209 Y.L. Month of Sun
Castor slowly slid from the saddle, putting her fingers to her lips to show her four-year old brother Miles to remain quiet. He sighed heavily but said nothing, obviously not approving of Castor's move. She plopped to the ground and looked back at Miles and her parents, making sure that they weren't watching.
She glanced up at the pretty forest to the left and spotted the same black bird that had been following them for nearly ten minutes now. She planned on capturing it and presenting it as dinner for her mommy and daddy. He'll be so proud of me! Waiting until her family seemed to be a safe distance. She stood absolutely still, hoping to not scare the bird away.
Slowly it flew from tree to tree. Moving at a slow pace. Castor tapped her feet impatiently. The bird stopped on a low branch within ten feet of the path and cocked it's head sideways as if inspecting her. She cocked her to the side as well, observing the bird for herself. It was pretty. So dark and shiny-looking.
She slowly took a step forward. The bird just sat there looking at her so she slowly advanced more. Just as she got within a foot or so of the bird it suddenly squawked and flew away, over the treeline.
Castor looked back and saw that her mother was closing in on her. She'd have to work on sneaking. Determined to get the bird she began to make her way off the path. She was nearly into the trees when-
“Castor, come back here!” Madelyn called, catching the little six-year old just as she tried to reach the trees on the side of the path.
Castor squirmed in her mother’s arms. “But mommy I want to catch the bi-" she stopped nearly slipping up. "I want to pick some flowers
!” she said more slowly and deliberately.
“But you can’t Castor. You know that father said we must stay on the path.”
Castor still squirmed, ignoring the fact that her auburn hair was now cascading over both of her eyes. “I just want to go pick some flowers for you, mommy.” She wiped the hair from her eyes with her free hand, and gave a big innocent smile at her mother.
Madelyn laughed. “Oh no you don’t little missy. I’ve seen that smile before. You just want to get me to let go so you can run in the trees and catch that bird that's been following us. It's an ugly black crow anyway. What would you do with it?"
Castor stared directly at her mother with deep green eyes. “I promise mommy I don’t want to, I just want to pick some flowers for you.”
Madelyn sighed and called over her shoulder to her husband. “Corbin dear, would you have a little talk with our daughter.”
Corbin halted the horse,and walked back. Madelyn took the reins as they continued to walk down the dusty path.
Corbin turned to Castor and rubbed his big bushy brown beard. “Now Castor you mother told you that you aren’t allowed to go into the woods. "There could be dangerous things and we don’t want you to get hurt.”
Castor glanced over her shoulder at the trees. “But daddy-“
“Ah, no buts about it. Now look, we should be home by nightfall and then you can your friends about everything we did at Uncle’s, but until then why don’t you hop up on Hester with Miles.”
Castor kicked the dusty path. "Why does it always have to be me who is being bad?"
Corbin sighed. "Because you did what we told you not to do. Now no more complaining."
Head hanging low, Castor was picked up by Corbin and placed on the saddle behind Miles. Corbin walked alongside his wife and put his arm around her shoulders. “We have quite a daughter don’t we?”
“Quite.”
Corbin smiled. “Look on the bright side. She was rather cooperative compared to her usual stubbornness.”
Madelyn sighed. “I suppose you are right. Why do you think she wishes to be so . . . rebellious? Miles isn’t like that. He’s content to sit up on Hester and go home. ”
“You know Maddy, sometimes I wish Miles were more like Castor. I mean a man likes his son to be ambitious and to want to explore the world.” Corbin ran his hand through her red hair. At any rate, all is well right now so let’s just hurry up and get back home, hmm?”
“OK. I guess I’m somewhat exhausted by the trip and visit and Castor just has that child-like energy.“
“Sometimes I wish it were the other was around,” Corbin said.
Madelyn was about to respond when something whizzed by and slammed into Corbin’s chest. He yelled in pain and toppled to the ground, losing the reins of Hester. Madelyn screamed, dropping the reins and glancing around frantically. Several men dressed in ragged leather jerkins and shredded pants stepped out of the clearing, armed with crude spears and bows.
Corbin was struggling to pull himself up as they advanced eyes hollow, bodies malnourished.
“Madelyn get . . .children run!” he struggled to talk as he coughed, blood bubbling out of his mouth slowly.
Madelyn was frozen, fear gripping her heart and turning her nerves to stone. Castor was wide-eyed and Miles was nearly crying. The men advanced closer and closer. Corbin rolled to his knees despite the agonizing pain that sliced through his chest.
