THE MAGI’S ROBE
In
the
One day the Priestess bid him to go directly to a magi and request to divine the opportune time for the next harvest, so she may figure out the tributaries. With that he was off, and in less than a short time he was in the magi’s garden. Being the property of a magi, the garden was as perfect as if tended by nature herself. There were flowers of such abundant colors that appeared to exist nowhere else but here and the combined fragrance was enough to enrapture the heart of a stone giant and make it wish for spring. Even for a moment, the squire was content to forget his duties and stand in the middle of a cluster of roses and inhale their sweet scent. But he knew he was on duty and that must come first, and so he regained his composure and walked towards the magi, a man much younger and more handsome than what a magi would expect to appear.
The squire delivered his message to him and when he came to the end, was at once struck dumb by the beauty of the magi’s robe. A vibrant red, a material smoother and more luster than any he had ever seen before, this robe he could not get out of his mind. Even when he had left the magi with the answer for the Priestess, he could not stop thinking about this robe. He swore could see the sun reflected in it and the glare hurt him as if he had stared straight into the heart of the morning star itself. He recalled that it flowed gently outwards from the magi’s body even though the squire thought he felt the breeze from the other direction. The more he thought of it, the bigger his obsession with the robe became. It effected him in every way—even his position as squire. He started to get lost on roads he oft traveled. He was late coming back from a short trip—although he was only late by his standard and no one, not even the Priestess, saw any such slippage in his duties. To all concerned he was as punctual, as efficient and as dutiful as ever. But he could not keep his mind off the magi’s robe. He even thought of ways of taking it or coercing the magi out of it. But then he thought how could a lowly squire like me outwit an all powerful magi, and put it out of his mind, for a short time, only to have them rise up again within him. He must have that robe!
One day he was sent to the magi for another divination, and went straight away, for though his mind was steadfastly on the robe, such was his destination. He approached the magi with the Priestess’s’ request and then stepped back and stood perfectly still, not wanting to think of the robe as he might be betrayed by his own thoughts. As the magi started to divine an answer he abruptly asked the squire “Are you so fascinated by this robe that you would seek to steal it off my back?” The squire was stunned and embarrassed and stood frozen for a moment. Then he threw himself at the magi’s feet and begged his forgiveness.
“Kind sir, I appeal to your sense of mercy. From the day I first stepped in your glorious garden I have been possessed by thoughts concerning your robe. In all my services to kings and queens, lords and ladies, I have never seen a garment as beautiful as the one you wear now. It has been haunting my mind for several weeks now and I don’t know how to exorcise them. I humbly admit to thoughts of theft of your robe, but I swear upon my life that my heart and will could never bring me to go to such lengths. Please take pity on a simple servant of the High Priestess and spare my life.”
The magi laughed at this display. “I have no intentions of killing you. In fact I admire your honesty. I understand your obsession with this robe. It is quite extraordinary in its beauty. This was a gift from a far off land and quite precious. But as it stands I would give it up for another garment that I desperately want. I understand your obsession with this robe, because I too lust after another object of beauty. So I make you this offer: I will give you this robe as yours to keep, if you can help me get what I seek.” The squire was so thrilled to not only be spared but also without the prospects of getting what he desired most, that he immediately said yes without asking what he was supposed to gain for the magi.
After divining the answer for the High Priestess, the magi told him that he wanted to get the Empress’ crown of stars. The squire was stunned at the idea of stealing from the Empress, but he realized that he was trapped. He had said yes so quickly to the magi’s request that he knew he could not back out now. He listened as the magi related his plan:
“Every afternoon at midday, the Empress takes a bath in the spring in a garden behind her palace. She leaves her clothes by the garden patio. Like you I guarded my thoughts so they would not betray me, and never took the opportunity to take the crown. I also thinks that because of my work, she suspects me of wanting to take anything of hers and cast a spell on her to do my bidding. You being a squire, she would not suspect you. I will have the High Priestess send you before the Empress on my behest, at which you should arrive for her bath. She will not want to be interrupted, and will bid you to wait until she has finished bathing. At such a time, you will take the crown and slip in under your garments and replace it with this white flower. I have prepared a spell which will make those who look upon it see the crown and not the flower. You will be immune to its effects. With that you will be off, and deliver the crown to me, for which I will immediately exchange you the robe.” The squire agreed and was sent back to the High Priestess.
