Chapter XIII: Seashells and Caves

Something dark is creeping into the world, and it is time to gather the Spirits - special individuals burdened with the duty of bringing a tilting world back into balance.

Chapter XIII

Seashells and Caves

Luna shook off the stupor of sleep at the sound of Rubedo’s voice through the door.  “Yes...” She yawned, “Just a moment while I get dressed.”

“Alright!”  Rubedo said through the door, I’ll be in the sitting room.”  He couldn’t stifle a grin.  Dominica was already saddled, and the weather was great - a bit warm perhaps, but with a clear, steady breeze.

Perfect.

Luna walked into the sitting room a few moments later, still yawning.  “Rubedo, what time is it?”  She asked, “It’s still dark as night... why am I awake?”

“We’re awake because we need to get an early start if we want to get to the sea in time to see the sun rise.”

Luna immediately perked up, “The sea?  Oh, Rubedo, the sea!”  She said, clapping her hands together, “Oh I’m so excited!  When do we leave?”

He grinned, “As soon as you’re ready.”

“Oh, let’s go now!”  She burst eagerly, bouncing on her toes.

Rubedo laughed, “Alright, alright.  Dominica is ready, she is, so come along.  Azara even packed us a lunch last night, it was sitting on a table with a note.”

“She isn’t coming?”

“No.” He shook his head, rolling his eyes, “She insisted that she has to finish a painting, she did, and she’s taking Aliqu �" probably to use as a subject.   So, it’s just you and I, Princess Lunamis.”

Luna walked towards him, her eyes glistening brightly, “What are we waiting for then?  Let’s go!”

---

Luna looked up at Rubedo and then back to the dark crevice nestled in the valley wall, a small trickle of water meandering into the darkness.  They had been riding for less than thirty minutes and had come to a vertical stretch of rock.

“We...we have to go through there?”  She said in disbelief, looking at him nervously.  “It’s looks awfully dark in there, I can’t see a thing... you’re playing a joke!”

Rubedo shook his head, “No worries, there are plenty of lanterns stored up.”  He grinned, “And if not... we could always make some light.”  He winked and nudged his staff, “This thing can do more than speed up horses and cause mass destruction!”

“You worry me sometimes, Rubedo.”

He laughed, “Aye, I know.”  He dismounted, looking into the cave, and then back to Luna, “Stay here, I’ll check the mouth of the cave for lanterns and such.”  Luna nodded, uncertainty welling up inside of her.

In a few moments, Rubedo returned, two iron lanterns carried on either side of him.  He handed one to Luna, and then mounted behind her.  Rubedo reached over and laid a hand on her lantern, as well as his, balancing it on his leg.  He murmured something, very quietly, and both lanterns sprang to life with flame.

“Oh!”  Luna cried in surprise, nearly dropping the lantern.

Rubedo laughed, “Sorry, I should have warned you! I forget you’re not used to things like this.”

Luna smiled nervously, still throwing unsure glances towards the underground path.

“We’ll be fine, that we will.”  He assured, resisting a roll of the eyes, “The worst thing in there may be a few bats... maybe.”

“I trust your judgment Rubedo...” She said, “I just don’t trust your love for risks.”

She kept her eyes closed most of the trip.  It was so dark, even the brightness of the lanterns didn’t seem to wane the mysterious shadow that had wrapped itself around her.  She was only aware of Rubedo’s arm around her waist and the soft heat of the lantern’s handle against her palm.  She felt the path began to angle upward and tensed, shutting her eyes tighter.

Luna felt Rubedo giver her hand a reassuring squeeze, “Are you alright?”  He whispered gently - incredibly gently.

Rubedo will keep me safe.  She told herself,, feeling her muscles relax - Rubedo seemed to feel it too.

“Feeling better?”  He said in the same sweet voice.

“Yes...” She whispered.  Vague memories flooded her mind... being carried through the chilly darkness on a horse... and huge something... a blanket?  A robe?  Wrapped around her... someone’s arms around her... protecting her...

She shuddered at the sudden reminiscence.

“Are you cold?”  Rubedo asked.  Despite warm days, it was usually chilly and damp underground.  “Would you like my coat?”

He felt her shake her shake her head against his chest.  “No... I’m fine, thank you... just a chill.”  She ventured to open her eyes, praying that nothing terrifying was waiting beyond her closed lids.  “Rubedo!  Is that light?”  She asked in surprise, pointing slightly above them to a soft, glowing radiance.

