Chapter 2

I have gained strength in the last couple of days. I am now beginning to understand what has happened to me and to my house over the years. I now know why Aleatha looks so familiar. It seems that when I first came to this beautiful little valley I brought her ancestors with me to tend to the house and land while I traveled. The family lines have remained strong throughout the centuries. I had asked the ancestors of these villagers to keep the valley protected, productive, and serene. Aleatha is surprised that my home is growing in size even though no one is actually building on to it. So far only the rest of the entryway has come back.

I had set in place a spell of protection onto my home. As long as I was well and had my senses the house would be visible to all. Even then no one could enter without my leave. This is something that the four sisters had not known. I am sure that is part of why they had gone mad, they wanted my secrets, and what made me so strong. When they had finally succeeded in subduing me the house all but disappeared, the only visible sign was a well-concealed door. After the last sister had returned me to the village, the only person who could find the door would have been a direct descendant of the woman who was in charge of my house when I was gone. Only the women of Aleatha’s family would be able to see the door, and only when I was returned to the village could the door be opened. Even so, only a small portion of the entryway would be visible and accessible. A bed had been placed close to the door along with a small table and chair, this according to my directions.

As only the entryway to my home is revealed, only a small portion of my memory has returned. I now remember that when the sisters and I battled, for that is what we did, it was not here in this valley. They thought that they had cornered me in my own valley, yet I was in another valley helping the people there.
While the battle raged, there were violent lightening, winds strong enough to rip up trees out of the ground, and even the ground was pitched like the ocean. It took their four minds working, as one in complete unison to completely block mine, and then the only thing they could do was create a dense fog in my mind. In order for this fog to remain complete the four of them had to stay connected and working together. After centuries of this the finally went mad and died off one by one. When the first one died, her strength was then given equally to the remaining sisters, until the last one alive had the combined strength of all of them. The affects took years to wear off enough so that I could wake up; it will take time before my mind is completely clear. Until then I will have to learn what all I can do.

In my bedside table I have found tools of divination, unfortunately I do not remember how to use them. I know that I had been able to understand what they would show, I could interpret the meanings quite clearly. Hopefully this will return to me soon. The ways to understand these stones and sticks are tantalizingly just beyond reach, still lost in the shadows.

"Aleatha, I am tired of pacing around this room, let’s go sit on the front porch. You can tell me more of the history of your village."

"There is no front porch", she tells me with a look of complete confusion. "There has never been a porch for as long as I can remember."

"Well there is now, and I do believe that it is covered."

"Whether there is a porch or not you do need to get outside and get some fresh air." As we go out the front door, there is a covered porch. On this porch is also comfortable seating and exquisite potted plants. "This was not here before. I would have seen it. Where has this come from?"

"As my mind clears, other parts of my house will become clear. Each part as I need it. I had set a spell on my home in case I should ever be trapped. The longer the sisters kept my mind fogged, the more of my house seemed to disappear. Until no one was left alive that even knew that there had been a house here. Only the women of your family were able to even see the front door. It was your ancestor that had been in charge of my house when I was not here, it was she who set the entryway to look like a simple bedroom before she walked out of the house for the last time centuries ago." As I sit here I can feel dread, and loathing coming from outside the valley. There has been great upheaval in the lands out side this peaceful valley. The feeling is faint though, either it is very old or it is very young and growing stronger. I will have to keep track of it to see if it is growing stronger. "Tell me what you know of when Galta brought me into your village. I know your were only a small child at the time, but I know you remember."

"This porch is absolutely beautiful. When she finally brought you into the village from the cave she and her sisters had kept you in everyone was very frightened. No one was sure what she was up to or what kind of trick she might be trying to do. Everyone knew that you were not one of her sisters because we had seen the others after they had died. We knew that they lived in a cave near the edge of the valley, and we knew that they had hidden something in it. It wasn’t until Galta brought you into the village that we knew that it was a person. At first no one knew who you were. When she told the elders that you were The Oracle of the legends, she wasn’t believed. She said that once she died, your mind would slowly clear and a path to your door would become clear. She said this directly to my mother knowing that my mother already knew where your front door was. She also knew that it could not be opened by anyone. She also said that she had held you captive for so long that she didn’t know how to release you.

"Everyone thought that was strange because she brought you into the village and told us to take care of you. At that time we didn’t know that she had been keeping your mind captive as well. Being the healer of the village, it was decided that you would be taken into our home. Shortly after that, Galta died. A path did open up from our house to your door. My parents took that as a sign that you were The Oracle, and as the men carried you up the path they could see the door that only my mother and I had been able to see. When the door was opened only my mother could go in, she was the only one that could see anything beyond the threshold. The rest I told you already."

"Thank you, Aleatha. Now I understand how I could be brought back into my house. Now I know that these sisters were after something in my house, yet I don’t know what they were after. They could see the door but couldn’t get close to it. That must have infuriated them. Hopefully sooner than later I will regain the rest of my memories.

"We should begin your lessons. Are you ready to learn what kind of power you have and what you can do with it?"

"I am ready."

"Good. You already know that you have the ability to heal the body, and in a small to heal the mind. The more you learn to control your mind; the better at healing you will become. The first thing I want to teach you is how to focus your thoughts. This is easier said than done.

"This training used to be offered mainly to the young. There were those who believed that only the young could be trained, if the pupil was too old they could not be trained. I believe that no matter what the person’s age, if they want to learn they will. Once you master this lesson you will be able to learn the rest easily.

"Get comfortable. Now close your eyes. Put your thoughts together and place them in a box and lock them in. Don’t let any loose. Remember to breathe. Thoughts are like water, if there is an opening they will get out. You need to be able to keep control of your thoughts in order to harness your power. It will also protect you from being detected by others. Enough for now. You are doing good, keep practicing. Once you have mastered this, I will not be able to feel your thoughts."

Startled, Aleatha asks, "You can feel thoughts?"

"Yes, thoughts, emotions, and physical well-being. It is time to go in. There is no need for any wards to be set over me any longer. I am now strong enough to keep my own ward even while I sleep."

Yet, as settle in for the night, I feel a tickle at the back of my mind. It is gone before I can grasp it. It was too light to leave much of an impression, can’t even tell from where it came from. Is it a memory or is it from an outside source? I will have to be very careful. I will have to take care at ordering my own thoughts as my memory returns. Still can’t tell if what I feel from outside this valley is old or if it is still very new and growing.