Chapter Two

The bitter dawn glared into Nietokune’s eyes fiercely. She groaned and turned her stiff body away form the light, almost wishing that she had died in the night. Almost. She forced her eyes open and wiped away the small amount of mucus beneath her nostrils.

No, not a cold, she thought desperately, I can’t develop a cold… But a heaving sneeze compelled her to sit up and she knew that she had, indeed, developed a cold. She rubbed sleep out of the corners of her eyes and sniffed loudly.

A number of people had already awakened; several were boiling large pots of water for the morning’s broth. Tiny children with sunken faces clung to their parents’ leg pitifully, their ears drooped and stomachs swollen with hunger, but their eyes were hopeful as the remembered the poem that parents told them the previous night. Nietokune sighed to herself, wishing she still had hope that passionate in her eyes.

With a slight start, she realized she was warmer than usual. Looking down, she saw the extra blanket wrapped around her shoulders and remembered the mysterious person that had placed it there last night. Who had done that? And brushed away the tear on her cheek in such a gentle and caring fashion? She was determined to seek him or her out, but a second sneeze made her ears wilt and she decided against it for the time being.

The sky was blood red as she rose to her feet, toes numb with cold, and walked over to one of the vats of water.

“Can I help with anything?” She offered. A red-haired AElfi, named Lula, looked up at her.

“Oh! Good morning, princess.”

“What’s so good about it?” Nietokune asked sourly, wiping her nose again.

“Well, nothing I suppose,” Lula said, slightly taken aback, “But I’d rather look on the bright side of things than be so down and dreary all the time.

Nietokune only grunted.

“Well, I don’t think there’s anything we need help with; besides, are you all right, princess? You look rather ill.”

Nietokune sighed. “Yes, I think I am ill. I think I’ve gotten a cold.” She sniffed, rubbing her nose. “This is the last thing I need right now.”

“It’s the last thing anybody needs, but it’s around nonetheless. We can’t have you sneezing all around here though, can we? Why don’t you go and lie down?”

“Oh, yes, sneezing around the food, I should have thought of that. Sorry.”

“Just go and try to sleep, princess.”

Nietokune shook her head. “No, it’s so cold I think I’ll just make things worse by trying to go back to sleep.” Lula just flashed her another smile, handed her a relatively clean strip of cloth, and shushed her away until the broth was ready.

Nietokune went back to the spot where she had slept the previous evening and sat down to watch the rise of the sun. The air was frigid, and the glare of the sun forced her to squint, but the thought of all that burning fire made her feel slightly warmer.

She wondered who it was who had given her the extra blanket last night. She wished she had asked Lula, perhaps she had seen something. She wondered if the person had been an AEflu or an AElfi; those hands had been so soft and caring it was difficult to tell.

A cough and another sneeze interrupted her thoughts and she blew her nose noisily on the cloth. Her shoulders drooped along with her ears. She remembered getting cold before, the first day was always the worst; she dreaded what was to come today. If only they still had some ginger root left.

She heard footsteps approaching her, crunching down the dead grasses, and turned.

“Kinnembe!” She exclaimed, recognizing his dull yellow hair and waved him over to her. He smiled lightly and seated himself next to her. She embraced him almost instantly. “Where have you been? I hardly catch a glimpse of you anymore!”

“Oh, here are there,” he said simply, “Got a cold?”

She sniffed. “Unfortunately, but if I can just make it through today, I’ll be all right.” She gasped suddenly. “Oh, damn! I shouldn’t have hugged you, I don’t want you getting sick too!”

His light brown eyes glittered. “Don’t worry, Nietokune, I’m sure I’ll be fine. You don’t look contagious yet, besides, I just got over a cold.”

“Well, that’s good, I guess.” She squinted as the sky turned orange and the sun cleared the horizon. They sat silent for a moment. When they were young, they had been very close friends and words were hardly ever needed between them; but they had grown further and further apart with age and the increasingly heavy burden of responsibility. It was no longer easy to tell what the other was thinking.

“Do you think we’ll make it anywhere today?” Nietokune asked quietly.

