DESTINY IN MY HANDS (Book 2)

DESTINY IN MY HANDS (Book 2 of the trilogy)

MY FIRST... MY FIRST LOVES...

Almost a year had passed since the day we moved into the new house. About nine to ten months, if I remember correctly. We were still getting used to the local customs, the neighborhood, the smells and tastes. And although time had passed, I still hadn’t found a job. I think it was because I was a woman. Oh yes, it’s important to mention that the customs of the region were still very conservative. It was only thanks to the intervention of Mrs. Neulai and Mr. Viorel that I was able to find a good job in the previous village, because we needed money for our household.

But even though I didn’t have a steady job, I tried to be useful in any way I could. I helped the sisters with the housework and with growing vegetables for our own consumption. It’s worth explaining that this was done on a communal plot of land near the house, which we were given as a right, since all the inhabitants of the province had free access to plant and harvest the garden, as long as they paid their taxes.

So... Now I’m going to tell the part of my story that was undoubtedly the most memorable of all - and the one that determined my entire destiny.

Preparing for the celebration

It was the eve of the big event of the year: the annual festival of the beautiful province. It would be the first time that we would be taking part in it.

The weather, typical for the middle of the year, was naturally the warmest of the season. But on the nights before the festival, the wind blew cold, damp air.

— Darda is in her room sewing dresses, but she’s already finished most of them! Go and have a look! — Meerna said to me when she saw me coming into the house after I had gone to the vegetable garden.

— I’ll go and see! But can you tell me if she’s put sleeves on the dresses? I think we’ll be cold...

— Sleeves? We won’t need them! This chilly air will disappear, I’m sure. today.

— I doubt it. This wind is characteristic of cold weather.

— Don’t doubt me! My predictions never fail!

— Oh! Of course... Do you only predict the weather, or do you predict other things as well? — I scoffed.

— I also predict that you’re a fool.

Maybe she is a good clairvoyant.

All the sisters were very happy. They were working on the most meticulous preparations so that our family’s arrival on the scene would be triumphant. Or at least... somewhat orderly. And at the same time as I wanted to be part of the long-awaited celebration and feel such joy, I was afraid of possible frustration.

— Darda, — the youngest sister came into our room, standing behind the eldest, who was sitting on the floor sewing a small patch on the bottom hem of a dress - what about my dress?

— It’s the one next to it! The green one. I’ve practically finished it! — she said as she showed the dress to my sister, while I was sitting on the bed.

— Almost? That means it’s not finished yet...

— Just one last adjustment, Meer. Then I have to do another repair on Nana’s dress.

— Don’t worry, — I replied.

— Yes, I do! A beautiful dress can delight the eyes of many suitors, so I must reduce the waist! — Darda picked up my off-white dress.

— I appreciate that, but it’s up to you to think of a suitor.

— I’m past the age of marriage. I’ll only agree to marry when I’ve seen you all married if there’s any chance in my destiny.

— No, not at all! You don’t have to wait for us! Go! Be happy! — Meerna was unhappy.

— I’m happy! — she smiled back. — I’m grateful for the responsibilities of my life. I’ve done everything well and raised my mother’s daughters as if they were my own.

After her speech, the youngest and I gave her a hug as a sign of our gratitude.

— You know we really want to see you happy, don’t you? — I looked into her eyes.

— I know, but everyone has their way. And let’s not forget that Grandma has already told me a lot of things. So I understand that I’m responsible for minimizing the negative effects of the sisters’ choices. It’s a destiny that I have accepted with love.

I wondered. Why did Darda accept this sad path of loneliness? Was it because of the bitterness she felt at having left Sandor’s son with the gipsies? I thought so.

— Now I’m going to fix your dress, because I want to see you beautiful and married! — In Aragon, right? — Meerna joked with a laugh.

— Yes — she replied in a relaxed tone. — Nana will find a suitor at the celebration and then, will move to Aragon!

— Ah! Another clairvoyant! — I rolled my eyes and lay down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. — You know... I don’t think I want to get married anymore. Since I haven’t been able to stay with Donát, I think it would be better for me to stay right here, in my little bed.

— Hm? Donát? Sándor’s son who sang? — Darda looked at me and laughed. — He’s too old for you! Besides, he’s probably married!

— Yes, yes, yes. I know. He must be...

— Nana was in love with him, even though he never said hello to her! I felt sorry for her! - said the youngest, laughing.

