Hey everyone who is reading, I split this chapter into part one and part two so that it would be easier to read. I hope you like it! (:
Chapter 4, Travels:
I woke up in a dusky haze of late evening. My eyes blurred from sleep, I sat up and stretched. It almost felt like I was in a deep hibernation and woke up at the dawn of spring.
“How did you sleep?” Trenton asked, staring into the trees.
I yawned, “Good, would you like to get some rest?”
Trenton stood up, “I’m fine, I will rest when I get you to the elves.”
Trenton helped me up from my bed of grass and offered me a chunk of our stale bread. I took it and ate it in a few bites. Trenton hooked the pack around his back and we began our long journey until it was to dark. Earlier, we had the source of light that radiated off of the towns, now we didn’t. We were to far to get a streak of light from here.
“Where exactly are we?” I asked, jumping over a stump that jutted out of the rich soil.
It almost seemed like it was Trenton’s second nature to name where we were at. We were in the Teirre forest which was a large expansion of land and we were just traveling along it’s edge.
“How many more towns will we cross?”
“Three total.” Trenton sighed.
Minutes passed before Trenton asked, “What element did you stop at?”
Surprised by his question, I said, “Air.”
“You need to learn fire then so it will be a fair match against the Darkness.” Trenton kicked a small stone.
“What’s the Darkness?”
“He was the other Mover who turned to dark magic and turned evil as the King himself.” Trenton turned to look at me.
“I have to fight the Darkness?” I looked at Trenton in disbelief.
Trenton didn’t look me in the eye, “Yes, you do.”
“And I have to... defeat him?”
“Yes.”
My voice caught in my throat from the thought of battling against the most powerful man, even more powerful than the King himself, and defeating him. When my voice returned, I shuddered, “I can’t. I can’t defeat him.”
Trenton gripped my shoulder tightly and turned me so I faced him, “Yes you can. You are more powerful than you give yourself credit for. You can do this.”
My gray eyes caught Trenton’s bright crystal ones and stayed there. I couldn’t look away. Almost ashamed, Trenton drew away and continued walking. Embarrassment engulfed me, leaving me numb.
To keep the awkwardness to a minimum, I asked, “Who was your mother?”
Trenton seemed to sadden and I started to apologize.
“It’s alright. Her name was Lillian and she was murdered along with many other people. It was shortly after the war began and after I was born.”
I fell quiet.
“My father, angry at the loss of his wife, began to side with the elves and started to become a spy for them. As I grew up, I was surrounded by my father’s hidden life.” Trenton ended. I could tell he didn’t want to continue further.
“I’m sorry.” I muttered.
Trenton shrugged it off, then said, “We will need to purchase food at the next town we cross through. There isn’t nearly enough to keep us well.”
“Okay.” I said, watching my steps.
Ahead, the sky was slowly closing and opening up to night. We would have to find a suitable camp spot for the night.
“How far is the next town?” My foot skimmed over a large log.
Trenton looked at our surroundings that were becoming shadowed from the lack of sunlight and said, “Approximately a half-days travel, maybe a day. The closest town is Alden, then we will pass through the Capitol, then Otrem. Alden and the Capitol are rather close to one another, so that will be a short distance to cover. After we pass Otrem, then we will be able to reach the elves.”
I nodded.
“We should camp here for the night.” Trenton looked a round the small clearing in the midst of trees that was only large enough for us two, maybe a large deer. Trenton took a large gulp from the water skin then handed me the skin to take a drink as well. Since we have been taking sips from it the whole trip, it was nearly empty.
“I can refill it.” I offered.
“Go ahead.” Trenton said, smoothing out a spot in the grass and weeds for his bed.
Focusing on the moist ground that was in front of me, I twisted my wrists upwards, letting my being become the water. Higher, I flicked my wrists, pulling the water out of the ground. In a steady stream of clear liquid, the water arose from the rich soil. My hands flowed the water into the water skin, filling it in a matter of seconds.
The whole time, Trenton was watching in awe.
I screwed the top of the water skin and handed it back to him to place in the pack, oblivious that he was watching me the whole time. Seeing his expression, I looked away quickly, embarrassed and began to smooth out my bed in the tall grass and weeds.
Trenton, who was also embarrassed, placed the water skin in the pack. To rid the wedge of awkwardness beween us, he said, “We may need to hunt so we could have another source of food.”
“I can’t eat meat.”
Trenton looked up, “Why not?”
“I grew up not eating meat, and it’s my family’s culture to do so.” I took off my coat so that my whole white silk dress was noticeable.
