Chapter Two: Moonlight

Ekaci Morlio enjoys a special fireworks night with her adopted brother Riley and her best friend Sara, Riley's secret crush.

     Some sense of alarm went through my head. I opened my bright green eyes to sunlight just showing through the curtains on my window. I smiled. Two years of late night life and I still wake up at the break of dawn feeling refreshed. I rolled up and out of bed, as agile as a cat and walked over to my wardrobe.  What to wear today? The firework show is tonight so every shop is closed. A frown line showed between my eyes, something I had learned from Dorrean. Still Sara's just going to drag me around like she usually does. I shrugged. Doesn't matter anyways, I'm happy doing that.

     I picked up a cream colored wrap around blouse and nodded. Then I picked up at pair of blue pants. Looking at the pants I chuckled. When I came here I didn't even know how to put on pants, now I have to be begged to wear a skirt. I changed with the speed of excitement and hurried out of my second story room and down the stairs to the tavern's main hall. 

     Sitting in the middle of the room at a table was my golden haired, light brown eyed, and hyperactive friend Sara Pothan. She was a beautiful girl with flawless skin and hair down to the middle of her back, she was known as the Golden Lady. The Anvilmar Townspeople had a tradition of giving the women in the village strange nicknames. 

     Looking up Sara saw me and squealed. "Ekaci! Ekaci! I'm so excited! I'm so excited! FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS!" She ran at me and gave me a flying hug, making me stumble.

    "Shhh! Sara Riley and Dorrean are still sleeping!" I furiously whispered. Riley was half dead when he woke up but Dorrean was like a dragon protecting her egg, short tempered and hot breathed. 

     Sara stepped back and closed her mouth, but she was still bouncing. Her long sleeved green blouse and golden brown cotton skirt bounced with her. 

     She didn't stay quiet for long though a second later she was speed talking in a whisper. "Hey Ekaci! Will you wear you're green silk dress!? Who are you going with? Why do you always get up so early? Do you have any food?" 

     I sighed and tried to keep up with the confusing string of words. "i might wear the green silk dress, I'm going with you and Riley, I have no idea why I get up early, and come with me if you want food."

     I led her to the kitchen which still smelled like the beef stew and fresh bread from last night's meal. Sara sniffed appreciatively. I walked over to the larder and opened a barrel filled with fresh picked apples. I got one out and handed it to Sara.

     "Are you going to go milk Yula and get eggs?" Sara asked after taking a bite of her apple.

     I nodded.

     "Can I get the eggs!? I love chickens! They're so silly looking." A dreamy look crossed Sara's face.

     I smiled and went and got the egg basket. Smiling I handed it to Sara. "Here you go." 

     Sara squealed and rushed out the back door to the small barn and chicken coop we had behind the house. 

     I picked up our milk pail and walked outside to the barn. I heard a shout and frantic clucking sound from the chicken coop. "CHICKENS!!!"

     I smiled. Poor chickens. I walked up to our cow Yula and patted her on the nose. "Hey girl. How're you doing today?" 

     Yula let out a forlorn. "Mooooo."

     "Well don't worry I'll make you more comfortable." With that I got the three legged milking stool and started to milk the cow.

     After I was done I picked up the now full milk pail and walked back outside, Sara was waiting for me outside of the chicken coop with a basket full of fresh chicken eggs. We walked back into the tavern and placed the egg basket on the table that was in the middle of the kitchen. Then I moved to the removable plank on floor near the larder and poured the milk into a cooled container that we stored in the ground.

     Sara bounced over to me. "I have to go but remember to wear something nice to the show!" She gave me a hug than excitedly ran out the kitchen door.

     I smiled and started to clean the tavern, dusting, sweeping, and washing. By noon I had cleaned the place to a perfection that was expected at our establishment, even if the tavern was closed tonight the place still had to be kept clean. It was around noon when I finished and I figured it was time for Riley to wake up so i headed upstairs to his room. 

     I opened the door and peeked in and sixteen year old Riley was snoring peacefully with an arm thrown off the bed. 

     "Riley it's time to wake up, it's already noon." I started knowing that that would only make him stir.

     It did and he mumbled something incoherent.

     "Riley if you don't wake up now then you won't wake up in time for the fireworks." I said a little louder.

     He turned over and mumbled. "Don't want t....." 

