A/N: -It's in Jane's POV-
-The italic part is when a character is thinking.
I'm not sure where this story came from? It's all random. It has a little bit of history and religion into the story, but I don't think is all correct. Lol. One-shot? Canon? Edit: I went back to fix minor errors. So, I want to thank the people who review my story to help me become a better writer. Although, the glitches of the timeline will stay. Lol.

Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and The Dragon.

Words of Wisdom

"Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?"
- Job 12:12

The streets of The Village in Kingdom Kippernium are bustling about in every direction as my green eyes focus attentively to my surroundings to view men unloading barrels that contain wine to sell in the market, while other people are shopping along, jumping from tent to tent to gain a good bargain. I turn my head to gaze on a particular shop that sells little figurines made from white porcelain in shapes of sheikhs, an Arab leader, riding a camel with a sword in hand.

Sir Theodore would love that figurine of the sheikh, making him retouch his past of untold mysterious and surely his eyes will hold sentiments of nostalgia and pure sadness without him even knowing…

"For a good deal, I will sell you that special figurine in exchange for a pure gold coin. What do you say, lady?" The vendor interrupts my thoughts as I look up to him. "You do know that these collectibles are rare and very exquisite? My, on my last merchant trip to Mecca almost all of the figurines got sold." He grins showing his yellow teeth as he nears next to me, showing the same foreign objects of the Far East that I was looking at a moment ago.

"No … thank-you sir." I politely decline his offer as I take a step away from him and seeing him put the figurines on the table where it does not belong. "Maybe in a different time if destiny permits me, besides I do not have a gold coin with me at the moment."

"Ah, you are just like those Arabs with the destiny thing. What was it again?" The merchant scratches his brown beard, trying to recollect the stories and myths he heard about in his trips that revolve around money. "Oh, that is correct. They believe that their destiny is already written in the book of destiny, but do not tell me you believe in the same lies as they do?" He wickedly smirks at me, crossing his arms over his chest as if to show what he says is only correct. "Come on lady, you are born to create your own destiny, right?"

I take a moment to breathe and relax my senses. I pray to theOne above that I do not have my Dragon silver sword with me in the moment for if I did I would have slain this despicable ugly man that does not respect other beliefs.

"Of you saying, 'you are born to create your own destiny' is already part of your destiny to state it for it was already written besides not only the Arabs believe in destiny, you fool." I state calmly to the man who narrows his dreary eyes at me as I turn around to walk away to the heart of the market. I remember my orders from Sir Theodore who told me to retrieve some books and I curse myself that I get distracted so easily.

. . .

After sometime later I find the shop that I was looking for in the first place. It is a small bookstore just barely in the outskirts of The Village. Although I do find it strange since books are usually sold next to the churches (probably nobody visits this shop only lords and of high society that can read, which is not much sadly). I pray silently to the Lord that I was born into a noble family because I was able to read and write at an early age and I know my family's status in society also helped me to get my knights apprentice, not only saving Prince Cuthbert and befriending Dragon did much help sadly.

I silently walk to the wooden door of the shop to open it and inside is filled with different books of various sizes in the shelf while others are scattered around in the top of wooden tables. Some are big and small while others are thick and thin with more colors than a rainbow. Truly, it is a very magnificent sight even to the people who loathe books.

"Ah, Jane, the red-haired squire, you have made it. I was starting to get a little worried." A young man in his early twenties states to me humorously as he walks to my side. He is the landlord of this small book place.

"Gavin, you fool." I chuckle softly as Gavin also joins with his blue eyes shining amusingly and sweeping his blond hair from his handsome face. "Did I really take a long time?"

"Not really squire, but you are usually on time. So you had me worried – a little." He smiles a profound smile with his clear eyes never leaving my silhouette.

"There is nothing to worry about Gavin." I state warily, getting uncomfortable with the blond gazing at me with such intensity and I take a step away from him to lazily look at a table with random books on top of it. One red book with gold embroidery gains my attention with the title that reads: Diamond Sutra.

"You have a good eye, Jane." Gavin walks to where I am at, taking the book from the table and flips its content without really reading it. "This is a copy of a Buddhist text from India. It is very interesting, really, about Siddhartha Gautama prince of northern India became Buddha and created his own philosophy."

