Treasures - Book 4 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter 4

Jobyna awoke the next morning, before dawn, cold and hungry.

The valley was misty and damp. A desolate, deserted feeling clung to the heavy morning air. Jobyna's eyes rose up the ominous cliff face to linger on hovering clouds.

She lifted her heart and mind in prayer for the brother who had not returned.

Luke held a special place in her heart. There had always been closeness, different from other siblings in their family. This endearing unity of their hearts was the same for any two people on earth who are genuinely true friends. Jobyna would give her life for Luke, and although she did not know it, he would do the same for her.

The remaining piece of stale bread wasn't made more palatable by being dipped in the stream water, but at least it was edible. Jobyna was so hungry, she gobbled down the rest of it.

Sun's rays pierced the clouds, reaching their iridescent fingers to disperse tardy pockets of mist hanging sleepily in the cliff's crevices. Birds in the valley echoed their waking songs. It was as though the world, in greeting the sun, stretched sleepy arms to awake from the last dreams of the night.

Jobyna savored the freshness of the delicate air as she walked to Brownlea's grazing place. She talked to the horse in a tender voice and told him how lonely she was without Luke. The horse nuzzled into Jobyna's neck as she cried and spoke to him in despairing tones.

Brownlea cantered the length of the valley, keeping on the firm river sand. The familiar weight of his mistress, sitting astride his back, made him feel secure and safe.

Jobyna enjoyed riding; it helped her forget her fears for a while. A lone lilac lily caught her attention, a sign of the new spring season. Dismounting to enjoy the fragile flower, she was dismayed to find it had been half trampled by a horse's hoof. "It's just like life, Brownlea," her voice was soft and serious, "You just get to the beautiful part and something tramples it, spoils it... and ends it." She pressed the crushed flower to her sunken cheek. "If only it could be beautiful and live forever."

She rode along the valley and back, repeating it over for half an hour. As she again neared the narrow entrance, her curiosity got the better of her.

Leaving Brownlea, Jobyna walked up the rocky path and along the rocky passageway. Coming out behind the waterfall, she shaded her eyes from the blinding sun. Horses and soldiers, a large company preceded a cloud of dust in the distance and she dropped to crouched behind a large boulder, her heart pounding.

Jobyna crouched further in so she would be completely hidden. She felt riveted to the rock. The minutes passing by seemed like hours as fear made her tremble. With the thought that these soldiers might have captured Luke, she cautiously peeped out around the rock. The company had passed and was now spread out in a line, moving along another path in a different direction.

Jobyna breathed out a sigh of relief. She dared to try and count the horses. Ten at the back; eight ridden by soldiers; by their unmistakable armor, she could tell two were knights. In the middle, there was one person, a man, wearing bright purple, his cloak flowing out over the back of the horse.

It must be Elliad! The king! Luke had told her he had dark hair and a brown beard. Jobyna felt sure it was Elliad, though she had never seen him close. A knight rode beside Elliad and ten soldiers rode in front.

She was thankful they didn't know about the valley. Sabin knew what he was doing when he led them here.

Thinking of Sabin brought Luke to Jobyna's mind again. Hoping and praying Luke would not ride into that company, Jobyna returned to her hide-away under the roaring waterfall, through the rocky entrance and back down into the valley.