In The Dark of Night

Chapter III | Jasper

Jasper and Jason had hurried back to the apothecary where Jason collected his things. Then they started their way through the thinning rain. When the rain finally stopped, the moon was dipping below the brightening horizon and the sun was peeking dimly through the remaining clouds as it climbed up into the sky. Jason and Jasper set up camp in a nearby forest by creating a small shelter with a tarp they had taken from the apothecary. They slept on the ground, the warm spring air blowing the trees and branches around them.
When Jasper woke, the sun was high in the sky and light grey clouds were scattered throughout the grey-blue sky, darting across the sky. Jasper stood up, careful not to wake Jason as he tugged his coat tighter around his shoulders. His yellow scarf blew in the breeze along with his short sandy blonde hair. Jasper took a deep breath, pushing the fear that threatened to surface down.
"Jas?" Jasper turned around to see Jason sitting up in the tent, his dark brown hair tousled.
"We should get going soon," Jasper said, walking over to Jason and pulling him up.
"I guess so," Jason sighed and began to take down the tarp.
When they had gathered their things, they took off in the direction of the majestic Dragonfly River that they had to cross in order to get to Silvis Wood. The river snaked it's way across all of Estlyn, with villages and ports stationed along its shore the whole way. Jason and Jasper walked, talking about ordinary things—avoiding anything about the previous day—until they reached Kinallen, the human village closest to the river.
"Kinallen. I've never been here, but I've heard the stories," Jason commented, looking out onto the brightly painted houses that lined the river banks like shimmering jewels in the Royal Palace Treasury.
The two boys continued walking towards what looked like the central square. "Have you been outside of Fayhollow?" Jasper asked as they reached a market place bustling with people.
Jason looked away, scanning the stands. He hesitated for a second: "No, you?" He said, although he didn't look back at Jasper when he did.
"Only as far as the closest fores—," he stopped short and grabbed Jason's arm, pointing to a large stone building. Stained glass windows decorated the front, depicting human gods as well as small pictures of elven saints in bright clear colors. Sunlight falling through other windows colored the street in various colors, creating a rainbow on the cobblestones.
"It's the Kinallen cathedral," Jason explained, "I've read so much about it."
"It's beautiful," Jasper breathed, in awe. The only cathedrals—if you could call them that—in Jasper's hometown were tiny, their windows dirty glass and their walls slightly rotting wood.
"We could stop to look," Jason suggested.
"No, we need to find passage across river," Jasper decided, pulling Jason through the crowds headed towards the river bank. Houses and shops lines the water, selling everything from seafood to "magical" tokens. The scent of clove drifted from a heavy stand and into the air, tingling Jasper's nose. Jasper and Jason walked along the storefronts, looking for passage across the river.
"Ferry rides! Get your ferry rides across the Dragonfly River! Only two gold pieces per person!" A voice rang loud over the steady chatter of people.
"There! Come on, Jason that's our guy!" Jasper pulled Jason over to the sailor, a tall man with light brown skin, dark brown hair, and striking grey eyes. Jasper pulled out his money pouch and removed four gold pieces, handing them to the man.
"Thank you kind sir," he gestured to a small ferry docked in the river, "that's the boat."
Jason nodded and the two walked onto the boat. It was a fairly small boat with only a couple other passengers. Jasper and Jason took their seats near the outside of the boat and peered across the river. On the other side, the Nevah Prairies could be seen blowing slightly in the wind.
"I can't wait. I've never even seen an elf, what about you?" Jasper asked, poking Jason's arm.
Jason laughed quietly. "Of course not, Jas." He didn't sound very convincing.
"Right, we don't get many elven travelers in Fayhollow." Jasper looked at Jason, his yellow eyes were turned away, but Jasper could tell he was reliving some sort of memory.
"Alright passengers! Please keep your hands and other limbs inside the boat at all times, and do not try and exit the vessel until we have docked on the other side. We will dock not far from Chester, and there will be a train to transport you there if it is desired," the sailor from before announced from the front of the boat. Then, with a lurch the vessel started moving across the wide river.
Jasper stayed silent for the ride, while Jason kept his eyes on Kinallen as it shrank out of view. The boat was only in motion for about ten minutes before it docked on the other side of the Dragonfly River. The passengers gathered their things and got off of the boat, most of them headed towards the train station that lead to Chester. Jasper and Jason stepped off the boat and headed forward, towards the Nevah prairies of Silvis Wood.
"People are looking at us weird," Jasper commented, and glanced back once more.
"Not many humans really go through the Nevah Prairies," Jason explained quietly.
"Oh." Jasper stopped looking back, and instead looked forward. The large expanse of blowing grasses and lonely trees stretched out before them. Every breeze that swept through the prairie bent the grasses to their will as they flowed in the wind. It was one of the most beautiful things Jasper had ever seen. He had heard about Hummingbird Elves that lived in the tall flowers, but had never seen one or known someone to see one. As the pair picked their way through the fields, Jasper observed the flowers, hoping to catch sight of an elf. Every once and awhile, he would see a flash of something colorful fly past, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.
They stopped when the sun had dipped almost completely below the horizon and the fields began to cool down without the sun's warmth.
"We should set up camp here," Jason said, stopping under a small cottonwood tree, its boughs covered in green leaves that provided little shade from the dying sunlight.
"I agree," Jasper stopped next to Jason and stretched his arms into the sky. "The prairie is beautiful," he commented, looking out onto the horizon as stars started to appear in the newly dark night sky.
"It really is," Jason sighed as he gazed out at the trees of Silvis Wood in the distance.
Jason shook his head and set his pack down. Then he got to work setting up camp. Twenty minutes later and Jasper and Jason were sitting in the opening of their makeshift tent, looking up at the silver crescent that was the moon.
"Good night Jas," Jason said finally, then he lay down on the grass and closed his eyes.
Jasper took one last look at the stars spread out before him before lying down next the Jason and closing his eyes.

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Jasper looked up at the giant trees in front of him. After traveling for a couple hours more in the prairie, the two had finally reached the forest. The dark trunks rose into the sky, topped with silvery leaves that fanned into the brilliant blue sky.
"Wow. Just wow," Jasper said, in awe.
Jason just looked up at the silver leaves, looking slightly nervous. "It is exquisite."
"Let's go in," Jasper said, walking towards the trees.
"Wait," Jason grabbed Jasper's arm and stopped him from going into the forest. "I've heard bad things about this place, for humans that go here I mean."
"We came all this way, we aren't going to stop now," Jasper protested, pulling out of Jason's grasp.
"I know, I know. But we should be careful." Jason took a small cooking knife from his pack, and held it at his side. Then he stalked forward, into the forest's looming darkness. Jasper followed close behind.
They walked through the dark brown trunks, Jasper marveling at their beauty, Jason on alert. The sounds of the forest filled the air: birds chirping, little forest animals skittering out of the way to avoid the pair of humans, and the occasional deer jumping through the woods. After walking for many hours, they still hadn't found anything. The sun was sinking below the trees and the stars were starting to shine faintly.
"We should set up camp; we can continue tomorrow," Jason said, dropping his bag into the underbrush.
Jasper nodded. "Here seems good." He dragged out the tarp and got to work. Only fifteen minutes later and their makeshift camp was set up. Although Jasper would have liked a fire to keep warm, Jason voted against it, saying that it would be too risky.
"What could happen?" Jasper asked.
Jason just shook his head, not responding. He sat down in the leaves, "I don't know. I just don't think it's smart."
Jasper was about to argue further when he realized it wouldn't do anything to convince Jason. He had seemed on edge the whole trip, always glancing around at the silvery landscape, and never talking too loudly. Jasper sat down under the tarp and brought out some of the bread and cheese he had brought with him on the trip. He popped it in his mouth, savoring the flavors. Then he ate a pice of dried fruit and water before lying down in the grass and closing his eyes. Soon after lying down, his mind drifted into a dreamless sleep, leaving him in the dark.