Legend of the Jumi Part I, Chapter 4
Amber
By The Mana Priestess
Elazul had known that his feelings for Black Pearl were no secret, and, like any rumor, the gossip about it circulated around the Jumi court; but the extent at which his well-known infatuation became a subject of mockery was brought to his notice most unpleasantly with an event that Alex later termed “The Amber Affair”.
Diana’s court was composed of various members of the nobility, courtesans, and a few toads and flatterers that managed to worm their way into the high circles of the city through susceptible council members. Of the women, one of the most prominent court ladies was the notorious Jumi of topaz, whom her parents named Amber for the darker, impure composition of her stone.
Her impure stone had not been the only aspect of Lady Amber’s character that proved frustrating to her family. The Lady Amber was a distant cousin to Diana, somewhat younger in years— in human terms, twenty-eight or so— and a practiced courtesan. She had resisted being assigned with a knight, claiming that she needed her freedom, and her friendship with Diana enabled her to maintain this wish; instead of fulfilling her duty to society, she proceeded to embark on a series of affairs with high-ranking knights and councilors since she turned a legal age (and some said before it), in a pattern that consisted being the mistress of an older, high-ranking man and keeping an attractive young lover (sometimes artfully managing two), on the side. By Black Pearl she was regarded with some contempt, nevertheless mingled with a stringent respect that she felt for Amber’s tenacious independence.
Lady Amber was a very pretty woman with luxurious honey-hued hair and a trim, petite figure that kept her looking much younger than her actual age; her large golden eyes and a deceptively sweet, dimpled smile enhanced her attractiveness. Her favorite colors were red and gold— “the warning colors”, as Alex called them when he got to know her well enough. She was generally well-liked by everyone, and, because of an easy-going, happy temper, she made a surprisingly little amount of enemies for her lifestyle.
Alex had drawn her notice almost as soon as he appeared in court at Florina’s side.” The foxy boy”, she called him, but she did not have any special interest in his delicate, sharp handsomeness, that she deemed too effeminate for her tastes. A deepening acquaintance, however, re-kindled her interest, for she felt drawn to Alex’s clever, ruthless tongue and cheerful temper, that matched her own. For a little while she deliberated whether she could manage to seduce him, but Alex resisted her advances with admirable cunning that justified his title and earned her respect. She was, however, beginning to have second thoughts about him, for as she came to know Alex better she was beginning to draw her own conclusions about certain things; and this was the situation one day in late September when Elazul entered the scene.
The Lady Amber had known about Elazul, having seen him in the contest and occasionally on guard duty; but except his “nice eyes” she did not find anything in him to interest her, thinking him just another good-looking young face among several. She liked men who could supply her with a sophisticated conversation and (though she could easily see through them) flattering compliments, and Elazul’s austere silence was not to her taste. In addition, Elazul was not habitually an attendant to court parties and balls, even though attending them was one of the royal guard’s special privileges. He was ill-at-ease at such gatherings, the formality, light, insincere conversation and vicious gossip sitting ill with his own honest disposition. He attended only two parties since he begun his duty in mid-summer and resisted going to any more, until one September night when Florina convinced him to escort her, Alex being busy with some papers.
Elazul had to appear in the dark blue uniform required of the royal guard when attending formal parties. He kept close to Florina’s side, feeling fidgety and wishing that Alex would arrive. After about twenty minutes an elegant lady in attired in a splendid ball dress of red silk and velvet approached Florina and greeted her, asking after her health and inquiring about Alex. Florina told her that Alex will be arriving soon, and introduced her to Elazul as the Lady Amber.
Elazul bowed stiffly and murmured a greeting. Amber, thinking his uniform very becoming, decided to stay until Alex arrives and entertain herself meanwhile by engaging in a light flirtation. She attempted to coax the young knight out of his inflexible formality and after achieving very little success she drifted away, feeling somewhat bored.
Approaching Diana, who was sitting at a small table, she observed, “This one is a poor substitute to Alex!”
“For my part, I prefer him to your impudent Alex,” Diana answered. “But don’t waste your time on him. You know that he is infatuated with Black Pearl.”
“It means very little to me,” said Amber, a dimple appearing. “And Black Pearl has been gone for weeks now.”
Diana eyed her warily. “Don’t tell me that you are intending to encroach on Black Pearl’s territory, Amber.”
