The Fold Ship Part 4

Posted on 01 Oct 2013 @ 11:59am by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim

789 words; about a 4 minute read

"Open Log Fold Ship please" Allyndra said while she had some time between rounds. She wanted to get this down.

[Log Open]
The attendants all the rest of the day continued with their silent rounds into my room until evening. Then middle evening there was a knock and two entered still as silent as ever but they had soft case with them which they proceeded to open and layout a students dress. It was pristine, fresh and pressed until every long pleated fold of the skirt was in sharp relief. New shoes, undergarments and the rest were also laid out without again so much as a word and I did not entreat them to try to talk but only watched knowing that it was for the meeting in the morning.

It was early when I was awoken and urged to do my morning ablutions and dress. The morning was bright and clear and walk from the hospital wing of the great guild house to main building was refreshing.

The main building was old, and the stairs showed in their grey stone the passage of many footsteps being worn and smoothed in the middle. Everyone knew that these steps would lead to the uppermost tower of the guild house and the Guild Mother's offices and quarters.

It was seldom that a student like me would be summoned to that literally lofty office. At the top of the stairs was a wide area with a dark wood desk surrounded by artwork both ancient and recent. A woman sat behind the desk looked up and nodded.

"Please wait, you will be called."

I noted that there was no place other than the stairs or floor to sit and she thus stood awaiting. It seemed a long time, but finally the woman at the desk said: "You may enter."

I went to the dark wooden doors intricately carved and polished. The knobs were shiny having been worn smooth by countless hands. Opening the doors revealed a large room, with wide balcony through arches. There were windows in those arches but they had been pulled open revealing the ocean and day. A warm breeze stirred through the room as I entered.

"Close the doors Allyndra and come attend me on the balcony." Came the voice of the Guild Mother. I did as I was told and went out to the balcony. I made the customary long curtsey and she waved me to stand quickly with the wave of one wrinkled hand.

She was old, the Guild Mother and that meant that her wings had not come in this year. We age quickly when that happens and it was obvious that there would be a new Guild Mother soon enough.

"Do you remember the words?" She asked.

"Words?" I replied.

"Come, you said them enough when you were found in the field." She prompted sternly.

"We hide the past in order to preserve the future." I recited.

There was a pause while she slowly nodded her head. "Where did you hear that Allyndra?"

"I did not hear them Guild Mother. I read them. I read them on a wall." I said quietly.

"Read them? Where did you read such a thing I wonder?" The Guild Mother turned to look at me and then asked, "You were found in field. Do you care to relate to me how that came to be?"

I made a quick curtsey. "I was trying my maiden wings Mother. A storm blew me into the mountains. I had to land in the snow and seek shelter. I found a cave and went into it but realized it was no cave after a point but had been worked. It then opened onto a cavern which contained an object, it was large and glowed with a subtle light. It was on the wall to that object...."

"A Fold Ship." The Guild Mother said abruptly. "What you saw is called a Fold Ship."

I nodded quickly not knowing what a Fold Ship was at the time. "On the wall near the ship was inscribed in old Akkadian that phrase."

The Guild Mother nodded her head up and down slowly and yet it seemed a slightly smile touched her stern lips.

"Two things Allyndra, the first is never repeat what you saw or that phrase to anyone but me outside this room. The second is that I think that you should contemplate on all this with the Wussuru House. You will leave in the hour."

"The Wussuru House? They are a secluded religious house!"

"As I said a good place for contemplation and perhaps enlightenment."

---
"Computer close log for now" Allyndra interrupted her narration. She pinched her eyes and shook her head.

[Log closed]

RSS Feed