Good-byes and Hellos
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"I'll miss you."
Marni huffed, but Dawn could see that her eyes were
suspiciously squinted. Prall didn't bother hiding his emotions; he was
obviously going to miss his friends—Zhaen, Duens and Dawn.
"And we will miss you as well," Prall said to
Dawn, wiping a tear from his face. It had taken a long time, but they had made
it across the sea and to the port hold of Dend. They
hadn't stopped for long before moving inland, where the road split. It was here
that they had to make their farewells. Dawn was accompanying Zhaen and Duens
back to Faion, while Marni and Prall continued
further south and east. They would travel together until they reached Ranver, where Prall wanted to stay for a while.
"We should go now," Marni said shortly, wanting
to end the scene. F'lh were more reserved about
showing sadness than other species, so she was uncomfortable in this situation.
Prall rolled his eyes and picked up his pack.
"We'll write," He said over his shoulder as the
pair walked away.
"I guess we should go too, huh?" Dawn said to
the dalhari. "We only have a week to go? Is that what you said?"
Zhaen laughed. "Yes, we're from Tereva'diel, which is
just a week away." She couldn't complain about Dawn's enthusiasm; it had
been a long time since she'd seen her home. The threesome struck off down the
road, happy to be on the very last leg of their journey.
"So, tell me about the guild. Do you really think
they'll take me?"
···•••·•••·•••·•••···
Dawn watched the sun rise over the mountains to her east,
marveling at the colors as they shot like rays over snowy peaks. It was cold,
so she huddled deeper into her cloak. They were just two days from Tereva'diel
and she couldn't wait to get there. After all, it was going to be her new home.
Things had moved so quickly that Dawn's head was still
spinning. When the group had gotten to Takck, they
had immediately set out performing wherever they could. Fortunately the hold
itself was quite interested in having musicians, since they had a huge
transient population, made up primarily of merchants and their crews. Dawn was
very pleased to find out that even rough-looking human sailing crews liked
intelligent music and not just drinking songs. It definitely made playing that
much more bearable.
She had still worried all through the month that they'd
played that she wouldn't have a place to go to when they finished crossing the
sea. The others must have noticed, because they inundated her with suggestions
and opportunities. Both Prall and the dalhari offered to take her with them to
their respective homes and sponsor her to their guilds. Marni would have done
the same, she said, but figured that Dawn would be much happier in a dalhari or
orth region. They were so enthusiastic about it that many of Dawn's fears about
being stranded faded away.
They had gotten very lucky when the moved to investigate
passage across the sea. One of the merchants, who specialized in carrying
passengers, offered to reduce their costs if they would provide entertainment
for the other passengers. They readily agreed, since it meant that they could
leave immediately. Zhaen and Duens were afraid to wait too long, since they had
to travel a bit north, and the trek to their home would be made difficult by
winter weather. As it was, they arrived not too long before the coldest season
set in with a vengeance.
Dawn didn't have to think much to decide to travel to Faion with Zhaen and Duens. They readily accepted her and
continued her training on the cyar'dil during the very boring voyage across the
sea.
Zhaen waved a hand in front of Dawn's face to get her
attention. Dawn grinned and got up, knowing that they needed to get moving.
Duens was waiting by the path, so Dawn jogged over and joined him. Soon enough
the three of them were on their way, walking down the cobblestone path at a
brisk pace. Dawn made sure to look around and take note of the flora and fauna
of the region—Tereva'diel would be similar to this part of Faion
and she wanted to be familiar with the land when she got there.
Most of her morning, however, was spent going over the
details of dalhari culture that Zhaen and Duens had taught her during the past
few days. It had occurred to them some time back that they hadn't really given
Dawn a lot of practical information about their species, or how life in the
hold would be. In an effort to rectify that oversight, both dalhari had begun
pouring knowledge into her head, often overwhelming her with the sheer amount
of stuff she needed to know.
