Chapter the Twentieth

A week passed. Iraella and Mabon had met a kindly blacksmith on the street who was willing to take them in. The Blacksmith said that the island was called Island Out On Sea, and that there weren’t any more islands for many long miles. He had never heard of Niaequei or Neygren, for he had never been off of Island Out On Sea.
The Blacksmith allowed Mabon a little bit of money and taught him the art of blacksmithing (which Mabon was not especially fond of. “Then why don’t you like it?” Iraella would say. “It’s hot!” he’d snap back. Groans.)
Iraella spent most of her time with the Blacksmith’s son and daughter, Pora and Barden. Pora knew of special herbs in the village (which Iraella desperately wanted to see) which helped heal her shoulder quickly.
“I think it tis time that you get some work too,” Mabon commented on a Saturday, after coming inside for water. He collapsed on the chair at the table, where Iraella and Pora sat.
Pora laughed. “Iraella? I simply cannot imagine this ball of energy concentrating!” she said fondly. Since she was sixteen, she often treated Iraella like a little sister that way.
Iraella rolled her eyes, though she silently agreed. Mabon arched his eyebrows and smirked at her. Iraella folded her arms and glanced at him quickly, then looked away. “What?” she snapped.
“Iraella……” he said.
“Oh fine! But where? I’m only thirteen, you know,” Iraella said, rising from her chair.
“You’re tall enough. Try a bakery,” Pora suggested.
Iraella laughed. “I can’t bake! I swear I’ve burnt water.”
Mabon smiled. “For some reason I believe that. A washery?”
“What in the world is a washery?”
“You don’ have them in Niaequei? They’re all over Bellord. Maybe they’ll have one here. It tis just where you bring in your clothes and have them washed,” said Mabon.
Pora smirked. “I don’t believe we have those here either.”
Iraella smiled too. “Shame, something I might have been able to do,” she said, facing Mabon.
Mabon shrugged. “Just making suggestions,” he said. “But we should really get a move on soon. It has been a week.” And with that he rose and headed out the open door.
As he left, Iraella felt a guilty pang. A week already? Then she realized with another pang that she did not want to leave. She wanted to save Baeddan, but she already felt so at home with Pora and the Blacksmith and Barden. Pora reached over and rubbed Iraella’s back with gentle fingers.
Iraella lifted her head. “What is it?” she asked.
Pora smiled sadly. “You know what it is, sweetie. You’d better find out where you need to go, before you forget,” she said.
“What do you mean, ‘before I forget?’” Iraella asked unsurely.
“Everyone who comes here eventually forgets where the come from. Or at least, everyone but me and Barden,” Pora said, pushing back a straggling piece of dark brown hair from her face casually. “We used to live in Niaequei,” she continued on. “We used to be so happy. And don’t get me wrong, this island is pleasant, but I don’t want you and Mabon to forget about that friend of yours. So please, leave soon, okay?”
Iraella felt her jaw drop, so she closed it quickly. “Why do they forget?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Pora said, shrugging. “It’s strange. Barden and I have always remembered Niaequei, but Poppa forgot it within about two weeks. He had come here on business,” Pora explained.
Iraella sighed and shook her head. “This is insane,” she said. “I wonder what does it.” Pora shrugged again, and this time leaned her cheek on her knuckle.
“I only wish I knew,” said Pora as she gazed out the big arching window, her voice hardly above a whisper. Just then, Barden walked in while the girls were quiet. Pora completely ignored him while she was in her little trance and Iraella flicked her fingers nonchalantly at him in recognition.
Barden chuckled. “Hardly ever hear you two quiet,” he said, combing a hand through tawny hair. Iraella faced him and smiled.
“What do you remember about Niaequei, Barden?” she asked casually.
Barden’s grin was wiped off his face. “You didn’t tell her, Pora?” he said, ignoring Iraella and looking to his sister.
Pora faced him. “She has to know! They are on a quest. They cannot forget and stay here forever,” Pora told him in that big-sisterly kind of way.
Barden sighed, pulling up a chair and facing Iraella. “I remember trees. Lots of bright green trees. And I remember our little log cottage, set back in forest--”
“Forest? What was the forest’s name? Where was it?” Iraella interrupted, excited by the mention of a forest.
Barden looked at her, puzzled. “It didn’t have a name, why?”
“Because that might be where Mabon and I need to go!” cried Iraella enthusiastically. “Now, where was the forest?”
Barden nodded a little more knowingly now. “Across Neygren’s Lake, I believe,” he said.
“Yes!” Iraella yelped, leaping out of her chair. She jumped across to Barden and hugged him tightly around the neck. Pora clapped with glee, laughing as her brother tried to struggle from Iraella’s tight grip. Finally, Barden was able to pry her arms away, and saw Iraella’s face practically beaming with light. It was a way that Barden had never seen her.
“Oh, Barden! You’re my hero now, do you know that?” said Iraella happily, smiling the brightest smile she had smiled since Baeddan had been kidnapped.
Barden smiled back. “What exactly did I do?” he asked. He already knew, he wasn’t a complete dunder head, but he still liked the satisfactory feeling of someone telling him what he did.
“That was the forest!” Iraella beamed. Then she grew a bit more serious, but you could still see the gleam in her eyes. “Was there ever anything peculiar there?” she asked.
Barden’s face pondered this, but Pora immediately jumped in. “Yes, indeed there was. Once when I was about seven, my friend Kerlie and I went out and explored the forest surrounding us. We came across a big cave, and as we started to climb the boulders, the ugliest little black thing came flying out--”
“Aha!” Iraella cried. She hadn’t been this gleeful in the longest time. “Yes, yes, yes! That is exactly what I was looking for, Pora!”
Pora grinned, looking satisfied as she leaned back in her chair. “But do you know how to get there from here?” Pora inquired.
Iraella stopped smiling. She felt as if her balloon of hope had just been popped. “Well, no,” she said. Barden’s face twisted. “Ah, stop looking so sad,” he said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find a way,” he said. He shook her a little bit.
