The Hidden Knowledge

By MLE Balzic

Gemmabell is content with her simple life as a school teacher with her carpenter husband Rocky. She is uprooted, though, when some old friends tell her of a secret scroll they found in a grand library. Intrigued, Gemmabell seeks to discover the secret message hidden in the scroll, forging lifelong friendships along the way. During her journey, she discovers that she is about to embark on the greatest adventure of her life: being a mother. Along with her husband, their merchant friend, Orena, and a boat mender, Talus, Gemmabell seeks to uncover the mystery of the scroll.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465362247

MLE Balzic

Born on Friday the 13th, MLE has been writing and creating stories since as long as she could remember. She works at Chuck E. Cheese’s and loves her job. She is the middle child of three, with wonderful, loving parents. She loves animals, especially dogs, and has even been known to bring home strays every once in a while. She grew up and lives in Northeast Ohio. MLE has one dog, a Beagle named Snoopy who she loves dearly. She is very close to her family and friends, since family is very important to her.

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 by MLE Balzic.

Library of Congress Control Number:       PENDING

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4653-6223-0

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4653-6222-3

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4653-6224-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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105024

For my cousins

Especially Aaron, Victoria, and Mackenzie

May you find the Hidden Knowledge

And hold it close to your hearts

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 1

JeAn was a small village that seemed to be thriving, in which Gemmabell, a young woman of 17 lived. She was beautiful, with long, topaz hair and bright sapphire eyes. She was a very intelligent girl, being the youngest school teacher in the history of the small town.

Gemmabell had married at the age of sixteen. She was married to a young man named Rocky, who had pearl hair and skin, with ruby eyes. Gemmabell’s best friend had come to the village for the wedding, but had left shortly after. Gemmabell was sad to see her friend Jeweliet leave, but knew that the girl was still trying to make up for lost time with her mother.

Gemmabell’s husband was a knight, but had no job after the war was over. It had been a short war, one of only three battles. It was that war that reunited Jeweliet with her mother. Gemmabell had no friends left in JeAn, since Jeweliet’s sister did not survive the journey, and the boy who had been with them, Zircon, had chosen to stay with Jeweliet.

Of course, Gemmabell had made a few other friends, a traveling merchant named Iron and his apprentice, a young woman named Orena. Shortly after buying much carpentry from JeAn, the two left with the valuable furniture.

JeAn was known for its carpentry. Zircon, the boy who had stayed with Jeweliet, had been the carpenter’s apprentice, and the best one, too. In his absence, Rocky attempted to use his skills as a carpenter. Although he was well over the age of mastery at 19, Rocky had been trained as a knight, so he was not as experienced as the other, younger apprentices.

Rocky and Gemmabell lived happily, yet they missed the companions that they had had when they journeyed across Flaremor. They feared, at times, that they would never reunite with their friends. Rocky would always try to reassure his wife that they would, even though he, too, was skeptical.

Gemmabell’s current life consisted of going to school every weekday, teaching children who didn’t entirely seem to notice how great of a scholar she truly was. She taught them many things that had not been taught when she was in school. She wanted them to get the most out of their short educational experience.

Of course, some of the children recognized how great of a teacher Gemmabell was. If she talked about her adventure across Flaremor, all the children paid attention, since JeAn was a small, poor town, most of the people living there never leave. The children were fascinated by her adventures and wished to have her tell of them over and over.

Alright, children, Gemmabell said, entering the school house one morning. She had not been apprenticed, but due to her vast knowledge, she was appointed the school teacher, since none other wanted the job. The class contained only twenty youngsters, all the children in the village at the age of schooling, between five and ten. Once the boys turned eleven, they would choose an apprenticeship. The girls, on the other hand, would be trained by their mothers on how to be proper homemakers.

Today we are going to learn about geography. She handed each child a piece of paper. The younger children had pencils, while the older ones had quills and ink.

We are going to be learning about the vast area of Flaremor, from JeAn to TremBel.

