Mirabilis crassula… is the eco-producing plant Thrinaxia grows in mass amounts in her greenhouse ["Studying the Unloved"]. It's found in the wasteland.
"Meenoch, Valyder, Baromah, Kastahn, and Forbroir," repeated Divaka, exasperated. He paced around his room. It was dimly lit, like all the interior rooms of the lower temple. The walls were covered in paintings of Mar's journeys. Seem sat on one of the many silk cushions on the floor, pulling the blankets straight. Every morning she made his bed for him.
Meenoch's promise of a maid from Spargus had not yet been fulfilled.
For the past week, Seem had been in Divaka's care alone. After initially cleaning her up and showing her how to put on whiteface, he'd tried to see the kuan sumna. The High Priest was too busy with the upcoming royal wedding to talk to a lowly kuan about the newest addition, no matter how mysterious her origins. Or so said Meenoch, who always sent him away before he had the chance to enter the kuan sumna's presence.
"Meenoch, Valyder, Baromah…" she trailed off. Uh oh, I can't remember the last two names.
Seem had revealed herself to be a cheerfully quiet girl after the first night. Her silent grinning unnerved Divaka. Every morning she lovingly painted her face, whitening her forehead first, then her nose, then her cheeks, and finally her chin, just as he did. At mealtime she copied him exactly; eating bread how he ate it, drinking water whenever he did. She found his outgrown robe and shoes and wore them. She followed him everywhere, jumping so that her feet landed in his footsteps.
This prompted jeers and laughs from Divaka's young kuan agemates. They made fun of him and refused to let him join their card games. "Look at Divaka," they said. "He has a girl for a shadow!"
Divaka sighed. "Kastahn and Forbroir," he said.
"Kastahn and Forbroir," whispered Seem. Kastahn and Forbroir. I won't forget again, Divaka! I promise.
Since prayers were shortened and classes canceled due to the marriage preparations, and he was now totally without friends, Divaka found himself returning to his stuffy room again and again after chores. Finally, for lack of something better to do, he'd started teaching Seem about the kuan and the temple.
"And who are they?" he asked.
"Kuan skriba, learned holy men," she replied, scratching her cheek. She glanced down at her whitened fingers. He's probably going to yell at me for that.
"Don't mess up your face paint; it makes you look ignorant. What is the duty of a skriba?"
She thought for a few minutes. She refused to speak unless she was sure she was correct. If she didn't know an answer, she remained irritatingly quiet, watching him with her big red eyes and smiling.
"To be thoroughly educated on all the teachings of the Precursors," she said at last.
"Right." Divaka ran one hand through his black hair; he hated wearing the traditional monk cap and removed it whenever possible. He seriously doubted Seem understood what she had just said. "What is the difference between a sumna and a skriba?"
"There is only one sumna, one High Priest. There are five skriba, five scholarly monks." Seem sat cross-legged, her back straight.
"Which language is primarily used by the temple?"
"Middle Precursor, gleaned from artifacts found in ancient Haven." Seem said. She was unfamiliar with the word "gleaned," but liked to say it.
"Right. So all our conversation words, like skriba and sumna, are considered Middle Precursor. Count to ten in the Jai'nai dialect," said Divaka.
"Vo, na, kurra, nana, lon, kurrana…"
"Now in the Mubaksu dialect," interrupted Divaka. Though languages were his strongest point, he'd always found sudden dialect switching difficult.
Seem paused, searched the ceiling, and began, "vou, naw, comwa, nawtatsi, luuwm…"
He sighed. She was doing better than he thought she would. "Okay, now the ancient Precursor found in southern Sickle."
She counted on her little fingers. "Va, no, kumra, nonaa, lahn, kumrano…." She paused. "The dialects are similar."
"Yeah." Divaka took a piece of bread from the bag he'd sneaked from the kitchens. "They come from the same ancient language."
Seem nodded. She reached for the bread and went to take a bite.
"Do the Grateful Eating prayer," scolded Divaka. He held his right palm over the bread and moved it in a circle.
Seem copied him and concentrated. "Pir swanshaka gold'ala'mei om cava satsiya. Baroosh baroosh."
Together they signed the Seal of Mar over the bread and took a bite. Seem tapped one foot nervously on the floor and looked around at the walls. She glanced from him to the bread. Divaka sighed.
"What's your question?"
"How old are you?"
He said 'ten' in all the dialects he'd taught her.
She smiled. I like having secret languages with you. "What does baroosh baroosh mean?"
Divaka shrugged. "You say it at the end of every prayer. Or spell." He pushed his chest out. "Valyder said I might start level two spells after the Queen's wedding."
Seem blinked at him. Her foot tapped the floor again.
"Stop that," said Divaka. "It's annoying. If you have a question, ask it."
"What does baroosh baroosh mean in Spargus?"
