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Unintended Meeting
There are countless stories of men and women, normal people without thoughts of grandeur or fame. They go through their everyday lives, not in search of adventure or conquest, simply making a living amidst the doldrums of repetition. However, in some chance event, some do show that bit of greatness within them that is so often unknown. For most it is short. Their lives return to normal, their deeds forgotten quickly. Some, however, are led down a path from which they do not return – led however unwillingly to some great deed that may change their life forever, which may change the world. Yet too often even these few are forgotten, lost among the kings and prophets who dominate history, even if those kings may have done no more than hoard their wealth.
Some stories are exceptions.
While this is a story seldom told, it is remembered. There is no humble man opening his eyes to the morning sun, no great king sitting on his throne, not even a person with a noble cause. Revyll Cintran was none of that. For all his known life he had been a wanderer. It seemed he was always searching, looking for someplace that would fit. He strove for a meaning without a clue as to what it might be.
He did not
avoid other people. Truth be told, it was often a small relief when he came
upon a
Revyll was a rough man. This is not to say that his appearance was unkempt. Indeed, he was rather orderly about what he did. Everything he carried was there for a purpose, and there was no room for error. He was rough merely because he had to be. It was far from an easy life that he led. Most of the time his survival depended on it. He had lived in practically every kind of environment imaginable. There were vast plains both grassy and barren, dense forests from the wet and noisy to the silent and bleak, mountains tall and weathered, to name a small few.
Though he was still a relatively young man, his face wore the battered expression of one with experience. It was a hard, emotionless look. Very seldom did it crack out of the mold time had created for it. Stubble peppered his chin, barely visible above his skin. He was fairly clean-shaven.
Revyll ran a hand through his coarse brown hair, surveying his surroundings. Great lines of trees stretched into the distance, as they had for miles. He remembered his trouble getting used to their peculiar trait. Nearly all of their wide, drooping leaves grew right at the apex of the slender, deeply ridged trunks. In effect, the canopy was an almost entirely solid blanket blocking out the entire view of the sky. Fortunately the leaves were very thin. Light could pass through them without losing a great deal of its strength. Visibility wasn’t the problem.
The reason for his annoyance was that it effectively blocked all possible knowledge of the sky. His only sense of time was how brightly the sun was shining, which wasn’t a very accurate gauge at all. He also had to rely entirely on his own skills to know the direction he traveled. On top of all that, the leaves held in the moisture like a solid wall. The heat of a desert would surely have been more comforting, but Revyll didn’t complain. Comfort was hardly something he went out of his way to find.
Though he traveled without destination, his present stride did have a purpose. While he had only left town the previous day, he found himself completely out of water. The notion almost made him laugh. There was so much water in the air that a constant sheen rested on his skin, but he couldn’t use a bit of it. He had completely refilled his waterskin before leaving, remembering the heat of the surrounding land, but it hadn’t been enough.
In truth, what he thought of as a town was actually a large city. Tristiff was the capitol of one of the more powerful nations in the land. Though there hadn’t been war in a great many years, its very location was protection in itself. The dense forest was difficult to navigate without using the roads. Even if an army did make it through, it would be poor vantage point to stage an assault. The roads themselves were easily defended. A great center of trade, Tristiff would be warned of the attack long before it arrived. Revyll hardly used the roads, himself. He didn’t really care. It was almost easier for him without them. After all, he would need fresh food every once and a while. Animals didn’t often hang about noisy men and wagons.
Finding water was a relatively easy task, it simply took time. The trunks of the trees might not allow a long sight distance, but he could see all he needed to know. He listened to the sounds of the forest for a short time, searching for the hint of a trickle. There was none, but he hardly expected there to be. Checking that his waterskin was firmly in place, he started walking once again.
A few small, scrubby plants grew at the base of the trees, but mostly there was coarse grayish-brown dirt. It was actually a more helpful aspect of the forest. Though it was easy to lose yourself in the monotony of the lines and lines of near identical trunks, the fact that there was so much bare soil meant that there was little to hinder movement. There weren’t even tree branches to snag at clothing. They were all high overhead.
He weaved back and forth through the trees, letting the shape of the land guide him. After an arduous length of it, he was finally rewarded with the sound of running water. With the more concrete sign to guide his feet, he hastened his pace and made his way towards it. After a few minutes of traveling, he was surprised to find a wall of leaves blocking his path. The trees had suddenly shifted.