The most important stuff, however, she managed to
remember. Both Zhaen and Duens were part of the Dyasa
house and the Hailae clan. Their clan and house
dominated Tereva'diel, which was a medium-sized hold on the western side of the
Desa Ysdra Mais, or far range. There were other clans of their house
present, as well as other houses, primarily the Zaidelain.
It was important that Dawn recognized clan and house names, so that she could
properly identify the dalhari she met.
When she had inquired about where she would be staying,
Zhaen had informed her that she would probably stay somewhere within the Dyasa house. It came as quite a surprise to Dawn to learn
about the structure of dalhari holds. Unlike orth and human holds, the dalhari
organized their holds with much more emphasis on house and guild orientations.
Instead of a large number of small, single-family dwellings, each house had a
huge, sprawling structure, called the house, which provided quarters for all of
its members. Most artisans' shops were located within their guild hall, instead
of in separate shops scattered throughout town. Like the other holds she'd
visited with a mixed population, Tereva'diel had an Agraka,
which was primarily human. It was, according to Zhaen, set up more like the
holds that Dawn had encountered before, with smaller dwellings.
Dawn wondered where travelers stayed, since surely a
dalhari house wouldn't just put up everyone that passed through. Duens had
laughed and explained that there were inns and such things; they just weren't
quite as prolific as in other places. Why would they be? If you were dalhari
and had any house presence at all, you were guaranteed somewhere to sleep. It
sounded like a nice arrangement to Dawn, as long as you were dalhari—or aligned
with a dalhari house, like she was. That had also come as a surprise—that
because of her relationship with Zhaen and Duens she could be considered a part
of their house and clan. That meant a lot of things to Dawn—she now had another
family to claim, one that came with a lot of protection. It also meant that
she'd never be alone in this world; the dalhari would claim her for as long as
she wanted them to.
"So how do I go about getting apprenticed to the bardic guild?" Dawn asked as the finished up their
lunch. According to Duens they were making better time than he'd thought they
would and might even arrive as much as half a day earlier than they'd first
expected.
"Ask for an audition," Zhaen replied. "We
can mention you, if you'd like. It would probably be best, though, if you spent
a few days in the house, getting familiar with the hold. You may decide that
you would prefer to do something else."
Dawn nodded. "Hmm…maybe.
You're right, though, I probably should think about it some." She knew
what she wanted to do, but it was always good to think. That was one really big
lesson she'd learned during her ongoing adventure in this world. Not thinking
had gotten her here in the first place. As much as she liked it now, she really
didn't want to see where not thinking could take her next.
···•••·•••·•••·•••···
Duens' description of the hold didn't do it justice at
all. Dawn was in awe of the majestic sight of swirling towers and parapets,
stained glass windows and colorful stonework. It was how Disneyworld should
have looked. Had Sunnydale been anything like this, she wouldn't have even
considered leaving. "Wow."
Zhaen smirked and pushed Dawn along. The dalhari hadn't
been home in almost two years and were more than ready meet the elders and find
their old friends. Dawn managed to keep up with the dalhari as they wound their
way though curving streets, under arches and aqueducts. She tried to keep count
of the different colors of dalhari she saw, but quickly forgot just how many
shades she'd seen. By the time her guides stopped, Dawn's head was spinning
with what she'd seen. It was her first dalhari hold; the road they'd taken
bypassed many holds—there were smaller paths to nearby villages.
"Shall we?" Zhaen said, gesturing toward huge
archway. Dawn tentatively followed Duens, who murmured a greeting to the guards
posted there. The inside of the building was dark, but not unbearably so.
Still, Dawn made sure to keep an eye on Duens as they walked through the halls,
since she'd probably get lost.
When they stopped again, it was to converse with some more
guards. Dawn knew enough dalhari to understand that they were discussing
whether they could see the elders. The guards pushed open a set of doors to
reveal an enormous room, filled with columns and windows. Dawn gawked at
everything as they strolled over to a group of dalhari standing near the center
of the room.
"Greetings," One of the new dalhari said to them
as Duens drew them to a halt.
