Ashtar - - - - - - - - - - - - Stefana - - - - - - - - saish
“Doctor! You have got to hurry, Verona will give birth at any minute!” the panicky man said while pushing through the crowd around his house and making the way clear for the old doctor that was fallowing him. The morning sun was barely peaking its head out from the crown of trees and giving light to the forest that surrounded the small village.
“I’m sure your wife will be just fine Ashtar (Ash-tar) women have been giving birth without us for a long time,” the village doctor said entering the house and toting an old bag of the crude tools used in the birth. A few women were rushing in and out of the house for numerous items needed for the birth and for the birth feast that they where preparing for. The doctor entered the room that held Ashtar’s wife. He tried to stay away from the hustle of the women and to not interfere with their work.
Once, he tried to offer to help in the preparation but all of the women said that he needed the rest and to try to calm down, or if that failed, to pray to the gods and goddess for a safe delivery. But doing either was complicated as he was hearing more and more the screams of his wife and none of his child. Finally after many hours the cry of a child was finally heard just as the bell of dawn was rang throughout the village. The doctor came out with a big grin and went to the worried father.
“Go see your wife Ashtar” the doctor said seeing his relieved face ”go and rest your worries for them both at last” he then knowingly had quickly stepped out of Ashtars way and let the man past as he rushed by. Ashtar entered the room and saw his wife’s face pale as priests robe but alive, the child was sleeping peacefully by her side. She smiled when he entered the room and slowly unwrapped the cloth from the Childs face so that he could see only the small hand curled on her face obstructed the beautiful baby’s angelic face.
“Ashtar it’s a girl, I’m so sorry, I know you had wished for our first child to be a boy,” she said as they both looked at the sleeping babe.
“I don’t care Verona, it’s our child, and you are all right and safe as well as our child.” he knelt by her side kissing her sweated forehead and looked at his first child. The baby awoke and slowly opened its deep green eyes giving a deep yawn as the mother passed into sleep.
Ashtar was startled but he yelled softly at the door for the doctor “Hinoon (Hin-noon) come here quickly!” he called taking the child after giving his wife another genital kiss “My…my child… my child has green eyes!” he exclaimed in as a quiet tone as he could muster, the doctor peered at the child’s eyes after glancing at the mother to see how she was doing.
“They are green… but you should be happy! Your child shall continue your majick line[1].” He smiled patting Ashtar on his back in congratulations.
“You don’t understand,” he said then placing the child alongside the sleeping mother “my child will be as alone as I was, when I was growing in this village. She will not have any friends at all here, being singled out as an outsider, as some one different than the other children. She will be alone in this village or any other place in this world. Her eyes are the deepest green I have ever seen, she is going to be very powerful, but without a good childhood she will…”
“Ashtar Rongue, (Ron-guu) don’t you dare say what I believe you are to say. You have majick, as your parents did not. Can you not use your majick to disguise your child’s eyes? She may not suffer the same type of fate you did in your childhood,” the old friend said.
“Yes, you are right I could do so, but I would have to be in her company until she can properly control her powers and do it on her own. The only problem is that her eyes would be a green brown and will still stand out amongst the crowed of people.” Ashtar looked at his baby and it had its fingers wrapped around her father’s hand and was once again asleep.
“Would it be better if she would keep her green eyes instead?” Hinoon asked leading him out of the room.
“No, your right” he sighed “this will do but, she will one day overpower me, especially since we are in the forest of Matra[2]. (Ma-tra)”
“Papa what flower is this?” a small child said green showing through her brown eyes. Her father, the village’s wizard, was walking through a meadow teaching her the herbs of majick dealing with healing.
“That one is called a chamomile it’s often used to help the restless sleep” he smiled when she picked some for her own collection of dried herbs.
“Papa, why can’t I use majick like you and not have to use all these plants?” the child asked wrapping the stems together and placing them in her small basket.
“Because Stefana, you just don’t have the ability to use majick yet” Ashtar told her, she smelled the tiny flowers and sneezed.
“Bless you” he smiled, he then bopped his hand to his head. “Oh great, do you know what I forgot today?” he asked the air.
“What did you forget this time papa?” she asked jokingly giggling at her father.
“Gean (Ge-ann) is coming to bless the graveyard today and I got to help him” he put his hand to his forehead. He then dropped his hand and took hold of her “which means that we have to hurry” he put her on his shoulders “oomph, your getting big for seven wheels old Stef, I won’t be able to carry you like this much longer” he handed her the herbs he had picked for his collection “hold on!” jogged towards the village but slowed when they neared the village.
“Papa,” the child asked, “After you’re done with the blessing, can we go see mama?” Ashtar squeezed his daughter’s hand.
