The Shadows of the Four Realms [BOOK TWO]

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"Get away from me. Shoo."

The cat purred louder, rubbing her white fur against Sol's leg.

"No, still no milk for you. Grandma gave you some in the morning, I am aware. Now off you go," he said, trying to move his leg away from the creature who had claws like needles.

Sol stood frozen with the casket in his arms in case he trampled on her cloudy tail, while she darted between his legs like a snake or a caterpillar. Her snowy coat glittered in the bright noon sun and black button-like eyes looked up at him... wanting him to pity her.

"No!"

With a low rumble at the back of her throat, she moved away and curled her tail around her feet and just like that... went to sleep.

What a nuisance!

The stable bare of any horses seemed solid. Against its brick wall, shovels, rakes, hayforks and other similar tools were neatly lined. A few years ago, perhaps, the kind old lady and her late husband ran a stable, along with the dairy. But now it was just a stable-turned-barn, and another farmhand to help milk the cows and load it in bottles before a wagon arrived to take them into the market.

So far, Sol had made a list of a few blunders which were not to be made and reminders to stick to with all his life:

1. Everyone has a bit of a healing magic. Channel that in dire situations, until you find out your real element(s).

2. Pray to the mighty Throne that you indeed have only ONE element. (You do not want that trouble on top of this all.)

3. Always make sure your hair and face are glamoured as grandma says.

4. Visit a library and find out more about the Autumn Realm just like you found out about the glowing flowers.

5. Oh, and do NOT call them glowing flowers. (People here get offended) They are 'Orbs of Dusk.'

Chewing the insides of his cheeks, he cleaned the reddish-yellow maple leaves sauntered around with a long rake and handpicked some more from the tank of clear water. After loading all the caskets of bottled-milk into the wagon awaiting outside the house, Sol came back to check off the remaining errands from his list - changing the cows' straw-bedding, checking on the young ones' fodder of hay and grains and the worst bit... disposal of stinky cow-dung.

An hour later with the list almost checked, he squatted on the damp dewy soil, staring, and grimacing at the udder of a mountain-sized cow.

"Slacking off on the very first day, are you, Sol?"

He looked up with squinted eyes at grandma, who stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at him. Her sea-green gown had tiny flowers painted on it, gray wisps of hair tied in a bun, knotted with a short stick. The sun made a radiant halo behind her head.

"I... I was actually thinking..."

"And here I thought, you wanted to work..." she tutted.

"Well," Sol averted his gaze from her, "I feel like I am violating the cow's... privacy."

After a brief pause, grandma's soft laughter boomed in the shed, making him scratch an ear, with an embarrassed smile.

"You," said she, "do not seem outdoorsy, hmm."

Perhaps.

Sol clutched the bucket's handle tighter, as grandma lowered herself on her knees, groaning and wincing at the obvious pain, which reminded him that he was supposed to help her and not add into the trouble, after all the kindness she had shown to a mysterious street thug, with no memories.