(NARRATED BY SENTI ORCANA)
Instructing the Brotherhood members to remain hidden, I approached the bronze gates leading into my home village, accompanied by Cameron, his sister, Esther, and Levi. I did not wish to alarm my people, so I figured that I was better off being seen with a group of children than an army of men. Immediately upon seeing my face, the two daelodo standing guard with spears opened the gates, and the five of us entered.
Quietly, I led my company toward the place where I knew I would find her. And sure enough, there she was, sitting on an old tree stump, singing to the birds that were perched on her arm and the small critters that were gathered before her. My old, bronze violin was leaned against the stump with its bow beside it. I used to play it for her while she sang her favorite songs.
She looked just as she had the night I left her behind: a fair-skinned dello who was exactly my age and height, adorned with full, rosy cheeks and ringlets of curly, ginger red hair that spilt down over her shoulders. Although it was customary for dellos to have shoes on their feet and pointed caps on their heads, she was completely barefoot, and her red cap was not in sight. In addition, while nearly all of the daelodo had a horn on their foreheads, she was different in that hers never grew in. Had she not had the pointed ears of a dello, one might have easily mistaken her for a human.
Her attire consisted of a silk, emerald-colored dress that matched her sparkling-emerald eyes, a crown of small, white daisies, and the very same bronze bracelet that I had once given to her as a parting gift. She was both exquisite and charming—like a beautiful ray of sunshine, or a breath of fresh air. Her radiant smile was enough to turn away the clouds themselves.
Before we were able to approach her, my dear friend's beautiful voice caused us to stop dead in our tracks. We all hid behind a tree as she closed her eyes and sang a new song:
"Erburi ic lugna
Int evalum anfant
Vautusi trenvuna
Ic peri yuncan!"
"Guys," Cameron breathed, gawking at the young Guardian of Fora, "I think I'm in love!"
Esther scoffed. "Yes, dear. With me."
"Quiet, Essie! Can't you see I'm trying to listen?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Is this the girl?" Lola asked me.
"Yes," I replied. "Follow quietly behind me. I do not wish to startle her."
And so, I nervously began approaching the young girl I had once left behind. She continued to sing with her eyes closed, until all of the animals surrounding her fled. Wondering what had caused the disturbance, she slowly opened her gorgeous, emerald eyes and smiled.
"At long last... my other half has returned." Her smile spread even further. "Welcome home, Senti Orcana."
Taking a bow of greeting, I spoke in Divinian: "I apologize for not visiting sooner. I have been quite busy the past six years."
Turning her gaze to my other friends, she introduced herself in her usual sweet voice, "Salutations, visitors! I am Mareini Makai. 'Melody' is the literal meaning of my first name, while my last name means, 'radiance.' Also, I love to sing!" Just for emphasis, Mareini took a deep breath and sang the greeting tune of our people:
"Avita,
Barimai!
Haisi vi damir!"
One by one, my friends introduced themselves to Mareini. Even Morius briefly appeared out of Levi's bow to greet her. Once the order of introductions came to Esther, Mareini gave her a puzzled look, noting, "You are not dressed as you were before."
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
The Phoenix Chronicles: The Curse of Lustria
काल्पनिकBook two of the Great Prophecy series.
