Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Alevai -- Chapter Seven…
Becca grew tired of walking. She sat down in the cool grass. “Let’s stop, Sky,” she said.
Sky stopped walking and sat down beside her. “No matter how far we walk that castle never seems to get any closer,” he said.
“I’m scared, Sky. What if we can’t find a way home?”
Sky thought a moment. The thought had crossed his mind that they might be stuck in this strange, new world, but he didn’t want to worry Becca by voicing this opinion. “We’ll find our way home,” he said. “I promise.”
Becca, relieved by the small dog’s promise, felt a little better. She laid back in the cool grass. “I’m so tired,” she said. Her little eyes fluttered shut.
Sky laid his head on her stomach. “Me, too,” he said in agreement. “Me, too.” He closed his eyes. Soon he was fast asleep.
Biscoe and Narisch were returning to their village with the days hunt swung over their shoulders. They had been catching game in order to save the meat for their families and to sell the soft animal pelts. The days hunting had not gone well and they were both left with only four animals between them.
“What a lousy day,” Narisch said, bitterly. “Eight hours and I only have two musrits to show for it.”
“I feel the same way, Narisch,” Biscoe answered him. “But, if we get an early start in the morn, perhaps we can do better then today’s catch.”
“You are always so bloody jolly. You cannot be of strong mind where you are so bloody jolly.”
“Narisch, you are the epitome of despair. I should say that one who is so constantly in gloom should not be of strong mind, either.”
“I should wonder why I continue to follow you in the hunts. We do so poorly.”
“And, I wonder the same of me, Narisch.”
“Perhaps you are implying that it is a fault of mine that we have had a bit of bad luck.”
“Certainly not, Narisch, certainly not. Nature is as nature does. We are merely traveling through a cycle of bad hunts. We shall come out victorious soon enough. I shall not blame you for our troubles, only for your appalling manner.”
“My appalling manner?” Narisch started to go on, but he tripped on something and nearly fell to the ground. He looked down and found that he was standing beside a sleeping child and pup. “Biscoe, have you ever seen such a sight?”
“Narisch, I’ve seen lots of sleeping children.” Biscoe sighed. “I am the father of twelve.”
“No, silly, a dog as white as this.” Narisch leaned down and softly patted Sky’s side. “His pelt is nice and soft. We could get a pretty penny for a pelt such as this.”
Biscoe scowled at Narisch. “Can you not see that he is that child’s pet? We cannot harm her pet.”
“Pet, scmet. Who cares? We could use the coins.”
“Narisch, I will not harm this child’s pet, no matter how many coins we would receive.” He studied Becca. “She does not look like she is from here. I should think that a child from here would know not to stop moving once they were in the sleep grass.” He bent and lightly tapped her shoulder. “She is far under the blanket of sleep.” He stood.
Narisch backed away from Sky and Becca. “Oh, no. Biscoe, she is one of those people. We must leave them.”
“One of what people? And, why should we leave them? For what?” Biscoe still stood looking down at Becca.
“We will be harmed. Don’t you know the legend?”
“The legend?” Biscoe thought a moment. “Oh,” he said. “You do not mean THE LEGEND?”
“Yes, yes I do. If she is to stay here, she will surely threaten the queen.”
“Narisch, our queen is a nasty old hag. Surely, this sleeping child could not be a threat to her.”
“Biscoe, how can you say such things? Our queen is right and just. She is gracious and kind.” Narisch looked around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation.
“Narisch, we are far away from the castle. You do not have to lie about your feelings. The queen is evil incarnate. She has destroyed almost all that is dear to yours and mine. Our children are forced to labor for her needs.” Biscoe took a breath. “And, if the legend is true, she has entrapped a young girl for her own evil means.”
“I don’t know why you say such things. The queen has kept us safe from all who dare oppose us.”
“Oppose us? Who opposes us? She talks of these mystical beings that wish us harm, but I have never seen proof of this. Our country has been preparing for war for as long as I can remember, yet, I am not at all sure if anyone remembers why or against whom we are preparing.” Biscoe spat on the ground. “If this girl could bring ruin to our queen, then I shall assist her.”
Narisch glanced around again. He knew in his heart that Biscoe was right. But, Narisch rather enjoyed his and Biscoe’s supply shop and he did not wish to anger her. He had seen how people suffered when she showed her displeasure.
“I’m going to take her and her dog home with me,” Biscoe said. “I all ready have so many children no one will notice one more.”
“Do you think that is wise? What if the queen finds out?”
“She will not find out, Narisch. I will pay the proper tax for having thirteen children. She shall not care.” Biscoe said. “Take the pup, while I pick up the child. Hurry, Narisch, once she is out of the sleep grass, we shall not have much time. I do not want her stirring too soon.”