"Yes, I have read about the 'enlighten one' and how he was distressed by human suffering that he gave up his life of luxury and fasted beneath a tree for six years until he finally reached nirvana." I recollect my information from before that I have read in a book from the castle's library.

"You sure do know a lot lady squire." Gavin looks up to me as he sets the book on the top of the table where it was before and nears closer to me. "Not unlike the other ladies who spend all their time in the mirrors looking at themselves as if they are hidden treasures, thinking that beauty can save them from the gates of Hell. The Devil is not so pleasing, you know." He teasingly smiles, trying to touch my hair, but I softly slap his hand away and he in return raises his fair eyebrows.

"Anyways, Gavin where are the books that Sir Theodore ordered?" I state sternly to the young man, looking to his face, green eyes to blue eyes.

There is no way in hell I am going to let this ultimate fool to intimidate me.

"Of course, Jane wait just a minute." He takes a step back slowly away from me to walk to the back door where surely my Sir Knight's books are waiting for him and I sigh contently that Gavin has left me at least for a second of solitude.

It would of have been about a year since I meet the flirtatious blond when I barely turn fifteen. A year ago, Sir Theodore sent me on the same errand to retrieve some books for him. It is because of that trip have I really been interested in the language of the books in which I have discovered my passion for History and its past and its mysteries. A year later, here I am at the same spot waiting for different books to be added to the castle's royal library and to be hidden away until centuries later to be rediscovered again, thinking they found a new shining gem in a dark abyss. What a lonesome tale.

"Well, here are the books future lady knight." Gavin returns from the backroom with a smile on his lips, making me return to my reality and he gives me the stack of books which startles me from the weight. "And do not worry Sir Theodore already paid for them when he did the order."

"Thank you, Gavin." I tell him slowly as my eyes observe the books hazily in my hands. "Well, then it is my time for the leave." I walk to the door to make my exit, but not before Gavin walks swiftly ahead of me to open the door for me. "Uh … thanks, but I could of have endured."

"I know you could, but let me be a friend for once." His eyes beam an invisible shiny light as he holds the wooden door for me to exit and I just look sternly back at him for there is no need to respond. I finally take my leave from the store and from Gavin with the loud impact from the door.

Finally, the hot summer air blows between my skin, enough to make anyone high and I take a deep breath for being outside in the loud street that makes me feel content about my home, of my Kingdom of Kippernium. I can finally take my time to glance at the book's cover that belongs to Sir Knight.

One is an old book with a title that states: The Five Pillars of Islam.

My lips form a smile as I secretly know what all these books contain, and I look through another one before I head to the castle. It is a simple book without a title. My eyes grow wide in bewilderment for I have never seen a book without a title. I set the other books on the ground, so I can have a better grasp on the book and debate whether or not should I open it because not only will I open the book, I will have also open closed wounds from the older knight for I know it is disrespectful to read things that do not belong to you. I sigh loudly and decide to open the book with its content and to my surprise, it is written in a strange and bizarre language that I have never seen in my life. I squint my eyes to hope if I can clarify the peculiar writing, but it is no use. It looks the same and I sigh in defeat, picking up the remaining books on the ground and leaving the outskirts of the busy market to the quiet castle.

"Sir Theodore." I say to the older knight when I arrive from The Village in his room inside of the castle. He is standing next to an opening viewing the mountain landscape with the scorching sun in the top of the blue heavens burning the earth. "I have brought the books from town that you ordered me to be retrieved."

Sir Theodore takes a slight moment to look at me from the glassless window and I see his chest rise as he takes a silent, but deep breath with closing his melancholy eyes that have lived through so much. I wonder if I broke through his thoughts and a slash of guilt runs inside my skin, hoping someday if Sir Theodore will tell me his thoughts that torment him secretly. Someday.

"Jane you returned. I thought you got lost in a slight labyrinth in town." He replies amusingly with a tint of blue, opening his eyes to continue seeing the fields of the outside world that have no owner.

If only he knew of all the little adventures I venture every time I walk on the streets. Just as you have stories to share I also have mysteries to tell, but unless you tell me your torments can I tell you of my minor quests inside of The Village. I will be waiting for that day my Sir Knight…

Ignoring my future and secret promise I reply, "I apologize for taking a longer time than I anticipated." I slightly bow down to show my genuine sincereness, not of being late, but of not having the strength to exchange stories between each other.

