Anat

Courtier Tales: Anat

Today you were not working so you were wondering how you managed to be in search of yet another dragon. Let along a dragon so very far far away. It was going to take all three of your days off to find this dragon yet here you were doing it. All because of a favor you had promised to do for a friend. The dragon you were looking for was called Anat.... the picture you had been shown reminded you oddly of a crocodile. Which was strange considering this was a nocturnal dragon. And you had never known a crocodile to fly. Yet that was the strongest impression you got from Anat's picture. However you still had to go find this dragon, this Anat. Anat it seemed was a traveler or at least seemed to be one from the literature you had been given. The latest book was titled simply "Far Far Away, Travels of Beyond. It was filled with pictures and stories of places that were quite a distance away. The pictures were striking and mixed with them was sketches and stories about different people and cultures. And here you were going to a book signing for your friend. And all you got out of this was travel funds and dinner. This was seeming suspiciously like a job that Draca might be giving to you.

Well it was not like you had gotten out of it. And at least the book gave you something to read. And you found it was actually quite interesting this book called Far Far Away, Travels of Beyond. You were currently tucked in at night reading a story of a desert culture who rode on giant Lizards. And who treated water as more precious then blood, to be the most valuable thing that they had. Of course in a desert water was life. It was the thing that allowed food to be grown and people and animals to live. But it was amazing on how Anat captured that feeling. That reverence to water in the simple pictures, drawings, and stories. The words were not complex. The sentences were not overly long or intricate. Yet they seemed to perfectly capture the feeling and culture. Soon it seemed almost like you were there. And the smells and sounds of the world around you faded and twisted into the smells and sounds of the world of the tale. Of the desert people. As the words morphed into images that played before your eyes.

Finally you had to go to sleep and the next day you knew you would arrive to the book signing. And as you took a break you decided to read some more. This time you lost yourself into another series of tales. This one was about a different culture A jungle culture deep in the wildness of trees, plants, and rivers. Again you were drawn into the tale... the simple style captured the spirit of the people. Their wild spirit, the love for the hash wild land, the reverence for the power of water and their bone deep respect for the animals and trees. They also shared a powerful relation to water. Rivers were the roads in the jungle. They were the surest highways yet they were also like wild beasts willing to buck their banks and rage unchecked if the conditions were right. They showed an off love of color and a reverence to life that appealed to you. But what got you most is the name they gave Anat... Sky Crocodile. It seemed that you were not the only one who saw the connection. That pleased you in an odd way. Still it was time to go... you still had a ways to go. You carefully closed the book. And got back to the road. Soon you found where you could take public transportation the rest of the way there. That was a relief. As there was no way you could make it all on your feet. Also it meant you could read more.

Sure enough that is what you found yourself doing. Another chapter and another place Far Far Away from here. This time you were in a land of ice and snow. A place that water was usually in the solid variety. You smiled a little at the story of the playful antics of the children who still found now in the simple things even in such a harsh land. One picture made you smile. It was of a group of children playing with some dogs and a leather ball on a field of snow under a sky speckled with snow. You could almost hear the children laughing. A second picture showed those same children and dogs hauling firewood in sleds. Still laughing. Children were children no matter where they were. You think you could like this Anat. Or at least like her work.

Soon enough you were there and you gulped at the length of the line. However you soon found that there was two signing going on and Anat had a shorter line. It seemed not everyone was as taken by the work as your friend was. Or as well as you were. You already decided to buy the book for yourself as well. You soon were in line and as you waited you pondered the stories you had read. And a theme of the power of water. However your thoughts were interrupted as you now had to buy a book for yourself. And then faced the dragon in question. The feeling you had of you facing a crocodile still met you. However you also get this feeling that the crocodile in question is not dangerous to you, And in fact is smiling. You smile back and said "I enjoy your book Anat..... you are very good at capturing the people. I came to get my friends book signed but I am here to also get my own book signed. Anat smiled at you. "I am glad you like my work." She deftly moved to sign the books. "It is how I catalog my travels. I take pictures and write stories. To help make sure that I remember it. And so others can enjoy it as well." You agreed with that. And you took your two signed books and moved so the next person in line could have a short talk as they had their book signed. You smiled and said a silent farewell to the dragon. However you knew it would not be forever. No this was the parting of a person you would meet again. After all you were both travelers. And paths once separated could meet once again even if the meeting place was far far away.