Still thwarting Sloth's mind control... Circulation: 191,416,046 Issue: 604 | 19th day of Swimming, Y15
Home | Archives Articles | Editorial | Short Stories | Comics | New Series | Continued Series
 

A Tale of Two Bori: Part Twelve


by jjquil

--------

Trealiy stayed up all night in the courtyard with Lunara and Terrana, telling them his story. Every few sentences, Lunara would turn to her sister and translate the words into their Shenkuu dialect, making the Gnorbu gasp or clap appreciatively. He told them first of the Bringer of Night, how he was expected to defend his homeland in battle, but failed due to his lack of experience and cowardly streak. He told them how he had become cursed into living ice like their enemies, and how his clan rejected him based on his frightening appearance, leading him to leave his home behind. He described his arrival in the kingdom of Meridell, being accepted into the castle by his hero Jeran, and training for many months as a squire. He saw the sunrise lightening the sky, casting their meeting in a warm blush pink as he finished his tale: how he had been chased to the cliffside and fell into the ocean, injuring his head and washing up on the shores of Shenkuu – where fate had him cross paths with the only other Bori in the country.

      The noblewomen were enthralled by his narrative, impressed by the exciting life he lead. Treal was embarrassed by their attention, feeling the same as he had all along, the loner who read books to experience adventure. Still, it was obvious he had been changed by his travels; it was only when he said it all aloud that it dawned on him just how much he had matured. Lunara asked him again if he would stay, adding that she was not allowed to leave the palace grounds and rarely got visitors with such interesting anecdotes (and such a modest attitude to deliver them with). But he had to decline again, as he felt more and more curious about the little white Bori. What was her story? Had she traveled to many places before reaching Shenkuu? Did she have a dream she was chasing, like his dream of becoming a hero? He finally excused himself from his audience, thanking them for offering him their company, and padded back indoors to the sickbay.

      It was still early morning when he peeked his bandaged head through the doorway, and saw that the white Bori was still curled peacefully on her pallet. The healers assured him that she was in good health, that she had not injured herself when she passed out, and that it had probably been some sort of emotional trauma that had caused her to faint like that. Treal knew nothing about her, not even her name, so he had no way to deduce the cause. Sighing, he decided he would walk about and explore the palace while he waited for her to wake up.

      He found his way deeper into the vast building, settling onto a wooden bench in the grand hall. Red pillars soared to the tall ceiling, framing the many corridors that spun off from this main chamber. Trealiy sat there for some time, watching the many Neopets bustling about in their daily routines. Apparently this palace was open to all the Shenkuu citizens, because he saw a great variety of them arriving and leaving; performers and musicians, scholars and scribes, cooks and gardeners, and of course the armoured guards. It was only morning, but the imperial palace had proven to be a hub of the country, serving its citizens well. It was a notable difference from the Meridell castle, where King Skarl and his nobles sequestered themselves from the peasants and farmers living off the land, creating a rift between the classes. This civilization seemed more advanced, promoting education, harmony, and trade. There were certainly worse places he could have ended up.

      A lone figure caught his attention – small, white-furred, hurrying into the room with her head bowed. It was his Bori acquaintance, awake at last and scurrying about the palace. Smiling amiably, Trealiy rose and walked swiftly toward her, assuming she would notice his approach. Others certainly did, whispering into their sleeves and decorative fans about his icy exterior. But the white Bori did not stop walking, bumping into him before staring up into his eyes. He blinked, raising his hand to introduce himself and apologize for their collision, when her gaze froze him completely. She stared at him in abject horror, unshed tears welling up in her eyes as she quivered all over. Suddenly it all made dreadful sense – the reason she had passed out on the dock, it was his fault all along. He had rushed her here to try and help her, not realizing he would only make it worse by being around her. She obviously remembered the icy skeletons, just like every Bori did when they looked at Trealiy. But this one could not even speak when she saw him – all she could manage was a whimper before turning tail and fleeing for her life.

      Treal stared after her, long after she had rounded the corner and disappeared from view. Being rejected by his own kind was nothing new to him. Why did it hurt so much more this time? He had been too stunned to say anything to her, to try and assuage her fears and reassure her that he was not an enemy. Not a single Bori seemed to understand that he feared the icy skeletons more than anyone. Fear was what had cursed him with this appearance in the first place. Dejected, his shoulders slumped, and he hung his head in defeat. She had made her feelings clear. Chivalry dictated he would not bother her again.