     I sighed, knowing that I would have to use my secret weapon. "Sara is coming with us."

     And with that he sat bolt upright in his bed at the same time he said, "Sara?"

     I smiled at his confused face. "Good you're up, get some food and get ready, we have to go meet Sara in two hours."

     Dumbly Riley nodded and I left his room heading for mine. I walked in and went to a chest at the foot of my bed. Slowly I lifted the top of the lid to show the green silk dress that I had woken up in. It was a simple thing with long slowing sleeves and a rounded neck. There was no adornment and when I arrived it had fallen in a few folds down to the ground. Now at the age of fifteen it fell just to the tops of my feet. I hadn't worn it at all since my birth and had shown it to Sara only a few times. Occasionally I washed it and kept it clean but other than that it was left untouched so the dress had not lost any of it's bright green color. 

     I picked up the top of the dress and shook it out. Not even a wrinkle. And I wondered like I rarely ever do, just where had I come from before this. Pushing the thought out of my mind I undressed and donned the green silk dress.

     It settled perfectly on me, like it was specifically made for my fifteen year old body. Like it was a dress made for me at this age. I shook my head. That's impossible silly. 

     I walked over to the small mirror hanging on the right side of my room and looked at myself in the mirror. High cheek bones, golden brown hair, striking green cat shaped eyes, small nose, and full pink lips. I was pale and had a slight flush on my cheeks which had lost some chubbiness over the two years I had lived here. I smiled at myself, showing straight white teeth. 

    Shaking myself out of my self observation I turned and picked up a lily hair pin that was on the table below the mirror. I had gotten the hairpin at the Summer Market Fair last year. This year the small town had enough money to hold a fireworks show along with the Summer Market Fair. I pulled back my waist length hair and pinned it with the hair pin. 

     Right then a knock sounded on my door.

     "Ekaci! Come on! Riley and I are waiting downstairs in the Dining Hall!" Sara's Voice permeated through the door.

     "Okay I'll be right down!" I shouted back. 

     Taking one last look in the mirror I opened the door and walked down to the first floor. Sara and Riley were sitting at one of the tables looking impatient. Riley was wearing a white tunic with his finest green vest as well as dark green pants that were more on the side of black than green. Sara wore a lovely lavender cotton dress with beautiful embroidery of a forest scene and little metal leafs hanging all over it. They both stood when I walked in and Sara squealed while Riley's eyes widened.

     "Ekaci you look like a princess!!!" Sara exclaimed.

     Riley looked away, a little embarrassed. "You look better in it now than back then." He mumbled. 

     I laughed. "Thanks Sara, and thanks Riley."

     Sara grabbed one of my hands than grabbed one of Riley's and started to drag us towards the door.

     Just then Dorrean walked through the front door, having gone to the Summer Market she was carrying bags of produce and looking quite pleased with herself.

     "You kids going to the fireworks show?" She asked as she placed her purchases on one of the tables.

     Riley nodded.

     "Well have fun, I'm staying and taking this opportunity to get some extra sleep." Dorrean placed her hands on her hips and fixed us with a commanding stare. "Remember to always have someone with you when you walk home and be safe."

      "We will Dorrean." Sara hurriedly said and started to tug us out the door yet again. "Bye bye!" 

       Having managed to pull us out the door Sara released my hand and used both hands to eagerly pull on Riley's not so eager hand. A blush was mounted on Riley's cheeks.

     Sara finally managed to get Riley to go at the pace she wanted him to go at and we fast walked down the well trodden forest path that, if followed for two miles, would lead to town. About half a mile out a seven year old girl and her father waited by a path on the left side of the road that led to Sara's house.

     Riley raised his hand and waved to them. "Hello Mr. Pothan! Hey Dela!"

     Dela raised her small hand and waved back. As we walked past them they fell into step beside us. 

     We walked the rest of the way with Mr. Pothan and Sara talked about the currency and Dela and Riley played a game of 'Throw a Stick'. 

     Finally we reached branch a small branch in the road, one would lead into town and the other would lead to the fields, we walked on the the trail that would lead to the fields. It took us another ten minutes to get to the wide sweeping fields that were not to far from town. Many people were settling down on the ground on blankets and talking as the sun sank slowly beyond the horizon. 

     Dela and Mr. Pothan waved good bye when we got there and went to find a place to settle down. 

