SyndicationJul302010
When he opened them his father's image seemed to...
When he opened them his father's image seemed to be holding something out towards himA vial of some liquidTomasso did not understand
"This is the last thing I can do for you," the ghost said in a strange, unexpectedly wistful voice"If I were stronger I could do more, but at least they will not hurt you in the morning nowThey will not hurt you any more, my sonDrink it Tomasso, drink it and this will all be goneAll go away, I promise youThen wait for me Tomasso, wait if you can in Morian's HallsI would like to walk with you there
Tomasso still did not understand, but the tone was so mild, so reassuringHe took the dream-vialAgain it was more substantial than he'd expected it to be
His father nodded encouragementWith trembling hands Tomasso fumbled and removed the stopperThen with a last gesture, a final mocking parody of himself, he raised it in a wide, sweeping, elaborate salute to his own powers of fantasy and he drained it chanel shopping bags to the dregs, which were bitter
His father's smile was so sadSmiles are not supposed to be sad, Tomasso wanted to sayHe had said that to a boy once, in a temple of Morian at night, in a room where he was not supposed to beHe felt as if he were about to fall asleep, even though he already was asleep, and dreaming in his feverHe really didn't understandHe especially didn't understand why his father, who was dead, should ask him to wait in Morian's Halls
He looked up again, wanting to ask about thatHis vision seemed to be going completely strange on him though
He knew this was so, because the image of his father, looking down upon him, seemed to be cryingThere were tears in his father's eyes
Which was impossible
"Farewell," he heard
Farewell, he tried to say, in return
He wasn't sure if he'd actually managed to form the word, or if he'd only thought it, but just then a darkness more encompassing than he had ever known came down chanel earrings stud over him like a blanket or a mantle, and the difference between the spoken and the unspoken ceased to matter anymore
PART TWO ? DIANORA
Chapter 7
DIANORA COULD REMEMBER THE DAY SHE CAME TO THE Island
The air that autumn morning had been much like it was today at the beginning of spring, white clouds scudding in a high blue sky as the wind had swept the Tribute Ship through the whitecaps into the harbor of ChiaraBeyond harbor and town the slopes mounting to the hills had been wild with fall colorsThe leaves were turning: red and gold and some that clung yet to green, she remembered
The sails of the Tribute Ship so long ago had been red and gold as well: colors of celebration in YgrathShe knew that now, she hadn't known it thenShe had stood on the forward deck of the ship to gaze for the first time at the splendor of Chiara's harbor, at the long pier where the Grand Dukes used to stand to throw a ring into the sea, gucci bangle watch and from where Letizia had leaped in the first of the Ring Dives to reclaim the ring from the waters and marry her Duke: turning the Dives into the luck and symbol of Chiara's pride until beautiful Onestra had changed the ending of the story hundreds and hundreds of years ago, and the Ring Dives had ceasedEven so, every child in the Palm knew that legend of the IslandYoung girls in each province would play at diving into water for a ring and rising in triumph, with their hair shining wet, to wed a Duke of power and glory
From near the prow of the Tribute Ship, Dianora had looked up beyond the harbor and palace to gaze at the majesty of snow-crowned Sangarios rising behind themThe Ygrathen sailors had not disturbed her silenceThey had allowed her to come forward to watch the Island approachOnce she'd been safely aboard ship and the ship away to sea they'd been kind to herWomen thought to have a real chance at being chosen for tiffany and co jewelry the saishan were always treated well on the Tribute ShipsIt could make a captain's fortune in Brandin's court if he brought home a hostage who became a favorite of the Tyrant
Sitting now on the southern balcony of the saishan wing, looking out from behind the ornately crafted screen that hid the women from gawkers in the square below, Dianora watched the banners of Chiara and Ygrath flap in the freshening spring breeze, and she remembered how the wind had blown her hair about her face more than twelve years agoShe remembered looking from the bright sails to the slopes of the tree-clad hills running up to Sangarios, from the blue and white of the sea to the clouds in the blue skyFrom the tumult and chaos of life in the harbor to the serene grandeur of the palace just beyondBirds had been wheeling, crying loudly about the three high masts of the Tribute ShipThe rising sun had been a dazzle of light striking along the sea from the omega geneve