“It does not appear to me that they have any relationship going,” said Amber, shrugging a white shoulder. “On the contrary, I understand that he’s been rejected.”
“You can never know what’s on Black Pearl’s mind,” cautioned Diana.
But Amber was not listening at this point. “A frustrated love,” she mused, smoothing her long hair with one gloved hand. “It could be pathetically easy.”
“I thought you found him dull,” Diana reminded her. “It would be a pity to do this to him.”
Amber raised an eyebrow. “Since when did you gain a heart, Diana?”
“I won’t have scandals in my court, my dear,” Diana answered decidedly. “You were discreet until now. But handling this one—“ she indicated Elazul with a guarded gesture, ”and Black Pearl together could be dangerous material.”
“I think that it would be amusing to steal him from Black Pearl,” said Amber, her golden eyes mischievous now.
Diana had no opportunity to answer, because Alex bustled into the room at this point, and she lost Amber’s attention. After speaking to Florina and Elazul Alex walked around the hall for some time, exchanging greetings and flirting audaciously with women and men alike. The last table he came to was Diana and Amber’s, and he executed a bow. Diana nodded her head formally, her expression not exuding any particular warmth; he had some more success with the other lady, who stood up and took his arm.
“Alex,” she whispered, “I met your friend tonight and, if you don’t mind, I’d like an opportunity for an extended acquaintance.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Elazul? I assure you that it won’t do, Amber.”
“And why not?”
“Let me put it bluntly,” said Alex, his smile crooked. “Elazul’s type and your type don’t match.”
“But you are like me, and you get along with him very well,” Amber objected.
“Not as well as you think.”
Amber had no time to devote for this mood of resistance on Alex’s part, because she had approached Florina and Elazul now. She immediately took Elazul’s hand and, somewhat to his surprise, requested his company.
He complied, though rather reluctantly. Alex came to stand at Florina’s side, following the pair with his eyes. “Amber has set her sights on Elazul,” he murmured to Florina.
Florina appeared a little surprised, but said immediately, “I don’t think they’re very compatible.”
“I do not, either,” agreed Alex. “But with someone with Amber’s wiles you never know how far it would get.”
Florina was pensive for a moment. “Besides, there’s Black Pearl,” she added.
“Well,” said Alex noncommittally. “I suppose that’s true. Still, it’s Amber. Unless, of course,” he added, “Elazul discovers the rumors about her reputation.”
Florina raised an eyebrow. “Do you think that it will deter him?”
“You still don’t know Elazul well enough, Florina,” observed Alex. “He’s a bit of a prig, in his way. Promiscuous women repel him.”
Florina’s eyes glinted impishly. “Well, I wasn’t the one who spent three months on the road sleeping at his side.”
Alex gave a small laugh. “This crudeness doesn’t become you, Florina.”
“What about Black Pearl?” Florina pointed out after a pause. “Her reputation isn’t the purest around.”
“Yes, but she doesn’t have the appearance of it,” answered Alex. “And as long as she doesn’t, Elazul can convince himself to forget about that little fact. As with any puritanically-based beliefs, the system of thought he follows involves some measure of hypocrisy.”
Florina eyed Alex with a small smile. “You sound a bit caustic tonight, my dear. Do you mean to warn Elazul about Amber?”
“If I deem the warning needed, I will,” answered Alex coolly.
.
At first it seems like Amber was not making any progress with her heartless little plan. She was smart enough to perceive something of what Alex had observed about Elazul, and proceeded with cautious gestures of friendship; but Elazul, who loathed the insincere manners of the court, of which he considered Amber to be a part, resisted even those.
She was forced to formulate a careful strategy. Pretending to have no special interest in Elazul, she would come over to Florina’s room, or walk around with Alex— who, though well aware of her true goal, made no objections— at hours in which she previously had little contact with him; and as she guessed, this made her fall into Elazul’s company more often. She couldn’t tell whether he was aware of her intentions, or whether he was avoiding her because of a special dislike. But gradually, as a week passed, and then another, he became more at ease in her presence to the point of conversing with her in a relaxed way, and conversing with Alex and Florina in her presence with his habitual ease.
