The falcon's daughters

Chapter 49

- There it is. The Bay of Mists.

It had been two weeks since they left Laniro and they were now standing on the edge of the mysterious bay. Four hundred years ago it had been an ordinary bay. The people who lived in the village were simply fishermen who lived off the rich catches the sea provided. One day the bay was covered with a thick fog. It did not worry the villagers much at first. It was just a little fog, they would tell each other. Quite normal for being so close to the sea. But as the days passed and the fog showed no signs of easing, some began to worry. The days turned into weeks that turned into months without the fog disappearing. By then, the fishermen had stopped fishing. Too many boats had sunk as they could not see in the thick fog and the bottom of the boats was scraped up by the sharp reef that was just outside the bay. And on the plantations outside the village, people began to disappear. The villagers decided to move away from the bay where they lived all their lives. Three hundred and eighty years ago, the last people moved from there. Kit looked at it and skeptically raised an eyebrow.

- Are we going into that?

- Yes.

- Can’t we ride around instead?

- It would take us three weeks to get around the fog. We will save two weeks on going through the bay and Lace wanted us to avoid discovery.

- I don’t like this. The fog does not feel natural.

- Do not worry. I won’t let anything happen to you. I didn’t let you fall by the bridge did I?.

Kit smiled when he mentioned the bridge.

- About that. Do you remember that I would get to choose which direction we would take?

- Kit. The direction you want to go will take longer and it will lead us past a number of small villages. It's just a little fog. It can’t hurt you.

- Fine. But how can we see where we are going? The fog is so dense that we will not even see each other.

- We must simply try to keep as straight a course as possible.

He took out a rope from a saddlebag. 

- And we can use this to bind us together.

He tied one end of the rope around her waist and the other around his own.

- Let's go.

- I still think this is a bad idea Cade.

- You might as well give up Kit. He’s not going to listen to you.

- I know. 

She sighed and took Chiro's reins and followed Cade into the fog. 

Lace carefully studied the scrolls in front of him. He scratched his hair in disbelief and examined the notes on the paper. With a sigh he counted through the scrolls and then got up from the table. He went to the far part of the archives where Abadin sat with his head bowed over a scroll. The scratching sound of the feather was heard as it was stroked across the paper. He picked up a handful of fine sand from a pot and sprinkled it over the letters he had just written. Without looking up from the scroll he said.

- What can I help you with Lace?

- I'm afraid there are still some rolls missing.

- That’s impossible. We went through every single roll here.

- Could any scrolls have been stolen?

- No. All scrolls were checked. They should be here. 

He placed small stones on each corner of the scroll to prevent it from closing before he got up from his chair.

- Come on, we'll see who's missing. There may be a simple solution.

- According to the books, thirteen pairs of twins were born that year.

Lace pointed to the paper on which the numbers of the scrolls were written.

- But I have only managed to find nine. The scrolls for the other four are missing.

- Saron, can you get book fifty-two from the seventeenth age for me please?

- Immediately Master Abadin.

The boy ran off and Abadin smiled.

- He's a good boy. Eager to learn.

- Here master.

He put the book on the table in front of them. Abadin opened the book and flipped the pages.

- Then let’s see shall we. May I have a  look at your paper Lace?

He compared the notes with the information in the book and then smiled lightly.

- As I thought. Saron, have a look here.

He showed the boy a symbol that was written under each code.

- This symbol indicates that the child is of noble birth. Your missing scrolls are not missing Lace.

The thick book slammed shut and Abadin walked towards a large metal cabinet. The cabinet was decorated with beautiful ornaments that covered both doors. He took off the golden medallion that hung around his neck. After a light pressure on the fox that covered its front, a piece of metal shot out from the bottom of the medallion. A part of the ornament that at first appears to have been part of the cabinet was taken aside and revealed a lock. The key that was hidden inside the locket was put in the lock and turned. Both doors creaked slightly when opened. The cabinet was divided into several compartments similar to those in the archive and each compartment was filled with rollers. Here, too, each compartment carried a small metal sign. But instead of showing the codes of the scrolls, they showed years.

- For safety reasons, all scrolls showing a noble birth are stored inside here. And this is where we will find the ones you are looking for.

He ran his fingers over the rolls in a compartment and took out eight pieces. Lace received the rolls that were handed out and went back to the table. He sat down and opened one of them. His eyes slid across the rows and he sighed in disappointment before rolling it up again. Abadin and Saron looked at him in amazement.

- A boy. 

They watched as roll after roll was opened, read through and then closed with a sigh.

- They are not here.

- It can not be possible! Every child who has ever been born in Derl'ion is registered in these scrolls!

- Could their birth have been unknown?

- Only if their mother was without human company during the whole time she was expecting them. Which I find highly unlikely. What about these scrolls then?

- This was the only twin couple where both were girls.

Lace and held up two scrolls.

- And among the others, there were three more couples.

- Then we go through them again.

Abadin sat down at the table and began to read through the eight scrolls. His watchful eyes carefully examined each line of the roll before laying it down. The contents of one of the rolls made his face fade and when he opened the roll for the other twin it had turned white. 

- Saron. Run to the throne room and get the king.

Y'zora heard the faint sobs as she passed Sol's room. She slowly opened the door and found the girl sitting on the bed with the crying face hidden behind her hands. She went inside and sat down next to her.

- Sol? What happened?

- The council has taken my powers. I'm no longer a seer.

- Oh Sol.

She sighed sadly and closed the girl in her arms. For a while they just sat there and Y’zora comforted her when she cried. 

- I'm so sorry, my sweet girl. Did they say why?

- They said that my heart no longer belonged to the council. But I do not understand. How could they say such a thing?

- Because it is true.

Shocked Sol looked up at her.

- Yzza! My heart has always belonged to the council.

- Yes it has. But things are changing and we are not always able to control those changes. Your heart has made a choice that you are not aware of yet.

- But you are?

- Yes, my girl. I know what choice it made.

- How can you know that?

- I'll explain to you. Do you remember what poison it was on the arrow that hit Lee?

- Whiteroot. But what does that have to do with my powers?

- Sol there is no cure for whiteroot. Apart from Lee, no one has survived that poison.

- But if it is that deadly, how could Lee survive?

- You understand my child. Lee received another cure.

- Yzza, you just said that there is no cure.

- There is one. One that can cure all the diseases and poisonings that exist but because of its rarity, many people think it is just a myth. Let me ask you one thing Sol. When you were watching Lee's side. Did you cry?

She put her hands in her lap and looked down at them in shame before meeting Y'zora's gaze.

- I thought he was going to die. That we could not save him. I know I should not be so emotional but …

- It is alright my dear.

She smiled and tenderly put a hand to her cheek. 

- What you did was the only thing you could do and it saved Lee's life.

- Do you mean I saved him. But I didn’t do anything.

- Yes, you did. Sol the most powerful cure available is the tears of a seer in love

- It is impossible. Seers do not fall in love.

- It could happen. But they always lose their power when it happens.

- So the council took my strength because I have fallen in love. That's completely unreasonable, Yzza. How can I have fallen in love without knowing it?

- We are not always aware of the choices our hearts make my child.

- But who would I have fallen in love with?

Y'zora got up and gently caressed Sol over her cheek before walking towards the door. In the doorway she stopped and looked back with a gentle smile.

- By whose side were you sitting and watching for seven days?

Sol's gasp was heard throughout the room as she slowly uttered the name.

- Lee.