In the village of Queeth, there are no secrets. Maybe I should clarify, in the village of Queeth people do not hold onto their secrets.
On one side of the village square is a portion of an ancient wall. Carved into the face wall, is the face of a magnificent and ferocious beast, its maw gaping. The villagers call the beast Churesh, or Secret Keeper,
There is a custom, although the origins of this custom are lost like the Gavean valley in the mist, whereby villagers write down their secrets and drop them into Churesh's mouth, thus freeing themselves from the burden of keeping a secret from their partners or friends.
Most of the secrets are harmless: The younger sister who, in a fit of jelousy, hid all of her brother's socks in the hollowed tree in the orchard and wouldn't tell where they were. The wife who longed to learn beer making and that was her reason for spending so many hours at the village pub. The student of accounts who secretly desires to paint. There are other, darker secrets as well: the child beater; the one unable to keep lustful thoughts inside their own head; the embezzler. Secrets that involve the violation of trust or person. Churesh does not discern between the secrets but swallows all secrets equally.
The legend of Churesh also says that for secret desires, the beast has the power to make those desires attainable, for secret vices, there is a possibility that Churesh will keep those secrets hidden from view. None of the villagers would dare to reach into the mouth of the beast to remove another's secret. Churesh is reported to have bitten the hand of one who tried clean off. Or so claims the baker's cousin's third wife's mother's uncle.
On the nights when the moon is dark, and after the welcome candle in the pub is extinguished and cold, I make my way to the village square. There are a couple of loose blocks at the base of the wall I can use as steps so I can reach in and gather the secrets of the village from the mouth of the beast. I secure each and every one safely in my satchel, replace the loose blocks and return home while the village sleeps. I live outside the village proper, in a small hollow in an even smaller cabin. In my rocker, by candlelight, I read this month's secrets: Anthemis is secretly carrying her lover's child. No one knows yet. For Anthemis, I will stitch a soft toy for the child, sewn with a single red thread for long healthy life. She will find it outside her door at the full moon. Carles, who runs the inn has secretly been using the nearly spoiled cuts of meat for his guests and charging for the quality stuff. He will be quite ill when he serves his guests common pigeon and dines on the fat partridges that will be contaminated with stomach-turn.
While the village of Queeth may not keep its secrets. I do keep mine. A village witch must.
— Lkai
On one side of the village square is a portion of an ancient wall. Carved into the face wall, is the face of a magnificent and ferocious beast, its maw gaping. The villagers call the beast Churesh, or Secret Keeper,
There is a custom, although the origins of this custom are lost like the Gavean valley in the mist, whereby villagers write down their secrets and drop them into Churesh's mouth, thus freeing themselves from the burden of keeping a secret from their partners or friends.
Most of the secrets are harmless: The younger sister who, in a fit of jelousy, hid all of her brother's socks in the hollowed tree in the orchard and wouldn't tell where they were. The wife who longed to learn beer making and that was her reason for spending so many hours at the village pub. The student of accounts who secretly desires to paint. There are other, darker secrets as well: the child beater; the one unable to keep lustful thoughts inside their own head; the embezzler. Secrets that involve the violation of trust or person. Churesh does not discern between the secrets but swallows all secrets equally.
The legend of Churesh also says that for secret desires, the beast has the power to make those desires attainable, for secret vices, there is a possibility that Churesh will keep those secrets hidden from view. None of the villagers would dare to reach into the mouth of the beast to remove another's secret. Churesh is reported to have bitten the hand of one who tried clean off. Or so claims the baker's cousin's third wife's mother's uncle.
On the nights when the moon is dark, and after the welcome candle in the pub is extinguished and cold, I make my way to the village square. There are a couple of loose blocks at the base of the wall I can use as steps so I can reach in and gather the secrets of the village from the mouth of the beast. I secure each and every one safely in my satchel, replace the loose blocks and return home while the village sleeps. I live outside the village proper, in a small hollow in an even smaller cabin. In my rocker, by candlelight, I read this month's secrets: Anthemis is secretly carrying her lover's child. No one knows yet. For Anthemis, I will stitch a soft toy for the child, sewn with a single red thread for long healthy life. She will find it outside her door at the full moon. Carles, who runs the inn has secretly been using the nearly spoiled cuts of meat for his guests and charging for the quality stuff. He will be quite ill when he serves his guests common pigeon and dines on the fat partridges that will be contaminated with stomach-turn.
While the village of Queeth may not keep its secrets. I do keep mine. A village witch must.
— Lkai
"the baker's cousin's third wife's mother's uncle..." that's priceless! Be careful... witches are sometimes blamed for misfortunes! Glad you are in this 40Days session with me! (I'm "Macoff")
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading. Ahh yes, the perils associated! alas. Glad you are here.
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