Now that she saw more of Elazul, Amber begun (somewhat reluctantly) to like him better. She found his obvious concern for Florina touching, his friendship with Alex engaging, and discovered than he was more intelligent than she previously supposed. She begun to listen to rumors about him a little more carefully, and learned that, partly because of his avoidance from having a guardian, and partly because of the scarcity of Jumi females his age and the strict protocol that guarded young Jumi women, he never had any relationship with any Jumi female, either serious or casual. “Though,” Diana, who knew all about Elazul, had added, “he was ten years on the road, and I suppose he dallied with those human women occasionally.” She said it dismissively, apparently considering a relationship between humans and Jumi as a negligible matter that can be easily overlooked, and could never develop into something serious. Because of the disparity of life-length this was usually true, and in Elazul’s case at least it seemed probable. Emotionally, he seemed inexperienced for his age, and Amber begun to understand why he allowed himself to become infatuated with Black Pearl so quickly, without being on his guard. She thought it would be a really delightful thing to draw out his potential; but on the other hand her new liking of him made her hesitate.
Alex, for his part, sometimes tried to draw Elazul into telling him what he thought about Amber; but Elazul resisted his attempts stubbornly. It was certain that he came to the court parties more often, and spoke to Amber quite frequently, and Alex wondered about the fleeting quality of those emotions that made Elazul disregard his feelings for Black Pearl so quickly.
The truth was that Elazul had no intention of getting involved with Amber. He acknowledged to himself that she was attractive, and he liked her clever mind and happy-tempered, engaging personality. He felt easy in her company now, which he never did in Black Pearl’s; but, with instinctive caution, he sensed what type of woman Amber was, and kept on his guard, determined not to let her draw him into anything. Amber was a consummate actress, and Elazul was still not experienced enough to guess that she had specifically oriented on him, thinking instead that she meant just another flirtation.
Alex, however, was not so certain. One day he caught up with Amber as she was walking down the famous “Lovers’ Lane” in the back of the palace.
“Looking for your lover?” he asked her mockingly.
She turned and dimpled at him. “Take me, Alex, and I will never need another man again.”
Alex uttered a short laugh. “If it’s Elazul you seek as replacement, I would advise you again to leave it alone, Amber.”
Her smile glowed at him sweetly. “Give me a good reason why I should. I happen to like him very well, you know.”
“I already told you,” answered Alex. “You don’t want to trifle with someone like Elazul, Amber.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”
Instead of replying, Alex pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, exposing his slender arm. He showed Amber a discolored bruise that was turning a pale green by now. “This is what happens when you cross Elazul,” he told Amber. “Elazul sometimes loses his temper, and when he gets really angry, he forgets to think.”
Amber didn’t look convinced. “With you, maybe,” she conceded. “But that’s because you are a man, and you can take it. But he won’t hurt women. I don’t think he has that in him.”
“Intentionally, never,” answered Alex. “But as I told you, Elazul forgets himself. And he can hurt you with words, too, Amber, and you are not the type that can bear this kind of a treatment, just like he isn’t the type that can bear with women who will flirt with other men in front of his eyes.”
This seemed to give Amber a pause; but then she shrugged her shoulder. “It’s Elazul’s choice as well, my dear,” she told Alex serenely. “You can let him decide what to do with his life, and stop trying to handle it for him.”
Alex made no reply to this, and Amber, thinking over what he had told her later, decided to let things take their course from now on.
It was in early November, six weeks after she had first met Elazul, when things came to a final pass, and decided a course for Amber without her intent.
.
That day in early November Elazul was wandering in the palace late at night, having finished his duty on the guard. As he came near one of the small rooms in a back corridor, generally unfrequented by people late at night, he saw Amber rounding a corner and entering one of them. She seemed unusually upset, and Elazul, feeling that this was no ordinary occurrence, approached the door and knocked hesitantly.
She told him to come in, and he entered a small room with walls the color of antique rose; it was full of ancient and beautiful furniture unique to the palace, that consisted of a small mahogany table, a sofa with an ornamented golden cover, and a lamp diffusing a soft orange glow. A large window with white lace curtains was open to the cool night. Amber was sitting on the rosewood chair, a drink in her hand, staring at a water bowl of china full of red roses that stood on the table.
She gave him a smile as he came in, and murmured his name in greetings. Elazul, examining the set of her countenance, thought she didn’t look well. He had never seen her unhappy, for her temper was usually cheerful.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She maintained her wan smile. “A relationship, what else? I can pretty much tell you that it’s over.” She sipped a little of the wine in the glass, and Elazul noticed that it was nearly empty.