"Greetings," Zhaen and Duens echoed.
"We are most pleased at your return," A second,
pink colored dalhari stated. "And you have brought a guest?"
Zhaen stepped to one side so that the elders could get a
better look at Dawn. "This is Dawn. She is a most unusual guest."
The elders looked expectantly at Dawn. The girl was
prepared for this; Zhaen had explained that she would be asked to speak for
herself most of the time. "I'm Dawn. I came here from another dimension to
look for a friend; Zhaen, Duens and their friends helped me make it here. I
wouldn't have survived otherwise."
"Ah," The pink elder said thoughtfully.
"Did you find your friend?"
"No," Dawn replied, shaking her head. "I
doubt that I will; it is a huge world, and he is just one person."
The elders looked at each other for a couple of moments.
"Do not give up hope; there are occasional rumors and stories of people
appearing from other dimensions, although those stories are quite old now—much
older than you. Do you have business in Tereva'diel?" A brownish-tan elder
asked.
"I-I was thinking…" Dawn started, her voice
dropping off. "I was thinking of trying to apprentice at the bardic guild."
That certainly got a reaction from the elders. "The bardic guild?" One
murmured. They looked over at Zhaen and Duens, who shrugged and smiled, also
nodding their heads. "That should be possible. Zhaen and Duens are willing
to speak for you, of course," The pink elder stated.
"We are. She is as one of us now," Zhaen said
firmly. To Dawn's surprise, the elders nodded happily.
"That is good," One said. "We will have
quarters prepared for you."
"Ah…" Dawn started. She was cut off by one of
the elders.
"There are many things you will want to know, of
course," The tan elder said. "We will have someone assist you."
"Thanks," Dawn said weakly. She wasn't expecting
such a generous welcome from the dalhari, even though Duens and Zhaen had been
nothing but kind to her since she'd first met them.
One of the elders murmured something to a guard, who left
through a side door. "Why don't you retire to rest for the evening?
Tomorrow we can discuss more your role in Tereva'diel." Dawn nodded and
was led away by another guard, leaving Zhaen and Duens with the elders.
"There is more, is there not?" The pink elder, Osta, asked Zhaen.
The burgundy dalhari nodded. "Of
course. She is young, but very bright and capable—certainly able to
apprentice at the guild."
"But why doesn't she go to a human guild, or a human
region for that matter?" The tan elder, Pruhsu
asked.
Duens looked at Zhaen before answering. "I believe
that she is more comfortable around us. At least, that is what we sense."
"Ah. Well, we have never turned away someone under
the protection of our house," Osta stated.
"She will always be provided for," A third elder
stated. "Although both of you understand your role in this."
The pair nodded. They knew that they would be asked to
leave Tereva'diel, at least for a little while, so that Dawn could settle in
without their influence. They didn't really want to leave home as soon as they
got there, but they wouldn't have to go far away. "The guild, of course, will
have something for us to do," Duens replied.
"For a few months, yes. After that you are more than
welcome to return," Pruhsu said. "It is for
the best."
"We will, then, adjourn to the bardic
hall to resolve the issue," Zhaen said softly. "They will be able to
reach us."
Soon Zhaen and Duens were at their guild hall, explaining
the situation to their old master. She frowned mightily, but accepted that it
was not something she could change. They were both supposed to perform their
mastery presentations soon after their returns, but this would interfere.
Finally she decided to send them to the guild hall in Faion,
where they could present their skills to the guild. After that they would
remain to share the knowledge they'd gained with other, younger apprentices and
await a missive to return to Tereva'diel.
···•••·•••·•••·•••···
While Duens and Zhaen were preparing to leave Tereva'diel
for Faion freehold, Dawn was exploring her new
quarters. The guard had explained on the way over that they were to be her
permanent quarters, unless she found fault with them of course. After getting a
good look at the apartment, she thought he was crazy. Fault?
The place was so cool!
