URIAH

Exploring

Chapter 9

Nathan and I grab a chair and sit down. This is quite some information to take in.

How in the world are the Parks related to the Polos?

Portia sits down as well on the single couch facing us. There aren't any lights in the house. The only luminescent source is the sun's rays peaking through the windows. I focus on them for a second, and follow their path until I reach our position.

I observe the small table under the window with a tall golden and black vase on it. Then comes a coffee table between all couches with a couple of plates and books on it. Then, at the end of the path, our seats.

"My, well your fathers' as well, great-grandparents' ancestors, on my father's mother's side, somehow, along the family tree, connect to one of Marco Polo's daughters: Bellela."

She seems nervous talking about this. As if she's waiting for someone to barge in and punish her for speaking.

"Marco Polo's father and uncle worked with jewels. They'd go on trips to find the most prestigious of all gems. Marco Polo joined them for a lot of their trips. After one trip, they had come back bearing nothing but their coats. However, in their coats foundation, they had sewn in jewels. One of these coats was passed down through generations, but no one knew why it was so important."

She plays with the hem of her long white shirt.

"He had sewn out the jewels at his arrival and sold them, but he kept one of them in. He never intended on selling that one. All those generations passing the coat along to a next generation with a bullshit excuse as to why it was precious, 'cause they didn't know why it was important, were actually passing down a priceless gem."

"None of the generations ever wondered what was important? Or maybe just decide it's worthless and throw it away?"

"They would never throw it away, because they knew it was Marco's. All they wondered was why he'd leave a coat for his daughter to pass on." She pauses.

"So, the stone he had hidden, he had found on his way to Persia while he was escorting a Mongol princess. It was the most perilous journey Marco had been on. He survived when many didn't. One of the men who was about to die, many say he was about to slip off the ship and Polo couldn't pull him up. Well, he was the one who put the jewel in Marco's hand. He said: Do great things."

She shakes her head, as if she feels childish telling this story. She almost looks embarassed. I can only guess her emotions, because I know I'd possibly feel the same.

"Anyway, the veracity of that is to be determined. This story has been passed along as well as the coat, but only a select few knew the story.

"Days after his journey to Persia, they find out that the stone was a possession of the Mongolian emperor at the time and that the man who had given it to him had stolen it from the empire. He knew he couldn't come forward with it, because they'd execute him for having stolen it. So, he kept it hidden. And it needs to stay hidden. This stone was immensely precious to the empire and the Mongolian government, to this day, looks for this stone. That is what Rodrigo wants."

I look at Nathan and I think we're both trying to figure out why. Monetary worth? Most probably not. He seems to have more than he needs. Rodrigo has been trying to take over the world. Maybe he doesn't have something over Mongolia.