The tale of Through the Magnifying glass

[Drakfot]

The tale of through the magnifying glass.

He had always had a keen interest into the world, and botanics, of Atys. And so
he had spend most of his young days staring into the books and parchments of
studies more then he had been active in the area of battle. He had been eager to
know the ins and outs of every little plant, every rock there was to find on the
living planet. He had studied so hard that during the last years of his formal
education there had been talks of him outsmarting the most proficient of
scholars where he attended, it had even gone as far as there had been mentions
of, or rumors, that he would have a set seat in the Royal House of Science in
the Matis court.
None of this had bothered him though, he was still reading and studying like
usual as he almost was in his own secluded space. He had started to gather all
of his notes into a little notebook that he was always carrying with him. In
this book he summarized the long explanations into shorter sentences which held
the essence of the knowledge, and here also started to note down his own
thoughts and well formed ideas that had formed inside his head.
There was only one problem with the ideas that he noted down though, it was that
they were all logical conclusions of what knowledge that already existed. So
they were in fact quite dull, at least to him. He could look at a sentence that
he had just written and see the entire chapter that he just had concentrated
down into just a few lines in his notebook. Many times he found it to be quite
an advancement, why read any more then is really necessary? But many times he
felt like there was something stopping him from being able to continue on his
set path. For what is one that merely gather notes and write them down on the
same parchment he thought, nothing more then a secretary of sorts! These days
were those that weighted most heavy on his mind when he felt that he could not
advance his knowledge any further. These days always seemed to hold a grey shade
on even a perfectly blue sky. If he could only change that sky.

Still, there were those days where he felt that he really received pay for his
efforts, where he was able to make a difference, if not a large one, but still a
difference. He had, for instance, been able to make some Dorotea trees grow
faster, still the process was costly it was still seen as an advancement. So
despite the sometimes gray sky he kept on going, hoping for the day to come
where he would make that big change, for the day when all his hard work would
really be rewarded.

It was not long before one of the alleged rumors where no longer just a guess in
the corridors.
A fine day in the start of the week there were the appearance of two tall Matis
men that walked down towards the library where he was sitting. They had been
seen moments earlier leaving the Master of Education's office, and now they were
headed towards him. Their armor held the Royal sign of King Yrkanis himself,
making them part of his closest entourage. As they reached the table where he
sat they stopped just behind him. He was too busy reading and taking notes that
he had not seen them entering the room, in fact he had missed that everybody
else had cleared the room quietly and quickly as the two men had entered.

"Sir Nodek Fa´iner" One of the soldiers spoke.

"Yes, that is my name, that is me" He replied without lifting his head from the
books.

"You are hereby asked to accompany us to the Royal House."

"I, wha..?" Nodek first thought was that he had done something illegal and that
he now would have to stand trial for this. Still he could not recall such an act
so suddenly he was curious, and this made him unable to finish his sentence
before he finally looked up and saw the two shiny white armors standing behind
him. He dropped his pen.

"Your presence is requested in the Royal House of Science. You are to work
directly under Cuiccio Perinia, the Botanist and Historian."

"Bu... but... " Nodek almost lost his ability to speak of pure surprise "my..
work.. my books here?" was the only question he were able to muster.

"You can of course bring them, you can bring whatever suits your needs. You are
to report in within this week." One of the soldiers said as he handed over a
parchment with the royal seal.

After they had left Nodek just sat there staring at his notebook. What had just
happened he asked himself, still he knew the answer so clear. He had never
thought of receiving such a grand position within the world of botany, he just
wanted to study the flora of the planet, and find out all of its secrets. He had
never wished for a position of power or royalty. Still here it had just now
presented itself to him, and he knew that there were no other answer then to
accept such noble invitation.

The coming days many things happened in Nodek's life; at every corner there were
Homins to congratulate him for his advancement, there were things to pack and
such arrangements to be done.
They even managed to have a small parting ceremony for him, one that he was not
to keen to attend to as he would rather be studying. Still he went to it, only
to please everyone but at the end of the day he managed to confess to himself
that he had enjoyed it a little.

"Welcome to the Royal House of Science Nodek Fa´iner. I am sorry that I am not
able to meet you in person. But I am currently on a pressing matter that
requires my presence elsewhere, the time of my return is not yet definitive so
therefore I have made arrangements for someone to be your assistant while you
get settled in."

The note was signed with Cuiccio Perinia and was written somewhat hastily it
seemed, as if Cuiccio had been in a rush. Still Nodek did not care, he was shown
to his room where he spent most of the evening unpacking his things, placing the
books in order on the shelves, making sure the pencil for the notebook was
properly sharpened and such things. Then he continued with the book he had been
reading they day he had received the invitation. As usual he forgot about the
time and was not aware that is was nearly evening before there was a knock on
his door. Outside stood a young Matis woman, holding a tray with some bread and
Milk.