He nodded, “Yes Princess Lunamis, I believe it is.  We’ll be going up for only a short time, it will be five minutes at the most until we’re back above ground.

Luna sighed with relief; how she hated the darkness of this dampened cave.

When Dominica finally propelled herself aboveground, the moonlight seemed blinding compared to the cave where they had emerged.  Dominica whinnied and pawed at the ground, obviously distressed by the sudden change in brightness.  As Luna blinked the neon spots out of her eyes, she looked around curiously.  They were back above the valley, their back’s to Drajan.

“The cave was like a secret passageway!”  Luna looked at Rubedo, “How long have you known about this path?”

Rubedo smiled, “It’s a Patronus family secret, that it is.  The earliest I remember was for my fourth birthday, my mother took me down here, along with Azara.  She’d sometimes take Comitis, Madidus, or Viktor too.”

“You must have had a good time.”

Rubedo nodded, “Aye, good times on that beach.”

“How much longer is it until we get there?”

Rubedo laughed, “You don’t skip a beat do you?”

Luna shook her head, laughing, “So...?”

He smiled, “About an hour.”  He loved the light that sparked in her eyes.

As they neared the ocean, Rubedo sighed and breathed in the salt-kissed air, “Oy, Princess �" take a deep breath.”

Luna looked at Rubedo oddly, but breathed in none the least.  “Oh Rubedo!”  She breathed, “Is that the sea?”  She took another, her sense flooding with the aroma of roses, wildflowers, and pine, laced with a mysterious scent.  She looked up, noticing the gray light of dawn had begun to seep through the clouds, staining them with fiery tarnish.

Rubedo nodded, “Smells wonderful, doesn’t it?  Oi, look!”  He pointed, “If you look over the hill, you’ll be able to see the shore!”

Luna sat up straighter on the horse (she had been leaning back against Rubedo a lot lately,) but Luna was much smaller than Rubedo, and couldn’t see a thing.

“I can’t see.”  Luna said, still struggling to stretch her back taller.

“No worries, Princess.  Once we get over this hill you’ll get a panoramic view.”  He grinned, “It’s not as beautiful as Drajan’s valley though.”

Luna felt a sharp pang of homesickness.  “Yes...”  She said quietly, “Nothing is more gorgeous than home...”

Rubedo leaned forward, “Sorry I mentioned it... but this will cheer you up!  We’re just about over the hill!”

Luna looked up at the ocean, blue as crystal.  “Extraordinaire!”  She whispered, gazing at the snow-white foam gathered around the shorelines and rocks.  A golden sun was barely over the water, still casting a yellow light on the sky and a pink glow to the clouds.

“Extraordinaire...” She whispered again, unable to say  much else.

“I told you it was beautiful...the water is so clean and fresh, if it weren’t so damn salty-damn I �" d****t!  Sorry!”  He pinched the bridge of his nose, clenching his teeth as he seethed.   “Bad habit... I really shouldn’t curse so much...”

Luna shrugged, tearing her gaze away from the ocean, “It’s a part of who you are... and personally, I like the way you are.  Besides, you don’t curse that much I...suppose...”

Rubedo laughed, nudging Dominica down the hill, “Oh, Princess, you have never heard me while you’re not around... I tone down the cursing a lot when you’re near, that I do.”  He grinned and looked down at Luna, “We’ll have to get off here �" Dominica gets fussy with all the rocks.” Luna obliged, letting him help her down.

Suddenly unable to stand being so far from the crashing sea, she reached behind her and grabbed Rubedo by the hand as she took off towards the surf.

---

“Uh... that’s still not right...”

Azara was stretching the truth when she said she needed to finish a painting... actually, she needed to begin one.  She sighed, wishing she had one of those wooden models she saw Alchemists work with.  You could move every joint to any position, and even study how a robe (substituting a loose piece of cloth) would fold and wrinkle.  If she had one of those, just maybe she could get the folds in Luna’s robes right...

Azara tapped her thumb against her chin, unaware of the gray paint being smeared on her forehead by the brush in her hand.  She sighed.  The basic sketch was finished, depicting Luna sitting in the grass, laughing while Aliqu licked her face, the small puppy sitting in her lap.  Azara sighed again; getting that sparkle in her eye would be a challenge too...