“Of course! You know we need some flowers, the graves haven’t had any for awhile and they would like that a lot I think.” He said gently
“Papa! You always have me pick flowers or do something else, why can’t I watch?” she said pouting taking her hand out of his and crossing her arms.
“You know why Stef. If we got interrupted, the spell will go wrong. And if that happens, instead of pacifying the dead we would rise the dead instead” he dropped her from his shoulders where he saw a field of flowers. His daughter looked so forlorn that he could barely look at her face. He sighed and crouched down to her level.
“Maybe someday you will be able to watch.” Stefana was still frowning but she gave him a hug and started to pick the flowers as he took off to the village. She picked enough flowers for all of the graves and headed to the nearest pond. Stefana took out a small puch and put a powder that all the people in the village carried into the pond to avoided being turned into an animal or being poisoned by the water sprite that might dwell in it. It didn’t froth so she drank some and put the stems of the flowers in so they wouldn’t wilt; she watched the tadpoles swim in the pond until she caught sight of her face. In the reflection of the water she saw that her eyes they had changed color, to green.
People had always said that Stefana had a tint of green from her father and brown from her mother who had died when she was a small child, but they were pure green! She could use majick like her father; she could help her father with the spell! She was so exited that everything around her had turned the green of her eyes and startled the forests creatures that suddenly turned green. She raced to the village and the villagers stared at her thinking that she was an earth sprite since her clothes, skin, and hair had also turned the green of her eyes. She arrived at the graveyard slowing only to be careful not to step on the graves themselves.
Stefana crouched, hidden by a gravestone, watching as Gean and her father stood near a tree working their spells. She didn’t know what to do but they seemed to be concentrating on the great tree at the center of the graveyard. So she decided to do the same, giving the tree her exited thoughts, feelings and happiness. The tree then suddenly rumbled and shock, the roots started to move and writhe and they all where surprised. Her father shouted some arcane words that she didn’t understand and the tree relaxed barrowing its roots back into the ground and returned to normal. Everything was normal except for the few head stones that where knocked down from the roots.
Her father turned in a circle, his eyes closed, sensing something that had a great magical power. He stopped turning right in front of her. She tried to flee but couldn’t for she was under a spell he placed she was afraid that her father would be mad at her; he approached his eyes still closed. She felt as if her gut was churning she was so nervous. Never in her life had she angered her father, and he looked like he royally was. She tried to speak but no sound came from her lips she tried to stand but she was locked in place. Her father was standing right in front of her, eyes still closed; he reached for her hand and sat her easily next to a gravestone. Stefana looked up nervously at her father and then at Gean the priest. Ashtar then turned once again, facing the tree.
“Papa?” she asked quietly, resisting the spell that was place on her. She dared not to say anything more fearing that to say anything else would get her in even more trouble.
“You are to right up all the gravestones that where knocked down, alone, and are not to return until it is done.” He was trembling he had the look of fear, awe, concern, and pride. “After you are finished you are to go directly to bed, you shouldn’t have come here, you know perfectly well than to disturb the spell” Gean gently put his hand on Ashtar’s shoulder and carefully guided him out through the graves.
She was confused and scarred she noticed her clothing and skin and started crying. “How am I supposed to right the stones I'm so small.” She went to a gravestone; it was her mothers it had also gotten knocked down. She tried to right them but it was too heavy for her to lift. So she cried, She didn’t want to make her father mad any more. The head stones started to rise and up right themselves. She was amazed her hair and skin also tuned to her normal brown-blonde hair and slightly tanned skin. She looked around to see if a forest creature had done that instead, one that had took pity on her. But she felt very weak and struggled to keep her eyes open as she walked home she was able to make it to her bed with the help of her father. He had picked her up from the doorstep where she had collapsed and had covered her in her bed. He gently closed her door and went to the living room where Gean waited for him.
“Ashtar, I had thought that you had covered her majick with a spell. How did she find her majick and why this year of all the years? You know as well as I that if she had known she had any majick ability that she would have been apprenticed at this time.”
“Yes I know that, her eyes have taken more of her green even with my majick. I think it is time for her to be apprenticed but I must keep her a little longer she had turned seven recently but she needs to learn a few things first. I was always scared to teach her.”
“Such as you still love her, and are just scared, and not mad at her.” Gean asked worried about his friend’s feelings for his daughter.
“Yes, but there is something that I wanted to ask you. last time you where over here right after you had left. My daughter being very impressionable at that time had started to act like you and mimicking what you would have done. But I noticed her eyes one day and instead of her usual brown green eyes, they where brown and white[3]. She had some how mimicked your eyes and with my spell on her it still showed brown.”
“How could that be? One may be able to change hair and skin as well as other factors of physical appearance but to change ones eyes the windows to our soul and power? It’s impossible and improbable for her to do that. Since one can not physically see there own eyes to be able to change them.” he was amazed and also quite scared.
