The Forbidden Tablets

Tablet Eight

So began my apprenticeship to the Shaman. He taught me how to go within myself and watch for visions as I stood naked tied to his post. He also taught me how to correctly interpret the ancient tablets hidden in the floor of his hut. As the months passed, he taught me how to interpret the signs in the sky... and in people.

As the Shaman had foretold, Queen Zara soon joined her mother in the world beyond. Amira became Queen. Shortly after her coronation, she summoned me to the place of judgement. I told the Shaman that she was surely going to banish me or worse, but he said that different things were foretold.

When we got to the place of judgment, all of the sisters were there. Most of the important women from the village were also there as well as many of the officers of the army. The Shaman led me into the center of the arena and turned me so that I was facing Amira- now Queen Amira.

The arena was totally quiet as I stood and faced her. "You who were once a daughter of the Queen," she began, "I have summoned you here for final judgement."

My heart dropped. I would be banished... or worse.

"My judgement is this," she said firmly. "You have been punished. You have been redeemed. If you pledge your undying loyalty to me and to my descendants, you shall be forgiven."

I dropped to my knees. As I did, I suddenly realized that I had seen this many years before. As a small child I had seen this and knew it was a vision of the future. I knew that someday I would be kneeling naked in the dust in front of Amira. That is why I had hated her so much. My vision brought about my hate and my hate brought me to this day making the vision true.

I leaned forward and placed the palms of my hands on the ground in front of me. "My Queen," I said, "this moment was foretold many years ago. I pledge to you and your descendants my life, my loyalty, and my service."

"Rise, Redeemed," she said loudly. "I accept your pledge. You are forgiven. When the time comes for the Shaman to leave the wheel of life, you shall take his place."

One of my sisters stepped forward with a robe. She held it out to me, but I shook my head. "Forgiven is not forgotten," I said. Then addressing the Queen I said loudly, "I will be more than your Shaman. My nakedness will be a reminder of what can be lost when we lose sight of our destiny and turn against our sisters."

"So be it," the Queen said, and the Shaman and I turned and left the arena.

The next dry season, the Shaman died. That was many years ago. I will soon finish my time on the wheel of life and have trained a young woman to take my place. I write these tablets and seal them with my own thumb so that future daughters will know the true story of The Naked Shaman who stood in the street outside her house each afternoon to search for guidance for her tribe.

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END OF STORY

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