Crystal Shade Episodes 01

light lit them, they seemed so familiar to her as they stood between the trees full of colourful ribbons. Grace stepped ahead few steps to see them better and look into their eyes, which mirrored their soul. She slowly touched the magic symbol on her forehead.
    “The Strangers of Odess’iana,” she whispered in amazed awe.
    Excited, she looked at her father and mother. Deep in her heart, she wanted to tell them her great revelation, but then she hesitated. It was still today and eleven bound her. Grace looked back at the two kind rulers who dug with great joy. For a moment it felt like Thobadzistshin and Hastseolti curiously measured her from the corner of their eyes as if they wanted to see if she would share their secret or not.
    Then Grace looked back at her parents who watched the rulers with the utmost respect. Like many others, her parents were also curious if the legend of the respectful rulers was true. Grace said nothing. She didn’t want to strip anyone’s excitement, the sense of revelation, and foremost, she still was the youngest guardian in disguise. Someday her parents may also meet with the Strangers of Odess’iana before they make their own exciting revelation. But now, the secret of the rulers would be her little secret.
    With a broad grin, Grace looked toward the rulers. Thobadzistshin and Hastseolti had finished digging and they lifted the sapling and brought it carefully to its new home. They looked proudly toward the crowd.
    “Eecrys Aredia gave her bounty in crops, food and fresh crystal-clear water to our families!” Thobadzistshin declared.
    “We’re here to celebrate the riches of Prosperous and Deciduous that she has given us!” Hastseolti smiled over the crowd and raised her arm to them. “To the people of Odess’iana, to the people of Eecrys Aredia!”
    “What she gave to us, so are we willing to give back to her,” intoned Thobadzistshin. “She provides for us like a loving mother, as her children it is our duty to care for her in turn. She gave us life and taught us to give life to our lands. Let this sapling be the symbol of the past, the present, and the future. Eecrys Aredia will see us through her roots and when this little tree has grown like its brothers and sisters, she will see not just the richness of our love, or our beloved city and land, but also that of generations that will care for her, our beloved mother, Eecrys Aredia.”
    “Like a guardian, treat our beloved home, our motherland Eecrys Aredia and all that dwell here with respect as we do not inherit her from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children,” Hastseolti said with reverence. Grace felt that Queen Hastseolti looked right at her and addressed mostly her from the distance.
    “I will,” promised Grace almost without a tone, with pride in her little heart. As if Hastseolti could read her lips, almost unnoticed, she thankfully nodded to Grace; the youngest guardian of Odess’iana.
    Thobadzistshin and Hastseolti gently lowered the sapling into its hole and covered it with soil. The lady ruler picked up an elegant dark tasunke hair pot and gave the first measure of water to the newly planted sapling in the garden. Everyone watched in silent pride. After she finished, she put down the pot and turned with her husband to the crowd. The gardeners reverted to the kind rulers that everyone knew. Thobadzistshin held his wife’s hand gently and nodded to her.
    “Let the Great Feast of Odess’iana begin!” Hastseolti crowed as excitement escaped her regal decorum.
    Everyone cheered while flutes, pipes, drums, and stringed instruments came up. Their unique Odess’ianan tune boomed from the far corner of the sqaure. Dancers, artists, and people in beautiful masquerade costumes flooded in from the streets.
    Not far from the main gates, Grace and her family stood. They had a grand view of the entire ceremony.
    “The performance of Azen and Vessa will start soon,” her excited mother said. She held Aurora, and kept a sharp watch on her littlest daughter. Margey wore the necklace that Grace had brought for her.
    “Aurora?” Eion offered the last delicious Crystanan ice fruit to her. The little girl shook her head, and then turned back to watch the dancers with silent awe-filled eyes.
    Temptation threatened Grace as her father looked at her with the last delicious ice fruit in his hand. She wanted just one more, but she knew her mother had eaten the least of the fruit. Most of them had landed in