"This is the last thing I can do for you," the ghost said in a strange, unexpectedly wistful voice"If I were stronger I could do more, but at least they will not hurt you in the morning nowThey will not hurt you any more, my sonDrink it Tomasso, drink it and this will all be goneAll go away, I promise youThen wait for me Tomasso, wait if you can in Morian's HallsI would like to walk with you there
Tomasso still did not understand, but the tone was so mild, so reassuringHe took the dream-vialAgain it was more substantial than he'd expected it to be
His father nodded encouragementWith trembling hands Tomasso fumbled and removed the stopperThen with a last gesture, a final mocking parody of himself, he raised it in a wide, sweeping, elaborate salute to his own powers of fantasy and he drained it chanel shopping bags to the dregs, which were bitter
His father's smile was so sadSmiles are not supposed to be sad, Tomasso wanted to sayHe had said that to a boy once, in a temple of Morian at night, in a room where he was not supposed to beHe felt as if he were about to fall asleep, even though he already was asleep, and dreaming in his feverHe really didn't understandHe especially didn't understand why his father, who was dead, should ask him to wait in Morian's Halls
He looked up again, wanting to ask about thatHis vision seemed to be going completely strange on him though
He knew this was so, because the image of his father, looking down upon him, seemed to be cryingThere were tears in his father's eyes
Which was impossible
"Farewell," he heard
Farewell, he tried to say, in return
He wasn't sure if he'd actually managed to form the word, or if he'd only thought it, but just then a darkness more encompassing than he had ever known came down chanel earrings stud over him like a blanket or a mantle, and the difference between the spoken and the unspoken ceased to matter anymore
PART TWO ? DIANORA
Chapter 7
DIANORA COULD REMEMBER THE DAY SHE CAME TO THE Island
The air that autumn morning had been much like it was today at the beginning of spring, white clouds scudding in a high blue sky as the wind had swept the Tribute Ship through the whitecaps into the harbor of ChiaraBeyond harbor and town the slopes mounting to the hills had been wild with fall colorsThe leaves were turning: red and gold and some that clung yet to green, she remembered
The sails of the Tribute Ship so long ago had been red and gold as well: colors of celebration in YgrathShe knew that now, she hadn't known it thenShe had stood on the forward deck of the ship to gaze for the first time at the splendor of Chiara's harbor, at the long pier where the Grand Dukes used to stand to throw a ring into the sea, gucci bangle watch and from where Letizia had leaped in the first of the Ring Dives to reclaim the ring from the waters and marry her Duke: turning the Dives into the luck and symbol of Chiara's pride until beautiful Onestra had changed the ending of the story hundreds and hundreds of years ago, and the Ring Dives had ceasedEven so, every child in the Palm knew that legend of the IslandYoung girls in each province would play at diving into water for a ring and rising in triumph, with their hair shining wet, to wed a Duke of power and glory
From near the prow of the Tribute Ship, Dianora had looked up beyond the harbor and palace to gaze at the majesty of snow-crowned Sangarios rising behind themThe Ygrathen sailors had not disturbed her silenceThey had allowed her to come forward to watch the Island approachOnce she'd been safely aboard ship and the ship away to sea they'd been kind to herWomen thought to have a real chance at being chosen for tiffany and co jewelry the saishan were always treated well on the Tribute ShipsIt could make a captain's fortune in Brandin's court if he brought home a hostage who became a favorite of the Tyrant
Sitting now on the southern balcony of the saishan wing, looking out from behind the ornately crafted screen that hid the women from gawkers in the square below, Dianora watched the banners of Chiara and Ygrath flap in the freshening spring breeze, and she remembered how the wind had blown her hair about her face more than twelve years agoShe remembered looking from the bright sails to the slopes of the tree-clad hills running up to Sangarios, from the blue and white of the sea to the clouds in the blue skyFrom the tumult and chaos of life in the harbor to the serene grandeur of the palace just beyondBirds had been wheeling, crying loudly about the three high masts of the Tribute ShipThe rising sun had been a dazzle of light striking along the sea from the omega geneve