Rayd and the hunter's moon - Book 1 The Awakening

CHAPTER 4 - RAYD KOVACH

Shadows, fuzzy lights, and a mosaic of colored dots were drawing before my eyes, which burned each time I blinked. The voices came distant and confused in broken dialogues.

- Your boy is waking up, Martha!

Managed to define it amidst the confusion that assaulted my ears. On my left, the face of a man a little closer to me than I might have expected. His voice was annoyingly loud and convict.

- Come on, the boy is strong, he will survive! Could you examine his leg, dear? I think the bleeding has stopped! — By the Lord of Lightning, the wound is already closing! He exclaimed in an amused tone while clapping his hands.

- Leave him alone Aldo, he must have been through many a hard time and needs to rest! Said a female voice somewhere else in the house.

- Off course my beloved, I will leave him alone!

- Is the dinner ready yet?

- He will need to reestablish himself and nothing like that stew of yours to revive a man! Said the guy getting up and going to the other room.

I didn't know where I was, but the feeling was one of comfort and peace. I slowly lifted my head up and tried to stretch out on the bed. As soon as I moved, the owner of the voice I heard moments before rushed into the room scolding me.

- Don't even think about it, young man, you are too weak! She said, wiping her hands on her skirt and walking hurriedly toward me.

- But.... I...where, how did I get here...! I stammered with extreme difficulty.

- I know, I know, you have many questions, and they will all be answered in time. But now you must rest. I am preparing a nice dinner that will surely recover your strength! She said in such a decided, but at the same time so affectionate way that I felt cozy. The feeling that came over me was strangely comforting, almost like being at home.

Aldo and Martha, those were the names of my saviors. I owed them my life. Thinking about this I lay back down again and fell asleep.

I awoke sometime later to the woman laying her hand lovingly on my forearm, waking me gently. On the table beside the bed rested a rather rustic ceramic dish, with what appeared to be a stew of a beautiful orange hue. Chunks of meat were floating on it. It was steaming. Just this glimpse already made my head, and my eyes stop burning. I was overcome by a voracious hunger confirming that I had not been fed for many days. Martha gently assisted me to sit up, and then began to feed me the soup with her own hands. I was so weak that I could not even eat by myself. I swallowed the first spoonful, and the hot, deliciously spiced liquid slid down my throat, settling comfortably in my stomach. The heat that invaded me was intense, bringing tears to my eyes and comfort to my body.

- Easy my dear, chew and swallow slowly. You must have been without food for many days, seeing how long you have been missing! Said the woman, between a spoonful and another, and continued.

- I don't want my sister to leave Torun and come all the way here to argue with me. I don't want to be accused of not taking good care of her son! She said worriedly.

I listened to every word with incredulity; I was in front of a relative, more precisely my aunt. A second mother, I thought. Who by a wonderful chance found me. I was someone, the son of someone who, whoever it was, must have been extremely worried about my fate. I felt even more comforted, but at the same time extremely confused. I couldn't remember anything at all. An indescribable feeling of guilt overcame me. Guilt for being empty of feelings. The woman, although extremely kind and caring, and even more so, being my close relative, could not bring out the same enthusiasm in me as the reunion.

I tried to dissipate these thoughts, maybe all this confusion would pass, and all I had to do was recover my memory. That way, I could enjoy the same memories that my dear aunt had of our family and me. While I was absorbed in these daydreams, I noticed that Aunt Martha had stopped talking and was staring at me.

- What is it Rayd, what are you thinking? She finally said.

- My name is Rayd? I asked, my voice almost fading. So surprised was I to hear my name, that I did not think about the consequences this kind of question would have on our conversation.

Aunt Martha continued to stare at me, but after hearing the question, I saw that her eyes shifted a few millimeters from mine. Then they moved upward as if searching the past for the memories I did not share.

- Huh, you mean..........you don't remember your name? She asked, her voice choked with tears, and continued.

- So ...well ...do you not remember me, or your uncle, or how you got here? A tear slid down the left cheek and was soon joined by another.

- Oh, by the morning light, how could this happen? Martha spoke as she brought her hands to her face. She was trying to hide her uncontained crying.

- Aunt forgive me, please forgive me, I don't know what happened!

- I ... I...woke up in the middle of the forest, naked and with no idea how I got there! I said trying to console her.

- You must have been robbed, young man! This is becoming more and more common around here, especially on the back roads that border the forest. That must have been the route you chose to get here!

- You have many head injuries. So many hits like that makes anyone brainless! Uncle Aldo said, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

- Oh Aldo, are you sure, will it pass? It is so sad to see him like this without remembering even more Mithra, his mother or me!

- You can't even remember your father. He left when you were only two years old, went out into the world and never came back! Martha had now assumed an air of sadness and indignation as she spoke.

- Most assuredly Martha, rest your heart. The boy has taken quite a beating from life these past few days; I'm surprised he's still alive!

¾ He is really a very strong boy, this nephew of yours! Aldo concluded.

¾ Ah, by all the stars, may your grace be right Aldo! Exclaimed Aunt Martha between small sobs and drying her tears with a piece of her apron.

- Now why don't we do the next thing, finish giving the boy the stew, and let him rest. Once he has fully recovered, we all sit around the fireplace and catch up on our memories and news. As soon as possible, we will send someone to Torun and let your sister know that everything is fine! Aldo paused and added.

- Besides, the boy can start working with me here in the forge. I have long needed a helper!

- What do you guys think? He concluded.

- Well! So be it! Exclaimed Aunt Martha much more calmly and already shoving another spoonful of stew down my throat.