The King of Saminu

Chapter 4

Ellsk led me into the room that we would now be sharing, his hands cooler than they normally were. His hands were normally warm, a heat that most people from Slifni did not have, but now, they were nearing my own temperature. As quickly as I realized the difference, Ellsk peeled his hand away from my own.
"Ellsk, are you feeling okay?" I questioned, and he shrugged, kneeling on the floor.
"I could not be better, Rensker. Why do you ask?" It was my turn to shrug.
"Just wondering. You're colder than you usually are," Ellsk looked at me, a smile reaching his eyes.
"I just journeyed through the blizzards outside of Framti through to Maeri, all in one day, Rensker. I am going to be a little chilly," I had to laugh.

    "Alright. Kneel on the floor, make sure your back is straight. Chin up, chest out. Hands together, thumbs just below your nose," I complied with Ellsk, following suit with everything he showed and told me to do. "Now, close your eyes, and pray," That was the one instruction Ellsk had never fully been clear on. He closed his own eyes and remained deathly silent, and I tried to follow his orders. But what was a prayer? I didn't believe in the same stuff Ellsk did, I was only here for the support he wanted from me. I stayed almost as silent as he did, yet my eyes remained open.

    Ellsk was beautiful. He was young, and his face held that in between state most children did. He was neither feminine nor masculine. Ellsk was both beautiful and handsome, the most blessed, as he would put it, of the family. His skin was pale, yet tanner than mine would ever be, a beautiful ivory that held no blemishes. His hair, the same as our mother's, was dark and contrasted beautifully against his skin, resting in perfect waves where mine and Gamm's hair would normally get ratty and tangled. His hair was about the same length as my own, but shinier, and cleaner. Somehow, Ellsk managed to clean himself when he went on his little journeys in the wilderness. He was cleaner than any of us.

    His features were soft. His nose curved perfectly, not a single sharp edge in sight. Everything about him was round, yet graceful and fluid, as if the boy were meant to be a part of the Slifni royal family. He had it in his genes, after all. His eyes were large and round, almost perfect circles framed by dark, long lashes that lay across his cheeks when his eyes were closed. He was short still, almost half of a foot shorter than me, but he held a healthier frame. Ellsk had never known what starving felt like. He was sheltered, mostly by me. He was practically my own child, with the age difference between us being so large. I would do anything for him.

    "You were not praying, Rensker," Ellsk opened his eyes to look at me, the almost metallic color trying to hypnotise me into feeling bad. And of course, I did.
"I don't know how to pray, Ellsk. You never taught me," I tried to reason, but Ellsk chuckled, slouching back down and leaning up against the bed frame beside him.
"Mother and Father never taught us how to have conversations, but here we are now," Ellsk explained, and I laughed.
"I'll figure it out, eventually, I'm sure. What did you pray about tonight? Who were you praying to?" I asked, but before my speech even left my mouth, I knew the answer.
"It is not appropriate to ask about private conversations, Rensker," Ellsk scolded, and I frowned. An apology left my mouth, but I still couldn't understand enough to mean it in the way Ellsk wanted.

    "How was your journey this time? Did you find what you were looking for?" I asked as I stood up from the ground, reaching my hand out to help Ellsk up as well. He shrugged.
"The answers to the world's questions are never easy to find, but I feel as if I am getting closer. What about you? How were you doing while I was gone?" Ellsk questioned back. I shrugged, laying down on my bed. His strange answer would have concerned me years ago, but after knowing Ellsk for his ten years, I was used to the weirdness. Still, thinking about how my time had been since Ellsk had last left put a sour taste in my mouth.
"Well, you've noticed that I fucked up once more and now we're in yet another town. Mams and Pappy had a conversation about how much of a burden I was to you guys, which I probably shouldn't have eavesdropped on, but still-" The tears started coming before I expected them to. I'm weak.