The Unkindness of Fire

Chapter 7

"Soldiers are expected to serve their country and crown with dignity, courage, and unfaltering loyalty." - Diladian military training handbook, page 3.

***

The next morning, I am awake with the sun, before Vencia. Despite a slight headache from the wine, I feel lighter than before, the necklace tucked safely between my bedframe and mattress.

Glass of water in hand, I approach the solitary window in our living room, rays of light just starting to poke through the darkness. The view is gorgeous, looking out onto the grounds, the sidewalks winding through the baren yet majestic landscape.

I know we are still in Diladia, but it feels like another world. The plants here, the most fascinating specimens of our new life; all spiney and prickly looking, so different from the leafy trees and shrubs that dominated the lands near Uweya. I wondered what our mother would think of this place and the plants, and all the ways she would find to use them.

The just peaking over the horizon sun reminds me of our mother, and how she would drag us out of bed to see the sun rise on certain days of the year. Vencia and I would complain, following her to a hill not far from our home. We would sit on top of the hill, silent, waiting, and just as the sun would peak over the horizon, we would hurry down the hill, into the valley below, where it was still dark, waiting again, as the sun started to peak over the hill.

Two sunrises for the price of one.

Mom would stare, eyes wide and reverent.

"Some days are worth seeing the sun rise twice for," she would say, and Vencia and I would yawn, or rub our tired eyes.

I would give anything to wake up before the sun with her again.

"Good morning!" Vencia's sudden appearance causes me to jump, pulling me from the memory.

"Good morning," I whisper.

Vencia frowns at me as she starts to open every cupboard in the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I shake my head. "You hungry?"

"Duh," she sighs. "And there's absolutely zero food."

"Get ready, and we'll go to the market. We have some money to spend."

"Hmm," Vencia twists her hair around her finger. "How much did they give us?"

"Enough to buy groceries for the week."

Vencia sighs and sticks her bottom lip out in the same pout she would use on our parents to get her way.

"And maybe enough to buy something fun too."

Vencia's pouting effortlessly turns to a smile. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go, let's go."

***

There are only a few other people out and about at this hour, but the sun is already making its way through the sky, warming up what was a chilly start to the day.

Even from afar, it is easy to tell how much of a flourishing, vibrant place the market is. Just at the entrance alone, there are fabrics and fruits and delicious smelling baked goods. I am tempted to spend all our money at once, to indulge on the things that we haven't been able to since fleeing our home.

"Here," I hand Vencia a few coins. "Go crazy kid. But find at least one thing that will last us a while."

"I'll be responsible," she says with a grin that makes me doubt otherwise.

"We have to report to a meeting, to get you in a school and me in a job, this afternoon. So, let's meet back here in... an hour? Give us enough time to take our groceries back and unpack them."