“I had to cast two spells over her eyes that day, one of her fake brown and one of her normal green.” Ashtar sighed. “I was exhausted by the end of the day.”
“And you absolutely positive that her eyes had turned white.” Gean asked completely puzzled and contemplating this information.
“Actually, they were more of silver white, but yes! I was so shocked that the spell lost hold and they revealed the white color.”
“Do you think the day of her birth had anything to do with it?” Gean wondered, “There are very few children that even survive that day at all.
“The day the wheel turns anew, maybe I have no idea. Her birth elemental is considered nonexistent.” Ashtar said, sighing
“She was started at the beginning of the day and was birthed at the end. You were lucky that she was birthed when the sun was just setting.
“Yes I was she would have been killed if it was the night she was birthed into[4].” He thanked the god and goddess everyday for that small miracle.
“Ashtar I have a thought you may think I am being ridiculous but what if because of her day of birth she was the next…”
“I know what you are thinking’ he said interrupting his friends words ‘I have thought the same thoughts. But I do not even want to think that, if that would be the fate of my child then yes, I shall take it in stride. But she will still be my child,’ he stifled a yawn ‘It is getting very late I think we should both be to bed now.”
“Good night Ashtar, may your night be well.”
“Yes, and yours as well” Gean left and Ashtar was alone. He was still worried over his daughter and so he went out to take a walk. The village guard did not stop him, as they knew that he could deal any creature of the night being the most powerful of the whole village. He walked a little past the village to the spot he had dropped her off at he looked around the entire scenery was green, the water as well. He sensed his daughter’s majick in the air and that confirmed it for him that it was indeed by her work. He cast a spell and the area was returned to normal and said a small prayer to have the forest forgive his daughter for any harm she might have done. .
Ashtar continued up the forest path the further he go the more rugged and less treated the path was. He got even farther until he turned off the path onto a road that seemed to be known only to him. He had known this path since he was a lad it led to his little retreat that he often went to think about serious matters. his few childhood friends knew to find him here if he was ever needed by the village and so he never worried. He approached the aged tree where he once had the thought that he could live in and found someone had stolen his fanciful thought and had already done so. He knocked at the door that was across the trees cavern entrance, and it did not make a sound. He then tried a mental knocking [5] and heard the answer of a woman from the other side. The door opened and a finely dressed lady came out with her black robes.
“I'm sorry to disturbed you but I was wondering when you had moved into this place” Ashtar asked the finely dressed women.
“I have always lived here Ashtar Rongue, of the village of Trona[6]” the women smiled faintly her eyes showing instantly that she was a Darkborn.[7]
“How do you know my name and place?” he demanded shocked and put himself on guard.
“Like I’ve said I have always lived here and I have listened to you before when you would visit my home.” She gestured to have him come inside. “You had no need to use a door to enter in those days, children where always welcomed in to my home but adults have always been bared unless they know there majick.” Ashtar felt no negative energy even though she was a darkborn.
“So you let me enter because I knocked using a mental and not a physical, did you do that on purpous?” he asked her. She only gave him a smile
“Yes, would you like some tea, or some other drink?” she asked motioning to her tea pot.
“No, thank you though” he was strangely suspicious of the woman though he would understand why she would want someone to use a mental knock.
“Your daughter is supposed to be apprenticed by now, why is she not?” she said over her cup of tea.
“How do you know of my daughter?” shocked once again. He was beginning to feel very much at ease, and wondered if his fanatical dream about a house was actually a reality of her home instead.
“Calm down young one, I ask because I was around when she turned that field to green. She even got me, which is very unusual. She obviously hasn’t had any training and she had called you her ‘papa’ when she was at the graveyard.” She answered very calmly.
“Young one? why do you keep calling me by that, and how old are you? And what is your name anyways?” he asked cautiously.
“My name is Saish (Say-e-sh) and I am very old besides it is rude to ask a women’s age, did you not know that. even if I am a child of darkness it is still impolite to ask such a question.” She said with humor in her voice.
“I'm sorry lady Saish, I did not mean any disrespect. I just am wondering why you are calling me young when you look younger than I, even the Darkborn show their age.” He said wondering again why he felt so at ease with the woman that he had barely met.
“It’s alright, but I have a question to ask of you” she said.
“Yes what is it” curious to know what she would ask.
“Would you allow me to have your daughter as my apprentice; you can obviously see that I have none and that you would be close, closer than any of the villages outside the forest.”
“I have only just met you how do I know you will train her properly” he narrowed his eyes trying to figure out this Saish woman.
“Will you do a favor and get that box for me, will you? It’s the one on that high shelf” she said filling her cup of tea and taking another sip.