With a raised eyebrow, he pushed through the thin, green wall and found himself standing in the bright sunlight. His questions were answered at once. A cascade of water spilled over an overhang of rock nearly twice his height. The roaring flow of the water had dug a small lake into the stony ground that made up the area. A considerable clearing in the forest was the result. The leaves had grown to the side because the sunlight was no longer blocked by neighbors.
With a light grin at the unexpected discovery, Revyll walked to the shore of the lake. He looked briefly at his reflection in the slight ripple of its waters, his light blue-grey eyes staring back. Grabbing at his empty waterskin, he was about to lean down to fill it when his ears caught a strange noise. Wrinkling his brow, he listened closer. What he heard was not startling or scary, but it was incredibly out of place. It was a soft singing, nearly drowned out by the crashing water.
His eyes slowly turned upwards, toward the waterfall and the source of the sound. For a few moments he saw nothing but the falling water, but it soon came to him. He stared a short time, not quite understanding his eyes. When it finally struck him for what it was, he let out a surprised grunt. There was a woman bathing in the sheets of water. He hadn’t seen her because only the upper half of her body stood above the surface, and she was almost completely concealed by the cascade. Though her back was to him, a naked woman was quite an unexpected sight.
Before he had a chance to decide anything, the woman started moving away from the heavy sheets of water. Apparently he had come across her at the end of her bath. Considering himself a moral man, Revyll stopped watching and hurriedly decided to fill his waterskin and leave without incident. He simply had to be quiet and leave her be. He pulled off the stopper of the waterskin and leaned over to follow suit when a high-pitched yelp nearly made him jump in.
“Who are you?” came the woman’s voice.
She had seen him, evidently. Her voice returned with a hint of fear. “What are you doing?” He turned back to find her out of the water. A near-straight crop of long, reddish-brown hair dangled wetly around her shoulders. Her hazel eyes were locked on him in a panic, resting above a stunningly beautiful face. She’d snatched a dress from somewhere and held it in front of her dripping body. It was a green color very close to the leaves. He tried to ignore her beauty and turned his eyes away again.
He sighed and tried to collect his thoughts. “I’m sorry, ma’am, I didn’t know you were here.”
“You were watching me,” she said fiercely. “Hiding behind my back.”
He stood rigid, working his jaw as if to say something and accomplishing very little. The roar of the water and the gentle lap of waves made it hard to think. He didn’t want to look at her lest she take it the wrong way, so he tried to clear his head and find a reasonable way out of the situation. He never got to answer.
Her voice was acid. “Don’t think you’ll get anything else from me, you letch.”
The words infuriated him. He turned to her in rage, no longer caring. “Look, woman, I came here to get water. I didn’t really expect another person, much less you, to be out here.”
“Are you trying to prove something? So you found me and then decided to watch. I see little difference.”
Though he grew angrier with every word, but could tell she was somewhat scared. He rubbed his temples and decided to do what he came for and leave. “Look, I didn’t even see you until a minute ago. I was just going to get water and go. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to do exactly that.”
She stood silent for a minute and he took the chance to stoop over and fill it. He was nearly ready to leave when she spoke again. “You lie well. I don’t doubt you’ll just loop around in hopes to see me uncovered.”
He clenched his fists and walked over to her. She took a step back as he moved and blood drained from her face. “In that case I might as well stand right here and wait while you get dressed, hmm? That way you can watch me and make sure I don’t look. Would you prefer that?”
Her hazel eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth wordlessly. A fair time passed before she had an answer. “Fine,” she said hatefully. He hadn’t expected it as an answer, but then he realized that she might think he was going to force her.
Blushing, he stammered a reply. “No, I’m not trying to force you. I was only joking, it was a joke.” He backed away himself and ran a hand through his hair. He quickly turned away and walked a short distance to the shore of the lake.
She soon spoke up. “In that case, it was a very bad one.”
“Agreed,” he said tiredly. “I’ll go.”
“No,” she said surprisingly. “Just say there and don’t look.”
He didn’t know why she wanted him to stay, but said, “Alright,” and stood rigidly. He was dumbfounded to soon hear the rustle of cloth from behind. Gentle birdsong fluttered across the clearing. The sun was nearly at its peak and it beat down hard, but even this short distance from the forest interior was far less humid. He didn’t mind the heat so much for that. The woman was muttering as she wrested with her clothing. Most of what he could understand was less than savory, and a great deal was about him. A hint of anger drifted through him again, but he didn’t budge.
