Sophia communing with her grandmother
They are even part of my dreams
Click the puzzle piece to work a jigsaw puzzle
The Indigo Jewel
Chapter 2 - Sophia
Intro,
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
Epilogue,
Afterward
History is made up of countless strands, the experiences of many lives. I may be the only person in the world who can commune with the grandmothers who came before me. - Sophia (491-442 BC)
Sophia stood at the edge of the field, her fingers brushing against the barley heads just beginning to ripen. The sun bathed the land in a warm glow, and in the distance, she could see Alec tending to the vineyard. He was singing a familiar tune, the sound drifting toward her, steady and comforting. She wanted to join him, but the jewel burned in her pocket, pressing against her thoughts like an unspoken question.
She had spent countless hours with the jewel, and yet she felt no closer to understanding its full purpose. It was both a blessing and a burden, a source of wonder and an anchor of responsibility. It offered her glimpses of lives she had never lived, of women whose struggles and triumphs were contained within its depths. Holding and protecting it had become her passion. She spent so many countless hours staring into it that it has become an obsession, constantly in her thoughts, even part of her dreams.
Sophia tightened her grip around the jewel, the familiar hum vibrating through her palm. She felt the presence of her grandmothers — soft whispers at the edges of her mind. “You are strong, Sophia,” one of them said, her voice layered with the voices of others. Another offered a quiet warning, “Always be on your guard. Trust the jewel, even when it is confusing.”
The voices comforted her, but they also weighed heavily on her. The jewel demanded much, and though it filled her with a sense of connection, it often left her feeling alone. She glanced back at Alec, her heart tugging in two directions. He had given her nothing but love and understanding, yet she couldn’t tell him the truth. How could she share the enormity of the jewel’s secret without putting him in danger?
That night, after Alec had fallen asleep, Sophia sat by the fire with the jewel resting in her palm. The flames cast flickering light across its facets, and she watched as the deep indigo hues seemed to shift and swirl. She closed her eyes, letting the jewel guide her. The connection was startling — a rush of images and emotions filled her mind.
She found herself walking through the memories of Nanshe, long ago. Nanshe was the most loving grandmother she had met in the jewel. She had lived far away and struggled with letting go of the jewel. When she finally gave it to her daughter, a being within the jewel gave her a revelation. It promised she would be with her daughter, and all her grandaughters, long after her earthly existence ended. This gave her a sense of peace she had never imagined.
Through the eyes of her grandmothers, Sophia sometimes saw glimpses of the future — faint, fragmented visions of what was to come. She sensed that change was coming, but was comforted knowing the jewel was always watching out for her. It was her protector.
“I want to know what is going to happen. Please tell me,” she whispered aloud. The jewel offered no answer, only warmth. Sophia squeezed tighter, frustration rising within her. She had always prided herself in her independence, her ability to face any challenge. But the jewel had thrown her life into a state of constant uncertainty. It gave her visions, but withheld clarity. It gave her purpose, but withheld freedom.
In the morning, Sophia walked to the river to clear her head. The water sparkled in the early light, a fragile beauty that reminded her of the life she was building with Alec. She knelt at the edge, dipping her hand into the cool current.
As she looked up, she caught sight of a falcon soaring high above, its wings cutting through the sky with effortless grace. She envied its freedom, its ability to glide without fear or doubt. Yet even the falcon needed the ground — it could not soar forever. In that moment, Sophia resolved to do whatever was necessary to protect Alec and the life they had built together. If the jewel demanded sacrifice, she would give it. If it demanded strength, she would find it.
But a small part of her wondered, what will it ask of me next?
Copyright © 2025 Elton Smith