Mountain Of The Sun |GVF

Chapter 1

A streak of sunlight dove from the wooden shutters of the window. A quaint treehouse for two, made from a rusty coloured wood and held up by the strength of the big oak tree and the ivy that has grown over the years and found home in the cracks. Aurora, a tenant of the treehouse. Dark skin that matched and contrasted against her grey eyes. The grey always looked like a dark turquoise. Plumb lips, diamond face and crooked nose. Thick dreads going down past her collarbone with silver and gold charms tangled in by small braids. She awoke as a loud ear gnawing call from a bird annoyed her eardrum. She resisted every inch of irritation in her body to stop herself from plucking ever feather from the bird and eating it raw. She groaned and shook the sheets and blankets off her, she got up and rubbed her eyes and walked outside her room. Opening the door, she looked around confused. "Danny?" Her voice soft and coarse as she had just woken up, "Danny!" She shouted out, focusing on the stairs – Danny was the other tenant, and his room was upstairs –. No response. She shrugged it off and headed to the kitchen cupboard and got a piece of bread from the breadbin. Smearing butter and jam on it, then going to sit by the round table in the middle of the room.

Danny and Aurora have been friends ever since they were kids, had their early childhood by The Fires. None of their parents made it. They were both raised by a caretaker and have been side by side all the way, for the longest time Aurora has been in love with Danny, but it was futile.

Aurora got dressed, a dark green strap top and black skirt that went to her shins. Taking her berry picking basket and left the treehouse through the trapdoor.

'Light Ceremony'. The posters on the trees said, posters and banners were put up as far as the eye could see. It feels surprising that there hasn't been anything put out about the missing brother. The Light Ceremony has been held every year; some individuals get sent letters to partake in the Ceremony's ritual and then join The Peaceful Army. A preparation for if the Black Smoke ever returns. For right now they keep the peace and seal breaches in The Garden walls. The Brothers are the leaders of the army and The Garden as well. The talk on the street is that the youngest brother has gone missing. People say that he left the Garden, but the only thing that lies outside is death.

Aurora had made her rounds around the berry bushes and picked some wildflowers for the vase. She got to the tree house and changed the flowers out for the new ones, put the berries in a clean bowl which she then stowed away into the ice box for later. The trapdoor then opened to reveal Danny. Lucious curly long dark hair, soft brown eyes, large majestic nose and pink lips. six feet tall with strong arms and a kind demeanour. ''Look what came in 'Rora!" Danny said excitedly waving a letter in his hand. "The Light Ceremony!?" Aurora's jaw dropped, being chosen for The Peaceful Army had always been one of his biggest dreams, helping people had always been his nature. "Sweet dreams in gold! This is amazing!" Aurora hugged Danny tightly after jumping all around. "Please tell me I'm gonna be your plus one." "Of course you are, who else?" He chuckled. Auroras heart fluttered and she smiled at him, finally letting go. Danny smiled down at her, pupils dilated, eyes soft. A spike in her heart's previously regular rhythm. "Oh, I picked berries for your pie today." She cleared her throat, trying to fill the silence. "Ah thanks man." He gave a small smile "I'll start on it later. I need to go get an outfit for the ceremony." Aurora's blush on her cheeks faded, she wanted to spend time with him today. The time they spent together got to be less and less as they aged. "Wanna come with? I need your fashion advice." He followed up. Her heart beamed again. "Right." She smiled and walked with him to the exit. "But... no scarfs." "Aw man." He whined.

The town was booming, "Looks like everyone had the same idea." Aurora said. Danny had an uncomfortable look on his face, he took a hold of Auroras hand, "I don't want to lose you in the crowd." His face relaxed and they headed to one of the less crowded pop-up tents.

Danny held up a purple velvet blouse with bright orange embroidery of a koi fish on the back. Aurora cackled, holding onto her stomach, and wheezing with every last breath she had. Danny stared with blank eyes, "Come on, I'm serious." He put his hand on his hip. "That's the fugliest thing I've ever seen! Not even the old mage in the tower would wear that!" Aurora said. "I think it's quite cool." "Well, you're wrong.". They bickered more whilst looking at the other clothing. It was now sunset and nothing was bought, but every tent had been searched top to bottom. "We've been at it for three hours, can't you just stitch a curtain for me?" Danny groaned. "You said wanted my help, so we're not done." She sing-songed as they walked into the last tent. It was like all the other tents, just darker, more cluttered and smelled strongly of patchouli from the incense. There wasn't anyone in the tent, it was late and everyone had went home. Danny gave out a loud gasp, "What is it?" Aurora asked. Danny pointed to the wall of scarves like a five year old finding his newest and most needed toy. "You have enough scarves at home Daniel." She rolled her eyes. Aurora turned around and bumped into someone. Shoulder height. "Sorry!" Aurora apologized. "No worries sugar." The person was an old lady, dark tinted round glasses, wrinkly brown skin and the wackiest fashion sense. "What are y'all looking for?" She asked. "Something for him. It's for the Light Ceremony." Aurora explained. "Come here boy, I got just the thing." The lady said and dragged him away to the backroom. Aurora giggled seeing such a small lady waddle away with someone ten times her height. She then went back to looking at the clothes.

After a while Aurora picked out a pink scarf, two rose hair pins and white scarf. She made her way to the back and peaked around the corner, Danny was sat in front of dark green dressing table and dirty oval mirror. He was wearing a beautiful white blouse, the collar was a sewn in scarf, frills down the front of the shirt and frilled cuffs. He looked ethereal. "Come on in darling, I got your boyfriend all ready. Mamma's just missing one thing." The old lady said walking away. "He's not my boyfriend!" Aurora defended. She walked to Danny who was sitting at the table looking at her through the mirror. "You look great. Guess you don't need my help after all." She said, "Oh, I got this for you." She took the two pins and clipped them in his soft curly hair. "Also got you another little something." "A break?" Aurora hit him playfully. She showed him the two scarfs. His mouth was a gape, "I thought you said no more scarves?" He looked up at her. His glossy eyes made her head spin. "Do you want them or not?" "Thank you." He said softly with a small smile while he rubbed the fabrics now being held between his hands. "Ah, there it is." The old lady came back, "I was just looking for those pins for him." She spoke. "Is this all right for the ceremony dear?" She asked Danny. "It's more than all right ma'am." He responded "Well you two better get going. It's getting dark.". They said their goodbyes and thank yous to her, traded goods and left.

The sun had long set and the sky was dark. Fire from the candles of the streetlamps only gave some visibility. The week before the Ceremony was always the darkest, the light output had been reduced to commemorate all those that died at The Fires. The darkness – after The Fires- always made Aurora and Danny anxious. They walked through the cobbled streets, the gaps and alleyways between the building blew cold drafts. Danny took off his new pink scarf and wrapped it around Aurora, she protested but he insisted. There was an exchange of glances and they continued in a comfortable silence. A nerve pricked in Auroras spine, from somewhere in the shadows, the feeling of a pair of eyes. Looking. Staring right into her skin. She stopped turning her head. The lamp next to pitch black alleyways flame was whirling violently. 'Just the wind.' She thought. "You okay 'Rora?" Danny worried. "Yeah, yeah. Just thought someone was there." She replied, "Come on." Danny took hold of her hand and reassured her, and they on their way continued back home.

But from the alleyway its black shadows seemed to be spreading like liquid from its containment and into the light. It swirled around on the pavement and the flame above grew even more violent, and from the darkness a hum of melody was heard.

"And the Black Smoke rises..." "From the Fires we are told."