The brass bell upon the old wooden door rang as a man in his mid 50's walked into the quaint little home. The house was absolutely delightful and quite charming. It's old wood trim rang of new age architecture and the wood floor creaked with the years it had bore. The man took a few steps to his left and found beautiful art work of the Celtic age and then to his right, where a large ebony book shelf sat, was many ancient volumes. He tried to decipher a few of the titles on the spines of the text but found they were of an intricate language he had no knowledge of.
"Excuse me? May I help you," rang a soft voice from a doorway, a woman child of her late teens smiled gently at the older man.
He gasped when he laid his old weary eyes on her beautiful white garments as they draped over her shoulders and round breasts then down her long soft legs. "Y-yes... I'm looking for Ms. Muneson. I believe she's expecting me; I wrote her a letter, but not two weeks ago, about some texts I would like her to take a look at." He took his hat from his head and politely tipped it in her direction.
Another gentle smile played across the young woman's lips as she took a few steps towards him. "Yes, I received your letter a few days ago. I am Ms. Muneson. Welcome to my home." She took his hand into hers then slightly bowed in respect. "Please step into the kitchen with me. I am looking forward to what you have brought." Without waiting any longer she let his withered hand slip from her's as she turned from him to a wooden doorway leading farther into the great house.
The old man stood, quite out of sorts. He recomposed himself and followed her as quickly as his limbs would carry him. "Excuse me miss... With all do respect you can't be the Ms. Muneson that I was referred to in Chicago." He paused as he caught site of the furniture that sat in the rooms he was walking through. It was beautiful and quite old. Was there nothing ancient in this house besides the teenager he was now addressing? He then went on." To learn a whole ancient language and have the insight of a wise woman from the era you supposable specialize in could never be mastered in the years that you have lived. I mean no offense... you are but... 18 years of age? Incredibly young for a scholar." By the time he had finished speaking he had found himself at the back of the house in the kitchen. Yet again the architecture was amazing.
"Sir, I understand you're confusion for I have been questioned on this matter quite often, but I can assure you that if you ask any villager in this area who the only Ms. Muneson is they will point all fingers at me. I am older then I look." She stopped a minute and poured two cups of tea then sat at the large kitchen table in the open area surrounded by windows. "Now show me what you have brought for me."
Although the old man was not quite satisfied with the answer he had received from 'Ms. Muneson' he stood in front of her and flipped open an old leather briefcase he had been carrying the whole time. "This..." He took a large book from the case. "Is why, ma'am, I have come to see you. The Field Museum in Chicago bought this at almost $150,000 about five years ago. The Scholars put in charge of it were told it was the oldest trace of history ever discovered. Yet when they opened it they could not read the words written. They hired many translators and nothing was found. Not one word made sense in any language" The man took a breath. "The book was shelved for many years until I was hired and took a look at what was down in the store house. It struck my fancy when I found it on the shelves and it's been almost a year since then. I heard about a woman who could read a old language that no other knew. I only got leave to come to you last month and now here I am. Can you tell me anything?" The man pressed his knuckled onto the table putting all of his weight onto the antique.
Ms. Muneson took one sip of her tea as she stood and gazed down onto the book. She pulled it in her direction and read the title: Cos Sigora en Mahala jin Totar. She let her finger tips ride over the silver and gold embossed words as her eyes glazed over. "This book is very beautiful."
"Yes it is... Can you read it?" When her head motioned a 'yes' he almost leaped over the table to give her a hug. "What, my dear girl, does it say? What's the title? Who wrote it? What era?" His questions spilled from his mouth as soon as they came to mind. He was so excited that she was able to read the ancient text that his eyes too glazed over so much that he hadn't noticed her own tears.
With a smile Ms. Muneson read the title out loud, "Cos Sigora en Mahala jin Totar; The Legend of The Lady of the Moon and the Lord of the Sun." She sighed, "It has no specific author and it's a legend written about two tribes fighting for their religious deities and beliefs. It's also about a prophecy that was fulfilled during the struggle."
The man's wide smile soon fell to a frown of great proportions. "You mean... It's fiction? There is not a strand of truth to it?" His words were quiet to almost a whisper. His eyes fell to the old wooden floor with tears falling in small droplets. Before his tears had been full of happiness but now... The Museum would be quite disappointed to find the volume to be fictitious.
Ms. Muneson jumped from her seat and almost tipped the cup of tea over onto the great book. "In no way is this book fiction! In every aspect is it truth! I lived..." She stopped herself. "My ancestors lived in the era this text speaks of. You saw the volumes on the great shelf when he came in? Those books are all the accounts of what happened back then. I have kept everyone of them in safe keeping. Of course, then, there is this one which has been misplaced in the years that my family lived. None of the books I possess are of the exact story of the time. This book" She placed her elegant hand on the cover. "Is the book I have been missing." Tears almost slid down her cheeks as the emotions burst from her being.
"Please, Ms. Muneson... I meant no offense when I said fiction. I was briefly disappointed that my obsession could be worth nothing... but now... now I know and you must read it to me. I must know and then I will do everything in my power to get you this book back into your family's possession.
Ms. Muneson dried her tears grabbed her tea cup from the table and brought it back to the kitchen area where she poured herself another cup. "Alright... I'll read it to you." She sat back down in front of the book and opened into the first page. "Cos sorre en mahal jin totark..."She sighed, "The age of the moon and sun brought upon this world many shadows."