Legends of Kepler: The Dragon & The Woman

CHAPTER IV: FLORAL FIELDS (1)

CHAPTER IV: FLORAL FIELDS (1)

Six hundred rimerians had passed since the event of the rain of comets. The Garden of Wiz, was still impeccable, although, he stayed isolated in the Dome of Mount Geneza and was almost not seen. This was also due to the new great leadership that overtook the empire by Bongo, the renewed Supreme Fire Dragon. With the death of Kramian, two hundred and fifty rimerians before, he naturally inherited the essence of the Supreme Dragon. He became the leader of the Splendor, and took his son to every battle with him, the Prince Dracko. He was born days after the death of the Colonel and had proved to be a great dragon in war, with impressive aggressiveness.

The humans of the Lořn race were at their maximum consolidation. They had multiplied in incalculable masses. They were found in all parts of the planet and were already considered as abundant creatures.

Among the steep and mountainous depths of Kepler, there was a unique region. This was a wooded area, covered with trees and mystical oaks. Packed with lakes and springs. Baptized as the Anaís Region. It was divided into two parts, the Forest of Anaís, which covered most of the region. And in the furthest south of the zone, below the last mountains of this region, was located the Town of Anaís. It was a lost place.

Its natives were few, a group of simple villages with very humble inhabitants, but all of them blessed with a big heart. The quality of life taught among them the spread of good intentions. And in this way, they managed to build a community full of compassion, kindness, and harmony. They excelled in cultivation and fishing techniques, for the place was surrounded by the waters of the Elietcel River.

They had direct contact with nature, which was considered the teacher of the small community of Anaís.

"Good morning, Mrs. Aminta!" said a young lady.

“Good morning, beautiful Adelia!” the woman responded. “Are you here to help me continue planting my roses in the garden?”

“Indeed!” repeated Adelia. “You know that coming here is the first of my activities lately.”

Adelia was a twenty-year-old woman. Her grandparents were northern exiles from an ancient kingdom that was attacked, and broken into flames by a bunch of brutal looters from the North. Together they managed to escape, and with a few followers, they enter the deepest forests area. Reaching the heart of it, and crossing it completely until they found the plain, fruitful land of Anaís; where they established the small population.

“Good morning, grandmother!” said Adelia. “How are you in this m–”

"Did you go to Mrs. Gladis home?" interrupted the old woman.

“Yes grandmother, here are the grapes she had saved for you” responded Adelia.

“Did you talk with Mr. Eugenio about the construction of the underground well?”

“Yes Granny! I went before the–”

“What about Lord Euclid? Did you bring him the soup I prepared for him yesterday?”

“Yes, grandmother, I gave the soup to him!”

"Did you come to visit Amigdalia, Clorintio, Saba, and Florin? Did you send them the corn we harvested?"

"Yes, Grandma, I just came from there" the woman replied. “They asked for my grandfather.”

“And finally, and much more importantly, did you help to sow the magic roses for Mrs. Aminta?”

“That's right, grandma! It was the first thing I did in the morning.”

"Excellent, my daughter!" she repeated. “There is vegetable soup with pink mushrooms in the pantry. You can serve yourself all you want; your grandfather and I already ate.”

"Okay, grandmother" she replied. “Can I already see my grandfather?”

“Of course, my daughter!” the old woman said while Adelia walked towards a door.

“Wait, one more thing.”

“Yes grandmother?” Adelia replied, twisting her eyes.

“Come over here.”

The woman returned, and the grandmother grabbed her head, tilted her a little towards her, and kissed her granddaughter on the forehead.

“I love you very much, my girl” she said.  “You are getting bigger every day.”

"Thank you, grandma" she said smiling. “Maybe it's because I'm already twenty eight.”

“What?”

“That I am already twenty-eight.”

“How many?”

“Twenty-eight rimerians!”

“What did you say? Speak louder!” answered the old woman. “I can´t hear you, daughter. Did you said twenty eigh–oh well it doesn't matter. Enter to my room; your grandfather was asking about you a while ago.”

Adelia slowly open the wooden door from her grandfather's room. She loved being there, it was a very strange room. The floor was covered with wick lamps, which her grandfather collected over the years. The roof was covered with hay. The floor and walls were made out of wood too, and there were amazing drawings of dragons, castles, forests, lost kingdoms and mythical beings. It always had a smell of fresh wood, which made Adelia close her eyes, and drove to the beautiful landscapes of her imagination, every single time.

“Hey, grandpa!” said the granddaughter excitedly.

“Adelia! I was asking about you just a while ago” said the grandfather with a serious cough. “Where were you?”