"Huh? Oh, literally? Something like… 'so let it be.' Sometimes it means 'good luck happening.' Like saying goodbye to your prayer before sending it out. Get it now?"
Seem nodded. "When do I start classes?" She imitated the way he puffed his chest out.
"You'll have to start with all of us in the lowest prayer level. If you really do become a kuan, that is. I think you should go back to your parents, whoever they are."
"But aren't I doing well?" She counted backwards for him in ancient Perpetuan.
"Yeah," said Divaka reluctantly, picking at the threads in the rug.
Seem grinned and leaned against the wall. She took one of Divaka's lesson books and traced the ancient hieroglyphs with one finger.
Divaka grabbed another piece of bread, blessed it, and chewed. Oh Mar and the mighty Precursors entombed in their oracles, would you please give me something fun to do? I don't have any cards of my own. Stupid Seem. Why am I stuck with her? Every time I turn around, she's right there. She even manages to trip me while I wash dishes in the kitchen! And why does she always smile at me? Isn't there some woman in the city missing her daughter?
Seem hummed, chewing on a strand of short, curly red hair.
Divaka couldn't help the jealousy that seethed in his chest. It's not fair. The sumna just took her in. No birth rights, no eco tests. I had to endure the Walk of Flames and wait until I was ten, just like everyone else! He was acutely annoyed at his own envy. "Don't you ever do anything?!"
Seem looked up, startled.
"Look, you're nine! You should be outside rolling in the sand! Are your parents farmers?"
Seem nodded. Her smile wavered. "You want me to roll in the sand?"
"No… well… yes, I guess! You belong in the dirt! You shouldn't be studying. You'll never be a real kuan!"
Seem gasped.
"My friends won't talk to me now, because of you." He scowled at her. "Get out of here! I have more important things to do than babysit!"
Seem pushed herself off the cushion. "Baroosh baroosh!" She slammed the door.
Divaka frowned. He hadn't thought she'd actually leave. His chest tightened. The warning words of the sumna came back to him.
Seem ran down the dim hallway, arms out, orienting herself. She was two corridors from the staircase that led to the ground level. The rest of the halls were unknown to her; Divaka had never taken her anywhere else. She sniffed and set out in a random direction.
I thought he was my friend! I did everything he told me to. I did everything like he did…Why would he let me eat with him if I wasn't his friend?
Once thoroughly lost, she stopped. A fantastic tapestry hung below the last wall torch. Beyond was darkness. In the tapestry, a holy man bowed to a forest oracle, whose eyes flashed a terrible yellow. She recognized some of the letters as those used in the Mubaksu dialect, but didn't know what the words said. Seem counted the trees in the background. When she reached ten, she started again from one in another dialect. Divaka hadn't taught her any numbers past ten.
The thought of his name made her scowl. She stomped into the darkness, feeling along the walls. Stupid Divaka. I had to leave my sisters at home, and I walked here all alone in the wasteland. I came to see if I could be one of you, but you won't let me talk to your friends! You always walk away from them before I can tell them my name. The walls grew colder. She turned and looked back at the faint torch. She bit her lower lip. When I get scared, I'll turn back around. Everything is okay now. The hallway curved to the right and sank lower. She stumbled ahead blindly, tripping over fallen rocks.
She whimpered. "Mar guide me to safety, baroosh baroosh." She patted the walls.
The air grew colder. Seem sniffed and cocked her head. Something smelled familiar. She reached one hand out and felt nothing. The wall had collapsed. She squatted. The rocks on the floor were scarred. The smell was even stronger down here.
"Oh!" She stood as she recognized the smell. "Dark eco!" The floor rumbled. Seem stepped back, flailing for the wall that still stood. Tiny stones jumped around her ankles. The air grew thicker, grittier. It was harder to breathe. She coughed. The rocks flew from the floor; she heard them hitting the walls and the ceiling. She covered her head with her arms.
Purple light shone through the dusty air. Seem peeked between her fingers. The floor is opening! She scrambled back on her heels, backing away as the floor caved in. Blue sparks streaked to the ceiling, pulverizing the flying dirt and rendering the air clear. Dark eco erupted from the hole. It swelled over and oozed up the walls.
Seem's eyes widened. She had never seen this much dark eco in one place. The liquid shimmered a thousand shades of purple. So pretty…I want to understand you! Be part of you! It was the same feeling she had felt the day before she came to the temple, when she was in the city with her mother… She held out a hand, but as the river of eco neared, something inside her head went off. She turned and ran, squinting ahead for the yellow torch.
"Seem! Seem!" Her name bounced off the decaying walls.
Why was the torch moving?
"There you are!" Divaka ran up to her, panting. He had hastily pulled his cap on; black hair poked out from beneath it. "What are you doing in this wing?" He shivered; the torchlight flickered. "How could you be so stupid? I thought I told you never to go down this way! It's dangerous!"