Kinnembe shielded his eyes with a hand. “Do you want me to answer like Lula or like the rest of us?”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. She reached up and fingered the delicate, gold circlet on her head, heavy with memory. She wondered how old it was.

“You keep touching that thing like that, princess, and it’ll wear away before the next moon-turn.”

“Shut up, Kinnembe.” She said bitterly and punched his shoulder.

“Ow!” he cried and grasped his arm, staring at her in bewilderment. “I know you don’t like me calling you ‘princess,’ but for crying out loud, Nietokune, that hurt!”

“This circlet belonged to my mother, as you should well know.” She said quietly; her voice betrayed her pain.

“Sorry, but did you have to hit me?” She shot him a poisonous glance and he shrunk away slightly. “Okay, okay. What’s gotten into you?”

Nietokune’s ears drooped and she sighed again. “A better question would be what hasn’t gotten into me.”

“This is about your dream again, isn’t it?”

“No, I haven’t had that dream in days!”

He raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t?”

“Let it go, Kinnembe.” She said threateningly.

Kinnembe just shrugged. “As you wish, your majesty.” She raised her fist to hit him again and he scrambled to his feet. “Ack! Don’t hurt me!” He shrieked, scuttling away, but she noted the small smile he had on his face when he looked back.

She looked back at the sunrise, which was now a delicate pink. She had told him the truth, she hadn’t had the dream for many days, but it troubled her greatly. She used to have the dream every night, no matter what. She couldn’t recall when it had begun, but it had been there for years, always waiting to reclaim her subconscious like a spider waiting for its prey.

She pushed the thought away, there was no sense lingering on it and there was nothing to be gained either. No one knew why she had the dream or what it meant. She felt it was better off letting it be until it came again; if it ever did. For some reason, she hoped it would.

Dark, brooding storm clouds pulsed on her left; a dark streak on the horizon. They looked wicked and, for once, she was glad that the rains had not come down upon them in the night. They could use the water though, she could not deny it, their supply was running lower and lower each day. Those who didn’t carry the small cauldrons or tents carried skins of water, even the children, and that water had grown stale long ago. Sometimes they didn’t even bother to make broth and only took a few mouthfuls of water to suffice them for the day.

She heard a ripping sound and glanced behind her. A pair of twins about fifteen (1) years old tore at the shriveled seedpods of the grass and pushed them into their identical mouths. The seeds were clearly difficult to chew and were probably very bitter, if they had any taste at all, but the young children didn’t seem to care. Their little hands were bumpy with calluses and their stomachs bulged just like most of the others. They noticed her staring and looked over at her with big, watery, dark blue eyes. Nietokune felt an urge to smile at them, to give them a word of encouragement, but she could not bring herself to do so and in a moment their father came and ushered them away, scolding them for eating grass. Nietokune wondered if he really meant what he said, the idea of eating the grass was tempting even to her.

She drew her attention away and sat quietly for a long time, focusing on nothing. She heard the soft plops as people dropped bones into the warm water for the broth, the muted murmurs of people waking, the restricted sobs of someone who had lost hope, and the almost loud crunching of grass as someone approached her once again. She allowed a small smile to creep into her features as she recognized the footsteps of her best friend who sat beside her shortly.

Eleese was a beautiful AElfi; her hair shone gold in the sun regardless of how dirty and tangled it was. Her parents had been nobles, in the old world, and at one point in this one her clothes had been elegant and red. Now the crimson cloth hung about her arms in a tattered mess; once the color of wine, it was now the sickening brownish color of dried blood, horribly dirt and wind worn. Though she was slightly younger than Nietokune, she was almost a hand taller, skimming seven and a half feet. Her pale, ivory skin was tight against her bones, the think blue veins all too visible. Her black skirt and worn, orange insignia of her family’s crest didn’t help either, if anything, they made her veins and sunken face stand out even more; but she was stubborn and refused to change the clothing.

Without a word between them, Nietokune sniffed and rested her head on her friend’s shoulder; Eleese put an arm around her neck. They sat in silence, doting on the company and warmth of the other, and soon Nietokune’s fingers began to defrost.

“Where did you get the second blanket?” Eleese asked, breaking the silence with her sweet, meadowlark voice.

