Starborn

Chapter 5 (Part 3)

We pile inside the cottage, which feels like a comfortable home. Several doors lead into different rooms, and a woman wearing a white apron instantly greets us with a smile as warm as the fireplace. The room consists of a round dining table, fit with enough chairs to seat a large family, a cauldron in the corner, stacks of books near a rocking chair by the furnace, and a workbench near the stairs. The walls were littered in decorations, all looking handmade out of sticks and leather straps. Most of the decorations are shaped like birds or feathers.

The old man leads Duncan inside one of the rooms. He's so distraught, he nearly catches Charlotte's head on the doorframe.

"Oh, I see," the woman says. "So you were ambushed?"

"Yes," I say. "I hope your husband can cure her."

"Of course. Macalosh knows the remedy for that poison like it was his morning routine!" she says while grabbing several wooden bowls and cups from her cupboard. "You two look hungry. Have a seat, I made porridge."

Ameline and I sit at the long end of the table and quickly scarf down a bowl of porridge with honey and two cups of hot tea. But all the while, I can hear both Duncan barking at the good doctor, and Charlotte writhing in pain still. Mrs. Winsmore tries to keep our spirits elevated with small talk, while Alistar stays in the corner and whittles a trinket with his knife.

The Winsmores are from a region known as Witheridge. Hearing that word brought a fresh batch of memories into my mind. The Witherins believed in nature's protection and cherished its beauty, so the village's large Gigangia trees were hollowed and made into homes and stores. The largest tree was the town hall where the village elder lived and appeased the masses. That tree was so tall its leaves could touch the rolling clouds. But the most memorable thing about Witheridge was the Falcors, those massive birds. Their wings could cast shadows on entire villages, and one flap could blow an entire house down. They came in assorted colors, not a single one of them was lacking in beauty.

I was only in Witheridge for a short time. But those are memories I'm glad I still have.

The Winsmores had migrated to Pirema to search for financial support after losing their farm to a massive flood. Here in the Crimson Forest, they grow wheat and raise chickens for eggs. Mr. Winsmore also treats patients with ancient medical techniques. Alistar works outside of the village as a messenger, which explains the sack of letters sloppily sitting in the corner.

Ameline is enthralled by a small creature that jumps in front of her bowl and sniffs her fingers to gain her scent. The creature is coated in bright green fur, with teal-colored ears that are long like a rabbit's. Its tail is also quite long as it whips around ferociously.

"Oh, that's Majesca," Alistar says. "She's my pet Junja. Ain't she precious?"

Soon, Duncan and Mr. Winsmore finally come out of the room. Mr. Winsmore goes to his chair while Duncan steps out the door, leaving the room eerily silent. I watch him lean on the cottage's porch, and I feel obligated to have a word with him.

I silently join him on the porch. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I just can't help but worry about her," Duncan says. "That woman means more to me than life itself."

"I understand. I'm sure this is difficult not just for you but for her too."

"Not like either of us have ever had it easy," Duncan moans while he looks up at the sun-drenched sky. "We've only had each other through these hard times. In fact, we met on the day her town's council sentenced her to be burned at the stake."

"They were gonna kill her? For what?"

"I never found out," Duncan continues. "I just joined the crowd when they were gathering around the center, and there she was up there tied to a post and begging for mercy. There was fire everywhere, and she kept screaming. And the next thing I knew, I was climbing up there and cutting her loose. I don't even know why I did it. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a pretty face."