Chapter Three
"So, do you want me to tell the news to everyone?" Quill stood across from the chieftain, an ornate desk piled with papers between them. His arms were crossed and he wore a smile that was poorly concealing his excitement.
The chieftain stood upright, his arms hanging down together as a V. He wore his customary gray robe and a bright red cloth hung over his shoulders, like a cape worn both ways. Despite his intimidating stature and build, the Rito leader managed to appear friendly. He had an amused expression, a smile curled from under his beak. He nodded his head firmly.
"Of course!" he said, "Our people have been hungry for more details about this boy and his quest, as have I been." He nodded his head again, seeming to agree with something in his own mind. "Link was his name, you said?"
"It is," Quill replied.
"Then it is all settled." The chieftain raised his arms out, "If Link does come to visit us, as you proposed, then let the people know that they are free to assist him however they can. The young hero is welcome here!"
Quill nodded and smiled, and walked out.
"Good afternoon, Medli," the postman said to the girl as she bounded past into the meeting room.
"Oh, good afternoon, Quill!" She replied, looking behind.
The postman stopped briefly, "Come find me at the post office later if you wish to hear today's news. Something interesting has come up. Ask the other apprentices to come, too."
"I will. Thank you!" She bowed her head, taking another step backwards into the room.
"Medli?" the chieftain called.
"Oh!" The girl twirled around and bowed, her hair following. "I'm sorry. I wish to speak with you."
"It is alright. I meant no offense either," he smiled, "What is worrying you?"
Medli looked to the side and wrung her hands together, studying the statues that stood against the wall. They stared at the opposite wall indifferently. "Well…" she started, "Have you been to see Komali recently?"
The chieftain frowned a little. "Yes," He paused, "But he was asleep. …He didn't seem to be having a good dream." The chieftain hung his arms to the side.
"How is Komali doing now?" he asked.
"Well, I'm a bit worried about him…" Medli thought carefully. She didn't want to exaggerate. "I was talking to him the day before yesterday. I told him Quill's story. But, um…" She looked to the side again. The chieftain raised his eyebrows slightly, waiting for her to continue.
Medli lowered her gaze to the floor. "For some reason he got upset. I don't know if it was the story or something else…" She shrugged, "He didn't seem to really be paying attention to it, anyway."
Medli looked up at the chieftain, "When I went to see Komali yesterday he was acting the same way. He just seemed sad, but…"
The chieftain's shoulders slumped a little. "This is troubling… But I should have expected it," he mumbled.
Medli watched him. She felt sympathy for Komali's father. The chieftain stared at the stone ceiling, his golden eyes asking it something. Then he turned around to face the cabinets behind him.
"I understand how much Komali's grandmother meant to him. She was indeed a special woman," he paused, and went to the smallest cabinet, sitting on a table. It was shut by a heavy-looking lock.
"Komali will have to go to the top of Dragon Roost soon to receive his scale from the Great Valoo. A challenging climb for any young fledgling. And he will need to truly earn his wings."
"Unlike your first ascent, Medli," he went on, "I will not have him escorted through the volcano's path." The chieftain rummaged for something in his robes. "There is no room for even a moment's hesitation or self-doubt within the depths of the boiling chambers-" His arms shifted about, "-if one is to make the journey successfully." Clank. The Chieftain placed the lock on top of the table, then carried a large chest to his desk.
He stopped before he opened it. The chieftain looked down at the girl. "I hold bottomless gratitude for the kindness you have always shown my son. That he trusts you so much shows how important you are in his life."
Medli blushed.
"His grandmother gave this to Komali as a present when he was a very small fledgling; when you were about his age now. It has not been very long since then, but I don't believe my son remembers much about that day," The chieftain began working the locks on the chest, "Yet I think something in his spirit will recognize it. Maybe it will ease his sorrows and give him strength."
The chieftain pushed the lid back. Orange light exploded from the chest. With both hands the chieftain gently lifted the opaque pearl and cradled it. Medli gaped. A familiar, strange feeling fleeted through her mind. Her hands became a little fidgety.
"Go to my son today. See if he is in good spirits. And when you go…" he stepped around the desk towards the girl, "Deliver this." The chieftain kneeled down and Medli carefully took the Pearl from his arms.
"I'm sure you know much about Din's Pearl. You can tell Komali all about it," The chieftain smiled briefly. He turned back and proceeded to lock the chest back in. Medli looked down at the orb in her hands. It looked like lava swimming safely inside a huge marble.
The chieftain looked back at Medli. He smiled at her mouth stuck open. "You may go now, if you wish…"
Medli looked up. "Oh! Right…" She bowed carefully, "Thank you for your trust. I'll bring it to him safe and sound." The apprentice walked quickly out of the room, hugging the Pearl close to her chest.
Komali's father watched Medli leave. He couldn't help but wonder about the future of his son.
-O-
The fire in the lamp danced alone, occasionally peaking down at the prince to see if he moved. Komali watched the bright flame with little interest. He had spent yet another day alone and bored, lying on the bed with his arms folded across his stomach and trying to think of something to do; but everything Komali thought of, he wasn't in the mood for. It was just like the fire. While it kept looking at him in curiosity, Komali felt none towards it. Just more background for his loneliness.
