Donni of the Desert People,
mother of Cristalore.
Donni of the Desert People,
mother of Cristalore.
|
|
~*~ STORY DESCRIPTION ~*~
He remembered the days after the fall of his father. Trust was not an easy thing to gain back after many years of hate, but the people began to come back to city and it started to pulse again. He watched as merchents brought their wares into the city to set up businesses. It was beginning to breathe. He was trying to set up a trade route right over the top of the city so that commerce would come back and it was just that. People from all over the world found the city to be great place to set up their shops and some of those shops still excist to present day.
It would be two days after his 102nd birthday that he saw them from one of the palace windows. How could anyone miss them accually? They were huge and shaggy and they moved through the streets like some massive invading army. They were the mounts of the desert people. E'Mor remembered counting five of them. Two of them bore little coverings made of woven fibers, one was carring their wares and the last two were being rode. E'Mor was curious and he had to see them up close, so he made his way into the center of the city.
There was one young lady and one young girl that was coming out of the covering on one of the beasts. The younger girl was trying to encourage the young lady, but you could tell she was scared. With the scared young lady still on top, the girl climbed down like it was nothing to her. She then yelled up to the young lady and with shaky hands she tried to climb down too. E'Mor then seen why she was so unsure. Her right foot was deformed. It was turned the wrong way and this did not help the situation any. She got half way down and stopped almost to scared to go on, but the young girl on the ground encouraged her to try. E'Mor could not help himself. He moved as quickly as he could to that beast. He just about ran over his young friend J'Lon doing so.
He got there in time for her to miss a run on the ladder and she started to fall. She spun in midair as if she would land face first on the hard stone laid street. Instead she landed in the arms of E'Mor. His arms wrapped around her waist and her's wrapped around his neck. They were face to face and E'Mor could see through the thin veil that she wore. Her eyes were two different colors of blue and her face was very slender to the point that it was almost not pretty. Something happened, something he would have excepted before now.
This was love at first sight. It was warm and gentle, like that of a spring rain that he loved so much when it came. Her name of Donni and loving her was easy as that very same rain shower.
The mid-day passed slowly as E'Mor waited for his departure time. He wanted to see the Desert Wanders camp. He had only heard of the delights he would find there and he knew one of them would be the Chief Do’Lo’s daughter.
"You should come with me," E’Mor said to J’Lon as they ate a late mid-day meal.
"No, I do not think so," J'Lon replied. "Besides...I was not the one invited. I am afraid my good friend you are on your own here."
"I suppose you are right. We wish not to offend," E'Mor replied while taking another bite of food.
The conversation went on and it was decided on how this was to play out. E'Mor was to be escorted outside of the main gates and he is to go into the camp alone. He is to spend the night there as their guest and in the morning he would come back into the city. J'Lon assured him his absents for this time would not be deeply missed. This plan was kept between them until it was time to depart.
E'Mor dealt with business at hand and watch the shadows grow long, but he could not stop thinking of the Chief's daughter. The last of the day activities came end and E'Mor was ready for his adventure. J'Lon told him to wrap his head to help him blend in and protect him from the elements of the desert. He choose a plan violet head wrap.
The plan followed through without a hitch. E'Mor bid his guard a good day and walked out of the city alone. He thought the walk would have been a lonely one, but this was not the case.
Other tribes of the Desert Wanders had arrived and some had even set up trading stands and tents at the main gate. He walk slowly through the venders looking at their wares. It was more then items they had made, but items they had traded for elsewhere. He was amazed about some of these items. It told him the Desert Wanders traveled great distances, even to the other side of the world.
He walked slowly to take it all in. Each tent had a table before it with the wares of the vender and each table was different. He gradually made his way, looking as he went by. He came across a vender who had no tent and no family, which stuck him as odd. It was only a woman dressed in light veils and reminded him of interwoven stars.
She had a simple table with only a few items. He decided to buy something from her if he needed it or not. Without a tent or a man to help her, she would not survive long in this environment.
He stopped and seen mostly useless items, rags and shiny rocks. She smiled at him through her shear veil and her eyes danced as if they were stars. She did not say a word, but placed her hand on his to pull his attention to her. She then brushed some rags off to the side to reveal a book, a really old book.
E'Mor reach down and picked it up. He ran his hands across the cover to brush off the sand and dirt. He could not believe what he was holding. He looked at the lady again and she only smiled back at him. He started to go through his pockets for some money to give her, but she shook her head. She reached up and pulled the violet head scarf off of him, she then batted her eyes and pulled away.
He bowed his head to her as a true gentlemen should. Without a look back, he turned and continued to the camp. He was still in disbelief over this discovery, thinking he got the better of the deal.
This book is going to spark debates among those of the religious cast. He opened in only briefly as he walked to confirm his suspicions. It was all hand written by one man. E'Mor closed the book and pulled it to him. He knew this could be either good or bad. These were the accounts of the warrior turned priest, this was the Book of Lore.
E'Mor was lost in such deep though, he did not realize his feet had found their way to Chief Do’Lo’s camp. As he approach the Chief came forward to greet him.
"I hope your short journey here was pleasant?" Do'Lo asked as his eyes came to rest on the book gripped tightly in E'Mor's arms.
"Yes...the venders who have traveled here had many interesting wares," E'Mor replied knowing the book was the center of Do'Lo's interest. "I received this from a beautiful vender dressed all in light veils. One would believe the very stars were woven into them. She only wanted my head scarf in trade. I was willing to give her more, but it is all she wanted."
