Hunith
I received the letter only a day before she arrived. I unfolded the cheep parchment and scanned her scribbled handwriting. They were the same letters that I had taught her to write once, before everything went to hell. I didn't know at that moment, but she knew as well as I how difficult the purge could be on the heart. It brought the strangest of people to your door.
The letter read that she was coming for a visit. It had been years since I had seen her so I was delighted to hear the news, but still it was dangerous. I didn't want to get her involved. Little did I know that she was perhaps more involved then I was, and with no way out.
I folded the letter carefully again and placed it in my right pocket, opposite to the one that contained our little secret, the black feather. I calculated in my head how much faster the letter could have gotten here ahead of her, and concluded that she would be arriving the very next day, the morning, to be precise.
The day after I had read and received the letter, I set out bright and early, without waking my refugees, to the edge of town. I could see my breath as I breathed out into the cold air. Winter was coming, and fast. I wrapped my jacket tighter around me. I would have to find my warmer cloths soon and get more blankets for the attic.
The sun was rising in the sky, my pace quickened until I was almost running, my boots making scratching noises against the gravel streets. I reached the edge of the town just in time to see a familiar figure appearing over the hill on the path that led straight to where I stood. I waited for her there until I could just make out her face. I couldn't take it anymore, so I ran to meet her.
She was carrying a bundle in her arms and a bag slung over her back. She looked tired. Just seeing her lifted my heart. It had been so long, too long. I called out to her when I was close enough. "Hunith!"
At the sound of her name she looked up, a radiant smile appearing on her face. "Joone!" She called back. She jogged a little to reach me, but the bundle in her arms slowed her down.
I embraced my old friend when I reached her. The bundle was wedged between us and it squirmed. I looked down and laid eyes on a tiny face. He wasn't quite a baby, a little older. He had a toughed of raven hair covering his small head. His little hands reached up and rubbed his eyes before falling back to sleep.
I looked up at Hunith quizzically. She smiled halfheartedly. She was tired but happy in her own way. My friend was a mother.
"I'll tell you when we get inside." She offered my questioning glance. A cool breeze blew in and we shivered. Hunith wrapped her arms further around the child.
"Of course." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and led her to my house.
Once there, I closed my door against the freezing winds and went to start the fire. Hunith placed herself in a rocking chair I had placed by the fire for her. Gently, she rocked the child in her arms to keep him from waking up. I went to the kitchen and eventually came back with a warm drink to bring the colour back to my friend's cheeks.
I sat down in a chair across from her, waiting. She sipped the warm drink and there was silence for a moment. All that could be heard was the crackling of the fire as it burned.
"What's his name?" I asked. At his age it was obvious that he was a boy.
"Merlin." She answered simply.
Merlin. That was the same name as a bird. I slipped my hand into my pocket to feel the feather. Merlin was a bird of pray, also known as a pigeon hawk. Coincidence. Perhaps. Perhaps not.
"How old is he?" I had an idea of how old he was but I still wanted to know.
"He just turned two years a few days ago." Hunith looked up.
"What are you doing here Hunith?" I had been wondering ever since I had gotten her letter. It didn't offer much for explanation.
"I just needed to get away." She explained. "And do I really need to have an excuse for visiting my best friend."
We both smiled at that. Hunith and I had been close friends since I was fourteen, when I moved with my family to Ealdor. She was like an older sister to me. We got into all sorts of trouble back in the good days when we weren't afraid of death. Things had changed though. We both knew that.
Hunith seemed to be thinking the same thing when her smile faded and she bent her head to sip from the cup again. I had left a couple years back and we hadn't seen each other since. We had written to each other though of course, but I had never put the information about my new lodgers into one of those letters. It was too dangerous, especially if someone else managed to get hold of it. Of course I wanted to tell her. I just never seemed to get the chance. Now that she was here I wasn't sure if I should tell her. I didn't want to put her in any danger. Well it was too late for that.
I looked at the child sleeping in her arms. He looked so peaceful, naïve of this deadly world of lies and deceit. I hoped he would never become part of it. My hopes were for not.
"Where's his father?" I noticed that it was only the two of them who had come.
"I don't know." She shook her head; a brief look of sadness crossed her face.
"Is he alive?" I asked cautiously.
"I hope so." She sighed. She had loved the man, that was for sure, and it was enough for me. I wish I could have met him if he made her sigh like that.
"Does this fellow happen to have a name?" I questioned with a smile.
She hesitated for a moment then she looked my in the eye. I had a feeling I might not like what she said. "His name was Balinor."
It took me a moment but then I realized. "Balinor!" I almost yelled but Hunith shushed me. "Balinor?" I asked in a quieter voice. "You don't mean?"
Hunith simply nodded and I gaped.
