Tthor Prayer and the Orffelios' paila

41- Orffelios' storm

   "Leap year!" Said Darius, carrying some bags towards the shed. "Every twenty-ninth of February, once every four years, the famous Orffelios storm comes from the south."

   Tthor scanned the sky. The sun shone in all its splendor, in a deep celestial firmament, without any trace of cloud. A soft breeze, somewhat cool but delicate, caressed his face.

   "Darius," he said, "I think it won't rain today."

   "Believe me, it will rain, it will snow and there will even be a wind so strong that half of the trees will be on the other side of the town."

   "Then what should I do? How can I help you?"

   "The only thing we need is...the firewood," said Darius, finishing his work in the shed.

   Tthor looked from side to side. And seeing nothing, he asked:

   "And where is the firewood?"

   " Up there," Darius answered, pointing towards Mount Horacum. We have to stock up on wood before the storm. Because, after tonight, the roads will be, for the most part, closed. The temperature will plummet for several days and we will need firewood for homes and boilers."

   "And how will we get there?"

   "In the cart. No choice."

   Tthor's stomach turned, remembering his bumpy journey from Albion to the “Storm and the Rush.”

   Darius looked worriedly at Thor. The young boy was turning pale.

   "Don't worry, Tthor," Darius said. "On second thought, I don't need you." Lee-Won will accompany me.

   " Is Lee-Won going too?" Tthor asked, with surprise.

   " Yes, so don't worry."

   " I'm coming!" Tthor stated emphatically.

   He didn't want to miss the chance to see Lee-Won. I hadn't heard from him in almost a full day. And, despite his anger, he missed him too much to miss that opportunity.

   Darius did not insist. He saw that Tthor was determined to make the trip and knew that he and Lee-Won couldn't do the job alone. An extra pair of hands would help them finish early and take shelter in Warghost before the storm hit in full force.

   Without wasting time, they carried a couple of axes, ropes, a jerrycan of water and took, at a medium speed, the Cretan road, towards Meaghdose.

   The cart rattled, pulled by a large, young, jet-black horse. If they were proud of anything at Warghost, it was their purebred horses and the treatment they were given. It was a tradition that came, of course, from the times of Orffelios himself.

   We must cross the town, to come out in front of the road that leads to Horacum.

   "There is the best wood to make bonfires," Darius explained, looking askance at Tthor.

   The young man was holding on to his seat with both hands.

   "I'm fine. I'm fine," he said when he felt Darius' gaze on him.

   " It's a short trip. Don't worry," Darius encouraged and whispered a few words to the horse, which began to gallop slowly but steadily.

   "And Lee-Won?" Tthor asked, unable to contain himself.

   "He's with Noel, in the shoe store. We will pass through it and continue on our way."

   They entered the main street of Meaghdose and advanced about two hundred meters. There were people coming and going, doing their last shopping before the storm. But the sky was still clear and bright.