      ---

      Somehow Trealiy found his way back to the training ground, though he could not remember walking there. His icy tail was lashing behind him in agitation, and he was glowering at the stones beneath his feet. Frustration was building in him, a helpless anger at the fate he had been dealt. No matter where he went or how hard he tried, he could not overcome his appearance. He was always judged by the ice that consumed his body, sowing mistrust when all he sought was acceptance. Perhaps he should just return to Terror Mountain and his solitary den, overlooking the valley and all the wintry Neopets that openly mocked him. There he could remain, a frozen freak for them to gawk at, and he could stop trying to ever change himself.

      Lost in his dark thoughts, he did not notice the approach of another, not until he felt a light tap on his arm. Treal turned to see Lunara, her pink eyes bright with cheerful mischief. He stared dully at her, too anguished to offer her even a polite smile. To his surprise, the Cybunny wrapped her arms around him in an empathetic hug, murmuring words of encouragement. She told him she had just comforted the white Bori, who was petrified of the danger she perceived, and desperately needed someone to be her pillar of strength. Trealiy huffed, muttering under his breath that he would not stay long enough to scare her again. But Lunara shook her head, trying to impress upon him the idea she had come up with.

      "Listen to me, traveler. You both need each other. There is a reason your paths crossed – you are both lonely at heart, and you both suffered through the same terrible war. And you know this to be true; is it not the reason you gave me when you declined the chance to be a warrior of Shenkuu? Do not give up so easily."

      Trealiy's face contorted in frustration, inner torment clearly visible. "I can't! She's so scared of me she faints when she sees me, how am I supposed to even learn her name?!" He balled his claws into fists, grinding his teeth. Of course he knew how he felt; something about the white Bori drew him in, but the same force seemed to repulse her from him.

      Lunara smiled sadly, her fingers straying to the lapis lazuli amulet she always wore. "I know how unfair it seems... but I also know that everything in this life happens for a reason. I did not think it fair at first that I was restricted to the palace because I am the firstborn, yet my sister is allowed to train as a warrior and travel where she pleases simply because she was not born the heir to the throne of Shenkuu. But I have come to terms with my fate, as should you."

      Treal sighed, deflating. He had not meant to snap at his new friend, or to force her to dredge up her own bitter feelings. She had been the most understanding out of all the Neopets he encountered. It took a moment for him to realize what she said – heir to the throne? Lunara and Terrana were not simply nobles, but were actually... princesses? He straightened his posture as she continued on, suddenly realizing how familiar he had been with them.

      "Traveler, you must be at her side, to take her fears away and remove your own in the process. If she cannot bear to look upon you, then hide your face so that she may learn to enjoy your company. Earn her trust slowly, so that you may earn her friendship. One day she will accept you for everything you are, and you will accept her as well, for she will complete you."

      Lunara then gestured to a bundle she had set on the bench beside him – an armoured tunic with matching gloves, helmet, and boots. A small tin was nestled inside the helmet, containing a chalky white powder intended for use as face paint. A handful of gauze bandages were stuffed into the boots, a thoughtful addition to wrap his tail. As Trealiy slowly began to disguise himself, Lunara explained his assignment. He was to escort the white Bori back to her home, which was an abandoned shrine deep in the mountain. He would carry a crate of flower seeds and saplings for her, a royal gift to make her dream of a terraced garden into a reality. He would stay with her there, guarding her from threats, and more importantly bringing her peace of mind from her fear of the icy skeletons. He could help her garden, if she would let him, and Lunara firmly believed that it would be the beginning of something special for the both of them. He just had to be patient with her, and one day he would have the source of courage he had been seeking all along.

      ---

      Treal stood for an anxious moment in front of the sliding door that led to the princess's garden. He felt foolish with this costume on; surely his obvious disguise would fool no one. His head wound was beginning to ache again, and the crate of gardening supplies was almost too heavy for him to manage. But the advice he received from Princess Lunara and Sir Jeran pushed him forward, stepping into the floral courtyard. He saw her seated on a bench near the waterfall fountain, clutching her snowy petpet and staring at him with worry in her wide blue eyes. Treal waited with bated breath, expecting her to recognize him from their encounter that morning, and to let out a shriek and flee again. But to his surprise, she did not; the white Bori edged closer to him, too shy to speak. His squire training kicked in, and he rattled off the instructions he was given, making sure to mention the promise he made to Lunara in thanks for her help – that the two Bori would return to visit her, and share their stories. She nodded in silent acknowledgment, still not daring to speak. He tilted his helmet down, letting the shadow hide his icy eyes lest she see what he really was.

