Kinderling 24

 In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:

The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1

Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing.  It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice.  

Now back to our story, already in progress....

I didn't know what to think.  Part of me bristled at the thought of my people being written off as being too weak and lacking faith, but part of me understood.  It's true.  Kinderlings don't have a central faith.  Everyone just figures things out for themselves.  Mama has a little shrine where she prays to the spirits of the herbs she uses for healing.  Father...  I don't know what Father does.  He seems to venerate history and knowledge.  At the same time, there is the little chapel in the village where weddings are sometimes held, and babies are dedicated to... well... whatever the parents want to dedicate them to.  I am told that I was dedicated to "Serving the good of the village", whatever that means.

Father once told me that the village infirmary, which is located next door to the chapel, was once Priests of the chapel, and not to push Mama about why she didn't work in the infirmary because some of the Priests teaching still held sway there.

But what does that mean to us today?  Did the Kinderlings once have faith?  Did that make us less dangerous now that we lost it?  Why would faith make us dangerous?

Then I thought about the last Kinderling King.  Did he have faith?  Was that how he nearly wiped out the Surface Gorfs?  I almost asked Watcher, but then thought better of it.  Would he know?  Would I get an honest answer?  How would I know if I did or not?

"I see from the look on your face that I gave you much to ponder."  Watcher said.  "I believe you that the lost tribe isn't here, and it seems you Kinderlings have a lot more to worry about than a few lost fallen."

"Wait!  Maybe we could help each other."  I begged.  "Mama and Uncle Zon were looking for you to ask if you could help us find a way to rescue the Kinderling villagers who are being held in the mines.  If you can do that, in turn maybe I can help you find your missing Gorfs."

"They aren't mine!"  Watcher exclaimed, "They are -grumble- tribe...  And I suppose they are kin to my wife, who I hold dear.  What do you have in mind."

"You know the caves and tunnels connecting to the mines better than we do, can you think of a path that would allow us sneak in and get our people out?"

"That should be simple enough.  I can show you the way."  Watcher said.  "You will need to promise me that none of your people will use that knowledge to try to contact the Deep Gorfs.  They would not be happy that I helped.  I think they would rather you Kinderlings kill each other off."

"Really?  I thought you said they thought we were too weak and faithless to be a danger."

"Weak and faithless yes, and try as I might to explain to them the magic that many of you Kinderlings use, they think I'm just making it up to ingratiate myself with the Priesthood so I can end my exile.  Truth is, I don't want to go back.  I love -grumble-, every day she amazes me with how kind and brilliant she can be.  If the Priesthood found out about her, they would name me a blasphemer, and say our marriage is an affront to Gorphom.  They're wrong though, I have taught her, she has learned to read and write, and appreciate art."

"I would love to meet her one day, she sounds wonderful."

"And you shall.  But first we must free your people, then we can look towards finding -grumble- people too." Watcher was on a roll.  "I think it's time I met your Mama, and had a talk with your Uncle Zon."