Rhia sat by herself that night high in a lone tree on the Rusted
Plains. It was a beech tree, and it's silvery leaves twisted and spun in
what little breeze there was. She was looking up at the stars, thinking of
when she first met Merlin. How different he had been then. Her eyes traced
over her own familiar constellations, the blank space between the stars.
Eventually her wandering eyes found Pegasus, made up of stars. He sailed
without moving across the sky.
Below her on the ground Sha'n shifted in his sleep, tossing and turning. She gazed at him. He was a bit strange, to be sure, but he had impressed her nonetheless.
They had traveled in silence for the first part of the day. Rhia had set a good pace, one that would have been hard to maintain if Sha'n were not in good shape. He had ended up passing her and doubling back every now and then so that they could stay together. He had turned to her suddenly and asked quietly,
"Rhia, what is your Mother like?" He had paused long enough for her to catch up with him and walked beside her, fixing his Galator green eyes on her, listening attentively. Sunlight streamed down through the quickly thinning trees, and the edge of the Druma was abuzz with unseen creatures.
"Well." Rhia began, slightly uncertain, "My Mother, Elen, is very kind and wise. She is a healer, and has eyes more blue than the ocean." She pondered her mother for a moment before continuing. "She always smells like herbs and spices, and her hands have a loving, gentle touch. But," she thought for just a moment again, searching for a way to phrase what she was thinking and wondering why in the world she was telling this to a boy she hardly knew, "despite happy she seems, however at peace she may be, there is a kind of sadness behind her eyes. She hides it very well, but I can see it there still."
At this Sha'n had nodded solemnly. "Do you think Merlin may have asked for her help?"
"Definitely. And Cairpre's most likely. I think he's going to need all the help he can get, especially if he came all the way to me to ask for it."
As they stepped from the Druma Wood onto the rusted plains the black and gray hawk Nisto had swooped down out of nowhere and landed on Sha'n's shoulder, as he had an unnerving habit to do. Sha'n had turned to greet him and the hawk had nuzzled against his neck momentarily as he petted him.
Rhia hadn't told him so, but she felt she could trust this young man who was so loved by such a fickle bird as a hawk.
Sha'n made a small noise as he slept, and his smooth face grew troubled and anxious. He began to thrash in his dream, muttering barely distinguishable words in a high, desperate voice.
"Mother.Father.no.wait." his words faded away again. Rhia turned away from the sight of the struggling form on the ground below. It was almost mean of her to not wake him, but she knew from experience that it was best to get through the entire dream because then it wouldn't come back.
Rhia heard him sit up suddenly, shouting loudly, torturedly, into the still night air,
"NO!" Already weeping, his breathing was harsh and shuddering. His voice trailed away into the night. "Mother.Father.no." His sobbing grew more intense, bitter, sorrowful, and was quickly muffled. Rhia remained turned away. After a time she heard him lie back down again, still crying. "Mother."
Once he was silent again Rhia turned to look at him. He lay curled up on his side, hugging himself close and deep in sleep.
Rhia frowned thoughtfully, leaning once more against the trunk of the tree. Perhaps there was more to this strange boy than could be seen on the outside. Slowly Rhia dropped into sleep.
Below her on the ground Sha'n shifted in his sleep, tossing and turning. She gazed at him. He was a bit strange, to be sure, but he had impressed her nonetheless.
They had traveled in silence for the first part of the day. Rhia had set a good pace, one that would have been hard to maintain if Sha'n were not in good shape. He had ended up passing her and doubling back every now and then so that they could stay together. He had turned to her suddenly and asked quietly,
"Rhia, what is your Mother like?" He had paused long enough for her to catch up with him and walked beside her, fixing his Galator green eyes on her, listening attentively. Sunlight streamed down through the quickly thinning trees, and the edge of the Druma was abuzz with unseen creatures.
"Well." Rhia began, slightly uncertain, "My Mother, Elen, is very kind and wise. She is a healer, and has eyes more blue than the ocean." She pondered her mother for a moment before continuing. "She always smells like herbs and spices, and her hands have a loving, gentle touch. But," she thought for just a moment again, searching for a way to phrase what she was thinking and wondering why in the world she was telling this to a boy she hardly knew, "despite happy she seems, however at peace she may be, there is a kind of sadness behind her eyes. She hides it very well, but I can see it there still."
At this Sha'n had nodded solemnly. "Do you think Merlin may have asked for her help?"
"Definitely. And Cairpre's most likely. I think he's going to need all the help he can get, especially if he came all the way to me to ask for it."
As they stepped from the Druma Wood onto the rusted plains the black and gray hawk Nisto had swooped down out of nowhere and landed on Sha'n's shoulder, as he had an unnerving habit to do. Sha'n had turned to greet him and the hawk had nuzzled against his neck momentarily as he petted him.
Rhia hadn't told him so, but she felt she could trust this young man who was so loved by such a fickle bird as a hawk.
Sha'n made a small noise as he slept, and his smooth face grew troubled and anxious. He began to thrash in his dream, muttering barely distinguishable words in a high, desperate voice.
"Mother.Father.no.wait." his words faded away again. Rhia turned away from the sight of the struggling form on the ground below. It was almost mean of her to not wake him, but she knew from experience that it was best to get through the entire dream because then it wouldn't come back.
Rhia heard him sit up suddenly, shouting loudly, torturedly, into the still night air,
"NO!" Already weeping, his breathing was harsh and shuddering. His voice trailed away into the night. "Mother.Father.no." His sobbing grew more intense, bitter, sorrowful, and was quickly muffled. Rhia remained turned away. After a time she heard him lie back down again, still crying. "Mother."
Once he was silent again Rhia turned to look at him. He lay curled up on his side, hugging himself close and deep in sleep.
Rhia frowned thoughtfully, leaning once more against the trunk of the tree. Perhaps there was more to this strange boy than could be seen on the outside. Slowly Rhia dropped into sleep.