Aleena pacing about towards the back creeks of the forest, where the bridge connects. The sound of the stream swirling and splashing in to the open waters...
Her fingers creased together in heavy thought, carring her weight plank by plank and stopping at the center of the bridge.
The news of a temple errecting for the possible Six Elders.....coming sooner than she thought.
A symbol of harmony among all priestesses and their elders, it's a splendid idea truely. She was all inforward to it...but...
She did not like the idea of anyone defending shrines and pillars over their lives. It didn't make sense to loose their blood and their their lives for something that can be rebuilt?
To ask for respect of sacred things is one thing, pushing away nuisances and norrats is fine, but what of a horde? What if she isn't there to help and heal them? She can not be in two places at once.
(they are just stones,...rellics..my Eldest lives in her people, in their heart. I do not want lives lost for things?) she thought.
What horror would it be, to see knights bleeding before a shrine or temple, protecting things? Defending people is important but not pebbles and stone!
The other priestesses seem to argree that each shrine and dedication to the elder must be respected to retain their symbol that helps sustain the community.
(But up til what point...?) she frowned in concern.
The white priestess understood their goals, but also did not desire blood spilling near images of sacred Elders, especially Inil. She felt they did not understand her,....she is to uphold peace and steadfast to the ideas of Love and Light.
Should the Shrine of Inil come down or be destroyed? Like a busy rabbit, she will rebuild it again! Not allowing darkness to tarnish the spirit, to venerate, be unyeilding, come back again, reborn again, like the sunlight each day....let not anything tarnish the ways of Light. That is the way....
She'd have to tell the Paladin of Ordin to pay heed that if he is ever alone, or outnumbered by a great force, and no other lives are in the temple to protect? Should he and others be in great peril to stand their grounds? To just retreat....
(Noone should die over pillars and columns..... we lost it all once, and we can rebuild again!..) she thought.
Leaning down the bridge edge, she saw the reflection of the distant afternoon sun,...
(Why can't they see that?....)
She saw a vague reflection below of herself, ( Is there anyone out there who thinks like me?....) she thought.
It was a lonely thought, she's found very rare few in the Exiled Lands.
The balance of courage and hope, bravery and truth, hope and sefllessness, wisdom and kindness, love and light........it's not easy. Everyone has their own perspective. Not everyone studied these ways. It's tough, it's demanding and constant.
(One has to be strong to resist extreme defensiveness....)
She thought only one or few who did, many and most,..far far out of touch with her and this world....
Aleena gazed upwards and frowned,...
"Elijah....vhat would you say? Are ideals in columns and ze walls worth spilling blood? They are just thingz...." her brows knit.
"Vhy am I alone in this? Does not my Eldest prefer ze people to live and survive?...and fight another day instead? She lives inside of us, not in ze roof or a shrine? ......."
Hanging her head, there were so many times she needed to speak to her brother; his character, understanding, experience, comfort and what they learned together? A familiar face, uplifted with a smile or chuckle, he was like her twin. To feel family strength beside her, how she needed that so much, at so many lone moments she's was drowning....
(What would you say....? I wish I knew? What of you Granmoma? Popa?...)
With the empty silence of the woods, the answer she knew would never come. For her Holy Knight brother was lost and he will never return nor her family, this was the fate of most half-white elves. they were the only ones in Bolvaryia, and it's even worst in New Haven. She just,...couldn't connect well with others, and lost possibly the one person who did.
She ached imagining his spirit, marching in the marshes, lost, in pain....unaware he is dead,...searching home in the ashes. A haunted spirit....
Her eyes tremble with pain, this haunted image of her brother, the clumsy farm boy he was, in some unforgiving ashey world. Alone.
(...Elijah.)
A tear falls then another to the water below in a ripple.
She creased her hands around her waist and tries to resist the sob. Cliff left her, Bellena fell apart, and recently, she's realize not to rely too much on others, ...
Aleena had no family. Only her faith and mission to the cause, like a lone candle, is all she had left.
(My eldest,...Inil, to serve your love is what keeps me going. To love you is my life. Forgive me...for being so weak....I will forever continue your mission.)
Rubbing away her eyes against the length of her sleeves. Deep down, she prayed that where ever her brother is? That he is not in pain, alive or not.....
The afternoon breeze carried a cool wetness, a cloud wanes over the sun, hinting of a spring rain to come. When her cheeks were dry and her sorrow subsided, she paced away back to New Haven.
A deep breath, to take on all tasks laying ahead....
For a beautiful shrine is to be designed,...and teardrops and inks don't go well together.
As she walked back, she recalled what a small kojin once said nights ago, 'Compassion is not a weakness', and she was right. She'd continue her ways regardless...
There is light still, fragmented, but found, to be discovered in each and every person.