Soul of Light by Sophie Matthews (top ten books to read TXT) 📕

- Sorry to make you wait. Hello, professor. I have to congratulate you for the reforms you came up too. They just might make a difference.

He smiled.

-         Thank you. I hope they do, miss…

-         Mirai.

-         Nice to meet you. I have other things to attend now. You’ll have to excuse me.

-         Of course.

And then he went back to the school.

-         Now I understand why you had been so weird lately. If a boy like that would save my life I would probably get a crush too, said Mirai once he was far enough not to hear her.

-         I don’t have a crush on him, I tried to deny it. But I wondered if she was right.

-         Sure you don’t, she smiled cunningly.

I just blushed and looked down. I hadn’t had time to look at her before, but she looked stunningly in her red cotton dress. What a contrast must have been to see us side by side. I felt a trace of regret for not being a bit more presentable.

Lia showed up from the gates, dragging a sleepy Shiel after her. I took advantage of their arrival to change the topic.

-         Come on you two. If we wait any longer there will be no point in going. We’ll have to come back right after we get there.

-         It’s not my fault, said Lia. Shiel didn’t wake up in time.

-         Don’t put this on me, he retorted. I’m not the one that takes two hours getting ready.

-         Ok, ok, said Mirai. Let’s go already.

We left for the market with Shiel and Lia still fighting behind us. Mirai took my arm and smiled.

-         It’s going to be a wonderful afternoon.

27 June 2011

                                      ***

The market was as colourful and full of life as usual. The stands were knit together in countless rows weaving a complicated maze. No matter how many times you came here there still were heaps of places you’ve never seen.

Shiel and Lia have finished arguing about whose fault was that we were late. But now they had found a new topic. And now Mirai and I had joined in.

-         No, I said exasperated. I don’t want to eat roasted squirrel. It’s gross.

-         Not to mention that they are absolutely adorable, Mirai took my side. How could you even think about hurting them and cooking them?

-         But is the same thing as eating the pigeons, argued Shiel, they are cute too!

-         That’s right, Lia said. So when it comes to the law of survival, everything that is edible is alright to eat.

I couldn’t believe my ears. Lia always disagreed with Shiel. It was a phenomenon to see her siding with him.

28 June 2011

- Now, now my little ones, said the chubby looking owner, there is no need to argue. There are plenty of other delicious dishes you can try. What do you say about my grandmother’s old recipe, wild pig with rosemary and garlic? Or what about some ratatouille with marinated sea shells. I f those are not on your liking you can try some olive stuffed salmon with lemons. What do you say?

While he was talking the cunning old man was playing with the plates in front of our noses. The delicious aromas leaking from the plates made our stomachs growl in an instant and we forget all about our silly fight.

-         Why you don’t recommend us something, said Lia anxiously.

We all agreed. We just wanted to eat some of that mouth-watering food as soon as possible and we knew that if it was up to us the decision would be further prolonged.

-         Then…the owner kept playing with the strands of hair of his entangled beard as if the answer was hidden somewhere behind it.

-         Why don’t you try the hot pepper deer with gammon?

We all nodded impatiently. He went back in his shop and then came out with a dish looking just as delicious and appetising as it smelled. He wrapped up the plate in a clean cloth and hand it to us.

-Now get out of here and don’t scare my other customers!

He always pretended to be upset when we quarrelled over the food, but he was happy that we really appreciated his dishes. The rich people that could afford as much exotic food they wanted considered it nothing special. I guess all cooks want to make people happy with their food.

30 June 2011

We took our little treasure and headed to the centre of the market. A cheerful crowd was gathered there. We moved closer and saw a skinny old man dressed in a raggedy robe with leaves and wild flowers attached to it. His long beard had brightly coloured thistles entangled in it making look like an adorned Christmas tree. Beside him was a blond elfish-like child wearing simple black clothes similar to the ones of the mages in the legends. His curls fell around his face making him look angelic. The odd duo was the main entertainment of the market, Pierro and Mylo. The contradictions between the two and their pretended childishness turned them into legend comedians. All the people gathered here waited impatiently to witness their new mischief.

