Beauty Scars

The storyteller

Kythone finished his story and a single tear slid down his cheek. He never did like to tell that story but he always did. Every young Elven that asked why he had his eyes taken was told that story. Or when any Elven wanted to go look for his sister. It's not like he didn't want his sister back, he really does but he knows what will happen if anyone does find her and he wishes that on none of his Elven family.

    The day his journey started was like any other day. Getting up, having to use magic to help him get ready, fixing breakfast before heading out to look for herbs. Ommin always went with him just in case he felt lonely or needed help, which he rarely did. Ommin was 14  years old and his Elven brother, one of his favorites.

    Back to the point, Ommin led Kythone down the path to the poison berry bush. Kythone hummed softly as they walked. It was comforting in the cricket song background. Soft lights of fireflies lit up the way. The noises almost soothed Ommin back to sleep but he knew he couldn't fall asleep until they were back in the hut. As they walked, they heard a soft, distant noise. It was like the wind wanted to warn them for something to come, something evil.

    "Kythone I'm getting scared." Ommin whispered and held a bit tighter onto his arm. Kythone stopped walking and turned to him with a soft sigh.

    "Go home Ommin. I know how to get them safely. I know how you're scared of these woods." Kythone smiled and sat his hand on his shoulder softly, "Tell Mrs.Talla that I'm out and might not make it to dinner tonight." Ommin sighed and took his hand, tracing shapes and small lines in it. It was a protection spell that Kythone taught him when he could still see.

"Be safe my brother. Make sure to keep the shadows at bay." and with that Ommin walked back to the hut, which was full of family and friends to celebrate a good harvest. Kythone never did go to them and would go to find poison berries, which was a few hours journey, maybe because of him feeling bad for not helping due to his eyesight. It could also be because that's when poison berries were the ripest, not even Kythone was sure, but it was always the same every time.

Kythone followed the path like he always would. He would use the wind to direct him and the sound of the soft hums that the berries emitted. He took out a stone and rubbed it on his hand before starting to pick the berries, it soothed the poison outside of the berry. As he picked them he felt eyes on him, not exactly dangerous more.....curious.

Kythone stopped for a second then continued as he spoke. "Who's there?" He spoke softly, "Please tell me your name." He felt it shift before walking, then it stopped.

"Why am I not able to come near you?" The voice sounded weird to him, foreign and lost. Kythone turned to him and held out his hand to feel the warm sun burning down on him.

"You're a shadow. Right?" Kythone stood up and slowly walked near the others voice.

"Well ,um, part shadow, yes. I seem to be stuck in my shadow form. Are you using a spell of some type?" The voice was in front of Kythone now and seemed to be taller than him. Kythone reached up to feel their face. It was dirty and dark, since it was a shadow, it had a masculine chin and bone structure, the dirty part also confirmed it was a boy.

"Yes I'm quite sorry. Here." Kythone took his hand and pulled him into the sun, feeling him turn to a more solid figure. "Again, I ask for your name." Kythone sat down and reached to pick more berries.

"I am Alexander, I go by Alex though. I live with French farmers that live, um...somewhere near, with my sister who is named Mairi. We also have a cat called King Ferald the Ninth, but I call him Fluffy Fer. We named the cows but I never remember what they're called. I have a secret pet crow who I named midnight because she's a crow. Marai has a doll that she always plays with. She says it was from her old brother. Oh right, I forgot to tell you that she's adopted. Oh! Also-" Alex continued to ramble on as Kythone picked the berries. So there they sat, an Elven witch and a French farmer boy, telling stories as the small witch boy picked berries.

Kythone finally finished filling his basket and he stood up. "If you would like you can come to my village with me while we find where you live, you may. You're obviously lost." He let out a small laugh as Alex let out a surprised squeak.

"Is it that obvious? I thought I was hiding it well." He let out a nervous laugh.

Kythone nodded and laughed. "It's almost dark and even my cousin, who talks almost as much as you, knows to get home before dark." Kythone lit a small candle and sat it on his small hat he had on, using a ribbon to tie it on tight. "Follow me. It's a few hours walk from here Mrs.Talla shouldn't mind you staying with us. There should be supper when we get to my home. Then tomorrow I can take you home."He said as he started down the path, Alex close in toe.

"Where do you live? This is pretty far out in the forest. Don't the freaks live out here?" Alex looked around skeptically.

Kythone looked at him, tilting his head slightly. "What freaks? Only the Elven live out here. Well them and the shadows but they aren't freaks." Kythone continued walking, shaking his head softly. "You farmers and your stories. There's always bad and evil, never the beauty of the world." He sighed.

"What do you mean stories?! These are the truth! Mairi saw them with her own eyes!" Alex retorted. Kythone stopped in his tracks. "She even took the eyes of one! She said one attacked her and took her captive!"

Kythone knew he was being selfish, but the story definitely sounded like his...his.... "The truth is something only one knows. No truth is the same. No truth is truly true." He mumbled and softly grabbed his candle from his hat. "Her truth isn't true. Her truth is a lie."

"How do you know?! You calling my sister a liar!?" Alex felt anger fuel him like a raging fire.

"She's not telling the truth." Kythone stated. "Let me ask you this. Is she a freak. Am I a freak?" Alex was silent. The one who's saving him from the shadows is calling his sister a liar. Maybe just maybe this strange stranger knows something he doesn't. "When I was born I had an older sister, well she was only a minute older but she always says that she's the older one. We watched our parents give us away so we wouldn't have to burn on the stake for them being witches. I inherited their magic and she didn't. She was jealous. She was hateful. She was ungrateful that she was alive. Yet, I loved her. She was my sister after all. Unlike me, she hated her own twin and she wished me dead. One night on our way to gather berries she tried. She took a sharp knife and slowly took my eyes," He opened his eyelids to show the empty sockets, which made him shiver in the cool summer breeze, "She tortured me and left me to die. She then ran away to find a better family. Now she's your sister and she'll do the same to you once she finds out that your our half sibling." Of course he knew they were half siblings. He had the same dimple that every Rune sibling had.

Alex looked at him like he was crazy. Who would believe a random boy that had no eyes and that you just met? Not me and not Alex. Kythone sighed in knowing and closed his eyelids once again. He tied the ribbon and candle back on his hat and started down the path once again. Alex followed without another word.