Isn’t Flaremor the only place in the world? One youngster asked eagerly. Gemmabell smiled kindly at the lad.

No, dear, Flaremor is only one country. There are other countries, but the largest is Flaremor. In fact, I happen to know of some people who have been to the other countries. There is the country of Sparcin, which is much warmer than our climate.

Gemmabell showed them a map of Flaremor and taught them about the mountains and bodies of water. The students doodled on their papers, only a few actually writing down what she said.

After some time, there was a knock on the door, and Rocky poked his head in. Gemmabell looked nervously at him.

Class, what do we say? Gemmabell said after a moment. The children stood up.

Good morning, sir, they chanted before sitting back down. Gemmabell nodded approvingly. Rocky hurried over to her. He whispered something in her ear, and she gave him a shocked look.

Alright, children, you are dismissed early today. Class is cancelled tomorrow.

The children cheered and hurried out. When they were all gone, Gemmabell sat down, sighing.

I am not the type to just get up and leave my home, Rocky.

They think it might be very important, Rocky said. Gemmabell thought for a moment, and then nodded.

We will leave tonight.

I’ll let them know. Rocky and Gemmabell left the school house, going to their home in the small village. They packed and then Rocky went out to the stable near their small house to prepare his gorfaot, Lichen.

Lichen had smooth light greenish yellow skin. He was the size of a horse, but looked more like a frog. He had webbed feet and large emerald eyes. His snout was short and round. He was a healthy critter with rippling muscles.

We’re going out again, Lichen, Rocky said, stroking his neck. Since Rocky was a knight before settling down with Gemmabell, he was used to traveling and adventure. He had taken Gemmabell out on Lichen since settling down, just so that Lichen didn’t get stiff and out of shape.

Rocky went back inside, and the couple went about their day preparing to leave that night. They packed food, water, clean clothes, and other necessities such as a tent and sleeping sacks.

Some old friends of the couple, Iron, a travelling merchant, and his apprentice, Orena, had sent a message to Rocky, telling him that they had found something that would interest them greatly. They had sent a message to Gemmabell’s friends Jeweliet and Zircon as well, but had received no reply from them. This worried none of them, for Jeweliet was probably traveling, and Zircon followed wherever the ruby-haired Jeweliet went.

That night, as the sun was setting, Rocky lifted his wife onto Lichen, and then mounted in front of her. Gemmabell wrapped her arms around Rocky, who had packed his suit of armor rather than wear it on their journey.

They traveled through the forest on the east side of JeAn, encountering no danger. They decided to travel through the night, instead of stopping at the city of BrofEl, where Rocky had lived for a short time.

BrofEl was a strict city, where there was even a dress code for the young people dwelling there. Their friend Orena had once lived there, but was eager to leave, joining Iron on his adventures.

Once past BrofEl, the couple decided to stop and set up camp for the rest of the night. There was not much night left, but they would need to stop sometime.

I’ll make a fire, Rocky said after helping Gemmabell down off of Lichen. Lichen lay down on the cool grass. Gemmabell opened up a pearl book as Rocky went off in search of firewood. There was a map in the middle of the book, with a red line tracing the path they were to take.

Iron and Orena had summoned them to the grand library in MotRah, a large city that was full of highly intelligent people. They had a prestigious university and an even grander library, which Gemmabell had visited only once before.

Gemmabell studied the map in lantern light until Rocky formed the small logs and twigs he had gathered into a teepee shape and used the lantern to ignite a campfire. Gemmabell smiled at him, and he sat next to her on the blanket she had lain out. Rocky put an arm around his wife, looking down at the book with her.

We will have to make no stops except to rest, Gemmabell said. She had always been very practical. Gemmabell followed the red line with her index finger.

I am eager to see the library again. It is a gorgeous place.

Rocky looked away from her sheepishly. He had been with her when she had seen the library before, but was enchanted by an evil woman, and therefore, could remember very little about the visit to MotRah.

Perhaps you will find something better than what Iron and Orena have for us, Rocky suggested. Gemmabell nodded.