Iraella nodded, but she really wasn’t so sure. But she hoped Barden was right. She really, really did.
“Really, Iraella. Really. We’re not as stupid as we look,” said Pora, also shaking Iraella gently by the shoulder.
Iraella smiled and looked up at Pora. “You’re not stupid.”
Barden and Pora grinned at her. “You’re much too kind,” Barden laughed. Iraella tried to keep a straight face, but she giggled too.
“Good point,” said Iraella, giggling profusely. And with that Pora laughed too. How Iraella missed these lovely moments with Baeddan, where they would just laugh for a while. A guilty pang hit Iraella in the stomach, but she did her best to ignore it and enjoy this time with her friends while it lasted.
When they all recovered, Mabon walked in. His eyes widened a bit when he saw Iraella. “You look awful cheery,” he said, rubbing his hands through his messy hair.
Iraella beamed at him. “I am awful cheery!” she said brightly.
Mabon smiled, and then gave a questioning glance to Pora and Barden. They both grinned at him in reply. Looking confused, he finally asked, “Wha’ in the world is going on?”
Grinning the whole time, Iraella explained what Pora and Barden had said. “The only down side is that we don’t know how to get back to Neygren’s lake,” Iraella finished; only now frowning a little.
Mabon stared at her with his eyes quite large. “Impressive mapping, I’d say,” he told Iraella. “That was quite the first guess.”
Iraella shrugged, smiling again. “Now we just need to find out how to get there. Does your father have any maps, do you think?” said Iraella, facing Pora and Barden.
Barden’s eyes went to the top of his head, as if he saw something but didn’t want to turn his head, and Pora had her index finger to her lip.
“Not that I can think of,” Barden said, “but we can certainly look.”
And so Barden lead Pora, Mabon and Iraella down to the basement below the house, (“The only place Dad would ever keep maps would be here.”) which Pora had at first strongly disagreed to (“Have you seen the spiders down there? They’re colossal!”), but was convinced in the end.
So there the four were, stepping slowly down an old, creaking wooden staircase. Iraella would occasionally hear a loud crack or two, then would look around wildly. Barden always reassured her (if reassured is really the word for it) that it was only the mice in the rafters. And now Iraella would look nervously above her, thinking that any second now she would have dozens of mice crawling through her hair.
The staircase was long. It took them probably about fifteen minutes longer than it should have to get down to that dark, dusty basement, just to find out that Mabon had forgotten the candles. “How could you forget candles? Do you have any matches, anyone?” Iraella fussed, trying to find the right face in the darkness.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Everyone check their pockets,” said Mabon. Everyone did check their pockets.
“None on me,” said Barden out of the darkness.
“Me either.”
“I don’ have any, sorry.”
“Well shoot then!” Iraella snapped, clenching her fists. A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder.
“We’ll manage. Unless Mabon would like to run back up to get the candles?” Barden’s voice said. Even though she couldn’t see, Iraella knew that all eyes were on Mabon.
“I’m sorry, but I’d rather not,” said Mabon.
Iraella groaned. “Fantastic! Now how will we know if we’re grabbing a map or not?” she complained. She couldn’t keep a positive attitude anymore.
“We’ll manage,” Barden said again, removing his soothing hand from Iraella’s shoulder. Iraella sighed deeply. She was trying to rein in her temper.
“Should the maps be over here?” came Pora’s voice. Then a crash and a yelp a few feet from Iraella.
“Pora, are you alright?” Iraella asked, trying not to step on anything as she maneuvered to her right.
“Uh-huh,” Pora groaned. Iraella felt around and finally grabbed Pora’s arm and pulled upward.
“I’m up, you can let go,” Pora said. Iraella let go. “I have a feeling that this may take a while,” said Pora.
Everyone, even Barden mumbled in agreement. “I said we would manage, I didn’t say it would be easy,” Barden murmured.
Iraella smiled. “So, everybody, let’s get moving.” She clapped her hands together and rubbed quickly, as she did when she was cold and needed warmth on her hands. And everyone went shuffling about.
Iraella carefully shuffled across the floor. She held her hands out in front of her, to feel if anything blocked her way. “Ow!” she yelped, falling to her knee and grasping her foot.
“You okay?” asked Barden’s voice from across the room.
“Uh-huh.” She had stubbed her toe on something wooden. Iraella released her foot and sat up on her knees, feeling around so see if it was a crate.
And so it was!
Iraella grinned excitedly. She gently felt through, hoping not to tear any maps if there were any in the crate. Iraella suppressed a happy yell when she felt paper.
“Everyone! I feel paper in this crate,” Iraella called. She heard shuffling feet. “Let’s bring it upstairs so that we can see.” Pora, Mabon and Barden all gathered round and felt through too.
“Fantastic! Come, somebody carry it,” Pora said. Iraella could hear the smile in her voice.
Iraella stooped down and tried to lift it, but it wouldn’t budge. “Urrggh!” she groaned, trying again.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” Barden said, sounding concerned.
“I’ll be fine,” Iraella snapped back. Mabon laughed. She got a tighter hold on the sides. It burned her fingers, and she hoped she didn’t have splinters when they were done.
“Here, Iraella, I’ll get it,” said Barden nervously. Iraella slowly (and somewhat reluctantly) backed away.
“Go on,” she urged, wondering why Barden seemed so protective. Barden was able to lift it a little bit off the ground, but not very high. He tried again and again, until Mabon took the other side. Together, they were able to get a little up the stairs, then Pora and Iraella had to step in and help.
It took them nearly an hour to get up the stairs, but they managed.
“Awful heavy for a load of paper,” Mabon grunted when they set it in the hallway.
“Let’s get in front of a window,” Pora said. Everyone agreed and they lifted it up onto the dining room table.
Finally, after lots of anxious waiting, Iraella was able to peek inside. She sighed. “It doesn’t look like maps. But there are some letters,” she said. Barden leaned in close over Iraella’s shoulder as she picked one of the letters up. Carefully, she opened the packaging and began to read aloud.

