THE FIRST REALM: RED — Sharing a meal

When it was time to eat, birds called out the news. The villagers put down their tools, gave thanks, and made their way to the communal dining halls.

Then the music fell silent.

The dwarves reserved two times for silence: meals and rest. When they sat down at the table, they thanked all the beings who had made the food possible. Then they prayed that the creatures of the enchanted regions at the farthest reaches of the universe, including the dragons, might also have food to eat.

They chose a small portion as an offering to Mother Earth. They set it down carefully and began their meal, paying attention to every bite.

Skyblue found it difficult at first. In her village, dinner was the time for gossip, scoldings, and grievances left over from the day. Several times she almost began a conversation, only to stop when she looked at the others.

Gradually, she began to discover what was on her plate. Flavors changed when she did not hurry; an herb she had eaten many times could surprise her if she took the time to chew it.

After one of those meals, she went to find Yaseee.

“Why do you pray for the dragons? They think of you as their enemies.”

“That doesn’t mean we have to think of them as ours.”

Skyblue waited, as though part of the answer were missing.

“Remembering them with love helps us remember that they’re our brothers and sisters, too,” he added. “We come from the same origin, even if some have forgotten.”

Skyblue thought of the alarm they had sounded over a wounded dwarf. It was hard to imagine her neighbors saying such a prayer.