When the noise of her work finally halted, he called back, “Done?”
“Yes, I’m done,” she shot back with a little fire. “Though I’m surprised that you kept your word.”
Both relieved and angered, he turned back around. She stood before him, arms crossed, glowering intensely. The dress fit her snugly, even without the water pulling it against her skin, but it wasn’t tight. The hem stood a few inches from the ground, probably to prevent too much wear. From this distance he could see leaf-like patterns woven across the fabric that he hadn’t noticed before. “Look,” he began, “I already told you what I came here for. I didn’t mean to find you here.”
She clenched her jaw, obviously on edge. “Who are you? Why are you out here?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I could ask the same questions of you.” Her confused frown surprised him, as if it was supposed to be perfectly obvious. She didn’t seem too naïve a person, but perhaps he was wrong. He sighed, deciding he might as well just leave. “Well, it’s been – interesting meeting you. Goodbye.” Without further comment, he passed through the leaf wall and back into the sweltering forest.
He had only gone a short way when he heard the leaves parting behind him. Within moments the woman was walking beside him. He didn’t know what she wanted, but he chose to ignore her. She’d give it up eventually.
Though he had no destination in mind, he did know that he was headed northwest. The rushing water was, of course, directly in between. He followed the leaf wall for a while, waiting for the river to narrow. When it finally did the leaf wall disappeared, the trees now close enough to block the sunlight from the lower levels. What was left was easily crossable.
It had taken
some time to find, but that hadn’t seemed to deter the woman. She was still
doggedly following him, to his great chagrin. In the passing time, the sunlight
had turned a deeper yellow and he knew that it was well past
On the other side of the river he stopped abruptly and turned to her. It took her a moment to react to the sudden change, and she nearly ran into him. Once recovered, she tilted her head and looked at him inquisitively. His voice came even harsher than he expected it. “Why are you following me?”
She looked at him blankly for a moment before a light smile curved onto her lips. He didn’t like it. “You didn’t answer my question, of course.” Her voice was unsettlingly smooth.
“What question?”
She gave him an incredulous but slightly teasing look. “I believe I said, ‘Who are you?’ and ‘What are you doing here?’, but I suppose a name would suffice.”
Revyll answered with a curt laugh. “That’s what this is all about? You’ve been following me through the forest for the last hour because you want to know my name?” He folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t believe it.”
Her smile spread. “You’re a strange man, I’m intrigued.”
What she said seemed kind enough, but something about her tone of voice made his blood boil. “I’m Revyll. Happy?”
“No last name? Ah, well. You’re not from around here, are you?” That same smile remained on her face. He hated it.
“No.”
She nodded knowingly. “It’s rather obvious. You’d know who I am if you were. It’s rather nice, actually.” She took a deep breath, apparently hesitant to go on. He didn’t have to wonder why for very long. “I am Princess Rhetaiya Ji’dani.”
He was taken aback for only a few moments before his jaw set in disbelief. He barely contained a laugh. “You?” he asked skeptically. “I may not be one to know royalty, but I’ve never heard of a princess running about the woods for no apparent reason, following people about. A thief might, but a thief would actually have a convincing story.” She frowned, but didn’t reply.
It started to sink in that he wasn’t going to get rid of her, and every passing minute bathed the area in a deeper orange. Resigning to the fact that she’d be with him a while longer, he could see that her dress was still soaked. The wet air probably prevented it from drying very well. He may not like her, but he knew it wasn’t good to stay in wet clothes for a long time. “We might as well stop, night will be here soon. I’m going to make a small fire so you can dry off. This forest isn’t going to help.”
She nodded and proceeded to walk off into the trees. The sudden action baffled him for a minute until he figured out that she was helping gather the wood. He had always thought women lazy, but this Rhetaiya, if that was even her real name, seemed to cast a great deal to the winds.
It wasn’t difficult to place the fire. There was little brush around that might accidentally catch, and the trees rarely seemed to lose their leaves. Still, he did not desire waking up in an inferno. When ample wood was set, Rhetaiya turned away and began unfolding their bedrolls. Revyll crouched down to ignite a fire and it sparked to life a few minutes later. The tiny flame spread slowly up the sticks. Though it was humid, it was also relatively dry. The sticks were covered only by a condensed sheen of water, but it was still hampering. Revyll monitored the flame closely, carefully fanning it until he was sure it wouldn’t go out.