Elazul knew that he wasn’t the best authority on relationships, so he said nothing for a moment. He pitied her, but he was also somewhat surprised that the sophisticated Amber would end up being hurt. He reflected that no one was secure in these matters. “I’m sorry,” he finally managed, rather lamely.
She laughed a little. “What for, my dear?”
He didn’t know what to answer, and flushed a little, murmuring something uncommitted and half-apologetic. Amber contemplated him for a moment, thinking his pathetic innocence utterly charming, and finished her wine. “I feel warm,” she said. “Three glasses consumed in a little over one hour— goodness, that’s what these things will do to you.” She then rose to her feet and approached the open window, looking into the gloomy blue night. “It’s all right,” she said over her shoulder. “After a while it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Elazul, concerned by these depressed words, rose to his feet likewise and tried to think of what to say to her. He noticed that she was wearing an elaborate but impractical golden dress with a net of tiny topaz stones set over it. Her shoulders were bare, and a rose-colored lace shawl casually draped around her arms and back provided very little protection from the winds drifting through the window. “You’ll catch a cold,” he cautioned her, coming over and shutting the glass.
Amber was touched by his consideration. She watched his serious profile, smiling slightly now. The drinks made her feel light-headed, and before she properly thought it through she found herself walking towards him and placing her hand on his shoulder.
Elazul froze for a moment, then slowly turned towards her, telling himself that this was just a casual gesture of friendship. His found himself looking into Amber’s golden eyes and very pretty face; her expression was serious, and a little melancholy. For a moment their eyes met, then she raised her arms and embraced his shoulders, laying her head against him.
Elazul stood still for a moment, his color heightened, feeling rather foolish. He didn’t wish to draw away, for her expression seemed truly unhappy, but he didn’t wish to embrace her, either, feeling that it would be an imprudent gesture; for whatever he tried to tell himself about their being merely acquaintances, he begun to feel warm, and his heart started beating faster.
“I’m sorry,” her voice came, rather muffled. “I just…”
She didn’t complete the sentence. After a moment he succumbed to his initial impulse and his arms encircled her small, neat figure.
She gave a small sob, and Elazul relented further. Any suspicions that Amber might be playing an insincere part vanished from his mind, and his arms tightened around her. “It’s all right,” he said softly.
In truth, this event was completely unintentional on Amber’s part. She has always felt instinctively that a woman in emotional distress would serve to soften Elazul like nothing else will, but she had no intention of playing the part herself. Her broken relationship had been important enough to her, but she knew that, like with all other relationships, she would recover from it well enough. Elazul, however, had no such knowledge, and his imagination magnified her sorrow as something enduring.
Amber was aware now that the drink that she had made her go further than she had intended. After a moment she said, “Thank you” and released his shoulders, going towards the sofa. She was beginning to struggle between two points; a thought flashed through her head that she didn’t really wish to seduce Elazul intentionally, at least not at that moment, because she feared that something might happen that she will end up regretting. She decided to leave the action up to him, play the neutral part, and let him determine what would happen, and seated herself on the golden covers with her head hung down.
Elazul, of course, had followed her, and she could sense his concern flowing at her. He immediately seated himself at her side, peering at her downturned profile. She finally looked up and dimpled at him.
“Thank you so much,” she repeated softly.
Elazul averted his eyes, again trying to murmur something that came out incomprehensible. The memory of her in his arms was still imprinted on his mind. He wondered whether he should get up and leave before it’s too late, but his body wouldn’t obey. A moment later, despite her resolution to play the passive part, Amber took his hand.
“You are a good person, Elazul,” she said with a low voice. It was an impulsive, heartfelt gesture, and she meant it sincerely. Elazul, sensing this, flushed deeper.
Amber perceived his embarrassment and it suddenly made her feel good, in control of her life again. All at once she thought that she wouldn’t mind having him as a lover. She found it hard to believe that what Alex had told her of Elazul was true, and believed that this facet of his personality was the only one he’ll ever have with anyone he loved. The fact that neither of them was in love with the other at present did not concern her very much, for she had a strangely naive belief in her power to make any man love her, and her failures never made a difference to her, because her temper was naturally optimistic.
She tried to convince herself now that to this meeting with Elazul was, perhaps, not just a coincidence, but a signal of a deciding fate; and that there will be no harm in luring him now into spending time with her. And since she had an artlessly selfish nature, she also felt no qualm in taking advantage of his present susceptibility. She raised his hand to her mouth and kissed it.
