Falling Shadows (The Ellocea chronicles) [#Wattys2016]

Three

The dawn broke as it usually did with amber rays peeping over the rolling hills and lightening the mighty Everlasting Sky from a midnight blue to ultramarine to a dazzling azure. She could hear Papa scraping his worn boots against the rickety wooden bench that sat below their front window, to try and rid them of some of the mud that often caked the tired soles. The sweet song from the lively birds never failed to raise her spirits in the morning, especially when Papa insisted on always waking at the crack of dawn and going out to find breakfast; he always got a bit craggy if she was still in bed by the time he returned so she tried her best to wake herself from the blanket of sleep. Today, like most other spring days, breakfast consisted of fresh fruits from the countless plants and trees that surrounded their home. She often wondered if those in the Palace had such a wide range of different fruits, it looked as if all the colours under the Sky had come and gathered on their table, crimson, cerise, auburn, fuchsia, violet all tempting Akillah's morning stomach to take a bite.

Papa joined her at the table and welcomed her to the day with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, asking how she slept to which she replied with the natural air with which they spoke to each other, comfortable and happy. In truth she hadn't slept well at all, tossing and turning, then lying awake for hours wondering how she would ask for his permission to watch the regal procession in Kalani, that was taking place in four days time. She'd heard about it from some travellers that were venturing down the Wanderer's Track where she had been picking flowers yesterday, she'd almost forgotten the bunch of wild flowers as she'd rushed home in a frenzy of excitement. It would be a once in a lifetime experience to witness the great procession of the Kahn's eldest son that marked his coming of age. Soon after there would be a marriage but that was generally inside the walls of the Palace and she knew Papa wouldn't be likely to let her go so she knew that she must, she had to go to watch the procession. From all the tales she'd heard about the kind and generous Kahn, his beautiful wife Eliora and their adored children she knew that they would want everyone to attend and share in their celebrations, the idea slightly terrified her but also pulsed a delicious zing around her veins. Her mind had been brimming with vibrant daydreams of what the procession would be like; the beautiful colours, the delicious atmosphere and the enticing scents that would fill the streets between the aged clay huts. A bubble of excitement escaped her lips in, what she thought, was an inaudible sigh, the release of a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. Papa's head seemed to snap up at the sound with such a sudden swiftness that startled Akillah out of her misty revery.

"What's the matter, my dear petal, are you feeling unwell? I knew I shouldn't have let you go out that far yesterday, you can never be sure what illnesses may be lurking by that track. I'll go and fetch the.."

"No Papa, I'm fine, I'm perfect. I...um, well I was just...." She drifted into an incoherent babbling as for the first time in her life she struggled to find the right words that would best aid her case.

"Akillah you know how I feel about muttering, either speak clearly or don't speak at all." He said with a faint look of sternness, his tawny eyes urging her to speak.

Taking a slow breath deep into her lungs she sat up straight and raised her eyes so that they were level with her father's.

"I was wondering if we could take a walk to the village to watch the royal procession? It would only be for a short while just to watch the march through the main square and then we could come straight home and even pick up something for the evening meal from one of the markets. I have plenty of time to make a token worth a loaf of bread. Oh, Papa it has been so long since we've had bread." She could feel herself becoming wrapped up in the excitement of the idea, so much so that she hadn't noticed the hazel flecks in Papa's eyes disappearing into the raven-black depths of his pupils. She carried on for a good long moment after, until she noticed the eery silence and that seemed to be radiating from her normally joyous Papa. The sensation shocked her into silence and her vivid description of all the Vallele celebrations she could remember died on her lips.

"Papa...?" Her light brows furrowed as she took in the stony expression on her father's face. "It was only a suggestion, you wouldn't have to come. I'm sure I'd be perfectly safe with Liyla for company, she's a strong mare and I could carry tokens to trade and we could have more food than if we'd walked."

"No."

"But Pa-"

"No! I said no! You cannot and will not go!" His words felt like a slap to the face, she was sure she actually recoiled from the volume of his voice. Never in her whole life had he looked at her like this, such intense emotion burned in his eyes that for a moment, she realised, she was scared. His face seemed to soften as he saw the look on her face and his expression crumpled as he covered his face with his hands.

"Oh Papa," even though she was still slightly shaken from his sudden outburst, she saw the look of remorse and resignation on her Papa's face that pierced her heart in a way that made her forget about herself and pushed her to rush over to her father's side and comfort him. "Papa, it's nothing it was a silly request, I won't bring it up again. Why would I need to go anywhere we have everything we need right here!" She didn't believe her words but that didn't matter she just hoped that her father did. When he raised his head from his hands she smiled at him and just as he always had, he smiled back at her and hugged her with all the love he held for her. But she didn't miss the flash of darkness that swirled through his eyes; a mixture of guilt, fear and anger...? The look made her stomach drop and sent an ugly feeling through her body, she'd rarely seen her father angry but the emotion had been unmistakable. She hurriedly pushed the thoughts from her mind as her father seemed to return to himself as if nothing had happened.

"Let's go outside then shall we?" She could never explain it but her father always seemed to be in better spirits outdoors, she also loved the feel of the fresh, crisp air on her skin. They walked together through the hills and forests just enjoying the feeling of the freedom of their life; she knew she was lucky to live where she was and she did love it but she hadn't forgotten about her desire to see the procession. She longed to be amidst throngs of other people, to see faces that weren't her fathers, to experience all the things she'd missed by living apart from the village. After this morning though, she knew that she couldn't approach Papa about it again so she'd have to wait until another chance to venture past the sign post that marked the entrance to the village, if it was still there, the last time she had seen it she'd been glancing over Papa's shoulder as he carried her exhausted body to their new home.

As the sun was creeping silently behind the hills, Akillah was sat in her bedroom thinking in the twilight; Nandi, her ancient but trustworthy mutt shuffled against the wood of her door silently asking to be let in. She went over to the door and let her in if not to comfort her but to comfort herself, it was times like these that she missed her mother most. She would understand how to make her feel happy again and how to banish the trapped feeling that seemed to visit her more and more often in days of late. After a good time of wallowing and thinking Akillah realised she must be overly tired because she was clearly making a bigger deal of all that had happened than she thought. The fact was she had become too obsessed with attending the procession that she hadn't thought about how Papa would feel about it and therefore hadn't been prepared for him to say no. 'It wasn't as if he hit me' she said to Nandi, 'though he had looked close to it at one point... No! Akillah you mustn't say that,' chastising herself 'This is Papa, my Papa, who picked me up whenever I fell, who helped me smile whenever I wanted to cry, who lost his cariad but was still able to love me as if his heart never knew pain. He would never hurt me...would he?' She looked intently into Nandi's chestnut eyes searching for an answer. Nandi tilted her head and Akillah realised that she was speaking to a dog, who even though she may look like she understood was probably just thinking about the big bone she hid in the garden earlier. She sighed and walked over to her bed ready to fall into a peaceful sleep with Nandi curled up in her arms.