Pierro was looking annoyed at his partner who was scrutinizing the crowd as if looking for something. The old man started tapping his fingers on his knee. When Mylo ignored him he tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, looked surprised for a second and shifted his gaze back to the crowd. Pierro got angry, grabbed Mylo by his shoulder and asked:

-         There isn’t anything you want to say to me?

Mylo looked troubled for a second and then said.

-         Something like what?

-         Don’t you think you are being a bit rude? You should have congratulated your friend for his beautiful new outfit.

-         I was trying not to tell you how ridiculous you look. I thought that would be a bit rude too.

Pierro put on a hurt look.

-         You obviously have no good taste. My cloth is made of the softest cashmere, it has oriental broidery. My beautiful beard has diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire ornaments. Who else is as beautifully dressed as I am?

The mob burst into laughter. Mylo looked at his friend with pitiful eyes.

-You are delusional my friend. You are dressed in rags and herbs. Your beard is full of thorns. And even if you had precious stones and fine clothing their beauty would be clouded by your foolishness and greed. Beauty makes a beautiful soul shine like gold and turns a dark one to coal black ugliness. Look at these simple people. Look how their eyes smile and how their souls shine. What jewel in the entire world can bring that twinkle in your eyes?

01 July 2011

This odd role game was what made the two of them so popular: an old man that acts foolish, greedy and capricious and a young boy that acts old and wise. The reversed roles were considered a comic mistake.

-         And I suppose you are happy just by watching them? Pierro mocked him.

Mylo smiled serenely.

-         And why wouldn’t I be, my friend? Life is so beautiful. No disgrace or ugliness can take away its beauty.

-         A dreamer and a fool… the other snorted. That’s what you are. You’ll never achieve anything in life.

-         In the contrary, my naive Pierro: the world belongs to us dreamers. Tell me? What is life without dreams and hopes? Just a sad shadow of despair.

-         Very funny! I wonder if those dreams will feed you and cloth you!

-         Why do you speak to me of such pointless things? If I am hungry I will eat the grass of the earth and the fruits of the trees. If I am thirsty I will sip dew from the leaves and water from the rivers. I will make the most beautiful clothes from the feathers of the birds and the fur of the beasts. When Mother Nature is so generous why should I angry her and say I do not have enough.

The people gathered to watch them were lost between amusement and awe. Pierro made you smile, but Mylo always made your soul shiver.

-         How long will you last that way?

-         How long I live is no important question, but how I live. My soul will rejoice in front of death knowing that I have lived a righteous life. And what is after that, I do not know. I am not arrogant enough to think I will join the cortege of worshipped spirits, but wherever my spirit will travel I will be happy because I once was fortunate enough to taste the beauty of the gift called life.

Pierro was wiping his teary eyes on the sleeve of his rags.

-         You are a fool my friend, he said refusing to back down.

-         That I know… said Mylo.

-         And far worse: you are a fool with a noble heart. There is no room for the ones like you in our world.

He lifted the child in his arms and said:

-         A soul so pure will be stepped upon by the ones that fear its beauty and the promise that it carries.

Mylo smiled sweetly and asked him:

-         When did you become a fool yourself old man?

-         It must be the fault of that nagging youngling that I call my friend.

He put Mylo down and started to pull the thorns out of his beard. Thick strands of hair got caught in them causing him pain. His hands got scratched by the bristles living tiny spots of blood on his white beard. Mylo tore a piece of his cloth and wrapped his friend’s hands in it. The crowd was crying now too. The kind act of friendship had moved their hearts. I was so absorbed in the events that I hadn’t noticed that I was drowning in tears myself. My friends were crying at my side too. Shiel was trying to pretend that something had gotten in his eye.

-         Ok, said Lia, whipping her eyes with her hand. It’s time to live or we will be late.

She made room for us and got us out from the crowd.

03 July 2011   

Text: nikyangelg
Images: Wojciech Dziadosz(cover picture)
Publication Date: 03-07-2013

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