KM20 Registered User
Posts: 161
(2/22/03 1:18 am) Reply
The Dance
(Barbra Reynolds)
It was a surprise and an honor that of all the people on my world or his I was chosen. When the letter came a great descion had to be made. Not only did I have to choose for myself, but my young daughter. She was very excited when we talked about it.
I still had to ask Mabel Aurthur... She was my employer and I vauled her opinions above anyone else I knew. Mabel said that I would be ignoring an amazing oppritunity (and possibly starting an intergalctic war) by refusing. I knew she was joking about the latter. She then assured me that my position at Deerwood, a private school, wouldn't even get cold.
So, here we were, on a one way trip to the Plenet of the Mimes. Lynn had fallen asleep an hour ago and I kept looking out the window. Our destination was in view. Icould see why we also called it the pink planet.
The space plane landed in the only air\spaceport on the Floating Island. I had been asked by Emperor Sican (majestic} to be the private tutor of his son Prince Havi (long life).
I was excited and nervous all at once. We were having visitors at the palace, and human ones at that! I had never seen a human up close before. This particular human was to be my tutor. She was going to teach me human languages and about human culture. This would help me be more well rounded. At lest that's what my pahda told me. I stared at the picture of this human, soaking up all her bizzaar features, as the servants bathed and dressed me. Her face was all one color and her mouth had such a funny shape. Her eyes looked weird and her eyebrows were so thick. As the servants finished putting my royal robes on me, I practiced the little English I knew.
"Hah-lo, Ba-ba-ra Ray-nulds."
I couldn't wait to meet my first human.
Edited by: Detia1 at: 2/23/03 10:00:41 am
KM20 Registered User
Posts: 162
(2/23/03 1:43 am) Reply
Re: The Dance
(Lynn Reynolds)
I got excited the instant Mom told me about going to the Planet of the Mimes. I had seen some of them on T.V.. They had white faces and the rest of their skin was either red, purple or blue. I thought they looked like circus performers with painted faces. They way the spoke was with sounds, not words. It was like music. I could wait to me the mimians in person.
It took a little bit, but Mom said we were going. I fell asleep somewhere during our trip and got woken up when we landed.
When we got off the space plan two men in fancy robes approched us. One said something in the music language. Then the other spoke in ours.
Re: The Dance
His voice sounded kind of funny, but I could pretty much understand his broken English.
"Welcome to Tampala, Lady Reynolds. Welcome to Floating Islands. Our excitement is great that you have come here. happy are we you have arrived safely."
The short man extended his left hand and we both bowed. Mom had taught me a little about what she knew of the Mimian culture. I tried very hard not to giggle at his funny way of forming English sentences. Mom taught me it's rude to laugh at people just cuz they're different. Maybe Mom will teach him better English.
After everyone introduced themselves, I discovered that the short man in the most elaborate robes was the Emporor and the man next to him was his interpretor. One of those neat floating cars picked us up and took us to the palace. On our way there I took in the sights. Nazomi certainly is a colorful city. I read somewhere that there was a time when tourism for this city was unheard of. The people who lived there lived very sheltered lives. In the beggining only royalty and thier servants and thier families lived here. No one came in and no one came out, except the Emporor and his council for diplomatic purposes. Perhaps that's the reason the locals called it Nazomi, the Little Secret City. Now, the city is pretty much open to the public, except the palace. No one is allowed in there except the royal family, thier servents, and invited guests.
On our way to the palace I couldn't help take a peek over the edge on the island. Below us were the infamous Sinking Sands. I heard that if you fall into the sinking Sands you'll be swallowed up forever. I leanred in ancient times the city was built over the sinking sands in order to protect it from foreign invasion. Later is was also used for excecutions, particualrly for traitors. The thought of accidently falling off the edge crossed my mind. That was a pretty scary thought. But a huge guard rail was there on the edge, so you could look down but not fall off.
KM20 Registered User
Posts: 163
(2/24/03 2:08 am) Reply
Re: The Dance
As we went through the main street of the city I kept taking in the sights. Emperor Sican and his interpreter said that most of the building in the Nazomi were very, very old. As we passed everyone on the sidewalks bowed to the car. Then I saw a group of young girls. A pink one had a silver tiara on and she was dancing. She managed to stop and bow with her friends. Emperor Sican bagan talking agian.
"That was Tamran's Tanta she was performing. Empress Tamran, beautiful face, was alive in the old times. Her story is still told all over Tampala. In her time a superstion exsisted among the royal. It was that if a comoner saw a royal it would uset Vasah, our god."
I had a feeling this trip would be good for Lynn. As long as her eyes were open and she was alert, I knew she was soaking up some of the history of this place.
"So, Lynn, what do you think of the city so far?"
"Mom, it's beautiful! I've never seen anything like it!"
I wasn't long before we made it to the palace. The interpreter told us the Prince was waiting for us and that he was very excited about meeting us. The palace was lovely. Lynn had asked me if we would have to bend down to get through the front door, but the door was so big that wasn't an issue. Once we were through the door I could see the Empress and the Prince in the distance waiting in the main courtyard with some attendants.
