Marrida and Alagur: In The Land of Keldarra, #1

Chapter 1

Marrida rushes through the street. She’s late. She was told to be at the door of the Temple of Ruh’nar at midday exactly, and of all days to be late, she is late today. She already pictures the stern frown on the Elder’s face on arriving. She already imagines that she would get told to go home, that they reject her, and all because she’s late.

It’s sixteen days earlier the Elder came to see her uncle to be allowed to do The Test on Marrida. Marrida still chuckles at the idea of her stern uncle being told what to do by this mysterious old woman...

Marrida stops walking for a moment to catch her breath. She sees puffs of breaths escape her mouth into the cool early spring air. She giggles and blows a few times to make the same puffs of cloud appear.

I’ll walk slow for a while. I want to feel like nothing matters for longer...

Going to this Temple won’t be the same as going to the school she attended for four days every other third day. It is somewhere people went when they are past their First Rites...

But mine is in three seasons. How can I even be able to go to the Temple this young?

Most of the last five years, ever since the women arrived to do The Test, were strange to Marrida. She thinks their arrival made her uncle become moody. However, he started doing a lot more stuff with Marrida and her younger brother and sister. But it seems now that the fun would stop now that she’s going to the Temple.

Marrida...

She turns and sees her sister Kalisa rushing to her. What are you doing out here? she calls out. You know you’re too young to be on the streets alone...

Esbara is coming too, Kalisa pants heavily. He’s just so slow...

Marrida looks up, just as Esbara turns a corner.

What are you doing out here? she asks again, this time asking Esbara.

Huh what? he mumbles, She wanted to go, she dragged me out of the house...

Why? Marrida asks.

I wanted to see the Temple, Kalisa grins at her older sister, looking down at her.

But you can’t go inside. It’s forbidden... Marrida says.

Why? Kalisa asks, imitating her sister’s voice. Marrida stares at Kalisa with an annoyed frown. She loves her little sister, but sometimes Kalisa is just way too annoying to be nice.

Because it’s not allowed, she says, If you want to look, do it from the other end of the square, so she doesn’t see you.

She? Kalisa asks.

Elder Sharriba. She’s the one in charge, and she seems rather stern... Marrida says.

But you said she’s nice... Kalisa says.

She’s also the leader there. I don’t know... I’ve only met her once, and she was nice when I met her, but Uncle Joharan seems to think she is— Marrida says. She pauses for a moment, then says. She was nice to me. Uncle doesn’t seem to like her...

Marrida bends forward until her face is in front of Kalisa’s face.

"Go ask Uncle Joharan yourself why he doesn’t like her." She grins when her sister’s face shows shock, then a bit of fear.

Kalisa stares at her sister. You’re being mean...

Oh, am I...? Marrida says. "Well then, that means no sweet biscuits for you after the evening meal, when I’m home again."

Why are you being so mean to her? Esbara asks. She’s done nothing to you. She wanted to see you go inside. I do too, by the way...

Suits yourself, but stay out of the way, so you don’t embarrass me... Marrida says.

She turns and starts walking briskly, the mood for a slow walk all but evaporated from her mind. It’s now replaced with the other thought that wants to keep invading her mind.

Somehow, I don’t think I’m going to the Temple to be a Keeper. Somehow, I keep feeling today is the beginning of a future I never asked for.

The thought worries Marrida.

She glances occasionally to see if her sister and brother are still following her, or that they’ve got bored and returned home. But they follow her. They seem to want to keep pace, so they’re out of earshot of her, so she can’t speak or call out to them without drawing attention to herself. When Marrida glances for the fourth time behind, she catches her brother pulling Kalisa back, essentially preventing her from walking any faster than he makes her go.

Marrida glares at Esbara, who seems to ignore her stare. She stops walking and makes it obvious from her posture she wants them nearby.

"I’m just going there to be a Temple Maiden if you want to know it. Uncle Joharan said that’s why they did that thing when they came. Elder Sharriba said only those who are pure can be one, she says softly, Now you know a secret, Kalisa, so please don’t embarrass me there, or I’ll be sent away, alright?"

Kalisa nods, then she gives one harder stare, then gives Marrida a hug. Hope you get to be one... Kalisa whispers.

Marrida walks towards where the other girls, and some women, are lining up for the doors of the Temple to open.

She’s late, but as she steps in behind a group of women, who all seem to know one another, they immediately throw disapproving glances her way before they giggle.

Marrida sees a few other girls rushing towards the lineup.

It seems something like sixty girls and women stand there now. It’s obvious to her she’s there as the youngest...

"So then, how come you are here? Are you lost?"

Marrida looks in the direction where the question came and sees an older girl staring at her. Marrida guesses she’s around twenty and may have done her Second Rites recently.

No, I’m here because I did The Test, she replies, then looks towards where her sister and brother stand. She sees Esbara frown, and she wonders why he frowns instead of being happy about seeing her go inside.

Oh, so they let the ‘children’ in now too... the older girl says.

I’m not a child... Marrida replies.

Have you done First Rites yet? the older girl asks.

I’m doing it in three seasons from now, and— Marrida says.

So, you’re a child... the older girl interjects, then laughs loud, before she continues, "Look here, we got a child here to give us some fun when things get too boring in there for us..."