"A Dragonlord. Are you mad?" I lent forward in my chair.
"Maybe?" But she smiled when Merlin turned in his sleep.
"What happened?" This was all too much.
"He was running from the king and I offered to hide him." She shrugged as if it were nothing. "We fell in love but then he had to leave. He didn't want to put me in danger."
"Well he was smart. I'll give him that." I sighed and sat up. "You really do love him."
"Yes." She grinned.
"Does he know about…?" I gestured to Merlin.
"No." Hunith shook her head. "He left before I knew."
"Well I guess he didn't leave after all." I pointed at Merlin. "He left part of himself behind."
"I'm glad he did." She rocked Merlin back and forth in her arms.
I fidgeted in my chair. "Can I, um, can I hold him?" I asked hesitantly.
Hunith looked up grinning from ear to ear. "Of course you can."
I got up and walked over to her, kneeling down beside the rocking chair. Carefully, she slipped the bundle into my arms. I held him close to me and looked down at his young face. He was so tiny. I felt a tear come to my eye.
"Hey there." I cooed. Merlin's eyes opened slightly to get a look at me. "I'm your aunt Joone."
I heard Hunith give a joyful laugh at the sight. In that moment the two of us were so happy. It was as if the purge had never begun and I hadn't moved away from Ealdor. It was like the old times when Hunith and I would never leave each other's sides, not even for a moment.
"He's beautiful." I complemented. "He takes after you there. Is the hair from his father's side?"
"Yes." She leaned down and stroked his little head.
"He's so small." I couldn't get over that. "I wish I could have been there." More tears came to my eyes and I could see that Hunith's eyes were brimming with them.
"I wish you could have been too." She got out of the chair and knelt beside me, wrapping her arms around Merlin and me. "I still wish you hadn't gone away to begin with."
"So do I sometimes." I laid my head on her shoulder. "But then Merlin might not be here."
"And why is that?" She looked at me.
"Because I would have told you off about Balinor being there in the first place." I laughed.
"That wouldn't have changed anything." She laughed back. Then we laughed together.
Hunith was stubborn. I knew what she said was true and I had no right to judge her for hiding him. I glanced at the ceiling, thinking of the sleeping. It was still early and I wouldn't expect them to be awake.
"You're right." I closed my eyes. "You were always right."
"You probably would have been mad but then you would have helped me. Wouldn't you?" She kissed the top of my head lightly.
"You're like a sister to me Hunith. Of course I would." I looked up at her.
A small sound came from the bundle. We both looked down to see Merlin staring up at us. His eyes were wide and bright, curious. Did curiosity really kill the cat or did it just betray the naïve creature.
"You're a mother." I finally said it out loud.
"I am." She spoke as if she was just realizing it as well.
He stretched out one of his tiny hands towards me. I took his hand, tracing the lines of it with my thumb. Reading palms was like second nature to me. I don't remember how I learnt to do it. I stared down at the lines that crisscrossed. There wasn't much there yet to read.
"He will be strong." I told Hunith who had seen me read hands before. She had never let me read her hand though. She wanted her future to be a surprise. But her motherly instincts took over when I spoke of her son's future. She wanted to know if he would be safe.
"He will be loved." I continued. "He has a good heart and he will be wise. He will struggle." Hunith looked at me, worried.
"He will not have to struggle alone. There will be others there with him. He may feel alone at times but there will always be people there for him. There is no need to worry."
"I'm his mother. It's my job." We laughed.
Hunith pulled away from me and I slowly passed her Merlin, who had started to cry quietly. She held him close and tried to calm his cries. Soon they disappeared and I knew he had fallen asleep again.
I didn't tell her all I had read. I didn't want to worry her anymore then she would. There was something very big in the boy's future. Something I couldn't understand yet. He would do more then struggle. There would be times when the way seemed dark and he would lose himself. There was evil written there. It may not have belonged to him but I couldn't make it out. His hand was so small.
As he grew older his future would become clearer and I would be able to see everything. I wished him the best. He would have a great adventure, one that would be remembered until the end of time. Then beyond.
I hadn't read anyone's palm for a very long time. I had stopped almost completely when the purge began. I was afraid that it would be seen as an act of sorcery. Luckily no one in town really knew about my talent. They didn't have the chance to betray me.
It felt good to read again. I was glad I got to read his hand. I didn't know who he really was at the time. He was only a child. How could he have such a large destiny? I always had to be careful with my readings. Sometimes knowing your future was dangerous. I have never read my own hand. I'm always afraid of what I will find, especially now.
I smiled at the sight of Hunith so happy. I pulled my knees up to my chest and laid my arms crossed on top of my knees. I laid my head on my arms. The fire warmed us.
In that moment I could almost forget about the purge. Then I heard the all too familiar sound of wood scraping against wood.