Chapter 8: The Moon Prayer

Outside the home of the noble family of Baduk there was a clean white snow, like a fluffy cloak, this cenario if you were seeing it from a picture it would seem beautiful but for those who were living this image, it was simply a cruel cenario, there were no leaves in the tree except on the pine looking ones and even on these trees it seemed to be harsh to bear the amount of snow that are on them. It wasn't uncommon to hear the sound of trees falling and breaking apart from the weight of the snow.

In the village the people were gathering on houses to make each other warm, like how penguins do. But this also comes with cruel consequences, while you keep warmer the amount of people in one place, all using the same toilet that was nothing more then a hole of about a meter, all the waste of the food, and the rats that were also trying to escape the cold there was no way people wouldn't get sick.

This was the reality of the winter for the common people, but in the noble manor of the lord of the region the fires were always burning, the meals were aways warm and plentiful in comparison to the others, their clothes were warm and cozy and there were but eight people on the whole house, the five of the noble family, two maids and a bodyguard. That's the truth of privilage that Alex didn't know.

In the office of the head of the family, Achilles fum Baduk, Hector was giving his report.

-Sir! The regional druids have anounced the coming the Blood Moon! It was to happen in two suns, the Druid have asked to stay in the manor while the shrine is organized for the prayer!

Hector reported in disciplined manner as a soldier, although just seconds earlier he came into the office in a lazy and disrespectful way.

-Bring the Druid in and serve him some hot soup, also order Zenia to prepare a room for him. Now report the resources in stock and the situation of the village.

The village as I described was in a poor state, while there was more then enough food for everyone, the cold was harsh. Hector, while looking a bit worried opened his mouth to report.

-The situation is pretty grave, about 20 more people died, from cold and diseases, since the start of the winter about 60 people died. To be honest the Druid said that some other villages from surrounding area are in a way worse state then ours, he said that the lord of the neighboor territory of Manne, Sir Otto, raised taxes after harvest and they also don't have much firewood! As for our stock, we will be a bit short on firewood if we continue with the distribution the way we are now, but that is only if the winter end sooner, if spring don't come we also won't have enough food for possible trade.

The trade in this point in time is different then what Alex had on his life, there was no unified currency, so when you are to buy something you are to trade your goods for the other's goods and/or service. And as such there is no such a thing as inns or restaurants. So you ask: "Then how do travellers sleep and eat in towns and cities?" and to that question the answer is that they normally stay in a strangers house, you see, even in this harsh world there is a strong sense of companionship, also in this world where information is limited this travellers are a source of information of the outside world and with stories to tell. But it's not aways guaranteed that people will let you in their house, of course. And very commonly the travellers make a camp around the city.

As Achilles tried to figure out a way the Druid that had finished his meal was asking questions to Zenia about the village.

-So Zenia how has the village been since the summer? If I remember well M'lady Helena was pregnant at the time, so how's the child?

The Druid was a old man, about in his late 50 years, looking like he had 80, he was clearly near his end, his skin was pale and wrinkled, he had a long grayish white beard and hair that was short, his robe was wet from the snow that melted as he entered the house, the robe was brown, clearly made from leather and not dyed, but when he raised his arms you could see a far more fancy and warmer looking vestiment, it was yellow with a red circle being hold by a blue half moon with a triangle under all of it, in a way it looked like a person somehow, there must be some religious simbolism to it, we'll see it later.

-M'lady had a healthy little baby boy, he has red hair with black ends looking like stripes and eyes that glow a yellowish green. The childbirth was quite easy though, when he was born he was moving as if he was trying to get out as soon as possible, I bet he'll be a great man.

Zenia was the older midwife that helped with Alex's birth,she was busy taking care of Artemis at the time who was ill and didn't want to be left alone, she might look like a early teen but she's 4 years old, so that much should be normal.

-A little tiger cub, eh? Looks like he'll grow strong into a warrior! Haha!

The Druid laughed as he jokingly tried to predict the future.

-Do you want to go see him? If he get to know you early he might not ending up hating you as much as the other two.

Zenia walked to the door that lead to Alex's room and bowed lightly, inviting the Druid in.

As he walked in and saw the baby on the crib who was trying to speak, making sounds and training is control over his tongue.

-He's what? A 13 moons old, right? He is already so big! What have you been feeding him?

The Druid surprised by the size of the baby, who had about 70cm in height. Zenia was laughing softly by her nose at his reaction.

-Hey, young master Alex, how are you? Gramps Urion here wants to know you! Here say "Hi"!

-Babu!?

As Zenia was playing with Alex by picking his hands and making him wave, Alex surprised by seeing the old man Druid Urion.

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Alex's POV

Eh? Ne, who is this old man? Never saw him before, he is my grandfather or something? Actually what hour is it? the snow doesn't let much light in the house and the windows are closed because of the cold.

In any way, shape or form this is an oportunity to learn the language, I got way better and I can understand a bit.

-Yo, Gashin lurd, Alex, come ist vous? Ojvo Urion akui kuer en menher vous! Akui shabeler "Yo"!

