the House of Colors

"Here," said Jarvis. "Le' me ring the bell." The 'bell' was actually a series of nine bells hanging from an iron frame in a triangular shape. All the bells were connected by cords of many hues. When the trader pulled on the main cord each bell in turn pulled on the others. The effect was one of music.

"Wow!" said the three foreigners in unison.

The gate opened soon thereafter and before the foursome was a woman dressed in violet breeches.

"Whoa!" said the three foreigners, in unison.

"Shouldn't you be wearing flowing robes?" asked Astra. "Or a silken headress?" added Thesamar. "Shouldn't you be on your back?" asked Fred.

Here it must be stated that 'nunnery' comes from the ancient name Nunn. It is said that in the days of the Guilds, before the forming of the various kingdoms, principalities, theocracies and mercantiles, there was a woman of the House of Nunn -a House now long extinct- who one day had a vision. She spoke of what would come and of how to deal with it. A great throng of people grew, men and women listening to her Teachings each and every day. As time passed a house was built for her and her people, and it is said that she lived in that house for the rest of her life. In later days this story was taken up again and new people in new ages built homes and houses and devoted their time to Teachings. So many, in fact, that the phenomena spread to Aqualaria. The odd thing is, no one remembers the prophecies of the Lady of Nunn, no one can recall nor is it written anywhere what the future was that she envisioned, nor her remedy for it.

It must also be stated that each people -of the north and of the south- have its own notion of what a "nunnery" was, is, and should be. Astra and Thesamar (although belonging to two different timebands come from frighteningly similar Aqualarias - feminist, matriarchal, and full of rites, rituals, oaths and promises) and their conception of a nunnery was a place of worship of the goddesses and respect for the gods; it was a place where a woman could seek wisdom, peace, strength, renewal; it was a place where women were served by an elite caste of male servants. For Fred, a man of the court and of the knighthood, a nunnery was a place where unwed daughters were sent to pray to gods and goddesses; a place where such prayer was spent lying down and looking up at the stars of the sky, and beseeching the powers that be. For the people of the Three Kingdoms a nunnery was less a place than a moment in time; it was a shift in a woman's perspective, a concentration of her will, a finite experience of the infinite.

"Come, come!" said the woman in the violet breeches.

Jarvis smirked while the threesome adjusted just enough to notice that the woman was also wearing a bright orange shirt and brown gloves; they also noticed that her clothing was stained with dirt. They followed her past a garden and into a small building. They were brought to a room and seated. Without much waiting three more women came -also in bright garb- from a side door bearing plates of vegetables. These were placed before the foursome.

"They are known fer their hospitality, tha's fer sure," said Jarvis and began eating his asparagus.

The Aqualarians looked at the plate and then at Jarvis and finally began eating as well. Fred just stared at the broccoli. "What is this?"

"Broccoli."

"I know that!" said Fred.

"Then why'd you ask?"

"I meant, where is the rest of the meal?"

Jarvis began to laugh. "That is the whole meal, so I've heard from others who've come this way." He smiled and then added: "Welcome to the House of Bertha!"

Then from behind them came a booming voice: "WELCOME to the House of COLORS!"

The foursome nearly jumped from the surprise (and the loudness). The woman behind them was wearing a purple shirt, gold breeches, beige boots and green gloves. The Aqualarians were beginning to wonder if in the Three Kingdoms a nunnery was a place for color-blind women.

Introductions were made and the woman began explaining life at the House of Colors. She explained that Bertha the Blessed taught that life was not worth living in a gray world. She talked about how one day Bertha took dyes in great abundance and colored the very walls of her home! Of course, the people of her village were outraged by such a loss of valuable material and cast her out. But Bertha did not change, she sought out a nunnery to live out her vision within the infinite majesty of the universe, but when she colored the nunnery's main quiet-space, the community kicked her out. And so she came to this green stretch of forest and with a band of followers built the House of Colors...

"...and even as the infinite has a multitude of variations, so too our lives and customs. In time we ceased coloring the walls of our abode and concentrated on dying the clothes we wear, even unto our undergarments!"

There was stunned silence.

"Uh-huh," said Fred, trying to not sound offensive.

1. They spend the night at the nunnery and leave in the morning...
2. Fred finds his time at the House of Colors has a few more adjustments awaiting him...
3. That night a rainstorm comes along...

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree