Soldier, Poet, King

I

Rustling
Restless wind
Flows majestically through
The night
Scared

~~~

"Why must we move again?" I asked my aunt, looking into her ember eyes. "You know the answer to that Ahli." She answered, fixing her gaze on mine with a heartbroken pain. She was right, I did know the answer. Ever since I turned 16 years of age, I had been different. On my 16th birthday, my usually hazel eyes turned a soft golden color, and I began to hear voices. My aunt Zanna said I never needed to worry, that it was natural, but I wasn't so sure.

Zanna had told me to hide my eyes, to not let others know they would glow. The coloring would only change for moments few and far between, but anytime someone saw, we would have to move far away. I also was not allowed to tell others of what I hear, for the words were not natural. While most of the time I could hear the thoughts of other living things, such as the cries of grass being walked on, or the joy of a rose bush receiving fresh nutrients, I would occasionally hear words from a person not there. Locked in a barren cave with no other living being around, I would hear whispers of things to come. Whenever these words infiltrate my thoughts is when my eyes glow. 

This time I was told of how young Donella was to fall from the tree she was at the time climbing, when faced with the news of her falling to her demise, my eyes opened wide, washing the entire room in a bright golden color, startling Donella. This was the first time I had heard of another's  

Naturally, when everything was over, Zanna understood, but was still disappointed. This was now 4 times that we'd moved, and it's only been 3 years. While I had quickly learned not to make friends, it was different for Zanna, she was a socialite and couldn't help get attached to the other caretakers of the villages we moved to. This move would especially be the hardest for her, she fell in love. I couldn't help but scoff. Love is useless and stupid, it was love that put me into this situation, it was all love's fault that I couldn't just stay in place with my parents.

"Ahli, you're going to rip your shirt." I looked down at my hands to see my favorite blue shirt giving under my pained clutches. "Ah, sorry, I was getting lost in thought." I looked over at her apologetically, to see her looking at her belongings solemnly.

As I finished packing I grabbed my most prized possession. It was my father's staff, It was as tall as me, made of a worn branch, with a falcon feather, leather wrappings, and an antler on the top. I felt a deep connection to the staff, a pull almost. I glanced at Zanna, she would always avoid my questions of my father, and a look at her face, knowing it was my fault that she is parting with her love, I knew know was not the time to ask.

Signing I stood up, checking that everything was packed. I had all of my crystals and herbs packed, with my bottles of sun and moon water. I picked up my favorite necklace, a rose quarts on a long string, and decided to wear it. Satisfied, I looked to Zanna who had finished while I was double checking everything. "So, where are we going?" I looked over to Zanna, as she sighed deeply. "We are going to the capitol." I looked at her in shock, if we've been trying to keep me hidden then why would we go to the capitol, right next to the crazy tyrant, King Ohloy, who was known as being horrific to his people, a strict ruler who took nothing from anyone. Except taxes.

"Why_" 

"It is safer than you can know. So long as you watch that mouth of yours and don't go doing anything crazy, the king will protect you. Trust me on this."

I looked at my aunt in doubt. The king beheaded a villager in the capitol last week for simply eating a pie, there was no way the king would protect a freak villager. I chose not to argue though, for only heaven knows that if there is ever something that doesn't make sense, Zanna knows missing pieces. 

I sighed and stood, placing our luggage in our little wagon outside, tying it all down with vines I had grabbed from the forest hours before. As we walked away, I looked to Zanna, Her long flowing hair, dark chocolate colored was blowing in the wind. She looked at me and cracked an intoxicating smile, I could see why so many would pursue her. She was beautiful.

"You know what to do, Ahli."

I nodded while picking up a small inconspicuous box, and tossing it to the house. No more than 5 seconds later the house went up into flames. The two of us sat there for a moment, dazed by the beauty of the flames, but more so consumed by the pain of leaving everything behind to escape, again.

We then turned around, and walked.