Learning of Some Secrets Lost (Chapter the Fourteenth of This Tale)

After Keita had left, without answering Trivisch's question, Xylia got to work.1

She went into her room to find Wispin wandering around the room, peering at the strange medicinals Xylia kept on her shelves.  He seemed very much taken by the live snails, roaming free on one shelf, but not leaving it.2

Snail slime was something she used to heal plants that had been damaged.  Xylia found it worked quite well.3

"Beautiful, aren't they?" She asked, approaching him.  "They live quite a long time.  I've had this one here," she pointed to a skinny, rather shrivelled looking snail, "for almost six hundred years."4

He glanced at her, then back at the slugs.  "They remind me of something."5

Xylia nodded, "we can explain more, once my sister returns.  Will you join us?  Your friends are, just a tad bit worried."6

Wispin didn't answer for a moment, thoughts flooded the room.  Then, he nodded and followed Xylia into the kitchen.7

When Wispin entered the next room, he was surpirised at the faces he saw.  8

Not only was Ridwin, Pikswise and the girl, Quynh in the room, but Trivisch, his master, a strange creature he had never seen before and a quiet, observant boy who stared and grinned at him as he entered.9

Trivisch glanced up, frowned and then smiled at him.10

"Well, sit, Wispin.  We will begin without Keita.  She will return shortly."  Xylia said.  She waved her hand to an empty chair between the gnome and the strange creature.11

Trivisch stared at him, a look of amazement and anger on her face. "What are you doing here?" She snapped at him.12

He shrugged and didn't answer.  He tried to make it obvious that he wasn't in the mood, but Trivisch didn't catch on.13

"Answer me! I have a right to know!" She shrieked.14

He still didn't answer, just glared at her, then glanced in Pikswise's direction.15

Piks rolled her eyes and mocked Trivisch by sitting up straight in her seat and mouthed angry words.16

He smiled at her, which angered Trivisch.17

"What are you smiling at? You still haven't answered my question!" She yelled and stood to her feet.18

"Nothing, m'lady." He relpied and surpressed a laugh.19

Trivisch frowned, immediately realising she would get nothing from him. "Fine then, ten silvers are released from your pay."20

Wispin grinned. "What pay? I'm a guest here, as much as you are.  Sorry, not working today."21

Trivisch's mouth dropped open and closed, then she started to reply, but Xylia interrupted her.22

"We all know now that Wispin and Trivisch know eachother, but nobody here knows everybody else, so beginning here-" she signalled to where Wispin was sitting, "-and going counter-clockwise, we will introduce ourselves with anything interesting."23

Wispin looked horror-struck and having to go first, but he nodded and stared at each person in turn before starting.24

"My name is Wispin." He stated blandly, "I was kidnapped from a home, I don't remember, many years ago by that old witch Maryune and don't know much else about me."25

Trivisch gasped at his introduction. "Why you. .you can't say that!"26

Wispin glared at her and stayed silent.27

The gnome ignored Trivisch's remark, and introduced himself.28

"I'm Ridwin," he stood on his chair and bowed, "a gnome in the service of Keita.  My, rather large, family is safe and well.  I'm the seventeenth son of twenty-eight children from a rather noble gnome family."  He bowed again and then lost his balance and fell with a thud to the ground.29

Trivisch laughed and nearly everyone shot her a silencing look as he climbed back onto his chair.30

Next in line was Pikswise who's introduction was similar to Wispin's.31

"My name is Pikswise, call me Piks for short." She mumbled, not looking up from the table. "Also, taken forcefully from my home and enslaved at Remglut Palace."32

Trivisch snorted and crossed her arms.33

Pikswise continued.  "I also know very little about myself, but. . .am I allowed to comment about Wispin?"34

Wispin looked shocked, Xylia nodded with a small smile.35

Pikswise coughed distractedlyand glanced in Wispin's direction, then back at the table.36

"Uh, I overheard Maryune in a conversation saying that Wispin was not human, but not faery. . but  a prince or something of some royal clan that is created. . " she paused. "I missed the rest."37

