Songs Forbidden

Songs Forbidden

Chapter 1: Chaos

When you’re young, it’s easy to believe things have always been as they are and will remain as such, for all of eternity. Yet, eventually the god of change comes for us all, teaching us that nothing was ever or will ever be stable. Stability is an illusion, a delusion of mortal creatures.

Just now, the god of change was focused on 13 year old Aqua. Beneath a bright full Autumn moon, she sat in the water at the shallow end of their lake with her sister, mother, and grandma. Her grandmother and mother sipped their rum and the four of them sang loudly into the night, “Don’t be scared weary traveler. You just come to the light. Peace and comfort await you when you come to the light.” They were very loud. They didn’t worry about disturbing anyone though for their nearest neighbor was over 100 miles away in the costal town of Shells.

Grandma’s words had been slurred the whole last verse. Aqua couldn’t remember ever seeing her this drunk before. She found herself giggling at her grandmothers missed words, which in turn caused the rest of the family to laugh.

She thanked the sky god for another terrific day with her family as they all toweled off. Then they headed into their stone cabin for a dinner of the fresh fish her sister had caught earlier and a long nights sleep. Today had been so much fun. Aqua thought tomorrow they would do it all over again. Unfortunately for Aqua, Chaos, the god of change, had been watching the entire scene from the shadows and he had other plans for her tomorrows.

Chapter 2: Come to the Light

At 3 Am, Aqua was awoken by the howling of a fierce wind beating her bedroom window. It wasn’t an odd occurrence to be awakened by the wind, after all they lived in a heavily wooded forest. Yet, this storm felt different than the others. She tried to fall back asleep, but she felt something was nudging her out of bed. With a deep regret, she rolled out of bed and walked down the hall. Perhaps walking around for a bit would help her fall back to sleep.

As she came closer to the other’s rooms she began to hear her mother’s voice. “Sleep in the arms of peace. No worries or fears can touch you here. Safe in the arms of love.” Aqua stood still and listened. It was the song their mother had always used to help them sleep. Aqua thought the wind must have awakened Typhoon too although, as her name suggests, Typhoon usually liked storms. She herself was wild and unpredictable like a storm. Maybe she’d had a nightmare. Aqua listened quietly hoping to hear her sister, Typhoon, tell her mother what was wrong. Instead the voice she heard was that of her grandma Pearl. “I need the sea water. It’s the only chance.”

“Dont worry mother. At first light I’ll leave. I’ll go into the village and bring back the water of the sea.”

“You know you can’t. They will remember you in the village. Besides, what happens to Typhoon if youre in the village and I pass? You must send Aqua. It is the only way.”

Aqua’s heart began to race and her olive palms became wet with sweat. She couldn’t listen to anymore. She ran for the door of the cabin without thought to where she was headed. Her long waves of sun lightened auburn hair flowed behind her.

How could her grandma even suggest sending her into the village she’d always warned Aqua against? Hadn’t she always said the people of the village were violent and aggressive? Aqua had never been outside these woods and the only people shed ever known were her grandmother, mother, and sister.

She ran without stopping until she came to the lake. The water had always soothed her. She stopped pulling long breaths in hard through her open mouth. When she had caught her breath, she stepped slowly into the cold lake water. The night always chilled the water and the rain and wind didn’t improve the temperature. However, Aqua had never minded. The water was her refuge.

When she reached the deeper waters, she laid back and floated on the waters surface. She lay there, watching the stars above as though they could give her the answers. Maybe they could. Her mother had always thought so. She said the stars were sewn into the sky by the sisters of fate and they told the story of the universe past, present, and future. Aqua had never been sure if she agreed with that or not. She hadnt ever wanted to know the future or the past until tonight. She’d always been sure her quiet life with her family would continue as it always had into eternity. Tonight she learned she had been naive. Change was inevitable.

Pearl was screaming “Please I’m not ready to go to the light. Bring me the sea.”

Aqua’s mother, Oceania, sat by Pearl’s bed singing. “Don’t be scared weary traveler. You just come to the light. Peace and comfort await you when you come to the light.”

Suddenly Pearl’s olive colored skin started to crack. Pieces of her skin fell off. Her eyes began to bulge and her her tongue swelled and was forced out of her mouth. Her face swelled snd split in the middle. Finally, her beautiful wise face exploded, throwing blood and flesh across the room and onto Oceania.