Marrida glares at the woman.

"Just so you remember it, child, my name is Sarayna..." comes the retort as the woman glares at Marrida maliciously.

Chapter 2

Marrida ignores the older girl speaking to her and concentrates instead on the person who’d come to the doors to welcome the new people joining the Temple. Please, come inside as fast as you can. Don’t leave us waiting...

I’m one of them, regardless of what the older girl in front of me said.

Marrida cranes her neck to see past the crowd. The voice isn’t of the woman who came to her uncle’s house, so Marrida guesses that she, Elder Sharriba, is waiting inside.

Marrida wonders if she’ll really be the way as she described to her siblings. She glances sidelong and sees her siblings wave the moment they catch her eye. She waves back, grinning.

I guess it can’t be that bad. Even if the idiot in front of me is being nasty. Why is she so nasty towards me, anyway?

Marrida looks around her as she walks into the vestibule of the Temple. She’s seen nothing as expansive as this. She knows the building is big from walking past it for as long as she can remember, but it seems so much bigger now than she saw the inside. She cranes her neck to see if she sees the mysterious Elder Sharriba, but gives up after a few minutes, and glances back towards the square, and waves at her siblings one more time.

Then she sees the doors closing, so waves once more, but this time a "Go home" motion. She turns to see what goes on inside the Temple and realises the other people present seem to be taken to different rooms, following one or two women. Once the last group leaves, which includes the rather annoying woman called Sarayna, Marrida stands alone in the middle of the vestibule.

For a moment, she wonders if she’s about to be sent home. She hears soft footsteps coming from somewhere...

I hope you remember me...

Marrida looks up to see the woman she met several years earlier, standing in front of her. She still wears her silver-grey hair tied back, like when she came to visit Marrida’s uncle, or more precisely, her.

Yes, I do... Marrida says, suddenly feeling shy.

She fidgets and moves her foot from side to side, hoping her movements won’t get noticed.

"Come with me. We’ll sit down to talk for a while. My name is Sharriba. When we’re alone, you can call me that, but when anyone else is present, address me as Elder Sharriba, understood?" she says.

Marrida nods.

Come...

Elder Sharriba turns and walks up the stairway. Marrida follows her after one moment more of feeling shy. Then curiosity becomes greater than her shyness, and she walks behind the Elder up the stairway.

At the top, they turn left in a long corridor and walk until they get to a door. Sharriba opens it, then steps aside and motions for Marrida to walk in too. Marrida stares in awe at her surroundings. Everywhere she looks, she sees bookcases with books of every size and thickness.

There are a few women sitting at some tables, who glance up to see who entered the library.

It’s obvious to Marrida they sit back down because the Elder motions at them to do so. They return to whatever work they’re doing without even asking about her.

They’re the Keepers, well, some of them at least, Elder says softly, Come, we’ll sit down in the corner there...

Marrida sees Elder Sharriba point to a corner to her left.

Sit down here, Sharriba motions at a chair. Marrida does as she’s told, and looks shyly at the Elder, who sits down opposite of her, and smiles at Marrida, and suddenly she feels less shy, so she smiles back.

Do you remember what I told you all those years ago when I came to visit your uncle’s workshop? Sharriba asks, "What I said about not telling what goes on in this building..."

Marrida nods.

I have told no one... she says, Not even my brother and sister...

Good... Sharriba says. "Those rules apply as of this day. But, before you can learn to be a Keeper, they must perform First Rites..."

Why am I here then? Marrida asks, then she blushes because she feels she spoke out of turn.

You’re officially a Temple Maiden until First Rites, but I’ll start your learning, Sharriba states. It’s rather essential you start as soon as possible, so I’m complying with the wishes of your mother...

My mother... Marrida says, feeling shocked now.

"Yes, she specifically asked me one season before Kalisa’s birthing to allow you to join the Temple. I said I couldn’t let you join any earlier than when you’re one year away from First Rites, Sharriba says. You would have joined sooner, but we had the attack from the Wolf Riders a few months ago, and I wanted to wait until the city is calmer again..."

I didn’t know my mother knew about this place, Marrida says. I thought only Keepers or future Keepers knew about it.

"A future Keeper is called an Acolyte, and yes, she knew about this place, because she once was a Keeper herself."

Marrida sits staring with her mouth open wide in shock at the revelation.

So, if my mother came to ask for me to come here, it means she made you a guardian for me too, Marrida says softly, Uncle Joharan said he wasn’t my only guardian...

That’s true, Sharriba replies. "He knows I’m your other guardian. He and I decided not to tell you this information in a conversation shortly after your parents died. We decided it was better for you to know about me until it was time..."

Marrida stares incredulously at the floor for a few minutes.

Why wouldn’t my uncle tell me that? Marrida asks, feeling angry now. I had no one call a mother. I wanted someone to talk to, who understands how it is to be a girl. I miss my mother...

Marrida cries. She hiccups a sob every few minutes. She leans on the table. Suddenly she feels an arm around her...

Marrida looks up at the Elder, who smiles back at her, concerned. I think I know how you feel, even if I can’t tell you why or how, Sharriba says, "Your mother asked me to look after you, so I can be the mother, and perhaps the friend that you want