The Ones We Love, Part IV
Oshal didn’t sleep much that night. He spent most of it thinking about what he could do. The answer “Nothing”, always in his sister’s voice, wouldn’t leave him alone. He’d tried talking to her about it after dinner, but, as he’d feared, she’d gone straight to her room. She wouldn’t talk to either he nor Aonva about it. He wished there were someone else. Master Durwey was nice, but she didn’t like Roshil. He didn’t know where to find Master Ekla, Lord Velal was probably too busy, and their father was back at home.
Every time he thought about giving up, he remembered how happy he’d found his sister. And he remembered Nourd. Oshal had changed his mind for a moment, causing him to stop and hesitate before running. It made him more determined to find a way to help his sister.
He remembered how Roshil had felt when saying everyone hated her. There was someone else that didn’t, someone that loomed over her. Was that Lord Grund? He was always in the forge. Oshal could probably find him. But without someone guiding him, he didn’t know where to find the forge. He didn’t have a connection with Lord Grund, apart from him being Roshil’s master. Oshal was sure one day he’d be able to follow a thread through someone else, but he wasn’t good enough for that yet.
What else could he do? If Lord Grund knew how to help Roshil, then Oshal decided he’d have to figure it out. Perhaps Kurgm or Sirshi could help. He didn’t think he could separate Roshil and Aonva for long enough, so it’d have to be one of them.
His bauble made a soft ringing sound. It was waking him up earlier than it had the day before, he thought. He knew it wouldn’t stop until he got out of bed, so that’s what he did. Sure enough, once his feet touched the ground, it stopped making noise. He slowly moved about his room, feeling his way around. He washed, then got dressed. He picked up the bauble, then followed the threads for his friends. They were all awake, moving around their rooms, except for Sirshi and Kurgm. They were waiting in the corridor outside their rooms.
Oshal walked out of his room. Three distinct emotions hit him at once: nervousness, anger, and frustration. Once he walked out, the frustration turned to happiness.
“Good morning, Oshal,” Master Ekla said. “Apologies, Apprentice Oshal.”
“Good morning, Master Ekla. How have you been?”
“Fine.”
When she didn’t say anything else, Oshal greeted Kurgm and Sirshi, the sources of the nervousness and anger, respectively.
“Morning,” Kurgm said.
Sirshi stayed silent, although contained anger emanated from her. Oshal remembered how she’d felt when he’d first met her and the topic of her sister had come up and decided he shouldn’t try to get either of them to talk.
Aonva was the next one to come out of her room, and panic immediately took hold of her.
“What’s going on? Is everyone alright? Where’s Roshil? Did something happen to her? My bauble went off early, so something’s happening, right? It only does that when Master Kaernin needs me to start early, but I don’t see him here. Is he coming later?”
“Breathe,” Kurgm said, his nervousness changing to focused confidence, with sparks of happiness fluttering around it.
“Everything’s fine,” Master Ekla said. “I was sent to fetch the five of you.”
“Why? Did something—”
“Nothing’s happened. You’ll find out the rest when we get there, but no one’s in trouble.”
They waited in silence, although it felt like anything but to Oshal. Anger from Sirshi, panic from Aonva, concern from Kurgm, and impatience from Master Ekla all filled his own head. He concentrated on the forest, following Nourd’s thread. Nourd was moving through the forest, and although Oshal couldn’t sense anything through the thread, it helped him to calm down.
He sensed something from his sister’s thread and found that she was leaving her room.
“She’s here,” he said as the door opened. He knew he didn’t need to say anything, but it had always made Roshil smile when he knew someone was coming to their house before they could knock on the door.
His sister was half on guard, half excited, although excitement usually followed her seeing Oshal, Aonva, or Sirshi.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Follow me,” Master Ekla said. “All of you.”
“Obviously,” Sirshi muttered.
Both of them took deep breaths, then the six of them started off down the corridor. Ekla led the way, with Kurgm and Aonva not far behind her, followed by Oshal, Roshil, and Sirshi, who stayed as far away from her half-sister as she could.
“Are…” Kurgm said after a few minutes. He stopped talking, but Sirshi finished his thought a moment later.
“We’re going to the temple,” Sirshi said. “Why are you bringing us to the temple?”
Once again Oshal sensed anger from both Sirshi and Ekla. The two of them weren’t that different, but he got the feeling that pointing that out would cause problems.
Ekla didn’t answer her question.
“I had half a mind to storm out of the Flower Blooming Ceremony yesterday,” Sirshi said to Roshil, keeping her voice down. “But I couldn’t do that to Master Moudren. Those people…” Her anger boiled up again, but she quelled it.
“You remind me of our mother,” Oshal said. “She would get upset when other people would treat Roshil differently too.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“You’re welcome.”
Ekla seemed like she was going to say something, but decided against it. Both of them were good at containing their feelings for one another. Oshal was proud of them both.
Focusing on them helped distract him from the growing sadness his sister felt. As they drew closer to the temple, it grew until it was hard to ignore.
They walked into the temple and were greeted immediately by Master Moudren, causing Sirshi’s anger to fall away.
“Good morning, Apprentices Sirshi, Kurgm, Aonva, Roshil, and Oshal.”
The five of them stood at attention. Master Moudren emanated kindness and optimism, a constant source of hope.
“Master Ekla, you’re welcome to join us.”