Chapter 3: The Rules

Aqua awoke screaming and splashing in the middle of the lake. For the first time in her life she felt out of control in the water. It took her several minutes to recover.

Chaos was standing hidden in the tree line, and he laughed evilly at his success. Aqua would go to the village, to get sea water for her grandmother, without any argument after that dream. He watched with glee as she swam her way to the shore and ran into the cabin.

Inside, Oceania was standing by the fire preparing breakfast. Aqua wondered if shed slept at all. Aqua knew that her mother had been awake with her grandmother already when the storm had awakened her. “Aqua what in the world? Youre soaking wet. Have you been out swimming in the middle of the night in a storm?!” Oceania was furious and Aqua was afraid to respond, so she dropped her head and stood in silence. “Answer me!” The house seemed to rattle with the anger of Oceania’s words. Aqua had rarely seen her mother angry, but she’d heard family stories. Apparently, her mother had been struggling to control her anger issues since she had been pregnant with Aqua and living in the village.

Oceania must have noticed the shaking house too, because she looked around and then back to Aqua. “I’m sorry. I didnt mean to be so aggressive. Your grandmother is sick. I’ve been up with her all night. What were you doing outside?”

Aqua looked up at her mother and felt tears swelling in her eyes. “The storm woke me and I overheard you and Grandma. I didnt want to go to the village, so I freaked out and ran outside to the lake. But, Ive changed my mind. I don’t want Grandma to die. I will go but what is wrong with her?”

“Oh! Aqua you shouldn’t have heard like that. “ Oceania’s voice softened and she pulled Aqua into a tight embrace. “Your grandma wasn’t drunk the other night. Her words were slurred because she was having a stroke. She says she needs water from the sea to recover. But Aqua don’t worry. Ill go. Im the adult.”

“No mom. You have to be here for Typhoon and Grandma. I’ll go, but I don’t understand. How will sea water help her?”

“Aqua. Sit down. Theres some things you need to know before you go into the village.” Oceania pulled out a wooden chair at th small kitchen table and placed a ceramic bowl filled with porridge on the table, with a wooden spoon.

Aqua sat down but she couldnt bring herself to eat. The sight of the white clumpy porridge made her stomach turn. This was their morning food when berries were scarce. Even when the world around her wasnt threatning to cave in on her as it was now, the porridge wasnt her favorite meal.

Oceania pulled out another of the small wooden chairs made from the local vineage and sat down. “Aqua, you have to eat. It is a very long journey.” She gently pushed the bowl toward Aqua. “There are some things you have to know before venturing into the village. First, do not sing. The villagers have outlawed singing and they will cut out the vocal chords of anyone caught singing.” Oceania ignored the look of horror on Aqua’s face. She continued talking over Aqua’s gasp. “You must not tell them anything about your family. This is very important Aqua. They will kill you if you tell them about us. Lie!” Oceania ignored Aqua’s repeated attempts to interrupt with questions and continued. “You will go to the sea and get the water. You will spend the night at the inn where you will have dinner and the next day you will come straight home. You will only speak to the villagers when absolutely necessary.”

Aqua looked stunned and horrified, as Oceania had knew she would. “Why have they outlawed singing and why do they hate our family? Why does grandma need sea water?”

“Do not ask questions which the fates have forbidden to be answered Aqua. These are the rules. Do you understand?” Oceania’s tone was stern but not angry.

“I understand but…”

“No buts Aqua. This is very important. You’ll need this to gather the water. Bring it back full.” She sat a mid sized purple glass bottle with a stopper in front of Aqua. “And you’ll need this.” She held out a brown purse and opened it. “This, Aqua is called money. The villagers use it to purchase things from one another. There is enough in this purse to buy the entire village. Anything you need. But, be careful not to let anyone know or see how much you have. The villagers are full of greed and do not care to harm a child to get more money. Now eat! Its a long journey and you should leave soon.”

Chapter 4: Strangers

After eating and dressing in the layers her mom had laid out for her on the bed, Aqua kissed her family members goodbye, taking longer with her grandma. She rubbed Pearl’s hair and promised to return with the water. Pearl smiled up at her and said, “Aqua today you leave childhood behind and learn who you are.” Pearl meant it to be special and profound, but the thought terrified Aqua. She wasn’t ready to leave childhood behind.