Rhetaiya called over to him teasingly. “At least you know how to make a fire.” He gave her a dark look.
The bedrolls were placed moderately near the small fire. It wouldn’t be terribly hot, it was only meant to help dry her, but Revyll doubted he’d need the extra warmth of sheets when he slept. He may not have, even without the fire. Revyll sat down on his bedding alongside Rhetaiya and leaned back, looking up at the shifting leaves already painted red by a setting sun. There would be little other change before nightfall. Not only would the trees block the sun’s rays, but the entire forest was located in a sizable valley. The mountains would block them even sooner.
He couldn’t ignore how astonishing Rhetaiya looked. The crimson light seemed to add a hazy glow to her already red hair. It turned her green dress black. She looked more peaceful than she had right to be. She opened her mouth and spoke, as if she knew he was looking at her. It made him realize the fact for himself. “I’ve always thought that forest sunsets were pretty. I think it’s the leaves.”
To his great chagrin, his mind was too scattered to find a reply. Soon he was angry at himself. He was a great fool, losing his focus over a woman. He should be planning the next day, deciding what he would need. He began to take off his gear.
The light had already begun to fade. Early as the nights were in the valley, he would have to sleep eventually. It might be a little difficult to do so with a bow and quiver strapped to his back. He carefully removed them and placed them to the side, among the other articles he carried. He noted that Rhetaiya had already done much the same. She was currently rummaging through her small bag, apparently in search of something. With a satisfied sigh, she pulled whatever it was out of the pack. She glanced up to him, sensing his watch for a second time.
“I was going to thank you for the fire idea. Then I remembered who caused me to rush into my clothes. I’d actually gotten used to it, but I know I would have ended up feeling terrible later on. I suppose we can call it even.” She gave him another of her wide, mischievous smiles.
He thrust a finger at her in response. “You could have trusted me to leave and let you be. It could have been easily avoided.”
“So you say,” she shot back. “I’m still not sure you wouldn’t, if I’d let you go.” His answer was silence, not caring to discuss the point any further. She seemed to sense his mood and sat staring at him as if he were a strange puzzle. It annoyed him more than anything else. She shifted her legs from beneath and turned to stretch out on her stomach, cradling her head with her hands. Silence returned for a time.
Darkness had now fallen to an extent that the fire cast a brighter glow upon them than did the failing sunlight. Revyll lied back, turning his eyes to the fading canopy and listening back into the forest. The birdsong had long since faded away and a buzz of nighttime creatures now rose to fill the space. A soft rustle of leaves told him that a breeze had begun to flow through the valley. The air had been practically still for days. Perhaps it would help cool things down.
As the last rays faded away from above, the woman’s voice came once again to his ears. “Revyll, I would still like to know why you’re out here.”
He stiffened his jaw at the question, for that’s what it was. He’d heard its like many times. “Is there something wrong with it? Is there some law prohibiting me from going where I will?” He looked at her finally. She seemed somewhat stricken by his response.
“No, of course not! It’s simply…” She struggled for words.
“Strange to be out here? I suppose it’s a valid question for most, but you’re out here same as me. Why is that? Why does your presence make sense when mine does not?” His words grew in anger as he talked. The whole day had been absurd.
Color rose to Rhetaiya’s cheeks. “I’m sorry. I simply never thought I’d need to explain it. I forgot that you didn’t know.”
Revyll couldn’t hide his disbelief. “You’re saying that every single person who lives in that town would know what you’re doing out in this forest?” He raised an eyebrow. “You must be the best thief ever born. No, make that the worst, if everybody knows about you.”
Her eyes widened for a brief moment before she fell to soft laughter. Controlling herself, she tried to put on a more serious expression. “I never expected to explain it. I don’t know where to start.” She drew a deep breath and shifted up to sit on her calves, leaning to the left with the support of her arm. “You do know Khi’tan?” He stared at her blankly. She looked at him as if he were making faces. “The Shii?” Her tone was more insistent. She was dumbstruck at his answering silence and turned to stare into the now-dwindling fire. It was as if he’d told her there was no such thing as a tree.
