Child of Mara

Fled

Tae presses a reminding finger to Mar's lips when the crate finally moves. Muffled voices shout out and Mar winces when the crate is dropped heavily and they hit their head.

After more time still, the crate starts to rock and Tae breathes into Mar's ear, "We're moving now. You're doing great, we're almost there."

His heart is pounding and the crate stinks of wet clothes and sweat. Mar's legs ache from being crammed and an involuntary whimper escapes. Tae slowly pushes off Mar's hat and strokes their hair.

More hours pass and Mar is terribly thirsty.

The cold seeps through the crate and Mar is glad at least for Tae's warmth being crammed up close. Mar thinks of the book about Solis. Vallex is what Tae said. The military house, leader of many of Solis' many wars. The Vexis are the religious house. Maybe in Solis, Mar can find one to tell them more about Primus. Maybe in Solis, Mar can see the stars again.

Mar is lost in thoughts of stars when Tae shifts. Slow as an icicles forming, Tae opens the lid and holds himself up to peek out. He lowers himself back down and whispers, "I'll be right back. Stay here unless you hear me shout, okay?"

Mar clutches his arm. "Don't leave."

"I'm just going to see where we are and maybe get some water. You'll be okay, Mar. Count to a thousand."

Tae pulls away and Mar starts to count. They're on five hundred and seventy-two when Tae comes back, lowering himself down with a muffled groan. "We'll have to go another day. But here."

A bottle touches Mar's lips and they drink the water gratefully. Tae sighs. "Try to get some sleep if you can."

The warm bubble in the midst of the cold helps in that regard and Mar does fall asleep. Waking when they are moving again.

This time sunlight creeps through the cracks of the crate and in the dim light, Mar can make out Tae's sleeping face. Mar wriggles their fingers and finds the water bottle to take another sip. They start counting to a thousand again to see it Tae will wake up before then, barely starting when the crate is grabbed.

Mar covers their mouth and nudges Tae urgently. The man groans and Mar covers his mouth.

"Shhh," Mar whispers.

Tae's eyes widen and they both freeze, listening. One voice is right above them and they can just make it out.

"Hurry up with those horses! Reloading all of this is going to take a while!"

Someone responds from farther away and the voice replies, "Fine, after lunch. But you better not give me any excuses after!"

The voices disappear and Tae squeezes his eyes shut and mutters something unintelligible before moving his hands against the lid. Slowly, he slides it up and sits up as he did before. His hands moves frantically grabbing at Mar and pulling them up.

Mar wobbles outside of the crate, legs completely cramped and Tae half drags them through the blinding sunlight. It's so bright! Mar's eyes hurt and soon Tae sweeps Mar's legs up and carries them, moving faster away.

Tae moves until his breath is ragged and Mar's eyes have started to adjust. There's dark green and grey everywhere. Trees. Mar had nearly forgotten what they were like in person. Swaying, Tae stumbles into one and Mar slips from his arms. His face is drenched with sweat and he coughs dryly. Mar realizes the water bottle is still clutched in their hands and shoves it at Tae who drains the rest before sliding down the tree to gulp the frigid air.

"Is...is this Solis?" Mar asks.

Tae, too tired to speak, nods and then his eyes roll up and the bottle falls out of his hand. Mar takes a few careful steps around the area until their legs feel steady. Frozen grass sticks between cracks of rock and mountains loom overhead. But it's not Mar's mountain. Somehow Mar is sure of that.

Mar takes a deep breath, the air is sweet and fresh, stirring Mar's blood and bringing back old memories of sleds and snowball fights.

The memories are warm but the air is cold and soon Mar returns to their spot pressed against Tae and the sun starts to disappear over the mountains. They're hungry and it keeps them up until Tae wakes with a groan.

"Mar?"

"I'm here," Mar whispers, "I'm hungry."

Tae reaches into his bag and pulls out a cloth bag. "It's very cooked so hopefully doesn't get you sick, but it was all I could find."

Mar chews on the salty meat with a grimace. But it's better than nothing and Tae tears into some bread. Once they've eaten Mar asks, "What now?"

Standing up, Tae stretches. "I don't know exactly. We go into the mountains and hope to find someplace else to live. I'm not a hunter or mountain climber, but hopefully we can find one to ask for help."

"A Soli?"

Tae starts walking. "Sure, as long as we don't advertise we're on the run, there's no reason anyone would think we're trouble. Well aside from your teeth. When we find someone, let me do the talking."

"If we find someone," Mar thinks, but obediently follows Tae farther into the mountains.

They travel until they can't move anymore and then lay exhausted staring up at the stars. Mar sighs happily. "I forgot how beautiful they are."

Tae is quiet a moments and then asks, "Do you remember when you asked me if I could hear the stars whisper?"

Mar had forgotten that. Tae continues, "I started to listen after that. I don't hear them, not like you were thinking I'm sure, but they spoke to me. They told me there was more out there then Yung and my stupid mistake. I'm sorry if we die out here, but I am glad I got you out to see the stars again."

"Me too."

"Do you hear them now, Mar?"

Mar shifts. "Not when I'm awake."

"What do you mean?"

Tae rolls over to look at Mar with concern. Mar tries to explain, "I always dream about being up in the stars. Lately it's changed, I can't remember exactly. It's like they're trying to tell me something, but I keep waking up."

"Mysterious."

Mar smiles and suddenly remembers a very old question. "What does 'blessed' mean?"

"Is this another religion question?"

"I don't know."

"Well," Tae scratches his head, "'blessed' usually means special. Usually to a deity. For example, the Solis Emperor is considered blessed of Primus. Why?"

"That's what Mar-Mother used to say I was," Mar whispers and then rolls over, stomach tying in knots. "Good night, Tae."

"Good night, Mar."

They move slowly the next day, emptying Tae's bag of meat and bread, using eating the occasional snow pile for water. Mar throws up halfway through the day, stomach heaving up the dried meat while Tae rubs their back.

The trees start to all look the same, the stones spinning in grey blurs. Nevertheless, Tae pulls Mar farther up the mountain. That night the winds howl and Tae holds Mar close, taking shelter behind an overhang. Sometimes Mar is there in his arms, hiding from the gale, sometimes their up in between the stars wondering why they feel so weak.

"I'm sorry, Mar," Tae's croak breaks through Mar's journey. "I'm sorry I couldn't save us. I'm still pretty useless I guess."

Mar doesn't think that's right, but there's a darkness calling and Mar can't help but be sucked into it.