KM20 Registered User
Posts: 165
(2/28/03 2:45 am) Reply
Re: The Dance
Emperor Sican walked over and hugged his wife. As they parted the empress said something to her husband in Mua. Sican only grinned in response. Not forgeting formalities the the empress and prince extended their left hands. We both bowed again.
"I present to you Lady Reynolds and Miss Lynn Reynolds the Empress of the Floatiing Island, Empress Aeli, star and the Crowned Prince of the Floating Islands, Prince Havi, long life." the interpreter announced.
(Prince Havi)
Amazing! She was so tall. Her daughter was even taller than me. It was very interesting. Well, here goes my first words to them.
Re: The Dance
The mother looked a little surprised and her daughter made a strange snorting noise and smiled. I think she was stiffling a laugh because her mother sort of nudged her. Lynn then cleared her throat and bowed again. I then relayed a message through the interpreter.
"The Prince wishes to apologize if he has mispronounced your name. Very, very little of your language does he know."
Form their body language I figured it wasn't a big deal. The girl just found it a bit humorous. I thought the was humans speak sounded kind of strange myself, so I could identify.
KM20 Registered User
Posts: 167
(3/16/03 11:46 pm) Reply
Re: The Dance
The mother proceeded to say something with a warm smile. The interpreter then translated.
{Lady Reynolds is glad to see you making such early efforts at English. And that it was a very good first attempt.}
I gave a proyd grin of my own.
(Lynn Reynolds)
Phew! No biggie. Mom was right that was pretty good. He'll be speaking english in not time. Maybe we'd learn Mua!
Re: The Dance
During our stay in Nazomi, I learned so much about the Mua people. Summertime was a lot like Christmas time on Earth. That was Family Festival time! It's a very big deal, especially in Patani, which is the state in which the Floating Islands is located. They have all sorts of activities and entertainment. Music can be heard everywhere. I couldn't help dancing when I hear the sound of the Tanta drums. Every year in Nazomi and young girl is chosen to dance Tamran's Tanta in the festival. The prince told me the competition is pretty strong and some girls begin training as young as 3 cycles to prepare for thier audition at age 8 cycles. Prince Havi's betrothed was one of the candidates. He hoped she would be chosen and I wished her good luck!
KM20 Registered User
Posts: 168
(4/1/03 4:42 pm) Reply
Re: The Dance
We didn't need an interpreter much anymore. Mom and I were learning more and more Mua by the day. Havi's betrothed, Yeria (jewel) had told me a lot about Tamran. After her death her entawan, Emperor Tilbri forbid anyone on the island to talk about her. if it wasn't for her first daughter keeping her story she would have been forgotten.
A blue girl with tan hair had just finished her audition and it was almost Yeria's turn. The judges were saying something to her. I got most of it, they liked her. Yeria got a little tenser and Havi leaned to her ear and whispered something then kissed her on the cheek.
I thought Yeria did very well in her audition, but apprently the judges thought someone else was better. My betrothed was very disappointed, and I just knew I had to cheer her up somehow. I told her I thought she danced very well. That seemed to cheer her up a little, but I thought maybe I would do somethign for her to distract her mind a bit. I asked my human freind if she had any ideas. She always seemed to come up with the most entertaining things to do.
KM20 Registered User
Posts: 169
(4/5/03 6:34 pm) Reply
Re: The Dance
{Why don't we go play one of the games. Isn't yael dosi (foot ball) your favorite Yeria?}
My betrothed nodded. I enjoyed the game, too. When I told Lynn about it she thought I was refering to Earth football.
This game was born on the island. You kick a tiny ball, that must never touch the ground in play, with your hands always behind your back. The object is to get it through a hoop set up a few inches above the head. Two player from each team keep the ball inside the half circle game area and the other two players try to get the ball through the hoop.
*******
We we're a few booths away from the audition tent when we heard a flute being played. To our right was a crowd and a just vissible bright yellow Hnn woman on a raised platform. Going in for a colser look we saw 2 flute players and singer, also Hnns on the ground below her. They were dressed in knee lenth robes with clusters of sparkly pebble necklaces and earrings accenting them. The woman on the platform began fold her back until her feet were in front of her face. She twisted into many very difficult positions, all in time to the music. When it was over everyone clapped and Yeria seemed much happier.
{Would you still like to see about playing yael dosi?} I asked Yeria as the crowd began to move on.
Wow! That show reminded me of the circuses at home on Earth. When I told hte Prince and Yeria about that they seemed suprised that we had something so similar on my home planet. When they showed me how to play yael dosi, I thought it looked a lot like hacky sack, but with a few changes, like the hoop and such. I thought it was so neat watching them play. It took me a while to learn how to play, but after a while I got the hang of it.
I was really having a great time staying at the palace, eventhough my Mua lessons were hard and some of my school work was hard too. Geography was a killer! At least I had my freinds to help me along. We were learning so much from each other and having so much fun. The three of us were becoming best friends.
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