Sound Your Name (Oh, My Darling)

4. Journey Through Ice

The father’s eyes opened and glanced across the way to find his daughter peering at them, “ Alinochka , could you get your madraya some water?” The man’s voice became muffled as soon as he spoke the child’s name causing Aleksander to nearly sigh in frustration.

With eyes bright with determination she nodded before scampering to the other side of the one room cottage, pulling a stool from beneath a countertop so she could reach a pitcher on top of the counter. Her little lips pursed in concentration as she tried not to spill as she held the large pitcher with two hands and filled a mug full of water. 

The shadow summoner couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his lips as the little one carefully walked across the room, the cup in her hands as if it were some prized treasure. 

By the time she made it back to the bed, her mother’s eyes had opened to reveal truly golden eyes that one only saw from true descendants of Shu Han’s nobility. They seemed to almost glitter in the lamplight, her tears sparkling upon her face. She looked upon her little one with such a gentle look even as it was full of pain and guilt. 

“Why are you in pain, Madraya?” 

The mother’s hand curled protectively around her daughter’s cheek, “I am no longer in pain, little one.” 

“You are lying!” The little one’s eyes seemed to almost glow in the low lamplight as she glared at her mother. “Papa says its always bad to lie, even if its a little one.” 

Her mother shot a look at her husband who was changing into a new nightshirt and  who let out a short laugh that he covered with a cough when caught the eye of his wife. 

“It’s not the first time you’ve cried. Why are you sad, Madraya?”

The woman let out a long sigh and patted a spot on the small bed beside her and the child immediately scrambled up. 

“You know how we don’t tell others about how I can make little fires?” 

The little girl nodded before pouting, “I don’t understand why...making a fire is helpful. It keeps us warm during winter.” 

Her hair was ruffled by her father, “People often fear what they don’t understand, what is different.” 

“Like madraya’s eyes?”

Her mother and father glanced at each other before nodding. 

“I had to run away from the place I was born because they treated my kind very badly.” 

“Did they hurt you?” Big dark eyes peered into her mother’s eyes beseechingly. 

Her mother nodded, “I was able to get away though and I met your father. Then had you but sometimes I still have bad dreams where I remember what happened while I was there.” 

The little girl lurched forward and hugged her mother tightly, “I’ll protect you, Madraya. No one will hurt you ever again!” 

The dream faded away and when Aleksander woke up the next morning he found himself invigorated to continue his work. After all, he still had many under his protection that needed his guidance. 

~~~

The next time he would dream of his little soulmate would be when he was stationed in Kirbirsk, nearly three years later. The UnSea loomed above everyone, its tendrils reaching out to him. Eager to drag him back into its depths.