Dust To Dust || ONC24

2

The first raindrop fell. It's heavy drop landing on my cheek, slowly descending down till it paused for a split second. So it begins. A low rumble reverberated in the sky above, I should probably take this as a warning. Stop now. I should really just stop now. Snuffles looked up at me, cocking his head to the side he let out a whimper. He knows me better than most, sensing when there's even a slightest change. Ruffling under his chin, he offered comfort resting his chin in the palm of my hand. I watched as another raindrop fell, causing him to flinch, his ears lowering.

"We're ok, bud." I reassured, trying to block the memories pounding on walls inside my head. I squeezed my eyes shut. Red flashes. Mouth filled with blood. The smell of heavy rain.

"Astra?" My eyes snapped open, Boro stood before me clutching a large glass bottle. It's contents swirled in deep burgundy. Red. Blood. "You seemed a bit lost there." he laughed, taking his seat beside me again. Pulling at the cork with his teeth, it strained against the force. Cracking like a shell of an egg, or like an exposed skull under immense pressure. Boro pulled it free with a triumphant huff. "Nothing quite as delectable as red wine." He took a sip, closing his eyes as he swallowed, his shoulders visibly relaxing. Right, yes, of course. Red wine. I've got to pull myself together.

Placing the stein beside my feet, Snuffles jumped down instantly. His nose twitching around the rim of the cup, his pink tongue flicking out quickly to gather the taste. "It's all yours." I whispered, I guess it's only fair that someone drinks it.

"I was thinking we'd play a little game, Forest dweller," He smirked, lips now harbouring maroon liquid in the corners. he offered out the bottle. "We take it in turns to presume things about the other. If we predict anything correctly, the other must drink. If we guess incorrectly then we must drink instead."

"Are you sure this is wise? Shouldn't we be resting for the day ahead of us?" I asked taking the bottle.

"Of course I'm sure!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in delight. "Like I said before, dear Astra. This is a night of celebrating! And I'll be damned if we do not part tomorrow at the very least friends." I flinched back at his enthusiasm. Friends? I think we are a long way off from being friends. "Plus we'll have plenty of time to sleep, I'll even cover for you if you want to sleep in an extra hour." He winked. I guess there are some women that find this gesture charming, I however think he looks ridiculous.

"Fine. You go first."

"You've not been home for quite some time." I raised the bottle to my lips, allowing a small sip of wine to pass through. Easy start for Boro. His smile broadened in triumph, an arm extending towards me to take ownership of the bottle. Swallowing slowly I stare down at him, for an Elf has was on the smaller side, his armour swamping his limbs.

"You speak of that to be a bad thing?" I leant forward, resting my elbows on my knees as I continued to study him. "I take it you value family and return home quite frequently," Boro raised the bottle, toasting it out towards me before taking a gulp. "explains the need for your system," he lowered the bottle, his overtly charismatic facade cracking to reveal a look I have not yet seen grace his features; insecurity, "you just want to make sure that what ever happens on these jobs, you will always make it home."

A hearty laugh left his lips, eyes crinkling in the corners as he shook his head. Pointing the bottle in my direction I watched as his wall went back up, the confidence stretching back across his skin. "Now, now Astra. One thing at a time."

Fair enough. But I've certainly unearthed some truth to his character, beneath the bravado and pompous presentation of himself it seems that he, much like the rest of us, has something he wants to hide from everyone. Who am I to judge? If the others knew what I've done, who I've hurt to get here, they'd never forgive me. I still haven't forgiven myself. 

"My apologies," I replied taking back the bottle, "but enlighten me, where is it you're from? Tell me who it is I should write to if you were to die."

"You don't mince your words, do you?"

"I've often been told that I'm a bit too brazen with my wording. It's why I tend to stay quiet."

I watch as he ran his hand across his chin, his calloused finger tips brushing against smooth porcelain. "I grew up with my mother and younger brother in Port Rush. Write to Cato- my brother- My mother is a sensitive woman who has been through her fair share of personal battles, I would like her to find out through his comforting words rather than the careless scribbles from an unknown name."

My mother's face flashed before me, a crack of lightning illuminating the canopies around us. Red. Iron. My throat hoarse. Her eyes empty. Not everyone gets a comfort in learning about death from someone they should love. That is a truth I know all too well.

"Port Rush. Cato." I repeated, nodding my head. "Never been to Port Rush." I dropped my hand to my belt, tentatively stroking the soft leather of the pouch that hung from it. Boro's eyes darted down to my movement, brows furrowing in thought.

"There's more to that than you're letting on," he started, removing his lute from his back placing it by his feet, resting it gently against his legs, "I know a treasured possession when I see one. Us travellers can't carry much but there's always something that we'll never part with." He cleared his throat, carefully unbinding his arm guards, the leather straps whipping against his forearm as he loosened them. "Yet all I've seen of it's use is when you put a pinch of dirt in it, wherever we go, just a pinch of dirt enters. You never take anything out."

My heart hammered within my chest. A growl of thunder echoing into the darkening sky, reverberating deep into my skull. The memories pounding back, fighting to be released. Demanding I confess.

"I'm just collecting samples." My words didn't even sound convincing to my own ears. Boro raised an eyebrow, sucking his teeth and shaking his head.

"No lies tonight, Astra," he spoke softly, "if that were true I'm certain you would need to be separating the samples. Not mixing them all in the one pouch."

The sound of a child's laughter rang like a chorus of bells behind me. I swung my head around, looking into the tree line, rows upon runs of twisted trunks but no sign of him. Another weighted raindrop fell hitting my shoulder. I felt Snuffles tuck in tight beside me, his coarse fur grazing my legs.

"Astra?" I snapped my head back around, my eyes meeting the concerned ones of Boro's. "Everything alright?" His eyes looked past me, scanning the trees to assess if there was anything keeping a watch on us.

"You're right," I started, pulling the bottle to my lips and taking a hearty gulp. "I'm not collecting samples." I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, pulling away to see a light red mark, blinking the stain suddenly changed before me. Blood soaked hands. My own. Nothing but blood and mud mixing into an open wound as the rain poured down. Another drop of rain pulled me out of my trance, forcing me back to the present.

"What's the dirt for then?"

"It's a long tale."

"I'm a patient elf." Boro reached forwards, taking the bottle from my grasp. "Long tales make for great inspiration." He tapped the lute beside him.

"It will not be a happy tune to sing," I replied, a weight pushing down hard on my chest. He was here, I could feel feel his cold breath on the back of my neck. Another pulse of lightning illuminated the small clearing that we had set up in.

Resting his chin on his hand I could sense the next question that was primed on Boro's lips. "And what would be the name of that song?"

"The Sister's Lament." My fingers dug into the rough bark of the fallen trunk we sat on, splintering beneath my nails and sending sharp jabs into my skin. "The tale of a naive elven girl gifted powers at the cost of her younger brother."

A loud crash of thunder sounded above us and the rain fell hard, drops hammering against the canvas tents as water pooled on the ground around us. Boro stared upwards, confusion swamping his face at the sudden change in weather. The pressure in my head began to release as I gave in, breaking the mental walls down and allowing the emotion to rush back to me.

Closing my eyes I saw him clear as day; his innocent face contorted in pain as his wide eyes stared up at me, his mouth stretched open and a heart wrenching wail tore from within cancelling out the surrounding noise. Are'uil. My little brother.