The flame

Chapter 20:

Chapter 20: 

-Where are you going?

Cirka asked Sari as she watched the girl put on a pair of thick-soled black boots and tried to fix her coppery hair, but she still looked like an angry cloud. She was wearing a green woven jacket and loose-fitting sky blue pants.

-An idiot and I are going to protest about what happened to the seals a few weeks ago.

Cirka bit her tongue, she wanted to ask him a lot of questions about how he knew what had happened and if he had seen the animals again, but any information that might connect her to the castle was dangerous.

-Is that safe?

Sari fiddled with her fingertips on her right cheek for a moment as she thought.

-Not really, but it wouldn't be the first time I ended up in prison, so you relax... In fact, don't you want to come?

-For now I have to decline your offer, maybe next time

The young woman shrugged as she left the small room. Sari's house was the size of Cirka's room in the castle, including the restroom, but not the balcony. It had only one bedroom and one bathroom, the dining room consisted of a small wobbly wooden table and two chairs with half-loosened backs next to a worn and broken sofa.

They were on the second floor of a small building, on the first floor was a small business that Cirka hadn't been able to explore yet and she didn't feel like asking Sari either, it was only fair, if she herself refused to give her any information about her past she couldn't pepper her hostess with questions.

She slept for a while next to Sari on the old plank bed, the mattress was worn by the passage of time and the padding was barely felt and although Cirka was used to a swan feather mattress and silk quilts she didn't intend to complain, it was either that or the street.

-There are some buns you can heat on the stove, it's powered by gas so be careful when you turn it on. I hope I get there and don't find my house burned to the crisp.

Sari was probably joking, but considering that in her twenty-four years of life Cirka had never set foot in the kitchen she wasn't far off the mark. Between waiting for her to return to eat and the possibility of ending up on the street she'd really rather go a little hungry.

-Well, I'm off. I'm not leaving you keys or anything, so don't go out, if you do, you're on your own.

That was the last warning Sari gave her strange guest before closing the door, she carefully walked down the rusty stairs that led to the flower shop. She usually didn't open on Sundays so she wasn't missing out on potential customers either, she lovingly arranged some lilies before exiting the building entirely.

She walked through the town without much trouble, most people were gathered either at the church or at the flea market, so the trail to the beach was basically deserted, after about forty minutes she arrived at her destination.

Drach was already there, sitting on one of the rocks, two blank posters with sticks attached to them lay by his feet, he was fiddling with a black marker. He was wearing a black leather jacket that appeared to be one size too big over a white skeleton, worn gray shorts and the same shoes he had been wearing the day they had met.

-I think this is stupid, there's only two of us!

She called out to him as she gave him a gentle bump on the head by way of greeting. The young man looked up, his eyes looking even grayer with the contrast created by his heavy dark circles under his eyes.

-Ish, you look terrible, have you ever slept?

-The herd is acclimating to its new home... the howls aren't exactly lulling. How about instead of attacking my appearance you start writing?

-You want me to do all the work?

Drach cringed slightly at Sari's words, lowered his head and brought his left hand to the back of his neck, his fingers moving carefully applying light pressure to his skin.

-I have no idea how to spell, okay?

He finally admitted, chagrined.

-Ah, it's okay, you're not lazy, just an idiot.

The girl took the marker from his free hand, curving her lips into a smile, hoping the young man would understand that her words were not laden with malice. His body relaxed. He hated feeling that people felt sorry for him and appreciated that Sari didn't see him as a charity case.

-What do you want me to tell you? The people at the orphanage were too busy beating me up to teach me how to write.

-Don't try to get out of it with your story of a battered child. You're going to learn and you're going to learn now! Can you even read?

-Yes

-Well, you're already halfway there, maybe you're not as dumb as you look.

-Hey!

Drach held one hand to his chest pretending to be offended while with the other he grabbed a handful of sand and threw it at Sari as she spoke. The young woman began to cough thunderously as she thrashed around trying to hit him.

-That's exactly why you'll have to write the two posters!

She yells at him once she catches her breath, her round cheeks were almost as red as her hair, Drach let out a thunderous laugh.

-What are you laughing at now?

-You really do look like an angry hamster.

In a surprisingly quick movement Sari takes off one of her boots and throws it at him, the sound of the thick sole colliding against Drach's face brings out a laugh from her, satisfied with her revenge.