“Oh, I forgot about that tradition. We won’t hunt then.” Trenton said.
“You can, I just won’t have my share of it.” I explained. I didn’t want to let him refuse meat because I do.
“It’s fine.” Trenton finished making a suitable bed for the night and stood up looking at his work.
Feeling out of place, I squirmed. I never have been in a situation that dealt with anything like this, feeling awkward. It never would occur to me since the only person that I ever communicated with was my grandmother, no one else.
“What is it like?” My mind pondered on how the Elf Kingdom was like. Was the grass as green as the sky was blue? Was it the same as where I am now?
“What are you asking about?” Trenton turned his head to face me.
I furrowed me eyebrows together, trying to reword my question. Then I asked, “The Elf Kingdom, what is it like?”
Trenton looked back up at the stars that were freckled across the sky, and said, “Much more glorious than here. Everything is beautiful, cared for, full of life. It is a wonderful place to be.” Trenton paused, “I’m sure you will understand what I say once you see it for yourself. You will be amazed. I know I was when I first saw how the elves live.”
Trying to think of another question, I tilted my head sideways at the stars. In an innocent tone, I asked, “Will I ever see my grandmother again?”
Trenton closed his eyes, thinking of an appropriate answer. He opened them again and looked into my eyes, “It is possible, but it may be in a horrible situation.”
I knew it must have pained him to say this, but I was thankful for his honesty. My body shuddered at the thought of seeing my grandmother, locked up in chains and cuffs. A slow breeze ruffled my hair into my eyes. From my mix of emotions of sadness, pain, and fright, I pushed back my hair messily. My eyes now began to blur from the tears forming.
Trenton, noticing my state of being, began saying comforting things and rubbing my arm to help me calm. Even though we met a little less than two days ago, it felt as if we have known one another for years. I was glad that I had a new friend.
Trenton reached into his pack and pulled out two stale pieces of our bread. He handed me one, while kept himself the other. I took a bite of the bread, the crunch hurting my jaw, except that I was so famished, I didn’t refuse the food.
Besides me, Trenton ate the bread in just a small amount of bites and was already dozing in and out of sleep.
“You can rest, I will keep watch until you wake up. I am okay with it.” I reassured him, feeling more stable now that my emotions passed.
Trenton yawned, then said, “I told you that I won’t rest until I get you to the elves.”
“It makes no difference to me. Just rest for now, you truly need it.”
Trenton yawned again, and his eyes quickly closed. Soon enough, he was asleep.
I looked off into the sky, wondering further about the Elf Kingdom and how it would amaze me like Trenton said. My head tilted over to look at Trenton, and I noticed then that he had a distinct scar that must have been covered by hair just above his right ear. The cut seemed sharp and purposeful rather than accidental. The way the scar was straight and not jagged confirmed my suspicion that it wasn't accidental. In the back of my mind, I itched to ask him about it. Learning from my previous experience of asking him about his mother, I told my self that I had to refuse asking him about his past.
Careful not to wake Trenton, I sat up in the grass so I could see him better. I never noticed how his lips were always curved into somewhat of a smile. I continued on watching him, for no real reason, until he began turning over as if restless. Quietly, I laid back down onto my bed of weeds and grass. A slight breeze ruffled the trees surrounding me.
I searched into the woods for any movement or shadow; nothing. Stiffness and boredom crept into me. I sat upright again and leaned against a tree trunk that encircled our camp. In front of me, I spotted a stone that was sharp and jagged in shape. Focusing on that rock, I let my mind melt into it and began to move it into the air. My body felt as hard and forceful as the rock itself as I began to lift it higher and higher into the air. I cringed my hand and the rock popped and fell onto the dirt in a pile of fine rock.
Again, I turned my attention to every piece of the rock. In synchronization, I brought my hands together, Moving the rock into a rounded shape until it hardened and became whole again. Carefully, I lifted the rock into the air again and Moved it directly into my palm. My thumb traced the slight indents in the rock and flipped it over. The color of it was darkened from the lack of light it was given, but I could make out that it was a light gray.
Through the whole night, I continued the process of destroying and forming over again. It was a practice my grandmother made me complete for much of the day. I attempted it with water, earth and air and completed each. For water, I froze water in midair, then broke it apart in sharp points, then turned it back into liquid. Air was more tricky. I had to practice creating a strong enough wind to cause much damage, and a lighter wind to cool my home in the summer.
Through the whole night, I did this using water and earth, but not wind since I was afraid it would wake Trenton.
Thanks for reading! The rest of this chapter is in part two, (:
