- Joined
- Sep 24, 2004
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- She - Her
As Lilli Sedai wandered the corridors of the deepest confines of the library, she stifled a yawn. It was late at night, but her mind wouldn’t let her sleep. She was searching for something, anything she could do to help with the charity hunt happening.
She’d known for months that this was coming, but now it was here and still she had nothing. Even the sisters that had tasked her with figuring out this particular conundrum were beginning to question their choice because it had been so long without a single word.
She idly reached out to trail her hand along the shelves as she walked. The wood felt so solid and warm beneath her fingers as they trailed along. Then something changed.
She stopped walking and stood there for a moment taking in this new sensation. Her fingers still felt the solid shelf, but somehow they were trailing through a puddle of warmth. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just foreign for the place she was in. She drummed her fingers lightly and felt no resistance, but the warmth she associated with the wood was definitely now puddled up to the first knuckle of her fingers.
She turned her head and studied the shelf. It looks normal. The wood gleamed from years of polish and care, reflecting the light of her hand lamp. The rich hues of brown even seemed to radiate a welcoming warmth in this light. Almost as if reflecting the light from the friendly fireplace of an inn.
Lilli turned her attention to the objects on the shelf. There were various items that had been stored down her for so long that even the chronicles didn’t list their purpose. A small figurine depicting a dancing man stood to the far left of the section and seemed to smile mischievously. On the right was what looked to be a book end with a wolf and falcon carved on one side, the falcon at the shoulder of the wolf.
In between stood two objects. One object was a drawing of a one-handed man resting beneath the spreading branches of an Avendesora tree as if he were on a long journey and just stopping to shade from the afternoon sun. The attitude of the man made it seem as if the man were smiling in contentment as he rested.
The last object, though, that one glowed. It wasn’t a bright glow. It wasn’t something that would ever be noticed in reading levels of light. But, as Lilli’s hand lamp was not only bright enough to show the way and below the level of the shelf, the glow could be seen.
Maybe glow wasn’t the right word. The object was a box. Not overly large. The size could comfortably accommodate a loaf of bread, but little more. It was very polished and used a wood that had a deep purple hue. The lid had hinges of what looked to be plain and sturdy brass, with a clasp that was smooth and polished. The lock for the box lay open and undamaged on the shelf in front of the box. There were no markings on the sides that Lilli could see. Across the top of the box, in surprisingly modern script, was written “Because Not All Heroes Fight Great Battles.”
All of this Lilli could see clearly because the box could be seen as if it were in bright daylight, and not the dusty rarely used halls of a library basement.
Lilli picked up the lock and then pulled the box closer to the edge of the shelf so she could get her hand on it. It was surprisingly light and seemed to fit perfectly in her hand. She tucked the box under her arm and headed off to her room.
Once in her room, Lilli sat down at her desk and set the box in front of her. She first looked over the entire outside of the box to see if there were any other markings. Surprisingly, there were none. The box was simply made. It had sturdy dove tail joins at the corners and hardware that was thicker than for an ornate jewelry box, but not so thick as to look clumsy. The hinges were sunk into the lid and base so that, when close, there wasn’t a gap between lid and base. The clasp was the only part that looked like an attempt at decoration was made. The plates were made in the outline of a flower, but with no detail. Across the center of the flower was the line where lid met base and at the very center were three circles. Two rising from the bottom and one coming down from the top so that, when the box was closed, a lock could pass through all three circles at once.
Lilli looked at the lock that was mean to lock the box. There wasn’t a key. She’d go back later to see if she could find it on the shelf. The lock was a miniature padlock. Simple, but sturdy in its construction. She couldn’t see any scratches or other marks that might show if the lock had been forced open, so she assumed that whomever had taken the lock off of the box had a key.
Lilli pulled out a sheet of paper and began sketching the box to record dimensions. As she worked, she unconsciously began humming. She felt more relaxed than she had in weeks. Touching the box brought comfort to her that she couldn’t describe. As if there were a whole host of people standing at her shoulder and letting her know that she was safe and would be ok and that she had a future that would be bright and fulfilling.
