small good things

of bitter things

Chapter 2: Of Bitter Things

Duncan sat by the stream his flute in hand. He played a tune that made nature itself hold its breath and then weep. It was a tune that came not from his mind nor his heart, no, this tune came from the very center of him. It was him. Without words, it described him perfectly. It was a sound full of love and loneliness, bound together with the faintest bit of hope. You would not expect something so beautiful and gentle to come from a man who looks as Duncan did.

Duncan was a stout man, thick of body and broad in the shoulders. He had a round face and low shaved head, nearly bald. His skin was the color of almonds and his eyes a deep brown. He was a quiet man, though friendly. Easy to smile his infectious smile. Though he preferred to keep to himself even when he worked in the mines outside his village. Truth be told he didn't feel as if he fit quite right with others. He always felt like the odd man out, felt like he would say the wrong thing or not quite understand things that seemed obvious to others.

He felt that way around everyone, except for her. Sigi was the one person in the entire village that Duncan didn't feel out of place with. Duncan had been in love with Sigi ever since they were children, recently he had made the mistake of telling her how he felt. Now things just weren't the same between them. Now, instead of spending what free time he had, with her. He hides from her, from his failures, from all of it.

As his music slowly died down, so did the sun as the bright blue sky shifted to purple twilight. Duncan rose from the stone he sat on and walked over to the stream, his flute still in his right hand. He knelt down and splashed cool water on his face. It was not enough to stir him from his daze. He passed his flute into his left hand then stuck his right into the stream, The chill of the water made his hand numb after a moment, but he left it in. The chill was still not enough to pull him from his stupor.

His reflection scowled at him from the water, with a look that said. "You're even more pathetic than before," Duncan found himself agreeing with his reflection. What sadness he felt inside seemed to have seeped out of him, and was wrapped about him like a mantle. He pulled his hand out of the stream and looked away, releasing a deep sigh. The truth, he realized, can only be barred for so long. Just then he heard a noise, it was soft, but it was in contrast to the sounds of the forest. It sounded like people, people laughing.

Driven by curiosity, Duncan rose to his feet crossing the stream at a section where a group of flat rocks showed above the water. They were smooth and slippery, so Duncan stepped carefully to avoid falling and hurting himself. He made his way over to the bushes on the other side of the stream, almost tripping on an exposed root as he followed the voices. The voices were playful they teased and giggled at each other. Duncan's heart pounded in his chest, he recognized the voices. He knew exactly what he would see when he reached the edge of the clearing on the other side of the bushes. Still, something in him urged him on, despite all his good sense telling him to spare himself, and go no further.

Sure enough, when he reached the edge of the clearing he saw them. More importantly, he saw her. Sigi was there standing in a field of tall grass, accompanying her was a young man whom Duncan knew as well. His name was Timothy, he was the blacksmith's son, and he had a body that seemed suited to take up his father's trade. He was stout but thick in the chest with broad shoulders. Though he was only an inch or two taller than Duncan, it was still enough to tower over Sigi as he held her in his arms.

She broke away from him, dashing a few feet across the meadow, her laughter light and bubbly. Timothy lumbered forward after her ungracefully. She skipped away just before she was in his grasp. They continued that way for a time, like a satyr chasing a nymph. Whenever Timothy got close to Sigi she danced away from him smiling that bright true smile she had never shown Duncan. Eventually, she let him catch her and the two embraced once more.