She decided to start with her eyes and work her way out.  Rinsing the brush, she mixed purple, blue, a touch of white, and a little clear glaze onto her brush.  She cocked her head to the side once, nodded, then laid the first stroke onto the outline of Luna’s iris.

---

“Careful, Princess!  Don't go too far out, the waves tend to-”

“Ah!”  Luna covered her eyes as a large wave crashed into her, knocking her down and saturating her robes.  Rubedo rushed over to her, clearly having difficulty not laughing.  Luna shouted as another wave crashed upon her, then drew back out.

Water was not supposed to move like that!  It was supposed to go in one, constant direction, not come surging in and out!

Luna finally got to dry land and sat beside her small black slippers.  Rubedo, who by now couldn’t keep himself from laughing, sat down beside her.

“I warned you,” He chuckled, “This isn’t a pond!”

“Why does the water do that?”  Luna wondered as a wave tumbled in, lapping at her toes.

“They’re called waves.”  He said, shrugging, “I don't really know why it does that...” He paused, and then looked at Luna.  “You know, how when you drop a pebble into a pond, all those ripples spread out from the stone?”  Luna nodded, “Well, I think it’s like that, instead of ripples though.”  He lobbed a pebble into the water, “You get waves.”

Luna cocked her head to the side, “Are you saying, somehow, a giant stone is dropping in the middle of the ocean?”

Rubedo shook his head, “No... I’m not saying that there is a literal stone dropping in the water... I’m just saying there’s something... pulling or...eh, never mind, I’m probably wrong anyway, I am.” He lay down on his back, putting his arms behind his head.  “Nothing like a warm day on the sea...” He murmured.

“This is nice...” Luna admitted, letting her hair down and covering it with her scarf so it would dry quicker, “I love the sound of the waves.”  She laughed and looked down at Rubedo as he lay on the smooth stones. “Too bad I can’t put it into a jar and take it home with me.”

Rubedo sat up, suddenly struck with an idea, “Maybe not in a jar... but maybe...” He got up and walked towards a stone wall, boulders scattered around it.  Curious, Luna rose and followed after him.  He squatted by a large fissure in the wall.  “I wonder if it’s still here...” he mused. Then he lay on his belly, reaching his arm into the crack.  God, I hope nothing is living in here!

“How...” He mumbled, “Could our arms could fit into this thing?”

After a few moments of searching,  Rubedo drew his arm out clasping a large, brown-spotted shell.  He laughed with satisfaction and showed it to Luna.

“I told you that when I was small our mother used to take me and my friends down to the sea.  We used to hide assorted treasures in this crack, clamshells, little coins, stones - such things that amuse children.  We also found this once, I didn’t know if it was still in here or not.”  He handed it to Luna, “Just hold on to it for now, when we get so we can’t hear the sea anymore, I’ll show you a wonderful secret.”

Luna gave him a questioning look, looking down at the shell.  Her eyes widened and she looked around, suddenly uneasy.

He laughed, “Don’t worry there’s nothing living in there, I checked, that I did!”

She shook her head, staring at the shell, “No, I just realized… we don’t have a chaperone.”

Rubedo furrowed his brow, “What?”

“A chaperone.”  Luna said, turning the shell over in her hands, “You don’t have chaperones?”

“I don’t even know what a chaperone is, I don’t.”

“An adult, to make sure we’re behaving ourselves.”

Rubedo cocked his head to the side, “Why do we need that?”

“Well… I’ve always had a chaperone along when I’m out somewhere �" especially when I’m with a boy.”

His eyes widened and a grin spread over his face, “Is this just for you?”

“Oh, no!”  Luna insisted, “All girls have chaperones if they’re out and about.”

“Especially with men?”

Luna nodded, “Yes, even more especially if they’re courting-”

Her sentence was interrupted by Rubedo as he burst out laughing, covering his eyes as he lay down on the rocks, trying to catch his breath as he cackled.

“White Mages have chaperones?” He gasped, “And you lot are supposed to be so damn good!”  His words gave way to another bout of laughter as he attempted to sit up only to sink back down to the ground as he gasped for breath.

“I don’t see what’s so funny!”  Luna said, her cheeks burning, “It’s only proper!”

