Chapter XXVI - One Last Mural
The Legend of Leanna Page: Vol. I
You’re reading The Legend of Leanna Page, the page-turning mythopoetic queer literary fantasy. *Click here for the Table of Contents and start of Volume I*
Previously: With the help of her friends in the Woodbound Players, Leanna regained the motivation to try and get the Jewel of Nebulous away from King Guiomar. Will she succeed?
When she was near enough once more, Leanna began again to be able to see, in her visions, the World Within the Woods. She used the night as an excuse to delay her fears and, settling onto a pile of leaves, she slept dreamlessly. As the dawning sun pierced her eyelids the next day, Leanna took her forearm to her brow and wiped away the morning’s dew. Now unclosing her eyes, she found a sudden stillness and stared before her. There, in a stream of sunlight which filtered through the Trees, stood a magnificent blue heron. Her neck was elongated, and chin lifted proud until, turning, she looked to Leanna. The two gazed at one another, breathing in synchronicity, neither daring to move lest the moment be squandered. Between them hung a sense of knowing that neither would claim to fully understand, but Leanna trusted it so that, in an instant, she decided whichever way this heron next flew, that would be the path she would follow. As if understanding its task, the heron bent her legs, lifted her grand wings, and propelled herself through the air, flying in the direction of the Pavoline castle. Leanna smirked at the sly bird, accepting her determined path.
She jumped to her feet and ran after the heron, leaping over Tree roots and dashing between wild berry bushes, laughing in her play. She halted and caught her breath, watching as the heron flew out of sight. Leanna remained there a moment, gazing at the Sky, and suddenly wondered what it would be like to change Its mood at her will. Whisking her gaze down and away, she looked at the vibrant shrubbery around her and took new note of the Forest’s fruit. She picked at it and nibbled on huckleberry and caraway as she continued on toward the kingdom. Having not yet decided upon any definite objective, she subdued any fear of her future and allowed it to melt away, becoming filled instead by a new amazement and curiosity about her present. Eventually, she found herself in the Forest of Beasts, just within the border of Pavoline. The place was said to be deadly; still, the smaller stature of the trees allowed for so much light to fall upon the wooded ground that even Leanna’s few sightings of bears and boa constrictors did naught to build up any fear within her.
The citadel showed itself to her at last, and, with the refreshing crisp air of a new day filling her breast, Leanna strode steadily into the marketplace, entering the flow of civilry, expecting to go unrecognized throughout the thick crowd. As she continued on at an amble, she caught the sideways glance, and even the pointed finger, of more than a few passersby until, thinking it best to pull aside, she turned into a small alley between buildings and leaned against one of the sandstone walls. Seeing now directly across to the opposite side of the alley, she discovered with dismay the cause for her mild celebrity. Pasted to the stone was a parchment with a portrait of Leanna’s likeness, along with a declaration announcing a reward for her head, signed with the oath of King Guiomar of Pavoline and Queen Isolda of Masor. She had no time to consider any of the implications, for a clamoring came from behind and she stepped out from the secluded passage, seeing several Pavol knights gesturing, and now shouting, for her capture. She leaned back against the inner wall and sighed. Then she began to run.
Daring not to examine her surroundings, or consider heavily her direction, Leanna barreled down little-known paths toward the only location in Pavoline she thought might bring her seclusion and safety. Winding around the back of the citadel, she discovered the wooded entrance to the mysterious caves of her youth and leapt within, plastering herself to the cold, clay wall as the knights charged past the exterior thicket, searching for her up ahead.
Once again entreating her breath to calm, Leanna looked all around the opening of the cave, then, satisfied no knights remained near, relaxed the back of her head upon the wall. Lifting it again, with furrowed brow, she turned to her right, spying deeper into the caves whence, indeed, she now saw a faint, pulsing, azure glow in the distance, and could just discern the shadows of her childhood apartment within it. Curious at it being so near, she took several paces toward it and stopped as the glow of the hollow grew brighter at her every step. Amazed, she walked on, quickening her pace with every step that she took, heart beating in sync with the pulsing glow of the cave. Within moments, she stood again in that hollow of years past, but the light then extinguished, plunging the apartment into darkness, total except for the far corner of the hollow in which a thin column of light emerged from a small tunneling entryway. Leanna flew to it, leaping over the bags of wheat that lay scattered on the floor below. She dove into the small tunnel, traveling through its turns, and at last took her first steps inside the antechamber of the Jewel of Nebulous.
She instantly despised her own heart for its feeling of wonderment at the chamber’s beauty, for though the majesty of the Gwahanu swam gloriously upon the walls, so too did the infamous murals lay their horror bare upon them. She saw, as had her mother, the first image of the untouched Jewel upon its pedestal, and the peaceful tree with all four seasons in its branches. She saw, beside the tree, the lightning cutting across the wall, directing her gaze to the next panel with the Jewel loosed and adorned by a wicked silhouette with raging eyes. She saw the red sun, and she saw how this villain directed its fiery rays upon a burning wood. She saw the massive wave erupting and cascading upon a helpless village, and the knights, peasants, and children who lay dead in its wake. She saw the moon high above them withering into dust. She came to the final panel, still shrouded by the thick basalt that covered the wall, and stepped in front of it, placing the central pedestal behind her at her heel. With utmost disdain, she bore her glare into the stone and demanded it reveal to her its final, greatest horror.
