Hexe - The Great Exodus

[CH. 0048] - The Long Night

Koimar

Noun

Translation: Fish

Definition: "Koimar" is the term to denote fish, specifically referring to the Dual-Headed Fish known as the Spirit of Healing. This unique creature is revered specially in the elven culture for its mystical properties and its symbolic representation of healing and balance.

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Lunch was over, and Claramae busied herself with tidying the table while Godmama began to wash the dishes. The soft clinking of utensils provided a soothing, rhythmic backdrop to the otherwise awkward silence. Noctavia has not yet returned after complaining about the buzzing sound in her ears.

The twins, Maggie and Maddie, sat almost motionless at the table, their presence barely noticeable. They were so still. It was as if they were holding their breath, but their wide eyes betrayed their curiosity. Unblinked eyes which feared that even the slightest rustle or breath from them might shatter the deep introspection of Yeso.

He was sitting at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on the door, and seemed to be probing, waiting for her. Noctavia had yet to come back.

So, his impatience translated into tapping with his fingers on the wooden table surface. Each tap resonated nervously in the hushed room, the sound reverberating as if in slow motion, amplifying its significance, getting louder and louder.

Yeso's gaze inadvertently fell upon the faeries, who were watching him with an expression that bordered on dreadful. Then, he quickly shifted his attention to the others in the room. "She's been away for quite a while, hasn't she?" he asked.

Claramae responded calmly as she gathered the dirty dishes. "She did seem quite upset. But give her some time; the woods aren't big enough for her to get lost. And let's not forget, her Spirit is with her. So, please, just relax."

Yeso's attention then drifted to his sleeping baby, Orlo, with his fiery red hair, who lay peacefully in his basket with a small white mouse cuddling against his cheek.

"He sleeps a lot," he remarked, almost to himself but still with a gentle smirk.

"It's a baby. You think too much, Yeso. You worry too much. Don't you have anything better to do?" Claramae retorted with a hint of annoyance as she grabbed the broom to begin sweeping the floor.

"Maybe I should go for a walk..." Yeso mused, rising from his chair while the twins' eyes followed his every move.

"You need to stay here and watch over Orlo. We're all busy," Claramae scolded, emphasizing her point with the broom in her hand, "What is wrong with you today?"

But Godmama interjected, "Let him go. The baby is fine, and Yeso clearly isn't."

"Excuse me, everyone... I'll just be off for a brief five minutes," he finally said, standing up, "I'll be back in no time."

He wouldn't. This was the last time the faeries would see the little boy with diamond hair and eyes of a colour none could name, born and raised between them. He would be soon gone. And for a long time, Claramae would regret the last word she told him.

Yeso scoured every nook and cranny of Faewood in his desperate quest for Noctavia, retracing his steps to even the most minor, most secluded spots he knew.

He revisited the little clearing where he had found her moons before talking about her visions, his eyes scanning every inch of the familiar terrain, but it yielded no sign of her. He raised his voice, calling out her name with such strength that it echoed through the trees, startling the birds into flight.