Rubedo waved his hands, using every ounce of self control to stifle his laughter and sit up, “No, Princess, no I’m not laughing at you!”  He rubbed his eyes, still chuckling, “You need chaperones?  The oh-so-good White Mages?”  He shook his head, “We don’t need chaperones, we don’t.  We Mages know to behave ourselves.”  He rubbed the back of his neck, “Don’t mean we don’t spy if a sister’s courting �" that’s our job as a brother, it is.”  He grinned, “Then again, our behavior might be less about being good and more about being afraid of being set on fire.”

He leaned back again, relieved that Luna seemed to understand and was allowing a smile on her face.  He grinned at her, “Besides, do you really think Azara would let us go off alone if that was considered improper?  We’re a good family, we are.”

Luna put her fist to her mouth as she nodded, smiling behind her hand, “I do see… it is rather odd now that I hear your reasoning.  I shall have to ask Yami about that when I see him again-”

Rubedo’s glee was replaced with panic, “Let’s not be telling him about this, eh Princess?  You understand, but he wouldn’t, I don’t think.”

She laughed and looked out at the ocean, “I’ll ask Roland, then.”

Rubedo laughed, “Aye, I can live with that!”

Rubedo taught her how to skip rocks and they collected tiny shellfish, putting them in a brown sack Rubedo had brought along.  He told her that you could make a wonderful stew with them, and they could make it when they got home.

As they walked along the shoreline, Luna collected tiny conch shells, hardly the size of the nail on her little finger. All were different colors and shapes, some spotted, some a single color, some were bleached from age and salt.  By the end of the day, she had collected so many her robe pockets were bulging, and Rubedo brought her another sack to put them all in.

In the few remaining hours of daylight, they sat on some warmed rocks with their backs to the ocean, watching the sun sink over the distant mountaintops, talking and laughing.  Luna took out one of the shells and looked at it.  “I love all these minuscule little shells... I hope I don't lose any.”

Rubedo took it from her and looked at it, “You know, I could fix all those shells on a bit of cord for you so you don’t lose any.”

“Oh would you?”  She asked.

He nodded, “Of course!  I’ll start as soon as we get home-oi!  Princess, look at that!”

Luna looked up in time to see the skies above bursting with color and radiance, all shades, from deep blood red, gentle pink, golden, orange and yellow, all splashed against the sky and clouds.

“Turn around and look behind you too.”  Rubedo whispered.

She did, and saw all the colors reflected in the sea also, undulating and rippling with the waves.  “Oh... it’s so beautiful...” She whispered, “I never want this to end...”

Rubedo nodded in silent agreement, his eyes no longer on the sunset.

---

“I’m sure it really is a lovely painting Azara.”  Luna yawned.

She liked watching Azara paint, but it was incredibly boring to just sit in the grass and watch the back of the canvas.  “Why am I plopped down in the middle of the grass again?”

Azara mixed a few paints, “I couldn’t get the folds in your robes right yesterday, so I need a real-life subject.  Don’t worry it won’t take that long,” She laughed, “I promise.”

Luna smiled, blowing a fine wisp of hair out of her eyes, “Where did Rubedo get off to?  I’ve barely seen him all day.”

Azara shrugged, “He said he was working on something, God only knows what that means.  He could be writing, playing, whittling-”

“Oh!”  Luna said, “He whittles too?”

“He dabbles.”

Luna laughed, “Is there anything he doesn’t do?”

“He doesn’t paint, at least as far as I know.  Oh, you can get up now.”  She laughed, “Knowing that boy, the way he’s so secretive sometimes, he could have three or four sketchbooks hidden somewhere and nobody would have a clue!”

Luna joined in Azara’s laughter.  “Why is he so secretive about this writings and such?  I’ve never met a soul who hasn’t wanted one of the gifts he possesses.”

“Oh, you know how he is-” Azara said, oblivious to the sound of the door opening and her brother coming out of the house. Taking advantage of her unawareness he started creeping behind her, putting his finger to his lips when Luna saw him.  She couldn’t help but grin.

“He never wants to admit-

“Hoy!”

With a small “eep!”  Azara jumped into the air, dropping a bowl of brown water she had been using to rinse her brush.  Rubedo was doubled over with laughter, and Luna couldn’t help but giggle.

“Eia!  The look on your face!”  He said with rapture, “That was perfect, just perfect!”  He kept laughing as his sister glared at him.

