Our Land of Moonlit Dawn

Chapter Three: A Habit of Peace

When Siulan opened her eyes, the morning light was redundant through her straw stuffed window. Beyond the walls of her bedroom, a choir of birds sung an aubade to coax out the daybreak.

She winced as her hip reminded her of the slip on the ice that she had had the previous night. Creeping from the bed to the drawers, her movements were frantic from the incessant cold that bit at her defenceless skin, she pulled out and over several layers of under-tunics and skirts and pinned back her hair in a fashion that did nothing to flatter, covering it roughly with a dark green scarf and wrapping the ends about her shoulders. She often contemplated cutting the annoying locks short but then argued that she could not restrain it very well then.

She stole into the kitchen, taking care not to disturb the slumbering shapes of her parents in the corner of the room. Preparation of breakfast was simple; leftovers from the night before. Not overly extravagant and never wasteful, it was what the Goddess taught, but the Fei's were not a family who only did something logical because a deity decreed so.

When she finally stepped outside, the sun had begun to peek shyly over the horizon, soaking the fat bellies of the low clouds with a fresh red. She gathered her skirt in her arms in an unladylike fashion and hurried to the tiny stall where she found Etasa, tucked in the back corner amongst the hay.

"Hey, 'Tasa," she cooed, "time to return you to Uncle Fane now."

The mare sleepily opened her eyes and got to her feet as Siulan entered the stall. She offered her a pinch of salt which she licked up eagerly, seeming to go back to sleep again as Siulan started to brush her coat.

Siulan leaned into the animal, absorbing the radiating warmth from the magnificent creature. Etasa was not her own, but Uncle Fane who lived next door was now weighed down in years and she had no complaint about his generosity, allowing her to care for and ride the mare through the mountains at her own leisure. Not everyone was as fortunate as Ever to own his own horse, so she was always grateful to experience the wind that whipped her face and the tolerance that the beast, who could at any moment kill her if she so wished. It was quite extraordinary to say the least, for someone even as privileged as she was.

She finished by throwing a rug over the animal and lead her from the courtyard to the neighbouring house. An old man sat on the porch, seemingly unaware of the winter around him as he took a deep draw from a spindly pipe balanced upon his fingers.

"Uncle Fane!" she called out in greeting, fighting to raise her dormant voice enough to overcome the man's slight deafness. Fane looked up and withdrew the pipe from his lips.

"Ah! You're a good girl, how was she?" he asked, standing up to receive Etasa from Siulan. She handed over the rope and stood back to admire the pleasing reunion between the man and horse.

"She ran as if she was one with the snow last night. I suspect I did look quite clumsy in comparison to her grace."

He gave a breath of a laughter.

"Well, yes. Even after all these years, she is swift like the times she was only a filly. You know, your sister would say similar words of praise but oh, it's such a pity that my Hana is so terrified of horses, yet she married someone like me! I suppose that's how much she loves me; to spend the rest of her days around them. Not saying she doesn't complain..."

Siulan forced a chuckle through her pursed lips. Though time had certainly thinned the memory, the absence was still fresh.

"I was considering trying out Miro on 'Tasa, so he doesn't turn out as scared of such gentle creatures as Hana unfortunately is. And, it is not likely that his parents would suddenly return in time to tell me off," he added cheekily.