, each extended one long arm toward Tamara and Angeline, who continued to hold each other’s hands the entire time, until the suctions adhered to their skin.

A rush of feeling swept over them, and they could hear the Drue speaking through their touch. By the time they removed their fingers from the girls, both Tamara and Angeline knew their names, their sexes, and much more about them than they had ever expected to learn or be told. History, family relationships, births, deaths, their fears and hopes, loves and hates, and even their most personal of concerns were communicated. Suddenly, their sorrow was easier to bear. Though it did not abate entirely, it settled into its own place in their psyches, and there was once again room for other emotions. They both found themselves sighing audibly with relief.

“My kindred shared with you as the Lalas do with us,” Etuah explained. “We will be with you and you with us now forever, for good or for evil, as we are with all the Chosen who have visited with us in the hollows.”

By this time, Tamara decided to ignore the references to the Chosen that Etuah kept making. She was obviously not going to stop from speaking so, and there were certainly more important issues to contend with at the moment.

“Welcome,” one of the group said in a deeper voice than Etuah’s. “Though you already know now, I am Petuah. This is Hewlo,” he said as he pointed to the tallest of the four.

“My name is Behani,” the third Drue spoke out in a melodious tone.

“And I am Uhani,” the remaining figure said while smiling. “It is not often that we have guests. Usually, the Chosen are here before us. It is a rare occasion when one comes after the shards have been removed.”

“You are strong of character,” the one called Petuah said directly to Tamara. “It did not tax us greatly to shelter your spirit from the pain.”

Tamara and Angeline had barely a moment to rest in the last few hours. Everything was happening so quickly. It seemed like days ago that they were sitting on the hilltop somewhere far above where they currently stood. They listened intently to the Drue’s words, but they had some practical concerns as well.

“Forgive me if I say anything inappropriate, but would it be possible for us to sit down somewhere and rest for at least a few moments?” Angeline asked. “I do not think that I can continue to stand here for much longer. I am so tired.”

“Of course,” Etuah replied immediately. “Follow me,” she said, and she began to walk toward an alcove in the wall.

The other Drue followed behind the sisters while chatting amongst themselves in their odd sounding tongue, which both women now surprisingly understood as if they had spoken it their entire lives. There was no question that the language was one they had never heard before today, but as they listened, they comprehended everything. Tamara and Angeline felt entirely comfortable with them.

“You learn faster than some of the others have,” Hewlo said.

“They are more receptive,” Behani noted.

“And less defensive,” Etuah said.

They all crossed under a smooth archway and then emerged into another chamber that was smaller and lined with long, spongelike cushions. One of the walls was carved into shelves and laden with canisters and cartons.

“We are not so different as you might expect,” Behani said as she noticed the sister’s reaction to what they saw. “We too eat.”

“And we sleep as well,” Hewlo said.

“I hope I did not offend any of you,” Angeline said after she realized that her expression must have betrayed her surprise.

“Offend? You have been most gracious,” Hewlo replied. “Many from above find our appearance difficult to look upon. You seem to find only our eating habits noteworthy,” he smiled. “Please. Sit. They are most comfortable,” he said, as he pointed to one of the sponge cushions.

Angeline and Tamara both accepted the offer quickly, and they reclined upon the nearest of the seats. They were extremely pliant and they found themselves sinking deep into the soft seats.

“I do not have the same feeling here as I did before. Is that due to your influence or the fact that we left that other room?” Tamara asked.

“A bit of both,” Etuah replied. “Though having left the heart is the primary reason. Unfortunately, you must return there as soon as possible.”

“And you must prepare to leave here as quickly as you can,” Petuah said. “It is not safe for you, despite the fact that you seem to be more resistant than most to this space.”

“We are not immune,” Angeline said. “Maybe Tamara here is dealing with it better than I am, but for me it was quite difficult. It still is,” she conceded. “But I must confess that the sensation is now more strange than it is frightening or sad.”