“Someone gave it to me last night.”

“Do you know who?”

“I wish. I fell asleep before I could find out. I was just so tired. Did you see anything?”

“No.” They snuggled closer together. Nietokune reached up, removed the blanket from her own shoulders and draped it around Eleese’s. Eleese smiled weakly and her friend in silent thanks. Nietokune felt sleep tugging at her again; she felt it pulling at Eleese too. She blew her nose and fought to keep her eyes open.

“Shall we see how the broth is coming? I’m still half asleep and feel as if I need to wake up.”

Eleese nodded and they rose to their feet, stamping down more grass down to the barren earth. Lula had ventured off to do other chores and a dark haired AElfi named Celepha stood in her place.

“Hello, Eleese. Hello, princess.” She murmured. Nietokune blinked at her, but let it go for now. Something was different about her today, but Nietokune couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Like Eleese and herself, Celepha was an orphan. She was about eight years older than Nietokune, though she looked about seventy instead of forty-eight for one reason or another. Her eyes were the frosty blue of a cold afternoon and her lips were bright red from being chapped for so long.

“Hi, Celepha.” Neitokune greeted. “We were wondering how long it might be until the broth was ready.”

“Oh,” Celepha commented softly, continuing to stare down at the water, “Not too long now, I would guess. Probably when the sky is all blue. Come back when it is.”

Eleese and Nietokune looked at one another out of the corners of their eyes.

Something’s different about her today. Nietokuyne sent telepathically.

Yes. I know she’s always been quiet and shy, but, yes, something must be bothering her.

Nothing’s bothering me. Both girls started; surprised that Celepha would intervene like that.

Nietokune recovered swiftly and narrowed her eyes in concern. But there is, Celepha, we can tell. What are you hiding?

I said, nothing is bothering me. She sent, more firmly this time. Nietokune was in slight awe. Celepha never spoke up aggressively like that. She and Eleese seemed to be arguing now. Celepha hadn’t even looked up, but Eleese’s face was tensed with frustration.

Nietokune frowned. Come on, Celepha, I thought we were your friends, friends tell each other their feelings and problems.

Come back when the sky is blue. Celepha said shortly.

Nietokune grasped Eleese’s hand and pulled her away from the vats of broth. “We’ll go back when the sky is blue.” She sighed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but she clearly isn’t ready to tell anyone. We’ll just have to ask later.”

Eleese nodded. “You don’t suppose Wyn and Nix…” She left the sentence hanging and they looked at each other. Wyn and Nix were an albino couple within the community. They had been among the first to lose their faith and they absurdly proud about it. They preached to any who would listen and though they often failed, they were persistent and had already managed to convert several people. They were also among the growing number of people that hunted and unlike the others, they seemed to enjoy it. It was most unnerving to see one of them holding up the body of an animal, dripping bright blood that intensified their shockingly red eyes. Nietokune hoped that they didn’t have anything to do with Celepha’s changed personality.

“What are we going to do, Eleese?” Nietokune sighed.

Eleese shook her head. “I wish I knew.”

They sat back down and let their minds wander in various directions. Nietokune thought about the growing problem of Wyn and Nix, the current situation of her people, what lay ahead of them, and what they had lost. Them poem played itself over and over again in her mind, yet as hard as she tried, she could not picture a gold sky.

Yet again, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She and Eleese rose and turned around to face Celepha. They needed no words to know that she had come to tell them why she had been so sharp with them earlier.

“Nietokune,” Celepha said weakly. There are tears in her frosty eyes and she choked on her words. “Evau… he-he… he went Home last night…”

Nietokune gasped quietly in shock. Her eyes stung as tears formed within them and a sharp pang went through her heart. Opening her arms wide, she allowed her friend to collapse on her shoulder, sobbing quietly. Too weak to support the girl’s weight, Nietokune sank to the ground. Celepha grasped a handful of Nietokune’s clothing severely, her knuckles ashen in the bare sunlight, several tears upon them glimmering like liquid diamonds.

