The Forgotten Light

23. Fairlight

The sun was burning mercilessly as she dug through the dry soil with Amber, Rick and their children. Josh was already strong enough to help dig, while the rest of the younger children spread seeds and planted seedlings, which they later watered.

At noon, they enjoyed their first break. Like the day before, they sat under a tree and drank water.

Amber grabbed Fairlight's hand, placing a bundle on it. "Eat this, you didn't eat anything yesterday, and you need to be strong."

The girl smiled at the sight of chocolate-covered oatmeal cookies. She barely stopped herself from putting them in her mouth right away.

"Thank you, but I think you should give them to your kids."

The woman pushed Fairlight's hand away, forcing her to keep the cookies for herself. "These little guts have eaten enough. It would be malicious if they got a stomach ache from gluttony while you were writhing with hunger."

Fairlight sent her a grateful smile and bolted the cookies. She closed her eyes as she felt the taste of chocolate in her mouth. "Oh my God, that was delicious."

Amber laughed. "I promise to bake more next time."

The girl looked at her surprised. "You made them?"

"Hardly anyone here has only one assigned job. In addition to a shovel, I also know how to use a knife and a whisk."

"Next time be sure to bring more. I feel much better after that."

Amber patted her on the shoulder and got up to play with the kids who were pulling her to play.

Fairlight leaned against the trunk, and Rick offered her another cup of water.

"You look more alive today than you did yesterday. It's good to see you like this."

"Yesterday was not one of the easiest days."

Rick rose heavily and moved to the seat next to her. "What actually happened to you? That guard there was almost literally dragging you along. Did they give you something?"

Fairlight only remembered that right after getting out of the shower, she sat by the glass wall to look at the ocean for a while. At some point she must have fallen asleep. Later she heard the Prince's voice, which seemed to come from the other side of the world. She remembered the guard dragging her behind him to the underground and the final crash into the mattress. After that, she no longer knew what happened. She didn't know if it was a dream or reality, but it seemed to her that this guard was Darksen himself. However, when she thought about it, she concluded that it must have been a dream, because why would he be the one to escort her there, when he had his soldiers to do so?

"They didn't let me get a good night's sleep, that's why I was so tired. Then I got slapped by the King himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he damaged something in my head. I hardly remember anything from last night."

"No wonder you had fallen asleep before Adam managed to bring his blanket."

Oh, and so that's where the extra cover came from. And Kendra woke up cuddled up with Adam.

Fairlight smiled. She had a feeling that the second blanket just became hers.

They went back to work for a few more hours in the full sun. From holding the hoe firmly and hitting the rock-hard soil with it, her hands ended up with blisters. Every now and then she had to re-tie her hair on top of her head, as the hair band went off every time the tool hit the ground. She didn't know what disturbed her more: the loose hair band or the strands of hair sticking to her face.