It was early that night that I finally put away my stitchery and slipped into my cushion on the porch. Closing my eyes, I waited for the mellowness of sleep to descend and take me to that pasture I saw only in my mind. She was there again, she usually was these days while our conversations had been sporadic when I had been with the herd and with Agalia. I had no clue who she was, merely that as I aged, so did she. We were very close in age, it seemed, and looked very similar but I knew not who she was, nor why I could talk to her in my dreams.
“I sense there is a man, Hermana mia. Who is he?” she asked teasingly, stroking her belly.
“There is always a man for you, Hermana, why is today any different? And congratulations on the girl.”
“A girl? Are you sure? Of course you are, you always speak the truth, though how you know these things is a mystery. How you knew Madre would give me that necklace is still a surprise to me. However, I meant there is a man in your heart and something happened today that you are still thinking about him. Do tell.”
“Yes, your greatness,” I replied with a mock bow that she laughed at before I sat down to the drawing paper in front of us. “He is so handsome, Hermana, so breathtaking that I nearly couldn’t speak to him. He knows I can speak now so I had to respond. Oh, Hermana, this was the longest conversation we’ve had and he was so kind. I watch him at meal most nights and he is so kind to the servants and although he often gets annoyed at the antics of those at court, he still tries to pretend he doesn’t know about them. People would be so embarrassed if they realized he knew all about their lovers and most of their other secrets. He can be forceful sometimes when he needs to be but he is so gentle with his sister. He is so loving and all kindness to me and her, even to his cousin when his father would rather ignore us. Sometimes I think the father would rather none of us were at court but the son takes such care of us we never feel neglect. I merely wish that I could manage to have a conversation with him in which I didn’t feel like such a fool. He has a habit of jumping from thought to thought in a single conversation that sometimes I have trouble keeping up with my slow translation. Oh, Hermana, he is so busy, it was so nice of him to come looking for me so I wouldn’t be bored since my teacher decided to leave for a vacation today. He came in while I was playing the pianoforte and though the song I was playing disturbed him for some reason he didn’t tell me never to play it again as his father has been known to do. He heard my accent too, I got so tongue tied that I couldn’t focus. I barely spoke in his language, I nearly spoke in our language to him, but he barely mentioned my flub. I so wish I could manage to have a single conversation with him where I don’t look like another girl with no brain.”
“Relax, Hermana, I have never heard you speak for so long about anything. I shall have to tell Madre about this man. She will not be happy you found a man to interest you before you return to us. When will that be again?”
“Hermana, you know I cannot return to you until I have set right what has hidden the stars.”
“Ah, right, that compelled sorceress you feel is dangerous to your forest. Why do you not let someone else deal with her and you can return to us where you belong.”
Fighting the panic that always came when returning to a home I don’t remember, the place I had been taken from by him so long ago, I replied. “Must we go through this again? No one else is able to read the signs as I do. The seer here has practically blinded herself from her inner sight. This is where the stars want me to be, where the trouble will begin. If it is not stopped here, the danger will spread throughout the human world and into the Great Forest. Do not think the danger will skip you. This man wants total control and you and your unborn will still feel it if it does not get aimed at you. No, I can see where I belong in this human world when the danger is finished. Only then will I think about seeing you in person.”
“And there is no way I can change your mind? No way you can visit before you go about saving the world by yourself?”
“No, not a chance.”
“Very well, I tried. Oh dear, I hate to leave you like this but I do believe I am being awakened. We will speak again tomorrow, yes?”
“Of course, go about your life, I may need sleep for tomorrow.” After a quick hug she disappeared back to her waking body and I welcomed the darkness of deeper sleep.
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