Lilli closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath and smiled. She opened her eyes and then fell over backward in her chair.
At the edge of her desk stood a woman that she didn’t know. The woman was a bit on the short side, but she radiated a presence that made her seem much taller. She wore a green silk gown that brought out the blue in her eyes. Her eyes themselves twinkled as if she would smile and laugh at any moment behind the spectacles she wore, but also held the wisdom of years of service. Her hair was a rich shade of red dusted with silver. Her face held the agelessness of an Aes Sedai, but Lilli had never seen her before. She stood straight and proud, but did not seem to be haughty in her pride.
“Who are you?” Lilli asked because it seemed the obvious place to start as she stood up.
“I am Eleyan Teyal Al’Landerin,” the woman replied.
Lilli knew the name. One of the greatest Amyrlins in TarValon’s history. Her statue stood alongside those of her warders in the harbour. But, Eleyan Sedai was long dead.
“You’re dead,” Lilli said simply.
“Yes. And no,” Eleyan replied. “I am a hero bound to a horn much like the Horn of Valere. But the horn I’m bound to is not one to be used in battle. It’s one to be used in times of great need among the people.”
“So, why are you here?” Lilli wondered aloud.
“I am here because the box you hold is supposed to contain the list of the heroes bound to the horn. Open the box.”
Lilli opened the box. Inside was a stack of paper. Each paper seemed to be folded in half individually. She lifted the top paper out of the box and opened it carefully. It crackled after so many years of being untouched. On the inside of the paper was written a list of names.
“It looks to me like the names are right here,” Lilli looked at Eleyan Sedai in confusion.
“Those are the names that the heroes wore the last time they performed their great deeds. You see, the heroes are always spun out to do their works, their names recorded for future generations to know before they are bound again at their passing. I myself am not really here, I’m just….an echo left behind to explain the purpose. The hunt has started. The heroes must be found before the hunt ends. Find them.”
Eleyan Sedai flickered and was gone.
TO BE CONTINUED.....
She’d known for months that this was coming, but now it was here and still she had nothing. Even the sisters that had tasked her with figuring out this particular conundrum were beginning to question their choice because it had been so long without a single word.
She idly reached out to trail her hand along the shelves as she walked. The wood felt so solid and warm beneath her fingers as they trailed along. Then something changed.
She stopped walking and stood there for a moment taking in this new sensation. Her fingers still felt the solid shelf, but somehow they were trailing through a puddle of warmth. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just foreign for the place she was in. She drummed her fingers lightly and felt no resistance, but the warmth she associated with the wood was definitely now puddled up to the first knuckle of her fingers.
She turned her head and studied the shelf. It looks normal. The wood gleamed from years of polish and care, reflecting the light of her hand lamp. The rich hues of brown even seemed to radiate a welcoming warmth in this light. Almost as if reflecting the light from the friendly fireplace of an inn.
Lilli turned her attention to the objects on the shelf. There were various items that had been stored down her for so long that even the chronicles didn’t list their purpose. A small figurine depicting a dancing man stood to the far left of the section and seemed to smile mischievously. On the right was what looked to be a book end with a wolf and falcon carved on one side, the falcon at the shoulder of the wolf.
In between stood two objects. One object was a drawing of a one-handed man resting beneath the spreading branches of an Avendesora tree as if he were on a long journey and just stopping to shade from the afternoon sun. The attitude of the man made it seem as if the man were smiling in contentment as he rested.
The last object, though, that one glowed. It wasn’t a bright glow. It wasn’t something that would ever be noticed in reading levels of light. But, as Lilli’s hand lamp was not only bright enough to show the way and below the level of the shelf, the glow could be seen.