Soo, how do I say this? I can connect a bit of the word by the intention and movement, this is my rough translation.

"Hey, "Gashin"? Lord, Alex, how are you? (Idk what is this) Urion here wants "speak to me"? Here (Idk) "Hey""

So from what I could get, I'm a lord or something (I'll need more information on that) this old man, Urion, wants to speak to me? Or maybe is meet? And she wants me to greet him? I'll try...I guess.

-Woi!

And failed miserably, my tongue is weird, I can't really move it fast enough to talk nor can I control the precise movements to make a clear sound.

Please! Someone help me!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------God's POV

At least he got out of the anger and got to the acceptance phase. Ok, Alex! I must admit, you really grew up! I'm proud of ya!

But enough of that, Zenia and Urion where happy with response, even if Alex had failed miserably to say "hi", Urion then had an idea.

-I'll problably stay in Baduk untill the baptism in early spring, can you let me speak to Sir Achilles?

Confused by why he wanted that but assuming that was because of the Blood Moon prayer, Zenia nodded and went to the Lords office.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Achilles was trying to calculate how much the firewood stock would last, but he never really learned math so he was really confusing, then he heard someone knock on the door.

-Yes? Who is it?

Zenia in response answered his question by stating her name and was let in.

-M'lord! The Druid Urion wants to have a conference with Your Lordship.

Achilles also assuming to be about the Blood Moon said to let him in.

-Sir Achilles! I'm here to talk about your younger son.

Confused, Achilles lifted one of his eyebrows.

-What would you want with a 13 moons old baby? If I'm not mistaken the shaman training only accepts 6 Blood Moons old.

-No,no, that's not it, It's just that I'll be here till spring for the baptism and for the roads to be better so I thought to pass my time to teach the cub, he seems to have quite a lot of pontential, ya see, and also I can have you owe me.

The idea of letting the Druid teaching Alex was unexpected to Achilles, but with what he and his wife had discussed before, it wan't a bad proposal, and what the regional Druids would problably ask was some animal sacrifices and at most soldiers for battles against the barbarians or pillagers,raiders and such. And those type of battles doesn't happen often since Lord Constantine took over.

-I will accept your offer, but let me add somethings, you'll teach Alex every time you come to the village for the baptism and Moon prayers, and you'll do it for 5 Blood Moons. Not a bad deal, since you always complain about being bored when you are not preaching or making rituals.

At Achilles' comment Urion made a "geh"sound as he was criticated. But Achilles still had a point so Urion accenpted the offer.

-I'll start after the Blood Moon prayer. I'll be busy preparing the chapel shrine for it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------During the rest of the day and the Blood Moon Eve almost everyone was busy.

Urion had to clean the chapel from all the snow, light the candles and the fires.

Achilles had to manage and calculate how much food, drinks and firewood he would use and how much will be left.

Helena, Zenia and Carol were ordering the woman of the village to decorate the chapel and to prepare the ingridients of the soup and stew for the banquet.

Hector had to order the other squires and guards to tell the villagers about the festival and to guard in case someone tries to stop or interrupt the sacred ritual.

Even the slaves were also working in bringing the heavy barrels of wine and beer and the sacks of vegetables and dried fruits.

Then the day came, every villager cutted on their warmest clothes to go out, they were also using hats, but the hats were weird, they were made with either an wild beasts crest or colored like an one, and everybody seemed to have a different creatures, there were one made with black fur with the tusks of a boar, there was a yellow one with a extra amount of blonde fur falling like aveil around the neck like a lion, for some people who couldn't get fur they used diferent ways to make the hat, there was one that used human hair as fur of pointy stones as horns, it was almost like a costume party, others were of more predominet families in the village, like the squires' families had a magnificent crest and even badges with the image of beasts and monsters, some decided to use cloaks that matched with the hats.

And the Baduk family was no different. At the sunset the Baduk family went out of their house, Achilles was using a black wolf fur cloak with a hat in the format of the beast, Helana was using a orange cloak made from fox fur and a hat with fox ears, Percues had a yellow fur coat but the hat was made like and eagle with a vail of thick plumage in the neck,I It was a griphin, Artemis was using a cloak made from white fur shaped like feathers and a hat also white but made with real feathers with a beak in the front and a small patch of fur making it look like ears, it was an owl.

Alex though he was just rolled around a thick white fur blanket, in fact all the babies in the village seemed to be like that, and there quite a lot of babies in the village since it was in the fall and spring the humans from this world gave birth.

The noble group walked through the busy village in the direction of the chapel, the chapel was close to the entrance of the village.

Inside the chapel there was mosaics with all kinds of animals in the walls and if you looked at the oval shaped ceiling there was the image of a person mixed with a beast of some kind, he had a crown on his head and the background was other humans going away from the kingly figure in the direction of the other beasts on the walls, at the center of ceiling there was a weapon that one couldn't identify if it was a spear or a sword, it looked like one or another depending on your position, it was a optical ilusion, but what really gets one's attention is the stone that glowed brightly at the crossguard of the weapon.