That would be very nice. I would love to simply sit in the library, reading all day… . Gemmabell stared into the fire, imagining doing nothing but reading all day long.

Perhaps you can, some day.

I highly doubt that I would be truly happy doing that.

Why not? Rocky gave her a curious look.

That would be a horrible waste of time. Reading may be a wonderful hobby, but it is best saved for time when there is nothing to do. I am a school teacher. When I am not teaching or cooking or cleaning, I can relax and read.

Rocky chuckled at his wife’s logic. She frowned and then rolled her eyes, returning her attention to the map.

The next day, Rocky and Gemmabell left around mid-day, packing and setting off to the east, following the path that Gemmabell had shown Rocky in the book. After traveling the whole day, they came to the city of TrebClef, which was a city that glorified the partying life. They avoided this city too; for fear that they might be sucked into such a life of foolishness.

The next day, they had to cross the Aragin Mountains. This was a difficult feat for a gorfaot. Gorfaots are comfortable on flat terrain and in the water. Mountains are very hard for a gorfaot to climb. Therefore, the couple decided to go through the mountains, which would take a whole extra day, but it was worth it to save Lichen’s comfort.

After the mountains was the desert. Gemmabell tied her long peridot gown up so that the skirt fell at her knees instead of her calves. Rocky took his tunic off, tying it around his head. He also tied his large golden shield to Lichen, putting all of their belongings on it so that they would not be too much on the gorfaot’s back. Gemmabell and Rocky were walking beside the beast, fearful that if they rode, Lichen would get sick from the heat.

Having traveled through the desert before, Rocky knew how to survive and stay healthy and safe. Also, the thought of the Eeowen Sea at the end of the desert did not hurt, either. It drove them onward.

Once making it through the desert, the couple had to rest at the home of a witch named Sapphira. Sapphira had met the two before, when they had been on an adventure with Jeweliet.

What brings you so far from JeAn? Sapphira asked, sitting in her royal blue home with the two. She had sapphire eyes and hair, and wore a beautiful sapphire gown.

We received a message from some friends of ours who are currently in MotRah, Rocky told her, accepting the fruit that she had offered them.

Yes, and we appreciate your hospitality, Gemmabell added, taking a piece of fruit from the plate.

My home is always open to you. And I believe my old friend Captain will be sailing in this evening, if you want to ride across the sea with him, Sapphira said.

Having crossed the sea before with Captain and his crew, Gemmabell and Rocky were pleased. Captain was a sailor and a sand merchant. NakRay, the port town on the other side of the sea, was full of glass blowers. The sand in NakRay was too rough for the glass blowers to make good glass, so Captain and his crew gathered crates of sand from the desert and shipped it to the glass blowers on the other shore of the sea.

When Captain sailed in that night, Mica and Quarry, brothers who were part of his crew, started to gather up sand while the elderly man talked to the couple.

We would greatly appreciate coming aboard your ship again, Captain, Gemmabell said.

I will even help you with the sand sales in NakRay, Rocky added.

I see, Captain said in his rough voice. Well, I would love to have you join us. After all, it’s only the two of you, and you will help, I’m sure. After all, you aren’t the types to take favors unreturned.

Of course not, Gemmabell nodded dutifully. We will carry our own weight and I will be glad to cook for you and the others.

Of course, my dear. I will let the boys know as soon as they finish loading the sand.

Mica and Quarry had light brown hair and the same hazel eyes. It was often very difficult to tell the two apart. But after spending a few days with them, it is easy to see which is which. They were thrilled to hear of the new shipmates for this trip, and they welcomed the two with hugs and cheers.

Once Lichen, Gemmabell, and Rocky had boarded the boat by way of the dingy being raised by Mica and Quarry, they immediately guided Lichen below deck, to the stable on the ship. There were two other gorfaots there, too. The old man, Alloy, who had once taken care of the animals, had passed away some time ago, and so Mica and Quarry took turns caring for