Esveldza: 'The Lonely Child of Fire'

Chapter XXIV- Stars

Chapter XXIV

Stars

We stopped to allow the horses to rest and drink from the canteens. Daarken, Sarben and I exited the carriage to stretch our legs. The suns shone relentlessly down on us, I felt myself sweat from the heat and my eyes squinted from the brightness.

Sarben shook his legs for only a moment before he retreated back inside the carriage. Noomkiara and Volcarn landed near us, they basked in the heat and getting to fly with such free will in such warm weather had made them very happy.

“How do you feel, Noomkiara?” I asked her, although I could tell by her actions that she was enjoying herself I asked to allow her to express her feelings to someone.

I am having a wonderful time! Noomkiara exclaims excitedly, as I suspected she was happy to share her thoughts with me.

I smiled, scratching her under her chin. She closed her eyes slowly, a gentle, low rumbling sound leaving her chest. Salvator walked over to us, having finished giving the horses water. I looked up to him; his eyes watched the two dragons, a look of sadness on his face. He must’ve been thinking of Rippleave. I felt the desire to ask him about Rippleave but suppressed the urge with great effort; I would ask him another time.

We continued after another few minutes until we had to stop for camp. We exited the carriage and began setting up our tents; Salvator had his own and Sarben, Daarken and I were meant to share. The tents in Esveldza appear small on the outside but certain spells enchanted it to make it much larger. So while Salvator’s was smaller and had only a double bed and some storage space, our one had two bunk beds, chairs and a table and cooking equipment.

By the time we set up our camp the night was fast approaching, the horses had been fed and they watched Noomkiara and Volcarn feasting on a beast they had found in the desert. Salvator tried to get us to make dinner and he suggested I do the cooking.

Simultaneously, Sarben and Daarken protested. “No, please, not her cooking!” Sarben cried, snatching the spoon Salvator had given me from my hand and rushing to the fire.

“She can only get better with practise!” Salvator insisted but Sarben refused to sacrifice the spoon.

“Akaiya and I can cut the vegetables.” Daarken offered, picking up a knife and handing it to me.

Salvator narrowed his eyes, as if resisting the urge to question our responsibility. Daarken and I sat down at the table. Of all the lessons I have as a princess, none include that of cooking. Simply because, as a princess the times I would actually cook is very low. Out in the open however, it should be essential to learn how to cook.

Yet, for some reason I could not grasp the technique. Daarken wasn’t necessarily great at cutting the vegetables but he did it a lot quicker than I did. I tried to copy his movements but ended up creating weird shaped sizes.

Daarken looked side-long at me and smirked, “The point is you tried.”

Feeling like that was an insult I felt my cheeks flush red and I glared at him, “Oh yeah? Well I bet that I can make more than you!”

Daarken raised one of his eyebrows, “Challenge accepted, get ready to do whatever I say for the next week when I win!”

“You get ready to do what I say!” I cried in return and so we furiously cut the vegetables together.

When there was no more vegetables or meat to cut I looked at my work. I had cut quite more than I had expected I would, granted some were way too small and some were way too large but I hoped Daarken wouldn’t notice.