Framing the star was a band of brass
inlaid into the marble with symbols etched into it at each point of
the star.
She knelt down and touched it with her hand. It was very warm and had
a turquoise blue aura to it. Since she'd regained a part of her
vision, she'd been able to determine warm or cold auras but, never a
distinct color. It radiated from the plaque on the floor.
"Why is Duncan hiding this?" she wondered out loud.
"Because 'tis not for all to see." came the answer from the burly
blacksmith standing in the doorway.
*******************************

"What is it?" asked Jennifer, "This room is freezing and yet this… this plaque is warm to the touch."

The blacksmith ran his hand through his hair. "And ye say ‘tis glowin’ blue?"

"Yes, that’s right. Is there something wrong?" Jennifer was starting to get concerned.

"No, not wrong. Mayhap hard to believe, but not wrong. You’d best be puttin’ sometin’ warmer on. I’ll fetch some fire wood and the bird."

Jennifer put the brown woolen underdress over the chemise and then laced up the green surcoat over that. She couldn’t bear to put the scratchy wool leggings on again and just slipped on the soft leather shoes. She made the bed, leaving it pulled away from the alcove it usually inhabited and tucked the offending leggings under the pillow. She was building up the fire from the previous night’s embers when Duncan returned with an armload of firewood and Julian perched on his shoulder.

"I’m afraid all I have to offer this morn is coffee and porridge. You’ll have to be tellin’ me what the bird eats and I’ll see what I can scare up for him." Before Jennifer could open her mouth to reply, Julian began, "Coffee Sir, as strong as you are and I shall worship you as a god of Mount Olympus." "And some unshelled nuts if you have them," Jennifer added, "he’ll need the protein."

Once they got the breakfast preparations under way, Duncan began to explain.

"The compass was made many ages ago by a woman who was the first to appear in what has become Arcadia. She was the only one here until she made the compass.

At first, the Foundress called on people to come to her. It was as if a mad wanderlust came over them as they packed their belongings and whichever loved ones chose to attend them. They went down to the docks and found surprisingly sympathetic ship’s captains. From far and wide they came- farmers with bags of seeds, shepherds and ranchers with breeding livestock, merchants with all sorts of goods, smiths, masons, tinkers and coopers, all setting sail for parts unknown. Not all made the journey to the final port. Not that there was much of a port here at that time." The blacksmith drew a deep sigh, "Not that there’s much of a port here now."