"It is alright squire." Sir Knight finally leaves the window to look at me, his aged face expressionless. "Place the books on my desk right next to the papers, if you may."

"Yes, sir." I walk to his desk to place the book where he instructs me to, positioning the book without a title in front of the stack. I debate to whether ask Sir Theodore about the content of these books and I select to take the risk. "Sir Theodore … if I may ask; what are these books about?"

He continues to look at me as if debating to tell me the substance within all these books. Not knowing if he will truly tell me about a simple story for he will also open closed wounds he thought he healed a century ago. "Jane –"

A knock on the old wooden door interrupts him and I from our conversation and we both look at the door waiting to see who is behind it.

"Yes?" Sir Theodore questions, walking up to the old door to open it to show Gunther standing proudly in the doorway with a pair of iron swords in his gloved hands.

"It is I Sir Theodore, Gunther." Gunther's prideful and deep voice echoes through the room as his gray eyes scan through the area and takes a moment to gaze at me, before looking again at the older knight.
Great, the arrogant squire is here to ruin the moment."I have brought the sword that Sir Ivan ordered me to polish."

"Set it on the desk next to the books." Sir Theodore points to the same books that I placed a second earlier.

Gunther nods to the older knight and walks up next to me to put the refine swords in the top of the desk, taking a quick glance at the books, but dismissing them as if they are not important to the future knight. Quickly sensing my eyes on him, Gunther looks up at me with his face made out of wonder, but quickly ignores my stare to slowly walk out of the room.

"Those books are a copy from the Arab world." Sir Theodore states unexpectedly, making Gunther suddenly stop in his tracks and I look at the older knight in disbelief that he will actually speak of his unknown past to us, his squire and Sir Ivan's squire. "The book with no title is the Qur'an, the flawless record of Allah's word as revealed to Muhammad by the angel Jibril or Gabriel."

"Not again with the false stories of religion that are just myths and made up." Gunther mutters under his breath and I glare at him in response to his incredulity.

"Is that the reason why the writing is so … peculiar yet beautiful like none I have ever seen before?" I take off my eyes from the black-haired squire to face Sir Theodore with his face made out of surprise that I will know of its content of the book and I sigh in defeat. "I cannot lie to you sir for I respect you too much to do so. Curiosity got the best of me and I could not control myself. Forgive me please and I understand if you cannot look at me with the same eyes as you just to."

Sir Theodore smiles a small smile before responding. "I understand squire. In fact, that happened to me once when I was still a squire a century ago." Gunther and I look at him in surprise. We are both surprise that Sir Theodore will tell us of his first memory of his childhood for the first time. It is weird to think that once this aged knight was young just like us? "And yes Jane, it is written in Arabic the language of the Middle East."

"And the Five Pillars of Islam? What is that book about?"

"Here we go, more lies to be spread." Gunther breathes silently, shaking his head and crossing his hands over his defined chest, but continues to stay in the room to listen.

"Every Muslim is obliged to perform the five basic deeds or the five pillars in his or her lifetime." Sir Theodore walks to where the books are stationed, picking the book and goes through page by page as is savoring the sweet memories he once lived before. "They are Salat: to pray five times a day facing Mecca, Zakat: to give to the needy, Sawm: to fast from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan, Hajj: to make the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime."

"And the last one Sir Theodore?" I question my mentor, waiting for him to finish.

"Shahadah: recite La ilaha illahah wa-Muhammad rasulullah, meaning 'there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah'."

"La ilaha illahah." I repeat in a quiet whisper. The beautiful phrase sounds like a magical melody in my ears with the foreign words matching to the rhythm of my tongue, it complements one another. How truthful are these words to my soul and soothes my hearts that sighs in bliss?

Gunther shakes his head slightly at the hearing of my words, of my repetition. "Sir Theodore thank you for telling us your … tale, but I need to leave to finish my other shores." Gunther bows down to Sir Knight and takes a slight moment to look at me before leaving to an unknown destination, leaving me alone with my mentor like how we were in the beginning.

I look at the door that Gunther closes with a slam. "Sir Theodore I also will take my leave, if you will excuse me." I quickly mimic the same movements as Gunther and leave the older knight who nods his head before I leave him in solitude recollecting his past, but never leaving him alone because his memories will always accompany him wherever he goes.

