the garden within the wasteland

Herder, Mother, Child

Not a single spot of darkness falls on this land, this kingdom so favored by the heavenly sun will soon be my death, the rays and heat of the sun were enforcing all my wounds, as if the furthest I moved away from reality and into Touri's distorted fantasy the louder my physical wounds cried, a crying so hideous and disruptive I have to use all my will power to not forcibly remove my punctures. Yet I doubt such a sight would be pretty for Touri. 

She was walking with a joy unrivalled under this blasted sun, each of her steps carrying a small hop or another unnecessary action, as I felt each of my steps take the bare minimum actions."Ereo! You mustn't let yourself fall into such a slump."Her words suddenly slammed into my skull and returned me to the world around me; she was indeed a fair distance away from me, my eyes quickly darting left and right as I bore witness to this world once more. Those jewels were all that stared back, enchained onto each house, a necessity for the life of the self-absorbed egomaniac citizen of Azrathya who couldn't even for a moment tear their eyes off the floor or each other to even glance at me, not unlike all the glances of curiosity and familiarity that constantly surrounded her. A familiar yet unexplained rage began to fill me the longer I observed this world.
"When was the last time you ate anything Ereo?"
She asked, her words coming out with a slight curve
"Three days"
I answered automatically She smirked before speaking
"That answers more than you'd believe, COME! YOU MUST BE GIVEN SUSTENANCE"
She beckoned me as she took a detour to the right, where the sight that greeted me was that of a man draped in a gray tethered uniform trapped in a small stand. He appeared beyond fixated on his craft, that of the food he cooked. Behind him was a small pit surrounded by stones and filled with a fire; on top of it was a small platform, carrying several slices of meat, with metallic rods punctured through them.
His tanned skin seemed to have embraced that roaring fire numerous times; whatever was shown from his arms were burnt, but he kept as he is now.Taking the raw slabs of meat, cutting them, piercing them, and planting them atop the flame. He took nothing in return; another son of Azthryua, ahead of us, simply took one of the readied sticks and left with a simple thank you. I know this land has no meaning of currency and no man here lusts for the promise of riches, yet to give and give without ever taking? I do not understand the man who willingly makes himself a slave for the masses. Whenever I glanced at the man's eyes between his fury, he performed his work. There was a contempt. A peace. A focused look, I believed I'd only find in the eyes of the dead, perhaps he is a corpse in a living body performing endless duties for no real purpose, or perhaps. I was the corpse as I've seen that look in Touri's eyes during our spar.
"I reckon you've never tasted dragon's meat before?"
"Dragon's meat?"
I couldn't help but hide my confusion. I remembered my encounter with that sickly simulacrum of what a proper beast should look like, the image of eating it, like that sea creature did. It rattled me with disgust from deep within my form. But hunger was far too great.
She moved with haste to grab three of the sticks, thanking the man and handing me two of them, and after a second of inaction, both of us feasted on the sticks.A rare moment of ecstasy slammed into me as an aggressive savior.My muscles began to relax, my pain eased, and my anger vanished with each exhale.
"This food is indeed acceptable."
I cleared my throat and mouth just to say that, before returning my attention to the second stick.
"T'was easy to tell you found joy in it! Your villainous glare had been superseded."
And as we spoke, we returned to our idle patrol, our steps in sync.

The people among us seemed to pass by like the waves of the ocean.

"I do not possess a glare."I protested back between bites of that meat.
"Don't deny what is so easy to spot, as if I were to say I wore a stale, colored suit."
"Why are you dressed so peculiarly anyway?"
"Why do you wonder? Do you wish for your own matching pair!?"
"That-that's not what I said. I just never saw something similar to that."
"Of course you hadn't. I made it myself."
She said with an exalted pride, her eyes once more tore themselves apart to simulate the stars. But this time, there was a beauty in them.
I pondered for a moment with a hum, but I knew what my answer would be.
"I do grow tired of my old dress. But do not make me appear as a fool, or I shall burn it"
"You don't need any clothing to appear as a fool."
She laughed as she threw away her stick, and I threw my pair.