Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 7

The guards at the great gate waved them in without bothering to look at the old soldier and the young boy. Cybelline sighed in relief inwardly. They must think I had gone to fight in the forest with Ithos. She realized as she looked at the crowd of returning soldiers and young boys. She was grateful that she could pass as one.

Cybelline studied the scenery before her. It seemed to have the colors of a Vermeer painting. Rolling hills of farmland dotted with farmers driving teams of oxen, singing or yelling jokes to their children and farmhands who toiled beside them. Cows grazed by the road, their fat and glossy coats shining in the midday sun.

Women in colorful wool dresses walked by with large baskets, their hair hidden beneath bonnets or wide brimmed straw hats, selling baked goods to travelers who had come home from the raid.

From their vantage point, Cybelline could see the little hamlets that dotted the landscape, clusters of villages and towns connected by the dirt road. In the north, snow capped mountains rose to meet the sky.

Ithos pointed far north, "The capital's a ten day ride from here, over the Wolkion Mountains. Mayhap when yer older I can take ye to see it. It's a marvel, one of the finest in the realms. They call it the Garnet of the West."

"How many kingdoms are there in this land?" Cybelline shaded her eyes with her hands.

"Three big ones. And two small ones. We live in the north, this kingdom is called Dycathion."

She looked back at the grand wall that separated the seemingly peaceful lands from the dark forests.

Down the hill, Ithos flagged down an ox cart. The owner greeted him with a jovial slap on the shoulder and Ithos guffawed. He waved at Cybelline, "Child, we're in luck, Yoni here is also headin' home." Cybelline looked at the blond boy with blue eyes who gave her a wide grin, "Hop on, we're neighbors."

She and Ithos climbed into the back of the cart and the cheerful boy snapped his whip to signal the oxen.

Yoni looked over the boy, "What's yer name, boy?"

Before Ithos could answer, Cybelline said quickly, "My name is Cyd." Ithos raised an eyebrow, but Cybelline only grinned impishly. Let them make their incorrect assumptions. It'll make the next few years easier. And once she can protect herself in this world, she would leave before they asked too many questions.

The cart jostled along the country road toward the place Cybelline would call home.

"Aunt Myrai! Uncle Ithos is back" A young woman called out, "An' he's got a young boy with him."

An old woman stood up from the field with a grunt and muttered, "That old breadstick... If he even thinks about steppin' into the house..."

She looked at the woman who called the news out to her, "Sera, can ye get me some eggs from yer mother?"

Sera grinned and shook her head impishly, "But I want to watch ye chase him over the village again."

Myrai only shook her head, "Ye best be goin' home and gettin' me those eggs. Also tell ye ma that I'll be in the market for a new husband soon, on the count of me murderin' this one."

Sera only laughed and skipped away.

The only words Cybelline could describe the little village was idyllic. Thirty or so stone cottages with thatched roofs and pristine white walls encircled the little square where children danced and people bartered for everyday goods.

Past the circle of cottages, at least another sixty little cottages surrounded the village center, each covered in thatching and a small garden that grew vegetables and herbs. She felt as if she had walked into a fairy tale.

In the village center men and women bartered and worked, carts carrying goods bustled in and out of the place. People yelled greetings to Ithos who answered back with a smile, they looked curiously at Cybelline, shook their heads with a wry smile after a moment, and went back to work.

Ithos cleared his throat, and slowed his pace to a crawl as he entered the village. Cybelline looked at him curiously, "What's the matter?"

"Huh?" Ithos started, he shook his head, he cleared his throat again, "Say, young Cybelline...ah Cyd. If ye can, when ye meet my wife, can ye look extra pitiful?"

Cybelline stared at him, "Sorry, what?"

"It's just..." Ithos looked at his feet, It's just...my wife. Well..."

"Are you saying that if I look sad then I have a better chance of staying?" Cybelline smiled, "I don't need to stay with you if it causes trouble, I'm already grateful for everything you've done."

Ithos shook his head quickly, "It's not that, young un'. My wife will love ye and feed ye as if yer her own. Her heart's softer than butter." He sighed, "She just thinks I have a problem, is all."

Cybelline raised an eyebrow, "This isn't the first time you brought an orphan home, is it?" Ithos shook his head, "So if ye can, squeeze a tear out or two?" He looked at her clear and bright eyes and asked tentatively, "Maybe a trail of snot? If ye put some dirt on ye face, she might spare me my life."

"Ithos, another one? Are ye trying to build a village on yer own?" One of the villiagers clapped him on the back, "Ye wife's heard. Best get home, or else she'll come here and find ye."

Ithos sighed, "Come on child."

The dusty road of the vilage was lively with friendly men and women who smiled and waved at Ithos. One of them even gave Cybelline an apple, telling her that no matter what happened at Ithos's house, she'll come to no harm.

Finally they walked out of the village center and past the houses that lined the outskirts of the village. For another twenty minutes, they walked past the farmland lined and grazing ranges. The river wove through the land, and Cybelline noted the mountains in the distance and the beginnings of hills as they walked on.

"We live closer to the highlands than most people," Ithos explained as they began to climb, "My wife Myrai prefers the quiet."

They rounded a bend and Ithos lead them onto a smaller path. It lead to an idyllic two storied cottage ringed by a garden of herbs and spices. Pink and purple flowers hugged the brown picket fences, lambs and goats grazed, ignoring their master as he walked by.

Ivy grew gracefully on the white walls curling around the wood-shuttered windows like a lover's hand. The bright blue door was slightly ajar as delicious smells wafted out to greet them.

Four boys were busy watering and picking at the weeds. They looked up when they heard the footsteps.

"Pa!!" The four called and ran down the path to meet Ithos. The two oldest of the boys were twins with gold hair and green eyes, they hugged the old man fiercely.

Cybelline looked at two golden haired boys, they did not have the same facial features as Ithos. And they were only about ten.

The other two bore even less resemblance, they both had golden bronze skin and dark hair that was not native to this land, though they looked like they were related to each other, they were not twins. They looked at Cybelline suspiciously.

"She's heard?" Ithos whispered to them. One of the twins nodded and smiled sympathetically, "Ma's waiting."