This gesture had exactly the effect it intended to have; Elazul consciously knew what would happen if he stayed, and he was beginning to forget everything but the present. Amber leant against him. Her hands embraced his neck once again, and she rested her face against his shoulder. She now felt his hand passing over her hair, and her arms gripped him tighter. She lifted her face towards him, and then a knock on the door startled them both.
The door was pushed open unceremoniously, and Alex appeared. He took in the full measure of Elazul sitting with Amber in his arms with a frankly critical gaze. Without apologizing he said, “I thought I’ll find you here.”
Elazul was very red, but he also looked angry. Amber turned her head towards Alex and could see a challenging expression in his eyes, and a cynical smile on his lips; and that little something that has been nagging at her for weeks now suddenly became very clear. Somehow it amused her, and her dimples appeared at once.
Releasing Elazul’s shoulders she rose to her feet and said calmly, “Were you looking for me or for Elazul, Alex?”
Alex indicated Elazul, and Amber said, “Well, then, I shall leave.” She threw a look at Elazul, but discovered that he was sitting with his face down, his hands on his knees, his expression rather grim. Deciding that she would certainly wouldn’t like to stay for an interview between these two she passed out the door and closed it behind her.
She had a few moments of regrets as she walked down the corridor, but after deliberating the situation over she realized that the addition of Alex to the already questionable presence of Black Pearl in this situation was even more complicated than she had anticipated. And besides, perhaps she didn’t wish to hurt Elazul, and she wasn’t feeling quite sure what the long-term results would have been had Alex not interrupted them. She reflected that Diana had been right after all.
Back in the room, Elazul’s first question was, “How did you know that I was here?”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “You know me well enough, Elazul, and know better than to ask such a question. I was spying on you, of course.”
“Thank you!” was Elazul’s mortified answer. “But I wish you’d do something else with your time.”
“Listen,” said Alex concisely— his manner, Elazul noted with exasperation, was not at all embarrassed— “I don’t know how you feel about Amber, but she meant to trap you into this situation from back then.” He didn’t specify the date, but Elazul understood which occasion it meant. “That’s none of your damn business,” he replied harshly.
“Perhaps, perhaps not,” retorted Alex defiantly. “But I think you know what Amber’s reputation is. If that's what you're looking for, might as well go out there and rent a—”
Elazul turned a deeper shade of red. “I told you already,” he said savagely, cutting Alex off before he could say the word, “that it’s none of your damn business!” He regarded Alex with an acrimonious smile. “And that’s how you speak of her, and she is your friend!”
Alex shrugged, glancing at him. “I like Amber very well and I don’t censure her lifestyle,” he retorted coolly. “It’s when she tries to get you emotionally involved without being so herself when I object.” He folded his arms and added sardonically, “It seems to me pretty damn strange that you’ll transfer your feelings so quickly from Black Pearl to Amber, Elazul. Whatever feelings they were, then, they must’ve been pretty similar.”
Elazul leapt to his feet and caught Alex’s arm with a hard grip. “Stop talking!” he said wrathfully.
But Alex simply looked at him, a smile peeping out. “Are you really that easy to tempt, Elazul? It might be anybody’s turn next.”
Elazul stared at him for a moment with a bemused expression, then flushed deeply with chagrin, releasing Alex’s arm. “Damn you,” he muttered, averting his eyes. “You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
Alex raised a warning finger. “Wrong. I care only about myself and—“
“Florina,” Elazul completed wearily.
“Correct!” Alex replied blithely. He leant against the wall, crossing his arms and keeping his gaze steady on Elazul. “Amber meant to see if she can seduce you as a challenge. She wished to see whether you would transfer your feelings from Black Pearl to herself. That was her goal.”
“What?” asked Elazul, staring at him and for a moment having difficulty understanding this strangely humiliating fact. “She did it because of—“ He paused, then seated himself back on the sofa, lowering his head into his hands. “Perhaps I should’ve known,” he said after a moment of silence. “Why didn’t you tell me so from the start?”
Alex, scanning his contrite expression, begun to pity him a little. “Well, perhaps this was not entirely her point,” he amended. “But that’s what I heard. People were speaking about it in the party last night.”
