Blue Sun/Late Spring

Chapter Two

The air is cold and the people are unfamiliar. In every face I see I search for you, knowing it can't be. I don't know what I'm doing here. I am not like you, I am no writer, I am no poet. I am just a man with a heavy heart, trying to comprehend the gap that you've left behind. Look what you've done, it's so bad you make me write. Maybe it's better to stay away or else next you'll make me rhyme.

His horse is walking in a steady pace through the landscapes, through woods, passing rice fields where the farmers lean down to pick it up. He hardly passes any other people, the closer he gets to the east border the fewer the villages he passes get. Noa occasionally peaks down onto the map in his left hand, where he roughly sewed on the part that was handed to him in the envelope. It has been almost 4 weeks since the envelope was handed to him and he's still not sure if he's doing the right thing.

Noa has leaned onto his glaive trying not to doze off, this really is the most boring duty one could put you on. Guarding the main entrance in the afternoon, as if anyone would really try to break in now. "Excuse me?" The voice pulls him back to reality, he gazes down onto the girl trying to get his attention. How long has she been standing there? "How can i help you, young miss?", he asks as he's inspecting her, the first thing he notices is that she's not wearing a skirt but loose fitting pants made out of jute. "i didn't know gurads are supposed to sleep during their duty. Are you sure that you're even a real guard?", she says bluntly looking up to him. "I- of course I'm a real guard, what kind of question is that?" "Do you have water?", she asks ignoring his question. It is one of the moments where Noa takes a quick glance at the none existent audience that is watching the bizarre scene.

The girl chugs the water out of the wine skin before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Ah, thanks, i really needed that." "And who exactly are you?", Noa asks. "Say, how many guards work here?" It's the point where Noa feels the annoyance and frustration rises inside of him. "Roughly over 50, why?" The girl reaches into her pocket taking out an envelope. "Does someone happen to work here named", she takes a closer look, "Nor? Nog? Nua?- I can't read this, who still writes in cursive?" Noa sighs as he takes the envelope out of her hand. He hesitates, it's the neat, familiar cursive writing that throws him off. "Uh- yeah, he sure does work here-" "Great please hand it to him, will you?" "Wait who exactly are you?", Noa asks but the girl has already turned around disappearing as quietly as she had come.

Thinking now about this bizarre scene, that took place four weeks ago, Noa really isn't sure anymore whether it was the right call to go on this journey. He looks up at the sky, thick clouds are hovering above him. "It's about to rain...", he mumbles to himself.

"It is about to rain", Noa says opening the wooden umbrella, "We should head back inside." Elijah turns around looking at him as Noa holds the umbrella above the younger one's head. "Do we really have to? The rain is beautiful when gently caresses your skin", Elijah replies in his soft voice. "I'm very sorry young master, I can't ignore the orders your mother gave me, let's head back inside, we don't want you to get in trouble." Elijah just nods, if it wasn't for the tiny crease right between his eyebrows, Noa could not have told that Elijah is upset. His face, his movements, his voice, they all remain soft and gentle. He hates it, he hates him, how can someone be like this? So beautiful it annoys him, this boy sure has a bright future. The sun starts hiding behind the grey clouds, though its presence can still be felt through the temperature. They walk back through the garden, some pedals already closed as the rains softly starts falling. It paints patterns on the ground and soaks the plants till the water starts dripping from the leaves. It is a gentle, calm and warm rain. "You are getting wet", Elijah says after a while, without turning around to Noa who walks behind him holding the umbrella over the other boys head. "That's fine, do not worry about it."

 "We can share the umbrella." 

"Oh, I do not want to cause you discomfort, really I am fine, let's get you in all dry-", Noa starts as Elijah gently tugs him by the sleeve and pulls him next to him. 

The rain that starts falling now is cold as it starts to drench Noas clothes. He starts trotting hoping to find a place to stay before the rain gets worse. With every minute the rain gets heavier. His horse trots slowly over the muddy ground as he struggles more and more to see the path in front of him. Noa is shivering in his soaked clothes, hoping the map stays dry firmly tugged away in one of his boots. He just tries to follow the path he originally intended to but the heavy rain makes everything look the same. Suddenly a small figure appears right in front of him, he quickly pulls on the reins, his horse pulls its head up and comes to a hold not a second too early. The figure turns around to him, frightend, it is a young girl, not older than twelve. She is drenched as well.

"Where are you going young miss?", Noa yells, trying to speak over the heavy rain.

"Home", the girl says, she is shivering and carries a huge bag.

"Do you know the way?", Noa shouts.

"What?"

"Do you know the way home?", he asks again, as he hears thunder grumbling in a distance. The girl nods. "I can take you home", he yells. The girl hesitates, thinking about the suggestion, till she seems to realize that her situation cannot get much worse now and nods in agreement. He grabs her beneath the arms and pulls her up in front of him onto the horse. She is light, worryingly light even for a young girl. He grabs the reins securing her with his arms on each side. "All right", Noa says, "you lead, I ride."