Majgen Ch. 018

"Try sixty years ago," added Niinon.

"Try never," clarified Mooje.

"No, you are beautiful now and past both. I see it now. Beautiful inside," insisted Joone.

"You speak with more riddles than an Eieie, Joone. I don't understand what you mean," admitted Inee.

"Show, Joone. Now," instructed Majgen, feeling,'Now is the time to show him, Joone.'

Attempting to obey, Joone reached out to Inee yet again. He tried to merge with Inee, like he was used to doing with Majgen. But Inee automatically withdrew.

'Slow down, Joone. Slower,' transmitted Majgen.

"I'm sorry, Inee. Please let me try again."

"Go ahead," said Inee, not sure what Joone had tried to do.

Attempting a slower approach Joone returned almost fully to the techniques he was used to from the past.

"You are happy, and you like me," said Inee. "It feels pleasant but not very different."

Withdrawing from Inee, Joone had to admit a partial defeat.

"I could see your way, Maijien. Or rather I could see more with my heart. But I can't show him like you have taught me."

"What a shame," said Inee. "I had become curious."

"Maijien can show you," said Joone, "if you will let her."

"Does she want to?" asked Inee.

"Yes," said Majgen.

Tenderly she reached towards Inee.'I respect you, Inee.' The emotion was clear.

"She has an incredibly soft touch," said Inee.

'Feel, Inee. See, Inee. I will show you what I see. Later Joone/'The mild and friendly' can show you what he sees.'

"Her emotions are almost as clear as words," said Inee, but then he forgot his surroundings and allowed himself to be pulled in by Majgen's soothing emotions.

'See, Inee, feel. See what I see, feel what I feel, know what I know. You are...' And Majgen showed him, the essence of him that she had perceived so far.'This is what I see. You should not feel so lonely, Inee. You are so easy to love.'

"Wait!" exclaimed Inee a few minutes later. Withdrawing from contact with Majgen's mind, he raised his mind shield.

"Is something wrong?" asked Joone, worried.

"No," said Majgen, and transmitted to Joone,'Don't worry.'

"I need some time alone." Inee got to his feet.

In spite of the mind shield, everyone could sense Inee was in immense emotional turmoil, as he left.

"What happened?" asked Mooje. "If your human harmed Inee I am going to make it pay."

"The Winin's human," said Joone, and backed away from Mooje. "This is the Winin's human. Don't even think about hurting her."

Sensing different levels of hostility in the remaining servants, Joone ran from the room, holding Majgen close, desperate to keep her safe - not just for the Winin's sake.

"Don't be afraid," Majgen said in humana. "They wouldn't have attacked me."

"What happened?" asked Joone.

"I showed Inee what I saw."

"What did you see? Why did he run off?"

"Inee needed time alone. He is ok. He just needed time, Joone."

"But why?"

"Maybe he will tell you sometime, Joone."

The servants remaining in the leisure room were tense, worried for First Servant Inee. When half an hour later Inee returned, they all looked at him expectantly, hoping for an explanation. But, Inee offered none.

"I have a lot of vacation due," stated Inee. "Mooje, you will take over my duties while I am gone. I will contact you later and help you with the organisation and help you decipher the schedule I've made in the calendar. A lot of it is written in my personal note system."

"Are you un-well, Inee," asked Mooje, even more worried now.

"No, Mooje, I am good. There are just some things I want to do. I will go pack for travelling now."

Without further explanation Inee left the room.

"Shouldn't you go check on him, Mooje?" asked Niinon.

"I don't know. He is acting so strange," replied Mooje.

A few seconds later Inee returned, with an extra message.

"Mooje."

"Yes, Inee?"

"Take very good care of the human while I am gone. She is very special. Also, I want you to give her a message from me. Will you do that?"

"If you want, Inee."

"I do, Mooje. Please tell her I said, 'thank you'."

Inee turned to leave again.

"Inee."

"Yes?" Inee turned back, looking distant, as if his thoughts were far away.

"Is that the whole message just 'thank you'?"

"Yes, that is the whole message. I'm sure she will understand," Inee said with a little smile, then turned his full attention to Mooje a short moment. "I trust you to take good care of everything, Mooje. I will be back in a day or two." Inee meant yijejoan days of course.

----=(o)=----

"So, tonight is the big night," stated Servant Mooje, grinning at Joone.

