by Toni Cox
Most of the items in the larder they were unfamiliar with. Whole fruit and vegetables were rare on Earth; most of their food was bought already processed. They enjoyed themselves immensely making their own food, cutting up the tomatoes, slicing off some ham, buttering bread. Maia had never realised how much fun making food could be. But the siblings were enjoying it so much, that it was infectious.
“Why don’t I show you where the vegetables are grown?” Maia said to them when they had finished eating.
She knew she had to see Silas, but she did not want to leave Luke and Jasmin alone again. She realised that she was just delaying the inevitable. She would have to talk to him eventually and he would give her a piece of his mind. And she deserved to be in trouble. Had she paid more attention, or had she not let her emotions get the better of her, then maybe all of this could have been avoided. Yet somehow, she found it difficult to feel sorry. She was enjoying having Luke and Jasmin around and she was going to make the best of the time they had together. They spent the whole afternoon wandering around the fields, Wolf at their heels. They picked berries, dug up some carrots and Maia explained all the different plants to them.
By the time they got home, Aaron was back. He was quiet and seemed to be deep in thought. Jagaer had dropped him off at the house before himself going off to a meeting with the Elders. Maia wondered if they were meeting because of her, but then got distracted by the delicious smells coming from the pot Biandala was stirring over the fire. Luke and Jasmin went to sit with their father to tell him about their day. Maia listened to them for a while; glad she did not have to talk to Aaron; and was astounded by how differently they thought of her world. Everything was new and exciting for them; they marvelled at things that were so ordinary to Maia that she never really gave it any thought.
Jagaer’s meeting with the Elders did not last long and once he was home, they ate. There was some small talk during the meal, mostly Malyn explaining the ingredients of their meal to her guests, but Maia noticed that her father was distracted. He finished his food in silence and then stood up to take his plate to Biandala to wash.
“I am going out again. Do not wait up for me,” he said curtly, then turned to Maia. “Silas has requested that you go to him tonight. He wants to speak with you.” Then he turned and walked out of the house without another word. Malyn gave Maia a concerned look and then nodded to her.
“Go. Don’t worry about us. I am sure we will find something to entertain us.”
Worried, Maia left the house and went down the stairs to ground level. Silas lived with Becci; Beccithalia Nordenfall, one of their Elders; in one of the houses on the eastern side of the village, along Lofty Run. For his work as a Healer, however, he used one of the many caves around the city as his workshop. Like all their storage caves, it was dug into the slope of the cliff the city rested on. It was always cool in there, even in summer, so it was the ideal solution for storing and keeping food.
He was an Elemental; being able to control Fire, Water and Earth; her father’s royal advisor and the Healer of their clan. He kept all his medicines in his cave, as well as all his books and implements. Maia had spent endless hours in this cave, studying and practicing. She was as accomplished in the healing arts as Silas, but her elemental powers gave her an added advantage.
Maia entered the cave. Mostly lanterns, but also some torches, were lit along its walls, casting strange shadows ahead of her. The passage was about a hundred paces long, leading deep into the mountain. It was cold in the tunnel, but when she reached the cavern at its end, a fire in the centre warmed up the space. The cavern was not quite round, about thirty paces wide and forty long. Small alcoves led off from the main chamber, most of them hiding their content behind a skin or tapestry. Lanterns occupied the walls between the alcoves and added their light to the fire in the middle. Some workbenches, laden with scrolls and books, writing implements, bottles and other strange things lined the walls. The floor was covered with woven mats, which helped to keep the cold at bay. Maia sucked in a deep breath as she stepped into the cave, savouring the familiar smells; tarragon, mint, fire, leather, candles and so many others she could not name them all.
Silas was sitting cross-legged on a cushion by the fire, his eyes closed. Maia always wondered how he managed to sit like that for any lengths of time. Even her young legs started to protest after a while, but he was somehow able to sit in such a fashion for hours and meditate. Maia cleared her throat, and Silas opened his eyes.
Maia had spent the night in Silas’ cave. She had dreaded going to him. Although she knew the old man loved her, she knew he could be very hard on her when she displeased him. But for some reason she could not fathom, he did not speak to her about her guests. Every time she steered their talk toward that subject, she knew it need to be discussed, he seemed to change direction and started talking about something else. Eventually she gave up and just listened to him telling her about all the things that had happened while she had been gone. They had talked late into the night, so she was still a little groggy when he woke her in the morning to go home. She wondered about it; Elves in general did not usually need much sleep, but Silas had said that it might have to do with the habits of Humans and that she might simply have gotten used to their sleep patterns.
It was later than she had thought and she squinted at the sun as she stepped out of the tunnel. Most people were already at their workshops and she could hear the various sounds coming from the direction of the Silver Forest.
She hesitated a moment, unsure of what to do. She had only just come back and she was sure there were so many things she needed to do, but somehow she did not feel like slipping back into her old life. Something had changed. She had changed, but she could not quite find exactly what it was that was different about her.
With a sigh, she decided to make for home; she should probably get changed first anyway, then she could still decide what to do with the rest of her day.