      "I understand I am to accompany you to your dwelling in the mountain? I will lead you back to town, then you can show me the way from there. My name is Trealiy..."

      He waited for her response, but she offered him none. Discouraged, Treal shouldered the heavy crate and gently ushered her through the sliding door, leading her towards the palace exit. They passed the armed guards in silence, though the Grarrl he met the day prior raised an eyebrow at the bizarre outfit he was sporting. They did not have any plate armour fitted for a Bori's size and shape, so he had to make do with the training tunics they wore during practice. The plates sewn into the fabric would afford some measure of protection, but were hardly suited for actual guard duty. It was, however, the one upside about his icy hide – his skin was hard, and naturally repellant to injuries. The impact his skull had taken during the fall from the cliff would have been critical to any other Neopet, but he had escaped with a mere headache. He nodded to the Grarrl, thanking him for leading them to the palace.

      The Bori pair crossed the long suspended bridge quietly, Treal keeping a white-knuckled hold on the crate lest he drop it into the misty abyss below. The white Bori seemed anxious about the height, gripping the rope for extra support. They were both visibly relieved when the long walk ended, and cool stone was beneath their feet instead of rickety wooden planks. Trealiy glanced again in her direction, catching her tilting her face up to the sun and showing a small smile at the warmth she received. It seemed to rejuvenate her, and she stroked the Slorg perched on her shoulder as she began to relax in his company.

      They were both growing tired by the time they reached the port town, and the sun was passed its zenith, beginning its descent into late afternoon. Treal gritted his teeth and readjusted the heavy crate, feeling the fatigue setting in. He had not slept for the past two nights, as being losing consciousness by force was not restful, and he had used up much of his remaining energy training with the spear in the courtyard. But his harsh training as a squire had involved much physical endurance, and he knew he could force himself to complete this last leg of the trip. He was more concerned about the white Bori's health, though she seemed to be more hardy than he had given her credit for. She had not asked for a break once, and seemed very focused on returning to her garden. Still, he caught her stumbling more than once, so perhaps she was just the type that pushed herself past her limit.

      The Neopets of the town were mostly merchants and fisherman, noisy folk that bartered and hawked their wares during the day. Now that Trealiy was disguised as a royal guard, they did not shy away from him, though there was still plenty of gossiping when they saw him accompanying the white Bori up the steps that led to the mountain trail. She did not stop to talk with any of them, which led him to believe she spent most of her time alone. Her petpet was the only one she visibly showed any affection for. He was learning so much about her already, but it was disheartening to realize how solitary she really was. Maybe his presence here would only bother her after all. Lunara could be wrong about her loneliness, projecting her own feelings onto this stranger. Doubt plagued Trealiy's mind as they hiked up the path, cool shadows from the bamboo groves dappling the trail beneath their feet. The altitude climbed higher as they walked on, breezes cooling around them as the sun set fully. It would soon be dark, nightfall signaled by the haunting songs of the wild birds they called Naleaps.

      Finally the white Bori raised her claw and pointed, indicating the sagging wooden gates as the entrance to the abandoned shrine. Trealiy set the crate down in the gateway, groaning with relief as he stretched his stiff shoulders. His companion scurried forward, setting the Slorg down onto the ground. He peered around at the shadowy landscape, curious about the place he was going to be living around for the foreseeable future. The ground was mostly bare of plants, exposed soil painstakingly tilled and lined with stones, just waiting for the seeds he had delivered. A row of cherry trees marked the edge of a steep hill that had been carved into terraces, different levels of flat earth like steps up the slope. Channels for rainwater had been carved around the terraces, leading back down to the foot of the hill and to a small decorative pond. She had done all this work by herself? It was impressive, and it showed a great deal of determination – she was not just a timid little thing hiding from everything. As if she could hear his thoughts, the Bori shuffled meekly over to him, whispering the first words she would speak to him.

      "Sir Trealiy... thank you for escorting me home, and for carrying the Princess's gift all this way. It... It's a pleasure to meet you, and my name... is Feinly."

The End

 
Search the Neopian Times




Other Episodes


» A Tale of Two Bori: Part One
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Two
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Three
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Four
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Five
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Six
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Seven
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Eight
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Nine
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Ten
» A Tale of Two Bori: Part Eleven



Week 0 Related Links


Other Stories




Submit your stories, articles, and comics using the new submission form.