“Maddy, Ru-“ He couldn’t finish the sentence; it took to much energy. Tears burst from his eyes as he realized what was going to happen.
Madelyn finally reacted, helping to pull Corbin up.
“No, no, let . . .go. I’ll . . .get . . .children must go . . . love you all!”
With that he collapsed, heart stopped. Dead.
Madelyn lost control, screaming frantically. “Corbin! Corbin, no!”
A hand clasped her right wrist and she saw that one of the armed men had grabbed her. Miles was shaking and sobbing, yelling “Daddy!” and Castor was trying to dismount, face red, anger burning in her heart.
Something clicked in her brain. Desperate for her children Madelyn yanked as hard as she could and broke free from the man’s grasp. She shoved Castor back in the saddle, thrust the reins into her hands, and slapped the horse’s rump as hard as she could. Tears streaming down her eyes she yelled hoarsely “I love you children! Never forget that!”
Castor tried to resist her mother, but she was forced back into the saddle and then Hester was dashing down the path. Tears pouring incessantly, hair a tangled mess, she looked back and heard her mother screaming those words. “I love you children!”
~ ~ ~
Everything was happening so fast that Castor's small brain could not handle it. She was confused and bewildered and hurt. Miles sat in front of her, more emotional than she. His small head was buried in Hester’s mane but Castor could still hear the sobs wracking his frail four-year old body.
Anger burned and thrashed in Castor’s soul like a restless maniac, looking for anything to devour. How could it happen to them? Why were those men so mean? What happened to mother? Mother! In agony and fear and frustration she screamed. And screamed. And screamed, until she could bear the hurt in her heart no more, and she no longer had the energy in her chest to make sound. And she silently wept, caring not where Hester may ride, her mind numb. She slumped against the back of Miles, remembering only to hold onto the reins before slipping off to sleep, totally exhausted.
~ ~ ~
A gentle hand caressing Castor’s cheek awoke her. She jumped, fearful of anything and everything. A man was on his haunches besides her, bowl of water in his hands. She immediately tried to scoot back but he put a hand on her shoulder.
“You have nothing to fear. You are safe.” He spoke so gently, so calmly, so reassuringly.
Castor hesitantly stopped, rubbing her eyes, still scared out of her wits.
“You have had a terrible day but you are safe.” His voice! It was kind, soothing, nothing like Castor had heard. The closest thing she thought of was her father. And with that came the gut-wrenching pain that she had momentarily forgotten and she struggled to not cry, trying to stay firm.
“Let me introduce myself,” the man said, putting down the bowl and extending his hand. “My name is Jeric. What is yours?”
Castor stood rock-solid, staring at the outstretched hand. Could she trust him? “My name is . . .”
He pulled his hand back and smiled “it’s alright if you do not wish to tell me. Would you like some food?”
Now that he mentioned it Castor’s stomach did feel awfully empty. She nodded quickly, not moving. The man smiled and pointed to Castor’s side. She glanced that way and saw Miles was on the grass, sleeping, his small body rising up and down slowly.
The man turned to rummage through a leather sack and Castor took the time to look around. The sun was sinking low and long shadows stretched across a small clearing they were in. Right behind her was a log and she slowly sat on it, shivering. Not that it was cold, but because of everything that had happened. There was a pain in her heart she couldn’t describe, and yet this man seemed to wipe it away. His voice was quiet and kind. Castor decided that she could trust him.
He handed her an apple which she happily bit into. The man went about making a fire and soon small flames were dancing about casting eerie shadows in the clearing. He sat cross-legged next to the fire near Miles, chewing on a piece of bread.
Castor stared into the flames and watched them play and frolic as if in a game of tag. Slowly she began to scoot closer and closer to them, the warmth drawing her in. She stopped merely inches away from the fire, soaking in the heat. A twig snapped and popped and she jumped back, frightened. The man smiled at her and patted the ground next to his side. “You can sit over here if you wish. Would you like to wake your brother?”
Castor nodded, walking tentatively to Miles. She leaned down and tapped Miles’ shoulder gently. He stirred and rubbed his eyes as he woke up slowly. He took one look at the man with the blond hair and scooted back. Castor grabbed his arm. “Don’t worry Miles he’s . . . a friend.”
She turned to the man. “My name is . . . Castor.”
She extended her hand ever so slowly. He took it and gave a good shake. He smiled and turned to Miles. “My name is Jeric. You have nothing to fear.”
Castor sat down next to him, and for some reason she did feel safe.
This is long, and I am planning on possibly scrapping it. But thanks for the review; if I don't scrap it this will come in handy!
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