In Palestine, a calm day before a barrage strikes suddenly, buildings
destroyed in the wake. Inside an urban school, Aedera stands
between
shelves in the school library. With the explosions it suddenly
collapses around her.
In the settling
dust she's leaned over breathing hard. The bookshelf on her back, the
rubble on the bookshelf. Breathing deeply she coughs blood, the shelf
and rubble shifting with her every move.
A tear, she closes her eyes and breathes deeply, with a jagged breath. She exhales to relax and let it fall.
A child's voice - "Ms. Aedera ?"
She breaks into tears in the dark, with the growing sound of children coughing and crying out around her.
________________
In the hut.
She
leans over the nameless, his body overgrown with moss and clover, and
kisses him on the cheek, the mouse crawls up her hand to her shoulder.
She
stands taking the blunderbuss and powder bag, blue light fading to
darkness. In the night's dim light she walks quietly out the door.
Aedera - In the dim light, "It's okay. They're coming for us. You hold on, and so will I."
The rubble shifts and she cries out.
Aedera - To the growing sounds of fear, "No. A story."
Aedera - Voiced in the dark heavy breathing smoothing to tones, "I give you my secrets ... as many as ... they would have been for my finest student, through life, and that is one of you."
As she speaks the tale takes form in the dark, briefly lighting their faces before fading to tale, following her words in sweeping view of the scenes.
Aedera - "It was the high northern mountains, they say in the year of their AD eight forty-nine. Deep into the mountainsides they lived, the Dwarvenkind."
"There they ruled a silent hold on the world's alchemy and gold. Their men, warriors trained hard, made stout by the thousand year mines."
Guinnvera walks down the deep temple hall with her guard from the wood to a woman waiting.
Aedera - Voiced as they walk, "But when they speak of the hidden Dwarven treasures, eavesdropping fools assumed they meant gold. And indeed it usually was. But their most sacred and secret treasure was always the hidden queens of Dwarvenkind"
Guinnvera - Handing over The Book of Names, "You will not leave the temple until the book is retrieved. You will protect it with your life, and you will transcribe. And for this you will gain it's secrets as far as you may chose to look look. Do you agree ?"
Librarian - Taking the book, head low, "I do."
Guinnvera - A short inspecting laugh, then a thought, "You know I find myself both jealous ... and yet so disposed to mock your choice. I believe you to be the wiser of we two, my sister." Turning away with a laugh, "But the first librarian will outlive us all I think !"
A hard stone slab slides shut, slot at the bottom for food and volumes. An empty book for transcription slides through followed by a meal, worthy.
________
Years pass as empty books fill with volumes, another fine meal slides under the door. She sets down her quill, book open, then return she sees the tiny white mouse.
Librarian - "You cannot be here little mouse."
A squeak.
A furrowed brow, a piece of bread offered, and together they read chewing while she transcribes.
________
More shelves are filled, a meal slide under, pushed forward by another volume.
Librarian - Leaning back with her food's leg, "My meals were always so shy ... were you here before I, little mouse ?"
The mouse looks up at her, then back the book, digging her nose under to turn a page before continuing to read.
Librarian - "The first librarian ..."
_______
With the heavy cranking of ancient gears the door is hefted back up. Morgan stands waiting dressed as for the 1590's, Guinnvera and guard behind.
Librarian - Mouse on her shoulder, holding out the book, "How long ?"
Morgan - Looking to the mouse looking back curiously, then to her, "Seven hundred thirty two years and a season."
Guinnvera - Stepping up, "I didn't think I'd make it that long, sister. It's been busy." She takes her hands, smiling at the mouse, then to her. "Would you like to see the sun ?"
They walk out to the high cliff terrace buried in the rough, sweeping across the high northern mountains.