Ignited - Tiger's Eye Spin-Off

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It seems my outburst helped win over Zola and Kendric. That night they gave the King and Queen a good report about us and we spent the next two weeks speaking to other families nonstop. The third week the King and Queen decided to give us the entire week off. Sam and I decided to wander around town to admire parts of the village we have not yet seen. We held hands and I wrapped my other arm around our held hands. Their town seemed so much bigger once you got to the middle of it. It came alive. Shops scattered around town with people selling things along the path and offering free samples to those of us passing by.

"I like it here," I smiled.

Sam agreed, "I do too."

"I also like that for the first time in a while we get to relax. There is nothing we need to worry about. It feels nice to be able to spend time with you like this."

He kissed my head, "If I could I would want our lives to be like this all the time."

"I would too."

"We'll get that someday."

"Do you truly think we will?"

"Yes I do. When all of these wars are over and we finally have peace every day for the rest of our lives will be like this."

I laughed, "I cannot wait for that. I love you so much."

"I love you too. Where should we go next?"

"Let's follow this path to the beach. We can sit there a while."

The Ruhk people of the island used half of the island for entertainment purposes. They set up smaller houses to sell food and beverages while they swam and hung around the beach. There was some kind of patio and roof set up where some of them formed a band and played music as well. It was beautiful. Sam and I walked along the edge of the beach and grass. We finally settled at a spot next to the band. I sat on Sam's lap and he wrapped his arms around me. The waves crashed against the shore as the villagers came in and out of the water. As they went in their fins appeared just before they went fully under. As they came out their fins slowly disappeared and were replaced with their arms and legs. They look carefree. I like that about them. While I am sure they all have their own problems they do not seem to be as worried as the Fauhl or even the Tigmas. The children swam carefree and rushed over to their parents. The smaller children danced in front of the band while their families were out swimming. This is the way I imagined the Tigmas to be. I never had the chance to see it, but this is what I always imagined it was like in the villages with their families.

"It was like this," Sam told me. "Before I left I know my family was like this."

"Can you tell me about it?" I asked.

"When I was younger my family took trips to nearby parks or walked to another town to have a family picnic or a vacation for a few days. All of us children ran a little ahead as the adults trailed behind. I remember when we took a trip to the village directly north of us. We thought it was the greatest thing ever. One of the villagers gave us a tour around town and we stayed at one of the inns. We had picnics around town and went shopping at the shops they had that we didn't have at our own town. It was the first real vacation I ever went on."

I smiled, "That sounds fun. I never went on a vacation. If I did that is how I imagine it. I imagine it like this too. I never thought I would enjoy it as much as I do. It'll be sad to leave this place."

"We'll come back. The borders may change and we all may be taken from our lands eventually, but it will always be here. When all of this is over we will have our chance to travel for fun and go on our first real vacation together. Someday we'll be happy, wild, and carefree."