Stories (Book 1/3)

Flames

The sun was setting and Uka stood on the fence outside the little stone house, facing the direction from which he came. A few days had passed since the kidnapping of Lilian. He asked her multiple times what happened but she only said,
"I don't know who it was Uka, I just suddenly felt some sheet get pulled over me and I couldn't fight back!"

As if his thoughts summoned her, Lilian walked up and stood next to him, her arms resting on the wooden fence.
"Hey." She said and turned away to look where he was looking for a while, "That is where you come from right? You... never really talked about your home, had something happened?"
Uka chuckled, "No! It was a great home life.  My father and I were farmers, worked day in and day out. Then every month, me and my sister, Helga, would go to the market with the crops and sell it for coin."
"Sounds nice." Lilian said
"Mhm"
"So why did you leave?"
"Huh? Oh um... well... It is normal everywhere, but i guess not everywhere, when a boy turns 17, he must leave his home and boyhood behind, never look back."
"Oh, why?"
"I never really knew, all i know  is that my father was in a rush to see me leave."

Silence filled the garden. It felt uncomfortable but it also felt rude to just walk away. Uka didn't know what to do. Lilian cleared her throat as if to speak, but before a word could get out, over the horizon, a flaming orange glow appeared.
No... Uka thought desperately. That couldn't be his home village could it?
Lilian seemed to sense him tense up, "Uka, you okay?" She asked, seeming to understand what he was thinking.
"You should go to bed, both of you" Margret said behind them.

Lilian nodded, giving a concerned glance at Uka, before walking inside.

Uka couldn't sleep, he suddenly felt nervous all night, and every time he closed his eyes, he imagined his family suffering in the flames.
He ended up looking out he window, the flames had died down by now and he hoped that the village people wouuld have put out the fire and his parents and sister would be safe. But however much he hope, he worried that that was not the case.

During breakfast that next morning, Uka pitched his plan to take a quick trip home to make sure everything was okay. Margret seemed happy with it, seeming happy to get her daughter away from him until her daughter stood up, "I'm coming with!"
"No you are not!" Her mother said
"But mother! Uka saved my life! I need to repay him!" Lilian shouted in retaliation.
"I shall not have you travelling out in the dangerous wilds! Now be a good girl and get the water from the well!" Margret shouted.
Lilian stormed off angrily. Uka tried to bargain with her mother, asking her to take Lilian with him, but the woman would not change her mind, it was clear. It seemed he would be taking this journey alone.

Or so he thought...
"Lilian! What are you doing here?" Uka was surprised when Lilian popped up from behind his few bags in the cart.
"Hmph, i snook on because i knew you wouldn't dissobey my mother. I am coming with you, and there is nothing you can do about it!" She looked pleased with herself, this was, after all her first time leaving Hiat.
Uka tried to protest but she just shushed him every time he started.
"I am coming with and that's the end of it"