“Revyll, where,” Rhetaiya started, but her words faded off. Her tone grew quiet. “I know of no land that doesn’t know the Shii by name. It would have to be very distant, places hardly mentioned around here.” Her eyes shifted back to his, her gaze intense. She studied him as she had twice before; delving for a meaning he knew wasn’t there. Perhaps that was why it always angered him when she did it. Perhaps it was his own frustration coming to the surface.
Her expression turned weary and she frowned. “I think we have too many questions between us. Let’s take the night to think about our answers, shall we. Mayhap the knots in our tongues will have loosened by sunrise.”
“Fair enough,” answered Revyll. Time would be good. He wasn’t even sure he had a response. Though she hadn’t made any sense to him, she at least had a story of some sort. His anger slipped away. “Are you dry, or shall I refuel the fire?”
Rhetaiya now sat cross-legged, her dress molding to the shape of her legs. She looked up from something she held in her hands and smiled. “Thank you, really, but your fire did its work well. There’s no need.”
He nodded and sprawled himself across his sheets. He was glad the fire was dying. The night air, though only slightly less humid, was pleasant respite from even hotter daylight. He took another long look at the forest. Weak moonlight, turned green by the leaves, filtered down to their small camp. The long trunks looked ghostly in the surreal illumination. It was dark enough that he could hardly see the trees out of feeble firelight’s reach. The forest was completely silent. Revyll frowned at the sudden realization.
Why was it so quiet?
All the normal nighttime sounds were gone. There were no noisy insects or nocturnal bird cries. Even if he had somehow lost track of time and it had grown even later than he believed, there should still be some noise. He noticed then that, while he felt a gentle breeze on his skin, there was no rustle of leaves from above. The deepness of the silence struck him. It didn’t seem natural. He had the profound feeling that something was wrong. Then the feeling was gone. Leaves shifted overhead.
He looked to Rhetaiya trying to decide whether he should ask her about it, and found something he didn’t expect. She still sat as she had been, but she was doing something odd. Her upper body was perfectly straight, rigidly erect. She held her arms out front, hands clasped together by all but her pointer fingers. Between these fingers she held something small. It was a crystal, thin and four-sided, glimmering with orange firelight. Rhetaiya’s breaths came so slowly it was hard to tell she was breathing at all. Her left eye, the one he could see, was open, but her gaze seemed vacant.
He got to his feet and walked over. As he passed into her vision, she gasped and started breathing heavily, eyes returning to focus. She lowered her arms and scowled. “What?” she snapped and then covered her face with a hand. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been angry.” Revyll was getting rather used to these surprises. Her hand fell to her lap. “Did you want something?”
Revyll couldn’t help wondering what had just happened. “What were-” he began.
“Tomorrow, Revyll, please,” she insisted. Though it wasn’t immediate, Rhetaiya appeared to grow increasingly edgy and clutched herself like she was cold.
Revyll nodded, somewhat worried over her sudden changes. “Yes, well, I wanted to ask you something. It was only a minute ago I noticed it, and it seems to have passed, but…” He ran a hand through his hair before motioning to the forest around them. “What do you hear? Tell me everything.”
She blinked, somewhat flustered. Her eyes fell away as she concentrated on her task. She shrugged and replied, “The fire, the wind, our breathing. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”
“I’m not sure. There’s been a breeze for some time now, and I’m almost sure the leaves were making no sound at all. Not only that, but something isn’t there that should be. There are no animal noises. The night is never this quiet, not in a forest. When I first noticed this, my skin was crawling. Something felt wrong, but now it’s gone.”
This seemed to strike something in Rhetaiya. She pressed her right hand over her heart and her face was lined with worry. He could see in her eyes that her mind was racing. It was a small relief that she believed him. He had hoped he wasn’t simply imagining things. His mind filled with questions and his voice turned grim. “Rhetaiya, do you know what it is?” She grimaced and shook her head.
“I didn’t hear what you heard, I wasn’t listening, but perhaps something related.” She paused and her arms quivered. She seemed hesitant to go on. “I don’t expect you’ll understand, but I was trying to attain Khi’tan. It was a great deal more difficult than usual, for me, and when I did, it took nothing but your small movement to break. I’m better than that, I know it. That’s why I yelled, I was frustrated. Then, moments after we started talking, I felt something beginning to twist in my gut, and it’s getting worse. It feels like…” She shook her head and a tear ran out of her left eye. Her voice fell to a trembling whisper. “It’s terror. I’m terrified, and I don’t know why.”
