The Golden Desires (13 page)

~~~~~

They
seemed to walk a long distance, past what
Trent
assumed were homes, and he could see a fountain,
from which someone was filling a jug of water. And he could see what he thought
might be a blacksmith, working with metal, shaping what appeared to be small
knives.

Finally
they entered a large enclosed area with a great many tables installed into it,
and he now could comprehend how many people lived here. It was not few - but it
was not like the crowds he had tired of in his own city.

"Hush,
everyone," Elder Rhys said, speaking at a volume that neither Trent or
Isabella had heard him speak at before now. When there was silence he
continued, with a wave of people looking directly at him, Isabella and the
stranger beside her. "Please. We have a visitor in our midst. This is
Trent
,
and he has come to us this day from outside the walls. I am sure you would have
questions for him about where he has travelled from, but for now he has no
recollection of anything before today, and he needs most of all to have
sustenance to help his body regain strength. I have assessed this young man and
he is to be trusted, but he is also to have peace. Please give him the space he
will need as he is currently quite confused and needs to be able to find his
way in our community."

Trent
was overwhelmed by the power the ancient exuded in that moment, but with a
nudge from Isabella, Trent moved forward one step, raised a hand slightly, and
smiled at them, making the crowd before him clap. But even in that, they were
quiet, and he smiled at the realization that in this community he may never
experience great noise, as his life had been full of before he embarked on his
journey to find peace.

~~~~~

"Come
with me. Let me show you the food," Isabella was saying to him, smiling at
him greatly and making him melt for her …
yearn
for her.

Even
though it was not their first meeting or first day together, seeing her among
the people, and seeing her as a contrast to them, he felt like he was seeing
her for the first time all over again. She was stunning, and he could see that
people truly liked her, driving up his pride at the possibility of being the
one to be paired with her.

"Cook
Joan, this is a new friend for us, Trent. He is eager to try your special food,
but I think should not eat too much too soon," Isabella said, not
revealing that she had already been helping
Trent
to get used to food
again previously.

"Oh
Miss Isabella, of course. Today I have this bread here, and with that is a very
special tomato oat dish. Take a little of each and you will be fine with that,
Mr Trent," the cook said, smiling broadly.

Isabella
showed
Trent
where plates and the foods were laid out each
day, and together they sat down in her usual seating area.
Trent
looked at the food before him and felt his hunger … and his appetite … but
uncertain of eating traditions and not wanting to insult or offend, he looked
to her for guidance.

"Eat,
Trent
. It is good," she said, spreading some of the tomato rice on
her piece of bread and taking a large bite. It was the first time he had seen
her eat and he was enraptured watching her indulge in the food.

Isabella
laughed at him.

"Eat!"
she commanded him and immediately saw him laugh at her before finally he
tentatively picked up a piece of bread and spread the tomato rice on it, then
tasting it and openly showing his appreciation for the flavour.

"Hmm.
This is so delicious," he mumbled through food filled cheeks, making her
laugh even more at him.

Suddenly
Isabella felt someone on the other side of her and when she turned she saw
Adrian
sitting down.

"Isabella,
who is this?" he asked as if he had never seen
Trent
before, indicating he had forgotten, just as Elder Rhys had said he would have.

Isabella
looked closely at
Adrian
, finding it difficult to comprehend that some
part of his memory seemed to have been taken from him. It saddened her, but at
the same time she could see why it has been necessary to keep
Trent
's
real situation a secret from everyone in the village.

"
Adrian
,
please meet
Trent
. He was lost so will be staying with us
now," Isabella said and watched
Adrian
tentatively reach out his hand toward
Trent
,
which
Trent
shook.

"Hello
Adrian
. It is good to meet you," she saw
Trent
say whilst giving her a look of amazement that
Adrian
did not remember
the day he had met him.

Adrian
started to discuss everyday things then and Isabella
found herself wondering how much of his memory had been removed from him. She
could not even know for certain if he remembered the discussion they had shared
about pairing together, but suspected it might be the case when he suggested
she walk partway with him to the mill.

It
was a conversation she did not want to have again, because if they spoke of it
again then she knew he might be hurt again, and she did not want that. If she
kept away, hopefully he would keep spending time with Kat.

"I
will not today,
Adrian
, as Elder Rhys has asked me to show
Trent
around the village and introduce him to our ways. But I shall see you at
dinner?" she asked and he nodded.

When
they had eaten and washed up, Isabella invited
Trent
to go with her to
meet the people she interacted with daily.

"Cook
Joan, is there anything that you wish me to fetch for you from the
garden?"

"Oh
yes Miss Isabella, if you please, I require four green apples and some sweet
basil - just a handful of that. That would be wonderful, thank you."

Isabella
smiled at the cook and veered
Trent
away to walk outside. As they walked she watched
his face and enjoyed seeing his curiosity as he looked at everything and
everyone.