"Yes, unless she changes her mind again." Joone fidgeted with his cup. "She might decide the time is not right." He put down the cup, but immediately picked it up again, just to put it down a bit more to the left, and added, "Again."

"Your time will come eventually, Joone," comforted Servant Ene.

"I'd say so too," added First Servant Inee. "The Winin is going to resume the full extent of his duties soon, and then she will truly need someone apart from him. It does seem you are first in line."

The whole household knew Inee would gladly take the special duty too, same as every other member of the steady servant staff, but they also knew that Joone had a very special place in Majgen's heart.

'If Majgen had been a yijejo, I think she would have mated Joone,' thought Inee.'I wonder why she is taking so long to adjust to letting him do what the Winin does for her. The Winin, after all, is not human either.'

"Do I look ok?" asked Joone.

"No," stated Mooje. "You look like you are about to faint." Mooje's voice was filled with laughter. As his comment added a shade of desperation to Joone's worried expression, Mooje's shoulders started shaking with riots of laughter.

"Don't be so cruel, Mooje," reproached Niinon, but couldn't keep the laughter out of his own voice.

"I'm mated," said Mooje. "I've been there and worse. I can be as cruel as I like."

"I don't think he could be more nervous even if it was a real mating he was facing, though," added Ene. "But really, Joone, stop worrying. It will all be right."

"It has been six days now. I have spent six nights with Maijien now," said Joone. (Six yijejoan days was near fifty human days.) "Yesterday evening, she postponed for the second time. She said she would be ready tonight, but she said that the day before yesterday too. How long will she need?"

At the sound of the service call Joone jumped out of his seat, but had nowhere to head to - yet. The service call was for servants. Mooje was the one who ran to respond.

"Well at least now you will find out if she is truly ready this evening, or not," stated Inee.

"Maybe the Winin just wanted something," said Joone. "It might not be about this."

"Sure, maybe the Winin just wanted something," said Niinon, giggling when he perceived that Joone suddenly wasn't sure thathe was truly ready. "If you get second thoughts, you can tell Maijien to call for me instead. I'm not afraid of taking on a new responsibility."

"I'm not having second thoughts."

"Actually, you were," added Inee. Over the last couple of yijejoan days, the perceptivity of the Winin's servants had increased significantly by Majgen's teachings.

"Well, not anymore. I'm ready now."

And so it turned out, was Maijien - the human by the name of Majgen Rahan.

----=(o)=----

Two evenings later, Joone came to work early. He was not meant to wander around in the Winin's home during his off-duty hours, but Joone was always welcome in the servant quarters.

"Hi, everybody," greeted Joone, finding the servants - now his friends - gathered in the shared leisure room. "Quiet evening?"

"Yes," First Servant Inee said, "Nice and quiet."

"Where is Maijien?" inquired Joone.

"With the Winin," replied Mooje. "He took her for a walk in the field."

"Good," said Joone. "I wanted to show you all something, to hear your opinion before I show it to her."

"A gift for Maijien?" asked Servant Ene, feeling very curious.

"Actually, for all of us, if you all think it is appropriate." Joone took a little box out of one of his pockets.

"What is it?" asked Ene, even more curious.

"I'll show you," said Joone, opening the little box.

As he handed the box to Ene, the other servants gathered to look at it over Ene's shoulders. Inside the box was a small appendage, a designed piece of simple jewellery, crafted with an appearance of bronze, silver and gold.

"It looks a bit odd," said Mooje, but added, "unusual, but kind of pretty too. Did you design it yourself?"

"Yes," replied Joone, nervous still, yet also proud of his accomplishment. "A friend helped me convert the design into metal. I am a tailor, not a jewellery designer."

"It is a little heart," said Inee, "a not quite anatomically correct yijejo heart."

"Yes," confirmed Joone. "I wanted something that could symbolise what we have learned from Maijien. Something small, which we could each easily have."

"Like the secret clubs children make?" asked Mooje, and openly felt,'That was actually a great idea, Joone.'

'Glad you approve,' felt Joone, openly.'How do all feel?'

'Good/glad/approve,' was the unanimous emotional response.

"If Maijien approves, I can bring one for each of you tomorrow. My friend can make as many copies as I want," said Joone. "He will keep one for himself too. I have taught him the ways."

"I would like one for me, and one for my wife," said Mooje, then added, "Three for my co-mates too. Actually my oldest sons will want one each too I think and, possibly, two of my sisters in law and..."