The next day the squire was sent to deliver a message to the Empress on behalf of the magi. The squire got to the palace at the sixth hour and was escorted around the palace itself and led to a beautiful garden lined with wheat, flowers and ivy on one side near the rear entrance, an abundant forest on the other side, and a spring sitting next to a waterfall in between the two. There the Empress was sitting and bathing in the spring water. Her blonde hair and smooth water soaked body shimmered in the midday sun and at a distance one could not tell whether the reflected light was coming from the ripples in the water or the Empress herself. So immersed was she in her bath that she scarcely heard the servants announce the squire’s arrival. The Empress shouted back to have him wait there until she finished her bath. At this the squire was led to the patio and asked to wait and the servants left them both outside.
Not wanting to waste anytime, he waited until she was completely facing the other direction and then stealthily took up the crown. But he barely took a step back before the garden came alive and seized his wrist. He thought to scream but dare not unless he wished to get caught. He dropped the crown on the ground and tried to get the ivy off of him when the wheat lashed out at his other hand and held it back. Soon the flowers were wrapped around his legs and his mouth was completely paralyzed.
The Empress turned around slowly wanting to see what was happening, even though she already knew what was happening. The magi was one of the Empress’ lovers and had told the Empress what the squire was going to do, so that he might be in better position as a suitor. So the morning of the attempted theft, the magi would be waiting on the side of the patio hidden from view, so when the squire came he could see him but the squire could not see the magi. And when he attempted to steal the crown, he would be ready to stop him. The magi approached the squire to lay his final show of love to the Empress. He sprayed him with purified water and sprinkled some powder on top of him. With a few chants he picked up the squire and threw him at the spring and when he landed he was transformed instantly into water and merged with the spring.
“There you are your worship,” exclaimed the magi. “What better show of ones love than to pay tribute to the spring that you love so much. This lowly squire turned thief has now been turned to water to serve your bathing needs. If there is one thing this squire is good at it is to performing his duties to their fullest. Before he served the Priestess in delivering her messages faster than anyone, now in this form he will serve you to enhance your beauty even further by cleansing every part of your body.” The Empress smiled at the tribute and continued to bathe, feeling the spring warmed by the presence of flesh merged with water running up and down her back and arms and throughout her blonde hair. The Empress squealed with delight at this new sensation. “By all the gods in heaven and hell I swear that this is a true showing of unflinching love, and so it shall be rewarded. Come the end of the harvest, we shall be wed.” The magi was ecstatic and kissed the Empress one time before he departed.
For days afterwards, the Empress relished the midday baths even more, craving the sensations of a person running all over and around her yet without having a man around. “The magi was right,” The Empress realized. “The squire attends to his duties quite well. Loyalty to one’s job is a rare quality.” But all the time squire was running up and down along the Empress’ body, he used it to survey the surrounding land and seek an escape route. He thought he could run up the waterfall but he knew the current would beat him back. He could try to crawl along the ground but he would turn to mud and be trapped unable to move, eventually buried under more dirt and snow come the winter. So he thought the best way to escape would be to follow a stream back to the High Priestess’ palace.
He knew that a stream lay several meters away and the only way to get to it would be to jump towards it. So one day just after the Empress finished her bath and went inside, the watery squire gathered up all his strength, speed, and the rest of his new corporeal form together and started to run in circles, starting from the center and working his way outward, gathering speed and strength each full circle. When he had run as fast as now possible and feeling a new sense of strength and power, he hurled himself up and in the direction of the stream, landing directly in the center of the trickling stream. He had gathered so much force behind him, that as he zoomed down the stream, it took on the appearance of a mighty river. He knew the areas well thanks to his travels and was able to navigate from stream to stream, and river to river, to eventually find his way to a spring at the High Priestess’ palace by nightfall.
