Before there was Earth-that-was, there was the-land-that-is, River’s nanny tells her. It’s old, old, old, so far back that almost no one remembers.
In the-land-that-is, there are many things; beasts and forests and creatures strange and fair. River’s nanny tells her stories, as many as she can remember or make up. It’s all the same to River, of course, with her too-bright eyes and too-fast thoughts. They’re stories and not true and serve very little purpose.
River still likes to hear the stories, on rainy days and shady afternoons on the lawn, tired from playing with Simon.
-she screams and wants to run, her legs don’t work she’s tied down and blue hands reach inside her brain and rip out river-
*
Nanny tells of giant birds that could talk and of demons not like dragons in the least. Sometimes she talks of people who were special, who knew more than anyone ever had before or after. They were strong and beautiful and disappeared long before the-land-that-is became earth-that-was. Nothing gold can stay, says Nanny.
River smiles and calculates the probability of a lizard’s ancestor living in caves and shooting flame and smoke. Into the millions of trillions. Statistical impossibility.
-at night she dreams in smoke and flame and a giant bird swoops in to save her from blue hands and the darkcoldshadow that surrounds her. The dreams keep her safe, she knows. But they still aren’t real-
*
Nanny tells of funny little folk who make shoes and drink too much, they cause mischief and mayhem, mucking up the order of things. And of one who was brave and true and always did the job that needed doing, even though everyone else thought he was too small. He had a silly friend who followed him and was helpful in the end, with what ever it was they had to do.
River thought it strange that the little people made shoes but didn’t wear them. Inconsistency.
-the day she wakes up naked is like breathing again. Heart beating, eyes seeing, Simon’s there, he knew the code, he helped her, saved her. Her mind’s broken, stolen away somewhere. she needs to find it to help Simon but now she dreams when she’s awake and she’s living in a giant bird-
*
Nanny tells of dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, and the little ones that overcame them. And she tells about an old man with a staff who does his best to keep people safe, keep them all in on piece. River likes him, though she doesn’t say. Especially not to Simon. He’s busy now, says Nanny. He’s got a lot of school to think of. And so do you, young lady.
She’s bored of school. She wants something new, something that’s worth her time. She goes looking for a challenge.
-Mal, captain, sir, hundan. He’s in charge here. River likes him, though she doesn’t say. Especially not to Simon. sometimes the dark is too much for simon and he hides from her and tries to find the sun. kaylee helps him look. but Mal never hides from her. She watches him with dreameyes and thinks. Like, yes. But do not trust. Too many secrets between them to share. Might break something-
*
Nanny tells of magic and of coming back from the dead. From darkness to white. When she was little, River didn't believe. But now, now the dangers untold are around her, they shake her and snake into her and she can't speak and she can't tell, they're dangers untold and she closes her eyes and prays to the land-that-is for magic and for coming back from the dead. She's dead, she's sure of it. So she closes her eyes when it is dark and haunts Simon.
Bring me back from the dead, she says.
-the day she woke up naked was like breathing again. Heart beating, eyes seeing, Simon’s there, he knew the code, he helped her, saved her. she dreams when she’s awake and she’s living in a giant bird-
*
Nanny tells of birds that talk. River didn't believe, before she died. But now she knows Serenity. And Serenity doesn't mind if she repeats herself or can't find the parts of her thoughts that make sense or how sometimes she just likes to feel the stars… Nanny says the starts talk, too.
River wondered how it all worked, with the chatter going on. Now she hears. Now she knows.
-at night she hears Serenity's song and thinks of being whole and safe from bluehands. she knows what she must do. a whisper rushes inside of her, calling. Miranda!-
*
Nanny tells of names and their meanings. River is obvious, of course. And Simon is one who hears. River laughs and says Simon doesn't listen. But Nanny gets a look in her eyes and says He might not listen, but he hears, River. Semantics. Nanny's name is Elanor. It's old, she says. As old as names like Diana or Tiffany. Older, maybe.
River wonders what Elanor means, but Nanny doesn't say.
-she stands in serenity, all alone, and screams to the land-that-is. help me! i need to fix miranda!-
*
Nanny says be careful what you wish for. You might get more than you wanted. And River knows that, she really does. But Miranda's in her head and Serenity's in her heart and she's loosing grip on the others, Simon and Mal and the ones who keep her dreams safe.
River stands and wishes, feet planted, hands in fists. And suddenly, she feels something smooth and warm in her hand. Warm and round and gold, with fire trapped inside.
-yes, it is help, it is a weapon, a safeguard. it is warm and loving and full of hope.-
Clutching it tightly, River smiles. This is what she needs.
