Chapter 7

The night of the festival drew closer as the sun set. Umbra had helped Amira pick out an outfit befitting of a Heliohapt native but it didn't make it any more comfortable. She had on a thin white drapery skirt and a top made of chains and jewels that left nothing to the imagination. Umbra was dressed similarly and Amira couldn't keep her eyes off of her; it was all she could do to keep from thinking about the feeling of their lips together. She had to focus, tonight was about having some actual fun.

And she did have fun. Amira danced to the drum rhythms she'd never heard before and felt as if her spirit might leave her body. She drank to her heart's content but never worried about being too drunk to get home. She was finally feeling at home.

At one point in the night Amira caught Umbra off alone, looking rather intently at another woman and so she decided to go and talk to her. "Hey, are you having as much fun as I am?"

Umbra looked a little shocked, "I'm not sure anyone here has ever had as much fun as you're having right now."

"Go talk to her already!" Amira pushed, "I noticed you staring while I was across the bonfire. If you don't go at least say hello it's going to get weird." And for added emphasis Amira gave her a little push toward the mystery woman, though Amira had to admit Umbra had good taste; besides herself that woman was clearly the most beautiful at the bonfire.

The night raged on and the more people Amira met the more at home she felt. Umbra had been right; she'd needed to get over her past to take part in her future. And the future looked like a handsome young man with some very interesting tattoos.


The following morning Amira woke up to the blazing heat of the sun pouring over her. Maybe she'd gone a little too heavy on the liquor last night after all. No she remembered everything, just not falling asleep. She was back at home but of course there was an extra body in her bed. Amira sighed, she thought she'd told him to go back home before the sun was up. She gently kneed the body, "Hey Rehu, time to go home. Party's over," she grumbled.

Umbra laughed from the next room over, "Finally making him leave are we?" Rehu gathered up his shawl and left without much word. Amira honestly thought it would be more of a fight but hey if it was that easy then there wasn't any real fault was there? "You're lucky it's the day after a festival. Normally it wouldn't be so easy."

"Do you read minds now too? Or have you always had that quality?" Amira asked.

"Calm down, you're probably just hung over," Umbra giggled, "Do you want breakfast or just my hangover cure?"

"I'll take breakfast if you tell me what happened with that lovely lady last night," Amira replied.

They chatted over breakfast and filled Knell in on most of the fun she'd missed. It figured that'd she'd fallen asleep early on in the night while the adults raged on. Umbra revealed that the woman she'd eyed at the party was named Amaunet and they'd had a lovely evening talking, and no more she assured Amira. Turned out Amaunet took care of the orphans of the kingdom and was in need of some help.

Amira was sure as she walked to the orphanage that Umbra was just trying to get her out of the medicine hut, but she enjoyed working with children and Knell had more of a knack for medicine than Amira assumed she ever would. That didn't stop the butterflies in her stomach from wreaking havoc as she entered the building and spotted Amaunet laughing, covered in small children.

"Help! I'm being overrun!" Amaunet giggled as the children crawled all over her.

Amira couldn't contain her laughter at the situation, "Well I need help with all these cookies I brought!" she called to the children revealing a bag of sweets; immediately distracted the children all rushed Amira, nearly knocking her off her feet in the process. "There's plenty for everyone, calm down."

Amaunet shot her a grateful glance before heading over to help. Amaunet really was as beautiful as any woman might ever hope to be in Heliohapt, though she sported a short white bob covered in braids her light green eyes stood out as if they were their own siren song. Amira could tell why Umbra was so enchanted with her, in fact if it weren't for their friendship Amira might have made a pass at the lovely woman. Amira helped her through the day with various tasks, mostly cleaning, as she watched how Amaunet cared for the children.

When the end of the day came around Amira helped put them all to bed. "Would you tell us a bedtime story?" one of the children asked Amira as she pulled a blanket up over three of them.

Cries of "Yes please" and "An adventure story" rose around the room. Amira was never really good at adventure stories or stories in general but she didn't want to disappoint the kids. Amaunet seemed just as interested, maybe it was because Amira was the first outsider to truly be accepted into the kingdom. So she thought up the best story she could think of and told it as dramatically as she could.

ooOOOoo

In a land not too far away was an Island in the vast sea. On that island lived a small girl that dreamed of seeing the world. She would stare out at the sea and wonder, "If I were to just sail away where might the current take me?" Her father told her that she'd have to grow big and strong if she didn't want the sea to take her so far away that she'd never return so she worked hard to grow big and strong.

When the day finally came for her to leave the small island a mystical building appeared. It was so tall that the villagers thought it might reach the sun. But the brave girl heard a voice calling to her that said she would be able to control the sea if she were to enter. So she did, and in doing so it transported her to a magical land filled with glittering crystals, clear waterfalls and the sounds of animals all around. It was wonderful and breathtaking, but it was scary, for a few feet in front of her sat a herd of dragons.

The girl hadn't brought a single weapon with her so she had no idea what to do. If she made too much noise the dragons would hear and would certainly attack her. But if she stood still and did nothing what was the point? So she gathered up all of the courage in her body and walked onward. She entered the herd of dragons and stepped softly as to not be noticed, until she came to the biggest one of the bunch. Terrified she looked up at the big dragon that was looking right back at her, but her courage hadn't left her yet so she walked right up to the dragon and held out her hand as if to pet him.