“Um, alright” Ashtar went to pick up the box but noticed the markings[8] and froze for a moment. He found something to pick it up with not daring to touch it himself. “Tell me Saish is this even remotely what I think it is” he gingerly sat it on the small table a small sweat covering him at his thoughts of how close he was to disaster.
“Yes one of few” she said in the middle of another sip so calmly that he had no doubt that she was a high magi of some type, how he was not sure.
“I'm sorry I did not mean any disrespect I should have known,” he bowed his head respectfully feeling like he should slap himself.
“It is quite alright child,” she laughed silently, “Not many know that I am still among the living. Not even those that I was once close to.” She sighed with the memories.
“I did not know you where Saish of…[9]” He started to say out of amazement.
“Hush child! Do not say my rank, there are those that seek out for me!” she snapped at him in a rage spilling her tea in the process she frowned on the spilt liquid and then sighed at the look of terror on his face.
“I'm terribly sorry, but, do you really wish for my child to be your apprentice?” he asked in awe trying to figure out why someone so powerful would request to teach his child, and if he should let someone this hunted to teach his child as well, Stefana might be caught in the crossfire.
“Yes, but only because of the legend[10] has said that I will, I am as high as a darkborn will ever get, and that is what the legend has told of. I have a choice and I chose to fallow what has been predicted if only this once.” she puts the mysterious black box back on the shelf carefully “I will come to get your child when I feel it is the time to take her. Teach her the basics, I have no time to teach such things, teach her as much as you feel will be necessary for her to know but with out being the teacher yourself.”
“I will, do you truly think she is the one of the legend?” he asked fearful.
“If I didn't would I still teach your child?”
“You’re right, sorry” he bowed feeling a little stupid.
“Another thing” Saish said.
“Yes?” he asked worried that she may ask some terrible price for her teaching his daughter.
“Stop apologizing” Saish smiled.
“Thank you” relief flooded his face.
“You should go, your child will awake soon and wonder where you are, and it is almost morning,” she said getting up and opening the door for him.
“What! Really?” he exclaimed surprised at the passing time.
“Yes go before the village gets worried” she shoos him outside her door.
“Yes” he stepped outside and noticed the bighting of the sky he turned to see if Saish would see him off to the path but she was nowhere around, the house wasn’t even there. He smiled faintly and trekked home barely ariveing home when his daughter had woken up.
“Papa?” Stefana asked fearful.
“Yes dear?” he sat at the edge of her mat.
“Are you still mad at me?” she was looking down expecting a scolding.
“I could never be mad at you dear, I was just scared” he hugged Stefana tightly relieving his daughters fears and some of his own.
“You were scared?” she giggled “but your not afraid of anything Papa.”
“I am when I think you might get hurt,” he told her truthfully.
“Mama was one of the ones knocked down,” she said looking as if she was going to cry once again.
“Yes I know, that’s why we are both going to pick flowers and apologize to the ones knocked down, including mama.” He said.
“Ok, are they mad at me?” she asked fearful.
“I think they are probably surprised and confused. I don’t think they have ever had that happen to them before” again he said it truthfully.
“Oh, ok. I’ll show you where I saw some new plants I never saw before” she cheered up once again at the memory of her discovery.
“Did you follow the rules?” he asked
“Yep, I stayed as far away from it as possible I didn't look at it and I didn't breathe a lot” she proudly boosted glad that she had some good news for her papa.
“Good girl you’ll have to show me them after breakfast.”
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a few notes....
[1] Green eyes symbolize the connection with earth and the power to control the magic of earth.
[2] Forest of Matra is the forest of the earth it is the most powerful place for someone who is a green mage can go to.
[3] White colored eyes show that they command the powers of the soul and are priests and healers. Their place of power is at the center isle.
[4] Children that are born in the night are considered consorts of evil, and are killed instantly in some areas even by their own mothers.
[5] Creatures of majick would respond to a mental knocking as it signifies that it is a magi that knocks and that they will not harm the creature unless they harmed him first.
[6] Trona is the main village of the earth isle. It is the focus and center of the isle, but is small because of the dangers of even entering the forest, much less leaving again.
[7] Darkborn are those that are born of a mortal and a creature of darkness. Their own mother kills most upon birth, but some are raised to full maturity as long as they worshiped the god and the goddess. Their eyes are either black or yellow showing the inhuman quality.
[8] The box that Ashtar was holding was a mental puzzle box, rumored to have existed since the beginning of time. It is used to determine fates of many people in most legends. The direct touch of such a box would trap a mind in it until the puzzle for each person was figured out.
[9] Saish of Yun, High Maji. The only Darkborn to make it to such a high position. To name a person and their rank out loud means to announce that they are alive. In her instance it means that those that hunt her would find her.
[10] The legend is that the great Warrior Maji of long ago will come back reincarnated to prevent a disaster, A disaster that would affect the creatures of darkness and mortal humans and tip the delicate balance between the two.