“I am not as disturbed as you, sister,” Tamara said. “Though the feelings are not pleasant, certainly.”

“You cannot understand just how awful they were then, sister, if you characterize them that way. You are fortunate indeed,” Angeline shuddered.

The Drue began to open some of the canisters on the shelves with their suctioned fingers, and they prepared something that looked as if it was to be eaten. Sure enough, within moments, Uhani removed some thin, platter shaped stones from one of the crevices, which adhered to the tips of her long fingers. She reached them out to Hewlo who poured the contents of one jar onto each and then another and another. Behani stretched her arms upward, extended her fingers and grabbed a number of translucent goblets from another shelf. She then poured a liquid into each of them from a long tube that protruded from a hole in the wall.

After handing a full plate and a goblet to each of the women, the Drue all sat upon the floor with their thin legs wrapped impossibly around themselves. Using their fingertips once again, they began to eat, lifting the food from the plates and sucking it into their pursed lips.

“We have utensils for you if you so require,” Hewlo said. “I imagine it would be rather messy if you tried to eat with fingers that terminate the way yours do,” he commented as he handed them each a small ladle carved from a white colored stone.

“Thank you,” Tamara said, never the shy one, and she began to eat almost immediately.

Angeline was a bit more reluctant to taste the odd looking food, but Tamara seemed to find it so pleasing that she too shortly began to eat.

“Is it far to Odelot?” Tamara asked, wiping a drop of the sweet substance from her chin and licking her finger.

“Distances are measured differently in the hollows than above. It is difficult to answer that question,” Etuah replied.

“It will take you a good deal of time to get there,” Petuah said.

“Odelot was abandoned many tiels ago. Our brethren protect the parts of it that they can. The blackness is not approachable however. But, you must pass through other areas that are not as well sustained in order to get there. One such place will only soon come under our protection,” Uhani said.

“Another tree has died?” Tamara asked. “Do you know its name?”

“No. Not yet, but soon. It is one of medium stature. It calls itself Mintar and its Chosen is Carlisle. The heart is not so great as this one, but there is no one to remove the shard,” Petuah said matter-of-factly. “We cannot enter as yet.”

“It is the eleventh,” Etuah said, as if that was meaningful, and the others all nodded solemnly.

“The Lalas has been wavering for a while. It is not a surprise to us,” Behani said. “Yet, we are helpless.”

“The world does not yet know. Neither does its Chosen,” Hewlo said sadly.

“Is there nothing to be done?” Tamara asked.

“Done?” Etuah asked. “Why would one want to do anything? The tree has made this decision. We can only protect the space afterward, once the shard has been secured.”

“Shard!” Angeline said. “The tree’s essence?” she asked, having learned about these things only recently.

Etuah nodded to Angeline, but her eyes were upon Tamara as if she had only just realized something, and her recognition was mirrored by the other Drue.

“You have not been informed, of course. You could not have known,” she then said to Tamara. “We are unaccustomed to this order of events. The Chosen always arrive before we do.”

“And always just after the Lalas departs,” Uhani said.

“It is fortuitous nevertheless,” Hewlo said immediately.

“Most definitely,” Behani agreed.

“I believe that she has the strength,” Uhani said.

“There is no doubt,” Petuah affirmed.

“I knew that she was exceptional immediately. But this is most irregular!” Etuah said.

“Did they suspect?” Petuah asked.

“No. I do not think that they did. It is quite remarkable!” Etuah replied.

“I am sure that they could not have known,” Hewlo agreed. “When one of their own departs, they must keep their distance. It would be too dangerous otherwise.”

“Yet she is here. Who then is responsible?” Uhani asked.

“A combination of freewill and determination, I surmise,” Etuah said, and she winked in Tamara’s direction.

“This changes everything. When will you leave?” Petuah asked.

“Soon, though I had not thought the moment was yet upon us,” Etuah said, more contemplatively than before.