Eventually
they reached the fork in the path, near where
Trent
had slept in his
tent, and he was able to find his bearings and understand where they were.

"This
is where I slept?" he asked, to be certain, and she nodded at him.
"And where you came into my tent?"

She
knew he was trying to tease her and make her blush but she did not mind, and
laughed at him whilst nodding.

"Come.
This is the way to the garden and the orchard."

~~~~~

Once
in the large garden area,
Trent
was able to get a better view of it than what he
had been able to see on that first day. The level of self-sufficiency of the
people overwhelmed him, and he had already gained an understanding that there
were no animals in the village apart from the chickens, and they as a community
did not eat meat at all. Everyone looked so healthy, however, and youthful.

"Miss
Isabella, what has the cook got you seeking today for their creations?"

"Just
sweet basil today, if that is possible. I can pick the apples I need to find,
if you are able to gather me one handful of the basil?"

"Of
course. It is right over here…" the gardener said and wandered off to
retrieve the right amount for her.
Trent
marvelled at what he saw. There was no form of
tender here. People had specific jobs that they did, and they got on with them
for the benefit of all people in the community.

"How
do people get chosen to do each different job, Isabella?"

At
first Isabella did not understand the question, but then seemed to comprehend
how things must be different where he came from.

"People
do not get chosen for a job,
Trent
. People do the things that they enjoy. These
gardeners are here because they love to be in the land, growing food. The cooks
are in the kitchen because they love to create masterpieces of food that they
can share with everyone else."

"And
your job?" he asked her, not yet sure where she fitted into the jigsaw of
society within the large grey walls.

She
looked sheepish as she smiled at him.

"I
am still seeking to discover what I am meant to do but I think…" she said
and her voice drifted off to silence.

"You
think … what?"

Before
she replied she gave him a demure look that sent his pulse racing.

"I
think I shall be happy to have and raise many children. To be a mother and
contributor to our population."

Trent
had to quickly dismiss thoughts going through his
mind then as the gardener came back with the herb.

"Here
you go. The best apples are on that tree over there. Can you reach?"

"Yes,
thank you," she replied to the gardener and watched him walk off to carry
on with his tasks.

Trent
followed her as she walked to the apple tree and
picked a few apples of the tree. He did not say anything more to her as they
made their way back to the kitchen to deliver the spoils, but his mind was
racing ahead … ahead to whenever the day of pairing would be.

As
if sensing his feelings, once they had made the delivery, he heard her whisper
to him, "May I walk you back to your room?"

~~~~~

Once
inside, with the door closed behind them, she came to him with a passionate
hunger evident in the way that she kissed him and pulled him to her.
Trent
groaned heavily with the degree of desire he was feeling, and wondered if he
could
wait
another few weeks.

"Oh,
Isabella, I feel desperation to be closer to you, and I apologise for
that,"
Trent
said as he pulled away from her.

"Why
would you apologise? Do you think I do not feel the same?"

He
looked at her and could openly see the arousal on her face, even if she did not
fully comprehend the feelings, with them being so new to her. He quickly took
his mind backward and pushed the arousal away from its forefront.

"Come
and sit with me on the bed. I would like to hear about your life. Are your
parents alive? Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"Brothers
and sisters?"

"Other
children of your mother and father."

"Oh,
no, my mother and father bore only me. They are good people and they are as
much as I could ever have wished for," she said and paused. "Would
you like to meet them?"

Trent
was taken aback by the request but found himself
nodding slowly.

"I
would. Not today, but perhaps tomorrow? If you feel comfortable to introduce
me."

"They
would have to meet you before … the pairing. You must ask them if they approve
of it," Isabella said quietly and the thought did not scare him.

He
took her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.

"Happily."

~~~~~

"We
must get you some clothes!" Isabella exclaimed unexpectedly. "You
have nothing with you now!"

Trent
laughed at her, having forgotten himself that
what he was wearing was all that he had from his entire former life.

"We
shall go and see the tailors immediately. They may have something of the right
size already."

He
watched her as she jumped up and held her out her hand to him.

~~~~~

Once
fitted with three new shirts and two changes of pants,
Trent
found himself warming greatly to the people of the village. No-one seemed to
have bad feelings or any need to be greedy. Everyone just wanted to help one
another and work together to provide an environment that was conducive to peace
… exactly what he had so desperately desired when he had left the city and his
other life behind.

As
he lay in bed that night - the first real bed he had been in for so long - he
pondered the wonder of how he had come to traverse the life he had lived before,
to this life he was in now. It could not in any way have been expected, but he
was not afraid of it, and eager to simply embrace it.

~~~~~

Two
weeks passed before Trent and Isabella were summoned to the temple again.

"Both
of you have previously spoken of becoming paired to one another, to remain
paired for the remainder of your days. Now that you, Trent, have been among our
people and come to know those who are here, do you still wish to pair with
Isabella?" Elder Rhys asked and watched
Trent
's face as he looked
at Isabella intently.