Revyll could practically see her words by the way she was carrying herself. His blood ran cold at what was suddenly happening. Something had changed, and nothing pointed towards it being pleasant. As skilled as she was at igniting his temper, he was concerned. She didn’t seem to be in any physical pain, but that was little comfort. He scoured his memory, trying to remember anything that might explain or help. It was futile. There had been nothing. A tear fell down her other cheek.
“Do you think you’ll be able to sleep? I have a feeling we’ll need it.” He knew they had to be prepared for the coming day.
She shook fitfully and her answer was strained. “No, it’s too much. I can’t– I can’t think!”
For a moment he was shocked, he didn’t think she was as bad as she now sounded. He knelt down and grabbed her shoulders. “Focus on something else. Get your mind away from the terror.” She nodded, though it was hard to tell with her quaking. When she didn’t seem to improve, he knew she couldn’t do it. He took his right hand and slapped her cheek, hard enough to hurt.
She gasped and looked at him in shock. “Why did you hit me?” she whispered.
He gave her a smile. “Was it painful?” he asked sardonically. He leaned closer and whispered, “I hope it hurts.” He could see the anger awakening in her. Her jaw clenched in fury, he could see her muscles tense. It had been easier than he thought it might be. What he didn’t foresee was her heavy return blow. He stumbled back, falling from his feet, and pressed a palm against the sting. His eyes watered. He suppressed his rage at the strike, knowing that he had rightfully caused it. He sighed and looked back to her spiteful glare. “Well, it seems I was right, at least.”
Rhetaiya responded to his statement with a look of indignation. “What are you talking about?”
Revyll folded his legs into a somewhat more normal posture. “I gave you something else to think about. First it was the pain, but I wasn’t sure it’d be enough. I suppose I could have slapped you again, but I hoped getting you angry would suffice.”
She shook her head, not grasping what he was trying to get at. “That doesn’t answer anything.”
Frustration rose and he lost grip on his own temper. “Have you forgotten already? The terror. You were losing yourself to it. I thought that if you weren’t thinking about it, it wouldn’t be as overpowering, like an itch or wound.”
Understanding dawned on her face. She smiled and seemed to relax. “I’m sorry I hit you, but how did you know this would work?”
“I didn’t. It was a guess,” he admitted guiltily. “It could have been for nothing.” He looked her over. “How are you feeling?”
“I can still sense it – the fear – but I think I can handle it now. As for the slap, I hardly feel it anymore.” She extended a hand and brushed his reddened cheek. “I think I did more damage than you.” Her eyes lit up and she giggled softly. “Well, if I ever lose myself again, I’ll try not to hit back.” She stressed the try.
Revyll was quite sure he’d never met anyone like her before. He didn’t know what to think. He was shocked to find he rather liked her, and he remembered being irritated by her more than anything else. He’d traveled with others before, people simply going the same way as he. While their idle conversation was sometimes tiring, none had ever affected him as much as she. While her questions were no more prying, there was something about her that made them seem so, even though she hadn’t really tried forcing him to say anything.
What bothered him more was that nothing she said felt at all devious. The problem with this was simple, her claimed title. From all the places Revyll had been, princesses had no reason to be doing what Rhetaiya was doing. Most places had guards to ensure the protection of a royal family, and she was alone. It had not sounded like a lie, but nothing he knew told him it could be true. It was the one shadow of doubt that continued to cause unease around her. Of course, it might be worse if it was true.
He felt his stomach growl and he heaved a heavy sigh. He looked back to her worried gaze. “You hungry? I know we haven’t eaten. I’ve got a bit of food left in my pack. I need to find some fresh supplies in the morning, anyhow. I see no point in saving it any longer.”
She nodded. “Sure. I’ve some things as well. We might as well use them too.”
“Alright,” Revyll replied as he rose to his feet. “What do you have? Perhaps we can make some semblance of a meal out of it.”
She seemed pleasantly surprised at the thought. “A meal? Well let me see. I had more when I started out, but there’s some bread and dried fruit left. The bread’s thick and doesn’t take much to fill your stomach, but it’s as good as anything they make.”
