The Chills of Thorin's Cove

Chapter two

     Sylias. Sylias. Sylias! "SYLIAS!!!"

     Startled awake by my mother screaming my name, I scramble out of the warm soft hay in the back of the stables. Mother screaming is never a good thing, and mother screaming my name? Even worse.

     She's still calling my name when I sprint out of the stable almost colliding into her. I catch myself though, "Yes mother? What's going on?"

     Mother's eyes light up and by some miracle this time I'm not in trouble, "Ah, Sylias, good. I'm working on making a winter blanket for the new baby at the Belmens, you know the Belmens right? Anyway, I've had plenty of children myself, with you and your brothers, so I know a thing or two about what blankets ought to be..."

     Mother goes on her rambling again. I'm sure she'll get to her point... eventually. I nod, honestly, I don't know how one person could say so much in one breath. Of course, I'm not one for words, my heart lies with painting. Why say words when you could just paint your emotions.

     "And... Sylias?" Mother's questioning voice brings me back, "Is that hay in your hair?" She plucks it out, and I show an awkward smile.

     "Maybe?"

     "Boy, what have I told you about falling asleep back in the hay? You'll catch your death. You know that winter is on its way! And the trees... they've been whispering again..."

     "Mother please. You know that's all hearsay, have you been listening to Mrs. Wilkson again?" I stare at her with questioning eyes, arms crossed, looking very much the mighty one even though I have wrinkled clothes and a head full of hay, probably both literally and figuratively.

     Mother rolls her eyes and scoffs, "Child you'll be the death of me, now come! I've things to do and if you're not..." again she begins her ramblings and walks off back to the house with me trailing behind. How that short woman walks so fast I'll never know.

     Eventually mother gets to what she needs me for, and soon I'm sent into town with the large blanket for the Belmens new baby, and full list of things needed for Steve's birthday celebration this coming Saturday. Steve is my cousin and best friend; he came to live with us when he was eight years old from England. Father's sister and brother-in-law had tragically died earlier that summer from a horse carriage accident. And so, Steve was sent to us.

     Even with such hardship, Steve has always been a happy person, and I was a boy who couldn't really relate to my brothers and sister. Thomas, Charles, and Gale are all outgoing and adventurous and all being older than me, I felt I couldn't compete. When Steve came though, it was like I'd found my long-lost twin. We bonded over the simple things, our love of reading and poetry. I had my love of painting and his of animals, we are quite a pair I'd say.

     In my daydreaming I do not see where I'm going and end up walking straight into someone.

     "Oof!" and she falls down right on her knees, her basket full of the last fresh wildflowers left before the cold freezes them. They are bright orange, and they match her dress very well. A creamy white with soft daisy yellow. I can appreciate a good color palate.

     "Please excuse me ma'am. I didn't see you there..." I set the basket down with the blanket and move around to help her up. "I was daydreaming as usual..."

     "Sylias." She says with a warm smile. Not just she. But her. The only her I've ever dreamt about.

     "Lilith." I croak then slightly cough to cover up my darn throat. "Lilith, how surprising to see you." I offer my hand which she takes without hesitation. That does nothing to help my pounding heart.