Legends of Belariath
Tehya
The Unknown God
Letter to Eraelabryn
The scroll was delivered by a small yellow parrot, one would never expect such a tiny bird to carry a scroll, but he did, and how he knew where to deliver it only a bard would know. Her familiar named Unknown was very well trained.
I stare out the palace window at the stars in the sky and the waves rolling in and out from the ocean. The weather is peaceful, warm, and it isn’t hard to relax, if I wasn’t plagued with nightmares that led me to write more and more into the Emperor’s journal. It keeps me from sleeping at least, but every day I make note of the weather and watch the Emperor when I have the chance. World events that were written in the journal always had an extreme change in weather, and the moon’s in the sky react on the month he was born. Trivial facts for some, but I tend to over analyze.
That is how this began:
Many years ago I lived only in my cabin in the forest, and kept the door hinges rusty since I am an extremely light sleeper, the loud creak was my alarm if someone came in without knocking. The lock never worked well, and the rusty hinges only became louder as the years went on.
Nicholas told me he was done teaching me and he felt I was his equal in skills. No matter how much I cared and respected him as my teacher, it was hard to believe I might equal him. Yes even bards have questions of their skills, or at least I was humble enough to question the correlation of being equals with Nicholas Shade. We were very close and he warmed my heart, which means we had a relationship where I would joke and kid him about the Emperor’s pin he wore, pretending to be jealous and wanting a smaller version, to help him with things he had no time to do, since he was very preoccupied in keeping his slaves in line too.
Yes the days when slaves were slaves, and not treated like wives or equals, and even though Nicholas had many, they knew his judgment needed no slave’s opinion. He dressed them gloriously and I was fortunate to perform with Nicholas in most events.
One night he confessed to me he had too little time to write for the Emperor’s journal, and looked at me as if he was sizing up my skills.
Soon after, the Emperor Stormbringer was wed, a glorious ceremony, and I was to do a personal performance, for him and his companion consort. One must remember I came from meager farm lands where we sheared sheep for wool, and I weaved on our loom for money for my family. Meeting the Emperor and his consort L`aquera was something I never dreamed of doing. That was the same day I met you as high priestess of the ceremony.
The ceremony was beautiful, one I shall never forget, and the reception was my time to perform. My gift was red silk sheets that I had made myself, a meager gift for the couple, but I used Ehlanna’s loom at the time, since she gave me the key to the Naked Bird to use anytime.
When my time to perform came I was utterly daunted by both the Emperor and his consort, and I am sure they could tell. A bard found almost speechless made it difficult for me to perform. When I was done and gave my gift, Nicholas was watching from behind and drew me into his arms, he whispered into my ear.
"I have mentioned to the Emperor that you would be a good selection for his journal keeper."
With a rush of excitement I had to tease or I would have fallen into nervous tears, since I was already on edge.
"Shall I have a pin like yours?"
I received a slap on my ass and a passionate embrace, a shrug and he shook his head no.
"I doubt it, but it will make a good opportunity for you to work for the Emperor… that should be reward itself."
One autumn night the cool temperatures and the windows open lured me to sleep, see at that time there were no nightmares, and no strange marking on my chest to worry about.
That night I fell to sleep, I don’t remember dreaming, or any loud creak of rusty hinges that would wake the dead. The next morning on my desk there was a note from the Emperor and a small pin with his empty journal. I was surprised, baffled, excited, all wrapped up into one emotion.
That is when the first clue happened:
When I read the note the skies darkened, when I questioned myself on why I didn’t wake… the first bolt of lightning hit the small cabin’s roof, and when I opened the door a downpour of rain pelted my flesh like tiny pricks of ice. There was no warning, the skies were beautiful and clear until I read the note, and questioned the silence of the door opening.
I began to read and study something old, and something new:
I read every book I could get my hands on about the history, about Sturmtsalise and Nanthalion. I read about Stormbringer, who I believe is the original Stormbringer in the beginning of history. That was the history I studied, and I am sure you have as well.
What I found new to study was the weather, and I spoke to shaman’s and even asked for them to relay what the spirits have told them. I studied the stars and the tides, to compare to the weather. There were not many books to be found about this new skill I strived to learn, so I began keeping my own calendar writing down important events, and how the weather changed when the Emperor was agitated, or when a war began.
Years went by and the calendars were kept and studied, even the eclipses were noted, and the star formations.
More Proof:
The Emperor gave me a magical mirror, and there is no magic that I know of that will let you see what is happening in the world, and then record it for only him to read. The mirror has been moved from the cabin, to the palace in the forest, and to the palace by the sea with me. Each time I uncover it I can see what is happening.
The last notation on my calendar that absolutely convinced me, was the day the Emperor faced the Goddess Ishtar, and then carried her off as his own to ravish, and she submitted to him.
When the days were more relaxed and the Emperor had time to talk, I outright asked him and presented my beliefs, and was only told to come to my own conclusion. He did not object, nor did he admit of him being a god.
That was the last proof I needed to come to my conclusion which sent me out to dig where the battle of Sturmtsalise was, that word meaning ‘Eye of the Storm’ do note the word Storm in it. There was no other conclusion to have, since the original Stormbringer was 5000 years ago, to vanish? I think not, the Emperor as we know him… I believe to be the original... another proof of him being a God.
Last but certainly not least I traveled to where the war took place and dug in the rumble of rocks until my fingers were bruised even wearing gloves. I spent days there except for when I am not writing, and found something. I will tell you someday…but not today.
Ehlanna is another quandary and I have been doing my research about her too, but never the less it does not change my belief of my god.
He has tested me many ways, watched me become disappointed only to grow stronger from it, but I can endure knowing even Ishtar was subjected to his calculating ways.
My god is the Emperor Stormbringer, and I do reserve the right for you to keep this to yourself, since I only have shared my belief with a chosen few.
Tehya Imperial Bard & Journal Keeper