“He’s gone,” Celepha sobbed, “The last of my family, gone. Why did he have to leave? Why, Nietokune? Why my little brother and not me? He had s-so much life ahead of him… he was my only family and now…”

Eleese stopped down and placed her arms around the sobbing girl and Nietokune, resting her cheek on Celepha’s hair. “You’ve got us. We’re your family too. We’ll taker care of you, now and always.”

Celepha gasped loudly as she attempted to cease crying. “I-I know. I know you are. B-but still! My only brother! My little baby brother! I’m his big sister, I’m supposed to take care of him! I promised Mama and Papa that I would! Their spirits are probably watching me right now. I-I let them down! I couldn’t… couldn’t d-d-do a-anything t-t-t…” Her voice broke and she continued sobbing. She held onto her friends as if they were the only stable things in the whole, wide, desolate world, her fingers pressing painfully into their flesh, soon to leave bruises, but they didn’t mind.

People had gathered around them now, and looking at the many sunken faces, Nietokune knew that two other people had also died that night. Prying Celepha from her body, she stood to see who the other unfortunate souls were. Celepha had fallen heavily onto Eleese and one of her tear-streaked face revealed that she would not be letting go anytime soon. Nietokune looked down at the two of them helplessly, tears in her eyes, took a deep, shaky breath, and turned away to see who else had passed on.

It was Kiya and Giniyan. She knelt by each, placing a hand on their foreheads and whispering a phrase of lament for each of them, remembering the times they’d experienced together.

Kiya had been one of those that had given up on the gods. She had been middle-aged, about six hundred years old or so, still a young age to die at. Her hair had been the color of the dead grasses, only starting to be streaked with the first few gray strands of decay. More than once she gave up her rations for the little ones and\by all means, she did not approve of hunting, though she never protested. She had taught Nietokune a good number of spiritual things and that, if their people were to have any chance of survival, Nietokune would have to be everyone’s backbone and the nourishment for their souls, giving them the strength to go on no matter how desperate things seemed.

Giniyan. She hadn’t known him as well as she would have liked, but she still knew him all the same. He had once taken care of the animals, before they had all finally died, and he had loved them like his own family. She supposed that was what had broken him, the death of those last animals. He hadn’t eaten willingly since then and he hardly had spoken. And over the past three weeks he had been the cruel victim of pneumonia. That’s what had finally killed him. The broken lungs and broken heart. He had only been two hundred thirty.

Last she walked over to the small body of Evau. Poor child. Only twenty and unusually small for his age. He ha done crippled arm that was nearly useless. His long, light brown hair weaved between the grasses endlessly before rooting itself in the soil like so many tattered feathers. His large, turquoise eyes were closed in eternal slumber, his long, pale eyelashes falling gently over his sun-kissed face. His expression peaceful for the first time since his mother’s death nearly a decade ago. He hadn’t known his father. Why him? Why the innocent youth? Why the little boy that vowed that he would never let go of life until he saw something that was green like the rare “Emerald Dawn?” Until he saw green grass?

Nietokune kissed the forehead of that little boy and cried. Why him? It could have been anybody else, but it had to be him. Nietokune would have given her life to save his. Celepha would have done it; Eleese would have too. She looked over her shoulder at the people who stood behind her, silently grieving. Most of them would have traded their lives for his also. Including Lula, his best friend and secret crush despite the large gap in their age difference. Lula would have given just about anything to save that little boy, and she didn’t even know that he’d loved her.

The young Queen cradled the small hand of his crippled arm in her own. She traced the edges of his petite fingernails, the lines on his palm. His arm was practically perfect save for its lack of function and the fact that it was only half the size of his good one. It had been stiff and hurt him if he moved it too far or the wrong way. If he slept on it wrong it would have his shoulder aching for days and his sister would have to carry him half the time so that the knotted muscle wouldn’t get overworked and make things worse. And she would massage it every night until it got better. Celepha loved her little brother. Loved him, loved him, loved him.

Nietokune looked out on the endless horizon, the sun behind her, tears streaming from her eyes and she asked again: Why him? Her heart was begging, pleading for somebody, anybody to answer her. No one did.

-

Wow, I’m surprised I decided to go ahead and post more of this, but my fanfic muse has gone on vacation and I felt the need to think out the history of my world. Yeah. Read and Review. Lol.