The weekend after Solveis’s letter to Lou was dispatched Sir. Lou returned to Molil. He greeted Solveis in the morning, kneeling in the garden.
“Greetings friend,” the old man greeted her as if everything were happening normally, and he hadn't mysteriously disappeared for weeks.
“Greetings. Sir,” Solveis returned his greeting. “Is the bird lady ok?”
“I have spoken with her, and she is well. Thank you. – She had a lot to say about you.”
“She was very interesting. But, I’m glad she’s ok. She didn’t seem to like to talk to me.”
“That’s not how she prefers to speak, especially if she is worn out, like she was. – Among her own people, she speaks with a kind of language of gestures, like what you and your brother do secretly, except it’s a whole language. Our language is not one that comes naturally to her.”
“I knew humanus had hand languages like that, for people who can’t hear or speak, I guess. But I never figured a bird would have her own language.”
“It is really an ancient language. I wouldn’t expect you to know it. But, she and I have known each other for a long time. I have had the privilege to learn some of it.” Sir. Lou explained. “Are you ok, little one?”
Solveis forgot the weeks of turmoil in her momentary curiosity, “Yeah. Sure. I’m fine. Is everything ok though? I realized after you left, I really should have asked more about Brutoin. And – was he here during the storm? It seemed like that was what she was saying. – Sir, what’s going on? Are we all ok?”
“That’s a lot of questions. I’ll get through as much as I can this morning,” the old man answered. “We are ok. And, I am bringing some trusted friends here to help us all stay ok. I have a couple new friends with me now, and the rest are traveling behind me.” He gestured behind them to some trees on the other side of the foot path. There were two enormous birds; they must have been irdies. They were looking in the old man’s direction. While she was looking at them, one of them bounced up, in seeming excitement, and then fell clumsily down to the ground. He picked himself back up and hopped back onto a sturdy branch in the tree. Solveis couldn’t see if the fall had been bad because the trees were a little too far away to see in detail.
“I’m sorry, what were you saying? – Did you see he just fell out of the tree?” Solveis asked the old man.
“Well I heard it, even if I didn’t see it,” the man laughed. “They are some friends of mine. I’m sure you’ll get a chance to talk with them sometime. There'll be some people staying around here for a little while too. – I’m just glad nothing really important happened while I was gone.”
That did not comfort Solveis. So she had been right to have been worried all these weeks. “What did you leave to do?”
The old man whistled, and the two irdies, who were far behind him, flew off, as if naturally and of their own accord. “I was putting an old plan into effect, and also gathering some like minded folks to help us out.”
“Help us out how? – Actually, I think I'm more curious about Brutoin, really. What’s his story? Especially now that I feel safer with you back, I want to know. What’s he been doing here?”
“That’s a long story. Let me see if I can tell you the short version.” The old man paused to collect his thoughts. “Let us say that he has had a difficult existence so far. His young life was one of suffering. On top of being deformed, as you have seen, he was unloved by his parents. He was always strong and useful though, so he learned to gain a place among his peers by being useful to them and by threatening them when needed. – Then, long story short, he heard of a philosopher, Noin the Full Headed. Noin’s philosophy appealed to the young Brudt – that was the name his parents gave him.” The old man paused again to decide what to say next.
“What did Noin philosophize?”
“Yes, well that’s the thing. It’s philosophy. It’s hard to boil down. – He has many teachings, but… the one he is most well known for, that is most well documented, is about balance – the balance of the universe, of nature.” The old man took a breath and sorted out his thoughts again. “You should really read up on him, yourself, if you want to know exactly what he believes, but I’ll try to summerize. – He believes that all of nature has a natural balance, that there is no lack or insufficiency that won’t be filled and restored, in time. He says that everything in its right portion exists, and it is only a matter of time for all things to resolve themselves in the way that is best for all. People should behave as a part of nature and let the balance correct their lives and be at peace. – That is quite summarized – but – do you get the gist?”
Solveis felt like everything he had just said had just been generalized statements which were basically true. She didn’t understand how it was the special teachings of a philosopher. “I think I do, but then it doesn’t sound like special philosophy, so I’m not sure.”
“That makes me think that you did understand what I was saying then. – Anyway, so, young Brudt was affected by these teachings. He traveled to the place where Noin was living and teaching. He strove to become one of Noin’s student, and to learn how he could direct the balance of nature to replenish what he wanted, wellness and community.”
“But, wasn’t the whole point that nature balances because it isn’t directed by humanus. Wouldn’t it defeat the purpose for us to use the balance?” Solveis asked, puzzled.
“So you understand Noin’s perspective better than Brudt did. Also, you haven’t had the bad sorts of experiences that twist the mind and distort perception.”
“So, what does that have to do with my mountain?”
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“Ah. Yes. Brudt studied the philosophy of Noin for many solar years, while never managing to get on the philosopher’s good side. Brudt even began calling himself Brutoin, changing his name to resemble the name of his teacher. While Brudt was in the community of learners, he collected a little following of people. They followed Brutoin’s interpretations of Noin’s teaching, markedly, that the world wants to bring you reparations, but that people prevent it from doing so. So, you need to bend them out of the way, and enforce proper balance.”
“That sounds rather militant, not very philosophical,” Solveis’s young voice rang out.
“Yes. It was rather.” The old man looked at Solveis a moment before speaking again, “On a tangent, but a related one: There are some things which don’t seem to follow the same rules that ordinarily apply. There are animals that can regrow limbs, plants which can seem to bring back life to the dead, electricity can be tapped and used to make anything happen. And, there are even more amazing examples, which people generally don’t believe in, until they see it for themselves. Noin says that these things are part of nature’s surplus. To him, they are evidence that the world wants to be balanced more in the direction of bounty than of deprivation.”
