Kantos - Book Two of The BrightStone Saga

- Chapter Twenty -

The first thing to enter her head, waking her from her slumber is a distant 'cheep cheep' from above. Still half dreaming, she inhales the rich aroma of new earth on an early spring morning. Matti opens her eyes, but blinks almost instantly as a single droplet of dew that had settled on her eyelashes falls, giving her a start. She shakes her head as she sits, sending her hair cascading all around her blocking her vision. She pushes it back, tucking it behind her ears and blinks again.

Her vision now cleared, but her mind still foggy from sleep. She looks around, taking in the morning light as the twin suns shine low through the canopy. It lights up half of the clearing keeping the other side in a half-darkness, a twilight almost. It is peaceful with only the chirping from before breaking the silence. Matti looks over to where Vlaken lies still asleep, curled up in a dark green blanket, one of the few they had brought with them. And to the small fire between them that sits black and cold, the flames are long gone.

She rubs at her eyes making her see stars before she stretches, letting out a small moan as she yawns. The noise rouses Vlaken, who half turns before rolling back to silence. With the cloud now gone from her sleep-deprived mind, she begins to think of their journey and how they can possibly move forward.

Can we make it? Where will we go? I know Vlaken said about going to his home, but is that a real possibility? Will we be able to make it that far?

She yawns again, stretching out like a cat as she finally rids herself of the last dredges of sleep. Sliping out from under her blanket, Matti stands and makes her way to her pack, searching for the package she had hidden the night before. Rummaging through, she finds it wrapped in a dark cloth held together with a piece of twine. She pauses, looking around at the sleeping Vlaken before turning back. Unwrapping the package she reveals three palm-sized gemstones within, red, blue and green. They clink between one another as they sit together on top of her pack. Matti shifts to the side letting the quickly rising suns shine down, illuminating the brightstones. Matti marvels as they sparkle in front of her eyes, she loses all thought as she immerses herself within their beauty.

A moan from behind breaks her trance making her blink. Shaking her head, she wraps the brightstones within the cloth again, tying it tight with the twine. She pushes it down inside the pack and looks around to where Vlaken lies still asleep. She flips over the top flap and moves back to her blanket, and wraps herself up suddenly feeling the morning chill. She glances at her sleeping companion again with thoughts of the gemstones now hidden once more.

Should I tell him?Neymar told me not to tell a soul, not anyone. I had to keep the brightstones safe, he said.

A cough knocks her from her thoughts as she watches Vlaken sitting up. He pulls off his blanket with one hand and covers his mouth with the other. He coughs again, muffled by his fingers, then rubs at his eyes.

"Good morning," Matti says.

Vlaken's head spins around to stare at her. He smirks briefly before rubbing at his eyes again, "Morning. Did I wake you?"

Matti nods, "No, I was already awake, thank you." She smiles at him now, her cheeks round and the edges of her eyes crinkle. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm," he muses. "I think I did. I was too exhausted to know." He reaches back, rubbing at his neck. "I know I have gotten too comfortable to a soft bed, this ground is doing me no favours."

"Your neck?" she asks. Vlaken nods without a word. "Me too. It wore off quickly though."

"Good, that is the last thing I need, more pain to slow us down." He shifts his weight to roll onto his side then pops up onto his feet. He shakes himself and rubs at his eyes, ridding himself of the last grains of sleep dust. "I dreamt last night."

"Really? What did you dream of? Anything exciting?" she asks.

"Home," Vlaken whispers. "I can still smell the grain as I ran through the fields. If I close my eyes, I am still there, running along without a care and being whipped by the long chutes." He twists around to face her, his eyes meeting hers as a grin forms, beaming out for all to see. "I wish you could have seen it then, Matti. I really do. It was... beautiful."

"I hope to see it some day soon, Vlaken. I look forward to it," she replies, smiling back.

"I hope we make it. I..."

"We have made it this far, have we not? We can do it together, me and you." She grins again, her eyes sparkling in the morning light. "Come on, we should pack up and make a start. We still have a ways to go, I'm thinking."

"Hmm," Vlaken nods. "Yes, we will, won't we?" Vlaken stretches up with an audible pop, making Matti wince before relaxing. "That's better."

"Did you have to make that sound?"

"Sorry," he pleads innocently. "It doesn't normally happen."

"Right," she says, rising to her feet. "I'll pack the blankets, you gather up the food."

"Yes, your Majesty," he teases with a slight bow of his head.

She scowls back before pursing her lips, not giving him the satisfaction. By the Gods, he is annoying. Turning her back on him, she gets a chortle in response as she reaches down for her blanket.

They spend little time gathering up their belongings and packing them away. Matti looks over the clearing a final time before they leave once again. They set off west, towards what they hope will be the direction of Tula Lake and safety. Matti pushes through a group of tall ferns, then ducks under an outcropping of low-lying branches sprouting from a young oak tree ahead. The sweet aroma of tree sap fills her as she brushes against the small trunk, reminding her of days gone past. Days where she would run freely, laugh and roll around in the hay. Or tumble down the hill at the top of the valley.

Oh, how I miss it.

"Matti?"

Her name pulls her from her thoughts. She stops and turns with a smile still plastered across her face. "Yes?"

"Are you okay? You seem... distant."

Her smile fades for a moment before returning. "Yes, I was... thinking. Like you, I was thinking of home."

Vlaken sighs before smiling, "I know how you feel. Shall we carry on?"

"Mmm," she nods. "This way. We should follow this path and hope it goes to where we need it to. Look," she points, "I can see the sky through the canopy, it must be thinning out up ahead."

"It might be fun to breathe different air. I also want to stretch my legs a bit. All of these trees are making me feel small. I want to run."

"Haven't we done enough running?" Matti questions. "My feet are sore from all of the running then all of the walking we have been doing. Actually, my feet are really sore, can we stop?"

"Sure," Vlaken sighs.

Matti turns and stares at him, "What is it?"

"We have only been walking for a short while, Matti, but we can stop and rest for a while. I know we are probably safe but I am still afraid that they will catch up with us eventually."

"Very well, you are probably right anyway. My feet can rest later, I suppose. Come on, let's go."

"Only if you're sure, your highness," he replies with a smirk.

"Stop it!" she glares at him before grinning back. "I'm going to have to get you back some how. You know that, don't you?"

She turns back and heads for the clearing canopy ahead, her footsteps soft on the trodden dirt beneath her brushing over and removing the tracks of something that came before. Her nostrils flare at a new smell as it hints at a new threat. 

Thanks for reading

It would be awesome to hear from you with any comments or questions

If you liked the chapter, why not show that with a vote?