Rhistmaege

Mind Yourself

A tear slid down from the corner of Dovi's eye. Magnificent.

And then, as quickly as it had come, the blue heaven was gone. The green lake just sat there, quietly once again.

"How? How'd you do that?" asked Dovi, trying to shake himself from his trance-like stupor.

Nemi beamed just as the blue lake had. Her face glowed, nearly matching the sheen of her fiery hair. Her smile was angelic.

"Are you a Rhistmaege? Like your mother?" Dovi felt a pang of fear rush through his belly. "Are you?" His pulse quickened.

"There you go again with your questions. Your mind must be set on automatic pilot. Is it like this: 'Hey, I don't know something so immediately, and I mean immediately ask someone for the answer! No thoughts of my own allowed!' Is that the gist of it?"

Dovi shook his head feverishly from side to side. "No, no, no. I'm tired of all the head games. A straight answer. That's what I want. ONE straight answer!" These bloody people are all daft, I swear it.

Nemi snickered to herself, then closed her eyes and cupped a hand to her mouth. After a brief moment her eyes flashed open, she clapped her hands together and said, "Yes! I AM a Rhistmaege. You've fallen directly into my trap. In five seconds your skin will burst open and all your blood will drain from your body. Five, four, three, two....." She winked and giggled at Dovi, then burst into a deep body shaking laugh.

Dovi's face was aflame. He looked around for the closest rock to climb under. She made a fool of you. He turned and started to walk away.

"Dovi, come on. I was just kidding. You've got to lighten up. That stick is so far up your, well, I can see the pointy end behind your eyeball." She grabbed him by the arm. "Okay, I'll give you ONE straight answer. I promise."

Dovi was not amused. Years of being the butt of every joke left little skin between him and his emotions. He tried to force the sadness away. You're making it worse by letting her see you upset. "I swear if this is another joke, I won't forgive you."

"Said I promise. Now, about the lake. Don't tell Tuck anything I say. He'll have me digging for acorns for months, if he finds out. Okay. The lake. You see, it's pure one hundred percent Rhist."

"Rhist? But how, how did you use it? Where did it come from? Where exactly is Meregrund anyway? Tuck said it was not part of Avrenhalde. Where exactly am I?" Dovi's face scrunched up in confusion.

"You just can't help question mode." Nemi shook her head. "Okay, listen. Meregrund is more abstract, not like the walking around touching things kind of place. Think about it like a dream. When you dream, where does your mind go? To a place you can't touch- but does that mean it doesn't exist? People discount dreams as unreality, but I'm not so sure about that. Take Meregrund. Think of it as a dream, but a dream for your emotions instead of for your thinking mind. Rhist is emotion taking physical form. Meregrund is the dream world for your emotions. Those in Avrenhalde touch Meregrund when awake as well as dreaming. This place is a bridge connecting everyone's emotions. Do you see?"

"I hear you, but it's too much for me to unscramble. Doesn't seem real. My mind feels slippery just thinking about it."

"That's the whole problem. Most people think and think and think. Then something unexpected happens, they think irrationally, and crack-" Nemi slapped her hands together. "-they react, or more likely, overreact. Emotions get pulled along with the thinking." She frowned at the befuddled look on Dovi's face. "Here, look at it this way. Thinking is like looking at a map. Maps show how to get from point A to point B. But can you go anywhere just by reading a map? At some point, you've got to look up from the map and take a step forward. The map only shows you. Most people are stuck looking at the map, and walk themselves right over the cliff."

"I'm not sure who is more of a riddler, you or Tuck. Can't you just tell me something simple? Something helpful, like show me how to do what you just did. Show me how to use Rhist. I want to go back to Avrenhalde. And another thing, why doesn't Tuck go do something in Avrenhalde? People are hurting. The Crown is milking Rhist like farm animals. Craeve and Ruenwall are wreaking havoc. Sorry- I'm not even sure what you think about your mother."

"Don't be sorry. I don't know my mother. Tuck brought me here when I was very young. I was to be Ruenwall's. He was going to use me to build an arsenal of Rhistmaegi. My mother wrenched me into creation with the help of Muck Sooth. Tuck sacrificed his mortal body to bring me to Meregrund. My physical form was also lost. Tuck and I can- only exist here in Meregrund. We are pure emotion no longer capable of taking physical form in Avrenhalde."

Dovi's eyes widened. "Are- Are you ghosts?"

Nemi smiled kindly. "No, not ghosts. Actually the very opposite of ghosts. Ghosts are emotionless. We are emotion incarnate." She watched the lines of sorrow deepen across Dovi's face. "Don't feel bad for us. I'm forever grateful for what Tuck did. Emotion is where the best moments in life live. Imagine being love, being joy, being compassion, being exhilaration- not just feeling them, but BEING them. Sometimes I get lost in emotions for days. There is no better feeling." Nemi's eyes took on a far away gaze. She smiled and sighed deeply.

"But what about the pain. Grief, sorrow, embarrassment, guilt. What about those?"

"That's why we don't go to the lake at night. Some things are better left alone- where they can't hurt you. Tuck leaves the Dale at night. I asked him about it once. He said only a fool would sit with the lake at night- knowing what lurked beneath the dark waters. Then he said, 'but a fool who rests with his demons...will eventually turn fears into folly.' Whatever that means."

Dovi shivered and looked up to the sun. Dusk would come soon enough. "We should be getting back. I want to see if Bisby has returned. Hopefully he'll have some news on what has happened in Avrenhalde."