Nivaleth's Cathedral

FIVE: TO TRAVEL WITH TASTE

The dead never cease to cross into the minds of the living. Leaving behind memories far worse than any haunting, the dead can be more dangerous than ghosts. Luistia seemed to know that from the way she sat--rigid and awkward, with her gaze directed towards the ceiling. Mirian quite enjoyed watching her like that. Things were so much better when Luistia was just quiet.

Bostrim's head rested on her shoulders and his body moved up and down in the gentle rhythms of sleep. It was comforting, if not for Rorro's occasional dirty look. Today's gonna be a long day, she thought. But at least I have them here with me.

As the first day rolled by it came to be little different from their ordinary ones. At least, Mirian found it to be easy. They stopped along Forestina's Garden to set camp. While Luistia went with the two guards and Aritemes to fix up camp for the night, Mirian and her boys were charged with finding firewood.

"Firewood?" Rorro sighed deeply, "I'm not a fan of collecting sticks."

"Well, you're going to go it and you're doing it with no complaints, hear me," Mirian told him. A smile graced her lips as she finished and she tilted her head the slightest towards Bostrim. Rorro's eyes grew wider before he smiled as well, and without the need for words they were running into the Forest, leaving Bostrim to play catch up. Her legs hurt from running but the doctors had told her that if she wanted her strength back she'd have to do lots of it. Every so often she'd lean against a tree and wait for her breath to come back.

"How many do ya think needed?" Rorro asked, grinning at her. Around them was an fury of trees and flowers that excited the mind. His fingers twitched and before a word was spoken he'd picked a small, nail sized, pink flower and placed it in her hair. His pale skin was opposite to hers and for a moment they stood with him holding his hand against her head, her eyes stuck on his, and the wind gently tugging against the edges of their garments.

"Thank you," she whispered. Words broke whatever trance was held and with awkward smiles the two began to pick up sticks as fast as they could.

Bostrim ran up a moment later, his teeth showing as he held up a big log he'd found. "Look! A tree fell over broke, we can gather most there."

"Excellent!" Mirian ran to him and gave him a small peck on the cheek before running towards where he'd come from. The two boys followed her with giggles as they gathered the wood.

***

"Blu ect toche," Rorro said. His voice was aided into the world by the crackling of fire. Beside him Mirian sat and repeated, learning from him what she could. Intense concentration lined her face as her small nose scrunched up with every thought.

"Blu ect toche. The fire is blue," Mirian said. She rubbed at her legs while talking. Droplets of pain would arise from nowhere and every so often it felt like something was scratching on the inside of her body. Tingles shivered through her. I shouldn't have done the walking and running so much.

The fire wasn't turning blue, though, and that was the main problem.

Rorro shook his head, making a tsking noise as he said something under his breath in Parese. "Ya've gotta get ya voice higher, needier," he tried to explain, "if want spell work, then want try harder."

Luistia looked over at them for a moment before going back to her conversation with Amelia. They stood beside the carriage and had been talking like that for over an hour. Oh, look elsewhere! At least I can use my magic. You don't know anything but to hurt.