Let's consider the sacred, Pt 2

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

Late morning, Thursday, December 10th, day 193]
[The Church of Nanshe]

Miao visits the Church of Nanshe and meets both Nanse-kam and Leah. After a bit a chat, it turns out that Leah has had a very unsettling dream and since dram interpretation is part of Nanse-kam job he is happy to listen if Leah wishes to tell him.

Along with telling him about her dream, she also tells him about her origins. After dealing with Nanse-kam's reaction to this revelation, he interprets the dream for her. and Leah decides that she wants to learn to do this herself. The priest agrees< and starts assigning her homework.


Nanse-kam grins at me.That's great!I'd be glad to teach you. Oneiromancy - that's the art of dream reading - is a complex skill, and it takes a long time to learn. Though I suppose you must be a quick study, yeah? I nod and smile back taking the book he offers. Karina has told me more than once that I am a very fast learner. I will read it tonight so that when I dream once more I will know more about what I see. Why don't you start by going away and reading through this, and then we can discuss it in a week or so?

"Ok. would you like me to come back at the same time?"

I toss my hair back when he asks if I can write. "Of course I can. K-" I cut myself off because while he needed to know about the River he does not need to know about Karina and Maryk. "I was taught that along with reading. Both in my first week." I add proudly.

[Open to Nanse-kam] [Closed]

Comments

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"Ok. would you like me to come back at the same time?"

That’d work, yeah,” I say. “Or just drop by any day. If I’m too busy to chat I’ll tell you so, and if I’m not we’ll have a sit down together. We don’t stand on much ceremony here,” I say.

"I was taught that along with reading. Both in my first week."

She sounds proud, as she bloody should.

“A week!” I say. “Blimey. That’s impressive, mate. I’m sure you’ll get on with that book alright, then, and maybe you can start reading the trickier stuff.” I wonder suddenly if Leah would make a good novice for the abbey. She seems sweet tempered, and keen to learn – if she ends up interested in Nanshe, it might be a good life for her. Especially if she doesn’t have family. I do wonder where she’s staying. I caught her stopping herself saying. But I won’t push. The abbey’s always been a place good at keeping secrets.

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

That’d work, yeah,” I say. “Or just drop by any day. If I’m too busy to chat I’ll tell you so, and if I’m not we’ll have a sit down together. We don’t stand on much ceremony here,

I give him a smile. "Alright. I will return in one week and bring back both the book and dream diary."


A week! he says, and I think I impressed him. Blimey. That’s impressive, mate. I’m sure you’ll get on with that book alright, then, and maybe you can start reading the trickier stuff.

"How long does it usually take people to learn?" I ask curious. "The reading and writing I mean?" I add in case he thought I was asking about the dream language.

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"Oh, a long time," I say in reply to her question. "Years, I suppose, to be able to read and write like an adult. But then, people usually start when they are very young, and their brains aren't as large yet. I suppose you got lucky by skipping straight to adulthood," I smile, then pause. "I assume you didn't arrive on dry land as a baby?"

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

My eyes get wide at Nanse-kam's answer. "Years? how do people manage if it takes them so long to learn things?"

I suppose you got lucky by skipping straight to adulthood," I smile, then pause. "I assume you didn't arrive on dry land as a baby?

I shake my head. "Of course not. That wouldn't have been useful at all."

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"Years? how do people manage if it takes them so long to learn things?"

"Well," I say, "if you're lucky, you have people around you to help out. When you're a kid, your family usually helps you until you know how to do things yourself. And even when you're an adult, people help each other. Take the abbey, for instance. When I came to the abbey years ago, I was taught how to weave. Now I teach the novices, and one day they'll teach novices of their own."

"Of course not. That wouldn't have been useful at all."

I smile a bit.

"Most of us don't have the option to choose how we look or what we can do based on what's useful," I say. "Your ability to learn and change so fast seems to me a gift, Leah, and maybe you should think about what it's for. I think you could do some good with it."

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

Well," I say, "if you're lucky, you have people around you to help out. When you're a kid, your family usually helps you until you know how to do things yourself. And even when you're an adult, people help each other. Take the abbey, for instance. When I came to the abbey years ago, I was taught how to weave. Now I teach the novices, and one day they'll teach novices of their own. Not so different then to my early days with Karina and Maryk.

