Welcome home
While the room itself was rather impressive, Jacob gave the crafter a
silent applause. But it was what stood before him that completely took him
off guard. Two hundred or more people, he couldn’t count, stood in line.
Legs slightly parted. Hands clasped together behind their back. The people
filled the room all the way to the end. To either side, they stood leaving the
center accessible from the stage. Six people stood on the steps. Three to
each side about three steps apart from one another. At the bottom of the
steps, three more stood. Two women and a man from what he could tell.
Off to the right side, at the bottom of the steps, four more people stood.
Each of them held a long horn. Promptly the men raised the horns to their
mouths. Banners attached to the instruments of the encircled X bounced
and shimmered as they blew out a tone. After a few short blasts from the
horns, a voice replaced the music. It cried out to the people before him.
Jacob couldn’t understand what the man said, but it didn’t matter for he saw
for himself.
The people in the audience responded. Legs snapped together. Arms
dropped to the sides. Another shout drifted through the air. The people this
time raised their right hands and placed two fingers upon their foreheads.
They all bowed in unison and upon rising, all arms shot forward as if they
were pointing directly at him. Another voice cried something out only to be
echoed, not by the building, but the people within. The single voice spoke
again having the same effect. Three times the people repeated this before
falling silent. Jacob shook his head lightly and was simply amazed. He was
now finally starting to understand just how big of a change his life had
taken. He would have saluted back to the audience but something told him
it wasn’t proper to do so. Instead, he bent over, ever so slightly, and
offered a small bow to show his courtesy and appreciation.
The men and women before him appeared to be pleased. They all
looked upon him with awe in their eyes. Kel’fla walked up to the top of the
stairs. He motioned to the three who stood waiting at the bottom. One at a
time they made their way up to greet Jacob.
© copyright 2005 all rights reserved. No reproduction without written
permission by the author.
silent applause. But it was what stood before him that completely took him
off guard. Two hundred or more people, he couldn’t count, stood in line.
Legs slightly parted. Hands clasped together behind their back. The people
filled the room all the way to the end. To either side, they stood leaving the
center accessible from the stage. Six people stood on the steps. Three to
each side about three steps apart from one another. At the bottom of the
steps, three more stood. Two women and a man from what he could tell.
Off to the right side, at the bottom of the steps, four more people stood.
Each of them held a long horn. Promptly the men raised the horns to their
mouths. Banners attached to the instruments of the encircled X bounced
and shimmered as they blew out a tone. After a few short blasts from the
horns, a voice replaced the music. It cried out to the people before him.
Jacob couldn’t understand what the man said, but it didn’t matter for he saw
for himself.
The people in the audience responded. Legs snapped together. Arms
dropped to the sides. Another shout drifted through the air. The people this
time raised their right hands and placed two fingers upon their foreheads.
They all bowed in unison and upon rising, all arms shot forward as if they
were pointing directly at him. Another voice cried something out only to be
echoed, not by the building, but the people within. The single voice spoke
again having the same effect. Three times the people repeated this before
falling silent. Jacob shook his head lightly and was simply amazed. He was
now finally starting to understand just how big of a change his life had
taken. He would have saluted back to the audience but something told him
it wasn’t proper to do so. Instead, he bent over, ever so slightly, and
offered a small bow to show his courtesy and appreciation.
The men and women before him appeared to be pleased. They all
looked upon him with awe in their eyes. Kel’fla walked up to the top of the
stairs. He motioned to the three who stood waiting at the bottom. One at a
time they made their way up to greet Jacob.
© copyright 2005 all rights reserved. No reproduction without written
permission by the author.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |