“SoYa. She cannot hear you. She sleeps safe within the Dragon’s Dream.”
“Aunt SaRa?” SoYa paused in the doorway of the dimly lit room, a palm on either side of the doorframe. He swallowed down his trepidation as the older woman sitting in the corner glanced up with a familiar, worn smile. Encouraged by the warmth of her presence, he took an uncertain step into the room.
His eyes fell upon the figure lying motionless in the bed. Then all reserve broke as the Apprentice rushed forward, nearly tripping over his robes in the process. SoYa reached for her hand, cupping them between his palms, “AsaHi? AsaHi, I’m here!”
There was no answer. No sound except for the echo of his cracked voice against the plain white walls.
A gentle touch on his shoulder brought him reeling back to reality. Aunt SaRa’s motherly face hovered over the two of them, her expression lined with concern. Her melodic voice worked soothing tones.
“SoYa. She can’t hear you. She sleeps safe within the Dragon’s Dream.”
Slowly the Apprentice lifted his head, eyes deeply pained, “Then what Tsu told me is true?”
The woman tilted her head in a girlish manner, “What did that scamp say? I’ll tell you if it is true or not.”
“They found AsaHi in the Host Gate? That she tried to…”
“She did more than just try,” Aunt SaRa reached forward, pulling a covered shape from the table. As she drew back the cloth, SoYa could recognize the familiar, worn cover of the Book of Ritual. “I believe this belongs to you?”
The Apprentice could do nothing but shake his head as his hands closed around the Book. It was all that he could do to keep them steady, “I can’t believe she’d do something so… so… foolish! Why would she mock Lord Dragon like this? Why would…”
Aunt SaRa touched his shoulder again. There were no words. But, she had never needed words to put his mind at ease. She was like a second mother to him, and the only mother figure that his brother, TsuYa, had ever known.
SoYa had spent the first fourteen years of his life with their real mother. But, Tsu had only been three when Mother had passed away. From that time onward, SoYa had learned everything he could about healing magics with a voracious appetite. He wasn’t considered the most powerful of magic users or warriors in Nefol — certainly nothing like his father had been. Still, he swore in his mother’s name that he would use the power he had to heal those who were in need.
Aunt SaRaYa had been one of SoYa’s most influential teachers from a very early age. Though the Council no longer allowed women to be Apprentices to the Dragon, he knew that she had been there at the very first Meeting with Zemi Dreigiau. SoYa was certain that her great power, though often overlooked in the shadow of his own father’s name, had come as a result of being a child raised under the guidance of the Arweinydd.
She was a woman who inspired love and gave the sense of absolute protection. And now, with both of their parents gone, she was the only real family that he and Tsu had left to claim.
“So is it true… Lord Zemi is punishing AsaHi?”
Aunt SaRa looked up with a grave frown, “Where did you get such an idea from?”
SoYa looked down, “I…”
She gave a sigh, taking her nephew’s hand in her own, “SoYa… you’ve studied all these years. You teach the young that come to Nefol. And you can’t answer that question for yourself? Who do you think Zemi is?”
“I… I…”
Aunt SaRa shook her head curtly, “The Council… Nefol… the whole School… they have it all wrong. Since your father… well… Everything has gone completely astray. I know this is not the way that he would have wanted you or anyone to think of Zemi.”
Guilt marred SoYa’s face, but he pressed on, “If that’s true, then why did Lord Zemi strike AsaHi down? Will she ever wake up? Tsu said that it was her punishment for–”
“SoYa,” the woman gave a half sigh, half laugh.
He fell silent.
“It figures you’d hear it from your stone-headed brother. Foolishness! That is what all this speculation is,” Aunt SaRa pointed to the sleeping girl, “She sleeps because if she did not, she may have died. The things that she subjected herself to, the things she saw… she was not schooled enough to endure. Zemi is not punishing her. He is preserving her.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you think it takes Apprentices years of preparation before Zemi allows them to come to the Meeting?”
“I just thought it was something Lord Dragon wanted us to do to prove our dedication,” SoYa spread his hands.
“No,” Aunt SaRa sighed again, “Do they teach nothing in Nefol anymore? A lot of power is released into our world when the Gate opens. It’s for your own safety that you train to ready your mind. But the Council… they turn everything into some ritual… some political ordeal. It never used to be this way.”
SoYa’s voice was quiet, “Will she be okay? I mean, she will wake up, right?”
“Her body has slowly begun to function on its own strength. I’m not sure how long it will be before she is completely conscious, however. Zemi is being very careful… I don’t think he wants to rush it.”
SoYa swallowed, “You talk as if he’s here with us right now.”
A secretive smile hovered upon Aunt SaRa’s lips, “One can never tell.”
“So what you’re saying is… Lord Zemi isn’t angry with her?”
“I don’t see why he would be. In fact, I think the old rascal is probably amused,” she answered.
The Apprentice stared at his aunt. How she could talk so nonchalantly about the Arweinydd, he never knew.
Aunt SaRa just winked, “Zemi knows exactly what it’s like to be a youngster in trouble. Believe me. Many, many years of raising your father and I taught him all about that sort of thing.”
He turned his eyes downward.
“She will be okay,” his aunt reassured him in a gentle tone.
“Even if Lord Zemi isn’t angry at her, the Council is going to judge her when she wakes up,” SoYa spread his hands in a pleading gesture. “They’re going absolutely ballistic by the sound of what Tsu said.”
“Is that so?” Aunt SaRa’s lips were drawn in a thin, unhappy line.
“You know it’s true. And it’s just… wrong…”
“I agree,” the woman nodded with a wistful look. Then she added, as if to herself, “There has been a lot of wrong in Nefol ever since your father left.”
“Isn’t there something we can do?” the Apprentice tightened his grip on the Book. “I mean, maybe if we appeal to Lord Zemi he could… er… I dunno..?”
They both fell silent for a long moment.
Finally, Aunt Sara spoke again, “You really love AsaHi, don’t you, SoYa?”
“I do,” he nodded. “Even if she can be a little stubborn… and a little wild… Even if she doesn’t always agree with the things I work for. We were Promised. I will honor that, no matter what.”
“I know you will,” Aunt SaRa placed a cool palm over his forehead. Then gently she brushed his bangs out of his face.
“I don’t care what happens to me. My status here at Nefol… all this… doesn’t matter if she’s in danger. There’s got to be some way to save her?” his voice cracked in a desperate tone.
A distant look of memory trickled over the woman’s face. Then she nodded.
“I’m not much for the road these days… my years of traveling have long since passed from me, I’m afraid. But I can start the girl out,” Aunt Sara’s voice lowered to a rich murmur. “I know a place where she will be safe from the Council. But you must trust me to send her there. And you must speak to no one about it.”
SoYa nodded quickly.
“I thought you would agree.”
“But, if she leaves… will I… ever see her again?” he paused, tracing a finger along side of AsaHi’s check with a longing face.
“Of course you will. Don’t speak such nonsense,” Aunt SaRa’s eyes glittered in the darkness. “Maybe one day you will even go to join her… when you’re ready.”
Brow furrowed, SoYa squinted questioningly at his aunt, “What do you mean?”
“Nevermind…” she had abruptly taken his arm and was leading him towards the door. “There is much for me to do to ready her for the trip.”
“But..?”
Aunt SaRa pulled his face down so that they were staring eye to eye. “No questions for now. And do not worry. You said you would trust me, so do it, yes?”
SoYa gave a meek nod. He was afforded one final glance over his shoulder at AsaHi before the door at his back closed.
