A young man twiddled a reed between his fingers, it spun around in a circle over and over. He sat on a rock just outside of his wood and stone home staring into space. Anyone could see that he was deep in his thoughts.
An older woman, dressed in simple clothes of brown walked out of the house behind him. In her hands was a wicker basket filled with fish, she struggled to sit it on the ground.
"Hale! Help your mother!" She yelled at the young man, he dropped the reed in his hands to the ground in surprise. "Y-Yes Mom!"
With lithe movements he ran to her and picked up the wicker basket of fish. They both went to the side of the house and began to cut open the fish using a small and thin knife to cut the underbelly, with their fingers they'd scoop out the insides and fling it into the bucket that sat in front of them.
A wooden table that held a second wicker basket was slowly filled with degutted fish. "Me and Harriet next door have a small dinner we're planning. You need to look your best tonight Hale." His mothers eyes glowed with a calculating light, one he had seen every time she was trying to get him married to one of the village girls.
He sighed inward before replying back to her with a smile, "Yes Mom…"
She smiled and kept degutting the fish with him. It's not like he wanted to attend the dinner, he really didn't, but his mother was ruthless and would drag him out by the hair if she had to.
With no other choice he took a bath in the families wooden tub, scrubbing himself with the water filled with flower petals. He watched as these petals swirled around in the tub, they were forced into the tub by his mother… he thought back to the past few years. His mother had tried to push him and his childhood friend, Dela, to be together.
When Dela got hitched with a different village boy, his mother started one by one making friends with other village girl mothers. The years went by and only a few girls still hadn't been married, it wasn't his fault though.
Once he exited the tub his tanned muscular farmers body dropped water. As he looked down at himself in the dirty tub waters reflection he couldn't help but sigh… he had acquired his father mean mug, it was no wonder he hadn't found a girl to marry.
Of course everyone knew he wasn't actually a bad guy, he had grew up in this village with everyone after all. It was just no women wanted their poor daughters to acquire his looks…
He took a corse dry cloth and wiped himself dry then put on his clothes, a brown shirt and pants. Hale headed out the house, his mother was already waiting outside the door for him. She was dressed in her plain brown dress and they made their way to a nearby stone and mud house nearby.
Like usual they ate and chatted, his mom and Mrs Harriet giggling and talking about how cute it would be if he and Belara were to wed and have children. He awkwardly looked over at Belara, she wasn't fair like her name suggested. She was buff and darkly tanned and also had a mean mug, he could only imagine how their children would turn out…
The thought gave him goosebumps.
Suddenly Belara smacked her cup on the table, it was a sharp wood against wood clank. She glared at her mother and stood up, "I've already told you! I'm going to marry Blaise!" Belara then ran off, her feet stomping all the way out the house.
His mother looked over at Mrs Harriet in shock, Mrs Harriet could do nothing but sigh exasperated saying, "I am so sorry… my daughter only wants to marry Blaise. I've told her time and time again that he is already bestowed to another. She doesn't listen though, I'm sure I can convince her to marry your son though! Do not worry."
His mother could only shake her head with a defeated look, "I think we should go." Him and his mother left her house, Hale awkwardly walked next to her and back to their home. He could not believe that Belara wanted to marry Blaise.
Blaise was a frail and pale boy, he also had a weak temperament. He could not imagine the two of them together for the life of him. Blaise was also already promised to the village chiefs daughter when the two were children. It'd be a rough road ahead of Belara…
Dusk had started to set, the simple dish consisting of potatoes and cabbage at Mrs Harriet's had made him sleepy. Hale entered their home, heading for his room. Before he entered he heard the quiet voice of his mother, "Sorry Hale… if I had known…"
He looked at her, her expression appearing a little upset, her face filled with old aging lines. He could only smile, "It's alright, I'm sure I'll find someone and you'll have those grand babies you've always wanted. For now though… let's just focus on the farm?"
His mother nodded smiling, "Yeah. Let's do that."
Once he had succefully closed the door and slipped away he felt relieved. Hale didn't want to marry Belara anyway, or have any kids for a long time on that matter. He wanted to focus on the farm and stay with his mother… she needed him.
His father had disappeared soon after he was born, his mother had worked hard to make sure he was happy and healthy. Growing up, he felt he was in the right place, by her side and he wanted it to stay that way. He wanted to be there for her as much as she was there for him.
He could see her aging lines and how she now struggled to carry a bucket of fish, why would he run off and start a family with her needing him?
He stripped and hopped into bed. The feather stuffed bedding comfortable. He slept till morning feeling relaxed now that he didn't have to worry about getting married.
When morning came he got started on his usual farm work, watering the tomatoes and wiping the sweat off his brow he heard his mother calling for him. He went inside. She gave him a small pouch with coins. "What's this for?"
His mother smiled, "I think it's time you went to the city? Your going to be of age soon."
Hale had never been to the city, he had always been in the village and never wandered. His mother was allowing him to finally go out and explore? This was very exciting.
She made sure he had everything he needed, she handed him a second pouch and a list as he sat on the horse. "This is a Frecia leaf pouch. You remember what I told you about the Kroblin? This will help deter them and don't lose that list okay?"
He nodded, he had remembered. They were a weird green furred wolf creature. They like to run around in packs, killing villagers. They seemed to have an innate hatred for humans.
Luckily they had a sensitive sense of smell and were the only dangerous beast around, if he were to head in any direction other than the city well… no one quite knew what was out there but there was a reason why he and the villagers stayed where they were. It was safe.
Finally after lecturing him and telling him what to do and not to do in the city, "Make sure to travel safely, Selby ain't not spring chicken anymore." She giggled and patted the old brown horses side. Selby flicked her tail.
"Don't worry Mom. I won't stray from the road." Hale looked at his mother one last time before departing, "Goodbye Mom, love you!" Then he took off.
The road wasn't easy to follow, it was a rarely used dirt path. The summer winds carried a broiling heat. Drinking out of his water skin, he wiped his sweaty palms on his clothes. When he finally saw the city he was shocked, a tall stone wall circled the city but he could still see some buildings over the top of it. He had never seen homes so tall…
He rode up to the gate, the guards looked at him and asked him a few questions. They soon let him pass, he rode into the city with big wide eyes filled with amazement. For a full day he was running around admiring things, his eyes looking everywhere with curiosity. He didn't forget to complete the shopping list though, making sure to buy everything at the correct prices and placing them on the horse.
When dusk had finally set he exited the city filled with awe and wonder. The world had so many interesting things, it was too bad he had to head back home. He was fine with it though after a bit, he liked the mundane farmer life he had with his mother. He couldn't imagine living in a bustling city everyday.
Selby moved much slower compared to the beginning of their journey, with running around all day and now carrying some things her old body could only move so fast. He took his time, walking beside her with a happy face.
"Selby, don't worry we'll be home soon then we can relax." He patted her and she let out a huff. He laughed and held her reins loosely, the smell of smoke becoming stronger as he moved along the road.
He sniffed the air curiously. Someone must have started a bonfire? As he moved closer and the sky became pitch black he saw the horizon, it was filled with smoke and lit. His pupils shrank and he hurried Selby along. The sound of crackling flames and the smell of burnt flesh stung his nose. When he finally made it past the forest forage, he saw his village.
He felt his breath catch in his throat and he looked down at the crater, the village had become nothing more that a giant ditch, many meters below and stretching wide. Nothing was left but dirt.
His whole body froze, he felt frozen in place. Before he knew it he was screaming, screaming for his mother. He tried climbing down the dirt walls and into the crater but before he could Selby had bit his shirt and pulled him back up. He wailed. He knew she wasn't down there, and yet he didn't want to believe the reality set before him.
His cries were almost guttural, he cried for hours. Only when the sun had began to rise again was he able to shed all his tears, but his heart was still broken. No not broken, it had completely stopped…
His eyes couldn't look away from the crater, the sun had illuminated what remained. Nothing. Nothing but charred black earth, some trees nearby were stil alit with flames, a weird purple hue.
He had never seen flames of this color…
He traveled around the crater, yelling, but no one was alive, or so he assumed. The crater stretched on for miles, it had no doubt completely destroyed the village and some of the forest surrounding it. He continued to yell for several hours but to no avail.
He had only stopped when he could no longer yell. He drank the rest of the water from his water skin. He looked at the crater for a while longer but knew he couldn't remain here. He had to leave, before leaving he plucked some nearby flowers and placed them near the crater. His heart shattered knowing even his mothers body was gone.
He cried for a bit more before hopping onto Selby's back slowly. "Goodbye Mom, love you…" he no longer looked back.