The Drowning Year
January
Two months since my death. Two days since my birth. Birth is what they call it here; when someone dies from my world and is reawaked here in Ta’lai’a. I’ve learned much since I was taken to the castle. It was hidden deep in the forest on the center of the island. I found out his name is Jericho, and that he is the head guard of the Queen. I hadn’t met her yet, but according to Jericho she agreed to my staying here at the castle for awhile.
I spent most of my time in the room they gave me, staring out into the forest from the balcony. There was something completely magical about it, the way it thrived without light and the way it seemed so much more alive than the forest back in my world.
“Em, it’s time to meet her.”I turned and smiled at him. I nodded standing up from my seat before making my way back into the room and towards the door, where he stood waiting. “Are you sure about this? You don’t have to meet her, you could just leave, and hide somewhere else.”
“I’m sure Jer, I’ve never been afraid of anything, so why start now?”
He placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me towards the grand hall, where she only visited if it was something big; well, that is what Jericho told me. The great hall was long, and wide, a big enough room to house at least a thousand quests if there was a party of some sort. At the farthest end of the hall, was a throne large enough to seat a five-hundred pound man. In the chair sat a beautiful woman with fiery red hair. Her eyes were a magnificent baby blue. She was dressed in a royal purple embroidered in gold and silver. We approached the throne slowly, Jericho more than hesitant to be before his queen in such a manner.
“Theris, this is Emma, the new spirit.”
“Emma, welcome to Ta’lai’a. How is it you came to be here? I’m quite interested as to how you washed up on my island so early after your birth.” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“A month after my sister’s death, her boyfriend drowned me out at the island in the middle of the lake. When I woke up, I was here, and Jericho found me wandering in the forest.”
“I see. So you were murdered?” I nodded my head quickly, her eyes burning a hole through me. “Interesting how you and your sister died only a month apart. You’re parents must be devastated.”
“Not quite, they still think I’m alive.” I snapped, the woman was rubbing me the wrong way, what does it matter if she knows how I died and how my parents are.
“I’d watch your tone young spirit, I’m the one in control here in Ta’lai’a. Jericho, keep an eye on this one, she is bound to cause much trouble. Emma, you’ll find things are done differently here than in your pathetic mortal world.” She flicked her wrist towards the door, telling us to leave. As we made our way to the door her voice echoed down the great hall. “Nathaniel bring me my mortal, I’m in need of some company.” When I glanced back she was no longer in sight. Jericho led me by my elbow to a room I had never seen before.
“What is the matter with you! You never talk back to her. She is the most powerful spirit here, and can easily turn you into a wanderer.”
“Where are we?” I questioned ignoring his statement. I glanced around the large room, lined with walls and walls of books, and art work.
“This is my room. She can’t hear us here, something the old King did to protect his guards from invasion. You’re safe here for now. I just pray she doesn’t summon me for awhile. So how do you know your parents think you’re alive?”
“I saw them, that night or day or whatever time it was that you came back to me.” I replied sitting down on his bed, running my hands over the silk blanket.
“You saw them?” I nodded “How? It’s impossible, they’re still alive there is no way they appeared here, and only highly talented, powerful and experienced spirits can astral project themselves into the mortal realm.”
“I don’t know how to explain it. I just closed my eyes, and thought of them and there they were, it was like I was dreaming, but seeing the human world instead of my imagination.”
“Em, you’re a prophetess. You are the spirit from the legends since the beginning of time, the old spirits predicted you before I was born in this world, and you’re the Savior. You are the spirit to kill Theris, and protect Ta’lai’a from becoming nothing more than a barren wasteland.”
I spent most of my time in the room they gave me, staring out into the forest from the balcony. There was something completely magical about it, the way it thrived without light and the way it seemed so much more alive than the forest back in my world.
“Em, it’s time to meet her.”I turned and smiled at him. I nodded standing up from my seat before making my way back into the room and towards the door, where he stood waiting. “Are you sure about this? You don’t have to meet her, you could just leave, and hide somewhere else.”
“I’m sure Jer, I’ve never been afraid of anything, so why start now?”
He placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me towards the grand hall, where she only visited if it was something big; well, that is what Jericho told me. The great hall was long, and wide, a big enough room to house at least a thousand quests if there was a party of some sort. At the farthest end of the hall, was a throne large enough to seat a five-hundred pound man. In the chair sat a beautiful woman with fiery red hair. Her eyes were a magnificent baby blue. She was dressed in a royal purple embroidered in gold and silver. We approached the throne slowly, Jericho more than hesitant to be before his queen in such a manner.
“Theris, this is Emma, the new spirit.”
“Emma, welcome to Ta’lai’a. How is it you came to be here? I’m quite interested as to how you washed up on my island so early after your birth.” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“A month after my sister’s death, her boyfriend drowned me out at the island in the middle of the lake. When I woke up, I was here, and Jericho found me wandering in the forest.”
“I see. So you were murdered?” I nodded my head quickly, her eyes burning a hole through me. “Interesting how you and your sister died only a month apart. You’re parents must be devastated.”
“Not quite, they still think I’m alive.” I snapped, the woman was rubbing me the wrong way, what does it matter if she knows how I died and how my parents are.
“I’d watch your tone young spirit, I’m the one in control here in Ta’lai’a. Jericho, keep an eye on this one, she is bound to cause much trouble. Emma, you’ll find things are done differently here than in your pathetic mortal world.” She flicked her wrist towards the door, telling us to leave. As we made our way to the door her voice echoed down the great hall. “Nathaniel bring me my mortal, I’m in need of some company.” When I glanced back she was no longer in sight. Jericho led me by my elbow to a room I had never seen before.
“What is the matter with you! You never talk back to her. She is the most powerful spirit here, and can easily turn you into a wanderer.”
“Where are we?” I questioned ignoring his statement. I glanced around the large room, lined with walls and walls of books, and art work.
“This is my room. She can’t hear us here, something the old King did to protect his guards from invasion. You’re safe here for now. I just pray she doesn’t summon me for awhile. So how do you know your parents think you’re alive?”
“I saw them, that night or day or whatever time it was that you came back to me.” I replied sitting down on his bed, running my hands over the silk blanket.
“You saw them?” I nodded “How? It’s impossible, they’re still alive there is no way they appeared here, and only highly talented, powerful and experienced spirits can astral project themselves into the mortal realm.”
“I don’t know how to explain it. I just closed my eyes, and thought of them and there they were, it was like I was dreaming, but seeing the human world instead of my imagination.”
“Em, you’re a prophetess. You are the spirit from the legends since the beginning of time, the old spirits predicted you before I was born in this world, and you’re the Savior. You are the spirit to kill Theris, and protect Ta’lai’a from becoming nothing more than a barren wasteland.”