Her hand was shaking as the dragon sniffed at her hand but she held her ground. Eventually the dragon placed his large nose in her small hand signifying a friendship. In no time at all the young girl was flying on the dragon's back through beautiful blue skies and even under some of the clear waterfalls. Then they came to a giant door. Her dragon friend pushed her onward as if something was waiting for her beyond that door, and as it turned out destiny was waiting beyond that door.

Beyond that door was the knowledge and power that the girl needed to sail across the sea and explore the world. And so she did. With the magical building conquered she sailed out in search of more adventure. Eventually she came across large countries. She made friends and discovered all new cultures and learned so much along the way. But she never forgot that small island that she called home, she vowed to one day return and share with her parents the wonderful things that she learned and maybe even take them with her.

ooOOOoo

The children were silent in shock as Amira finished her story. She'd never tell, but it was more or less the story of her first dungeon. Granted she wasn't from a small island, she'd only gone there because she'd been sent, and she had in fact had a sword at her side; but she'd conquered it because she'd befriended the beasts and thus had gained the trust of the Djinn that was locked deep inside. It was the true start to her adventure, and it wasn't over yet.

Amaunet pulled her aside when the children had all finally agreed to go to sleep, "How did you come up with a story like that? I've been telling the children stories of the god conqueror for years and they've never listened that intently before."

Amira shrugged, "I just embellished the truth a little."

Amaunet was visibly surprised, "You have to come and tell them more stories. I'll never be able to get them to bed again without you."

Amira agreed to come back and help out. She wasn't a very good cook, but she could play with the children and they loved her stories. It wasn't long before one of them picked up Knell's nickname for her and she became Mama Mira at the orphanage. But after a few weeks she'd run out of stories she could pull from, after all she only knew of her dungeon adventures and what Sinbad had written of his. Sometimes all the children wanted were more details in her stories like the color of the dragon's scales and if he breathed fire or not. Sometimes the older children wanted to hear about the ship battle she'd had. Eventually, all they wanted to know was more about the outside world; they wanted to see it and experience it for themselves. Amira knew then that she'd opened a dangerous can of worms but she truly believed it was making their lives a little better.

One day, one of her stories made it back to the palace. The King heard of her tales from the outside and wanted to see her. At first he called her into court to scold her for taking advantage of the great opportunity that he'd given her allowing her to stay, but when he dismissed the audience he admitted that it was all for show, "It is exactly what I hoped would happen if you stayed if I'm being completely honest," he'd said, "In fact I'd like you to come tell stories to my children under the guise of teaching them medicine."

"Your highness, I don't know if that would be wise," Amira replied, though honored, "I don't know if your kingdom is ready for that radical way of thinking."

"No Amira, they are more than ready for it," the King responded, "I think they've been ready for it for a while now and the monarchy has been keeping them from it. But change cannot happen overnight, they'd think me mad and someone would surely assassinate me leaving my children to rule a country in my absence."

"So you want to see how ready your children are to welcome in the world by starting with my stories?" Amira asked.

The King nodded, "They are still but children. As you must have seen with the orphans your stories started out as just stories, but it grew their curiosity and they wanted to know more. They were hopeful that it was more."

Amira understood, he wanted his sons to be curious before they were cautious like the generations before them. "I will do it, under one condition."

"Name your price," the King responded.

"I'm not going to tell the stories to them if they are expecting a medicine lesson. Instead have them come to the orphanage. Then they'll be able to see the impact of the curiosity as well as the enjoyment of the stories. Plus there are only two of us caring for the children right now so I can't very well just abandon my responsibilities," Amira said standing firm.

The King laughed, "If any of your resolve can rub off on my sons then maybe there is hope for them yet."

And so it began. Twice a week the princes would gather in the afternoon with the other children and listen to the stories that Amira spun. Some new stories of intrigue, espionage and even romance were born out of her new audience and before long the Kingdom had heard of the masterful storyteller. After a few weeks the princes were so enthralled that the King even decided to host a storytelling event every other week so that the people might attend, should they wish to partake.

Amira saw it almost as a non-hostile takeover of the country; though their leader never changed. It was a battle for the heart of the nation, and though they ran into hesitation and resistance it was generally going well. The orphanage even got enough funding that Amaunet and Amira were able to gain a few extra helping hands. But the whispers were already beginning to start. "The King has gone mad." "It's the foreigner that did this to him." "How did she manage to cast such a spell?" "Is she a witch?"

The King told Amira it was nothing to worry about. He was already ill and had been for some years. As soon as he passed on the rumors would have to stop and his sons would lead the rest of the way into the future. Still, Amira worried that his sons would just be forced into the old ways of thinking by their advisors. Generations of tradition were hard to change, whether you think them just changes or not.

When the day finally arrived, months later, when the King passed on Amira grieved with the rest of the land. Though some thought his final moments were a little mad, she knew he'd done it to protect his land and his family. Still when the new young King took over, he halted her storytelling everywhere but the orphanage. "Stories and dreams are for children," he'd told her.

She'd agreed but thought him arrogant for saying so. The younger prince was too shy to say anything against his brother, but she'd seen the heartbroken look in his eyes when Amira agreed to keep her stories to the orphanage.

The children loved having Amira back to themselves, and somewhat in secret some of the younger adults would sneak in to listen and help out.

But the peacefulness of the nation didn't last long under the reign of the new king. The ideas she'd helped burn into his mind took too firm a root and within his first week he was allowing travelers from all over to come and trade. A dark presence took hold of the people with this new uncertainty and with it a new dungeon rose.