Calluna

Chapter Nineteen

Atreus leads us around the outskirts of a small village, taking extra care not to be seen by its inhabitants. We finally arrive at a small cottage many miles away from the village. The house reminds me of the one I shared with my father, the same garden and farmland. Children play outside, filling the space with a warmth that is so unfamiliar compared to the cold of the Oculian palace.

A woman notices us first, looking up from the flowers she was planting in her garden. She wipes dirt from her hands onto the front of her dress before putting a hand up to block the sun and squints at all of us from a distance. A flash of worry flickers across her face for a moment before realization takes over when she sees Atreus.

Atreus is smiling, I can see, wide and joyful. He dismounts and she runs to him, embracing him as if he's her own son.

My heart fills with unfamiliar warmth at the sight. The woman is crying now, whispering words into Atreus's ear that are too quiet for me to hear.

I wake Miya gently and tell her we're safe now. But I can't be sure if that's true. We both dismount the horse we shared, Miya's fragile body still leaning against mine as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

The children approach us, playing with the horses, running around our legs. A little boy, only looking to be three, squeals and grabs onto Brennon's leg, looking up at him with big brown eyes. I give Brennon credit for not kicking the boy off.

The door to the cottage opens and a man steps out. He squints his eyes, as if to see what all the ruckus is about. When he sees Atreus, I swear I notice tears come to his eyes. Atreus notices the man, too, and rushes towards him, each of them crushing the other in a tight hug. I walk closer, enough to hear their words.

"My boy, how you've grown! I'm surprised I recognized you." The man holds Atreus's face tightly, as if he's trying to encode every detail into his memory. "Three years, Atreus. We never received any word. I... I was beginning to think the worst."

Atreus shakes his head again and again, his eyes wet. "I'll explain everything, I swear. It was... worse than you can imagine."

The man embraces Atreus again, putting his head on his shoulder, the touch warm, loving, fatherly. The man is near to the king's age, but his appearance is much different. The man's pants are stained with dirt, his shirt worn from use, full of rips and holes. His brown hair has been lightened by the sun and his body is fit from a life of hard labor. No, not like the king at all.

The man releases Atreus after saying a few more hushed words, although he keeps a hand on his back, as if Atreus will be blown away to never return if he doesn't. He seems to now notice the rest of us and instead of stiffening, or growing fearful, the man smiles. His teeth are white, his smile warm, spreading across the entirety of his face. The smile alone makes me trust the man a bit more.

Atreus introduces each of us, and the man and woman each nod at us in turn. When Atreus gets around to introducing me, the man's gaze lingers. First on my eyes, then on my shoulders, which is where Atreus's military jacket still rests. My cheeks heat and I wish I could rip the jacket off and throw it back at him.

"We needed somewhere safe to stay," Atreus goes on. "Just for a little while, long enough for us to figure out our next course of action. I'm sorry to bring trouble to your doorstep."

The man shakes his head as if that's the silliest thing he's ever heard. "You and your friends are always welcome." He claps his hands and rubs the head of a little boy who runs between his legs. "Now, let us get you inside before anyone walking by might see your eyes. I'm sure you're all very hungry, too."

"Very much. Thank you," Briar says, laughing slightly. She doesn't seem at odds with the place, no one does. I guess I don't either. But am I the only one who's wondering who these people are?