“Yes, yes, yes, very charming Rubedo, very charming.”  She picked up the bowl and studied her canvas carefully, “You're lucky nothing got on this, if a single drop of that messy water had ruined this, I would’ve...”

“Would have what, dear sister?”

“Oh, shut up.”

Luna stood up, brushing the grass of her robes, “How is the painting coming Azara?”

Rubedo cocked his head to the side, looking at the canvas, “You know Zara, this is pretty good, it is.  Princess Lunamis, look at this!”

Luna stood beside Rubedo and studied the painting.  “I like it, Aliqu looks so life-like!  How did you get the eyes to shine like that?”

Without a word, Azara got a bit of clear paint and started towards the canvas, then after a brief pause, turned and spread some on her brother’s face.

“Hey!”  He snapped, “What the hell?”

Azara motioned towards him, “That’s clear oil paint.  It gives things a liquidly, shiny appearance. I’ve used it for tears, water, and eyes.”

Rubedo wiped the gel from his cheek.  “Exactly what was the point of that?”  Luna smiled, she always thought it was funny the way those two thought the world of one another, yet bickered so much!

“To annoy you.”  Azara answered, “Speaking of annoyance, isn’t it time for your daily harassment of our poor chickens?”

Rubedo rolled his eyes, turning to leave, “I do not harass them.  But you’re right, I need to feed them and check for eggs.”

“Think what you like,” Azara said good-naturedly, turning to Luna, “I think I have a great example of what I tend to use the clear oils for, would you like to see?”

Luna nodded, “Is it another painting?”

“Yes, it’s one of my favorites.”

Azara led Luna into her room, walking towards a large closet. She unlocked the door, revealing a cabinet full of canvases, all stacked up neatly, each wrapped in what appeared to be a sheet.

Azara ran her fingers over each one, reading the Black Mage script written on it.  Luna had grown to love the Black Mage writing, the letters curved and flowed very beautifully, but it looked so complicated!  That explains Rubedo’s skillful penmanship.  Luna thought, Anyone who had to learn how to write like that would have to develop a steady hand.

“Here it is!”  Azara carefully pulled a canvas from the top of a corner pile, and started to cautiously peel the sheet off.  “This is just to protect the painting from dust, bugs, water, scratches, and all the other artist’s nightmares.  There, the sheet is off, now let me just flip this over.”

Luna couldn’t help but laugh when she saw it.  The painting depicted what looked like a much younger Rubedo, probably around three or four.  He was sitting on the ground, with a bowl of flour turned over on his head, the blue bowl sitting like a hat.  Flour was everywhere, and poor little Rubedo!  There were tears brimming over his eyes and streaming down his cheeks, creating little rivers in the flour caking his face.  He looked so shocked!

“Awww...” Luna cooed, “Did this really happened?  And how?”

Azara laughed, “Yes, he was barely three.  Mother left the kitchen for one minute, and Rubedo decided he would help out by mixing the flour, he did.  Well, instead of being normal and getting a stool, the little genius pulled out a drawer and stood on that!  The door gave way and he overturned the entire bowl on his little red head!”

Luna brow furrowed, “Was he hurt?”

Azara shook her head, “No, I think he was just more shaken than anything, poor little thing, scared him to death when the drawer fell out from under him.”

“Was your mother angry?”

Azara grinned, “Who could be mad at that?  He was too cute and upset to be angry with!”

“True.”  Luna laughed, “That’s a face you just couldn’t chastise, he was absolutely precious!”

“And the poor little things was so scared!”  Azara commented, “He was shaking and everything!”

Suddenly a riot of squawks and panicked clucks burst from the back yard, followed by a satisfied chuckle.  “Heh heh... dumb chickens.”

“One of these days those chickens are going to attack that boy, they are!”  Azara said, putting her hands on her hips.  “Rubedo finds it funny to sneak up and scare the living daylights out of those poor chickens!”

She covered up the canvas and returned it to the closet.  When she had gotten it locked Rubedo walked in, a brown feather sticking unnoticed in his hair.  Both girls turned and stared at him, exchanging glances.

“What?”  He asked, confused.

Rubedo could never understand why they had so much trouble ceasing their laughter.

Author's Note

I'm interested in anything that you think will improve this writing. From grammar and spelling errors, to funny dialogue and plot holes that I've missed, to things that just don't sound right.