The rough darkened bark rubbed off a shadowy ash along his pale, slender legs. Climbing up the tree was always easy it was just getting down that was hard for him. Especially with the white shirt held tightly in his mouth. The young boy always had trouble getting down from trees even when he was a child, but he knew that once he reached the top than it was well worth it. Looking towards the hills and forests he would see a panoramic view of wild unknown and untamed beauty. He tried to keep looking that way, and never let his emerald eyes wander at his home in Cormenyr
The ragged huts with poorly thatched roofs that leaked when the clouds darkened and cried. Or when a lively wind screamed and hollered threw the long, cold winter nights, letting in the frosted, bitterly cold enter the house.
When Aubrey finally reached the middle of the tree he stopped, finding a nice sturdy branch for him to rest on. This tree in particular was older than him; it had watched him grow up and had been there threw his times of success and times of suffering.
Releasing the shirt from his mouth Aubrey let out a sigh; his days were numbered. It would only be soon that he would be forced to pay taxes once again. Though they usually broke him, leaving him with next to nothing. He knew this would go far past breaking; he had no money left. Not one cent. Ever since the soldiers had began to use Cormenyr as a resting place from travel nearly all of his customers had ceased to come. Either they gossiped for the information, or they just knew in their hearts Aubrey wasn’t sure. All that he knew of was that the people of Cormenyr knew that he was now being forced to work for soldiers. As in mending their clothes being that many had large holes or were poorly patched. Then he would fix their shoes, reattaching soles or remaking new ones all together. Aubrey had most trouble with the leather shoes themselves just because he wasn’t as skilled with shoe mending. But he did the best he could.
Even though he had no problem helping the tired soldiers, he received no payment for any of his ‘good deeds’. Paying for his own materials and needles became very expensive but he never complained to them. Just took their clothing with a smile then fixed them, sometimes if they stayed their he would make minor conversation. Other times they would see themselves to the door and return in an hour or so. Though it took him only a matter of minutes to fix the shirts and pants.
Removing the spool of thread from his pants pocket, Aubrey thought it was time for him to begin on the shirt. Snapping his knuckles Aubrey unfolded the shirt he had wringed together, careful to wipe the small left over spit that had coated a few areas on the monochrome shirt. He had stuck the needle in the leather strap he used to tie his jet-black hair with, it was still their when he reached up for it.
‘I wonder what I can do for food?’ Aubrey thought to himself as he began to sew back the torn sleeve of the shirt. This small act was for his elderly neighbor who had hardly any clothes without holes. She was like the grandmother he never had and Aubrey often did things for her, tasks she had a hard time doing herself.
‘I can’t ask Miss Suimata for food, she has barely enough to feed herself.’ He looked over in the direction of her house; it wasn’t as rundown as some peoples. Mostly because he helped her repair a lot of it. Though she would want to reward him with something small, anything, he wouldn’t take money from her. Like this blouse, it too was for free, using the last of his white thread to repair the split sleeve.
After a few more minutes past, he was finished. The blouse looked good as new, though he wasn’t sure how long it would last being as the elderly woman acted as if she were in her prime.
‘But that’s what I like about her.’
Carefully rolling it back up, he placed it in his mouth once more and slowly made his way down the tree. His knuckles growing white as he put so much pressure on the limbs he used to descend downward. His worse nightmare was of him falling; he had only fallen once. One time that changed how he looked at heights forever. Though he was very young at the time, and his small, careless hand grabbed an unsteady branch that in itself brought fear in him. A cold tremor running threw his body, as he felt himself fall backward. He couldn’t see what was happening so he had just shut his eyes. Luckily, his mother caught him. She had never been far from his side in those days when she was still alive. Holding him close she comforted his streaming tears, and trembling cries. Making him feel safe.
“Not much can make me feel safe anymore.” He whispered to the tree as his feet touched the soft earth. Letting him know that it was okay for him to let go.