-it's mine. my precious.-
In the-land-that-is, there are many things; beasts and forests and creatures strange and fair. River’s nanny tells her stories, as many as she can remember or make up. It’s all the same to River, of course, with her too-bright eyes and too-fast thoughts. They’re stories and not true and serve very little purpose.
River still likes to hear the stories, on rainy days and shady afternoons on the lawn, tired from playing with Simon.
-she screams and wants to run, her legs don’t work she’s tied down and blue hands reach inside her brain and rip out river-
*
Nanny tells of giant birds that could talk and of demons not like dragons in the least. Sometimes she talks of people who were special, who knew more than anyone ever had before or after. They were strong and beautiful and disappeared long before the-land-that-is became earth-that-was. Nothing gold can stay, says Nanny.
River smiles and calculates the probability of a lizard’s ancestor living in caves and shooting flame and smoke. Into the millions of trillions. Statistical impossibility.
-at night she dreams in smoke and flame and a giant bird swoops in to save her from blue hands and the darkcoldshadow that surrounds her. The dreams keep her safe, she knows. But they still aren’t real-
*
Nanny tells of funny little folk who make shoes and drink too much, they cause mischief and mayhem, mucking up the order of things. And of one who was brave and true and always did the job that needed doing, even though everyone else thought he was too small. He had a silly friend who followed him and was helpful in the end, with what ever it was they had to do.
River thought it strange that the little people made shoes but didn’t wear them. Inconsistency.
-the day she wakes up naked is like breathing again. Heart beating, eyes seeing, Simon’s there, he knew the code, he helped her, saved her. Her mind’s broken, stolen away somewhere. she needs to find it to help Simon but now she dreams when she’s awake and she’s living in a giant bird-
*
Nanny tells of dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, and the little ones that overcame them. And she tells about an old man with a staff who does his best to keep people safe, keep them all in on piece. River likes him, though she doesn’t say. Especially not to Simon. He’s busy now, says Nanny. He’s got a lot of school to think of. And so do you, young lady.
She’s bored of school. She wants something new, something that’s worth her time. She goes looking for a challenge.
-Mal, captain, sir, hundan. He’s in charge here. River likes him, though she doesn’t say. Especially not to Simon. sometimes the dark is too much for simon and he hides from her and tries to find the sun. kaylee helps him look. but Mal never hides from her. She watches him with dreameyes and thinks. Like, yes. But do not trust. Too many secrets between them to share. Might break something-
*
Nanny tells of magic and of coming back from the dead. From darkness to white. When she was little, River didn't believe. But now, now the dangers untold are around her, they shake her and snake into her and she can't speak and she can't tell, they're dangers untold and she closes her eyes and prays to the land-that-is for magic and for coming back from the dead. She's dead, she's sure of it. So she closes her eyes when it is dark and haunts Simon.
Bring me back from the dead, she says.
-the day she woke up naked was like breathing again. Heart beating, eyes seeing, Simon’s there, he knew the code, he helped her, saved her. she dreams when she’s awake and she’s living in a giant bird-
*
Nanny tells of birds that talk. River didn't believe, before she died. But now she knows Serenity. And Serenity doesn't mind if she repeats herself or can't find the parts of her thoughts that make sense or how sometimes she just likes to feel the stars… Nanny says the starts talk, too.
River wondered how it all worked, with the chatter going on. Now she hears. Now she knows.
-at night she hears Serenity's song and thinks of being whole and safe from bluehands. she knows what she must do. a whisper rushes inside of her, calling. Miranda!-
*
Nanny tells of names and their meanings. River is obvious, of course. And Simon is one who hears. River laughs and says Simon doesn't listen. But Nanny gets a look in her eyes and says He might not listen, but he hears, River. Semantics. Nanny's name is Elanor. It's old, she says. As old as names like Diana or Tiffany. Older, maybe.
River wonders what Elanor means, but Nanny doesn't say.
-she stands in serenity, all alone, and screams to the land-that-is. help me! i need to fix miranda!-
*
Nanny says be careful what you wish for. You might get more than you wanted. And River knows that, she really does. But Miranda's in her head and Serenity's in her heart and she's loosing grip on the others, Simon and Mal and the ones who keep her dreams safe.
River stands and wishes, feet planted, hands in fists. And suddenly, she feels something smooth and warm in her hand. Warm and round and gold, with fire trapped inside.
-yes, it is help, it is a weapon, a safeguard. it is warm and loving and full of hope.-
Clutching it tightly, River smiles. This is what she needs.
-it's mine. my precious.-