After a pause, Elazul said, “I don’t care about— anything that she did, except that—“ he brought his fist down on his knee in barely contained fury— “that damnable court seems to think me some kind of—“
He didn’t complete the sentence. Alex said quietly, “Don’t take it to heart. Why are you so ashamed of these feelings? They are honest, a part of who you are.”
"Get out," answered Elazul contritely. After maintaining his gaze on him for a moment, Alex obeyed. Alone in the room, Elazul lay down on the sofa and rolled to his back, crossing his arms behind his neck and staring at the rose-colored ceiling with an abstracted expression. He remained lying this way for a long time.
The next morning Elazul would not talk to Alex, avoiding him as much as he could; it lasted for three days, then, with Florina’s help, all bad feelings between them passed, and their friendship became as easy as it was before— almost.
Amber made up with her lover and became happy again; but Elazul avoided her, and never spoke to her again. She was deeply sorry for that, for she liked Elazul, and conveyed a message of apology through Alex, but Elazul told him shortly that it was simply an admission that she was doing something she should be sorry for; and he became convinced that Amber’s behavior in the room that night was a staged performance.
He avoided courtroom balls from then on.
.
A cold blue afternoon in early November found Emeralda inside the library, pursuing her assigned pieces in a very heavy volume written sometimes around the third century. She was doing this for the sake of Florina, who had taken ill to her bed after healing several feverish Jumi, and was unable to continue her reading for that day.
Bent over her volume, Emeralda frowned, her small nose crinkling with concentration. The writing was rather old and the difficult task of deciphering the strangely intricate grammar kept her occupied without noticing much of the coming and going of people into the library. The place was quiet, for noise was strictly forbidden, and Emeralda might have continued at her book until the evening had her attention not been drawn from her book by a strangely pulsing feeling at her core.
She looked up, only partially distracted, and was about to dismiss the momentary feeling as a false alarm when she noticed a figure sitting haunched over a nearby table.
It was a young man, and he seemed to Emeralda somewhat older than herself, though his figure was so thin and emaciated that she would have had a hard time judging his age had she not recognized him by his white hair and pale, lean countenance. Everyone knew the story of Snow, the Jumi boy who had been cursed by a snow faerie as a child.
From her vantage point Emeralda could only glimpse the youth’s profile; like the rest of his body it was both sharp and delicate, and had the sickly hue that characterized his curse— or, as his parents insisted on calling it, his sickness; but everyone else called it The Curse.
Snow had been born with the Black Ruby as his core, for he was the child of Rubens’ brother, and the family had a strain of rubies in its genes. His parents had been overjoyed, because the Black Ruby was a rare, highly valued gem, and there had been no Black Ruby Jumi for two thousand years. But their satisfaction did not last long. The Black Ruby core proved a mixed blessing, for the baby’s body seemed to take ill to the powerful core, and he was subject to frequent burning fevers. There was certainly something wrong with the core, but none of the Jumi healers could assuage the problem, and their healing tears only produced short-term results.
It was then when the rumors of the Snow Crystal Jumi reached the ears of Snow’s parents. Men said that an extraordinarily beautiful Jumi woman lived in the Fieg Snowfields whose core was an Ice Crystal. Snow’s parents took their dying child on the journey in the hope that the Crystal Jumi will be a healer whose tears might serve to heal and calm the out-of-control flame of the Black Ruby.
But when Snow’s parents arrived at the Ice Crystal Garden in the Fieg Snowfields, high atop the mountains, they discovered that the creature they sought was not a Jumi, but a snow faerie named Crystalle.
Crystalle took one look at the baby and somehow managed to divulge the problem. “From today on,” she said, “this Jumi child shall no longer be called Black Ruby, but Snow.” A cold glow surrounded the child as she spoke, and his parents could only watch in horror as the Black Ruby lost its dark glow and slowly froze into a clear ice crystal; the child’s dark red hair turned white, his golden eyes were drained of color and turned into a clear grey, the color of the skies over the Fieg Snowfield.
From that day on the child was renamed Snow, and he was subject to frequent attacks of colds and ill-health; but he somehow managed to survive despite his continuing illnesses. His mobility remained very limited for many years because of his frail body. But some traces apparently remained of his original core, for his temper always flared quickly, and an over-indulgence by his fond and worried parents served to decide a character of unpleasant, ill-tempered restlessness for Snow. Most Jumi youths avoided him because of it; Emeralda herself had met him very rarely, and she was too busy to notice him in the few time that he ventured out and crossed her path.