The earth began to shake. Leanna placed a steadying hand on the empty pedestal behind her but refused to fall. She stood steadfast as the towering basalt started to crack and splinter, shutting her eyes and turning away at the dust, until all was stillness and silence. She reopened her eyes, looking down at the debris which surrounded her until, gripping the pedestal harder still, she lifted her glare to look upon the last of the murals. Leanna’s countenance of contempt softened into astonishment. In the mural before her there was a sun, but no drought. Water, but no flood. There was green grass and wildflowers, wheat and vegetable gardens in full bloom. Atop it all was the Jewel, shining more brightly here in its goodness than it did in any depiction of its evil. Still, however, it failed to return to its pedestal. It was cradled in the palms of another silhouetted adorner whose eyes displayed a stunning brightness, exuding balance and peace.
Leanna’s brow wrinkled in confusion, and she spun to the former images which had given her – and her mother – such fear. Again, looking upon them now, she quivered. Turning back to the final mural, she began to weep, furious at the Gwahanu for not having revealed it sooner. Never had the Jewel of Nebulous been a name thought of with any kindness, but might Fantázo have been right? Might she think altered of the gem now without considering herself a heinous beast? She remembered the horrid drought in Masor, and the knights struck down by one prince’s envious lightning. She thought of the tornado that mutilated her friend. She thought of the misaimed murder of Queen Okalani. Could anything with such an evil history, one day, bring true goodness to the world? Perhaps the possibility of this goodness would have all the sooner caused the Jewel’s power to wreak havoc on the world, commanded by a weak hand. Perhaps this is why the mural was hidden, to not provide false hope to a base spirit. Did the River then, in truth, trust the spirit of Leanna Page to wield the power well? She leaned upon the pedestal and slid her back against it, dropping to the floor. Her gaze stayed trained upon this last image, and she remained, sitting thither, until the fall of night.
At length, she fell into her dreamscape and opened her eyes to find her mother sitting in front of her, older now than Leanna remembered.
Leanna worked to hide her surprise. It had been so long since she had shared a dream with anyone else’s mind and, in truth, she had come to appreciate the privacy. Esta must have been reaching for her to have appeared there in the same moment as did Leanna. It was almost as though the mother had been waiting in the dreamscape, just in case.
“So, thou dost live!” the mother said. “My dear, I have missed thee so.”
Esta dove into an embrace, pulling her daughter into her arms. Leanna remembered then how unlike reality a sensation in a dream truly felt. The depth and texture was all missing, but the love was there. Leanna kissed her mother on the cheek.
“And I, you, mother. Forgive me.”
“Whither hast thou been all these years?”
“Years…” Leanna thought, realizing the time.
“Yes! I thought I lost thee.”
“I am sorry.”
Esta wanted to further lament the time, scorn Leanna for the lack of contact, but something in her child’s quiet, melancholy eyes put her beyond reprimand. Esta looked around and saw the dream-blurred chamber of the Jewel.
“I never imagined I’d again see these walls,” quoth the mother. “But when hast thou to dream us hither?”
“I am hither now.”
“Wherefore?” Esta exclaimed, and Leanna explained briefly whither she had disappeared to those years past, why she had now returned, and the events of her intended wedding to Kennedy which set her off in the first. Esta lost all her anger and fell into grief. “My dear—” She wanted to offer words of wisdom, or something that might be a balm to her child’s pain, but all she could muster was, “I am so sorry, my dear child.”
Leanna shrugged. “It is not thy doing.”
“Isn’t it?” Esta began. “If I had but not entered this chamber, if I had not spoken of the Jewel to thy father—”
“It is not thy doing,” Leanna repeated, and Esta fell silent.
After a moment, the mother queried, “Thou entered Pavoline this morn? Why hast thou remained hither so long?”
Leanna gestured behind Esta to the newest mural.
“My goodness,” quoth the mother, turning round, sitting now beside Leanna, and remaining fixed there as the first had. In their silence, Leanna now thought of Kennedy, and then thither the fairy stood. Due to the illusion of dreams, it felt now as though she had been standing beside them in the chamber all along.
“Leanna!” She cried, then halted her exclamations in disappointment. “This is but a dream. Is it only another of my usual dreams?”
“No, Kennedy. It is I.”
The fairy hardly dared to believe.
Leanna met her gaze and held it for a long moment. “I swear it, my love. I have returned.”
Kennedy dropped to Leanna to lay endless kisses upon her, and she did so until Esta coughed slightly, making the mother’s presence known. Kennedy bashfully sat back on her heels and took Leanna’s hand. Smiling politely, she said, “Greetings, Esta. A joy to see you as well.”
Leanna wrapped Kennedy’s hand in both of her own. “Forgive me for leaving as I did, but I could not bear a farewell.”
“We needn’t have had a farewell, for thy magic, Leanna.”
The dreamer shook her head. “I was too far away, in more ways than one.”