"Mister Nodek? It is getting late and I believe that you are busy. Still here is
some food before bed, so that you will hold energy for tomorrow when the tour
is." She smiled as he allowed her entrance into his room so that she could place
the tray on the table. "I am Faenna, it is a pleasure to meet you Sir Nodek!"
She said with a courtly bow.

"Please, just call me Nodek, no need for such formalities. We are all equal to
the nature anyhow. And whom might I have the pleasure to conversate with?" He
asked her politely.

"I am your assistant, I hope that you have received the note from Cuiccio?"
Faenna said with a hoping face.

"Ah yes, I have got a note from him yes. Thank you for the food Faenna, but I
must continue now as I have lost precious time due to the travel here with all
its preparations. Would you mind to meet me here tomorrow morning before the
tour?"

"Of course, I shall give the door three gentle knocks to let you know that I
have arrived. Now rest well Sir Nodek!" Faenna said and exited the room.

"Just Nodek, please" He replied as he never been to keen to hold on such
formalities.
"I know" Faenna said with a smile before she turned a corner and disappeared
into the mazes of the House of Science.

Nodek sat down to eat and to read. And when he was done he put out the candles
that was supporting his study and went to bed. The day after there were three
gentle knocks on the door and as he exited Faenna stood there waiting for him
with a smile. He could not help but to feel comfortable seeing her. This was a
good start he thought.
Most of the day was spent wandering the vast House of Science, Nodek knew that
he would still have trouble finding his way by his self here, though he tried to
memorize some intersections and such that seemed to be a good guide. They often
stopped at the various green rooms as Nodek wished to inspect the flowers and
trees more closely. Specially those that he had only been able to read about and
never see with his own eye. Faenna did a well job in explaining the different
places, locations, species and rooms. And she was always doing it with a smile on her
face. As the tour finished they ended up in the room where Nodek were to hold
his studies. At first he was a bit surprised as he was under the understanding
that his study would be the room where he slept and that he would be working
directly under Cuiccio, as his assistant. So he was rather surprised when Faenna
told him that this was not the case, but that he would be working under Cuiccio
indeed, but not as his assistant, but more as his colleague. After a few
moments, when the news had finally settled in Nodek was eager to get to know his
new laboratory, something that Faenna gladly showed him.

Time passed along for three months as Nodek kept working in the laboratory,
always with the glad help of Faenna. During this time they had developed a more
relaxed relation, where Faenna often made little jokes to ease the atmosphere,
and Nodek could not help but to enjoy it. Still he kept his focus on the studies
of the plants, it seemed as they were onto something when it came to the growth
of the Cratcha.

One day as Nodek was extremely focused while looking at a Cratcha specimen
through a enlarging glass Faenna said something that he barely noticed. But he
was so taken by what he was doing so that he did not look up until he was
finished. There he saw Faenna, she was still smiling, yet it seemed as her smile
did not hold the energy as it used to. She almost seemed troubled by something
and she was not doing well in hiding it to him, perhaps it was due to that he
had got to know her better. Or that this was something that not even she was
able to contain. But still it disappeared from his mind as he asked her to fetch
him one of the newer amber cubes of flowers that he had received from Cuiccio
just some day ago. He could not make it out clearly, but he thought he heard
Faenna mumble something as she left the laboratory to fetch them.

The cubes was given to him with a bang as Faenna nearly slammed them in the
table next to him where he sat. It was such a harsh move that a vial with sap
extract fell over and ended up all over the specimen Nodek was working on. But
he did not have the opportunity to yell at Faenna for her carelessness as she
had already left room. He sighed and put the specimen aside at the window and
started on a new one as he unintentionally began to grind what had just happened
in his mind.

Two days turned into three, as the fourth ended and the fifth came Nodek was
still working alone in his laboratory, but his progress had slowed down quite
remarkably as he had troubles focusing on his task. The notion that something
was wrong with Faenna was constantly grinding his mind, he had even tried to
rephrase what she had said before she had stormed out of the room several times,
but had not managed to make a whole sentence.
He leaned back and rubbed the tiredness from his eyes as looked out through the
window. It was then he noticed the old specimen and the vial lying there at the
window. He leaned forward and looked at it closely, what he saw was remarkable.
The little plant had grown roots that stretched around the vial that was lying
on it. This was not an ordinary action of such flower, sure it would grow toward
nutrition when buried in soil, but the most common outcome was that it would dry
up and finally die when held in another environment. He gasped in awe towards
what he was witnessing.