She now wondered why she felt a signal coming from his direction; the sensation had been weak enough and she would have been content enough to ignore it and return to her studies, when a voice snapped:
“Stop staring at me.”
Emeralda realized that she has been gazing at him all the while as she was daydreaming his story; a habit she sometimes fell into, and which most people found rather disconcerting. She answered calmly:
“I wasn’t staring.”
“Yes, you were,” he answered, biting on his words acridly. Emeralda now could see his face fully, and noticed that his eyes were a very deep grey color that, unlike Florina’s eyes and other grey-eyed people, had no traces of green or blue in them. This fact interested her, and she barely heard his reply; she leant forward to ascertain her first impression. This apparently disconcerted him, and he seemed to shrink into himself before her steady gaze. “You are very rude,” he said, the look in his eyes hostile.
Emeralda understood his discomfort now. She leant back in the chair and passed a hand over her hair. “So are you,” she retorted.
This reply seemed to anger him. “Just because I am the ‘Cursed Jumi’ it gives you no right to stare at me this way,” he lashed at her.
Emeralda didn’t have a hot temper, and angry people interested rather than upset her. “It was your doing,” she returned coolly, observing the changing expressions passing across Snow’s countenance with detachment. “Your core signaled to mine.”
The boy’s white face flushed vividly. “It did not. You are lying!”
“I never lie,” said Emeralda in a tone of finality. She was getting tired of this unproductive conversation and meant to return to her book; but she was unaware that the gentleman opposite was struggling with conflicting feelings. Suddenly he said hastily:
“I— I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
“It’s all right,” Emerald answered, turning to her book. He could discern that she was already half-way to forgetting his presence, and said quickly, “What are you reading? It’s for the Lady Florina, isn’t it?”
This sudden change of address and subject rather surprised Emeralda, but she made no objection to it. “Yes, it is,” she replied. “How did you know?”
The young man’s face turned red again. “I, I’ve seen you with the Lady Florina in this library before. Rubens told me about the project.”
“Oh.” She was silent for a moment and he fidgeted, waiting for her decision. Finally she signaled Snow to come over. “For,” she explained, “this tome is too heavy for me to lift.”
He obeyed her, his eyes fixed on her with an expression that any other girl would have interpreted quite clearly; but Emeralda, with that peculiar innocence that interspersed her logical nature, rarely took things on a personal level. In this she was Snow’s complete opposite, for his over-sensitive and self-centered nature always interpreted everything in the manner that affected himself.
He seated himself at Emeralda’s side somewhat awkwardly. She was the first girl to whom he spoke in an easier manner than the formal greetings with the daughters of his parents’ friends in those public meetings that he loathed. But Emeralda always struck him as being a little different than the other girls his age. He had seen this young, very pretty Jumi of Emerald several times in the past year, and felt drawn to her grave eyes, set off by a curiously serene, charming little countenance. She always seemed to remain blissfully unaware of his presence, and this somewhat frustrated him; but she never rejected him nor tried to make forced, friendly conversation like the other Jumi girls; she simply did not seem to be aware that he existed.
He had been surprised to see her frequent the library, but had not thought to make conversation with her at all, until her measuring stare induced him to utter his sharp, hasty words. But now that the conversation begun, he warmed up to the subject. “I read runes myself,” he disclosed with that sudden impetuosity characteristic to him. “Like Lady Florina.”
Emeralda’s brows drew together in a perplexed frown. “You do? I thought only Lady Florina could read runes.”
“I taught myself to read them by studying the volumes written by Lady Florina’s father,” Snow explained. “For five years now.”
Emeralda was genuinely impressed. “I should have done that myself,” she observed. “Then I would’ve been more help to Florina. I think that you should tell her about it.”
“Perhaps you should tell her,” Snow suggested, his pale countenance flushing again. “I don’t think I’ll know how to address her,” he added with engaging honesty.
“That’s all right,” Emeralda assured him. “I’m sure she’ll be pleased with what you accomplished.”
His face lighted momentarily. “I hope so,” he said, but his tone had a considerable reserve. “I don’t think that I learned as much as I should have, but I hope she’ll think my levels sufficiently high. I did study it quite diligently.” After a pause he added moodily, “After all, I have nothing else to do all day.”
“Don’t you ever go out?” questioned Emeralda.