One of the servants came out with two large silver bowls to gather water for purification. The squire followed him, as he knew he could be picked up and led into the Priestess’s altar and then call out for help. As the servant bent down to scoop up the water, the watery squire rushed forwards into a bowl and held on tightly as he was lifted out of the spring. The servant finished collecting the water and was escorted inside. The pails were placed upon the altar and awaited the High Priestess blessing, and at that moment, the squire prayed to the heavens to be allowed to communicate to the High Priestess.
The High Priestess entered the room and flanked by two assistants, preparing the ritual of water purification. As he noticed her entrance, the squire started to scream for the Priestess to look his way and help him out his state. All that happened was that the water stated to bubble and ripple with no human sound emitted. Though having the ability to keep what little of himself remained together, to travel all this way across streams and hopping ponds, his state as a water entity hindered his ability to communicate. Realizing this, he sighed and resigned himself to the thought of being purified and used in rituals, hoping that this would atone for his deeds. As the Priestess walked over to the altar, entirely prepared to create holy water out of mere, albeit pure, spring water, she was wholly unprepared to see the reflection of her missing squire floating in the water as opposed to hers. Taken aback at the thrill of seeing her favorite squire and at the way shock of seeing him in such a place, the High Priestess dropped to her knees and spoke to the water and the heavens above.
“Can this be?” said the Priestess. “Is the squire that I loved and praised so greatly, whose work was equal to no other save the messenger of the gods themselves, whose trip to the Empress met with some unknown fate which kept his services from me, is he truly standing here before me in this bowl of water or am I just seeing what I wish in the midst of his absence. If it is truly him, let him tell me what has become of him and why this form of communication above all others.”
Upon hearing this, the squire tried once again to speak and told his sad story to the Priestess, and as before the water bubbled and flowed with ripples within the bowl. As the water moved back and forth, the squire’s words were formed as images within the waves and the High Priestess was able to see the story of how the squire coveted the magi’s robe, agreed to steal the Empress’s crown of stars in exchange for the robe and how the magi transformed him into spring water for the Empress’s bath, and well as how far he traveled to get to the altar where he now lay in his present state. The Priestess nodded in understanding and looking deep into the water in front of her, could see tiny formations of salt at the bottom of the bowl from the squire’s penitent tears. Then she spoke softly, consoling the squire that she had not the power to change him herself but that the powers of fairness were on their side, and that if he could be patient a little while longer, all will be dealt with tomorrow. With that the waves in the water relaxed completely and the Priestess went off to send out two squires, one to the magi and one to the Empress, with instructions that they are to make appear in her court come the morning.
When the morning sun rose, both the magi and the Empress arrived at the foot of the High Priestess’s throne, but since neither the magi nor the Empress knew of the other’s summon, they were completely surprised by their presence. Before they each had the chance to assess the situation, the High Priestess made her entrance and bid them to listen:
“A grievous crime has been committed! The disappearance of a man important to the stability of this county has occurred. His absence will cause the Valley itself great dread. I fear that nothing will ever be the same if he is not returned safely and soon.”
“I agree,” said the magi. “If he is as important as you say, then it is imperative that he be returned to us safely. If there is anything we can do to aid in his return, we will most graciously help.”
“It so happens that you can help magi,” said the Priestess. “You can help by returning him safely and right now!” The magi was utterly shocked at the statement. The Empress was equally stunned at this behavior. How could someone so just and fair accuse someone so blatantly and without provocation?
“Are you accusing me of kidnapping? How dare you even suggest that I can stoop to such a level while simultaneously placing the safety of our village in jeopardy!”
“I agree,” spoke the Empress, “Before you make such off-handed comments, you’d best have proof.”
“I have more,” raised the Priestess in an ominous tone. “I have a witness who is also his accuser. This person can prove that you did it.”
“Then send him forth! I have every right to know my accuser!”
“He is already here.” With this the Empress summoned her servants to bring the silver bowl of water from the altar to a table by her throne. The Empress looked on bewildered while the magi simply laughed.
“Is this some sort of joke? How can simple spring water be my accuser? How can it bear witness, falsely at that, against me?”
