The Island With No Parallel

Step Into Caorfi (part 1)

"So Francis Stretton is the King's brother?"

"Yes. Younger brother."

"I understand..." Manuel drifted off into thought. "Thank you."

After that, Manuel didn't say anything else to Yunara. Yunara didn't think he was interested in anything but Francis Stretton. She wondered how Stretton somehow connected with Manuel's parents. Why would he kill them?

The journey was long and slow. Days passed by at a crawling pace with neither of the two conversating much. Yunara felt self conscious with Manuel able to see her now. The experience of having Humans see her for the very first time was unnerving. And she supposed Manuel had his own problems occupying his mind. So the travel was tedious and incredibly monotone.

What she needed was a bath. That would help ease her. As they stopped to stretch their legs and give the horses rest near a stream, Yunara grabbed some of the clothes from the sacks that the horses carried with their things in it while Manuel concerned himself with reading his father's book. Inside one of these bags were also a lot of silver bells for calling the Unseeables. Lorenn said they needed to get used to calling the Unseeables. She may as well bring one. She didn't think it would matter much to Manuel anyway, so now that she was going to be alone could be an opportune moment to practice. Slipping one of the bells in her pocket, she started on her way, walking along the stream to find a point where she could get a little privacy.

There was a curve in the stream that went behind the trees. She could bathe there. She went behind a bush and took off her clothes and hid her things, then started wading into the water. The water felt so good. She tried to remember the last time she had a moment to go swimming. She went to the deepest part of the water and dunked her head under, enjoying the sensation of being under. For a moment, she just drifted under the gentle movement of the water, in her element.

After a good while under the water, she resurfaced and retrieved the silver bell from her pile of things behind the bush before returning to the water and ringing it.

"Lorenn? Where are you?"

It took a few moments, and at first Yunara thought he'd done it wrong, but Lorenn came flying in from above and appeared in front of her. "I was hoping you would call," she said cheerfully.

"I had some questions about the Unseeables. Are there many of you?" she said, sitting down in the shallower parts of the stream on a smooth rock, letting the soothing water pass around her.

"Yes. We pass through this world and Caorfi all the time, unseen. When you become accustomed to speaking with is, it's possible you will confuse us for animals. But there is a way to know for sure."

"How is that?"

Lorenn chuckled. "You become accustomed to seeing the unseen. Look," she gestured with a wing to the other end of the stream. But there was nothing there.

"I don't see anything," Yunara protested, straining her eyes.

"Don't try so hard. Let it come naturally."

Yunara relaxed, and suddenly she saw it. It was a large bear licking the water of the stream on the other side. It lifted its head and saw Yunara, then it finished drinking and turned away, disappearing after a few steps.

"Wow," Yunara muttered.

"We often times come and go, not staying on one world more than a short amount of time. It can be difficult to hold our attention at times. When you spot us, you learn to recognize us, and will be able to tell the difference between us and animals." She paused, as if she were shy about what she was going to say next. "Now, do you mind if I ask you a few questions, myself?"

The question surprised her. Yunara didn't think the Unseeables would have any curiosity about her. "Sure, go right ahead."

"I hope you don't mind," Lorenn said, flying over to a rock that jutted above the surface of the water closer to Yunara. "But it's been so long since I've spoken to one of the physical realm. You don't get along well with Manuel, do you?"

Once again, Lorenn's question took Yunara by surprise. She thought she'd ask more generic questions about herself, but she answered anyway. "Well, I wouldn't say that. He's a very kind gentleman that's treated me fairly well at his manor."

"Then why is it that you rarely speak? I hope you don't notice that I observed you both as you journeyed, but it's my duty to never stray far from you."

"I don't know," Yunara admitted. "I suppose he's rather preoccupied. This is all a bit much. For me, as well."

"You mortals are always so delicate. You all worry so much about everything. Sensitive to change, I think, and always so concerned with being polite at all times. Quite retraining, if you ask me. Unseeables are creatures of freedom. Freedom to move, freedom to be. I think mortals should learn more of that from us."

Yunara chuckled. "Maybe we should."

Lorenn stretched out her wings, closing her eyes. "Ah, I miss the days when we used to discuss these things with mortals. They had the most engaging conversations. Such curious beings, mortals are. But the change is coming. We all sense it.

Yunara frowned, sensing the sudden heaviness that the conversation had taken. Before she could ask, she jumped as she heard, "Yunara! Yunara, where did you go?"

"I'll see you later,"  Lorenn said with a wink before disappearing.

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