“My parents won’t let me go around too much. It’s this cursed illness,” he added bitterly. “I’m damned sick of my whole life.” His mood darkened again, and he seemed to meditate upon his wrongs.
Emeralda felt that this young man was disposed to excessive self-pity, and she told him so. His cheeks flushed, he told her that he had never met anyone as rude as she is. This was followed by a cool suggestion from Emeralda to spare himself of her company, which he almost acted upon, when he recalled that he still wished Emeralda to tell Lady Florina about his rune-reading, and he turned around just as he was about to leave in a temper; an action which so amused Emeralda that instead of grave he found her laughing into her hand. This disconcerted the unfortunate young man so much that he stammered the rest of his request and seated himself at her side again with a red face, completely forgetting his anger after three minutes during which he was fervently explaining to his interested audience the history and usage of the runes.
The conversation wandered to other topics, and Emeralda told Snow that she did not mean to stare at him. “For,” she explained, “I was simply recalling your story. I tend to do this sometimes,” she added. “I just kind of daydream and forget that people are around me.”
Snow privately considered this habit one of her most engaging traits; but he said that he knew that she didn’t mean to embarrass him, and even apologized again, quite handsomely he thought, for his quick outburst. “My temper is still very quick because of what my core used to be,” he explained. “And I am so used to people considering me strange, and an object of pity because of my story, that it was easy for me to conclude the same about you.”
“I don’t think there’s any blemish upon you because of your story,” said Emeralda. “You shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It’s a very interesting story, though I’m sorry that the results turned out this way.”
Snow observed her, and gathered his courage for a more personal disclosure. “My parents tell me that Crystalle did what she had done on purpose, out of malicious intent, like any faerie would,” he said. “But on the other hand, the Black Ruby did make me constantly ill, and even, if I understand correctly, brought me to the point of death. Perhaps, though she devalued my core significantly, Crystalle saved my life?”
“That’s a good observation,” Emeralda admitted. “Suppose it was true?”
“Yes, it’s just that everyone got so used to thinking of my core alteration as a curse that no-one paid attention to the fact that it might have saved my life,” observed Snow with a sudden genuine smile that seemed to Emeralda to improve his countenance considerably. “I still wish the side-effects wouldn’t have been these constant illnesses. But between these and raging fevers that constantly threaten my life, I suppose I’d choose this.”
“It’s nice to know your outlook on it is improving,” Emeralda commented. For a moment Snow thought that she was mocking him, but then he realized that it was the habitually frank way of phrasing her thoughts, and he dismissed his suspicion and smiled at her again. “My dream is visiting the Fieg Snowfields,” he said, “and finding Crystalle. I need to know the truth— why would she do something like that?”
“I don’t suppose that it was truly meant to save your life?” said Emeralda. “Perhaps she could see that you were dying.”
“That’s what I think,” said Snow with a lower voice. “But I need to make certain to know what Crystalle is like, and what were her motivations. Perhaps then I can go back and tell everyone that Crystalle did not curse me, but saved me.”
Emeralda’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “A noble aspiration,” she agreed.
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Comment: I hope you don’t mind Amber, who is the only original character in the story (um, except Fox, but he's meant to stay offscreen). I’m allowed to have some fun with my story, ain’t I? ^^ I usually refrain from adding my own characters, but that’s just a small episode. Yeah, I know I used every cliché in the book for this. And it was fun! I just like writing about all those royal court flirtations. ^^ I chose to call her Amber rather than Topaz because I don’t like Topaz as a name. Also, “Topaz’s” doesn’t sound right.
A thank-you goes to Jordan S. who sent me some additional information about the Jumi not available in the U.S. version of Legend of Mana. Some of this information included details about unused Jumi, and I decided to use at least one (and I will use another). The information about Snow is thus: his original name was “Snow White”-- I changed this for obvious reasons-- he was male, 17 years old. The writing goes as follows: “He had an ice crystal as his core, and was a hot-blooded boy. He was an old friend of Glaciera (Crystalle).” The rest of the information is a spoiler that I will add when I get to the rest of Snow’s story in part II of the re-write, but the story with the Black Ruby and the change of the core is invented by myself.
The idea for using the Black Ruby was in honor of that Angel Sanctuary tune (entitled, “Black Ruby”!) which inspired me when I was writing “Memory of Running”, the short story about Pearl. You can listen to it on the site Digital Angel, here: Black Ruby (see #9).
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