Chapter 3
Apparently when I left on my own, they didn't just stand around speechless about my had happened as I had though. They had stayed and discussed what they should do with me and their master plan was to bring me to the High Speaker and see what he will decide. So, before his usual speech to end the day of creation the next day at midday. Olive dressed me up and escorted me back to the church. Whereas the day before we entered through the huge doors, today we entered through a small door inside those huge doors- it is such a hassle to open the doors that they barely open them and they created smaller doors for common use- and we found an attendant waiting for us that led us through a different path than the one we took yesterday. We climbed a side staircase to reach the floors above the main hall, where most of the clergy live from the newest attendants to the Speakers. They also have offices here, and that is where we were taken. To the office of the High Speaker, inside was a 12 of the most powerful people in the entire country, all 11 Speakers and the High Speaker. Each one was wearing their ceremonial clothes as in an hour they will head outside, and give a speech that will proclaim the end of the day of creation. If I hadn't been barely 2 years old I would have been scared to death, but I hadn't been able to grasp the gravity of what I had done, these people decide the fate of nations and all those that live in them, they are so powerful that no one dares to speak up to any of them, and the twelve of them coming together because of me should have made me watch every word I say else I would be cursed by the Keepers and their father. But I didn't fear the wrath of the Keepers or even of the Speakers because I did what I had to do, and I knew that I did the right thing. Especially now that I had time to spend with the gentle breeze inside of me, I knew that if I hadn't stopped the storm from growing, I would have caused an armageddon no less than the plague at the start of cration. No one spoke as I entered with Olive and Murtok, and it stayed that way for a while, until Lux told me to take a seat in front of them, as if I was being judged and they would decide my fate. As I took my seat, the High Speaker spoke for the first time and said, "can't we get rid of the damn bird". The look I gave him could have melted worlds but he didn't even look at me as he spoke, at that moment I learned the smell of another emotion, a smell of bitterness that signifies arrogance, and this man in front of me was the pinacol of arrogance, he believed that he was the most important man in the world and that no one would harm, which made the news that I gave him later so sweet. What he said finally broke the silence and multiple people moved forward to take Murtok away, but before they could reach us Olive intervened by shouting, "STOP" and with everyone now shocked into silence she continued to speak, "you do not understand the consequences of separating them, we tried before and the results where horrifying, you do not want to see what would happen if you try to force them apart."
The High Speaker did not like to be challenged in his seat of power, and so he answered "you dare tell me what I want, you would dare the wrath of the Holy Father to protect a bird, a companion to a child that is not even yours."
"I do no such thing I am only warning you, do not do it," she replied pleading.
The horrified gasps at what these shallow people took for a threat where almost deafening, and only topped when the High Speaker ordered, "shut up this wench and, take the damned bird and kill it if you have to."
I had stayed silent this entire time but as those around me and the guards that had come in at the sound of trouble moved to take Murtok away and hurt Olive. I finally had enough and my control snaped, and I looked Murtok in the eyes and he knew what I was about to do, and agreed without hesitation. So, for the first time at what seemed to be my trial I spoke a word, "stop" and when they wouldn't head me I unleashed the storm that had started building inside of me at the start of this altercation, at the same moment that someone had managed to get hold of flying Murtok. The shadows at each person's feet answered my call and held everyone in place, and as Murtok freed himself and came back to my shoulder I had ripped the sleeve of my shirt, and began speaking with the confidence that filled me when I had demanded patronage yesterday. "Look at my mark" I commanded and every head in that room snapped to my shoulder willingly or not it didn't matter, finally able to see the true mark of my patron, I felt them try to back away but their shadows were still answering to me and holding them down. At the same time I noticed something odd, above the High Speaker's heart a small black shadow was forming, but it had not completely formed, it was as if it hadn't decided it was going to or not. I took a couple of steps forward to examine it more closely and as I moved closer the smell of sweetness increased, and the calls of "help", "why can't I move", and "what have you done" were screamed, I conferred with Murtok and we agreed, the mark showed his death, and I could tell when and how it would happen, and as the shadow had turned fully black, I knew that his fate was sealed in stone and not even the Father could save him. Then I did something that gave me a huge amount of pleasure and satisfaction, I came face to face with the High Speaker, and commanded his shadow to drag him down and kneel in front of me, and so they pulled him as if it was a dog begging my approval. But he was so confident that he couldn't be touched that he smelled completely bitter with no touch of sweetness, so I spoke with a voice that could command the dead, "you will not hurt us anymore, nor anyone else," with every word I spoke he became less arrogant and more afraid, so I continued, placing my hand above the mark, "in one hour you will die", horrified gasps everywhere, "I do not threaten you nor warn you, your fate is written."
