Aoife and Adrien part 2
The cart bumped across the rutted road and the gully left by
a stream long dead. As she walked, Aoife noted the small clumps of dried dirt
sent flying by the turning wheels. No one rode in the cart. It was used to haul
their precious wares from town to town.
Aoife was sure she’d already walked from one end of the
earth to the other, and halfway back. She was tired. And hungry. Yet the
caravan would continue moving until dusk which meant at least two more hours of
walking.
She heard the dogs who always ran at the front of the group
bark and yip. Had they sighted a rabbit, or maybe a deer? She hoped so. It
would be good to have meat tonight.
The snake of carts and wagons moved around some obstacle
ahead. As she neared, she saw it was a child with snarled dark hair. A boy who
seemed to be about her age though he was taller. He stood at the edge of a
crossroad watching the passing people, animals and carts. He was very thin and
his clothes were little more than rags, yet he stood with an easy confidence
that captivated her. As she neared him, she pulled an apple from her pocket and
rubbed it against her sleeve. He watched her hands through lowered lashes,
hunger painted on his face.
When she reached him, Aoife stopped, the waning sun in her
eyes. Their shadows stretched long across the dirt. She held the apple out to
him. Their fingers touched as he accepted it, and a thrill of recognition ran
through her. She knew he was special. Aoife held his gaze and just as she was
about to speak to him, a gruff shout broke their reverie.
“Aoife,” her uncle bellowed from the cart he drove at the
back of the caravan. “We’ll not wait for you. Leave that scruff of a boy and
get moving. There’s wild and hungry beasts along this trail and you’ll not wish
to meet them once the sun goes down.”
The boy bowed briefly to Aoife before turning and running into
the forest, apple still in hand. He didn’t notice that he left without his
shadow. It stayed joined with Aoife’s, held by her foot. She bent down,
carefully gathered the boy-shaped umbra and gently, ever so gently, tucked it
in the large
locket she wore around her neck.
She looked toward the trees one last time before running to
catch up with her people.
