Good afternoon
It’s Daighacaer Day again! This time, I give some insight into Chapter 11.This is Jeala’s chapter and is a flashback to when she first became an intuerum, to how she became the Intuerum Param and later to her integral part within The Daighacaer. The epic series is extensive and I do make use of flashbacks. I understand that this may not be the usual format for novels. However, due to the complexity and number of characters, main and sub-main, who are important to the story, I feel that they are necessary to provide back-stories for completeness. The other alternative was to have a book of Origins. I am more comfortable providing backgrounds within the main story.
The placement of Jeala’s story ties into the previous chapter and Eryen’s concern about the attacks from The Darke. As Ryallor’s nursemaid and chaperone her position in the story, although not that of one of the major characters, is integral. Her position as Intuerum Param is an important thread running through the story.
The chapter opens when tragedy strikes after three-year-old Jeala asks her mother to forego a visit to her friend:
“Mama, I don’t want you to go,” said Jeala with a slight tremor in her voice.
“Why ever not? You’re coming with me. Do you not want to come with me?” asked her mother.
“No. If you go, I will go with you but I don’t know, Mama, I feel funny. I want you to stay home.”
Jeala was clearly more than distressed, but her mother had committed to the engagement with her friend and she knew how manipulative children could be.
“What are you talking about, Child?” said her mother a little irritably.
“Mama, you will fall, Mama. You will fall.” Jeala started cried in gulping sobs.
Nessall took Jeala in her arms and held her tightly, but nothing would comfort her child. Eventually, she had to leave or she would be late. She gently removed Jeala’s arms from around her neck and set her down.
“We have to go, Jeala. You will be with me to make sure that I won’t fall,” said Nessall softly.
“Mama, you will fall so hard, Mama. We must stay here,” said Jeala.
“No, Jeala. I will not fall. Neache has made us a delicious cup of tea for when we arrive. You will enjoy that. You like Neache’s tea. Come now. Wipe your tears.”
Nessall was not quite sure of what to make of Jeala’s outburst. She was not normally such a contrary child.
They did not have far to walk to reach Neache’s home and, with Jeala’s tiny hand enfolded in her own, Nessall set out.
Jeala was still gulping back her tears.
They were no further than two houses away from Neache’s house when tragedy struck.
Nessall slipped on a smooth cobble stone and fell, hitting the back of her head hard against the cobbles. Her blood spurted and pooled around her as Jeala began to scream.
Introducing Leene, the Intuerum Param:
“I need a bed litter, quickly. I have to get her to my home. Hurry now!”
People rushed in all directions. What the Intuerum Param wanted, the Intuerum Param would be given, and the very best of what was available.
Leene was loved by all. She was a stern but caring intuerum and every one of the people in the group surrounding Nessall had, on occasion, visited Leene or had Leene visit them. They would do anything for her.
Leene walked over to Jeala, picked her up and cuddled her close against her. She looked into the child’s eyes and stroked her hair and back while humming and rocking her back and forth. It was not long before Jeala’s sobs lessened and then stopped.
Jeala clung to Leene and allowed herself to be comforted.
“You are so young, Little One,” said Leene. “Your pre-knowledge of this accident will define your life, although you are not yet aware of it.”
Leene set Jeala down and held her hand.
Jeala nearing her sixteenth Naming Day – On becoming an intuerum:
Jeala joined the Circle of Healers and started working with them on developing various combinations of herbs for tonics and unguents. She love it. She watched and learned as the midwives delivered babies; and helped to set bones and administer salves.
Nonetheless, while she was enjoying what she was doing, Jeala started feeling an unexplained deep void in the pit of her stomach. A burning desire to know more, to be more.
Her turning point came when Leene called for her one day to attend her at her home in the intuerum housing estate.
Although, when she was young and after her mother’s tragic accident, Jeala had spent many happy days and hours in Leene’s company, this was different. This was a summons from the Intuerum Param and Jeala was not sure what it meant.
When the Intuerum Param requested attendance, it was to a great extent a summons rather than a request.
With more than a little trepidation, Jeala almost ran to answer the call and arrived, out of breath and dusty, at Leene’s home, just as Leene sat down at a small table set with a meal for two.
“Come child,” called Leene through the open door and gestured to Jeala with aged but still perfectly straight fingers. “Your dinner will get cold, the longer you stand there gawking at me.”
“Yes,” said Leene and nodded, as if she were in the middle of a conversation. “I exist.”
Jeala was not sure what to make of the comment so did not said anything. She made a decision and, instead of keeping her mind blank, she looked deeply into Leene’s eyes just as Leene was looking into her eyes.
“That’s right Child,” nodded Leene again. “Look into me. Look deep within me. You will find that behind our outward consciousness lies the vast unused sphere of our subliminal inner being.”
As she continued to stare deeply into Leene, Jeala’s head began to ache but she could not break eye contact with this incredible woman.
“I can feel you feel it, Child,” said Leene in a whisper. Her hands opened palm-upwards towards Jeala in a beckoning gesture.
“Feel as I feel. Understand as I understand. To be an intuerum is an exquisite and delicate sensitivity. Within our deepest being, our intuition forms a vinculum with the very pulses of life’s energies.”
As a depth of understanding washed over her, Jeala gave herself up to the ministrations of the Intuerum Param.
“I am an intuerum,” she said, finally. “I am an intuerum.”
Her tears flowed freely and seemingly unnoticed by Jeala.
Leene held the vinculum and allowed Jeala to cry, to sob and then to wail a desperate keening wail which filled the room, overflowing into the streets and the surrounding houses. She continued to hold the vinculum long after Jeala stopped crying and was lost in the depths of their bond.
Finally Jeala asked, “How, Intuerum Param? How? How did you know how deep my pain and desire were?”
“Intuition is knowing without knowing how you know, Child,” said Leene as she took both Jeala’s hands in hers. “Within our strength, within our very existence, are locked away limitless abilities and inconceivable skills which we never use. I am approaching my time of transition, Jeala, and my final task within this mortal realm is to grow you to be who you are. Your destiny is of and within greatness and you need to be ready.”
The poem (altered from ‘he’ to she’ for Jeala) that I have chosen for this segment of The Daighacaer carries in it Jeala’s fiercely independent spirit on her path as the Intuerum Param. The poem is reflective and cognisant of the burden of service that she bears. The story is a fantasy it’s true. However, Jeala’s love for The Lighte is echoed in my love for my God and for Jesus my Christ.
SHE STANDS ALONE
She stands alone
Within the ornate splendour
That depicts the life
Of her blessed saviour
Jesus The Christ
Quietly contemplative
She stands
Considering all that she needs to do
To safeguard a people
From the evil afoot
She knows full well
That she’s the prey
To be used as a target to overthrow
Yet even so she stands alone
With her saviour
In fervent supplication
To save her society
From rampant ruin
In prayer for her redeemer God
To save and set the people free!
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