She had just started up the steps that lead to their home, when Jaik caught up with her. He took a few steps up, but then stopped on a step below her. Being on the same eye level with him was a novelty for her, reminding her how much taller he was than her. Their height difference was one of their few differences; they shared the same emerald green eyes, the dark Mahogany coloured hair, fine nose, strong jaw and sensual lips. Maia thought him to be very handsome and she was very proud of him with what he had accomplished during the last twenty years. He was the youngest Commander of the Guard in almost two millennia.
“There you are. We have been looking for you. I’ve hardly seen you at all since you’ve come home.”
“I’ve only been home a few days; there hasn’t really been much time to spend with you yet.” She smiled at him.
“Well then, now is your chance, Sister. Archer has taken Luke and Jasmin down to the lake. Will you join us for a swim?” He gave her a mischievous smile and then, without waiting for her reply turned and strode off.
Maia only hesitated for a moment. For some reason she could not explain it felt wrong to be going off to swim. She thought she should be doing something else, but could not quite figure out what it was. And the thought of spending the day with her brother, and Luke and Jasmin, was very tempting. By the time they got to the lake, she realised that she had not brought anything to swim in. But it only delayed her for a moment. Leaving her underclothes and shirt on, she jumped in. Wolf was treading water, waiting for Luke to throw him a stick. Jasmin was on her back, floating, with Archer steering her by the feet. Maia stepped into the water. Even though it was still early, the sun had warmed the water enough to be pleasant.
She walked until she could not stand anymore and then started to tread water. Jaik came up behind her and dunked her head under water. She took her revenge by yanking his feet and pulling him under. This was how they had spent much of their adolescent years.
She loved spending time with Jaik, but today she somehow felt like something was out of place, almost as if she wa
s being watched. She swam with them for a while, but then she waded to shore and then climbed onto the flat boulder that pointed into the water and that they usually used for diving. From her more elevated position, she scanned the tree line around the lake. She felt the hairs on her arms rise as the feeling of being watched increased. A terrible uneasiness overcame her; something was out there. She cast her mind towards the forest and immediately picked up the bright sparks of Eläm, the Life-Forces, of the multitude of animals residing there; squirrels, mole rats, beetles and insects, birds and further in even a deer. But she could not pick up what had triggered her uneasiness.
She shivered as a sudden breeze blew over her wet skin. I am probably just imagining things, she thought, shrugging her shoulders. She reeled in her mind and the bright sparks immediately ceased to exist; the world seemed to be a darker place without them.
As she focused her eyes back on her immediate surroundings, she thought she glimpsed movement at the edge of her vision. She looked up and thought she saw a wolf standing on the far shore of the lake. But it was far away and at that exact moment Jaik came up behind her, grabbed her around the waist, and together they tumbled into the water. She never even got the chance to think about why she had not picked up the wolf’s Eläm.
They were still laughing by the time they got home. Archer had said good bye at the bottom of the stairs and gone his own way, but it had not dampened their spirit. It had been an excellent day. Besides that moment by the lake, Maia had not felt as care free as today in such a long time. Her initial uneasiness had evaporated quickly and she had enjoyed herself. She had been surprised by how much fun Luke could be. He always seemed so restrained and serious, but today he had been relaxed and funny, entertaining them with his quick wit.
The day had gone by surprisingly quickly. After the lake, they had gone to the stables. Most of the geldings were in and they spent some time feeding and cleaning them. Jasmin loved the horses. Archer had saddled his horse, Sir Parador, for her and had shown her some of the basics. Luke had also had a turn, but his antics in the saddle had been too awkward and totally uncoordinated. They had made good-natured fun of him all afternoon, but he did not seem to mind.
Now they stumbled into the house, laughing yet again at something Jaik had said. So it was a moment before they noticed Aaron standing by the fireplace, his arms crossed over his chest. The look on his face wiped the smiles off their faces and Maia felt a prickle of danger run down her back. Aaron’s Eläm glowed an angry red. Even Wolf crept past him and quietly sat down on his pillow in the far corner of the common room.
“Where have you been all day? I have been worried sick about you. I asked around, but no-one had seen you. And Maia, you are supposed to be the responsible one. Did you not for one minute think that I might be worried? I thought you had said that you would work on getting us back home and here you are, playing around all day instead. Don’t you care about us? Is this all just a game to you?” Aaron raised his hand, forestalling their replies. “No, don’t bother with an explanation. I expect teenagers to act like this, I just didn’t realise Maia was one too.” He huffed once more, glowered at them and then stalked out the door, leaving them stunned and momentarily speechless.
“What was that all about?” Luke asked.
“Oh, Papa can be such a pain,” Jasmin complained.
Maia was silent; she did not know how to respond to such an outburst.
