It had been a week since Saraphine had first arrived and she was finally getting the swing of things. Kale had been right, her stamina did build. It was now a breeze for her to get through her daily work. Today was to be her day off though and she had decided to go exploring. Kale still had to work today so he wasn't able to come with her. Blossom, whom Saraphine had grown rather fond of, was busy with some of her shaman training. Blossom had to go once a week until it was her time to take over. So Saraphine found herself alone for the first time. She was quite excited. Saraphine loved everyone there but she really could use some time alone to process things.
Kale had drawn her a map to the waterfall that was a mere five miles from their settlement. He had also given her a compass and taught her to use it, so she was confident she would be able to find her way. Saraphine packed her satchel with a few apples and a jug of water and was on her way. As Saraphine walked through the woods she couldn't help to feel more at peace than she ever had before. She felt as though she were a part of everything around her.
Saraphine no longer longed for her old life. Now she only longed that she could bring her mother to the new one. She wished she could bring everyone into this new life, even the people who were never very nice to her. Saraphine had decided that everyone deserved to live the full life that she now had. Why had she been so lucky to be knocked down by Kale that day? She didn't know the answer, but didn't contimplate it too hard on the off chance that it would some how be taken away from her. Things were just too good. She finally had her own hut, her eye was completely healed now, and she finally had a place where she belonged. All the women with whom she worked with in the garden had been very impressed with her work ethic.
Saraphine spent the rest of her walk attempting to remember the day that Kale's dad had saved her life and lost his. She had been trying relentlessly all week to remember something, anything of importance. It was still nothing but a foggy image of a shadow sweeping her off the ground. She hadn't told Kale yet and she was unsure if she ever would. Things were so great between them, and nothing ruins friendships like 'Hey I'm the reason your father is dead.' Keeping it a secret was eating her inside out as if she had eaten a tub of acid. She would have to tell him sometime, when the time was right. When would possibly be a good time to drop that kind of bomb though? She would just have to figure that all out as she went along.
The path that Kale had drawn up for her brought her to the top of the waterfall. She took a seat on the tall lush grass that ran on either side of the river before it plummeted into the beautiful aqua pool below. Just as Saraphine got comfortable she saw something emerge from the water. Unsure of why, Saraphine ducked down into the tall grass and looked on trying to figure out what it was. It turned out to be a person. Whoever it was had their back to her, the back was strong and had ringlets of brown dripping hair drapped over their shoulders. Saraphine recognized the body structure and the hair almost immeadiately, it was Romaine. Saraphine sunk deeper into the ground.
'Gah! That's exactly what I need on my day of relaxation, to receive death stares.' Saraphine thought, frustrated that Kale hadn't warned her that people might be here. She would just wait him out. He couldn't possibly take too much longer. Besides Saraphine didn't really mind the way the soil felt beneath her cheek, the blades of grass tickling her nose. This is what she had been missing out on her entire life. There was no comparison between this and the cold dead walls that had once encaged her.
"You can get up. I know you're there." Romaine called out, his back still turned to her. Saraphine's eyes widened and her stomach dropped. How could he possibly have seen her? As Saraphine sat up she was so flushed she thought that she must be transparrent. She wouldn't mind being transparrent at this moment, at least then she wouldn't have to face Romaine.
