PIRIN

That long summer

That long summer CHAPTER V

In the first long summer spent at Matir-ath-Adurini, Domenir little by little forgot his sorrow for having been left behind by his parents. In daytime he would always think less about it, overwhelmed as he was by so many news offered to his eyes and by the loving care of his foster-father. Besides, his mother, before leaving, had told the few friends Domenir had to come visit him at the estate, at least for a while, so that the change might be less abrupt. She had also asked Helewen to take Domenir to Sandovelia, a few times a year, so that he could see the place where he had been brought up some times more. His friends had come pay a visit to him at Magnolias Estate about ten times that summer, and Helewen had not forgotten about taking his young foster-son to the capital, where they spent a few days for the solstice celebration.

Only in the evening, before falling asleep, or in some rainy days spent in his room or in the estate’s loggias, when everything was silent around him, young Domenir’s heart cried without a sound. Dreams, smiles, words, all reminded him of his sorrow. When the wind’s gloomy song molested the tree-tops, and the noisy, jingling choir of the storm, pierced by the strike of thunder, fell upon the dale of river Pafantehes-yedo, the young man’s spirit was shaken, as by an icy poison, a fit of heavy, oppressing nostalgia. A shadow Domenir tried to suppress, as though he were sending the crows away from the field after the sowing. He wished he could imagine his parents were alive, straight on their course in days of calm, or even already docked in prosperous countries, sunny, flourishing lands where people were kind to their guests.

Only an awareness, or even a feeling, allowed Domenir to quiet his troubled heart: that long summer he had understood, or so it seemed to him, that lord Helewen somehow needed him. That he had accepted his presence for the opportunity it provided to him of being a father once more.

Now the summer was finished, and Domenir could leave the estate ever less. Everybody around him was busy preparing, each in their own way, for winter: gardeners and farmers, who had spent many hours in summer with the newcomer, inviting him to look at the several works to be done and the many little secrets of taking care of the park, were now absent, each of them busy in their own activity. Domenir, who almost felt as though he were disturbing so many industrious activities, decided to spend more time in the house, reading, helping in small businesses, or talking to the servants when they were not working. But mostly, now that Helewen seemed to have forsaken the enthusiasm he had until then entertained his guest with, enumerating, describing and exhibiting characters, items, food and places in the vast household he administered, Domenir felt like he should investigate his foster-father’s life and origins, to learn who the Pirin really were, and how their legendary Kingdom was. Therefore one day, when autumn was setting the stage for winter, as he was spending the afternoon with the old King, Domenir asked Helewen to tell him his story.