Red Twilight the Weaver chapter 28

Chapter 28:

the New World

Garlic closes the book in her lap an army of small children of many races sitting around her. She has grown old with the passing of the last twenty sessions, and she has grown wise, she has children of her own now, one fathered by Preston, two with Pepper, and three more how she can't be sure who's are. She looks around the modest room she has set up for her reading.

Garlic has been given a new title, teacher, Garlic daughter of Corn the Weaver is now Garlic the Teacher her siblings share her new name, all but Pepper who is now called Pepper the SnakeEater

Garlic looks out her window as the young wait for her to continue her story "it took nineteen and a half sessions to build the stairwell, and many battles were fought in that time. Corn the weaver spent 12 sessions searching the red sand for Jessica's trail and even met Hathor queen of the sands on the way. Pepper launched a siege on the stronghold of Apapi the snake king and turned the five tribes into seven. And now today at the zenith we will see the Weaver's bell set atop its cradle."

A Kitsune with one and a half tales and white fur with red spots speaks up "what else happened to the Apostles? Ownlog, Rodney, Warwing, Baba-Yung, Preston, Penelope, Monty?"

Garlic folds her legs tightly and leans forward onto them retaking her set at the center of the room. "Ownlog's story ends the only way a sword-slingers can, fighting alongside Pepper the Snake-Eater she suffers the serpent's kiss, after that day she never fought again. The Great and Powerful Rodney helped build the school we all enjoy today and has spent the rest of his days making copies of the books for us all to enjoy, his life is bittersweet as he never stops smiling to spit never having seen Meredith again. Warwing to this day can be seen in the courthouse night after night. Preston had in on and off relationship with me, my mother, Cream and Butter but after much fighting over his affections we all thought it best he went to work alongside Penelope as the town's blade-masters."

"With but one hand Monty was of little use as a magician but he did find work as a master builder, having panted the castle and the grate stairwell…"

A child that is part Unpine and part Gloomwing speaks up "and Baba-Yung?"

Garlic gets up and walks over to the window watching the crowds on the street with a since of longing, a taste for travel dogging at her heart. "I don't know." She yells out the window "Baba –Yung? Are you still around?" Baba flies in the window, the blue of her beak having given way yellow after many years

Baba looks around "I'm still around."

"what have you been up to these last years?"

"I had gone with Corn in search of Jessica but instead found a crypt with a sleeping firebird inside. I have been with the firebird learning the secrets of his race."

"Anything else?"

Baba lowers her head and covers her beak with one wing whispering "well, I did lay some eggs too."

An Unpine calls out "But what happened to Jessica?"

Garlic calls out "come dumplings, if we wish to watch the Bell being set into the cradle we must start walking now." Garlic lowers her head thinking "what becomes of Jessica is something all the teachers and weavers wish to know. Many say she died in the wilderness, some say she becomes a vampire, I don't think this is true. I would wish to think Jessica went off to the edge of the world and called on Kari one last time. And with all of her love healed the mighty black bird that is Kari with enough strength to break its curse and bring the dead god back to life. At long last, the blackbird's curse is gone, and the gloomwing's can feel warmth and affection just like you and I. Baba, do you feel affection."

Baba squawks "you're embarrassing me."

"didn't the other island also have otters" a mouseling ask

"seeing that there are Selkie here I must assume that they had a paralleled journey to ours, now hush up. We will talk after the dedication." Garlic waves the kids out the door with her.

All the tribes of Graywall gather to watch as the bronze bell is lifted by six men and walked up the 500 steps to the top of the stairwell slowly the Weavers Bell finds its home and Onion the apprentice to Odidimus picks up a hammer walking over to it. He holds the hammer overhead and swings it into the side of the bell; the bell calls out to all the land 'Graywall stands.'

The next generation is born, the Weavers will tell their tales yet again. The wisdom Warwing had shared with Corn on the day they met rings more valid all the time. The greatest story in the world isn't the one we never forget it isn't the one that never ends, it's the one we retell tell the end of time.

The sun has risen on the new kingdom at long last. Some many stories to tell, and with each day a new story began, but let the past never be lost.

FIN