He did feel something else, but it almost bothered him more than anything. He had a longing to see Medli. She had only come to see him once yesterday, and he had been asleep. In the vague darkness of his room he had heard his door open and was surprised when he could recognize the breathing of who had opened it. He nearly burst out of his bed –the fear of another nightmare kept him awake- but the prince stopped himself. He could make out her shape moving to the opposite side of his bed.
Komali rolled over and moaned, feigning distress at some dream. Medli was stood quietly, observing him. She released her tension and sighed. Her hand, which loomed palely, reached out for the prince's arm. She stroked it once. The prince froze and Medli took her hand back.
"Poor Komali…" She muttered, her hands over her heart. He stayed frozen while she watched him for a moment longer. Then Medli bent down and kissed Komali on his head, and brushed his hair the way his mother had often done. Then Medli fled to the door, and peaking one last time at the prince, she left. He remained still until exhaustion caught him off guard.
But Komali pushed that away for now. He spent enough of yesterday thinking about that (over and over again). It was starting to annoy him. Medli had done that before. Nothing new. He just wanted her to come back, that's all.
Komali rolled over and hugged his stomach. Maybe she would decide to visit him today. She couldn't have been that insulted when Komali told her to leave; he had tried to be nice about it, too! Unease forced itself into Komali's stomach. He dug his head deeper into the pillow.
Besides, Medli promised she would never leave him.
His vision blurred to life. The reds and earthy colors of Komali's room flickered slowly. He blinked a few times and set things straight. Sleep had decided to relieve him of his boredom again. Komali rolled onto his back. Why couldn't I just sleep the whole day? He thought, annoyed at suddenly waking for no reason. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. Yet somehow he couldn't bring himself to frown. Komali lay patiently on his bed as if expecting something any minute.
He concentrated quietly on his lantern, still flashing its light across the stone ceiling. The colors blurred again, mixing into strange circle of lights and darks.
Komali could feel the warm embrace of his grandma's arms again.
A knock on the door forced him away from the edge of sleep. He groped for the edge of the bed to pull himself up.
"Huh? Who is it? What do you want?" the prince asked blearily.
"It's Medli. Can I come in, please?" Her voice rang through the door and stirred the fluff of feathers on Komali's neck.
"Huh? Okay, come in," he said, his pose slacking.
Medli opened the door and walked in with her delivery.
Komali shot out of the bed, bewildered by the vision before him. No way! His mouth hung open as he gawked at the large orange pearl, casting mystical light across Medli and him. It was real this whole time…
Medli thought for a second. Thinking it more appropriate, she knelt down before the prince and raised the pearl to him. Komali reached his hand out and touched the pearl's glassy surface. Warmth seeped deep into his skin and flowed through his arm. Komali's eyes reflected the pearl, shining and glowing red. He lifted the pearl from Medli's hands and wrapped his arms around it, holding it tight to himself.
"Your father told me to pass this down to you," She began, "Your grandmother gave this to you once. I guess it was taken away for some important reason… But your father wants you to have it now."
The fledgling looked up in disbelief.
"Do you remember what this is?" Medli asked.
Komali searched his dream- My memory. Nostalgia touched him at the thought.
"Din's Pearl."
Medli nodded, smiling softly. He seemed so happy to have it. But she remembered what else the chieftain had asked of her, and Medli straightened her expression and tried to recall the sacred words.
"It was passed down to us by the goddesses as a symbol of hope for the lost generation… This is what Valoo and your grandmother told me," Medli began, "The goddesses created and kept watch over an ancient land, prosperous and at peace. But one day, with the threat of an evil man who said he would bring darkness to the world, the goddesses draped the land with rain until it became the bottom of a great sea; they sealed away the evil man and his dark power…
"The goddesses protected the remaining people, creating new land for them to live on. Our ancestors were a part of the survivors," Medli paused and touched the symbol on her sash- different from the symbol on the pearl Komali was still holding close. She had noticed that difference in other places, too. But on she finished:
"Our people were given a pearl from one of the goddesses to guard, a symbol of their power, and were instructed to hand it down for the aide of the hero who would reunite the people again…"
Komali reluctantly looked up from the orange abyss. He was concerned about something.
"That evil man won't come back, will he?"
Medli smiled and shook her head. "The goddesses locked him away forever. You're safe."
"Oh," the fledgling replied. "That's good." He looked back down and stroked the pearl.
"Huh- wait," Komali said, worried again. "I'm not allowed to keep grandma's pearl?"
Medli held back a giggle. "It's yours for now, Komali."
A smile escaped and trickled across the prince's face. Maybe everything will be alright now. Maybe I could keep the pearl, too. He admired it some more, growing very fond of it. I'm the prince around here. It's right that I should have it. Komali looked back up at Medli. She returned his smile.
"Thank you, Medli…" Komali said sheepishly. In a quick move, he placed the pearl on the carpet and threw his arms around Medli. "You're the best person ever!" Medli laughed and hugged him back, stroking his hair. He has smiled. Maybe everything can be alright now. "You're the best too, Komali."