Still there was something missing, he knew that this was the correct path
towards a great discovery, but still this felt like half the discovery it could be.
As he looked at the specimen and started to analyze it he made another
discovery. This specimen had come to life again due to an unplanned event, it
had received its nutrition from an external source, without it it had not been
able to sustain itself long enough to survive. It was quite logical really;
things of the Atys nature have a tendency to find their own way around problems.
It is a part of their evolution. Nodek lifted his head as he sorted out all the
new facts in his head and saw the empty room of his laboratory. Suddenly he
stopped for a second and then he stormed out of the room.

He ran through the corridors of the House of Science, something that was unusual
and most certainly prohibited at some point, but he had to find Faenna. He asked
every Homin he came across as he kept running from the science lab department
towards the housings of the employees.
Almost everyone told him that Faenna had not been seen much as of late, that she
barely left her room to eat. Some expressed concern for her as she seemed to
have lost the positive sparkle that she used to hold. Nodek did not listen too
much, all he needed to know was where Faenna were, and so he set off towards her
room.

It did not take him long to arrive at her door, it was a path he was well aware
of by now as they had walked there many late nights recently. Before he knocked
on the door he stopped for a second, what was he doing? He knocked twice and
heard Faenna asking who it was. At first he could not bare himself to answer,
but a few seconds later he spoke his name.

"It's me, Nodek"

"I would have guessed, what do you want?" Her voice seemed cold and harsh.

"I need to speak to you, its important. Very important."

"Why?" She asked him with the same cold and distant voice.

"I have made a discovery, one of great importance Faenna. One that will change
our lives forever. Please open the door." he begged her.

"No"

"Faenna, please, I must tell you as you are part of it."

"Then tell me through the door and then leave!"

"No, this is something that you must see for yourself, otherwise you will never
believe it."

"Fine! If you promise to leave the minute after telling me, I want to be alone."

"I promise" Nodek smiled. He did not know how to handle things like this that
lacked the proper background fact, a scientific way to approach it. But it
seemed as the spontaneity of fate would work quite well enough.

Faenna opened the door and looked up at Nodek, he could see that her eyes was
tired from crying and that she was worn from not getting enough rest.
"So, tell me then.." She said with a voice that seemed absent.

"Do you remember the specimen from a few days ago? The one where the vial was
spilled into it as you put the amber cubes on my desk?"

"Yes..." She was even more distant now.

"It has grown! It has formed roots that stretched around the vial! It has
reached for nutrition in an hostile environment, even though it should have
dried up it kept on living and reaching for more! Its fantastic!" He exclaimed
with joy. And as he did Faenna seemed to turn even more upset.

"Send me a note, I'll make sure not to read it." She said as she tried to close
the door in his face. But she was unsuccessful for he had placed his foot as a
stop so that the door could not be shut.

"But that is not the discovery I came to tell you about Faenna. That was only a
step on the way needed to make me understand. It suddenly appeared to me that
even though there is a difference between Homins and plants, there are also so
many similarities. And you was the one that told me this, even though I could
not make sense of it first, I can now!" Nodek looked at her with eyes she had not
seen before. He took a deep breath and the one step closer to Faenna, she did
not make any attempt to stop him.

"Faenna, I am not sure how to say things such as this, but I shall try and
explain it the best way I can. Everything needs nutrition to be able to live on,
to sprout, and we can find much of it in our surroundings that is easily
accessible. But in order to grow that extra bit, to gain those extra beautiful
colors and leaves some extra special nutrition is needed. And this one is so
much harder to find. And when it is found, it should be clenched onto as if your
life would depend on it, as it does. As the plant stretched its roots around
the vial with the sap extract."

Faenna had listened to him, but as soon as she heard him mention the specimen
again she started to retreat back into her room. But she barely managed to start
taking a step back before he held her gently by her shoulders.

"Faenna, you are my vial. The energy that you hold in you is what I need to live
on, Without you there would be no meaning, I would dry up and become something
old and alone somewhere. I may not have roots, but I have arms, and with these I
shall hold you close to me, care for you, cherish you and do all I can to see to
that you are happy."

Suddenly he gently pulled her closer to him and their lips met for a kiss.
Faenna was surprised by this, still the moment swept her away and she closed her
eyes and enjoyed.

After the kiss she looked at the tall handsome Matis standing in front of her,
it was Nodek, still there was something new about him. He had changed somehow,
into something beautiful.

"How.. how did you realize this?" She asked him.

"It was you that told me Faenna, it was all you"

"Me ?" She was baffled.

"Yes, I finally understood what you meant with what you said then you left the
laboratory. That I always saw life through a magnifying glass."

"That is one discovery I like" she said, and the smile returned to her face once
more. It wiped off all that was the previous tired and red-eyed Faenna from her
in an instant. And they kissed again.


This dear Homins is the tale of through the magnifying glass.