Seem caught her breath, folded her arms and stood with her back to him.
"Why are you always so quiet?" Divaka grabbed her and spun her around. "I'm sorry I was mean, okay? It's just that you're annoying, and I shouldn't have to watch you."
Seem glared at him.
"Okay, that wasn't nice, either." Divaka looked down at his sandals. "The ancient writings say that Mar endured many hardships, as we all do. I guess you're my burden to bear, since Meenoch never got that maid." He sighed. "I have to go to the well now. Are you going to follow me?" Her eyes flashed. "C'mon, say something!"
"I want to be a kuan." Seeing the dark eco so close had cemented the idea in her mind.
"Yeah, I know," said Divaka. He glanced up and down the hall. "Let's go to the well, okay? We can talk about it there."
Seem leaned against the wall and pouted.
Divaka felt jumpy. "Okay! I'll let you come to lessons with me when they start up again. I'm sure everyone will be impressed with you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the wall. "Mar! Your fingers are cold! Let's go, okay?"
"Okay," Seem squeezed his hand. "What's wrong?"
"I don't like being in this part of the temple," he said, looking at the darkness from which she had come. "Eco vents open suddenly. You don't want to be near them when that happens. There are Eyes down there, too. And the walls crumble."
"But light eco doesn't hurt anyone," she said, practically flying as Divaka ran back to his own hallway.
"These vents are too pure," he said. They paused at his room while he got their sandcoats. "Only a powerful person can stand in one without being ripped apart. A channeler."
"Is the sumna a channeler?"
"I don't think so."
"Oh." Seem smiled. She looked extremely pleased with herself.
"What?" Divaka bent to help fasten her coat together. He straightened her goggles.
"I'm more powerful than the sumna."
"Ha." Divaka tucked her pant legs into her boots. "I wouldn't go around saying that very loudly. See how I did that? There's a loop at the bottom of the sandcoat. Wrap it around the loop of your boots. Otherwise you'll get sand burns where your skin isn't covered."
Seem touched her cheeks. "I know." She bent and did up her coat. Divaka handed her his old gloves. "I don't want to be a burden. I want to be your friend."
Divaka winced inside, thinking of his agemates' reactions. "Sure, we can be friends." Just don't tell anyone.
Seem smiled under her face scarf. They walked up the stairs, two child-shaped bundles of cloth. The sun glared down as they stepped outside. Seem took a deep breath, feeling much warmer than she had been a few minutes ago. A strong wind blew sand into their faces. Divaka took her hand and they walked to the back of the temple. He pointed to the well and to the irrigation ditches in the ground. Speaking was futile in the wind. Seem copied him as he dumped water into the ditches. Herbs and vegetables rarely grew in the sandy soil, but the kuan skriba insisted they have a garden.
A man wearing all black sandgear came out and watched them. Divaka pushed her to go faster. She panted, sweating under the sun. The wind blew sand into the creases between her goggles and cheeks. Her shoulders ached. She lowered the bucket into the well, waited for it to fill, pulled it up, carried it to the garden, dumped the water out… over and over, until she had to sit. The bucket fell to the ground and almost blew away. Divaka glared at her, but didn't motion for her to continue. The man in black watched for a few more minutes, then waved at Divaka.
He took her by the elbow and pulled her over. Divaka signed to the man. He signed back. Seem watched them and copied Divaka. The boy rolled his eyes and bowed apologetically.
The man turned and they followed him inside. They stood in a small room and removed their sandgear. Once the last boot loop had been undone, Divaka bowed. Seem copied him, smiling.
"Who's that?" she whispered as their foreheads nearly touched the floor.
"The youngest kuan skriba, Valyder."
They straightened. Valyder brushed sand from his black hair and rearranged his cap. He was huge. Seem tilted her head up and up to see his face. The blue stripes on his forehead were broader than Meenoch's. Sand ringed his eyes, sticking to the whiteface where the goggle seals had worn thin. "Divaka, is it?" he thundered.
"Yes, kuan skriba." Divaka bit the inside of his mouth. Does he know Seem ran off into the nether hallways? How could he know? Have I been cruel to her? He glanced at the little girl. She was counting the silver buttons on Valyder's black robe silently. By her lip movements, Divaka could tell she was counting in Jai'nai.
"The circle of skriba wishes to see the girl," boomed Valyder. The man was unable to speak at a normal volume. "As you have kindly taken her into your quarters, you are invited to attend."
Divaka bowed. He didn't want to go, as most of the skriba were dry, irritable old men. But he did not dare refuse. "It would be an honor."
Seem squeaked. The man's blue eyes twinkled. She followed him out the door, Divaka stumbling after, somewhat shocked. In his two years at the temple, he had never been invited to the circle of skriba.
To anyone familiar with the term "blessed be," that's kind of what baroosh baroosh means to me. Thanks for reading!