Discomfort came from Ekla, who had not walked through the temple door. It was strange to think she felt anything other than confidence or, occasionally, anger.
“No, thank you.”
“Afraid you’ll burst into flames?” Kurgm asked.
Sirshi stifled a laugh, then cleared her throat, feeling a little embarrassed.
“Something like that,” Master Ekla said. “I’ll be seeing you.”
As she left, the last traces of anger Sirshi had felt disappeared. It was one of the first times Oshal had been around her when she didn’t feel angry. It was nice to feel her that way. He hoped she did more often.
“I want to apologize on behalf of the Temple of the Rising Sun, for the way you were treated yesterday. After Apprentice Sirshi told me what happened, I spoke with everyone before they left. Apprentice Roshil, I hope you can forgive me and this temple. The work you have done for us is remarkable.”
“Um… yeah.” Roshil’s sadness had been replaced by confusion and a little embarrassment. “Of course. I… When Sirshi asks, I’m happy to help.”
“I’m pleased. At the end of the ceremony, everyone in attendance plants a flower in our garden, whispering their hopes for the new season, so Olmgra may hear them and help them come to be. I’ve set aside spots in the garden for you four.”
“Isn’t it a little dark out?” Kurgm asked.
“I asked Master Ekla to fetch you early because I wanted to have the chance to invite you all to this morning’s Sun Welcoming Ceremony. It won’t take long, and it will give you time to eat breakfast afterward.”
“Unless your master intercepts you on the way out,” Kurgm said.
“Of course.”
Roshil’s sadness returned like a wave to the shore.
“No one wants me here.”
“I want you here,” Sirshi said. “And if that’s not good enough for everyone, then that’s their problem. You’re my friend, you’ve done more for this temple than some of the priests, and you’re nice enough if people would take a minute to get to know you.”
“That’s what I keep saying,” Oshal said, sensing his sister’s mind changing.
“They’re right,” Aonva said, her voice hardly audible.
“Apprentice Roshil, even if you don’t accept my invitation, I will still ask that you do us the honor of planting a flower.”
“If it means that much, I guess.”
“The flowers don’t only represent the planter’s hopes,” Aonva said, “but the act of planting them shows faith in Olmgra. A blooming garden in one of her temples is a sign of prosperity of the temple itself. I’ve been reading up on the temple, and it’s really quite fascinating. This is one of the oldest temples in the court. Whenever a diplomat visits the temple during the warm season, they’re asked to plant a flower for the same reason Master Moudren’s asking us to. Maybe not the same reason, it’s not like we’re that important or anything, or at least I’m not, but…”
Aonva seemed to shrink as embarrassment took over. She took a step back.
“I’m glad you’ve taken such an interest in the temple, Apprentice Aonva,” Master Moudren said. “Master Kaernin must be proud if you put so much effort into your studies.”
Aonva made sounds that sounded like “Thank you,” or possibly an imitation of a mouse, it was hard to tell.
They all followed Master Moudren through the temple.
“Now I know who to ask when I have questions,” Kurgm whispered to Aonva.
“I feel awful, it sounds like I must think this is purely symbolic, but I don’t really think that, but I… I… I don’t really know, but—”
“Your intentions were good,” Master Moudren said from ahead of them, causing Aonva’s embarrassment to rise. “That’s enough.”
“So don’t worry about it,” Kurgm added.
A mixture of emotions flooded Aonva, and all of them felt pink. Oshal didn’t know why, but that specific mixture of happiness and embarrassment always felt pink. Flowers bloomed in her head, and the sun broke through the clouds. It didn’t last long, but it was nice while it did.
They stepped through a door and into the open air. It was still cold, and Oshal couldn’t feel the sun. If there was one thing he missed seeing, apart from his family, it was the sunrise.
“I’ve got some chores to attend to before the Sun Welcoming Ceremony,” Master Moudren said. “If you’ll please excuse me. Apprentice Sirshi, would you please perform the flower planting in my stead?”
A sudden burst of panic erupted from Sirshi.
“I… Of course, Master Moudren.”
Master Moudren left, and Sirshi handed them each a bit of dirt, held together by something that felt like netting. The other three helped Oshal over to a spot in the garden. They all placed their newborn flowers in empty spaces in the ground.
Oshal bent down, cupped his hands over his mouth, and whispered into the ground.
“I hope my sister can find happiness.”
With help, he stood back up. He felt panic from Aonva, and uncertainty from Roshil, but Kurgm was happy. Oshal focused on that as Sirshi spoke up.
“Walk into the new day with the light of Olmgra at your back.” Sirshi paused. “That works a lot better when there’s light. This is supposed to be done in place of the Sun Welcoming Ceremony, but…”
“It’s fine,” Kurgm said. “That was perfect.”
“This part’s pretty easy,” Sirshi said. “I’d… I’d like it if you could all stay for the Sun Welcoming Ceremony.”
Oshal turned toward Roshil. It was up to her; this was all for her.
“I’d like to,” she said quietly.
“Great,” Sirshi said. “There are some spare mats in storage. It’s not long, like Master Moudren said.” Her voice took on an edge. “And if anyone has a problem with it, then that’s their problem.”
Unlike the previous day, Sirshi was determined not to let anyone stop them. At that moment, Oshal was too. He had friends, and he would ensure his sister was happy. Maybe there would always be people who didn’t like her, but he could change their minds. He was sure of it. And even if he couldn’t, they’d always have their friends.