Kantos - Book Two of The BrightStone Saga

- Chapter Thirteen -

With the musty smell of dust and dried paper tickling her nose, Matti rolls up the parchment containing the map of Kankor and strides from the room. She enters the living space at the centre of the cottage they had found through the king's instructions and places the map atop one of the benches that she and Vlaken had been sleeping on.

Moving past the open cupboard that holds the larder of food, she makes her way to the other side of the cottage to where Vlaken had found a bedroom and various other supplies.

"Vlaken?" she says.

"Yes," he replies as she comes through the door.

She takes in the small room. It has a high window at its centre letting in light that brightens the whole space, a double bed sat in the middle of the back wall that has seen better days from the split wooden corners to the threadbare sheets. A plain, oval mirror sits upon a wooden desk painted a deep blue in a corner with a high-backed chair to accompany it. And alongside stands an overly ornate wardrobe with scrollwork marked doors that almost touch the ceiling. There are a few faded drawings hung on the walls and a chest at the foot of the bed.

This is where she finds Vlaken. His head inside, still rummaging through its contents with most of it already scattered around him.

"Have you found any packs or satchels that we can use?" Matti asks.

Popping up with a smile he nods. "I did. Look on the bed," he points. "I found them at the bottom of the trunk, this thing seems to keep going." Standing, Vlaken makes his way around the side of the bed and picks up one of the packs. "They seem sturdy enough, and they both have twin straps. It'll make it easier to carry them."

"Good, at least that is one thing that we don't have to worry about. Now," she begins with a frown. "You didn't happen to find any clothes? Ones that would fit me? I can't be traipsing around the forest and hills of Kankor in this dress, as lovely as it is."

"Hmm," he pauses, "I think there was... as, yes. Here we go." He snatches up a handful of clothes from a pile to his left and hands them to her. "These should fit you more or less." He smirks, "They may be a little big though."

"Why is..." she stops as they unroll from her hands. "Ah, these are... men's clothes."

"Yes, it was all that I could find. Sorry," he shrugs then moves back to the trunk.

"Great," she huffs. "Well, at least it isn't a dress, I suppose." She lays them all out on the bed and chooses a pair of baggy breeches, a dark green shirt and a tan coloured jerkin. "I'll try these. Are you changing out of those?"

"Mmm, I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it I kind of smell. Yes, new clothes would be nice."

"Good, I'll be through here."

Matti leaves him sorting through the clothes that he had found. She enters into the living space and throws the clothes down onto the bench and starts at the lace of her dress. She struggles for a moment then manages to undo it. Loosening it, she shimmies out and it drops to the floor leaving her in nothing but her shift. She wraps her arms around herself, suddenly feeling exposed to the world more than she has since being in the dungeons.

The memory lingers like a cobweb that she cannot be rid of. The cold seems to seep into her very bones, taking her back to a time she wants more than anything to forget, to completely wipe from her mind.

She shivers and moves closer to the fire that roars behind. She rubs her hands together trying to think of anything else but the cold, stone floor that was her bed comes back and the tiny bars that were her window.

"Please, please, please," she mutters. "Please, please."

"Matti?"

The mention of her name pulls her from her thoughts. They just drift away like little puffs of smoke as she comes back to herself. She stares forward at nothing then her eyes focus, taking in the form standing in front of her.