“Head North and stay on the path.” Her mother said as she left with a basket of food, the purse with the money and bottle in it, and her favorite fur coat. The sun was up now and she wasn’t very afraid yet. The journey would take at least a day and she’d explored this forest on her own many times. Never had she met another soul in the forest. She’d be fine if she just stayed on the path.

Under normal circumstances Aqua’s assumptions would have been correct, but these weren’t normal circumstances. The god of change was at work. Chaos was stalking his prey, and he never lost a hunt.

Aqua had decided she should sing now since singing was forbidden in the village. “I call to you fellow traveler. Come and rest your head. Fellow traveler come rest your head. Come to me fellow traveler lets break bread. Come and break bread.”

Suddenly a voice that wasnt hers broke the forests’ silence. “Dont mind if I do.” The voice was deep, like none she had ever heard before. She turned. It was a man.

Living alone with her mother, grandmother, and sister Aqua had never seen a male before but she’d heard her mother and grandmother talk about them. “Only good for making babies.” They would say. “Fun but dangerous.” “Violent.” “Untrustworthy.” Now seeing one up close, she was struck by his beauty. His long hair white as snow fell in waves to his waist. His eyes were blue, as Aqua imagined the ocean to be when her grandmother told her stories. He was much taller than anyone she’d ever known. Her head barely reached his waist line. He looked to be about her age, maybe a little older.

She remembered the rules. She shouldn’t talk to anyone more than was necessary. Still, he had spoken to her first. It was necessary to give s response wasnt it? She didnt want to be rude, besides which her interest was sparked. She wanted to talk to a man and see for herself what one was like. “What are you doing out here? Ive never seen another person in my woods in all my life.”

The traveler gave her a side ways grin. His eyes were full of laughter. “Your woods? Do you mean to say you own these woods?”

“I mean… not exactly… no” What was wrong with her? She couldnt form a sentence or get out a word without stuttering around this man. Perhaps she too was having a stroke. “ It’s just…. You see I’ve… Well my family and I… we’ve lived here as long as I can remember and I’ve never seen …. Well… I mean… a …. Well… anyone.” Aqua looked away from his piercing blue eyes and stared at the leaf covered path. He must think she is an idiot. She sure sounded like one. Why couldnt she get her voice to cooperate while talking to this man?

Chaos laughed. “Oh I see. You’ve never seen a man before? Well my name is Trancy but most of my friends call me Chaos. It’s a nick name. You can call me Chaos, if you like. What is your name?” If Aqua had been on guard, she might have noticed that Chaos knew it was a man she had never seen, meaning somehow he knew her family was all women. That slip up might have given away his disguise, but Aqua had let her guard down. She was intrigued, not scared. Some people might even say Aqua had her first crush, but of course she didn’t know what a crush was.

“I’m… My name is … Aqua. Umm.. you…still havent.. i mean you still havent …answered my question.” Aqua placed her hand over her voice box. She had to get control of herself.

Chaos laughed. “What question is that? Oh you mean why am I in YOUR woods?” Aqua’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She dropped her head once again staring at the multiple colored leaves along the path. “Well the truth is I’m visiting the village from a country far away… bit of a vacation … bit of work. I came into the woods for some fun and got a bit lost. This is the way back to the village isn’t it?”

“Um… I believe so. My mother …. My mother said stay north. Ive….” Aqua lowered her eyes. “Ive never been outside these woods.” Aqua was getting more comfortable talking to this stranger. Her voice was coming back slowly.

“Wow. Why are you leaving now then? Is something wrong Aqua?” Chaos already knew the answer of course, but he needed to gain Aqua’s trust and get her to talk about her family.

Aqua remembered the rules. She shouldn’t talk about her family. “Not really. Just getting older now. Sort of a right of passage.”

Chaos chuckled at her lie and the two continued in silence for sometime. It was Chaos who broke the silence near evening. “We should stop and eat. Im starving. Maybe we can camp for the night and continue to the village in the morning. I don’t think we’ll make it to the village before dark.”

Stay Tuned for Chapter 5