The Key to Frasnati

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

That evening, after unloading the van, and setting up the cabin that was to be home over most of the summer, the family sat around the dinner table, enjoying fresh trout with rice.

Kayla sat politely, and savored her meal. But all the while she was burning with questions inspired by her brother’s earlier comment. Looking around the table, she saw a familiar scene, one she’d seen countless times during the years they had lived on the neighboring farm. And it hadn’t changed much. The curtains fluttered lightly in the breeze by the open window, white gauzy material blowing across the cupboards. The wood stain on the cupboards was the same as before, even the stained streak across the counter had not altered. The floor creaked in the same places as always, the paintings hung unmoving on the walls. The dining table was set with a leaf in it, and seven plates.

The adults had not changed at all, the changes in Jason and Terry, she was already used to. The noticeable change was in Thomas, who was eighteen. Kayla used to call him Tommy, but the name didn’t suit any longer. The playful, lanky boy had grown up in the two years they were gone. Terry was just as much at ease with him as ever, and Kayla couldn’t place why she felt awkwardly around him. He’s just the same. She declared to herself, he hasn’t really changed at all, not any more than Terry. It would take her a day or two to settle in, and get used to the changes in her friend, but soon, she was sure, it would be like always. Once again she caught herself absently rubbing her necklace charm, and brought her hand down.

For the most part, the young people ate silently, as their parents talked over community news. Terry and Thomas talked quietly, laughing together across the table, and excused themselves at the soonest possible minute. To do what, Kayla was sure no one could know.

“May I go for a walk?” she requested as she finished her dinner, “I want to visit all of my favorite places.” The three adults instantly agreed, merely telling her to be back before dark. That hadn’t changed either.

The cool evening air caressed her gently, and she took a deep breath, glad to be back. She wasn’t sure how long she wandered down the old familiar roads and across the fields, stopping to climb a couple trees and splash across the creek, but it didn’t feel like long enough. As she skipped around a bend in the gravel road, her jeans wet from the creek and a couple leaves in her hair, Kalaynie nearly plowed into one of her former classmates and neighbours, who she promptly spent the next half an hour talking to, standing in the ditch that was brimming with wild flowers. She caught up on neighbourhood news, and exchanged stories about her new farm, glad to find the other girl the same as ever. When a golden streak of sunlight fell across her, she jolted back to reality, realizing just how long the shadows were getting.

“I should be getting back.” She said reluctantly, but as the words left her mouth, her questions came roaring back over her, and she put her hands to her head as if it would stop the flow. “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, “Who are Mom, and Dad? What are they doing outside of Frasnati?”, “Does anyone here know we’re Elcaros?”, “Is Dad a knight?”, “What do our names mean? Mom said Frasnati names have strong meanings.”, “Could I go to Frasnati? Do they speak English?”

The questions nagged her as she said goodnight to her friend and ran the short way, across the fields of barley and canola. Bursting through a stretch of trees that hid the house from the road, she crossed the yard, and then the porch in just a few short bounds, and blew through the door, her eyes unusually bright. Jason glanced up from where he and Thomas were busily engaged in a chess game, and his eyes widened. Quickly mouthing “your eyes,” he warned her of her queer appearance. Kayla took the hint, quickly dimming the hazel glow.