Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

44 Chocolate (Part 4)

"I guess with telepathy, you had to grow up pretty fast," Reo said. "I can't imagine what that was like."

Maeyune shrugged, her expression sobering. "Shivra was there to guide me through much of it."

Reo nodded in understanding. She watched as he grabbed another flake of wood off the ground and tossed it into the fire. He let it burn for a quiet moment.

"When I was little, I always wanted to eat ice cream every day," he said, "but I wasn't allowed more than one scoop a month at dinner. Though, the cafeteria ladies usually snuck in a spoonful of it here and there."

Her eyebrows rose. "Ice cream?"

"Of course," he said, staring at her in disbelief. "It's the best thing in the world."

She chuckled. "Fair enough."

"What about you?" he inquired, eyeing her with curiosity. "What's your favorite thing to eat?"

"Aside from wild turkey?" She gestured with a nod at their breakfast grilling above the fire.

He grinned. "Second favorite, then?"

"Chocolate," she said with a faint smile. "I like chocolate."

"Chocolate," he echoed, taken aback. "I didn't think the moon warrior had a sweet tooth."

She leveled a flat stare at him, but that only widened his smile.

"So what, chocolate pudding? Chocolate cake? Or just chocolate in general?"

"Anything, really."

Memories swam their way back to her, and her lips drew a distant smile. "Each year on my birthday," she said, "my aunt would spend an entire morning in the temple's kitchen baking the most delicious buns filled with chocolate cream. We call them yeonsui in Suolani. I believe they're referred to as donuts here."

She noticed the slight twitch of interest in his expression, but she continued, "My aunt has never missed any of my birthdays."

Another thought passed in that instant, and her happy memories turned to gray. "Well, I suppose it's unforgettable," she said feebly, "as it's also the day of my mother's passing."

"Same here," he said. Noting the sorrow in her voice, he added, "But I'm sure your aunt doesn't think of your birthday like that."

Surprised, she looked at him, at the empathy in his dark eyes. Recalling his file, she knew he was born a day before her. His mother had also died in childbirth. But rather than find misery in the situation, he had taken the optimistic approach. Maeyune hadn't expected the kindness in his words, but she smiled at him.

"Is she the only family you have left?" he asked. "What about your father? Your file didn't mention anything about him."

"I know very little of my father," she replied. "He was a man from a coastal city who moved to Ursa to fight in the king's personal guard. From my aunt's brief acquaintance with him, she was not very fond of him. He was the reason my mother withdrew from her position as High Priestess. When he discovered my mother was with child--with me--they were to be wed. But when the Wobeck appeared twenty years ago, he did not survive the first day."

"I'm sorry to hear," Reo said, his voice sincere.

Lost in memories, Maeyune only shook her head and watched the campfire as it danced. Entranced by its movements, she concentrated on building visions in those flames, visions that she had seen of her father through Aunt Lyn's perspective.

The introduction between her father and her aunt had lasted no more than a minute. Protective of her younger sister, Lyn had regarded the mysterious man with wary eyes.