"Round the crystal, round we go
From the lands that we well know!
Circle till we meet once more
Home again and safe and sure!"
A Lilty girl, a Yuke boy, Clavat girl and boy, Selkie girl and boy. They came from different areas around the crystal, linked hands, and circled, singing their song.
"Circle round and sing the song!
Let it ring out, far and long.
Countries to the north and east
And south and west, we'll never cease!"
Their chant of friendship, round the crystal they went, the six of them. The Selkie twins hopped and skipped, the Clavat friends laughed as they sang. The Lilty jumped up to reach the others' heights. The Yuke swayed his head.
"Lilty, Yuke, and Clavats too
Plus Selkie twins, a joyous crew.
We run 'round this crystal here
To show, though far, our homes are near!"
They were friends, best of friends, no matter what the others thought. The tall Yukes looked down at them with scorn. They whispered among themselves in their scholarly voices that such a relationship between the very different races was unhealthy for the young ones. The Lilties scoffed at the acceptance of the other races. Has she no Lilty Pride? Why bring herself down to such a level? The Selkies turned their backs to the group. Betrayal was their conclusion. Selkies take care of their own, but here were two siding with their enemies. Why link themselves to the other races? The Clavats shook their heads. They wished the children wouldn't put themselves in so much danger. War was imminent, and the Clavats feared for them, all six of them.
.
Miach looked up at the trees, so tall, so prominent. It seemed that everything was bigger than she, yet in her was instilled the Lilty honor, the pride of her race. She watched as a group of men trained with weapons. "March! March! One, two, three, four! March! March! This is our world! March! March! One, two, three, four! March! March! Lilty creed's war!"
She had heard such a saying many times in her lessons. "We Lilties swear by our creed / to take the world from the weak. / The Lilty way will be enforced. / Without so much as guilt or remorse!." She repeated it to herself. What did it mean? She had no idea. Who was the weak? What was even the definition of weak? Or strong for that matter? What made someone weak or strong. She didn't know. But to her race, all of them were strong, so it mustn't be hard to be so.
She took her gil that her mother had given her and went to the store. There it was, the fire ring. At least, that's what Dhiren called it. The tall Yuke boy, twice her height, had spoke of it. She wanted to give it to him as a gift. Since hers was the only store known to have it. It cost her more than what her mother had given her, but luckily she had more gil with her. It must be special, just as Dhiren said. She clutched it in her gloved hand and walked to the far western part of her land, towards the great crystal that loomed in the distance.
.
Dhiren closed his book and stood, bringing another to his desk. His father sat in the next room, studying his own literature. Dhiren's new book, however, was hand-written. He took up his pen and marked down more letters and symbols. Celerina and Uday were still very much mysterious. Their unnatural language was a barrier to Dhiren and the others, but his way of translating was coming along. Through sign language-like ways and teaching them the familiar tongue, they were able to communicate. Their sentences were broken, but understood.
Dhiren was enchanted by their second language. The Selkie symbols that they wrote in the sand were extraordinary, like works of art. Dhiren was one to try to understand everything, even if it took him forever and a day. His knowledge was strong, equally as strong as his magic. The magic he had been taught since he could walk was part of Yuke tradition.
All the lessons he could be taught, book and force, writing and action. He knew he found relaxation with his friends at the crystal. The crystal he gazed at now through his small window. He took the book and walked out of the house, without a word, eyes focused, never leaving, that crystal on the south part of the land.
.
Celerina and Uday ran, back and forth between the houses, beckoning the others to come out. Every Selkie was as agile as they were. Their identical blue hair blue through the rushed air as they ran, skipping over the stones in the river, which glimmered the same silvery blue as their eyes. Furs decorated with feathers and colorful threads wrapped around their arms, waist, and ankles. It was customary. It showed the power of the Selkies to display such luxuries.
They grasped hands and ran through the shallow creek that came out of the river. Their bare feet sank into the sand beneath and were tickled by the vegetation. Celerina laughed as Uday kicked the water at her. They were never so happy as when they were together. Celerina ran out of the creek, Uday chasing her in good fun. They giggled as they ran.
The crystal seemed to approach them as they ran forward, north. There was no more water, but they didn't mind. More than being together, they loved being with all the others, the others who were just as much like family as they were to each other. They hurried on, closer and closer to that crystal.
.
Frederick looked out over the tall balcony. He peered into the distance, searching for his friend, Chessa. His blonde hair flipped up at the top and down at his neck and his dark brown eyes scanned the kingdom, his kingdom. There was a tap on his shoulder. He turned, startled. "How did you do that?"
Chessa giggled in front of him, her long, dark brown hair tied at the end and settled neatly under her cap. "Light on my feet, Prince!" Frederick gazed into her dark forest-green eyes. "Well? What is the plan for today?"
"Same as always, Chessa." The young prince lowered the rope ladder and started down. Plans were meaningless to the young prince. He had dealt with a planned schedule his whole life. His only escape from it was his dear friend, Chessa. "You coming?"
Chessa was right behind him and they ran from the courtyard and into the town. But they had no more interest in that than the people living there. They walked towards the easternmost area, towards the shining blue crystal that graced the horizon of each kingdom. Chessa was not his only friend, as should be expected. They moved on, to the others that were pledged as friends forever.
.
They were each no older than ten, yet their knowledge was broad, thanks to Dhiren, the knowledgeable Yuke. They met at the crystal as always, talking and laughing together. Drawing in the sand to tell stories of lore. Celerina took a stick and drew in her language. Uday sat and showed the group his carved figurines, ones that he was taught to make by his mother. Chessa took out a small wind instrument and began to blow into it. Miach gave Dhiren the ring he so desperately wanted.
They stayed together until the day was done. The sun was setting, soaking the world into a dim twilight. The friends linked hands and circled the crystal. "Round the crystal round we go…" Their voices rang out once again across the four lands. The people in the towns went along with their lives, unaware of the celebration of friendship the six were putting on. "Circle round and sing the song! …" Even the Selkies understood the meaning of these verses. Friendship, belonging. It was all about them and "To show, though far, our homes are near!"