Maybe glow wasn’t the right word. The object was a box. Not overly large. The size could comfortably accommodate a loaf of bread, but little more. It was very polished and used a wood that had a deep purple hue. The lid had hinges of what looked to be plain and sturdy brass, with a clasp that was smooth and polished. The lock for the box lay open and undamaged on the shelf in front of the box. There were no markings on the sides that Lilli could see. Across the top of the box, in surprisingly modern script, was written “Because Not All Heroes Fight Great Battles.”
All of this Lilli could see clearly because the box could be seen as if it were in bright daylight, and not the dusty rarely used halls of a library basement.
Lilli picked up the lock and then pulled the box closer to the edge of the shelf so she could get her hand on it. It was surprisingly light and seemed to fit perfectly in her hand. She tucked the box under her arm and headed off to her room.
Once in her room, Lilli sat down at her desk and set the box in front of her. She first looked over the entire outside of the box to see if there were any other markings. Surprisingly, there were none. The box was simply made. It had sturdy dove tail joins at the corners and hardware that was thicker than for an ornate jewelry box, but not so thick as to look clumsy. The hinges were sunk into the lid and base so that, when close, there wasn’t a gap between lid and base. The clasp was the only part that looked like an attempt at decoration was made. The plates were made in the outline of a flower, but with no detail. Across the center of the flower was the line where lid met base and at the very center were three circles. Two rising from the bottom and one coming down from the top so that, when the box was closed, a lock could pass through all three circles at once.
Lilli looked at the lock that was mean to lock the box. There wasn’t a key. She’d go back later to see if she could find it on the shelf. The lock was a miniature padlock. Simple, but sturdy in its construction. She couldn’t see any scratches or other marks that might show if the lock had been forced open, so she assumed that whomever had taken the lock off of the box had a key.
Lilli pulled out a sheet of paper and began sketching the box to record dimensions. As she worked, she unconsciously began humming. She felt more relaxed than she had in weeks. Touching the box brought comfort to her that she couldn’t describe. As if there were a whole host of people standing at her shoulder and letting her know that she was safe and would be ok and that she had a future that would be bright and fulfilling.
Lilli closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath and smiled. She opened her eyes and then fell over backward in her chair.
At the edge of her desk stood a woman that she didn’t know. The woman was a bit on the short side, but she radiated a presence that made her seem much taller. She wore a green silk gown that brought out the blue in her eyes. Her eyes themselves twinkled as if she would smile and laugh at any moment behind the spectacles she wore, but also held the wisdom of years of service. Her hair was a rich shade of red dusted with silver. Her face held the agelessness of an Aes Sedai, but Lilli had never seen her before. She stood straight and proud, but did not seem to be haughty in her pride.
“Who are you?” Lilli asked because it seemed the obvious place to start as she stood up.
“I am Eleyan Teyal Al’Landerin,” the woman replied.
Lilli knew the name. One of the greatest Amyrlins in TarValon’s history. Her statue stood alongside those of her warders in the harbour. But, Eleyan Sedai was long dead.
“You’re dead,” Lilli said simply.
“Yes. And no,” Eleyan replied. “I am a hero bound to a horn much like the Horn of Valere. But the horn I’m bound to is not one to be used in battle. It’s one to be used in times of great need among the people.”
“So, why are you here?” Lilli wondered aloud.
“I am here because the box you hold is supposed to contain the list of the heroes bound to the horn. Open the box.”
Lilli opened the box. Inside was a stack of paper. Each paper seemed to be folded in half individually. She lifted the top paper out of the box and opened it carefully. It crackled after so many years of being untouched. On the inside of the paper was written a list of names.
“It looks to me like the names are right here,” Lilli looked at Eleyan Sedai in confusion.
“Those are the names that the heroes wore the last time they performed their great deeds. You see, the heroes are always spun out to do their works, their names recorded for future generations to know before they are bound again at their passing. I myself am not really here, I’m just….an echo left behind to explain the purpose. The hunt has started. The heroes must be found before the hunt ends. Find them.”
Eleyan Sedai flickered and was gone.
TO BE CONTINUED.....