Dear Luiz,

Where have you gone? You had told me that you would only be gone for about two weeks, and it has been a month. I do wish to find out where you have gone.
Everything is going well here. I have found a job in town baking, so food is kept on my lonely table. Rain has been plentiful, and thank goodness for the trees to keep too much sun away. No one has come to visit since your departure.
Hoping to hear back from you soon,

Drienna

Iraella folded the letter again and looked up to see Pora’s face tear-streaked. “What is it, Pora?” she asked, rushing over to her side.
Pora shook her head and placed her face in her hands. Iraella gave Barden a questioning glance. “That was from our mother,” said Barden solemnly.
Iraella felt her eyes grow bigger. “How could it have reached you?” she asked.
Barden shrugged, his eyes painfully sad. Meanwhile, Mabon had been rummaging through the box. Then he emerged, grasping firmly in his hand a large, coiled up piece of paper.
Pora looked up and wiped away her tears. Mabon was grinning. Iraella gave him an angry look to silently scold him for being so insensitive. She returned her focus to Pora and patted her back gently. “It’s all right, Pora,” said Iraella. She couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“It tis a map!” said Mabon excitedly. Iraella’s heart leaped. She faced Mabon. “Does it show how to get to Niaequei?” asked Iraella eagerly.
Mabon nodded, grinning broadly. Iraella couldn’t help but smile too, even when she faced Pora, who now had Barden by her side.
“Could you two not come?” asked Iraella suddenly. Barden seemed rather excited by the idea, but Pora sat down in a bright Bamboo chair. Pora bit her lip.
“I can’t, Iraella. I’m so sorry. I have to watch over Poppa,” she said sadly. Iraella could see in her eyes that she wanted desperately to go, but she felt to guilty to.
“But we could bring him!” Mabon suggested. Iraella nodded vigorously in agreement. She couldn’t just leave them.
Pora shook her head heavily. “No, no. He wouldn’t leave.”
Barden hung his head. “I will go,” he said. “I have to do this, I know it.”
Pora nodded. “I know, Barden. Go, maybe someday I will join you all,” she said. She was so awfully sad. Iraella felt as if her heart was being ripped out.
Everyone hugged Pora tightly.
“Please, tell Poppa where I’ve gone,” Barden told her when they had separated. Pora smiled weakly, rising from her chair.
“I will. Farewell, all,” said Pora. Iraella smiled at her, trying to stay brave even though she felt smaller now that she was walking out the door. “Will I ever see her again?” she thought. Honestly, Iraella wasn’t sure.
Mabon, Barden and Iraella slipped out the door and walked across ticklish green grass. Then they reached the shoreline. “How will we get there?” asked Barden.
Mabon grinned. “Water travel,” he said. He stepped into the water and Iraella followed.
“Come,” said Mabon, gesturing for Barden to follow them. Barden stood on the sand, appearing completely dumbfounded.
“Trust us. Mabon is a water tamer,” Iraella said.
Barden slowly stepped in, obviously unsure. He followed Iraella and Mabon into the water, staying far behind.
“Come in closer, so that you’ll stay in our air bubble,” Iraella instructed. He did, and Mabon created the air bubble, explaining the rules of water travel along the way and handing Iraella the map.
And they descended underwater.