Until a second ago, they were all talking about Tamara as if she was not present, and it took her until then to realize even that she was the subject of their conversation.

“I will accompany you as far as I am able to,” Etuah began to explain. “I cannot enter however until you have gathered the shard. Once that is done, you may pass, and then the others can approach and begin their work,” she said to Tamara whose jaw had dropped almost to her chest.

“Me? You want me to gather the shard from a dying Lalas?” she asked, exasperated.

“Of course,” Petuah replied. “That is surely one of the reasons why you are here.”

“How am I to do that? I know nothing about shards and hearts and dying trees,” she said. “Besides, we are here because we were chased here by the enemy who would have gladly killed us had we not come upon you or you us,” she said to Etuah.

“If someone wanted to help us, it was to protect the map! It can only be coincidence that a tree is dying at the same time that we arrived.”

“Unlikely,” Etuah replied. “Most unlikely.”

“There is little to know about retrieving the shard,” Petuah said, ignoring Tamara’s protestations. “What is most crucial is that you are able to enter the heart and remain rational. And it is quite clear that you are. Either one can or one cannot.”

“So very few can,” Uhani said.

“Once you are inside, you remove it and bring it back out with you,” Hewlo said as if this was something she did everyday.

“What do I do with it if and when I am able to recover it?” Tamara asked, though she had not yet fully accepted her role in this venture.

“Return it to the heir, of course,” Petuah said “It is the eleventh.”

Tamara was once again dumbfounded. She stared at Petuah as if he had said the most outrageous thing she had ever heard in her entire life.

“The heir? The heir to what?” Tamara asked. She was growing more stupefied with each new declaration. “How can I return anything to anyone when I first have to take this parchment to the end of the world and cast it down the well? What else am I expected to do? Take on the Dark Lord himself in his castle in Sedahar?”

The Drue stood there contemplating her words. They seemed not to understand her sarcasm, and they considered her last question as if she really expected an answer from them.

“First you must see that the shard is safely returned to the boy,” Uhani said.

“The boy? What boy?” Tamara asked. “I am confused. Am I supposed to know whom you are talking about?”

“The heir of legend, sister. The one who the great books say will find the Gem. Bethany has spoken of him more than once, though I know you never paid much attention to the histories,” Angeline said.

“Oh, that boy! Now I understand!” she said frustrated, without exhibiting any true recognition of who they were actually referring to. “First, I am to gather this shard and then we are to travel through the forbidden places all the way to the dead city of Odelot to dispose of the map. After that, I will simply go and find this mythical character who is going to save the world according to the Tomes and everyone else here, and then give him the shard from the dead Lalas. Have I missed anything?” she asked.

“No. I believe that you have stated your tasks in the proper order,” Petuah replied seriously.

“And then Angeline and I have permission to attack Colton dar Agonthea?” she asked incredulously.

“If you think it wise. But you must do that alone if you choose to pursue that endeavor,” Etuah replied, somewhat perplexed by Tamara’s questions.

Tamara began to laugh, and even Angeline looked at her oddly at that point. She laughed until she was bent over and could barely catch her breath. She laughed until the tears streamed down her face and her eyes grew red and swollen. She laughed until she could laugh no longer. The others stood there and watched without saying another word and without making any attempt to stop her. Even after she finally regained her composure and dabbed her tear-streaked face with the sleeve of her tunic, the Drue remained assembled around her expressionless. Angeline walked to her side and placed her arm around her shoulders.

“So much has been thrust upon us so quickly, it is difficult to absorb it all,” Angeline said in support of her friend’s behavior.

“More than you can imagine!” Tamara said seriously now. “I am sorry, truly sorry for behaving so. I could not help myself. This all just seems so incredible,” she explained. “Do you think that we are going to be able to do all of this? We are simple sisters from Parth. Until I visited Oleander, I had never even been outside of the county in which I was born!”

Tamara shook her head in order to clear it before speaking again.