Celestiale

Learning the meaning of husband is too strange to explain

"Granny! " I cried as she ran into a burning house.

"Run Kisa!!!!!!" She screamed and suddenly someone was shaking me. When I blinked I realized Granny was beside me.

"Did you have a nightmare?" She gave me a glass of water and I took it my body moving strangly.

"Granny what is a nightmare?" I rasped hugging a pillow to my chest.

"A nightmare is a bad dream." She soothingly rubbed my back and She said,"You are alright. Nothing in that dream was real. Go back to sleep Kisa. Dawn hasn't even arrived yet. Nothing or no one is awake at this hour. Not even the greediest or poorest merchant or theif."

She made a fire and I huddled closer and I asked,"Granny will you teach me how to speak Earthian?"

Granny smiled and said,"Not willing to sleep are you? Alright then! I hope you are a quick learner because I don't have all night."

She spent several hours teaching me letters and words and how to translate and I was quite surprised by how easy it was.

I fell asleep when she began the lesson of the differences between men and women but, I didn't think it was important.

When I awoke I realized it was past mid afternoon and I scurried to give Lias his letter and when he recieved it he asked me if I could send something to her.

I nodded. I couldn't get in trouble for bringing something from earth other than paper could I?

I shrugged inside my mind. I cannot let the Great one down. Lia gave me a small ruby heart shaped necklace and I went into the heavenly realm.

I grew to dislike the tasteless air and always nice tempature. The Great one led me into her home and I gave her the necklace.

If the Great one had been beautiful before it was no match against how her face radiated joy now.

She gave it the object a smile and slid it on but, readjusted her robes to hide the secrect from view.

She clasped my hands and said,"Thank you. Now can you give him this?" this time she gave me a pouch of golden powder and told me to tell Lia to put in a pinch of powder into a sink or bath tub.

I bowed and I returned to earth after two long hours of walking down to it.

Granny took me in to see LIa and I handed him the powder and his eyes twinkled as he ran off to do as the Great one had told him.

Mr. Ryu smiled at me and he gave me a hug.

"Soma I think it would be wise for you to release her. She is not your lover afterall."

Lover? The word was foreign to me but, I was overjoyed by the fact that I could understand Earthian.

Mr. Ryu frowned and I smiled and he asked me,"Will you go shopping at the market? If you would like I can accompany you."

"Yes. Thank you." I replied my earthian sounded just as smooth as his. Mr. Ryu's eyes widened in surprise.

"You speak my tongue."

I smiled."Granny taught me." He offered me his arm and I stared at in without understanding.

Did Granny mention something about an outsretched arm? Distressed  I shot Granny a look.

In Celestian she told me to grasp his arm. I took it and she gave me money and told me to buy a needle and white thread.

Mr. Ryu led me to the market and the tantilizing smells and tastes facinated me and once I bought a needle and thread I felt impelled to see what the market place had to offer.

"I want See." I said and pulled on his arm my veil masking my pleading eyes.

"You want to see?" He glanced around and I nodded and I said,"I want TO see."

Being the nice person that he was he watched as I took in all the sights and sounds and just when I was about finished the two men from earlier found us.

I remembered Granny and I instinctivly hid behind Mr. Ryu for protection. He drew himself taller and I tried to intimidate the two large men.

Pain started in my stomach and It took me a moment to know that it was fear. What if they harmed him?

"Please get out of our way."

"We want to talk to the lady. We will leave once we are done with her."

"If you are unaware of this I want to make this clear. Leave the lady alone. She doesn't understand our language and yet you expect to carry on a conversatin with her?

Ridiculous." I was surprised by how quickly his tone of voice changed.

He led me away and I waved goodbye to him. It was only after I closed the door of the cottage that I wondered about the golden powder.

Granny flung herself at me and began to check me."What is it Granny?"

"Are you hurt? I just heard! Please tell me he didn't harm a single hair!" She babbled and I tried to understand what she was asking me.

"Who?" I asked trying to calm poor Granny down.

She looked relieved. "I heard the king was in the market place. I was worried that he may have seen you."

I shook my head and hoped that it was the truth.

"Granny I'm hungry." She gave me a red apple and I munched on it to ease my hunger.

"kisa. Don't ever let your guard down. It simply isn't safe. However you are allowed to relax around Ryu soma. He seems fond of you which is good. A man as honorable as he will make you a good husband."

I cocked my head to the side. More words that my mind couldn't grasp.

"Granny?"

"Kisa?"

"What is a husband?" She stopped sewing and suddenly threw her head back and roared with laughter.

Was a husband another word for friend?

"Oh dear. Silly me how could I have forgotten to say what a husband is. Oh dear this will take some time to explain."

She set down her project and said,"A husband is an eternal companion.One you love and depend on and who loves and depends upon you."

I liked that sound of that.

"Isn't Mr. Ryu only my friend?" I asked puzzled.

"For now Kisa. For now."