First off, the windows were this bright, cheerful
red-orange that made the sunlight look like a permanent sunset. The main room
had a huge fireplace and piles upon piles of cushions on the floor. They more
than made up for the lack of chairs. Little statues and books covered the
tables and bookshelves, giving the place a lived-in look. Had she not been told
that they were her rooms, she would have guessed that they belonged to someone
else and that she was just borrowing them.
There was just one bedroom, but it was quite large, with a
big bed in one corner and a fireplace across from it. The orange class was
repeated here as well, glinting off the metal fittings of several large chests.
Dawn dumped her pack next to one of the trunks, making a mental note to unload
it later. The bathroom was also nice, although she quickly noted that she'd
have to heat her own water if she wanted a warm bath.
When she returned to the main room she found the guard
waiting next to a low table. Someone had brought food, for which Dawn was
immensely grateful. After a moment, the guard left, telling Dawn that someone
would come for her tomorrow. She shut the door behind him and threw herself on
a cushion to try out dinner. It was really spicy but good, so she ate all she
could hold, leaving the fresh vegetables for a midnight snack. Next she went to
her new bedroom to unload her pack. All of her belongings didn't begin to fill
one trunk, so the job didn't take very long.
Dawn didn't notice how tired she was until she started
yawning. It was still sort of early, so she went into the bathroom and started
a fire for the water. She was happy that she'd thought to watch the others make
fires—now she knew how to do that. A hot bath was just what she needed before
bed. Well, maybe she'd wash her clothes out too. All of what she had with her
was kind of grungy.
The dalhari had provided soap and stuff, so Dawn didn't
have to worry about digging the last bit of her soap out of the trunk in her
bedroom. As she sank into the hot bathwater, a low sigh escaped her lips. She
still couldn't quite believe that she wasn't going to have to walk somewhere
tomorrow—other than around the hold. Her mind and body were still set to
'walk,' and had been since she'd gotten to this world. Even all that time on a
boat hadn't made the impulse to walk go away. The others had laughed at her
when she paced the deck of the boat, but she got back at them by not getting
seasick. All of the other musicians didn't travel well over water.
The only thing that worried Dawn was something that Zhaen
had mentioned during the last leg of their trip to Tereva'diel. She and Duens
had been explaining some of the finer points of dalhari customs when she had
mentioned that she and Duens would probably not stay in Tereva'diel once Dawn
was situated. When she'd asked why, the answer she got surprised her.
~~~
"So why can't you stay?" Dawn had asked Zhaen, a
bit afraid of being left in the hold with no one familiar to guide her.
"It is tradition, dating back many centuries,"
Duens replied. "It is important for you to grow and learn about your new
home without our influence."
"Does that happen with dalhari?" Dawn had asked.
"Sort of," Zhaen said. "We often spend
several years away from our families, when we apprentice or go to university.
It is traditional, though, for there to be a separation of a person from those
that most influence them. It gives a person the chance to come into their
own."
~~~
The discussion continued for some time after that. In the
end, Dawn thought she grasped the reasoning behind the tradition, and thought
that it was probably a good one. In her world, kids went off to college, or at
least moved out and got their own place. Here, though, it seemed like people
liked to stay where they were from. If that was the case, it would take a more
drastic measure to get that kind of isolation.
Of course, none of that rationalization made Dawn feel any more secure about being in Tereva'diel alone. At
the same time, though, it did make it more of an adventure. Dawn found herself
excited at the prospect of immersing herself in this strange culture, learning
to adapt to it.
Since she had had so long to think
about it, the fact that she was more comfortable and happy in this world than
in her own no longer bothered Dawn. This place was wonderful, in her opinion. Oh, it wasn't
paradise; there were bad people and bad things. But she liked the different
species—especially since she'd met up with 'normal' humans and had learned that
they were cool too—not nearly as stupid as people in her world were. It still
fascinated her that the different species could live together in something
approximating harmony. Yeah, they didn't all get along, but at least they
weren't in denial about the existence of the other species.