Mary's Path

The afternoon and evening turned into a jumble of packing, anticipation, and nervousness. The final announcement of departure came shortly before the dinner, everyone seemed to have assumed that would be the case and had already begun to prepare.

For Mary, this made her decision more real and inevitable. Although it gave her a whole swarm of butterflies in her stomach, she stood firm in her belief that this was what she had to do.

When the news that Mary was coming with them spread through the group of grey-clad people, it was received with joy and cheers. They seemed genuinely happy that she would go with them. They strengthened Mary’s decision, perhaps she would find a place where she was accepted and welcome.

The most important thing for Mary was to make sure all her memorabilia was packed and secured. All the things that were left of her father’s craft, the little nick-nacks that she had received from her friend during the years. All were tine specks of light. They may seem unimportant to most people, but for Mary they were irreplaceable.

They were all placed in her chest, along with her clothes. On top, wrapped in a old bonnet, were the book with love poems she had been given by Anna.

As she lay in the big bed in the evening and looked up into the canopy, she thought about what her life in Salamis would look like. She didn’t know what waited for her, but at the moment she decided not to worry about it.

She would try to get through one day at a time and hope that her adventure would end happily. At least she would be close to the Lady and Kopa.

Before she fell asleep, she prayed that God would lead her to a home she could call her own, where she could feel safe, and where her heart could heal.

The morning came with a fog that had settled over the city. Mary took more time than usual to get ready. It was a big and important day, she would be leaving the only place she knew. Dermes had been her whole world and from today that would change.

She combed her hair with her new comb before putting the comb in the chest and then braiding her hair carefully. Letting the bright red braid hang down her back to resemble the grey-clad women more closely that she was traveling with.

She scrutinized the room to make sure nothing was left behind, then locked the chest and hung the key around her neck, under her dress. She let her hand rest against the knife with the rabbit’s foot, which was, as usual, hidden in her skirt and felt ready for the day.

Outside her room, Kopa stood and waited for her. She stood next to him and in silence they watched everything that was happening in the room. Ha placed a hand on her shoulder, it felt comforting to Mary. It kept most of her panic, at what she was about to do, away.

For a while there was chaos when grey-clad people ran around each other to get the last things done before they were to leave the castle. Then the Lady entered the room accompanied by Mildy and Leana.

The three women wore their white dresses and cloaks, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and made way for them. When the Lady and her two aari stopped at Mary and Kopa, everyone had turned their attention to the Lady.

“My friends” the Lady began. “It seems no better than that we have once again come all the way to Dermes and are forced to return home with an unfinished objective. We are grieving because of this, not for our efforts, but for the suffering in the city that will continue when we leave.”

“But in the dark, there is light. Mary will be joining us this time on our journey back home, and what could be better than a new friend? I know that I’m not the only one that sees this as a blessing. Now, let us gather ourselves together and say goodbye with dignity to the city and its citizens” the Lady concluded.

Serious and gloomy faces nodded at her words. Slowly and in silence the crowd formed into an organized presession before departure.

The grey-clad people passing by Mary gave her an encouraging smile or put their hand on her shoulder. Astonished, Mary realized that these people realized what she was about to do, what she was giving up, and wanted to show that they supported her and understood. They wanted to give her courage.

The realization caused a lump to form in Mary’s throat and tears threatened to spill. But resolutely she swallowed the lump and fought back the tears. She felt accepted by these people. Like she was part of their fellowship.

She took her place in the presession of people, Kopa had told her the night before where she was going to be placed and she was careful to get it right. She looked around before the doors to the room opened and everyone set in motion.

She stood in the middle of the cluster of people. First came a troupe of gray-clad men and women, after that came the Lady with Kopa close behind her right shoulder. They were followed by Mary, flanked by Mildy and Leana, and finally another crowd of grey-clad people.

As they walked through the corridors, Mary pondered that it seemed that there were missing gray-clad people, surely, they had been a larger troupe than those who now surrounded her?

Her question was answered in part when they came out into the castle courtyard. There the Lady’s carriage stood waiting, with horses both before and after. There were also grey-clad men to hold the horses.

Of course, Mary thought when she stayed a short distance away from the court people who had lined up to say goodbye to the Lady.