Diaries The Saga Of Berra — Fragment 2 26
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Long wandered Berra with Prax all before her
Under her sandals the miles fell behind her
Meeting with friends by the Tournament Altar
Berra turned Eastward as guard on their journey1This obvious reference to fertility and the Paps indicates a mystical pregnancy, or a new creation. Everyone but the Sage Llewun understands this to be a sword’s birth.
Calling a halt at the flood of a wadi2c.f. ‘Xenofos in the Wilds’
Berra saw teeth in the water beneath her
Flew to the fight as a beast seized Suuraki
Struck with her swords made of iron and inferno
Still did she rest in the way of Humakti
Guarding the caravan even in parting3The parting of the group from the caravan, or the group from itself, divides opinion among modern scholars.
Warning the way had been cut by a wadi
Leading them on to the waters receding
What Really Happened
As they rode front guard for the caravan with Venlar and Mellia in it, the group came across a wadi. Berra paused to look, and was the only person not either across it or in it, when it suddenly flooded. Suuraki and Valseena were on the other side, and the rest – Xenofos, Varanis, Rajar and Toras – were in it. All managed to struggle to the far side, although Xenofos’ zebra drowned and Berra hauled it ashore with her bison, and took his things off it for safe-keeping. She then rode back to the caravan to let them know the wadi was flooded.
When she returned with them the next morning, the water was low enough that it was crossable. Suuraki rode across the river to perform the peaceful cut on the zebra, just as Berra noticed odd bite marks on it. A miniature goddess of teeth and salt launched up from the water to grab him by the leg. Berra drew her swords and attacked it, hurting it badly before Rajar and Toras arrived at the charge; Rajar finished it, much to Berra’s brief annoyance.4But then she failed Air so she wasn’t proudly angry about the stealing of her glory.
After that, and with Berra making sure that Xenofos was alright, they rode on to the Paps. Berra took only a short time there, as it was a place of great fertility, and left for Tourney Altar, taking Toras with her.[[/footnote]]
- 1This obvious reference to fertility and the Paps indicates a mystical pregnancy, or a new creation. Everyone but the Sage Llewun understands this to be a sword’s birth.
- 2c.f. ‘Xenofos in the Wilds’
- 3The parting of the group from the caravan, or the group from itself, divides opinion among modern scholars.
- 4But then she failed Air so she wasn’t proudly angry about the stealing of her glory.