Alex was captivated by the grandiosity of the building, it had the feel of you being but a piece of the story that the mosaics were telling, but it did not make you feel insignificant, it made you feel inspired and have the impression that you could and can be part of this story, that you could one day be part of those walls and be remembered by all that see it.

Alex was so fixated on the walls and ceiling that he had forgoten about all the weird costumes that the people around him were using. Only when the Druid Urion got on the stand for the preacher of the chapel and started to talk that his attention was diverted. Urion's voice became loud even if he didn't look to be screaming, it was the echo of the high ceiling, it made so his voice was loud but also made it sound ethereal, as if there was something almost unseeable present.

Alex tried to pick words from the prayer but he could't get anything but some names and pronouns, but what was said was this.

-We art gath'r'd h're to prayeth f'r the guardian of the bitter cold night and death! Who is't appeareth at this timeth wearing r'd from the blood of the fallen!

From the begining th're wast the stars and the moons, and from the stars the beast and monst'rs, yond roam this plane of flesh and blood, descended!

And the Sun, Astro, sentth the blessing of mana cameth into this w'rld, the divine pow'r granted to humans, elves and dwarves!

And a human wast chosen and given anoth'r blessing! Helio hath said

"Ó! Mana holdeth'r, thee shalt beest mine own chosen!

Thou art to gov'rn ov'r all the beast on the sky, landeth and flote!

I h'reby giveth to thee and thy people the pow'r of the beasts thee and thy people to maketh thy owneth!

The nights shall becometh bright in thy eyes and the stars shall accepteth thee as their owneth at which hour the timeth cometh!

Now go! f'r thee has't the right to gov'rn this w'rld!

to the west of the mountain range though thee shalt not go, f'r the dang'rs of the oth'r side art not to cometh to thy kind!"

The King Tamar wenteth to the east and gov'rn'd the beasts of the sea, landeth and skies. But the humans, elves and dwarves who is't hadst submit'd to his might betrayed the gl'rious King and wenteth to the west, from th're cameth hords of beasts and monst'rs yond couldst behead the bravest of warri'rs in a hitteth. And the evil who is't hadst been in slumb'r awaken by the trait'rs, the King of all devils, demons and monst'rs wast ang'red!

Helio at which had discov'red about the his chosen failure sendeth divine punishment and hath said!

"Ó! Mana holdeth'r , I hadst trusted thee and thee failed to obeyeth mine own calleth. Thee shalt go with the leadeth'rs of thy mis'rable kingdom of m'rtals and their firstb'rn to the west!

Thou art to stand halt the evil with thy blood and life

I shalt giveth thee m'rcy and bid thee this, at which hour thy timeth cometh and thy spirit weaken behold at the moon f'r it shalt beest dyed red in the blood of thy people and bringeth bitter cold and death ev'ry timeth the it is to cometh to gath'r the spirits and blood of those who is't hath fallen!"

Tamar, with his honor sulied, gath'r'd his man and marched. And all we has't hath left is a blood red moon that brings death with bitter cold.

But the menace of the Devil king wast ov'r.

We who is't w're hath left high-lone hadst to abandon from the once gl'rious kigdom of Tamar and spread across the Realm wh're we art to square those who is't hadst did betray the king of fusty!

And that's why we prayeth! Ó moon, bloodi'd by death and our failure, has't m'rcy on those who is't hath fallen and alloweth their spirits to go to the stars, as it shouldst has't been! Bringeth the warmth of life to this Realm and f'rigive the past and desire f'r the future!

Ó! Guardian of the bitter cold nights, who is't guides the dead, has't m'rcy and blesseth us with protection from the dark and the dang'rs of night!

Accepteth our prayeth'r and alloweth us liveth, consume and drinketh liketh th're is nay tom'rrow!

May the stars watch over us!

As Urion finnished the prayer everybody repeated "May the stars watch over us" and then stayed quiet for some time until Urion interrupted the silence and exclaimed.

-So what are you waiting for? Bring the wine, ale and beer! Bring the food and let's be marry!

Upon hearing the comment everyone cheered and a party started, the music was mainly drums, flutes and maracas, the villagers danced while drinking. There was a very merry atmosphere even in this cold depressing season. Alex was really confused though, it went from a religious sounding sermon to a party. As he tried to understand what was happening from the arms of his mother he looked at the ceiling, he realized then that the ceinling wasn't made of pure stone, it was made by a cristal looking glass, it wasn't glass but he couldn't say it was cristal either, but the important part was that it was trasparent and while the images that he had saw earlier in the ceiling was still there he could see that the background was clearly different, there was a giant blood red sphere showing, all he could think was "WTH is that?!" but even with his surprise he couldn't stop looking at the ceiling again, from the images of the ceiling that once inspired a glorious and great story now you could feel the failings and suffering that the people in that story felt.

As the music, singing and chater were happening Alex could only gaze into the moon and think "I guess this will be a turning point in my world view.", not that he could have a world view of a world he hadn't even seen yet.

And as happiness happens in the chapel and it's sourrounding streets, a figure, with a cloak that hide all it's face went in the direction of the slave quarters.