Chief Do'Lo then held out his hand to E'Mor, "Come and walk with me."
E'Mor did as he asked. They walked away from the main group silently. The only person to follow was the chief's eldest son. E'Mor was beginning to wonder if he had done something to offend.
"This woman was with a tribe?" Do'Lo finally asked.
"No, she was alone. I could not help, but feel for her," E'Mor replied. "Do you know of her? I could buy her a tent and a beast for this book. It is the least I could do."
"No, but I know of her," Do'Lo said as he nodded to his son.
He bowed to both of them and took his leave. E'Mor was not sure what to make of this. The Chief was keeping quiet for some reason and E'Mor was afraid to break the tension.
"Who is she?"
Do'Lo took his time in answering, "A legend of the desert. She is neither vengeful or merciful. I have heard many tales of her, both good and bad. I have seen her myself and for this I fear her. I hope I am wrong and my son finds this vender."
E'Mor could see the chief was embarrassed of his vulnerability. She put the fear of the Graces in him. He knew Do'Lo was a good man and father. It was best for the subject to change and for E'Mor to encourage a true heart.
"She may have given me this book, but I know it is real not a legend. I have read bits and pieces of other books which speak of it. This book is a piece of our religious history. It could cause a war or bring greatness to all who worship the Graces. The true meaning is a test for those who are entrusted with such responsibility, but all of this is for another day," E'Mor said as if he was talking to himself. He turned his attention to Do'Lo, "Where is your daughter? The pretty one whom caught earlier this morning."
"She would be with her mother and the other women of the tribe," the chief sounded reluctant to tell E'Mor anymore about his daughter.
E'Mor started to smile knowing he was being a father, "I think she could do me a service. I need someone to hold this book and keep it safe. Someone I could trust and who is trust worthy."
"This is true," the chief replied. "It would also free you up to enjoy this evening with the men."
"Yes...it would," E'Mor stated, but he was thinking something else. It would also give me a reason to see her again. There is something about those eyes which could easily bring me to my knees. Then something dawned on him, "I do not believe I was ever told her name."
"Her name? It is not yours unless..." Do'Lo started to say as looked at E'Mor.
"Unless what?" E'Mor asked.
The chief smiled at him and looked him up and down as if sizing him up, "Unless you are willing to take her as a love mate."
E'Mor stopped cold in his tracks. This was unheard of. The very thought of stripping someone of a name was close to stripping them of their own self worth. Not even speaking it to strangers was treating them as if they were an object to be owned.
"Dear King, it is our way," Do'Lo softly whispered. "Woman are not traded like goods, they are respected. If I was to give you her name then it would be giving you herself. I will not give my daughter to a stranger. You must earn her respect then you will receive the right to touch her and call her by name."
E'Mor's feeling were hurt, but he understood. This was not the way he was raised. It was true his father used woman and then cast them aside, but E'Mor thought he was different. He was being tested on his values and intentions.
"I will permit my daughter to keep your book for you. You are not to ask her for her name and you have not the right to touch her," the chief said.
E'Mor swallowed his pride, "As you wish."
"Then come and let us take this special book to its new keeper," Chief Do'Lo stated as he turned and headed back to the center of the camp.
E'Mor followed and again, he was lost in his own thoughts. How was he going to do this? Earn her respect and most importantly did he want it. He was use to being able to taste the fruit before completely eating it. If I did not like it, he simply moved on. This also give a unique opportunity to bring the Desert Wanders under his flag. He is torn between two decisions.
They approached a large tent in the center of the camp and the chief motioned for E'Mor to wait. The chief entered the tent and E'Mor could hear voices coming inside. The flap opened and the chief stepped out followed by Dolla and their daughter. E'Mor looked at her, but she could look at him. The chief took his daughter by the hand and lead to E'Mor.
"King E'Mor would be honored for you to hold a book for him until he asks for it back. You are to be the keeper of this book and it is a great responsibility," he told her.
"Do'Lo, is this necessary?" Dolla asked.
"Please, she is not a little girl anymore and she is capable of this simple task," the chief replied.
E'Mor could see the chief’s daughter was a little shaken. With great confidence he held out the book to her. She looked at it, then at her father and then at E'Mor.
"I believe this is special and would like to keep safe. It needs to be kept dry and away from the sun. Could you do this for me?" he asked.
She nodded, let go of her father's hand and she took the book. It must have been heavier than she thought, because she about dropped it. She then took it into her arms and turned to her mother.
"Can I go back now," she asked.
Dolla placed her hand on her daughter's back and took her back into the tent. E'Mor could hear the other girls and woman giggling from inside the tent as they watched this. In the back of E'Mor's mind was a soft fluttering memory. It reminded him of a butterfly as if asking to fly free. How could this be to know of her, but not know her?
It was a gentle touch on his back which would call him back to reality. His daydream would be interrupted by the chief’s eldest son. He motioned for them to follow and they moved away from the center of the camp. When he knew nobody could ease drop, he told them of his findings.
"Nobody remembers her. They all remember you, but most were too busy doing business to notice anything out of the ordinary. I asked a few venders closest to the city and they remember you looking at their wares. None said anything about you carrying a book, but those closest to the camp say they remember the book. She vanished or never existed."
"So it is your desert ghost," E'Mor stated, but could tell the chief's attention was not his.
"She haunts my daughter and all I can do is watch. I cannot say she means her ill, but I would like to know why."
All contents of this page is Copyrighted March 2006,
By Laurlee Harbig
|
|