Smile

That smile just kept going. How were they so happy? It made no sense. What are they thinking?

I looked back the way I came, I guess? Just a dirt road like any other that I followed to get around. How out of it was I? Dammit, where did I end up?

Shaking my head, I turned back to face the couple. “Where am I?” That was a better place to start. I could deal with the other strangeness after I settled that.

“The town of Thesil, Miss.”

“Thesil?” Repeating the name, I hoped that it would spur something in me, but it didn’t. I couldn’t find anything from what I remembered on the map. Though I didn’t really spend time memorizing it. So it was likely there, I just didn’t remember. All my time was wasted on the text and figuring the location of Entif. “Is that near the Wastes?”

“It’s north of us by a day or two.”

A day or two, how long was I walking? How did I even get here? I pulled on my pack. Opening it up, I searched through to the rations. There was a little water in the canteen and a day of rations left. When we were digging I didn’t keep much on me. Just enough for a couple of days at most if something happened.

I must have just gone through the motions. Upon my realization, my belly signaled a bit of annoyance in pain that it wanted more. I must have been keeping to a minimum. Dropping to the ground, the reality of everything started flooding in. It locked me up. I couldn’t believe it.

“Miss?”

“Eshikra. You can call me Eshikra.”

“Are you feeling okay? You hurt?”

“No. Just tired and hungry.”

The woman stretched out a hand to me. “Then you came to the right place. Let’s get you inside, Miss!” There was surprisingly little thought that went into it. I don’t even know if I took her hand or if she just grabbed me. They had rather aggressive personalities. I was a stranger and they simply invited me over. It’d make more sense if they knew that I was a Speaker, but I couldn’t mention that.

Their home had a soft hazy air about it. Cooking meat filled the room with the hints of spices to fill out the flavor. A sweet aroma spilled out like a blanket on a bed covering it up. It was a full, busy kitchen. Taking a deep breath in and closing my eyes, I disappeared back home.

I could see mother setting dishes and pots from her hours of hard work. Father sat at the table telling me about the last hunt. How the young men got caught up in a trap. He laughed going through the paces of them having to carefully extricate them. A humbling lesson, but it made him so happy. The smile on his face said it all. I think he enjoyed the days teaching more than the hunt. Not sure when that changed or if it was always that case.

The warmth was infectious. I found myself smiling back at him listening. The way he got into the tale using his arms and carving out a scene in words made it feel like I was there watching it all happen. It just made the day melt away to a peaceful walk of life with nature.

It made me miss those times I spent with him. A cold drip chilled me ever so slightly with my wandering.

“Eshikra, can you help me with this?”

“Yes, mother!” I looked away toward the kitchen, losing the forest from my mind. Meats and breads flooded back into my nose heating me back up. I leaned a little forward.

“Eshikra?” That wasn't mother's voice. Who was it? Where is this? Father wasn’t across from me. Who are you?

Everything faded away. A man I didn’t recognize as my father sat at the table with me. He still carried a wide smile and glow, but it lacked the same sort of warmth that I knew. But a stranger could never give me the same thing. That wasn’t his fault.

I turned to see the voice that called to me. Fog still clung to my head, but I finally remembered her. The wife of the couple I just met. She had a full dress on with her hair tied up in a bun. Across from me, the husband in a comfort tunic working a basket into shape.

“Eshikra?”

“Yes?” If she had a question, I didn’t remember it. I couldn’t have been very good company for him. Not sure how he’s still smiling with me around. I can’t have said much, but the mood had to be about as useful as a wool blanket in summer.

“Where are you from?”

“Oh, far from here. A small village in the west.”

“To travel so far from home. Did something happen?”

Happen? That shouldn’t be a question you need to ask. You know well enough. Though I guess me being out here wasn’t a normal action. No, it was a pointless one. Completely meaningless. “Just a journey.”

“You must have seen a lot then.”

“I guess so. It’s all become a bit of a blur lately.”

She walked back out putting down a full plate in front of me of a cut of meat pooled in some gravy. It was better than anything I had seen in so long. I missed vegetables, anything that wasn’t preserved or salted. My stomach groaned loudly in agreement. “Sounds like you need to rest and stop moving then. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”

Looking back up from the presented meal, I shook my head catching a bit of a tear forming. “No, I can’t stay. I should be going.”

The woman placed her hand on my arm. “You’re tired. Rest is healthy too, Miss. Nothing you’re doing can’t be improved with a few days to recover yourself.”

“I’m a stranger. I don’t even know your names.”

She smiled, patting my arm. “Now if that isn’t a sign you need to stop. You can’t even remember that we told you our names. Eat and get some sleep. You’ll feel better with a proper night of rest.”

They told me? When? I looked away. Had they really? Was I that out of it? Damn. Maybe they’re right. Rest does sound welcome. It’s been months of worthless searching and stress. Unneeded stress and exhaustion. I guess it finally caught me.

Sunlight hit my face, breaking me out of my sleep. A twitch and turn, I tried to ignore it, but noticed something was wrong. I’m in a bed. What happened? I looked around to see yet another unfamiliar space. A warm blanket covered me and a pale green curtain blew against the open window. Around the room it was decorated with woven pieces. The husband was a weaver. I’m in their house. I fell asleep.

I rubbed my hand against my face. “I really did need the sleep. Maybe staying a few days isn’t a bad idea.” It was really comfortable. I haven’t had anything more than the ground and a rock as comfort for months. Maybe a night at the traveler’s room of a temple, but nothing more.

After breakfast, I walked out into the town of Thesil. It looked simple with people walking back and forth through the streets in their daily lives. It felt like any day that I used to remember before things got flipped and lies became the norm.

“Morning!” called out a passing woman.

“Welcome!” another said after I passed someone’s home.

I came up to the intersection where it seemed a lot of the town gathered. Each one brightly greeted and worked with the other. They just continued their day like it was just normal. Did none of them seem to think about the end coming?

“Announcement, traveler!”

“Traveler?” I turned to see someone from a stall motioning to me. They were a bearded slightly graying figure in the shade of a cloth cover.

He nodded warmly inviting me in. “Eresil was talking all about you. Fresh face that came in yesterday, that they’re helping out. Why don’t you pick something out?”

I shook my head seeing some beautiful jewelry and bone accessories laid out over this table. They were fine craftsmanship. He had to put a lot of time into them. “I don’t have any money, sir.”

“I wasn’t asking you to buy, Miss. A gift, you looked troubled. Something to brighten up that pretty face and put some glow in your cheeks. You’re too young to be looking so pale.” That was a heavy bit of flattery, but he seemed sincere as well. He pushed a leather bound jade gem bracelet. While the stone was the centerpiece, the leather and beads woven together for a soft touch that made me think it was linen, rather than hide.

My hand pressed against my jacket feeling the Ministra’s symbol underneath. Perhaps, he was right. Something for me. A little indulgence isn’t bad.

I nodded in accepting the gift and with his aid fitting it to my wrist. This was the first time I adorned myself in anything that wasn’t practical. “It’s pretty.”

“That’s a good smile, Miss!”

“Thank you, sir.” Yeah, I don’t need the stress. The quest is dead. I’m going to live for myself.