Xylia nodded.  "Indeed. Wispin is not human.  Nor faery.  Keita and I even added to the ingrediants that made him.  His kind is known as the Signardyun.  They are not very common and are only created at need.  Of course, as you can see, they look exactly like humans.  Inside though, they have powers that nobody else has and are chosen by the creator."38

Wispin looked confused. "So, what do you mean? Created at need?  Aren't I needed somewhere then?  And what powers?"39

"The wizard that created you is one of the few still alive who know how to create the Signardyn.  You were created, Wispin, because of the king's approaching death.  Those types of things are foreseen, some twenty odd years before it actually happens.  You were created to be his son, but before you could join the Signardyun in the land of Hityulgine, you were kidnapped. And the palace is where you ended up.  The wizard was banished from these woods and Keita only knows where he hides.40

"The powers you have, I can not tell you.  I know them well, as the wizard was very close to us, but it is forbidden until you go to Hityulgine."41

Wispin sighed, still confused, but with a tone of acceptance.42

Beside Pikswise was Ahmherheekah.43

He stared blankly around the room, unaware of what he was supposed to do. 44

"Ahmherheekah?" Trivisch nudged him.45

He jumped, face white.  "I'm a horse." He replied. "Or I was."46

Trivisch grinned and chuckled.47

Xylia frowned.  "You are not a horse.  You should not be a horse at all."48

Ahmherheekah frowned. "What do you mean?" He struggled with the words.49

"Ahmherheekah? Is it?" Xylia asked.50

The boy nodded curiously.51

"Ahmherheekah, don't you remember? Or rather not Ahmherheekah, but Griffith?  Does that ring a bell? Or maybe Cannadah?  Do you recognise these names?"52

The boy smiled.  "Ahmherheekah!  It is a country!  Only we pronounce it different.  Amerika, that's it. And Cannadah! I remember, the neighboring country of Amerika!  But, Griffith. . .I do not remember." His face fell.53

Xylia smiled at him, "Your name was Griffith, if you do not remember more than this though," her smile disappeared, "I cannot tell you.  If you want to know who you are, you have to go see Crishavin.  He is your sender and your receiver."54

Ahmherheekah looked confused but Xylia had already nodded to Trivisch to start.55

She cleared her throat.  "I am Trivisch, daughter of Maryune, Queen of Remglut.  I know everything to know about myself, but I'd say it's none of your business." She glared at Wispin.56

Nobody said anything for a while, Trivisch's eyes flickered from face to face, daring them to question her.  57

Xylia spoke.  "You should return to Remglut palace and ask the queen, Maryune, who you really are."58

Before Maryune could send a reply back in Xylia's direction, Tiram spoke, loudly.59

"But you know, you know everybody in this room!  Their past, and future.  Why do you send them away to find something out about themselves that you know?  I don't think it's fair." His voice was defiant, his face was angry and confused.60

Murmers filled the room, questions floating from places inside the questioning faces and Xylia, just for a moment, didn't know what to say.61

"I send them away, because it is not my place to tell them, Tiram."  She spoke directly to him.  "I know these things,  but maybe I'm not supposed to, did you think of that?  Maybe these young people aren't supposed to know them either.  I could do them a favour, maybe, by telling them, or I could end their lives by telling them.  I will not, ever, risk that.  They are too important, and this meeting will change everybody's life."62

Suddenly, Keita came flying through the room, carrying  a stunned faery in her arms.  She couldn't stop, but went crashing into the wall.63

"Keita!"  Xylia cried. 64

Keita stood up from the place she had fallen to and carefully laid the faery on the floor.65

"What's wrong?"  Xylia asked, face white.66

"I found the faery, Razmingle, incaptivity of Maryune's soldiers.  I had to steal her away from them, and they are looking for us. Me and you, and our company.  Maryune somehow found out that we have the soldier and I'm guessing she won't let her get away too easily."  Keita replied.67

Footsteps and hushed voices outside the tree made all the faces in the room whiten as Keita's news came into full effect.68