"Hold on," laughed Joone.

"Is it too many?" asked Mooje.

"Not if you will settle for cheap materials, Mooje. But, can't you just tell me an amount? I am having trouble keeping track of your list."

"Of course. Give me some time to calculate," said Mooje, and took out his notepad.

"Does anybody else need more than one?" Joone himself needed several. Apart from his pal who crafted jewellery. He had also shown Majgen's teachings to the other tailor designers at the first class tailor design company he worked for - although he was currently at leave to attend his job for the Winin, as pet-caretaker.

"I'll need a moment to calculate too," said Ene.

"Me too," added Inee.

Niinon copied the sentiment.

"I might as well finish my own list, while we are at it, then," said Joone.

After ten minutes, Joone, Ene, Niinon and Mooje's lists had long been ready, but Inee was still scribbling.

"Are you making a list or writing a book, Inee?" asked Mooje.

"Don't rush me. I don't want to forget anyone," complained Inee.

"How many can it be?" asked Joone.

"Hush."

A few minutes later Inee declared himself ready.

"Allright, let's hear it, one at a time," said Joone, ready to note numbers.

"Niinon?"

"I need five."

"Mooje?"

"Thirteen."

"That many? Well you have a mate so of course many to share with," said Joone. "I only need seven myself." Joone went back to the count.

"Inee?"

"I need fifty-eight."

"What?" Joone couldn't believe his ears.

"Fifty-eight."

"Eighteen you mean?"

"No I mean fifty-eight," Inee stated.

"Why that many?" asked Joone. "You can't possibly have had time to teach fifty-eight people in your off-duty hours."

"No, I haven't. I teach four people. They teach their families, and those again teach some more. As far as I can tell the count is up to fifty-eight now," explained Inee. "What about the ones the rest of you teach. Don't they teach it on to others?"

Niinon, Mooje and Ene nodded. Joone swallowed, and nodded too.

"I never thought much of it, though. My friends tell me they show others too, but I have so little spare time; I never got around to asking them about it."

"If my number is fifty-eight from teaching four, your real number is probably a lot higher, since you teach seven," theorised Inee.

"So maybe I ought to tell my friend to make hundreds of hearts?" wondered Joone.

"You could," Niinon said. "Or we could just spread the word that when a person feels they are ready to follow the path of the heart then they can make themselves one."

"The Path of the Heart," said Inee. "Those are good words for it. We should call it that. The Path of the Heart."

----=(o)=----

Majgen too liked the symbol, which Joone had designed, when he showed it to her later that evening, after the Winin had gone to bed.

"It is beautiful, Joone. I would like mine in a chain, so I can wear it around my neck," she said. "It feels special. You, me, Mooje, Inee, Ene and Niinon, this symbol for just the six of us. Our own little club. I've..." Majgen halted as she perceived that Joone had further plans for the heart trinkets.

Closing her eyes, she focused on sensing him, to understand fully.

"I see now," she said, and looked down at the little symbol in her hand.'This could mean trouble.'

"Why are you sad?" asked Joone.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Joone."

"Why?"

"I am a lone human on enemy ground, Joone. My security relies on the safety of being the pet of a powerful person."

"You are not just a pet to the Winin, Maijien. That is just a cover."

"Exactly. A cover. I live under the cover of being a pet. Now, I've sensed from you that I am part of a club comprising many more than just the six of us."

"Not merely a part. You are the founder. You are the one who made this possible."

"Exactly, Joone. That is what I caught from you. That is how you see it. You consider me a great teacher. You equalise me with one amongst the Eieie."'Actually more than that. He thinks I've brought something unique.'

"Yes, I think you are unique." Joone wasn't able to grasp why she was worried, but that thought he had caught. "You brought us this, which no one else has. And, your teachings has spread already, to more than I thought. I thought we would have to train under you for a much longer time, before we could begin the work of spreading your teachings."

"And I thought that your dreams of one day spreading what I taught you was just a fleeting thought. A daydream not based on reality," admitted Majgen.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because, Joone, I am not a revelation of wisdom, nor am I a leader. You and I are friends. I showed you something which made your life better, but that doesn't mean that what we share is the foundation of a teaching."

"It is, Maijien. Niinon made up a good name for it too. The Path of the Heart."

"I am not a teacher, Joone. I am just me. You shouldn't go around spreading the word that I am something more."

