The Fate's Chosen

CH 3 - Different Colors

Dinner was grueling. After waiting more than an entire day for food, I almost didn't care about the overly seasoned soup and the stale bread covered in amica jam.

My mind was elsewhere. It was underneath the wood pile on the porch where I'd stashed the patched boots. It was beyond that, somewhere in the trees, on a strange boy who had to be searching for his shoes.

"Salem."

The sound of my name brought me back. I looked at Alastair. "What?" I snapped.

"You've been rather quiet this evening."

"Isn't that what you prefer?" I rolled my eyes and aggressively scooped up another spoonful of stew.

"Thank you for gathering the fruit," Alastair said softly. He hadn't said that when I'd returned with a ruined shirt and stained pants.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with all of them now," Hannah giggled. "Donny's brought me two full baskets. You've brought me one. Now we're drowning in amicas."

Sera patted her arm. "You were going to make pies. We can sell them at the market."

"Oh that's right!"

I almost slammed my head into the table.

Throughout the rest of the meal Alastair watched me when he thought I wasn't looking. I shoveled in the rest of my food and left without being excused.

Sera tottered after me "I'll show you to your room," she said pleasantly.

"I'll find it on my own." I slung my empty sack on my back again.

Sera put her hands on her wide hips. "Alastair said you don't respect your elders."

"I don't respect anyone," I corrected. "I don't care if they're a stupid classmate or old enough to keel over dead." I threw her a leer over my shoulder before ascending up the stairs.

A squawk sounded behind me and I chuckled. "You truly are a terrible child," she whispered.

I stopped laughing but didn't pause. "I know."

The room at the very end was empty, save for a mat on the floor with a pillow and blanket. And on the far wall a large window showed out to the front of the house. Dropping the bag by the pathetic bed, I strode to the window and looked out. The night had dampened the sky with a thick navy, but hadn't completely overtaken it. There was a spray of stars, but I couldn't even see the moons.

My fingers fluttered on the ledge. I had to wait.

The trees of the orchard on the outskirts of the lawn were dark and shadowy, but I didn't see any movement. Would he come now? No, the others were awake. He didn't want them to know he was there. He would wait too.

Voices from downstairs traveled up. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was no doubt about my brief interaction with the fat grandma. Alastair would probably make me go out again tomorrow and fill three baskets. However, I didn't feel as angry about the notion as I had before.

I kept my eyes peeled until I heard the creak on the steps and quickly tore off my shirt and leapt onto the cot, covering the blankets up to my chin. I turned away from the door as I heard it crack open.

Alastair sighed and then closed the door.

The next stretch of time was painful as I waited for the rest of the house to settle. After what had to be at least an hour of silence, I slipped back up and over to the window. Night had fallen officially. Dark sky, eternities of stars, but it wasn't pitch black. Both moons were mostly unseen, but Tantia's pale blue light bathed over the yard, lighting it up perfectly for me to see no living thing slinking across the grass or hiding in the trees.