"You dare speak to me, BOY, I am the High Speaker, I am favored by the Keepers, I am first among men, I have power to rival kings, and topple empires, and you a CHILD dare defy me."
"I do no such thing, YOU see my mark, YOU know I am his, I only convey his will, in one hour, you will die, an arrow shall strike you", tapping my finger on the spot of darkness that had shown itself to me and Murtok, "right here, there is no escape from destiny, you belong now to my patron".
"I belong to no one, not even to The Banished, I am the High Speaker and I am my one man," but the smell betrayed him, he was no longer confident, he was afraid completely and utterly afraid.
"We will leave, all three of us, do not bother to send anyone after us, and cherish your final hour outside my patron's kingdom". With that I released them all and walked out of the room, heading outside with Murtok back safe on my shoulder, and Olive beside me holding my hand. Behind me I left a room of chaos, with many people calling for my arrest, but my gamble had worked, the High Speaker in order to regain some of his dignity stopped any such attempts, and called me a child that babbled with no understanding of what he is speaking, but we both knew better. As we left the church, I could still smell the fear radiating from the High Speaker, somewhere inside getting ready to give his speech and coming to his waiting death, with denial in his heart.
An hour later everyone was gathered outside the church waiting for the Speakers to come forward. Then they came forward each in full ceremonial clothing and they arranged themselves around the center podium that was still empty waiting for the High Speaker. While they waited each Speaker searched the crowd and when they saw me they visibly paled. Something I wouldn't know until many years later was that there was almost double the guard, so it would appear that the High Speaker did take what I said seriously, but the mark was final, he couldn't do anything to stop his death, HE WAS CLAIMED. Then he arrived, in his full glory, and as did the other Speakers, his eyes searched the crowd, and once they fell upon me, he didn't only pale, the smell of sweetness reached me at the back of the crowed. As he went on and spoke more and the time went by, he got more confident the arrogance replaced the fear, and when the arrogance completely replaced the fear. Swoosh, Thunk. Everyone heard those two sounds, but for the first minute no one understood what has happened, except me, I knew before it happened what it would be. As I expected, the High Speaker was dead the arrow in the exact spot I told him it would be, with a cordon of guards protecting his stiff body and the other Speakers. When the crowd accepted the truth of what had happened, panic and chaos, are mere imitations of the truth of the response. They had just seen one of the most powerful people, and the person they worship drop dead. Screaming, shouting, crying, stampeding, running, righteous fury, the call for blood, and most certainly some deaths, those by accident, or those that murdered over some petty grievance, with this panicked crowed for cover. I was enjoying the panic, the deaths happening all around me, I could feel as each life was snuffed out, the sense of clarity that descended upon me, I am half dead, there is no denying it. I finally snapped out of it when Olive upon hearing the shouting of some of the Speakers "get the boy", grabbed me and started running, however Murtok, flying above us, gave up where we are, so I asked him to hide until it is safe to come out. So as Murtok flew away, with most of the guards following us diverted to following him we were clear to return to the relative safety of our tent. There Olive put me down and Murtok came back to me having lost his pursuit, and she started packing the essentials in one single bag. After some hurried and panicked packing, we were on the way, unfortunately on foot, since we came in a carriage with the rest from the orphanage. As we started going down the road, we heard the gossip, about a boy no older than two that caused the death of the High Speaker, although the descriptions varied wildly, some even claimed that I had red skin, some claimed I was dead and came back to life to cause havoc, so we were clear to continue. When we neared the main road to leading to the rest of the kingdom, we found a cordon of guards stopping everyone leaving and checking them out, looking for the real killer as well as the child that "killed" him. Here however, the guards were well informed so they knew what I looked like. So Olive started backing away trying to look as normal as possible, alas our luck didn't hold, and Speaker Lux was there with the guards and he saw us. However, he didn't tell them he saw us, he in fact called them away claiming to have seen us in the opposite direction. In the frenzy generated by the guards, he managed to slip away and came right at us. Olive didn't even try to run, as now that we were seen, with a mere shout, the Speaker could have every guard on us in moments. He continued to surprise us, as when he came close to us, he threw his cloak to the ground, took Olive's arm in his and whispered "follow me if you don't want to be caught". Olive did what everyone would do in this situation, follow the person that presents the smallest and only possibility of escape, so while carrying me in her arm, she followed him to the walls of the city, here there were no guards, so she stopped and demanded answers.
