Surprise
Such odd fate had come to her, that this number three would be significant early in the year. On the dark of new years a man had stepped forward and told her clearly “Three is the magical number, everything comes in three.” At first she was skeptical as any person would be, but then things began to shift and reveal that his words would bode true for her.
* * *
Rai sat at her table in contemplation. Many things had happened in the past year that had greatly affected the person that she was. The old year had taken her in his arms and broken her to pieces, shattered what she was, and then reshaped her anew so that she held new visions and ideas for the future.
She knew now what she had to give up in order to gain her future, the work that would be required of her. She also accepted that this would be a lone journey, there were many friends on this path that would come and go, but she would ever be alone in this path. It would take her to new and far off places, where she would have to leave behind everything that she knew and loved now.
A knock at her door startled her out of her thoughts. Rai uncurled herself from her wooden chair and moved towards the door. It was late, the early hour marking the third day of the year had begun, so she wondered who it could be. Looking out the window quickly she saw a tall lanky man at her door, he wore a long dark coat and a deep green scarf. A worn top hat sat lazily to the side of his head revealing a mass of dark curly hair that framed a the man’s face giving him an almost other worldly appearance. As she opened the door Rai wondered if he may actually be from there.
“Good evening m’dear. It has been quite a while since I have been graced with your presence, and let me say it was not very easy to find you!” He said striding past her into the living room, he looked around her place for a moment and then took a seat on the couch. “Who ever protects you does a remarkable job at it” he commented absently as he picked up an old newspaper she had lying on her coffee table.
Rai just stood there a moment in shock of what had happened. The man had walked in claiming to know her yet she had no recollection of him at all, now he was sitting on her couch reading news papers. Finally she found her voice and walked up to the man anger and embarrassment bubbling within her.
“Excuse me, I don’t know who you are and so have no right to just barge in here and make yourself at home! I demand that you leave my place at once!” She crossed her arms standing over the long-limbed character. He looked up at her and blinked a moment in confusion, Rai held her stance ready for a fight if necessary.
“Well girl, what are you waiting for? Go make some tea! You shouldn’t keep a gentleman waiting you know, it is quite cold outside this morning.” She felt herself lose her stance in shock, the man had just completely disregarded what she had said! She huffed a sigh and then went into the kitchen space to boil some water for tea.
“Oh and Rai, I would love some of that delectable home made barley tea you have stashed in your cupboard” he said in a muffled voice as he had gone back to reading the paper.
She grumbled under her breath at the oddness of this whole thing, why she had even let the man in to begin with at this time at night. She felt as though she was losing her common sense! And yet, for some reason she couldn’t help but feel a familiar pattern emerge, as if she had done this before in the past.
Once the tea was finished she took two cups back into the living room with a jar of honey as well. She sat in a chair opposite of the man and handed him his tea, he nodded a thank you and then went back to his paper. Rai sat there a moment staring at him feeling all the more annoyed as he continued to ignore her. She cleared her throat hoping that it would catch his attention, he then lowered the paper to look at her. After a brief pause he nodded and placed the paper aside and stood up towering over her.
"Yes, yes it is best that we get down to business I guess. My name is Esras, and I have arrived here on the third day of the new year to start you on your path."
* * *
Rai sat at her table in contemplation. Many things had happened in the past year that had greatly affected the person that she was. The old year had taken her in his arms and broken her to pieces, shattered what she was, and then reshaped her anew so that she held new visions and ideas for the future.
She knew now what she had to give up in order to gain her future, the work that would be required of her. She also accepted that this would be a lone journey, there were many friends on this path that would come and go, but she would ever be alone in this path. It would take her to new and far off places, where she would have to leave behind everything that she knew and loved now.
A knock at her door startled her out of her thoughts. Rai uncurled herself from her wooden chair and moved towards the door. It was late, the early hour marking the third day of the year had begun, so she wondered who it could be. Looking out the window quickly she saw a tall lanky man at her door, he wore a long dark coat and a deep green scarf. A worn top hat sat lazily to the side of his head revealing a mass of dark curly hair that framed a the man’s face giving him an almost other worldly appearance. As she opened the door Rai wondered if he may actually be from there.
“Good evening m’dear. It has been quite a while since I have been graced with your presence, and let me say it was not very easy to find you!” He said striding past her into the living room, he looked around her place for a moment and then took a seat on the couch. “Who ever protects you does a remarkable job at it” he commented absently as he picked up an old newspaper she had lying on her coffee table.
Rai just stood there a moment in shock of what had happened. The man had walked in claiming to know her yet she had no recollection of him at all, now he was sitting on her couch reading news papers. Finally she found her voice and walked up to the man anger and embarrassment bubbling within her.
“Excuse me, I don’t know who you are and so have no right to just barge in here and make yourself at home! I demand that you leave my place at once!” She crossed her arms standing over the long-limbed character. He looked up at her and blinked a moment in confusion, Rai held her stance ready for a fight if necessary.
“Well girl, what are you waiting for? Go make some tea! You shouldn’t keep a gentleman waiting you know, it is quite cold outside this morning.” She felt herself lose her stance in shock, the man had just completely disregarded what she had said! She huffed a sigh and then went into the kitchen space to boil some water for tea.
“Oh and Rai, I would love some of that delectable home made barley tea you have stashed in your cupboard” he said in a muffled voice as he had gone back to reading the paper.
She grumbled under her breath at the oddness of this whole thing, why she had even let the man in to begin with at this time at night. She felt as though she was losing her common sense! And yet, for some reason she couldn’t help but feel a familiar pattern emerge, as if she had done this before in the past.
Once the tea was finished she took two cups back into the living room with a jar of honey as well. She sat in a chair opposite of the man and handed him his tea, he nodded a thank you and then went back to his paper. Rai sat there a moment staring at him feeling all the more annoyed as he continued to ignore her. She cleared her throat hoping that it would catch his attention, he then lowered the paper to look at her. After a brief pause he nodded and placed the paper aside and stood up towering over her.
"Yes, yes it is best that we get down to business I guess. My name is Esras, and I have arrived here on the third day of the new year to start you on your path."