"But you are. You are Maijien, the Founder of the Path of the Heart. One day that title will bring you great glory. You are our leader."

"No, Joone, I am not anybody's leader. I am the Winin's pet. Don't you understand? If I was more than that my life would be in danger."

"You could never be in danger; the Winin will always protect you. He owes you his life, and he loves you - like I do."

"Aejoa ranks high amongst the Eieie, Joone, but he does not have absolute power. Technically I am a prisoner of war, hence I am according to the law under military jurisdiction. Aejoa has no legal claim on my person. The pet-owning contract is an empty contract -- just a thing to ensure I am not 'stolen' by any random civilian."

"I didn't know that, Maijien," admitted Joone, once the translator was done conveying the political explanation. The two of them still needed to rely on the translator for such technical matters. "But no one would come and take you from the Winin. He is revered by all of Naonun. Beyond he is revered too, because he is a Winin."

"As long as I am a nobody -- an unimportant, insignificant human whose only apparent function is to make the Winin happy -- for that long I am safe," said Majgen. "For that long those in power will be able to forget my existence, will be able to overlook that there are laws against keeping human prisoners in captivity for longer periods."

"You are not in captivity, and I know you don't feel like a captive," said Joone.

"Officially, I am. How I feel about it is not essential to the law. For a human prisoner of war, captured by yijejo forces, there are only two choices for how to treat them after interrogation is complete: Death or extradition to the humans."

'She is speaking Full Truth,' perceived Joone,'as she always does. But how does she know this? I don't know the laws regarding prisoners of war and I'm a yijejo.'

"I know because Aejoa knows." Majgen did not need to offer further explanations; Joone was well aware how much she could perceive empathically. "Aejoa believes I am safe with him. That no one would ever take me from him. But, Aejoa is not really a politician. The position of the Eieie is steady, well set. They do not play political games, because they do not have to."

"That is not how it is," stated Joone. "The Eieie do not play political games, because they are above such things. They are the guardians of culture and ethics. They are the ones who prevent governments from falling deeply into the filth of political games."

"The Eieie are also responsible for empathic teachings," added Majgen.

"Of course they are," said Joone. "It goes without mention that they are the ones who possess the highest insight."

"Then why do you teach? You are not counted amongst the Eieie."

"I..." Joone halted, confused. "I am not an Eieie. I did not have the empathic strength, nor the confidence to apply for their schools. But, the Eieie do not know of your teachings yet, and your teachings are not so complicated; it doesn't take an Eieie to teach them. The Path of the Heart isn't really teaching. It is merely sharing, showing, seeing. I can't express it in words."

"Yet you call it a teaching, Joone. You refer to it as something magnificent. You refer to me as someone extraordinary, and this you spread to others."

"But it is, and you are. It is how I feel."

"I am happy you love me, Joone. I am happy I have a special place in your heart," said Majgen. "But you should keep your love for me within this home, the Winin's home. Let me remain anonymous and safe, Joone."

"I want to share how I feel about you with the world, Maijien. All of Naonun and beyond. You are my closest friend."

"And I want to remain anonymous and safe, Joone." Majgen cocked her head, listening to many of Joone's emanations at once. "Whose wishes will you respect above the other's, yours or mine?"

'Your wishes of course,' thought Joone, and was surprised to feel relief rise in Majgen at his thought.

"How could you doubt?" asked Joone. "I love you. Of course I wouldn't make decisions against your wishes on your behalf. If you want to remain anonymous, I have no right to decide differently."

"Not everyone feels that way, Joone, but I am very glad you do."

----=(o)=----

Staring intently at the board-game pieces, Majgen tried to grasp the explanation.

"So this set-up is called the Long Harvest, because it opens for three different paths of defensive aggression, which each offers a slow road to victory?"

"Yes, you could say that. If you move the farmers in left centre, however, it transforms into the set-up called Killing Moon. A far more direct attacking formation," explained First Servant Inee.

"I really, really don't like this game, Inee. It's giving me a headache."

"You don't have to be good at it, Maijien. The Winin loves you even though you are a lousy Jeeiouma opponent."

'Aejoa would respect my intellect more if I could beat him at this game without cheating,' thought Majgen. For nearly four human months, she had lived in Aejoa's home, and she still wasn't able to beat him in a fair game of Jeeiouma. Even when starting with thrice as many pieces as him, she hardly ever won.