Impossible Dreamers

Chapter 23 (twil-gell): Life continues

Trentaya was gone. Two parents now gone. Some part of Liana believed that Ralkino would come back one day, but did she think that just because it was something she dearly wanted? Did anybody else believe it? It was not a question anyone would answer. But Trentaya would return. She said she would, the night before the group left. So she would. If she could. Could she?

Trentaya had asked Jerento, Herago's father, if Liana could stay in his habitation, and although Liana was quite capable of looking after herself in her own living-place, she was glad to have Herago's company. They could spend the time working once again on their showing. It was horrible that the showing they had worked on so hard had been interrupted, but Herago thought it was probably a good thing in the long run. He wanted to be able to do many more sorts of Impossibles – maybe even, eventually, to be known for it by all the people of Seren-ila, and he knew that without Liana's help he wouldn't be able to get anywhere. Liana was pleased with the thought that one day she and Herago would be known as the team who brought a whole new sort of performance to Seren-ila. She sometimes daydreamed about how that would be.

But the pleasure was always overtaken by the worry. There was so much to worry about. When would Trentaya return? Mostly it was good being with Herago, Silmoa and Jerento. Though sometimes she got tired of Silmoa constantly explaining what was and what wasn't 'the Seren Way'. Silmoa clearly didn't approve of Herago's Impossibles, though actually she seemed quite pleased when she watched them at the interrupted Megtwillow. Silmoa was sure that she had passed her Serenship easily, though she had to wait until Megtwillow was finished in order for the Counsel of the Wise to meet and make their final decisions. Nobody knew when that would happen.

Jerento assured Liana that Trentaya knew what she was doing. She would return, and she would have talked the Bartyronians round into sending Piacho and Selentaya home. Everybody knew Trentaya was extremely capable. If Ralkino hadn't disappeared so strangely, Trentaya would almost certainly have become a member of the Counsel of the Wise. The blow of losing her special partner had made her reluctant to serve in that way. But she knew what she was doing, and would not put herself in danger.

Liana appreciated Jerento's comforting words, but she knew that there could be no certainty. The world had changed, and nobody could say for sure what the future would be like.

When doubts came into her mind, Liana tried hard to push them away. Liana imagined the joyful homecoming. Not only Piacho and Selentaya. Ralkino would be with her too. But how? Never mind how, that's what would happen. There would be a big celebration, and Herago and she would show new Impossibles. And Silmoa would paint a picture.

Though on the surface, things continued as normal in Seren-ila, nobody could forget the extraordinary events that had occurred.

Liana and Herago worked on new Impossibles to surprise people even more next time. Sometimes Liana would suggest an Impossible, though without any idea of how it could be done. She liked to provoke Herago with challenges that she was sure he couldn't achieve – like 'instead of cutting a piece of string in half and making it whole, why don't you do that with a person?' or 'why don't you walk through a solid wall?' Herago would listen to the idea, and say, 'no, that's not possible,' to which Liana would always reply: 'But Impossible is what we do! All you have to do is say "ir, deg, mek, elbissopmi!"'

What nobody in Seren-ila knew was that plans for their future were being drawn up elsewhere.