Chapter 6 Exodus
1597 Words
Anton
Warm.
So comfortable.
I opened my eyes slowly, stretching my arms and gazed at the window, strands of sunlight penetrating even the dark red drapes and illuminating it, scattering red light over my bed.
I got up, opened the curtains. Sunlight blinded me for a moment. The outside looked beautiful.
Today is a good day.
As my eyes moved across the room, slowly observing one familiar object after the other, I stopped at my reflection in the big oval mirror that was affixed to the wall. It was a beautiful piece of art, intricately built, with floral designs all over the exterior band which contained the fine mirror inside. The meticulous designs affirm that the maker was a master of their trade.
And in the mirror, gazing back at me was a pale, dark haired man with hazel eyes.
Running my hand through my shoulder length hair, I mused about myself. “Pretty like the moon” as grandma puts it. It is a bit embarrassing though.
I am lean, not at all muscular. A far cry from the physique most guys here brandish. That is not to say that I was weak or something, just that I had nothing to show for.
Well, I don’t really care anyway.
With that, I got up.
After a while, I got down for lunch.
I ate with my grandmother. Chatting about things here and there. “Didn’t I tell you afternoon naps are just great.?” She said
“Yeah grandma, truly great.” I laughed a little, so did she.
“So, Mrs Huxley was asking about you quite a lot these past few days. Seems to me she has taken a liking to you. Her daughter at least.” She half smiled, intent to see my reaction.
“Well, I don’t know. Does she? You probably have it all wrong. I did help her with her dogs last week”
I tried to sound calm and normal.
“These old eyes have seen a lot kid, and I’ll be damned if I misread it. I can see her little Sophie ogling at you from afar.”
She laughed.
“Grandma!”
“Hehehe! Anyway, Sophie ain’t pretty enough for you anyway, you can come out on top anytime if you would let your hair grow a bit.” She laughed.
“Thanks grandma, I will surely consider it and while we’re at it, could you get me a dress too!” I jibed.
We laughed.
“Oh I’m just kidding. You are too pretty for the likes of her.” She said as a matter of fact, without a hint of humour.
I believe that even if the most splendid nymph came out of the forest and asked me out for marriage, grandma still won’t be satisfied. She thinks very highly of me.
Perhaps too highly.
It may be because of my parents.
They fought in the war against the nomads during the invasion. They were high ranking in the royal army and so, earned quite a bit. Enough for us to build this house and have a few unique items, souvenirs of the war inside.
They are held in high regard, atleast in the village. “General Marcus and shield maiden Vanessa, the legends of the village. Their names spoken in awe even now. I just wish I could see them.
After lunch, I helped grandma with the dishes and then we cleaned the house for a bit.
After that, we went to our garden, I helped with collecting all the leaves while grandma clipped and watered the plants. We mostly grew vegetables, but grandma spared some space for flowers, roses mostly.
“Your mother loved roses, she had a whole garden for flowers both rare and mundane. Truly magnificent it was…” she said, lost in thought.
It must have been really hard for you to have removed them all. I know you had to to have some space for vegetables and filled ground is always at a premium but still, it’s a shame. I would have loved to see it.
She didn’t reply for a moment, just kept staring at me with a look of what looked like nostalgia.
“Yeah, well, we had to feed ourselves after your parents were gone. After all, flowers ain’t good for eating you know?” She cackled.
After a while, we got inside, night was approaching fast.
“These winter days are too short” I mused.
It hasn’t snowed yet, there are still about two months for that. But grandma said it must have piled up in the mountains by now.
We were drinking tea and grandma was sewing something.
“This winter you will have a new pair of socks.” She said, smiling.
“That would be good, thanks grandma.”
I replied, smiling back.
My old ones have seen better days.
It was almost night outside and out of nowhere, we heard a shrill scream of a woman.
BANG!
Our main door opened and in came a very terrified Mrs Huxley and mildly annoyed Miss Rena.
Mrs Huxley was shrieking and fell to the floor. She was crying profusely.
All this happened in a moment and I was just gazing at Mrs Huxley. Miss Rena had her composure though, as always.
Our house was uphill, a small distance from the village. And it looked like Miss Rena and Mrs Huxley ran all the way up here.
Now I came to my senses,
I sprang up and quickly went toward Mrs Huxley.
“What’s wrong ma’am? Are you hurt?”
She looked up and gazed at me for a moment. She looked into my eyes for a bit and then started to sob, without restraint.
“What is it Rena?” Grandma asked calmly, without paying the least mind to Mrs Huxley.
“They have come.” She replied, equally calmly.
“They couldn’t be bound for too long. His time has come.”
Grandma looked at me. I looked at Miss Rena, then toward grandma, looking for an explanation for all this. Both of them gazing at me while Mrs Huxley cried our carpet wet.
What the hell are they talking about.
“Someone please tell me what’s going on?”
“Come with me!” Grandma pulled my hand.
“Look after her Rena.” She said.
She took me to my father’s room and pointed at the bed.
“Pull it out from underneath the bed!” She ordered.
I got on my knees and saw that it was a modest looking chest. I pulled it out, it was relatively light.
I laid it upon the bed. Grandma took out her chain opened the locket upon it and took out the key from inside of it.
All of this felt surreal to me, almost like a dream. It was hard to process.
She opened the chest and inside, it only contained two things, neatly wrapped in red……velvet?
One was a beautiful golden chain with an amulet hanging from it. It bore the symbol of a black dragon, furling open its wings.
“Put it on.” She said.
“What is going on grandma? Why is Mrs Huxley and Miss Rena here?
What is all if this? This chest?..”
“We have no time for explanations.” She said sternly. “Put in on quickly!”
I did and she looked at me, tears falling down from her cheek. She wiped them quickly, without losing her composure.
“Keep this with you.” She handed me an oval jem, pale white in colour. “Give her an eye and you will have the sight” she said, much to my bewilderment at all of this.
“It should not have been this way, this early but we have no choice. For your sake and mine.”
She finally succumbed and her composure was broken. Tears fell from her cheek freely. She placed her hand in my arm.
“My sweet child, you whom I have loved as my very own.” She stroked my cheek.
“What is all of this grandma?” I asked, as anxiety was making my stomach lurch.
“Children cannot be punished for the sins of their father.” She said to me, solemnly.
“Please remember this.”
“Now, go out to the hills, past the Avant, till you reach Agerluna Forest. From there, venture into the depths of the forest, following the ruins. It will lead to the monument. Complete it, and you will find what you need and everything will be revealed to you.” Grandma said, as tears started to fall again.
“Many lives have been sacrificed and many more will but you must do what is necessary. Now go quickly.”
She lead me out to the doorway. I heard distant screams from the village.
By the gods, what the hell is happening?
“We will buy you some time, leave quickly while you can. And take this.” Miss Rena handed me a shortsword, sheathed in black leather.
Then she gazed at the village below.
“Come Justine, for honour.”
“For blood.” Grandma replied as Miss Rena handed her a bow and a quiver full of arrows. Grandma carried the bow with a confidence only achieved by experiences from the youthful days
“Leave son, do not let it all go in vain.” Grandma said, her eyes cold.
I ran toward the hills as fast as I could, without really knowing why.
- Writer
