Passion of the Liger

Chapter 14

Narteb woke up the next morning in bed. The house was very quiet. It seemed that everyone had left after he’d gone to sleep. He lay in bed just a little while longer, thinking. The events of last night were so unusual, that he almost wondered if it had all been just a dream.

He listened closely, trying to hear the sound of someone moving around his house, or even better, his mum’s voice. But he heard nothing.

He waited.

Nothing but the sound of birds chirping outside.

Finally, he decided to get up. He climbed out of bed, and headed straight for the one place in his house that he was dreading going into.

The living room.

And when he got there, he saw it.

The view was different from last night. This time, there was no one else around. This time, there was light coming in through the windows, illuminating the room in peaceful morning sunshine.

But his mum was the same. Exactly the same as last night.

Stone.

So it’s real, thought Narteb, Not a dream.Then something caught his eye. There was a note left on the table. He picked it up and immediately knew that it was from his dad.

Narteb,

Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. Plus I am no good at goodbyes. By the time you read this, I will be gone. I have gone to look for a way to cure your mother. Last night, my ex-girlfriend from many years ago came to our house. A long time ago, I abandoned her, and she has never forgiven me for it. Her name is Maruska, and she can do magic. Real magic. She used a small, glowing glass ball and turned your mother to stone. She did that hoping it would hurt me, in the same way as I have hurt her in the past.

I don’t know when I will return, but I will return as soon as I can. I do not know where I will go. If by some small chance I do not return, know that I am tremendously proud of you.

Till we meet again,

Dad

P.S. Paddles is in the backyard. He was put to sleep by Maruska last night somehow. I thought he was dead, but this morning he was awake, thank the Heavens. He is a little bit drowsy, but fine. Take good care of him until I get back.

Narteb read the note twice, mainly because his brain wasn’t working properly and he was having trouble thinking; so much had happened in the past few hours. One minute he was living a relatively normal life, the next his mother had been turned to stone and his father was gone. And his dog had nearly died.

To his credit though, Narteb didn’t get overwhelmed by all this. He put the note down, quietly went about having a hearty breakfast, then began gathering equipment for his journey–for he had decided that he would go look for a way to cure his mother. Two DiManlen’s looking for a cure meant twice the chance someone would succeed.

He packed an ample supply of food, or as he liked to call it, ‘rations’, and grabbed various other items that he thought he might need: rope, compass, stone and flint, skinning knife, and other such things, and put them all in a backpack. Next, he searched for all the money in his room he could find (he found dozens of silver and copper coins underneath his bed!), and put it all in a small leather pouch, which he tied to his belt. Finally, he grabbed his wooden training sword. It wasn’t much, but it was the only sword he had.

Once he felt he was as fully equipped as he was going to get, he changed into something more suited for travelling. He put on his leather pants and tunic, and pulled on some leather boots. Now, that he was done, he picked up his sword, attached the scabbard to his belt and slung the backpack over his shoulders.