He smiles and adds, Most of us don't have the option to choose how we look or what we can do based on what's useful," I say. "Your ability to learn and change so fast seems to me a gift, Leah, and maybe you should think about what it's for. I think you could do some good with it.

Now I frown at him, I'm sure there's more to what he's saying than just the words. i think it's the look in his eyes, it sort of reminds me of Hermia and her request for the Pontarlier to help.

"It is a gift, as is my human form. Both were given to me to use on behalf of the River. I did not choose this, any of this. And I will not make any decisions on how best to use it until I understand what I will be choosing."

And I smile and ask, "Do you know Hermia?"

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"It is a gift, as is my human form. Both were given to me to use on behalf of the River. I did not choose this, any of this. And I will not make any decisions on how best to use it until I understand what I will be choosing."

Leah is very firm, and it makes me grin a bit.

"Good," I say. "Don't agree to anything unless you understand it. More people should think like that," I say.

"Do you know Hermia?"

"Hermia... Oh yeah, the librarian. She comes to the abbey now and then to leave offerings. Nice woman. You mates with her?"

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

He grins at me. Good,Don't agree to anything unless you understand it. More people should think like that.

"That could be a while," I warn him, "This kind of thing seems complicated."

Hermia... Oh yeah, the librarian. She comes to the abbey now and then to leave offerings. Nice woman. You mates with her? I smile at first, He does know Hermia and then I frown trying to work out the meaning of his question.

"I think she and I are friends. Why would we be mates? Surely, Valmont is her mate and they are engaged which means they only do that with each other, yes?"

English is such a confusing language sometimes, especially the various ways they speak it in this town.

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"You what?" I gape, and then I crack up. "Oh, no, Leah, I don't mean are you and Hermia an item. 'Mates' is slang for friends. People don't usually call their boyfriends or husbands or whatever 'mate' - we usually save that for animals. But English is a funny old language and that's for sure." I grin at her. "Sort of reassuring to know you're not perfect yet," I say, "given that you can clearly soak up knowledge like a sponge."

I stand up.

"Come on," I say, "it's lunchtime and I'm hungry. You're welcome to join us for a bit of soup if you like, or I'll walk you to the gate."

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

His mouth falls open and he looks really surprised by what I said. Just as I start to worry that I said something really wrong, laughter bursts out and he says, Oh, no, Leah, I don't mean are you and Hermia an item. 'Mates' is slang for friends. People don't usually call their boyfriends or husbands or whatever 'mate' - we usually save that for animals. But English is a funny old language and that's for sure.

Oh. He's grinning so my mistake can;t have been all that bad. Sort of reassuring to know you're not perfect yet,given that you can clearly soak up knowledge like a sponge. I nod, even though I am confused about why my lack of perfection at the English language is reassuring to him, when to me causes me alarm or nervousness on a regular basis.

Nanske-kam stands up. I guess we are finished talking. Come on,it's lunchtime and I'm hungry. You're welcome to join us for a bit of soup if you like, or I'll walk you to the gate.

I rise as well. Much as I'd like to stay and find out what kind of soup they have here I should get home so that Karina and Maryk do not worry about me. I smile up at him. "I think I should be getting home. Maybe next week I'll stay for lunch?"

[nansekam.livejournal.com]

"Absolutely, kiddo. You'd be welcome," I say. We walk to the gate. "I'm glad you came over to the abbey. It's always nice to meet new people." I offer her my hand. "I hope you enjoy the book."

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

Absolutely, kiddo. You'd be welcome. Nanse-kam says as well walk back to the gate. I'm glad you came over to the abbey. It's always nice to meet new people.I hope you enjoy the book.

I smile back at him. He offers his hand. And after a moment I take it. I didn't know people also shook hands when saying goodbye. "So am I. I very much liked meeting you and Miao. I hope I enjoy the book too. See you next week!"

I am so happy as I head home that I start to sing one of the little songs that Karina taught me. They are all in Spanish and this one is about a sleepy baby.

"Nana,nanita,nana
nanita ea.
Nana,nanita,nana
nanita ea.
Mi niño tiene sueño,
bendito sea.
Fuentecita que corre
clara y sonora.
ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora.
Calla mientras la cuna se balancea,
Ala nanita,nana,nanita ,ea."