CHAPTER XIII
As the sun showed his face after so many days of hiding, so was Haldora able to leave her hiding place. A whole on the bark on an old tree had been her home. Haldora walked barefoot through a great green and muddy field. She was happy to fell the ground beneath her. It seemed Otr had giving her a gift, the gift of touch. Her skin did not feel as cold as before, thought it still had a pale tonality. The sun still was hurtful to her eyes, but the sheer pleasure of being among mortals again made the hurt worth while. The country she was in was completely different then the one’s she had been. The sun was warm and the breeze was light, there was a faint smell of the sea in the air. She walked until she found a large town. Her first instinct was to hide. Haldora looked at herself; she smiled, she could think of no reason why she could not pass for mortal. She headed for the large town.
As she entered this busy town, she found people, who spoke a new language, they almost seemed to sing. They were selling in a market place, similar to the one’s she knew in her own village. If their clothes had been different this could be any given day in her hometown. She walked across this market, till she reached a stand, where dresses were exposed. She stopped to admire them. She touched one of the dresses and the owner of the stand came and shoved her away. Haldora came back. The lady in front of the stand seemed angry and spoke as loud as she could, though Haldora could not make out what she was saying. Haldora showed the lady, the dress was torn. The lady was amazed she could see such a tiny tare. Haldora moved behind the stand, to find needles and threads. She separated each thread, till she had only one. She threaded it into the needle and with a masters precision she sewed the tiny tare. The lady was amazed at what had happened. Although they did not spoke the same language, Haldora began working for this lady as a seamstress.
Haldora’s fame was great. Soon the small stand in the market place grew into a small shop. Haldora was earning money but most important was that she was accepted. After a few months, Haldora could already speak the language of this new country. She understood her fame, but remained quiet about her past. She kept quiet about everything, her partner seemed to talk for both of them and people perceived Haldora as mute and she had never gone against it. She was known as the dumb seamstress.
As Haldora worked one day, men in uniforms came to the door of her small shop. They entered and surround her. Haldora’s partner was fearful of what would be. Haldora showed no fear, because she had none. One of the guards asked Haldora to follow him, she obliged him, head raised and a serious look across her face. The guards led her through the streets, where people stopped to look at her. Strangely they did not look at her in fear as her partner had, the looked in pride. Haldora was confused but showed nothing. They came into the finest part of town, where her simple clothes were in gross contract to the beautiful flowy light dress. Her blue velvet dress, sown by her hands, was completely out of place, once she realized where she was. Haldora was brought to the largest church she had ever seen. She crossed herself immediately, so not to arouse suspicions. She began to summon her own energy. She would be prepared this time.
A man wearing a long red gown came from the altar towards her. Haldora looked him in the eyes. The man blessed her in the old language of the church in Wessex. Haldora lowered her head. The man observed her. She did not show any humility.
- Do you know who I am? – The man asked.
Haldora shook her head.
- Have you any idea as to why I called you here?
Again she shook her head.
- Are you really without speech, child?
Haldora nodded.
- Good! You will be perfect. I need your services. You will live here and sow my gowns. I am in need of many gowns. Now that I am pope, I need to look the part. – The man ordered.
Haldora could not argue with such a request. The guards took her away to her work room, where fabrics were pilling up. She showed no happy feelings. She was angry. Not with this men, but with herself. She was again too close to anyone who could suspect who she was. Already she thought on how she would escape this new situation. She looked around the room and thought it to be her new prison, where she would be a slave. Soon she discovered however that the door was not locked behind her and that no guard was posted on her door. She was free to roam this great palace. Haldora smiled at this discovery. She was sure that no one could know who or what she was. No one could know unless she betrayed it.
Haldora worked for this man, the Pope, who she did not understand, for many years. She would learn about the new God, more and more, but would also be more and more disappointed with it. This Pope was supposed to be the head of this religion, the one who represented the new God on earth, but his behavior was not one of values, it was not what he preached, many times had they traveled through this new country, Italy, in the company of clowns and other strange people. His processions looked like the parades Haldora had seen before, when it was time for the changing of the year, where people would dress other costumes so that the demons would not recognize them when they harm to earth for that one day. These actions brought many generations to death at the ends of the new God believers. Still today she would hear of these deaths occurring, yet they leader of the new God believers would lavish in his palace.
Haldora took the opportunity to learn the arts of this new country. This Pope was interested in painting and sculpting, and would invite many artists to be in his company. Many of them would work on the great palace and on the great church. She watched closely as each of them explained their plans and execute them. Her learning was astounding. She was capable of understanding and repeating most of what she had learned within hours of her learning. Because she was thought to be dumb no one ever was suspicious of her and all talked openly around her. Most thought her to be illiterate as well as so would leave books lying around. Whenever possible she would steal a book and read it. At first she only read books about God, but soon she read manifestos about how God was not needed in the new society of men of thought and reason. Haldora soaked all the information she could, never neglecting her one true gods and her friends from the other side.
The years ran long and Haldora was now ready to leave this palace. People would age and she would not, no longer could she hold the secret of who she was. She had formulated a plan, which involved her supposed death, so no one would look for her. One afternoon she left the comfort of the palace and went outside for a walk. She went back to her old shop, which had closed since she was no longer working there. She made sure many people saw her go inside and then, once inside she started a grant fire. She escaped through a small window in the back and watched safely as people attempted to rescue her. By the time the fire was put out nothing remained. It was hard to recognize the wood let alone a body within the rubble.
Haldora fled the city carrying what little she could as if being chased and soon found herself on the plain she had landed. She could see the tree that had housed her during the rains. That was not the only thing she could she. The night was close and by the faint light of the twilight she could see people. Not living people but spirits. They all walked this field, some towards the city and others to other locations. She could tell some were aware of their condition, they would speak to other spirits and behave naturally, others were not, they would walked without baring and would look around in scare. Some still had upon them the marks of their death, be it in their distorted faces or opened unhealed wounds. Haldora stood on that plain taking in this new world she could see and hear. She found that many of them could see her as well. In her mind she secretly asked herself what would be a safe place for her. A young spirit girl came close and pointed the way. Haldora could hear her directions in her head as clear as any sound. She thanked the spirit and began her trip. This spirit would never leave her side. She would continuously speak into Haldora’s head of the new discoveries of mortals and the way she should take to reach her safe haven.
At last… the island…
