And then Gonyaul said...

Gonyaul was instructed to remain at the Keep and so he obliged that request. The Keep had turned into a familiar place as of late and in all honesty a vacation resort from his normal lifestyle. The young man seemed quite resilient. The new day brought with him a new smile, as if he had already processed and overcome the horrors of the previous events.

He was an oddity to the soldiers and attendants. Initially a joke, "the man in a dress" "the crazy tongue" "the dancing flower" "the pondering statue"; however, over the course of days that tune had started changing. It was like the tiny drips inside a cavern, where calcium deposits over time formed into beautiful and impressive structures such as stalagmites and stalactites. Those around the Keep, which held lowly positions, began to appreciate him for his authentic service, desire to hear them, and radiant peddling of hope.

Gonyaul spent each day the same. He would wake early and meditate at length, with a wrapping around his eyes, and then slowly perform dance-like movements to physiologically experience his culture's lore. The weird looks or jeers didn't seem to phase him at all. He would partake in meals, but he didn't speak much at all unless spoken to. Then for the remainder of the day he would wander about the Keep, wherever he would be permitted to go like a child on a curious adventure. It would not be uncommon to turn a corner, enter a public room, go outside, etc... and find him meditating or looking at something as if trying to unravel the mysteries of the universe.

In doing so, he came across all types of people going about their business. And that is when he started asking questions; always starting with "What's your story?" He actually started helping the "help" with their chores and responsibilities in the effort to have the opportunity to connect conversationally. And strangely enough after epic amounts of listening on Gonyaul's part, they eventually started asking him questions. It was never about him, but about things they were dealing with; made known as they spoke about life with Gonyaul.

One of the cooks could be overheard one evening saying to another journeyman, "And then Gonyaul told me, 'Resentment and compliant are appropriate neither for oneself nor others. Life is not just about learning, but unlearning."

After a session at the bathhouse an exiting soldier could be heard in passing comment, "And then Gonyaul said, 'Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm, meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly."

A stable hand while brushing a horse's backside replied to a friend working in the next stall, "And then Gonyaul said, 'Truth is not what you want it to be, it is what it is and you must bend to its power or live a lie. Denial of this will cause your destiny to avoid you and you will be invited into aimless darkness."

Some maids chattering with each other as they folded the freshly aired laundry, "And then Gonyaul said, "Think lightly of yourself and deeply of this world."

A journeyman in the bathhouse whispered to the person he was helping to bathe and massage, "And then Gonyaul said, 'You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain."

Another soldier during lunch was overheard sharing with his buddies, "And then Gonyaul said, "Today is a victory over yourself from yesterday. Tomorrow is your victory over lesser men."

Of course he didn't speak as fluently as they shared to others. Gonyaul's speech was typically missing conjunctions, pronouns, or used simpler synonyms, etc...; however, his meaning apparently made an impact as others filled in the gaps themselves. News of his comments were circulating via gossip and Gonyaul started experience more people (entirely staff) coming up to him to ask him things. Gonyaul was pleased to listen and continue sharing. He remained humble through the entire experience because it wasn't his own wisdom he was sharing, but just passing on the things he had be taught from the elders of his people.

Currently he was sitting Indian-style in a hall way staring at a tapestry on the wall. He had been at it for awhile with a content smile on his face, as if listening to the tapestry talk in the silence.