“I don’t understand. I assumed thou must have died to leave me waiting so long with nothing.”
“In a way, perhaps I did. I had to. I did not know how to go on. But I am returned now. Can you forgive me?”
Kennedy looked to their hands, entwined once more, then turned her gaze to the dreamer. “I never thought I’d see thee again. I shall always love thee, Leanna.”
Leanna sighed, looking down, and, at Kennedy’s curious eye, Esta took up the task of relating all she’d been told, including pointing the newcomer towards the peaceful mural. Kennedy’s visage widened in awe, but she withheld any opinion, turning to Leanna.
“What dost thou wish to do?”
“It is mine to take, I know that now,” Leanna said, “but I still fear it so.”
“This is one benign image beside several of villainy,” Esta reminded her. “To maintain that state of peace may require strength of heart beyond anyone’s capacity.”
“Leanna’s is the purest heart I know,” Kennedy declared.
“Hast thou seen thine?” Leanna asked, half in jest. Kennedy scoffed, and Leanna turned to sincerity. “Kennedy, it was thee who taught me to seek adventure. Thee who helped me first see the beauty of the world. It was thy courage which instructed me how to fight for what is good. My love, if my heart is pure, it is because of thee! How would I be meant to remain so when thou art inevitably gone from the world?”
“Thou dost not offer thyself due credit for thy worth, Leanna. Caring for me may blind thee to certain of my faults but, in thine absence, I often sought furiously for faults within thee and came up with little to naught. Thou hast strength in thee beyond imagining.”
Leanna looked up to the mural. “See her, Kennedy. She is alone. I do not want to be alone.”
Kennedy held more tightly to Leanna’s hand and smiled with a new idea. “Then return to me.”
Leanna met her eyes with deep sadness. “I think I must take up the Jewel.”
“No!” Esta cried, but Leanna pushed on.
“It was made for me, mother— or I for it, I suppose. Though wielding it doth frighten me, indeed, I am frightened more so by thought of it being wielded by another. For myself I fear weariness, solitude, even madness; but for the world, at another’s hand, I fear destruction and worldly grief.” Leanna nearly laughed now in realization, explaining, “The River wishes for peace, that is why it calls me to the Jewel! I cannot abandon it.”
“Why need it be wielded at all?” Esta tried. “Thou couldst obey the River without so endangering thyself by simply returning it to its pedestal.”
Leanna shook her head. “Someone is certain to again discover these chambers, the risk is too great.”
Kennedy saw Esta’s fear seep into the crevices of her cheeks and, with a thought, turned Leanna toward her.
“Bring it instead to Anwansi,” she offered. “We shall hide it within our castle, and it will be guarded.”
“If its location were to be rumored it may invite attack.”
“No army has had good fortune in such efforts so far.” The young queen smirked with pride, but Leanna remained unpleased.
“Kennedy, it does not want to be hidden away. It wants me.”
“But, love, canst thou in truth want it? What life would that leave thee? Please, Leanna, return to me, and we can protect the Jewel together.”
It pained Leanna so to deny Kennedy her wish, so she considered it. “Thou art certain it would be safe?”
Kennedy eagerly affirmed it. “I trust our warriors. It shall never be wielded again.”
“What if it is then displeased? What if it calls to me still?”
“We shall be together nonetheless! Is that not for what thou dost wish after all this time?”
“Of course, I wish for that,” Leanna said.
“Then bring the Jewel to me.”
Leanna nodded, slowly. “So it shall be,” she conceded.
“Truly?”
“Of course, my love.”
“If some happenstance goes awry, thou wilt tell me. Thou wilt not leave me again without a word.”
“I swear it. I do.”
The fairy’s countenance grew bright as she declared, “Then thou shalt return to me swiftly.”
Leanna gave her a kind smile, saddened at the thought of the lost years. “With more celerity than a shooting star,” she avowed.
Awakening in glee, Kennedy vanished from the dream, her form becoming a light mist which drifted away into the air. Leanna now turned to her mother who remained with a countenance of dread.
“There is something I never told thee, Leanna; nor, thought of myself for some time.” Esta paused and Leanna looked to her curiously. “That day, when I first discovered this chamber, it was not the images that frightened me, horrid though they be, but – and forgive me, but – it was thee.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I could feel thee inside me, turning, pushing… reaching. It was though thou wert reaching for the Jewel, as though thou didst wish for it the way thou sayst now that it wishes for thee. It frightens thee, thou dost say, and thou hast now agreed to hide the Jewel away, but I fear thou art reaching for it still. I never want to see thee wear it.”
“I shan’t. We found another way,” Leanna whispered.
“I need thy word,” the mother commanded. “Promise me, thou wilt never take on the power of the Jewel.”
Leanna remained a moment, stunned into silence. She swallowed her hesitation, then spoke. “So long as I can avoid that day, I shall.”
Esta winced, and shook her head, disappearing from the dream. Leanna awoke into the true chamber and sat again against the pedestal, staring at the mural above her. She analyzed its every line and seared its colors into her memory. At last, seeing through the earth and knowing the moon had risen high above the castle of Pavoline, she stole away her gaze and left the chamber behind.
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