“Don't try too hard, grandpa” interrupted the young woman. “How do you feel today?”

“Not so good, daughter, but nothing to worry about” he responded.  “How was your day? Did you do your intense and silly chores of your grandmother?”

Adelia then, laughing, began to tell her grandfather about her day’s trips. Every day she did the same thing; she really loved him.

He had been her best friend throughout her life. He told her stories of dragons and lost kings, since she was a child. He was a storyteller by nature, and passionately describe her every day, in detail, how he had managed to survive his ancient kingdom, covered once in flames. He told her all of his adventures in the mysterious forest of Anaís. It was a beautiful connection.

Mr. Murfeo loved all his granddaughters, but Adelia had been always special for him, since she was the youngest, and the one who visited him the most.

“What's wrong with you, my lovely girl?” Murfeo asked. “You tell me everything with joy and enthusiasm, but suddenly you stop and you have a downturn. You have been like this for days.”

“Grandpa, I’m very worried about your health” the woman replied. “Every day is harder for you to move out of your bed. Are you sure you feel good?”

“Don't worry about me, Adelia” the old man exclaimed. “I'm recovering little by little, and I'm going to finish recovering. These things take time. Be patient. You will see that everything will turn out way better than you think. I promise you that when you least expect it, I will get up from this bed, and I will do your grandmother's annoying chores, faster than you!”

“It's okay, grandpa” said Adelia, smiling. “You still owe me that afternoon tea. You don’t want to tell me your secrets to draw like that!”

“Of course I will tell you, my daughter!” said the old man.

Adelia left the room. She wasn't quite convinced of what her grandfather had said. She felt really worried.

“How is he really, grandma?”

"He’s not well, my daughter" exclaimed the lady with watery eyes. "Nothing I prepare seems to work for him. That infection is killing him. I don't know what else to do.”

“Don't worry, grandma. You are doing everything you can. He is going to recover, you'll see. I´m having a good presumption today. Everything will be fine.”

"May life listen to you, my daughter" said Mrs. Celia. “For now, you can go home. I need you to take these flowers to your mother along the way. Tell her that these are the scents of wheat that I told her.”

“Okay, grandmother” the young woman responded. “Say goodbye to grandpa from my part.”

Adelia began to head towards her mother´s house through Anaís short paths. She was witnessing a magical sunset, which filled her with hopes and good feelings. There were beautiful omens in her feelings, which she couldn't bear to share with her parents.

The noble woman did not live with her parents, however. She had been already two Rimmers living with Lelio, her beloved. He was a great farmer and a great explorer, with great visions. He dreamed of making clay roofs, which he had seen on an excursion he went years ago on the neighboring kingdom of Glamdoer. He longed to impart the baked clay on the roofs of the town's houses, as the roofs made of hay were quickly destroyed in heavy rains, flooding the homes of the locals.

 He was an excellent person, with authentic intentions. Because of this, Adelia fell in love with him and made the decision to start a family together. Although in reality, they could not start their own family. Neither of them could have children, and it was not known exactly why. But at this point, they tried enough times to know something was wrong. Adelia, however, did not tell her parents anything, because she did not lose hope. She made it look as if this, was what she wanted.

In those days, it was normal for young women to make the decision of starting their own families, since the age of sixteen Rimerians. They chose their partners, depending on her ideals and always with the consent of their parents, although sometimes this was overlooked.

In fact, Mrs. Celia married Mr. Murfeo at this age, when the latter was twenty-two. Both had their first child a year later, and when he was still a baby, the escape from their former kingdom happened.

In Anaís, they had eight children. And Clara, Adelia's mother, was the youngest daughter of them all.

“How is your grandfather?” Clara asked her daughter.

“Not so good, mother” Adelia repeated. “But I have good feelings today. I feel that life is talking to me, and is trying to give me good thinking about this whole matter.”

"I don't know what to tell you, Adelia" responded Clara.

“How do you not know what to tell me?” she asked her mother. “That it is so! That we have to stay positive for my grandfather! Why can you never put your ego aside? Even for a moment; that disaffection. It's like grandpa had already died for you.”

“I don't want to get false illusions, Adelia" Clara repeated. “My father is already very old. He has seen what he should see, and has lived what he had to live. If this is his time, I can accept it now. From this moment on.”

“What about these energies that I felt today?” responded the young woman. “I have observed the most beautiful sunset. Mother Nature spoke to me, and sent me great feelings of love and hope. You are the main woman who has taught me how important it is to value the sensations that Elgoneth sends us through his creations. These messages shouldn't have come without a positive meaning, right? Why can't it be applied here? Why can´t we have faith in my grandfather's situation?