"Everyone is looking for the young one, all the roads out are being monitored, so I am leading you to a secret way into the city, where I have a place you could lay low until all the noise dies down and you can leave." He answered her.
"Shouldn't they be looking for the real killer, and why are you helping us?" Olive asked continuing her interrogation.
"They caught her almost instantly, she wanted everyone to know that she killed the High Speaker and to hear her voice. Honestly, I do not blame her for killing him after we heard what she said, I only hope that he didn't manage to do it to others. And for why I am helping you, I am not, I am helping him, he is the first person to claim my Lord's patronage, and apparently, he has some powers, so I will not let him be harmed." This seemed to placate Olive a bit so he continued, "I have a place in the city that not a lot of people know about, so you will stay there, I also seem to be the most favored to take over as High Speaker, so if you are ever back in the city and need help, all you have to do is find me and I will do all I can to help."
Now that Olive felt safe and secure knowing her immediate next steps, she thought further, and so asked "what next? I cannot return to the orphanage and neither can he, the other Speakers know where we came from and they will go there looking for answers."
"I might have a solution for that problem, but you might not like it."
"Speak and do not keep me waiting, better to rip of the bandage."
"I know of a couple that would take him in, they live in a village about two weeks away… *sigh*… you… will."
"Speak already" she said almost on the verge of tears, knowing what came next.
"You will not be able to stay with him, I could find you work in another orphanage, but staying with him if we go on with this path will be impossible."
I could feel her tears, falling on my hair, and I understood them because I felt the same thing in my heart as if someone has ripped it apart. So, I hugged her and refused to stop. As if to answer my pain Murtok came back and perched on my shoulder, wrapping his wings around my head and softly mimicking reassuring sounds into my ear they helped a bit, but as we reached the house I still had not let go.
The next few days were spent waiting for the inevitable moment that I will be separated from Olive came with a new smell the smell of pain and longing, and it smelled like lavender, a smell so sweet and yet hurts all the same, as this smell is only released when the flowers are crushed, and it was as if our hearts were doing the same thing, releasing a sweet smell to lessen the pain of being crushed and torn to bits. All this time that we spent in the house waiting, Olive would not leave me for a moment more that she had to, it was as if her eyes could not get enough of me, and without Murtok to console me I knew I would be doing the same if not more.
The day finally came when Lux came knocking on the door behind him stood the thing, we dreaded the most a carriage, he looked sorry and apologetic, but we all knew that this was the best option got, so as the carriage driver came and took the bags that Olive had packed for me. Olive hugged me for the final time, she hugged me so fiercely it was as if she wanted to fuse me into herself, and while hugging me she whispered, "I won't be going with you on to your new home", I felt betrayed in that moment and wanted nothing more than to scream at her, and as if she could feel everything that was going on inside of me she continued, " I wish that I could come with you and deliver you myself to your new home. But I can't, I would only be causing you more harm, and I do not know if I would be able to give you up. And that is selfish of me, staying with me… someone would find us and report us, so you have to go alone." I still wanted to scream and kick and punch her, but I could feel her agony, the pain, and being this close to her all I could smell was lavender, and I knew that she was feeling the same things that I was feeling, but she was trying her best to not letting them show, trying to be strong for me. So all I did was give her a hug, and picked a feather from Murtok and gave it to her to remember us with. Then she picked me up and put me in the carriage next to a stranger that is supposed to take care of me on this journey. As the carriage begun moving, I heard her finally letting her tears fall, crying to the Keepers of Mercy and Peace as well as Love and Light, to help her endure, and watch over me and keep me safe, and praying to the Keeper of Strays and The Lost to help me find a home.
That was one of the most difficult moments in my life, to have to turn away from someone that loved me even though I am nothing but trouble. And I apologize for the tear drops that have stained this page, and ask you to allow an old man to let his feeling, about a past lived and future that died, to break through the shell that is my body. And before I leave to let myself feel properly, I would like to tell you this moment full of pain was one of the happiest memories that I had for a while, because to feel pain is to have known love and to have known love is the greatest gift possible.