They sat for another little while around the fire, but the mood was broken. Jagaer was at yet another meeting and Malyn was not home either. So, after a quick, cold meal they all went to bed. Maia set up a narrow cot in the storage room, leaving her room to Jasmin. She then lay there, staring at the ceiling. She thought about everything that had happened in the short time she had been home. She had to make it right somehow. Although she enjoyed Jasmin’s and Luke’s company, it was clear that Aaron was very unhappy. For a long time, she lay there, thinking about all the possible solutions, but it had been an exciting, tiring day and eventually her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
She was walking barefoot along the edge of a little stream. Sunshine filtered through the canopy of leaves overhead, warming her face. Bees hummed all around her, visiting the colourful flowers that grew alongside the stream and birds were singing in the trees. It was a perfect summer’s day. She was enjoying the slight breeze, cooling her skin.
She walked over to the edge of the river and dangled her feet into the cool water. Closing her eyes, she leaned back, tilting her head toward the sun, savouring its warmth.
She felt like she could nod off here, safe among the trees with only bees and birds to keep her company. But something nagged her at the back of her mind, something intangible, something she could not define. She shivered. Had it gotten colder? She opened her eyes, but the scene was as before; golden sunlight filtering through the leaves, the river gurgling by her feet. She closed her eyes again.
She was about to doze off when she felt the air around her stir. Someone was there. She opened her eyes and looked around, but still nothing had changed. She frowned and sat up a little straighter; maybe sleeping here was not such a good idea. She felt like she was being watched, although, strangely, it was not an unpleasant feeling.
After a while, she relaxed again, but remained upright. Then she heard it, a soft whisper on the wind. Her skin tingled as if someone had touched her. It raised goose bumps on her arms and she rubbed them, wondering about the strange sensation. The wind blew again, just a little stronger as before and again it felt as if she were being touched. Now she could almost understand the whisper on the wind and she imagined that she heard her name. It was spoken with so much emotion and longing that a moan escaped her lips.
She wanted to get up, leave this place, but she felt herself inexplicably drawn to the voice on the wind and she did not move, holding her breath, waiting for the breeze to touch her again.
The longer she waited, the stronger the strange feelings within her became. Her body seemed to vibrate with a kind of heat that had nothing to do with the sunlight shining on her. She sighed.
When the breeze came again, it brought with it a thick, cold mist, raising more goose bumps on her skin. She shivered. The mist had an ominous quality to it, swirled, and eddied as she looked at it. It was eerily quiet. She held her breath and she heard soft footsteps behind her. They sounded like neither man, nor animal, and it filled her with dread.
She struggled to get up, go and leave this place, but she felt like she was bound, unable to move. Icy fingers crawled down her back and she shivered harder. Then she felt a warm breath on her neck and her entire body froze in fear.
“Maia,” he whispered.
She screamed.
Sweating, she sat up on her cot. She was breathing hard. Goose bumps still covered her body and the fear still lingered within her. She tried to shake the feeling off, realising that it had only been a dream.
She rubbed her arms. She had never before felt such strange emotions mingled with so much fear before. What did it mean? She had wanted the voice to caress her again; at first, but then something had changed and she had felt fear instead. She wondered if it had anything to do with her relationship with Aaron. It had been much on her mind lately. It would make sense; she had been with him on Earth, been his wife, but now, here at home, she did not want to know him as her husband. She shuddered. She suddenly felt very alone.
Now feeling depressed, she made her way into the common room. The house and its smells were familiar, calming her somewhat, but her desolation lingered. She stoked the fire, added another log to the embers and softly blew on it until yellow flames licked the wood. She stared into the fire, wondering about her dream. How could she have felt so much desire, then so much fear? Maybe she was just scared of letting Aaron get close. Maybe she should just give it a try.
She must have fallen asleep again at some point, for when she opened her eyes again it was morning. But it was early and everyone was still sleeping. Quietly she
went to the washroom, did her ablutions and then went to get dressed. She took some bread from the pantry and ate it while she made her way to Silas’ cave. She wanted to talk to him about her dream. She had at first considered talking to her mother, but, because of who Maia was, a dream like that could often have deeper implications than simply hormones of a young adult. He would probably not be there this early, but she could get the fire going and make some tea. Silas had this special herb mix of chamomile, cloves and some other ingredients that she knew would calm her while she waited for him.
She had spent a short while in Silas’ cave, sipping her tea, but when he did not come, she decided to see her grand parents instead. She was calmer now, the last vestige of the dream washed away by the tea. By the time she stepped out of the cave, the sun had risen and people were already on their way to their daily tasks. She considered going back to the house so she could take Luke and Jasmin with her to see her grand parents, but then the thought of running into Aaron made her decide otherwise. Although she hoped the dream had nothing to do with him, she thought that maybe it would better to avoid him today.
His outburst last night had made her feel like a naughty child. Everything she did seemed to displease him. And the way he looked at her! She shuddered at the thought.
She increased her pace and then climbed the tall staircase that led to her grand parents’ house. One could reach the house from many levels of the city, but the steps of The Grand, the tallest single staircase in the city, wound around the tallest red wood and led all the way from the ground to her grand parents’ door. The house was among the highest in Shadow Hall. It nestled in the canopy of the giant red wood, with six neighbouring red woods supporting the weight of The Nest, as her grandmother affectionately called it. It was completely round and was surrounded by a wide veranda, from where one could see almost the entire city. She had always loved playing up there when she was a child, but always under her grandmother’s watchful gaze.