Revyll tried not to wonder who ‘they’ were and threw some more wood onto the fire. He managed a small laugh. “I thought sure this was going to go out, but it looks like it’ll stay a bit longer.” He walked over to where his things lay. “I can use the bread, but keep the fruit for now. It’ll do fine on its own.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Sounds like we have just enough for a small stew. I’ve some dried meat and roots I’ve been meaning to use for some time now. Your bread can help thicken it.”
She brought the bread over to him and placed it in his hands. “You seem to have it worked out, so I might as well leave these with you.” They were certainly different from what he was used to. There were actually three, but they were small, all intended for a separate meal. Each was about the size of his palm, an inch wide, and heavy enough for a full loaf. He didn’t need all three, so he handed one back.
“It’ll take some time,” he told her. “At least I only have to make enough for the two of us.”
She pulled back a stray clump of hair. “Quite alright. I’m not starving. Yet.” She flashed him one of her smiles and walked back to her bed.
Of course, the pot he carried was barely big enough for two anyway. With all the required items at hand, he finally started to set up. He placed the pot above the licking flames, filled it about half full of water from the nearby stream, and chopped in the various ingredients. Eventually he had it all simmering above the fire. When he was content that it was cooking well, he finally sat back down.
He noticed Rhetaiya staring at the little crystal. She wasn’t doing it as she had before; she was simply looking at it. Her expression was deadly serious. He could almost see her mind churning. The recent events were probably nagging at her. Only one thing had been bothering him. “Rhetaiya, this terror, why did it affect you and not me?”
She looked over to him with a troubled frown. “I’ve been thinking about that. The only answer I can come up with is scaring the wits out of me.” She looked away and didn’t go on.
“Well, what is it?” he asked in slight annoyance.
“You remember I spoke of Khi’tan? You don’t understand, but not everyone can do it. I said it was difficult to attain earlier. It can’t be coincidence, can it? I think I feel like this because I can call Khi’tan. It scares me, Revyll. I’ve never heard of this happening before.”
He suddenly realized that he was doing the very thing he wanted her not to do. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressed.”
“It’s okay, I just… don’t know what to tell you.” Her mood brightened a little. “At least you’re saying my name. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten it.”
The smell of the cooking stew finally began to drift over them. The ingredients had started to mix. As the meat absorbed the water, the spices would come out. The roots would soften and trade their flavors as well. The bread would do its best to soak it all up. It wouldn’t be long before it was done. Revyll snatched up his bowl. He used it even less than the pot, usually finding little need to move the contents from one to the other. They couldn’t very well both eat out of the same container, however. At least he had two spoons.
A short while later he took the pot from the fire and set it to cool. It was as much of the process as was the heat. Since it wasn’t a large amount, it was ready in a few short minutes. He poured half into the bowl and walked it over to Rhetaiya. She raised an eyebrow. “At least it doesn’t smell too terrible.” Contrary to her words, she seemed grateful. He handed her the bowl and sat down, not caring to go back to his mat. She must have been hungrier than she let on, because her bowl emptied before he’d gotten halfway through.
“I suppose you liked it then?” he asked between spoonfuls.
She covered up a yawn and proceeded to nod. “It was good, if a little different. With what you had to work with, I’m a bit impressed.”
“Well, don’t expect much more. That’s about the only half-decent thing I know how to make.” It was also a bit of a strange story how he had learned, but he didn’t mention it.
He soon finished and set his makeshift bowl inside of hers. Rhetaiya was nibbling on the berries, lost in thought again. Upon seeing him set down his pot, she slipped back into reality. She silently offered him some berries. He’d never had dried berries before having no reason to bother, so he was a bit curious what they were like. Popping a couple in his mouth, he was surprised by the tanginess. It nearly overwhelmed the original flavor. It was surprisingly tasty. He ate about half of what she’d given him and decided to save the rest.
Finally through with the meal, Revyll rose to his feet. “Well, we should get some sleep. Whatever these strange things are, we can’t stumble into the trouble they might bring without our wits.” Fully aware of her condition, Revyll looked her up and down. “You can do that now, right?”
She nodded meekly. “Don’t worry about me. Sleep sounds wonderful.”
Her tone brought up doubts within him, but he decided to believe her. Other than her lingering fit of terror, nothing had occurred. Revyll would have been more comfortable had the animal noises returned, but he decided nothing else was going to happen. He turned away to manage one last thing. A couple quick splashes of water ensured that his gear would not be impossible to clean later on. Considering everything finished, he as good as fell down onto his blankets and drifted into slumber.