I justified myself:

— Let’s not forget that we didn’t have many options in the gang...

— That’s true — the firstborn agreed.

— But you won’t just stay in bed. There’s a whole new world to explore! By the way - she pierced the dress’s material with the needle - did any letters come off the blade of the knife?

— I forgot all about magic!

— You two must finish the process, — the elder explained. — You can’t leave the blade embedded in the stem for too long.

— We’ll take it out now!

— Oh, and please —Darda asked - satisfy my curiosity and come back to tell me about the letter you found!

We laughed and agreed! Meerna and I went outside to the trees, eager to check the results of our first spell.

We soon arrived at the scene and found that the knives were still in the same place we had left them: embedded in the trunks of the two trees. Each knife had been inserted into a different tree and left there for two weeks. Sixteen days, to be precise.

— Come on! Take yours off so we can see what’s going on! — she tapped me on the shoulder.

Sixteen days before this moment, we had begun to prepare the ‘Magic of the Initials’. It was an ancient magic, passed down from generation to generation, simply for divination. The purpose of this ritual was the discovery of the future groom’s initials. The sap of a certain tree would mark one or a few letters on the blade of a virgin knife. According to the rules, the knife had to be stuck into a tree trunk, on the first night of the new moon and removed the day before the first full moon. The time was right!

— Pull out, Nana!

— Well, I... I think we’d better see yours. I need to feel more prepared.

We turned towards my sister’s tree. She gripped the handle firmly with her right hand and, in one decisive motion, pulled the knife out.

— What do you see? — I also tapped her on the shoulder.

— Wait! It must be the first letter I see. I have to concentrate!

— You’re not going to make up any text, you’re just going to read what you see!

— I know that! It’s just that I...

— Get on with it!

—All right! Let’s see... — she observed the blade, running her finger over the unsharpened part. — It looks like a C to me... No, wait! It’s an A! — she broke into a cold sweat.

— Give it to me! — I pulled her arm close to me. — You’re sweating nervously on the blade, you’ll stain it!

—Of course, I’m sweating! I’m so nervous, Lunna! I need to be sure of what I see, because if a suitor comes into my life whose initials aren’t on the blade, I’ll have to turn him down! I want to be pure so that I can live fully for my great love!

— Hm... Grandma told me that I’ll have three loves, and that won’t stop me from being pure.

— I know. And that’s why I think your knife will contain the whole alphabet! - she laughed as she looked at the blade.

—Wow, that’s funny, — I said ironically.

— Oookay... — Meerna breathed in and out deeply. — It’s a C. That’s the first letter I saw. Now get your alphabet knife!

I angrily squeezed my eyes shut and looked at my sister out of the corner of my eye.

— And take care of the tree, — she reminded me — it’s your oracle.

I tried to shake off the fear for a few moments. I closed my eyes and, in a low whisper, asked the tree to reveal a truth to me through its sap. With my right hand on the handle of the knife, I pulled hard. I have to admit that I was startled when I saw the blade. As Meerna had mentioned, it seemed to have an entire alphabet on it, but the markings were vague and confusing.

— Yeah... It’s the alphabet knife... — I sighed in annoyance.

— Let me see — she pulled my hands away.

— The biggest letter, next to all the dirt, looks like a G, while next to it is something like an A! And if you turn your head here at the end, you’ll see the letter V! — I was leaning against the tree. — What a mess!

I remained thoughtful for the rest of the day.

When I got home, I hurried to put the knife away in the small trunk that belonged to me, hidden under my bed. But curiosity wouldn’t leave me alone. Every time there was a break in the housework, I would rush into the bedroom for a look at the blade. I hoped that the immense amount of scratches and dirt would disappear and the correct letter would be visible to my eyes, but... everything was still the same.

At the end of that day, I knelt down in front of the trunk and tried to look again.

— Do you see your knife? — Darda leaned against the bedroom door.

— Darda! — I tried to hide it.

— Won’t you tell me what you saw?

— I... I just... I couldn’t define it. Couldn’t you help me?

— I’m sorry, I can’t. The reading must be done by the magician alone — she replied as I lowered my head.

— Fine...

— Be careful with your analysis. And... Oh! Here it is! This is what I’ve been looking for! — she picked up a spool of thread that had fallen to the floor. — Now I have to get back to work, I’ll finish Csilla’s outfit.

I nodded and saw her leave. And sitting on the floor of the room, I remained reflecting, looking at the dirty blade:

— Will I find love at the celebration?