Solveis’s brain was working. “So like magic things? I don’t see how they prove that life has balance. And besides, those things can all be explained. They aren’t magic.”
“Some things can’t be explained.”
“Yes. That’s true, but they probably will be, in time. And, even if they never are, it doesn’t matter. What do they have to do with everything else?”
“Yes, that's one of the arguments against the philosophy.”
“Oh, I see. But, Brutoin thought it meant something different, I guess?”
“You’re beginning to understand him. Yes. – He thought that those things, the magic things, can be and should be used to restore balance to those who need restoration.”
“Oh, I see.” Solveis thought for a moment. Then it occurred to her. “So, that’s why he’s here? We have a magic thing? On my mountain?”
“Ah. Yes. There has been a local legend about this little island for quite a long time. It has mostly died out in recent sols, but some people still know it. I bet that little Livia’s family let her come here, partly out of curiosity about this place.”
“What’s our legend?!” Solveis asked in genuine curiosity. She liked to feel herself part of a fairy story.
“It’s a legend that the island had little musical pixies on it. The legend has changed over time and gotten more and more fantastical. The supposed pixies are believed to have magic powers. Some said that their songs could heal your heart, some that the pixies were tricksters who chased humanus away, some that the pixies were telepathic and could trick you.”
“I like that legend. I’m glad it’s a part of my mountain, but people don’t really take it seriously, do they?”
“No. Most people don’t, but there are always those who want to find reality in such things. – Brutoin, for example, did a lot of research about many such legends. I have looked into the legends too. They describe little spirits of trees and air that have a beautiful song.”
It occurred to Solveis that this could, if you stretched it far, be referring to the blue birds. Then she remembered that something impossible had happened with the small bird, she had spoken without speaking. How had Solveis not recalled this in the whole conversation about magic and things that can’t be explained? She would make an effort in future to remember and believe such exceptional experiences and not just treat them as legends.
“So, it’s our blue birds? I suppose I’ve never seen birds exactly like them anywhere else, but I never thought anything of it. Why should they be magical just because they are unique to this area? – To be fair, I have experienced the little bird’s sort-of magic. It is impossible but also real. But even so, why would Brutoin take the legends about this place seriously? I wouldn’t if I hadn’t seen something for myself. – And, anyway, just because the bird speaks in a strange way doesn’t make it magic. Communicating in a unique way doesn’t imply that the bird should read minds or heal hearts.”
“That’s a very logical response. It’s how you view the world based on your life and experiences. Some people’s lives have led them to see the fantastical wherever they can.”
Solveis knew this was true. “Ok. I guess I understand. So Brutoin wants our birds?”
“Yes. That is what he came here for, I’m pretty certain. I believe that he has narrowed his interest now to just the one bird. The one who spoke to you about me.”
“Is she the only special one? I guess I just assumed so, but I had no reason to? Are the others not like her too? Able to talk and stuff?”
“As far as I know, she is unique. Her name is...” Sir. Tin made a particular whistle noise, which must have been her name. “She also allows people to call her by Her Ladyship, or Margar.”
“I’ve never met a Margar. – But, I want to hear the rest of it. They’ll interrupt us soon.”
“Brutoin wants Margar. He believes that he can extract some kind of magic from her which will help him or some of those who travel with him.”
“So, we really have been in danger of him all these weeks?” Solveis asked, almost scoldingly. She was shocked at herself, to speak so openly to an adult, to even go as far to be openly annoyed. She was sure she would retreat back into herself any moment.
“I hope not. I have done my best to keep you safe. I have done some for the island’s future safety too. You’re a little young to be made to know all of it, but I’ll share bits with you,” the old man spoke in low tones. “I have gone to see old friends, to connect them with each other, to be prepared, in case any of us need to get in touch later. I think there’s a real risk of this one extremist affecting more than he means to.”
Solveis had no response because this was all unfamiliar territory to her.
“I have also made a way for us to communicate with each other. This is genuinely a secret. I want someone here to know, and you seem a good candidate, but you must promise to not let on that you know. Not at all.”
Solveis thought deeply. Of course she would keep a secret. But she didn’t want to have it if she was the wrong person. Also, who was the ‘us’ that he spoke about?
“I believe I can keep things in. I would definitely do my best. – And, who is us?”
“Us… Well, I am speaking on behalf of many people I know. Let that suffice,” Sir. Lou answered cryptically. “About the communication – and remember this, because I want an inhabitant here who I can get in touch with. We have created a network of people connected by local populations of irdies. Many irdies can pass as common birds. They are ideal message senders because they fly and blend in anywhere. Many of my irdie friends have a knack for languages and can take messages in more that one language. – Irdies are not always disposed to trust and help humanus due to poor treatment. Luckily I have good relationships with many of them. I hope I am a humble companion to them. Until now, I have only wanted contentment and a good life for them. – They and I mutually see that joy and peace are potentially being threatened, so we find ourselves working together.”
Solveis looked up at him in puzzlement.
“I’m getting too into the thing. Sorry. I just mean to tell you, look around for the birds and irdies who hang around me and my people. They can pass messages to the rest of us. – Be sure not to treat them differently or to show that you know about them though. – That was the main point.”
“Ok. I understand. I can definitely do that. I’m good at watching and not being watched.”
“Yes. I think that’s true. – This morning's talk has not been as uplifting as my talks with you often are. I hope it has been useful though,” the old man said solemnly. Then, he got up and walked toward the west hill.