The men stooped and picked up their charges. They looked around to be sure no one saw them before moving quietly back into the tall grass. ¶ 4:44 PM
Sky stopped walking and sat down beside her. “No matter how far we walk that castle never seems to get any closer,” he said.
“I’m scared, Sky. What if we can’t find a way home?”
Sky thought a moment. The thought had crossed his mind that they might be stuck in this strange, new world, but he didn’t want to worry Becca by voicing this opinion. “We’ll find our way home,” he said. “I promise.”
Becca, relieved by the small dog’s promise, felt a little better. She laid back in the cool grass. “I’m so tired,” she said. Her little eyes fluttered shut.
Sky laid his head on her stomach. “Me, too,” he said in agreement. “Me, too.” He closed his eyes. Soon he was fast asleep.
Biscoe and Narisch were returning to their village with the days hunt swung over their shoulders. They had been catching game in order to save the meat for their families and to sell the soft animal pelts. The days hunting had not gone well and they were both left with only four animals between them.
“What a lousy day,” Narisch said, bitterly. “Eight hours and I only have two musrits to show for it.”
“I feel the same way, Narisch,” Biscoe answered him. “But, if we get an early start in the morn, perhaps we can do better then today’s catch.”
“You are always so bloody jolly. You cannot be of strong mind where you are so bloody jolly.”
“Narisch, you are the epitome of despair. I should say that one who is so constantly in gloom should not be of strong mind, either.”
“I should wonder why I continue to follow you in the hunts. We do so poorly.”
“And, I wonder the same of me, Narisch.”
“Perhaps you are implying that it is a fault of mine that we have had a bit of bad luck.”
“Certainly not, Narisch, certainly not. Nature is as nature does. We are merely traveling through a cycle of bad hunts. We shall come out victorious soon enough. I shall not blame you for our troubles, only for your appalling manner.”
“My appalling manner?” Narisch started to go on, but he tripped on something and nearly fell to the ground. He looked down and found that he was standing beside a sleeping child and pup. “Biscoe, have you ever seen such a sight?”
“Narisch, I’ve seen lots of sleeping children.” Biscoe sighed. “I am the father of twelve.”
“No, silly, a dog as white as this.” Narisch leaned down and softly patted Sky’s side. “His pelt is nice and soft. We could get a pretty penny for a pelt such as this.”
Biscoe scowled at Narisch. “Can you not see that he is that child’s pet? We cannot harm her pet.”
“Pet, scmet. Who cares? We could use the coins.”
“Narisch, I will not harm this child’s pet, no matter how many coins we would receive.” He studied Becca. “She does not look like she is from here. I should think that a child from here would know not to stop moving once they were in the sleep grass.” He bent and lightly tapped her shoulder. “She is far under the blanket of sleep.” He stood.
Narisch backed away from Sky and Becca. “Oh, no. Biscoe, she is one of those people. We must leave them.”
“One of what people? And, why should we leave them? For what?” Biscoe still stood looking down at Becca.
“We will be harmed. Don’t you know the legend?”
“The legend?” Biscoe thought a moment. “Oh,” he said. “You do not mean THE LEGEND?”
“Yes, yes I do. If she is to stay here, she will surely threaten the queen.”
“Narisch, our queen is a nasty old hag. Surely, this sleeping child could not be a threat to her.”
“Biscoe, how can you say such things? Our queen is right and just. She is gracious and kind.” Narisch looked around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation.
“Narisch, we are far away from the castle. You do not have to lie about your feelings. The queen is evil incarnate. She has destroyed almost all that is dear to yours and mine. Our children are forced to labor for her needs.” Biscoe took a breath. “And, if the legend is true, she has entrapped a young girl for her own evil means.”
“I don’t know why you say such things. The queen has kept us safe from all who dare oppose us.”
“Oppose us? Who opposes us? She talks of these mystical beings that wish us harm, but I have never seen proof of this. Our country has been preparing for war for as long as I can remember, yet, I am not at all sure if anyone remembers why or against whom we are preparing.” Biscoe spat on the ground. “If this girl could bring ruin to our queen, then I shall assist her.”
Narisch glanced around again. He knew in his heart that Biscoe was right. But, Narisch rather enjoyed his and Biscoe’s supply shop and he did not wish to anger her. He had seen how people suffered when she showed her displeasure.
“I’m going to take her and her dog home with me,” Biscoe said. “I all ready have so many children no one will notice one more.”
“Do you think that is wise? What if the queen finds out?”
“She will not find out, Narisch. I will pay the proper tax for having thirteen children. She shall not care.” Biscoe said. “Take the pup, while I pick up the child. Hurry, Narisch, once she is out of the sleep grass, we shall not have much time. I do not want her stirring too soon.”
The men stooped and picked up their charges. They looked around to be sure no one saw them before moving quietly back into the tall grass. ¶ 4:44 PM
