The Familiers

Unfamiliar Familiar

The forest was quiet with a few hoots from owls that crossed the path of Ylina and Marcerios. Marcerios took breath deeps every once in a while as he didn't know what to say to raise Ylina's lowly hung head. He would see a few tears and feel himself shake on the inside. They walked through the forest in silence, guided by moonlight, until they reached a bush where Marcerios had placed a red and grey pebble near the bush.

This area of the forest had hints of moss on the dark wooded trees. The trees were very close together. There were roots over other trees' roots. However, this small place Marcerios found was filled with dirt and many pebbles. It seemed like the trees knew to give way to tired travelers who needed to hide and could not reach town for another day.

"We'll set up camp here," Marcerios said to Ylina.

Ylina nodded. "Alright."

Marcerios frowned. "It's safe... I slept here three days ago."

Ylina nodded again, but she said nothing in response.

"Are you cold?"

"A little, but I should be fine."

"I'll... set a fire." Marcerios put his bag down near a bush. There was enough moonlight for him to see what he needed to do. He placed big rocks in a circle, then he placed wood into the circle of rocks. He started a small fire. "We should sleep... well... I guess we could take turns sleeping."

Ylina nodded, took out a small blanket, placed it on the floor, and sat on it. She took a deep breath as she placed her small blue bag next to her. She removed her blue hood of her blue cloak off of her head. She stared at the fire as a tear left her eye.

Marcerios sat on a blanket he removed from his bag and stared at Ylina as she cried more. He watched as she tried not to cry. He knew that she mentally told herself that she would see them again, and this would help her family.

Marcerios dared to speak again. "You know... You can talk to me about today... Leaving your family and all... I swear to you that we will visit as often as we can. I know this hard. For me, I really wanted someone to talk to the first night I left home."

Ylina looked up at Marcerios who sat about three feet away from her on the other side of the fire. "Were you... lonely?"

Marcerios looked into the fire. "Yes... Much like you, I didn't think I would see my family again."

"It's not that I don't think I would ever see them again," Ylina quietly said as wrapped her cloak tightly around herself. "I've never been away from my family. They are everything I've ever needed, everything I've ever wanted. They're my home. No matter where we traveled, I was home with them."

Marcerios smiled to himself. "Perhaps I should visit my family soon."

"Don't you," Ylina asked.

Marcerios took a deep breath. "I do. I just have one conversation with them, then I leave. I'm afraid that if I spend too much time with them, the military will find me, and they will have to witness that I'm actually a familier."

"I fear the same. Although, I've been a familier. What shame does being a familier bring to your family," Ylina asked.

Marcerios stayed silent.

Ylina stared at Marcerios, trying to understand why farmers would care so much. "Your name is Marcerios, right?"

Marcerios nodded. "Marcerios Tarent."

Ylina smiled. "May I call you Mare?"

Marcerios's brow rose. "Mare?"

"It's short for your name, and I give all my friends endearing names."