When I open the creaking old and wooden door the warms air hits deep inside of my core as I try to follow Gunther's shadow before he leaves the castle grounds.

"Gunther! Wait!" I shout to the future knight who turns his head with his eyes made out of curiosity and stops in his tracks, so I can catch up to him in the middle of the practice yard.

"Yes, Jane?" He questions me with raising his eyebrow as he waits for my answer when I finally catch up to him.

"You know I heard you when you mutter under your breath about 'lies being spread' and such."

"Jane listen – "

"No, you listen to me, Gunther!" I interrupt him sternly, my eyes burning him softly. "If they were lies then why stop to listen to them; to inspect if there is any truth to them? Your heart is made out of stone, but I do not think made out of hard concrete stone like the castle's stone wall. No. Maybe made of soft rock that can crumble easily. If I could … I mean I can try to … if you let me …I …" I lose my voice when I finally hear and understand the stupid words that are coming from my mouth. I?"Er…" I try to think of something fast knowing what I said was so plain foolish. Did a secret reveal itself not knowing it was a secrecy itself? But I will be damned if I ever let him know.

"It is alright Jane; I … I understand where … where you are coming from." Gunther harsh features turn soft when he understands the meaning of my words and looks up to the cloudless sky. "I do not have time to think whether if people's beliefs are the truth or not and to be honest I really do not care if I go to hell or heaven. The only thing that I care about is that in one month I will be knighted and finally my dream will come become a reality. Then perhaps I can find my faith or salvation or whatever, well if there are no wars until then." He turns away from the sky to look at me. His eyes lost in this cruel world once more and walks slowly out of the courtyard with his heavy footsteps echoing through the practice yard to where he was heading before I interrupted him, leaving through the opening to The Village.

"Gunther, must you hide away the contents of your solemn heart?" I whisper slowly to the wind hoping it will carry my message to stubborn squire somehow.

You are lost once again Gunther, lost like the lost sheep without a shepherd. You thought you were finally found and secure when your father finally let you become a knight without second-hand games, did you not? You must be reborn again by the spirit to understand this new meaning of life for these are words of wisdom spoken by the light of day. I sadly lament as I walk away to the opposite side of the castle's front gates.

Gunther, it is not dreadful to seek without knowing what you will find in the end of the path for, in the beginning, you have to walk a million paths to look for one destiny – I just hope that I can be… If only…

"Well, if it isn't the same lady from before."

A gruff voice interrupts my judgments as I focus to my surroundings to notice I am in the same place from earlier – in the heart of The Village next to the same shop where they sell small figurines of different individuals and seeing the same loathsome merchant from midday again.

When Gunther left me in a heartbroken mood earlier, by under God, I decided to at least make someone's spirit soar higher than the white heavens above.

"What bring you here lady?" He wickedly grins at me as he vigorously looks at me up and down. "To fight over destiny, eh?"

How dreadful is it to think that you have to be a part of my destiny again to achieve my goal.

"Be careful with your words merchant." I state sternly, narrowing my eyes to him with my right hand on top of my leather sheath beside my hip to show him my seriousness. "I am a squire associated with the castle and of King Caradoc, King of Kippernium, but I am not here to cause trouble to you, in fact, today is your lucky day merchant for I want to buy the sheikh porcelain figurine for a pure gold coin as you stated earlier."

The gruff man cackles noisily and I could feel the stares from the locals pierce through me that have crowded to see the insignificant scene.

"My, lady squire you sure do have an attitude – a red flamed attitude." The ugly merchant licks his cracked lips lightly while I hold my sheath tighter in my hand. "Alright, then future lady knight. Which one will you like? Too bad I have to respect my customer to have a sell." He sighs as he stops looking at my sword cover to go over to his table to get the foreign object.