     I turned to Riley and Sara. "I'm going to go sit alone." As I walked past Riley I winked and he blushed slightly, realizing I was leaving so he could be alone with Sara.

     Walking to the end of the field I sat down on the grass of a small knoll as the suns dying rays disappeared. 

     Suddenly as I was shifting slightly a great boom shook the sky and my head snapped up and I saw a bright green firework light up the heavens. Almost immediately after other fireworks followed, red, blue, purple, green, white, orange, pink.

     And inside the colors I saw a castle, built upon a high cliff. It was made of a bright white stone that contrasted greatly with the stone gray cliff, it's spires soared so high that the touched the clouds that hid the spire of the mountain it rested on. The castle was ethereal and commanding but when I looked at it I felt happy. Ua-Dashi. That one word shocked me out of the vision. What was that? What does Ua-Dashi mean?

     After the beginning of the fireworks show I remained in a trance. What was that? I kept asking myself over and over again. I only realized the show had ended when the ground stopped shaking at regular intervals.

     Shaking my head I stood and started to walk towards the path that lead to the main road when I remembered that Dorrean had asked us not to walk home alone. I stopped and turned back to look at the people picking up blankets and turning to head back to town. 

     Out of the corner of my eye an old man walked out of the woods. HE was bent nearly double and standing that way he was about four feet tall. He wore a multitude of brown rags that made him look like he was wearing a tent. On his back a small pack was being held by his thin shoulders and he was carrying a bent walking stick. White hair flowed down his back and his long white beard nearly touched the ground. His face was set in crags while his eyes were hidden by great, bushy eyebrows.

     He wobbled over to me and asked. "Would you like to walk down this path with me?" I stared at his face for a second and saw a great peace. I nodded and we started to walk at a slow pace down the road.

We had nearly reached the end of the path that led to the main road when the moonlight showed a slumped form in the middle of the path. I sped up until I stood over the form. He had long flowing white hair and a crooked staff. I looked back at the old man behind me standing peacefully and looked at the corpse at my feet, it was the same person.

     Slowly the live old man hobbled up to me and took my left hand, with his left hand he handed be two bracelets and two anklets. They were simple things, just a small band of silver with silver bells all around them, but the bells on each bracelet were different sizes.

Looking at them I went into a trance again, I took the bracelets and put one on each wrist then I took the anklets and put one on each ankle. As I put on the anklets I took off my soft leather shoes and placed them next the old man's dead body. 

I turned towards the old man and started to dance. I started to dance so the bells jiggled and my body moved like a snake sliding through grass.

I opened my mouth as I danced and an ethereal song came out. 

"Leau-Selun Gushe aus Nirali,

Shoun desh Nirali eus slair mergo,

Leau-Selun raien desh Nirali polaw,

Nesh desh Nirali xansu huon leau,

Sae guen shoo Selun-Ishi,

Li sae la daen leshi eus daen Sushen Saria."

The words were strong, beautiful, and powerful and as I sand them a shaft of moonlight shifted and moved itself to the bottom of the old man's feet.

"Thank you." He said and he walked up the shaft of moonlight until I could see him no more.

     

     

Author's Note

Please Comment! =)

Reviews

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wow its been awile trom the last chapter had to re-read to remember what happened but i just remembered how awesome your heeheehee and so funny but awesome like those fireworks :D

[Mehul Rwat]

Wow! The ending(About moonlight and the man) was what I liked the most. This time I even got to learn some nice words too. The style was in keeping with the previous chapter. After reading the first part, I was waiting to read this one. And now I wait for the next one. Do not hurry but keep up this work if you have the time.

[Rose of Gondor]

WOW!!!! Love the fireworks...And I LOVE your style! Sort of simple, but still descriptive with a nice flow to it. I have a question for you though: Do you actually write out the plot beforehand or are you planning this as you go?

When ever I write this type of stuff, I'm making up words and then in the end I don't even know what they mean and then the words become useless and I have to take them out of the story and it just makes me mad!!!

P. S. Gahahahaha! Sara is funny. I'll tell you a secret: I'm just like her when I have an evil plan for my characters. I start laughing evilly and talking really, REALLY fast. And when I get woken up early? I'm not in zombie mode or dragon mode. I'm in super hyper squirrel mode. :D tee-hee!

[Haley C]

This was a great chapter! I love the fireworks part, good job!