* * * * *
Tired as she was, Rhetaiya couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t the terror that still tingled in her gut. She could handle it now, because of Revyll. The insomnia was caused by having too many questions and worries on her mind. The peculiar quiet and her difficulties with Khi’tan were only half of the problem. The rest of her was filled with questions about the man. He had done practically nothing but help her, and yet he made her incredibly nervous.
Combined with Revyll’s apparent ignorance of the Shii, his origins and motives for being in the area deeply intrigued her. He can’t have spoken with all too many for he would have long heard through common gossip, tainted with untruth as it might be. His unwillingness to reveal these things only enticed her to learn more, yet the points he had made were certainly valid. She still intended to talk with him about it in the morning, and she knew she would need to talk as well.
Khi’tan. He would undoubtedly be curious about it. She’d mentioned it enough times, he’d even seen it. It was hardly a secret, though only the Shii and Shio truly knew what it was. Rumor sometimes came close, but it was always exaggerated. In truth it was a sort of meditative state, one you had to be well accustomed to before you were to be taught.
While it usually took Rhetaiya only a minute or two, she was still far from being ready. Nobody knew precisely when it happened, but eventually Khi’tan would simply come. She wouldn’t be trying. It would happen in the blink of an eye. If there was some stimulus that provoked this occurrence, nobody had deciphered it in a very long time. Once it did, the ability became second nature. No concentration would be required. Nothing would be able to break it but her own will. It would mark her as being ready to take the next step, and it wouldn’t happen for years. A minute might sound fast, but the Mark only came to those who could call it in a matter of seconds. The leap from practiced to prepared was fairly minute. Whittling down that time took months.
Dwelling over Khi’tan caused her think back to earlier, when it had been so difficult to do. She’d been too preoccupied and worried to consider trying again, but she knew she should. It would do no good if she was too scared to practice. She glanced down to the crystal. It hardly helped anymore, she’d moved beyond that point, but she still liked having it. The fact that it was a crystal didn’t really matter, it could be anything. It was used simply to become familiar to the feeling of drawing into a single point.
Now resolute to do without it, she slipped the crystal back into her pack and, drawing a hefty amount of air, began. She imagined taking hold of all her emotions, her feelings, her senses. They were a physical object to manipulate, no longer dominating her being. Once she felt this control, she did what she had always done. It was different without the crystal, there was nothing to concentrate on, but she knew what to do. She searched for her core, a center she felt within her body. She wound her feeling into a single entity and moved it towards this infinitesimal point. As it slid into place, she felt a new vibrance slide through her flesh.
It settled into every tissue and fiber of her being, and, as soon as it filled her, she felt herself reaching out into the night air. She did not do this physically; it was a kind of awareness, a deep connection. It felt more like an uncontrollable part of her body. As this sensation expanded and seeped further away, it began to connect with the earth as well. She could feel every grain of the soil beneath her, deep down until it became rock. She felt this rock as well, many feet of it, until it slowly dwindled at the limits of Khi’tan.
Finally, it settled
into life. She could feel the gentle weave of the innumerable leaves which
twisted lazily in the
For the first time she could feel this in another human, but the complexity of the energy flow was far more astounding. She had never felt another human before and could not see herself in this manner. It felt vastly different. There was no more energy, but it was stronger, faster, in a weave more complex than the largest tapestry. Brightest of all and impossible to unravel was the weave in his head. The energy seemed to flow from everywhere. While she could sense animals and could feel the tap of the tiniest insect’s feet, none had ever been near enough for her to study well. She wondered how different they might be.
Having fully attained Khi’tan, Rhetaiya was finally able to relax her mind and think. Her head, relieved of emotions and somewhat detached from bodily need, was a great deal clearer. It had not been difficult this time. Whatever had caused the problem must have passed at the same time Revyll noticed the silence. At least it proved they were the same thing. As for what it was, she still had no answer. For some reason, she felt like something was missing.
She hadn’t planned on staying with Khi’tan long. It had mostly been a test. She released her connection. The sensation dropped away as if a door had been slammed shut. Her own senses, however, seeped slowly back to her. The desire for sleep was nearly overwhelming. She also knew that, while the desire might be muffled under Khi’tan, she needed the slumber. The morning would bring change. Everything would come together in the end. She closed her eyes and slipped into dreams.