I turn my head to face the crowd that had gathered from the little scene, "what? There is nothing to see." I glare at them like daggers with my eyes that are burning with red fury, not only the sun is hot now, and in one second the throng dispersed in every direction of the market. Some to continue to shop around, while others went to their jobs to unload barrels and sell their produce." I will like the same one from before, if you may." I say to the rugged merchant when the last man leaves. He looks at me cautiously and hands me the same sheikh from before – riding on the camel with a sword in hand. I look at the little figurine as if I am holding the most valuable treasure in the earth. "Beautiful…"

It is such a wonder how precise is the detailing on the little doll in my hands. The eyes are an auburn yellow almost shining with life, the small thin-line mustache forming into a smile with the red lips and the golden turban wrap around his head with a rare blue sapphire precious stone in the middle of it glowing with a luxurious edge. How beautiful is the sheikh's cloak in a dark navy blue, reflecting the sun, with gold colored gems decorating it all over, covering half of his white shimmering pants with tan shoes and holding the silver colored sword in his white hands in the top of the white camel with painted blue eyes. Truly, a piece of art.

"You know that this statue is inspired by one of the four caliphs, Muhammad's successors. They say this miniature statue is the true mirror of Ali, the caliph, before he was assassinated."

"I see. Well here is the gold coin." I state, retaining all of the information the merchant just told me and making a mental checklist to see what truth is in his words as I put the gold coin on the top of the table where immediately the merchant grabs it to inspect it by biting it. "And do you have some rare spices that almost come from the end of the world?"

The merchant puts his gold coin in his pocket, eyeing me with each movement to see if any of my words were just a jest. "The only spice that I have is curry, lady." He states his words with an almost friendly tone knowing this will be his only sell for the week.

"That will be fine, how much?"

"Another gold coin." He grins showing his decay teeth and I just glare at his statement. "It is a rare spice only found in India after all. A dozen of men were killed in the trip just to get their hands on this valuable spice that is scarce in this region."

Now, where did I hear the same excuse? That is right – from the merchant of the castle who said the same exact words when he brought a 'dragon egg.' Fool, like I, would believe in the same lie.

"Alright then." I put another gold coin in the table with keeping my eyes on his silhouette the whole time and he raises his bushy eyebrow that I did not feel apologetic for the 'deaths' of the strangers but goes in the back table to get a golden box. He opens its content with a bronze key that he pulls from his pocket to reveal two clear bottles that have a red substance inside of them. Is that the curry?

The merchant puts one of the bottles on top of the table and picks up another gold coin that will feed him for a month at the latest. He inspects the coin again to make sure no one is making a fool out of him.

I grab the bottle of curry that is a red powder with a strong and spicy scent that I can smell even with the lid closed. Never in my life have I smell anything of the sort and I simply nod my head before I leave, hoping today will be the last day I will ever see the dreadful merchant.

. . .

In the knight's quarter, Sir Theodore is seeing the same iron swords that Gunther polished earlier. His eyes trace over the old and worn sword in his leather-gloved hand, noticing little dints in the edge of the blade.

"Everything with time does it wear away: lifeless objects; how much more on humans? The years also have grown weary on me and yet, in the end, I could not return to a home I thought to never leave, to…"

"No." Sir Theodore breathes silently as he shuts his eyes firmly. "Leave that in the past for Kippernium is my only home and King Caradoc is the only man I will serve until my death. I was foolish to think I can call a foreign country my home." He feels his gloves wet and opens his eyes to see a red substance coming from his hands barely noticing that he is clutching the sword tightly in his hands making him bleed.

He silently puts the old sword on the table and takes the red tainted glove off from his aged hand to observe a little, but deep cut in the middle of his palm. He goes to get a clean washcloth he keeps in his desk drawers to clean the running crimson blood off.

"This must be God's punishment for thinking about the past when I have the present in my hands and maybe even for discussing another religion to the squires that is not Christianity." He solemnly states as he puts the now red washcloth on the desk next to the same books that Jane placed earlier of today, but what he sees shocks him making him forget the pain of longing.

He sees a small porcelain figurine of an Arab man riding on a camel and a transparent bottle with a red powder inside of it like curry spice.

"How did this got in here?" He questions himself in astonishment when he spots a little note next to the figurine and he picks it up to read it silently.

"I hope I brought a piece to your past to your present Sir Knight.
Do not fret about your memories fading away.
La ilaha illahah.
– Jane, your squire

Sir Theodore only smiles emotionally as he sets the piece of paper on the table softly and picking up the sheikh to have a better look on it, seeing the little details of the Arab man smiling and then sets it down gently on the table and picks the spice to whiff it, making him relieve memories he only thought to imagine.

Q/F: -The Diamond Sutra dating from 868 is thought to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world.
-Nirvana is the final stage to reach in meditation
Yeah…
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