Chapter 12: The Colours of Magic

Chapter 12

“Sera, I’ve been looking all over for you!”  Oliver exclaimed.

Seraphina was sitting in the library, she was surrounded in piles of books, “ok,” she muttered distractedly, eyes fixed to an open book.  

“What’re you reading?”  Oliver asked.

Seraphina held up a one hand, motioning for him to be quiet.  Oliver waited patiently while Seraphina finished what she was reading with rapt attention.  When she finished re-reading the last part she looked up at Oliver with a confused expression.  

“I don’t get it, this book speaks of Sacia for it’s farming and mines, there’s no mention of armies.  Why would a country of miners and farmers invade a bigger country with more military power?  I never really thought about it, but it doesn’t make any sense,”  Seraphina said frowning.

“I don’t know,”  Oliver replied.  She had made a good point though, it was strange, and the more Oliver thought about it the less sense it made to him as well.  Someone must have looked into that before, surely.

Seraphina closed the book and chose another from one of her piles.  The title read; “Legends and Beliefs: Sacia”.

“Sera, why are you reading books about Sacian legends?  The history and economy books I understand but how are legends going to help us?”  Oliver asked.

“It’s a long story.  The short version goes something like this; one of the halflings, named Rhea, knew Duana before she was the Queen, and just before Duana died, after our fight she transported to Rhea who healed her, they parted ways yesterday when Rhea learnt of the bloodstone, which Duana still has, and just a few hours ago Rhea transported to Duana, but before she transported she told me to look up Sacia and Sacian myths in order to understand Duana, and why she did everything she did.”  Seraphina explained as she read an introduction to Sacian customs.

“What?!”  Oliver half shouted.

“Right!  And Rhea told me that when I know, she didn’t tell me what I’m supposed to know mind you, she told me that when I know I should go the front lines to help her stop the war,”  Seraphina added while she flipped to the section about myths.

Oliver gaped at her.  

Just then something made a soft cooing noise.

“What was that?”  Oliver asked sharply.

“Aya,”  Seraphina replied absently and picked up the baby from her basket on the floor, then returned to her reading.

Oliver returned to gaping, “who?”  

“Rhea’s baby, she couldn’t take Aya with her so she left her with me,”  Seraphina said sounding slightly annoyed with all the distractions and continued reading.  

Oliver made a noise halfway between a sigh and a moan and collapsed into a chair,  Seraphina ignored him.  She rocked Aya gently while she read.

Seraphina’s next chapter was labeled; ‘Ancient Gods and Goddesses”.  As she read her eyebrows knit together.  When she finished reading the passage on the patron goddess of Sacia she closed the book quietly and stared at the cover in silence.

“Sera?”  Oliver asked cautiously.

Seraphina didn’t answer, just kept staring at the book silently with empty eyes.

Oliver tried again, “Seraphina?”

Slowly she turned to look at him, her expression unreadable.  

“What’s wrong?”  Oliver asked in a worried tone.

Seraphina didn’t say anything for a few minutes.  Then, just as Oliver resolved to do something, she spoke quietly in a small voice.  

“It’s a custom in Sacia to give children names from stories, legends, myths, historical figures, and to name halflings, those identifiable at birth, for their magic colour.  

The patron goddess of Sacia is known for her strength and vengeance.  She has many titles but the most common are; The Avenging Goddess, and The Sunrise Goddess,”  Seraphina paused to gather her thoughts, her eyes were unfocused, like she was already calculating how long it would take them to ride to the front lines.  Oliver wondered why she was telling him this, or why she found it so important.

“Her legacy starts before she was a goddess,”  Seraphina continued, “when she walked among us as a woman called Rose Red, named for her magic colour and flaming hair.  But her given name, was Duana.”