"I don't know, daughter" Clara says. “Life is very confusing sometimes.”

“Is this really what you are going to tell me?” Adelia repeated. “I cannot believe it, but do not worry. There is no hope here, I don't need this.”

“There I leave you the flowers that Grandma sent you” continued the young lady. “I hope they serve you for more than a simple aroma.”

Adelia left her parents' house without even saying goodbye to them. She was very angry at her mother's disinterest, and she went down to her house. On her way, the sky started to fall into the imminent sunset. It was already getting dark.

When she arrives at her house, Lelio received her and gave her a big hug. And it felt like a ring to the finger, for she really needed one.

“How´s grandpa?” asked Lelio.

"Not so well," she exclaimed, "but that's not what is frustrating. The frustrating thing is to see how nobody supports me. I have this good feeling about the situation, and neither my mother nor my grandmother believe in them. They have no hopes anymore. I always find myself alone in these things, and where I need support the most, I don't find it.”

"I support you, my love" said the man. “You are not alone in this”

Adelia then hugged her beloved at the uncertainty of her grandfather. For everyone, Lord Murpheus was in his last days, except for Adelia. She felt that this day, was a special one. A renewing day. She knew it deep inside her.

Meanwhile, the Hanging Gardens enjoyed a magical night. The conspired kingdom lay cheerful, and its atmosphere was surrounded by vibrating emotions. On Mount Geneza, Wiz interacted with the Sacred Apaxio Book, which was the book passed down from Golden King to Golden King. This had been made by Elgoneth, and delivered by the demigod himself. Inside of it, were found all the laws and natural energies of the planet. The purpose was to learn them, to generate spells and mystical creations. All kinds of combinations were written in the book, though, only the Golden King knew exactly what was said within it.

Bongo was spending the night in the Square of Sacred Pity, as he had decided to take a walk in it with his beloved Rosaleth. It was a central place, full of orange bushes. In the center of it, was a statue of a dragon with two swords in its mouth. And on the nights of the fall season, a night show arose. The leaves of the trees lit up and turned into a reddish color. The contrast of this luminosity with the stars generated immense joy in the dragons; an unparalleled experience.

"I'm really proud of you" Rosaleth told her beloved. “Your grandfather was right. You have become a true leader, and you have guided our son along successful paths of battle.”

“And he is quite young still!” said Bongo. “At my two hundred and half Rimmers, Grandpa was still training me. The old one still got angry with me!”

“Where he is, you know he must be very proud.”

"He's here with us!" Bongo exclaimed. “I know he is. I miss him so much!”

Both were rising from the edges of the statue where they were sitting, when the female dragon began to make painful gestures; pointing out her belly. The pain was evident.

“What's wrong?” Bongo asked.

"Nothing to be alarmed" she replied. “I've been having strange contractions in the abdomen lately. But it is only temporary pain.”

"Why didn't you mention anything to me?"

“It is nothing that we should worry about” said Rosaleth. “Let's continue”

The place was full of dragons. They had been watching the beginning of the season for a few days. It was the best place to observe the vast cosmos, so they delighted themselves in the speculation of the stars, which revealed their beautiful transparency at this time. It was a special night.

On the ground, an impetuous sound woke Adelia. They were knocking aggressively on her door.

“Adelia! Lelio!” a man shouted. “Someone, please!”

The woman was frightening. It was very late, and a unique despair echoed from the voice over the frozen night.  Adelia ran to the door, and with this, she feared the worst.

“Adelia! Thank to heavens” exclaimed the mysterious man.

“What's the matter, Francis?” asked Adelia.

“It´s your grandfather. He is–”

The man could not finish the sentence. He had no face to tell the woman what was going on. There was a terrifying silence, and no one dared to say another word.

Adelia ran to her grandfather's house immediately. On the way, her vision was lost, and flooded in a cloudy, grayish reverie. She felt the worst, and expected the worst. And within her, inhabited a deep feeling, infused into uncertainty and despair.

The house was full of people. Everyone knew Mr. Murfeo, and everyone knew his state. The tumult and stir of people made things worse for Adelia. Such a personal situation for her, turned rapidly into a show. Suddenly, all the people were interested in her grandfather. It was clear that this was not an indicator of good news. The most valuable thing in the woman's life, hung by a thread.

The display of this condition, generated a bitter ailment in her soul. And this one, was slowly breaking into pieces. She entered the house. She removed abruptly, several people from her path and managed to enter her grandfather's room, the room where he had been that afternoon. The same room where his grandfather told him stories of kingdoms and dragons, fairies and magicians, sacred and mysterious creatures. The same room, where she had spent the best moments of her life; on the same room, she realized the worst.