Hope in Deep Waters (an AtE story) Ch 21

Previous chapter: Hope in Deep Waters (an AtE story) Ch 20 | The Thwap House

Maker Knows

Janner closed his eyes as Lachlan flew through a cloud that moistened his clothes and made his hair stick to his forehead. Flying on a dragon felt a lot like sailing, he decided. The gentle rocking as the dragon rose and fell, the leathery snap of the wings like the flapping of a sail, and the spray of moisture against his face in the fresh and living wind. It suddenly made sense to him why the sea dragons also liked to fly.

He opened his eyes and admired the view of the Hollows spread out beneath them like a patchwork quilt. He knew they would soon be making a stop near a secluded stream for a short rest and a drink for the dragons, but he decided that he would be content to ride for hours more. He vocalized this thought to Sara, who agreed. He had noticed that she had been unusually quiet the whole time.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“Hm? Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m just enjoying the scenery.” While she was enjoying the scenery, the real reason for her quietness was another matter. Something she would feel silly saying out loud. Nia said she would take me in as her own daughter, but I still feel out of place. There are so many things this family has been through together that I have not been present for. And they just so happen to be royalty as well! I don’t know if I’m prepared for a position like that- I have ordinary roots. 

As soon as she had that thought, a gentle voice whispered in the back of her mind, reminding her that Janner, Tink and Leeli had lived fairly ordinary lives as well until last summer. And that she did have some experience with leadership from her experience with the poor Fork! Factory! children.

But those were children, Sara’s mind argued. It’s still intimidating. She sighed. As desperately as she wanted to feel like she belonged in the Wingfeather family’s circle, as kind as they were, and no matter how much she tried to convince herself that she belonged, she just didn’t feel like it for some reason. And she wasn’t sure what could change that. 

She noticed Janner looking over with concern, and shot a smile in his direction to reassure him. The way I feel about this isn’t his fault. He doesn’t need to be worrying about it, too.

“Sara?” he asked.

“Yeah?” Uh oh. Had more of her troubled thoughts shown on her face than she had thought?

“Would you like me to tell you about what it was like before I came back at the First Well? I- I’ve told some of the others but I’m sorry I haven’t told you yet. I couldn’t find a good time, but I felt like this might be a good time. And I thought you might like to hear about it because you like stories too and-”

“Oh, stop. I’d love to hear about it,” Sara interjected. That wasn’t what she expected him to say, but she was immediately interested. And maybe a little frightened, she thought as goosebumps tickled her spine. This had been a mystery to Aerwiarans for ages. “I guess I kind of pictured that time to be like some sort of dreamless sleep. Was it anything like that?”

“Not at all,” explained Janner, closing his eyes as if to look closely at a mental picture. “It’s much nicer than that.”

Sara listened, mesmerized, as Janner grasped for words to describe the majestic, golden light of the Maker and the inexplicable peace he felt in His presence.

“...and then there was my father,” Janner whispered, wiping an eye. “Just as Mama described him. He gave me messages for Uncle Artham, Mama, Kalmar, and Leeli. He gave me one for you, too. 

Sara’s head perked up. Esben has a message for me? All of the other people in that list are his blood relatives!

“Papa wanted to thank you for being such a good friend to me,” Janner continued, “and he said that he was sad that he hasn’t had the opportunity to meet you in person, but that he knows that you are a wonderful young person who has been prepared by the Maker to step into any role that comes in your future. He said that he stands by Nia’s decision to take you in, and that, though he isn’t here, he welcomes you too.”

Sara smiled.

“He’s so proud of what Mama did, and is proud of you too,” Janner finished with a smile in return before going on to describe what coming back was like.

Wow, thought Sara in awe. Thank you, dear Maker. Janner didn’t know it, but that’s exactly what I needed to hear.