Gift- Book 1

Chapter 12

"Leiea? Get up."

She grunts and opens her eyes to see Sheyric standing over her with a basin of water. "We're going to wash our injuries out. It'll only heal if we do daily." He nods to her pack on the floor and heads out the open door to let her get dressed.

Even though it feels like she's changing her clothes too much, she puts on the old white shirt from yesterday. She manages to rubbed some of the grass stains out over the day, making it a bit nicer.

Walking outside, she finds him sitting on the grass with his open cut exposed to the air. The gross, bloodstained gauze is in his lap, holding the shape of his arm, like a cast. "Take yours off, too," he says, "I'll help you first, then you wash out mine." She nods slowly and slides the gauze from her arm. It's not too soiled, but sweat must have solidified the fabric into her own little cast. The tiny cuts on her elbow sting in the air.

Sheyric motions her over and almost roughly grabs her arm- somehow using his injured one- twisting it over uncomfortably. He picks up the large basin in his other hand and flips it over, soaking Leiea's legs and arm. Stabbing pains shoot through it and she lets out a shriek.

"You could've warned me!"

"Well, now we know that that's not healed much. If I would have warned you, you wouldn't yell, would you?"

She snorts and grabs the now half-full basin, having to use both hands to pick it up. Sheyric squeezes his eyes shut and extends his arm out with the worst part at the top. "You just have to-" he yelps and jumps back out of reflex

Leiea laughs and throws the empty basin over her shoulder. "Now we're even. And we know that didn't heal much."

Sheyric tries to hold an uneasy face, but can't help but to smile. "It's easier just to see that." It's true, the cut hasn't changed at all. The only difference is that it's not bleeding anymore, but the skin around it is still pink splotchy. The water washing it out made it look more red and sensitive, and made it easier to see the working muscle the horse's hoof went right through.

"What about all the gauze? We don't have enough to do anything with..."

"Well yes, obviously," Sheyric starts, inspecting the raw gash. "We'll reuse these as much as possible."

Leiea nods and looks for her old bandage, which ended up behind her, and a little wet from the grass. "And the horses?"

"They're alright. I'm not sure what happened yesterday." They glance over at Odenne and Lothain, who are patiently eating the grass around the front of the caravan. Hooking them up that morning must have been easier... and much more quiet.

She unwraps the layers of gauze- the water really misshaped it- and covers her elbow up again, making sure it's comfortable.

He stands up and walks around the front of the horses. "Ready?" He calls. She nods and throws the water basin into the open door. She closes it securely and jogs over to her usual spot on the seat. Sheyric, who's already sitting down, is figuring out how to hold the reins with one manageable hand. She hoists herself up, startling the horses again.

Knowing they'll be pulling away from the shade of the forest, she takes one good look at it, still a little strained. It all looks the same, all kinds of green with patches of brown and yellow. The only obvious difference from this part of it and the part back home is the complete lack of animals. She's only seen a few tiny birds fly in and out, no squirrels, no deer. Not so much as a summertime lizard.

Leiea snaps back into reality when Sheyric flicks the reins and steers the horses left, opposite of the forest as she expected. Out into the sun for another long day.

Soon, they are surrounded by nothing but the grassland. The only thing dividing their vision are a few tall hills in the far distance to the right, and the ghost of the forest from where they just came from. They sit in silence, listening to the crunching grass and the horses making noises until she perks up.

"What was it like, growing up rich?"

He laughs. "We weren't nearly as rich when I was young. They don't like to admit it, but I brought a lot of it to the table."

Leiea blinks. She couldn't imagine their family not walking around in tailored clothes and expensive accessories. Especially Lorietta, who she knows she was born before Sheyric started selling.

"Father was successful at who knows what, and Mother married rich."

"Wait, you don't know what your father did?"

"No. It must not have been too fair or legal, from my guesses, at least. Anyway, they moved up to our current home, much bigger than the one before it. Then I was born some time in that."

Leiea tries to remember his house. She hasn't seen it much, since it sits on the edge of the village least explored by her. The wealthy side, really. It's one of few two-story buildings in the village, but with the same style as all the other buildings. Wood plank walls and a roof made of shingles. Only, the walls are painted, and all the materials are probably less common.

Well, she definitely remembers one thing, the entrance of the house. A big stone archway that towers over the door, and some hedges around it. In the spring and summer, sometimes vines and flowers twist around the arch beautifully. It's also in one of the few streets that isn't all compact, with wide streets and lots of open space. That must be how they got that carriage in there, she thinks.

Sheyric continues. "You haven't been in there, have you? That's a shame, I'm sure you would enjoy a visit. Maybe a party when we get home?"

"Oh, a party? In that mansion of yours?"

"That's right, I forgot you don't like wealth." He grins at her expression.

"It's not that I don't like wealth. I'm just used to living in a simple, tiny house with little belongings, without luxury. Going to your house would be a shock, especially if my family goes at well."

"Of course, why would you be a luxury saleswoman if you hated richness?" She looks him in the eye and tries not to laugh. "Money. But that's not my goal. Do I even have a goal by doing this?

"Good. Sometimes that bornes bad things. It's good you came into this... humbled."

"That's true. Well, you spoiled me with this emerald."

"Oh, so you haven't figured that out, have you?" She shakes her head, uncertain. It was just a gift for graduation. A pricey one, but a gift nevertheless.

"It was more of a hint than a present. I thought you had the brains to connect that on your own at some point, that I wanted you as a business partner."

She hits his shoulder playfully. "Come on, graduation and the day you gave me that were really far apart. What, did you expect me to come right up to you and ask? I'm not at all the type to do that."

"Fine. I'm glad it did come to it, though." He pauses for a long time, and Leiea watches the scenery roll by.

Over the next few hours, the sun only grows hotter, but she's mesmerized by the change in the landscape. In the far distance, the tall hills turn into mountain peaks, but not nearly as rocky as the northern ones she had learned about. She figures on the other side of them is the coast, maybe more, less dry fields. But it's not like she'll know. Their route doesn't get anywhere near that side of Kiira.

She thinks about the south coast and Raha. How "rejuvenating" it is. It sounds strange, that the air surrounding salty, inedible water is healing. It just seems dangerous. Still, there's no way of knowing until they get there.

Out of nowhere, Sheyric pulls a pack of crackers out and sets it on her lap. The plain but hearty kind. She shoots him a look. "Have these just... always been right there? Right... where?"

He snorts. "I've always had a stash right here," He points to the open area behind is part of the seat. She's never thought about it, but that canvas bag has always been there. Full of packs of crackers. "Take as you wish. I forgot to tell you sooner. We've barely eaten in the last 2 days, anyway."

Leiea rips the paper bag open and eats the crackers absentmindedly. She watches a falcon circle overhead. The first animal she's seen besides those tiny birds.