Leaving the tree behind, he walked down the small hill that separated him and his neighbor. Though Aubrey didn’t see her outside, he figured she would be resting inside, maybe even asleep. It was only midday; the sun was bright in the sky, burning down upon his flesh that was openly exposed. Unlike many of the children his age, he wasn’t tan and dirtied from frolicking. He never really had any friends to play with, especially not now after the incident with his mother and working to pay for food and taxes overtook his life.
“Miss Suimata! Miss Suimata! Are you still awake? I fixed your shirt.” He called out to the closed door. The door just looked at him, unmoving. Its aged carving designs reminded Aubrey of a face. A neutral face, one in which the apathetic nature gave away not a drop of personality or what was going through their mind. All of it made him wonder more, wonder more about what happening inside. Had she passed into paradise, leaving the world of the living? Was she simply not home, or asleep in a sea of deep dreams? Frantic, he began to beat on the door. His heart pounded heavily in his chest.
“Miss Suimata!” he screamed, “Open the door!”
A flutter of strung together blinds quivered in the window only before the door opened.
There standing was the elderly woman, looking rather frightened from Aubrey’s screaming.
“Good heavens child what is it? You nearly gave me a heart attack in my sleep!” she rubbed her eye with one wrinkled hand, attempting to push the sleep from her face.
Aubrey turned his head to the side, trying not to let the blush swirling around his cheeks be seen.
“Im…im sorry Miss Suimata…I–I thought something had happened to you, since you didn’t answer your door.” He kept his head looking at the ground, staring at his leather shoes and her bare feet.
The old woman shook her head and let a small laugh escape her withered throat. Her white hair fell down longer than his, hers touching the tip of her bottom. Her long, sallow sleeping gown was thick with holes and tears. The woman forgot how many times she had Aubrey fix it for her, but it was her favorite; a soft yet heavily warm wool.
“Don’t worry my boy, I might be old but im not going anywhere.” She laughed, patting him reassuringly on his shoulder.
“Oh! You fixed my shirt! Already. Well what a sweet boy you are, come in come in!” Suimata led him into her house by his shoulder into the dimly lit room. Reaching over she two more candles, letting a brightness surge into the room. Though it was early noon, her house still remained as black as night. If it weren’t for the candles Aubrey would of believed it!
“Now, sit down and have something to eat, you look famished!” she exclaimed, taking the shirt and admiring its restored self. In truth Aubrey was starving, he had hardly any food in his house and hadn’t eaten for at least a day or two. He longed to get the taste of dryness from his mouth by eating some sweet meat cakes or even a slice of bread with goat cheese would delight him.
“Are you sure?” he asked, trying to be polite.
“Of course I am! It’s the least I can do is feed you, since you won’t let me pay you.” She chuckled, placing a peach tart in front of him.
The boys emerald eyes began to glow, it had been so long since he had eaten anything sweet. It looked so innocent just sitting there on the loam streaked plate. Everything else in the entire room, the dirt floor, the creaky table, even Suimata herself seemed to glow in its presence. Had it truly been that long since he had eaten anything delicious?
“Now it’s not fresh mind you!” she spoke as if warning him about the tarts spell.
Aubrey picked up the tart in one bark scratched hand; though it was only the size of his palm he would have to make it last for a while. For he knew that this might be the last time he could have sweets. Opening his mouth he hesitated before taking the first bite, letting the aroma of his breath overcome the tart. He took in the scent as his mind raced with thoughts of devouring the pastry.
“Go on…eat it!” Suimata harrumphed, almost in a scolding matter.
As soon as her encouragement came Aubrey bit into the peach tart, the sweet fruity tang over took his body. Tickling him in places he never thought possible: his mouth.
“Is it good?” the woman asked, “Do you like it?”
Aubrey didn’t say anything, just nodded ferociously as the tart disappeared before his very eyes.
“Well im glad you liked it, it’s hard to find a good quality anything anymore with them damned soldiers coming and taking it all for rations! Its like they just don’t care for us!” she cried, stamping her small aged foot.