“If you look into the bowl all will be revealed,” said the Priestess. The magi, stared oddly at the request, but irked by her behavior and accusation agreed. He marched over to the bowl of water, peered in and came face to face with the angry squire. The magi jerked back in fear and guilt, for he knew he had been caught, but with the knowledge of the squire’s motives for his actions, he knew he was not alone in punishment.
The magi started to plead his case, but the High Priestess interrupted him demanding that he transform the squire from water back into human form. “Only then will I listen to any arguments!” With this the magi spoke a chant, dropped a handfull of powder into the water, then poured the water out and onto the floor tumbled the squire, back in his body as if nothing happened to him several days ago. When he realized he was on the floor of the court he longed to return to, he raised onto his knees and bowed to the Priestess.
“Do not take the word of this man!” screamed the magi. “He is a common thief and is covetous of the property of another. He attempted to steal the Empress’s crown, and trade it for gold to bribe me for my robe, which he wanted more than anything. I warned the Empress of his scheme and made a counterplan to foil it! This is why he was turned to water, for the crime of larceny! Anything he may say to the contrary is a bold-faced lie!”
“Oh, mistress, I have done you, my duty and these fine people a great wrong,” pleaded the squire for his life. “They speak true of theft and lust of property, I wanted the magi’s robe and would be willing to go to such lengths of theft to gain it, and I went farther as to attempt to take the Empress’s crown to do so. But I deny that I was alone in such actions. I was to steal the crown in exchange for the robe and such a deal was arranged between me and the magi. I understand I am to be punnished for my actions but justice will not be done if my accomplice goes unpunnished.”
The High Priestess stood up and addressed the magi. “What my squire says is not false. I say this not out of bias for wanting him back to his duties, but because he has corroborated what he says with what he has seen. Though words can bend the truth, and what one remembers can grow foggy with time, ego and prejudice, what images one has recorded with the eye is proof of honesty, for these images have no ego to bruise, prejudice to sway, are unmarred by time and unbending in the face of lies. I have seen what he has seen with this squire’s eyes and can take them as truth. And the truth is that you deceived him into theivery for the trade of your robe and as such you have perjured yourself in my presence, which in of itself in inexcusable.” The magi sunk to the floor not only in deference to her judgement but in defeat as well.
Then the Priestess turned to the squire. “But you are right as well. You are guilty by your own admission of theft. No matter how coerced you were, you carried out unlawful actions against another person and their property. For this you must be punished. I have consulted the gods for guidance on the correct judgement for these crimes. And they have shown me that the way to handle this is as such: from now on you will maintain the position of squire and serve this court to your usual capacity. However, during the period from the end of the spring harvest untill the begining of the autumn harvest, you will service my court in the form you arrived at my altar last night, the spring water from the Empress’s property. For this period of six months you will be deliver messages from town to town via the streams you have shown the ability to navigate so well. During the midday, you will be at the service of the Empress for her daily bath, since it was her property that you attempted to steal. In the following six months, you willbe returned to normal form and carry out your duties in your usual fashion. As for the magi: your marriage will be sanctified by this court, but you will be forced give up your own land to the squire you wronged by perjury, as well as your robe to complete the bargain that you deceived and cheated him out of and willingly tempted him with. Such is the ruling, and so it shall be carried out.”
All the parties could not fault the wisdom of theHigh Priestess and agreed to abide by her ruling. And as such all parties were pleased by the fairness of it. The Priestess got her squire back and was able to resume her work to normal capacity. The magi had gotten the woman he loved and since her property was in greater abundance than his own, he was satisfied to give up his old one. The Empress gained a new husband and six months out of the year could anjoy a midday bath that was more envigorating and sensual than she ever imagined. The squire got to journey to more places than he was able to since they were now accessible to him, and would deliver the messages to patrons through visions and imagery seen in ponds of water. He carried out his duties to one woman that he truly admired doing work he truly loved, and to one woman whom he sought to wrong and doing work he was starting to grow fond of. And six months out of the year, he was able to walk in a garden of beautiful flowers wearing the prize he rightly earned—the magi’s robe.