Through The Storm

s e v e n t e e n

Waking up to the sound of birds chirping wasn’t anything new. But the sounds of swords clashing? That was definitely new. For a few sluggish seconds, I couldn’t understand why my back wasn’t aching, why there was no flattened hay underneath me, and why there was no stifling carriage ceiling above me- instead, there was a high ceiling of pearly white.

It all came to me in a flood of memories. A snakelike smile, a well-kempt beard, a warm laugh, strings of lights in the sky and purple-flecked eyes.

I was at Castle Aakash.

Groggily, I tossed away my covers and hoisted myself up. My hands ran over the soft bedding in awe, savouring the lavish material sliding under my calloused fingers.  

Last night, I’d been too fatigued to digest the sheer beauty of the room, though I could distinctly recall complaining about how pointless the fineries were. High ceilings, two cosy four-poster beds with sheer curtains, squishy-looking armchairs and a fireplace. I had no need for the fireplace just yet. It was a lot warmer up here than it was back in Bracken.

I felt my heart clench a little at the thought of the place I may well never visit again. Our hut, my hunting tools... the little fortune I’d managed to amass in my years there. Never to be seen again.

I’d imagine they would be gone soon.

Ransacked by the hungry villagers as soon as they realised we weren’t coming back. Would anyone miss us? Or would no one even notice our absence? I’d bet on the latter. The easiest way to survive, I had learnt, was to lay low. Just like in the forest, the only way to catch any prey was to lay low. To blend into the shadows and grass. Never, ever stand out. Blake and I had become far too good at that to hope to be missed.

After all, you could miss the sunshine, the flowers, the stars and the rain. But in a world that spoke through colours and life, who would miss just another grain of sand in a desert?

“Morning, Ash,” came Blake's voice, snapping me out of my thoughts. He too was propped up in his bed, a huge smile on his face.

I grinned at him, my very own sunshine and stars. He was no grain of sand. “Hey, Blakey. You sure look happy. Did you manage to sleep well?”

“I did!” he said enthusiastically. “I’m looking forward to today- to breakfast especially.”

Another clang echoed through the room and I flicked my eyes to the windows. “Sounds like swords at work,” I mused.

The two of us scrambled out of the toasty covers to peer out. What we hadn’t seen in the dark of last night was the immense courtyard that lay beneath. Small duos of men and women were sparring on the stone floor below, sounds of grunts and steel clashing against steel ringing through the morning.

“Woah,” Blake breathed, awestruck- as I had expected he would be. “I wish I could go down there and learn too.”

I scowled. We were on probation, weren’t we- I wasn’t likely to forget the King’s parting words anytime soon. “Don’t you even consider that,” I huffed impatiently. “You’re not to do anything without my permission, alright Blake? This place is new, we can’t cross our limits yet.”

His eyes stayed fixed on the swiveling pairs of people downstairs as he poked, “What about if Murphy took me? I don’t think you’d mind that.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” he drawled, “just thought that you would be a lot more comfortable if Murphy took me.”

I huffed, lightly punching his shoulder. “You stay within your limits, young man,” I reprimanded him playfully, not letting myself dwell on what he was implying.