He knew to agree with her, but if he did that than the last bite of the peach tart would be gone. What was left of it was waiting to glide down his throat as mush but he wouldn’t let it leave him. He wanted to savor the taste and the feel of it one last time. So he chewed the mush, chewed till the taste of the peach was completely gone from him.
As he swallowed he felt sadness overtake him, but not necessarily from the now eaten tart. More for his childhood, he knew it was gone now from his actions just a few seconds before. He had felt sad, over a pastry! No child would ever be sad over sweets, because they could just get more later. Either have their mother bake them or steal one from another house. But that was something he couldn’t do, he couldn’t take the time to enjoy things such as food, not to mention sweets because of his force to grow up faster than need be.
“How pathetic I am…” he mumbled to himself.
“What was that?” the woman asked.
Aubrey put on a fake smile and looked up at his neighbor, “Oh nothing.”
The aged woman eyed his suspiciously but said nothing more on the matter. Turning around away from the black haired boy the old woman began to walk slowly towards her bedroom.
“Im going to put this away, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Aubrey nodded and looked back at the table, and the dirty, empty plate.
‘Was I ever truly a child once? I know I was when mother was alive but…it seems as if it were but a dream. A bittersweet fairytale my head told me to help me sleep.’
As his mind played with these thoughts, the young boy played with the plate; rubbing off some of the dark brown that covered a whole side of the glass serving dish.
That was when the candle caught his eye. The glowing of the yellow flame leaving a burning impression as soon as he blinked; the shimmering golden light led him to stray from the plate and completely took hold of his attention.
He didn’t know why, but he felt his slender fingers reach out to touch glowing light.
‘Are you stupid! You’ll get burned!’ his sensible mind told him, but his body wasn’t listening, ignoring the commands his brain screamed.
As soon as the tips of his fingers spread overtop the tiny flicker, it abruptly went out.
Aubrey jumped back, nearly falling out of his chair.
“What happened?!” he wondered, leaning back over to stare at the candle. A small rising line of smoke rose to the ceiling of the wooden house. Aubrey’s eyes followed the smoke till he snapped out of his distraction.
‘The candle?’ he questioned, looking at it. It was so strange; he thought scratching his head, ‘Where did it go?’ That was when he noticed the light.
The same yellow glow, flickering carefully trying to stay alive, the same burning flame hadn’t went out. No, it had grown bigger but just by a little bit.
“But…how?” he questioned, confused and slightly frightened. The flame seemed to taunt him as it danced around in his palm. Moving around, sucking in more oxygen, its dance was almost humorous.
“No it can’t be!” he gasped, quickly standing up. Though this had happened a few times before, Aubrey had vowed to never do it again. Never let the damned fires of hell take over him, making him its puppet. But even though his will power was strong, this magic was obviously stronger. Much stronger; as it seemed to work at its own desire. Though Aubrey had tried to control it once and succeeded he wouldn’t be tricked by its beauty and power.
“Go away!” he growled, though fear was caked in those two words; without thinking he took a deep breath and slowly blew out the small flame. He watched it sparkle and flash, trying to continue to live but to no prevail. It died in his hand much to his relief.
“Uh…Suimata…I just realized theirs something I have to do at home…I’ll stop by tomorrow…sorry, goodbye!” He let his voice echo throughout the house as he ran from the hut, and out the door.
“I can’t believe it!” the old woman forced out the words, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Him too, she thought. Just like his mother…he too possesses the power of a mage.
Suimata hobbled over towards where he was sitting, his sweet indescribable smell still lingered, as did the scent of wild fire.
‘I remember when his mother first came to me saying she was with child…then when she died so suddenly by those afraid of the unknown power she held. I promised her spirit that I would watch over him, but not interfere too much.’
Sitting down, the old woman thought heavily, even she didn’t know why they put Aubrey Andain’s mother to death. She had always thought Cormenyr never did such things to people with ‘powers’.
“There must have been something about my dear friend that even I didn’t know. Heaven help that boy if they ever find out he has powers.” Her voice cracked out of age, “For its of the same element that they use to kill those who can bend what cannot be controlled.”
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks