The Awakening of the Ancients

VIII. Foundation

I woke the next day to cheery yellow sunlight streaming through the windows of my room. It wasn't the weak blue of early morning, so I could justify my sleep no longer. I sat up and smoothed a hand over the ten trillion flyaway hairs that stood up around my face. I tied the thick blanket of curls into a single bunch at the back of my head, then stood. I winced at the cracks my knees made when I stood up. Too much kneeling yesterday.

I trudged downstairs, following the lingering scent of warm blueberries. I tried to gauge the serving time by the strength of the fragrance, but fell short. It could have been anywhere from one to three hours.

Ms. O's voice cut through the haze of exhaustion.

"Morning, sleepyhead!"

My gaze shot from the floor to the hallway leading to the kitchen, my line of sight obscured by plants. I was baffled as to how she could have seen me. I was halfway through the greenery when I remembered the creaky stairs on my right. She didn't see you; she heard you, idiot.

I entered the kitchen proper and finally found the form of Ms. O to greet. "Hi." She didn't turn from the sink, so I wasn't sure if she heard me over her dishwashing. I stood awkwardly, waiting for some sort of response once she turned the water off, and cursed my soft voice.

I noticed a large pot on the stove, then Ornn seated at the table with papers spread across the table. I ignored him for the moment and edged toward the stove. I knew it was rude, but my focus had been on food for the past week. The lingering hunger of the Frosts was still too present in my memory for me to not be eager for proper meals.

I willed my voice louder than the running water. "Is this lunch?" I pointed to the soup and looked at Ms. O.

Her head turned my way curiously, then her hand flew to the spigot. The infernal water stopped. "What was that, dear?"

I returned to my normal volume. "Is this lunch?"

"It can be. I was going to make some sandwiches."

I grinned brightly and nodded.

Ms. O smiled warmly, then turned away to disappear into the next room. Her voice floated back to us. "Where is it you'll be staying in Solmire?"

I blinked, confused. Was she talking to me?

Ornn responded. "Kent."

My brows raised. She had been continuing a conversation they had been having before I joined them. Ornn was leaving. "Wait...what? When are you going there?"

The giant directed a distant gaze at me. "Tomorrow."

"By yourself?"

He gave me an odd look. "Yes."

I frowned with confusion.

He returned his eyes to the papers strewn about him, but my gaze was fixed on him. I was stunned. Not only had I had thought all the giants had planned to stay on the farm for the near future; I had also though the giants stuck together. But here was one moving on without the rest.

"Why?"

Ornn's eyes didn't leave the papers, his expression pensive. "Business."

Ms. O returned to the room. "He means wanderlust. He can't stay in one place for long."

Even when his tribe is in trouble? "But what about the Trolls?"

"There's not much I can do from here." He finally shuffled the papers together and shoved them into a bag by his chair. "I need to see if there's something elsewhere we can use to stop them."